MEMBERSHIP FOR MAR THOMA CHURCH
IN THE CANADIAN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
The Canadian Council of Churches has just reviewed our application of the Diocese of North America & Europe of the Mar Thoma Church. The following motion was made.
"Subject to the provisions in Article 5 section 2 of the Canadian Council of Churches, the Mar Thoma Church be admitted to membership of the Canadian Council of Churches." The motion was moved by the Presbyterian Church and seconded by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and agreed upon unanimously. Time 2:15 p.m. - November 18, 2009.
Full membership has been given - there is a six month waiting period to receive any objections. Subject to passing through this, full membership will be granted.
Letter from the General Secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches
Dear Sisters and Brothers of the Governing Board of the Canadian Council of Churches,
Greetings and Blessings for Advent, whose journey of waiting some of us have already begun and some of us will begin this Sunday!
We received an application for membership in the CCC from the Mar Thoma Church. This is an ancient tradition, founded in India by the Apostle Thomas in the very early years of the Christian Era. It currently has congregations around much of the world, including many in the United States and Canada. It is governed by its Bishop in the U.S., a kind of ‘bi-national’ reality which is the case for quite a number of our denominations. The Mar Thoma tradition self-describes as Oriental Orthodox with a Reformed character and very clearly professes the Trinitarian reality which is the nature of the CCC. The denomination, which has a strong ecumenical focus manifested by their being one of the founding denominations of the World Council of Churches, was represented at our recent governing board meeting by Father Manoj Zacharia as an observer.
According to our CCC Constitution and following the constitutional process which allows for a couple of time lines in terms of admittance to membership, a vote was taken, by denomination, and it was unanimous to admit the Mar Thoma tradition to membership in the CCC. According to our Constitution, your member denominations now have a six month period in which to register any objection to this membership which you could do by contacting me. Baring objections from one third of the member denominations of the CCC, the Mar Thoma denomination will become our 23rd member denomination at our Governing Board meeting in May, 2010 in Ottawa.
Blessings to you all in the Name of the Prince of Peace!
The Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton
General Secretary
The Canadian Council of Churches
47 Queen's Park Crescent East
Toronto, ON
M5S-2C3