Bishop Morgan drew attention to the document "The New Covenant" stating that appeals have been received from native people that the Sunday before the First Minister's Conference be designated a Day of Prayer.
Text
That this House of Bishops respond to the request of Native leaders for the Churches to name a Day of Prayer to precede the final First Ministers' Conference to be held on March 26-27, by designating Sunday, March 22, as a Day of Prayer for Aboriginal Peoples:
And that we commend the document entitled "A New Covenant" prepared as a Pastoral Statement by leaders of the Christian Churches to be used as a focus for this Day of Prayer. CARRIED
Archbishop Bothwell read a letter from St. George's Church, St. Catharines, exentending an invitation to host a two-day seminar at Brock University as an anniversary project on the occasion of that parish's 200th anniversary. The suggested focus for the seminar was "Authority in the Anglican Communion."
The proposal is to invite outstanding leaders of the Anglican Communion. Bishops would be invited to submit questions regarding authority which they would like to have addressed at the workshop.
Text
That this invitation be referred to the Agenda Committee of the House of Bishops to report back to the next meeting of the House. CARRIED
That this House establish an annual skill-development event for Bishops in the first five years of their episcopate, and open to all others. CARRIED #7-6-83
That this House establish, through the Provinces, a "Bishop-to-Bishop" consultation program for all new Bishops immediately following consecration. CARRIED #8-6-83
Archbishop Crawley spoke to the House of Bishops about two issues related to the General Synod Continuing Education Fund. The first point was about the definition used by General Synod for "sabbatical", and the second point was about priests using money from their continuing education funds for church computers.
I) Sabbatical
Archbishop Crawley said that his difficulty with the General Synod definition of a sabbatical was its inflexibility in what qualifies as one. The current definition says that a sabbatical is 8 consecutive weeks (off) or study in a D.Min program. He said that the clergy of the Diocese of Kootenay have asked him to request more flexibility in what would qualify as a sabbatical because taking 8 weeks away from the parish is an unrealistic expectation for many parish priests. (Many parishes cannot afford to hire an interim priest for that duration.)
Archbishop Crawley asked his colleagues whether they would be prepared to pass a motion requesting the General Synod Continuing Education Committee to look at broadening their definition for a sabbatical leave.
Text
In the light of current educational opportunities, the National House of Bishops requests the Continuing Education Committee of General Synod to examine ways in which the continuing education policy can be more flexible in its definition of a sabbatical leave. CARRIED #07-11-98
Notes
II) Computers
In the past, many parish priests used their continuing education funds to purchase books, and then they started to buy personal computers with it. However, Archbishop Crawley said that he has recently discovered that some parishes are using their priest's continuing education funds to subsidize computers for the parish. Archbishop Crawley expressed his feeling that in this age, computers are actually necessary tools of business. He asked whether others (in the House) shared his position. Discussion followed. Bishop Hutchison said that the Diocese of Montreal had other means of funding for priests wanting assistance to get hardware.
Archbishop Peers offered that "sabbatical" implies "rest" which might be a reason for the duration listed in the General Synod Continuing Education Fund's definition. Other words suggested as possible alternatives were "long term study" or "degrees". The Primate requested that Bishop Hannen and Bishop Lawrence work on possible wording which could be proposed with the request to the General Synod Continuing Education Committee.
That at the Fall, 1986 meeting of the House of Bishops, a major portion of the Continuing Education time be devoted to the death penalty and criminal justice, and that time be allotted to a study of retreats and meditations. CARRIED #6-9-85
"That this House of Bishops requires that on the election of a Bishop the electing Diocese, the Diocese where the Bishop elect presently holds an appointment, and the Bishop elect make provision through the Metropolitan for up to one full month between the election and consecration for a period of preparation and training according to the House of Bishops guidelines, and at the expense of the electing Diocese."
Text
"That we vote by Provincial Houses." CARRIED
The Motion was put and CARRIED IN ALL PROVINCES.
Notes
Moved by: Bishop Bothwell
Seconded by: Bishop Hambidge
"That this Resolution be sent from the National House of Bishops to all Diocesan Executive Committees and Diocesan Chancellors, and that we espouse this policy and recommend it, and request comments by the end of 1978." CARRIED
That action be taken on the correspondence as follows:
Text
That this invitation be referred to the Agenda Committee with the recommendation that a continuing education event be planned for the Fall, 1994 meeting of the House, and that this meeting should take place in Prince Albert, Sask. CARRIED