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Bush Telegraph June 2005
News
Assembly Office Update
By the time you receive this update, Kerry will have returned to the office following six weeks study leave. I’m sure he will provide an update in the next issue of Bush Telegraph, and in the meantime, I’ve noted here some points of interest from the last few weeks.
<typohead type="4">Possible sale of Laughton House </typohead>
Following an unsolicited offer, Council has decided to enter into a conditional agreement for the sale of Laughton House (this is the building where Wellington-based Assembly employees are based).
The sale is subject to a due diligence requirement. This process concludes at the end of July and an unconditional sale will allow for settlement in the first quarter of 2006.
Information was circulated to presbyteries about this matter, but if anyone missed out on the update, please contact your presbytery or email miriamap(at)pcanz.org.nz, and a copy of the notice will be sent to you.
Council will provide another update about the possible sale of Laughton House at the end of the due diligence period.
<typohead type="4">Budget 2005/06 </typohead>
The Administration and Finance Policy Group met in Auckland earlier this month to consider the proposed budget for the next financial year. Administration and Finance are working toward a balanced budget (as directed by Assembly) and Council is expected to consider the matter during June.
More information about the 2005/06 budget will be issued toward the end of June.
<typohead type="4">Focus on the Future </typohead>
Progress is continuing, with an update sent out late last month to all those who attended the gatherings or made submissions. Click here to read more.
The task group considering the material has also met by teleconference for the first time. They have a challenging task ahead, and you are asked to support the task group with your thoughts and prayers.
<typohead type="4">Allegations of abuse at Berhampore Children’s Home </typohead>
Media coverage of this matter has continued, with further articles in The Dominion-Post and a follow-up item on TVNZ’s Sunday current affairs programme on 1 May.
The most recent development is that Presbyterian Support Central has confirmed that it has arranged to meet with representatives of the complainants who have alleged abuse occurred at the home.
We are continuing to work with Presbyterian Support Central, and information about the Church’s position on this matter can be found by clicking the link on the home page of our website, http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/?id=1.
<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.
Heather may be contacted at 0800 76 2222 or synod.otago.southland(at)xtra.co.nz.
Jose Reader
Communications Manager
Postscript from Kerry Enright: The study leave was very stimulating. I hope to place some of the material on our website shortly. If you are interested and would like to interact, you might like to visit http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/?id=1 in a couple of weeks’ time. I will put an update about this in the next issue of Bush Telegraph.
Presbyterian Youth Ministry news
<typohead type="4">Connect </typohead>
The next couple of months will become increasingly focussed on preparing for Connect, the national youth leaders conference being held on July 8-10 at Forest Lakes Camp in Otaki. The theme is “belonging”, the main speaker is Justin Duckworth, and worship will be led by the music team from PIC Newtown in Wellington . Once again, the weekend promises to be a ripper. Flyers are available from the PYM office. Extra info can be found here: http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/?id=3354
<typohead type="4">Fuel </typohead>
Over the month we’ll be bringing together Fuel magazine. The issue is “belonging” – to coincide with Connect. Fire any thoughts, ideas, resources, activities, articles, images etc etc to do with belonging to us over the next couple of weeks and you’ll make Mo very happy. Also, if you know of any churches advertising for youth workers, tell them to drop us a line.
<typohead type="4">Going Somewhere </typohead>
Going Somewhere is a PYM driven discipleship/leadership programme for emerging leaders. Wellington and Blenheim got their programmes underway this term. Dunedin , Auckland and the Bay of Plenty are preparing to run theirs in term three.
<typohead type="4">Praxis </typohead>
Praxis are running a youth workers conference on 23 May that will be followed by a conference about emergent church. Both will have contributions from the Forge Institute from Australia . PYM has been a part of the team bringing these together and has encouraged youth workers/leaders to go to 23 May and church leaders to attend particularly the open forums which are being held on the evenings of Tuesday 24 and 25 Wednesday 25 May. More info can be found here: www.praxis.org.nz
Mo Mansill & Kathryn Grant
Global Mission Office update
<typohead type="4">Come Holy Spirit, heal and reconcile</typohead>
Andrew writes:
The 13th World Mission Conference was held in Athens from 9–16 May 2005 with the challenging theme “Come Holy Spirit, heal and reconcile”. I was very fortunate to be selected as a delegate representing the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand , which is a member church of the World Council of Churches. There were 576 delegates from 105 counties, with only 13 coming from the Pacific region. Applicants far exceeded places and thus many missed out. Some of those who were selected were denied visas to enter Greece , with delegates from the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea missing out because of this.
For the first time, the full breadth of Christianity was represented. The Conference was hosted by the Greek Orthodox Church, a large contingent of Roman Catholics was in official attendance and Pentecostals from Africa and Latin America brought colour and vitality. However, we had to confess that we could not find a common way to come to the Lord’s Table and that there were many who were not adequately represented. Have a look at the excellent Conference website for more information: www.mission2005.org/
<typohead type="4">A Letter from Athens </typohead>
The history of this conference stretches back to Edinburgh in1910 and the history of its development is very interesting. It was considered so important that I was compelled to study them all as an undergraduate! In times to come, the “Letter from Athens ” that follows will act as another sign-post in the historical development of Missiological thought and praxis that will also be studied and debated. The question of what it means to engage in a contextual and Christian way in a complex and constantly changing world has yet to be fully answered.
<typohead type="4">Being part of the answer to the question </typohead>
As a Church we have a corporate and individual responsibility to work out how to answer that question in an authentic way. Our aim is to get you to help by keeping you informed and making it easy to participate.
One of our primary communication tools to assist in this task is the Global Mission Gazette. We use this publication as a means of highlighting some the challenges and tell some of the good news stories. Again, our aim is to entice people to want to know more. If you haven’t seen the May edition, contact Lori on globalmissiongazette(at)xtra.co.nz and she will add your name to our mailing list. Subscription and postage is free.
We are greatly encouraged by the support we receive and are on track to record donations in excess of $100,000 for this financial year supporting our projects and people overseas. The GIVE Global section of our website breaks projects down into congregation-sized chunks to make them more manageable. This is proving to be a very popular way for people to engage in mission. Take a look at what is on offer at http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/2570.0.html
<typohead type="4">Practical mission is just a click away </typohead>
Lori writes:
Providing information on how you can become involved is an important part of the service we provide as a denominational Global Mission Office. We consider the task of navigating through our web pages to be the first step along the path of practical mission. Being informed about the opportunities and challenges available is vital. Many people express amazement at what is happening when they do take a look. Often the comment is passed that “we didn’t know the Presbyterian Church still did work like this”.
Over the next few months my aim is to reconfigure our web pages, which can be found at http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/?id=21, in the hopes of enhancing this process further. We work very hard to refresh the site as often as possible and to include plenty of useful mission-related information. One visit will never be enough.
Some changes to the overall website caused us to re-think our navigational tools. We have chosen six new primary navigational labels to help you find your way around the site:
1. Who We Are - Kiwis taking mission to the margins. How would you describe us? We have settled on the strap-line “Kiwis taking mission to the margins”. This is our way of giving expression to the fact that we are a small Church in a small country in the South Pacific. Thus we tend to select projects and people who are not in the mainstream either. However, the reality is that we cannot achieve anything without your help. This is what we say on the website: “ Our desire is to contribute, as New Zealanders, to the global community of Christian faith by calling all people to put their personal faith and common trust in Jesus Christ. To achieve this, we continually encourage our congregations and members to join us in 'missio Dei - the mission of God '. Without their participation it will be impossible to develop our understanding of what it means to be a Christian living in a Global community.”
Read more at www.presbyterian.org.nz/1211.0.html
2. Work With Us – GIVE Global . From opportunities to link with island communities through the “Adopt a Bush Missioner Programme”, and a p rison ministry in Thailand led by Kathryn McDaniel, to supporting communities’ programmes in Zambia, we believe we have a very broad and diverse range of projects. From children to theological students, lay people to ministers, there is a project covering almost every aspect of ministry. We would love to have your support too. Take a look to see if anything interests you. www.presbyterian.org.nz/2570.0.html
3. Where We Work – GO Global We work hard to develop opportunities for people to serve overseas. Vanuatu is our “p rimary mission relationship” and is the place where we have the most capacity. But we continue to build relationships in Samoa, Fiji, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, Myanmar, North India, South Africa , Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia . This is not an insignificant effort from a small country on the margins of the South Pacific! Although it would be nice to do more, we believe it is best that we first focus and strengthen what we are already doing. Maybe you will be the next Kiwi Presbyterian to serve abroad? In fact, there are more than 70 Kiwi Presbyterians (who we know of) serving overseas through other mission organisations. We do our best to ‘tell their stories’ in the Gazette. 4. Working With Others – World Wide Networks We are also responsible for developing the networks between the Presbyterian Church of Aoteraroa New Zealand and other Churches and ecumenical organisations around the world. The Council for World Mission (CWM) is one of the most important. We do respond to disaster areas on occasion, such as cyclone-ravaged Jamaica , Madagascar and Niue . We have supported the Church of North India in providing for victims of the tsunami. We often cooperate with Christian World Service (CWS) to achieve objectives like this. These pages tell these stories: www.presbyterian.org.nz/1212.0.html
5. Watching the World – Things that affect us all. We cannot watch everything, but hot topics for us at the moment include HIV/AIDS, climate change, peace, human rights, fair trade, and poverty. Our web site seeks to provide easy access to the best sources of information: www.presbyterian.org.nz/1215.0.html
6. Resources – Books, Books, Books A reasonable collection of historical mission texts as well as some contemporary titles are available to borrow through the GMO. Our latest addition is Betty Scarlet’s Oscar X-ray Calling which tells the story of a family serving in Papua New Guinea during the 1960s and 1970s. You can search for this and other “must-reads” at http://www.presbyterian.org.nz/?id=1213
The first step in practical mission is only a click away!
Noticeboard
<typohead type="3">Introduction work group</typohead>
David Balchin, Karen Nelson, Nathan Parry and Michelle Shin, graduating ordinands of 2005, are preparing their personal information forms for the work group to consider as they work with the parish profiles you are forwarding to us by 14 July .
Suggested content for inclusion in a parish profile:
<typolist>
Brief overview of parish life/history
Description of key ministries/missions
Parish aim, values and key current goals
Current financial information
Description, photographs of facilities (church, hall, manse etc.)
Information about education facilities for family members
Photographs of the community
Annual report
Statistics for the last decade (membership, worship, education)
Census
</typolist>
Presentation of parish profile
The profile needs to be available in two formats.
Full copy presented in an A4 clear file for placing in the hands of a graduating ordinand . This copy is returned to the board if the introduction process is unsuccessful.
An electronic copy minus photographs, brochures etc., but including up to date financial information is required in Word or rich text format for circulation to work group members by email.
Reminder : While the work group has a parish profile, the board of nomination is requested not to approach ordained ministers . The work group will return parish profiles that have not led to an introduction at the earliest opportunity.
Convener
Geoffrey Skilton 03 454 5457
geoffrey.skilton(at)paradise.net.nz
Warkworth Boys' Brigade to celebrate 50 years
<typohead type="4">Calling all former members</typohead>
Interim registrations are now called for from former officers and members of the 1st Warkworth Company of the Boys’ Brigade. You are all invited to come celebrate 50 continuous years of brigading in the Warkworth district.
A full and exciting weekend of activity and celebration is being planned from 9-11 September 2005. Do not miss this opportunity. Please email or phone giving your name and contact details to:
eventswarkworth(at)xtra.co.nz or ph David Young 09 425 9306 or Dave Parker 09 425 7303
Charities Act (2005)
While this Act was passed into law by Parliament on 13 April 2005 , exactly what it means for parishes is still being worked through.
The main implication of this new Act is that those entities that do not register under the new system could be liable to pay tax.
The registration process will begin on 1 July 2005 , and there will be a registration period, expected to be until 31 March 2006 . Given that it will be necessary for each registered entity to file its accounts, it is likely that each parish will be required to register as a separate entity; however, specifics have yet to be confirmed.
Much of the detail has been left to the Charities Commission to determine and until those details are announced, it is unclear if the Church can register as a whole or as a presbytery or as individual parishes.
Our Church is working with the Inter-Church Working Party on Taxation, which involves some 30 member churches, and we will continue to update you about the legal requirements as these are developed.
Ward Buckingham
Member of the Administration and Finance Policy Group
The New Zealand Hymnbook Trust has released two CDs of local composers’ work
1. Singing Love: 27 hymns and songs composed and played by New Zealand hymnwriter Colin Gibson
2. Singing Faith: 18 hymns and songs by New Zealand hymnwriter Shirley Erena Murray, played by Roy Tankersley, Director of Music, Presbyterian Parish of St Mark's and St Andrew's, Palmerston North.
Recommended Retail: $27.00
Trade: $18.00
All orders directly to office of NZ Hymnbook Trust:
PO Box 4142 , Manawatu Mail Centre
Tel/Fax 06/3569681/87
Email: info(at)hymns.org.nz Web:www.hymns.org.nz
Spiritual Directors’ Formation Programme 2006-2007
This comprehensive two-year course is open to Christians of any denomination.
It offers :
<typolist>
Systematic study of spiritual direction
Regular workshops conducted by an ecumenical team of qualified leaders
Supervised practical experience
</typolist>
For details contact the Co-ordinator:
Rev. Sue Pickering ,
83 Vivian St , New Plymouth
Ph/fax ( 06 ) 759 2331
E.mail : sgmtp(at)xtra.co.nz
visit our website : www.sgm.org.nz.
Applications close 20th August 2005 .
Christian World Service
<typohead type="4">Make Poverty History </typohead>
When 30,000 children die every day from poverty, that is 30,000 too many.
Christian World Service has joined with other agencies and groups in Aotearoa New Zealand on a new campaign to Make Poverty History. The campaign aims to end the devastation of world poverty by mobilizing people to put pressure on governments and international institutions to affect real change. Supporters are encouraged to call for:
<typolist>
Fair trade rules and practices The cancellation of poor countries’ debt More and better aid An end to child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand
</typolist>
Actions are planned on key dates during the year, the first is at the time of the G8 summit in Edinburgh on 1 July when the world’s most powerful leaders meet. The symbol of the international campaign is a white band, which is available from CWS. CWS will also be preparing resources for use in parishes. For more information: www.cws.org.nz or contact gillian.southey(at)cws.org.nz
'2005 is a year of great opportunity. If everyone who wants to see an end to poverty, hunger and suffering speaks out, then the noise will be deafening. Politicians will have to listen.' Archbishop Desmond Tutu
<typohead type="4">CWS Update </typohead>
CWS’s alternative news bulletin Update is available on the CWS website each month. Check out the latest in news affecting CWS partners and issues of global politics and poverty. This month’s Update features the desperate situation in South Sudan. See www.cws.org.nz
<typohead type="4">CWS Christmas Gift Appeal </typohead>
Thank you to everyone who supported the 2004 Christmas Gift Appeal. To date over $630,000 has been raised, one of the biggest appeals ever. Without this assistance, CWS would not be able to continue its work on behalf of member churches and supporters to help people overcome poverty and injustice around the world. The Appeal remains open for those parishes yet to send in their collections.
Resources
<typohead type="3">New Aquisitions Hewiston Library May 2005 </typohead>
Please remember that any Presbyterian can borrow from the Hewitson Library by simply filling out a registration form. Please email the Library for a registration form: hewitson(at)xtra.co.nz
We plan to add the form to our website in the immediate future.
Bible Studies
FORBES, Greg W. The God of old : the role of the Lukan parables in the purpose of Luke's Gospel. Sheffield, England : Sheffield Academic Press, c2000.
Classification: PJT 83 For
The HarperCollins Bible dictionary / general editor, Paul J. Achtemeier. Rev. ed. San Francisco : Harper, c1996.
Classification: Ref PH1 Har
Church history
The Cambridge companion to Reformation theology / edited by David Bagchi and David C. Steinmetz. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2004.
Classification: PKL Cam
REFF, Daniel T. Plagues, priests and demons : sacred narratives and the rise of Christianity in the old world and the new. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Classification: Ref PQD
TREBILCO, Paul. The early Christians in Ephesus from Paul to Ignatius. Tubingen : Mohr Siebeck, c2004.
Classification: POA Tre
TROMPF, G. W. Melanesian religion. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, c1991.
Classification: PQX Tro
Pastoral theology
Awakened to a calling : reflections on the vocation of ministry / edited by Ann M. Svennungsen and Melissa Wiginton. Nashville : Abingdon, c2005.
Classification: PU Awa
BAAB, Lynne M. Personality type in congregations : how to work with others more effectively. [ Washington ] : Alban Institute, c1998.
Classification: PYF Baa
BARGER, Rick. A new and right spirit : creating an authentic church in a consumer culture.
Classification: PLO Bar
BEVERLY, Urias. The places you go : caring for your congregation Monday through Saturday. Nashville : Abingdon Press, c2003.
Classification: PU Bev
CAPPS, Donald and Gene Fowler. The pastoral care case : learning about care in congregations. St. Louis , Miss. : Chalice Press, c2001.
Classification: PUC Cap
DODD, Brian J. Empowered church leadership : ministry in the spirit according to Paul.. Downers Grove , Ill. : InterVarsity Press, c2003.
Classification: PU Dod
EASUM, Bill, with Linnea Nilsen Capshaw. Put on your own oxygen mask first : rediscovering ministry. Nashville : Abingdon Press, c2004.
Classification: PU Eas
EDMONDSON, Chris. Fit to lead : sustaining effective ministry in a changing world. London : Darton, Longman and Todd, 2002.
Classification: PU Edm
LAKELAND, Paul. The liberation of the laity : in search of an accountable church. New York : Continuum, 2003.
Classification: PPC Lak
LEHMAN, Victor D. The work of the pastor. Valley Forge , PA : Judson Press, c2004.
Classification: PU Leh
MALPHURS, Aubrey. Being leaders : the nature of authentic Christian leadership. Grand Rapids , Mich. : Baker Books, c2003.
Classfication: PU Mal
OSWALD, Roy M. New beginnings : a pastorate start up workbook. Washington : Alban Institute, c1989.
Classification: PU Osw
PARKS, Lewis A. and Bruce C. Birch. Ducking spears, dancing madly : a biblical model of church leadership. Nashville : Abingdon Press, c2004.
Classification: PHU Par
PURVES, Andrew. Pastoral theology in the classical tradition. Louisville : Westminster John Knox Press, c2001.
Classification: PU Pur
ROBERTS, Fredric M. Be not afraid! : building your church on faith and knowledge. Herndon , Va. : Alban Institute, c2005.
Classification: PYF Rob
SUMNER, Sarah. Men and women in the church : building concensus on Christian leadership. Downers Grove , Ill. : InterVarsity Press, c2003.
Classification: PU Sum
TRULL, Joe E. and James E. Carter. Ministerial ethics : moral formation for church leaders. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids , Mich. : Baker Academic, 2004.
Classification: PU Tru
Prayer
HAUERWAS, Stanley. Cross-shattered Christ : meditations on the seven last words. Grand Rapids , Mich. : Brazos Press, c2004.
Classification: PYD Hau
Preaching
Believing in preaching : what listeners hear in sermons / Mary Alice Mulligan ... [et al.]. St. Louis , Miss. : Chalice Press, c2005.
Classification: PVA Bel
SATTERLEE, Craig A. When God speaks through change : preaching in times of congregational transition. Herndon , Va. : Alban Institute, c2005.
Classification: PYG Sat
Society
Tackling rugby myths : rugby and New Zealand society 1854-2004 / edited by Greg Ryan. Dunedin : University of Otago Press , 2005.
Classification: HK Tak
Theology
ALTHAUS-REID, Marcella. From feminist theology to indecent theology : readings on poverty, sexual identity and God. London : SCM Press, 2004.
Classification: PLP Alt
In search of the common good / edited by Dennis P. McCann and Patrick D. Miller. New York : T.& T. Clark, c2005.
Classification: PKV In
MEILAENDER, Gilbert. Bioethics : a primer for Christians. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids , Mich. : Eerdmans, 2005.
Classification: PND Mei
Practical wisdom on theological teaching and learning / Malcolm L. Warford, editor. New York : Peter Lang, c2004.
Classification: PXA Pra
Theological aesthetics : a reader / edited by Gesa Elsbeth Thiessen. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Eerdmans, 2004.
Classification: PAW The
Worship
BAAB, Lynne M. Sabbath keeping : finding freedom in the rhythms of rest. Downers Grove : Inter Varsity Press, c2005.
Classification: PY Baa
ELLIS, Christopher J. Gathering : a theology and spirituality of worship in free church tradition. London : SCM Press, c2004.
Classification: PWA Ell
The encyclopedia of prayer and praise / compiled and edited by Mark Walter. Peabody, Mass. : Hendrickson, c2004.
Classification: PW1 Enc
KNIGHT, Henry F. Celebrating Holy week in a post-holocaust world. Louisville : Westminster John Knox Press, c2005.
Classification: PWA Kni
A More profound alleluia : theology and worship in harmony / edited by Leanne van Dyk. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Eerdmans, c2005.
Classification: PWA Mor
NEU, Diann L. Return blessings : ecofeminist liturgies renewing the earth. Cleveland : Pilgrim Press, 2002.
Classification: PWA Neu
WITVLIET, John D. Worship, seeking, understanding : windows into Christian practice / John D. Witvliet. Grand Rapids , Mich. : Baker Academic, c2003.
Classification: PWA Wit
Church Register
The Church Register lists additions to, deletions from, and changes in status on the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand Ministerial Roll as advised by Presbytery Clerks as at 1 May 2005.
Please amend the roll in your yearbook accordingly
<typohead type="4">Deaths:</typohead>
The Rev Phil M Spencer, Emeritus, deceased May 8, 2005 .
Ministerial vacancies
Click here to see the full table of vacancies
Only one alteration this month:
<typohead type="4">Mangere East: St Mark’s Presbyterian Church </typohead>
F/T Sole Charge
Contact: Rev F Roy Christian missie(at)xtra.co.nz
Posted: 20/05