Category Archives: Renewal News

Get back to where we once belonged

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What if we spent less time reading reports, more time getting to know one another?

Ministry can often feel like a lonely task. Pastors with large undefined workloads feel lonely and stressed. Congregations discouraged by small attendance feel isolated and adrift. Does anyone understand the challenges we face out here?

Strong relationships help with these kinds of issues. The Presbyterian way of being the church is designed to provide those relationships. The 1876 Basis of Union of The Presbyterian Church in Canada rested on three pillars. Most familiar are affirming the Old and New Testaments as “the only infallible rule of faith and manners,” and naming the Westminster Confession of Faith as the “principal subordinate standard” interpreting the scriptures. Less well-known is the commitment to “government and worship . . . in accordance with the recognized principles and practice of Presbyterian Churches as laid down generally in ‘The Form of Presbyterial Church Government’ and in ‘The Directory for the Public Worship of God.’”

“Presbyterial Church Government” starts with the exalted Saviour Jesus Christ giving “ministry, oracles, and ordinances” to “one general church visible . . . for the gathering and perfecting of it in this life until his second coming.”

This visible church consists of all those who profess faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ, together with their children. That’s a lot of people, but Presbyterial Government is ready: “When believers multiply to such a number, that they cannot conveniently meet in one place, it is lawful and expedient that they should be divided into distinct and fixed congregations, for the better administration of such ordinances as belong unto them, and the discharge of mutual duties.”

In these distinct gatherings, people know one another, which facilitates central church functions such as education, support, discipleship and discipline. They know where and with whom they live, allowing for contextualized mission and outreach. They are well placed to exercise compassionate and corrective church discipline. These individual congregations have great advantages, but also limitations. As Paul explained to the Corinthians, every part of the body needs the other parts of the body. Discipline means guidance, not only of individual Christians, but also of gatherings of Christians. The parts of the church need the whole church to be sure they don’t wander from the way of Jesus.

Scot McKnight wrote in A Church Called Tov, toxic leaders “tend to gravitate toward . . . nonaccountable church structures where they answer to no one . . . narcissistic pastors and leaders are found in denominational churches as well. But independent churches are especially conducive to leaders who want to be unsupervised and unchecked.”

The parts of the Body of Christ don’t have the resources of the whole Body of Christ. As the Form of Governance recognized, individual congregations “need all mutual help one from another, both in regard of their intrinsical weakness and mutual dependence, as also in regard of enemies from without.”

This is why “The scripture doth hold out a presbytery in a church. A presbytery consisteth of ministers of the word and such other public officers as are agreeable to and warranted by the Word of God to be church-governors, to join with the ministers in the government of the church.

“The scripture doth hold forth, that many particular congregations may be under one presbyterial government.”

This is a way the Presbyterian system emphasises relationships. Presbyterian government happens in a community. There is no individual CEO, even with wise advisors and assistants, who can provide proper oversight and guidance to the church. This is why we need to remember, as our Book of Forms reminds us, “the organic unity of the church is maintained in a hierarchy of courts (in contra-distinction to a hierarchy of persons).” It takes a community of disciples to shepherd a community of disciples.

When Presbytery meets, there is business to do. But the Presbytery is also a gathering of neighbours. If the Knox congregation wonders how to respond to a challenge, the people from St. Andrew’s can share how they responded. If one minister wonders what to do in a certain situation, another minister can offer advice gained in a similar experience.

As the Presbytery community shares their mutual help, it strengthens ministry across the region. As we receive from the strengths of our neighbours and give them help and encouragement in their need, we make real an often-overlooked blessing of the unity of the Body. As Paul told the Corinthians, “. . . as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness” — 2 Corinthians 8:13-14. (ESV)

In the ongoing community of the Presbytery, continuing conversation facilitates follow up. How’s it working? How can it work better? What can we change to better meet the situation next time?

How long did it take for things to turn around in your congregation? We are encouraged to stay the course when we know others are on the same journey we are.

The Form of Presbyterial Church Government acknowledges another level of government in Synodical Assemblies, but these are different groups so their oversight is different. As our Book of Forms notes, “The General Assembly differs from the lower courts of the church in that it has, as a body, no permanent existence.” It meets, does its business, then dissolves.

What abides after General Assembly are the decisions and rules it passes. It does not live with those rules. The Assembly can’t change, adapt, modify, or revise those rules because the Assembly that passed them no longer exists.

The Presbytery lives with its decisions. The members of Presbytery can see how they’re working out, where they need to be changed, adapted, clarified. Presbyteries live with their decisions, and live with the decision makers. They can continue to discuss the meaning of the decision; they can pursue how to adapt it to better enable ministry in their congregations.

Presbyteries have a permanent existence. In the form of Presbyterial governance, what abides in Presbyteries is not simply rules and policies but relationships and ways of living together. When the partnership of Presbyteries becomes the focus of union in our church, we are focused on things that incarnate the love and care of Jesus Christ.

Which is not to say Presbyteries function today as they ought. As the managerial revolution in the larger society influenced the church, and denominations became more like regulatory agencies, presbyteries lost focus. They became more interested in making sure congregations followed national rules and policies. We neglected the partnership and relationship aspects of life together.

But we can get back to where we once belonged. We can get back to focus on the relationships and partnership of the people who profess faith in and obedience to Jesus as the tie uniting the Body of Christ. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our presbytery meetings spent less time reading reports and more time getting to know one another? We can commit to spending less time rule keeping and more time to burden sharing and comfort giving.

The church doesn’t grow when people see how well we’re following policies. It grows when people see how we love one another, for in strong relationships the love of Jesus Christ is made real. As we are strengthened by what others can give, as we give to help others in their need, we will live the comfort and care Jesus gives through His body. We will live in the place where Jesus promised to grow His church.

Rev. Paul D. Johnston is Minister at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Arnprior, Ontario. He serves on the Assembly Council as a presbytery representative from the Presbytery of Lanark and Renfrew.

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Renewal News Fall 2023Download the entire Fall 2023 issue of Renewal News in PDF format, or read and comment on the individual articles as follows:

Bread in the wilderness

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Dear Fellow Followers of Jesus,

I recently came across a prayer/poem of Walter Brueggemann. It begins:

“On our own, we conclude: there is not enough to go around, we are going to run short of money, of love, of grades, of publications…” (1)

We are living in a time of “shrinkflation.” We see packaging change to accommodate smaller amounts for which we pay more. Wages are not keeping pace with cost of living and interest rate increases. We are all feeling the pinch. How are we, as Christians, as believers in God’s goodness and generosity supposed to respond to our anxieties about the future?

Should we as Brueggemann writes: seize the day, seize our goods, seize our neighbour’s goods because “there is not enough to go around”? Perhaps we glibly assure each other that all will be well. Or perhaps we quietly and stoically poke another hole in our belts and tighten once more.

How do we face the encroachments to what we believe the Word teaches? How do we counter the shrinkflation of our financial situation? Brueggemann again reminds us that “in the midst of our perceived deficit you come, you come giving bread in the wilderness, you come giving children at the 11th hour, you come giving homes to exiles, you come giving futures to the shut down, you come giving Easter joy to the dead, you come – fleshed in Jesus.” And so, “by your giving, break our cycles of imagined scarcity, override our presumed deficits, quiet our anxieties of lack, transform our perceptual field to see, the abundance . . . mercy upon mercy, blessing upon blessing.” Can we keep on keeping on, trusting Jesus’ words about His presence and protection? Walking into each new day with its deficiencies and needs, knowing that our God will supply all our needs according to His riches? Does He truly own the cattle on a thousand hills?

Brueggemann again: “Sink your generosity deep into our lives, that your muchness may expose our false lack that endlessly receiving we may endlessly give, so that the world may be made Easter new, without greedy lack, but only wonder, without coercive need but only love, without destructive greed but only praise, all things Easter new . . . all around us, toward us and by us, all things Easter new.”

I pray for us as a Fellowship that we can boldly go into an unknown future led by a known Saviour, a loving Father who sees all and knows all, accompanied by the Holy Spirit of Jesus, God with us, Emmanuel.

(1) Inscribing the Test: Sermons and Prayers of Walter Brueggemann, 3-4.

Good news, but challenge remains

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Decline slowed after increased financial support from congregations.

Thanks to our faithful supporters, the decline in our finances for the first half of 2023 was not as bad as we had expected. Renewal Fellowship lost $17,288 from January to June compared to a budgeted loss of $26,552.

Part of the reason for this is the increase in donations from supporting congregations. We received an additional $4,300 over 2022. (This does not include gifts received during the summer.) And while individual and family donations are lower overall, we did receive some significant increases from a few donors. God bless our donors. The support is humbling.

Unfortunately, the financial decline continues. Our cash reserves – which keeps us afloat – continues to decline. During the first half of 2023, the bank balance went from $46,200 to $34,600. Clearly, the current rate of spending is unsustainable.

Some other notable facts:

  • From January to June, our membership declined 18 per cent, which is not quite as fast as expected. On the positive side, our remaining members are on average giving a bit more.
  • January-June we lost $17,300. We had expected to lose $26,600. Last year in this period we lost $14,700.
  • The Annual meeting and Renewal Day did not attract as many people as planned and as a result, costs were much less than we planned. Our plan was to break even but we made over $700.
  • The executive director’s road trip to General Assembly in Halifax cost $300 less than budgeted.
  • Renewal’s cash reserve exists largely due to two sizable bequests: $50,000 in 2016 and the same amount from another estate in 2020.

Renewal Fellowship’s board of directors meets in person November 4-5 at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Simcoe Ontario. Our future will be the main item on the agenda. Please pray for the board. Their names are listed on Page 8. We ask that you grant them the ability to clearly discern God’s Holy and Perfect Will for our mission to the PCC.

How do we adapt to a different financial climate and yet remain as a voice of encouragement for those who adhere to authentic Biblical thinking, who practice powerful and Spirit-led prayer and effective Gospel witness?

General Assembly 2023

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General Assembly 2023 may not have included fireworks and momentous decisions, but it was still an eye opening experience. I was there to convene the Renewal Fellowship Prayer Room and act as an observer.

July’s Renewal Café will be devoted to a debriefing of GA. Details and invitation below.

Here’s my take on GA.

DEFINITION CONFUSION

For the past two years, The Presbyterian Church in Canada has operated under the understanding that it holds “two parallel definitions of marriage” – different but equal – as confirmed by General Assembly in 2021. This twin concept was affirmed by the adoption of a report by the Clerks of Assembly in 2022 which stated that “The Presbyterian Church in Canada now permits a dual definition of marriage.” (A&P 2022, page 128)

So what are we to make of Principal Clerk Victor Kim’s statement to 2023 General Assembly that “we hold the one position on marriage”?

His statement in full: “Someone has said that we hold two different positions on marriage. The fact is, we hold the one position on marriage, which is within the one position people may to be aligned over on this side [motions with left hand] or over on this side [motions with right hand.] Let me clear that we do not hold two separate positions, which would be one to the exclusion of another. We hold one position, where you may be here or you may be here but they are all accepted. And you can choose.”

If this were a rank-and-file minister or elder, we’d shrug it off. But this was the Principal Clerk. In addition to being among the two top bureaucrats of the denomination, he and the Deputy Clerk act as chief arbiters of church law. When a minister or elder seeks guidance over the application of polity (which I have done on many occasions) they routinely consult the clerks. They aren’t judges, but their opinions carry great weight. From time to time, they issue lengthy and thoughtful opinions on matters of church governance.

So when something is said that appears to be incongruent or a departure from the norm, it’s worthy of analysis.

Let’s put this statement into context.

It was spoken during the midst of a Sederunt 3 discussion on the Clerks’ recommended clarification on how Liberty of Conscience and Action is to be exercised in matters of an ordination, call or installation of a minister or elder who happens to be in a same-sex marriage or living that lifestyle.

The clerks recognized in their report that one’s vote is between them and God and is to be freely exercised according to conscience. But they proposed a new and significant limitation. “If a member of a court speaks against an ordination, induction or installation based on the candidate’s sexual orientation, gender identity or for reasons counter to either of the church’s definitions of marriage, the member could be ruled out of order because such a position would contradict to the teaching of the church,” they wrote. In other words, you have freedom to vote – you just can’t say why. It would also mean that if one chooses to exercise the right to dissent, reasons could not be put in writing. The rationale for this new limitation was that a majority within the PCC had already decided that non-heterosexual activity is not sinful. “So if a person were to raise the subjects again it would be like starting the discussion all over again. Those decisions have been made,” Deputy Clerk Don Muir told Assembly.

As expected, commissioners spoke out – most in opposition of the proposed limitation, but a few in favour. (See report below). Then the principal clerk weighed in with his suggestion that we have “one position on marriage.” In another statement, he described the position as a “spectrum” – hence the logical ability to reside in differences on a single plane. Sort of like a rainbow: choose your colour.

But can one position actually be a spectrum? How is it possible to have “one position” but two places within that position? How can there be only one if we can “choose”?

In the Book of Forms, the word “parallel” is used in two places. First, it describes our secondary standards (theological confessions and a catechism – see Appendix ‘F’): separate documents which say largely the same thing but use different words written at different times in history. Second is the statement on marriage (Appendix ‘L’).

“Parallel” in these contexts is used as an adjective. This sense is described by The Oxford English Dictionary as: “lying or extending alongside each other and always at the same distance apart; continuously equidistant.” In other words, parallel things moving in the same direction, having the same objective but whose paths do not cross. The key concept is that you have more than one.

Words matter. Language is a wonderful thing. Its discovery by toddlers opens a world of knowledge, along with the loss of innocence. Language can be a catalyst and avenue of growth. It can also drive us apart.

I wondered if I was making too much of this. Is it nothing more than “you say tomato and I say  to-mah-to? But then I checked with knowledgeable people I respect who heard the same statement and they’re thinking the same things.

LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE

The following are excerpts from the GA discussion.

“The wording allows this freedom of conscience but yet we’re not allowed to talk about it. Is that what it says?” – Audry Barton, elder (Oak Ridges).

“If a gay, married minister was before a presbytery in a call process . . . it would not be in order for a person to speak against the call based on the minister’s marital status or gender identification or sexual orientation. . . . those are things that have been decided by the church so if person were to raise the subjects again it would be like starting the discussion all over again. Those decision have been made. ” – Deputy Clerk Don Muir in response.

“Within that wide spectrum or eligibility [for ordination, induction and installation] we say people can land anywhere on that spectrum. If you wanted to hold a position here [motions with one hand] you are not disallowing the other position to be held there [motions with other hand]. Liberty of conscience and action is given to you to not participate, but not so you speak against someone’s eligibility based on things we’ve already said are OK. . . .We’re asking people to respect the statements we’ve made.. . . If you choose to voice your reason for voting and that reason is counter what our church has already decided, which is that everyone is eligible to be considered . . . then the moderator can rule out of order.”  — Principal Clerk Victor Kim.

“A person’s freedom of conscience, the entire Reformation, is based on the understanding that we are responsible to the authority of scripture. And so we can voice our dissent based on that . . This exclusion puts a document of the church on a higher level than scripture.” – Denise Allen-Macartney, minister (Ottawa)

“Action within a Presbyterian polity involves the expression of one’s opinion, whether one agrees with it or not.” – Brian Fraser, minister (Westminster).

“We respect other positions; we’re trying to work within the situation. . . . Our presbytery is barely surviving . . there are so many congregations closed . . If this were to go, the presbytery may be in danger.” – Alfred Lee, minister (Western Han-Ca).

“Yet one of those two positions . . . holds that certain things go against where I would stand and my congregation would stand and to be told that I can no longer voice that opinion in Christian love and respect  . . . to me takes it too far.” – Sean Howard, minister (West Toronto) – spoken in response to Victor Kim’s “one position” statement

“I cannot help but think of the Rainbow communion and the harm in which words have done to the hearts and lives of many . . . There’s an element of Christian love which is in limiting one’s freedoms at times.” – Hugh Donnelly, minister (Waterloo-Wellington)

After several speakers, Deputy Clerk Muir suggested that the clerks take another look at the guidelines. Debate ended when commissioners referred the issue back to the clerks.

For a full picture of this rich one-hour discussion, go to the YouTube recording of Sederunt 3, starting at the eight-minute mark.

MAID (PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE/DEATH)

In 2017, General Assembly approved a bold statement upholding the sanctity of life in a document named “Physician Assisted Suicide” (PAS.) It was intended as an interim response and it was commended to the church for study. Feedback was received and in 2019, the Church Doctrine Committee (CDC) prepared a report with revisions to the 2017 statement. In 2021, commissioners proposed adding “Medical Assistance in Dying” to the title. In 2022, in response to a significant number of requests, “Physician Assisted Suicide” was dropped entirely from the name.

At 2023 GA, the CDC proposed that they continue to discuss the issue and produce a new report but with no specific deadline. Commissioners replaced that with a more specific motion requiring MAID terminology and reflecting what appears to be wide acceptance of the practice. Commissioners overwhelmingly voted in favour.

Several commissioners referred to the changing landscape and the fact that the 2017 document contained “harmful and triggering” terms, a reference to PAS.

In the words of one commissioner: “Are we looking at the church being part of the decision or looking at providing background support?”

CONFESSION AND LANGUAGE HOSPITALITY

One possibly overlooked General Assembly key moment this year was the final report of the Special Committee Re: Listening, Confession and Associations, which was commissioned in 2021 in response to formal petitions by the Han-Ca (Korean speaking) presbyteries which alleged racism in the PCC.

It was a rich report, prompting lively discussion which extended for more than two hours over two sederunts. To watch it in full, go to the GA 2023 page at presbyterian.ca and click the links for Sederunt 8 (start at the 56-minute mark) and Sederunt 9.

The landmark outcome of the committee – one that will hopefully stand as a permanent statement – was the Confession “regarding the ways in which The Presbyterian Church in Canada has silenced, mistreated and slandered the ‘ethnic contingent’ of the church.” Ethnic contingent is key because it expands the committee’s original mandate to look primarily at the Korean experience.

The confession – which was read to the Assembly in English and Korean – was presented with two main hopes:

  1. that it be received and acted upon with a redeemed heart; and
  2. that it not be the final word but be part of an ongoing process in which the church strives to become something closer to what Christ ordained.

In that light, commissioners took some of the committee’s recommendations a step further with key amendments.

The recommendation “that geographically defined presbyteries (that are not Han-Ca Presbyteries) reach out to the congregations of Han-Ca Presbyteries within their bounds to build connections, listen and find contexts to express understanding and compassion” was amended to include “other ethnic communities.”

Bob Faris (East Toronto) pointed out that while cultural/language-based presbyteries have their strengths, they “separate us; we’re not talking together until we come to a General Assembly.” Conversations on a local level – presbytery to presbytery – might provide opportunities to understand one another and forge better relationships.

Even within geographic-based presbyteries, work needs to be done to create better relationships between Anglo and other ethnic congregations, committee co-convenor Stephen Kwon said in response.

Several speakers reminded the court that the process might not be easy and would likely include challenges. Said Young Cho (West Toronto) who made the amendment: “It’s going to be hard, but keep trying.”

The formal move to reach out is actually nothing new. Alfred Lee (Western Han-Ca) told commissioners that when Han-Ca presbyteries were created 25 years ago, there was regular interaction with local geographic presbyteries and there were official observers to each others’ courts. “But that got lost. We can reconcile those relationships.”

While much of the discussion revolved around culture and language, there is an underlying issue, said Mary Moore (Vancouver Island). “I’m a bit saddened that we are not recognizing that the issue is not necessarily fellowship but theological differences and creating safe space for Han-Ca. We need to look seriously about finding a way to enshrine liberty of conscience so they feel safe in the church. Their overture said specifically that it was a theological issue.”

A recommendation by the committee for congregations and ministers – in addition to presbyteries – to reach out was also amended to include “other ethnic communities.”

The Confession didn’t sit well with a few commissioners, who were uneasy about signing off on something when they do not believe they personally have anything to confess. Committee co-convenor Peter Bush acknowledged that, but cited Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “The church may confess the sins of the nation or the church that they have not committed but they still confess on behalf of another. Bonhoeffer’s words haunted me and I’m still trying to figure out exactly what they mean, but I still feel he’s onto something, something very profound. . .. I may not have participated, but the body of Christ has. I’ll just leave it at that.”

The issue of racism goes far beyond one culture, said Germaine Lovelace (Brampton), who cited the frustrations of two Black pastors he knows who are struggling to gain interviews, let alone a call. “There is a problem in the Presbyterian Church,” he told commissioners.

The Confession was adopted, along with recommendations that it be presented during a worship service later this year  “involving members of the multi-racial community” in the PCC, and that presbyteries do the same. An additional motion that the Life and Mission Agency “provide resources to accompany the Confession to deepen our understanding of the concept of race and the role we share in the important work of antiracism” was also adopted.

Language remains a barrier. Han-Ca’s have been attempting for years to get real-time translation during GA. After much discussion and several amendments, commissioners agreed with a suggestion by Barb Sargent (Essex Kent) that translation services be provided at all future General Assemblies.

“I have heard over a number of years of the difficulty that the Han-Ca presbyteries have had, not being able to fully participate because of the issue of language. . . It might cost us a little bit of money, but we should have dealt with it in the past and we need to deal with it now,” Sargent said.

This was amended to include “all languages used in the lower courts of our denomination as needed” and further amended to make it “subject to funding being made available.” There was lengthy discussion over the cost. Citing the great diversity of languages in the PCC, “conceivably, we could be hiring 10-15 translators, on an as-needed basis,” said Peter Kinch (East Toronto.) Even the United Nations has a strict limit on simultaneous translation, he added.

“Simultaneous” was removed and “lower courts” was narrowed to “presbyteries”.

After additional wordsmithing, amendments to amendments and much discussion, the following was adopted: “That at all future General Assemblies, translation to all languages used in the presbyteries of the church be made available as needed, subject to funding being made available by the Assembly Council.”

Read the Confession that arose from this report.

A NEW CREED?

An amended Ionian Creed (Iona Abbey Worship Book) was used during opening worship at The Presbyterian Church of St. David in Halifax. One key addition is in bold.

We believe in God above us,
Maker and sustainer of all that lives,
Of sun, moon and stars,

Of water, air and earth,
Of male and female,
All genders, colours and cultures.

We believe in God beside us,
Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh,
Born of a woman’s womb, servant of the poor,
He was tortured and nailed to a tree.
He bore the suffering of others, but died himself forsaken.

He descended into the earth to the place of death.
On the third day he rose from the tomb.
He ascended into heaven to be everywhere present,
And his reign will come on earth.

We believe in God within us,
The Holy Spirit of transforming flame,
Life-giving breath of the church,
Energy of healing, justice and forgiveness,
Source of resurrection and life everlasting. Amen.

DISSENT AND POWER

Recommendation 1 of the Clerks of Assembly was in response to Overture No. 8, 2019. It boils down the rights of dissent and asks that the court reaffirm the right to dissent if a member was absent with leave or presented prior criticism of a decision. The clerks were proposing to uphold the removal of those rights which were decided by previous Assemblies. Not so fast, said some commissioners. This is an issue of doctrine more than polity, said Denise Allen-Macartney (Ottawa) who suggested that the matter be referred to the Committee on Church Doctrine. Commissioners agreed.

In response to a 2022 decision by the Special Committee on Petitions 1 and 2 (regarding racism) to ensure that the Committee to Nominate Standing Committees be representative of the cultural and ethnic mix of the PCC, the Clerks’ Recommendation 2 proposed that Assembly Council be given the right to recommend committee membership. Currently, the Synods recommend names. Now, the council would be given the right to add its own nominees beyond the names that the synods have provided. Some observers and commissioners were concerned that this places too much power in the hands of the council. However, most commissioners agreed with the clerks. The matter goes to presbyteries for consideration under the Barrier Act.

WE CAN AGREE ON A FEW THINGS

It was encouraging to see unanimous bipartisan (evangelical and liberal) support for the outrage over the persecution of LGBTQ people in Uganda. Same with the National Indigenous Ministries Council and the Special Committee on Listening in response to Han-Ca racism overtures.

Report on the Special Committee on Racism

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One overlooked General Assembly key moment this year was the final report of the Special Committee Re: Listening, Confession and Associations, which was commissioned in 2021 in response to formal petitions by the Han-Ca (Korean speaking) presbyteries which alleged racism in the PCC.

It was a rich report, prompting lively discussion which extended for more than two hours over two sederunts. To watch it in full, go to the GA 2023 page at presbyterian.ca and click the links for Sederunt 8 (start at the 56-minute mark) and Sederunt 9.

The landmark outcome of the committee – one that will hopefully stand as a permanent statement – was the Confession “regarding the ways in which The Presbyterian Church in Canada has silenced, mistreated and slandered the ‘ethnic contingent’ of the church.” Ethnic contingent is key because it expands the committee’s original mandate to look primarily at the Korean experience.

The confession – which was read to the Assembly in English and Korean – was presented with two main hopes:

  1. that it be received and acted upon with a redeemed heart; and
  2. that it not be the final word but be part of an ongoing process in which the church strives to become something closer to what Christ ordained.

In that light, commissioners took some of the committee’s recommendations a step further with key amendments.

The recommendation “that geographically defined presbyteries (that are not Han-Ca Presbyteries) reach out to the congregations of Han-Ca Presbyteries within their bounds to build connections, listen and find contexts to express understanding and compassion” was amended to include “other ethnic communities.”

Bob Faris (East Toronto) pointed out that while cultural/language-based presbyteries have their strengths, they “separate us; we’re not talking together until we come to a General Assembly.” Conversations on a local level – presbytery to presbytery – might provide opportunities to understand one another and forge better relationships.

Even within geographic-based presbyteries, work needs to be done to create better relationships between Anglo and other ethnic congregations, committee co-convenor Stephen Kwon said in response.

Several speakers reminded the court that the process might not be easy and would likely include challenges. Said Young Cho (West Toronto) who made the amendment: “It’s going to be hard, but keep trying.”

The formal move to reach out is actually nothing new. Alfred Lee (Western Han-Ca) told commissioners that when Han-Ca presbyteries were created 25 years ago, there was regular interaction with local geographic presbyteries and there were official observers to each others’ courts. “But that got lost. We can reconcile those relationships.”

While much of the discussion revolved around culture and language, there is an underlying issue, said Mary Moore (Vancouver Island). “I’m a bit saddened that we are not recognizing that the issue is not necessarily fellowship but theological differences and creating safe space for Han-Ca. We need to look seriously about finding a way to enshrine liberty of conscience so they feel safe in the church. Their overture said specifically that it was a theological issue.”

A recommendation by the committee for congregations and ministers – in addition to presbyteries – to reach out was also amended to include “other ethnic communities.”

The Confession didn’t sit well with a few commissioners, who were uneasy about signing off on something when they do not believe they personally have anything to confess. Committee co-convenor Peter Bush acknowledged that, but cited Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “The church may confess the sins of the nation or the church that they have not committed but they still confess on behalf of another. Bonhoeffer’s words haunted me and I’m still trying to figure out exactly what they mean, but I still feel he’s onto something, something very profound. . .. I may not have participated, but the body of Christ has. I’ll just leave it at that.”

The issue of racism goes far beyond one culture, said Germaine Lovelace (Brampton), who cited the frustrations of two Black pastors he knows who are struggling to gain interviews, let alone a call. “There is a problem in the Presbyterian Church,” he told commissioners.

The Confession was adopted, along with recommendations that it be presented during a worship service later this year “involving members of the multi-racial community” in the PCC, and that presbyteries do the same. An additional motion that the Life and Mission Agency “provide resources to accompany the Confession to deepen our understanding of the concept of race and the role we share in the important work of antiracism” was also adopted.

Language remains a barrier. Han-Ca’s have been attempting for years to get real-time translation during GA. After much discussion and several amendments, commissioners agreed with a suggestion by Barb Sargent (Essex Kent) that translation services be provided at all future General Assemblies.

“I have heard over a number of years of the difficulty that the Han-Ca presbyteries have had, not being able to fully participate because of the issue of language. . . It might cost us a little bit of money, but we should have dealt with it in the past and we need to deal with it now,” Sargent said.

This was amended to include “all languages used in the lower courts of our denomination as needed” and further amended to make it “subject to funding being made available.” There was lengthy discussion over the cost. Citing the great diversity of languages in the PCC, “conceivably, we could be hiring 10-15 translators, on an as-needed basis,” said Peter Kinch (East Toronto.) Even the United Nations has a strict limit on simultaneous translation, he added.

“Simultaneous” was removed and “lower courts” was narrowed to “presbyteries”.

After additional wordsmithing, amendments to amendments and much discussion, the following was adopted: “That at all future General Assemblies, translation to all languages used in the presbyteries of the church be made available as needed, subject to funding being made available by the Assembly Council.”

Read the Confession that arose from this report.

 

We confess our racial bias

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A Confession
From the majority or dominant group within The Presbyterian Church in Canada to its minority and marginalized communities, adopted by General Assembly on June 7, 2023.

Preamble

Reading and responding to this confession cannot be done with an unredeemed heart, still filled with prejudice, judgment, and self-righteousness. To read and understand this document is going to require a transformed version of ourselves, cleansed and renewed by Jesus Christ. Racism is deeply rooted in Canadian culture. That racism has infected the church in Canada, including The Presbyterian Church in Canada, its congregations and people. Racism is to regard our own race as superior to other races, leading to actions and attitudes of prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized. These minority and marginalized communities become racialized by the majority or dominant group who judge those they have racialized through particular pre-determined criteria. Colonialism, rooted again in the assumption that one’s race and culture is superior to others, gave permission to the colonizers to subvert the colonized peoples denigrating their views, experiences, and expressions of worship. While the church has said it rejects racism and colonialism, the tendrils run deep, and the church desires to be changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. This confession is not the final word, but rather is part of a process in the continuing conversion of the church into the community who bears witness to the Lamb and to the one who sits on the throne of heaven, the Triune God of grace.

The Confession

Before God, our fellow siblings in Christ, and in the community of the church,
We confess we have not been the church we have been called to be,
for we have failed to live into your desire “to unite all people in Jesus Christ” (Living Faith 7.1.2).

In our cultural blindness we have judged people by the colour of their skin instead of recognizing them as a fellow child of God. We have not humbly listened to those of other races and cultures, in our pride assuming the supremacy of our race and culture. We have been shaped by the racist values of the dominant culture, rather than being transformed by the gospel vision of persons “from all nations, tribes and peoples and languages” gathered in praise and worship of the Triune God of grace. (Revelation 7:9)

We confess our racial bias.
We turn from our sin of racism and seek to live into your vision.

In our ministry we have not embraced the spiritual gifts brought to The Presbyterian Church in Canada by persons “from all nations, tribes and peoples and languages”, instead we have acted as gatekeepers of the gifts of Spirit. In our arrogance we have elevated persons of the dominant culture, overlooking those of other races, languages and cultures. Our words and actions have told people of some other races that despite their spiritual gifts and their qualifications they can serve the church in some tasks, but that they are “not good enough” to really belong, “not good enough” to be allowed to lead. We have treated some congregations of the Christian community as outsiders, as tenants, marginalizing them, rather than recognizing them as members together with us in the body of Christ.

We confess our racial bias.
We turn from our sin of spurning the Spirit and seek to live into your vision.

In our Assemblies, synods, and presbyteries we are consumed by doing the business of the church, rather than living out the gospel’s call, such as showing hospitality to the outsider, offering sympathy and empathy to the alienated among us, and protecting the stranger. We have placed our culture’s way of decision making above the patterns used by other cultures represented in our congregations. In the process, we have blocked the full flourishing of people of every tribe and language and race within the life of the church.

We confess our racial bias.
We turn from our sin of cultural arrogance and seek to live into your vision.

May the Holy Spirit transform us. Holy Spirit, move us beyond the limitations of accommodation and co-existence into the wonder of engagement and empathy. Teach us to die to our sin of racism, so that with the people of every ethnicity and language we can be drawn beyond the divisions of race into the reign of Jesus Christ.

Then together with the great multitude that is beyond number, we shall sing, “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to God forever and ever.” (Revelation 7:12)

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Renewal News Summer 2023

Registration is now open for the Pastor Retreat on Eventbrite.

Download the entire Summer issue of Renewal News in PDF format, or read and comment on the individual articles as follows:

A Pastoral Presence

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 RF brings encouragement to GA commissioners.

Renewal’s board of directors made a strategic decision this year to concentrate the Executive Director’s (ED) travel budget on our presence at General Assembly. It’s about getting the best bang for the buck – where we can reach the greatest number of people in the PCC. GA is a gold mine of opportunities to provide encouragement to anyone who needs it and make new connections. We developed a four-point plan:

  1. Prayer Room at the Assembly. The principal clerk quickly granted our request for a room somewhere on campus. An added bonus this year was General Assembly Office’s offer to distribute an information sheet to commissioners.
  2. Zoom Prayer Room, organized by the ED and staffed by RF directors and supporters.
  3. The ED being a visible presence at Assembly, talking to as many people as possible, renewing acquaintances and making new connections.
  4. The ED would bring the Sunday message to a local congregation.

From departure to the airport to arrival back at home, it was 104 hours of listening, talking, preaching, socializing and praying – with a few hours of sleep here and there.

Some highlights.

Zoom Room Marathon. A very dedicated group of faithful, Spirit-led prayer warriors led the charge, remaining online during the opening sederunt on Sunday and then for approximately 12 hours straight on each of the following three days.

We opened the room shortly after 7 a.m. Eastern to allow Zoom pray-ers to participate in the GA Prayer Room morning devotion. The Zoom Room stayed open until the closure of the evening sederunts. During each sederunt, the ED kept the pray-ers informed via chat. The Zoom pray-ers would come and go during the day but the room remained open. Between sederunts, someone would enable their screen and play worship videos. We are grateful for the Zoom Room leadership of Glynis Faith, Sybil Mosley, Nan St. Louis, Patricia Allison, Candace Bahadoor, Norine Love, Ronda Bosch, Linda and Ian Shaw and Christopher Jorna. Our apologies and empathies go to faithful friends who tried to participate but technology gremlins prevented them from entering.

The faithful few – truly alive! It was an honour for the ED to bring the message to the combined Elmsdale St. Matthew’s-Hardwood Lands congregation in the Halifax area, giving minister Beth Mattinson a break. (See message excerpt Page 7.) As with many smaller congregations, they have fewer people. But those who remain are spiritually alive and are eager to engage with the community. St. Matthew’s July VBS is held at one of the local fire halls – a great partnership. I encouraged them to pray early and often over the unchurched families attending VBS – may they be touched by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

After the potluck lunch, I was about to depart when one of them stopped me and wondered if we could have an impromptu prayer meeting. Faith works in the moment. A half dozen of us gathered in a circle and prayed for all kinds of things. It was honest and unscripted. My prayer: “Holy Spirit, bless the hearts of the faithful ones, may they refuse to be discouraged by decline, may they look to Christ to do the heavy lifting.” What this world needs is more people who are willing to stop, drop – and pray.

Meeting of Minds. The Prayer Room was also handy place for kindred souls to gather if they needed a quiet place to talk. It was also the place where the commissioners of both Han-Ca presbyteries met with the Clerk of Assembly for an off-the-record discussion of the controversial recommendation to place limits on liberty of conscience.

People, people. Every meal was an opportunity to meet new people. The Renewal Fellowship contact list grew by a dozen names. And those who adhere to the unchanging authority of Scripture were reminded that they are not alone.

Let’s get on with it!

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Matthew 28:16-20 – Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV)

Hello friends and fellow Jesus followers. In Matthew’s gospel the Eleven have returned to Galilee as Jesus had told them previously. On meeting up with Jesus there is a dual response – worship and doubt. In spite of the uncertainty of some, Jesus gives them, and us, His “Great Commission.”

He prefaces the command itself with the statement of His authority, with the reminder that it had been “given.” The disciples and many other followers had certainly witnessed His authority over the winds and the waves. They had seen and perhaps even experienced His healing power over spiritual, mental, and physical disease. They had watched and listened as Jesus challenged the ideas and traditions of the religious leaders of the time. Ultimately, they had witnessed His power over death – the death of others and even His own death.

So, they should have been assured of His authority – all authority in heaven and on earth.

Then why did some doubt? Perhaps they had come to understand that Jesus would soon leave them and return to the Father as He had said. Perhaps they realized that now the ball was in their court. They may have recalled Jesus’ words that they would do greater things that what He had done. Yikes! I think I may have been among the some that doubted!

But Jesus presses on. Go! Baptize! Make disciples! Preach! Teach! And do all this with the full authority of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Who me? Yes, you. Remember everything I taught you and pass it on. And in case we are still doubting, Jesus gives that wonderful promise. And surely, I am with you, not just now and again, but always, to the end of time. That same promised “Immanuel, God with us” that starts off Matthew’s gospel, ties it all together with the promise of God’s abiding presence.

What are we waiting for? I pray that the Lord Jesus will give us, through the work of His Holy Spirit, the courage and perseverance needed to continue on with Jesus’ loving work in His world. There are many more disciples to be made. Much preaching and teaching is still needed. So, let’s get on with it!

So, they should have been assured of His authority – all authority in heaven and on earth.

Then why did some doubt? Perhaps they had come to understand that Jesus would soon leave them and return to the Father as He had said. Perhaps they realized that now the ball was in their court. They may have recalled Jesus’ words that they would do greater things that what He had done. Yikes! I think I may have been among the some that doubted!

But Jesus presses on. Go! Baptize! Make disciples! Preach! Teach! And do all this with the full authority of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Who me? Yes, you. Remember everything I taught you and pass it on. And in case we are still doubting, Jesus gives that wonderful promise. And surely, I am with you, not just now and again, but always, to the end of time. That same promised “Immanuel, God with us” that starts off Matthew’s gospel, ties it all together with the promise of God’s abiding presence.

What are we waiting for? I pray that the Lord Jesus will give us, through the work of His Holy Spirit, the courage and perseverance needed to continue on with Jesus’ loving work in His world. There are many more disciples to be made. Much preaching and teaching is still needed.

So, let’s get on with it!

Sandy Copland-Dufour is the RF Board Chairperson