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presbyterian.ca SUMMER 2023 Connection
PRESBYTERIAN
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2023 General Assembly: Narratives of Reflection and Hope
By Callie Long, Karen Plater and Allyson Carr
Meeting in Halifax from June 4–7, the 2023 General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Canada not only celebrated the first in-person meeting since 2019 but also the election of the Rev. Mary Fontaine, the denomination’s first Indig- enous Moderator. From the open- ing worship, a recurring theme emerged through each of the consecutive days’ sessions: find- ing the joy and stories of hope and possibility in moments of darkness as the denomination experiences inflection and pivot points.
During opening worship, the Rev. Dr. Robert (Bob) Faris, Mod- erator of the 2022 General As- sembly, reflected on the threats that face the denomination in these times, which can feel as though they may succeed in “bringing us down.” Bob called on the church to use “prophetic imagination” to make God’s dreams tangible and real. Rather than seeing danger around every corner, he urged those present to recall how the church has lived out God’s call over the ages and to focus on creating a community where all are loved and welcome.
Celebrating and welcoming the
new moderator
During Mary’s installation, the National Indigenous Ministries Council (NIMC) members envel- oped Mary in a star blanket after Elder Dorothy Vissers performed a sacred smudging ceremony and played the drum song. It was a moving time as Mary shared her story of letting go of anger over the trauma left by the residential school system. She spoke of her call and journey of forgiveness and healing.
Moments of reflection
and decision
The Assembly considered the re- ports submitted by the church’s
The Rev. Mary Fontaine was installed as Moderator of the 2023 General Assembly following opening worship by the Rev. Dr. Robert (Bob) Faris on Sunday, June 4.
will be presented to the 2024 General Assembly. The Assem- bly also approved a confession of “racial bias [...] and our sin of racism” and to hold services of repentance so that the Confes- sion be presented in the context of worship.
Times on Monday and Tuesday were set aside to allow commis- sioners to share stories of hope in table groups and reflect on a structure that may help our de- nomination live out that hope into the future. The Assembly Council will use this information as it re- flects on the denomination’s fu- ture and how best to support the church’s mission.
Ecumenical and
interfaith guests
The Rev. Dr. Carlos Emilio Ham, the rector of the Evangelical Seminary of Theology in Matan- zas, Cuba, told the Assembly that “we accompany you in prayer when you reaffirm God’s mission and embrace all the challenges as the Church of Jesus Christ in a multireligious and multiethnic society today, namely increasing secularization; commitment for peace, human rights and integrity of creation; pastoral concern for First Nations peoples; dialogue with other churches and religious denominations; human sexuality; and international relations, among others.” Carlos, who has served as a pastor of the Presbyterian- Reformed Church in Cuba for over 35 years, is President Emeri- tus of the Caribbean Conference
of Churches.
The Rev. Yoichi Nakae, Mod-
erator of the 56th General As- sembly of the Korean Christian Church in Japan, brought with him a message of building a church that serves society across societal divisions. The Rev. Nakae was accompanied by the Rev. Byungho Kim, General Secretary of the Korean Christian Church in Japan and director of the Council of Overseas Korean Churches for Education and Ministry, as well as serving on the Board of Coun- sellors of the Centre for Minority Issues and Mission (CMIM)—a ministry supported by the PCC. David McIntosh, co-director of CMIM in Tokyo, Japan, accom- panied Yoichi and Byungho to the 2023 General Assembly.
The Rev. Susan Johnson, Na- tional Bishop of the Evangeli- cal Lutheran Church in Canada, brings a deep commitment to ecumenism. She challenged the Assembly to “stop worrying about what we don’t have and thank God for the gifts we have and get on with our work.” She also noted that with Mary’s elec- tion as moderator, four women leaders now represent the four mainline Protestant churches—a truly historical moment she could not have imagined possible. “We are growing spiritually,” she said. “There are new ways that we can do more together.”
Rabbi David Ellis, Rabbi-at- large to the Jewish communities of Atlantic Canada, spoke pas- sionately about Christians and Jewish people reading and inter- preting scripture and commen- taries together. He invoked the words attributed to Rabbi Tarfon that “it is not up to you to finish the task, but you are not free to avoid it,” as an encouragement to the Assembly.
2023 Cutting Edge
of Mission Award
Each year at General Assembly, an award is given to recognize a person or group for their work on the cutting edge of mission. This year’s award recipient was The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF), which is a joint Israeli- Palestinian organization of over 600 families who have lost im- mediate family members to the ongoing conflict. The award was
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standing committees. The reports contained stories of ministry, mission and hope connected to the church’s work and witness in the world.
The International Affairs Com- mittee’s report contained several recommendations on issues of international concern. Drawing on the church’s history of ad- vocacy, the Assembly agreed to encourage the Government of Canada to support the human rights of Palestinians. In addition, the commissioners decided to express support for the Govern- ment of Canada’s efforts to stand with the LGBTQI+ community in Uganda and around the world, as well as its call to the Government of Uganda to revoke its 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act. In addi- tion, the Assembly supported a commissioner’s motion that the moderator works with the Cana- dian Council of Churches on a statement by Christian leaders in Canada in connection with ending harm and violence towards the LGBTQI+ community and that $50,000 be given by the church to agencies in Canada that help settle people who identify as LG- BTQI+ and who flee from perse- cution.
The Assembly agreed that the Committee on Church Doctrine
produce a document to assist the church in responding faithfully and practically in pastoral situa- tions involving medical assistance in dying (MAID), given the stigma associated with MAID and the lived experience of ministers who are called to offer pastoral care under the circumstances. The As- sembly agreed that the PCC call on the Government of Canada to value the inherent dignity, worth and right to life of disabled per- sons in Canada and to defend the poor and the marginalized within the context of MAID.
The NIMC, which comprises eight ministries across Canada, reported on the struggles of com- munities that continue to live the traumatic inter-generational lega- cy of colonial programs that saw children taken from their families and communities, even as Indige- nous people work to reclaim their culture. An ongoing rash of sui- cides among young Indigenous people is a profound concern. The Assembly agreed that the church commits to returning any ill-gotten artifacts as part of its healing and reconciliation efforts. In addition, the Assembly decided that a renewed apology would be drafted for the church’s role in colonization and in the operation of residential schools. The draft
The gathering of commissioners, student representatives, staff and guests at the 2023 General Assembly.