Resolutions

of the 129th Session of the Synod of the Diocese of Fredericton

(Non-procedural)

General and Provincial Synod delegates

Pursuant to Canon TWO, s. 15, this Diocesan Synod suspends the operation of Canon TWO to permit the continuation of the appointments of members of the General and Provincial Synods; and

That notwithstanding section 12(1) of Canon TWO, the members and substitute members of the General Synod elected at the 2005 meeting of this Diocesan Synod be the members and substitute members of the General Synod to be held at Winnipeg in June, 2007; and that the members and substitute members of the Provincial Synod elected at the 2005 meeting of this Diocesan Synod be continued until the elections to be conducted at the next regular meeting of this Diocesan Synod.

Diocesan signing authority

That Canon FIVE be amended by renumbering sections 3 to 6 to be sections 4 to 7 and by adding a new section 3 as follows:

3(1) The Bishop and the Secretary of the Synod shall sign all documents that are required to be executed under the seal of the Diocesan Synod or which may subject the Diocese or the Synod to financial or other liability.
3(2) Cheques and other money instruments issued by the Diocese or the Synod shall be signed by any two of the Bishop, the Treasurer of the Synod and the Secretary of the Synod and a member of the Diocesan Staff designated by the Diocesan Council.

Marriage and sexuality

This Synod of the Diocese of Fredericton resolves:

a. This Synod reaffirms the Diocese of Fredericton’s commitment to the Godly care and pastoral support of people of all sexual orientations. This Diocese along with the whole Church is challenged (as the Archbishop of Canterbury stated on March 28, 2007) to ensure that our Churches are “truly (a) safe place(s) for people to be honest and where they may be confident that they will have their human dignity respected, whatever serious disagreements about ethics may remain.” In keeping with Lambeth 1998 – Resolution 1.10 we commit ourselves to ongoing listening to the experience of homosexual persons and assure them that “they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ.” We encourage the Bishop and Diocese to initiate and engage in a sustained Biblical and theological conversation about human sexuality using the listening process requested in preparation for the 2008 Lambeth conference.

b. In accordance with the teaching of Lambeth Conference 1998 Resolution 1.10, this Synod reaffirms the position taken at our 127th and 128th Synods that:

1. Marriage (as understood by the Church) is the lifelong union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others; and
2. that no clergy person may bless any union or marriage of the same sex

c. In line with the St. Michael Report we regard the blessing of same-sex unions as a matter of doctrine, with implications that are integral to the doctrines of salvation, incarnation, the person and work of the Holy Spirit, theological anthropology, sanctification and holy matrimony. Given that any change in Christian teaching on this doctrinally serious matter has significant implications for the unity of the Church we believe that any change ought to require wide consultation and no less than a two-thirds majority in each house of the General Synod over two successive General Synods in order to be regarded as canonical.

d. This diocese is determined to remain an integral part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, thus we reaffirm the decision of Synod 2005 and make clear to the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada that, should it decide not to follow the doctrine and discipline of the Communion this will cause a tear in the fabric of our relationship with the General Synod.

e. This Synod, recognizing that catholicity is one of the marks of the Anglican Church, and recognizing that each of the Instruments of Unity (the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates Meeting) have affirmed that the worldwide Communion should take no action concerning authorization of the blessing of same sex unions unless a new consensus emerges, we therefore urge General Synod to do all in its power to preserve the ‘bonds of affection’ within our Communion.

f. We urge the General Synod to take seriously the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury, made in his Presidential Address to the General Synod of the Church of England (Feb 26, 2007) to the effect that the worldwide Anglican Communion should lay aside the currently divisive matters around human sexuality and address the more difficult issue of how the Anglican Communion becomes “a body attempting to live in more than one intellectual and cultural setting and committed to addressing major problems in a global way....”

g. In light of the above, the Synod of the Diocese of Fredericton does not intend to return to this matter unless the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada takes precipitant action concerning the contentious issues around human sexuality. We have made a definitive statement and it is our intention to move ahead with other important matters in the areas of mission and ministry.

The Secretary of Synod is directed to send a copy of this entire motion to the Archbishop of Canterbury and to memorialize the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada 2007 with the same.

Property and liability insurance

That this Synod direct Diocesan Council to continue to develop the Diocesan Group Property and Liability Insurance Program and that specific steps be taken to ensure parishes not able to comply with the established minimum standards (A-19) for coverage by other means be required to comply by participating in the group program.

Securing clean drinking water as a right

Be it resolved that this Synod recognize and affirm that:

Water is a sacred gift that connects all life.
Access to clean water is a basic human right.
The value of Earth's fresh water to the common good takes priority over any possible commercial value.
Fresh water is a sacred legacy, a public trust, and a collective responsibility.

Be it further resolved that the Diocese will explore potential options for action in the promotion of clean water projects.

Communications

That the report of the Communications Task Force be received and accepted with thanks to its members.
That the recommendations of the Task Force be accepted and acted upon, including:

a) The Bishop should immediately appoint a Communications Committee, reporting to him and accountable to him as publisher of all diocesan communications
b) The publisher and the editor of diocesan publications should have a meaningful role in the appointment of members, since both are stakeholders in the committee’s effectiveness
c) The editor should serve as an ex-officio member; other members should include at least one member of the Administration Team of Diocesan Council, at least one representative of clergy, and other members of clergy and the laity as the bishop and the editor deem necessary
d) The Communications Committee should meet at least quarterly and report to executive members of diocesan staff in an open and transparent manner
e) The terms of reference of the proposed committee include those recommended in the report.

Rural and struggling parishes

Be it resolved that this Diocesan Synod respectfully request the Bishop:

1) to appoint a committee to deal with the question how best to continue this Synod’s historic commitment to rural and struggling parishes;
2) to charge this body to undertake a wide-ranging diocesan consultation with rural and struggling parishes on his behalf, in order to gain the best knowledge possible of their circumstances, hopes, aspirations, and needs;
3) to charge this body to draw up recommendations or proposals about how best to continue this commitment as soon as possible after this consultation, including cost estimates and suggestions as to where the monies might be found to cover costs; and
4) to ensure that this body is charged with no other business, so that its members can devote themselves to this good work.
It is suggested that another individual or group of archivists or historians might help this committee by drawing up a brief history of the forms this commitment has taken from our eighteenth-century beginnings up to the present.

Referrals

Two motions of referral to Diocesan Council were carried regarding:

The proposed "Fair Share Contribution" for funding of the Diocesan Budget
Embryonic stem cell research

G. Hall, Secretary of Synod
(unapproved by the Chair)