[Council News is prepared by the Council of Assembly (CoA) after Council meetings. Everyone can sign up to receive Council News here.]
Council has met once in person and twice by zoom in recent months.
We met in person for the last time before before the upcoming General Assembly at the Mary MacKillop Centre in Auckland. A feature of our meetings is the sharing of devotions at the start and end of each day. In addition, following the presentation of each item on our agenda, we pause and pray for all aspects of the workstream we have discussed and people whose work this represents.
Our Council Handbook reminds us of the importance of worship as we meet and states:
This requires members to be attentive to the Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ, and to the guiding of the Holy Spirit.
It is from that starting point we attend to our work.
At our May meeting, we paused from our business to travel to Tamaki Pacific Islanders Presbyterian Church to be hosted by the Pacific Presbytery for dinner. It was an opportunity to once again be reminded of the role presbytery plays in our life together. Following food and conversation, the Moderator Designate of the General Assembly, Rev Peter Dunn, shared some of his life and ministry journey and the background of his theme for the Assembly – ‘We Believe’ – as well as his hopes for the Assembly as it meets in Christchurch in October.
There is much to be grateful and thankful for as we continue to seek Christ’s vision for what the Church is and can be. As you read through this edition of Council News, we continue to invite you to pray for our work as we finalise our report and recommendations to the Assembly.
Key Decisions by Council and considerations
Te Aka Puahou
We continue to be encouraged by the updates on the life and work of Te Aka Puahou. We acknowledge with much acclamation the recent decision to extend for a further term Rev Tamiana Thrupp as Moderator. We look forward to continuing the journey together.
Resource Subcommittee
At our May meeting we received the financial reports for nine months of the financial year. There was very encouraging news with income above budget and expenditure slightly below. Increased income came from a number of sources, including higher than budgeted interest received.
Nominating Committee
Council received an update from the Nominating Committee and approved the appointment of presbytery representatives to serve for the period 2025-2027. Council continues to seek active participation in the Nominating process for various committees and groups currently underway, and commends you to be praying and seeking people to serve.
Board of Knox College and Salmond College
Council supported slight changes to the Revision of the Constitution for the Board of Knox College and Salmond College, with the changes to come to General Assembly. In addition, we approved the appointment of Rev Ed Masters to the Board.
Mission Enterprise Fund Report
As was reported last year, Council set up a work group to review the Mission Enterprise Fund in the light of decisions that contributions are now voluntary. The group submitted its report, and following discussion Council endorsed the report and recommendations. This will form part of the Council’s report and recommendations to the General Assembly.
General Assembly
We continue to urge all presbyteries to take seriously the fulfilling of their quota of people they can commission to attend General Assembly together with Young Adult Commissioners.
Financial Assistance to attend General Assembly
With the 2024-25 financial year looking to end with a positive note, Council, having heard the desire to reduce the costs of Assembly, granted to the five regional presbyteries a gift for them to apply as they saw fit to increase attendance at Assembly. In addition, grants were also made to Te Aka Puahou, and Pacific Presbytery, for the same desired outcome.
Moderator of the General Assembly Council was updated on the activities of our Moderator. As Right Rev Rose Luxford’s term draws to a close in the coming months, we encourage your prayers for her and the congregation of St Paul's Maheno Otepopo Presbyterian Church in Oamaru.
2025-2026 Budget
The setting of the budget for the 2025-26 year has proved extremely challenging. With reduced income from sources other than Assembly Assessment, Council were again faced with the stark reality that our current model is under considerable pressure and all desired workstreams cannot be undertaken with this funding. These can be difficult conversations for some areas of our Church when they are looking to continue in their ministry and mission with mana. Council will be looking to engage widely as we seek to address financial resilience. And at the same time, Council is aware of the challenges of increased costs faced by local churches. Council took the courageous step not to apply a increase to Assembly Assessment in the 2025-26 year.
Ongoing work in response to the Report of the Royal Commission
As we updated in March, we have a number of workstreams related to this ongoing work, all are being advanced, and we will be reporting in greater depth to the General Assembly. One area is that of the public apology by the Moderator of the General Assembly and more details on this will be advised in due course.
Assembly Executive Secretary Succession Planning
Back in July last year, our Assembly Executive Secretary advised he would be relinquishing the role no later than the end of March in 2026. Council continues on this workstream – in particular, considering the feedback received from presbyteries. When finalised, Council will set up a team to lead the recruitment process for a replacement Assembly Executive Secretary and confirm timelines etc. This will include advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, and to then bring a recommendation to Council.*
(*It is the General Assembly that appoints the Assembly Executive Secretary, and any recommendation will come from Council to the Assembly.)
Council self-review
Council is required to undertake a two-yearly self-review which is made up of two parts. One sees each Council member review their own performance under a number of headings, and then participate in a review of the Council as a whole and how they have fulfilled their role and responsibilities. This will be completed and results shared with existing members in the next few months.
We value your prayerful support of us individually, collectively, and for our work.
May we continue to be open to the still small voice of the Spirit; may be all have time and space to be still and know the presence, and peace, of God each day. May we have courage to follow the leading of God in all things – not for our sake – by for God’s sake.
Yours in Christ
Kat Solomona Roxy Gahegan
Convener Deputy Convener
Council of Assembly Council of Assembly