17 May GS 2001 art 74

Posted at 14:20h in CanRC, GS 2001 by

GS 2001 Article 74 – CCCA: General Mandate

Committee 1 presented its proposal on the Mandate of the CCCA. The following was adopted.

1. Material

  • 1.1. Report of the Committee for Contact with Churches in the Americas (Pages 22,23 and 32,33).
  • 1.2. Letters from the churches at London, Coaldale, Orangeville, Aldergrove.
  • 1.3. Willoughby Heights Church re: PCK in North America.

2. Admissibility

  • 2.1. The letters from the churches are admissible since they interact with the Report of the CCCA.

3. Observations

  • 3.1. Observations from the report of the CCCA.
    • 3.1.1. The CCCA feels restricted in its overall work because distance (the committee is spread over Manitoba and Ontario), with its attendant cost and time restraints, limits the CCCA to only one annual meeting.
    • 3.1.2. Since Synod Fergus 1998 mandated the CCCA to establish and maintain relationships of ecclesiastical fellowship with churches located in the Americas (Acts, art. 72), the CCCA questions why the CPEU (responsible for contact with the OCRC, URCNA and the FRCNA) was not placed under the umbrella of the CCCA as a subcommittee.
    • 3.1.3. The CCCA asks what its responsibility is towards the Reformed Churches of Brazil (IRB). Further, it asks which subcommittee of the CCCA would be responsible.
    • 3.1.4. The CCCA asks what it should do if a subcommittee takes a different direction than desired by the whole committee, “Can a report by a subcommittee be overruled by the other members who are not part of that subcommittee?”
    • 3.1.5. Since the ERQ, OPC and RCUS are involved with NAPARC, and since the membership of the CRC has been suspended, the CCCA requests permission of Synod to send an observer to a future meeting of NAPARC to investigate its character and the usefulness of joining this organization.
  • 3.2. Observations from the churches.
    • 3.2.1. The Church at London recommends that in view of the appeals the CanRC sent to the CRC in 1963 and 1977, Synod not permit the CCCA to send an observer to investigate NAPARC. The CRC has not been expelled, only suspended.
    • 3.2.2. The Church at Orangeville suggests that the CCCA be responsible for contact with all churches in the Americas including the ones with which the CPEU is presently in discussion; therefore, according to Orangeville, the CPEU should be made a subcommittee of the CCCA.
    • 3.2.3. The Church at Orangeville suggests that the CCCA bring one report to synod rather than have each subcommittee submit its own report (the possibility for minority reports ought to be left open).
    • 3.2.4. The Church at Willoughby Heights has noticed that our sister churches, the PCK, have some 71 congregations in North America and recommends that contact with the Korean Presbyterian Churches in North America be included in the CCCA’s mandate.
    • 3.2.5. The Church at Aldergrove requests synod to separate and distinguish the various mandates and functions of the CRCA, the CCCA and the CPEU. It also asks that all committees that submit reports to the churches verify receipt of the reports.

4. Considerations

  • 4.1. The CCCA should be able to communicate well enough by modern means of communication. As long as the members of the subcommittees live in close proximity, the work should be able to proceed well.
  • 4.2. The difference between the CCCA and the CPEU is that the CCCA works towards regulation for and implementation of ecclesiastical fellowship while the CPEU works towards regulation for and implementation of federative unity.
  • This difference in task description warrants the CPEU remaining a committee independent of the CCCA. The suggestion of the Church at Orangeville in this respect should not be taken over.
  • 4.3. Since the IRB is largely the result of God blessing our mission efforts in Brazil, it is appropriate to enter into a relationship of ecclesiastical fellowship with this new federation of churches. The CCCA ought to implement this under the adopted rules.
  • 4.4. The CCCA should submit one report. In case a subcommittee has a different opinion it can submit a minority report. The suggestion of the church of Orangeville in this respect is correct.
  • 4.5. To send an observer to NAPARC is warranted because of our growing relationships with the ERQ,OPC and RCUS.
  • 4.6. The Church at London suggests that NAPARC is “not yet” prepared to expel the CRC and that therefore we ought not to send an observer. In fact NAPARC is dealing with the suspension and expulsion of the CRC in a forthright and orderly way. Although the CRCA has followed a policy of non-involvement (Appendix 5 p. 274 Acts Synod Fergus 1998), Synod considers that it would be worthwhile to send observers to NAPARC. Furthermore it ought to be recognized that the CCCA is only asking to send an observer to NAPARC.
  • 4.7. The Korean Presbyterian Churches in North America deserve our attention considering that, according to the Church at Willoughby Heights, they belong to the PCK (Kosin). It is therefore logical that contact with these churches be mandated to the CCCA.
  • 4.8. Synod considers that the CCCA need not verify receipt of their reports since there are other ways for a church to notice whether it has not received committee reports, which other churches have. Synod considers that with the common use of email it would be useful for all committees henceforth to email their report to all the consistories, with a request for confirmation of receipt, along with a notice that a hardcopy will follow.
  • 4.9. Since the CCCA needs to travel, funds need to be placed at its disposal.

5. Recommendations

Synod decide:

  • 5.1. To thank the CCCA, as well as its subcommittees, for the work done and presented.
  • 5.2. To appoint a CCCA of 9 men which will divide all the work relating to churches in the Americas among as many subcommittees as necessary.
  • 5.3. To mandate the CCCA to:
    • 5.3.1. Continue contact with all those churches in the Americas with whom we have ecclesiastical fellowship according to the adopted rules, and in accordance with the mandates described in decisions taken by Synod with respect to the churches with which we have ongoing relationships;
    • 5.3.2. Investigate diligently all the requests received for entering into ecclesiastical fellowship in the Americas;
    • 5.3.3. Respond, if possible and feasible, to specific requests made to attend assemblies, synods, or meetings of other churches in the Americas;
    • 5.3.4. Report on their findings with suitable recommendations to the next General Synod, and to present to the churches a report of its work (in accordance with Consideration 4.8) six months prior to the convening of the next General Synod.
  • 5.4. To allocate $ 8,000.00 for the work of the CCCA.
  • 5.5. To mandate the CCCA to implement and maintain on behalf of the churches a relationship of ecclesiastical fellowship with the churches of the IRB under the adopted rules (see Article 55,Recommendation 4).
  • 5.6. To mandate the CCCA to contact the Korean Presbyterian Churches in North America as per information submitted by the Church at Willoughby Heights.
  • 5.7. To allow the CCCA to send an observer, at its own discretion, to future meetings of NAPARC to investigate its usefulness and possible membership in this organization.
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