The number of presbyteries in Otago and Southland has been cut from five to one, in the biggest shake up the Presbyterian Church South of the Waitaki has seen for more than 150 years.
Southland, Mataura, Central Otago, Clutha, Dunedin and North Otago have agreed to form one presbytery - The Southern Presbytery - for the area south of the Waitaki, Combined Presbyteries reform team facilitator the Rev Geoffrey Vine, of Dunedin, said.
The decision to form the presbytery was not an easy one, and was reached because of a desire to free up people for missionary work rather than being tied up in administration roles, he said.
A task force had worked on the merger for a year, with the new presbytery expected to begin from February 1.
The presbyteries had been independent for about 150 years, and this was the "biggest shake-up" the church had undertaken during this time, he said.
The move to a single presbytery meant the church had gone "full circle", since Thomas Burns established the Presbytery of Otago in the 1850s.
"If it was good enough 150 years ago, it is good enough now. But I doubt everyone is happy with the change," Mr Vine said.
The decision would not result in the loss of jobs, or reduction in the number of churches, and was more a governance issue.
"It marks an important new direction for the Presbyterian Church as ministers and elders, freed of the cumbersome work of governance issues, will be seeking a higher profile in the community."
The Southern Presbytery will have a small governing council, and will be led by the Rev Richard Dawson, of Dunedin.
Mr Vine said at the 2008 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand that it was decided the number of presbyteries be reduced, with year North Otago and Dunedin merging into one presbytery later that year.
An inaugural service to mark The Southern Presbytery will be held at Calvin Church in Gore on February 13.
