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Report to Council of Assembly August 2005
Kia whakakororiatia te ingoa o te Matua, o te Tama, o te Wairua Tapu, ko te ritenga ia i te timatanga, a tenei ano inaianei, a ka mau tonu iho, a ake, ake. Amine.
Let us glorify the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, and is now, for ever and ever. Amen
The year 2005 has been an eventful, encouraging and powerful year for Te Aka Puaho. This report will endeavor to cover some of the events and current projects happening within Te Aka Puaho.
The Rev Hariata Haumate was inducted in to the Murupara Parish on 23 January 2005 following the completion of her Diploma studies at the School of Ministry . Rev Haumate was ordained as an Amorangi Minister in 2000, following which she commenced Diploma studies in Dunedin .
In February the School of Ministry deferred the students visit to Ohope set for 16 – 20 February to March 16 – 20 in order to enable the students to participate in the Te Aka Puaho 50th Celebrations.
February 26 2005 Mrs Amiria Millie Te Kaawa was installed as Moderator Te Aka Puaho at Ohope Marae.
<typohead type="2">March 16 – 20 Te Aka Puaho Celebrations </typohead>
There were over 200 people who attended the Celebrations during the five days. A brief list of those who attended from outside Te Aka Puaho as follows:- Moderator PCANZ and representatives, PIC Synod, School of Ministry, Methodist Church representatives, Turakina Maori Girls College, Lindisfarne College, Human Rights Commissioner and representatives, Presbytery representatives from Gisborne, Auckland, Wellington, Heretaunga and North Otago.
Letters of congratulations were received from Wellington , Dunedin , Manawatu/Wanganui Presbyteries, PIC Synod, Council of Asian Congregations, Te Runanga Whakawhanaunga I Nga Haahi o Aotearoa, St James Newton, Revs Dianne and Reg Weeks, Rev John Roxburgh, Rev Marg Schrader.
The celebratory programme began on Wednesday with a Thanksgiving Service at the gravesides of the late Very Rev J G Laughton and Mrs Laughton. It was impressive to see so many people take time out to be present at this service in the rain.
Thursday morning was a time for people to share their memories of their time within Te Aka Puaho and especially their memories of the late Hoani and Horiana Laughton.
In the afternoon the Tangata Whenua assembled to powhiri our visitors, during which the skies opened up with rain. Following the powhiri the Celebration Service was held and the Moderators of PCANZ, Te Aka Puaho and the PIC Synod presided. Also contributing to this very special Service were the Rev Dianne Tana, Tumuaki of Te Haahi Weteriana, Revs W Cuthers, M Huie Jolly, K Enright (AES), D Ikitoelangi and the Rev W Te Kaawa.
The Service was notable for two things:-
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The re-enactment of the passing of the Scroll from the hands of the Moderator PCANZ to the youngest Elder, to all members of Te Aka Puaho until it reached the hands of the Moderator of Te Aka Puaho who responded;
The presentation of a plaque by the Moderator PCANZ and Assembly Executive Secretary to Te Aka Puaho.
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Friday the kaupapa of the day was the Tuhoe history of Te Aka Puaho with a historic trip to the home of Rua Kenana in Matahi.
On arrival at Tuapou Marae, the final resting place of Rua Kenana the visitors were led onto the Marae by the three Moderators to a Haka Powhiri. References were made in the speeches to Ngati Hoani and the Deaconesses pointing out that it is now nearly eighty years since John Laughton buried his friend Rua Kenana.
The Very Rev Gary Marquand Moderator PCANZ gave a presentation on the Mission of the Church. The Rev John Daniels also gave a presentation on the role of The National Mission Enabler. To conclude the trip a Thanksgiving Service was held before returning back to Ohope.
Saturday began with devotions led by Heretaunga Parish followed by presentations by Lindisfarne College led by the Master of the College. Sir Rodney Gallen and Mr Tony Wilson spoke of the relationship with Te Aka Puaho, Tuhoe, the Te Whaiti Scholarship and the late Very Rev Duncan Jamieson. Presentations were made by the following: The Rev Meri Caton, Wellington Maori Pastorate, The Rev John Daniels, Mrs Horiana Hayes and whanau, Opotiki Maori Pastorate, The Rev Eric Caton, the Takao family and Mrs Putiputi O’Brien. The evening Service was lead by the Staff and Students of the School of Ministry .
Sunday. The focus of the closing day of the Te Aka Puaho 50th Celebrations was the Closing Service led by the Moderators of Te Aka Puaho and PCANZ. Assisting in the Service were:- Rev John Murray former Moderator PCANZ, Students from the School of Ministry , the Revs Kay Taitoko, Eric Caton and Erana Manihera. The Rev Tom Hawea conducted Holy Communion before the Moderator closed the Celebrations with the Benediction.
The challenge for Te Aka Puaho is where to from here?
Our thanks go to the Rev Wayne Te Kaawa for his tireless and seemingly boundless energy in organizing Te Aka Puaho’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.
In March the selection process began to appoint a new Secretary/Clerk to Te Aka Puaho. On the 8th April 2005 Rev Dawn Awatea Tupe was appointed Secretary/Clerk.
April 12 2005 . Representatives of Te Aka Puaho accompanied the Moderator to Turakina Maori Girls College to join the College Staff and Pupils at dinner to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the opening of Turakina Maori Girls College . The official celebrations will be held at Labour Weekend at the College. Te Aka Puaho will be participating in the celebrations.
<typohead type="2">May 2005. Amorangi Ministry Training </typohead>
One of the ongoing problems that had been highlighted in the early Maori Mission was that very few Maori had come forward to Ordained Ministry. The first Maori graduate from the School of Ministry was the Rev Hemi Potatau in 1933. The other path that some followed was to become Home Missionaries. As a direct result of the Roundtable Conference on Maori Affairs, the fledgling Maori Synod established Te Wananga A Rangi. This was consistent with moves in Maori Society to develop indigenous leadership. Te Wananga A Rangi lasted twenty years training many of its own for fulltime Ministry. In the early 1970’s Te Wananga A Rangi was closed and moved to the School of Ministry in Dunedin . Through the 1970’s the Maori Synod grappled with the idea of further developing and expanding upon its Ministry. One resource that Synod did have at that time was a number of long serving Elders. The notion was put forward to establish a self-supporting Ministry called Amorangi. The idea was to offer some of the long serving Elders an intensive training course. Originally an Amorangi was to be an assistant Minister to the Fulltime Minister. However over time the workload of Amorangi has increased to the point where some Parishes are staffed only by an Amorangi. This has evolved for two reasons, firstly the retirement and death of many fulltime Ministers and secondly, very few were prepared to enter into fulltime Ministry. The Amorangi Ministry is one of the success stories of Te Aka Puaho. It has survived for twenty five years. “Amorangi” meaning “The Bearer of Heavenly Things”
This year Te Aka Puaho has approved nine people for Amorangi Ministry Training, to begin in September. Rev Wayne Te Kaawa has been appointed Director of Amorangi Ministry Training with Rev A Tupe as Assistant Director. Once again Te Aka Puaho is grateful for Rev Te Kaawa’s commitment to this training. In consultation with the School of Ministry Rev Te Kaawa has developed an excellent training programme for the Students and an Amorangi Students Handbook.
<typohead type="2">Te Roopu Ohomairangi </typohead>
Te Roopu Ohomairangi consists of the Moderator, Conveners of Te Aka Puaho Committees and representatives of Te Aka Puaho. The purpose of the group is to visit Parishes of Te Aka Puaho to inform, assist, develop and encourage Te Aka Puaho Parish members in their Mission work. In June 2005 Te Ohomairangi visited the Wellington Maori Pastorate, and will be visiting more Parishes in the near future.
<typohead type="2">Focus On The Future </typohead>
During the March Celebrations Te Aka Puaho returned to its beginnings to touch base with our roots in order for us to move forward. Te Aka Puaho has been and continues to focus on empowering and encouraging our people in Mission . This Report reflects Te Aka Puaho’s Focus On The Future.
<typohead type="2">Partnership Relationship </typohead>
Te Aka Puaho is very concerned in regard to the future of the partnership relationship in light of the Council’s decision to ignore Te Aka Puaho’s wish that the covenant between PCANZ and Te Aka Puaho be honored and that the Church trust Te Aka Puaho to do its very best to meet its obligations to the wider Church. It is with concern and great reluctance that Te Aka Puaho accepts the challenge of working within a very limited budget for this year only. Te Aka Puaho, in real terms has contributed $213,000 towards the deficit. There is a fiduciary obligation, that is a gospel imperative that the strong have a duty to protect the weak. Perhaps it is time that Te Aka Puaho in consultation with its Komiti Takawaenga Advisors, examined very closely the future Partnership relationship. This challenge will certainly not impede Te Aka Puaho’s Mission to our Maori people, and we are proceeding with developing our Mission for our future.
Rev Awatea Tupe
Te Aka Puaho