The Book of Reports and minutes of assembly are available for download on the Presbyterian Church in Canada’s website.
Elders and Baptism
If presbyteries and the next General Assembly approve a recommendation sent down under the Barrier Act, elders may in the future be permitted to administer the sacrament of baptism in isolated congregations.
Elders who have special training can already be commissioned by their presbyteries to administer communion, one of the church’s two sacraments, in the congregations they serve.
The recommendation aims to replace the words “Sacrament of Holy Communion” with the word “sacraments” in two places in section 201.4 of the Book of Forms, the church’s guide to polity.
Another recommendation asked the church’s theological colleges and the Elders’ Institute “to continue to develop suitable training materials to assist presbyteries to prepare ruling elders under the authority of presbyteries to administer the Sacraments in certain circumstances in which a minister is not available.”
Living Faith in Korean
The Korean translation of Living Faith may come to sit beside the English version as a subordinate standard of the denomination. The recommendation was remitted to presbyteries under the Barrier Act, and must be approved by a majority of presbyteries and a second General Assembly.
The Option to Eliminate Synods
Sessions, presbyteries and synods will get a chance to weigh in on the possibilities for synods thanks to a document sent out for study and report.
The document was created by a special committee tasked with determining if and how synods’ work could be fulfilled without the structure of a synod, and how synods might be permitted to dissolve themselves if they wish to do so. The committee was created by the 2013 assembly in response to an overture from the Synod of Central, Northeastern Ontario and Bermuda.
The report prepared for the courts of the church includes a series of study questions and some proposed procedures for them to consider.
On the floor the recommendation was amended to ask the courts to “be encouraged to make other suggestions on how the church might reorganize the work of synods in a more efficient and effective way.” The study and report deadline is January 31, 2015.
Guidelines for Immigrant Congregations
The report of the clerks of assembly included a guide to help immigrant congregations that are considering joining the Presbyterian Church in Canada, as well as the presbyteries that might receive them. It provides an outline of the church’s policies and procedures, and a checklist of steps to receive a new congregation.
Some Other Motions:
- The “burning bush” and the motto “nec tamen consumebatur,” which have long been used by the denomination, were officially authorized by the assembly.
- Rev. Dr. Dale Woods, acting principal of Presbyterian College, Montreal, Que., was appointed principal for a five-year term.
- Rev. Dr. Dorcas Gordon, principal of Knox College, Toronto, was reappointed for another five-year term. And Rev. Dr. Pamela McCarroll was granted tenure.
Congregations are encouraged to:
- Have their official records copied to microfilm for security and preservation purposes (and also digitized if desired) by contacting the Archives.
- Celebrate Heritage Sunday on February 15, 2015, or on another Sunday, as a means of celebrating the unique faith journey and heritage we enjoy as Presbyterians.
- Offer prayers on the Sunday nearest to National Housing Day on November 22 for the homeless and those who lack decent, affordable housing in the community.
- Consider ways of establishing or supporting affordable housing initiatives in their communities.
- Invite their members and adherents who are 60 years of age and older to consider acquiring a gift annuity, thereby providing guaranteed tax-free annual income for the rest of their lives and a significant legacy for the future of the church.
- Set aside the Sunday following National Philanthropy Day® on November 15th to celebrate the contributions philanthropy has had in the life of the church, Canada and the world; and to highlight the ministry of Planned Giving and the legacy of faith and hope it can provide for generations to come.
- Pray in support of our partner churches and agencies working together in Christian service responding to the challenges of emergencies, poverty and injustice to transform the lives of people with our faithful support.
- Celebrate and support our membership and work with other Canadian churches and agencies at the Canadian Foodgrains Bank in our ecumenical efforts to “End Hunger.”
- Reflect, pray and act on the needs of people affected by conflict in Syria, and reflect on why we may be more generous in times of natural disaster but less so in times of humanitarian disasters related to conflict.
Individuals are encouraged to:
- Meet with local Members of Parliament to dialogue on Canada’s aid program.
- Attend local commemorative events hosted by Aboriginal organizations to honour those who attended residential schools.
- Participate in the Governor General’s My Giving Moment campaign, sharing their time, talent and treasure in tangible ways in the church and surrounding community and sharing their giving moments with the Stewardship and/or Planned Giving departments.
- Clergy are encouraged to submit to the Planned Giving Office any sermons and worship materials they prepare on the theme of philanthropy, planned giving and the stewardship of accumulated assets to be shared with the larger church.
- Engage in prayers for the kidnapped girls from Chibok and for the nation of Nigeria during this time of terrorist destabilization.
Synods are encouraged to:
- Pursue creative and additional ways of augmenting the funding for regional ministries.
- Set aside one hour to do the Blanket Exercise at their 2014 or 2015 meeting. (You can find information about the Blanket Exercise on Kairos’ website).
All courts of the church are encouraged to:
- Be invited to initiate one activity or event or gesture in the next 12 months that is consistent with “seek[ing] opportunities to walk with Aboriginal peoples to find healing and wholeness together as God’s people,” and to share information about these initiatives with Justice Ministries.
- Actively promote the Sola Fide Reformation Anniversary Project for November 1, 2014, and encourage its members to attend this event.
On behalf of the denomination, the Moderator will write to:
- The Minister of International Development affirming the initiative to apply two out of three criteria in the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act and inquire when advisory notes on the third criteria (poverty reduction) will be available.
- The Minister of International Development inquiring about the government’s plans to increase Official Development Assistance as a percent of GNI over the next three years.
- The Minister of International Development inquiring what policies are in place to ensure that the participation of Canadian corporations in Canada’s aid program will be consistent with the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act.
- The Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development recommending that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs hold public hearings on the future of Canadian aid; and that this letter would also be directed to the Critics in the Opposition Parties.
- The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development inquiring about the Government of Canada’s plans to address the need for decent housing in Aboriginal communities.
- The federal Minister of Employment and Social Development recommending that the Government of Canada develop a long term plan for housing that puts core investments on solid ground, increases predictability, protects Canadians from the planned expiry of $1.7 billion in social housing agreements and ensures a healthy stock of affordable rental housing for Canadians.
- The relevant minister in every province and territory recommending that they take every opportunity to collaborate with the federal government in developing long-term strategies and programs to reduce homelessness and provide adequate and affordable housing.
- The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria assuring him that the Presbyterian Church in Canada holds the kidnapped girls, their families and all of the people of Nigeria in its prayers at this critical time in its history and that we are praying for a peaceful and successful outcome of this kidnapping dilemma.
The complete Acts and Proceedings of the 140th General Assembly will be available as a free download from presbyterian.ca later this year.
