Synod of Otago and Southland
Encyclopedia
The Synod of Otago and Southland is a synod of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
(PCANZ). Originally independent, the Synod merged with the northern Presbyterian church in 1901 to form the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
The origins of the Synod of Otago
and Southland began as early as 1848. A migration scheme was set up in the mid nineteenth century to settle Otago with a homogeneous group of settlers. The scheme decided on members of the Free Kirk
who had split from the Church of Scotland
in the Disruption of 1843
. Many Scotsmen were displaced by the Highland Clearances
and the opportunity to own and farm their own land appealed to many.
The first two ships of immigrants, including the Rev. Thomas Burns
, a nephew of Robert Burns
, sailed from Greenock
, near Glasgow
, in 1847 and arrived March 1848 . The settlers established the city of Dunedin
, Scots
for New Edinburgh
. They formed into local congregations and set up the Presbyterian structures of church courts
independent of the Presbyterian church that already existed in the north. Many other settlers followed with more ministers among them, and in 1855 the Presbytery of Otago was formed with responsibility for the area south of the Waitaki River
and distributing the growing income from church property trusts.
It is said that in 1861 Dunedin was perhaps as Presbyterian as Edinburgh
itself, but with the discovery of gold in what became the Central Otago Gold Rush
, many men left their homes and headed for the diggings. People came from Australia
and around the world to mine in Otago and the Presbytery urgently appealed to Scotland to send more ministers. These were sent and in 1866 the Presbytery was broken up into the presbyteries of Dunedin, Clutha, and Southland, all under the jurisdiction of the Synod of Otago and Southland. The number of ministers remained inadequate and in 1872 it was proposed that the Synod should build a seminary. In 1880 a theological college was formally established.
could join its community. From the beginning a large number of the Synod wished to join with the northern church, but an influential minority successfully resisted. This group softened its opposition, however, and in 1901 the two churches united under the name of The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. The Synod wished to continue its existence, and since it had been established by act of parliament and could not be dissolved, it became a court of the united church and retained control of its trusts. The Synod of Otago and Southland remains the only regional court of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
.
The Otago Foundation Trust Board is a sister organization of the Synod and the perpetual trustee for Presbyterian properties south of the Waitaki River. The Trust Board administers funds from which the Synod makes grants to eligible organizations.
At its annual meetings in April the Synod decides the destination of these grants. Most of these funds go to parishes in Otago and Southland, but the Synod has a policy of allocating funds up to 25 percent of total available income to the national church for enterprises which are based in Otago and Southland.
Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is the main Presbyterian church in New Zealand.-History:The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was formed in October 1901 with the amalgamation of churches in Synod of Otago and Southland with those north of the Waitaki River.Presbyterians had by and...
(PCANZ). Originally independent, the Synod merged with the northern Presbyterian church in 1901 to form the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
History
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
and Southland began as early as 1848. A migration scheme was set up in the mid nineteenth century to settle Otago with a homogeneous group of settlers. The scheme decided on members of the Free Kirk
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
who had split from the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
in the Disruption of 1843
Disruption of 1843
The Disruption of 1843 was a schism within the established Church of Scotland, in which 450 ministers of the Church broke away, over the issue of the Church's relationship with the State, to form the Free Church of Scotland...
. Many Scotsmen were displaced by the Highland Clearances
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
and the opportunity to own and farm their own land appealed to many.
The first two ships of immigrants, including the Rev. Thomas Burns
Thomas Burns (New Zealand)
Thomas Burns was a prominent early European settler and religious leader of the province of Otago, New Zealand.Burns was baptised at Mauchline, Ayrshire, Scotland in April 1796, the son of estate manager Gilbert Burns, who was the brother of the poet Robert Burns...
, a nephew of Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
, sailed from Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, near Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, in 1847 and arrived March 1848 . The settlers established the city of Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
for New Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. They formed into local congregations and set up the Presbyterian structures of church courts
Presbyterian polity
Presbyterian polity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply...
independent of the Presbyterian church that already existed in the north. Many other settlers followed with more ministers among them, and in 1855 the Presbytery of Otago was formed with responsibility for the area south of the Waitaki River
Waitaki River
The Waitaki River is a large river in the South Island of New Zealand, some 110 km long. It is the major river of the Mackenzie Basin.It is a braided river which flows through Lake Benmore, Lake Aviemore and Lake Waitaki. These are ultimately fed by three large glacial lakes, Pukaki, Tekapo,...
and distributing the growing income from church property trusts.
It is said that in 1861 Dunedin was perhaps as Presbyterian as Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
itself, but with the discovery of gold in what became the Central Otago Gold Rush
Central Otago Gold Rush
The Central Otago Gold Rush was a gold rush that occurred during the 1860s in Central Otago, New Zealand...
, many men left their homes and headed for the diggings. People came from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and around the world to mine in Otago and the Presbytery urgently appealed to Scotland to send more ministers. These were sent and in 1866 the Presbytery was broken up into the presbyteries of Dunedin, Clutha, and Southland, all under the jurisdiction of the Synod of Otago and Southland. The number of ministers remained inadequate and in 1872 it was proposed that the Synod should build a seminary. In 1880 a theological college was formally established.
Union
As soon as the Presbytery of Otago was formed in 1854 it sent a letter to the congregations and presbyteries of the northern church about the importance of cooperation and union between the two churches. Although they represented different sides of the 1843 split the two churches still held common doctrine, polity and discipline. The responses were initially friendly replies, but no further effort was made at uniting the two groups until 1861 when a joint committee was formed and prepared a basis of union. Slight differences between the two groups delayed further progress for some time. The northern church had always been self supporting, but the Synod of Otago and Southland had been granted a large tract of valuable land, and the Synod was keen to retain ownership of that land in the case of union with the northern church. The open-minded northern church lived among a more mixed population than the conservative Synod which had insisted that only members of the Free Church of ScotlandFree Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
could join its community. From the beginning a large number of the Synod wished to join with the northern church, but an influential minority successfully resisted. This group softened its opposition, however, and in 1901 the two churches united under the name of The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. The Synod wished to continue its existence, and since it had been established by act of parliament and could not be dissolved, it became a court of the united church and retained control of its trusts. The Synod of Otago and Southland remains the only regional court of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Present function
The Synod performs some functions that would be the responsibility of the Assembly Office or the Church Property Trustees north of the Waitaki. Parishes and church campsite committees in Otago and Southland can apply to the Synod thought their presbyteries for approval to buy, sell, alter or lease buildings, borrow money or make application to the New Zealand Lottery Grants BoardNew Zealand Lottery Grants Board
The New Zealand Lottery Grants Board is a business unit of the Department of Internal Affairs in New Zealand.The New Zealand Lottery Grants Board is governed by the Gambling Act 2003. Its purpose is to benefit the community by distributing the profits from state lotteries run by the New Zealand...
.
The Otago Foundation Trust Board is a sister organization of the Synod and the perpetual trustee for Presbyterian properties south of the Waitaki River. The Trust Board administers funds from which the Synod makes grants to eligible organizations.
At its annual meetings in April the Synod decides the destination of these grants. Most of these funds go to parishes in Otago and Southland, but the Synod has a policy of allocating funds up to 25 percent of total available income to the national church for enterprises which are based in Otago and Southland.