Report to General Synod
The revised Social Justice Commission report to General Synod was given to Standing Committee this week, and accepted. In addition our work was well received, with Standing Committee desiring a little more clarity around our enabler roles. That’s very positive news, and the opportunity to be able to unpack these roles, and get a process working that everyone is happy with, is good thing.
Below, for those who are interested, is the report. It’s good to be able to be transparent. This is an overview report on the last two years, and builds on regular reports to Standing Committee.
The Three Tikanga Social Justice Commission Report to General Synod / Te Hinota Whanui 2010
Overview
Over the last two years since the last General Synod / te Hinota Whanui a lot has happened. Some of the main features include: we have produced a significant number of excellent resources that have been well received; the commission was part of a General Synod review relating to employment responsibility; the Commissioner undertook sabbatical and unpaid leave for six months to work on a manuscript for publication; we initiated the initiative led by the Commissioner for regional social justice enablers.
Resources
Justice Magnetic Poetry was produced and distributed around this church with the aim of encouraging people to engage creatively with justice in their every day lives. It was warmly received. Just Living evolved into the Just booklet series in 2008. There have been three booklets to date (on gardening, food and peace, with community development, anarchism and criminal justice scheduled for release in the second half of this year). In addition a significant amount of work was put into producing and then distributing the Hikoi of Hope: Walking On resource on DVD. All resources were very well received. The introduction to the DVD remains available on our website and has also been included in the Government web based resource Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
The website was kept up to date with news and articles of interest and debate, and our weekly e-news went out and was widely circulated, although distribution declined during the Commissioner’s study leave. The website is available for everyone to add content – and this ethos of being ‘in this together’ – of us all participating in resourcing each other (resource sharing) and participating in building capacity for justice, is something the Commission seek to work out in all we do. We have co-responsibility for mission.
Addition video based documentary work was commissioned from someone around the theme Living on $1 a day. Some segments were produced but sadly the videographer was unable to complete.
During 2009 the Commissioner took sabbatical and unpaid leave to undertake a writing project. This is due to be published later this year with a foreword by The Archbishop of Canterbury. This will also be an excellent resource for this church. During his absence he ensured the work of the Commission was able to continue , and upon his return employed the same person as the first enabler with a particular focus upon the flaxroots. We would like to acknowledge the good work of Jolyon White, who undertook this role here in this report. In 2010 we have two highly experienced Maori community development workers as enablers in the North Island across all three tikanga.
Emergent Strengths
Working as an authentic three tikanga body is one of our greatest strengths, allowing us to work out together how we act authentically and justly as three tikanga. That kind of authenticity has a price – things can take longer to achieve, but the weaving and the walking are worth it, for part of our ministry is to seek justice in the church and its structures – that itself is an important form of social transformation.
We are excited at opportunities to develop the justice mission of the church both internally and externally. We are, for example, one of a small group that commissioned and is organising the alternative welfare working group, whose report will help to change the public discourse and influence policy (the report being the start of a longer term vision). We are also a member of an emergent campaign to eradicate child poverty, continue to feed into actions to combat family violence, and are in discussion with others about a child abuse related project.
The continued development of the flax roots enabler role is allowing the work of the commission to be experienced directly by people in every day life, and has resulted in projects around alternative economics, community development and stopping violence, for example. It also resulted in our very successful, although for some controversial, support for the Waihopi Plouhshares action. These projects have all been very positively received by the community with and in whom our mission is done.
We recognise that our work can sometimes appear controversial. However, we also recognise that work around social justice is often that way. What is important is knowing a sense of support from those in authority in the church, and being rooted in the politics of the Gospel not the many other kinds that plague our lives. We are fortunate to have both, and especially to receive such active and positive support from our Arch-episcopacy.
Tikanga Pasifika have really led the way for us with their strategic plan for social justice, and their work inspired others on the commission to explore what their tikanga could do in this regard. The Commissioner has been invited to undertake some work with Tikanga Pasifika to help implement and resource this plan. In addition the Commissioner continues to seek ways of working collaboratively with Te Pihopatanga.
We understand our role to enable, encourage, undertake, promote, nurture and strengthen this church’s involvement in creating a just society. Access to funding for our work and that of people in the church continues to hamper this vision’s development. We hope our revised strategic plan, attached, helps in this regard, as well as a renewed commitment by the Commission to pursue funding opportunities and strategies.
There are many issues of injustice that plague our islands and our church. Some of the most important, around welfare, poverty, violence, climate change and land and its use remain constantly in our sights. While we seek to engage with as many issues as we are able, we are only one small group, and focus and priority varies according to people and context. Therefore, our concern is also always for encouraging and resourcing the real concrete engagement of the whole church to be just where it is. The model of flax roots enabling is designed to strengthen this commitment. We seek to weave the strands of justice together for the sake of strengthening God’s justice mission through and in the church.
As indicated in our meeting earlier this year, we believe the commission’s work would benefit from an external review to help us improve our self understanding and mahi together. We have asked Rev John Fairbrother and Ms Tui Speight to work with us in this regard.
We commend this report to General Synod.
Muru Walters (Chair)
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