07 Aug GS 2010 art 98

Posted at 20:19h in CanRC, GS 2010 by

GS 2010 Article 98 – Days of Prayer, Article 54 CO

1.         Material

Report from Edmonton-Providence and Burlington-Waterdown (8.2.p).

2.         Observations

  • 2.1       Synod 2007 appointed the Churches at Edmonton-Providence and Burlington-Waterdown as the churches to implement the provisions of Article 54 CO.
  • 2.2       On September 2008, the church at Cloverdale requested the church at Edmonton-Providence to declare a day of prayer. EdmontonProvidence forwarded the request of Cloverdale to the church at Burlington-Waterdown.
  • 2.4       The church at Cloverdale requested the day of prayer because of its concerns about the abuses of Canada’s Human Rights Commissions particularly against Christians who have spoken out about matters such as homosexuality.
  • 2.5        The churches at Burlington-Waterdown and Edmonton-Providence informed Cloverdale that “we strongly believe that the consistent moral decline of our nation should constantly be brought forward to our God and Father in both regular congregational and individual prayer.”
  • 2.6       Cloverdale’s request was denied because it “does not fit the current requirements for a national day of prayer” as outlined in Article 54 CO, which states that a day of prayer should be considered “in time of war, general calamities and other great afflictions the presence of which is felt throughout the churches.” As stated by Synod Chatham 2004, “these afflictions must be of an acute nature, of extreme severity and posing an immediate crisis for the life of the church and the nation” (Acts of Synod Chatham 2004, Article 40, 4.4).

3.         Considerations

  • 3.1       It is understandable that the church at Cloverdale is concerned about the abuses of Canada’s Human Rights Commissions.
  • 3.2       This request does not pose an immediate crisis for the life of the church and the nation.
  • 3.3       The churches at Burlington-Waterdown and Edmonton-Providence were therefore correct in denying this request.

4.         Recommendation

That Synod decide to thank Edmonton-Providence and BurlingtonWaterdown for their report.

ADOPTED

Two members of Synod abstained according to Article 32 CO.

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