PASTORAL LETTER JULY 1999

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12 [NIV]

1. Life after General Assembly: Well, the extra General Assembly has come and gone. The Commission on Diversity has delivered its report, been thanked and discharged. In October and November last year the Commission travelled to 22 centres and received 798 written submissions. We also met with various committees and groups within the PCANZ. In late April and early May, Commission members, usually in pairs, visited 24 centres and received responses to our Preliminary Paper from 253 parishes, sessions and parish councils, 13 Presbyteries/UDCs, 155 individuals and 21 church groups, organisations or committees. The Commission's recommendations have been accepted. The main thrust of these has been to give greater focus to local congregations as the core of the PCANZ's focus on mission and ministry. Congregations are encouraged to express their own ethos and emphasis - not least in having, if they so wish, their own living faith statements as well as mission statements. Parishes will again now be represented at every Assembly - either by their minister or an elder. I firmly believe that the recent increasing tension in the wider Church has been heightened by the combination of the twin factors of departing from annual meetings of the General Assembly allied to the reduction of representation from half to one third. Whatever the realities of the situation, the perception has been that parishes have not been properly represented. This has been even more important when controversial and potentially divisive matters are up for discussion and decision. The basic reason, of course, has been essentially financial. The Assembly has hitherto been most reluctant to consider other ways of meeting the costs of the General Assembly - most significantly travel. However, making it a charge on parishes and adopting some appropriate equalization scheme [which is how many national conferences are funded] would be a viable option. Another outcome of the Commission's report will be the setting up of a study group to explore the need for some review and/or updating of the Church's Subordinate Standards. This will probably be a bigger task than many believe. Likewise, we need not pessimistically presume the outcome will be a diminishing of the PCANZ's theological orthodoxy. It will certainly require vigilance - but still requires to be submitted to the due process of the Church.

   Regardless of what you may have read in the media of the outcome of the General Assembly, the plain truth is that the status quo regarding gay and lesbian persons in leadership has been defined. Attempts to alter that position attained 46% of the vote - not even 50% and well below the 60% required. Doubtless further similar attempts will be regularly mounted at subsequent Assemblies, as they are entitled to do. While the experience for most commissioners at Assembly was intense, the debates were markedly free from acrimony and vilification although fraught with emotion and strain. Congregations can now get on with all the things they would prefer to be engaged in to bring the good news of the Kingdom to their respective communities.

2. Life from the Word: July is usually when the Bible Society sponsors Bible Sunday throughout the country. In our Presbyterian, Reformed and Evangelical heritage we tend to believe we provide a focus for the Word of God in every service. However true that may be, it is appropriate from time to time to give special focus to the nature and purpose of the Scriptures, rather than some particular message they bring. It is something we dare not take for granted - as so often we do. In this regard, I am reminded of Paul's discussion on Roman citizenship with a centurion, whose comment was to the effect that his citizenship was purchased at great cost. Paul's answer was: "I was free born". Our privilege of reading the Scriptures in our own language was procured for us at great cost by those Reformers long ago in trouble, persecution and martyrdom. Truly, "the word of God is living and active" and "it does its work" in our lives day by day. It teaches us the ways of God. The Spirit makes it come alive in our experience and quickens it to our minds and hearts in varying circumstances. It helps us to trust God more. It imparts peace and consolation in the face of trouble or perplexity. It gives us joy in believing as we face the future.

   The Word cannot be effective in our lives as it lies unopened and unread on the shelf or in the drawer. We need to make it as much part of our daily spiritual diet, as our cereal and toast at breakfast time, our soup or sandwiches at lunch, or our meat and vegies at dinner time. Otherwise our health and strength begin to fail. What we long for ourselves, we want to offer to others with fewer opportunities. The Bible Society shares in a worldwide fellowship and ministry seeking to provide God's Word to all peoples in their own languages. During this month envelopes will be made available for us to share in an offering to assist the Bible Society in its very necessary work. How would you feel if you only had some few selected portions of Scripture available, only one Gospel, or only the New Testament - not the whole Bible? We can make these steps happen for others in their spiritual development.

3. Life for the World: This month too, we celebrate in our Missions Dinner and Missions Sunday. We rejoice in having Judith Jackson [OMF] home with us for some months from her diverse youth ministry in Tainan, Taiwan. It scarcely seems ten years since she first left us. Judith has been part of Greyfriars since coming here in 1982 to study at BCNZ. She has served us well in our youth ministry and the eldership prior to going to Taiwan. She is part of our window on the world beyond our shores and one of our partners in world mission. We look forward to hearing more of her work in coming weeks. God bless you all.

Yours very sincerely,

J O EVANS