General Assembly Lifts Ban on Gay United Church Minister
The General Assembly agreed to lift a ban preventing a gay United Church minister from preaching as a guest in Presbyterian churches.
Authorconniepurvis
Assembly Debates Stance on Christian Zionism and Israel-Palestine
A recommendation from the International Affairs committee created prolonged debate as the General Assembly wrestled with how to articulate its stance on Christian Zionism and Israel-Palestine.
Tuesday’s Business in Brief
Assembly not interested in changing commissioner ratio; Ecumenical and Shared Ministries Handbook should include more denominations; Fund to assist ministers in “urgent” need of donations; International affairs committee looks into mining; Commissioners debate climate change; National Museum seeks $50 from churches
Missionary Honoured for Hakka Bible Translation
As Rev. Dr. Paul McLean stood at the front of the hall holding a copy of the Bible he helped to translate, he was met with a standing ovation.
Monday’s Business in Brief
Communion can be conducted across the internet; the church’s vision and mission statements still need work; a report on the life of HanCa presbyteries, and other business from the Monday sederunts.
Assembly Struggles with Pension Plan
During Monday’s sederunts, the General Assembly struggled to endorse a strategy to overcome deficits in the church’s pension plan.
Opening Worship and Q&A@GA
The opening worship service may have been conducted in a university gymnasium, but the local affairs committee—and their art committee—did their best to ensure the space was transformed.
‘Unfit Mother’ Speaks Up
Unwed mothers who surrendered their children for adoption should have their grief recognized by the church, a former resident of a Presbyterian-run maternity home has said.
Religious People are ‘Top Volunteers’
According to a Statistics Canada study released April 17, people who attend religious services at least once a week volunteer more often and for more hours than people who attend services less often or not at all.
John Vissers’ ‘Hectic’ Year
The two announcements came only days apart. Rev. Dr. John Vissers has been elected to stand as sole nominee for moderator of the 138th General Assembly, and he has been appointed director of academic programs and professor of historical theology at Knox College, Toronto.
2013 General Assembly to be a ‘Long Weekend’
The Assembly Council decided next year’s General Assembly should begin on a Friday and end on a Monday, making the annual meeting of the church’s highest court more accessible to full-time working elders.
Assembly Council Discusses Vision and Mission Statements
“A community rooted in Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, courageously embracing the gifts of God, to be a blessing in the world,” reads the vision statement that will come before the church’s highest court in June. The accompanying one-page mission statement includes a series of bullet points outlining what the church aims to do.
Mission – The Best in Africa
Rick Allen teaches about HIV/AIDS in Kenya. When he headed for Kenya 17 years ago, Presbyterian missionary Dr. Rick Allen didn’t picture himself handing out […]
Churches Face More Taxes
Though worship spaces are exempt from property taxes in Ontario, those portions of the building rented to commercial interests are taxable. Trafalgar, Oakville, Ont., has […]
First Nations Youth Meet with UN Officials
Chelsea Edwards grew up attending classes in decaying, ill-heated portables on the remote Attawapiskat First Nation near James Bay. The students shared the space with […]
Interview with Rev. Gordon Haynes – Nominee for Moderator
Throughout the 2011 General Assembly, one word seemed to emerge over and over again: Vision. The Record asked the nominees for moderator of the 2012 […]
Interview with Rev. Dr. John Vissers – Nominee for Moderator
Throughout the 2011 General Assembly, one word seemed to emerge over and over again: Vision. The Record asked the nominees for moderator of the 2012 […]
Two Cape Breton Churches Burn Down
East Lake Ainslie Presbyterian Church caught fire on Dec. 18th. In the days leading up to Christmas, two historic churches in Cape Breton burned to […]
Interview with Rev. John Borthwick – Nominee for Moderator
Throughout the 2011 General Assembly, one word seemed to emerge over and over again: Vision. The Record asked the nominees for moderator of the 2012 […]
Interview with Rev. Peter Bush – Nominee for Moderator
Throughout the 2011 General Assembly, one word seemed to emerge over and over again: Vision. The Record asked the nominees for moderator of the 2012 […]