Session 9

Dunedin College of Education, Union Street, Dunedin
Wednesday 4 October 2000 at 8.30 am

The Assembly met and was constituted with prayer by the Moderator.

Worship was led by the Rev John Hunt.

The Assembly met in Dialogue Groups to consider the following motions:

Equipping the Leadership

[00.027] That Assembly communicate to Presbyteries/UDCs that from 2001 all applications for the Ministry of Word and Sacrament should be with the Administrative Secretary of the School of Ministry by 1 October for assessment in the following year.

[00.028] That from 2001, Presbyteries engage with their candidates for the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in a pre-assessment process of preparation that shall include:
- a retreat, or guided reflection on the nature of ministry, and their role- taking part in a personality or gifts inventory (e.g. MBTI or Network)- opportunity to preach and to lead worship in their home parish (with comments from at least four members of the congregation, including a minister and elder, with the group representing gender and cultural heterogeneity)- exposure to a wide experience of Presbyterian or Co-operating Parishes- exposure to a diversity of cultural experiences within their own community- understanding of the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand society and within the Presbyterian Church- the appointment (and if necessary, funding) by Presbytery of a mentor to reflect with the candidate on their various experiences and reading, and to report to both the Presbytery and the National Assessment Work Group on the candidate's progress.

[00.030] Standard Stipend That the Assembly fall from the provision of standard minimum stipend and replace it with the provision of a standard stipend as a basis for "full time ministry" and consequently ministry regulations E 17 II 2.1 and 2.1.1 should read:
2.1 Terms of Call/Appointment
2.1.1 Terms of Call/Appointment are defined as follows:· Stipend as submitted to and agreed by Presbytery/UDC· basic expense allowance· car allowance, by way of reimbursement as per Assembly scale
· accommodation of an approved standard (refer 2.1.2 below)· removal expenses· free telephone other than private tolls· secretarial assistance as required· 5 weeks annual leave. No more than 4 to be taken at any one time.· study leave as defined by Assembly unless otherwise stated and approved by Presbytery/Presbytery/UDC.
[The key reason for falling from a "minimum" stipend is to provide a standard from which an appropriate stipend can be set. The aim of the change is to remove from the setting of the terms of call any inference that the stipend suggested is compelled and that Parishes with Presbytery approval may vary from that standard where appropriate.]

[00.031] Accommodation RegulationsThat the Assembly adopt the following as regulations replacing 2.1.2 Appendix E17:Standard accommodation requirementsThe accommodation shall provide:a) adequate living space separate from and in addition to space used for church activitiesb) facilities for offering hospitality c) study/office with adequate public access and shelving (if not provided in other plant)d) washing machine and refrigerator with adequate freezer spacee) floor coverings in all roomsf) wardrobes in every bedroomg) drapes or blindsh) adequate heating for living areas and studyi) a house and grounds where, as appropriate, all practicable steps have been taken to eliminate, isolate, or minimise any potential hazards.
(Such hazards could include inadequacies in the exterior lighting, fencing, paths, steps, drainage, decking, or verandahs. Interior wiring, plugs, appliances, staircase railings, provision for safe keeping of dangerous substances, hot water temperature control, smoke detectors, emergency exits.)LocationThe accommodation will be located within a reasonable radius of the main worship centre of the Congregation or in a location determined by the Congregation/Charge and the Presbytery.
AlternativesThe accommodation may be provided in one of the following ways:(a) Accommodation of an approved standard owned by the Congregation/Charge(b) By leasing a house owned by the minister(The rental payable to the minister would be at the lower of the market rental of appropriate accommodation that is available within either a reasonable radius of the house owned by the minister or within a reasonable radius of the main worship centre)(c) By leasing a house from an independent owner
(d) By providing an accommodation allowance(The allowance payable to the minister would be at the lower of the market rental of appropriate accommodation that is available within a reasonable radius of the worship centre or within a location determined by the Congregation and the Presbytery).
[The key reason for these regulations is to provide alternatives to the traditional manse on a financial basis that is fair to all parties.]

[00.032] Part-time and Honorary MinistryThat Assembly agrees that Regulation 272 should read:(a) Part-time MinistryA Presbytery/UDC on its own initiative or following a request from the Session or Parish Council and Congregation of a parish may decide that circumstances warrant a part-time sole charge, associate, collegiate, assistant, paid or honorary ministry. The terms of call or appointment or any variation in the case of an existing ministry shall be related to the time spent in a part time ministry and subject to an initial review at the completion of six months and each 12 months thereafter and when there is a change of ministry in the charge.
(b) Honorary Ministry (Part and full-time)A Presbytery on its own initiative or following a request from the Session or Parish Council and Congregation of a parish may decide that circumstances warrant a full-time sole charge, associate, collegiate, assistant, or full or part honorary ministry. The terms of call or appointment or any variation in the case of an existing ministry shall be determined by the Presbytery/UDC. Appointments to "honorary and part honorary" ministry shall be made by the Presbytery/UDC and subject to an initial review at the completion of six months and each 12 months thereafter and when there is a change of ministry in the charge.[The key reason for the change is to provide more frequent reviews to ensure that expectations and outcomes in regard to full and part-time honorary Ministry are reconciled.]

[00.033] Seniority Allowance(a) That the seniority allowance be retained as an annual payment paid centrally from a levy on the membership.
(b) That the seniority allowance be changed from an experience based to a combined age plus experience based approach, requiring that a particular age and a much reduced number of years of service be attained before a minister would qualify. It would be structured as follows:

Age Years of Service % of Basic StipendUnder 30 Nil30 - 39 2 2 %40 - 49 4 4 %50 + 6 6 %
(c) That ministers receiving seniority allowance at the time these changes are introduced not suffer a reduction in their allowance. They are to continue to be paid as previously until in due course, at a more advanced age, they become entitled to the same level of allowance on the new basis.
(d) All ordained Ministers of Word and Sacrament who hold full membership within their Presbytery and are in ministries recognised by their Presbyteries should be entitled to a seniority allowance either in full or pro rata to the proportion of a full time ministry they are undertaking. However if they are employed in a charge where the party paying the stipend does not contribute to the levy supporting the seniority allowance fund, then the fund should not pay the seniority allowance. Negotiations should ensure that the paying party, as part of a total package, pay the appropriate 'seniority allowance equivalent' to the minister. In such circumstances, the period of this employment should be recognised when calculating entitlement to the seniority allowance. Part-time service will be recognised as equivalent to full-time service for the purposes of calculating the length of service of a minister in this context.
(e) That an appropriate policy group investigate whether the level of the seniority allowance should be increased, and bring recommendations to the next Assembly accordingly.[The key reason for this change is to relate the seniority allowance to age rather than time served with the church and in the process achieving congruency with the church's concept of stipend.]

Overture 15

[00.101] (Overture 15)1 That General Assembly ask that the Ordination Studies Programme increasingly reflect a vigorous mission focus, including emphasis on dynamic congregational leadership, team building, basic management methods, reversing the decline, church planting, effective contemporary evangelism, developing worship styles that connect with younger generations, and growing churches in youthful and multi-cultural urban settings.
5 That the numbers being trained be equal to the number of suitable applicants.6 That there be provision for the length of training within the Ordination Studies Programme to be reduced to one year for those theological graduates who already have a high degree of ministry experience, giftedness, and formation.
7 That there be exploration of an alternative two to three years' non-residential mode of Ordination Studies, tailored to ordinands' needs, and based on supervised ministry internships (up to 50% of an ordinand's time), distance learning, approved substitute courses, compulsory marae and Pacific Island placements, and mandatory block courses in Dunedin of at least one month per year.

[00.034] That the Bible College of New Zealand degrees of B.D and B.Min that meet all the requirements outlined in the Foundational Guidelines set out in the School of Ministry Handbook, be recognised.
The Assembly adjourned to meet again at 7.00 pm.

Robert Yule, Moderator
Kerry Enright, Clerk