Please note that only the Opening Service and Closing Service will be live during GA25, however, there will be recorded video of daily business shared here as it becomes available. As per GA23, there will not be a series of GA news emails but instead a daily summary of key decisions as noted by the Assembly Business Work Group during business - this will be uploaded as soon as information to include is available so check back for updates.
- Download GA25 Daily Summary for Tuesday 21 October
- See Assembly minutes on the GA25 website
New Moderator in the news
Today our new Moderator Right Rev Peter Dunn was in the Otago Daily Times - see the story here and read the Church's media release here. Read and watch more on the installation of our new Moderator on the GA25 Mon 20 Oct Daily Summary web page.
Download and view photos from Assembly opening
Click link here to view and download images from Assembly opening service on Monday 20 October 2025.
Morning and Afternoon Assembly business session 2, 21 Oct
Business video 1 - Includes report by Council of Assembly, and PressGo Review.
Watch below or download here.
Council of Assembly
Council of Assembly Convenor Katerina Solomona presented a summary of the Council’s report to the Assembly surrounded by members of the Council.
Katerina spoke about the review of the AES role. Council had adopted a pause and review, a reflection and discernment of this role that had become both strategic and operational. This process required time for deeper consideration and was never, Katerina said, about just filling a vacancy.
The call to the role she said was not defined by gender or geographic location; rather than being at a desk in Wellington, it was more mobile and signalled a more agile Assembly Office.
Deputy Convenor Rev Roxy Gahegan shared the Council’s mahi on the public apology and redress journey, including the roles of the hauora coordinator and navigators.
She spoke of the process of the Royal Commission and of the Church’s responses. She acknowledged the media that has been generous in their coverage. Questions of clarification on the apology and redress scheme followed.
Katerina was asked why the apology event was only announced 10 days prior and why the Council had announced a redress scheme before the Assembly had an opportunity to engage with it.
Katerina acknowledged the short notice for the apology, and that Council did not send out enough communications to the Church. She said that there were many moving parts that needed to be in place. She said Council felt the need to keep going, that survivors advised Council to keep going - the redress process was needed now.
Survivors were encouraged by the Church being the first faith-based entity to stand publicly in that kind of forum, Katerina said. That having redress in place showed that there is action that follows our words.
Council’s Rev Dr Colin Marshall responded to a question as to why the apology took place before the General Assembly met and why the Assembly as a higher court did not have the opportunity to be consulted on the apology.
He said that the General Assembly trusts the Council of Assembly to do some of this work. He explained that at Assembly there would be a change to some of the people on the Council team, a team who had done a tremendous job in getting their heads around some of the complex, emotional and difficult things they had to deal with and that to have to start that process again with a new group post-Assembly would be massive. He said survivors had been expecting something from the Church within the year
Council brought three recommendations (019-021) which were agreed:
- That General Assembly place on record its thanks to those who have assisted the Council of Assembly in responding to the Findings and Recommendations of the Royal Commission Report into Abuse in Care and on the journey to incorporate these into the life of the Presbyterian Church.
- That congregations and presbyteries be urged to ensure the Church’s redress process is understood and effectively communicated at all levels of church life; that appropriate training is provided where necessary, and the process is applied diligently and consistently.
- That Rev Brendan O’Hagan be appointed Convenor of the Nominating Committee 2025-27.
PressGo Review
- Carried: That General Assembly acknowledge there is still a valuable role for PressGo to work with presbyteries and congregations in mission (028). That General Assembly approve an increase in the maximum size of the PressGo Board from six to eight members (029).
- Agreed: That General Assembly affirm the PressGo Board engaging with mission partners across the Church to strengthen collaborative ways of working with those partners (030). That the Council of Assembly be asked to explore with the PressGo Board how best to provide dedicated coordination support for the Board, using existing resources available to PressGo (031).
Business video 2 - Includes Moderator Testimonies; Dialogue Group 1 Feedback, Dialogue on Sexuality, Biblical Morality & Leadership report; Mission Enterprise Fund Review; raft of changes to Book of Order regulations agreed; Introduction to Dialogue Group 2
Watch below or download here.
Mission Enterprise Fund Review
Agreed:
That the Mission Enterprise Fund be wound up effective no later than 31 January 2026 (032).
That partner churches be advised that the Presbyterian Church has wound up the Mission Enterprise Fund (033).
That Book of Order Supplementary Provision for Chapter 16 paragraph 4.5 be revoked (034).
That the contribution cut-off date for the Mission Enterprise Fund be 30 June 2025 (035).
Carried:
a.That, at the date of winding up, the funds held in the Aroha Fund within the Mission Enterprise Fund be given to Te Aka Puahou to administer.
b.That the Aroha funds be used to support ministry among people who are vulnerable and socially disadvantaged.
Agreed: That at the date of winding up the Mission Enterprise Fund, the remaining 80% of funds be given to presbyteries for mission projects, seed funding and the support of stipend/salary for specific mission projects, with 20% each to Te Aka Puahou and the Pacific Presbytery, 10% each to Northern, Kaimai, Central and Alpine Presbyteries.
Business video 3 - Includes report by Te Kāhui Whanaungatana Workgroup and GA Review
Watch below or download here.
Te Kāhui Whanaungatana Workgroup
Carried: That General Assembly encourage an intentional commitment to deepen and grow whanaungatanga using the seven specific suggested ways in the report of the Te Kāhui Whanaungatanga Workgroup, guided by the Holy Spirit (069).
Agreed: That whanaungatanga be put into practice across the Church for shaping strategic direction, participation in structures, and how shared challenges, opportunities, conflicts, and decisions are attended to (70).
Original Motion: That strategy be discerned and developed by presbyteries appropriate to their contexts. Amended to: That presbyteries discern and develop strategies appropriate to their context that take forward whanaungatanga (071 amended motion was AGREED).
Agreed: That the ‘Strategic Directions’ (2012) and ‘Bringing Clarity to our Mission’ (2014) documents be acknowledged as no longer the current strategy of the Church, and instead be recognised as historical reference resources on the Church’s continuing journey (072).
Agreed: That Te Kāhui Whanaungatanga Workgroup enable presbyteries and other groups to put into practice the commitment to deepen and grow whanaungatanga (073).
GA Review
Carried: That the core funding for Assembly be included in the annual General Assembly budget (022).
Agreed: That the Council of Assembly work with Resource Sub-Committee to develop a new funding model for General Assembly 2027, acknowledging its importance in the life of our Church and including consideration of building the attendance costs into Assembly Assessment (023).
Carried: That the Book of Order Advisory Committee be asked to draft regulations enabling the possibility of hybrid Assemblies (024) - being carried meant that BOAC brought some recommendations (088-090) in order to make the necessary Book of Order / regulatory changes.
Carried: That ch.14.29 of the Book of Order be amended by adding in a new section (5) as follows: A General Assembly may be held with a proportion of participants joining by electronic means in accordance with the rules imposed under standing orders (088).
Agreed: That the amendment to ch.14.29 of the Book of Order be accepted and remitted to presbyteries and church councils under the special legislative procedure (089).
Lost: That the amendment to ch.14.29 of the Book of Order be adopted as an interim provision having force until the next General Assembly meets (090).
(Continues Wed 22 October with recommendations 025-027)
Ministry videos played for the Assembly
The Northern Presbytery
Watch below or here.
Presbytery Central
Watch below or here.
Kaimai Presbytery
Watch below or here.