Four nominees, many different facets of the church. Rural issues, elder and laity education, international ministries, urban challenges. The nominees focus on these concerns and much more. Although a new candidate can always be nominated at assembly (this year in Edmonton, Alta., in June) these are the forerunners.
To date, ballots have been sent to presbyteries, where ministers, diaconal ministers, and ruling elders will make their selections. Ballots will be returned to the Assembly Office by the end of March, and the Committee to Advise will tally the results on April 1. The official nominee will be formally chosen and inducted at assembly.
Rev. George Malcolm
Forbes Church, Grande Prairie, Alta. Involved in rural and remote ministries for 25 years. Currently convener of Assembly Council and clerk of Peace River Presbytery. Served on national committees including Board of Ministry, Life and Mission Agency Committee and Remote Ministries Consultations for Canada Ministries. Grandfather, Rev. Alexander Nimmo, was moderator, 1959.
“I come from a small presbytery – it’s still called a frontier by some! So I bring that rural and small town perspective. I’ve been in the Presbyterian Church all my life. My family has been here for years. Those who know me, know I’m a down to earth kind of person, and a practical type of minister. I believe it’s important to encourage people in their faith and in their lives, and to stay in touch with people in the community and in the congregation. You could say I’m a pastoral kind of minister, which I learned from my father, who was general secretary of the Board of World Mission. Fancy words and great preaching are good to have, but to me, the pastoral element is important too. I want to be there to hear what people are saying and carry that wherever it needs to go.
“The Church has to get back to being the Church. There are many societal issues to deal with today, but the key is to stay faithful to what the gospel is about. We have to deal with the issues, I know, and the denomination struggles with some of them, and they should be addressed, but don’t get wrapped up in them. I get frustrated by the talk of declining numbers. Don’t ignore it, but don’t make it your central focus. We always hear that our numbers are down, but what can we do about it and how can we be faithful with what we can do?
“I only have a rough idea, but my focus will probably be on remote and rural ministries. I want to encourage those congregations and let them know that even though they may be small, they can still have meaningful ministries. Perhaps they’re not as grandiose as some large, urban churches, but in some ways, they can do more. And I’d say to the more central, urban churches that you can’t forget about your smaller brothers and sisters.”
Rev. M. Jean Morris
Director, Spirituality and Pastoral Care Services, Bethany Care Society, Calgary, Alta. Former minister at Ailsa Craig, Ont., St. Andrew’s and Varsity Acres, Calgary. Leads workshops, retreats, and conferences. Former moderator of Calgary-McLeod Presbytery, and Synod of Alberta and the Northwest. Previously involved with Canada Ministries and Board of Ministries. Father, Rev. Harrold Morris, was moderator, 1989.
“My spiritual formation has been within the PCC – it has shaped me with its theology, its practice, and its culture. My current position is leader of an ecumenical pastoral team. We have diverse gifts, faith traditions and backgrounds, but we come together and seek to serve Christ and those in need of pastoral care, and that binds us together.
“My focus would probably be on seniors and persons with disabilities. These people are often forgotten, certainly by government policies and funding, but often by their faith communities as well. A focus on chaplaincies and institutional and organizational ministries is also needed. We tend to be congregationally focused, and that is the heartbeat of our church, but there are other ministries that are important. Ecumenism and the continued strengthening of our relationship with other communities of faith and emphasizing those things we share, is also important.
“There is a need for really effective pastoral care at every level; meaning pastoral care of and within presbyteries and sessions. There is a lot of concern and heartache in the church and leaders need to be caring and effective. I believe we want to be better caregivers of each other and to demonstrate grace, compassion and justice, and we need to keep growing in our ability to express that. I think the church is called to continue its nurturing of people – and that’s a call to all of us, both clergy and laity – in an expression of faith that goes beyond Sunday morning and outside church walls. I love the line in Living Faith that says, ‘The church is Christ together with his people, called both to worship and to serve Him in all of life.’ That’s our ongoing challenge. How does the church express the transforming love of God to the world? It’s something to work on in the church, but it’s also a call to be active in the world. The church has to search for ways to do that, both relevantly and faithfully.”
Rev. J.P. Ian Morrison
General Secretary, Life and Mission Agency, The Presbyterian Church in Canada. Former minister at St. Giles, Prince George, B.C., and Central Church, Vancouver. Was acting dean of St. Andrew’s Hall, Vancouver School of Theology, and associate secretary for Canada Ministries under Board of World Mission. Former moderator, presbyteries of Kamloops, Westminster and Pickering, and Synod of British Columbia.
“I’ve been quite involved in the residential schools issue. I hope that continues to be an emphasis for the church, and that it would move beyond the courts into healing and reconciliation. I want to continue to encourage a response to the AIDS campaign. Also, the Life and Mission Agency has given resources to the church such as Called to Covenant, Stewards by Design and Starting Well. I want to promote the use of these resources. I also want to encourage congregations to be involved with the Presbyterian Record. If we’re not willing to dialogue in a healthy way, we might be in trouble. We must be willing to speak the truth in love.
“I would like to keep before the church the need to be involved in mission – locally, nationally, and internationally. I think a church that’s not looking at that is a church looking too closely inwards, and that’s always a danger. We need to focus on the good things the church is doing, and doing well. We have to encourage and support them.
“A challenge to the church is how Canadian people relate to Aboriginal peoples. If we don’t do that well, we will repeat the past 100 years, and I’m not sure we can afford to. Individual congregations need to be looking at health, and a sense of being who God wants them to be at this time in their history. For some individuals, there needs to be a willingness to yield to change that helps bring in God’s reign on earth. As a denomination, we need to work a bit harder on presbytery- congregation relations, and on how to strengthen them. Called to Covenant is a resource they should take seriously, both for its theological underpinnings and practical resources. We also have to look at developing leadership in the church, and leaders that are willing to learn and grow, and promoting what the colleges and the Elder’s Institute are offering.”
Mr. Leslie Young
Elder, Westmount Church, Edmonton, Alta. Former moderator, Edmonton-Lakeland Presbytery. Served on national committees including Live The Vision campaign, designed New Mission For The Future Of The PCC, and was advisory council to Elders’ Institute, St. Andrew’s Hall. Eighteen-year member of Alberta Legislative Assembly. Currently chairs Local Authorities Pension Plan board, and vice-chair, Alberta Blue Cross.
“From my experience with large and small groups in church, political and corporate settings, I’ve honed my skills in chairing, listening, empowering and motivating volunteers and staff. I have experience with stewardship in the economic and political sectors, and experience in dealing with social issues. I was with the Ministry of Labour for seven years, working on income distribution. I have had some involvement with the Native community, and have been a member of session for many years. I have experience in the church from a lay person’s perspective.
“I think we’re struggling to adjust, at the congregational level in particular, to changes in society without losing the fundamental understandings of our denomination. Addressing this challenge probably involves change, and it certainly involves an understanding of what’s happening around us. This should become something that is real to congregations, where there is a significant population. In some rural areas, decline may be inevitable because of a decline in the surrounding population, but that’s not so often in urban areas. Laity and growth are connected, and there is a huge well-spring of resources in our laity that isn’t being exercised at the moment.
“A good understanding of the manner in which our church courts function is really important, and understanding the opportunity that exists in our laity is important. The challenge to a non-teaching elder who may come to the courts is very large. They often don’t have the understanding or involvement required to make the best contribution they can. We have to make the most of our laity. There is huge potential, in no small measure, that goes untapped. It is a problem that is contributing to the lack of growth in our denomination. It is not the only issue, but it should be addressed. We haven’t recognized the stewardship opportunities that exist with our laity.”
