Who's leading our ceremonies? - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand MAY 2019, ISSUE 76 - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ...

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Who's leading our ceremonies? - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand MAY 2019, ISSUE 76 - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ...
Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
                                MAY 2019, ISSUE 76

                        Who's
                        leading
                        our
                        ceremonies?
Who's leading our ceremonies? - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand MAY 2019, ISSUE 76 - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ...
COMMENT: REV DR ANDREW NICOL

After the Christchurch
terror attacks
In a time when there have been so many          dark that we never would have perceived
words it can be hard to know where to           in the light. Just so, this terrible act of
start, but there are some things we need        murder, aimed firmly at our Muslim
                                                communities, also requires Christians to
to say and demonstrate without delay or
                                                respond and reflect. It is tempting to try
equivocation. So I will start with these        and race through the shadows, or these
words shared from our Alpine Presbytery         days, flick the light switch, but some of
family to our Muslim communities in the         us here have been wondering if we are
aftermath of the shooting: we stand in          not in fact being called to wait a while in
common humanity with our Muslim family,         the dark. I wonder if from the perspective
                                                of Christian faith we have been thrust
friends and neighbours. This was evil and is
                                                prematurely into Maundy Thursday
a tragedy. We are so sorry this has happened.
                                                where we find the kind of darkness Lent
Our Muslim brothers and sisters, may God’s      beckons us toward. Here in the Easter           Rev Dr Andrew Nicol
unswerving love be your companion in grief,     shadows we are being challenged about
God’s peace and hope the sources of our         our power. The resources for enacting a
resolve to live into a new day. Thank you       community which lays down its power,            biblical God’s real test of goodness and
                                                which loves without boundaries, that            wickedness is hospitality to strangers.1
for the example of forgiveness you have
                                                tells the truth about our darkness, that        So rather than protecting real or perceived
lived out.
                                                celebrates the beauty and diversity             social space for the faith, we might find
As we acknowledge the incredible                of human life are to be found in the            confidence and hope in the confession
goodness, bravery, and generosity of            life, death, resurrection, and ongoing          that the vulnerability and weakness of
the people of New Zealand may we also           ministry of Jesus who divested himself          the cross is an act of divine wisdom that
confess that darkness is not an import.         of all power and security coming to us          reshapes the fabric of the world. In the
We are hearing what we perhaps secretly         in the midst of our brokenness. The God         shadows of Maundy Thursday we meet
knew all along—that New Zealand has             who appears in brokenness, not only             Jesus stooped to wash the feet of his
never been safe for everyone. Of course         heals it but participates in it, and calls      disciples. And here in the diminished
this kind of darkness which hates and           us to follow.                                   light the disciple Peter gives voice to the
seeks death and division is a kind we           How will change last and our aspirations        scandal at the heart of reality. That to be
should all resist and seek to dispel. There     be revisited and refreshed? As a friend         a person of the Way is to be shaped by the
is another kind of darkness Christchurch        re m i n d e d m e t h e o t h e r d ay o u r   character of the triune God of Israel’s who
people know all too well which is trauma        determination to reach beyond our silos         takes the form of a slave by identifying
itself. It cannot so much be escaped, but       in relationship and listening must be           with the oppressed and lowly of the
needs be grieved, gently accompanied,           accompanied by deeper discipleship and          world. In washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus
listened to and healed over time. This has      character. The Gospel claims there is one       upends notions of power and status in
been compounded for many people here            humanity in Christ which means laying           humble service and love. In so doing we
and has a major impact on our resilience.       down power amongst the privileged               confess the darkness is no impediment to
Yet another form of night is more like          and listening to the margins, but it does       God’s presence. Let’s not rush for the light
our childhood bedroom with the door             so recognising that Jesus relativises           switch. Can we wait in the dark a while?
thrust shut and the light extinguished.         the status, power and culture of all            – Rev Dr Andrew Nicol is minister at
Counterintuitively, this is also the place      people. There are undoubtedly many                St Margaret’s Presbyterian Church,
we sometimes need to stay in for a while,       questions and matters for the Church to           Christchurch.
long enough for our eyes to become              determine, nevertheless, as Richard Beck
accustomed and our ears attuned—to              in his book Stranger God: Meeting Jesus in      1 Richard Beck, Stranger God: Meeting Jesus in Disguise
notice what God might teach us in the           Disguise makes the case, often times the          (Fortress, 2017).

2            M AY 2 0 1 9
Who's leading our ceremonies? - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand MAY 2019, ISSUE 76 - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ...
MODERATOR'S MUSINGS
                                         The Right Rev Fakaofo Kaio contributes a regular column to Spanz.

                                         New Zealand,
Presbyterian Church of
Aotearoa New Zealand

MAY 2019, Issue 76
                                         Our Home.
                                         The land of the long white cloud, rich
                                         and fertile, deep in the south of the
                                         Pacific Ocean. You are the land of “milk
Who we are                               and honey”, viewed by many as the land
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                                         of opportunity. Oh, how we love and adore
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                                         you. You have a pull and an appeal that
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                                         home. Many of your children were born
                                         here, many were born overseas. When they
                                         came to you, they could not leave. You           building up of this land and her people.
                                                                                          Personally, I look in the mirror. And I
Editor                                   have embraced us all and given us security,
                                                                                          know my heart, mind, attitude need to
Angela Singer                            peace and an opportunity to do well.             respond with a new mindset, a holistic
angela@presbyterian.org.nz                                                                attitude, and a heart for all people.
                                         On Friday, 15 March, there was a
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                                         nightmare in our land. The lives of
                                                                                          the image of our Creator. I will not judge
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                                         were taken, many more were injured
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                                         and families were shattered forever.
spanzadvertising@presbyterian.org.nz     Christchurch was shaken to its core, and         In Christchurch recently, I met with
Subscriptions                            all New Zealand were shocked, shattered          ministers, chaplains from Christchurch
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                                         broken and brought to our knees. A dark          some church members. Our folks are
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                                         cloud hovered over our land. Not moving          in deep grief. They are stretched and
Ph 04 381-8283                           or dissipating – just hanging over us. Our       drained. They have been shaken, and the
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                                         We turned to each other; we turned to            15 March are ongoing. Recovering patients
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                                         we responded, reached out, cried and             their families struggle; and there is visible
May 2019, Issue 76
                                         stood with each other. Especially with           police security at locations around the
Next issue                               our Muslim family. We reconnected with           city. Tension and grief remains a daily
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discussed by the Council of Assembly.    part of the human family in a deeper way.        the many folks supporting them.
                                         We need each other. We must make time
Information concerning future editions                                                    Our Church family is praying for all
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                                         religion, people, status, gender, age and        The dark cloud is moving, but the sombre
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                                         more. We need to build relationships
Design                                   with each other for the sake of our              will simmer and remain. We are scarred
                                         unity and harmony in the land, and for           for life. But we will go on. New Zealand
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                                         future generations to have any chance            is still paradise on earth, a land rich in
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                                         In our Church, we have a statement:              humanity. New Zealand will stand as one
the publisher. Opinions expressed        “We live in a bicultural journey, with           people. Kia kaha, kia toa, ia Iehu Karaiti.
in Spanz are not necessarily those       a multicultural reality and a cross
                                                                                          We are people of the Pacific Ocean, we
of the Presbyterian Church of            cultural emphasis”. This sums up the
                                                                                          are people of the land, we are loved
Aotearoa New Zealand.                    state of our nation, I believe. Our journey
                                                                                          and blessed by our creator God: maker,
                                         forward requires us to be deliberate
                                                                                          redeemer and sustainer.
                                         and intentional as people of this land.
Cover Photograph                         Together, we can make and mend                   The clouds are moving. How truly
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                                         is in our hands. Each one of us must make        been from within New Zealand and from
                                         a concerted decision to be participant           our global family. The light of our Lord
                                         in change, and to be involved in the             Jesus shines on us all. Praise the Lord.

                                                                                                                      MAY 201 9      3
Who's leading our ceremonies? - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand MAY 2019, ISSUE 76 - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ...
Changing
         role
    of celebrants
Presiding over significant life events        Peter reflects that this change began             St Luke’s works hard to be accessible
like marriages and funerals was once          in the mid-90s. A big factor in whether           to the community. “Any celebrant or
                                              ministers are asked to do weddings is the         minister can take a service here,” explains
the sole preserve of a religious minister.
                                              church building itself, he says.                  Glynn. “We’re theologically liberal and
In New Zealand’s secular society, that                                                          although we can’t conduct gay marriages,
space is increasingly shared with inde-       “In Northland the building was a historic
                                                                                                gay couples have had their relationship
                                              one, which attracted people. Down here,
pendent celebrants.                                                                             blessed here.”
                                              the old-style church was pulled down in
New Zealand has almost 2,500 registered       2016. There’s only been one wedding since         Leading funeral services is another area
independent celebrants from all walks         we've been in the new church.”                    that has seen change in recent years.
of life, offering their communities           R e v N a t h a n Pa r r y o f I s l a n d B ay   While it has been common practice for
tailor-made ceremonies in vineyards,          Presbyterian Church in Wellington                 ministers to take funeral services in
gardens and parks and stately homes.          agrees. Nathan has been a minister for            undertaker chapels for many years, as
Weddings and civil unions are more            13 years. In the past five years he has not       more elderly people live and die in rest
likely to take place in these locales than    officiated at a wedding inside his church.        homes, Nathan says funeral services
in a church. Funerals are frequently          “Weddings are all being held elsewhere            themselves are in decline.
held in undertaker chapels or there is no     now, and our church is tucked away.               “It’s becoming more common for no
funeral held.                                 It's not a highly visible one.”                   funeral to be held, especially if relatives
New Zealand is becoming an increasingly       By contrast, Rev Glynn Cardy’s parish             are based overseas,” he explains. “People
secular nation, and the Church is now                                                           can be quite removed from death because
                                              of St Luke’s in Remuera has an historic
at the edge rather than centre of our                                                           they don’t mix with the older age group.
                                              church building that people still want
communities. Ministers of organised                                                             The Church is the one place where we do
                                              to get married in.
religion are no longer universally                                                              mix through the ages.”
regarded as the go-to people for leading      “A lot of couples who opt for weddings in
                                                                                                There are exceptions to this notable
ceremonies that mark the important            our church don’t want to stress the God
                                                                                                change. Rev Maua Sola has been
events in people’s lives and are now one of   element but they do want their vows to
                                                                                                minister of the Mangere Pacific Islanders
many people that can lead such services.      take place in a sacred space where people
                                                                                                Church for the past 27 years. In that
                                              have said those same words over time,” he
Rev Peter Dunn began ministry in a rural                                                        time, he has rarely heard of any member
                                              says. “Standing on a beach is nice but it’s
Northland parish 30 years ago and was                                                           of his congregation using an inde-
                                              not the same.”
called to Invercargill a decade ago as the                                                      pendent celebrant.
minister of the large suburban Windsor        Glynn thinks more people are opting out
                                                                                                “Pacific islands communities are pretty
Community Church.                             of church weddings because Christian
                                                                                                conservative when it comes to these
                                              churches are no longer seen as a symbol           things,” he reflects. “They would still opt
“When I started out, we did all the
                                              of belonging.                                     for an ordained minister.”
weddings and funerals. We would have
conducted 30 to 40 funerals a year. Now,      “In ancient times, the minister was for the       Maua reflects that for ministers to
with two ministers, we do 20 funerals         whole village. Part of the tradition was          flourish in today’s celebrancy role, they
a year between us, mostly older church        about being there for everyone, but most          must meet people where they are.
folk. We probably have about 25 per           churches now operate for their members
cent of the funerals and hardly any           or to attract them. The breakdown in the          “You can’t use templates in these cultures.
                                              Church and society relationship over              You can’t find templates. You gotta write
weddings – they’ve dried up. The long-
                                              the 30 plus years I’ve been a minister has        it up yourself.”
term relationships are being lost. Over my
20 years in Northland I began to marry        meant that here in Remuera people see             Mangere is one of the biggest parishes in
the children of the first generation of       the church as a club they don’t belong to…        the Northern Presbytery, offering services
weddings, a wonderful experience.”            I feel a bit sad about that.”                     in Niuean, Samoan and Cook Islands

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Who's leading our ceremonies? - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand MAY 2019, ISSUE 76 - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ...
Photo: Jonny Scott
Celebrant Jill Kayser, pictured left, says she works with couples getting married to help them identify who and what they want to honour in their ceremony and
whether they want a spiritual component.

languages as well as English. In a year,              Dunedin until 2017. He says the church                 that the role of a minister as celebrant
Maua officiates at around 10 weddings                 is a diverse congregation and it’s the                 has changed.
and 20 funerals. He says that in order for            immigrants who often seek to get
                                                                                                             “I went through KCML in 2015 /16.
the ceremony to be real and authentic for             married in the church.
                                                                                                             They prepared us for different types
his congregation it has to be conducted
                                                      “First Church had a high number of                     of situations,” she says. “We’re a cross-
in their own language.
                                                      Japanese wanting celebrations. Some                    cultural society. Every funeral is different.”
“The second most commonly spoken                      were legally married but wanted a
                                                                                                             When it comes to choosing between an
language in Auckland is Samoan,” he                   Christian, western-style ceremony. I
says. “Not many people know that. I                   enjoyed doing a lot of weddings. There                 independent celebrant or a minister, two
don’t let my own limitations [with                    were even two from Venezuela,” he                      factors come into play. One is the long-
languages] prevent me from catering for               reflects. “When people feel you’re genuine             term pastoral relationship a minister can
the expectations of people. In the past,              and really trying to help them that                    offer, as opposed to a professional service
ministers with island people in their                 sets a good platform for a long-term                   that ends after the ceremony. The other
parishes didn’t make enough effort to                 relationship. Some you may not see                     is the expression of faith.
cater for them in their own languages. It             again but you never know what seeds                    Rev Peter Dunn says, “Now, when I’m
takes hard work to understand another                 you planted.”                                          invited to participate it’s a Christian
culture, and get out of your comfort zone.”                                                                  funeral, and the faith component is
                                                      Rev Mo Morgan is the minister of St James
Rev Dr Tokerau Joseph trained in                      Presbyterian Church in Whanganui. As                   what stands out. There’s a lot of hope
ministry in Dunedin before serving                    someone who has come through ministry                  and celebration. Non-church people
13 years as minister at First Church in               training recently, she says it’s now a given           comment that it’s so different. People

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Who's leading our ceremonies? - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand MAY 2019, ISSUE 76 - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ...
“It’s becoming more common for no funeral to be held, especially if relatives are based overseas,” says
the Rev Nathan Parry. “People can be quite removed from death because they don’t mix with the older age
group. The Church is the one place where we do mix through the ages.”

often say to me, we don’t want it to be               With weddings the minister will tailor              celebrant. “I suspect that particular
religious but invariably there’ll be a                a service that’s based on asking the                pilot [community celebrant] didn’t
prayer or a Bible reading requested. I’ve             couple searching questions beforehand.              succeed, because it wasn’t effectively
never done a truly secular service.”                  “I ask them why they’re taking the                  implemented,” says Jill, “but I think the
                                                      step of getting married, to get them                idea has merit as an outreach service. It
Mo agrees that faith is integral to                   to articulate their understandings.                 was maybe a little ahead of its time.”
the offering.                                         There’s a more formal aspect to having
                                                                                                          Community celebrants, she says, although
                                                      a minister involved.”
“I can’t stop being a minister in that                                                                    connected to the church, could appeal
role,” says Mo, “But I’m sensitive to the             Fewer ceremonies overall means a                    to those who don’t want an orthodox
                                                      greater focus can be given to each one.             Christian ceremony.
language and imagery used. I gauge
                                                      A funeral can take two to three days of a
where people are at. Whether someone                                                                      “The celebrant could become the
                                                      minister’s time, says Peter. “They’re time
feels Christian or not, I’m still going to be         consuming, and I remember having                    connection back to faith for people
pointing to the hope that Christ brings.              two or three funerals sometimes in                  who increasingly aren’t drawn to the
We also provide a hospitable gathering                a fortnight.”                                       institutional side of religion, or can’t
space and time to reflect, confess and                                                                    find a place of worship that works for
                                                      In the early 2000s, the Presbyterian                them,” she reflects.
point to redemption.”                                 Church commissioned a research study
                                                      by AC Nielson called Attracting New                 “I have a yearning to serve people in
Rev Glynn Cardy adds that ministers
                                                      Zealanders to Spiritual Life. The study             the community. I work with couples
have a full-time role, rather than offering
                                                      noted that ceremonies traditionally                 getting married to help them identify
celebrancy as a “sideline activity”, which                                                                who and what they want to honour in
                                                      associated with key life stages can also
most independent celebrants do. It is the             open people up to the possibility of                their ceremony and whether they want
depth of experience that counts, believes             church assuming some relevance in                   a spiritual component and what that
Glynn: “Ministers take liturgy every week             their life, and encourage them to take              could look like.”
so they have a sense of how it flows.                 a step closer. The report encouraged
                                                                                                          The biggest change that independent
In designing a wedding the interplay                  establishment of community celebrants
                                                                                                          celebrants have helped to bring about
between formal and informal is strong.”               in congregations who could act as
                                                                                                          over the past 20 years, she says, is by
                                                      a bridge, conducting non-Christian
Families often don’t know what to do                                                                      offering a personalised service that
                                                      weddings in the church and offering
when a loved one dies, says Rev Nathan                                                                    responds to an increasingly diverse
                                                      blessings and other special ceremonies.
                                                                                                          and multicultural society, as well as a
Parry. A minister can offer pastoral care             Former Kids Friendly coach, Jill Kayser             secular one.
and is often asked by family members to               is an elder of St Helier’s Presbyterian
accompany them into the rest home to                  Church congregation in Auckland,                    “The question is, how do we serve people?”
see the deceased.                                     and a (Methodist) church appointed                  Jade Reidy

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Who's leading our ceremonies? - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand MAY 2019, ISSUE 76 - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ...
Award for
      Deaconess
      Collection
Handwritten memoirs, bonnets and badges
are all part of an extraordinary archive of
material documenting the service of 175
Presbyterian women in New Zealand from
1901 to 1975.

The archive, known as the Presbyterian        Delighted by UNESCO’s recognition of the Presbyterian Church Deaconess Collection are Presbyterian
Church Deaconess Collection, has had          Research Centre director Jane Thomsen, right, with the centre’s archivist Rachel Hurd.
its true value internationally recognised
through the conferment last November
                                              working with Sister Evelyn Macadam                  done on women’s leadership within
of a UNESCO Memory of the World New
                                              from First Church, she noticed the                  the Church, combined with the 2018
Zealand award.
                                              plight of children in their local Dunedin           interest in the suffrage movement.
There are 35 collections listed on the        community. The women decided to                     The award was officially presented at
UNESCO Memory of the World NZ                 take the youngsters into their home, an             the National Library in Wellington on
Register – eight new ones in 2018,            action which led to the founding of the             26 November, 2018.
including the Deaconess Collection. The       first PSSA (Presbyterian Social Service
Presbyterian Research Centre had one          Association, later known as Presbyterian            “The Deaconess order was a way of making
other collection listed in 2017, the Ng New   Support) Children’s Home in North                   women’s work visible within society and
Zealand Chinese Heritage Collection.          Dunedin, with Sister Mary McQueen                   gave women a voice and a formal role
“ The Deaconess Collection,” says             becoming its matron.                                outside the home,” Jane explains. “It paved
Presbyterian Research Centre Director         Another was Margaret Reid Martin. After             the way for the ordination of women,
Jane Thomsen, “shines a light on a group      training and serving as a deaconess, she            which finally happened in 1965. The
of New Zealand women, who over 75             was the first women to ordained as a                Presbyterian Church was one of the first
years served many of New Zealand’s            minister in the Presbyterian Church in              Christian denominations in New Zealand
poor and vulnerable, yet whose stories        1965. Twenty-two years later she became             to formally give women office as elders
are largely untold. We are delighted by       the second woman appointed Moderator                and ordained ministers.”
UNESCO’s recognition of the Collection        of the Presbyterian Church, all the while
because it will provide a springboard for                                                         The Deaconess Collection includes
                                              advancing her stated mission of ensuring
the stories of these pioneering women in                                                          extensive correspondence and docu-
                                              women’s perspectives “influenced both
ministry to be heard.”                                                                            mentation, a personal diary, hand-
                                              the style and direction of decision-
                                                                                                  written memoirs, 60 audiotapes of
Deaconesses were an order for women           making” in the Church.
                                                                                                  oral histories, 10 photo albums, 103
in the Presbyterian Church when the           Jane describes the order as an “example of          slides, cards outlining the career of each
conventions of the day denied them            the growth of active women’s leadership
ordination, despite their training being                                                          deaconess, the Roll of Deaconesses from
                                              funded by women during the 20th                     1901 to 1964, and artefacts that include
almost identical to ministry training.        century”. It was a movement that
                                                                                                  12 deaconess badges, two bonnets and
The Deaconess Order was founded in New        responded to social pressures caused by
                                                                                                  a medal. Much of the collection, which
Zealand by Rev Rutherford Waddell soon        events including the Depression, both
                                                                                                  is housed at Dunedin’s Presbyterian
after the turn of the century, essentially    world wars, and the inter-war and post-
                                                                                                  Research Centre Archives, was sourced
to enlist aid for his parish work. Courses    war periods, she says.
                                                                                                  through church organisations and
were established to train women in            “Through their work, the deaconesses                family records.
social and missionary service, teaching       made significant contributions to
and nursing, and by the mid-1900s, were                                                           “Because the Church was at the centre of
                                              education and social services throughout
extended to include theological training.                                                         everyday life in the early 20th century,
                                              New Zealand, from Tūhoe in the Uruwera
The women recognised through the              to underprivileged communities in                   this collection is a rich and unique source
UNESCO award served their church and          Dunedin.”                                           of information about the rise of social
communities in ways that have had                                                                 services, gender inequality and the role
                                              Jane nominated the Deaconess Collection
lasting significance.                                                                             of women outside the home in the 1900s,”
                                              for the UNESCO award. She said the idea
One of the first was Sister Mary McQueen,     to highlight women in the Church’s                  says Jane.
deaconess at Knox Church in 1906. While       history came out of research being                  Viv Posselt

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Who's leading our ceremonies? - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand MAY 2019, ISSUE 76 - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ...
Photo: iStock/sjharmon

                                Church sc

                             l
                                                                     hools

                               e a d
                             caring fo     w  a y
                                       r creatio
                                                 n
                         Presbyterian schools around the country are     also agreed by Assembly, including a         Brett says it’s time for the Church to
                         responding in kind to a 2018 commitment         commitment to fair trade purchases;          express its mission of care for creation,
                         made by the Presbyterian Church to play a       composting; exploring sustainable            explaining that the changes proposed
                                                                         alternatives to hand towels in churches,     were “small and simple”.
                         more expansive and influential role in caring
                                                                         schools and other agencies; and exploring
                         for the environment.                                                                         “We were clear from the start that this
                                                                         sources of renewable energy.
                                                                                                                      was a national Church issue, and not one
                         A stated commitment to acknowledging            What Brett called “friendly amend-           that could simply be addressed at a local
                         the Church’s Christian-centred role in          ments” were added during Assembly            presbytery level. Together we can make a
                         caring for creation, while also taking          discussions, aimed at encouraging            difference. We hope our changes will have
                         steps to reduce its own impact on the           the reduction of transport-related           a ripple effect and influence individuals
                         environment was an important outcome            atmospheric degradation by promoting         and others in our community.”
                         of last year’s General Assembly.                cycling through the provision of more
                                                                                                                      Nadia said the pair had engaged with
                         It came from a proposal submitted on            cycle stands, and making church land
                                                                                                                      Ecostore, a company that manufactures
                         behalf of Presbytery Central by young           available for community gardens or
                                                                                                                      and markets a range of “live clean”
                         Presbyterian leaders Brett Reid and             restoration plantings.
                                                                                                                      products; they had expressed a
                         Nadia Ridsdale, and resulted in Assembly        Brett, 27, is a theology student and youth   willingness to offer parishes special
                         asking all church councils, church              pastor of a cross-parish youth ministry      rates to purchase environmentally
                         schools and social service agencies             which operates across Khandallah             sustainable alternatives.
                         connected with the Church to implement
                                                                         Presbyterian, Ngaio Union, and
                         three “achievable and measurable” acts of                                                    Like many schools around the country,
                                                                         Wadestown Presbyterian churches in
                         waste reduction and recycling.                                                               most Presbyterian schools have had
                                                                         Wellington. The proposal came out of
                                                                                                                      their collective eye on environmental
                         With that came a call for progress towards      a conversation he held with Nadia on
                                                                                                                      issues for a while; the commitment made
                         the implementation of those actions to be       how best to inspire people to adopt more
                         reported to presbytery in congregations’                                                     at Assembly gives them a leg-up to take
                                                                         environmentally beneficial practices.
                         annual reports. While the measures are                                                       it further.
                                                                         “To be honest, we were fed up with the
                         not compulsory, they are considered                                                          Former Presbyterian Church Schools’
                                                                         waste we saw on a Sunday morning,
                         desirable and drew widespread support                                                        Resource Office director Rev Sharon Ross
                         from those in attendance.                       and we wanted the national Church to
                                                                                                                      Ensor says that while schools within
                                                                         be aware that this was not responsible
                         The three actions centre on eliminating                                                      the Presbyterian network operate quite
                                                                         stewardship,” he says. “We believe that
                         the use of single-use plastic items,                                                         independently from each other, many
                                                                         responsible environmental stewardship
                         making clearly labelled recycling bins                                                       of them are already actively engaged in
                                                                         is part of our calling as Christians, as
                         more readily available, and adopting                                                         environmental care work.
                                                                         is outlined in Scripture. As such, we
                         the use of environmentally friendly             understand our role on this earth as         She adds, “The Church could learn
                         cleaning products.
                                                                         kaitiaki, or protectors of the land, and     something from the things they are
                         A further recommendation to expand              that includes our attitudes towards waste    already doing. For example, there could be
                         the list of environmental changes was           reduction and management.”                   a mutuality in sharing ideas and stories.”

                         8            M AY 2 0 1 9
Who's leading our ceremonies? - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand MAY 2019, ISSUE 76 - Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New ...
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Head of Sustainability at Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, Rosetta Brown, has been recognised for her work   General Assembly asked parishes and Church
leading the school’s reuse depot.                                                                     schools to implement “achievable and measurable”
                                                                                                      acts of waste reduction and recycling.

Christchurch’s Rangi Ruru Girls’ School                “We called it Mosaic Reuse Project to help     That action spearheaded numerous
has several success stories to share. They             everyone think about what they can do to       changes, including establishing healthy
adopted a comprehensive sustainability                 upcycle and use pieces of broken things to     food and drink habits, changes in
philosophy five years ago, putting in place            create beauty,” she says. “We’re continuing    boarding house procedures, the adoption
a swathe of staff and Board-supported                  to develop the project every day.”             in 2016 of a water-only policy and the
projects around environmental issues                                                                  removal of vending machine products,
                                                       Hannah and Zoe called their project “Suck
and waste reduction.                                                                                  and the sharing of products across
                                                       It Up”, the perfect moniker for something
                                                                                                      local aid agencies. They also adopted
Kate Rivers, who leads the school’s                    aimed at ridding the environment of
                                                                                                      energy and water saving strategies,
sustainability programme, says Rangi                   plastic straws. Under the mantle of
                                                                                                      brought in sustainable landscape design
Ruru encourages their 640 plus students                Young Enterprise, mentored by school
                                                                                                      minimising the need for irrigation,
from Years 7-13 to become deep thinkers                staffer Jacqui Griffith, they were keen to
                                                                                                      started promoting sustainable travel
with the capacity to respond to the                    highlight an issue of growing concern
                                                                                                      practices and encouraging sustainable
challenges of ecologically sustainable                 and came up with a metal straws solution.      procedures around purchasing and
societies, and the girls are keenly aware              “They’re reusable, they don’t have             waste, and promoted the reuse of
of that responsibility.                                chemicals in them and they’re better for       materials in Textiles, Performing Arts
“We need people across all disciplines                 the environment,” the girls have been          and Visual Arts sessions.
who are literate in sustainability                     reported as saying. Part of their plan is      Plans are afoot to establish a compost
principles, who can think critically and               to have Christchurch restaurants, bars         digester and biogas production system
laterally, who can work co-operatively,                and cafes become plastic straw free,           to convert the school’s green waste to gas,
who can think in terms of connections,                 and a portion of their proceeds will go        thereby meeting its own energy needs,
and who are prepared to participate and                to DOC to help prevent the unnecessary         and increase solar power capabilities.
make a difference,” she says. “Our girls               plastic-related death of land and sea life.
                                                                                                      The school also partners with the local
are currently mentoring other local                    Jacqui says there is a strong demand           community; just one example is their
secondary schools to help their students               for the metal straws, which have been          bra collection project, which sees the bras
establish policies and lead change.”                   marketed for about six months.                 passed on to the oncology department at
Some examples of their proactive steps                 Kate was appointed by Rangi Ruru to            Christchurch Hospital and then sent to
come from students Amy Huang, Hannah                   develop the school’s shared vision and to      the Pacific islands. Other medical items
Macfarlane, Zoe Yates and Rosetta Brown.               work alongside student-led action groups       are collected for reuse, as are books,
                                                       to support the implementation of a range       mobile phones and more.
Amy’s “Mosaic Reuse Project” takes
unsold materials from Salvation Army                   of initiatives.                                Recognition for these moves has been
Family Stores and, with the help of                    “We kicked off changes by displaying           significant.
volunteers, turns them into reusable                   three cubic metres of waste outside the        In 2014, Rangi Ruru became a certified
bags for the store to use in-house for their           entrance to our school chapel, including       Fairtrade School, one of just two in
customers. The idea stemmed from her                   the contents of 128 large black rubbish        Christchurch, and more recently has
dad’s ripped pyjama top and learning-to-               bags of mixed waste,” Kate says. “As           become an Enviroschool. For the past
sew lessons at schools – Amy’s “eureka”                people walked past, the mountainous pile       two years Rangi Ruru has been carbon
moment was realising she could be the                  shocked the school; it was alarming to see     neutral. The school’s food and drink
person behind making something useful                  how much waste we produced daily. That         practices were outlined as an example
out of the fabric from discarded items.                symbolised the end of an era.”                 of good practice in the University of

                                                                                                                                   MAY 201 9        9
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                         Auckland Food in Schools Survey, School-                Outdoor Education Centre outside the         “It integrates Christian studies, health
                         FERST National Study of 2016-17. In                     city, with teaching conducted in the         and inquiry,” says Jeanette.
                         2017, a video outlining environmental                   natural environment.
                                                                                                                              Many other Presbyterian schools
                         practices on their farms and at the school
                                                                                 “Much of it was how the girls unpack         a re j oi n i n g t o g e t h e r t o p ro m o t e
                         made by young farmers in the boarding
                                                                                 those learnings in a way that sees them      environmental awareness and bring
                         house took first equal in the national
                                                                                 enjoy a variety of outdoor pursuits,”        practical changes to their campuses, and
                         AgRecovery Competition.
                                                                                 Jeanette explains. “We are lucky enough      also heeding the call from Assembly are
                         Student Rosetta Brown was a finalist in                 to have a wonderful environment here         Presbyterian parishes.
                         the young legends category of the Keep                  in Wellington.”
                         New Zealand Beautiful Awards. She is                                                                 The Church recently ran a Neighbours
                         Head of Sustainability, a leader of the                 Students faced a variety of physical         Day promotion, offering free native
                         school’s environment club and editor of                 challenges, including surf kayaking,         seeds to parishes wanting to be proactive
                         Bloom, a well-being journal promoting                   paddle boarding, tramping and mountain       in caring for the green spaces in their
                         healthy habits, and was involved in                     biking, and tested their nerve with an       community. The uptake was widespread,
                         establishing source separation of waste                 afternoon spent “solo” in the bush.          with parishes around the country asking
                         at the school and steering Rangi Ruru’s                 Another initiative saw students clear        for seeds to be sent to them.
                         reuse depot.                                            gorse and plant native trees, as well as     In his introduction to the Church’s Caring
                         The school was also involved in an                      put in a park bench and surround it          for Creation study booklet, the Very Rev
                         inspirational Whole House Reuse project                 with gravel. Jeanette says there was a       Dr Graham Redding said humans have
                         and exhibition at Christchurch Museum,                  range of learning as the girls researched    a two-fold responsibility when it comes
                         and this year, it will be involved in a long-           and prepared ahead of time including         to the natural world; as both “priests of
                         term community regeneration project in                  co-ordinating the fundraising needed to      creation and stewards of creation”.
                         the area.                                               support the project.
                                                                                                                              And in his 2019 Lenten message to the
                         Another Presbyterian school embracing                   “I believe it is important for them to       Church, Moderator the Rt Rev Fakaofo
                         e nv i r o n m e nt a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s i s   see that initiatives such as these are       Kaio, urged people to consider how
                         St Oran’s College in Lower Hutt, where                  about faith in action, while also actively   they are being good neighbours to
                         the school’s more than 500 pupils in                    contributing to and improving society.       God’s creation.
                         Years 7-13 are encouraged to connect                    The girls learned about our native species
                         with the environment through holistic                                                                “In observing our own connection to our
                                                                                 and their habitat, and had a huge sense
                         education practices underpinned by                                                                   faith, we could reflect on how we might
                                                                                 of achievement as they worked together
                         Christian values.                                                                                    do more to care for the green spaces of
                                                                                 in teams across the weekend creating the
                                                                                                                              our church, home, and neighbourhood,”
                         Much of what has evolved in environ-                    legacy trail.
                                                                                                                              he says.
                         mental terms has stemmed from the                       “One way they are looking to do that is to
                         college’s inaugural Year 10 “Fearless Girls,            engage with a new teaching programme         “What changes could we make in our
                         Strong Women” programme, says College                   launched this year called ‘Connect’. It      lifestyle habits? In what ways do our
                         principal Jeanette Duffy.                               offers Year 7 and 8 students a cross-        choices harm God’s creation – its people,
                                                                                 curricular curriculum which allows           creatures and the Earth itself ? God’s
                         The optional residential programme
                                                                                 the girls to connect with their faith        covenant is with all peoples, and let’s
                         was launched in 2018, providing an
                                                                                 and explore relationships with God,          not forget, with the animals and plants
                         opportunity for pupils to develop their
                                                                                 themselves and others, and allows them       (Genesis 9:9-10; Hosea 2:18). Together,
                         moral compass through connecting
                         with themselves, connecting with others                 to enhance their hauora, providing an        we can plant a small seed and nurture
                         and connecting with the environment.                    opportunity for them to live out their       positive change.”
                         Forty-five girls spent 12 days at Kaitoke               faith through action.                        Viv Posselt

                         10             M AY 2 0 1 9
Tune into the Kiwi youth
    ministry podcast
A youth ministry podcast with a distinctly
Kiwi flavour is being run out of the Rangitikei
town of Marton by a young Presbyterian            Rev Tim Duxfield and Jasmin Vanderwerff are running a youth ministry podcast from Marton.
host and a guitar-playing Anglican minister.

The collaborative initiative linking host         months. The one thing I did know was                “I’ve been really encouraged by the
Jasmin Vanderwerff and Rangitikei                 that I didn’t want to do it on my own, so           far-reaching feedback I have had since
Anglican Parish youth minister, Rev               I asked Tim if he’d be interested in doing          the podcast went live,” says Matt. “People
Tim Duxfield, kicked off last November.           it with me. We wanted this podcast to               have spoken positively about it from
Entitled “Youth Ministry in New                   be something with a wider appeal, to be             different spheres of ministry, even from
Zealand”, the podcast features fort-              really ecumenical in the way it feels.”             outside youth ministry. Several have
nightly interviews of around 40 minutes                                                               used it as fuel for some really strategic
                                                  The pair found the technical help they
with a mix of ministry experts and                                                                    conversations in their organisations.”
                                                  needed, and were off, working on the
youth pastors.
                                                  premise that the start-up podcast would             Susan is another convert to the world
“To begin with we picked people we know           run for an initial 12 months before they            of the podcast. In sharing her role as
really well… people we trust to share             would re-evaluate it.                               Presbytery Central mission catalyst on
awesome wisdom and stories with our
                                                  One of the first interviews aired was with          Jasmin and Tim’s podcast, she focused
listeners,” Jasmin says.
                                                  PYM director Matt Chamberlin, with                  her attention on the message “that
Jasmin and Tim are ministry leaders               another featuring Presbytery Central’s              the disappointments and failures
working with young people across two              mission catalyst, Susan Blaikie. Both are           we experience in our Christian walk
denominations. Their view that New                ardent supporters of Jasmin and Tim’s               and ministry are, unfortunately, to be
Zealand needs a contextualised resource           efforts to fulfil their brief to “equip,            expected”, and said efforts to forgive our
like this comes from a shared belief that         inspire and uplift all those who want               enemy, or love those who are difficult
many of the 20 or so podcasts already             to see young people thrive”.                        to love, often make sense only from a
out there don’t meet the needs of young
                                                  “Creating a grassroots podcast about youth          gospel-currency perspective.
Kiwis because the messages come from
overseas, primarily the United States.            ministry in New Zealand is a brilliant              Susan, too, has had positive feedback,
                                                  idea,” says Matt. “We are saturated with            hers focusing on an appreciation of the
“A lot of the things they talk about              great teaching content from overseas,               line “we are called to be faithful and
on these American podcasts are not                but it is fantastic that both Jasmin and            not successful”.
relevant here,” says Tim, citing cultural         Tim have seen this important niche and
differences and variants in terms of the          filled it with such a high-quality solution.        Through their podcast, Jasmin and Tim
size, resourcing and activities undertaken        It provides youth workers and leaders               hope to engage not only with youth
by American and Kiwi youth groups.                with indigenous wisdom in bite-sized                pastors, but with anyone working with
The idea of starting one locally came             chunks they can grab as they’re driving             young people in New Zealand. It also has
through a casual chat Jasmin had with             to the office.”                                     the advantage, they say, of pooling both
Presbyterian Youth Ministry (PYM)                                                                     Anglican and Presbyterian networks
                                                  He says his podcast on Yasmin and Tim’s
National Manager Gordon Fitch.                                                                        and resources, and providing broader
                                                  Youth Ministry in NZ channel about
                                                                                                      access to learning experiences that might
“Together we realised that there wasn’t           discipleship was aimed at shifting the
                                                                                                      otherwise be available only to those lucky
anything like it locally,” she says. “Gordon      focus from just a pulpit and Bible study
                                                  approach to one that emphasises the                 enough to attend conferences or other
said I should start one. I thought and
prayed about it for a while and talked to         importance of sharing aspects of everyday           national training events.
other people over a period of about five          life with believers across the generations.         Viv Posselt

                                                                                                                                     MAY 201 9   11
Serving
                Cook Islands
                community
Derek Teariki, who attends St Andrews Church in Hastings was
recently awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for services to the
Cook Islands community.

In 1986, Derek arrived in Hawke’s Bay to play rugby for Napier
Tech. He met his wife Mata and stayed. Now, after almost two
decades of working night-shift so that he is available to help
his people during the day, he has been honoured as a mainstay
                                                                           Derek Teariki
of the Cook Islands community with a Queen's Service Medal.
Born in Rarotonga in 1963, Derek came to New Zealand at 17,
initially working at Ford Motors. His father, Teariki Vaerua, a         schools, churches and meeting houses damaged during
minister in the Cook Islands Christian Church was transferred           hurricane season in the Cook Islands.
to Otara in South Auckland.
                                                                        The wider community uses the hall for functions such as
Derek, who says he was brought up to serve church and                   birthdays, weddings, reunions, workshops and fundraising
community, was a secretary for youth and later the men’s                events. Recently the New Zealand Defence Force made it a
fellowship, Tanetini, in the Cook Islands Christian Church’s            base while doing free dental work and medical checks in
central New Zealand region.                                             the community.

He then joined the congregation at St Andrews Presbyterian              Derek formed Pa Metua, the Cook Islands Seniors Society, and
Church in Hastings where many Cook Islands people have                  runs the weekly exercise class. “After the exercises, we have a
worshipped since the 1950s.                                             cup of tea. The reason behind it is that many older people have
                                                                        lost their partners and this is a place they can come to talk and
When he moved to Hawke’s Bay, Derek found that the
                                                                        share,” says Derek, who also organises an annual out-of-town
community hall had been in the hands of a small group for the
                                                                        trip for the group.
past 30 years. “They were running it for their own needs. They
forgot that it belongs to the people,” he says.                         Other events are studded throughout the year. “We created
                                                                        Cook Islands Constitution Day, which we celebrate on the first
“I did not plan to be a leader, I just got involved. I was in my late   weekend of August. We have a sports day for youth in October,
twenties and had always been involved in church activities              with netball, rugby, tennis and indoor basketball. And we hold
and also community activities. I think when you want to say             a Pareu night dinner twice a year with a smorgasbord meal,
something, you don’t want to say it with no action. You have to         singing, dancing and a live band, with people wearing the
walk the talk. You only know by doing it.”                              traditional Cook Islands sarong.
Derek formed the Hawke’s Bay Cook Islands Council in 1997 to            Derek has worked about 20 years on night shift as a prison
unite the people and get the hall back for their use. He says it        officer so he could be available for this work. While he and one
took a court case to get the hall back. “The case was finalised         of their sons work for the Department of Corrections, Mata
in 2005. It cost a lot of money, which is really sad. We did not        and their other son work at the freezing works. The couple now
want to go that way but that was the only way to achieve our            have two grandchildren.
aim,” says Derek.
                                                                        He says of the QSM award, “I just want to honour my parents,
The community is still paying the debts incurred, but                   for my upbringing, and my brothers and sisters for their
Derek organised charitable status for the hall and does a lot           support. And a big thank you to the people of the Cook Islands
of fundraising.                                                         in Hawke’s Bay, for putting me forward for that honour.
The hall was extended in 2011 and can host up to 500 people.            Kia orana e kia manuia.”
Recent visitors have included a group raising money to rebuild          Jane Tolerton

12           M AY 2 0 1 9
Caren Rangi on
board for leadership
When Caren Rangi tells you she’s busy, she isn’t kidding.
The professional board director was in Auckland for a meeting
yesterday, tomorrow she’s running a training session in
Christchurch and next week she’ll be in Nouméa for a two-day
board meeting.

Napier-based Caren, New Zealand’s only Cook Islands Maori
female board director, currently serves on five New Zealand
boards, including Te Papa, Creative New Zealand, Pacific
Island Home Care Services Trust, Pacific Inc and the Pacific
Co-operation Broadcasting Ltd, as well as one in the Cook Islands
(Cook Islands Investment Corporation). She also recently started
on the board of Tamatea High School in Napier, the college
where she was head girl and her son Mika (17) is currently
head boy.                                                               Caren Rangi
It’s a work schedule that sees the 51-year-old spend much of
her life on planes.
“It does make for a busy life, but I’m honoured to be able to sit     “We need people with different backgrounds and voices around
                                                                      the decision-making table, not just old men. That includes
at the decision making table for organisations that contribute
                                                                      people of different ethnicities, ages and genders. It’s also not
to the lives of New Zealanders and Cook Islanders,” says the
                                                                      just about getting them in the same room, it’s about making
mother of Mika and daughter Kaiata (11). “I’ve also picked areas
                                                                      the most of their differences.”
that I’m passionate about, such as arts and culture, where I feel
I can make the best contribution.”                                    Caren is also keen on giving the Cook Islands Maori community
                                                                      a greater voice. “They might not have a say in the decision
Caren, who is a member of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in          making process, particularly new arrivals from the Islands. But
Hastings, originally trained as an accountant. But after working      it’s important their views are heard too.”
for the Auditor General’s Office, she segued into policy and
                                                                      Caren, who says her faith is tied up not only in the Presby-
public sector management, including two years working for
                                                                      terian Church but also in St Andrew’s large Cook Islands
the Cayman Island government’s audit office.                          community, works tirelessly to identify and nurture future
Last year Caren was awarded an ONZM Queen’s Honour                    governance talent.
for services to the Pacific Community and Governance but              “It’s vital for our future that the voices of the many are heard.
admits she didn’t know any board directors when she was first         I work with people who want to find out more about how
shoulder-tapped by the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs to serve    governance works, as well as providing training and advice.”
on a board in 2002.
                                                                      The key to making her busy life work is the support of her
“The organisation was establishing a Pacific radio network and        partner McKenzie, a freezing worker, as well as her parents,
when I found myself signing a $7million cheque for 18 radio           who live nearby.
transmitters, I thought I’d better go and get some training in        Caren is also getting better at scheduling breaks throughout the
governance.”                                                          year to help recharge the batteries.
Christchurch-born Caren did just that and since then, has             “I always book December and most of January off, because that’s
served on more than 20 boards – from commercial companies             when the kids are off school. It’s important for me to spend as
to government bodies and not-for-profits.                             much time with them as possible before they grow up and do
                                                                      their own thing.”
She says most people mistakenly think board directors “have an
easy life attending meetings”. “But it’s so much more than that       As for the future, Hawke’s Bay will always be home. But Caren
– we set the strategic direction, make the high-level decisions,      is keen to spend longer in Rarotonga than she currently does.
carry the risk and manage the CEO. The buck stops with us.”           “At the moment, I’m there for work one week every two months,
Getting more women, and particularly younger women, onto              but as McKenzie was born and bred in the Cook Islands, he’s
boards is a subject close to Caren’s heart and over the years she’s   also keen to spend more time there and maybe even live there.”
run governance training for such women.                               Sharon Stephenson

                                                                                                                       MAY 201 9     13
New standards for

child safety
Responsibility for setting policies ensuring the safety of children   all volunteers and paid staff that work with children and young
in church environments has shifted from parish to national level      people (aged under 18).
with the completion of a national Child Protection Policy.            The policy includes safe recruitment and working practices.
                                                                      It has detailed information about how to recognise abuse and
The new policy was published last December as a stand-alone           neglect, procedures for reporting and responding to allegations
Supplementary Provision to the Church’s Book of Order.                against church leaders and keeping families informed. The
                                                                      Church must also comply with the Privacy Act.
Book of Order Advisory Committee convenor the Very Rev
Pamela Tankersley oversaw the six-month project to create the         Kids Friendly took part in the drafting process and its
new policy, which was drafted by her team and staff from Kids         administrative assistant Julie Taylor Penno makes the point
Friendly and Presbyterian Youth Ministry.                             that responsibility for a child’s safety extends beyond the
                                                                      Church-based context.
“Child safety has always been a non-negotiable,” explains
Pamela. “The heart of our Church is our children. They are            “The Child Matters training uses a phrase, ‘five sets of eyes’,
gifts of God, but a child safe culture requires competent and         which means every child needs five sets of eyes looking out for
committed governance and leadership to ensure there are no            them and ensuring their needs are being met,” she explains.
gaps in the process.”                                                 “Our Church’s children and family workers can be one of those
                                                                      sets of eyes. The policy guides us in who to talk with and how
The other driver for change, she says, is the increased awareness     to take the action required if we notice that something ‘doesn’t
at a secular level of children in institutions, including the         look right’.”
extension to faith-based institutions of the Royal Commission
                                                                      Training has been specifically integrated into the Church’s
of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State Care.
                                                                      safety warrant of fitness (WOF) course. After completing initial
“We can’t change the past,” Pamela acknowledges, “but as one          warrant of fitness training, a three-yearly refresher is required.
of the bodies that will be cooperating with the Commission,
                                                                      “Most of the incidents of harm to children through church
we wanted to demonstrate a proactive approach to having best          involvement could have easily been avoided with the right
practice systems in place going forward. It was a bigger task than    structure and training,” says Matt. “When the issue of safety
we imagined, so it wasn’t ready to present to Assembly, but we’re     training comes to mind, most people would rather go to the
really pleased to have the new policy implemented for 2019.”          dentist, but the WOF is team-based and scenario-driven, which
Youth Ministry National Director Matt Chamberlin agrees. “The         makes the day fun and engaging.”
Church is coming under increased scrutiny and in order to             Congregations must comply with the policy by the end of 2019,
maintain a respected place in the community we need to work           and to support this, the revised WOF training days are being
intentionally to maintain high ethical and safety standards.          held around the regions between now and November. If other
This new policy has gone through so many great channels and           commitments prevent attendance in person, video-based WOF
been very well thought out.”                                          training will also be available from 1 August. For more details,
                                                                      including training dates and locations, go to www.pym.org.nz.
During the drafting stages, the policy was consulted on widely
with practitioners on the ground, by the specialist agency Child      A copy of the full Child Protection Policy can be downloaded
Matters, and by legal authorities.                                    or viewed from the home page of the Church’s website at
                                                                      www.presbyterian.org.nz.
Enacting the new policy will be led by presbyteries and
parishes, which are now required to appoint a safety officer.         More information about police vetting is also available on the
The officer’s responsibility it is to ensure any suspected child      website or by contacting the Assembly Office on 04 801 6000.
abuse is appropriately reported, and to coordinate training for       Jade Reidy

14          M AY 2 0 1 9
PASIFIKA CHURCH
CELEBRATES

                YEARS

The Pacific Islanders Presbyterian
Church (PIPC) Newton’s 70th anniversary
celebrations late last year drew crowds
                                                Decades of photographs and church memorabilia were on display at a living faith museum.
from far and wide to celebrate and share
memories of a place that generations of
                                              story. That’s why we wanted to tell it.” The       realise “my story’s worth telling”. Many
Pasifika call home.                           museum was a “living” one because the              stayed three to four hours. One elderly
                                              exhibits changed daily during the week             man in his eighties and with dementia
The actual anniversary date of
                                              it was open, displayed under vibrant               started weeping and talking to the photos
Wednesday 28 November was celebrated
                                              tivaevae suspended from the ceiling. “As           as though they were real people. Until
with a combined service and cutting
                                              more people came through, they brought             then he didn’t recognise anyone.”
of the cake, led by the senior ministers
                                              new items with them from their living
Rev Maafalo Koko, Rev Henry Wichman                                                              Auckland Museum brought along its
                                              rooms,” Roz explains. “You felt like you
and Rev Kontiki Makani. The following                                                            staff and intends incorporating some
                                              were walking into the homes we grew up
Sunday, over 500 people filled both levels                                                       of the exhibits into its 2020 Auckland
                                              in during the ‘70s.”
of the hall for worship followed by a                                                            History exhibition, as well as archiving
shared Pasifika lunch.                        Mosotele says that in the early years, four        the marriage registers. A Unitec
                                              or five key families in the area were the          photographer has curated a photographic
“A lot of preparation and contributions
                                              backbone of the church, and they fostered          record of the artefacts and the intention
went into ensuring there was plenty
                                              immigrants from the Cook Islands, then             is to create a book.
of food on the day,” says PIPC’s session
                                              Niue and Samoa as they arrived.
clerk Mosotele Seta Efaraimo. “It was a                                                          Mosotele sees PIPC’s eighth decade ahead
special occasion.”                            “For example the Yandall sisters and the           as one of rebuilding. The Church is still
                                              Lelaulu girls,” he says. “The church was           important today to Pasifika, he says,
The Newton Church was Congregational
                                              far more than just a church. It became a           although its role has evolved.
at the beginning in 1943 with services for
                                              cultural hub for early migrants to form
Cook Islanders and Niueans at Beresford                                                          “They all drive here now. Nobody walks,”
                                              new communities, a beacon of Pacific
St Church. In 1948, Newton Parish offered
                                              Islandness in the middle of K’ Road.               says Mosotele. “And the youth have
their premises for evening services. From
                                              And now they return because it’s a                 also gone to more evangelical churches
those pioneering days the Pacific Island
                                              comfort thing.”                                    with a more inclusive type of worship.
church movement grew from inner city
                                                                                                 We have an ageing congregation and
Auckland to throughout the Auckland           While photographs displayed by decade
                                                                                                 infrastructure, but there’s still a need for
Region, Wellington and beyond. The            dominated the displays, there were
                                                                                                 an inner city church.”
merger with the Presbyterian Church           also choir gowns which represented a
Aotearoa New Zealand took place in 1970.      snapshot of the immense choral history             The church operates a number of pro-
                                              of Pacific Island choirs; marriage registers       grams including monthly food baskets
Two years later, Te Aka Puaho gifted the
                                              dating back to the 1800s; baptismal                for families; feeding the homeless; a
Maori Hall to PIPC Newton. During the
                                              records and eldership logs.                        chaplaincy service at Auckland Hospital;
week-long anniversary celebrations, the
Maori Hall hosted a living faith museum.      The level of interest the museum                   free fitness programmes; elderly outings
The venue, says curator Roz Tuitama, was      generated was beyond their expectations.           and community use of the hall for events.
symbolic of Tangata Whenua embracing                                                             Images and memories from the living
                                              “It was intended to be just for the five
the Pacific nations.                                                                             faith museum are hosted on coconet at
                                              days but the museum went viral on social
“Our people literally stepped off the boat,   media and stayed up until February!”               www.thecoconet.tv. Using the search term
came and set up home here in faith,”          she remarks. “Pasifika people saw their            “PIC Museum”.
Roz says. “A lot of people don’t know our     stories told their way. It made them               Jade Reidy

                                                                                                                                MAY 201 9   15
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