Media Releases

Pacific Island Presbyterians to govern themselves within the Presbyterian Church

Monday 15 October 2012

6 October 2012

Pacific Island Presbyterians rejoiced today in the Presbyterian Church General Assembly’s overwhelming support to grant presbytery status to the Pacific Islands Synod.

The Synod now has status and powers equivalent to a presbytery, or to Te Aka Puaho the Church’s Maori Synod, and can govern and self-manage its contribution to the life of the Church.

The Church’s Pacific Island congregations will be able to choose whether they will belong to their existing regional presbytery or the new Synod.

Presbyterian Church calls on NZ Government for more urgency in relocating Pacific islands climate change refugees

Monday 15 October 2012

6 October 2012

The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is calling for the New Zealand Government to establish relocation strategies with the governments of Pacific island nations in danger of disappearing as a result of climate change.

A recommendation for the Church to advocate for climate change refugees was accepted with unanimous support at the Church’s biennial General Assembly in Rotorua today.

Church marks Children’s Day with Kids Friendly approach

Thursday 01 March 2012

1 March 2012

The Presbyterian Church is marking the theme of Children’s Day 2012, “treasure our children”, with events around the country for children and their families.

One of the focuses of celebration will be in Dunedin, where ‘Fun in the Park’ at Nairn St Reserve will include an outdoor family friendly worship service, followed by stalls, food, a bouncy castle, face painting and other fun activities.

Presbyterian Church calls for NZ Govt to give Tuvaluans water…and NZ citizenship

Wednesday 05 October 2011

4 October 2011

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Murray McCully, is to be commended for the prompt action taken in coming to the aid of the tiny island nation Tuvalu, says the Right Rev Peter Cheyne, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.

On Monday, the New Zealand Government sent two desalination plants, emergency water containers and officials to Tuvalu, after a state of emergency was declared last week due to an extreme shortage of drinking water.

New Zealand’s Presbyterian Church supports Fijian Methodist right to gather

Monday 05 September 2011

5 September 2011

The Presbyterian Church today expressed strong concern over the recent ban on Methodist gatherings in Fiji.

The Fiji military imposed the ban this week, which includes a prohibition on all gatherings outside normal Sunday services. 

Any meeting taking place between Monday and Saturday – including prayer groups, choir practice, mid-week holy communion and youth fellowship gatherings – have been banned.

Food shortage in North Korea: an appeal for international assistance

Friday 03 June 2011

Press Release

Food shortage in North Korea: an appeal for international assistance

31 May, 2011

In March 2011, a United Nations report stated that six million people in the DPRK (North Korea), a quarter of the country’s population, are in urgent need of international food aid. The Korean peninsula has suffered devastating summer floods, and an especially severe winter, which “leaves the country highly vulnerable to a food crisis”.