[Council News is prepared by the Council of Assembly (CoA) after Council meetings. Everyone can sign up to receive Council News here.]
Shaping the Future Together
Greetings to the people and congregations of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
As the Council of Assembly continues its journey of reset and renewal as the governing body of our Church, our June 18-20 meeting in Wellington marked another important step in shifting our focus from the urgent demands of today toward the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow.
Across our discussions, one theme emerged consistently: it is time for us to think differently about governance, leadership, and the future of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Key Areas to Celebrate
One of the most encouraging aspects of our recent hui was the growing confidence with which the Council is beginning to think strategically about the future of the Church.
We have intentionally moved beyond simply responding to immediate issues and have begun asking bigger questions about what the Church may look like in five, 10, and even 15 years. This shift in mindset is helping us focus on our responsibility as a governing body, not simply managing today's challenges but discerning how we can position the Church to flourish for future generations.
A significant highlight was our engagement with strategic governance specialist Matt Kearney, who challenged us to think differently about our role as Council. His work with us reinforced the distinction between governance and management, encouraging us to focus on the systems, structures, risks, and opportunities that will shape the Church's future rather than becoming consumed by individual operational matters. The principle of "governing the system, not the issue" has become an important part of our ongoing reset journey.
We also celebrated the opportunity to hear from Leadership and Resource Sub-Committees, Church Property Trustees, and our Assembly Executive Secretary, about the work underway across the wider Church. These presentations helped the Council better understand the long-term opportunities and challenges facing us, particularly around stewardship of resources, succession planning, sustainability, and strengthening our national structures.
The Council was encouraged by a number of positive developments happening throughout the Church:
- Te Aka Puahou continues to invest in future leadership, with five new Amorangi being licensed and preparations underway for future ordinations.
- Pacific Presbytery is strengthening leadership through training, governance development, stewardship, and theological formation.
- Additional support has been approved to strengthen relationships and connections across our Asian congregations nationwide.
- The Assembly Office continues to rebuild critical staffing capacity to better support the work of the national Church.
We also valued our time with Presbytery Central – Nukuhau Tapu. Their willingness to openly share both their challenges and their hopes reminded us that renewal is already taking place in many parts of our Church. We were encouraged by stories of youth engagement, local mission initiatives, bicultural partnerships, and a growing desire to support emerging leaders.
Importantly, our conversations did not stop when the formal agenda ended. Gathering around the dinner table allowed us to continue building relationships, demonstrating the values of whanaungatanga and manaakitanga that are so important to who we are as a Church community.
Areas We Continue to Focus On
As part of the Council's reset, we are consciously examining how we govern and whether our current ways of working are serving the future needs of the Church.
For some time, much of our energy has been directed toward responding to issues as they arise. While many of those matters have required attention, we recognise that operating primarily in a reactive mode is not sustainable. If we are to faithfully steward the future of the Church, we must become more proactive, intentional, and strategic.
One area receiving significant attention is the development of a long-term plan for the Church. The Council noted that each Assembly cycle can sometimes result in priorities being revisited rather than built upon, creating challenges for continuity and sustained progress. As a result, we have begun work on shaping a long-term strategic plan, supported by a financial strategy, that can provide direction beyond individual Assembly terms and support continuity between successive Councils.
This work reflects the role of the Council of Assembly, which acts on behalf of the General Assembly between assemblies under delegated authority. While the General Assembly retains responsibility for determining the Church's overall direction and major strategic decisions, the Council is responsible for implementing policy and strategy, developing recommendations for future policy, and ensuring continuity between Assembly meetings. The Council therefore sees its role as undertaking the preparatory work necessary to support informed and meaningful discussion at the General Assembly.
Importantly, this is intended to be the beginning of a Church-wide conversation, not the conclusion of it. The Council recognises that the wisdom, experience and discernment of our presbyteries are essential to shaping the future direction of the Church. As regional expressions of the Church's life and mission, presbyteries bring valuable perspectives that must be heard and incorporated into any long-term planning process.
The Council's intention is to begin developing a framework that can then be tested, discussed, refined and built upon through engagement with presbyteries and ultimately the General Assembly. In keeping with its responsibility to consult widely across the Church, the Council hopes this work will encourage robust discussion and shared discernment about the future. Rather than a plan developed by the Council alone, the aspiration is that a long-term strategy will emerge through the collective wisdom of presbyteries, congregations, councils and the General Assembly, creating a shared vision that belongs to the whole Church that can guide its mission and ministry for years to come.
This work is not about creating another document to sit on a shelf. At the heart of this work is a desire to seek God's direction for our Church. While good governance requires planning and stewardship, our ultimate goal is not organisational success but faithfulness to Christ's call. As we look to the future, we are prayerfully discerning how God is inviting us to participate in God’s mission throughout Aotearoa New Zealand and how we can best equip the Church to serve future generations.
We recognise that governance within the Church is different from governance in any other organisation. Our responsibility is not simply to manage resources and structures, but to steward what God has entrusted to us. Every decision we make is grounded in a desire to honour God, serve God’s people, and create opportunities for the gospel to flourish in our communities.
We are also paying close attention to succession planning and leadership continuity. As Council members complete their terms and new people join the table, we want to ensure there is better handover, stronger support, and clearer pathways for equipping those who serve in governance roles. Sustainability is not only about finances and structures, but also about people.
Another encouraging development has been the increasing participation of quieter voices around the table. Through our ongoing reset work and leadership development sessions, we are creating space for broader perspectives to be heard. This has allowed us to pause, reflect on our current posture, and strengthen our collective decision-making. Our recent work using the "5 Voices" leadership framework highlighted the value of diverse perspectives and reinforced our commitment to collaborative leadership and effective governance.
Engaging the Voices of Young People
Young people are not simply the future of the Church; they are an essential part of its life and leadership today. Through our conversations across the Church, including with Presbytery Central, we have seen encouraging signs of growing youth engagement and emerging young leaders. We have also heard the importance of creating intentional pathways for mentoring, leadership development, and participation in governance so that younger generations feel welcomed, valued, and equipped to contribute with confidence.
As the Council develops long-term planning work, we are committed to ensuring that younger voices are part of the conversation from the outset. The future of the Church must be shaped not only by those leading today, but also by those who will help lead tomorrow. By engaging children, youth, young adults, emerging leaders, and others whose voices have not always been heard, we hope to draw on the collective wisdom of the whole Church. We believe the Holy Spirit is already at work among younger generations, and their perspectives, gifts, and aspirations are vital to shaping the Church's mission and direction in the years ahead.
Looking Ahead
As the Council continues its reset journey, we are committed to looking beyond immediate challenges and helping prepare the Church for the future God is calling us into. Over the coming months we will continue developing our long-term thinking, engaging with presbyteries, listening carefully, and seeking the wisdom of the wider Church. While the Council can begin the work, we know the future of the Church will be shaped through the collective discernment of presbyteries, congregations, and ultimately the General Assembly.
We believe everyone has a role to play in this conversation. Our hope is to build a culture of governance that is collaborative, courageous, inclusive, and Spirit-led, where all voices have the opportunity to contribute. Above all, this work is not about governance for its own sake, but about faithfully serving Christ's mission and ensuring the Church is equipped to flourish for generations to come. As we move forward together, we do so with humility, hope, and trust in God's leading.
Grace and peace,
Council of Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand