GC44 GOV04 Responding to NEW05 Indigenous Sovereignty Proposal for October 2024

In response to NEW05 and having the benefit of the discussion at General Council 44 on October 19, 2024, and the background documentation and timeline of events, the Executive of the General Council:

1. Affirms the importance of the relationship of the General Council Executive and staff with the Indigenous Church;
2. Concludes that the National Indigenous Council was experiencing dysfunction and therefore was unable to meet its responsibilities and could not continue and affirms the recall of the National Indigenous Spiritual Gathering to determine the future.
3. Affirms the importance that the future governance of the Indigenous Church must be determined by the Indigenous Church and understands the National Indigenous Spiritual Gathering as the appropriate and traditional body to organize the governance of the Indigenous Church and to seek a path for healing;
4. Encourages the National Indigenous Spiritual Gathering to draw on the Creating Safe and Respectful Environments Policy to address conflict within the National Indigenous Council and with staff serving in Indigenous Ministries and Justice;
5. Agrees with the concept of c) NEW05 that it would be helpful for the National Indigenous Council and the General Council Executive to clarify the relationship between these two bodies and looks forward to this collaboration when the Indigenous Church is ready to proceed;
6. Commits to holding the National Indigenous Spiritual Gathering in prayer;
7. and takes no further action on a) and b) of NEW05.

Moved: Alan Hall
Seconded: David Leyton-Brown
Carried