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Missions
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Collection DescriptionThe Missions collection gives an overview of the Foreign Mission activities of the New Zealand Presbyterian Church from 1867. This material includes India (Madras and The Punjab), South China, New Hebrides (Vanuatu) and the Chinese in New Zealand.
The 'Foreign Missions Committee' was created in 1901 when the Southern and Northern Presbyterian Churches of New Zealand finally joined their Missionary Committees along with their respective Churches.
The organization of the Punjab and Canton Villages/South China Mission fields fell under the oversight of regional Mission Councils comprising of most of the Missionaries on the Mission field with an elected President, Secretary, Treasurer and often sub - committees, such as an Education Committee, Medical Committee, Evangelistic Committee etc that reported back to the Mission Council. At all times the Mission Councils were responsible to the NZ Mission Committees.
Responsibility for the Canton Villages Mission area was largely devolved to the 'Kwantung Synod of the Church of Christ in China' in 1926 with the NZ Church still being responsible for staffing, financial support for its Missionaries, the Kong Chuen Hospital and annual grants to the Church of Christ in China. Our Mission staff left China in 1952 and our Mission was closed.
Responsibility for the Punjab Mission area was devolved to the 'Ambala Church Council of the United Church of Northern India' (UCNI) in April 1953 with the NZ Church still being responsible for its own staffing, financial support for its Missionaries, property and domestic matters, and annual financial grants to the UCNI.
The Madras Mission was under the control of the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church of Scotland Missions although the NZ Foreign Missions Committee was kept well informed of policy decisions and consulted where and when necessary. The New Zealand Church's responsibility to this Mission ceased when the Punjab Mission opened in 1908.
The New Hebrides Mission, now Vanuatu, was structured differently due to the isolated nature of the islands and the difficulties of regular communication. The Missionaries were part of a regional Synod represented by each of the Presbyterian Missions operating in the Islands. A Synod was held annually on one of the islands, attended by all Missionaries. A 'Moderator' of Synod was appointed each year. Responsibility for the New Hebrides Mission area was devolved to the newly formed Presbyterian Church of New Hebrides Synod in 1948 with the New Zealand Church still being responsible for its own staffing, financial support for its Missionaries, domestic matters and annual financial grants to the Presbyterian Church of the New Hebrides.
The Presbyterian Church has also undertaken considerable Mission work in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and in the South Pacific region generally, especially after the Congregational Church joined the Presbyterian Church in the late 1960s. Their Mission focus had been very much in the South Pacific area through their support of the 'Congregational Council for World Mission' (CCWM) who had a strong presence in this area. The Presbyterian Church continued this close association with the work of the CCWM.
In August 2002, the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand again took over sole responsibility for its Mission to overseas Churches with the creation of a new 'Global Mission Office' under the Presbyterian 'Overseas Mission and Partnerships Policy Group' of the Council of Assembly.
Items below are just some of the highlights from this collection - please use the search bar to locate more.
Collection SummaryThe Mission collections include records for Presbyterian missions in China (Guangzhou/Canton), Vanuatu (New Hebrides), India (Punjab), Indonesia and other areas in South-East Asia
The 'Foreign Missions Committee' was created in 1901 when the Southern and Northern Presbyterian Churches of New Zealand finally joined their Missionary Committees along with their respective Churches.
The organization of the Punjab and Canton Villages/South China Mission fields fell under the oversight of regional Mission Councils comprising of most of the Missionaries on the Mission field with an elected President, Secretary, Treasurer and often sub - committees, such as an Education Committee, Medical Committee, Evangelistic Committee etc that reported back to the Mission Council. At all times the Mission Councils were responsible to the NZ Mission Committees.
Responsibility for the Canton Villages Mission area was largely devolved to the 'Kwantung Synod of the Church of Christ in China' in 1926 with the NZ Church still being responsible for staffing, financial support for its Missionaries, the Kong Chuen Hospital and annual grants to the Church of Christ in China. Our Mission staff left China in 1952 and our Mission was closed.
Responsibility for the Punjab Mission area was devolved to the 'Ambala Church Council of the United Church of Northern India' (UCNI) in April 1953 with the NZ Church still being responsible for its own staffing, financial support for its Missionaries, property and domestic matters, and annual financial grants to the UCNI.
The Madras Mission was under the control of the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church of Scotland Missions although the NZ Foreign Missions Committee was kept well informed of policy decisions and consulted where and when necessary. The New Zealand Church's responsibility to this Mission ceased when the Punjab Mission opened in 1908.
The New Hebrides Mission, now Vanuatu, was structured differently due to the isolated nature of the islands and the difficulties of regular communication. The Missionaries were part of a regional Synod represented by each of the Presbyterian Missions operating in the Islands. A Synod was held annually on one of the islands, attended by all Missionaries. A 'Moderator' of Synod was appointed each year. Responsibility for the New Hebrides Mission area was devolved to the newly formed Presbyterian Church of New Hebrides Synod in 1948 with the New Zealand Church still being responsible for its own staffing, financial support for its Missionaries, domestic matters and annual financial grants to the Presbyterian Church of the New Hebrides.
The Presbyterian Church has also undertaken considerable Mission work in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and in the South Pacific region generally, especially after the Congregational Church joined the Presbyterian Church in the late 1960s. Their Mission focus had been very much in the South Pacific area through their support of the 'Congregational Council for World Mission' (CCWM) who had a strong presence in this area. The Presbyterian Church continued this close association with the work of the CCWM.
In August 2002, the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand again took over sole responsibility for its Mission to overseas Churches with the creation of a new 'Global Mission Office' under the Presbyterian 'Overseas Mission and Partnerships Policy Group' of the Council of Assembly.
Items below are just some of the highlights from this collection - please use the search bar to locate more.
Collection SummaryThe Mission collections include records for Presbyterian missions in China (Guangzhou/Canton), Vanuatu (New Hebrides), India (Punjab), Indonesia and other areas in South-East Asia
Search the collection
Missions. Presbyterian Research Centre, accessed 09/09/2024, https://pcanzarchives.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/624
