GC45 General Secretary's Accountability Report for Summer 2025
In this report I seek to provide a high-level overview of the work of the General Council Office as well as providing some insights on the broader life of the church from my perspective as the General Secretary.
GC45 GS01 Procedural Motion for Summer 2025
That the bounds of the plenary of the 45th General Council be the MacLeod Hall at the TELUS Convention Centre in Calgary and the online meeting room connected with it, excluding the visitor seating and unnumbered tables.
GC45 GS02 Consent Docket for Summer 2025
Time is a precious resource at a General Council. The Consent Docket provides an efficient way to deal with several items in a single proposal.
GC45 GS03 Change to Basis of Union: IV. Regional Councils; SECTION 6.2.3 for Summer 2025
Before the restructuring in 2019, presbyteries had the ability to appoint up to 10 lay members at large. This ability was lost during the transition from our former presbytery structure to our current regional council structure.
GC45 GS04 Clarifying Who Votes in the Remit Process: Amendment to section F.2.2.4 for Summer 2025
During the most recent remit process, we identified that the governing body is responsible for the vote. However, the Manual does not clearly specify whether the remit vote is limited to the governing body or if it includes the congregation as well.
GC45 GS05 Editorial changes to The Manual, section I.1.2.4 for Summer 2025
An amendment to section I.1.2.4 was approved at G44 in February 2022 to allow ministers from other denominations to serve in United Church communities of faith when United Church ministry personnel are unavailable for short-term vacancies.
GC45 GS06 Amendment to Section C.2.14 for Summer 2025
While the Manual states that regional councils can assess and recognize ministries that are not traditional communities of faith, it does not provide a definition. This proposal aims to define such ministries.
GC45 GS08 Finalization of the Decision of the Judicial Committee for Summer 2025
Under section J.10.9.4, the General Secretary is responsible for reporting all decisions made by the Judicial Committee to the General Council. While the Judicial Committee’s Decision is available for you to review, below is an overview of the Judicial Committee's role and details about the decision, which can either be affirmed or referred back to the Judicial Committee for further review.
GC45 GS09 Finalization of the Decision of the Judicial Committee for Summer 2025
Under section J.10.9.4, the General Secretary is responsible for reporting all decisions made by the Judicial Committee. While the Judicial Committee’s Decision is available for you to review, below is an overview of the Judicial Committee's role and details about the decision, which can either be affirmed or referred back to the Judicial Committee for further review.
GC45 Horseshoe Falls Regional Council Report
Greetings and the peace of Christ be with you, from Horseshoe Falls Regional Council, AKA HFRC. We are located in the Southern Ontario, including the Niagara Peninsula, and the western shores of Lake Ontario. Our geographical location has allowed us to share resources, mainly in the way of paid regional council staff, with Antler River Watershed and Western Ontario Waterways Regional Councils. This arrangement has allowed all three Regional Councils to have staff specialized in social justice, faith formation, right relations, and ministry pastoral support. Our last report was made to GC 44 in 2022.