425 Lay Presidency at Holy Communion

Note: This guideline has not been formally recognised by all Partners and is currently under discussion. This guideline is for information only.

425.1 Intoduction

a) The five Partner traditions in the Forum of Cooperative Ventures hold the following position on Lay Presidency  at the celebration of the sacrament of Holy Communion, namely:

i)  The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia affirms the tradition of ordained presbyters/priests presiding at the Eucharist. This reflects the position of the Anglican Communion. In CVs where there is Anglican participation Lay Presidency is NOT possible.

ii) The Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand allow for lay persons “capable and acceptable”, “trained and equipped for the task” and acceptable to the congregation to preside at the celebration of the sacrament.

iii) In the Congregational Union of New Zealand each Church (local) has the authority to decide who will preside over the Lord’s Supper. While it is a function of the minister to so preside, it is not only in the absence of a minister that the Church may appoint to preside someone who is not a minister. While this person(s) will be chosen carefully, there are no regulations on how this is done.

iv) The Methodist Church of New Zealand/Te Haahi Weteriana o Aotearoa focuses on the Church celebrating the gospel proclaimed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The eucharist belongs to the church, it nourishes our common life, and sets before us the vision of the New Creation. Because the ordained presbyter has the service of guarding unity, gathering the community and keeping it loyal to the gospel, it is our understanding that the presbyter presides when the community celebrates. Although the Methodist Church would normally expect a presbyter to preside, Methodism has never said that the church’s celebration of the sacraments is dependent upon the presence of a presbyter. It has been held that the prolonged absence of a presbyter should not prevent the community of faith from celebrating and being nourished by the sacraments of the gospel.

v) The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand agrees to the administration of Communion by a person other than an Ordained Minister  if the person is a trained and authorised member of the Parish Council or recognised as an elder in the parish. In the Presbyterian tradition any Celebration of the Sacrament of Holy Communion must be accompanied by a proclamation of the Word. Therefore, the Parish Council is required to ensure that the Word is proclaimed. (refer to Directory of Worship 1995 Section 2.4)

b) The local congregation may wish to have a number of their members commissioned to carry out this office when appropriate, bearing in mind that it is a tradition of both the Associated Churches of Christ and the Congregational Union to have chosen people to conduct Sunday worship and that this person is frequently not ordained. In Cooperative Ventures in which Anglicans are Partners, Lay Presidency of the Eucharist is not possible.

425.2 Authority

The Negotiating Churches Unity Council made a statement at its meeting in June 1991 covering the matter and this is taken as the principal document in developing these guidelines. Also recognised is the Presbyterian Book of Order, and the Methodist Laws and Regulations.

425.3 Qualifications

a)    It is recognised that a member of the local congregation may not have active membership of one of the denominational Partners or wish to be named as a member since they are worshipping in a Cooperative Venture. It is, therefore, appropriate for the Parish Council to determine the qualifications for lay persons that are to apply and to change them from time-to-time as it sees fit.

b)    Members nominated by the Parish Council shall:

i)     show evidence of an active spiritual life

ii)    be a member in good standing in their congregation

iii)    have a proven gift for leading worship.

iv)   be willing to accept this responsibility, and in humility see it as a servant role within the worshipping community.

425.4 Register

The Parish Council will maintain a register of lay members who have been authorised to celebrate the sacrament within the parish. This register shall be updated at least yearly and more frequently if found to be necessary.

425.5 Nomination

a) Each year the Parish Council will draw up a list of members who meet the qualifications for the office, who are willing to undertake it when required and who have the support of the local minister. This list shall be perused by the ordained minister(s) of the parish.

b) The term of the office shall be one year which may be extended  by further nomination.

c) If for any reason any member is not re-nominated by the Parish Council they shall be informed of the fact by the minister of the parish or the Chairperson of the Parish Council.

425.6 Training

a) Parish Council shall ensure that all those persons who are to be commissioned to the office shall receive appropriate training and familiarisation in the background and the practices of the sacrament. Where it is available resource material provided by the Partners shall be used.

b) The training sessions shall deal with the special forms of liturgy used by anyone of the Partners of the parish, except where the Anglican Church is a Partner. (As the Anglican Church is not involved it is not possible for its liturgies or formularies to be used.)

425.7 Commissioning

a) Each year at a time decided upon by the Parish Council a commissioning service for all members who have been nominated or renominated for the office will be held after training has taken place.

b) The form of such a service will emphasise the ecumenical nature of the office and will include features taken from the traditions of all of the Partners of the parish who recognise Lay Presidency. The service shall be conducted by any one of the ordained ministers of the parish or a specially invited guest if this appears to be appropriate. Where possible a representative of the appropriate Joint Regional Committee (JRC) could be present.

425.8 Style

The style of any communion service celebrated by the congregation shall be consistent with the normal practices of the parish. Resource material may be drawn from any of the negotiating Partners. In appropriate circumstances other styles promoted by ecumenical bodies such as the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Christian Conference of Asia or the World Alliance of Reformed Churches could be used as well as those of the Uniting Churches of Australia and Canada.

425.9 Celebration of Communion

a) Authorised presidents shall only preside at the celebration of Communion when requested to do so by one of the ordained ministers.

b) Normally communion will only be celebrated in the worship centres of the parish. The Parish Council or one of the ordained ministers may, however, give permission for communion to be celebrated in another place in special circumstances.

425.10 Advice to the Parish and Partners

The parish shall be advised of the names of authorised celebrants by:

i) their names being read out in each worship service conducted in the parish one week before the commissioning service.

ii) their names being published in the parish newsletter after the commissioning service.