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Global Mission Office

Well 01 August 2003 marked my first anniversary in this position. It is amazing how times flies when you are having fun!!

Global Mission Gazette

Thank you to all who have responded to our mail out of the new Gazette in July by adding their name to our mailing list. It is never too late to sign up and in future, it will only be mailed to those who have registered. An email to globalmissiongazette(at)xtra.co.nz, or a note or a phone call to the Global Mission Office is all it takes. If your local Postie is on strike, or you didn't receive it for any other reason, we will gladly send out another one if you make contact with us.

Funding

I have always hesitated about mentioning funding as it is a prickly topic. But I was encouraged to do so when I read in a recent Anglican Magazine that stated they had achieved 96.6% of their 2002 Synod target for mission giving. The target was NZ$1,266,883.00!! Now that is big money and no doubt it was given in response to specific projects or needs.

I also frequently hear the same lament from people who send donations to a variety of recipients and are left saying: We sent them a donation and we never heard back'. My hope is that this will never be the case with regards to donations sent to the Global Mission Office. Thus in response to an increasing number of requests for guidance as to how people can support our work globally, I have begun the task of establishing a number of Trust Funds to receive donations made for a specific purpose which will ensure that funds are not misappropriated. I have decided to list a few each month for your consideration and support.

Project Officer - Vanuatu
The great news is that we are close enough to making this appointment to be able to start seeking specific funding. In response to a request from the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu for practical assistance to 'grow from within', Roy Pearson who is currently at the School of Ministry in Dunedin is preparing to go, with his family, to serve in Vanuatu for an initial period of two years. Thank you to Chartwell Co-operating Parish who were the first to respond with a donation of $600.00 with promises from a further two parishes. This is a great opportunity to support this wonderful new venture.

Bush Missioners - Vanuatu
An anonymous donation of NZ$10,000 along with numerous other donations have seeded this very creative programme. It costs as little as NZ$900 to sponsor a Bush Missioner for one year making it a very feasible target for many Parishes.

Literacy Scholarship - Vanuatu
A NZ$4000 donation from a Parish established this Trust to go towards uplifting educational standards within Vanuatu

Theological Training - Vanuatu
A donation of $5000 from the Lily Erikson Trust seeded this Trust. This will enable us to support the likes of Pastor Dickson Bani who is studying at Pacific Theological College.

Disaster Relief

I'm sure the name says it all. This Trust has been established so that funds are immediately available for crises and disasters primarily but not exclusively in the Pacific. As the Methodist Church of New Zealand has a similar fund, Co operative Ventures are encouraged to share their support between the two.

News In brief

Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe's churches have recently apologised and begged forgiveness for not doing enough to stop political violence, hunger and the economic collapse of the nation. The Zimbabwe Council of Churches, which represents all Christian denominations in the country, stated: "We have, with our own eyes, watched as violence, rape, intimidation, harassment and various forms of torture have ravaged the nation. While we have continued to pray, we have not been moved to action. We as a Council apologise to the people of Zimbabwe for not having done enough at a time when the nation looked to us for guidance".

These words of confession challenge us as a Church to reflect on our role and response as residents of a global community. Five delegates from the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand will be attending the UPCSA Assembly in East London, South Africa in September in the hopes of strengthening this friendship. The UPCSA has a Presbytery in Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Inculturation of the Gospel: The Mail and Guardian recently quoted the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, the Rt Rev Mvume Dandala. He stated: "Africans should feel free to bring their culture into their faith, Churches have tried to make Africa embrace European culture as the only culture that can welcome the Lord Jesus. But now the church must look at the gospel with African eyes. The problem with mission methodology in the past was that they decided everything African is wrong. It was either the Western way or the highway," he said.

These words challenge us to examine our theology and methodology as well as to ask pointed questions when asked to support a mission programme.

South Africa: At the recent South African Church Leaders Assembly, the "seven threats to South Africans" were highlighted and debated. They were listed as: HIV/AIDS, violence, crime, racism, poverty and unemployment, sexism, and the crisis in families.

Would we be able to respond adequately if challenged by such huge and complex issues in New Zealand without the help of friends from around the world?

India: Children have drafted a declaration on their right to a healthy environment at a Church of North India (CNI) regional meeting. More than 200 children under 14 years of age, representing eight northern dioceses of CNI, did this preparatory work to enable the meeting of 1500 children from across all India in October. This declaration will be tabled at the CNI Assembly.

And from our "What's in a name file".

Reuters recently reported that the order of nuns founded by Mother Teresa is looking to copyright her name in a bid to stop organisations cash in on her image. In one case, the order managed to convince the "Mother Teresa Institute of Management" to drop the name. Apparently even a bank was among the culprits. "Mother Teresa did not want her name to be used in this way" said the head of the Order, Sister Nirmala. They are looking for legal protection for the use of their logo, the name of Mother Teresa and of the 'the Missionaries of Charity' brand.