Wednesday, May 12, 2010

General Synod (Wednesday)

Change is in the air. At last after many years of concern that we had not as a church, in a major change in the mid-1990s, got the governance and management structure of St John's College right, we have agreed to dismantle some of the structure. Tonight, about 8.45, after a long day, much but not all of it spent on a review of St John's College structure, Synod agreed to a new way.

Following recommendations from a Commission consisting of Sir Paul Reeves and Kathryn Beck, it is going to work this way: the Board of Oversight, which has delegated authority from Te Kotahitanga to govern the College on a day to day basis, will be suspended for two years. A Commissary will be appointed by Te Kotahitanga to run the College. The current three Heads of the constituent tikanga colleges will report to the Commissary (which is a very significant change) and the Commissary will report to Te Kotahitanga.

A significant part of our discussion today concerned the influence of Maori kaupapa (agenda, protocol, etiquette) on the life of the College and how this will be safeguarded under this new arrangement.

I think we will get there; but it is going to be vital to find the right person to be the Commissary. For the fuller story, go here.

In other news, the new Archbishop of Polynesia has been announced, Bishop Winston Halapua (currently Bishop in Auckland for Polynesians and Head of the College of Polynesia in St John's College). Pop over to Taonga for a full read!

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