sustain:if:able kiwi

last trip of the working year

I took this photo at Paekakariki on Wednesday, to mark my last trip for the year, as I flew to Wellington for a day on Tuesday, then drove to Palmerston North on Wednesday. It is just over 9 weeks since I began as Principal at Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership and the trip this week enabled me to complete two important tasks.

First, connecting with intern churches. KCML trains using an internship model and the trip to Palmerston North meant that I have managed to connect with the six ministers and local church in which the incoming (class of 2016) interns will be placed. That has involved a local visit and three road trips – to Christchurch, Palmerston North, Rotorua and Tauranga. It has been such a good exercise to sit with local leaders and explore what it means for them to work with an intern and sense their passion and commitment to form leaders for the future church.

Second, connecting with Presbyteries. The trip this week means that I have managed some form of connection with each of the seven Presbyteries that make up the PCANZ. Working from the bottom up

• a welcome to the Southern Presbytery as I briefly introduced myself at Inspiring Mission, Dunedin;
• a welcome, introduction and Q and A with Alpine Presbytery in Christchurch;
• a lunch gathering with available ministers from Central Presbytery in Palmerston North, in which I shared some of what God might be calling us to in this next season as KCML;
• a visit to Te Aka Puaho, to share in worship and a cup of tea;
• a visit to two local churches in Kaimai Presbytery (with an invitation to speak in 2016);
• a meeting with key leaders from Northern Presbytery;
• engagement with folk from the Pacific Island Synod as part of the block course in Auckland;

Each connection has been different. This is as it should be, because each Presbytery is different and has different patterns of working and being.  For me, these visits are only the beginning. A key part of the future of KCML will be forming training partnerships – each different – with each of these Presbyteries in the years ahead.  But they represent, in the space of nine weeks, a good start in terms of being out and about around the country, connecting and beginning the conversations that will takes us forward in partnership.