by Glyn Carpenter | 17 Jun , 2014 | FOCUS, Gospel Bicentenary
A special statement has been written to mark the bicentenary (200 year anniversary) of the first recorded preaching of the Good News (Gospel) of Jesus Christ in Aotearoa New Zealand.
FAQs
Q. Why has this Statement been written?
2014 is a very special year. The arrival of the Gospel was an extremely important event for everyone in this country, whether they are Christian or not.
The bicentenary, like any anniversary, provides an opportunity to remember important events and their significance for the present day and the future. The Bicentenary Statement records and marks the arrival of the Gospel, summarises some key points in our history, and offers an opportunity to re-affirm and re-commit to the work of the Gospel in the future.
Q. What do we hope to achieve by or with the Statement?
Several things:
- Mark this historic occasion – a 200 year anniversary
- Record the event itself and an accurate and fair summary of the key historic events since, thereby equipping the Church with information which is unknown to many, including many in our churches. As followers of Jesus who called himself ‘the Truth’, we should know the truth of our history, including not only the sacrificial service of those who spread the Gospel and stood up for justice, but also the times when the church fell far short of her calling
- Engage people throughout the discussion phase, and provide an opportunity for people to have input into the Statement wording
- Offer people who identify with the statement a chance to mark the event personally by signing the Statement – individually, as a group, or more formally on behalf of any group or church they represent
- By offering ministers, pastors, and individual Christians the chance to sign the Statement it is hoped that there will be a wider ownership of the document and the commitments it contains
- Open up ongoing discussions with groups inside and outside the church. This may be particularly relevant with Maori who have become disconnected from church or where there are unreconciled issues
- Offer hope and direction in the area of bi-cultural relationships for the future
Q. Who is behind this Statement?
The original idea came from Alistair Reese (Te Kohinga Reconciliation Network, historian-theologian) who mentioned the possibility and value of such a statement in a paper he presented at a forum at Laidlaw College in June 2013.
The idea was discussed further a few weeks later at a meeting organised by Glyn Carpenter (NZ Christian Network) with Alistair and David Moko (Baptist Maori Ministries) present.
The National Church Leaders Aotearoa New Zealand group (also known as the ‘Heads of Churches’ group) was informed of the idea at their meeting in September 2013 and were generally supportive. At that stage the thinking was that the NCLANZ group might organise the writing themselves, but in December, after discussion with the group chairman about the short time before the February 2014 NZCN Christian Leaders Congress being held in Waitangi, Glyn Carpenter organised a writing group to prepare a draft statement.
The main writer was Samuel Carpenter (Trustee, Karuwhฤ Trust, and no relation to Glyn Carpenter). Samuel is a qualified lawyer who also holds a masters degree in history, and currently works for the Office of Treaty Settlements. He has been taking education groups to Waitangi for 15 years and made a submission to the Waitangi Tribunal on behalf of the Nga Puhi treaty claim.
Samuel worked closely with the members of the writing group – David Moko, Glyn Carpenter, and especially Alistair Reese. Drafts of the document were circulated to a number of theologians, historians, and Maori leaders for their input, including Bishop Kito, Pane Kawhia, Dr Rangi Nicholson, Dr Rod Thompson, Dr Allan Davidson, and Dr Stuart Lange.
The writing group greatly appreciates the input of all these people. The final statement though stands on its own and any errors or deficiencies in the Statement are the responsibility of the writing group alone.
Q.What is the process for progressing the Statement?
The status of the Statement up to 31 July 2014 is a “Discussion Paper”.
- English and Te Reo Maori versions of the Statement were presented at the February 2014 NZCN Christian Leaders Congress. Many leaders present would have signed the Statement at that time, but as a result of some ideas for improvement suggested at the Congress, it was decided to leave the Statement open for further comment (comments can be lodged on the NZ Christian Network website until 31 July 2014)
- The Statement was presented to the NCLANZ meeting in March 2014 and leaders present were asked to distribute to key leaders in their churches and to encourage them to discuss the Statement and comment on the website
- David Moko and Glyn Carpenter have taken the Statement to marae, hui, and ministers groups around the country. Road trips in May/June saw the statement presented and discussed widely throughout North and South Islands. (Check out NZ Christian Network Facebook pages for pictures of some of the towns/cities visited and leaders receiving the Statement)
- In August, after all of the comments have been received, the writing group will re-convene to prayerfully consider all of the feedback, and make final changes to the Statement
- The Statement will be re-presented to the NCLANZ group in September
- The Statement will be re-distributed to all NZ Christian Network leaders including Regional Advocates, Advisory Group, Board of Reference, and Specialist Network leaders
- The Statement will also be re-distributed to Ministers Network leaders around the country, and via websites, newsletters, and social media sites
EVERYONE who supports and identifies with the Statement will be invited, and is welcome to sign the Statement. We ask only that those who sign, take seriously the Affirmations and Acknowledgements contained in the Statement.
We especially invite national, regional, local, and organisation/group leaders to sign the Statement.
Q. Will names of those who sign the Statement be recorded?
Yes. From September onwards, there will be an opportunity not only to print and sign a personal copy, or a copy to be signed by your group (e.g. National Church Leadership team or local Ministers Network), but there will be a facility to log all names on a special web-page. All names logged on the web-page will be able to be viewed.
PICTURES! – in this visual age, it is hoped that any groups that sign the Statement will take a picture to mark the occasion. The picture could be posted on your own web and social media sites. We’d also love to re-post them on NZ Christian Network’s sites.
Click on Gospel Bicentenary – Discussion Paper to download or comment on the statement:
by NZ Christian Network | 1 May , 2014 | Church
E to matou Matua i te rangi,
Kia tapu tou ingoa.
Kia tae mai tou rangatiratanga.
Kia meatia tau e pai ai ki runga ki te whenua,
kia rite ano ki to te rangi.
Homai ki a matou aianei he taro ma matou mo tenei ra.
Murua o matou hara, me matou hoki e muru nei
i o te hunga e hara ana ki a matou.
Aua hoki matou e kawea kia whakawaia;
engari whakaorangia matou i te kino.
Nou hoki te rangatira-tanga, te kaha, me te kororia,
Ake, ake, ake.
Amine.
by Colin Shaw | 26 Mar , 2014 | Church, City by City
We are a group of five churches located in a dynamic part of Wellington, influenced by the movie industry and proximity to the airport. There are a lot of people, but not a lot to go to local churches. So we connect to encourage each other and do some things none of us alone is big enough to pull off ourselves.
Encouragement-wise we meet together each month to encourage each other and last year tried our first prayer retreat together.
Being smallish one way we’ve chosen to help each other is to share our Sunday services over January. Our people appreciate worshipping out of different traditions (at least once a year!), and it’s encouraging to have a full church at a time of the year when we’d separately be very thin on the ground. Sharing services in January also helps each pastor to get a holiday with most of us still having school-aged children.
A practical hospitality that has developed as well. One church, after a series of sermons on generosity, was moved to give another church a totally unexpected and very generous donation.
Another gave up one of their worship buildings to accommodate one of our churches who had to move out for earthquake strengthening reasons.
We’ve managed to put on together a Community Christmas Carol event for a number of years, and recently started joining in with our Catholic brothers and sisters in processing the cross during their Easter vigil. When we were individually approached by a local dementia unit to offer worship services it seemed natural to form a mixed church ministry group. A healing rooms ministry has also begun as a cooperative effort.
The key word for our experience of unity is encouragement. And so we thank God for each other.
For more information and inspiration from the Church in Miramar, email Paul Prestidge or Phil Coates.
This story appears in the City by City e-book. City by City aims to help connect, encourage and resource prayerful, relationally based, networking and mission in towns, cities and regions across the nation.
by Guest Author | 27 Feb , 2014 | Church, City by City
The Hibiscus Coast, 20 minutes north of Auckland, has a population of over 40,000. Good beaches and various leisure activities make this a popular place where encouraging things are happening for God’s people.
Men of Prayer. For 12 years, thirty plus men representing most of the local churches have gathered monthly, first to worship and pray and then enjoy fellowship over a shared evening meal. They go to a different church each month, praying for that church and it’s leadership. The overriding cry each month, however, has been for God’s blessing to be on His church on the Hibiscus Coast. A more recent prayer initiative, a monthly ‘Half Night of Prayer’, has increased the level of intercession for the Coast.
God has answered. We are encouraged by the steady increase overall in church attendance. New churches are being established and closer relationships are developing between church leaders. Three healing/counselling rooms have begun, as well as three Mainly Music outreaches (in Siverdale, Orewa and Whangaparaoa). We have also seen rapid growth of Kingsway Christian School with over 1100 students, most of whom have been absorbed into local congregations.
Easter Opportunities. At Easter last year a special Christian art exhibition was on display and local businesses sponsored an Easter themed sand sculpture competition. Churches on the Hibiscus Coast came together for this occasion. The first time for years!
Also, all the local churches combined to advertise their Easter services with a two page spread in the local newspaper. This coming Easter there will be a chalk art presentation depicting the Easter message in the middle of one of the busy shopping centres… We are grateful for the favour we have been receiving from the local business community.
Glory Girls. Glory Girls is made up of over 100 women from most of the churches on the Coast. They gather bi-monthly to encourage and empower women to be mighty in the kingdom. These Saturday afternoon meetings, with guest speakers from local churches, are an opportunity for women to invite unsaved friends and develop relationships. We enjoy fun quizzes, worship, testimonies and huge sumptuous teas.
I love what God is doing… He is breaking restrictions and mindsets, changing us from village church thinking to Kingdom thinking, one church Glorifying God on the Coast.
Karen
For more information and inspiration from the Church in Hibiscus Coast, email Lleon Downes, Graeme Gillies or Karen Colmore-Williams
This story appears in the City by City e-book. City by City aims to help connect, encourage and resource prayerful, relationally based, networking and mission in towns, cities and regions across the nation.
by Colin Shaw | 20 Feb , 2014 | Church, City by City
On 4th of September 2010 and 22nd February 2011 our beautiful city was struck by devastating earthquakes.
Churches across the city sprang into action to support those in need, offering comfort, hospitality and a place to pray. A meeting was quickly organised where stories were told and two hundred church leaders agreed to co-operate.
Since then, earthquake coordinators from a wide spectrum of churches have met regularly for support and to explore collaborative projects. It’s become known as the Canterbury Post Earthquake Churches Forum. Many key initiatives such as winter heating, Red-Zone door knocking, Government/NGO liaison and inter-church partnership have grown from the Forum.
New groups of church leaders began to meet. After one such occasion Steve Graham, Murray Robertson and Mike Dodge were approached to help provide a structure for deeper collaboration. It was apparent that rather than new central projects it would be better to discover grass-root schemes.
Collaboration would bring the many strands of activities together as organic movement rather than an organisation.
The concept of raranga (meaning weave) became a guiding metaphor. Leadership (rangatira) is he ability to weave the people together.
Te Raranga now exists as a space for support, collaboration and dreaming together for the future. Churches are discovering a new unity through working together in Christ-centred mission. This Maori proverb has become a key for us:
E hara taku toa, I te toa takitaho engari he toa taku tini
– My strength is not myself alone, but from the strength of the group.
For more information and inspiration from the Church in Christchurch,ย visit raranga.org.nzย or email Anita Voisey
This storyย appears in the City by City e-book. City by Cityย aims to help connect, encourage and resource prayerful, relationally based, networking and mission in towns, cities and regions across the nation.
by Guest Author | 18 Feb , 2014 | FOCUS, Gospel Bicentenary
Jeff Fountain – Weekly Words
A high Celtic stone cross marks the spot in New Zealandโs Bay of Islands where Christian mission in the last land on earth to be populated by humans began two hundred years ago.
The sermon preached on Christmas Day in 1814 to a large crowd of Maori was the start of a process that led directly to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, February 6, 1840, and the birth of the nation of New Zealand.
Missionaries played the crucial role of midwife in this birthing process, as Craig Vernall, the national leader of the Baptist denomination, explained at the offical church service commemorating this treaty last week in Waitangi. At a congress of national church leaders I attended starting that same evening in the Bay of Islands, convening Catholics, Protestants and Pentecostals in an unprecedented spirit of unity and purpose, several historians affirmed that the treaty would never have happened the way it did without the missionaries. Evangelical missionaries initiated, translated and carried the treaty to be signed to various parts of the country.
The willingness to sign a treaty with the British government reflected the trust of the Maori people in the integrity of the missionaries.
In fact, the birth of New Zealand through this treaty can be traced directly back to William Wilberforce and his circle of social-reformer friends, including bankers, lawyers and politicians, often called the Clapham Sect. While mostly aligned with the Anglican church, they were generally viewed with suspicion by the โhighโ church elite as evangelicals agitating to awaken the social conscience of church and nation to poverty and injustice in England and her colonies. They believed the Christian faith did not end with personal transformation but required practical social application.
Long saga
Wilberforce and his Clapham friends are best known for achieving the abolition of the slave trade in 1807 after decades of battling against entrenched elitist powers. They helped restore a sense of democracy in Britain in their affirmation of the equality of all people under God. They were also concerned about British treatment of indigenous peoples in their colonies and settlements.
Further, they were committed to promote efforts to take the gospel to the unreached, and to this end formed the Church Missionary Society in 1799, just six years after William Carey had sailed for India to pioneer protestant missions.
Wilberforce had personally recommended a young Anglican clergyman, Samuel Marsden, for a chaplaincy role in New South Wales. It was this same Marsden who delivered that first Christmas sermon on the spot now marked by the cross. Supported by the CMS in his vision to begin a mission in New Zealand, Marsdenโs 1814 visit was the first of seven trips from Sydney to introduce the Christian gospel to Maori.
When Marsden expounded to his Maori listeners on Luke 2:10โ Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all peopleโhe was continuing the long saga of the story-tellers who had brought transformation to his own people many centuries earlier. As he and others who followed began to preach up and down the country to animists and polytheists, just as Paul, Patrick and Boniface had done in the first millennium, hearts and individuals changed, families and tribes were reconciled and society began to change, as had happened in Europe.
Unity with diversity
By the 1850โs 60% of Maori were attending church regularly, a far higher proportion than among the European settlers.
In the Treaty House at Waitangi some years ago, I read a speech of the British Resident in New Zealand, James Busby, appointed to mediate between Maori and European. When preparing Maori leaders for the signing of the Treaty, he told them that the English too had been a nation of warring tribes, until the story of Jesus had brought forgiveness, reconciliation and restitution. The English tribes had come to recognise their common identityโall of them had been created in Godโs image. They needed to learn to live together in unity with diversity, to love God and their neighbour.
Events in the Bay of Islands, and subsequently throughout New Zealand, form a microcosm of the narrative of Europe.. On that Christmas day, Marsden introduced Maori to that same transforming story that gave Europe its unifying identity more than any other single factor.
To disregard the role of the gospel in shaping New Zealand, England and Europe is to distort all three stories.
Jeff Fountain
ยฉSCHUMANCENTRE. Weekly Words are the personal re๏ฌections of Jeff Fountain. They may be reproduced with due acknowledgment. Past WW’s may be read and downloaded at www.schumancentre.eu/category/weeklyword/
