2013 General Assembly
The assembly agreed to change the dates of next year’s meeting but refused to consider reducing the number of commissioners sent by presbyteries each year.
Providing facilities are available, the 2013 General Assembly will held over a weekend—from Friday, May 31 until Monday, June 3. It is hoped the change will allow more elders with full-time jobs to attend. The presbyteries of Oak Ridges and HanCa East will co-host the event.
Assembly Council, the body that oversees the work of the General Assembly during the year, was encouraged to “recruit a speaker to address the renewal of the church” at next year’s meeting.
Since the national vision and mission statements proposed by the Assembly Council were referred back for more work, the court also asked the Council to explore options for restructuring the church “without waiting for final responses to a new vision and mission statement.”
The idea of reducing the number of of commissioners to General Assembly was decisively rejected.
Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee
In response to an overture asking the Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations committee to include other denominations in the Ecumenical Shared Ministries Handbook, the committee suggested “it would be improper to include other denominations in the handbook when they did not participate in arriving at a consensus on the policies and procedures that are included in the book.”
The handbook was created by representatives of the Presbyterian, United, Evangelical Lutheran and Anglican churches.
The assembly defeated the committee’s recommendation by a slim majority and referred the overture back to the committee.
Fund for Ministerial Assistance Requires Additional Donations
Rev. Dr. Andrew Johnston, convener of the Norman M. Paterson Fund for Ministerial Assistance, called attention to the “urgent need for new infusions of capital” into the fund. It provides money to ministers who struggle to provide for their families.
Last year the fund provided 46 ministers and 93 children with gifts of up to $750.
“The total amount available for distribution will be significantly lower this year, without new contributions,” the report said. “The appointers pray that they will be able to continue to issue the annual foundational grants to all applicants. In all likelihood, however, the customary Christmas/Year End gifts will have to be suspended.”
International Affairs Committee Focuses on Mining
The church’s International Affairs committee examined Canada-based mining companies in its report. It offered a number of recommendations that passed without debate:
The Moderator will write to Barrick Gold, a large Canadian mining company to “ask for a report on the progress and impact of programs it has instituted for human rights training and conflict minimization for staff and security personnel at the North Mara mine and other mines the company owns in Tanzania and Chile.”
According to the report, “The [North Mara] mine gained international notoriety when, on May 16, 2011, five residents were shot and killed by police on or near the mine site after an altercation between locals, who were searching the mine’s debris for gold, and mine security personnel and police.” Barrick Gold announced it would expand social responsibility, security initiatives and human rights training for staff as a result.
The Justice Ministries department “in partnership with other organizations” will engage in discussions with Goldcorp, a Canadian corporation that runs the Marlin gold and silver mine in Guatemala. Goldcorp was also targeted in recommendations at last year’s assembly. The Presbyterian Church in Canada owns 14,200 shares of the corporation’s stock.
The Moderator will also write letters to the ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to urge the Canadian government to “become an Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative compliant country,” and to Barrick Gold and Goldcorp to “affirm the companies’ support of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative,” which independently verifies and publishes the revenues of signatories.
The Trustee Board will also obtain a list of all mining company shares held by the PCC and will, with assistance from Justice Ministries, discover whether the companies are compliant with the initiative. The trustee board will write to compliant companies to affirm support for the initiative and to non-complaint companies to request an explanation.
The Moderator will also write to the ministers of International Trade, Industry and Health asking for the government to list chrysotile asbestos on its export control list, and to the Minister of International Trade recommending that asbestos be included in “the environmental assessment of any Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement negotiated with India.”
Asbestos is a carcinogen that has been banned in many countries in the Global North, but Canadian-produced asbestos continues to be imported to countries like India. It is often used to make cheap, fire-resistant building materials. However, inhaling the asbestos fibres can cause lung diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Church Responds to Climate Change Recommendations
A recommendation asking congregations and presbyteries to “calculate the carbon emissions of their commissioners’ travel to General Assembly and develop initiatives to offset the emissions” generated quite a stir on the assembly floor.
Rev. Marc Fraser, a commissioner from the Presbytery of Central Alberta, set off the debate when he suggested the recommendation might be unfair for presbyteries and congregations that sent commissioners great distances to attend the meeting.
Responding to the comments, Rev. Helen Smith, convener of the Life and Mission Agency, said the recommendation was a voluntary and a “purely symbolic” action. Staff from Justice Ministries will calculate the average carbon emissions of commissioners. “It’s an “an act of community solidarity with commissioners from assembly,” she said.
The motion passed on Wednesday.
A brief debate also sprung up around a recommendation that expressed the court’s disappointment with the government’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol.
“The intent is not to express negativity or disappointment, even if we are disappointed; but rather to express our real concern which is to encourage the government to take initiative and responsibility for the environment,” explained Rev. Will Ingram of East Toronto presbytery.
The assembly decided the Moderator will instead write to the government to “express General Assembly’s encouragement to continue to develop policies and initiatives to promote more responsible stewardship and care for the resources of the earth.”
An additional motion from Rev. Doug Robertson of Montreal presbytery told the Moderator to write to the government, urging it to “maintain or increase funding of scientific projects” to help Canadians understand the realities of climate change.
The Moderator will also “write to the 49 companies that responded to the Carbon Disclosure Project’s questionnaire expressing the General Assembly’s support and to the 17 companies that did not answer the Carbon Disclosure Project’s questionnaire urging these companies to participate in the Carbon Disclosure Project’s survey.”
Church to Set up Self Insurance Option
The Presbyterian Church in Canada will work with Marsh, an insurance provider, to create a separate property, boiler and machinery self insurance program for claims between $1,000 and $50,000.
The required reserve will be built up to $350,000 through existing premiums and this limited self insurance program should begin Jan. 1, 2013. Congregations that are not currently members of the program are encouraged to join.
History Committee
The assembly granted permission for the National Presbyterian Museum advisory committee to contact churches with a modest request: would churches “consider including a $50.00 donation to the Museum as part of their 2013 budget.”
Clerks of synods and presbyteries are asked to provide the history committee with names and biographical information about retiring ministers and church workers so the General Assembly can celebrate these individuals.
Congregations are encouraged to contact the archives to microfilm their church documents, preserving them in case the originals are ever destroyed.
The assembly also recognized the winners of the 2012 history prizes: First, New Glasgow, N.S., and its minister Rev. Dr. Glen Matheson won the prize for congregational history for the book, Far From Ordinary; Rev. Hugh Appel took the clergy memoir prize for his book From Pulp to Pulpit.
And a sub-committee has been charged with providing details about five events—which will focus on the five “solas” or statements of Reformed belief—to occur yearly from 2013 to 2017. These are meant to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.
Moments of Appreciation
By Seth Veenstra
The Life and Mission Agency honoured Rev. Gordon Haynes, the former associate secretary of the former Canada Ministries office, with a minute of appreciation.
“Wherever he has served, Gordon has cheerfully accepted positions of leadership where he always emphasized the dignity of each church court,” read Rev. Helen Smith, convener of the LMA.
After graduating from Knox College in 1973, Haynes served in congregational ministry for more than 20 years.
Then in 1997, he left congregational ministry to become the associate secretary for Canada Ministries, a position he held until August 2011. The department amalgamated with the Vine to become Canadian Ministries.
During this time with Canada Ministries, Rev. Haynes “developed a heart for the aboriginal people.” Working with the National Native Ministries Council, Haynes helped bring “issues of ministry with aboriginal people” into wider church consciousness. According to many of his colleagues “this was what he loved and enjoyed best of all.”
“I have had, over the years, a great adventure of being part of the lives of individual congregations and then, as associate secretary, part of the lives of congregations across Canada,” said Haynes. “For that, I thank God.”
The Presbyterian College expressed its “heartfelt appreciation for the inspired and dedicated service in leadership, teaching, ministry and administration” of Rev. Dr. John Vissers.
“Under John’s leadership the board, faculty, staff, students and the alumni of Presbyterian College have grown as the college has prospered,” wrote Ralph Loader, chair of the college’s board of governors.
As principal, Vissers guided the college through various changes, including the adoption of a new mission statement, the transformation of their governance structure, and the implementation of a new strategic plan.
“During his time with us, Dr. Vissers fostered high standards of governance, academic excellence and leadership in the college, and contributed greatly to the Presbytery of Montreal and the wider church and educational communities.”
Vissers served the college as principal and professor of theology since 1999. On December 31, Vissers will be released from his appointment as principal in order to become Director of Academic Programs and Professor of Historical Theology at Knox College, Toronto.
Missionaries Rev. Glenn and Ms. Linda Inglis were honoured for their many years of service in Malawi.
“What a privilege it is for me as moderator of this assembly to congratulate you on your retirement and to thank you for this long and faithful service to Presbyterian Church in Canada as missionaries,” said Rev. Dr. John Vissers, the current Moderator.
Between 1980 and 2012 the Inglises served three postings in Malawi and one in Lesotho. They plan to retire in December 2012.
The Inglises first served in the Blantyre Synod, Malawi. Glenn worked as a minister and chaplain while Linda served in a rehabilitation program for people recovering from polio.
They returned to Canada in 1985, after Glenn accepted a call to St. Andrew’s, Nanaimo, B.C. In the following years the Inglises answered various calls to ministry in both Africa and Canada.
“Listening carefully to the summary of the movement back and forth between Africa and Canada, all I have to say is ‘Wow!’ What an amazing life’s journey. What an amazing way in which to serve the gospel. And what a deep commitment it represents,” said Vissers.
Most of their time in Africa was spent in Malawi, where Glenn worked closely with the Blantyre Synod. In 1997, he served as co-ordinator of the Church and Society Program, then as ecumenical officer in the General Assembly office of Blantyre Synod. Linda acted as guide to ecumenical visitors and advisor to short and long term missionaries.
“We always were so happy to have guests come, whether it was with tours or individuals, to show people the work that went on in Malawi through your donations and your prayers and your help,” said Linda to assembly.
In 2007, Glen served as executive director of the Blantyre Synod Health and Development Commission and Linda worked as an ecumenical officer of the Blantyre Synod.
“A lot of my work in Malawi was in the field of governance,” said Glenn. Since the Presbyterian Church is such a large denomination in Malawi, the church had significant role in guiding the government as it was “transitioning to democracy.”
“It was by God’s grace I had the opportunity to participate in that process.”
Rev. Dr. Ron Wallace served as associate secretary for International Ministries of the Life and Mission Agency since 2003. He retired in June.
Wallace told assembly it has been a privilege to work with the church’s missionaries and national office staff.
As associate secretary, Ron represented the church at a variety of international events, including the 75th anniversary of the partnership in mission between the Korean Christian Church in Japan and the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 2003.
“Partnerships are about relationships,” said Wallace.
The minute noted Wallace’s “vocational journey to this position had included a wide variety of ministerial positions. In 1976, the same year he graduated from Knox College, Wallace served in as a missionary in Japan. Appointed to the Korean Christian Church in Japan, Wallace served first as a youth minister then as an associate minister.
As associate secretary for International Ministries, Wallace was involved in various ecumenical endeavours. He oversaw the negotiation of covenants between both the PCC and the Reformed Church in Hungary and the PCC and the Reformed Church in Romania. He was also an elected member of the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism of the World Council of Churches and served in this body’s Evangelism Working Group and Mission and Ecclesiology Working Group.
In regards to his character, “Ron’s colleagues in the field appreciated him as a patient, kind, fair, warm, extremely organized and efficient and hard-working servant.” He was further described in the minute as “the epitome of quiet diplomacy and a master of still waters.”
“International ministries will be in great hands,” said Wallace. “I’m very encouraged with the successor that has been chosen for me.”
Glynis Williams will fill the role of associate secretary. She begins work in October.
