An unofficial digest of the proceedings of the First Joint Assembly of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the 40^th Session of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada

Friday July 5, 2013

Joint Session #4

Opening

Following opening devotions, the Anglican Council of Indigenous People presented a gift to ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson.

1.     Greetings: World Council of Churches

National Bishop Susan Johnson introduced the Reverend Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit from World Council of Churches. In his address, Dr. Tveit affirmed the visible commitment to unity and service in this Assembly as a sign for all of us that such is possible for the wider ecumenical movement.  We have a need for one another in Canada and around the world. It is a sign to other churches about how to love and to hold each other in mutual accountability. The 10^th Assembly of the WCC will be held in Korea this coming November, with the theme, “God of light, lead us to live a life of justice and peace. “ He invited the Assembly to reflect on the questions: What does it means to be a church today? What does secularization mean? Can we listen to what leaders outside the churches can teach us about justice and peace? What does it mean that we have diversities and divisions in the world? What does it means to care about creation? We need to consider these together.

2.     Report: Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund and Canadian Lutheran World Relief

Bishop Michael Pryse, Eastern Synod ELCIC, conducted an interview together with Adele Finney, Executive Director of the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, and the Reverend Robert Granke, Director of Canadian Lutheran World Relief. They explored the histories, current projects, and visions of the two agencies, in a conversational dialogue. Stories were told of active relief and development projects. In thanking the presenters, Archbishop Hiltz celebrated these two arms of our Churches are doing tremendously important work that brings healing and wholeness to people around the world and here at home.

3.     Greetings: Indigenous Groups, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Celebration of Inuktituk Bible Translation

Ms. Henriette Thompson, Coordinator for Public Witness for Social Justice (ACC) introduced Terry Audla     from Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. This organization is the national voice of 55,000 Inuit living in 53 communities across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador), land claims regions. Reflecting on the TRC process, Mr. Audla linked the evolving process of reconciliation, in which broader matters of language, education, environmental care, resource development, land claims and economic development need to be owned by Inuit. Mr Audla commended the Inuit Church leaders, bishops, clergy and translators.

National Indigenous Bishop Mark MacDonald introduced the Very Reverend Jonas Alloloo, who over three decades led the work of translating the Bible into Inuktituk in partnership with the Canadian Bible Society. The publication was launched earlier this year, to great welcome. The Assembly joined in celebrating this achievement with warmth and enthusiasm.

4.     Action: Joint Assembly Declaration on Homelessness and Affordable Housing and Responsible Resource Extraction

The Joint Assembly approved the Joint Declaration on Homelessness and Affordable Housing and Responsible Resource Extraction.  The affirmation and commitments of this Declaration challenge the Churches “together to undertake to learn more and to raise greater public awareness, to discern where and how we can make a difference, to act where we can, and to advocate for equitable and innovative approaches to the challenges that we share, and to pray for all affected by these issues and those who bear responsibility in addressing them.” In a moving action, the whole Assembly stood to proclaim the Declarations aloud and with a resounding Amen.

General Synod Session #3

1.     Resolutions

A043 Amendement  to Section 39B a) ii and 39B)a) vi) Division of Partners in Mission and Eco-Justice Committee. Carried

A171 and C001 have been removed from the No Debate List

2.     Nominations Committee Report – CoGS

• Province of British Columbia and the Yukon:  Larry Robertson Lynne McNaughton Donald Wilson Melissa Green Alex Starr
• Rupert’s Land: Lydia Mamakwa, Jane Alexander. Terry Leer, Tannis Webster, Marion Jenkins, Tony Teare, Amanda Lucien
• Ontario: John Chapman, Peter Wall, Haroldine Neil-Burchert, Robert Falby, Noel Platte
• Canada: Percy Coffin, Karen Egan, Jennifer Warren, James Sweeney, Antoinette Lynch-Joseph
• Military Ordinariat: Mark Torchinsky
• ACIP: Sidney Black, Norman Casey
• ELCIC: to be elected by the NCC of ELCIC in September 2013

The Report of the Nominations for Council of General Synod was adopted.

3.     Nominations Committee Report – Committees

• Financial Management : Robert Dickson, Robert Falby, Verna Firth, Leo Martin
• Faith, Worship, and Ministry: Linda Nicholls, Deirdre Piper, Ansley Tucker
• Communications and Information Resources: Neil Elliott, Susan Titterington, Susan Winn
• Partners in Mission: Peter Fenty, Christopher Parsons, Anne Patterson
• Public Witness for Social and Ecological Justice: Rick Chapman, Randall Goodfellow, Jennifer Warren
• Pensions: Stephen Andrews, Perry Cooper, David Irving, JaneOsler, David Selzer, Sharon White
• Anglican Journal: Nissa Basbaum, Tara Munn, Robert Towler
• Resources for Mission: Glen Mitchell, Jane Scanlon, Geoffrey Woodcroft

The Report of the Nominations Committee – Committees of General Synod – was adopted

4.     Faith, Worship, and Ministry  Part One

Canon Andrew Asbil, Chair of Faith, Worship and Ministry, spoke about the ‘connective tissue’ that is the work of FWM. Members of the committee offered reflections on what they have learned from engagement this triennium in ecumenical dialogues, from listening to the Canadian African Bishops’ dialogue, and from engaging in theological reflection on ethical matters.

5.     Governance Working Group

Resolution 042 Amendments to section 8 (f) of the Constitution. carried.

6.     Covenant for the Anglican Communion

Resolution A120 Proposed Covenant for the Anglican Communion carried

7.     Partners in Mission and EcoJustice Committee – Palestine

Resolution A171 Jerusalem Sunday carried

Resolution A172 Peace and Justice in Palestine and Israel carried

General Synod Session #4

1.     Financial Reports, Auditors’ Statements

The Chair of the Financial Management Committee reviewed the history of financial realities and budgetary responses over the past few years. General Synod 2010 committed itself to balanced and sustainable budgeting. The Council of General Synod, in November 2012, permitted an exception for the 2013 budget, as a planned year of transition into new structures and ways of working. Presently, the budget is tracking on target for 2013. We are in very different time and space. Resources are changing. But we are not a poor organization. Creatively re-imagine how to use the resources we do have. Support the work of the mission that Dr. Duraisingh reminded us.  Hanna Goschy walked members through the Draft Audited Financial Statements.

Resolution A150 Audited Financial Statements carried

Resolution A151 Appointment of Auditor carried

2.     Council of the North

Bishop Michael Hawkins introduced the Report of the Council of the North by offering thanks – in many of the languages of the North – to General Synod for their support for and partnership in ministry in the North. A video was then shown, illustrating the varieties of ministries in these dioceses, and the conditions under which ministry is undertaken. The presentation was set out in the themes of the Marks of Mission. Pastoral care, catechesis, suicide prevention work, and working at Indigenous self determination are all to be celebrated.

The day’s work concluded with Night Prayer.