Our third General Council Executive meeting of the year is coming up on Friday and Saturday. In this meeting, the Executive will focus on areas of the strategic plan related to Growth, Justice and the Common Good within the denomination.

One year into the growth initiative, the Director of Growth and New Ministry Development will present on the progress of the General Council Office in strengthening invitation across the church.   

The Justice strategic objective will come into focus as members of the Executive consider a proposal from the Theology and Inter-Church Inter-Faith (TICIF) committee, which will be brought to the 44th General Council annual meeting on October 19, 2024. In October 2023, General Council 44 approved the GCE03 Principles-Based Approach to Justice Work methodology. The TICIF committee proposal will recommend continuing to use the principles in the justice work of the denomination, and to apply them to questions related to a just peace in Israel and Palestine.

In this meeting, the Executive will also be asked to approve the proposed 2025 General Council operating budget, and a separate budget allocation for the meeting of the General Council in Calgary in August of 2024. The proposed General Council operating budget for 2025 anticipates a transfer from reserves not to exceed $2 million. The budget proposal puts a high priority on alignment with strategic plan objectives, particularly the commitment to renew existing communities of faith, create new communities and strengthen invitation to the denomination and its ministries.

In 2024, the Executive advised that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) would not be the only factor in determining the 2025 Annual Economic Adjustment and those of subsequent years. The General Council staffing system was also decoupled from the Pastoral Relations system. For the 2025 annual economic adjustment, the Total Compensation Task group had been asked to offer a recommendation on an interim basis until their final report in 2025. In their recommendation, the task group offered a range, which was considered in preparing the 2025 budget proposal.

The Executive will covenant with two new executive ministers: Mark Laird as a regional council Executive Minister and Harry Li as Executive Officer, Finance. 

Other agenda items include some adjustments to group benefits, an update to the workplace safe and respectful environment policy, and time with both the Moderator and General Secretary. 

A summary of the meeting will be published on this website on Tuesday, Oct. 1. 

To review the proposals and reports provided for the GCE for this meeting, go to commons.united-church.ca > Governance > General Council Executive > GC44 Executive (2022-2025) > Meeting Documents, and choose the folder with the current meeting date.