Session 11

Dunedin College of Education, Union Street, Dunedin
Thursday 5 October 2000 at 8.30 am

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

Worship was led by Mrs Cheryl Harray.

Association of Presbyterian Women

Mrs Marion Brash, Association of Presbyterian Women National President presented the report of the Association.

Nominating Committee

The Rev Chris Elliott presented the report of the Assembly Nominating Committee.

Mrs Elliot moved, and it was seconded:

[00.144] That a Christchurch based Doctrine Reference Group trial working as a core group, together with co-opted corresponding associates from other areas, communicating by tele-conference, fax and email.

There was no debate.

The motion was agreed to.

Book of Order Appendix: Assembly Employees

The Rev Brett Johnstone moved, and it was seconded:

[00.147] That Assembly decision [00-131] (Assembly Employees: The Service Team) be referred to the Administration and Finance Policy Group for further consultation with the Policy Group Conveners, and that they report back to the next meeting of the Council of Assembly.

There was no debate.

The motion was carried.

Facilitation Group Report

The Very Rev Graeme Murray reported responses from Dialogue Group meetings to Notices of Motion [00.018] and [00.019]. He advised that both motions had received more than 75% support.

[00.018] That the Assembly, recognising the need for specialist training for leaders for particular ministry environments (church planting, rural ministry, chaplaincy) asks the Council of Assembly to ensure provision for such training.

The Moderator declared the motion carried.

Mr Murray sought, and was granted leave to introduce Motion [00.133], which was an amendment to Motion [00.019].

[00.019] That the Assembly supports and encourages the Resourcing for Mission Policy Group in the development of a vision for the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand to be a multicultural church.

The Rev Alistair McBride moved, and it was seconded:

[00.133] Amendment to Notice of Motion [00.019]That the Assembly, acknowledging that the distinctive setting of the PCANZ is a society founded on the Treaty of Waitangi which established the principle of partnership between Maori and Settlers, and recognising the relationship established with Te Aka Puaho, supports and encourages the Resourcing for Mission Policy Group in the development of a vision for the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand to be a multicultural church.

The amendment was debated.

The amendment was carried.

The amended motion, put as the substantive, was agreed to.

Mr Murray sought, and was granted, leave to withdraw Notices of Motion [00.034], [00.035] and [00.36].

[00.134] (Withdrawn - Amendment to Notice of Motion [00.019])add the words : while continuing to recognise the Treaty of Waitangi obligations.

[00.135] (Withdrawn - Amendment to Notice of Motion [00.019])Replace : to be a multicultural church .... With "...to be an ethnically pluralistic church committed to the Treaty of Waitangi."

[00.136] (Withdrawn - Amendment to Notice of Motion [00.019])Replace .. to be a multicultural church.. with".... To be a multicultural and cross-cultural church while still affirming the foundational relationship with Te Aka Puaho....."

Resourcing for Mission

The Rev Alistair McBride moved, and it was seconded:

[00.021] That the Resourcing for Mission Policy Group, in consultation with the Presbyterian Church Schools and Presbyteries/UDCs, which are in relationship with Church Schools, develop a contemporary statement about what is the particular nature of Presbyterian Church Schools.

There was no debate.

The motion was agreed to.

Council of Asian Congregations

Mrs Alison Grimshaw reported Dialogue Group responses to Motions [00.025] and [00.026]. She advised that less than 75% of the groups had responded positively. The motions were open for debate.

[00.025] That the Council of Asian Congregations be established under the Council of the Assembly.

There was no debate.

The motion was agreed to.

[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.

There was brief debate.

The motion was agreed to.

Resourcing for Mission

Mrs Grimshaw commented on Dialogue Group responses to Motion [00.017] which had been circulated in writing.

[00.017] That the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand recognising the wide range of social contexts in which we are called to be the church in mission, and the variety of models of congregational life, asks the Council of Assembly to identify impediments to appropriate strategies for identifying, resourcing, developing and growing healthy congregations and to identify processes to overcome these so as to enable Presbyteries and Union District Councils to have effective oversight of the mission in their region.
There was no debate.

The motion was agreed to.

Forum of Co-operative Ventures

Mrs Grimshaw commented on responses from Dialogue Groups, which had been circulated in writing, to Motions [00.23], [00.94] and [00.88].

[00.023] That the General Assembly acknowledge the important role that Cooperative Ventures have to play within the life and work of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.

There was brief debate.

The motion was agreed to.

[00.094] That the General Assembly be required in its decision making processes to consider the implications of all decisions on Co-operative Ventures and that it instruct the Council of Assembly and its Policy Groups, Presbyteries and other decision-making bodies within the church to do likewise.
There was brief debate.

The motion was carried.

The Rev David Brown, Business Committee Co-convener, sought and was granted leave to reintroduce Motion [00.023].

[00.023] That the General Assembly acknowledge the important role that Cooperative Ventures have to play within the life and work of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Mr Brown moved, and it was seconded:

That the word ' acknowledge' be replaced by the words 'actively support'.

The motion was agreed to.

The amended motion, as agreed to, now read:

[00.023] That the General Assembly actively support the important role that Cooperative Ventures have to play within the life and work of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Overture 2

The Rev Bill McLeay reintroduced Motion [00.099].

[00.088] That the prayer of Overture 2 be referred to the Forum of Co-operative Ventures for serious consideration.

There was considerable debate.

The motion was lost.

Resourcing for Mission

Mrs Grimshaw reported Dialogue Group responses to Motion [00.020].

[00.020] That:a) The Presbyterian Church, while recognising the local forms of Union and cooperation through the Co-operative Ventures movement, does not wish to pursue formal institutional union with the negotiating partners for the momentb) The Presbyterian Church values its existing relationships with the partner churches in the Forum of Co-operative Ventures but also recognises the growing relationships with churches beyond the Forumc) The Presbyterian Church wishes to encourage local initiatives and help create supportive structures that encourage the growth of healthy congregations.

There was considerable debate.

The motion was voted on clause by clause.

Clause (a)

The motion was carried by 165 votes for, with 39 against. (81% for, 19% against)

Clause (b)

The motion was agreed to.

Clause (c)

The motion was agreed to.

Doctrine Reference Group

Written responses from Dialogue Groups to Motion [00.022] were circulated.
[00.022] That Appendix 1 - Membership in the Church - of the Doctrine Reference Group report, be received as a contribution towards ongoing discussion.

There was no debate.

The motion was agreed to.

The Rev Hamish Galloway reported further responses from Dialogue Groups.

The Rev Peter McKenzie moved, and it was seconded:

[00.141] That the Assembly ask the Council of Assembly, in consultation with the Resourcing for Mission Policy Group, to establish a Task Group on the role of lay ministry in the PCANZ to report, with possible legislative changes developed in consultation with the Book of Order and Judicial Reference Group, to the next General Assembly; the Task Group to consider the issues arising from the changing circumstances of lay ministry in the PCANZ, including issues of baptising and membership of Presbytery.

The motion was debated.

The motion was agreed to.

Lay Administration of Sacraments

Mrs Nola Stuart reported there had been general agreement from Dialogue Groups to Motions [00.091] (Overture 5) and [00.095] (Overture 9).

Mrs Stuart sought leave to withdraw these motions, and replace them with a new Notice of Motion [00.130]. Approval to grant leave was carried.

[00.091] (Overture 5 - withdrawn)That provision be made for the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism by elders who are also authorised to administer the Sacrament of Holy Communion by the Presbytery or UDC; and that the Book of Order and Judicial Reference Group draft legislation to give effect to this provision to the next Assembly.
[00.095] (Overture 9 - withdrawn)
That the General Assembly approve that the commissioning of Lay Ministers for service in a Parish include the authority to administer the Sacrament of Baptism in the Parish in which the ministry is being conducted, when there is no Ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament serving in that Parish, and subject to the approval of that Parish Session or Parish Council and the prior approval of the Presbytery or Union district Council responsible for that parish. To Overture 9 as sent on 2 August 2000.

The Rev Peter Dunn sought, and was granted leave to amend clause (3) of Notice of Motion [00.130], to include the words "to ask the task group to be set up as under Motion [00.141]".

Mr Dunn moved, and it was seconded:

[00.130] 1) That the General Assembly reaffirm that the two sacraments of the PCANZ are Holy Communion and Baptism, and that the provision of each of these sacraments is necessary to the life of every parish2) That the General Assembly agree in principle to the authorisation of elders to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism in a parish in which there is no ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament, such authorisation to be subject to the authority of the Presbytery/UDC
3) That the Council of Assembly ask the task group set up under [00.141] to draft regulations and legislation relating to the selection, training, authorisation and the roles of the Presbytery/UDC and Session/Parish Council and other related matters, and report to the next Assembly
Mr Colin Pidgeon, Convener, Book of Order and Judicial Reference Group, responded to questions of clarification.

There was extensive debate.

A motion to adjourn the debate was carried.

The Rev Dr Eldin Villifañe presented the fifth in his series of addresses to the Assembly.

The Moderator thanked the Rev Dr Eldin Villifañe for his five addresses based on 'Hope'.
Gifts were presented to Dr Villifañe by the Rev Bill Cuthers (Moderator of the Pacific Island Synod), the Very Rev Bruce Hansen, Mrs Millie Te Kaawa (Clerk of Te Aka Puaho), and Mrs Mona Riini (Moderator of Te Aka Puaho).

The Assembly adjourned to meet again at 1.20 pm.

The Moderator closed the meeting with prayer.

Robert Yule, Moderator
Kerry Enright, Clerk