ACPO

Prologue: Bishop Matthews reported on the Joint Advisory Committee on Postulants for Ordination (ACPO) which met November 19-20, 1994. This was in response to a recommendation from the October 1994 gathering of the House of Bishops which recommended to the Committee on Ministry that a small joint taskforce meet. It was suggested that the joint taskforce should be made up of two representatives from the Committee on Ministry and two representatives from the House of Bishops in order to review the ACPO process, and to make recommendations about the future of ACPO to NEC when it met in March 1995.; The Joint Committee made six recommendations which they presented. There was some discussion in plenary about the recommendations, the role of ACPO and whether or not it should continue. The question "Where do the ACPO recommendations go now?" was asked of the House.; At Archbishop Peers' request, a small taskforce was formed to investigate whether or not it would be possible for the House of Bishops to reach a common mind regarding ACPO. The taskforce consisted of Bishop Matthews, Bishop Bays, Archbishop Crawley, Bishop Mason and Bishop Morgan. They agreed to report back to the House later in the meeting.; When the taskforce reported back to the House they made several recommendations (see appendix i) and proposed the following motion.

Text of motion: That this House urges NEC to provide funding for ACPO at 65% of the 1994 budget for ACPO. CARRIED

Notes: Appendix i; House of Bishops' ACPO Report Response Group; Membership: Bishops Bays, Hiltz, Mason, Matthews and Archbishop Crawley.; Recommendations:; 1. That dioceses engaged in selecting non-stipendiary and locally raised up priests invite the regional Advisory Committee on Postulants for Ordination (ACPO) secretary or his/her designate to attend the diocesan screening procedure as an assessor in that process.; 2. That future ACPO conferences offer the category "recommended at this time for postulancy" instead of "recommended at this time for training."; 3. That at this time no ACPO procedure for the vocational diaconate be set up by the provincial or national church structures.; 4. That this House of Bishops affirm the existing standard that no one be ordained to the priesthood without attaining an ACPO conference, while also acknowledging that there will be more than one expression of ACPO conference in the future.; 5. That the April 1996 meeting of the House of Bishops spend significant time on the topic of "mutual ministry." We suggest assistance be sought from Bishop Tom Ray or Dirk Rinehart.; 6. That this House of Bishops urges the National Executive Council (NEC) to provide funding for ACPO at not less than 65% of the 1994 ACPO budget.; (Note: The sixth recommendation was put before the House of Bishops as a motion. See House of Bishops Minutes, May 1995, pages 5-6.)

Subjects: Anglican Church of Canada. Advisory Committee on Postulants for Ordination (ACPO); Anglican Church of Canada. Advisory Committee on Postulants for Ordination (ACPO) - Finance; Ordination - Anglican Church of Canada; Anglican Church of Canada. House of Bishops