IRCA Oceania

Conference Sequel to IRCA 2023

held in Dubuque, Iowa, USA, 13-19 April

You are invited to join us on to explore the theme for our own context, using ZOOM links and other resources from the conference, as well as input from people who attend the conference

Friday 26 to Saturday 27 May 2023

St Enoch’s Church, 12 Centennial Road, Alexandra, 9320 Aotearoa New Zealand

More information here

IRCA-Oceania exists to bring a uniquely antipodean perspective to the work of IRCA

We endeavour to encourage rural people in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the islands of Melanesia and the South Pacific to come to together to share their experiences and challenges.

IRCA-Oceania grown out of a long-standing relationship between Australian and New Zealand rural churches. Since the early 1980’s rural people in New Zealand and Australia have been linking ecumenically to support, encourage, and resource one another. The first Trans-Tasman Conference was held in Darfield, NZ in 1984, followed by Kyogle New South Wales in 1988, Waipawa, Hawkes Bay in 1992, Myrtleford, Victoria in 1996, Northland in 2000, Clare, South Australia in 2004, Nelson/Marlborough in 2008, and Atherton, North Queensland in 2012.

News

New page for Rural Chaplaincy

Contribution of Women in Rural Churches, Fiji, March 2020

The last regional conference was held in May 2016 in Wairarapa, NZ. The theme was Life, Death, and Resurrection.

But those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ John 4:14

IRCA-OCEANIA Statement 2016

Conference 2020/21

Sadly because of uncertainty of travel between countries and between states in Australia, IRCA-Oceania’s planned conference in Longreach, Queensland has been cancelled. We will try again in 2024 Click HERE for details.

Leadership Group

A leadership group, appointed at the Conference in 2016, has had the task of keeping the connections and looking at options for gathering four years later. The group includes:

Stephanie Clay who lives at Waikuku beach, North Canterbury, NZ – our Chairperson

Angela Dutton who lives in Wauchope, NSW, Australia – our Treasurer

Katrina Graydon who lives on the Chatham Islands, NZ – our Secretary

Graeme Learsch who lives in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia

Robyn McPhail who lives in Alexandra, Central Otago, NZ

Feel free to contact us at any time. Ideas for networking and strengthening ministry in rural communities always welcome. Or to share your stories – stories of challenge and stories of hope.

The operating guidelines for IRCA-Oceania, adopted on the 6th July 2012, can be found HERE