The group will also discontinue its partnership with the Aspiring Enliven Care Centre in Cardrona Valley Rd, which offers aged care and nursing services.

Jo O'Neill, Chief Executive, said that insufficient funding and rising operational costs compelled the decision to withdraw from Wanaka.

The organization highlighted that the unsustainable financial losses drove them to sell the Elmslie House and Wanaka Retirement Village.

Despite these changes, Presbyterian Support Otago remains committed to supporting the Wanaka community by continuing its social services for the most vulnerable.

Source

ODT

On Monday, a small group of people gathered at the church and chained themselves to one of the trees in protest of a decision to fell the trees, planted in the 1890s, to make way for a new church hub.

Group member Kim Spencer-McDonald said they were there just after 7am and arrived before the contractors.

When the contractors arrived and saw the protesters they parked down the road and shortly after 9am four police officers arrived at scene. Read more

To alleviate the energy situation for about 400 Flaxmere households, Reverend Jill McDonald and Chris Lambourne of St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Hastings hope to construct a large solar farm to provide Flaxmere with cheap electricity.

The church is close to finishing a feasibility study and had an engineer review the project.

The next step would be finding up to two hectares of land to build on.

They aimed to raise the majority of the $2.5 million needed through the parish, local and central government, iwi, the community and charities.

They hope then to sell power at prices about 25 percent below those offered by mainstream companies.

"Technically, the customers can be anywhere, but we've used Flaxmere as a concept where people understand there's a lot of low-income households and people in need," said project manager Chris Lambourne.

Data showed that people in Flaxmere, which is in the church's catchment area, were using 20 per cent less electricity than the average New Zealand home.

"People can't afford to heat their houses and, as such, they ... get sick. That affects their employment, and if you're unemployed, then it affects your ability to have a house, that was the picture we saw happening," Lambourne said.

The church would also purchase electricity from the wholesale market to service customers during non-sunlight hours.

A spokeswoman for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority said solar energy was likely to be an "increasing part" of New Zealand's future.

It was currently more expensive to generate solar compared with large-scale renewables like wind and geothermal, but prices were falling, she said.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• newstalkzb.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

The Presbyterian Church has enthusiastically welcomed Pope Francis's encyclical on the environment which addresses one of the great moral challenges of our time, climate change.

"Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods," the papal statement says. "It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day."

The Right Rev Andrew Norton, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, says Pope Francis has highlighted issues of climate change in the context of exploitation of the poor and the abuse of our environment. Continue reading

On Tuesday the Rev Richard Dawson was announced as moderator-designate, and will become moderator in late 2016.

Mr Dawson (56), who is minister at St Stephens Leith Valley Presbyterian Church, said he was surprised and "quite humbled". Continue reading

On 7 October the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand decided to ban its ministers from conducting same sex-marriage ceremonies.

"What matters in a marriage is the quality of the commitment and the love they have for one another and at St Andrew's we will continue to help couples of the same or opposite sex who want to get married to do that and celebrate their love," said Reverend Jim Cunningham said. Continue reading

A dispute between the management of Columba College, staff and the PPTA has reached a stand-off, with union no-confidence motions, resignations and board investigations.

The PPTA says it began raising complaints at Columba College a year ago, over the management style of long-standing principal Elizabeth Wilson. Continue reading

Highlighting new research by religion expert, Dr. Geoff Troughton of Victoria University of Wellington, in a Medical Xpress report, revealed that the Presbyterian Church's anti-alcohol campaign had slacked off radically since the 1990s to shore up their bottom line and attract more people to the dying church. Continue reading

The call from Presbyterian Church Moderator Ray Coster comes as all the country's biggest Protestant churches remain divided over how to respond to the legalisation of gay weddings, which comes into force on Monday.

A 75 per cent majority at the last Presbyterian General Assembly in October voted to uphold marriage as "the loving, faithful union of a man and a woman",

But the assembly did not pass another resolution that would have prohibited ministers from marrying same-sex couples. That motion failed by one vote to get the 60 per cent majority required to become church law.

Several ministers, including lesbian Presbyterian minister Margaret Mayman at Wellington's St Andrew's on the Terrace, are already taking bookings for gay weddings.

But the conservative Presbyterian Affirm movement is challenging a legal opinion by a church advisory committee that ministers can choose whether to perform a same-sex marriage.

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: Presbyterian.org.nz

Under a deal with the Government, the casino operator will build a $400 million centre in Auckland in exchange for a 27-year extension to its licence and the right to have an extra 230 pokies and up to 52 more gaming tables.

The Government estimates the centre will create jobs and boost both Auckland and the country's economy including tourism revenue by about $90 million a year.

But the chair of Auckland's Pacific advisory panel, Uesifili Unasa, says the MPs should break ranks because the deal will harm their communities.

"Problem gambling is a big issue in Pacific communities. It's a no-brainer in terms of the right thing to do - and that is to vote against the SkyCity bill."

The head of the Tongan council also urged the MPs to rethink their vote. Melino Maka said the casino is already a magnet for problem gamblers from Pacific communities and it would be devastating if the deal goes ahead.

The Presbyterian Church has also expressed its concern. Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, the Rt Rev Ray Coster, says that the Church does not accept the argument that the financial contributions pokie machines make to community activities justify their existence.

"This legislation will simply mean that more families and more communities will suffer the corrosive effects of problem gambling... The social and financial cost to problem gamblers, their loved ones and the wider community, in our view, outweighs the economic benefit derived from the planned construction of the new convention centre."

Source:

• Radio New Zealand
• voxy.co.nz
• Image: 3news.co.nz

He says that the album's title, 'Into the Deep' describes the connection that his music makes with listeners, even with those who have no religious beliefs.

Malcolm said, "We never expected the whole charts thing to happen. It came out of the blue. It was an unexpected and gratuitous event. I was amazed at how quickly it became something I wanted to manufacture and control."

"I was reminded of the Israelites in the desert. God was feeding them with manna that fell from the heavens. The only rule was that you couldn't take anymore than you needed for that day (except the day before the Sabbath). If you did, it would go off and make you sick. The Israelites had to trust in God's provision more than their own preparedness and planning. They had to believe in the faithfulness of God and his constancy. They had to relinquish control. They must have found it hard. I know I do."

Source

• Voxy
• OneVoice.org.nz

Senior minister at St Andrew's on the Terrace, Margaret Mayman, said it would be part of a small minority of churches doing so.

The Presbyterian General Assembly in New Zealand opposes a bill before Parliament which seeks to legalise same gender marriage but the Presbyterian Church allows individual churches to choose their own stance.

Church moderator the Right Rev Ray Coster said the assembly's decision was made last week to uphold the "historic Christian" understanding that "marriage is a faithful, loving union between a man and woman". A small number had registered their dissent.

"Registering dissent is an accepted part of Presbyterian process, and is part of our tradition of open and robust debate," he said.

A same gender marriage bill passed its first reading in the New Zealand Parliament last month. It must pass two more stages before it becomes law.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• St Andrews on the Terrace
• Image: St Andrews on the Terrace

A recommendation for the Church to advocate for climate change refugees was accepted with unanimous support at the Church's biennial General Assembly in Rotorua on the weekend.

The Church's new Moderator, the Right Rev Ray Coster, says the New Zealand Government needs to recognise the crisis being faced by our small vulnerable nation neighbours and act before it is too late.

The Castor Bay Presbyterian Church is being disposed of after its dwindling and ageing congregation accepted it was impractical to keep it. Reverend Don Hall says the 15 remaining parishioners, who range in age from 60 to 80, will join a nearby church in Mairangi Bay.

"The more popular churches these days typically offer a wide range of services and activities and can be very busy centres," he said.

"Rather than seeking to maintain a presence in every suburb, the older denominations are often pooling resources in order to meet this demand.

"In some ways there is a lot of competition out there - but churches are also choosing not to compete everywhere."

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• Radio New Zealand
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

Mana Maori and Christianity examines encounters between Maori and the Christian church. It looks at how the development of Christian faith among Maori has changed over time from the missionary endeavours of Pakeha settlers, to the development of indigenous expressions of Christian faith, to co-operative partnerships between Maori and Pakeha in the mainline churches, and to the recent emergence of the Destiny Church.

Mana Maori and Christianity includes:

• Rev Wayne Te Kaawa 'A Gifted People: Maori and Pakeha Covenants Within the Presbyterian Church'
• Rev Jonathan Te Rire 'Hihita me nga Tamariki o te Kohu'
• Dr Lachy Paterson, 'The Rise and Fall of Women Field Workers within the Presbyterian Maori Mission, 1907-1970'
• Professor Murray Rae, 'The Subversive Theology of Rua Kenana'
• Dr Hugh Morrison, 'Representation of Maori in Presbyterian Children's Missionary Literature, 1909-1939'.

The island groups of Tuvalu and Tokelau have declared emergencies, relying on bottled water and seeking more desalination machines. Parts of Samoa are starting to ration water.

Six months of low rainfall have dried out the islands. Climate scientists say it's part of a cyclical Pacific weather pattern known as La Nina - and they predict the coming months will bring no relief, with the pattern expected to continue.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully says other islands in the South Pacific are also reporting water shortages.

He said New Zealand is carrying out a regional assessment amid fears the drought could lead to crop failures and food shortages.

Tuvalu

In Tuvalu supplies are precariously low after a severe lack of rain in a region where underground reserves have been fouled by salt water from rising seas that scientists have linked to climate change.

Families in Tuvalu's capital, Funafuti, are being allowed only two buckets of water a day a. The government estimates the country has five days of drinking water left.

A New Zealand Defence Force Hercules carrying Red Cross supplies and desalination units arrived in Tuvalu on Monday carrying water and desalination units. Andrew McKie from Red Cross New Zealand said they were transported to an island right in the south of Tuvalu, Nookilaulau, which although it's a small island was one of the ones worst affected by the drought

Tokelau

A priest who has just arrived in Tokelau says people are happy to hear that assistance is on the way.

Father Oliver Aro runs a mission on the atoll of Nukunonu, and says people are conscious of using water.

"As far as I have observed, people's lives are limited with things like hygiene, using their bathroom. They are more particular, because they don't want to waste water now."

The three main atolls that make up isolated Tokelau, a New Zealand-administered territory with a population of 1400, residents ran out of fresh water altogether last week and are relying on a seven-day supply of bottled water that was sent on Saturday from Samoa.

A Defence New Zealand Force Hercules carrying water containers flew to Pago Pago in American Samoa on Thursday, where it met up with a US Coastguard vessel. The ship, which has an on-board desalination plant to fill the containers, will then travel to Tokelau's three main islands.

Churches commend swift action and call for long term plans

The Right Rev Peter Cheyne, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand has commended McCully for his prompt action. The Presbyterian Church has a strong relationship with Te Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu.

Bruce Mullen, from the Uniting Church of Australia's Pacific division says Australia may need to consider resettling people from the Pacific in the future, with a number of the island nations in the grip of a serious drought.

"The long term issue is that some of these atoll islands are not going to be sustainable for human habitation indefinitely. So the long-term issue is how we address relocation - there's nothing worse than having to dislocate people as a matter of urgency and trauma. It's much better to think these things through with a bit of time."

Source

• Radio New Zealand International
• Savali
• TVNZ
• New Zealand Herald
• Australia Network News
• Image: CNN