| The Wider Church Newsletter - Number 2 - May 2006 |
UNITING CHURCHES STANDING COMMITTEEI was impressed by the two day March meeting of the Standing Committee of Uniting Churches in Aotearoa New Zealand. Not only did it deal with routine matters (very important) but it also focussed on the future (vital). All group responses from the November Forum were allocated to task groups for follow up. I am convening the communications group and have prepared a draft policy/action paper. Dave Mullan, chairperson, had created a video developing the theme of 'Braided Rivers' from the national Forum last November. He used the model of the Hamilton Jet Boat which met the challenge of shallow and dangerous waters and the need to be able to travel up stream - against the flow. Those with access to the Methodist paper Touchstone can read more in the May issue (page ten). Other important matters on the Standing Committee's current agenda include: Local Shared Ministry, Ministry Settlement (moving towards a common policy), Joint Regional Committees, Public Liability insurance, and the Charities Act (congregations recommended to take no action at present). CHRISTIAN CHURCHES TOGETHER IN THE USAA meeting March 28-31 in Altlanta, Georgia brought together a journey begun in 2001, launching the USA's broadest, most inclusive Christian fellowship - Christian Churches Together in the USA. It represents thirty-four churches (including the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)) and national Christian organisations, encompassing Evangelical/Pentecostal, Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox and historic racial/ethnic Christians. Eight other churches and one further organisation are observers. A primary focus will be on poverty in the USA. ONEHUNGA COOPERATING PARISH CELEBRATESOn March 18 some 200 members of the Onehunga Cooperating Parish shared in the dedication and blessing of three properties which are used in its mission and witness. The new manse (purchased as a repacement for the previous 'Church of Christ' manse) has been home to the Rev Fakaofo Kaio and his family for almost a year. The 'Fencible Cottage' used by the Cook Island group's pre-school has been completely rebuilt after a 2004 arson. The Centennial Hall opened in 1955 (used for community groups and church programs) has undergone a $204,000 refurbishment with funds from Churches of Christ and ASB Trusts. The 250 member multicultural parish is celebrating its tenth birthday. It has two worship centres and five Sunday services. A further minister is now being sought. CHURCHES AGENCY ON SOCIAL ISSUES - CHANGE OF ADDRESSWith the sale of the Presbyterian Church's office building, the CASI office transferred to The Ecumenical Centre at Wesley Church, 75 Taranaki Street, Wellington. Contact by phone can be made through the shared line: (04) 384 3587 ext 22. The PO Box (9049, Wellington) and email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) remain unchanged. The award winning web site www.casi.org.nz (no change) has over sixty 'issues' pages and receives thousands of hits daily. CASI members are Methodist, Presbyterian, Churches of Christ and Quakers. Our representatives are Hugh and Janet Scott - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it UNITY WITHIN CHURCHES OF CHRIST - WITHIN THE WIDER CHURCHAn historic task force comprised of representatives of all three streams of the 'Churches of Christ' movement in the USA met in March to coordinate plans for the bicentennial commemoration of Thomas Campbell’s “Declaration and Address” in 2009. The participants are part of an effort to celebrate and reclaim for the 21st century, the vision of Christian unity in the “Declaration and Address”. Campbell’s document, written in 1809, is considered one of the charter documents in the Stone-Campbell (Churches of Christ) Movement. The task force was looking for a way to celebrate the bicentennial and continue developing dialogue among the divided streams of Churches of Christ, Christian Churches and Disciples of Christ. Task force members will be responsible for planning a “Great Communion Celebration” in 2009. They will also develop study materials for use in local congregations, focussing on the content of the “Declaration and Address” and on the unifying nature of the Lord’s Supper. Materials will also prepare churches and members around the world to participate in communion services in October 2009, commemorating the Great Communion service in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA in October 1909 that marked the centennial of the ‘Declaration and Address.’ Materials will be available in electronic form. Plans also call for “major involvement” of members of all three churches as speakers and workshop leaders in the August 2008 World Convention of Churches of Christ in Nashville where the bicentennary will be launched. WORLD CONVENTION FOCUSSING ON THE FUTUREThe World Convention (Christian - Churches of Christ - Disciples of Christ) Board will meet in Nashville, July 1-3, focussing on how best to carry forward its ministry of networking 'Churches of Christ' in 180 countries, and across lines of division, within this global church family. The next World Convention assembly will be held July 30 - August 3, 2008, in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. David & Anne Coulter are coordinating 'down under' participation with Bruce Greig in Australia. Contact David and Anne at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to get the free quarterly paper, World Christian and/or monthly email ChristiaNet. World Convention has now moved into its own building so has a new mailing address: 1279 Brentwood Highlands Drive, Nashville TN 37211, USA. ASSOCIATION MATTERSPossible name change for Churches of Christ in New Zealand. Congregations were asked to vote Yes or No by April 28 on whether the name should be changed to Christian Churches New Zealand. I suggest that any congregations that did not meet this deadline send in their opinion immediately. SNIPPETS- Christian Churches/Church of Christ in the USA reported, that at the end of 2005, there were 112 congregations with more than 1000 members. Fifty-one of these have more than 2000 members. MY ASSOCIATION DIARYMay 20: Canterbury Joint Regional Committee Vision Forum at Linwood Avenue Union Church. (JRC bi monthly meeting May 18.) July 12-13: Uniting Congregations of Aotearoa New Zealand Standing Committee. Again I invite churches to keep me informed of relevant matters. (The Standing Committee meets again October 11-12.) September 28 - October 2: Presbyterian General Assembly in Auckland. I hope to visit Auckland area uniting congregations also on this visit .
Do keep me informed of items of interest. I look forward to keeping in touch and building up our networks. The response to the first issue of The Wider Church was very positive - many encouraging comments and requests to be added to the circulation list. Some corrections to returned emails have also been made with this issue. Lyndsay Jacobs |