2012 BC Synod Convention ELCIC

Transcription

1 2012 BC Synod Convention ELCIC A Covenant People: In Mission for Others Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, New Westminster May 10-13, 2012 Draft Minutes published June 6, 2012 NOTES TO THE READER These minutes remain a draft version until they are adopted by the BC Synod in Convention. When adopted they will become the legal record of the 2012 Convention. The time-of-day notations are for reference only and are not part of the minutes. Each minute may be identified by the Business Session in which it falls and its letter or combination of letters and number. For example, in Business Session 1 it is recorded in Minute B.1.a. that Bishop Mohr named National Bishop Dr. Susan Johnson as a Special Guest of the Convention. Motions are identified by way of an alphanumeric system which identifies the BC Synod in Convention, the year, and the motion number. For example, in Business Session 1, Minute D, the convention decided to adopt the final draft of the agenda, recorded as motion BCSynCon There are several instances of misspelled personal names appearing in the results of nominating ballots. These are retained in these Minutes because that is how they were reported in the proceedings of the Convention. A motion to amend receives the same number as the main motion, now with (a) appended; this is because the motion to amend is by definition sympathetic to the main motion and is thus related to it. All other procedural motions receive their own unique numbers. Rev. Clifford Reinhardt Secretary, BC Synod Thursday, May 10 1:00 pm Registration check-in 3:00 pm Synod Council meeting (Executive Plaza Hotel) 3:30 pm Worship Workshops: A. Chanting for Worship (1/2 hour), presented by Ms. Lorraine Reinhardt B. Playing for Worship (1/2 hour), presented by Ms. Lorna Yeates 4:30 pm Delegate Orientation: Who Is Bourinot and Why Does He Matter? (A half-hour primer for those who are new or fairly new to church conventions). Facilitator: Rev. John Gram 5:00 pm Dinner (the responsibility of individual delegates) 6:30 pm Opening Worship Service of Holy Communion including Opening of Convention (In its meeting of March 2012, the BC Synod Council designated convention offerings equally for the ministries of the BC Synod and the ELCIC [motion BCSynCounMar ].) 8:00 pm Business Session #1 A. Call to order B. Bishop Mohr named the following, introducing and welcoming those who were present: 1

2 1. Special Guests a. National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Dr. Susan Johnson b. Bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster of the Anglican Church in Canada, Rev. Michael Ingham c. Pastor of the Danish Lutheran Church in Burnaby, Rev. Bodil Toftdahl d. Lutheran Bible Translators, Canada: Rev. Mike & Ms. Kara Kuhn e. ELCIC Group Services, Inc.: Ms. Hildy Thiessen, Executive Director f. Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon: President Rev. Dr. Kevin Ogilvie g. Youth Assembly: Leaders Rev. Rick Schulz & Rev. Kristen Steele, and delegates Ms. Lindsay Brewster (Mt. Olive, Surrey); Mr. Eric Kay (Grace Lutheran, Victoria) h. Convention Chaplains: Rev. Lyle McKenzie (Church of the Cross, Victoria); Rev. Courtenay Reedman (Benediction, Delta) i. Convention Manager: Ms. Joanne Solomonson j. Local Arrangements Committee: Ms. Norma Houde, Chair. k. Host Pastor: Rev. Marlys Moen l. Canadian Lutheran World Relief: Mr. Fikre Tsehai m. Augsburg Fortress Canada: Mr. Andy Seal & Ms. Jackie Nunns n. ELCIC National Office: Ms. Trina Gallop, Director of Communications & Stewardship o. The Canada Lutheran: Ms. Jill Gingrich, BC Synod Editor 2. Ministers new to the Roster a. By Transfer: Rev. Ed Chell (from the Synod Alberta and the Territories, whose name had inadvertently been omitted under this heading in the Bulletin of Reports); Rev. Arthur McCaughan (from the Synod of Alberta and the Territories), Rev. Dr. Kristine Ruffatto (from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America); b. By Ordination: Rev. Fleming Blishen, Rev. Lori-Anne Boutin, Rev. Courtenay Reedman; c. By Consecration: Deaconess Judy Whaley. 3. Congregations: Christ the King Lutheran Church, Surrey. C. The Bishop called on the Committee on Registration and Attendance to present its report. Delegates: 41 clergy, plus 31 lay, 2 youth delegates, for a total of 74 voters. Visitors: 15. Grand total: 89. D. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention adopt the final draft of the Agenda. Carried. E. Appointment of Parliamentarian and Convention Committees 1. Parliamentarian: Rev. Jim Whaley (St. Paul s, Prince Rupert) 2. Registration and Attendance: Chairperson Ms. Lorna Steinke (Peace, Abbotsford), Rev. Fleming Blishen (Our Saviour s, Prince George), Mr. Daryl Hutchings (Spirit of Life, Vancouver) 3. Minutes: Chairperson Ms. Carolyn Laukkonen (Our Saviour, Richmond), Rev. Adolf Manz (First, Vancouver, ret d.), Rev. Christoph Reiners (Peace, Abbotsford), Ms. Kathryn Wellington (Trinity, Delta) 2

3 4. Nominations: Deans of the Conferences: a. Greater Vancouver: Rev. Marlys Moen (Dean) & Rev. John Gram (Vice-Dean); b. Lower Fraser Valley: Rev. Dean Anderson; c. Northwest: Rev. James Whaley; d. Peace River: Rev. Kebede Dibaba; e. Southern Interior: Rev. Rick Schulz; f. Vancouver Island: Rev. Terry Richardson. 5. Elections: Chairperson Rev. Nolan Gingrich (Ascension, Nelson), Rev. Thomas Keeley (Dunbar, Vancouver), Ms. Susan Palmer (Christ, Kelowna), Mr. Allan Thorpe (Shepherd of the Valley, Langley). 6. Reference and Counsel: Chairperson Rev. John Gram (Redeemer, Vancouver), Ms. Grace Inoue (Good Shepherd, Coquitlam), Rev. Karen Johnson Lefsrud (Church of the Cross, Victoria), Mr. Clair Meger (Our Saviour s, Prince George), Ms. Adele Wong (Grace, Burnaby), Rev. Roland Ziprick (St. Paul, Maple Ridge). 7. The Report of the Bishop: Chairperson Rev. Eric Krushel (Good Shepherd, Coquitlam), Ms. Julie Koenig (Hope, Nanaimo), Ms. Brita Park (Our Redeemer, Penticton), Rev. Kristen Steele (Shepherd of the Valley, Langley). F. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention grant the privilege of voice to shared ministry representatives. Carried. G. The Bishop called on Bishop Michael Ingham, New Westminster Diocese, Anglican Church of Canada, to bring greetings. H. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention adopt the Minutes of the 2010 BC Synod Convention. Carried. I. The Bishop instructed the Committee on Elections to distribute the First Ballot for Secretary, and then instructed the convention on orderly balloting procedures. J. The Bishop called on Rev. Bodil Toftdahl to bring greetings from the Danish Lutheran Church. K. Reports of several of the Standing Committees of the Synod 1. Campus Ministry: Ms. Judy Kochendorfer introduced 3 pastors serving as Campus Chaplains Rev. Nathan Fong (Grace, Burnaby) at Simon Fraser University; Rev. Tyler Gingrich (All Saints Mission, Kelowna) at the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus; and Rev. Lyle Mckenzie (Church of the Cross, Victoria) at the University of Victoria. 2. Communications: Rev. Erik Bjorgan reported that the Committee has been implementing new strategies in communications. In particular he highlighted the use of social media on the Internet. 3. Stewardship: Ms. Mary Hanson referred to National Bishop Johnson s emphasis on spiritual renewal, and outlined her plans for the Committee s emphases for the next biennium. She further named some strategies and urged the convention to take to heart the stewardship emphasis. L. Announcements M. Bishop Mohr declared recess. 9:00 pm Welcome Reception 3

4 Friday, May 11 9:00 am Morning Worship 9:30 am Business Session #2 A. Call to order. B. Bishop Mohr called on the Committee on Registration and Attendance to present its report. Delegates: 43 clergy, plus 33 lay, 2 youth assembly, for a total of 78 voters. Visitors: 15. Grand total: 93. C. The Bishop called on the Committee on Elections to report the results of the First Ballot for the position of Secretary. Total number of ballots cast: 77. Spoiled ballots: 8. Needed to elect: 52. Rev. Cliff Reinhardt 49 Rev. Kristin Steele 1 Eva Harris 1 Rev. Marlys Moen 2 Rev. Karen Johnson Lefsrud 1 Rev. Christoph Reiners 1 Julie Koenig 1 Craig Knight 1 Judy Whaley 1 Rev. Nolan Gingrich 1 Rev. Fleming Blishen 2 Brita Park 1 Rev. Courtenay Reedman 2 Kim Emmet 1 Rev. Art McCaughan 1 Rev. Roland Ziprick 1 Joanne Solomonson 1 Rev. Eric Krushel 1 1. The Bishop declared no election. 2. The meeting noted a discrepancy between the results of the vote and the total numbers of voters reported by the Committee on Registration and Attendance prior to the vote being taken on the evening of Thursday 10 May, in Business Session 1. The Bishop attributed the discrepancy to the dynamics of people still filtering into the meeting space at the beginning of the first business session. The Bishop ruled that legitimate delegates arriving late to the meeting on Friday evening be accepted as voting delegates; his ruling was not challenged. 3. The Bishop instructed the Committee on Elections to prepare the second ballot for the election of the position of Secretary, noting that the second ballot would require 2/3-majority to elect. D. The Bishop relinquished the Chair to Vice-Chair Darlene Johnson for the Report of the Bishop. He highlighted several points of his written report (contained in the Bulletin of Reports): 1. Congregations are indeed connecting with the National Bishop s call to spiritual renewal (pray, read, worship, study, serve, give, tell); these are the art and practice of discipleship. 4

5 2. Structural Renewal addresses the challenges of how we are to continue as an institution; the concept of Area Leadership stresses the need for congregations to be interdependent and interconnected. 3. The report of the Task Force for redeveloping the Campus Centre property at UBC will outline new opportunities for the Synod s use of property. 4. Goals for the next biennium will help the Synod to stay focused on mission. The Bishop then permitted opportunity for delegates to ask questions. Upon completion Bishop Mohr resumed the Chair. E. The Bishop instructed the Committee on Elections to distribute the second ballot for the election of Secretary, and then called on the Chaplains to lead the convention in prayer. Once he had ensured that all voters had ballots, he instructed the delegates to vote, and then for the stewards to collect the ballots. F. The Bishop called on Secretary Rev. Clifford Reinhardt to present the Report of the Secretary. 1. Reinhardt corrected an omission, instructing the convention to insert the name Rev. Ed Chell in the section, NAMES ADDED TO THE ROSTER SINCE THE LAST REPORT, By Transfer, from the Synod of Alberta and the Territories. 2. He provided an update, instructing the convention to add the name Rev. Walter Johanson to the list of NAMES REMOVED FROM THE ROSTER SINCE THE LAST REPORT, by Resignation. He explained that this was a development of the action taken by the Synod Council in the meeting of 10 May 2012, held just before the convention. 3. He reported that he had followed through administratively with bylaws changes from the 2008 and 2010 conventions, registering the changes with the BC Registrar in Victoria, but had inadvertently omitted one part of a bylaw change made in the 2010 Synod Convention pertaining to the vocal authority of the Bishop in congregations. Fortunately the omission did not compromise the Bishop s ability to minister to the Synod. The Secretary will correct the omission following the 2012 Convention. 4. He drew attention to motion #2 in Section C, p. 33: Proposed Bylaw Amendments, pertaining to the procedure for congregational secession (here is that quote from the Bulletin of Reports): In its 2011 National Convention, the ELCIC amended the section of the national Constitution and Bylaws that describes the process by which a congregation may sever its relationship from the ELCIC. I therefore present the following for your consideration. Current wording of BC Synod Constitution and Bylaws; Bylaw 3. Congregations. Section 7: A congregation and its members desiring to withdraw from this Church shall require a twothirds majority vote at any legally called and conducted meeting. Such decision shall not be effective until at least ninety days after the Bishop has been notified and until the initial action has been ratified by a two-thirds majority vote at a subsequent legally called and conducted meeting. Proposed Amendment to BC Synod Constitution and Bylaws: Bylaw 3. Congregations. Section 7. A congregation and its members desiring to withdraw from considering the severing of its relationship with this Church shall confer with the bishop of this synod before any formal steps are taken leading to such action. Subsequent to such consultation with the bishop, a motion to sever the relationship with this church 5

6 may be considered at a legally called and conducted meeting of the congregation and require a two-thirds majority vote shall be required for approval of the motion at any legally called and conducted meeting. Written notice of the motion and the date and time of the congregational meeting shall be sent to the bishop of this synod by registered mail at least thirty days before the meeting. A Such decision to sever the relationship with this church shall not be effective until it has been ratified by a two-thirds majority vote at a second legally called and conducted congregational meeting held at least ninety days after the Bishop has been notified and until the initial action has been ratified by a two-thirds majority vote at a subsequent legally called and conducted first meeting. Notice of the date and time of this second meeting shall be sent to the bishop of this synod by registered mail at least thirty days before the meeting. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention amend the bylaws according to the resolution quoted above. Carried unanimously. 5. The Secretary drew attention to motion #1 in Section C, p. 33: Proposed Bylaw Amendments, pertaining to the use of voting cards in convention votes (here is that quote from the Bulletin of Reports): At the March 2012 meeting of Synod Council, the council considered the following motion from the Synod Convention of 2010: MSC... that the BC Synod in convention instruct the BC Synod Council to prepare a motion for presentation at the next Synod convention to amend the Bylaws to require the use of green yes cards and red no cards for voting. Synod Council therefore presents the following motion for consideration by the 2012 Synod Convention: Be it resolved that the BC Synod amend Bylaw 7 Conventions, A. Synod Conventions, Section 11 Procedure, by inserting a new subsection f, Votes shall be conducted with the delegates use of green yes and red no voting cards according to the instructions of the Chair; and relabeling the existing subsection f as g. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention amend the bylaws according to the resolution quoted above. Carried unanimously. 6. The Secretary drew attention to the remaining section of his report, Significant Actions Taken by the Synod Council Since the Last Convention, correcting an inadvertent repetition of one motion. G. Report of a Standing Committee of the Synod 1. Faith and Society: Rev. Brenda Nestegaard Paul highlighted aspects of the report, emphasizing the Call to Action letter, Poverty Reduction. She announced new money to aid people to attend the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. She announced a new newsletter and asked congregations to assign representatives. H. Announcements I. The Bishop declared recess. 10:30 am Refreshment Break 11:00 am Business Session #2, continued J. Call to order K. Report of a Standing Committee of the Synod 1. Worship Committee: Ms. Sylvia Duncan. She expressed her gratitude for the work of the Chair of the Committee, Ms. Lorraine Reinhardt (who had since left the convention to attend a family function), and emphasized the National Worship Conference, June 29 to July 2, in Winnipeg. 6

7 Guest Speaker: Rev. Alan Roxburgh [Roxburgh Missional Network Refer to Appendix 2. 11:55 am Business Session #2, continued L. Call to order M. The Bishop introduced the Intern-Pastors currently serving in the BC Synod, Ms. Melissa Hoehn (Church of the Cross, Victoria), and Ms. Karen Stepko (St. Paul s, Prince Rupert). N. The Bishop called on the Committee on Registration and Attendance to present its report: Delegates: 45 clergy, plus 33 lay, 2 youth assembly, for a total of 80 voters. Visitors and Guests: 15. Grand total: 95. O. The Bishop called on the Committee on Elections to report the results of the Second Ballot for the election of Secretary. Total number of ballots: 82. Spoiled: 1. Number required to elect: 54. Rev. Fleming Blishen 4 Brita Park 1 Eva Harris 2 Rev. Courtney Reedman 1 Rev. Eric Krushel 1 Rev. Cliff Reinhardt 66 Rev. Marlys Moen 4 Joanne Solomonson 2 12:00 pm Lunch The Bishop declared an election and asked Rev. Reinhardt whether he accepted the call to serve the position of Secretary. Reinhardt replied, Yes. P. The Bishop called on the Committee on Elections to distribute the first ballot for the election of Vice-Chair. He referred to the requirement of the bylaws that no more than 2 of the Officers be ordained, and noted that there were now 2 ordained Officers. He first called on one of the Chaplains to lead the convention in prayer, and then instructed the delegates to cast their ballots, voting only for lay people. Q. Announcements R. The Bishop declared recess. 12:30 pm Choir Rehearsal 1:10 pm Business Session #3 A. Call to order. B. The Bishop called on the Committee on Registration and Attendance to present its report. o Delegates: 46 clergy, plus 33 lay, plus 2 youth delegates, plus 5 lay members of Synod Council, for a total of 86 voters. o Visitors & Guests: 18. o Grand total: 104. C. The Bishop called on Ms. Hildy Thiessen to present the report of ELCIC Group Services, Inc. 7

8 1:30 pm Guest Speaker: Jagrup Brar, MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood and MLA Welfare Challenge participant. He shared reflections on his experiences of living for one month on the amount of money that a single person on provincial welfare would receive. D. The Bishop called on the Committee on Elections to report the results of the First Ballot for Vice-Chair. Total number of ballots cast: 84. Spoiled ballots: 6. Needed to elect: 59. Kate Andersen 1 Julie Koenig 1 Alison Aporta 1 David Kolanovich 1 Walter Baker 1 Carolyn Laukkonen 1 Jill Gingrich 2 Sue Palmer 1 Mrs. Golinksy 1 Brita Park 2 Mary Hanson 1 Gordon Petersen 1 Eva Harris 1 Jan Schulz 4 Jonquil Hellgate 1 Joanne Solomonson 3 Stephen Holmes 1 Rosaline Saleski 1 Gerald Jacob 1 Stephanie Staus 1 Darlene Johnson 49 Lorna Steinke 1 Doreen Johnson 1 E. The Bishop declared no election. He instructed the Committee on Elections to distribute the Second Ballot, and then instructed the convention to cast ballots. F. The Bishop called on Treasurer Stephen Holmes to present the Financial Report. He drew attention to the report and highlighted the positive performance. The Treasurer then drew the attention of the convention to a document presenting motions pertaining to the North Burnaby property (the church property conveyed to the BC Synod by the former Faith Lutheran Church before it disbanded). 1. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod, together with Vancouver Chinese Lutheran Church, jointly and severally borrow from the Lender an amount not to exceed the principal amount of $115, (the indebtedness ) upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Synod Council (that is, the Directors of the Society). Debate: The Treasurer explained that this action and the next were required by the financial institution holding the mortgage on the property, since the former Faith Lutheran was guarantor of the mortgage. Carried unanimously. 2. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention authorize the Synod Council (that is, the Directors of the Society) to grant a promissory note in the amount of the indebtedness, as a first mortgage with Vancouver Chinese Lutheran Church charging that property currently known as 1005 Kensington Avenue, Burnaby, British Columbia and legally known and described as: Parcel Identifier: ; Parcel A (Explanatory Plan 14936) Lot 47 District Lot 129, Group 1 New Westminster Plan together with an assignment of rents with respect to the Land; a general security agreement, an environmental 8

9 indemnity agreement, and any other security as may be requested by the Lender and approved by the Directors of the Society. Carried unanimously. G. The Bishop asked the Committee on Elections to report the results for the Second Ballot for the election of Vice-Chair: 81 ballots cast, 1 spoiled, 80 valid, 53 needed to elect. Allyson Aporta 3 Carolyn Laukonnen 1 Walter Baker 1 Sue Palmer 1 Jill Gingrich 1 Gordon Peterson 1 Jonquil Hallgate 4 Jan Schulz 3 Darlene Johnson 57 Joanne Solomonson 3 Julie Koenig 1 Stephanie Staus 3 H. The Bishop declared an election and asked Darlene Johnson whether she would accept the call to the position of Vice-Chair. She replied, Yes. I. The Bishop called on Rev. Dean Anderson, representing the Deans of the Conferences, to present the Report of the Nominating Committee (Section G of the Bulletin of Reports): 1. For Synod Council: a. Greater Vancouver, Rostered Minister: Rev. Vida Jaugelis, Rev. Tim Le Drew. The Bishop called for additional nominations from the floor, and when none were forthcoming he declared that these two names only should appear on the ballot. b. Lower Fraser Valley, Rostered Minister: Rev. Henry Guo, Rev. Christoph Reiners. The Bishop called for additional nominations from the floor, and when none were forthcoming he declared that these two names only should appear on the ballot. c. Peace River, Lay: Mr. Clair Meger. The Bishop called for additional nomination from the floor. When none were forthcoming, the Bishop declared Meger elected by acclamation. d. Southern Interior, Lay: Mr. Gordon Peterson, Ms. Jan Schulz. The Bishop called for additional nominations from the floor, and when none were forthcoming he declared that these two names only should appear on the ballot. e. Vancouver Island, Lay: Ms. Julie Koenig, Ms. Joanne Solomonson. The Bishop called for additional nominations from the floor, and when none were forthcoming he declared that these two names only should appear on the ballot. 2. For the Board of Governors of the Theological Seminary in Saskatoon: a. Lay: Ms. Mona Richardson, Dr. Gerry Saleski. The Bishop called for additional nominations from the floor, and when none were forthcoming he declared that these two names only should appear on the ballot. J. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention direct the Committee of Elections to destroy all ballots for the election of the Secretary and Vice-Chair. Carried. 9

10 K. The Bishop called on Rev. Brian Heinrich to present the Report of the Lutheran Urban Mission Society. Heinrich spoke of the ongoing ministry needs of the society, and noted the ecumenical support for the Mission, as reflected by the membership on the Board, comprising 5 Lutherans and 3 Anglicans. He also noted that as a consequence of conversations with the BC Synod, LUMS has requested that Mr. Matthew Senf be considered for call. L. The Bishop called on Executive Director Ms. Jonquil Hallgate to present the Report of the Surrey Urban Mission Society. She highlighted the history of SUMS and noted prospects for the future. She thanked Rev. Robert Goos for his visionary leadership. Prompted by Rev. Dr. Ogilvie, President of the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, the meeting noted that Hallgate had been awarded an honourary doctorate by LTS on Friday 4 May M. The Bishop called on Rev. Eric Krushel to present the report of the Missions Committee. He reported the impending closure of the All Saints Mission in Kelowna, and noted the pain that attended the closure. He thanked Rev. Keith Petersen and Rev. Tyler Gingrich for their ministry. Krushel also spoke of the Emmanuel Lutheran mission, and the ministry of Rev. Henry Guo, in Surrey and Coquitlam. Finally, Krushel announced a new national initiative of the Church Extension and Capital Fund of the ELCIC to stir the imagination of the church to launch new forms of mission and ministry. N. The Bishop declared recess. 3:00 pm Refreshment Break 3:30 pm Business Session #3, continued O. Call to order. P. The Bishop introduced National Bishop Dr. Susan Johnson, and announced that she had been awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by Huron University College on May 10, and welcomed her to present her report. The Convention greeted her with applause. She highlighted various aspects of the mission and ministry of the ELCIC: 1. Cooperation with Canadian Lutheran World Relief; 2. Cooperation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; 3. Cooperation with the Anglican Church in Canada, and the admirable example that it presents to church bodies in other places in the world. 4. Bishop Johnson called on Mr. Robert Granke, Executive Director of the Canadian Lutheran World Relief, to speak of the relationship between the ELCIC and CLWR. a. He spoke of the benefits of their cooperation in places like Peru, for the sake of food security. He reported that some aspects of the program of CLWR may be compromised by the possible loss of funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). b. He also referred to the changes in Canadian immigration policy and commended the work of Mr. Fikre Tsehai. c. He reported that CLWR was seeking new ways to attract and engage young people in the organization s mission. 10

11 5:30 pm Dinner 5. Bishop Johnson noted that decreased giving has necessitated budget-cutting. Most recently this has resulted in the reduction of long-term support for missionaries. 6. She reported on some aspects of the work toward structural renewal of the church for the sake of institutional efficiency and, thus, to support mission and ministry with the resources at the church s disposal. She urged the Synod to support the initiative. 7. She highlighted the initiative for spiritual renewal. 8. She entertained questions from delegates. Q. Report of the National and Synodical Implementation Teams of the ELCIC Structural Renewal initiative: The Bishop introduced Mr. Wayne Street and Mr. Stephen Wildfang of the Synod of Alberta and the Territories, who are members of the National Implementation Team and the Synodical Implementation Team, respectively. 1. National Bishop Susan Johnson spoke first. She provided the historical and institutional frameworks for the initiative, noting that it is now 3 years old. 2. Wayne Street reviewed the conceptual vision for the restructured organization of the church and its functioning. 3. Rev. Kathy Martin (King of Life, Coquitlam, and a member of the National Implementation Team) outlined the process of development of the initiative, and pointed out how the church might use resources freed up by the new flexibilities and efficiencies. 4. The Synod Implementation Team playfully introduced a process for discussion and reflection. R. Announcements S. The Bishop declared recess. 6:00 pm Choir Rehearsal 6:40 pm Business Session #3, continued T. Call to order. U. The Bishop instructed the Committee on Elections to distribute the ballots for elections to the BC Synod Council and the Board of Governors of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon; and then he instructed the delegates to vote. V. The Bishop called on Rev. Carol Dennison and Rev. Fleming Blishen to inform the convention of the Synod Work Project, the roof of the Lord of Life church in Sandspit. They appealed to the convention to support the project. W. The Bishop called on President Rev. Dr. Kevin Ogilvie to present the Report of the Lutheran Theological Seminary. Ogilvie spoke of the changing environment for ministry, and the Seminary s response: a capital campaign to fund new professorships and to provide necessary upgrades to the facility. 7:00 pm Guest Speaker: Rev. Alan Roxburgh. Refer to Appendix 2. 8:00 pm Travel to th Ave, Surrey, site of Christ the King Lutheran Church and the Surrey Urban Mission Society. 11

12 8:30 pm EVENT hosted by Surrey Urban Mission and Christ the King Lutheran Church 9:30 pm Worship: Compline (at Christ the King Lutheran Church) Saturday 12 May 2012 Breakfast sponsored by Canadian Lutheran World Relief 9:00 am Morning Worship: Morning Prayer 9:30 am Business Session #4 A. Call to order. B. Bishop Mohr called on the Committee of Registration and Attendance to present its report. Delegates: 48 clergy plus 33 lay, 5 Synod Council, 2 youth delegates, for a total of 88 voters. Visitors: 15. Grand total: 103 C. The Bishop called on the Committee on Elections to report the results of the ballot for positions on Synod Council and the Board of Governors of the Lutheran Theological Seminary. Total Ballots Spoiled Ballots Valid Ballots Needed to Nominee & # of Elect votes Nominee & # of votes Bishop s Declaration Greater Vancouver, Rostered Rev. Vida Jaugelis: 31 Rev. Tim LeDrew: 38 LeDrew elected Lower Fraser Valley, Rostered Rev. Henry Guo: 40 Rev. Christoph Reiners:28 Guo elected Peace River, Lay Clair Meger (no other nominees) Meger, by acclamation Southern Interior, Lay Gordon Peterson: 26 Jan Schulz: 41 Schulz elected Vancouver Island, Lay Julie Koenig: 25 Joanne Solomonson: 40 Solomonson elected LTS Board of Governors, Lay Mona Richardson: 27 Gerry Saleski: 39 Saleski elected D. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention instruct the Committee of Elections to destroy all the ballots. Carried. E. The Bishop called on Rev. Eric Krushel to present the report of the Committee on the Report of the Bishop. Krushel drew attention to the considerable accomplishments of the Bishop in the first two years of his term of service, noting that he has led the Synod in asking the right questions, especially, What does it mean to be the church in the 21 st Century? On behalf of the Committee, Krushel verbally presented 6 motions: 12

13 1. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in convention instruct Synod council to promote the congregational renewal and redevelopment project in the Synod and to educate and encourage all congregations and clergy to participate fully. Carried. The Bishop relinquished the Chair to Vice-Chair Johnson. 2. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in convention instruct the bishop's office to raise awareness of the resources available from the national church addressing Bishop Susan s call to spiritual renewal. Carried. 3. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in convention instruct synod council to ensure that resources are put in place to implement all the recommendations of the Task Force on the Roles and Responsibilities of the Bishop and Synod Office. a. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention table the motion. Defeated. b. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention defer BCSynCon and the remaining motions to a time in the meeting when print copies will be available to the delegates. (i) BCSynCon (a): MS that the BC Synod in Convention amend the motion to defer so as to specify projected presentation rather than print copies of the motions. Carried. The Vice-Chair conducted the vote on the now-amended main motion to defer, BCSynCon (a). Carried. F. The Vice-Chair returned the chair to the Bishop. G. The Bishop called on Rev. Clifford Reinhardt and the Task Force to present its report on the Redevelopment of the UBC Campus Centre property. He introduced the members of the Task Force and the team of professionals, who then described aspects of the project, highlighting the unique benefits of the property, the viability of the project, and the prospects for mission and ministry. Following the presentation, BCSynCon : MS that the Synod in Convention express its thanks to the Task Force and affirm its continued work. Carried. H. The Bishop called on Rev. John Gram to present the first report of the Committee of Reference and Counsel: R&C #1 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention support the statement by the Anglican Bishops of British Columbia and Yukon, The Northern Gateway Pipeline: Integrity of the Environmental Impact Review. a. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention refer this motion to the Faith and Society Committee for analysis in order to give advice to Bishop Mohr. Defeated. The Bishop informed the convention that the question was now before it, and called for the vote. BCSynCon Carried. I. The Bishop declared a recess. 10:30 am Refreshment Break 11:10 am Business Session #4, continued J. Call to order 13

14 K. The Bishop called on Ms. Allyson Aporta to give the report of the Specialized Ministries Committee (Section F in the Bulletin of Reports), who commented on aspects of the written report. L. The Bishop called on Rev. Kim Staus to give the report of the Committee of Theological Education and Leadership. He referred to a study that showed the clergy to be at the top of the list of occupations in which people are most happy, and attested to it by his own experience of ministry. He added that the church needs to encourage people to consider diaconal and ordained ministry, and then call them to the same. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention renew its instruction to the Committee to explore and present a model for theological education for lay people, comparable to the professional leadership study conference for rostered ministers. Carried. M. The Bishop declared Committee of the Whole so that the convention might discuss the Structural Renewal proposals. Comments from the floor included the following: 1. In response to a question it was clarified by the leaders that areas may be defined not just by geography but also by linguistic commonality or shared interest. 2. In response to concerns that the proposal does not address the level of participation and the financial giving patterns that we are experiencing, National Bishop Johnson responded that Structural Renewal was not the answer to all concerns. Spiritual Renewal is also needed in order for members of the church to become disciples of the Holy Spirit in their respective communities. 3. A concern was raised that there had been insufficient time for discussion and the sharing of opinions in congregations. Bishop Johnson replied that the initiative was now three years old. 4. Questions were raised about the structure of the various positions: Which are fulltime and which are part-time? Response: Currently on a combined basis there are 7 full time equivalents; the provision for staffing in the amalgamation proposal specifies 5 full-time equivalents. The model incorporates flexibility to engage full-time or part-time people according to need and availability. Moreover, these people may not all be working in the same location(s). 5. Clarification was requested and given on the financial implications of the proposed restructuring. The Synodical Implementation Team provided a comparison of 2012 and possible 2014 budgets for combined BC/ABT costs and income. 6. One suggestion was that the proposed amalgamated synods be named simply Eastern, Central, and Western. 7. One delegate commented that the church should concentrate on developing communications and let the details be worked out in a progressive way. In particular, the leadership should let the areas be defined and developed by congregations rather than by the leadership. 8. A concern was raised over a point included in the FAQ on the website for Structural Renewal, where it was indicated that retired clergy would not be included as voting persons. National Bishop Johnson replied that this provision was intended to balance the voice of elders (including retired clergy who are active in ministry in some way) with the desire for more lay person involvement. 14

15 12:10 pm Lunch The church s demographics were shifting in favour of an older population generally, and retired pastors in particular. 9. A concern was raised that missing from the proposal was an emphasis on congregational benevolence. This was coupled with a suggestion that finances be addressed and creative options be explored. National Bishop Johnson noted that percentages have been suggested for support to the synod and national structures of the church, but that in the end benevolence is an offering and differs for everyone. 10. Another comment: It may be a good thing to change conferences to areas that can offer creative, engaging opportunities for ministry. 11. With regards to the support and development of Worship, past collaborative work at the national level has been most valuable. Is this included in the proposal which indicates worship and youth as synodical responsibility? 12. Is this big change needed for the sake of improved economic efficiencies involving two salaried positions only? N. The Bishop brought discussion to a close and, following Announcements, declared a recess. 12:30 pm Choir Rehearsal 1:08 pm Business Session #5 A. Call to order. B. The Bishop called on Rev. Rick Schultz to present the report of the Youth Committee. He recounted some of the history of the Committee s life and service and drew attention to various aspects of the written report. C. Bishop Mohr called on the Committee on Registration and Attendance to present its report. Delegates: 48 clergy, plus 33 lay, plus 2 youth delegates, plus 5 lay Synod Council, for a total of 88 voters. Visitors: 15. Grand total: 103. D. Resolutions concerning Structural Renewal: The Bishop directed the attention of the convention to the Replacement Motions provided by the Council during the Convention. He informed the convention that the first motion was the key to the rest that is, if the first motion did not pass, then the remaining were effectively removed from the Agenda and that voting on this first motion would take place by written ballot. (Secretary s note: The Replacement Motions in their entirety appear in Appendix 1; only the first motion appears here in the main body of the minutes, because of its unique status.) 1. BCSynCon : MS that the council of the British Columbia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada be authorized and directed to take any and all necessary action in collaboration with the council of the Synod of Alberta and the Territories of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada to create a new synod, comprising the following geographical area, namely, British Columbia, Alberta, the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. 15

16 a. The Bishop directed the distribution of ballots, and then instructed the convention on the procedure for voting: write yes or no on a blank ballot distributed by the Stewards. He reminded the convention that a two-thirds majority was required to pass the motion. He directed the collection of the completed ballots for tallying by the Committee of Elections. E. The Committee of Reference and Counsel distributed a revised report R&C #9 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention ask the Synod Treasurer and Stewardship Committee to explore and report to Synod Council the possibility of establishing a preauthorized debit system for donations to the BC Synod and further, to report their findings to congregations who may then choose to implement a similar model in their own contexts. Carried R&C #10 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention ask Bishop Greg Mohr and National Bishop Susan Johnson to write to the Prime Minister of Canada, calling upon the Canadian government to convene a public, transparent, and accountable planning process that will determine the level of conservation of our BC coastal environment and the acceptable and sustainable levels of human activity. This process will include collaboration with civil society, stakeholders, and First Nations. Carried R&C #11 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention express its gratitude to: a. Ms. Joanne Solomonson for her service as convention manager; b. The local arrangements committee and all the volunteers; c. The people of Mt. Zion and their pastor, Rev. Marlys Moen; d. The Convention worship leaders and planners; the Synod Worship Committee and its chair Ms. Lorraine Reinhardt; e. Mr. Peter Reinhardt for his commissioned hymn composition; f. Ms. Rachel Genge for her faithful work as secretary/receptionist for the Synod office; g. Outgoing Synod Council members Rev. Carol Dennison, Ms. Kim Emmett, and Rev. Roland Ziprick; h. Ms. Jill Gingrich, retiring as BC Synod editor for The Canada Lutheran; i. Guest speakers Rev. Alan Roxburgh and the Honourable Jagrup Brar for their inspiring addresses; j. The National and Synodical Restructuring Implementation teams for all their hard work; k. Our National Bishop Susan Johnson for her leadership and to whom we promise our continued prayers and support; and l. Pastors Courtenay Reedman and Lyle McKenzie for their faithful service as convention chaplains. Carried R&C #12 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention instruct Synod Council to memorialize the National Church Council to take the necessary steps to grant voice and vote to ministers of Word and Sacrament serving in shared ministries in the BC Synod, and to bring any related bylaw changes to a subsequent BC Synod convention. a. BCSynCon : MS to refer 2012R&C #12 back to the Committee of Reference and Council. Carried. 16

17 F. The Bishop called on the Committee on Elections to report the results of the vote on motion BCSynCon , the first of the set of Replacement Motions pertaining to Structural Renewal. The Committee reported the following figures: 85 ballots cast, 1 spoiled, yielding 84 valid ballots. 56 yes votes were needed to establish the two-thirds majority. The Committee counted 54 yes votes, and 30 no votes. The Bishop announced that the motion had failed. G. The Bishop asked one of the Chaplains to lead the convention in prayer, and then declared the meeting in recess. 3:00 pm Refreshment Break 3:30 pm Business Session #5, continued H. Call to order. I. The Bishop returned to the matter of the terms of service on Synod Council: he had failed to report to the convention that the position on the Council, Southern Interior, Lay, was intended to be a 2-year term; nevertheless the Nominating Committee and the nominees alike had understood this. He ruled that the election in this convention of Ms. Jan Schulz to that position be understood as a 2-year term. His ruling was not challenged. J. The Bishop called on Treasurer Stephen Holmes to present the Budget for Fiscal 2013 (July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013). BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention adopt the Budget for Fiscal Holmes pointed out that this budget contained a deficit of approximately $29,000. He noted that the Synod s governing documents did not prohibit the adoption of a deficit budget; he also noted that the current year s surplus would offset the deficit almost in its entirety. Carried. Holmes announced that the Synod s AGM, scheduled for the fall of 2012, would adopt a budget for the next fiscal year. 2. BCSynCon : MS the BC Synod in Convention direct the Stewardship Committee to communicate to the congregations the financial need for the Synod s Fiscal 2013, suggesting the possibility of an additional $500 in benevolence per congregation. Carried. K. The Bishop called on Treasurer (Officer) Stephen Holmes to present the Report of the Joint Corporation of the BC Synod and Christ the King Lutheran Church. He explained the factors that led to the decisions currently being processed by business partners as well as prospects for the future. L. The Bishop called on Youth delegates Ms. Lindsay Brewster and Mr. Eric Kay to offer their reflections on the convention. M. Rev. Eric Krushel, the Chair of the Committee of the Report of the Bishop returned to the convention floor, as instructed, with the projected text of its motions. 1. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention give thanks to God for Bishop Greg's faithful and joy-filled service, leadership and guidance of the BC Synod and his willingness to share his gift of mellifluous music with our province, the synod and the world. 2. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in convention encourage synod council to make it a priority to continue the process of reviewing and 17

18 implementing where possible the recommendations put forth by the Task force on the roles and responsibilities of the bishop and synod office. Carried. 3. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention instruct the Bishop's Office to ensure that congregations are aware of the need to revise their constitutions based on the new model constitution and bylaws. Carried. 4. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention instruct the Synod Council to explore the feasibility of a deployed staff model to address the staffing needs within the synod. Carried. N. The Bishop called on Rev. John Gram to present the third report of the Committee of Reference and Counsel R&C #2 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention instruct Bishop Greg Mohr and ask National Bishop Susan Johnson to write letters to Archbishop Fred Hiltz and to the Anglican bishops of British Columbia and Yukon, supporting the Anglican Bishops statement, The Northern Gateway Pipeline: Integrity of the Environmental Impact Review. Carried R&C #3 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention instruct Bishop Greg Mohr and ask National Bishop Susan Johnson to write a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper indicating our support for the Anglican bishops statement, The Northern Gateway Pipeline: Integrity of the Environmental Impact Review. a. BCSynCon (a): MS that the BC Synod in Convention amend the motion by inserting the text, including a copy of the statement, between the words letter and to. Carried. The Bishop conducted the vote for the now-amended motion. Carried. 3. #2012R&C #4 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention urge our congregations to publicize and support the Anglican bishops Statement, The Northern Gateway Pipeline: Integrity of the Environmental Impact Review, and to study the ramifications of the pipeline for our province and for its First Nations communities. Carried R&C #5 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention instruct Bishop Greg Mohr to encourage our member congregations to become signatories to the BC Poverty Reduction Commission s Call to Action for the implementation of a provincial poverty reduction strategy. Carried R&C #6 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention urge individual members of congregations to send letters to the Premier of the Province and to the Leader of the Official Opposition indicating their support for the BC Poverty Reduction Commission s Call to Action. Carried R&C #7 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention instruct Bishop Greg Mohr to write a letter to the Prime Minister of Canada and to the Premier of British Columbia to encourage their governments to work with civic governments in a cooperative and timely fashion to develop new, innovative, and creative ways to increase the availability and accessibility of affordable housing for the people of our province. a. BCSynCon (a): MS to amend by adding the text, the leaders of the opposition, both provincially and federally, after the words of British Columbia. Carried. The Bishop conducted the vote for the now-amended motion. Carried. 18

19 R&C #8 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention ask Bishop Greg Mohr to set up a one- to two-week pastors retreat to allow for pastor and bishop contact and pastor-to-pastor interaction and support. (Reference and Counsel recommends referral to the Synod Council.) a. BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention refer 2012R&C #8 to Synod Council. Carried R&C #12 / BCSynCon (returned to the Convention floor after being referred to the Committee): MS that the BC Synod in Convention instruct Synod Council to memorialize the National Church Council to take the necessary steps to grant voice and vote to ministers of Word and Sacrament serving in shared ministries in the BC Synod, and to bring any related bylaw changes to a subsequent BC Synod convention. Carried R&C #13 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod continue to explore ways and look for opportunities to work together with the Alberta and Territories Synod to further the mission of the Church in western Canada. Carried unanimously R&C #14 / BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod continue to develop a more detailed restructuring proposal in cooperation with the Alberta and Territories Synod for consideration by the BC Synod at a future convention. The Bishop suggested that the Convention use the proper name for the adjacent Syond; his ruling was not challenged: MS that the BC Synod develop a more detailed restructuring proposal in cooperation with the Synod of Alberta and the Territories for consideration by the BC synod at a future convention. The Chair called for division of the house: in favour 32; opposed 35. The motion failed. O. A delegate rose and expressed his desire to test the will of the convention with a motion designed to commit the Synod to seeking another, broader form of restructuring. The Bishop declared a brief recess while this delegate and another, the Secretary, and the Chair of the Committee of Reference and Counsel collaborated to produce a debatable motion. The small working group returned with the following motion: BCSynCon : MS that the BC Synod in Convention direct the Synod Council to seek further engagement with the National Church Council of the ELCIC, the Synod of Alberta and the Territories, the Synod of Saskatchewan, and the Synod of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, to develop options for the structure of the church in order to achieve our goals in mission and ministry in the 21 st century. Carried. P. Announcements 5:00 pm The Bishop adjourned the business meeting. 6:30 pm Banquet at the Executive Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre, 405 North Road, Coquitlam Sunday, May 13 10:00 am Worship Service with Holy Communion, Installation of new Synod Council Members, and Closing of Convention (The offerings received at the worship service were designated equally for the ministries of the BC Synod and the ELCIC.) 19