Author: ptrouborst

The Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Eastern Canada was held at Grace Toronto Church.

In attendance were 20 teaching elders, 16 ruling elders, and 7 candidates.

The moderator called the meeting to order at 10:06 AM, and the Presbytery worshipped together with the moderator presiding. TE Lyndon Jost preached a sermon from 1 Kings 19:1-18.

Actions of the Presbytery*

– In the communications report, the stated clerk reported receiving notice of the following resignation: TE Ian Crooks, Harbour Light Sydney.

– The Presbytery set a special meeting for April 28, 2023, for the following examinations: Rev. John Lee, Daniel Lee, Max Park.

– TE Kyle Hackmann was appointed the chair for a temporary committee tasked with organizing a co-presbytery meeting between Eastern Canada and Western Canada, to be held in February 2024.

– The Presbytery sustained Mr. Zakary Herbert’s examination to come under care as a candidate for the gospel ministry.

– The Presbytery sustained Mr. Tarak George’s examination for ordination as Assistant Pastor at Grace Toronto Church.

– The Presbytery sustained Mr. Kingsley Lai’s examination for ordination as Assistant Pastor at Grace Toronto Church.

-The Presbytery approved a petition to establish Grace Gatineau Mission Church, with TE Franky Garcia providing pastoral ministry.

– The Presbytery approved a petition to establish Grace West Mission Church, with TE Jeffrey Hynds providing pastoral ministry.

– TE Lyndon Jost gave an update on developments with the Reformed House of Studies at Wycliffe College.

– The Presbytery voted on appointments to committees of commissioners at the 50th General Assembly in June 2023.

– The Presbytery sat in executive session to consider two protest letters. The letters were filed in response to an act of the Presbytery on October 21, 2022, which was to sustain a complaint against the previous decision of the Presbytery on April 22, 2022: that “TE Dan MacDonald’s actions do not rise to the level of chargeable offenses (BCO 29-1-4).” Regarding the two letters, the Presbytery passed a motion that the letter of November 17 was couched in temperate language and respectful to the court. The full text of the letter was recorded in the executive session minutes.

– The next stated meeting of Presbytery was set for Friday, June 3, 2023, at New City Hamilton.

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

The Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Eastern Canada was held at Bedford Presbyterian Church, near Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In attendance were 22 teaching elders, 17 ruling elders, and 3 candidates under care.

The stated clerk called the meeting to order and reminded the Presbytery that, on September 1, Teaching Elder Albert Kooy had resigned the office of Moderator, and that the first item of business was to elect a Moderator pro tem.

Ruling Elder Allan Bust was elected.

The Presbytery worshipped together with the stated clerk presiding. The moderator read John 21:15-19 and shared a devotion.

Actions of the Presbytery*

• In the communications report, the stated clerk reported receiving notice of the following resignation: Ruling Elder Ryan Michel (Grace Toronto Church).

• The Presbytery reviewed the year-to-date financial statements. A motion was passed to set the 2023 Presbytery partnership shares at $15 per member or $12 per average adult attendee, whichever more fairly represents the congregation.

• The Presbytery sustained Mr. Stephen Ahn’s examination to be licensed to preach the gospel within the bounds of this Presbytery.

• During the Shepherding Committee business, Teaching Elder Kevin Rogers gave an update to the Presbytery about his pursuit of a new call. A motion was passed to permit TE Rogers another two years to pursue a call and give a report to the Presbytery at its fall meeting in 2024.

• The Presbytery voted on appointments to committees in the denomination. TE Kevin Rogers was appointed to the Nominating Committee, which will vet the candidates to be presented for election at the 50th General Assembly in June 2023. TE Mark Hare was appointed to the Review of Presbytery Records committee, which will conduct its annual review of the minutes of all 88 Presbyteries of the PCA in May 2023.

• The Presbytery elected Teaching Elder Ian Crooks to serve the office of Moderator for a one-year term.

• The Administrative Committee presented its report reviewing the records of all 15 churches of the Eastern Canada Presbytery. All recommendations contained in the report were approved. Church Sessions were reminded to give an answer where the Presbytery has noted exceptions of substance in their minutes. Exceptions of substance are defined as follows: “Apparent violations of the Scripture or serious irregularities from the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America, actions out of accord with the deliverances of the General Assembly, and matters of impropriety and important delinquencies” (Rules of Assembly Operations, 16-6).

• During executive session, the Presbytery received an official complaint against a motion passed at its special meeting on April 22, 2022. For a summary of the actions during executive session, please refer to the Public Use Statement.

• The next stated meeting of Presbytery was set for Friday, February 24, 2023 at a location to be determined.

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

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

The Eastern Canada Presbytery convened by video-conference on Friday, February 25, 2022.

Teaching Elder Albert Kooy served as moderator over 22 teaching elders and 18 ruling elders. Additionally, 3 licentiates, 6 candidates under care, 1 applicant to be taken under care, and 7 visitors were present. 6 teaching elders were absent, 3 of them non-resident or honourably retired.

Actions of the Presbytery*