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Update

<typohead type=3>General Assembly 2002</typohead>

We're busy preparing. At this stage these are the numbers for Assembly:

<typolist>

191 minister Commissioners

171 elder Commissioners

88 Associates

11 Youth

24 Children

24 Observers

</typolist>

While 95% of eligible ministers are attending only 65% of eligible elders are attending. I would welcome your views as to why there is a lower proportion for elders.

<typohead type=3>Guests</typohead>

There will also be overseas guests including the Rev. Dr James Haire, President of the Uniting Church in Australia, the Rev Wang Kuang-syh Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan, the Rev. John Wette President of Eglise Evangelique of New Caledonie, Presbytery Clerks from Vanuatu, and representatives of the Congregational Christian Church in Samoa, Ekalesia Niue, the Cook Islands Christian Church, and Ekalesia Tokelau.

Guest speakers include the Assembly Speaker Dr Nestor Miguez, the Principal of Turakina Maori Girls' College Mrs Dawn Mitai-Pehi, the Chief Judge of the Maori Land Court Judge Joe Williams (a former pupil of Lindisfarne College), and we also hope to welcome the Prime Minister.

<typohead type=3>Assembly Papers distribution</typohead>

The first set of Assembly reports will be distributed around 15/16 August. Two copies will be distributed to every parish, and a copy will be sent to those who are not parish Commissioners. Please note that we are not distributing copies directly to Commissioners. It is very important then that Session Clerks and Parish Council Secretaries distribute the papers as soon as they receive them to the person coming as Commissioner from their parish, whether it is the minister or an elder.

<typohead type=3>Connect</typohead>

It would be great if you could encourage young people to attend Connect the National Youth Assembly of the Presbyterian Church being held at St Patrick's Silverstream Wellington 20-22 September. Publicity has been sent out about this.

<typohead type=3>Hospital Chaplaincy</typohead>

We have been working with ICHC to clarify the funding of hospital chaplaincy by the Presbyterian Church and other bodies. The Assembly's $100,000 funds 17 chaplaincies around the country. In recent years there have been changes to how much we provide for specific chaplaincies according to changing local circumstances and the reduction in funding by various churches including the Presbyterian Church. Every chaplaincy represents a different mix of funding from local, regional, and national groups.

Having gained a clearer picture of the situation we are beginning to consider how funding should be provided and distributed.

<typohead type=3>Directions</typohead>

We've started implementing Directions. Directions is the statement of priorities adopted by the Council of Assembly for the Service Team and other groups for the next three years, commencing 1 July 2002.

Directions aims to help our church more significantly engage with our communities in Christ, to strengthen our participation in God's mission.

The first stage is undertaking research and this project is outlined later in the news section of Bush Telegraph.

We're also undertaking a desk-top study of the information we have from statistics, census, and the work of others to more clearly map our predicament and possibilities. While we have a good heritage of figures, we are not clear about regional and ethnic variations, for example.

Another area for study is "recent joiners", those who have become associated with the church over the last two years.

We hope to have most of this stage of directions completed by Christmas. We will publicise the results and also spend time with people considering the results to identify what new initiatives should be taken and resourced over the next two years.

<typohead type=3>Turning around</typohead>

This is all part of helping the Presbyterian Church become a more mission-driven church, engaging with the community in Christ.

<typohead type=3>Financial Services</typohead>

As a result of problems with Margaret Fawcett's computer her e-mails are not able to be answered at present. We expect the situation to be resolved around 19 August after which Margaret will be able gradually to work through her e-mails. Please excuse our failure to respond which is due to something beyond our control.

Noho mai ra,