Hi everyone,
We have under four months to go until this year’s General Assembly in Christchurch 3 - 7 October. It has been encouraging to see people taking advantage of the early bird registration rates and getting their registrations in.
The planning for Assembly is coming together and we are really excited to see what God is going to do amongst us as we take time to invest in our relationships as the Church.
In this GA update we introduce you to this year’s guest speakers and let you know of the ways in which you can participate in GA.
A reminder to secure accommodation early as there are a number of other events on in Christchurch during Assembly. If you’d like to book accommodation with us, you can do this as part of our online registration process at http://ga2018.nz/register
If you would like to share this email update it can also be viewed on our GA website (http://ga2018.nz) or downloaded as a PDF (http://ga2018.nz/assembly-updates/).
Ways to participate:
1. If you are a minister, there will again be a Minister’s Resourcing Day on 3 October. Details for this day are still being finalised, but we hope to have more information out to you in the next few weeks. The day will be run by the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership (KCML). This is an opportunity to connect and meet with other ministers and is in keeping with the Moderator’s relational focus for Assembly.
2. For our Commissioners, we encourage you to begin prayerfully asking for wisdom as we prepare to discern the business of the Church. We have some great guest speakers lined up who are very much a part of our context. Please keep them in your prayers as they prepare their addresses in the lead-up to Assembly.
3. For all our delegates, our evening programmes are open for all to attend. Remember, Assembly is for all the Church. This year we will be using our evenings to explore the post-quake stories of some of the local churches. While this programme is still being put together, we are sure it will be a valuable time for learning from one another.
Thank you,
Abi Trevathan and Liz Whitehead
Assembly Co-ordinators
Message from the Moderator Elect
Greetings to all our Church
I am pleased to announce the keynote speakers I have chosen for our General Assembly.
I know at past General Assemblies we have been blessed with one keynote speaker, often from a church outside of our shores. I have chosen three speakers: Rev Ned Ripley, Very Rev Margaret Schrader and Very Rev Graham Redding, all leaders within our Church. They know our Church well and have much wisdom to share. Ned is a minister, an elder and a JP and was awarded the QSM in 1982; Margaret is one of only four women to be have been previously elected Moderator of our Church; Graham is a former Moderator of our Church and the current Master of Knox College in Dunedin.
My focus at General Assembly is relationship. I have rich personal relationship experiences with all three of the keynote speakers and they have a long relationship of service to our Church.
Each speaker will speak for half an hour on an aspect of relationship. On Thursday we will hear from Ned, on Friday from Margaret, and on Saturday from Graham.
They will speak on relationship with God, relationship with self, and relationship with one another. The cross and Jesus are at the heart of such relationships.
Relationship will be my focus in my messages each day – sermons and devotions – a constant throughout GA18.
I will be inviting three different colleagues to lead devotions each morning of GA. They will also bring a focus on relationship.
I will be sharing profiles of our keynote speakers in the next GA update.
In Christ,
Rev Fakaofo Kaio
Moderator Elect