The New Southern Presbytery
The Southern Presbytery was inaugurated at a special service held in Calvin Presbyterian Church, Gor
e, on Saturday the 13th of February 2010.
Me
mbers of the Calvin worship team led the service. Peter Cheyne minister at Calvin welcomed a good number from around the Otago Southland region who attended.
The Moderator of the General Assembly, Graham Redding and Peter Cheyne (Moderator Designate of the General Assembly) prayed the prayer of installation for the new Presbytery's Moderator, Richard Dawson, minister at Leith Valley in Dunedin.
Before the prayer Richard spoke to the congregation and said, "As I am prayed for today I want to do something a little unusual. I am deeply aware that those who are elected to Moderate carry both significant responsibility and, to a certain extent the hopes and dreams of those who elected them. However, the Church’s hopes rest not finally on its leaders but also, to at least an equal extent on the faith of the people and yet, even this is saying too little. The true focus of our hope should always be the grace and Mercy of God and in order to symbolise this today I am going to relinquish a symbol of my dignity and calling and I am gong to ask Peter and Graham to pray for me in much more simple garb. This is a sign to you all that you are electing only another human and unless you pray and do your bit I will find it very difficult to rise above the weaknesses I come with. But it is also a symbol of my hope in God that we will see a new day, not because of who I am but because of who God is."
The combined reform team that had done the work leading to this new Presbytery, were called, prayed for, 
thanked and discharged. Special mention was made of the work of Geoffrey Vine, the Moderator of the Dunedin North Otago Presbytery who had convened this group and Joan Sinclair, Clerk of the same Presbytery who had been the clerk of the group.
The new Presbytery's council was then called forward and introduced. They were in turn were co
mmissioned into their role with prayer.
The new Presbytery will be ratified in October by this year's General Assembly in Christchurch.
The Scriptures for the day were from 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 and Luke 9: 28-36 read by Zona Pearce, the Southern Presbytery Clerk. Graham Redding preached the sermon.
After the service those present enjoyed afternoon tea which was hosted by the folk of Calvin.
