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A129 
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
GENERAL SYNOD 2023
RESOLUTION
Resolution Number: A129
Carried 
Subject: Receive and Utilize the Final Report and Recommendations of the Anglican United Church of Canada Dialogue
Moved By: The Most Rev. Lynne McNaughton
Seconded By: Finn Keesmaat-Walsh
Be it resolved that this General Synod:

  1. receive the Final Report (2017-2020) of the Anglican-United Dialogue of Canada, including the appendices Sharing Ministry Ecumenically and A Ministry of Unity,
  2. commend these materials to the church for wider study,
  3. direct the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Committee to continue research and work on the dialogue’s recommendations for encouraging and supporting Ecumenical Shared Ministry (ESM) partnerships between Anglican and United Church of Canada congregations and non-congregational ministries at the local level,
  4. continue to pursue with the United Church of Canada the recommendation first affirmed Resolution #A141 of General Synod 2016 to “establish a national coordinating committee for unity and mission between at least our two churches.

Source: Faith, Worship, and Ministry Coordinating Committee

Submitted By: Faith, Worship, and Ministry Coordinating Committee

Does this motion contain within it any financial implications? 
No

If yes, has the General Synod Expenditures Committee considered the implications? 

Yes     No

EXPLANATORY NOTE/BACKGROUND

The Anglican-United Dialogue of Canada completed its most recent 3-year mandate (2017-2020). A Final Report has been produced, which includes a summary of the work undertaken during these years, three main documents which were produced by the dialogue pursuant of its mandate, and two letters issued in the name of the dialogue on matters relevant to the work of the dialogue. This Report represents a major piece of ecumenical work, and one which uncovers several important new insights and possibilities for greater unity and sharing in ministry with our United Church of Canada siblings at local, regional, and national levels. Key highlights from the Report include the following:

  • A declarative Statement of Mutual Affirmations and Commitments which collates the things which the Anglican and United churches have been able to recognize and affirm about one another’s doctrine, polity, ministry, sacraments, etc. through the course of their ecumenical dialogues from the late 1970s to present. (Received and approved by General Synod 2019).
  • A collection of stories narrating creative examples of Anglican-United Ecumenical Shared Ministry, along with brief commentary on the judicatory principles and best practices which have made these possible.
  • A theological study text on the ministry of episkope (oversight) in recent ecumenical discussion, and a projection of potential steps towards greater mutual recognition of this office in the Anglican and United Churches.
  • A recommendation for the Anglican Church of Canada to pursue a provision similar to Church of England Canon B43 which would enable local bishops to licence ordained ministers from other churches for word, sacrament, and pastoral ministry in Anglican parish contexts according to the capacities given to them by their own church.

PROCEDURE FOR ADOPTION

 (G)

In the normal course, an ordinary motion must be passed by a majority of the members of General Synod present and voting together.

Six members of General Synod may, prior to the question being put, require a vote by Orders, with a majority of each Order being necessary to pass. 

If a question passes on a Vote by Orders, any six members (two from each of three different dioceses) may immediately before the next item of business require a vote to be taken by dioceses.  A motion passes if a majority (or a tie) of dioceses vote in favour.

Source: Sections 4 and 5 of the Declaration of Principles and sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Rules of Order and Procedure.

Resolution download and history

Matthew 10:40-42

Rewards

40 “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous, 42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

John 15:12-17

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

John 21:15-19

Jesus and Peter

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Luke 11:33-36

The Light of the Body

33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a bushel basket; rather, one puts it on the lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but if it is unhealthy, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness. 36 But if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.”

Matthew 8:1-4

Jesus Cleanses a Man

8 When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him, and there was a man with a skin disease who came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be made clean!” Immediately his skin disease was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”