Rev. Emma Duncan
Gary Evans, Clerk of session

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Clapping for joy...sheer joy!


Clapping?

At Presbytery?

Clapping, where proper decorum is observed!

But clapping indeed was the case at tonight’s meeting of the Hamilton Presbytery when the Knox call to Emma Duncan was sustained by a unanimous vote.

Of course, that bit of breach from decorum was lead by a small group from Knox, so happy that we are now moving on to the next step in the process toward calling Emma as minister of Word and Sacrament.

With 98 per cent voting in favor of issuing a call to Emma, Presbytery approval was a foregone conclusion, except there can always be a snag of one sort or another.
But not on this occasion.

Rev. Bob outlined the steps undertaken as interim moderator to certify the call process, and he was followed by two representatives of Knox, Gary Evans as clerk of session, and Linda Gowing from the search committee, both speaking in support of the call.

And then the all-critical vote, and with unanimous support came the clapping, first by the Knox contingent, followed by other Presbyters.

The call process is a multi-level process, starting with Emma preaching for the call, then the signing of the call, and now, the third step, approval by Presbytery.

There are other steps along the way, but the next one should be no more than a formality, that is the June 25th meeting of the Presbytery of Brampton when Rev. Bob, this writer and one other from the search committee will once again ask Presbytery to sustain the call, but this one will be Emma’s home Presbytery.

So, all being well at Brampton – actually the meeting will be in Oakville – preliminary arrangements are already under way for Emma’s ordination which is scheduled for July 7th at Emma’s home church, St. Andrew’s Brampton. There is every possibility that Knox will charter a bus for the occasion so that there will be large contingent from Knox at the ordination service.

Details will be forthcoming in the days ahead, but tentatively there will be a charge of about $10 for the trip to the ordination service.

And to illustrate how quickly things can move ahead after one Presbytery approves the call is the fact that Emma’s induction at Knox is now tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 14th.

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