Monday, Aug. 11: Decision session summary

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The last day of the 45th General Council began with a moving service that remembered the Communion of Saints. Dorcus Yohan, a youth leadership animator, offered a reflection and invitation to bring to mind those names of elders and saints who have loved and nurtured us as individuals, and as the church.

Multilingual prayers and a moving hymn, “Those Hearts That We Have Treasured”, marked the memories of the saints who have gone before us.

The General Secretary’s equity check spoke about being the “beloved community,” noting that relationships are critical. He reminded participants to familiarize themselves with the behavioral covenant, which is about offering safer space for deeper dialogue, and for co-creating intercultural community. It is rooted in Holy Manners, the Equity Aspirations, and Seven Sacred Teachings, to honour our diversity.

Rev. Japhet Ndhlovu introduced the General Council’s global, ecumenical, and interfaith guests, who each brought words of encouragement to those present.

Before lunch, in the Address to Council, Elders Elaine Jacobs, Deb Anderson and Lorraine Kakegamic spoke to the Court to remind us that much still needs to be done on our reconciliation journey.

Said Elder Elaine, “We have a lot to teach you. Our societies are built on cooperation. Western society is built on competition. You have to choose one or the other. It’s time for you to live like us, in a cooperative society.”

Four Commissioner proposals

Four late Commissioner proposals were presented to the court for learning and discussion.

Forward decision sessions

WF23: AUD01 Audit Committee Recommendations: Carried.

GC45 WF24: GCE05 Assessment Funding Rate for 2026-2028: Motion to move back to Way Forward committee carried. 

GC45 GS10 Omnibus: Implementation for Summer 2025

Having reviewed the Way Forward proposals, where there was strong consensus among Discussion Groups, the General Secretary recommended the 45th General Council adopt the following, which carried:

• GC45 WF14: ARW01 Rejecting Christian Nationalism for Summer 2025GC45 WF19: SW04 Harm Reduction Sunday for Summer 2025
• GC45 WF34: PM01 Emerging Communities of Faith for Summer 2025

GC45 GS11 Omnibus: Take No Further Action for Summer 2025

Having reviewed the Way Forward proposals, where there was strong consensus among Discussion Groups, the General Secretary recommended the 45th General Council take no further action on the following, which carried:

• GC45 WF03 HF04 Vocational Review and Discipline Accountability Policy for Summer 2025
• GC45 WF28: COM02 Faith Workers Bill of Rights for Summer 2025  
• GC45 WF29: COM03 Autonomy of Communities of Faith and Their Assets for Summer 2025
• GC45 WF30: EOO02 Gospel for Summer 2025
• GC45 WF31: HF03 Remit and Proposal Integrity Policy for Summer 2025
• GC45 WF39: EOO01 Accessibility of Church Decision-making for Summer 2025

WF24b GCE05 Assessment Funding Rate for 2026-2028: Carried.

WF27: GCE03 Supporting Towards 2035: Carried.

GC45 WF25: COM04 Elected or Not: Carried.

GC45 WF26: GCE01 Review the Roles of the Moderator and General Secretary: Carried.

GC45 WF37: YCOM01 National Youth Council (NYC): Carriedas amended.

GC45 WF20: TICIF02 Revised Principles for Justice Work: Carried.

GC45 WF32: NAK01 Development of an AI Policy for the United Church of Canada (Shane Goldie/Richard Gardner): Carried.

WF43 COM07 Living into Right Relations – All Relationships Need to be Rooted in Truth, Respect, Transparency, and Built on Trust: Motion withdrawn.

Order of the day called. Deferred to a future General Council 45 meeting on a date to be determined.

Motion to extend the Order of the Day for 15 minutes (Bob Fillier/Jane McDonald): Carried.

Motion to return to the original COM07 Living into Right Relations – All Relationships Need to be Rooted in Truth, Respect, Transparency and Built on Trust: Carried.

Closing Motion.

And with the closing motion, the 45th General Council ended. There will be an online follow-up meeting in the fall to tie up some loose ends and proposals. 

The 46th General Council will be held in Horseshoe Falls Region. More details will follow later. A big thanks to the warm Calgarian welcome, and to the volunteers and General Council Office staff who kept the show running smoothly.