06 Jul GS 2019 art 111

GS 2019 Article 111 – PCA (Presbyterian Church in America)

1.   Material

• 1.1    Letter from the Flamborough-Redemption CanRC (8.3.2.9)

2.   Observations

• 2.1    Flamborough-Redemption requests Synod to establish contact and engage in dialogue with the Presbyterian Churches in America (PCA):
  • 2.1.1    The CanRC currently have no official contact or dialogue with the PCA.
  • 2.1.2    The CanRC is a member of NAPARC together with the PCA.
  • 2.1.3    The CCCNA report is silent on a direct relationship with the PCA.
  • 2.1.4    The PCA has 24 churches in Canada: 5 in British Columbia, 5 in Alberta, 8 in Ontario, 3 in New Brunswick, and 3 in Nova Scotia. Seventeen of the 24 PCA churches in mainland BC, Alberta, and Ontario, are in close proximity to CanRC churches.
• 2.2    The CanRC have not received a formal invitation from the PCA for establishing contact.
• 2.3    From public literature it is known that the PCA is a theologically diverse church.

3.   Consideration

A similar request was made by the Hamilton-Cornerstone CanRC to GS 2013 (Art. 81), and Synod’s Consideration stated:

• While Hamilton-Cornerstone’s suggestion may have merit, it would be appropriate and also helpful for Hamilton (or some other congregation so inclined) to first investigate the PCA further. If after investigation and evaluation of the PCA there is an apparent potential for fruitful ecclesiastical contact, the issue should be brought from the minor assemblies to the broader, where it may be placed on the agenda of the CCCNA for its attention. This course of action would be similar to that taken, e.g., by the church of Aldergrove with respect to the Free Reformed Churches of North America (see Acts of Synod Fergus 1998, Article 98, Consideration III.A).

4.   Recommendations

That Synod decide that the above consideration serves as answer to the Flamborough-Redemption CanRC.

ADOPTED