REFLECTION ON ISSUES DISCUSSED AT THE (second)MEETING OF YOUNG PACIFIC ISLAND YOUTH LEADERS AND SUPPORTING MINISTERS.

14th September 2012.

Venue - Parnell Presbyterian Church and office of the Pasifika Misionare.

 

Fakalofa atu, Taloha ni, Fefe hake, Talofa, Kia Orana, O Blimey

A quick response regarding yesterday's meeting.(14th Sept 2012)

Thank you for those who attended and those with apologies about yesterdays meeting.

What a blessing to be lead in devotion by Tani and to reflect about the creating nature of God. It highlighted the abilities of our God to continue with the maintenance of his handy work, the life that comes from God and the need for Pacific people to take heed to what this week's psalm share.

There was much reflection on the importance of the group in its focus, but most importantly its neutrality among the different configuration of the PCANZ  church family in regards to PAcific youth and young people.
This group that has gathered to provide the voices of young Pacific members from the different parts of youth ministries in the PCANZ. The gathered group needed to continue its work with a clear mandate of drawing from all of the youth leaders and young adults of the Pacific membership of the whole church.
The MISSION of God is the focus of this group. So when we gather, it is with the aim of representing ALL those with Presbytery affiliation as well as the ethnic specific & ESG members.

Meauli's message at the regional forum hosted by the Northern Presbyterylast Friday was well received. He spoke of the Grace of God that had manifested through the lives of the pioneering Pacific Island migrants (our parents and grand parents). They brought their faith and established themselves in churches that we have inherited.

Meauli stressed the importance of Christ like leaders, who are called to inspire young people into fostering personal relationship with Christ Jesus. In order to achive this, we, as young leaders of the church must be inspired ourselves.

 

  The Rev Kaio and I were there as members of the Northern Presbytery Council, in support of the forum that was aimed at naming for Presbytery what the direction of youth ministry need to be.

 

The turnout of youth leaders was quite impressive, as they represented congregations within the Presbytery. A further joy was to see about 80% of young people there were from Pacific congregations that are not affiliated to the Pacific Synod.

 

The absence of Pacific Synod and Asian youth and young leaders must be seen as an intentional strategy towards ministries that employ approaches that are a mixture of Christ and culture traditions and cultural expressions.

The PI Synod do have youth ministries within each Parish, and each Fonos (National Meetings of Constituents), as are Asians in the council of Asian ministries.

The Pacific Island Synod youth and young people mission and ministries, do operate quite independently within their own Fonos, running regular programs and mission training workshops. The Fono Samoa tupulaga/autalavou also gather in regions (matagaluega) and do organise these regional services three or four times a year. The Cook Island Uapou Fellowship Youth movement (Mapu) extended themselves in 2011 when they hosted and managed the National Uapou Fellowship which was their national gathering with professionalism and spiritually filled.

What has been a downside of such a set up is a tendencies of each group only doing mission and ministry within their own fono. This will be something that this group can bring to its work; which is to influence Presbytery, PI Synod and Asian Ministries to intentional integrated ministries with other youth groups within the Church.

 

This will mandate such a interconnectedness to be one of the aims of each youth leader, Minister and Presbytery bodies, so that not only do PI Synod youth interact with others from various fonos, but also be open to work with groups outside its Synod families. Likewise, youth in the regional Presbytery network are also called to interact with the PI Synod, Asian and national (PYM) young people.

The meeting saw the need for plans to be more forward looking with an imagination of what the face of Pacific Youth Ministry in the next five to ten years.

This does require the youth and young people who are involved in ministries currently to be listened to. The face of ministry in the future may not resemble what we do consider as ministry today, however it is important for the Church in its discernment and continued stewardship to listen and be guided by the vision of God manifested in and through our young people today.

 
The strength of this Pacific Island Leadership group is with the influence they collectively bring to churches they are involved with, and in the role of the Pasifika Misionare office to influence decision makers within both national and regional level of youth mission and ministry, that may allow the resourcing and the development of such (new) expressions.

 

The Pasifika Misionare in his role plan to provide leadership training forums for youth leaders, in areas of:

 

·       personal development,

·                  how to develop the young people that you have to be spiritual leaders

·                  call to ministry- how to listen to God, what is it that God plan for your          life.

·                  evangelism - learn to read the people you plan to reach in bringing to

·                   Jesus.

·                  How can you best and effectively communicate by sharing the            love of Jesus into their lives.

·       inter-generational workshop between migrant parents and NZ born children,

·       Culture and Gospel,  How does Culture relate to Gospel. What are the aspects     of culture that require close attention in terms of youth ministry.

·       orientation into understanding about the Presbyterian Church, its mission, ministries, structures and governance. To become participating members in a   local congregation, youth leaders need to know, what processes are in          place that need to be adhered to and the reasons why they are there.

 

 

Dates and venues of these training session will be made available before the end of the month.

 

There are also questions regarding the youth and young people that are not currently in churches that we need to address. (refer to statistics of Pacific members in Aotearoa NZ provided by Statistics NZ the Pasifika Misionare provided earlier)

·       How can we evangelise to the masses. As a mission church, can we begin the process of thinking of the Church in terms of the universality of God. What can we do to reshape our thinking into an inclusive and unconditional family of God. {He imparts numerous advantages, blessings, and tokens of His kindness on both the righteous and the unrighteous (Matt. 5:45). All of those things are the result of common grace, God’s goodness to mankind in general}

·       If youth and young people do not share the joy of expressing their faith in Jesus as we do by mission and ministries within the designated boundaries of Church- Sunday Worship, can they still be sons and daughters of God. Could they be his sheep that are not of this sheep pen as stated in John 10:16? yet they are considered as belonging to other sheep pens that Jesus claimed to be his.

·       Many of Pacific youth and young people still belong to extended families and still gather with special church services and activities(funeral services, weddings, baptisms, special birthdays).

·        Many of them continue to contribute to the life of the church through donations passed on by their parents and relatives, yet they rarely attend Sunday Services.

·       We see so many in the sporting and musical events acknowledge God in prayer, and openly offering God their praise for their achievements.

 

These topics of discussion will be important in sessions of evangelism and ensuring the presence of Jesus Christ is felt and enjoyed in all corners of communities. These are however not questions that requires discussion only in terms of youth and young adult mission, they are BIG QUESTIONS  for each minister to consider. Presbyteries, congregations, parish councils, men and women groups, elders sessions, deacons courts and managers courts. WE ALL NEED TO TAKE TIME AND CONSIDER THIS OUTREACH actions and where we stand in terms of redefining policies, processes, and church as we know it, so that Jesus' love is embracing all of his children.

 

DATES and VENUES of the latter questions will be considered with advise from the various groups that are involved in decision making as well as those with influence in feeding lifeline of mission to policy makers.

 

(My reflection on mission and ministries within Pacific Youth as I gather information during my work among Pacific Island Youth and Young Adults. Feel free to add to these, members of the young Pacific Island youth gathered as we gather information about the needs, the approaches taken, and reflections on God's hand your own lives and ministries you are leading.)

 

Rev Don Ikitoelagi

(Pasifika Misionare)

 

 

Grace of God imge.