What does the ACYMS offer Tikanga Pakeha?
August 22, 2004
by Rev John Hebenton ( Anglican Youth Network Facilitator: Tikanga Pakeha)
What excites me most about the ACYMS is that it offers us as a church and a country an exciting new way of being Three Tikanga. For a start, it has been Tikanga Maori who have taken a lot of the initiative to get this idea up and running. They have been the leaders, and I think that is exciting. That leadership role has been acknowledged in the guiding principles. These are really important. Our way of doing things will not be the default way which is about time. But they will involve huge learning for us in Tikanga Pakeha. I am looking forward to seeing how this will help us all grow.
Secondly, the advisory group and the development team are trying to not have an “equal shares view” of how we do things. It is about the whole church, and working together to meet the needs where they are the greatest. This might mean for us in Tikanga Pakeha that at times we will not see as much specifically for us as the other two Tikanga. But we will be part of shaping what is offered, and in delivering it. I think that is much more gospel based than ensuring we get our share. The four directions for the future give some clues as to how that will work out.
Thirdly, there is a clear sense that this will only work if those of us with leadership roles get to know each other a whole lot more, and are willing to work as a team, not as three partners. This relational base is not only vital for the future of the centre, but also offers opportunities for us of all cultures to develop new ways of being church together. I think that could be quite prophetic.
Lastly, can I encourage people to keep their expectations of what the Centre can achieve in the next year realistic. We have only just begun, Through the Advisory Group we are trying to work out the vision and the Development Team is working on how to make those happen. But all that will take time. Please give it the time it needs. Then maybe we can work towards the church that is known as the one to look for in this part of the world for its work among young people.
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