A record $1.5 million was allocated to over 40 community groups and Presbyterian parishes at the Synod of Otago and Southland’s annual meeting earlier this year.
The projects that were approved range from building a new church to support for educational programmes.
The Cromwell Presbyterian Parish received the largest grant from the Ecclesiastical Fund, which provides for Presbyterian buildings; $300,000 was allocated over a period of two years for building a new church. The Central Southland Presbyterian Parish also received $200,000 to expand their Winton church complex.
In making the Ecclesiastical Fund Committee’s recommendations, convener Lyn Murray says, “We have indeed been blessed and continue to be so. Our God has been so good to us, and we believe that, as his servants, we have a tremendous responsibility to allocate the fruits of His goodness wisely".
Mr Murray was one of several committee conveners who paid tribute to the Otago Foundation Trust Board for its excellent stewardship, saying, “Once again they have produced an income which has considerably exceeded their budget, which means that the Synod’s funding committees have more income to allocate”.
The establishment of a part-time regional youth co-ordinator to provide support for the youth ministry workers within Synod boundaries was one of the highlights from the Mission and Evangelism Fund allocations. Initiatives with a proven track record like student.soul and the Synod mission adviser also received grants in this funding round.
In his report, Synod Life Committee convener Fergus Syme says that there have been encouraging reports about the work that the Synod’s mission advisor Mr Bruce Fraser is doing, and that a review of the position, which was established last year, will be undertaken in the near future.
Around 40 percent of the distributions from the Educational Fund Committee, which makes allocations for both secular and religious educational purposes, went to support minister training and development at the School of Ministry. Tertiary chaplaincy at various locations, the churches education commission and support for the religious studies curriculum at Columba College were among the other initiatives supported.
As well as the grants made for various projects, the other main highlight from the meeting was the installation of a new Synod moderator. The Rev Dr Alan Kerr, minister of Knapdale Waikaka Parish, was installed into the position for a period of one year, and he succeeds Mr Lyn Murray, of Waitahuna.