The Manual 2021 The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada The Manual, 2021 Copyright © 2021 The United Church of Canada L’Église Unie du Canada The content of this resource is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives (by-nc-nd) Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca. Any copy must include the United Church copyright notice and the Creative Commons licence. Care has been taken to trace ownership of copyright material contained in this text. The publisher will gratefully accept any information that will enable it to rectify any reference or credit in subsequent printings. ISSN 2369-9167 (online) United Church Publishing House 3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 200 Toronto, ON Canada M8X 2Y4 1-800-268-3781 www.united-church.ca egliseunie.ca Contents Preface ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 8 Declarations ................................................................................................................................................. 9 from the Basis of Union ........................................................................................................................... 9 from The United Church of Canada Act, 14–15 George V, c. 100, s. 28.................................................... 9 from the Declaration of Faith ................................................................................................................... 9 Apology to First Nations Peoples (1986) ................................................................................................ 10 from the Calls to the Church (2018) ....................................................................................................... 10 The Formation of The United Church of Canada ........................................................................................ 12 The Basis of Union ......................................................................................................................................... 17 GENERAL .................................................................................................................................................... 17 DOCTRINE .................................................................................................................................................. 17 Twenty Articles of Doctrine.................................................................................................................... 17 A Statement of Faith, 1940 .................................................................................................................... 21 A New Creed .......................................................................................................................................... 25 A Song of Faith ....................................................................................................................................... 26 POLITY ........................................................................................................................................................ 34 I. Background .................................................................................................................................... 34 II. The Church ..................................................................................................................................... 34 III. Communities of Faith ..................................................................................................................... 34 IV. Regional Councils ........................................................................................................................... 37 V. Denominational Council ................................................................................................................. 39 VI. Denominational Office of Vocation ................................................................................................ 41 VII. Clusters and Networks ................................................................................................................... 42 MINISTRY PERSONNEL ............................................................................................................................... 43 I. Candidacy Pathway ........................................................................................................................ 43 II. Training for Ministry....................................................................................................................... 44 III. Commissioning, Ordination, Recognition and Admission ............................................................... 44 The Manual, 2021 3 The United Church of Canada ADMINISTRATION ...................................................................................................................................... 45 I. Missions ......................................................................................................................................... 45 II. Publishing Interests ........................................................................................................................ 45 III. Colleges .......................................................................................................................................... 46 IV. Reorganization ............................................................................................................................... 46 V. The Pension Fund ........................................................................................................................... 46 Bylaws ............................................................................................................................................................ 49 A. INTRODUCTION TO GOVERNANCE IN THE UNITED CHURCH ............................................................. 49 A.1 Outline of Church Structure ........................................................................................................... 49 A.2 Decision-Making............................................................................................................................. 50 A.3 Responsibilities .............................................................................................................................. 50 A.4 Meetings ........................................................................................................................................ 50 A.5 Records .......................................................................................................................................... 51 A.6 Communication of Minutes and Decisions (2021) ......................................................................... 52 A.7 Membership of Councils ................................................................................................................ 52 A.8 Incorporated Ministries ................................................................................................................. 53 B. COMMUNITY OF FAITH ...................................................................................................................... 54 B.1 General........................................................................................................................................... 54 B.2 Governance Requirements for All Communities of Faith ............................................................... 55 B.3 Membership and Other Participation in a Community of Faith That Is a Congregation ................ 57 B.4 Responsibilities of a Community of Faith That Is a Congregation .................................................. 60 B.5 Meetings of a Community of Faith That Is a Congregation or Pastoral Charge ............................. 61 B.6 Organization—Officers of a Community of Faith That Is a Congregation or Pastoral Charge ....... 64 B.7 Organization—Governing Body of a Community of Faith That Is a Congregation or Pastoral Charge .................................................................................................................................................... 65 B.8 Governance Requirements for Communities of Faith Other Than Congregations and Pastoral Charges .................................................................................................................................................. 74 C. REGIONAL COUNCIL ........................................................................................................................... 75 C.1 Membership ................................................................................................................................... 75 C.2 Responsibilities .............................................................................................................................. 77 C.3 Organization ................................................................................................................................... 81 C.4 Meetings ........................................................................................................................................ 82 The Manual, 2021 4 The United Church of Canada C-NIDC NATIONAL