By Amanda Wells
The Rev Dr Graham Redding looks set to become one of the best known people in the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, having not only been selected as Moderator Designate for 2008-2010 but also appointed director of the Centre for Christian Leadership.
Graham takes up his position at the centre, which has come out of an extensive review of the School of Ministry approved by General Assembly 2006, on 1 February 2007. He is currently minister at Wellington’s St John’s in the City and spent nine years at Somervell Church in Auckland prior to that.
St John’s is entering a challenging time, with the Rev Helen Martin, its other minister, exploring a Call to another parish that may result in her departure during 2007. The two ministers’ plans were announced to the congregation at the same time in late October, and Graham says that once the news sunk in, people have expressed their support. “It gives them the opportunity to start with a clean slate and think about the best models of ministry for mission going forward.”
Graham says his first focus as director will be on setting up the centre’s infrastructure, such as staffing and delivery of programmes, both for ordinands and for lay leaders. “The next two years will be very much about establishing the new centre and giving it credibility and traction.”
By the time Graham becomes Moderator at the 2008 General Assembly, this establishment phase will have been completed. Between 2008 and 2010, he will be half-time in the director role, with the combined workload being “something that needs to be carefully monitored”.
The director will not carry a large teaching load, and the Moderator’s travel can be timed so that Graham is present in Dunedin during key periods. “There’s an ability to blend the two roles at certain points.” For example, travel involving the Moderator role would also give the opportunity to run workshops in conjunction with presbyteries. And it’s likely that one of Graham’s themes as Moderator will involve exploring theological education and ministry formation.
Students starting training in 2007 will have the option of the current residential model, though some will choose distance learning. Those starting in 2008 will be able to choose the new internship model, which will be the only option from 2009 onwards.
Graham says there is a clear need to monitor the transition carefully, particularly in light of concerns raised at GA06 over the loss of the residential model’s community experience. Several students are learning under a distance model at the moment, and Graham says he will be speaking to them about its advantages and pitfalls in order to inform the centre’s course planning.
Spending time on internship in a parish is a key component of the new model, and Graham says he is aware of comments that many parishes will not be able to afford an intern. “One of my first roles will be to test the market,” he says. It is possible that presbyteries will help support the students, and the centre also has a budget allocation to assist in this area. “We do not want to have students placed in financially precarious situations. The students mustn’t become guinea pigs.”
A dean of studies will be appointed in Auckland, and other staff transitions will occur at the end of 2007. The new centre will have roughly the same number of staff, though roles will be slightly different. Graham says existing staff will have the opportunity to apply for the new positions.
Graham has already spent seven years living in Dunedin, where his two eldest children were born, having been master of Selwyn College before entering the ministry. He says he’s looking forward to returning to the southern city.
Discussions over issues such as subordinate standards, sexuality and leadership, and Assembly Assessment are all symptomatic of a Church going through a time of enormous upheaval and change, he says. The centre will provide and equip leaders for this Church who are “reconcilers and enablers”. “The Church is not just a collection of theological and political segments but rather is an integrated whole.”
“At this stage, I have an enormous sense of privilege and excitement about the roles.”