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Assembly Executive Secretary nomination

At its recent meeting, the Council of Assembly endorsed the AES selection panel recommendation to appoint the Rev Martin Baker to the position of Assembly Executive Secretary.

Appointment of the Assembly Executive Secretary is a General Assembly function and this year’s Assembly will make the decision regarding appointment.

In bringing its recommendation, the selection panel enthusiastically affirm Martin’s gifts and expertise, and note the high standard of all candidates’ applications. Members of the panel were: Helen Beaumont, Viv Coleman, Kerry Stotter, Millie Te Kaawa, Garry Marquand, John Craig and Murray Talbot.

Martin, currently minister at First Church in Dunedin , brings 22 years ministry experience to the role. His extensive experience in parish ministry as well as in the initiation and management of services to the general community, in both a mission and community development context, are strengths that he brings to the role. Martin maintains good networks within the church, among both lay and ordained people, and is well connected to the wider context of New Zealand society.

His qualifications include a Bachelor of Social Science, a Bachelor of Divinity from Otago and a Master of Sacred Theology from Union Theological Seminary, New York. More recently Martin has completed courses in organisational leadership and human resource management at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

In seeking candidates, the selection panel advertised extensively through Presbyterian publications and the search was also extended by word of mouth. Short-listed candidates were then interviewed, and after careful consideration of written applications, interview responses, referee checks, and prayerful deliberation, a final decision was reached.

Should Assembly approve the appointment, Martin is expected to take up the position in late 2006 to allow handover to occur.

Helen Beaumont - AES selection panel
21 July 2006