comments from Corner Brook

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I'm feeling myself getting teary a lot this week. All 3 of my kids are away this week and I am struggling a bit. Super excited about their opportunities and experiences, but really missing them. This thread has been a lifesaver, particularly knowing that busydaughter has wondercafe friends there with her. Birthstone sent me a message that included "she's part of the family" and that's exactly how these updates have felt to me. She is safe because she has family with her. This thread has helped to bring me comfort, inspiration and insight. Thank you all for contributing to it, and a special thanks to those who are contributing to busydaughter's experience. I've been away from wondercafe for quite a while, but it's a great place to come home to.
 
BusyMom, even when away, and you come back, there are family...including the crazy uncles and wingnut aunts. Glad that BusyDaughter has connected with the wondercafe friends.

I am thankful for the updates. I am remembering my time at GC, and, both Brithstone's and Carolla's updates made me smile.
Enjoy your time together and rest well...pace yourself.
 
Carolla said:
General Council uses a interesting decision making process. When the proposals come forward, there is a show of voting cards for whether the assembly feels warm or cool toward the proposal. Then some revisions may be proposed to alter the wording before the actual motion is put forward. "Temperature" may be tested again and then a motion is heard & seconded and we are into parliamentary procedure where any formal amendments etc. occur if needed - hopefully they are few due to the warm/cool process which contributes to the development of the motion.

Yesterday we started working our way through the Sessional Committee's proposal re the CRTG - item by item; we are first doing the full warm/cool & wording revisions process for the entire document - which hopefully will then make the actual voting a simpler event. Please pray for this if you are so inclined.

We also had several long commission sessions yesterday. For these, the commissioners are split into three groups & each group has leadership & assigned proposals on which to debate & vote. There are also GCO staff available for input as requested. The commission decsion is considered the decison of GC on the matter. Items were prioritized for the agenda. Any not addressed by the commission go to General Council Executive to be dealt with.

Its been interesting to see how people grasp (or not) the process & principles; what raises anxieties and rancour; how the moderator & general secretary are managing the group etc.
Click to expand...

I've been familiar with the "warm" and "cool" cards for a few years, as it's standard classroom practise as a way for the students to indicate to the teacher whether they understand a concept. I must say that the cards work much better at GC, since the comissioners take them more seriously than an average classroom of kids.
Having fun with the clickers? My school used them for about 3 years, but we found they could be unreliable, and kids are not very patient with that.
Now we've moved on to clackers, which are cheaper, more efficient, and always reliable. You print off the clackers free off the internet, and you give one to each person. (It's a small piece of paper that looks like a jigsaw puzzle piece.) Then you download the free app for an ipad. When it's time to vote, everyone holds up the clacker according to one of 4 possible responses. Then someone holds up the ipad and scans the room with it, and the app reads all the votes and tallies them. Lot cheaper than clickers, but I think it would be time consuming. to scan an arena with an ipad to read all the votes. Perhaps clackers aren't quite for GC after all.
 
Good luck to the commissioners with the election day on Thursday.

I'll be listening to the livestream. I have a pretty ambitious day planned for myself while I listen to the moderator election: I'm making homemade cucumber relish, sweet and sour dill pickles, and dilly beans. (Can you tell my garden is overwhelmed with cucumbers and beans?)
 
I always wondered how much a normal local person is allowed to participate.We Have had GC here in Wolfville a couple of years ago. i lived only 20km away, but had no idea of church structures back then and when and if a normal person was allowed there. i suppose there are some public church services?
I missed the whole thing and I dont think it was on the net back then, so I never heard anything about what came out of it.

ilikethe ideaof the coulour cards. Could some of it be used in congregational meetings?
 
Yes - the clickers (electronic voting) work well sometimes ... and not so well other times!
A glitch has been encountered - we have 12 moderator candidates for whom to vote - and the clickers will only go to # 9 or maybe 10 - so I think they will have to do the initial votes by paper ... will be interesting.
 
The meetings are public mrs.anteater, in the sense that anyone and everyone is permitted to attend. There are various folks (and media people) sitting in the stands of the arena during most meetings & worship. The next GC will be in Oshawa Ontario, just east of Toronto - so any who would want drop in would be welcome!

One challenge is that the agenda is a bit fluid - so some items are shifted & changed & the agenda posted online is not always right up to date - which makes it a little more challenging for those watching livestream, or dropping by to catch certain events.
 
Carolla said:
The meetings are public mrs.anteater, in the sense that anyone and everyone is permitted to attend. There are various folks (and media people) sitting in the stands of the arena during most meetings & worship. The next GC will be in Oshawa Ontario, just east of Toronto - so any who would want drop in would be welcome!

One challenge is that the agenda is a bit fluid - so some items are shifted & changed & the agenda posted online is not always right up to date - which makes it a little more challenging for those watching livestream, or dropping by to catch certain events.
Click to expand...
I attended part of the GC in Kelowna as an observer, and found it fascinating. A big "Thank you!" to Carolla, BusyMom, Birthstone, and Pinga for their reports from Corner Brook.
 
Busydaughter texted last evening. Yesterday was a better day. Being relatively new to councils and courts she struggles some when people appear to be negative. She expressed "I wish people would listen better and be kinder to one another" She is also concerned at the pace that things are progressing and worries that the work won't get done. I assured her that those in charge have done this before and know what they are doing. Today will be a busy day. When I offered to phone busydaughter last night, she said she would love to talk but needed to rest up for "the big day". I am encouraged by how seriously she is taking her role as commissioner, and by how much she is learning along the way. AND she is having fun too!
 
"I wish people would listen better and be kinder to one another"

I noted this attribute to a lot of Presbytery people ... very quick in temper ... listen not to things you don't conceive of !

Thus much is left un mulled ... unexposed and thus sacred?

Myass you say ...
 
I suppose this attribute may be a result of people responding quickly, without much thought to the feelings and needs of those they are in discussion with. I agree that it is more helpful when they consider the goal of the discussion, the purpose that they were brought together and how their voices can be used in the most positive way. I understand that people don't always have the same viewpoint, and that is valuable & necessary, but discussions can be most productive when people are respectful towards one another and the group.
 
This morning we had extraordinary presentations from Marie Wilson - Yellowknife UC - Commissioner of the Truth & Reconcilliation Commission; then from the national chief of Indigenous people - both powerful and moving. Hope you can watch them in archives if you missed it this morning. They would make great study/discussion opportunities for congregations.
 
Yes, Carolla, I heard those presentations.
I was listening to the livestream while I was finely dicing 18 cups of vegetables for a relish I made today.
I took me two hours to dice that many veggies, but it seemed to go by in minutes, because I was so absorbed in the presentations.
(And the tears I was shedding weren't from the onions, but from that poem that was read. The poem from a residential school survivor.)
 
I was lucky enough to tune into the livestream just when they were announcing Jordan Cantwell as the new moderator.

I know that the voting results will not be published, and I agree with that.

But does anyone know how John Young did this time around? I remember that the moderator election in 2012 came down to john Young and Gary Paterson. Did John Young make it to the final vote this time as well?
 
Carolla said:
This morning we had extraordinary presentations from Marie Wilson - Yellowknife UC - Commissioner of the Truth & Reconcilliation Commission; then from the national chief of Indigenous people - both powerful and moving. Hope you can watch them in archives if you missed it this morning. They would make great study/discussion opportunities for congregations.
Click to expand...
Thanks Carolla. I know for a bit the livestream was down this morning. I will check it out.
 
Pinga said:
yes, it with between Rev. Dr. John Young and Rev. Jordan Cantwell for the final choice.
Click to expand...
Oh my goodness!
He made it to the final vote again!
Will he be nominated a 3rd time for 2018? (If it were me, I would decline to let my name stand a 3rd time.)
 
I think it is a sign of great respect and willingness to put your life in hold for the church.
It isn't an election or a popularity vote...and so, i hope if asked to put name forth it would be reflected upon, sought advice on, and then, should it seem right, let it stand.
 
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