| The Wider Church Newsletter - Number 9 - July 2008 |
Greetings2008 moves steadily along! We take a look at what’s been happening and set our sights on the rest of the year. Uniting Congregations of Aotearoa New Zealand (UCANZ) UpdateThe Standing Committee had a very positive meeting in Johnsonville June 25-26. Clarity of vision about the direction and purposes of our continuing partnership is emerging and a vision statement should be completed at the next meeting in October. Methodist President (Brian Turner) and Presbyterian Moderator (Pamela Tankersley), as well as the Presbyterian Executive Secretary (Martin Baker) attended for half a day. Brian & Pamela affirmed the ongoing commitment of their churches to UCANZ and the Cooperative Venture parishes. Rev Peter MacKenzie is doing an excellent job having already met already with all South Island JRCs. He is also engaging with partners at national levels. The next Uniting Congregations Forum will follow the biennial pattern and will be held next year - almost certainly in Auckland. Planning is under way for a significant event. Dates will be confirmed as availability of possible venues is clarified. The latest issue of uNETy, the UCANZ email newsletter was issued in July. If you don’t receive this and wish to, contact your local Joint Regional Committee or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it direct. The next Standing Committee meeting of UCANZ will be held in Johnsonville, October 14-15. New World Convention President from Zimbabwe.Bafundi ‘BJ’ Mpofu will be installed as World Convention (Christian - Churches of Christ - Disciples of Christ) president at the World Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, USA at the end of this month. He will be president until the next convention in 2012. As many know, this year’s convention was to be in Zimbabwe but the deterioration of the situation there meant it needed to be relocated. On July 1, BJ retired from his position as a school principal to work full time resourcing the Associated Churches of Christ in Zimbabwe. This group of churches with strong links to New Zealand is part of a total witness of about 1000 Churches of Christ congregations in Zimbabwe. Please pray for BJ as our global president and in his new role in his challenging homeland. World Convention SundayThe first Sunday in August is always observed as World Convention Sunday. (Every fourth year the World Convention is meeting on that Sunday.) During services on that Sunday please include a ‘world view’ in your worship and prayers. Pray for the President and Convention on that day and the witness of the Christian - Churches of Christ - Disciples of Christ family of churches (as part of the wider church) in about 180 countries. More information at www.worldconvention.org (Find over 100 national stories on this site!) You will also find a suggested communion meditation for this Sunday. Christian World Service (CWS)In early May I attended the annual council meeting of CWS on behalf of Christian Churches New Zealand. Angela McMorran of Dunedin is our representative but was unavailable for this meeting. This ministry on behalf of the member churches is involved in remarkable ministry. Thank you to those individuals and churches that support CWS. I urge all of our churches to use the opportunities that CWS provides to bring justice and better life in an unjust world. CWS is especially known for the Christmas Appeal but CWS is very active and receives and channels your support throughout the year. CWS emphasises working with partners overseas so that money is used effectively in ways that are endorsed locally. (You might be surprised how many agencies make these decisions for, not with, others.) CWS also helps us to understand the causes of poverty so that we can be more effective in eradicating it. Information at www.cws.org.nz From Here and ThereIn the USA representatives of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Churches of Christ and Christian Churches/Churches of Christ gathered in St Louis June 8-11 for the 11th meeting of the Stone Campbell Dialogue, an ongoing discussion intended to strengthen ties amongst the three streams of the 19th century movement associated with Barton Stone and Thomas and Alexander Campbell. This year’s dialogue focussed on global mission. Dr J Daniel Joyce, president of the World Convention in Mexico City, Mexico in 1974, died in late 2007. Dr Joyce visited New Zealand in his capacity as president. We welcome Rev Sandra Warner as minister of the Point Chevalier Cooperating Parish (Christian Churches - Presbyterian) Tawa Union Parish and Kapiti Uniting Parish have begun the search for new ministers. If you are interested you could contact the chairperson of the Wellington Joint Regional Committee, Geoff Donovan. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it I am a corresponding member of the national Lay Preachers’ Association with its national executive now located in Christchurch. If you want details about courses and accreditation to become a lay preacher please contact Garth Cant at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Future New Zealand Ecumenical RelationsRecognising that discussions to find some national expression of our unity, to replace the National Council of Churches and the Conference of Churches of Aotearoa New Zealand, had not been successful led to a meeting of ‘traditional partners’ in Wellington in early June. The meeting was held on the initiative of Brian Turner, President of the Methodist Church, to follow through a resolution of their 2007 conference. Those represented were Anglican, Baptist, Christian Churches, Congregational, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army, Society of Friends. George Langford and Lyndsay Jacobs were present from Christian Churches New Zealand. The meeting was positive, but preliminary. A further meeting is to be held on September 3. Please let me have your thoughts. ‘Uniting Congregations’ languageIt can confuse. The following will - hopefully - help. 150 years in OtagoA very well planned and well attended celebration of 150 years of witness in Otago was organised by Church of Christ Community Dunedin (St Andrew St Church of Christ) for April 4 -6. A brochure with photos and extended captions for each of the Otago churches was produced by Jim Bennett. There was good coverage in the local media and the mayor of Dunedin brought greetings personally. My Association DiaryPlease contact me with comments or questions for these meetings. Lyndsay Jacobs |