Home » Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership » Local Ministry Teams » Waihao Co-operating Parish case-study

Waihao Co-operating Parish case-study

---

The service was led by the Bishop of Christchurch, the Rt Revd Dr David Coles, the Acting Moderator of the Presbytery of South Canterbury, Rev Peter Wishart, and members of the Team: Bill Penno, Jan Penno, Helen Scott, Janet Williams, Alistair Young and Frances Young. Some 200 people attended the two hour service, followed by a country feast. The preacher was the Rev Dr Professor Paul Trebilco, Head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Otago. The Ministry Enabler continues to be the Revd Andrew Starky. Among those present was the Rev David Mullan, Chair of the Uniting Congregations of Aotearoa New Zealand, and the UCANZ Executive Secretary, John Jones.

Preparation for this historic event lay in earlier ministry in the district which encouraged the gifts of the whole community in the Anglican and Presbyterian Churches before and after the Cooperating Parish was formed. Time was taken to discern the model of ministry that was appropriate and to confirm the calling of those the congregation trusted and believed should share together in a collective servant leadership.

The Joint Regional Committee and the Uniting Congregations of Aotearoa New Zealand have been involved as the framework for training and authorisation was developed. Patient consultations with the Partner Churches included resolving that in these situations it was appropriate for the Presbytery to ordain the Presbyterian members of the team responsible for the Ministry of Word and Sacrament.

Considerable care was taken with the order of service which grounded the ordination and commissioning of the team in the renewal of baptismal vows of the whole people of God. Water was poured into the baptismal font as we together celebrated "the new life which is ours in Christ Jesus who has made us one in his body and called us to share in the ministries of reconciliation, obedience and apostolic witness" and affirmed "that we renounce evil and commit our lives to Christ."

While the Bishop and the Moderator were each responsible for presiding at the ordination of the Anglican and Presbyterian members of the team respectively, they and other ordained clergy shared in the laying on of hands and prayer. Each member of the team was presented with a bible with the instruction "Use it!" "Here are the Holy Scriptures; learn from them and proclaim Christ, the living Word."

Some other photos from the service can be seen here . . .  Copies of the Order of Service.

---