WHEREAS issues surrounding human sexuality have been contentious for decades within The Presbyterian Church in Canada, and WHEREAS our ordination vows stipulate that we will not take divisive courses of action, and WHEREAS the actions of the General Assembly of 2019, in sending changes of doctrine and practice through the Barrier Act of the church … Read more
To the Venerable the General Assembly: WHEREAS the concepts of mutual accountability, empathetic collegiality, and partnership in ministry are at the heart of Presbyterianism, and these concepts demand integrity – integrity that is lacking unless the elders participating in a presbytery undertake ministry with a common understanding of the gospel for ordination, teaching, gospel witness, … Read more
WHEREAS the COVID 19 pandemic has impacted every community across Canada, has dominated every newscast and has touched every congregation, every family, and every person WHEREAS the serious matter of drug addiction and the impacts of addiction have gone under reported across Canada and each community, WHEREAS border closures have impacted the flow of opioids … Read more
To the Venerable, the General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Canada: WHEREAS, the 144th General Assembly referred the matter of Gracious Dismissal to the Assembly Council (p. 36, 2018 AP); and WHEREAS, the Assembly Council’s terms of reference include the obligation to “assist the General Assembly in making responsible decisions by ensuring that both … Read more
Background The following was written by Rev. Andy Cornell. Although the intent of the overture is to restructure the denomination along theological lies, it’s presented theologically neutral. In other words, it’s worded so as to appeal to those who might identify as evangelical/conservative/orthodox/traditional as well as those who identify as inclusive/liberal/progressive/affirming. It does give primacy … Read more
WHEREAS, between 2015-2020 24 Overtures and Petitions have been made to General Assembly requesting, in general, that The Presbyterian Church in Canada permit congregations to leave the denomination with their property at nominal cost to the congregation if the denomination approves either a redefinition of marriage to include same sex couples or the ordination of … Read more
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 … Read more
WHEREAS the divisions within the Presbyterian Church in Canada have become more pronounced, and have both widened and deepened over the last decade; and WHEREAS the matters of disagreement include many aspects of faith and life, belief and practice; and WHEREAS by its own admission in a report received by General Assembly in 2019, there … Read more
Recent years in our denomination have been turbulent. Some fear that our denomination may not, in its entirety, find its way back to authentic Biblical thinking, powerful Spirit-led prayer, and effective Gospel witness. Several of our members have been working on a way forward that was proposed by the Special Committee … Read more
Whereas the discussion of human sexuality issues has been before the Presbyterian Church in Canada for at least the past thirty years; it is time to bring it to a conclusion that protects congregations with a traditional understanding of the Bible; and whereas the Session and congregation of Grace, Orleans ON, has yet to see a definitive response to an Overture submitted five years ago regarding Gracious Dismissal, having experienced significant pain both in the congregation and the loss of its pastor of many years, and significant conflict over this issue … Read more