Church Union Progress Act Of Commitment Service On May 10

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31363, 8 May 1967, Page 12

Church Union Progress Act Of Commitment Service On May 10

(Specially written for f, The Press** by the Rev. lAN FRASER) In 1939 the Methodist Church invited the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches to discuss whether union might be possible, and so began the long series of talks that have slowly gathered momentum. On Wednesday, May 10, they will reach an important stage in the Act of Commitment which will take place in St. Paul’s Cathedral, Wellington, at 8 p.m.

One hundred and fifty official representatives, appointed by the negotiating churches Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregational, Associated Churches of Christ will solemly pledge themselves in obedience to Jesus Christ to seek a basis of union according to His will. The official representatives will be drawn from all parts of New Zealand, and will include both clerical and lay members. The Archbishop of Melbourne, the Most Rev. Frank Woods, has been invited to preach at the service, and to lead study periods on Wednesday and Thursday mornings on the mission of the Church in the world to-day. It is the challenge of our world, which demands the resources of a united Church, that has spurred on union negotiations. The churches are not seeking unions for reasons of economy or efficiency, but because they are convinced that it is the will of God. It is this conviction which lies behind the patience and perseverance needed to break through the long-established habits and prejudices which have kept us apart for so long, and which have led to so much misunderstanding. Beginning with the three churches, an invitation was

issued in 1954 to all members of the National Council of Churches to join in negotiations. As a result the Associated Churches of Christ entered into negotiations in 1955, and the Anglican Church began “exploratory conversations,” leading to full negotiations in 1964.

union, and to enter into ways of common action. Although it is difficult to forecast the time union may take, the Churches are convinced that union can be achieved, and this is the significance of the Act of Commitment Archbishop Woods, who has been invited to preach at the service on Wednesday, has been associated with ecumenical movements since his student days at Cambridge. He is a brother of the Ven. S." E. Woods, Archdeacon of Christchurch.

These five Churches, representing 67 per cent of the population, first faced what appeared to be the most difficult issues, and found that there was no insuperable obstacle to union. This cleared the way for the Act of Commitment, based on the conviction that union can be achieved; The Joint Commission on Church Union meets twice annually, and its next meeting will be in Dunedin, August 15-17. It has many study committees working on issues that have to be clarified, as under: (1) The Faith of the Church (Auckland); (2) The Sacraments (Wellington); (3) The Ministry (Christchurch and Dunedin); (4) Marriage and Divorce (Christchurch); (5) Church Government (Hamilton); (6) Worship (Auckland); (7) Administration (Wellington); (8) Legal and Property Matters (Wellington); (9) Theological Education (Auckland); (10) Preparation of Basis of Union (Dunedin). In addition consultations are being held on: (a) Extension in New Areas; (b) Christian Education; (c) Women’s Work; (d) Church Papers; (e) Missions. The Act of Commitment is not itself union, but in it the Churches solemnly commit themselves to seek a basis of