Session 7
Dunedin College of Education, Union Street, Dunedin
Tuesday 3 October 2000 at 1.00 pmThe Assembly met and was constituted with prayer by the Moderator. Presbyterian Support Mrs Gillian Bremner, Chief Executive of Presbyterian Support Otago, presented the report of Presbyterian Support.
The Moderator paid tribute to Presbyterian Support.
Mrs Irene Clarke moved, and it was seconded:
[00.116] That General Assembly: - express its disappointment in the way Presbyterian Support (Northern) has dealt with the fate of Mary Shapely Retirement Home and Riverside Retirement Village, and transmit this to Presbyterian Support (Northern).
- advise PSS (Northern) to reconsider their business methodologies to ensure they are in keeping with the compassionate face of humanity, thus in the future avoiding community hurts as experienced with its ongoing ramifications as experienced in the Whakatane, Edgecumbe communities.
Mr Colin Pidgeon, Book of Order and Judicial Reference Group Convener, responded to questions of clarification.
The motion was debated.
The motion was carried. Presbyterian Savings and Development Society, and New Vision FoundationMr Lomond Seel, Presbyterian Savings and Development Society Chairman, presented the reports of the Presbyterian Savings and Development Society, and New Vision Foundation.
The report was referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration. Asian Ministries Work GroupThe Rev Jusak Susabda presented the report of the Asian Ministries Work Group.
The report was referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration. Council of Asian CongregationsThe Rev Samuel McCay presented the report of the Council of Asian Congregations.
Mr McCay moved, and it was seconded:
[00. 025] That the Council of Asian Congregations be established under the Council of the Assembly
[00.026] That the Terms of Reference for the Council of Asian Congregations be adopted ad interim and referred to Presbyteries, Union District Councils, Te Aka Puaho, the Pacific Islanders' Synod and to Sessions and Parish Councils for comment and report back to the Council of Assembly by a date fixed by the Council.
Mr McCay responded to questions of clarification.
The motions were referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration. Mission Resource Board The Rev Judy Bedford presented the report of the Mission Resource Board.
The report was referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration. Church SchoolsThe report was referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration.
The Rev Ian Crumpton moved, and it was seconded:
[00. 115] That the next ordinary meeting of the General Assembly include a Children's Programme for children aged six and over, and the Local Arrangements Committee be requested to make suitable space available.
There was no discussion.
The motion was referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration. Special Committee on Presbytery MembershipThe Rev John Sinclair presented the report of the Special Committee on behalf of the Convener, who was overseas.
Mr Sinclair moved, and it was seconded:
[00.081] That in regard to lay appointments generally, the Assembly draws the attention of Presbyteries and District Councils to its former instructions that in making Lay Appointments the procedures followed must conform exactly to the present regulations; and in particular that the General Administration Committee (or its successor) must sight and approve the Terms of Appointment.
[00.082] That in regard to lay people engaging in a ministry similar to that of word and sacrament within a parish, such ministry can only be exercised with the express authority of the Presbytery. When such a person is an ordained elder (and it is desirable that they should be) the Session may choose to appoint him/her to be the representative elder for that parish, and therefore to a full seat on Presbytery as an elder.
[00.083] That in regard to congregational appointees and their eligibility for a full seat on presbytery, Assembly again affirms the principle that since such persons have no right to exercise ministry beyond the parish which appointed them; and since Presbytery has no direct role in their appointment, and they are not under the direct discipline of Presbytery, that person does not have a full seat on Presbytery.
[00.084] That the General Assembly affirms anew its belief that the presbyteries have a necessary and vital function to perform in the life of the Church, and urges all Elders and Ministers to fulfil their obligations in Presbytery in such a way that the health and well-being of the whole Church is deliberately promoted.
[00.085] That this General Assembly re-affirms its commitment to the principle that those who believe themselves to be called by God to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in this Church, should always be assessed and trained for the fulfillment of that calling according to requirements which the Assembly itself shall prescribe.
[00.086] That the Prayer of the Overture from Southland Presbytery to the 1998 Assembly be fallen from.
Mr Sinclair responded to questions of clarification.
The motions were referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration. Administration and Finance Policy Group The Rev Brian Williscroft, Administration and Finance Policy Group Co-convener, presented the report of the Policy Group.
Mr Williscroft moved, and it was seconded:
[00.035] That the General Assembly endorse the policy direction set out in the Communication Task Group report.
Members of the Communication Task Group reported on aspects of their work. Tribute was paid to Mrs Diane Gilliam-Weeks and Mrs Leigh Bredenkamp for their services to church communication. Overtures 7 and 13Mrs Pamela Tankersley, Business Work Group Co-convener, sought and was granted leave to replace Notices of Motion [00.093] (Overture 7) and [00.099] (Overture 13) with a new Notice of Motion [00.118].
[00.093] That the Council of Assembly be instructed to delay the implementation of the decision to withdraw from Crosslink until all Presbyterian congregations and Co-operative Ventures have been fully informed on the issues involved and have reported back to their Presbyteries, and the Council of Assembly, on receiving the reports from Presbyteries, is satisfied that this decision truly reflects the will of the Church on this matter,
[00.099] That the General assembly reject the Council of Assembly's intent to withdraw from the publication of Crosslink as being contrary to the welfare of its congregations, the Christian understanding of Mission, and the Gospel imperative of unity.
The Rev Dr Harry Swadling moved, and it was seconded:
[00.118] That the General Assembly reject the Council of Assembly's intent to withdraw from the publication of 'Crosslink' as being contrary to the welfare of its congregations, the Christian understanding of mission and to the gospel imperative of unity and that the Council of Assembly be instructed to enter into dialogue with the Methodist Church of New Zealand, the Forum of Cooperative Ventures, and such other parties as may be affected, so that a mutually satisfactory way forward may be determined and the common communication needs of our churches met.
Mrs Elizabeth Mansill, Mrs Pauline Stewart and Mr Swadling responded to questions of clarification.
The motion was referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration.
The Assembly met in Dialogue Groups.
The Assembly met in plenary session. Equipping the Leadership Policy Group The Revs Asora Amosa and Graham Redding, Equipping the Leadership Co-conveners, presented the report of the Equipping the Leadership Policy Group.
The report was referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration.
School of MinistryThe Rev Dr Simon Rae, School of Ministry Principal, presented the report of the School of Ministry. Staff and students of the School of Ministry gave a dramatic presentation.
The Moderator paid tribute to the Rev Dr Milton Coleman, retiring School of Ministry lecturer.
The report was referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration. National Assessment Work GroupThe Rev Peter Bristow, Co-convener of the National Assessment Work Group, moved and seconded:
[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 Cooperating 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.
Mr Bristow and the Rev Alastair Smales responded to questions of clarification.
The motions were referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration. Ministry Training BoardThe Rev Robin Lane, Ministry Training Board Convener, presented the report of the Ministry Training Board.
Mr Lane moved, and it was seconded.
[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.
There was no discussion.
The motion was referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration. Overture 15The Rev Rose Luxford moved, and it was seconded:
[00.101] (Overture 15) - 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.
- That the numbers being trained be equal to the number of suitable applicants.
- 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.
- That there be exploration of an alternative two to three years' non-residential mode of Ordination Studies, tailored to ordinand's 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.
Mrs Luxford responded to questions of clarification.
The motion was referred to Dialogue Groups for consideration.
The Assembly adjourned to meet again at 7.00 pm.
Robert Yule, Moderator
Kerry Enright, Clerk
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