Associate Membership

Associate Membership is open to Parishes and to Individuals. 

The Constitution states:
Any individual member, parish or ministry unit of the Church who or which supports the objectives of AFFIRM and signs a declaration accordingly and indicates a wish to do so shall be enrolled as an Associate of AFFIRM. An Associate may attend and vote at any Annual General Meeting. The Council will from time to time communicate with Associates in order
to advise them of AFFIRM's or Affiliates' activities and to obtain their opinions on proposals before the Council.

• MU/Parish
• Individual

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Ministry Unit (Parish) Associate Membership

 Why become an Associate of AFFIRM?
Your Ministry Unit becomes part of a growing network of churches throughout the country that have joined together to support and encourage each other in their ministries. Membership leads to automatic access to all AFFIRM Conferences and day seminars aimed at strengthening the local church in its mission. The Voluntary Agencies that initiated AFFIRM offer their expertise and resources both written and staff in Evangelism, Mission Partnerships, Theological training and the best of New Zealand based world class Theological and Biblical studies. AFFIRM will assist parishes in finding staff members for parish and other ministries including assisting in the search for the Vicar of a parish. AFFIRM has within its reach people with considerable experience in leading growing healthy churches. In partnership with Presbyterian AFFIRM a steady flow of booklets are produced that will assist individuals and churches in developing their Faith and grappling with some of the issues that confront us as Christians in New Zealand.
What does it cost?Each Ministry Unit can choose to pay from $1 to $10 per average attendance on Sunday each year. So a parish with an average attendance of 60 could pay as little as $60 or as much as $600 per year.
How to become an Associate of AFFIRM?To be an Associate of AFFIRM a ministry unit must:

• Be a parish or ministry unit of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia
• Support the objectives of AFFIRM
  • to enhance the life and further the mission of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia, and in particular to pursue the purposes set out in the Mission Statement, namely to call the Church to biblical faith, the life of prayer, spiritual renewal and effective mission.
• Supply a resolution from the Vestry, or equivalent decision making body, stating that it supports the objectives of AFFIRM and wishes to be enrolled as an Associate of AFFIRM.

You may apply to become an associate by emailing a copy of the resolution to [email protected]
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An appropriate resolution would be:
That [Name of Parish / Ministry Unit]
1. supports the objectives of AFFIRM, that is, 'to enhance the life and further the mission of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia, and in particular to pursue the purposes set out in the Mission Statement, namely to call the Church to biblical faith, the life of prayer, spiritual renewal and effective mission';
2. agrees to the AFFIRM Covenant, namely, 
        We uphold the creedal beliefs of the Anglican Church, and affirm especially:
         (a) The love of God as the source and motive of our life and mission;
         (b) The Lordship of Jesus Christ over the church and the world;
         (c) The authority of the Bible as God's living word to individuals and communities;
         (d) The Holy Spirit's gifting of all Christian women and men for their varied ministries;
         (e) The centrality of evangelism within the whole mission of the church;
         (f) The need for continuing renewal of local congregations as living communities of faith and love;
         (g) The priority of prayer and worship as under girding all Christian life and action.
3. resolves to apply to AFFIRM to be an Associate member.