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Welcome to the

Knapdale- Waikaka Presbyterian Church

Parish Profile 2018

‘Helping people to know Jesus Christ in all his fullness’

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Index

1. Who we are. 2. Our Vision for the future. 3. Our current Services. 4. Organisational Groups within the Church. 5. Church Buildings and Finance. 6. Our Communities and Schools. 7. Appendices: Last two years Financial statements & A.G.M. reports;

Newsletters; Code of Ethics; current list of Managers & Elders and specific terms of call.

1. Who we are.

1.1 Knapdale and Waikaka Presbyterian Church Statistics

Each Sunday the Church family comes together to worship from different rural

districts. Currently three Church Buildings, in different districts, are used for

our combined service.

Our church family includes families with children, single and retired or semi-

retired with a fairly even male to female ratio. We are mainly from European

descent and most have a current or past association with the farming industry.

Current membership is 38 with Sunday services of 25-40 people including

children.

There are in total 190-200 homes under our pastoral care.

Year

Average Attendance

Adults Youth Children

2017 30 1 4 2016 32 0 4

2015 27 2 8

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1.2 Members Profile

Not all members are from Presbyterian backgrounds but there is genuine

Christian love and fellowship evident. We see ourselves as caring, supportive,

prayerful, and hospitable and are keen to keep up our friendly, family

atmosphere, providing fellowship through the generations.

Knapdale Waikaka Parish individually and collectively believe:

 In the Trinity being the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. We

recognise them as having separate identities but are one God, our God.

 That each member of our congregation is a child of God and has an

equal and unique position in our Church family.

 The importance of scripture to everyday life. We believe that scripture

teaches and encourages us. It enables us to hear God’s voice in our

lives.

 That the Fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit are relevant to

Christian and Church living.

 That prayer is essential for influencing our lives, our world and missions

within New Zealand and overseas.

1.3 History

In 1881 a strong movement of the Holy Spirit was apparent in this Knapdale

community. It has become known as The Revival, and was led by James Dickie

who farmed the land opposite the former Willowbank school. Because of this

phenomenon the residents of Knapdale raised funds and built a manse on the

corner of Knapdale and Gerken roads, in the hopes of gaining a settled

minister.

After the due processes had been performed permission was eventually given

for the ‘Call’ process to begin, and it was agreed to call William Wright, an exit

student from Knox College. Mr Wright was from farming stock and was well

accepted by the parishioners, and was ordained and inducted in the Knapdale

woolshed on February 21st 1883.

Within a short time plans were being made to erect churches in the

parish. Knapdale was opened in 1884, Otama in 1885, in June that year

Waikaka Valley, in March 1886 North Chatton church was opened and in 1929

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the Wendon Valley Church opened. It was a tribute to the parish that within a

period of 15 months four churches were opened all debt free.

During the ministry of Rev. Peter Ramsey (1889 – 1902) there were several big

changes. In 1894 the Waikaka Valley congregation separated off to form their

own parish, and in 1899 the Waikaka parish came into being. A manse was

erected near the North Chatton church. Later, in 1911 the Waikaka church was

built in the township, and the manse was shifted to the section just above the

church. On 6th November 1963 the Knapdale and Waikaka parishes

amalgamated resulting in today’s Knapdale/Waikaka parish.

About this time a Christian Endeavour Society was formed and a group of

young people regularly met for Bible study and fellowship. Mission outreach

has been a part of our parish since its inception and down through the years

many missionaries have been supported by the church and some members

have also been overseas involved in active missionary service. The parish

continues to be involved in Camp Columba activities.

The original Knapdale parish consisted of churches at Otama and Mandeville as

well as at Knapdale. Mandeville church closed in 2004 and in 2010 the Otama

church underwent an extension and upgrade. Discussions are underway to

close the Knapdale church as it is still the original building and only used on the

months with five Sundays. The original Waikaka parish held church services at

Waikaka, Greenvale school, North Chatton and Wendon Valley. Today

fortnightly services are held at the Waikaka Church.

1.4 Current Church Situation

Knapdale Waikaka has had periods without an interim and permanent minister

and in those times the Elders have encouraged the use of our Church family’s

gifts and abilities. Our Church believes that each individual is an important part

of the body of Christ and should be encouraged to grow in and use their gifts

and abilities for the functioning of Christ’s body in Ministry. We are committed

to our Church functioning as a body with everyone contributing. It is important

that Elders and Church Ministry leadership continue this committment.

These gifts and abilities include:

 Small group leading such as house groups, women’s fellowship, the

managers.

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 Sunday Service involvements such as the childrens talk, worship leading,

playing instruments, welcoming, financial management, childrens

ministry, foodbank collecting, teaching and ministry.

 Community involvements such as Bible in Schools, After school clubs,

chapel services, gypsey day food packages and the holding of

Community services.

 A strong individual and Church involvement in Mission- Camp Columba

locally, support of individuals in Ministry within New Zealand and

Overseas. Several members are part of a large Waidale Missionary trust.

 Other local commitments to Presbytery work and local Christian services

such as Manna bookshop using administrative gifting.

 General Church tasks such as hospitality with morning tea after Church,

church cleaning and lawns, flower arrangements, Manse care, church

newsletter and pastoral visits.

Church Members are involved working in paid employment or self employed

or volunteering in Foodbank, Hospice shop, Red Cross, Meals on Wheels, Lions,

Bible in schools, Full gospel, Missionary groups, Waidale, Camp Columba,

Search & Rescue, Bible Study Groups, Women's Group, Rest home/chapel

involvement, International Christian Businessmen, Manna Bookshop, School

leadership roles, Aglow, Christian Business group, Boys Brigade, Scouts, Home

groups, Medical work, Nursing, Veterinary, Farming groups, Community

welcome visits and food packages, Federated Farmers, Motocross, 4 wheel

drive group, Prayer groups, Car maintenance, children’s work, support of youth

and encouragement of their staff members.

1.5 Ministry and the Recent Past

While writing this parish profile we are being ministered to by the Rev Doug

Stevenson, a retired Baptist Minister appointed by the Southern Presbytery to

engage with us in Transitional Ministry. Prior to Doug the Rev Alistair Smailes

also provided us with ‘Stated Supply’ Ministry for six months. These ministers

have been invaluable as we have been recovering from the resignation of the

Rev Marty Van’t Wout. We believe we have learnt and are learning from this

time, and are ready to settle into a long-term ministry that enables us in our

own ministries and giftings.

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When Marty left us the Presbytery set up a Commission and one of the results

of this has been a re-shaping of the Session. It was previously a very large

Session and is now much smaller, and we hope more effective.

1.6 List of Previous Ministers: -

Rev Cliff Dunn 1964 – 74 Retired

Rev Tom Wilson 1975 – 81 Retired

Rev Neil McDonald 1983 – 89 1st parish. Went to parish in Australia

Rev Owen Rogers 1991 – 99 1st parish. Called to Huntly parish

David Duthie. Lay appointed ministry 2000 – 02

Rev Alan and Marion Kerr 2004 – 2008. Retired

Various interim ministers

Rev Marty van’t Wout. December 2011 – March 2014.

2. Our Vision for the future.

We see the following points as important:

 Desire to see growth in our spiritual lives, as individuals and as a

church family.

 Seeking to grow in the use of our spiritual gifts.

 A desire for effective “friendship evangelism”