Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia

Summary of Proceedings IDC 2010

Here is the Summary of Proceedings from the IDC held in Gisborne as at May 2010.

INTER DIOCESAN CONFERENCE HELD IN GISBORNE MAY 2010

SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS

The Inter Diocesan Conference (IDC) meets in conjunction with General Synod/te Hīnota Whānui every two years and at this Conference, the Dioceses in New Zealand have the opportunity to receive reports from the various Tikanga Pakeha bodies which are funded by the Dioceses and to enact whatever legislation is considered necessary. It also enables the Dioceses to work more effectively together and to provide an opportunity for those about to attend the General Synod to discuss General Synod business together so that, at that meeting, Tikanga Pakeha is able to speak and act as one partner on as many issues and programmes as possible, while safeguarding the right of an individual Diocese to act independently.

Forty-nine representatives from seven New Zealand Dioceses met at Holy Trinity Church Hall in Gisborne from 1pm on Saturday 8 May to 3.00 pm on Sunday 9 May 2010. Our Maori partner, the hosts for General Synod, had managed many of the preliminary arrangements in what proved to be very congenial surroundings in a lovely city that many delegates had not previously had the pleasure of visiting. IDC was joined by a number of official observers – The Rev Canon Jim White, Dean of the College of the Southern Cross, Lloyd Ashton, Media Officer, The Rev Canon Brian Thomas, Editor of Taonga, The Rev John Hebenton, Anglican Youth Network Facilitator: tikanga pakeha, Julie Hintz, StraNdZ Enabler and Emma Hocking and Josh Reid, youth stewards. Diocesan Registrars from Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Waikato were on hand to provide invaluable assistance to the Administrative Secretary and spouses of members and other observers were also welcomed to the Conference.

Members had been especially encouraged to meet socially on the Friday evening at the IDC venue and to share a finger food meal and to indulge in some very intentional ice-breaker conversations together. This social occasion was graciously hosted by Archbishop David Moxon assisted by the Inter Diocesan Conference Coordinating Group (IDCCG) and was designed to assist IDC members to get to know one another before the formal business begins.

Reports

The Conference began with a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation from each Diocese highlighting aspects of Diocesan life which had been a cause for celebration and naming the Diocese’s biggest challenge(s). Conference then broke into Diocesan groups to discuss the challenges raised in the Diocesan reports and to report back. Although Conference had the opportunity to raise any issues in relation to all the other reports printed in the Programme of Business, there were no other matters raised.

Motions

At at least two previous meetings of the Inter Diocesan Conference the process for nominating members to the General Synod Standing Committee had proved to be inoperable. A resolution was passed at this IDC to change the legislation. Each Diocese appoints one of its delegates to a Nominations Panel and this body then recommends to the IDC who should be appointed, each Diocese having nominated at least two persons in each House. In making these recommendations the Nominations Panel has regard for a number of criteria – each Diocese must be represented, there should be a balance of laity and clergy and skills, attributes, gender and age are all considerations.

The Inter Diocesan Conference Coordinating Group, following IDC in 2008, established a Working Group to consult with the Dioceses with regard to youth worker salaries and to report back to IDC in 2010. A resolution was passed which ‘recommends to the New Zealand Dioceses that such positions be remunerated at the level of stipend applicable to that diocese, including the provision of housing or an appropriate level of housing allowance’.

The Tikanga Pakeha Ecumenical Group brought to IDC some changes to Standing Resolution 13 which sets out the role of this ecumenical body. A resolution was passed that changed its name to Inter Diocesan Ecumenical Group, that added three further international/national ecumenical bodies to those bodies with which the Ecumenical Group has a relationship and that removed the provision for the Group to prepare biennial budgets for the ‘Tikanga Pakeha’ ecumenical bodies funded by this church.

With the development of StraNdZ overseeing the development of ministry to children throughout Tikanga Pakeha and noting that StraNdZ did not have any formal status within IDC, a resolution was passed to formally establish StraNdZ as a group appointed to develop ministry to children and of children within Tikanga Pakeha. StraNdZ becomes Standing Resolution of the IDC.

Financial Matters

The New Zealand Dioceses have agreed to contribute $106,182 towards the total IDC budget for the years 2011 and 2012. Further income totalling approximately $42,000 flows through the IDC accounts from General Synod and from the St John’s College Trust Board. As General Synod has now agreed to fund the IDC meeting, the average, approximate expected expenditure per annum is - IDC and the IDC Coordinating Group $8,000, Administration $25,500, Grants to Tikanga Pakeha bodies/committees $72,000. The income and expenditure have been relatively stable over the last 5 years. In 2009 the deficit was $8,716 and in 2008 there was a surplus of $6,050. The deficit in 2009 occurred only because IDCCG agreed to make an unbudgeted $8,000 contribution towards the Hermeneutics Hui held that year.

Appreciation

IDC passed a resolution which ‘recognised the ground-breaking work of the Reverend Duncan MacDonald for his key role in helping with the founding of the Tikanga Pakeha Anglican Care Network, his on-going support and resourcing of the Network over several decades as he steps down from the Network and his on-going and vital contribution to community-facing ministry in Aotearoa New Zealand.’ In moving the above motion, Archbishop David Moxon read the wording of a citation to the Reverend Duncan MacDonald and presented him with a gift on behalf the New Zealand Dioceses.

Book Launch

Bishop Richard Randerson had been invited to launch his new book Engagement 21 - A Wake-up Call to the 21st Century Church in Mission at IDC on Saturday. Engagement 21 challenges the Church to radically review its mission strategy if it seeks to gain traction in today’s world. Based on a survey of 96 clergy and laity in New Zealand and Australia, Engagement 21 reports a widespread grass-roots desire for change. It also documents 126 creative ministry projects that are signs of a new mission paradigm. Designed for individual or group reading, the book is priced to facilitate local study and mission planning.

Discussion of General Synod Issues

St John’s College Review

The Rt Rev Sir Paul Reeves, assisted by Kathryn Beck, had been commissioned to enquire into the structure of the College of St John the Evangelist. The Terms of Reference specifically asked that recommendations be made as to whether the current structure enabled Te Kotahitanga, the St John’s College Trust Board, the Board of Oversight and the Tikanga Ministry bodies to fulfil their responsibilities effectively and whether the three College structure was viable and effective. The recommendations in the report from the Commission include suspending the Board of Oversight and appointing a Commissary for a two year period who would have the powers of a CEO with a mandate for change. Three speakers were given an opportunity to outline some of the current issues which are structural, political and personal and which needed addressing urgently. Each speaker encouraged the New Zealand Dioceses to support the recommendations from the review.

Resource Sharing

There is a motion coming to General Synod asking the New Zealand Dioceses to reorganize their own resources and affairs and to revisit their trusts and enter into a partnership in mission with Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa that will address a shortage of stipendiary ministry at ground level. Another issue is the legal authority to establish college units on the St John’s College site. Archbishop David Moxon outlined the history behind this latter request which was the subject of much debate at the 1996 General Synod. Members were warned that courtesy in any conversations that take place is going to be very important during debate at General Synod on this motion. After listening to the initial debate, the New Zealand Dioceses will be able to caucus at General Synod to consider a collective response and a way forward.

Elections and Nominations

IDC members nominated people for a number of General Synod and IDC Committees and Councils. Each Diocese named its representative to the IDC Coordinating Group, the body which operates between meetings of the IDC rather like the role played by a Diocesan Standing Committee between Diocesan Synods.

Issues Not Addressed by Members of IDC

Concern was expressed that many issues raised by reports had not been addressed at the meeting. The question was asked as to what avenues there were, outside the Inter Diocesan Conference, for exploring issues as a Tikanga. Unfortunately the time set aside for the IDC meeting in 2010 had been reduced which meant that any further discussion was not possible.

Closure

IDC thanked those who had Chaired the various sessions, the Chaplain to IDC, the Rev Blake Ramage Vicar of Holy Trinity, the Diocesan Registrars who provided support for the Administrative Secretary and the Bishop of Waiapu in whose Diocese Gisborne lies.

The full Proceedings of the Inter Diocesan Conference, which will include the result of nominations and elections, will be circulated to IDC members and posted on the website of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia www.anglican.org.nz

Prepared by the Administrative Secretary

Elizabeth Smaal

11 May 2010

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