Morning

Members viewed a short humourous video about proceedings at General Synod and adopted the Orders for the Day.

1. Reports

Synod heard a report from the credentials committee noting the number of members present in each order. The report from the Resolutions Committee recommended that resolutions A140R, C-013 and C-014 be placed on the no-debate list and reminded members of the process for removing resolutions from the list. The no-debate list was called at 3:30 p.m and C-013 was removed.

2. Report of the Nominating Committee

AGREED that the following members be elected to the Council of General Synod:

The Venerable Mark Conliffe Algoma

Mrs. Lizzie Epoo-York Arctic

The Rev. Fraser Lawton Athabasca

Mr. Lawrence Smith Brandon

Ms. Sally Tuckey British Columbia

Mrs. Myrtice Alpen Caledonia

The Rev. Jagdutt Singh Calgary

The Rev. Bruce Chamberlayne Cariboo

The Reverend David Pilling Central Newfoundland

The Rt. Rev. Donald Harvey Eastern NF & Lab.

Mrs. Marguerite Denman Edmonton

Mr. Peter Irish Fredericton

The Most Rev. Percy O'Driscoll Huron

Ms. Sue Mackay-Smith Kootenay

Mr. Dion Lewis Member at Large (Youth)

Mr. John Knapp Member at Large (Youth)

Captain The Rev. Baxter Park Military Ordinariate

Mrs. Elizabeth Hutchinson Montreal

Mrs. Grace Delaney Moosonee

The Very Rev. Peter Elliott New Westminster

Miss Helen Elliott Niagara

Mrs. Carolyn Chenhall Nova Scotia

The Venerable Susan Moxley Nova Scotia

Ms. Dorothy Davies Flindall Ontario

Canon Michael Iveson Ottawa

The Rev. Canon Allen Box Ottawa

The Rev. Canon H.R.Houldcroft Qu'Appelle

Mr. James Sweeny Quebec

The Very Rev. Stephen Andrews Saskatchewan

The Rt. Rev. Thomas Morgan Saskatoon

The Rt. Rev. Terrence Finlay Toronto

The Rt. Rev. Leonard Whitten Western NF

The Rt. Rev. Terrence Buckle Yukon

3. Resolutions

DEFEATED a resolution to give first reading to amendments to Canon XXI on Marriage in the Church. (A67)

AGREED to repeal Canon XVII, Episcopal Jurisdiction Respecting the Clergy, and replace it with Canon XVII, The Licensing of Clergy. (A62).

The above resolution was voted on in 2 parts. No amendments were made to Part I and amendments were made to Section II articles 16, 17.

AGREED (on first reading) that subsection 17 b) of Canon XVIII (Discipline) be amended to read presumed innocent until the commission of the offence by them is proved beyond a reasonable doubt. (A-68)

AGREED to approve the minutes of the 34th General Session of the General Synod, held in Ottawa, Ontario,

June 1-9, 1995, as printed in the Journal and with a minor amendment on p. 85.

AGREED to amend Canon XI, Anglican Book Centre, by deleting sections 1, 2 and 4; by deleting the words and in consultation with the Advisory Board, in section 3; adding the words of Information Resources and the word Director in section 5; and renumbering the sections accordingly. (A-72)

AGREED to approve the Terms of Reference for the following committees: Eco-Justice, Faith Worship and Ministry, Financial Management and Development, Information Resources Committee and its sub-committees (Anglican Journal, Information Resources, Merchandising and Distribution and Resource Production), Partners in Mission, Pension Committee and Primate's World Relief and Development Fund. (A81)

DEFEATED a resolution to give first reading to an amendment to the Declaration of Principles subsection (i) of section 3. (B20)

4. Anglican Foundation

Canon John Erb, Director of the Anglican Foundation, addressed the Synod. He spoke the contributions of his predecessors, the Ven. John McMulkin and and the Rev. Canon Gordon Baker. When Canon Erb asked members of Synod how many dioceses had received a grant from the Anglican Foundation, the majority responded in the affirmative. The Foundation offers a variety of assistance from bursaries to help with building projects. Canon Erb asked members to encourage their parishes to become members of the Foundation and offered a "special" membership rate for parishes that have Synod members - $49.99 (the regular rate is $50.00 )! The Anglican Foundation has a display booth at Synod and members were encouraged to visit the booth for more information.

5. Resolutions Cont.

AGREED to commend, eucharistic prayers S1, S2 (revised and amended) and S3 (revised and amended) contained in Section III A of the Report of Faith Worship and Ministry Committee, where authorized by the Ordinary, during a three-year period to conclude with the next General Synod; and directed the Faith Worship and Ministry Committee to report on the use and reception of the prayers to the next General Synod. (A92)

(Synod voted on each of the prayers separately.)

AGREED to commend the two Services of the Word contained in the Report of the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee (Section 3A) to the Church for trial use, where authorized by the Ordinary, during a three-year period to conclude with the next General Synod; and that the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee be directed to report on the use and reception of the rites to the next General Synod (A-93)

6. No-Debate List

The no debate list was called and C-013 was removed.

AGREED to send warmest greetings to our brothers and sisters in Christ in the dioceses of Kuching, Sabah, Singapore and West Malaysia in recognition of their inauguration as the Anglican Province of South East Asia on Friday February 2, 1996; and to the dioceses of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama in recognition of their inauguration as the new Anglican Church of the Central Region of America on April 17, 1998.

AGREED to extend greetings to John and Pamela McBeth, with grateful thanks for their years of faithful service to the Anglican Church and we add our prayers for God's blessing on them, both now and forever.

(C-14)

REFERRED resolution A-160 to the Resolutions Committee for further work.

7. Nation and Identity (Part 1)

In his address to Synod on "Nation and Identity, the Rt. Rev. Andrew Hutchison, Bishop of Montreal said that his vision of the church in Quebec would see it stay out of partisan politics while pursuing goals of reconciliation, justice and peace. The address was an introduction to the evening session when a panel engaged the Synod in a discussion on the same topic.

Bishop Hutchison told the Synod that the church has no mandate to advocate one form of government over another. "How we choose to organize ourselves for collective security and well being is a political question that must be settled by voters at the ballot box, be they Christian or not, " he said. But he added: "We do, on the other hand, have a mandate...to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being."

"It is my view that the church has no business aligning itself with the Yes or No side of the referendum on such issues. It must, however, be vigilant in safeguarding the fundamental rights and well-being of its citizens. It is not acceptable to achieve a political agenda at the cost of the just and core values of a society."

Bishop Hutchison admitted that as leader of an overwhelmingly anglophone diocese in a francophone province, his refusal to take political sides has at time been uncomfortable both for him and for members of the church who look to him for leadership.

On the other hand, he said he has not hesitated to speak passionately on political issues, both in private and in public, where he feels that questions of justice are involved.

He noted that he has spoken out on the question of native self-determination and on the removal of Passover foods from store shelves because they lacked French language packaging. "These are matters that for me touch our baptismal commitment," he explained. "Political organization, on the other hand, does not in such an obvious way."

Bishop Hutchison said that in the context of his views on church and politics, it "is important to say that we do not intend to debate on the issue of the aspirations of Quebec or any group."

Rather, he added, it was important that General Synod members be exposed to an exchange of information, to the realization that concerns about the issues of nation and identity are common among many groups across the country and to the exploration of ways in which these diverse groups can help each other.

On the question of Quebec, however, Bishop Hutchison said it is a myth that Canada consists of "two solitudes." Politicians and others, he said, have been quick to exploit this myth of a nation based on a duality for their own purposes.

"It is a myth that does not take into account societies that have evolved clear across this land over thousands of years prior to European immigration. It takes no notice...of any countries other than France and Great Britain." The myth as exploited by politicians "has effectively re-enforced a victim mentality among French Québecois, he said.

Rather than a nation of "two solitudes", Bishop Hutchison argued, Canada is, in fact, based on a notion of partnership, an area, he added, where the Anglican Church has a great deal to teach the rest of the country.

The Anglican concept of partnership, he said, consists of listening to others, understanding their aspirations and sharing resources required for them to achieve their dreams.

"I believe that the partnership principle that has become so respected internationally and in the affairs of our church in Canada could have a wider application within our land and serve us well in the future." Bishop Hutchison said.

Anglican News Service

Evening

8. Nation and Identity (Part 2)

Panelists for the Hearing on Nation and Identity were

Grand Chief Matthew Coon-Come

Grand Council of the Cree

Mrs. Joan Fraser

Director, General, Centre for Research and Information on Canada

The Ven. Rod Gillis

Archdeacon of Cape Breton

The Honourable Claude Ryan

Former Liberal Leader, Assemblée Nationale du Quebec

The Honourable Brian Smith

Chairman, BC Hydro and Power Authority

The Honourable Senator Ann Cool moderated.

Each panelist addressed the Synod and spoke about Nation and Identity as seen from their particular part of the country. In the question and answer period that followed, Mrs. Lizzie Epoo-York spoke about the North and and the Innu people she said "we pray for our leaders that you will make sound decisions- we are down to earth proud to be Canadians."