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Chapter 13: Pacific Islanders’ Synod
13.1 Pacific Islanders’ Synod
1. Pacific Islanders form a large part of the membership of the Church.
2. The Church recognises the Pacific Islanders’ Synod as a body within the Church.
3. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod is responsible to the General Assembly.
Defined terms: Church, General Assembly, Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
13.2 Membership of Pacific Islanders’ Synod
The Pacific Islanders’ Synod may accept as a member any person who is
a) a member of one of the Pacific Island constituent groups within the Synod as described in section 4 (1) , and
b) a member of a congregation as set out in chapter 4.
Defined terms: Church, congregation, member, Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
13.3 Purposes of Pacific Islanders’ Synod
The purposes of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod are to
(a) promote worship and Christian nurture among Pacific Islanders,
b) promote, encourage and co-ordinate Christ’s mission in New Zealand ,
c) enhance, articulate and mobilise the Pacific Islanders’ contribution to the Church,
d) use the Pacific Island cultures to convey and promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
e) address issues of concern to Pacific Islanders’ within the Church,
f) present any concerns to the appropriate Church courts of and any other groups within the Church,
g) receive, discuss, and report back on any matter referred to the Pacific Islanders’ Synod by any court or group within the Church,
h) foster good relations between the Church and the churches of the Pacific Islands , and
i) provide a forum within the Church for Pacific Island people to meet and to share matters of common and special concern.
Defined terms: Church, court, Pacific Islanders’ Synod
13.4 Constituent groups
1. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod represents the following distinctive Pacific Island constituent groups:
a) Cook Islanders’ – Uapou Fellowship
b) Niueans – Fono Motu
c) Samoans – Fono Samoa
d) Tokelauans – Fono Tokelau
e) Tuvaluans – Fono Tuvalu.
f) English Speaking – English Speaking Group.
2. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod must recognise each constituent group referred to in subsection (1).
3. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod must ensure that there is a means of expression and communication for each constituent group referred to in subsection (1).
4. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod must encourage each constituent group to develop its own culture in the light of the Gospel and its own distinct structure.
5. Each constituent group must hold one meeting in a calendar year.
6. Each constituent group may hold additional meetings in a calendar year.
7. Each constituent group may establish standing and special committees to consider matters of importance to the constituent group, or to the Pacific Islanders’ Synod or to the Church.
8. A standing or special committee must report to its constituent group.
9. A constituent group may report its considerations and decisions arising from committees established under subsection (7) to the Executive Committee of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
10. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod may consider and refer any decision of a constituent group to an appropriate presbytery, or the Council of Assembly or the General Assembly.
Defined terms: Church, constituent group, Council of Assembly, General Assembly, Pacific Islanders’ Synod, presbytery.
13.5 Moderator
1. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod must elect a Moderator to chair the Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
2. Each constituent group in turn must nominate a minister or elder who is a member of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod as Moderator.
3. Each Moderator holds office for a period of not more than 2 years.
4. The functions of the Moderator are
a) to represent and on appropriate occasions to speak on behalf of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod on all official occasions, but any pronouncement so made by the Moderator , whether in a representative capacity or not, does not bind the Pacific Islanders’’ Synod or the Church or any General Assembly.
b) with one other member of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod, to represent the Pacific Islanders’ Synod on the Council of Assembly, and
c) with the clerk of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod, to make effective liaison with the church courts and other church groups as and when required.
Defined terms: Church, constituent group, Council of Assembly, court, elder, General Assembly, minister, Moderator, Pacific Islanders’ Synod
13.6 Synod clerk
1. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod must appoint a minister or an elder as synod clerk.
2. The synod clerk holds office for a period of not less than one year and not more than 5 years.
3. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod may reappoint the synod clerk at the end of his or her term as clerk.
4. The synod clerk must:
a) ensure the orderly working of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod according to this constitution and the requirements of this Book of Order,
b) call meetings of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod,
c) keep records of the meetings of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod,
d) receive and deal with correspondence,
e) distribute correspondence and other documents and papers to the constituent groups, committees, congregations and individuals within the Pacific Islanders’ Synod to whom any matters are appropriately referred, and
f) with the Moderator, ensure effective liaison between the Pacific Islanders’ Synod and Church courts in accordance with the decisions and instructions of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
Defined terms: Book of Order, Church, congregation, constituent group, court, elder, minister, Moderator, Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
13.7 Synod treasurer
1. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod must appoint a person with appropriate qualifications as synod treasurer.
2. The synod treasurer holds office for a period of not less than one year and not more than 5 years.
3. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod may reappoint the synod treasurer at the end of his or her term as synod treasurer.
4. The synod treasurer must
a) receive all monies of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod,
b) pay all accounts of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod,
c) make any disbursements directed by the Pacific Islanders’ Synod and the General Assembly,
d) keep proper accounts of all transactions,
e) prepare and present to the Pacific Islanders’ Synod at the end of each financial year an annual audited statement of accounts, and
f) comply with the requirements of chapter 16.
Defined terms: General Assembly, Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
13.8 Executive Committee
1. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod must appoint an executive committee.
2. The members of the executive committee are
a) the Moderator,
b) the synod clerk,
c) the synod treasurer, and
d) four members elected by the constituent groups.
3. The executive committee must
a) call all meetings of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod,
b) inform the constituent groups of the meetings,
c) organise the order of business for each meeting of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod,
d) communicate as necessary with the courts and other groups within the Church,
e) report to the General Assembly on all matters concerning the Pacific Islanders’ Synod which it believes concern the General Assembly, and
f) plan and develop strategies to fulfil the purpose and mission of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
4. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod may delegate to the executive committee such tasks as it considers appropriate.
5. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod may instruct the executive committee to perform any task in its name.
6. The executive committee must comply with any delegation or instruction given to it by the Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
7. The executive committee must meet at least 3 times a year.
Defined terms: Church, court, constituent group, General Assembly, Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
13.9 Meetings
1. The executive committee must ensure that the Pacific Islanders’ Synod meets in an annual meeting.
2. The executive committee may call such other meetings that it considers necessary to enable the Pacific Islanders’ Synod to fulfil its purpose and mission.
3. A member of
a) one of the constituent groups, or
b) a congregation that forms part of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod
may vote at any meeting of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
4. At its meetings the Pacific Islanders’ Synod may:
a) receive reports and representations from the constituent groups,
b) receive reports and recommendations from the committees of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod,
c) receive, review and revise its mission strategies,
d) encourage activities for the fulfilment of its purpose,
e) receive, consider and report to the General Assembly on matters referred to it by the General Assembly,
f) debate and decide matters of concern to the constituent groups, their congregations, members, families, and communities,
g) report on any matter in section 3 (g) to congregations and Church courts as appropriate, and
h) encourage its members to live the Gospel and prosper Christ’s mission in local and regional settings as individuals, congregations and groups.
5. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod may invite to its annual meeting a representative visitor from one of the Pacific Island churches in the Pacific Islands to promote its mission and good relationships with the churches in the Pacific Islands.
6. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod must rotate the invitation in subsection (5) in turn between the Pacific Islands.
7. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod must rotate its annual meeting between regions and hold the annual meeting in locations where there are concentrations of Pacific Island people.
8. Despite subsection (7), the Pacific Islanders’ Synod may decide not to hold a meeting in a location if it considers it is not practical to do so.
9. If, in respect of a particular occasion or issue, it seems appropriate, the Pacific Islanders’ Synod may permit its members to
a) consider the issue in their constituent groups, and
b) report to the Pacific Islanders’ Synod and vote according to the views of the constituent group,
in order to ensure that the Pacific Islanders’ Synod honours the views of the constituent groups.
10. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod, if it considers it appropriate, may represent the views of the constituent groups to the General Assembly for the benefit of the whole Church.
Defined terms: Church, congregation, constituent group, court, General Assembly, member.
13.10 Relationship with Church courts
1. In fulfilling its purposes under section 3, the Pacific Islanders’ Synod must co-operate and collaborate with Church courts, co-operative ventures and other groups within the Church.
2. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod does not have the powers of a presbytery.
3. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod or the executive committee may request a presbytery to establish a Pacific Islanders’ congregation within the area for which a presbytery has responsibility.
4. On receiving a request under subsection (3), the presbytery must initiate an investigation under chapter 5.
5. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod may communicate with any court or group within the Church to discuss ways to advance the mission and purpose of the Pacific Islanders’ Synod.
6. The executive committee may initiate discussions with a presbytery concerning any matter within its area of responsibility affecting the life and work of Pacific Islanders’ within the Church.
7. A presbytery has oversight and authority over Pacific Island congregations and members within the area for which it has responsibility.
8. Except in relation to a matter arising under chapter 15, a presbytery must, before undertaking any action which may affect any Pacific Islander member, minister, congregation or elder within the area for which it has responsibility, consult with the executive committee.
9. Presbytery must, before arranging any visitation to a congregation which has a Pacific Island component, invite the Pacific Islanders’ Synod to appoint a person to be a member of the visitation team.
10. A constituent group may request the executive committee to approach the presbytery to support the nomination of a member of the constituent group for training and ordination into one of the four strands of ministry.
Defined terms: Church, congregation, constituent group, co-operative venture, court, elder, four strands of ministry, member, minister, ordination, presbytery.
13.11 Property and finance
1. The provisions of chapter 16 apply to the property and finances of all Pacific Island congregations.
2. The Pacific Islanders’ Synod must:
a) keep accurate accounts of all financial transactions,
b) each year, appoint a suitably qualified person to review or audit the financial records of the Synod in accordance with the Financial Reporting Act and report to the Synod, and
c) make the audited accounts available to its members.
3. The offices of Moderator, synod clerk or synod treasurer are not paid positions.
4. Despite subsection (3), the Pacific Islanders’ Synod
a) must pay reasonable and agreed expenses, and
b) may pay a modest honorarium to the Moderator, synod clerk and synod treasurer.
Defined terms: Assembly Executive Secretary, congregation, Moderator, Pacific Islanders’ Synod.