This Library contains documents from all recent United Church governance meetings, including General Council and its Executive. It also includes “Our Beliefs Explained” official policy documents dating back several decades. If you can't find something you think should be included, contact gcbusiness@united-church.ca.
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The Executive of the General Council initiated a review of the Offices of Moderator and General Secretary. A final report is submitted to this meeting. Following are proposals arising from the work of the task group.
In the development, adoption and implementation of the Strategic Plan (2021) with its Call and Vision and strategic operation plan, the Executive of the General Council was committed to seeking to reverse the narrative of decline that is so prevalent in the life of the church. There is no doubt that church has lived experience of decline, and the data supports this. The Executive Leaders have committed to foster a climate of data informed decision making and to lead from the future.
In 2022 the Executive of the General Council adopted the strategic operational plan for the work of the General Council Office. One of the six objectives was Strengthening Invitation: Humility and Confidence in Sharing Faith. The objective’s goal was to help to implement effective and connected regional and national strategies that result in growth within existing ministries, and by seeding and sustaining new ministries and communities of faith.
With the enactment of “Remit 4: Funding a New Model” (GC43 2018), the intention was for all pastoral charges to contribute to governance and shared services in a proportional and transparent way. Since the Denominational Assessment was introduced in 2019, six years of experience have shown that the current rate, based on the economic realities of that time, is no longer sufficient to support the full scope of responsibilities mandated by the Manual as of 2019.
The 44th General Council directed that a total compensation study for ministry personnel in the pastoral relations system and for ministry personnel and lay employees in General Council and regional councils staff systems be undertaken, reporting back to the 45th General Council. In November 2023, the Executive of the General Council established a Total Compensation Review Task Group to look at compensation practices through lenses of equitableness, adequacy, and sustainability.
The GCE is led by commitments to governance that is future-oriented, visionary and grounded in deep love and care for the whole church.
In 2012, The United Church of Canada created the Comprehensive Review Task Group, later renamed the Comprehensive Renewal (CR) Task Group, which set a course for structural change. In 2015, the Task Group report, including recommendations, was presented to the 42nd General Council. After a number of revisions, incorporating feedback from across the church, the General Council approved the Comprehensive Renewal process and authorized a series of remits to seek the approval of the wider church of the revised recommendations. All remits were approved by wide margins. The recommendations included an evaluation process. The nature of the evaluation was further shaped by the Executive of General Council in March 2018. At that point, the decisions taken in 2015 had been endorsed by the church and were awaiting final enactment.
