(All Perspectives messages are designed to be viewed with a non-proportional typeface, such as Courier or Terminal. To subscribe to, or unsubscribe from, this list, see the bottom of this message.) ___________________________________ p e r s p e c t i v e s by tod maffin wednesday may 27 1998 ____________________________________ q u i c k t a k e s TV SHOW LINEUP TONIGHT At 7pm tonight (Pacific and Eastern time zones) on Vision TV, tune in to see coverage of yesterday's debate on the Human Rights proposal, the presentation by the Anglican Council of Indigineous Peoples, the 100th birthday of the Prayer Book Society, and a feature on two ministries in Montreal -- to seamen arriving at ports and a "storefront" parish ministering to an impoverished community. You'll also hear from our member panel on the Human Rights issue. NATIONAL "KICK YOUR BISHOP" DAY?! In the course of debate, Bishop John Clarke of Athabasca amused synod members by reporting this exchange: "Just as I was about to stand up to make my comments, my secretary asked how I would be voting on this motion. I told her I would be speaking in favour, and she said 'Good, then I won't have to kick you!'" THE SEVENTH DAY Synod member and fellow Internet correspondent Alan Perry shared this litany from a United Church publication called "Joy Is Our Banquet: resources for everyday worship" by Keri K. Wehlander. It seems appropriate: One: Our spirits are going thirsty; Our souls are near exhaustion. All: We have cancelled the seventh day. One: Our agendas are ever-expanding; Our calendars fill with demands. All: We have cancelled the seventh day. One: Our breath has no time for the catching; Our mind has no time for repose. All: We have cancelled the seventh day. One: Our doing has gained all importance; Our being has been put on hold. All: We have cancelled the seventh day. One: Our hearts desire nurture and balance; Our God shapes a way to respond: All: Let there be a seventh day. THE ORGANIZATION FORMERLY KNOWN AS... The General Synod celebrated the 100th birthday of the Prayer Book Society, as the Society unveiled its new name: the Anglican Worship Resources Society. CARIBOO DIOCESE TRIAL BEGINS Bishop Jim Cruickshank of Cariboo left the Synod yesterday to attend a trial in Smithers, B.C. involving the Diocese of Cariboo and the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. The trial is about residential schools. General Secretary Jim Boyles asked members to pray for all those involved in the trial which is expected to take approximately two weeks. ____________________________________ f o r u m s (Note: Some of you have asked for more information about what the panelists on the National Identity Forum had to say, so here's the relevant text from members' Daily Report.) by Maragaret Shawyer, Daily Report A panel of public figures told Synod that church leaders ought to play a greater role in speaking out on issues of the day, especially when matters of principle and social justice are concerned. The strongest plea for a more pro-active social role by the church and its leaders came from Quebec elder statesman Claude Ryan, a former Liberal leader in the Assemblée Nationale and the spokesman for the No side during Quebec's first referendum on independence in 1980. "I would like to see religious leaders intervene in debates more clearly and more forcibly where matters of principle are involved," Mr. Ryan told the 300 General Synod members meeting here this week. "I would like to see them participate more in the formation of young people...The Church must play a more active role in helping us solve our problems" His comments were echoed by Senator Ann Cools, moderator of the five-person panel, who agreed that the church "must intervene more forcibly in the problems of our country," and by former attorney general of British Columbia, Brian Smith, who described churches as "important vehicles of national understanding and reconciliation." Another panelist, Joan Fraser, Director General of the Centre for Research and Information on Canada and a former editor of the Montreal Gazette, asked: "If you the church, don't go to the heart of things, then who will?" The panel was convened to address Synod members on the theme of "nation and identity" but comments covered the gamut of social and political issues with the place of Quebec in the Canadian Confederation at the forefront. The General Synod theme -- "Lift every voice/Faisons entendre nos voix" is meant to invite members to reflection diversity, inclusiveness and minority voices in Canadian society. Another panelist, Grand Chief Matthew Coon-Come of the Grand Council of the Cree, said that churches today are to be commended for the role they seek to play in righting social wrongs, but that in the past, they have been complicit in fostering social conditions that have lead to the plight of aboriginal peoples in Canada today. "I challenge members of all faith communities to be witness to these injustices," he said, referring to the social problems his people struggle against. Speaking to the evening's theme, Chief Coon-Come said that "nation and identity" are more than mere political concepts. In the case of Canada's aboriginal peoples, he argued, "it is self evident that we are a people and a nation." Chief Coon-Come said there has, in fact, been little evolution in the way that Canadian society treats aboriginal peoples from the days of imposed or fraudulent treaties today. A new policy to deal with aboriginal peoples formulated by the Quebec government is a perpetuation of the same "fraud and hoax," he said. (Anglican News Service) _____________________________________ e v a n g e l i s m The Rev. Maude Parsons-Horst spoke on behalf of the Primate's Commission on Evangelism. She said that the Primate has raised the voice of evangelism, not only in Canada, but throughout the world as he travels on behalf of the Anglican Communion. Anglicans have been silent (about evangelism) for a while and it is hard to find your voice when you have been silent for a long time but there are now encouraging signs across the country that the church is awakening. Each panelist spoke about how they experience evangelism in their lives today and offered their vision of evangelism - people across the country in parishes coming to know the real love of God; small loving communities where people feel affirmed and can grow in love; changing the way we think about evangelism - involving doubting, seeking people in community and sharing the gospel. Bishop Mason thanked the Primate for his leadership and said that he has opened the door and kept it open - I hope that the decade of evangelism will stretch out to be the millennium of evangelism. In his closing remarks the Primate spoke about the document The Inviting Church, a document on evangelism that was presented to the 1980 General Synod and said that it was a defining moment for evangelism in the church. [DR] _____________________________________ h e a l i n g j o u r n e y The presentation began with the giving of gifts to members of Synod. Vi Smith and Grace Delaney from the Council of Indigenous peoples addressed the Synod and made a presentation, of the Hendry Report - Beyond Traplines, to the Primate, Bishop Hutchison and Bishop Beardy. The presentation was in honour of the re-issue of the book in an up-dated version. The book is available from the Anglican Book Centre. Many groups of indigenous people are represented in Anglican Church of Canada "they are spread across this land from the very edge of Labrador to the high Arctic and across the mountains to British Columbia." They are known by many names - Gitxan, Nisga'a, Swampy Cree, Quebec Cree... The Rev. Arthur Anderson, Ms. Jennifer Pepabano and Mrs. Lizzie Epoo-York shared their personal stories. The Indigenous People in the Anglican Church of Canada have begun to heal the pain of their experiences at residential schools . The healing began at the 1st Native Convocation in 1993 with the Primate's apology for the the physical, cultural and emotional abuse that took place in some of the residential schools. The healing continues. Grace Delaney thanked the national church for its support on their journey, especially Anglican Video, the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund and the Anglican Foundation. She also expressed appreciation to the New England Company for its financial support. Members viewed A Journey Begins with a Dream, produced by Anglican Video, documenting the healing journey of the indigenous people of the Anglican Church of Canada. [DR] ____________________________________ t o d a y WEDNESDAY MAY 27 7:00 am Breakfast 8:30 am Bible reflection and worship 9:30 am Youth lead members in some aerobics BUSINESS: A-232 Appointment of Auditors (No debate) C-19 Music Resources for Small Churches (No debate) C-21 Evangelical Fellowship (No debate) C-24 Ecumenical Decade (No debate) A-230R Proportional giving A-24R Amendment to Constitution - Unifying the budget A-70 Canon VI Financial Management amendment A-161 Columia A-162 Cuba A-163 Kenya A-165 Sudan A-22 Officers of General Synod A-131R Multilateral Agreement on Investment A-132 Sustainable Community 11:30 am Partners' Reflections 12:10 pm Bag lunch and Eucharist 3:00 pm Forum IV - Diocese-to-diocese 4:45 pm Nominating committee brings first slate to floor 5:00 pm Dinner 7:15 pm No debate list BUSINESS: A-90 Euthenasia A-91 Human Cloning 8:45 pm Night prayers, led by youth members 9:15 pm Meeting of the new Council of General Synod, and members watch Vision TV broadcasts ____________________________________ y o u r v o i c e "Since most of us in the Diocese of the Arctic have no chance of making it to Montreal for this Synod, your coverage and that of your Video partners has made it probably better than being there, since we still have a healthy dose of snow on the ground and in the air. Don't envy us, though!" -- Canon Paul Williams Holy Comforter Parish Rankin Inlet, NWT "I appreciate the time and effort that has and is being put into the coverage of the Synod proceedings both on the Internet and on Vision TV. However, I wish that we could be provided with a broader understanding of the issues and a better sense of the debate." -- The Rev. Dr. Jeanette Scott Diocese of New Westminster "I'm appreciating the synod updates - and it's good to know that Canadian Anglicans have a sense of humour - things can become rather too earnest around here!" -- The Rev. Mark Sumner Australia "As a delegate for the diocesan synod I find this coverage combined with the TV coverage to be most helpful you used to use the diocesan and provincial synods as a training ground for the general synod. Now, with this coverage we can and are using the general synod to learn what to expect in the diocesan synod. Well done -- imagine the general synod as a teaching tool. I'll bet no one figured on that!" -- Herman vanden Hoven >> Lift YOUR voice at General Synod! Email voices@anglican.ca and put the words "your voice" in the subject line. (Text may, and likely will, be edited for space considerations only.) If you'd like your comments to reach members on the floor at Plenary, put the word "dispatches" in the subject line. - 30 - Perspectives is written by Tod Maffin, electronic news coordinator for General Synod 1998. It is distributed at about 9am EST each morning on the ACC-SynodNews mailing list on Internet email, on Quest/Ecunet, in America Online's faith centre, and on a variety of diocesan bulletin board systems. This is a read-only mailing list. Any messages sent to the list will disappear into a black hole. To contact the editor, email voices@anglican.ca. To leave this list, send an email to majordomo@ns1.anglican.ca and put the words "unsubscribe acc-synodnews" (without the quotes) in the body of the message. LEGAL STUFF: You are encouraged to distribute this text to people known to you, provided no automated mailing list software is used to perform this forwarding function. No fee may be charged for distribution of this text, nor can this text be bundled with other information or programs without the written permission of the Anglican Church of Canada. . . . tod =-) tod k. maffin electronic news coordinator general synod 1998 - may 21-29 montreal anglican church of canada http://www.anglican.ca/synod98/