Notice is hereby given pursuant to section 13 of the Rules of Order and Procedure of the General Synod that the following amendments to the Declaration of Principles, the Constitution and Canons will be proposed for enactment to the 40th Session of the General Synod to be held at Ottawa, Ontario, July 3-7, 2013
PART A – PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
The following resolution was given first reading at the 2010 General Synod (A019 R1). Pursuant to section 11 a) ii) of the Declaration of Principles, it was referred to dioceses and provinces for consideration. The resolution will now come to General Synod 2013 for second reading (A030) as follows:
A030 Be it resolved that this General Synod:
give Second Reading to amend sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Declaration of Principles to read as follows:
3. Membership
a) The General Synod of The Anglican Church of Canada shall be organized in three Orders: the Order of Bishops, the Order of Clergy and the Order of Laity.
b) Members of the Orders of Clergy and Laity shall be members of the diocesan synod, or eligible to be members of the diocesan synod, of the diocese they represent.
c) The number of clergy and lay members elected by each diocese shall be determined relative to the size of the diocese.
d) Each diocese shall elect the same number of lay members as clergy members.
e) Each diocese shall be entitled to elect or appoint one youth representative in addition to the clergy and lay members it is entitled to elect.
f) Other non-diocesan or quasi-diocesan jurisdictions in the Church may also be entitled to representation as specified in the Constitution.
g) The Constitution may provide for ex officio members of the General Synod.
4. Sessions
The three Orders shall sit and vote together, except where specifically provided for in the Constitution, Canons or Rules of Order.
5. Voting by Dioceses
The Rules of Order shall make provision for a vote by dioceses where demanded.
PART B – PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
General Synod 2010 passed Resolution A029 (as amended) to change the basis for calculating the number of clerical and lay members which a diocese is entitled to send to General Synod. Resolution A029 specified that it would only come into effect when (a) second reading is given to amend sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Declaration of Principles (see Part A above), and (b) Resolution A029 itself were confirmed by General Synod 2013.
As a result of further consultation and feedback, the Governance Working Group is proposing a somewhat different amendment as set out below (A042). Resolution A042 specifies that it will only come into effect when second reading is given to GS 2010 Resolution A019 R1 to amend sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Declaration of Principles (see Part A above).
A042 Be it resolved by this General Synod as follows:
1. Section 8 f) of the Constitution is amended to read as follows:
Dioceses shall be entitled to elect clerical and lay members of the General Synod as follows:
i) for dioceses having an average attendance of 2,499 persons or less, one member of each Order;
ii) for dioceses having an average attendance between 2,500 and 4,999 persons, two members of each Order;
iii) for dioceses having an average attendance between 5,000 and 9,999 persons, three members of each Order;
iv) for dioceses having an average attendance between 10,000 and 14,999 persons, four members of each Order;
v) for dioceses having an average attendance of 15,000 or more persons, five members of each Order plus one additional member of each Order for each 5,000 of additional average attendance in excess of 15,000.
vi) the words “average attendance”, as used in this section and elsewhere in the Constitution, shall mean the average attendance for liturgical celebrations for Easter, Pentecost, the second Sunday in September and Christmas in the second and third calendar years prior to the year in which General Synod will take place, as reported by the Diocese to Church House.
2. Paragraph 9 b) of the Constitution is deleted, paragraph 9 a) is renumbered as 9 b), and the following is enacted as new paragraph 9 a):
9 a) As soon as practicable in the year prior to the year in which General Synod will take place, the General Secretary shall publish the number of clerical and lay members which each diocese is entitled to pursuant to paragraph 8 f).
3. This resolution shall come into effect upon General Synod having given second reading to Resolution A019 R1 passed by General Synod 2010.
PART C – PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE RULES OF ORDER AND PROCEDURE
There are no resolutions in this section.
PART D – PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE EXISTING CANONS
Resolution A050 – Canon XIX – Forms
Resolution A051 – Canon XXII – The National Indigenous Ministry