Presbyterian Movement For Spiritual Renewal

Chronicle (Levin), 13 December 1949, Page 4

Presbyterian Movement For Spiritual Renewal

I "Orie of the most important de1 cisions fhade at the recent gerieral1 vassembly of the Presbyterian I Churdh at Timaru was that to jlaunch in March, 1950, the New | Zealand Presbyterian New Li-f e | Movefhent," said Rev. A. saimohd 'dealirig with discussions' and- dei cisions of assembly in St. Andrew's \ Pre'sbyterian Church last evenIng. \ "In- our day there is unddubtedlly a Soirring- of new life in the Christian. Churehes of the world. , As y et those who • are conferit to live on spiritua-1 capital feuilt ifp" j by 'Hormer generatioris ah'd those ; who are' satisfied with traditional ; Christianity are largely untbuched I by the sa-rring of new lif e,( but iri ! every country in every Christjari community that took its faith jseriously hien and wohieh are b'e*-2 iing fa'ced with the challen'ge to jchange over from tEd ddf^hSiv'e I and embhrk on a policy. of aggrPsjsive Pvangelism. In the Presbyiteriah Church 6f New Zealand' tKe* : New Life . Movement is not a jsuperficial "attempt to stimulate jthe life of the Church so that I finances might be raised to enable j the Church to establish herself iin nbw ar-eas and new cenfreb of populatiort^ — .riec'essar'y though tms is-^-nor is it a purely evangelistic" movement divorced from mateflal needs and' social ditties. Its a'im is spiritual fefiewai and ddyaficb. jon all fronts, in which the prp--I visiori- of material resources is an jintegfaf paft ahd is regafded1 as|a spiritUal sefviee. It- ib hdt- in- : tended that extensive organising i work will be done. The assembly i was convrneed that the biovembnf I would groiy ahd develdp with a ■ minihium of orgariisation, ahd tthat existing church eoUrts ahd j cofnrhittees would be thp nofffia-1 jchannels thfough which tK6 : guidance of the movement could !be given most effectivefy.- | "The desife oi tfeb assembiy M S that tlie- christian Mfef ality of- ! living people shoul'd UlwUys be ah- ! exprdssion of their spiritual initefest ahd flipif l-eal c'dhcdrh fof t effective"' ChriSti'ah vfitness- ahd' I church extension at home and1 abroa'd ! '■'Tiie New Life Movement," concluded Mr. Saimohd,- "wiii Kave ; irrfpof tant consequences in the life ?and vSbfk 6f duf whble' cKUfCh."'