Whereas the congregations and courts of the Presbyterian Church in Canada have been adapting to different forms of meeting since March 2020; and

Whereas these forms have challenged our longstanding principle and practice of full participation by each member in the business of the courts (Book of Forms 4.4,4.3); and

Whereas the Assembly Council has decided to address these extraordinary circumstances with a virtual General Assembly, June 6-9, 2021; and

Whereas such a format, while well-intentioned, cannot fulfil the either the spirit or the letter of the law nor our long-standing wont and usage; and

Whereas several members of the Assembly Council have noted these severe deficiencies in their dissents in the minutes of the Assembly Council (pp.1378-1382) ; and

Whereas one of those dissents note the lack of strong support for a virtual General Assembly from the Presbyteries of the denomination; and

Whereas many Presbyteries expressed strong reservations about the efficacy of a virtual General Assembly; and

Whereas in these challenging times the primary focus of our leadership should be promoting unity and respect and avoiding potential for disharmony by pursuing potentially divisive courses; and

Whereas there is doubtless a need to meet as a General Assembly and formally conduct business of a pressing and consensus nature;

Therefore the Session of St. Paul’s, Simcoe, humbly overtures the venerable, the 146th General Assembly to consider no matters that would substantively alter the doctrine, polity or ecclesiology of the Presbyterian Church in Canada or do otherwise as the General Assembly in its wisdom deems best.