Church to tackle decline by funding growth

Church to tackle decline by funding growth

The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is to use $2m from the past sale of its Wellington office building to kick-start a fund for growth projects.

The Church's General Assembly voted to establish a fund to tackle the decline of the Church by providing the money necessary to support growth projects.

General Assembly also encouraged all the Church's congregations and presbyteries to voluntarily provide a 1 percent return on all investment assets for the use of the Press Go Advisory Group in supporting growth projects.

Church Moderator the Right Rev Dr Graham Redding said that the Church has voted convincingly to support the funding of new growth. "At today's Church General Assembly an overwhelming majority were in support of the proposal. I am heartened that so many in our Church are so committed to spreading Christ in a world so in need of his compassion and teachings."

Assembly Executive Secretary Rev Martin Baker said, "We have had some media coverage recently that erroneously suggested the Church was looking to sell off churches with very small congregations. The reality is quite different, today we have a major new commitment to growth and we are going to be able to fund initiatives that will generate growth".

ENDS

Notes to reporter:
The Presbyterian Church sold its office building in Tory St, Wellington several years ago for approx. $2m.

The Presbyterian Church biennial General Assembly was held at St Patrick's College, Silverstream, Upper Hutt, Wellington, from 2 - 6 October 2008.

The Presbyterian Church is the third largest denomination in Aotearoa New Zealand, with more than 400,000 people identifying as Presbyterian in the 2001 Census, and 30,000 regular church attenders.

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