GS 2010 Article 61 – CCCNA: General Mandate
1. Material
- 1.1 Report of the CCCNA, pages 165-168 (8.2.f.1).
- 1.2 Supplementary letter dated January 9, 2010 with recommendations for committee members (8.2.f.ii).
- 1.3 Supplementary letter dated March 26, 2010 with further recommendations for committee members (8.2.f.iii).
2. Observations
- 2.1 The committee report serves as observations.
- 2.2 General Synod Smithers 2007 (Acts pp. 216-217) gave the CCCNA the following general mandate:
- [4.3.1] To continue contact with all those churches in the Americas with which we have EF 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.
- [4.3.2] To investigate diligently all the requests received for entering into EF in the Americas.
- [4.3.3] To respond, if possible and feasible, to specific requests made to attend assemblies, synods, or meetings of other churches in the Americas.
- [4.3.4] To report on its findings with suitable recommendations to the next General Synod, and to present to the churches a report of its work six months prior to the convening of the next general synod.
- 2.3 The committee recommends that this above mandate be continued, and that it also be mandated to keep other committees appointed by Synod informed about relevant topics raised by committees of churches with which we have EF. The committee gives the following as grounds for this additional item to its mandate, “From time to time, these interchurch committees raise matters that concern the mandate of our fellow committees (e.g. CRCA, CCU).”
- 2.4 The committee divided itself into two subcommittees on the basis of the geographic distribution of its members. While maintaining contact with each other, subcommittee East (based in Ontario) took care of contacts with ERQ, OPC, FRCNA, and OCRC, and subcommittee West (based in Manitoba) took care of contacts with RCUS, RPCNA, and NAPARC.
- 2.5 Regarding committee membership, the committee recommends that:
- 2.5.1 Br. J. Jonker, Rev. A.J. Pol, br. A. Poppe, and Rev. R.E. Pot, be discharged from the CCCNA, and thanked for their years of service to the churches as members of this committee.
- 2.5.2 Suitable replacements be appointed to the CCCNA, with consideration given to the geographic distribution of committee members in East (Ontario) and West (Manitoba). 2.6 The committee suggests names for appointees to the committee. It realizes that this is perhaps unusual, but does so anyway so that the continuity of the committee’s work won’t be hindered by the appointment of a brother who is unable to serve on the committee, which happened in the past.
3. Considerations
- 3.1 I t is clear that the committee functioned well with its current structure.
- 3.2 T o continue the general mandate as given by Synod Smithers 2007 makes sense.
- 3.3 To specifically mandate the CCCNA to keep other committees appointed by Synod informed about relevant topics raised by committees of churches with which we have EF appears unnecessary. The committee is already free to do this if it so finds necessary. Also, specifically mandating it to do so almost suggests that it is answerable to other synodical committees.
- 3.4 The matter of committee membership is something that ought to be recommended by the officers of synod.
4. Recommendation
That Synod decide:
- 4.1 T o give to the CCCNA the same general mandate as given by Synod Smithers 2007, i.e.:
- 4.1.1 To continue contact with all those churches in the Americas with which we have EF 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.
- 4.1.2 To investigate diligently all the requests received for entering into EF in the Americas.
- 4.1.3 To respond, if possible and feasible, to specific requests made to attend assemblies, synods, or meetings of other churches in the Americas.
- 4.1.4 To report on its findings with suitable recommendations to the next general synod, and to present to the churches a report of its work six months prior to the convening of the next general synod.
- 4.2 To discharge Br. J. Jonker, Rev. A.J. Pol, br. A. Poppe, and Rev. R.E. Pot, from the CCCNA, and thank them for their years of service to the churches as members of this committee.