10 Sep GS 2022 art 159

GS 2022 Article 159 – NAPARC (North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council)

1.   Material

• 1.1    Report of the CCCNA (8.2.11.1) on NAPARC.
• 1.2    Submissions from the following churches: Willoughby Heights (8.3.11.2).
• 1.2.1   Willoughby Heights recommends that Synod encourages the interchurch relations committee(s) to make more information on ecumenical conferences available to the churches via the reports to general synod.

2.   Admissibility

• 2.1    The report was declared admissible.
• 2.2    The submissions were declared admissible.

3.   Decision

Synod decided:

• 3.1    To mandate the Committee on Ecumenical Relations (CER):
  • 3.1.1   To represent the CanRC at the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC) and to continue active involvement in it;
  • 3.1.2   To submit its report to the churches six months prior to the convening of the next general synod;
  • 3.1.3   To consider including relevant information about ecumenical conferences in the report to general synod.

4.   Grounds

• 4.1    Re 3.1.1:
  • 4.1.1   There is benefit of ongoing involvement in NAPARC, both to derive insights from, and to contribute to the Reformed witness it offers on the North American scene. It is an excellent venue to experience the richness we share as Reformed and Presbyterian brothers. As member churches, we live in a North American society that is increasingly secular and hostile. It is good to support one another and maintain a united front on the major challenges we face. Reports from member churches are often relevant to developments in or projects of the CanRC, and it is useful to discuss these matters of shared interest.
  • 4.1.2   NAPARC is an excellent, efficient and economical venue for holding meetings with many interchurch relations committees in the same week (ERQ, KPCA (Kosin), OPC, RCUS, RPCNA, HRCNA, FRCNA, ARPC, and the URCNA).
• 4.2    Re 3.1.3: Such relevant material is good for the churches to receive.