422 Understanding the Partners

422.1 Introducing the Associated Churches of Christ

a) A Movement

Churches of Christ feel themselves called to be a movement within the Christian church urging the need for unity of the Church for the mission to which it is called by the gospel.  Evangelism has always been felt as a major obligation in this responsibility.  Unity is also recognised as both the ground and the goal of effective evangelism.  The church's unity stands in a given biblical faith.  This explains the earnestness with which Churches of Christ seek to express only biblical faith and order in church life and outreach.  On this essential foundation, it is felt, freedom of opinion in matters non-essential may permit sufficient flexibility to deliver the church from legalism and rigidity, and yet cultivate a visible, local and universal unity.

b) Worship

Churches of Christ stress the importance of the weekly gathering of the congregation for fellowship, worship, teaching, evangelism and planning for service.  The communion service (which includes preaching also) is the chief weekly service.

The liturgy is biblically based but generally conducted without a set form of words.  This allows spontaneity within an acknowledged framework which includes praise, penitence, assurance of forgiveness, prayer, Scripture reading and exposition, joyful fellowship and mutual ministry.  The communion fellowship is open to all baptised Christians.  The church is the priestly community and as such celebrates the Eucharist. Those who lead the service are normally ordained ministers or elders, while others pray, read Scripture or participate representatively and corporately.

The other dominical ordinance, baptism into Christ (after confession of faith and due instruction) is carried out for the forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Those baptised are confirmed in their faith, welcomed to first communion at the earliest opportunity - often the same day or the following Lord's Day - and share in the corporate fellowship.  Baptism is thus initiatory to church membership and an ordination to ministry of the people of God.  Women or men in Christ are equally eligible in any capacity.

c) Leadership

In the local congregation all responsible members participate in conducting the affairs of the church through the church meeting, held at least annually, or whenever occasion requires.  This meeting elects the church board composed of deacons and elders (female and male).  Matters of spirituality policy and pastoral oversight are decided after consultation of the elders and minister.  Deacons have responsibility for serving in general management.

d) The National Conference

Local churches relate with one another through an association in regional and dominion-wide conferences.  Delegates are chosen to attend the dominion Conference representing the local churches in proportional ratio.  The Conference meets biennially normally at the Labour Day holiday time and conducts sessions of worship, inspiration and business.  The president of Conference may be (and usually for alternate terms) an ordained minister or a lay person.

e) Functioning in unity

Some congregations have already elected to share in local cooperative ventures and the Conference recognises these and welcomes their participation at the local scene as well as at Conference.

Our department of Christian education had a long fruitful period of cooperation with the Christian education departments of the other negotiating churches and made the teaching materials of the Joint Board of Christian Education available to our churches, Sunday schools and youth groups.  The women's organisation of the Churches of Christ joins wholeheartedly in local inter-church fellowship.

In 1963 the Conference accepted the principle of reciprocal acknowledgment of membership of the negotiating Partners.  The majority of local Churches of Christ including those in cooperative ventures follow this lead.  Many individual members in areas where we have no local church have taken reciprocal membership in congregations of the negotiating Partners.  However since Conference resolutions may not bind the conscience of all local churches it is important to be aware that in those local churches which do not accept the lead of Conference in this matter, members of the other negotiating Partners, may not necessarily gain full privileges of membership.

f) Ministerial placement

Cooperating and union parishes seeking to call ministers of the Associated Churches of Christ should seek further information from the General Secretary

g) Financial matters

Weekly and special offerings are received for maintenance and outreach of the church's mission.  Members are encouraged to use offering envelopes and a proportion of the local total is forwarded to the dominion activities' fund or to section treasurers whose addresses are published in Conference report handbook available from the General Secretary after each Conference.

A fee per individual member is levied on local churches for affiliation with the Conference.  This applies also to those in Cooperative Ventures; however, their contribution is collected through the CVJMF and distributed by the Forum. The Church Extensions and Property Trust Board holds nearly all church property as a permanent board of passive trustees.  Some funds may be available through the board, on acceptable application for erection or alteration of church buildings or manses.

h) World Fellowship

Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand have foundation membership in the World Council of Churches and also associate membership in the Conference of Churches in Aotearoa New Zealand.  There are worldwide associations in some 161 countries linking Churches of Christ, also known as Disciples of Christ in USA.  The World Convention of Churches of Christ (Disciples) is a non-delegate gathering (mustering up to 7000) in various countries at five yearly intervals.  It is for purposes of exchange of thought, fellowship and worship.

The Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council is responsibly representative of Churches of Christ in some 19 countries.

422.2 Introducing contemporary New Zealand Anglicanism

a) Worship

For the great majority of Anglicans the main act of worship is the celebration of Holy Communion.  Anglicans will speak of this in various ways, Holy Communion, the Eucharist, or even a celebration will be the shortened description they will use.  Most Anglicans expect a communion service to be held every Sunday - the discipline of their church holds that they should receive communion whenever possible.

Anglicans have usually been slow to accept change in worship though much more use is being made of such ancient customs as exchanging the kiss of peace (greeting one another during the service) in contemporary worship. A New Zealand prayer book - He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa published in 1989 contains a rich variety of worship forms and resources, and is widely used throughout the church.

b) Liturgy

This word is often used by Anglicans and can mean the service of Holy Communion, but whether it is in sacramental worship or what is called the occasional service Anglicans expect their worship to use a common order or prayer book.  Over the past years all these services have been rewritten.  Whilst many people enjoy the new forms it should be remembered that many older people feel lost because of the decreasing use of the prayer book their church has used for 400 years.

c) Sacraments

The reason Anglicans hold strongly to the liturgy is because they regard themselves as a sacramental church. They hold strongly to the ministry of word and sacrament, enjoy a good preacher but could dispense with the sermon much more readily than with the Eucharist or baptism.  These they hold as being the sacraments of Christ though many would talk of the lesser sacraments such as marriage, confirmation, burial as being a Christian response to the major points in our pilgrimage through this world.

d) Ministry

As is well known Anglicans hold strongly to the threefold ministry of bishops, priests and deacons.  What is not always appreciated by those Partners we negotiate with is that the functions and style of ministry of these three orders has been changing.  As fresh knowledge from the early church endorses what is felt to be the needs of modern society, the church that seeks to minister to the contemporary situation has to continue to challenge its assumptions of the nature and form of ministry.

This change is readily identifiable at two levels.

i. The rapid growth of self-supporting ministry throughout the Anglican communion.

ii. The growth in the decision-making role of the councils of the church set up to help the bishop in the roles of oversight.  Such councils usually contain lay and clerical membership so that the voice of the whole church might be more evangelistic in outreach.  This new dimension of the catholicity of the church is understood in the way that the bishop acts as the connecting link between the various congregations, themselves cared for by a minister Anglicans refer to as the priest or vicar.

A good place to see what the Anglican Church believes about the ministry is in the ordination liturgies - A New Zealand Prayer Book - He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa - pages 887-923 and in the catechism clauses 34-39 pages 931-932

e) The Bishop

In a church, which is both episcopal and synodical, the diocese is the basic unit of the church government and the bishop is the symbol and focus of that unit of ‘local church’.  As well as presiding in the synod and standing committee and chairing boards of nomination, the bishop has a pastoral role which relates to the clergy and people of each parish in a diocese.  This may be symbolised by the bishop's chair in the sanctuary area of a church building, in the unused (all-but-once-or-twice-a-year) name tag at each congregations entrance area, and in the bishop's words to the new vicar in an installation service saying something like receive the authority/responsibility to minister in this parish which is both yours and mine ...The bishop is in some senses a member of each congregation, each committee, and the clergy and people act collegially with their bishop in worship and mission.  (Unlike a Methodist superintendent or Presbyterian moderator, the bishop is not usually attached to any particular parish and is free to visit each of them regularly) The bishop on behalf of the church and diocese licenses the ministry of clergy, lay workers, lay readers and lay officiants.  The bishop writes the Letter of Offer to a new vicar, has pastoral responsibility for the vicar and family as well as a relationship with the vestry and church leadership.  In a vacancy the bishop appoints a bishop's warden as a liaison with the parish.  The bishop signs faculties for changes to church buildings and issues various summonses for synods and conferences.  Anglicans also see the bishop as having a role as a focus of unity representing the `local church' to the wider church, and the wider church to the diocese.

e) The Priest

Any understanding of the role of the priest (presbyter) in the Anglican Church must begin with an acceptance of the priesthood of all believers.  There are many definitions of what Anglicans mean when they use the word priest and these can range from the exercise of priestliness as given to the Apostles (If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them) and the understanding of presbyter as a senior or elder within the whole congregation.  Only when we realise that we are all a royal priesthood, chosen ...  elect ...  of God can we get the Anglican use of the term priest in its proper perspective.  It is in the role of ministering God's word and sacrament and absolute care towards God's whole creation both as a representative to others of God's household, that the inclusive nature of the word can be understood.  It would never be used in the Anglican Church in the understanding of the Old Testament priest of Israel.  What is true of a priest is equally true of a bishop.

f) The Deacon

Perhaps this office is undergoing change more than any other in the three orders in ministry.  Whilst universally used as a probationary period of twelve months before ordination to the priesthood, strong moves are being made to restore the order to its more traditional serving function of care, restoring its functional nature and also reducing the tendency to regard it as a role of lesser status.

g) Faith and Order

It has been relatively late in its own history that the Anglican Church has as a worldwide communion set out some standard or expression of what is Anglicanism.  These are generally referred to as the Lambeth Quadrilateral.  This statement was made in 1888 and was really made in response to the conscious desire for Christian unity.  The four points of that statement are:

i. The Holy Scriptures....  as containing all things necessary to salvation and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith.

ii. The Apostles Creed as the baptismal symbol and the Nicene Creed as the sufficient statement of the Christian faith.

iii. The two Sacraments ordained by Christ himself, baptism and the supper of the Lord.

iv. The historic episcopate locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and people called of God into the unity of His church.

Whilst this remains the basis upon which Anglicans seek unity, it might also be said to be the one solid anchor by which Anglicans hold themselves together in our worldwide fellowship.  Each Province has its own forms of worship, its differences in administration and more importantly its diverse cultural differences.  There are now more practising Anglicans in the continent of Africa than in England for example.  What is hard for many non-Anglicans to understand is that whilst we would hold these points as central, the Anglican Church has never set out explicitly how these four statements are to be believed.  It is possible to hold quite different interpretations of these basic tenets and still be totally Anglican.  This flexibility in understanding can be a great strength.  It also can be a weakness.  It can generate tolerance but there is always the danger of indifference.  For the committed Anglican tolerance of another's view is strongly cherished.  However Anglicanism in the end is a way of life rather than a set of dogmas, but as with any other way of life.  Anglicans can only live as its members work out their relationship with others in the living fellowship of Christ.

h) Membership in the Anglican Church

To Anglicans membership is purposefully an ill-defined word.  In the best sense Anglicans can expect a person to be baptised, confirmed and regular in worship to qualify for membership.  However as far as the Anglican Church law is concerned people can claim the right to vote in an Anglican parish if they are baptised, 18 years or over and live in the parish and have signed a declaration to that effect.  This looseness in membership comes from our very strong belief about -

Pastoral care.  In any Anglican parish the vicar is licensed to the cure of souls.  This means being expected to minister to every person living in the parish other than those who are known to be members of another church or faith.  This idea of the care of all people comes from our rural English heritage, but still stands - again not as a written law but as an assumption by which a minister shapes ministry.  Today priests recognise that they cannot give such care to the larger parishes and will try to equip lay people to exercise pastoral care.

i) The Laity and the Church

History and circumstances seem to have given status and authority to the bishop and the parish vicar.  This is much more imagined than real.  Anglicans recognise that the laity alone has both the power and the capacity to make the church effective as a worshipping, witnessing community.  They exercise management of the parish through a vestry, which is elected by an annual meeting of parishioners.

They also elect a people's warden who is authorised to represent any of their concerns to the priest, the archdeacon or the bishop.  The people's warden

422.3 Introducing contemporary New Zealand Methodism

a) Worship
There are three fundamental Methodist expectations in worship.

i. That there will be an element of spontaneity - a freshness and relevance brought into the content of worship by reference to the events of contemporary life.

ii. That the central act of worship is in the celebration of Holy Communion.  Methodist usage has meant that Communion is celebrated monthly, but members generally have little difficulty in accepting more frequent celebrations

iii. Providing that the preaching content of worship is not diminished.  Methodists have a high expectation that preaching will be relevant, biblically based and not too long!

b) Sacraments
Methodists celebrate the sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism.  For both of these there are authorised orders of service for use by the officiating minister and the congregation.  The preparation of the elements, cleaning of the communion glasses and vessels, is the responsibility of the sacramental stewards, who are elected annually by the church meeting.

c) Pastoral care
With there being a smaller ratio between clergy and families in Methodist parishes than in the larger denominations, Methodists have come to expect regular pastoral contact between the Minister and people.  The offering of Communion to elderly and sick people is usually gratefully accepted though it is advisable to ask first rather than assume that the Sacrament will be welcomed.

d) Parish leadership
Methodist practice is that leadership within a parish is exercised corporately by the presbyter and the lay leaders.  While often the presbyter personally carries through the decision of the parish meetings, it is expected that the parish leaders and the presbyter in council make all significant policy decisions.

e) Relationships with the regional and national Methodist Church
Methodism operates locally, regionally and nationally on the extended family model.  Organisationally Methodism acts Connexionally - that is all parishes/circuits are connected together and thus mutually accountable under the authority and jurisdiction of the Conference. Consequently the Methodist Church expects that ministers of other Partners serving in Cooperative Ventures will make every effort to appropriately represent the interests of the Methodist families at the regional and national Methodist Church courts.

The major Methodist Church courts are

i. Local level - the parish meeting and the local leaders' meetings are the major policy and planning bodies for the parish/circuits.

ii. Regional level - the district synod which must meet at least four times a year - in most districts it meets monthly.  Every presbyter is of right a member of synod.  Lay representatives of parishes/circuits are elected each year and their number must match the number of presbyters serving in the parish/circuit.

iii. National level - The annual Conference - held during the second week of November.  The prime business of the Conference is to

a) Appoint presbyters and deacons to parishes/circuits, specialist ministries etc.

b) Receive reports from the various standing committees, eg Stipends Committee, Faith and Order, etc.

c) Make amendments, deletions, and additions to the laws and regulations of the Methodist Church.

d) Express the mind of the church on contemporary issues.

However, there is significant subsidiary role played by the Conference.  That is to act as a meeting place for the Methodist family.  The opening of Conference, the induction of the president, the ordination service, are significant occasions when the ethos of Methodism becomes partly tangible.  Each parish/circuit is entitled to be represented by a lay person to equal the number of presbyters appointed to the parish/circuit.  Every presbyter is entitled to attend Conference.

(f) Role and function of leadership in the various courts

i. The role of the District Superintendent

A district superintendent is elected by the district synod to be Conference's official representative in the region.  The superintendent has three primary roles.

Firstly to represent and interpret the decisions of Conference to the district.

Secondly to represent and interpret the district to Conference and Council of Conference in budget matters and the annual appointment of presbyters and deacons (stationing).

Thirdly to have the oversight and care of presbyters and deacons and their families within the district.

ii. The role of the President of Conference

The President is elected at the Conference from amongst its members each year to act for and on its behalf during the ensuing year.  The president works primarily through two committees, the Committee of Advice and the Pastoral Committee.  As the chief representative of Conference, the president is usually called upon to officiate at significant occasions in the life of the local, regional and national church.

g) Expectations re parish/circuit giving

Over the last 20 years the Methodist Church has accepted the need for planned giving programmes at the parish level.  It has a stewardship section.  Most Methodist parishes employ these personnel on a regular basis (e.g. every three years) to undertake a systematic review of the giving of members and adherents.

h) Denominational resources for the support of the local churches

Within the Methodist Church there are various resource divisions.

i. The Administration Division - provides local churches with information about legal and property matters.  Some loan funds are available to help building projects.

ii. The Mission Resourcing Unit acts as a consultant and resource group for the local church in terms of strategy and planning.  In particular it guides congregations in their negotiations with other churches to form Cooperative Ventures.  Through its Making Disciples Task Group it supports local churches in their efforts to plan and undertake evangelism.  The division also supports Samoan, Tongan and Fijian ministries in New Zealand.

i) Denominational data

The Methodist Church operates organisationally on two 12-month periods

i. For finances, balances etc, statistical returns, it operates on the financial year basis 1 July - 30 June.

ii. For the appointment of presbyters/deacons and reports to Conference it operates on a Connexional Year that is from 1 February to 31 January the following year.

j) Management of church property

Methodist Church properties are vested in the Board of Administration and managed by local property committees.  Parishes are responsible for seeing that church properties are not used for any purpose forbidden by the laws of the church, or for any purposes or activities which conflict with the spiritual purpose for which the church was called into being or which are likely to bring reproach on the church.

Property committees are expected to carry out their duties as to maintenance and repair of buildings by using the revenues derived from rents, allocated by the parish meeting and other sources.  Property committees may make proposals regarding purchase, alteration or sale, or lease for longer than seven years.  Such proposals are subject to the consent of the parish meeting, and the Church Building and Loan Fund Committee, acting for the Conference.  Trustees are bound by the decision of the Conference.

k) Methodist Women's Fellowship

The objects of the Methodist Women's Fellowship include the following

i. To develop the spiritual and social life of the members so as to make a Christian witness in all of life.
ii. To support the work of the church at home and abroad.

All women of the church who desire to further the objects of the fellowship are eligible for membership.  In each Maori circuit there is a women's fellowship movement Te Roopuu Wahine that maintains contact with the other women's fellowships.  The circuit women's fellowships are linked together through a district women's fellowship and a national convention which meets every two years.  In the intervening time the national co-ordination of women's fellowships is organised by president, secretary and an executive.  Each year the women's fellowship chooses a special objective and many thousands of dollars are raised for specific home and overseas missions' projects by Methodist women.

422.4 Introducing contemporary New Zealand Presbyterianism

a) Worship

Presbyterian worship seeks to express and respond to the sovereign majesty of God. Strong importance is therefore attached to the weekly gathering of the congregation for public worship that is well prepared, thoughtful in its approach and in the composition of prayers, with due emphasis given to the reading and preaching of the Word.  Provision is made for a prepared order of service involving congregational responses, particularly in the prayers, though extempore prayer is by no means uncommon.  Service books are guides and models, never mandatory.

The Presbyterian Church recognises the two Sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism, and the officiating minister is free to choose the form of service.

Good guides to Presbyterian forms are:

The Church of Scotland Book of Common Prayer (1979), (especially the second and third orders for the Lord's Supper), the companion volume, Prayers for Contemporary Worship, The Worship book of the United Presbyterian Church in the USA and Let Us Worship published by the Joint Board of Christian Education for Australia and New Zealand.

The General Assembly has approved a service entitled The Holy Eucharist.  Its form, content and accompanying notes will repay careful study.

Communion is being celebrated more frequently, (often monthly and certainly on the chief occasions of the Christian year).  However, the quarterly communion remains the core of Presbyterian worship.

The delivery of communion cards by the elders and their assistance in distributing the elements helps to emphasise the significant role elders can play in rule and pastoral care. Word and Sacrament belong together.  It would be unusual for the Lord's Supper to be celebrated without a sermon, however brief.  Preaching is taken very seriously indeed.  Lectionaries, such as the Common Lectionary Revised (1992) are used extensively and due heed is paid to the Christian year but the minister is free to choose lessons for the day and a sermon text as he or she feels led.  The assembly from time to time encourages the inclusion in worship of emphases relating to the work of the wider church.  While not obligatory, this can be helpful in planning a programme of preaching.

Baptism is normally celebrated in the presence of the congregation as part of regular worship, and there is an approved form of baptism.

Both baptism and confirmation require careful preparation of parents and candidates.

Leaders of worship in the Presbyterian Church encouraged to exercise creativity in using audio-visual aids, drama and other media.  However, the basis is still the Bible read and expounded, prayers for all of praise and adoration, confession, interceding for the needs of all, together with the celebration of the sacraments with dignity, order and a solemn but real joy.

b) Pastoral care

Pastoral care is expressed through the ordained ministry (open to both men and women) relating to all families under the care of the session.  Elders, men and women, are elected by the congregation and ordained to the office of rule and pastoral oversight therein.  They express their pastoral care through districts for which they are responsible and these vary in size depending on the nature of the parish and the number of elders.  Usually a good working number would be 20 - 30 homes.  Presbyterians generally have a high expectancy when it comes to pastoral visiting by the minister and elders.

i) Parish leadership

This is expressed corporately by minister and session.  The session is responsible for the spiritual oversight and nurture of the congregational life, admitting new members and administering discipline as needed.  It both governs and encourages the congregations and their organisations.  It is answerable to the presbytery for the discharge of its duties.  On matters of property and finance usually a board of managers is responsible.  Members of session are ex officio members of that body.  In many cases now these functions of session and managers are expressed through a parish council.

Session and congregational meetings are chaired by the minister who moderates, (that is to see that all present have the opportunity to express their views).  As such the moderator in all our courts has no deliberative vote and is addressed simply as Moderator without any prefixes.

When a ministerial vacancy occurs in a parish the presbytery appoints one of its ministers to act as moderator in the meantime to do all that a moderator normally does in chairing the session and joining with it in giving overall leadership.  Such a person is known as the interim-moderator and one special responsibility is to chair the board of nomination in connection with filling the vacancy.  (See 421)

The women's work under the Association of Presbyterian Women (APW) in each parish has a significant place as it organises itself to unite the women of the church in prayer, study, fellowship and service; to accept the responsibility in furthering the work of the church according to the policies of the general assembly and to encourage a living interest in world wide evangelism.

The APW has a regional (presbyterial) and national structure.

g) Relationships with regional and national courts

All Presbyterian courts are described in detail and ordered by the Book of Order, which is reprinted every ten years and amended as necessary.  It contains the accepted rules and procedures of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and is to be used with grace and intelligence.

The work of the general assembly, the supreme court, is carried out by standing committees and a council of assembly that has access to presbyteries and thus to parishes for the promotion of the policies of the assembly.  Presbyteries are represented in general assembly each year by a proportion of ministers and elders.  A roster system is used to ensure equitable representation.  Presbyteries usually meet monthly and general assembly annually.  Both work through committee structures and report on their work and policy seeking appropriate endorsement.

h) Role and function of leadership in Presbyterian courts

The Presbyterian Church recognises three church courts, the session, the presbytery, and the general assembly.  A moderator, being in the case of the session the minister of the parish chairs all three and in the presbytery and the general assembly it is one of its number, a minister or an elder.  It is more frequently the former than the latter.

The presbytery has general oversight of all parishes under its care and is responsible for approving the call and/or appointment of ministry, all matters relating to the sale and purchase of land and building projects and the spiritual health and life of the parishes.  This latter concern is expressed through five yearly visitation of congregations.  Officers of presbytery are:

The Moderator elected annually from one of its number.  As the leader of presbytery the moderator speaks for it when authorised and seeks to personalise and interpret the corporate decision making of that court.

The Clerk, who is responsible as secretary of the court and one looked to, to give guidance on procedural matters affecting parishes, ministers and the presbytery.

The Moderator of the General Assembly each year visits a number of presbyteries and parishes.  This is seen as a ministry of encouragement and the opportunity for the people to meet and talk with the one elected to this high office in the church.  An ongoing executive and leadership role in the church is carried out by the assembly executive secretary, the senior appointee of the general assembly.

i) Expectations re parish giving

Each parish is responsible for raising enough finance to meet both the needs of the local parish, including the minister's stipend and allowances and a share in the work of the assembly funded through the assembly's enterprises budget.  Where stipend cannot be met locally and the church's presence is deemed necessary by the presbytery some assistance is given by way of grant in aid from the national church's budget.

Parishes are encouraged to use a regular weekly offering envelope scheme and more and more parishes use some form of review of giving.  Publicity material on the outreach budget is made available to parishes which are expected to play their part in meeting the amount the presbytery allocates each year.

j) Departmental assistance

There are a number of departments designed to give assistance to parishes in their task such as Mission Resource set up to assist parishes on a wide variety of matters including Christian education, equipping lay leadership etc.  Full-time and part-time area consultants suitably trained to help in practical ways in the parish service this department.  This unit also gives guidance on all aspects of ministry, including provision for grant in aid to parishes to meet the cost of ministry. Communications department provides and co-ordinates the publicity of the church, preparing and distributing various publications including a regular newspaper and other promotional material.

Financial department through the Director of Finance giving information on a wide variety of financial matters, church insurance, beneficiary funds, investments, loans etc.

All of these departments are housed in Laughton House, the administrative centre in Wellington.

k) Denominational data

Annual statistics are gathered in June and published in the annual reports to the assembly.  The financial year runs from July 1 to June 30, for all parishes and the wider work of the assembly.

l) General

The Presbyterian Church in New Zealand has sought to play its part in the ecumenical movement locally and worldwide.  It is a member of both the CCANZ and the WCC and has given strong support in the Forum and its practical emphasis on Cooperative Ventures.

Presbyterians have expressed their worldwide fellowship through the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.  Its heritage, obedience to the Scriptures, and its concern for the mission of the church have meaning only as it remembers and practices the declaration that the Church is Reformed only as it remains open to further reform.

422.5 Introducing Contemporary New Zealand Congregationalism

CONTEMPORARY NEW ZEALAND CONGREGATIONALISM

 The heart of congregationalism is not the congregation but the Covenant relationship, with Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, and the covenant of the believer with other believers in the one place this is the Church. These covenant relationships are manifest in the Church Meeting, which is what the Connexion, the Presbytery or the Diocese is to others. The Universal Church, (the whole Church) appears locally, in the called and gathered committed believers. Thus it is repulsive to speak of congregationalism as something atomistic or parochial. The denomination (Congregational Union of New Zealand) is not the Church, (or a Church) but a synod or fellowship of Churches. No body, ecclesiastical or civil, exterior to the local Church can decide for the local Church, because it is the Great Church in that place.

Nor can any authority, be it minister or leaders group assume the authority (of the keys of the Kingdom) of the Church, as it meets. (Acts 15: 22,28). "Authority in the Church, therefore, is expressed in the whole company of believers, covenanted together in Christ and meeting in one place to find the mind of Christ, her Sovereign Lord. All the members of the local Church are committed to share the responsibility to seek and to fulfill the will of Christ. The authority is not of the people but of Chris t The Church Meeting is not a democracy but a Christocracy. The authority cannot be delegated to the minister, the deacons or any section of the members of the Church or to any individual or body outside the local Church.

LEADERSHIP

The prime leadership is the Holy Spirit through the Church Meeting. Churches also have ordained ministers of the Word and Sacraments and pastoral care. There is no clergy-lay division - the minister is one member who is the presiding elder. As the officers or servants of the Church, there are also deacons or elders.

NATIONALLY

Congregationalists sit loosely to national institutions, because the Universal Church is much more than a combination of Churches or denominations, and is manifest in the believers gathered in one place. The Congregational Union of New Zealand (CUNZ) has representatives from every local Church, has officers, and an annual Assembly. "Decisions made at such synods (the annual assembly) are (when under the guidance I of the Holy Spirit) not binding over the Church Meeting, but are only to be rejected under the constraint of Christ. The authority of assemblies is persuasive and ministerial, not magisterial and coercive."

WORSHIP

Arising from a context which saw the traditions, worship and liturgy of the established church as deviating from gospel worship as in the New Covenant Church, Congregationalists were thrown back on biblical worship. With order and dignity as well as enthusiasm and faith, the form of worship includes prayer, hymns, and of course Scripture, with the Word proclaimed in the sermon. Because 'read prayers' so easily became repetitious, open or extemporary prayer is more in keeping with the Congregational Way.

The Lord's Supper, the Word made visible, is most important. The Church (Meeting) decides which member, or visit or, in good standing, will preside at the table. One of the functions for which the minister is called and authorised, is to preside at the table; that is the normal situation. There are no creeds, but a focus on the Risen Christ of the Cross. All members declare their acceptance of Christ as Saviour and Lord, and they sing their faith in their hymns. (Isaac Watts, father of English Hymnody, was a Congregationalist. His hymn "When I survey" expresses Congregational belief and commitment). Congregationalists would say that the presence of creeds does not guarantee fidelity, while the absence of creeds does not guarantee error.

Baptism is for believers and their children. P T Forsyth said any Congregationalist who was not almost persuaded of the baptist position was not a Congregationalist, while any Congregationalist who was convinced of it was not a Congregationalist. This derives from a strong conviction that the Church consists not of the baptised, but of believers who are committed to Christ and His people. While members, including ministers, are allowed freedom of conviction on the subject of baptism, the denomination's position is to baptise not infants and adults but believers and their children. Baptism when observed with the children of believers, is unto faith.

This is because Congregationalism was part of that movement, that restoration of the Gospel Church of the New Testament, beginning in the mid 1900s, which rejected any accommodation between Church and State, (called Christendom): a person needed to be a committed believer

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in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, to be a member of the Church. The Church consisted only of Christians. The government had no right to determine, or to influence, who is the Church.

CHURCH UNION

With such an ecumenical view of the Church, Congregationalists have been in the forefront of Church Union negotiations in New Zealand, for a century. However, it would seem that most interest is now not in denominational fusion but rather in local unity.

"THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD FOR JESUS"

Through its deep involvement since 1840 in the London Missionary Society, NZ Congregationalism has related to Christians around the world, and especially in the Pacific, and was the first denomination to host Pacific Islanders who came here during and after WWII. This involvement continues through the successor to the LMS, the Council for World Mission, in which the Congregational Union takes an active part. CUNZ Churches also support individual missionaries and/or organisations on other mission fields.