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Assembly office update

<typohead type="4">Emmaus </typohead>

For me over this period, the Emmaus story mingled with Focus on the Future conversations. The trek of the two from Jerusalem and back echoes aspects of our life, with hope (Luke 24:13-35):

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Running out of resource and certainty;

Grief at the frustration of valued plans and hopes;

Wondering about new voices;

Accentuated conflict;

Scanning for new possibilities;

Inviting the hopeful presence to stay (going with a hunch);

New possibilities revealed in scripture freshly read;

Brokenness embodied and offered, owned and taken in (bread eaten);

Energy released through no longer carrying familiar tiring patterns and conflicts;

Breakthrough;

The significance of Christ revealed and recognised;

Walking back to the beginning, in the dark, at the end of day, with new vision;

Meeting others who shared a similar experience in a different place;

A community reborn.

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Key to all is the company of the risen Christ. I believe what Christ did for two tired trekkers he does still and is doing now. Will you pray with me that the present situation and our responses to it may be part of God’s more thorough ongoing renewal of the Church?

<typohead type="4">Focus on the Future </typohead>

The 11 Focus on the Future face-to-face meetings concluded in Wellington on 7 April. Written submissions have also been received. All responses are being collated and will be reported on. The Council of Assembly will shortly begin the process of reflecting on what people said and wrote. Please pray for the Council through this important time of listening, understanding, praying and considering.

Thank you for everyone who has taken the time to reflect on future priorities, attend the meetings and send in written feedback. And a special thank you to parishes who hosted meetings, the local people who chaired and facilitated the events, and the many others who helped out in different ways.

<typohead type="4">Andrew Bell, Global Mission Secretary </typohead>

To release further funding for overseas projects by reducing internal costs, and to help build a wider mission team, Andrew Bell has accepted a call to be minister at St Andrew’s, Otahuhu, Auckland. He is being inducted on Thursday 21 April.

Discussions with St Andrew’s and the Auckland Presbytery are well-advanced towards Andrew continuing as Global Mission Secretary on a part-time basis. The Global Mission Office has relocated to St Andrew’s – see the Global Mission Gazette for the new contact details. This is potentially an exciting new arrangement involving partnership with a mission-minded congregation and the involvement of a wider body of people.

<typohead type="4">Induction of John Daniel, National Mission Enabler </typohead>

John is being inducted to his new position by the Presbytery of Dunedin on Thursday 14 April.

<typohead type="4">Council of Assembly meeting in Wellington </typohead>

Council met in Wellington on 11-13 March. A summary of the key outcomes from their gathering can be found at: http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/?id=1737 To be added to the mailing list to receive updates directly, please send your email address to commsmanager(at)presbyterian.org.nz  

<typohead type="4">AES away </typohead>

I will be on leave from 21 April to 26 May. The first week is annual leave. Three weeks’ study leave are being spent with Prof. Will Storrar at New College, Edinburgh around questions of Presbyterian identity/ies and New Zealand identity/ies (including a contrast and compare with the Scottish situation). The final three days will be spent at the Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Rev. Ken Irwin will be Acting AES, on call.

Please note that Fiona Stenhouse in the Assembly Office attends to complaints of sexual misconduct and disciplinary matters:
fionas(at)presbyterian.org.nz  

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