The Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Eastern Canada was held at Bedford Presbyterian Church, Nova Scotia.
In attendance were 27 teaching elders, 14 ruling elders, and 4 candidates.
The Moderator, TE Michael Chhangur, called the meeting to order at 10:04 AM, and the Presbytery worshipped together with the Moderator presiding. The Moderator read from Ephesians 2 and shared a devotion.
Actions of the Presbytery*
– The Presbytery merged the Maritimes C&C sub-committee and the Ontario and Quebec C&C sub-committee into one Candidates and Credentials committee.
– The Presbytery sustained Mr. Sherman Wong’s examination for ordination as Assistant Pastor at New City Church, Toronto.
– The Presbytery sustained Mr. Daniel Lee’s examination, licensing him to preach the gospel within the bounds of the Presbytery.
– The Presbytery sustained Mr. Jim Poopalapillai’s examination, licensing him to preach the gospel within the bounds of the Presbytery.
– Rev. David Chung and Rev. Charles Cook (Presbyterian Church of Canada) addressed the Presbytery and shared the situation of their congregations, which are seeking to withdraw from the Presbyterian Church of Canada.
– TE Ben Jolliffe presented the MNA Committee vision to double our Presbytery in size over the next ten years through church planting in each province in Eastern Canada.
– Rev. Randal Lankheet addressed the Presbytery on the need for a church plant in Mississauga.
– The Presbytery received reports from two mission churches: Grace Gatineau Mission Church and Grace West Mission Church.
– TE Lyndon Jost gave a report on the Reformed House of Studies at Wycliffe College.
– The Presbytery set the Stated Clerk stipend for 2025 at $8,400.
– The Presbytery set the “partnership shares” (the contribution to the administrative fund from each particular church of the Eastern Canada Presbytery) at $35 per member or $30 per average adult attendee, whichever more fairly represents the congregation, with all receipts to be allocated as to $10/member or $8/average adult attendee to the Administrative Fund and $25/member or $22/average adult attendee to the Church Planting Fund.
– The Administrative Committee presented their report containing the review of all session minutes from 2024. Sessions were directed to consider the exceptions noted and to bring a response to the Presbytery meeting in February 2025.
– TE Frank Garcia was elected as the Presbytery Moderator for 2025.
– The next stated meeting of Presbytery was set for Friday, February 28, 2025, at a location to be determined.
*not all actions of the presbytery are listed here for the sake of confidentiality
Presbytery of Eastern Canada 