03 Aug GS 2010 art 35

Posted at 13:26h in CanRC, GS 2010 by

GS 2010 Article 35 – Appeal from Burlington-Ebenezer re: Administering the Lord’s Supper to Shut-ins

1.         Material

Appeal from Burlington-Ebenezer dated March 15, 2010 re: Procedure – Article 96, Acts of Synod Smithers 2007 (8.5.n).

2.         Observations

  • 2.1       In its appeal, Burlington-Ebenezer addresses two aspects. This letter deals with procedure as well as content and the content will be dealt with separately.
  • 2.2       Burlington-Ebenezer observes that Synod Smithers received an overture from Regional Synod West 2006 that sought a revision to several Church Order articles.
  • 2.3       Burlington-Ebenezer observes that the churches of Regional Synod East did not have the opportunity to interact with the overture.
  • 2.4       Burlington-Ebenezer suggests that all the churches of the federation should have opportunity to interact with overtures that will appear on the agenda of general synod.
  • 2.5       Burlington-Ebenezer asks Synod 2010 to judge that Synod 2007 erred in dealing with and deciding on the overture because not all the churches had the opportunity to interact with the overture.
  • 2.6       B urlington-Ebenezer further requests that General Synod 2010 decide:
    • [1.]          That any overture adopted by a regional synod for submission to general synod must also be sent to the churches in the other regional synod(s) for input;
    • [2.]          That if the churches in the other parts of the country have not seen the overture, general synod declares the submission inadmissible;
    • [3.]          To make this decision part of the General Synod Guidelines.

3.         Considerations

  • 3.1       There is currently no regulation that requires that overtures adopted by a regional synod be distributed to all the churches of the federation.
  • 3.2       Since the matters on the agenda of general synod involve the churches in common, it would be appropriate for regional synods to distribute copies of adopted overtures to all the churches in the federation.
  • 3.3       Since regional synods meet in November, six months prior to the convening of a general synod, it would be appropriate to require that the overtures be sent to all the churches no later than five months prior to the convening of a general synod.

4.         Recommendation

That Synod decide:

  • 4.1       That Synod Smithers 2007 did not err in dealing with and deciding on the overture in question.
  • 4.2       That any overture adopted by a regional synod for submission to a general synod be distributed to all the churches no later than five months prior to the general synod.
  • 4.3       To add this provision to the Guidelines for Synod under the new heading, Overtures, between sections 3 and 4.
  • 4.4       To instruct the clerk of Synod to notify the next Regional Synod East and Regional Synod West of this change in the Guidelines for Synod.

ADOPTED

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