Page 11 - Presbyterian Connection

presbyterian.ca
SUMMER 2024
Connection
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
PRESBYTERIAN
11
The Rev. Dr. Paul McLean, Bible Translation, Taiwan
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Justin White (right, at the lectern), a Young Adult Observer from Toronto, speaking at the 1970 General Assembly at the Presbyterian Church of St. David in Halifax, N.S.
Remarkable Moments: Young Adult Observers
The picture above records the moment when Justin White, a Young Adult Observer at the 1970 General Assembly in Halifax, N.S., urged the General Assembly to increase stipends for deaconesses. The photo was first used in the July/August 1970 issue of the Presbyterian Re- cord magazine. In that article, Justin White was quoted as saying, “The full-time workers of our church should cease being economic martyrs of our common cause.”
The matter of increasing stipends was a con- tinuation of a discussion at General Assembly the previous year. Recommendations to in- crease the remuneration of deaconesses were adopted by the Assembly. As a result, deacon- esses received an increase of $300, bringing their stipends to $4,200 annually, plus an incre-
ment for service, a travel allowance and other benefits.
The year 2025 will mark 150 years since four churches came together under the name The Presbyterian Church in Canada and 100 years since The Presbyterian Church in Canada took the shape it has today after most Presbyterian congregations and institutions decided to join with other denominations to create the United Church of Canada. To mark this anniversary, the PCC annual calendar, some worship bulletins, vignettes in the newspaper and social media posts next year will feature photos from the Ar- chives and current photo collections that show remarkable moments in the life of the church as the ways it continues Christ’s ministry in the world has changed over the years.
If you were elected moderator, what
interests would you
bring to the role?
Two endeavours where I find my- self investing my energy these days draw from my experience and would be efforts I would enjoy contributing to the wider church as moderator.
First, I would love to share my enthusiasm for lively Bible studies that bring new insights to scrip- ture and empower people to read
the Bible well—and have fun do- ing it! The Bible is the witness to God’s love for the world through the stories, psalms, prophetic writings, wisdom traditions, gos- pels and letters of the Hebrew Bi- ble and New Testament; it is the heart of our faith. Learning more about the times of its writing and ways it communicates its truths can enliven and energize the peo- ple of God.
Second, I would be glad to bring whatever encouragement
I could for exploring ways the church can imagine new futures for itself. The cultural changes of Canadian society have presented challenges for congregations, but there are lots of possibilities for new life in reimagining what the church could be. It would be fun to learn about what congre- gations are already experiment- ing with and to encourage sto- ries of witness and service for the neighbours whose lives we touch.