1. recognizing the agricultural crisis as a major social problem; expresses its concern at the stress and suffering of farming families caught in the economic crisis in Canada's agricultural sector;
2. directs the Program Committee to take steps to explore the roots of the agricultural crisis, and to recommend practical ways for the Church, at parish, diocesan and national levels, to minister to those under stress, and to advocate helpful changes in national policies. CARRIED IN ALL ORDERS Act 73
Colour photo with text. "Reclaiming a disappearing heritage was the impetus in this remote island off the East coast of the Magdalen Islands in Quebec to build a greenhouse, set up a beehive operation and plant vegetable gardens, thanks to a grant from AFC [Anglican Foundation of Canada]. These projects reinvigorated the community, cultivating fruits for many years to come !" [Text of entire article.]
"[B]y Samuel Henry Prince, M.A., PH.D., D.D., D.C.L. University of King's College, Halifax. N.S."
"Illustrator: Geoffrey W. Goss". -- verso of t.-p.
"'The Architecture of Rural Society' consists of a series of lectures delivered at King's College, Halifax, N.S., to mark the establishment of the HacKenley Memorial Foundation in Rural Sociology. The lectureship memorializes a former Archbishop of Nova Scotia, the Most Reverend John HacKenley, D.D., whose devotion to the well-being of the rural population was so great that his name has already become a tradition in that Province". -- Preface.
"At the request of the Memorial Committee the inaugural lectures have been put in a permanent and somewhat abbreviated form in the hope that they may perform a useful service as orientation material for those who may attend subsequent courses under the auspices of the Foundation. .... They contain the mature thinking of a longtime professor of Sociology at King's College and one who has had unusual opportunity for research in the field of rural society". -- Preface.
Contents: Foreword / Robert Harold Nova Scotia i.e. Robert Harold Waterman Bishop of Nova Scotia -- Preface -- Introduction -- The Rural Facade -- Structural Change -- Plans and Specifications -- Design for Rural Living -- Blueprint for Rural Betterment: i -- Blueprint for Rural Betterment: ii -- Gable Roofs and Rural Steeples -- Conclusion.
"If congregations want to take action on environmental and climate change issues, they can begin with a simple cup of joe. 'Virtually every church has a coffee hour', says the Rev. Daniel Spencer [a United Church of Christ minister], who recently delivered a lecture on the greening of religion at Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto. 'It doesn't take very much to make sure the coffee you're serving is fair trade'." "Switching to coffee beans produced without pesticides by small farmers is just one way of introducing congregations to eco-friendly activities. "I do think it's really important to have practices that are both green but they're also fund and engaging', said Spencer citing the example of community-supported agriculture".
Article includes inset "Small steps" with 5 suggestions for churches to follow.
The first "justice camp" - an ecumenical gathering of young people will take place in Winnipeg 15-21 August 2005. It is an initiative of the Eco-justice committee of General Synod.
Bishop Malcolm Harding and Larry Winslow have been working together to deal with the crisis for Prairie farmers on a "political, pastoral and prayerful level".
The resolution of the Rural Deaneries of Peace River and Grande Prairie suggesting a Commission on Rural Work was presented by the Bishop of Athabasca.
"The Rural Deanery of Peace River along with representatives of the Rural Deanery of Grande Prairie in the Diocese of Athabasca respectively suggest and request that the General Synod of the Church of England in Canada meeting in Toronto in September 1943 should appoint a Commission on Rural Church Work in Canada with special reference to the Church of England.
1. We would humbly suggest that this Commission should consist of three Bishops, three Priests and three laymen to be appointed by the General Synod in session this Fall, with power given to this Commission to increase its numbers by additional members, the same to be approved by the Primate. The Primate and the Secretaries of the three Boards of the General Synod would be ex officio members of this commission.
2. This Commission should give immediate attention to the formulation of plans for a survey of Rural Life and rural conditions in Canada with special reference to the ministrations of our Church in these rural areas, including the problem of education in rural areas, the important matter of the use of leisure in these areas, the home life, opportunities for advanced training of talented and ambitious young people, the stipends of the Clergy, the condition of the Rectories in which they live, the problem of transportation as they serve their people, the special training of clergy for rural work, etc, etc.
3. This Commission should examine carefully the great and important problem which deals with the place of the farm in our economic life, the financial returns for the labours of the farmer, the conditions under which he lives, etc, etc. This is one of the most important problems facing Canadian life today.
4. This Commission should have the power to co-operate with other Christian bodies within the boundaries of the Dominion as they study these and kindred problems.
5. Other nations and other parts of our Empire throughout the Church have given and are giving special attention to this vast and extremely important subject. Our Sister Church in the United States held its first Rural Church Conference in 1923. In 1924 a Division of Rural Work of the National Council was organized and a full-time secretary of Rural Work appointed. A special publication was issued regularly - The Rural Messenger. In 1925 the General Convention of the Episcopal Church appointed standing Committees on Rural Work. In 1928 a Joint Committee on Rural Work was appointed and in 1931, it gave a printed report which is a most valuable document.
In the USA the National Roman Catholic Rural Life Conference has been held annually for twenty years and this Church is giving very special attention to this Ecclesiastical and National problem.
In England at the beginning of this year of 1943, the Church of England along with other Church bodies has instituted a Rural Reconstruction Inquiry. This movement was inspired by the Oxford and Edinburgh Conferences. It is undertaken because the Council believes that all attempts at the social reconstruction of England will be finally void without a revival of the life of the countryside. This involves an awakening of interest among country folk in the needs of the family, the problems of industry, the claims of culture and the place of religion.
The ultimate purposes of the effort are said to be two: first, to secure that as much thought and energy are applied to the problems of villages as to those of towns; secondly, to "aid the Churches to relate their message and activities more closely to the needs and opportunities of rural communities."
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That the Resolution be received and considered clause by clause. CARRIED in both Houses.
1st Clause was amended by adding "and three women" after "laymen."
Contents: The Country Church and the Rural Problem / By the Rev. G.G. Wright, Rector of Navan, Ont.
"The years of warfare have served to place the importance of agriculture before the people of Canada with a clearness which a decade of writing on the subject could not have produced. .... The war has brought to people's attention the fact that the development of agriculture is fundamental to the national life, and that, for reasons which shall be noted later, the well-being of the farmer -- industrially, economically, socially, and in the religious sphere has a direct bearing on the development of every branch of the national life. The solution then of the rural problem is not a question which concerns only or even chiefly that part of the country but is of interest to everyone who has at heart the national well-being (p. 2)".
Contents divided into sub-sections: Rural Depletion -- Wherein Then Lies the Solution -- Woman's Work -- Social Life -- The Church and the Problem.
Colophon: Printed in Canada. The Cowley Bracebridge Press, 1947".
Includes bibliography, p. 67.
"The authorities of the Church seem to think that country districts are unimportant compared with towns. Town parishes grow. They develop into self-supporting Churches which in turn are able to support the general work of the church. .... Our seminaries train men with the town parish in mind. The men pick up the same attitude to the country. .... As a result our country parishes have a chequered history of short rectorates, long vacancies, and a sense of insecurity and inferiority. In some dioceses that has meant a steady closing up of what were called 'unprofitable Missions.' It took the weight off the Diocesan Mission Fund and improved the diocesan finances. I was convinced of the foolishness and wickedness of this policy from the time, as a student, I was sent in the summer to minister to desolate country charges". --- p. 1.
Contents divided into nine numbered sections and with final section separately headed "Credit Unions".
OTCH copy has bookplate of The Council for Social Service of the Anglican Church of Canada.