January 28, 2000
Judicial Committee Ruling on Baptismal Formulae
Because of letters of concern from the NACC, the COC, and three NACC congregations, General Council Executive asked the Judicial Committee of GC for a ruling on whether a remit [ie a vote from the church at large] would be required before the new formulae could be included in the proposed new service book, Celebrate God's Presence. The letters of concern pointed to the Basis of Union, which specifies that baptism be enacted in "the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" [Basis 2.16.1]. The two items of correspondence below communicate [1] the Judicial Committee's advice, and [2] the implications of that.In the event that there is a decision to hold a remit, the next question will be whether local pastoral charges will be included in it [Basis 8.6.2 (1)], given their responsibility for the administration of the sacraments and the order of public worship [Basis 5.10.1 (3), (5)].
Geoff Wilkins
[As received by North Lonsdale United Church]
January 28, 2000
You requested the General Council Executive to ask the Judicial Committee whether changes like the one to the baptismal formula referred to in your letter of October 18, 1999 require the holding of a remit before the new service book can be printed. This matter was referred by the General Council Executive to the Judicial Committee for action.
The Judicial Committee Executive considered your position along with that of others and unanimously passed a motion:
that a Remit is required to alter the wording of the baptismal formula in The Basis of Union, section 2.16.1.
Yours sincerely,
K. Virginia Coleman, Secretary, Judicial Committee Executive
February 02, 2000
Dear Members of the General Council Executive:
Re: Celebrate God's Presence - Alternative Baptismal Formulae
The General Council Executive forwarded on to the Judicial Committee a number of items of correspondence concerning the Covenant of Baptism to be included in Celebrate God's Presence.
The Judicial Committee ruled that a Remit is required to alter the wording of the baptismal formula in The Basis of Union, section 2.16.1.
In my opinion, in light of this ruling, it would not be acceptable for the alternative baptismal formulae to be included in "Celebrate God's Presence".
Yours sincerely,
K. Virginia Coleman, General Secretary, General Council
cc: Official Board, Streetsville United Church; North Lonsdale United Church; Morgan's Point/Fork's Road East Pastoral Charge (Wainfleet); National Alliance of Covenanting Congregations; Community of Concern; Karen Verveda, Division of Mission in Canada; Conference Executive Secretaries; Joan McConnell
Posted at January 28, 2000 04:18 PM