Putting The Bite Back Into The Apple

Sometimes it is mind-boggling to realize that just one year ago the word ‘pandemic’ evoked pleasant images of a happy evening playing a co-operative board game with family and friends. During this past 12 months many, many ordinary people have demonstrated admirable qualities of passion, perseverance and personal sacrifice as they have risen to the … Continue reading Putting The Bite Back Into The Apple

The Future is Nothing Like the Past

A review of "Canoeing the Mountains - Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory" by Tod Bolsinger. Canoeing the Mountains Truth be told, I dismissed this book without reading a single page. It was a freebie, handed out at the PCC Pastor’s Conference back in 2019, which screamed “remainder bin.” And the title — way too cute. … Continue reading The Future is Nothing Like the Past

Acting on a Precedent

I am surprised that people are assuming that if their congregation leaves the PCC, they will either lose their building or have to buy it back. There is another alternative. At the 124th General Assembly, held in Windsor, Ontario, in 1998, a Special Committee dealt with appeals regarding the conduct of a Presbyterian College student who was a declared practicing homosexual conducting services at St. Andrew’s, Lachine ... Read more

The Next Big Thing

Anniversaries are a great opportunity to press pause and take stock. We look back and note how a watershed moment has changed our world. Sept. 11 is the big one. There’s also Nov. 22, if you’re old enough to remember. And now we have March 11, the day in 2020 when the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 global pandemic. One year later ... Read more

Knox Thedford Overture on Addictions

WHEREAS the COVID 19 pandemic has impacted every community across Canada, has dominated every newscast and has touched every congregation, every family, and every person WHEREAS the serious matter of drug addiction and the impacts of addiction have gone under reported across Canada and each community, WHEREAS border closures have impacted the flow of opioids … Continue reading Knox Thedford Overture on Addictions

Essex-Kent Overture re: Gracious Dismissal

To the Venerable, the General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Canada: WHEREAS, the 144th General Assembly referred the matter of Gracious Dismissal to the Assembly Council (p. 36, 2018 AP); and WHEREAS, the Assembly Council’s terms of reference include the obligation to “assist the General Assembly in making responsible decisions by ensuring that both … Continue reading Essex-Kent Overture re: Gracious Dismissal

Essex-Kent Overture re: Restructuring the PCC

Background The following was written by Rev. Andy Cornell. Although the intent of the overture is to restructure the denomination along theological lies, it’s presented theologically neutral. In other words, it’s worded so as to appeal to those who might identify as evangelical/conservative/orthodox/traditional as well as those who identify as inclusive/liberal/progressive/affirming. It does give primacy … Continue reading Essex-Kent Overture re: Restructuring the PCC

St. Andrew’s and St. Stephen’s North Vancouver Overture re: Gracious Dismissal

WHEREAS, between 2015-2020 24 Overtures and Petitions have been made to General Assembly requesting, in general, that The Presbyterian Church in Canada permit congregations to leave the denomination with their property at nominal cost to the congregation if the denomination approves either a redefinition of marriage to include same sex couples or the ordination of … Continue reading St. Andrew’s and St. Stephen’s North Vancouver Overture re: Gracious Dismissal

St. Paul’s Simcoe Overture re: Virtual Assembly

Whereas the congregations and courts of the Presbyterian Church in Canada have been adapting to different forms of meeting since March 2020; and Whereas these forms have challenged our longstanding principle and practice of full participation by each member in the business of the courts (Book of Forms 4.4,4.3); and Whereas the Assembly Council has … Continue reading St. Paul’s Simcoe Overture re: Virtual Assembly

Knox Thedford Overture re: Separate Synods

WHEREAS the divisions within the Presbyterian Church in Canada have become more pronounced, and have both widened and deepened over the last decade; and WHEREAS the matters of disagreement include many aspects of faith and life, belief and practice; and WHEREAS by its own admission in a report received by General Assembly in 2019, there … Continue reading Knox Thedford Overture re: Separate Synods

PCC Restructuring Call to Action

Recent years in our denomination have been turbulent. Some fear that our denomination may not, in its entirety, find its way back to authentic Biblical thinking, powerful Spirit-led prayer, and effective Gospel witness. Several of our members have been working on a way forward that was proposed by the Special Committee ... Read more

A Dangerous Precedent

A Joint Statement from PSALT and the Renewal Fellowship. Since the denomination’s beginning, there have been unofficial groups gathering within The Presbyterian Church in Canada. They have been structured to pursue particular goals of Christian ministry. Some have been of an ad hoc nature, with both leadership and focus changing regularly. Others have been organized … Continue reading A Dangerous Precedent

Dear Presbyters

Questions are like tools. Good quality instruments used with skill and care can loosen the machinery and allow a glimpse into the soul of a machine. Or a person. So it is with the question and answer section of the 2021 General Assembly moderator nominee profiles. Kudos to whoever developed this skillful line of questioning, which starts with the comfortable ... Read more

PCC Covenant Opening Worship

I once posted in social media a picture of me wearing a Toronto Blue Jays cap, and my cousin posted along the lines that I look like “a thug from the hood", to which I replied, “I didn't choose the thug life, the thug life chose me.” Most of us here could say something similar about our denomination. We've been born into or have been a part of the PCC for a long time. I, however, like many of you did have the special opportunity of really affirming our denomination through my ordination vows, as I pledged myself and swore to uphold our subordinate standards ... Read more

Gracious Dismissal Final Report

This week, Assembly Council published the minutes of its October 27, 2020, meeting in which the report of its Gracious Dismissal Committee was on the agenda. A majority on the council voted not to receive it "until at least after the General Assembly has dealt with Remits B and C." Notwithstanding this decision ... Read more

Renewal News – Winter 2021

Download the entire issue in PDF format, or read and comment on the individual articles: