Dear Friends,
Last week, General Synod/Te Hīnota Whānui (GSTHW) met in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. We were warmly welcomed and enjoyed amazing hospitality offered by local parishes as we were fed each day and beautifully entertained each evening through youth and children sharing their expertise in Tongan dancing. We shared in prayers and daily eucharists and the whole Synod was conducted in a beautiful spirit. Important discussions (“Talanoa”) were held on matters of both global and local importance, in particular, concerning funding equity in our church across our Three Tikanga, climate change, climate resilience and response to pollution in our South Pacific Ocean. Our overall theme was One Mission, One Vaka, One Ocean. I encourage reading online articles about the synod on Anglican Taonga, to get a sense of the full flow of business at our meeting.
I am grateful for the participation of our Christchurch Diocesan team in this synod: Dean Ben Truman, the Reverend Toby Behan, the Reverend Kofe Havea, Toupili Pamalangi, Jack Hollis, Vivienne Jackson, and Jo Bean. Rachelle Mathews, our Diocesan Manager, was kept busy with minute taking. We are all grateful for your prayers for the synod.
In respect of decisions made which have direct effect on our ministry and mission in our ministry units, I want to share the following with you, acknowledging that the fuller version of these matters will be obtainable re the details when canonical changes are updated on the General Synod website.
Title D: In the past few years concerns have emerged that the changes we made to Title D (our canon on ministry standards) in the light of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care have had the unexpected consequence that complaints have been made against licensed ministers and office-holders of our church for doing their job as ministers and office-holders, rather than for misconduct. In Tonga, we approved changes to Title D which give more discretion to the Registrars employed by the Ministry Standards Commission to triage complaints. This provision means that a complaint which is assessed as a pastoral matter rather than a misconduct matter will be referred to the local bishop. There is also now a limitation period for certain complaints: they must be made within twelve months of the alleged event where the event does not involve misconduct (for which there remains no limitation period for a complaint to be brought forward).
Funding distribution from the St John’s College Trust Board (SJCTB): this Board distributes circa $20-21m for educational funding across our church each year, including some $5-6m for the costs of education for students residential at St John’s College, Meadowbank, Auckland. The Diocese of Christchurch currently receives c. $500k from this annual distribution. SJCTB distributes these funds according to advice from Te Kotahitanga, a standing commission of the General Synod. This body has been composed of three persons from each Tikanga plus a chair until the beginning of last week when GSTHW agreed to a change to the way that body is appointed.
The background to this change has been an emerging conversation in the past 18 months or so, which itself has built on previous conversations to change the way funding is determined which have gotten nowhere. In this most recent conversation, involving SJCTB, Te Kotahitanga and General Synod Standing Committee, a proposal has been that one way to address inequity of funds available to each Tikanga is to give Tikanga Māori tino rangatiratanga over the SJCTB distribution. By “inequity of funds available to each Tikanga” is meant that there is significant disparity in the assets (property, trust funds), and income (offertories, investment returns) available to each Tikanga. While a change to funding advice for the SJCTB annual distribution will not significantly change the overall equity across the Three Tikanga, the SJCTB funds are the most significant part of our church’s assets which can be varied in how we distribute them.
The specific change made at GSTHW 2026 is that for the next two years, the membership of Te Kotahitanga will be appointed by Tikanga Māori. Assuming that through the next two years we establish via this new pathway a workable route towards better equity, and take time to review various aspects of the work of Te Kotahitanga, then I imagine we will make this change permanent in 2028 with a completely revised canon for Te Kotahitanga. The effects of this change on the annual distribution to the Diocese of Christchurch are unknown. We are assured that our grant for 2027 will be the same as our grant for 2026, beyond that we are uncertain as to the level of funding for 2028 and beyond.
Finally, from GSTHW 2026: on the last full day together in Tonga, Friday 21 August, when we had a day of opportunity to take part in different tours, a group of GSTHW members took part in a whale watch tour, spread across two boats. Teresa and I were the only members of our Diocesan team on that trip. Unfortunately, on the return from the whale watch area, one of the two boats sunk. All on board were rescued and all involved made it safely back to Nuku’alofa harbour. This RNZ report is reasonably accurate. The most important news is that all on the tour made it safely to land. Thanks be to God.
Please keep praying “synodically” because your prayers are also coveted for our annual Synod which will be held Thursday evening 3 September to late Saturday afternoon 5 September 2026. On Thursday 3 September, at 7pm, we begin Synod with our Synod Eucharist in the Transitional Cathedral. Dean Ben Truman will be our preacher. All are welcome to this service, whether members of Synod or not. Our Synod business sessions take place through the Friday and Saturday at St Christopher’s, Avonhead. Papers to date for the Synod are publicly available on our Diocesan website.
The Parish of Lincoln is well organised for celebrating the 150th anniversary of St Stephen’s Church, Lincoln this weekend with various events including a celebration service on Sunday morning at 10am, during which there will be baptisms and confirmations.
I have enjoyed two visits to Ravenscar House, Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch, which has a superb collection of NZ art and other artistic treasures. I also appreciate its connection to the Diocese as a gift to the city from Jim and Susan Wakefield—Jim’s son Steve Wakefield is a good friend, deputy chair of CPT and fellow director with me on the CCRL Board. On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September, Ravenscar House is free to visit.
A new feast day on the Christian calendar is being promoted this year, The 2026 ‘Feast of Creation’ aka the ‘Feast of Creation in Christ’ or ‘Creation Sunday’ which is recommended to be celebrated on 1 September or the following Sunday (also opening the extended Season of Creation). The new Feast of Creation in Christ celebrates the mystery of God creating and sustaining the universe through Jesus Christ. By contrast, Christ the King Sunday (22 November 2026) celebrates the ultimate fulfilment, judgment, and restoration of that same created order under Christ’s eternal sovereignty at the end of time. Further details online.
As we head to the General Election on Saturday 7 November, for which enrolment closes finally on Sunday 25 October, Common Grace Aotearoa is mobilising churches for election enrolment. Their recommendation, which I support is that our churches hold an “Enrolment Sunday” in the second half of September to inform their church members of the enrolment deadline. What this could involve for a local church is:
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Play a 3-minute video as a notice during a service about why and how to enrol, tailor-made for a church audience. This video features Archbishop Justin Duckworth, Catholic Archbishop Paul Martin, and others.
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Provide enrolment forms and laptops so people can update their details after the service.
The best timing for Enrolment Sundays is 13, 20 or 27 September 2026, so they fall before Sunday 4 October, after which people who enrol or change their details must cast a special vote. If need be, churches can still hold Enrolment Sundays on 4, 11 or 18 October. The deadline for enrolment / changing details is 25 October. For further details, and access to the video, please email Kate Day.
This coming Sunday, 30 August 2026 is Ordinary 22 and the Gospel is Matthew 16:21-28. There are three parts to this passage. (1) verses 21-23: Jesus predicts his suffering, death and resurrection; Peter rebukes him and Jesus calls Peter ‘Satan’; (2) verses 24-26: a saying to followers about denying self and taking up the cross; (3) verses 27-28: a statement about the coming judgment of the Son of Man. The whole passage represents ‘tough talk’ by Jesus. No disciple reading this passage could be in any doubt that being a disciple means ‘total commitment’!
Arohanui,
+Peter.