GS 1974 ARTICLE 66 – Revision Church Order
Advisory Committee IV presents:
MATERIAL:
- Agenda G 1 Report of the Committee on the Revision of the Church Order, appointed by General Synod New Westminster, 1971.
- 2 Addendum to Committee Report.
- 3 Overture Church at Burlington East, Ont.
- 4 Overture Church at Barrhead, Alta.
- 5 Overture Church at London, Ont.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- 1. As for the mandate of the Committee on Revision Church Order;
- Synod observes that the Ebenezer Church at Burlington have asked themselves whether the guidelines adopted by the Committee on Revision Church Order are in full agreement with the mandate given by Synod 1971. They state that “a general revision would have resulted, among others, in re-arranging articles, bringing more “logical order.”
- Synod considers that the mandate given to the Committee by Synod 1971 does not necessarily result in such re-arranging of articles;
- Synod further considers that the guidelines as adopted by the Committee do not preclude such re-arrangement of articles, which during the progress of this revision may prove profitable to the Churches;
- Synod concludes that in adopting these guidelines the Committee did not act contrary to its mandate.
- 2. Synod decides
- a. not to make any decision on the proposals contained in the report of the Committee on Revision of the Church Order, since the report covers only the first 28 Articles of the Church Order.
- b. to continue the Committee on Revision of the Church Order to complete its mandate.
- c. to charge the Committee to keep the Churches informed from time to time of provisional results, so that constructive criticism from the Churches may be expected and digested (Acts, General Synod 1971, art. 82, Recommendations 1 b)
- d. to pass on to the Committee all material received in this connection, for further study, consideration, and recommendation.
- e. to instruct the Committee to seriously consider the report of the Dutch Committee ad hoe, received via the Committee on Correspondence with Churches Abroad, and the actions the Dutch Sister-Churches may take in this matter.
- f. to adopt the proposed version of Article 84 Church Order:
ARTICLE 84 – Property of the Churches
- All property, both real and personal, which belongs to the Churches comprised respectively in Classes, Regional Synods and General Synod in common, shall be held in trust for such Churches in equal shares by deputies or trustees appointed for that purpose from time to time by the appropriate Classes, Regional Synods or General Synod, and such deputies or trustees shall be bound by the terms of their appointment and instructions and are subject to being discharged by a subsequent Classis, Regional Synod or General Synod.
- Ground: the old article 84 Church Order does not legally safeguard the possessions of the Churches by proper general provisions.