The 65th General Synod Te Hīnota Whānui - 25-29 October, 2022, in Nelson, New Zealand.
Now an 'in person' event.

GSTHW 2022 Lead Up Dates. 

5 weeks out: Monday 19 Sept, Mailing of Summons and Notices of Motions (B/I/2.2), with pre-session papers (5 weeks before, as required under SO 97 and SO 101).

4 weeks out: Monday 26 Sept, make papers available electronically online (1 week after mailing, as required under SO 99.a).

www.anglican.org.nz/News/General-Synod-Te-Hinota-Whanui-GSTHW

This time we are privileged to have both CMS and Bishopdale presenting.
This series will grapple with the question, "How do we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" NZ is a very different Nation from when I began in full time ministry. With so many Nations and cultures around us, where do we start?

As before registration is by simply registering using the form on the main page and we will send you the link a day or two before the series begins

The last series ended with Andrew Burgess giving us an introduction to the Five Marks Of Mission adopted by the worldwide Anglican Church to give focus to our task under God.

The Rev Mark Beale is our speaker for this series. Mark was the founding Vicar of a new Church in South Auckland. He started with a house and "Granny Flat" and ended with a large congregation worshipping in their own building. The journey between those two points is fascinating and Mark will share some of the stories along the way as well as telling us how we can all be involved personally in living out the Gospel.  Beginning where Andrew left off he will show how those "Marks" can be lived out in the daily life of every Christian, as well as how one new Church developed as all five Marks were applied. 

There are three sessions beginning on Wednesday the 1st of June at 7pm and continuing on the 8th and 15th. As before all sessions will be recorded and available for those who cannot join in with the "live" sessions.

We were very encouraged by the response to the ZOOM Series AFFIRM put on last year and have decided to do another series throughout 2022. 
 
The theme for the year is "Crossroads: When World and Gospel Meet." There will be various presenters throughout the year with a variety of subjects all focussed on Mission. Our aim is to show how our Five Fold Mission Statements are integrated and dependent on each other. 
 
We will let you know as each one comes up with plenty of time to advertise.   As before they can be done by individuals or with a small group (especially while we are in the Red "Traffic Light" zone). 

For more detail - see the AFFIRM Hub 2022 page.

We trust that you will find the series helpful as many did last year.
 
It is our honour to be serving the Church in this way.
Every blessing,
Lorraine and Pete Lloyd
AFFIRM 

Good to chat last night. I realized after the conversation that I felt sad about the state of the church in NZ. But when I thought about it, I wasn't really sad about motion 29 and it's associated changes. I'm sad about the lack of many good examples of effective mission and healthy growing churches. I really hope this becomes the focus of the Affirm Christian Community - a network of churches committing to being more effective in mission for the full biblical gospel, and willing to take risks. Imagine if the affirm Christian community became known as the church planting wing of Anglicanism in NZ. Like, the Christian Community, I think, has to push against the voices inside it which want to make the focus (in word, or in deed) to be preserving doctrine. Having good doctrine is a necessary pre-requisite of the mission, but it is not the mission. Many churches with correct doctrine have died. I think y'all should be saying, with one accord: 'we have an opportunity and authorization to come together and get serious about getting effective in the mission. Let's take that opportunity and see what God will do.

Peter Williamson
Chaplain at Harvard University
InterVarsity’s Harvard Team Leader for Post-grad Student Ministry

1. A team of up to 10 people met twice a day in New Plymouth to pray for the General Synod. Thank you to those of you who could not be present but prayed in support also.
   
2. Despite the Conservative / Orthodox voice speaking and voting against motion 29, the motion was passed by a majority at the General Synod on the 9th May 2018.
   
3. Bishops may, when asked, agree to clergy blessing same gender couples who have had civil union or civil marriage services.
4. The question of ordination was left deliberately vague and some Bishops will take that to mean that they can ordain someone in a same sex relationship who has been through a blessing service.
5. Despite this AFFIRM will remain as part of this Church and continue to bring our voice to any future debates.
6. The AFFIRM submission for new Christian Communities to be established has been accepted 
7. Most importantly any Parish that joins the Community will be assured that future clergy appointments to that Parish MUST have the same theology as the Parish when it joined the Christian Community.
8. A Constitution for the Christian Communities, already in draft form, is being completed.
9. The motion from Auckland to review Christian Marriage was defeated.
10. We will be sending more detailed information on 6 and 7 above shortly outlining where we go from here.
    
11. We will be calling meetings of the various AFFIRM groups around the country in the next few weeks to share in detail what AFFIRM will be doing.
12. In the meantime, if you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact Paul Williamson, Lorraine or Pete Lloyd.
13. It is of the utmost importance that we now turn our focus to how to reach this Nation for Christ and the Church. We know that this is at the top of the agenda for all of us. AFFIRM will now be able to focus on this and the Christian Community network will provide a strong new platform to unite and resource parishes in this mission.

The AFFIRM Team
11 May 2018