Two decades ago, in the wake of the 1981 Springbok rugby tour, the Public Questions Committee of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches produced a working paper on The local church and social action.
The public issues which face the Church can never be adequately dealt with at the national level alone,” the paper began. “There can be no substitute for local churches becoming involved in public issues and social action themselves.
Indeed, it could be argued that until local churches do just that, the Church will remain largely irrelevant to what is happening in the community at large.”
This is as true now, as it was then. The ways we engage may have changed, but the mission imperative has not – we are called to serve those on the margins. Being Christ-centred and community-facing is about bringing faith to the everyday life and building bridges with our communities.
Join me in advocating for issues that are important both to our communities and Kiwi Presbyterians. At a national level, I will be speaking out on several key issues including family violence, caring for the environment, ageing and youth wellness. To find out how to get involved read the information on this site.
We’d love to share your stories of speaking out in your community, so contact me with your experiences.
Rt Rev Pamela Tankersley
General Assembly Moderator