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Tuesday, July 10, 2001
An unofficial digest of the proceedings of
the 36th General Synod of
the Anglican Church of Canada
_________________________________________
Supplement to Daily Report #5
Monday, July 9, 2001
5. Healing Service
Text of the acceptance of the Primate's apology by The Right Rev. Gordon Beardy, Bishop of Keewatin:Before I say the dismissal, I would like to say to the Primate, not as a bishop of the Anglican Church, but as an Anishnawbe who went to a residential school: from my heart, I would like to say that I forgive you and I want to forgive your church which has become my church.
I forgive your people who have become my people.
I accept your apology because you have worked so hard to break down the barriers. Where things that were condemned before, today you receive them with joy. Where once we were outsiders, today we are with you, as a friend, as a leader, as a brother. So, I extend my hand.
My children will hear what I said. My grandchildren will hear. For it is in forgiving that we can find peace and it is in rebuilding that we will become strong again as nations.
The Lord be with you. Let us depart in peace.
Tuesday, July 10, 2001
1. Motion
A motion to accept the orders of the day was carried as amended.2. Second Report of the Nominating Committee
Colin Johnson, chair, presented the second report of the nominating committee for positions on standing committees. He noted that some changes had been made to add more visible minorities, representation from the Diocese of Brandon and the addition of the military ordinariate. The report was adopted.Some 60 positions were filled on the following committees:
- Eco-Justice
Financial Management and Development
Faith, Worship and Ministry
Information Resources
Partners in Mission
Pensions
2. Presentation by the Primate's Evangelism Commission
The Primate introduced the report of the Primate's Evangelism Commission. Members of General Synod watched a video called The 'E' Word. Members then held table discussions on what they felt had changed, if anything, about their involvement or activity in the church during the Decade of Evangelism.General Synod then watched a video of interviews with members, shot earlier during Synod, in which people talked about how evangelism had changed them during the past decade. Members then heard live stories.
The Rev. Marc Torchinsky, Diocese of Toronto, described his conversion from conservative Judaism to Christianity.
Elizabeth Daley, a new Christian, decribed her faith journey from lapsed protestant to Sunday school teacher at the Church of the Incarnation in Oakville, Ont.
Prof. John Bowen, a member of the Primate's Commission on Evangelism invited members of General Synod to attend a conference on evangelism that is intended for teams of parish evangelists, to be held in May, 2002.
3. Resolutions
A131 A New Agape
Committing the Church to work in part
nership with Indigenous Anglicans in Canada. Carried. Standing ovation.
A132(b) revised Priorities for 2001-2004
Establishing a list of priorities for General Synod for the next triennium. Carried.
A133 Process of Intentional Listening
That Council of General Synod listen to dioceses and parishes regarding the future of the Church and present recommendations for future planning to General Synod in 2004. Carried.
A202(a) revised Negotiations with the government
A motion to refer this resolution to CoGS was carried. The resolution proposed a deadline of Sept. 15, 2001 to withdraw from negotiations with the federal Government on the residential schools issue.
4. Partners' Reflections
The Right Rev. Dr. Sebastian Bakare told General Synod he saw many "parallels between your First Nations and the way my people in Zimbabwe were dispossessed." The Bishop of Manicaland commended the Canadian Church for how it has handled the issue and noted that in his own church, there had never been such reconciliation between black and white people.Ruth Bakare, Diocese of Manicaland, spoke of the challenges facing women in Zimbabwe: AIDS, absentee husbands, limited education and few career choices.
Dr. Warren C. Ramshaw of the Episocpal Church of the USA thanked the Canadian church for the practical ideas his church has picked up from General Synod such as mailboxes, round tables and sequential numbering of resolutions. He offered suggestions for CoGS such as six-year non-renewable terms with half elected at each General Synod and holding CoGS meetings outside Toronto.
Mr. Jimmy Iserhoff, Diocese of Moosonee, spoke of the highs of general Synod for him, such as the sermon by the Right Rev. Stephen Charleston, and the lows the feeling of alienation he initially felt although he added that the feeling had been alleviated by the forming of the sacred circle on Monday.
Mrs. Verna Firth, co-chair of the Anglican Council of Indigenous People, noted the Charleston sermon, the Anglican-Lutheran service and the extension of time in the agenda to allow Indigenous people to share their stories. She expressed hope that Indigenous partners could be extended the right to vote on resolutions.
5. Resolutions
The following resolutions were carried without debate:A032 Handbook: uniformity of formatting
To renumber: Carried.
A072 Amendment to Canon VII re officers of the Missionary Society
To correct titles. Carried.
A073 Amendments to Canon VIII re the General Synod pension plan and income continuance plan
To bring into conformity with the needs of the church. Carried.
A074 Amendments to Canon IX re lay retirement plan
To add a definition of the plan. Carried.
A100 Information Resources Committee terms of reference
To confirm CoGS changes. Carried.
A200 Financial statements
To approve the statements for General Synod for the year 2000. Carried.
A201 Auditors
That Ernst and Young be approved as auditors. Carried.
A250 Amendments to pension regulations
To confirm the decisions of CoGS. Carried.
A251 Amendments to the regulations of Canon IX, the lay retirement plan
For housekeeping purposes. Carried.
A252 Amendments to continuing education regulations
For housekeeping purposes. Carried.
A253 Amendments to the long-term disability plan
For housekeeping purposes. Carried.
A254 Pensions financial statements
To approve the financial statements. Carried.
B001 Diocesan boundaries: dioceses of Western and Central Newfoundland
To adjust to conform to current practice. Carried.
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A204 Reference to CoGS
That General Synod refer to CoGS any residential schools matters for decisions up to and including declaring bankruptcy. Carried as amended to include the phrase, "between meetings of the Council, the officers of General Synod."
A130 Dignity, Inclusion and Fair Treatment
That this General Synod adopt A Call to Human Dignity: A Statement of Principles on Dignity, Inclusion and Fair Treatment and commend it to each diocese. Debate covered the gamut from fears that the floodgates would open to practising homosexuals in the pulpit to concerns that the church would remain prejudiced.
Carried in voting by orders. Carried in voting by dioceses: 24 in favour; 5 opposed; one tied. Four amendments were proposed; all were defeated.
A263 Sudan
Condemning the civil war in Sudan and calling on the Primate and the federal Government to act. Carried.
A264(a) revised Talisman
Urging all bodies in the Anglican Church of Canada to sell their Talisman Energy Inc. shares. Carried as amended to add the words, "and that equivalent amounts of any capital gains realised from the sale of such shares be given to projects furthering the welfare of Sudanese refugees," at the end of section one.
A120 Indigenous governance
That the Indian Act not be amended without consultation. Carried.
A152 Jubilee
To acknowledge the work of the Canadian Ecumenical Jubilee Initiative. Carried.
A153(a) revised Anti-racism
To affirm the work of the World Conference Against Racism and to make provisions for anti-racism training. Carried.
A154 Restorative Justice
To affirm and continue the work of restorative justice. Carried.
A155 Socially Responsible Investment
To reconstitute the Socially Responsible Investment Group. Carried.
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075 Burden of Proof
To amend subsection 17(b) of Canon XVIII, Discipline, to require the presumption of innocence until guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Carried by a two-thirds majority in all orders.
A082 Marriage Canon: Admission to Holy Communion
To delete a section of the canon that has not been used for several years. Carried by a two-thirds majority in all orders.
A161 French translation of BAS
To approve the French translations of the Eucharist, Baptism, Marriage and Funeral liturgies of the Book of Alternative Services. Adopté
A241(a) revised Zimbabwe
To request to Government of Canada to express concern about violence against Zimbabwean citizens. Carried with a minor amendment.
B002(a) revised Canon XVIII Discipline
To delete the paragraph referring to contemptuous or disrespectful conduct towards the bishop of the diocese. Defeated.
B003 Sexual Abuse Policy
Carried as amended to refer the review of the sexual abuse policy to CoGS instead of to the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee.
B004(a) revised Licensing Canon XVII
To review the procedures for revoking licences and bring revisions to General Synod in 2004. Carried.
C004 Mission and Ministry of Women
That General Synod provide communication and coordination to facilitate the mission and ministry of women. Motion to refer to Information Resources Committee Carried.
C012 Church Army
To provide membership in General Synod for members of the Church Army. Defeated.
A203 Re: RCAP recommendations
To urge the federal Government to establish a public inquiry into the residential schools. Carried.
A260 Canadian Churches for Justice and Peace
Recognize the restructuring of the ecumenical justice coalition into Kairos:Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives.
A266(a) revised Mexico
To pursue peace talks with the Zapatista National Liberation Army. Carried.
A267 Guatemala
To address human rights violations. Carried.
A268 Columbia
For a political settlement to end armed conflict. Carried.
A269 Migrant workers
To affirm the rights of migrant workers and to condemn inhumane treatment of them. Carried.
A271 Solomon Islands
To restore peace, the rule of law and good governance. Carried.
A272 Indonesia
To stop human rights abuses and end military conflict in many areas of the country. Carried.
A273 Support for a New Agape
To support a new partnership between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. Carried.
A274(a) revised Dissolution of PWRDF National Committee
To thank the National Committee of the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund for its work now that PWRDF is a legally separate organization, and to endorse it Canadian development program.
A280 Cuba
To encourage a policy of constructive engagement. Motion to refer to CoGS was carried.