SUMMARY OF DECISIONS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2014
Memorial minutes
Assembly agreed to add memorial minutes for
21 people to the record of Assembly.
New Moderator
Assembly affirmed the appointment of
the Rev Andrew Norton to the role of
Moderator of the General Assembly.
All presbyteries to report to GA
Assembly agreed that all presbyteries including
Te Aka Puaho, Pacific Islands Synod and the
Council of Asian Congregations be required to
make both a written and verbal presentation at
future General Assemblies.
Request for multi-lingual GA
Assembly referred to Council of Assembly a
request from Te Aka Puaho that all reports to
General Assembly be translated into the languages
that make up the Presbyterian Church and that a
translation service be offered at General
Assemblies to enable people to speak in their
native tongue.
Relationship with Pacific
Conference of Churches
Assembly referred to Council of Assembly a
request from Te Aka Puaho that the General
Assembly make its relationship with the Pacific
Conference of Churches a priority relationship.
Trainees can administer sacraments
National Ordained Ministry interns and Local
Ordained Ministry probationers may now be
granted authority by the presbytery within which
they serve to administer sacraments under
supervision of their mentoring minister.
Preaching affirmed
• Assembly affirmed the role of all people who
are gifted to preach and encourages them to
take advantage of the theological training that
is available.
• Assembly upheld the right of moderators to
determine who may fill the pulpit.
• Assembly agreed that no further national policy
is needed in this area.
Alpine Presbytery
Assembly approved the amalgamation of
Nelson-Marlborough, Christchurch, Ashburton
and South Canterbury, and the West Coast
Uniting Church Council to form Alpine
Presbytery.
Presbytery Central
Assembly approved the amalgamation of Taranaki,
Manawatu-Wanganui, Gisborne-Hawke’s Bay and
Wellington presbyteries, and the Wairarapa Union
District Council to form Presbytery Central.
Beneficiary Fund
• Assembly agreed to consult with the Church
Property Trustees to review the Beneficiary
Fund.
• In a separate decision, Assembly agreed to
minor amendments to the Beneficiary Fund
Trust Deed that were needed to bring the Deed
to comply with regulatory requirements.
Change to nomination process for
moderator-designate
Assembly agreed to change the supplementary
provisions for the process of nominating the moderatordesignate. Now each presbytery shall vote to nominate
one candidate from the names submitted by churches
within its bounds. The nominations from the seven
presbyteries will then be included on the ballot paper
for the election of the moderator-designate.
Cross-cultural Church
•
•
Assembly agreed to declare itself to be “A multicultural
Church with a bi-cultural commitment.”
An explanatory statement was also adopted:
“The Church affirms that it is cross-cultural in that it recognises
that the richness of the Christian Gospel and its proclamation can
be found in the sharing of experiences, wisdom and learning from
many different cultures. The Church stands in opposition to any
view that favours one culture over another as holding a
monopoly on the interpretation of the Christian gospel. In
affirming the Church to be cross-cultural the Church is also
affirming that the Christian gospel creates community across
cultures.”
•
Assembly agreed to relevant changes to the Book of
Order to reflect the statements that were adopted.
New senior active minister
designation
A supplementary provision was agreed by
Assembly to enable retired ministers to be
designated “Senior Active” if they wish.
Changes to Book of Order
•
•
•
General Assembly approved a raft of changes to the Book
of Order that had been considered by presbyteries and
parishes under the special legislative procedure.
Some new Supplementary Provisions to the Book of
Order regarding the election, ordination and induction of
elders were ratified by General Assembly.
Some amendments to existing Supplementary Provisions
were also agreed to by General Assembly.
(The specific changes that were agreed to can be viewed
in the General Assembly 2014 White Book.)
Tertiary chaplaincy supported
Assembly affirmed the importance of ongoing
support for tertiary chaplaincy in Aotearoa-New
Zealand through involvement in the ITCC and the
Regional Ecumenical Tertiary Chaplaincy.
Changes to nominating committee
Assembly agreed that the membership of the nominating
committee be 17 people. Assembly also agreed to some
changes to the way that the nominating committee conducts
its work including:
•The Nominating Committee Exec be comprised of five
people, who would be appointed by the Committee itself
•The Nominating Committee Exec has power to make midterm nominations, but significant mid-term nominations
must be made by the whole committee
•All nominations for appointment to national committees
and bodies to be made by the nominating committee.
Bioethics
Assembly encouraged ministers, elders and
church members to access the InterChurch
Bioethics Council (ICBC) website and raise
relevant issues with the ICBC.
Proposal on amalgamation
not agreed
A proposal was lost that asked for a regulation be
added to the Book of Order to enable two or more
congregations to amalgamate without the need
for one or all congregations to dissolve.
Assembly supports lower
standard of building compliance
Assembly agreed to ask the Church Property
Trustees to allow congregations to upgrade
their buildings to 34 percent or similar of the
New Building Standards, rather than
the current 67 percent.
List of confessions remain unchanged
A proposal was lost, which asked that the
Confession of Belhar (1986) be included to the
list of confessions recognised as authoritative
statements of our reformed heritage.
Support for fossil fuel divestment
• Assembly declared that it regards
investment in the fossil fuel industry to be
unethical, socially irresponsible and contrary
to the Church’s stated mission – in particular
its care for creation.
Cont…
Support for fossil fuel divestment
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•
•
Assembly requested that the Church Property Trustees and other
agencies divest their funds from coal, oil and gas companies
listed on the NZSE; the 100 largest global coal companies; and
the 100 largest oil and gas companies, and that a period of time
(eg three years) be set as a deadline of any existing stock
holdings in these companies.
Assembly requested that no future investment in the above
companies be contemplated by the aforementioned agencies,
but rather investment in sustainable energy industries be
considered.
Assembly encourage all congregations and members of the
Church to seriously consider the same divestment action in
relation to their own investments.
Assembly affirms work of
Presbyterian Women
Assembly agreed to commend and actively
support the work of Presbyterian Women as
they continue their valuable service to the
church and community, and seek new ways to
celebrate the ministry of women and girls in
our Church.
AES appointment ratified
Assembly ratified the appointment of the Rev
Wayne Matheson to the role of Assembly
Executive Secretary. His appointment is
effective from 21 October 2014.
Special Commission on diversity
A motion was lost that asked Assembly to
establish a special commission on diversity to
facilitate a programme of informed study and
discussion throughout the Church on matters
relating to sexuality in leadership and the
conduct of marriage including liberty of
conscience.
Ordination and ministry
Assembly agreed to send a discussion paper by
the Leadership Subcommittee on ordination
and ministry to presbyteries for discussion for
response by the end of May 2015.
Council of Assembly membership
Assembly agreed that Council of Assembly
membership be made up of one person from each
presbytery (Northern, Pacific Islands Synod,
Kaimai, Te Aka Puaho, Central, Alpine, Southern),
Moderator of General Assembly, conveners of
Resource and Leadership Subcommittees and one
Asian/multicultural representative.
Council of Assembly nomination
Assembly agreed to several amended regulations regarding how
Council of Assembly members will be nominated:
•The nominating committee invite each presbytery to submit the
names of three suitably skilled people from which the nominating
committee will make recommendations to GA enabling a good mix of
age, experience and gender. Te Aka Puaho and Pacific Islands Synod
apply a process for selecting nominations that reflects their cultural
practice.
•The nominating committee recommend to GA names for convener
and deputy convener of the Council with at least one of the two to
have significant organisational governance experience
•Amended regulations will be referred to presbyteries and
congregations under the special legislative procedure
•The amended regulations be adopted ad interim and the
nominating committee be directed to apply them to the formation of
the CoA for agreement at the 2016 General Assembly.
New mission fund to be established
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•
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Assembly asked the Council of Assembly to consult with
presbyteries on the establishment of a Mission
Enterprise Fund (MEF) including timeframes for
implementation.
Assembly agreed that 80% of the MEF be used to support
presbytery-approved projects, seed-funding and the
support of stipend/salaray for specific mission projects.
Assembly agreed that 20% of the MEF be used to support
ministry among the vulnerable and socially
disadvantaged – partnering with Te Aka Puaho in the first
instance.
Cont…
New mission fund to be established
• That Press Go remain accountable to the Church
through Council of Assembly and report annually on
its activities to presbyteries to ensure transparency
and accountability. This will include a five-yearly
review by Council.
• That Council of Assembly work with partners to
engage with Mission Enterprise development and
this will include, but not be limited to, the Synod of
Otago & Southland, UCANZ and Co-operating
Ventures.
Conduct of marriage
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•
•
•
Assembly decided that in consistency with its Christian
doctrine of marriage, General Assembly declares that the
ministers of this Church may conduct a marriage service
only for the union of a man and woman.
This proposal be sent down to presbyteries and church
councils and brought back to the next GA under special
legislative procedure.
That the proposal be adopted ad interim.
That the Book of Order chapter 6 be amended by the
addition of a new clause: “(5) a minister may solemnize
marriage only between a man and woman.”
Property proceeds to support
mission
Assembly agreed that 10% of the net sale of
property, where exclusions do not apply, are
released to the Mission Enterprise Fund.
Interest on PIF to support mission
Assembly agreed that 10% of the interest on
PIF funds, where parishes agreed, are released
to the Mission Enterprise Fund.
Assembly thanks PSDS
The General Assembly conveyed the gratitude
and thanks of the Church to the board and staff
of Presbyterian Savings and Development
Society for their years of service and offer its
commendation and prayers.
Peace and reconciliation
A motion was lost that asked General Assembly
to call on political leaders to commit to active
initiatives to promote peace, through nonviolent conflict resolution and to oppose armed
conflict.
Cont…
Peace and reconciliation
General Assembly encouraged congregations,
church schools and service agencies with a
connection to the Church to establish a
programme of Just Peace based on the
World Council of Church Ecumencial
Call to Just Peace 2011.
Images from Assembly
Images of the Moderator’s installation and other
images from Assembly Week are available at
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0o2x9s0aolfahuw/
AAC2cSPP4hfbMCs51fTTdF5Ha?dl=0
SUMMARY OF DECISIONS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2014