Summary of Stated Meeting: June 3, 2022

The Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Eastern Canada was held at Grace Valley Church, in Dundas, Ontario.

Teaching Elder Albert Kooy served as moderator over 19 teaching elders and 11 ruling elders. Additionally, 3 licentiates, 3 candidates under care, 3 applicants to be taken under care, and 3 visitors were present.

Actions of the Presbytery*

• In the communications report, the stated clerk reported receiving notice of the following resignations: Ruling Elder Hang Kit Wong (Grace Toronto Church), Ruling Elder KJ Drake (New City Church, Hamilton).

• The Presbytery sustained Kingsley Lai’s examination to be licensed to preach the gospel within the bounds of this Presbytery.

• The Presbytery sustained David Ryu’s examination to be received as a candidate for the gospel ministry under care. Teaching elders Kyle Hackmann, Albert Kooy, and Kiernan Stringer were appointed as his oversight committee.

• The Presbytery sustained Graham Hynds’ examination to be received as a candidate for the gospel ministry under care. Teaching elders Kiernan Stringer and Joe Choi were appointed as his oversight committee, and Mr. Hynds was admitted as a presbytery intern, serving at Grace Toronto Church, in order to test his gifts for the holy ministry.

• The Presbytery sustained Keith Williams’ examination to be received as a candidate for the gospel ministry under care. The Grace Valley Church Session was appointed as his oversight committee, and Mr. Williams was admitted as a presbytery intern, serving at Grace Valley Church (Dundas), in order to test his gifts for the holy ministry.

• The Chair of the Shepherding Committee gave an update on the ongoing committee work with the Grace Toronto Church session and Teaching Elder Lyndon Jost. The committee will meet in-person with both parties in June.

• The Presbytery approved terms of call for Teaching Elder James Wood to serve as Assistant Professor of Ministry at Redeemer University.

• The Presbytery approved terms of call for Teaching Elder Stephen Beck to serve as pastor of CityLife Church in St. Paul, Minnesota (Siouxlands Presbytery). The Presbytery further passed a motion to transfer the membership of TE Stephen Beck from the Presbytery of Eastern Canada to the Siouxlands Presbytery, pending their approval.

• Teaching Elder Kyle Hackmann gave an update on progress to create a Reformed House of Studies within Wycliffe College, University of Toronto.

• The Chair of the World Missions Committee submitted his resignation and moved to disband the World Missions Committee. The Presbytery passed an amended motion “to disband the World Missions Committee until such time that a new chair and committee members be appointed.”

• In executive session, the Presbytery received a dissent, submitted to the stated clerk on May 2, 2022, the preamble of which reads as follows: “As declared during the April 22, 2022 meeting of the Eastern Canada Presbytery, on the basis of BCO 45-2, we wish to declare publicly our differing opinion from the majority in our presbytery’s decision to rule that “based on the allegations investigated, and the findings of the commission, that TE Dan MacDonald’s actions do not rise to the level of chargeable offences.” A motion was carried that the dissent is couched in temperate language and respectful to the court. A second motion was carried that the full text of the dissent be entered in the executive session minutes of the Presbytery.

• The next stated meeting of Presbytery was set for Friday, October 21, 2022 at Bedford Presbyterian Church.

*not all actions of the presbytery are listed here for the sake of confidentiality