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Friday 29 September
GA06 confirms rule on sexuality and leadership
General Assembly today confirmed its 2004 rule that those involved in a sexual relationship outside of faithful marriage cannot be trained, licensed, ordained or inducted for leadership within the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Commissioners from presbyteries around the country, together with a considerable number of parishioners, gathered at St Kentigern College as the Rev Dr Kerry Enright, Assembly Executive Secretary, presented the motion to the Assembly. As is the tradition of the Presbyterian Church, open and robust debate followed the motion, which reflects an issue that has been before the Church for many years. Strong feelings were expressed on either side by commissioners from a variety of presbyteries and synods, some of whom had attended many Assemblies and others who were attending for the first time. After voting by ballot, it was announced that the motion had been carried by 230 votes to 124 (65 percent in favour).
At the request of the Moderator, the Right Rev Pamela Tankersley, news of the decision was met with silence, as commissioners were encouraged to hold it in God’s hands. In her closing prayer, Pamela asked that the church keeps in mind that this issue is not a question of winning or losing, but rather about finding God’s way. She remembered those whose lives will be deeply affected by this decision and prayed that “we will be able to deal with each other in love, even when we disagree”.
This rule is not retrospective and only applies to people being assessed for future training or leadership positions. It is not a disciplinary standard and cannot be used to remove a homosexual or lesbian person who is already holding an office. Further debate was held around a motion that this ruling should also not prejudice anyone in a heterosexual relationship outside of marriage who has already been accepted for training, licensed, ordained or inducted for leadership. After a close vote (159 in favour, 161 against), this motion was lost.
Binding decision continues status quo of the past two years
Today’s decision by General Assembly to accept as binding the 2004 rule that the Church may not accept for training, license, ordain or induct anyone involved in a sexual relationship outside of faithful marriage between a man and a woman is a culmination of many years of debate within the Church,
Discussion around this issue began in earnest at the General Assemblies of 1985 and 1991 and, in 1994 it was clarified that there were no current specific regulations barring the ordination of homosexuals. However, in 2003 the decision of the National Assessment Work Group not to assess Ms Deborah Gordon as a candidate for ministry, based on the advice of the Book of Order and Judicial Reference Group, led to a Judicial Commission. This Commission allowed the appeals of Ms Gordon and the Wellington Presbytery and found that “this seems to us as an indication that there was no expressed objection in principle to the licensing, ordination or induction of homosexuals as a class.” It followed that, in 2004, the General Assembly voted to exclude from offices such as minister and elder anyone in a sexual relationship outside of marriage, a ruling that applied immediately. During 2005, twelve presbyteries voted in favour of this rule going back to GA06 to make it binding, while 10 voted against.
The Right Rev Pamela Tankersley, Moderator, noted that the decision made today “was reached after thorough and prayerful discussion,” while recognising “the pain that this decision will cause some in our Church”.
Martin Baker - New AES
The new Assembly Executive Secretary, the Rev Martin Baker, brings 22 years’ ministry experience to the role. He has extensive parish experience as well as in management in both mission and community development. Currently minister at First Church Dunedin, he has a high community and church profile, shown when he drew over 100 art school students to a recent lecture on faith and art. He has also contributed sermon ideas and starters based on the Lectionary, for parishes to adapt to their own needs.
He holds a Bachelor of Social Science and 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.
Compulsory retirement age for ministers abolished
The compulsory retirement age for ministers has been abolished forthwith, following a motion passed at this afternoon’s Assembly. This means that all references relating to a set retirement age will be removed from the Book of Order. Until the Church Property Trustees have evaluated the effects of this decision on the Beneficiary Fund, no change will be made to the Fund, with any benefits and contributions continuing to be based on the assumption of retirement taking place on the member’s 66th birthday. In addition, it was unanimously passed that ministers are entitled to four weeks’ annual leave plus 11 public holiday leave days, replacing a previous clause that allowed five weeks’ leave.
Make-up of Council of Assembly to change
Several motions recommending changes to the number, type and mix of the makeup of the Council of Assembly were considered and passed unanimously this afternoon, following presentation by Kerry Stottor (seconded by Helen Beaumont).
It has been decided that the Council will be reduced from 23 members to 14 members. This will include a convener, a deputy convener, the Moderator of the General Assembly, a Te Aka Puaho nominee, a Pacific Islanders Synod nominee, a Council of Asian Congregations nominee, six Assembly appointees and two conveners of sub-committees. Four other individuals will also be associated with the Council: the Te Aka Puaho Moderator, a Synod of Otago and Southland nominee, the Assembly Executive Secretary and a Church Property Trustee nominee.
Recommendations were made based on feedback from the wider Church that a leaner system of governance and management is a priority. It has been argued that the existing structure of the Council of Assembly, with 23 members, is top-heavy and potentially unwieldy. Debate with stakeholders including presbyteries, Te Aka Puaho, Pacific Island Synod, Council of Asian Congregations, Church Property Trustees and the Synod of Otago and Southland led to the proposal that there be a one-third reduction in the size of the Council, with a different mix of members and associates. This will require new forms of engagement between Council and presbyteries, as well as greater and more direct engagement amongst all partners in the Church, emphasising our multiculturalism.
Revised Book of Order adopted
After almost 10 years’ revision, the rewritten Book of Order has been approved by Assembly and adopted ad interim. It now goes presbyteries and union district councils for consideration under the Barrier Act before returning to General Assembly 2008 for final approval.
The decision by Assembly is the culmination of a lengthy process of re-casting the whole approach to the Book of Order, involving re-writing in clear and accessible language, making room for a variety of expressions of being Presbyterian, having a mission orientation and regulating only where necessary.
Preliminary work involved the nine-member Task Group in extensive liaison with the church and developing a general approach and philosophy. The Task Group was wary of innovation, conscious that policy development was not its job, but finding that new policy positions needed to be developed or clarified. These were referred to the appropriate body for decisions which were then incorporated into the draft.
At the same time, Assembly agreed that the Conditions of Service Manual be adopted and that the appendices in the present Book of Order remain in force until otherwise revised, repealed or amended.