News Briefs: Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert’s Land

Anglican Natives can marry outside

A resolution passed by the Brandon synod means Natives in the diocese can now be granted permission to have a traditional wedding outside a church building. Canon 21 of the Anglican Church of Canada stipulates that marriages must take place in the body of the church. But this conflicts with Native practice where weddings are often held outdoors.

Some delegates criticized the measure as setting a double standard since other Anglicans in the diocese must still be married in the church.

A second resolution strengthening the aboriginal voice of the diocese ensures that at least one clergy and one lay delegate to provincial and general synods must be aboriginal. The diocese sends three clerical and three lay delegates to General Synod and four clerical and four lay delegates to provincial synod.

Mustard Seed

---

More funds for hurricane relief

A canonical sleight of hand allowed delegates to the Calgary synod to donate the offertory from the opening service to the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund for Hurricane Mitch relief efforts.

The canons stipulate that the offertory must be used to defray synod costs. So delegates unanimously voted to draw a sum of money equal to the offertory from general diocesan funds and donate it to relief efforts.

The Sower