The 40th General Council adopted a proposal to test the will of the church to expand the Doctrine section of the Basis of Union by adding further statements of faith. For such a significant issue, our polity requires a two-year study process, followed by a remit to presbyteries and pastoral charges.

The study document, titled Our Words of Faith, is now available online. A hard copy of the study document will be available to order at no cost by approximately April 15.* A French version will be available at a later date.

The formal wording of the remit will be approved by the Executive of the General Council.

Although the study document is now available online and may be used at any time, in September 2011 a hard copy and a reminder of the study process will be sent to all pastoral charges and presbyteries.

The formal remit to presbyteries and pastoral charges (Sessions or their equivalent) will be released in January 2012. The deadline for responses will be May 15, 2012. If the remit passes a majority of all presbyteries and pastoral charges, it will come back to the 41st General Council for a final vote.

I wish to express appreciation to the writing team of Michael Bourgeois, Connie denBok, Catherine Faith MacLean, John H. Young, and Bruce Gregersen (staff resource) for offering us this excellent resource in such a short time.

I commend it to you for reflection and study.

Sincerely,
Nora Sanders
General Secretary, General Council

*Please note that shipping fees will apply. To place an order, please contact UCRD at 1-800-288-7365 or 416-253-5456; ucrd [at] united-church [dot] ca. Product code CH10682.