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Assembly office update

With the Assembly Executive Secretary on study leave, I have (temporarily) taken over this page to bring you all up to speed with the work of the Assembly Office team:

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

Council has appointed a task group to review the feedback from written submissions and the 11 Focus on the Future meetings held around the country in March and April. The group has been tasked with developing options and recommendations for consideration by Council (and ultimately General Assembly where appropriate).

Lots of questions were raised at the meetings, and it wasn’t always possible to answer these at the time – either due to time constraints or because the right information wasn’t at hand. So, a summary of the most common questions and Council’s response to these is now available at http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/?id=3403.

A full report on the outcomes from Focus on the Future is expected in July. This is slightly later than signalled originally and gives the task group, which includes ministers, lay people and members of Council of Assembly, sufficient time to consider the material.

<typohead type="4">Allegations of abuse at Presbyterian Support Central’s Berhampore Children’s Home </typohead>

As you may be aware, there has been media coverage recently about allegations of abuse at Berhampore Children’s Home in Wellington during the 50s and 60s. Some matters have not been adequately covered in the newspaper, radio and television reports, even though we have given careful detailed briefings. Please click on the link on the home page of the Church’s website, http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/?id=1 for more information about our response.

<typohead type="4">Book of Order – revised version </typohead>

Amendments to the Book of Order resulting from the 2004 General Assembly have been completed. The new version is on-line at http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/?id=1609

With the exception of a copy for each presbytery or union district council, the updated Book of Order will not be available in printed form. Instead, you are encouraged to use the website, which electronically indexes the Book and makes it easy to find the information you are looking for.

<typohead type="4">Book of Order - advice </typohead>

Heather McKenzie, Clerk of the Synod of Otago and Southland, is available to provide advice regarding the Book of Order and Presbyterian procedures and practices.

She may be contacted at 0800 76 2222 or synod.otago.southland(at)xtra.co.nz

<typohead type="4">Membership rule </typohead>

The 2004 General Assembly passed a rule relating to membership. A resource, including liturgical material, to aid parishes with the transition is available on the Presbyterian website at http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/?id=3467.

<typohead type="4">Barrier Act </typohead>

We have received several requests recently for the material issued to parishes and presbyteries about the rules sent down under the Barrier Act. Please contact assemblyoffice(at)pcanz.org.nz for copies of the documents, if needed.

Presbyteries are reminded that responses about the rule relating to sexual relationships outside marriage are due with the Assembly Executive Secretary by 31 May 2005, and responses relating to the rule about administering baptism are due by 30 June 2005 .

<typohead type="4">Global Mission Office has moved </typohead>

As noted in last month’s Bush Telegraph, the Global Mission Office has undergone some change. The Rev Andrew Bell has accepted a call to St Andrew’s Otahuhu, and Andrew and the rest of the Global Mission team are now based here. The new arrangements mean 25 percent of Andrew’s time will be dedicated to global mission; see the next Global Mission Gazette for more information about the changes and our international mission work.

Josephine Reader
Communications manager
commsmanager(at)presbyterian.org.nz