At the time of writing, a little over half of the contacts on our distribution database have responded to a call to commit to paying for papers. As a result, we have not quite reached a point where it is viable to print a paper each month. Depending on the outcome of our final call-to-action, from July, Touchstone may be available online only. However, if enough parishes commit to supporting the paper financially, the Methodist Church of NZ will continue to publish a paper that explores faith issues for today and shares news and views with the wider Connexion.

Therein lies a challenge. Many readers have expressed disappointment that Touchstone may be available online only. If the 45 percent of parishes that have not yet responded commit to even a small subscription of up to 10 copies per month, we can assure our many older readers - who prefer a paper copy - of a continued print run.

Last Denomination Publishing?

Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa is one of the last denominations in the motu to still be publishing a free newspaper. When I started as editor in August 2018, we were printing and dispatching 10,000 papers each month, in packages of 1 to 300, to individuals, parishes and organisations. That has changed significantly over recent years as we have asked parishes to reconsider the number of copies required to mitigate costs, waste and the inevitable dumping of unread and unclaimed papers each month.

The move to online-only news streams has been playing out for many religious publications over recent years. The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia published its last print version of Taonga in 2018; the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa NZ ceased publication of its quarterly SPANZ magazine in November 2019; and the Salvation Army is currently transitioning their subscription-based War Cry magazine into a new publication called SALT and looking at options for morphing into online platforms. Vivienne Hill, editor of SALT, (formerly War Cry), wrote in a recent editorial, “The world is in a season of great change and that can be disorientating, but it can also be a time of opportunity”.

Vivienne Hill identified the same issues affecting many religious publications, including Touchstone, as we morph into the online-only space. “It is always a tricky negotiation. Feedback is limited, budget constraints impact and there are so many platforms to consider.”

Sophia Sinclair is the NZ-based President of the Australian Religious Press Association (ARPA), an ecumenical Christian communication network for Australian and New Zealand publications, their editorial staff and contributors. Since it established a NZ chapter in 1990, ARPA has had an active membership and run workshops, an annual conference, and a well-supported awards event to celebrate excellence in the industry. The proposed ARPA AGM in December 2022 did not achieve a quorum. When the deferred meeting scheduled for 17 June this year is held, discussion about the future and viability of ARPA will be a key agenda item.

In her message to members, Sophia wrote, “The last three years have had a profound effect on many member publications. A growing number of publications are being phased out by denominations, with communications changing to digital-only models. With dwindling membership, a lack of involvement from existing members and rising costs, we have some important decisions ahead of us as an association.”

In four years from 2019 to 2023, Australian membership has fallen from 57 Member Publications and 14 Associates to 18 Member Publications and 3 Associates. Sophia says this decline matches the trend across Australasia. “More religious communities are opting to invest in digital and online communications, rather than printed ones. One positive in the move to digital has been increased flexibility, cost effectiveness, and the timeliness of delivery.

“A downside has been losing the skills and input of individual writers, editors and professionals who have significant experience telling stories and gathering news. Ultimately, it's readers and people in religious communities who miss out, as there is no one available to facilitate sharing their stories in meaningful ways. In a world where ChatGPT provides a clever but soulless answer, we risk losing the people who do the important work of telling stories which reflect our humanity and connect us to one another,” Sophia says.

Looking Back

When the Presbyterian Church opted out of Crosslink (March 1987 – April 2001), a monthly publication jointly funded by the Presbyterian Church of NZ and the Methodist Church of NZ, Crosslink editor Michael O'Dwyer took on the role as editor of the new and MCNZ-dedicated Touchstone publication. Its mandate was ‘to provide a monthly glimpse of the ecumenical life of NZ … a vibrant view of our faith’. Initial issues were offered free-of-charge, as per a brief article in the May 2001 edition written by Rev David Bush, a member of the Communications Committee.

The next few years were spent boosting parish subscriptions, at a cost of 35 cents per copy. This funding, along with advertising revenue, supported an A3-tabloid publication that fluctuated between 12 and 20 pages depending on the number and value of advertisements. From 2003, a series of Connexional grants, endowments and Trust payments negated the need to charge and manage a subscription fee – a task that involved almost as much cost in Connexional Office administration time as the revenue it generated.

Rev David Bush says, “There was a time when parishes were charged for copies. There was also a grant each year from the Connexional budget. However when we looked in detail, we saw that a significant proportion of the 'subscription' was eaten up by the costs of sending invoices and the extra work that maintaining a subscription database required”.

In 2009 an application to PAC resulted in a $750,000 endowment. In a May 2011 editorial, editor Paul Titus wrote, “Thanks to a PAC endowment, our finances are more secure than they have been for years”. Since that time, interest received from this endowment, in conjunction with advertising revenue, parish donations, and occasional TTM and Trust grants have largely supported Touchstone.

Mark Gibson was closely involved with Touchstone from 20O9-2012 when he was chair of the Methodist Publishing Board, taking over from the late Jim Stuart. Mark says, “I laid the role down because of the parish demands in the east post-quake, but yes it was a big deal in 2011 when we were the chosen recipient that year of the PAC endowment. This supposedly took financial pressure off Touchstone. The possibility of charging and moving to a 'user pays' model of financing was always 'in the air' but the Board at the time didn't want to go down that track if possible. From the edge of the church where I've tended to be since resigning as chair, my impression has been that another model is needed to keep Touchstone alive and kicking but a good alternative has not emerged.”

Last July when the MPB invited readers to comment on options for Touchstone going forward, Ian Harris, regular contributor of the Honest to God column, wrote to the Board. “It is sad to read that the Publishing Board is having to respond to the financial pressures of producing Touchstone on a sustainable basis. This, of course, is not a new problem. I remember similar discussions concerning the future of The New Zealand Methodist when I was editing it between 1968 and 1972. Then, as now, the response will boil down to how the church sees the role of the paper in its life and mission, and the priority (or lack of priority) it gives that role.”

Dwindling Reserves

Several factors have impacted on reserves, most notably increasing publication and postage costs and diminished returns on investment funds. The introduction of a subscription model was identified by the Publishing Board in 2022 as the only means of ensuring financial stewardship over the dwindling reserves. In addition to the standard version of the monthly publication available online since 2009, a new more contemporary digital format was introduced in October 2021, to encourage readers to access content online.

Analysis of hits indicates the online forum has not attracted a huge response, and direct feedback from readers and parish representatives supports the concept that many older members of the Connexion prefer to read Touchstone via a printed version of the paper.

Rev David Bush is hopeful of a printed and online option for the publication. “I support the idea of encouraging readers to read Touchstone online but I hope there is a way for hard copies to also be made available,” David says. Those sentiments have been shared by many readers.

Rev Dr Terry Wall and his wife Lynne have been closely associated with Touchstone over recent years, proofing copy and providing invaluable advice and MCNZ background knowledge. They said, “We both feel that so much would be lost if the print version of Touchstone were to be discontinued. Members of parishes are not well-connected with the wider church and Touchstone provides a key avenue for an ongoing conversation among our membership.”

The Last Word

Whether or not Touchstone continues to be printed is entirely down to the response of its readers and their willingness to pay for production costs. Regardless of whether the print run continues, Touchstone will continue to be available online.

Parishes that wish to receive papers, who have not yet responded, should contact reception@methodist.org.nz immediately.