Bicultural Church

Three groups met in breakout rooms to discuss the issues regarding Te Haahi Weteriana continuing its Treaty partnership journey focusing on being a Te Tiriti honouring church. This report summarises the major points raised in the three workshops facilitated by David Hanna, Barry Jones and Ikilifi Pope.

1. More work needs to be done by Tauiwi to be a Tiriti honouring church.

There is now more cultural diversity in church than when the bicultural journey started in 1983. This needs to be reflected in our language. However, the covenant of Te Tiriti and the Methodist Church’s role is the common ground linking us all together. There is a lack of appropriate resources that explain the bicultural journey and the role of Methodism in the creation of Te Tiriti.

Pasifika leaders are open to making their own contributions from their cultural perspectives. The various cultural Synods can be forums where the contribution of diverse cultures within Tauiwi can be identified and expressed.

We need to respect what Te Haahi Weteriana has done in the past to further its bicultural journey and to pick this up in our current context. At present there appears to be ‘a vacuum’ where little intentional work is being done to further the journey. The President provided a clear challenge to us, the church, to address this situation.

Presbyters from overseas said that because they chose to live in Aotearoa, and because the Methodist church required them to engage with the bicultural journey, they have an awareness of Tiriti issues that many of their New Zealand presbyter colleagues lack.

2. There is a generation gap in Tauiwi.

There are young people, particularly within Tongan, Samoan, Fijian-Rotuman parishes, who have had no exposure to the church’s commitment to be a Tiriti honouring church, and they are unaware of its history and challenges.

Younger Pacific generations (born in Aotearoa) know plenty about Te Tiriti o Waitangi through what they have been taught at school and university, but little of the church’s commitment for Te Taha Māori and Tauiwi to be engaged in a ‘power sharing’ partnership.

3. The contribution of Trinity College.

There was recognition of Trinity College’s work in having students relate to Te Taha Māori and Māoritangi by visiting Tai Tokerau to attend Waitangi Day events and meet with Weteriana Māori. The College curriculum has a strong emphasis on the theology and practice of justice.

4. Methodist Alliance has taken a proactive stance in addressing Tiriti issues.

Many of the Mission organisations within the Alliance are actively working with Māori to address critical issues such as poverty and housing. They are another resource to support the wider church.

At its meeting earlier in the year, the Alliance Forum invited Rev. Dr Arapera Ngaha and Peter Glensor to present the history of the Te Haahi Weteriana’s bicultural journey. Front-line staff from the various Missions appreciated their input as it helped them understand something of the Church’s bicultural journey and its stance on Tiriti issues. The forum also viewed videos of church leaders in 1984 talking powerfully about the power-sharing process.

5. Key factors in ‘Being Tauiwi in a Tiriti honouring church.’

Four dimensions were identified:

1) Honouring the right of Te Taha Māori to exercise authority over its life, mission and resources, and revising the Methodist Law Book to define more accurately the partnership between Te Taha Māori and Tauiwi.

2) Respecting Māori spirituality and recognising that Tauiwi religious insights and traditions are not supreme. There is an indigenous spirituality that can enrich the life of the church and all its members.

3) Honouring te Tiriti beyond the church community.

4) Encouraging Tauiwi to learn their history, both of the Methodist Church’s role and of their local place.

6. The need for ‘a body’ within the church to promote and resource the focus on being Tauiwi within a Tiriti honouring church.

Need for a group that can oversee the development of resources that can challenge and encourage us on the journey.

A body with credibility and mana with Tauiwi for it to be effective in its leadership. Tauiwi Strategy and Stationing Committee might be the group with the necessary mandate to establish such a resource group.

7. The need for the Law Book to be revised:

Te Taha Māori is defined in the Law Book under the heading of “Organisations.” That is not an adequate means of expressing how Te Taha Māori can fulfil its goal of “Becoming financially independent, self-sufficient and self-determining.” There is a growing awareness of the colonial thinking that informs the Law Book.

8. Affirming the contribution of Māori spirituality and cultural practices.

A chaplain working in a Methodist Aged Care Home shared how she had requested the assistance of Te Taha Māori to provide a blessing of a room where a resident had recently died. She spoke appreciatively of how the prayers and symbols used in the blessing had been helpful to both residents and staff.

How are we known?

Josh Robertson reports on a Conference thematic breakout session that focussed on how Methodists and Methodism is known, seen and experienced in Aotearoa. How can we be good news for the 21st century?

What does it mean to be “Methodist”? Did we derive our name from a nickname that was given to a group of “holy students” from back in the day because they were so methodical? Is this still an appropriate name to use to describe who we are today? Or has this name run its course and expired? Some views shared suggested we need to look at re-branding.

Once we were advocates for social justice, following in the footsteps of the one whose heart was strangely warmed and did all the good he could, whenever and wherever he could. Are we still seen as being the change that needs to take place in order for the marginalised to catch a break? Opinions were divided on this front. Whilst it was acknowledged that we - in particular via some of the mission arms of the church - are still doing a lot of great work in the community, locally and internationally, perhaps we need to raise the profile of what we are doing so that more people, including ourselves, are aware.

Many of our church buildings are old, tired and due for an upgrade – these structures often create the first impressions upon those looking in from the outside. For many, this is also a fair metaphor for the state of our church congregations. Some youth participants went as far as to say our church was boring, perceived as being very white, old, declining in membership and in need of some rejuvenation. This may be true within some congregations, however many of our cultural synod congregations are bursting at the seams in terms of numbers and energy. It was suggested that the Tauiwi sector of the Methodist church of Aotearoa could do better to harness some of this energy by ensuring various committees / decision-making bodies contain a membership that accurately reflects and represents the make-up of our church.

Actively encouraging youth involvement in all aspects of the church, including key decision-making committees / boards, was a strong message that came through in the discussions. There is a need for our Hāhi to encourage and be proactive in finding ways to be accommodate a youth presence at the table.

Our respective views are obviously very much influenced by the context we find ourselves in within the conglomerate that is Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa. Collectively we have the opportunity and responsibility to make some changes. It is time for action.

How do we resource our congregations for Mission?

Rev Rob Fergusson

We tackled several tensions within the question. How do we manage the feelings congregations often express of having too little of anything to be effective – too old, too tired, too small? Allied with “Why can’t church be like it used to be?” There was the recognition that we are often burdened by our buildings. Maintaining parish structures becomes increasingly difficult with a lack of leadership in aging, smaller congregations. What can we be and do in our varied communities? What’s in our hands as the Conference theme reiterated? Can we look positively at ourselves by focussing our life on what we do have rather than lamenting what we don’t have?

We recognised that lament has often become our default position. Looking back with a mixture of nostalgia and almost resentment that somehow the past cannot be repeated. We shared small steps from around the country. Recognising that we actually have hands is a big step for many. We need help to look at ourselves, and to look at our community. We need the confidence to explore new ways of gathering in a Covid world. We look for confidence to abandon a “temple” culture focussing on “come to us”, and work with relationships we already have, to create new ones. In valuing older folk we open up many possibilities to support and resource the processes of ageing and the wisdom we have untapped.

President Andrew’s questions are life-giving in their challenge to look at our hands. To join hands and to look past our lament into a different way of being. No one pretends it is easy. But if Synods and the Connexion can resource those challenges, we have a future of hopefulness and life.

What will love look like?

Trudy Downes

I was privileged to facilitate one of two Covid-19 group discussions at Conference 2021. I am humbled to think I am possibly the only health and safety professional in Aotearoa whose task is to consider, ‘What will love look like?’ as we respond to the changing Covid-19 environment.

Participants shared examples of how they enacted the commands to love God with heart, mind and soul, and to love our neighbours while ensuring the safety of everyone.

One presbyter attending a grieving family at Alert Level Step 2 in Auckland had to refuse to enter the house as it is against the Alert Level rules. When the calls come from people in need, there is a lot of pressure on our people as to how to respond with love and safety.

Another presbyter shared how they remotely attended somebody’s last days, talking with the attending nurses to enlist help with telephones and timing.

Aucklanders’ resilience and patience is wearing thin and many people are feeling uncomfortable with the risks associated with people being unvaccinated. Anxiety levels are rising and anger is coming through with many hitting out against leaders and figureheads. It is a strange amalgam with palpable energy.

There are so many changes occurring with Alert Level changes, MIQ debates and the upcoming Protection Framework (aka traffic lights system) that people are now requesting that the Connexional Office tell them what to do rather than being given recommendations or multiple options.

One person said, “The greatest anxiety is being the door steward. What do I do if a visitor comes - do I have to ask them if they are vaccinated? I want to be prepared for how I will deal with the situation as other people come in and out. People in the foyer at the door need to know how to respond.”

“Having a vaccine-hesitant person in a parish adds to the complexity of the situation. Will that person honour the precautions that the parish wants to take? It would be difficult if the person is belligerent.”

Outcomes from the disucssion groups were:

· Connexional Office/Conference to provide clear directions on how parishes are to proceed.

· Guide parish councils on how to have the vaccine conversations.

· What might an inclusive church look like for the vaccinated and unvaccinated, and the implications of decisions made – e.g. Use of premises by other groups and congregations?

· What might the protocols look like to keep those in active ministry (pastoral visits etc.) safe with those who are unvaccinated or, if unvaccinated, with those who are.

· Should those in active ministry be mandated to be vaccinated?

· Suggested that Synod Superintendents have Zoom meetings with presbyters and lay leaders in their region to initiate the conversations.

· Suggestion to have a Zoom gathering to share ideas of how to be an inclusive and safe church during these times.

· Proceed with love. Everyone may attend at green and orange alert levels.

· Be safe as we action our choices.

· Undertake actions which include people without vaccination certificates, medically exempt people and children.

· Take out the ambiguity or difficulty for parish councils, door stewards and greeters.

In closing, love will guide our Covid-19 response plan.

Ø Considering other people in our choices is love.

Ø Equality to worship is love.

Ø Vaccinations are love.

Ø Facemasks are love.

Ø Children are love.

Ø Inclusion is love.

Revising the Law Book

Revs Peter Williamson, Paulo Ieli and Kathleen Tuai-Ta'ufo'ou facilitated the thematic workshop called “The Law Book – more tinkering or a new start.” The title had the Law Revision Committee quivering, even before Conference started, however the facilitators brought together a small group sharing great ideas!

The group recognised the Law Book as living and breathing document – one with a real history that needed to be respected, yet one that needed regular review so that it properly reflected where the Church is now. There was the faint hope that it might also reflect where we might need to be, as well. We didn’t want to lose the Law Book’s place as an inspirational theological document, as well as a book of laws.

We acknowledged that the Law Book comes out of the decisions of Conference made year on year. There is a risk that the Law Book comes to look and feel like a multi-layered, but unintegrated document.

The first criticism the group made was the Law Book comes from our history in colonialism. The whole of the first part of the Law Book relates to Tauiwi ministry, usually palagi, while the laws relating to Te Taha Maori are buried in Section 6 – Connexional Committees of Conference. There is no attempt to integrate ministry method or purpose. That was the foundation of the suggestion for Church structure review. The time for tinkering – just adding another layer to the pile of laws - is over.

But that means that it is not just the Law Book up for change; it means that we have to critically examine the Church and its structures, so that the Law Book properly reflects them. The misconception is that the Law Book controls the life of the Church and not the other way around. The structures in place allow the Church to operate well – and so become the Law Book. Therefore the questions to be asked are not to do with Law Book tinkering, but more along the lines of: “Who are we? What do we mean by ‘Church?’ Where are we now, and what direction do we need to go? How do we structure that?” If we answer these questions, the Law Book will write itself!

As a result the group looked for a review of Church structure, including rewriting the Law Book to suit that reviewed structure. It was suggested this Church structure review should be reported to Conference in 2023. It also suggested that Law Revision Committee should examine its membership, with a view to including not just senior church people (who know the current Law Book and structure), but others who are neither senior and don’t know the Law Book. It might make for some interesting meetings. The group also asked that the Disciplinary Procedures be looked at again. There here are some things for which you don’t need a sledgehammer to catch a fly!