PI SYNOD Presbytery 

Komiti Moana Nui

PI Synod & Te Aka Puaho

PCANZ

At the Tahiti Pacific Conference of Churches in the late nineties, the PCANZ sought to join the Pacific churches at this ecumenical international organisation. We weren't able to as a PCANZ, however we manged to be accepted as a church represented by Maori and Pacific members of our Church. There was  a concern that Island church leaders have of the Palagi membership from PCANZ outside of the Pacific region, a mindset that promote a worldview far removed from one that appreciate the Pacific heart and culture. Here we are many years later operating with a membership that values the whole PCANZ church, with a body specifically Maori and Pacific representation. Millie Te Kaawa and Rev Leiite Setefano spoke convincingly on behalf of the PCANZ with the facilitation of a Global Mission representative achieved in getting the PCANZ membership to the Pacific Conference of Church.

From such early beginnings, Te Aka Puaho with Rev Te Kaawa's extensive knowledge of Pacific history and migration brought to the PCC a renewed sense of kinship, particular;y between the Tahitian Church and Maori. Komiti Moana Nui and the moderators of Te Aka Puaho, Rev Wayne Te Kaawa and the PI Synod Rev Ere Talagi-Ikitoelagi in the PCC AGM in the Solomon Islands, invited the next PCC meeting to be hosted by the PCANZ in Autearoa New Zealand. 

Many of the Pacific membership from national churches and National Councils of Churches, saw this as a real commitment that has come because of our desire and passion to be standing in solidarity with Pacific Churches in the Pacific Conference of Churches a body that consolidated the connection each member church's has with the international World Council of Churches. 

This is  but a brief comment on the Pacific nature of our ecumenical family with the PCC.

The other connection with the Pacific is the membership that we share as PCANZ with nine other  Pacific Island churches of the Council of World Mission (was London Missionary Society). 

The PCANZ membership of the Very Rev Pamela Tankersley was elected by member churches to be the chairperson for the Pacific region who also in this role become the deputy moderator to the CWM international sharing the deputy position with chairpersons of their respective regions.

I write this blog as a lead up to my attending the meetings of general secretaries from all member churches and NCCs of each country.

We are meeting here in NADI as the third of these forums called by the PCC executive currently chaired by the Moderator of  PPC the Rev Dr Tevita Havea and the General Secretary the Rev Francois Pihaatae.

The first of these meetings was called after the unfortunate event of the PCC facing financial loss due to lines of accountability not being followed. A renewed and more robust structure and governance was set up bringing the member churches and NCC; Secretariat and the executive into a relational networking, shared mission and ministry focused organisation.

The second of these meetings was post Assembly in the Solomon Islands meeting, in being clear of what was decided at the AGM and to work out the implementation process that such decisions were to me managed earlier in the 5 year cycle so allowing a clear direction on how the rest of the term is to be managed through its process with the executive, secretariat and member churches( & NCC).

This meeting is being facilitated with the theme of "Ecumenical rethinking and renewal of the household of God". 11th to 14th August 2014 at the Fun World Plaza Hotel Saunaka Nadi Fiji.

I will include in the next blog a brief outline of the direction, and result of the meeting.

Rev Don Ikitoelagi Clerk of PI Synod representing the PCANZ and supported by the Moderator of the Komiti Moana Nui and Te Aka Puaho.