Anglicans Survey Needs, Resources

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30586, 31 October 1964, Page 16

Anglicans Survey Needs, Resources

The most thorough investigation ever made into the needs and resourees of the Anglican church in New Zealand is now being made, says “Church and People,” the Anglican newspaper. All vicars in the Dominion have received or will receive an exhaustive questionnaire, and their replies will form the basis of a far-reaching report.

The work is being done by the provincial commission on needs, resources and communication, the chairman of winch is Mr P. W. Bates, the managing editor of “Church and People.” Other members are the Very Rev. C. G. Palmer, Dean of Hamilton, Canon A. C. F. Charies, domestic chaplain to the Bishop of Auckland, the Rev. W. M. Edmunds, vicar of Wairoa, the Ven. W. S. Southward, Archdeacon of North Otago, Mr J. C. Cottrell, Christchurch diocesan secretary, and Mr D. S. Max, a member of the standing committee of the general synod. At the request of the general synod the archbishop appointed the commission to make a survey of the needs and resources of the church in New Zealand, and its present methods of communication within New Zealand and with the rest of the Anglican Communion.

The commission was set up in response to the mutual responsibility document of the Toronto congress. It aims to find out what the needs and resources of the church are in manpower, ideas and techniques, as well as as in money.

Vicars are asked to provide not only factual information but also constructive ideas that may be of value elsewhere.

Part of the questionnaire is concerned with statistics and factual information and the other parts with other types of needs and resources, and with communications. When the information has been collated the commission

will have the information it needs to make its report. On the basis of the replies from vicars, dioceses will compile statistics for the commission. These will give the essential capital needs of the parishes in the diocese to cope with expanding population, and to replace obsolescent buildings, and the essential diocesan capital needs in the next five years. To each answer will be appended the estimated cost and the funds in band. Dioceses will also state what income is expected to be available for these works, and what additional manpower needs the diocese will have in the next five years.