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Director of Centre for Christian Leadership appointed

The Council of Assembly has appointed the Rev Dr Graham Redding as Director of the Centre for Christian Leadership, following a unanimous recommendation from the selection panel.

Dr Redding will take up the position on 1 February 2007. The selection panel and the Council of Assembly considered carefully the advisability of appointing to the position of Director someone who has also been elected as Moderator Designate. The Council has confidence that with careful management and appropriate support the two roles can be managed together. The Council also recognises that there is a degree of compatibility between the two roles as they will afford Dr Redding the opportunity to develop and strengthen the partnership between the Centre and the wider Church that will be vital to the Centre's success.

The proposal to transform the School of Ministry into the Centre for Christian Leadership was approved by General Assembly 2006 earlier this month. Changes include replacing the current two-year residential model for formation training (following the completion of theological study) with a combination of foundational theological study, intensive block courses, distance education and ministry internships in different contexts, over two years. Knox College, Dunedin, will be retained as the principal base for the Centre, with a Dean of Students based in Auckland.

Dr Redding is currently Minister of St John’s in the City, Wellington , and prior to that served nine years at Somervell Church in Auckland. He has facilitated and led significant mission initiatives in both parishes. Before entering the ministry, he was warden of Selwyn College, a university hall of residence in Dunedin, and has also worked as a chartered accountant.

In 1999, Dr Redding gained a PhD in theology from London University . He has published, edited and written extensively, particularly in the areas of theology and worship. He has also served as an occasional lecturer at Otago and Auckland universities and the Bible College of New Zealand.

Dr Redding has served on the Council of Assembly and co-convened the Equipping the Leadership Policy Group. He currently serves as Convenor of the Doctrine Core Group.