Greyfriars PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
PASTORAL LETTER
My Dear Friends,
"Walk about Zion, go round her, count her
towers, consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the
next generation. For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to
the end." - Psalm 48:12-14 [NIV]
During this month we
celebrate the 85th Anniversary of Greyfriars. While not, perhaps, a significant
anniversary, it is good for us to consider such an event and to celebrate our tradition
and history, to give thanks to God for all that is past as well as looking in faith to Him
for what is still to come in His will. Psalm 48 speaks of Jerusalem and the special place
it occupies in their hearts, but especially because it is "the city of our God, His
holy mountain". For this reason they parade around it, rejoicing in its strong
points, passing it on to the next generation and affirming their trust in their sovereign,
delivering God.
I remember, very early in my time here,
listening to a comparative incomer like myself passionately telling a small group that too
many people in Greyfriars took far too much granted so many of the good things going on in
the congregation, and that a stint in some other congregation might make them much more
appreciative - particularly in a small, struggling, country place. I was much struck by
her words. I felt they hit the mark. More than a decade later, circumstances generally are
much changed. There is still some truth there. One of the most significant changes in
church life generally now is the rapidly diminishing sense of loyalty to the local
congregation, which once almost universally was maintained.
I still return with much affection to the
independent congregation in Glasgow in which I grew up and which through four generations
was our family church - my paternal great-grand-parents and grand-parents being founder
members. It is a profound sadness now to see it as but a poor remnant of its former self.
I did not always agree with everything that went on - and of course ultimately I went my
way and entered the Presbyterian ministry. However I will always be grateful that I grew
up surrounded by many models of Christian manhood - ordinary working men for there
wouldn't have been more than a handful of management types around. I have been grateful
for the grounding I received in evangelical belief and conviction, for the background of
wonderful congregational singing, for the encouragement to venture in ministry, the
evangelistic practice and the vision for world missionary enterprise.
So, what of Greyfriars itself?
- I never cease to marvel that the congregation started and the church built in the midst
of the First World War. In fact, as we learned later, the same was true in other parts of
New Zealand. It must have taken great faith and courage to begin such a venture in such
circumstances in the fledgling modern nation.
- The congregation developed and grew - including the extension of its buildings [the
McKinney Hall] - during the great Depression. Here again was an example of faith, courage
and confidence.
- In its beginnings the Mt Eden Presbyterian Church had a strong commitment to orthodox
biblical faith, and this came to full fruition in the post WWII era. Even its most
"liberal" era, Sunday School and Bible Class were nurtured in biblical truth. In
the post war years, the Rev Douglas Watt in addition to his vigorous parish ministry, was
kept busy with quiet ministry of Christian Healing, as well as a much more public ministry
of a weekly newspaper column and regular broadcasting.
- When the doctrinal controversies convulsed the Presbyterian Church in the late 1960s,
Greyfriars was in the forefront of the struggle to maintain the scriptural standards of
the Church - and in more recent years history has repeated itself.
- When I accepted the call to be minister of Greyfriars in 1981, I had the impression the
congregation was largely a gathered one from the Auckland area. In fact congregations like
St David's, Khyber Pass, and St Andrew's, Symonds Street, were much more so. I soon
discovered, that while some came from other parts of Auckland to Greyfriars, it was
essentially a parish church rooted in the surrounding extended community.
- Through succeeding generations we have maintained a vigorous ministry to children and
young people as well as the community around us. For all the allegations of conservatism
or even, "fuddy-duddy-ness" that have occasionally been levelled, in almost
twenty years I can only think of one youth proposal declined by session or Board of
Managers, and even then not for lack of sympathy but because it was regarded as
impracticable. In the 1980s Greyfriars had what I considered to be one of the most
talented Christian rock bands I have ever heard and some of the projects they hosted were
very imaginative and successful.
- For over forty years Greyfriars has had a personal and practical commitment to world
mission - extending from Professor Beryl Howie's long ministry at Ludhiana Christian
Medical College in India, through Heather Dudding in Indonesia, Ben and Winsome Webster's
various stints in Kenya, Sudan and Chad, the steady stream of medical electives overseas,
to Judith Jackson in Taiwan, Keith and Margaret Walls in Hong Kong, Maree Gillespie
Stoddard in Thailand, Matthew and Alison Raymond teaching first in Kenya and now at Sakeji
School in Zambia, Andrew and Lori Hill at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya.
- People who were once with us here have scattered round New Zealand, through the range of
Christian traditions, and sometimes across the world to serve in key leadership roles in
local congregations as well as inter-denominational groups. This is who we are. This
is our Christian heritage. It is significant and precious. Let us not despise or dismiss
it, but value it, as we should. We are in a time of great change, but under God we look to
Him for the future and will doubtless take our part in communicating "the glorious
Gospel of the blessed God" to the next generation.
God bless you all.
Yours very sincerely,
J O EVANS