7 October 2012
The Rev Andrew Norton of Auckland will be the next leader of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Andrew has been elected Moderator Designate and will take up the role of Moderator in late 2014. The result of the election was announced at General Assembly 2012 in Rotorua on Sunday 7 October.
Andrew is the mission leader of St Columba Presbyterian Church in Botany Downs.
Born in Fairlie, he studied at the University of Otago and the Presbyterian Theological Hall. After completing his training in 1984, he ministered at St Andrews in Invercargill until 1990, when he shifted to Glenfield-Albany, and Glenfield Presbyterian Church in 1993. From 1999 he has ministered at St Columba Presbyterian Church, Pakuranga, which in 2002 was renamed St Columba Presbyterian Church at Botany after its relocation to Botany Downs.
Andrew says he feels strongly called to offer his leadership skills, which have been forged over 28 years of innovative ministry and his work in the business community as an executive leadership coach.
“I will provide the type of leadership which navigates the uncharted waters of the future. The Church is facing shock waves of enormous change and to lead in this context will require prophetic courage, poetic insight, professional ability, pastoral compassion and practical love.”
Andrew serves the wider church as chairman of Press Go, which resources new mission ventures throughout the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. He has also been moderator of the Auckland Presbytery; part of the team that established the Northern Presbytery; and he was instrumental in establishing a partnership between the Church and the Presbyterian Church of Myanmar.
He is married to Sue and they have four adult children.
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