GC44

GC44 GS25 Enacting Remit 1 Authorized by the 44th General Council 2023-24

1. What is the issue?

The 44th General Council 2022 authorized a category 3 remit, to amend the Basis of Union of The Manual of The United Church of Canada. It required a majority vote of regional councils and communities of faith that are pastoral charges to establish an Autonomous National Indigenous Organization within The United Church of Canada. The remit has been approved by a majority of regional councils and pastoral charges. The General Council must now decide whether to enact the approved remits.

2.Why is this issue important?

The 44th General Council responded to a proposal from the National Indigenous Council for the elimination of barriers to the establishment of an Autonomous National Indigenous Organization within The United Church of Canada without the need for further remit approval. The 44th General Council 2022 subsequently authorized this Category 3 remit to regional councils and communities of faith that are pastoral charges to test the will of the church regarding this proposed change.

The question before the National Indigenous Council, regional councils, and pastoral charges was:
Do you agree to:

Amend section 4.2 to read: “The United Church of Canada is organized as follows:
1. a three-council structure, consisting of communities of faith, regional councils and a Denominational Council; and
2. a structure for the Indigenous Church within the United Church.”
Add section 4.3 to read: “The structure for the Indigenous Church shall be determined by the National Indigenous Organization in its own time and through its own processes, and the Executive of the Denominational Council is empowered, within the framework of the Calls to the Church, to finalize and record the wording for such structure which shall form part of the Basis of Union at section 4.5.”
Add section 4.4 to read: “Amendments to the structure of the Indigenous Church shall be made using the process set out in section 4.3 without the need for further remit approval.”
Authorize the General Secretary of the Denominational Council to add or amend section 4.5 to record the outcomes of sections 4.3 and 4.4.

The education and voting period was 12 months from March 15, 2023 to March 30, 2024. The results were as follows: all 16 Regional Councils, the National Indigenous Council, and just over 80% of the pastoral charges voted yes in response to the remit question.

3.How might the General Council respond to the issue?

The General Secretary, General Council proposes that:

The 44th General Council (2022) at its 2024 Annual Meeting enact the following remit authorized by the 44th General Council 2022, which has been approved by the National Indigenous Council, as well as a majority of regional councils and pastoral charges:

Remit#1: The Establishment of an Autonomous National Indigenous Organization within The United Church of Canada

4. What will be the impact?

The United Church of Canada has adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration identifies six key principles:

the right to self-determination
the right to participate in decision-making
the right to cultural and spiritual identity
the right to lands and resources
the right to free, prior, and informed consent
the right to be free from discrimination

This proposal begins to put into action these principles, and therefore begins to address in concrete terms the church’s stated commitment to equity.

The United Church, at General Council 43, also adopted the Calls to the Church from the Caretakers of our Indigenous Circle as the basis for a new relationship between the United Church and the National Indigenous Council.