I was interested to read the report of the HanCa presbyteries for two important reasons.
One, I was at the General Assembly when the HanCa presbyteries were established and as a former clerk of presbytery, I was extremely interested to know how this new and innovative change in our structure had fared.
Two, recently I served for over 15 months as an assessor elder with a Korean congregation in Montreal. This congregation did not join the HanCa presbytery; it resulted from a split in a congregation where some of the members joined the HanCa East presbytery and the others remained with the Presbytery of Montreal.
As an assessor elder, I found the situation very demanding. At first I only encouraged the session to follow a few basic sections of the Book of Forms. Plus, for me (and I speak of no others), there was the difficulty of having made a vow at ordination to accept the government of this church by sessions, presbyteries, synods and General Assemblies and promised to share in and submit myself to all lawful oversight therin, etc. But under these peculiar circumstances, I did not feel that I was truly respecting my vows.
As an assessor elder, I was well aware of the problems that had to be faced: Language, customs and a set of Korean Presbyterian Church rules very different from our Book of Forms. Much effort was made by the two assessor elders to seek help in developing a better understanding of being Korean in Montreal at this time.
The HanCa presbyteries have responded well to the needs of most Korean congregations, but as the growth in the future of the PCC will most likely come from our ethnic congregations, I would hope that any experiences gained through this innovation could be shared with presbyteries coping with new or existing ethnic congregations.
I was pleased to read in the Assembly Council’s report that two training events had been held for members of the council as part of a commitment towards making the PCC more racially and ethnically inclusive in ways that will bring about transformation and better utilize the gifts of its diverse membership. Hopefully this kind of training (or something similar) might soon be available to presbyteries. We know how human resources are scarce, and not getting things right early on means a great consumption of time by assessor elders and others when, in fact, we have fewer and fewer people to draw on to respond to such needs.
For any presbyteries faced with erecting new ethnic congregations, I trust that they will speak with others who have gone through the HanCa establishment experience. Perhaps they can shed some new light on what to do and what not to do as we try to guide our newest congregations to help members find a happy church home with us. A church home where they can be with their own people, speak their own language, and follow some of their own customs and yet be a vital and energetic part of the greater community of the PCC.
But just as I ask assessor elders and others involved to try to understand the point of view of the members of ethnic churches, I also believe that for the good of the denomination as a whole, that early on we must encourage members of ethnic congregations to meet us at least part of the way and so build a solid base in order that misunderstandings leading to frustration can be avoided in the future.
We need this understanding if, over time, we are to develop happy relationships which will lead to healthy and strong congregations, and subsequently a vital national church where all members of the Presbyterian Church in Canada—no matter their ethnic background—can work together to continue to fulfill our church’s mission in Canada and further afield.
We are “on the edge.” Let us go forward with faith and confidence.
