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The International Affairs Committee presented global public health as its second theme for the church. It follows last year's focus on water as a sacred gift — both of which are based on “building the common good.” This year's theme deals with issues like accessibility of medicines, clean water and sanitation.
The government will be asked to look at the current patent system for medicinal drugs and at new ways of promoting health research and access to medications.
Congregations and presbyteries will be requested to draw attention to the Make Poverty History campaign and encourage support of the initiative.
A request from the Committee on Theological Education for increased representation on Assembly Council was referred to a joint working group made up of four representatives each from CTE and the council, plus an independent facilitator. They will discuss the possibility of increased membership and the underlying issues that are said to be hampering the relationships between the two bodies.
The assembly approved an agreement between St. Andrew's Hall at the Vancouver School of Theology, and Regent College, a trans-denominational evangelical school of theology in British Columbia, that will allow joint study towards a Master of Divinity from Regent and a VST diploma. Normally, students from a non-Presbyterian college hoping to be ordained in the PCC are required to take another year and a half of study at one of the three Presbyterian colleges. Requirements such as being a member of the PCC, attending a Presbyterian congregation during study and undergoing psychological testing will still apply.
Seven of 10 commissioners from the Eastern Han-Ca Presbytery did not attend assembly, and could not be reached for an explanation (although the presbytery clerk faxed an apology at assembly's end, noting that many elders are first-generation immigrants and are unable to be away from their businesses for days at a time).
Concerns about language barriers and making the assembly's proceedings accessible to all led to an additional motion to make arrangements for Korean translation at the 133rd and future assemblies.
The Presbyterian Record responded to an overture questioning the magazine's right to publish names of ministers involved in allegations of wrongdoing. Ian Fraser, convener of the Record board, noted that publishing such names demonstrates an “openness and transparency in how we as a church need to operate, and in doing so, is how all parties are best served.” The assembly approved the Record's practice of publishing these names, and the editor's ability to make such decisions.
The assembly decided, against the wishes of the Committee on Bills and Overtures, to grant an overture from the Presbytery of Newfoundland asking to place a particular retired minister (who has been in the presbytery for 10 years, is familiar with the people and the congregations, and whose presence will save others from being flown in for presbytery meetings) onto its constituent role.
The assembly instructed the Assembly Council to review the declining amount of dollars available to Canada Ministries (which generally comes from Presbyterians Sharing) and to look at ways in which this funding can be increased.
Much debate surrounded how the church should be spending its money and whether or not it should be sitting on a projected $1,000,000 surplus for 2007. Rev. Peter Bush (Presbytery of Huron-Perth) asked the church to “act with boldness” and spend the surplus on the church's AIDS campaign, the enhancement of international ministries and the starting of new Canadian congregations. “The day of the rainy day fund is over; it's time we use the resources to do the ministry of Jesus Christ,” said Bush. The Assembly Council debated the issue on its own, and reported back regarding the financial implications. It responded that in order for the council to meet its financial obligations to the church (and to be able to remedy any future downturns, such as dramatically reduced givings to Presbyterians Sharing) the motion should be defeated. The assembly agreed.
The assembly decided that Assembly Council does indeed have a “prophetic role” in discussing and determining issues facing the church, saying, “Because…listening and discerning what God is saying to the church is one of the main functions of the council, we believe the use of the phrase 'prophetic role' is appropriate and summarizes well what the council does and should be doing.”
The assembly referred a recommendation back to the Clerks of Assembly on allowing ruling elders to act as interim moderators of congregations. The clerks advised against ruling elders taking this position, but the assembly wanted further study of the issue. The recommendation responded to an overture from 2005, which noted that some presbyteries have many vacancies and few ordained ministers, putting increasing demands on ministers' time. The clerks argued that changing this would be contrary to the church's polity and doctrine of ministry, since an interim moderator is more than an administrative role. He/she administers sacraments, moderates session and “is in every legal and pastoral way the minister of that congregation.” To allow ruling elders to complete these tasks would be to blur the lines between elder and minister.
The assembly re-affirmed the use of commissions as well as committees to deal with conflicts among ministerial staff. Committees are appointed by a court and report back to that court with recommendations, while commissions are also appointed, but are normally given the power to issue and the authority to make decisions without referring back to the appointing court.
The clerks of assembly, in consultation with moderators of former General Assemblies, will facilitate a process for acquiring a perpetual symbol of the office of moderator, to be presented next year.
Each session and/or congregational Christian education committee is encouraged to study “Our declining Sunday schools” and “What can be done about declining Sunday schools?” from the Education in the Faith department and take at least one action recommended there.
The assembly agreed to not grant an overture from 2005 that asked the Clerks of Assembly to offer proposals on how the church can change its understanding of membership to be more relevant to modern society. The overture noted that many parishioners are active and committed to a congregation, but have no desire to become communicant members. Previous assemblies have addressed this reality; seeking for changes to the way adherents are viewed and what they can and cannot do within the church's courts. The status quo has been maintained in the past, and it was again this year.
A report concerning the laity, this time on developing standards and pay scales for lay staff, will be sent to sessions, presbyteries, synods, ministerial lay staff persons, CTE, the three colleges and the clerks for study and comment by Dec. 1, 2006. The interim report was created after surveys were completed by lay staff who reported on their duties, hours, job descriptions and current remuneration.
A report on congregations with two or more ministers and the relationships therein will be sent to sessions, presbyteries and the joint task force on theology and ordination for study and comment by Dec. 1, 2006. There are 36 congregations (or four per cent of the total) with multiple ministers, according to the 2005 Acts and Proceedings.
A report on defining and setting standards for lay missionaries is also being sent to the church for study and comment by March 1, 2007. The main proposal is the creation of Presbytery Commissioned Pastoring Elders, who are ruling elders commissioned by presbytery to provide pulpit supply and pastoral leadership. An educational component would be required. There was some debate regarding whether or not this was creating another tier of ministers, but the report assures the church that it only “extends the ministry of ruling elders, and does not initiate a new order of ministry nor institute a permanent set of arrangements.”
PWS&D is taking a lead role in this summer's International AIDS Conference, held in Toronto on August 13-18. It will help Canadian churches host ecumenical and faith-based participation at the conference. A Christian pre-conference will take place on August 10-12.
As givings to Presbyterians Sharing begin to flat-line and likely decline, the assembly adopted the need for presbyteries, sessions and teaching elders to provide strong, enthusiastic leadership by interpreting and educating about Presbyterians Sharing and by encouraging congregations, through prayer and financial support, to participate in the mission and ministries supported through Presbyterians Sharing.
During the year of Sabbath, every congregation, session and minister is encouraged to participate in at least one spiritual retreat that is designed to help the participants reflect on their spiritual pilgrimage and walk.
The 133rd General Assembly will be held in Cambridge, Ont., in the presbytery of Waterloo-Wellington, in 2007. The following year, the assembly will meet in Ottawa.
