Reformed Churches of New Zealand
| Reformed Churches of New Zealand | |
|---|---|
| File:Reformed Churches of New Zealand.gif | |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Theology | Reformed |
| Polity | Presbyterian |
| Origin | 1953 |
| Congregations | 19 |
| Members | 3,291 |
| Official website | rcnz |
Reformed Churches of New Zealand is a Reformed Christian denomination in New Zealand. The denomination is constituted of 19 member churches, the first seven of which were formed in 1953. Total membership as of 2011 stands at 3,291.[1]
Contents
Form of doctrine
The doctrine of the Reformed Churches of New Zealand is expressed in the four confessions of faith to which it subscribes. These are the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), Belgic Confession (1566), Canons of Dort (1619) (known collectively as the Three Forms of Unity), and the Westminster Confession of Faith. Also recognised are the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed and Athanasian Creed, all of which summarise the churches' doctrines.
The Reformed Churches of New Zealand are one of the few Reformed churches internationally to subscribe to both the Three Forms of Unity (common among Reformed churches with origins in the European continent, especially the Netherlands) and the Westminster Confession of Faith (common among Reformed or Presbyterian churches with origins in the British Isles).
Form of governance
The Reformed Churches of New Zealand hold to the system of Presbyterian church governance. Each church has a ruling Session composed of elders, one of whom is the church’s minister (also known as the teaching elder). Churches which have no minister are said to be vacant. Each church also has deacons who are charged with maintaining the temporal well-being of church members and with alleviating social distress. In larger churches deacons meet in their own Deacons’ Courts, while in smaller churches they meet together with the rest of the Session. Only men are eligible to serve in the offices of minister, elder, and deacon.
Churches belong to one of three regional Presbyteries which meet three times per year to discuss matters of common interest and to provide mutual oversight. Churches also meet in Synod once every three years to discuss matters of joint interest and to manage activities pertaining to the denomination. Rights of appeal are available to presbytery and synod.
Constituent churches
| Church | Year Formed |
Current Minister |
| Auckland Presbytery | ||
| Reformed Church of Avondale | 1964 | Peter Moelker |
| Reformed Presbyterian Church of Bucklands Beach | 1953 | vacant |
| Reformed Church of Hamilton | 1953 | Michael Willemse |
| Reformed Church of Hukanui | 2002 | Leo de Vos |
| Reformed Church of North Shore | 1980 | John Rogers |
| Reformed Church of Pukekohe | 1989 | John Haverland |
| Wellington Presbytery | ||
| Reformed Church of Foxton | 1984 | vacant |
| Reformed Church of Hastings | 1960 | vacant |
| Reformed Church of Masterton | 1987 | Peter Kloosterman |
| Reformed Church of Palmerston North (including congregations in Wanganui and New Plymouth[2]) | 1953 | vacant Hans Vaatstra |
| Reformed Church of Silverstream | 1967 | Paul Archbald |
| Reformed Church of Wainuiomata | 1975 | Pieter van Huyssteen |
| Reformed Church of Wellington | 1953 | vacant |
| South Island Presbytery | ||
| Reformed Church of Bishopdale | 1982 | Robert van Wichen, Andrew de Vries |
| Reformed Church of Christchurch | 1953 | David Waldron |
| Reformed Church of Dovedale | 2001 | Andre Holtslag |
| Reformed Church of Dunedin | 1955 | Erik Stolte |
| Reformed Church of Nelson | 1953 | Daniel Wilson |
| Reformed Church of Oamaru | 2013 | vacant |
Ecumenical contacts
The Reformed Churches of New Zealand is a member of the International Conference of Reformed Churches[1] . Sister-church relationships are held with churches abroad which hold to similar doctrine and practice.
- Sister churches:
- Churches in ecumenical fellowship:
- Other churches with which contact is had:
History
Reformed churches have their origins in the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the late 1940s a wave of migrants from the Netherlands settling in New Zealand expected to find their spiritual homes in existing churches of Reformed persuasion. Instead they found departures from Reformed doctrine and practice that they could not overlook. Discussions began in Auckland in 1951 with a view to establishing an indigenous Reformed denomination. A minister from the Netherlands, Rev J W Deenick, arrived in 1952 to support the fledgling group. The official establishment of the Reformed Churches of New Zealand took place in 1953 at a synod in Wellington, with churches from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch represented. By the end of that year further churches started operations in Bucklands Beach, Hamilton, Nelson and Palmerston North. A further 12 member-churches have since been formed.[3]
Worship
The churches hold worship services twice each Sunday and generally on Christmas Day, Good Friday, Ascension Day and New Year's Eve. Preaching from the Bible is the central element of worship. Preaching is by ordained ministers, or alternatively sermons written by an ordained minister may be read by a lay male Session appointee when a minister is not available. Sung praise and corporate prayer are the next most significant elements of worship. The Christian Reformed Church in North America's Psalter Hymnal is the main source of hymnody, however the compilation and evaluation of a denominational psalter/hymnal is currently in progress. The singing of the Psalms features strongly in the hymnody. Corporate confession of sin and the assurance of God's pardon are an integral part of Sunday morning worship, while in the second service one of the creeds is usually recited in unison.
The sacrament of the Lord's Supper (or Holy Communion) is celebrated at least three-monthly. The sacrament of baptism is administered to new converts and to the infant children of confessing church members.
List of synods
| No. | Year | Venue | Moderator and Vice Moderator | Clerks |
| 1 | 1953 | Wellington | R E Dijkstra, Wellington J W Deenick, Auckland |
1: A van Gelder |
| 2 | 1953 | Auckland | J W Deenick, Auckland E Dijkstra, Wellington |
1: Th Althuis |
| 3 | 1954 | Wellington | E Dijkstra, Wellington J A Scarrow, Bucklands Beach |
1: A van Gelder 2: F Channing |
| 4 | 1955 | Auckland | B Boelens, Christchurch J W Deenick, Auckland |
1: F Channing 2: P G van Dam |
| 5 | 1957 | Hamilton | J W Deenick, Auckland E Dijkstra, Wellington |
1: W In’t Veld 2: J Kleinjan St: F Channing |
| 6 | 1959 | Dunedin | J A Scarrow, Bucklands Beach R J Venema, Dunedin |
1: H van der Pols 2: P G van Dam St: F Channing |
| 7 | 1961 | Wellington | R J Venema, Bucklands Beach J W Deenick, Auckland |
1: P G van Dam 2: W van Rij St: R J Venema |
| 8 | 1962 | Wellington | S Cooper, Christchurch P H Pellicaan, Dunedin |
1: D G Vanderpyl 2: R O Zorn, Hamilton St: R O Zorn, Hamilton |
| 9 | 1964 | Wellington | R O Zorn, Hamilton P van der Schaaf, Christchurch |
1: A I de Graaf, Wellington 2: F Channing, Nelson St: R O Zorn, Hamilton |
| 10 | 1965 | Christchurch | G I Williamson, Mangere P H Pellicaan, Dunedin |
1: A I de Graaf, Wellington 2: F Channing, Nelson St: R O Zorn, Hamilton |
| 11 | 1967 | Avondale | H L Hoving, Silverstream R O Zorn, Hamilton |
1: A I de Graaf, Wellington 2: T E Tyson, Bucklands Beach St: C J Reitsma, Wellington |
| 12 | 1969 | Nelson | C J Reitsma, Wellington T E Tyson, Bucklands Beach |
1: D G Vanderpyl 2: F Channing, Nelson St: D G Vanderpyl |
| 13 | 1971 | Wellington | H L Hoving, Silverstream/ Wainuiomata A W Palmer, Mangere |
1: W Wiersma, Christchurch 2: F W Kroon, Bucklands Beach St: D G Vanderpyl |
| 14 | 1974 | Silverstream | W Wiersma, Christchurch W A Davies, Bucklands Beach |
1: D G Vanderpyl 2: H L Hoving, Invercargill St: D G Vanderpyl |
| 15 | 1977 | Hamilton | G I Williamson, Silverstream A W Palmer, Mangere |
1: M Schwarz, Hamilton 2: L Reurich, Hastings St: D G Vanderpyl |
| 16 | 1980 | Palmerston North | M Schwarz, Hamilton J Goris, Avondale |
1: J C Williams, Nelson 2: L Reurich, Kerepehi/ Tokoroa St: D G Vanderpyl |
| 17 | 1983 | Christchurch | P D Stadt, Christchurch J E de Graaf, Bishopdale |
1: B U Kuipers, Palmerston North 2: C A R Larsen, Dunedin St: D G Vanderpyl |
| 18 | 1986 | Mangere | D J van Garderen, Bishopdale P R Flinn, North Shore |
1: B E Hoyt, Silverstream 2: L Draijer, Nelson St: D G Vanderpyl |
| 19 | 1989 | Silverstream | W Wiersma, Hamilton B Kroon, Christchurch |
1: J A Haverland, Bucklands Beach 2: D van der Vecht, Avondale St: D G Vanderpyl |
| 20 | 1992 | Bishopdale | W Wiersma, Hamilton J A Haverland, Bishopdale |
1: M A Flinn, Pukekohe 2: B E Hoyt, Masterton St: J Ploeg |
| 21 | 1995 | Avondale | J A Haverland, Bishopdale M A Flinn, Pukekohe |
1: B E Hoyt, Hastings 2: W Walraven, Silverstream St: J Ploeg |
| 22 | 1998 | Wainuiomata | J A Haverland, Bishopdale G H Milne, Wainuiomata |
1: B E Hoyt, Hastings 2: M A Flinn, Pukekohe St: B E Hoyt, Hastings |
| 23 | 2001 | Palmerston North | M A Flinn, Dovedale M A Capill, Bucklands Beach |
1: S Bajema, Mangere 2: J van Rensburg, Bucklands Beach St: B E Hoyt, Hastings |
| 24 | 2002 | Christchurch | W Wiersma, Hamilton J A Haverland, Bishopdale |
1: B E Hoyt, Hastings 2: W Walraven, Silverstream St: B E Hoyt, Hastings |
| 25 | 2005 | Hamilton | J A Haverland, Pukekohe M A Flinn, Dovedale |
1: B E Hoyt, Hastings 2: R de Vries, Christchurch St: B E Hoyt, Hastings |
| 26 | 2008 | Hastings | J H Rogers, North Shore D J van Garderen, Bucklands Beach |
1: P van der Wel, Hamilton 2: A Nugteren, Wellington St: B E Hoyt, Hastings |
| 27 | 2011 | Bucklands Beach | B E Hoyt, Dunedin/Oamaru P S Kloosterman, Masterton |
1: P van der Wel, Hamilton 2: M R Willemse, Hamilton St: P van der Wel, Hamilton |
| 28 | 2014 | Bishopdale | P S Kloosterman, Masterton R J van Wichen, Bishopdale |
1: J D van Dyk, Dunedin 2: M R Willemse, Hamilton St: P van der Wel, Hamilton |
Latest synodical appointments
- Standing committees
- Church Extension Committee
- Church Order Committee
- Emeritus Fund Trustees
- Interchurch Relations Committee
- Overseas Mission Board
- National Diaconate Committee
- National Publishing Committee
- Synodical Interim Committee
- Hymnal Committee
- Study committees
- Forms and Confessions Update Committee
- Other appointments
- Stated Clerk
- Synodical Treasurer
- Deputies for Students to the Ministry
- Synodical Archivist
- Year Book Editor
- Synodical Liaison to Calvinist Cadet Corps
- Webmaster
See Acts of Synod 2011[4]
References
- ↑ Yearbook 2011 of the Reformed Churches of New Zealand, May 2011, ISSN 1173-0617
- ↑ http://nprc.nz/
- ↑ For more detail see Dick G Vanderpyl's article.
- ↑ http://www.rcnzonline.com/synodical/synod-minutes-2011.pdf
Further reading
- Dirk Vanderpyl (ed) Trust and Obey: A History of the Reformed Churches of New Zealand: Hamilton: Reformed Church Publishing Society: 1994.
