123 Definitions

Agreement
The document outlining the identity, boundary, constituents and property of a Cooperative Venture agreed to at the formation of the Cooperative Venture. This document may be amended from time to time in light of subsequent events within the Cooperative Venture.

CCANZ
Conference of Churches in Aotearoa New Zealand. An ecumenical forum of a number of NZ churches formed to work towards the common goals of unity, evangelism and mission.

Cooperating parish
A cooperating parish is one in which some or all of the Partners have agreed to share to a considerable degree ministry, worship, buildings and other aspects of local church life. The legal position is that the former parishes or mission districts are still considered to exist within the life of the Cooperating parish.

Cooperative Ventures (CVs)
The inclusive term to cover Union and Cooperating parishes, Joint use schemes, Shared ministries, Covenants and other joint local ecumenical activity working together within approved guidelines. (See 311- 313)

Cooperative Ventures Joint Mission Fund (CVJMF)
A fund that coordinates Cooperative Ventures' giving to the wider work outreach budgets of the Partners by a single contribution distributed nationally to the Partners. At present the Anglican Board of Missions, Associated Churches of Christ, Congregational Union, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches receive funds nationally from the scheme.

The CVJMF year starts on 1 July. (See 446)

Cooperative Ventures Removal Scheme
This scheme administered by the Forum of Cooperative Ventures receives annual contributions from Cooperative Ventures that have elected to join the scheme. The scheme assists with removal costs for new ministry coming to the Cooperative Venture. (See 445)

Covenant
An agreement between two or more congregations declaring their intent to seek closer cooperation which may lead to the establishment of a cooperative venture. The congregations should include at least one of the Partners.

District Partner courts
(See Regional Partner courts)

Elder
One of the titles used to designate an elected and commissioned lay office bearer in a Cooperative Venture. Elders join together in Sessions, Parish Councils etc.

Forum of Cooperative Ventures
Established in 1995 to replace the Negotiating Churches Unity Council (See 121)

JRC
Joint Regional Committee. A sub?committee of the Forum with representatives from regional courts of the Partners and from cooperative ventures in a region designated by the Forum. (See 122)

Joint use scheme
An agreement to jointly fund, use and maintain a building for worship or other community or congregational activities. (See 312)

Letter of appointment
Document signed by representatives of the Partners and the JRC at the induction of a Cooperative Venture minister. The letter confirms the term of appointment of the ordained minister. (See 218)

Local ecumenical project (LEP)
A project where at least two congregations in an area formally agree to work more closely together. LEPs may include congregations who are not a party to the Forum.

Negotiating Partners (Partners)
The five Partners which entered into an Act of Commitment in 1967 (See 101) and have continued through the Joint Committee on Church Union (until 1984) and NCUC (until 1995) and latterly the Forum to try to fulfil that commitment.

Negotiating Churches Unity Council (NCUC)
The Negotiating Churches Unity Council (until 1995). Now the Forum of Cooperative Ventures (See 121)

Parish
An all embracing term to cover the structure of the local congregation(s). In the Associated Churches of Christ and in the Congregational Union local congregations, this term equates to the church, meeting in that place.

Parish council
The council representative of the people of a Co?operating parish charged with the administration and oversight of the venture. (See 222) In some CVs, Session equates to the Parish Council.

Parish councillor
All those elected to serve for a term on the parish council and duly commissioned. Some parish councillor may also, by local agreement, be known as elders, stewards, vestry persons, wardens and managers. Parish councillors are qualified to represent the parish in the regional or supreme courts of the Partners, which are not congregationally governed. (See 216, 222)

Participating churches
The Partners (from the group of five Partners) that are directly involved in a Cooperative Venture.

Reciprocal membership
The Associated Churches of Christ, churches of the Congregational Union, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches have agreed to receive members in good standing in one of the other Partners and afford them all the privileges and responsibilities of membership. Their denominational membership is normally recorded. (See 221.4)

Regional Partner courts
Anglican - the diocesan synod or its standing committee. In matters relating to ministry, the bishop.

Associated Churches of Christ - the congregational meeting is the local, regional and supreme church court.

Congregational Union - the congregational or church meeting is the local, regional and supreme church court.

Methodist - the district synod. In matters relating to the ministry, the district superintendent.

Presbyterian - the presbytery.

Union District Council (UDC)
A council appointed by the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches to jointly carry out the duties of presbytery and district synod within a region determined by the respective Partners.

Union parish
A Union parish is one in which some of the Partners other than the Anglican Church have united to form one parish.