Council of General Synod Met March 10th to 13th
Highlights
March 10, 2022
~ from The Anglican Church of Canada Website
General Secretary Alan Perry speaks at Council of General Synod on March 10, 2022. Image: Screenshot
Members of the Council of General Synod (CoGS) gathered together at 10:30 a.m. ET. Some attended in person at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga, Ont. and others attended online via Zoom.
Worship
The Rev. Monique Stone led opening worship.
Opening Formalities
CoGS voted to approve the agenda for the meeting.
Primate’s Remarks
Archbishop Linda Nicholls, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, recounted the events of the 2019-2022 triennium, beginning with its theme: “A Changing Church, A Searching World, A Faithful God”. The primate noted the ongoing effects and growing frustrations from the COVID-19 pandemic after two years, culminating in the convoy calling for an end to all COVID-related public health measures which caused prolonged disruptions, especially in Ottawa. Nicholls condemned Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, which she said gave a sense of déjà vu to those who have lived through previous wars and revived concerns about the threat of nuclear war.
“We live in a searching world—searching for peace, for health, for justice, and in that the church continues to be a changing one,” the primate said. Though Anglicans are returning to in-person worship, an online/hybrid approach is still needed, she added. With a “deep weariness in our midst” and in a time of radical uncertainty, Nicholls said, the church is continued to be called to uphold the gospel of Jesus Christ, “because that is our one certainty.”
Nicholls described some of her activity as primate since the last meeting of CoGS, which included attending the consecration of Helen Kennedy as the 13th bishop of the diocese of Qu’Appelle and celebrating the life of late bishop Tom Corston in the diocese of Moosonee. The primate next plans to deliver a keynote address at a global interfaith conference focusing on human rights for LGBTQ people and to attend the upcoming primates’ meeting at Lambeth Palace. Following a meeting of the House of Bishops, she intends to spend Holy Week in the diocese of Saskatchewan, to be followed by a visit from Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to meet with Indigenous peoples.
The primate extended her congratulations to three Canadian Anglicans who have been announced as recipients of the 2022 Lambeth Awards. National Indigenous Archbishop Mark MacDonald received the Cross of St. Augustine for Services to the Anglican Communion, in recognition of his support for the Communion’s role in creation care and climate justice, including for the voice of Indigenous peoples. Suzanne Lawson received the Langton Award for Community Service for her lay leadership, non-profit community service and volunteer administration. Bishop (ret’d) Philip Poole, former suffragan bishop of the diocese of Toronto, received the Cross of St. Augustine for his leadership and support of the Compass Rose Society and the Princess Basma Centre and St. George’s College in Jerusalem.
Celebrating What CoGS Has Done
General Secretary Alan Perry presented a slideshow outlining developments over the triennium, changes in the church and accomplishments of CoGS.
During the 2019-2022 triennium, General Synod saw a new primate (Nicholls), general secretary (Perry) and treasurer (Amal Attia). In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the church pivoted towards online worship and stopped travelling. Many Anglicans took part in the Surprised by the Spirit initiative, sharing music, poetry, art and reflections on their experiences during the pandemic and what the Holy Spirit was telling them.
CoGS moved forward in putting together a new strategic plan, undertook a governance review for General Synod and focused on dismantling racism. Sacred Circle developed its founding documents for the self-determining Indigenous church, The Covenant and Our Way of Life.
The Anglican Church of Canada developed a new online news platform bringing together content from the Anglican Journal and diocesan newspapers. It navigated an uncertain financial landscape and managed to offer a one-month holiday for diocesan contributions. CoGS approved new liturgies and ecumenical documents, continued the church’s campaign against human trafficking, advocated for justice issues such as vaccine equity, completed a merger of the General Synod Pension Plan and Lay Retirement Plan, and deepened relationships with global partners.
Green Shoot Moment
The primate shared the first “green shoot” stories of the meeting, offering hopeful developments from the ecclesiastical province of Canada. Nicholls read a description from Bishop John Watton on how the diocese of Central Newfoundland is expanding its offering of online courses; 40 people have already registered for its next course, Deepening Discipleship Through Pathways for Ministry.
Meanwhile, the diocese of Montreal swiftly reacted to the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 by organizing an anti-racism task force. Parishes took the initiative to organize with community groups against racism. An anti-racism workshop led by psychologist Myrna Lashley saw large participation from across the diocese. The next diocesan synod will also include a major focus on the struggle against racism.
Members took a break for lunch from noon until 1:30 p.m.
Bible Study
Small groups read and reflected upon Luke 24:13-21a.
What Next? Discussion and Decision-Making
The Assembly Planning Committee, tasked with planning a joint meeting of the national gatherings of the Anglican Church of Canada and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), decided at its Feb. 18 meeting against holding an in-person gathering this summer. As a result, CoGS needed to decide when General Synod would meet next.
General Secretary Perry put forward two possible options to the council: either General Synod could meet in 2023 and then again in 2025, or it could meet in 2024 and then four years later in 2028, which would bring its schedule back in line with that of the ELCIC’s national convention. He noted to members that there would be no difference for the Anglican Church of Canada in terms of cost, since the church puts aside money each year for its next meeting of General Synod. Perry suggested that the key question was how to meet as a General Synod and Assembly in a way that would build and strengthen relationships, both within the Anglican Church of Canada and with the ELCIC.
Primate Nicholls noted that the Assembly originally scheduled for 2022 had been planned to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Waterloo Declaration, which established full communion between Anglicans and Lutherans. After a discussion among council members, Prolocutor Karen Egan put forward a motion for the next two meetings of General Synod to take place in 2023 and 2025, which carried.
Resolution
Be it resolved that the next session of General Synod take place in 2023 with the hope that it can be concurrent with an Assembly meeting with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, and that the time be determined by the Assembly Committee. The following session of General Synod will take place in 2025.
Pension Committee
Bob Boeckner, trustee for the Pension Committee, and Rekha Menon, deputy director of the Pension Office, put forward two motions seeking approval from CoGS for recommendations of the committee. Both carried.
Resolution
Be it resolved that the Council of General Synod approves the recommendation of the Pension Committee to approve the restated Regulations attached to the report in Appendix 1, with the following changes in Part 3 (Contributions), paragraph 1(a), and paragraph 2(a) to read “2.1 or 2.2”.
Resolution
Be it resolved that the Council of General Synod approves the recommendation of the Pension Committee to increase pensions accrued to December 31, 2021 by 9% starting on July 1, 2022, subject to Trustee discretion to change the amount and/or effective date of this improvement at their meeting in May 2022.
Members took a break from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Strategic Planning Working Group
Judith Moses, chair of the Strategic Planning Working Group (SPWG), and fellow SPWG members Canon (lay) Ian Alexander and Janet Marshall described the strategic planning process over the triennium and revisited the five transformational aspirations that will serve as the foundation for the strategic plan.
The SPWG, Moses said, had integrated all the feedback it had received from discussions with CoGS and expects to continue its work until it reports to the next meeting of General Synod. Looming over the creation of a new strategic plan is the COVID-19 pandemic, which the SPWG said had accelerated existing trends within the church, created new challenges, revealed values and priorities—but also highlighted the ways in which leaders and congregations can adapt to changing circumstances.
They presented a timeline on the strategic planning journey of General Synod, from the first wave of the pandemic, through surges and declines, and looking ahead to a period of endemic virus and transformation. The SPWG representatives invited council members to share their experiences of the pandemic over the triennium. CoGS members then broke into small groups for 15 minutes to discuss whether the timeline resonated with them and what they had learned from the past two years about planning in such times.
Members of the SPWG and/or CoGS offered reflections to the council on the five transformational aspirations. The aspirations state:
A Healthy Church is a Church That…
- Invites and deepens life in Christ
- Embraces mutual interdependence with the Indigenous church (Sacred Circle)
- Champions the dignity of every human being; works to dismantle racism and colonialism
- Stewards and renews God’s creation: protects and sustains the earth; pursues justice for all people
- Nurtures right relationships among people of faith in local, national and global communities and networks.
CoGS members spent a few minutes undertaking quiet personal reflection on what resonated from the aspirations and how the church might live into them.
Members broke for free time and dinner from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
PWRDF
Will Postma, executive director of the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF), gave an update on the work of PWRDF.
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes attempting to find safety. PWRDF supporters had donated more than $167,000 in the weeks since the war started. Many of those funds went to the ACT Alliance. PWRDF is working with Hungarian Interchurch Aid, one of two fellow ACT members in Ukraine, to provide food and shelters to refugees on Hungary’s border with Ukraine. It also working with other partners to see where donations can best be used.
Afghanistan remains a focus for PWRDF. The United Nations has reported that 97% of the population of Afghanistan could fall below the poverty line in 2022. PWRDF recently signed a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling on Canada to make it easier and legal to provide humanitarian aid in Afghanistan to women-headed households and families.
Closer to home, the COVID-19 pandemic remains a concern. The spread of the Omicron variant has led to a particular crisis in many Indigenous communities. Tataskweyak Cree Nation, located in the Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh (ISMM), declared a state of emergency in January. The cost of basic goods in remote northern communities is more expensive than in southern and urban parts of the country.
PWRDF has provided a gift of $50,000 to the Indigenous People’s Alliance of Manitoba-North (IPAM-N), working closely with IPAM-N vice president Freda Lepine to get much-needed food and personal protective equipment to First Nations communities. They allocated another $30,000 to the diocese of Algoma to work with the ISMM, where food and basic supplies were in high demand. Lepine spoke to CoGS about how happy people in these communities were to receive help from PWRDF. Many—especially elders—were moved to tears as they opened packages containing cleaning supplies and basic necessities. A bar of soap in some areas can cost $15, Lepine said. Students also benefited from this PWRDF support, she added.
Council members watched a short video of Anglican leaders encouraging people to “pay it forward” and donate to PWRDF’s Vaccine Equity Fund, which provides support for worldwide efforts to vaccinate people against COVID-19.
Partners in Mission Committee
Andrea Mann, director of Global Relations, gave a presentation on the Partners in Mission Coordinating Committee. She paid tribute to her late colleague Ellie Johnson, the Anglican Church of Canada’s longtime director of partnerships who died on Jan. 7. Mann highlighted current members of the Partners in Mission Committee, work with partners such as the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa, and a proposed research study with the International Anglican Women’s Network on gender parity in ordained leadership.
She put forward a motion on revised terms of reference for the committee, which carried.
Resolution
Be it resolved that the Council of General Synod approves the revised (February 9, 2022) Terms of Reference for the Partners in Mission Coordinating Committee.
Evening Prayer
The Rev. Canon Murray Still led closing worship.
Council members at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre enjoyed an evening social from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
March 11, 2022
~ from The Anglican Church of Canada Website
Martha Many Grey Horses, coordinator of the Anglican Healing Fund, speaks at Council of General Synod on March 11. Image: Screenshot
Members of the Council of General Synod (CoGS) gathered together at 10:30 a.m. ET. Some attended in person at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga, Ont. and others attended online via Zoom.
Worship
CoGS began the day with morning worship and prayer.
Gospel-Based Discipleship
Council members read and reflected upon Matthew 5:17-20.
Sacred Circle
National Indigenous Archbishop Mark MacDonald introduced a presentation on The Covenant and Our Way of Life, the foundational Sacred Circle documents for the self-determining Indigenous church. CoGS members heard a reading of the first two sections of Our Way of Life: Of the Sacred Circle and Of our Ways of Prayer. MacDonald said these two sections offered the best window for CoGS in understanding the document as a whole.
Small group discussions followed, with representatives from each group sharing some of their feedback to council. Responses include praise for the consensus decision-making model of Sacred Circle, in which groups attempt to build a consensus, listen to everyone’s point of view, and arrive at a decision that all can live with, whether they agree or not. The national Indigenous archbishop thanked CoGS for their feedback and said he looked forward to more conversation.
Members broke for lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m.
In Camera Session
CoGS passed a motion to move into an in camera session to discuss the #ACCtoo open letter, which criticizes senior Anglican Church of Canada leadership for its handling of a draft article by former Anglican Journal staff alleging sexual misconduct.
Members took a break from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Anglican Healing Fund
Martha Many Grey Horses, coordinator of the Anglican Healing Fund, introduced herself in Blackfoot to start her presentation on the work of the Healing Fund. As a child, Many Grey Horses attended the Anglican-run St. Paul’s Indian Residential School in Alberta, where she was forbidden to speak her own language.
Many Grey Horses outlined the history of the Healing Fund, going back to 1991 when the Healing Response Committee was first organized as the Residential Schools Working Group. The focus of the Healing Fund, she said, has been to support healing initiatives emerging at the grassroots level. Today, the Healing Fund supports initiatives under the leadership of Indigenous peoples.
From investigating Anglican archives over the past 17 years, Many Grey Horses has seen levels of funding that work out to $15,000 per application each year. The largest amount of grants from the Healing Fund came from the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Much of the $8 million that emerged from the settlement agreement was depleted by the time Many Grey Horses took on the position of coordinator at the Anglican Healing Fund. She expressed her gratitude for dioceses that have donated to the Healing Fund. Though donations can be sparse, she tried her best to be frugal with available funds. Her focus has coordinator has been on encouraging Indigenous people to be engaged in capacity-building, acquiring traditional knowledge, and to talk about their healing process.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada, Many Grey Horses said, it has taken longer for projects to begin and to achieve project goals. Over the past year, the Healing Fund has shifted to more outdoor activities based on the land, since these allow people to interact more easily while still complying with health measures. Travel restrictions due to COVID-19 continue to be enforced in communities, especially those in remote and northern areas, which has interfered with the ability to implement projects. Two projects supported by the Healing Fund—one in northern Manitoba, the other in northern Ontario—are currently on hold for this reason. With the shift from in-person meetings to teleconferences due to the pandemic, the Healing Fund has tried to channel more money into the projects themselves.
Many northern communities have been vocal in expressing their concerns about limited funding for projects. Shipping in supplies through Yellowknife or Whitehorse, often by air, is expensive. Remote communities also face a lack of resources in terms of trained counsellors, psychiatrists, and other professionals needed to work with healing projects.
Among First Nations communities, Many Grey Horses has found many Anglican churches that have been open for nearly 100 years. Many people there have attended and suffered at residential schools, yet remain loyal to the Anglican Church and still attend worship services. Some of these communities have not benefitted from the Anglican Healing Fund. Many Grey Horses believes the church must aim to help those communities now, along with groups such as two-spirit individuals (often marginalized even in their own communities) and those with disabilities.
Many Grey Horses proposed that the terms of reference for the Healing Response Committee should be changed to make it into a review panel, which would comprise both Indigenous and non-Indigenous clergy. The primary responsibility of the review panel would be to review Healing Fund applications, with all Indigenous clergy being invited to serve on the panel for a year. A major aim, Many Grey Horses said, would be for those serving on the review panel to gain greater insight into the needs of communities. She hoped for each panel member would receive a small stipend.
After answering questions from CoGS members, Many Grey Horses said she would present her proposal in writing for approval by the council.
Financial Management Committee
Amal Attia, treasurer and CFO, presented the report of the financial management committee. She reported an overall surplus and that revenue for 2021 was a bit less than 2020, but relatively higher than had been anticipated in the budget. CoGS passed a motion to approve the unaudited financial statements.
Resolution
Be it resolved that the Council of General Synod receive the unaudited financial statements for the year 2021.
Jubilee Commission
Deputy Prolocutor Judith Moses reported that the Jubilee Commission had been quite active in recent months. Despite suffering a setback due to the absence of reconciliation animator Melanie Delva, currently on leave, the Jubilee Commission has brought on board new member Diane Meredith, who is working with the primate and national Indigenous archbishop to assist the commission with its archival research project.
The commission is also currently in the early stages of creating a set of principles for conversations with the church on funding for Sacred Circle. It planned to bring a more detailed plan to the next meeting of CoGS. Moses put forward a motion to extend the commission’s term to the next General Synod now scheduled for 2023, which carried.
Resolution
That the mandate of the Jubilee Commission be extended until the next meeting of the General Synod.
CoGS held a brief time of prayer to mark the second anniversary since the declaration of a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
Members took a break for open time and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Green Shoot Moment
Dean Peter Wall shared the next green shoot meeting, discussing the work of Bishop Susan Bell and the diocese of Niagara in establishing the Niagara School for Missionary Leadership. A video showed lay and ordained Anglicans in the diocese describing their experience with the school, its benefits to spiritual life and introduction of new ideas that allowed greater flexibility in ministry.
Marking the 20th Anniversary of Full Communion
Wall recounted the signing of the Waterloo Declaration in 2001. The Anglican Church of Canada and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) had met separately for their national gatherings in Waterloo, adopted and ratified the declaration to establish a full communion partnership, and come together to celebrate the Eucharist in a local hockey arena. In the two decades since, Wall said, full communion had provided many opportunities for the two churches to learn together, share each other’s liturgical materials and build close relationships.
CoGS members watched a video message from Archbishop Linda Nicholls, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, and National Bishop Susan Johnson of the ELCIC on the 20th anniversary of the Waterloo Declaration. They highlighted the theme “Common Ground, Holy Ground, Common Good”, spoke of their close personal relationship and the shared work of Anglicans and Lutherans in areas such as communication, justice, and ecumenical and interfaith relationships. They noted that the two churches shared a common national youth event, the Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth (CLAY) gathering, as well as the National Worship Conference, and had opened up the full communion relationship to include The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Nicholls and Johnson expressed their hope that the future would see Anglicans and Lutherans deepen and expand their shared ministry with the blessing of God. One new area of partnership on the horizon is a visit to the Holy Land to meet with the Anglican and Lutheran bishops in Jerusalem. To help parishes celebrate the anniversary of the Waterloo Declaration, a toolkit has been developed for local liturgies.
Communications Report
Joseph Vecsi, director of Communications and Information Resources, presented the proposed 2022 communications plan. Throughout 2020 and 2021, Vecsi said, Communications and the Anglican Journal had played a vital role during the pandemic by creating and distributing content and developing delivery channels for pastoral care.
He described the Communications department as now in a transitional stage, as it seeks to become more strategic in its planning, and to increase support for the transformational aspirations identified by the Strategic Planning Working Group and priorities of CoGS. Going through each aspiration, Vecsi suggested tactics for how Communications could support those goals. For example, to support the aspiration for a church that “embraces mutual interdependence with the Indigenous church (Sacred Circle)”, the department would introduce a new communications role to be filled by an appropriate candidate from within the Indigenous community, who would bring a needed lens to communications content. Communications would work closely with Sacred Circle to define this role.
Other proposed tactics for the Communications department to support the church’s transformational aspirations included catalyzing networks through national services and regional resources; promoting diversity in church membership, leadership, systems and structures; and using new and existing networks to actively promote messages regarding social, economic and environmental justice in Canada, internationally, within the church and with ecumenical and interfaith partners.
Evening Prayer
CoGS closed out the evening with Compline prayer.
Council members at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre enjoyed an evening social from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
March 12, 2022
~ from The Anglican Church of Canada Website
Irene Moore-Davis, speaking via Zoom, presents an update from the Dismantling Racism Task Force to Council of General Synod. Image: Screenshot
Members of the Council of General Synod (CoGS) gathered together at 10 a.m. ET, either in person at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga, Ont. or online via Zoom.
Worship
The Rev. Karen Egan led opening worship.
Opening Formalities
CoGS voted to approve the agenda for the meeting.
Dismantling Racism Task Force
Members of the Dismantling Racism Task Force presented the draft recommendations resulting from their research into the experiences of racialized groups within the church. Irene Moore-Davis, a member of the task force, began by noting that this process was just beginning: “Dismantling racism doesn’t happen overnight.”
The Task Force presented the following recommendations to CoGS
- Establish a permanent National Advisory Council on Dismantling Racism
- To conduct an initial and ongoing review of church structures, culture, policies and practices pertaining to racism and anti-racism
- To develop and implement a national action plan to move from promoting diversity to living out full inclusion, equity and belonging at all levels of the church (in both membership and leadership)
- Whose membership reflects the communities of the church most impacted by racism, namely BIPOC and those with experience in anti-racism ministry and leadership. The Advisory Council would strive for geographic, gender, ethnocultural, lay and clergy representation to the degree reasonably possible and delineate appropriate supportive roles for white allies on the Council
- With input from the National Advisory Council, conduct consultations with BIPOC Anglicans to gather information on a national, diocesan and local level through
- Establishing virtual and in-person (if possible) safe space gatherings for various demographic groups (representing different backgrounds of race, gender, clergy/lay, etc.). Participants would share their hopes for the Church and concerns regarding racism within it. They would also share how they envision the Church dismantling racism (locally and nationally)
- Compiling this research into reports that can be considered and acted upon by diocesan and national bodies of the Church.
- Create a full-time position at the national level to animate diocesan and national anti-racism activity, including
- Assisting dioceses in finding regional consultants to help inform and manage the direction of the work to encourage broad collaboration where beneficial
- Supporting existing affinity groups/internal stakeholders committed to racial justice to engage in this work more effectively
- Identifying and facilitating possible external funding sources and providing administrative support towards anti-racism efforts across the whole church
- Coordinate anti-racism education and training for the committees, councils and staff of General Synod
- Develop a process/framework to examine and support the further development of anti-racism curriculum in seminaries and other theology programs while compiling supportive resources that can be used broadly on other formation contexts (i.e. Sunday schools, lay training programs, seasonal programs, youth ministry, etc.)
- Develop a Dismantling Racism Grant for innovative projects to meet local diocesan needs.
- Form an online resource hub for anti-racism educational and liturgical resources (i.e. Sunday school, worship, annual celebrations and commemorations, etc.)
- Encourage all dioceses across Canada to engage with the full historical realities of the Anglican Church’s involvement in slavery, residential schools and other forms of racial injustice (per TRC Call to Action #59) as well as its historical work in striving to dismantle racism.
- Continue to walk with, support and engage in ongoing dialogue with the Self-Determining Indigenous Church while encouraging all institutions, policies, programs and practises to comply with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples per TRC Call to Action #48
CoGS then broke into small groups to discuss the recommendations. Comments included hopes that the church would adequately promote participation in anti-racism programming not just at the national level, but down to the dioceses; encouragement to build programming that includes methods and structures familiar to Indigenous Anglicans; and questions about which theoretical frameworks for anti-racism would be applied—and which ones would be discarded as inappropriate.
Green Shoot Moment
The primate shared a “green shoot” story from the diocese of Brandon in western Manitoba, which is beginning to resume its program of welcoming new Canadians and permanent residents. After having reduced service during the Omicron wave, the diocese is cautiously re-expanding its program of Bible study and worship for a congregation of people from Africa and South America.
The primate’s reading included a request for CoGS members to pray for diocese of Brandon clergy, including Don Bernhardt, dean at St. Matthew’s Anglican Cathedral, and Bishop William Cliff as the ministry continues.
Members took a break for lunch from noon until 1:30 p.m.
Bible Study
Small groups read and reflected upon Luke 24:21a-35.
Faith, Worship and Ministry
Eileen Scully, director of Faith, Worship and Ministry presented a series of motions which were previously intended to be recommendations for resolutions at the 2022 General Synod. With General Synod now postponed to 2023, CoGS voted on them directly as actions of the council itself.
Resolution
Be it resolved that this Council of General Synod approve the … Revised Terms of Reference for the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Committee to replace that which appears in Appendix B, Page 147 of the 19th Edition of The General Synod Handbook.
Resolution
Be it resolved that this Council of General Synod
- extend its deep gratitude to Anglican youth ministry leaders for their essential ministry to young
people in the midst of their many challenges, including psychological struggles, even when these
ministers are themselves exhausted and under-resourced - encourage dioceses to meet these expressions of gratitude by committing to engage their own
discernment of the concrete ways in which they can listen to young people and youth ministry
leaders in order to support local youth ministries in concrete ways - encourage dioceses to implement structures that support the mental well-being of all leaders,
with a focus on those who minister with young people - encourage dioceses to commit to regular and intentional practices of upholding young people in
prayer - direct the Faith, Worship, and Ministry committee to oversee the creation of a national Cycle of
Prayer for Youth Ministries, - direct the Youth Secretariat to work with dioceses to work towards the implementation of youth
mental health resources, including professionally accredited youth mental health training
Resolution
Be it resolved that this Council of General Synod General Synod
- direct the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Coordinating Committee and FWM staff to undertake a theological and methodological review of the existing Anglican Church of Canada Guidelines for Interfaith Dialogue (1988) for the purposes of updating and expanding said guidelines such that they continue to reflect the increasingly diverse multi-faith context of Canada and are understood as connected to the Anglican Church of Canada’s wider work of anti-colonialism, anti-racism, and seeking right relationship among all people of faith in Canada.
- And further direct that this review be done in consultation with appropriate international
Anglican, Indigenous Anglican, full communion, and ecumenical partners in order to seek
relative consistency and common vision in this area - Communicate the updated and expanded guidelines to dioceses and other relevant
networks throughout the church to promote awareness and engagement.
Resolution
Be it resolved that this Council of General Synod authorize the following texts from the English Language
Liturgical Consultation, 1988, for trial use and evaluation for a period of one year, where permitted by the
Ordinary:
- Gloria in Excelsis
• The Nicene Creed
• The Apostles’ Creed
• Agnus Dei and Alternative
• Te Deum Laudamus and Versicles and Responses
• Benedictus and Alternative
• Magnificat and Alternative
Resolution
Be it resolved that his Council of General Synod
- Receive the document produced by the Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue of Canada entitled
Walking Together in Canada (2021) as an ecumenically agreed response by the Anglican and
Roman Catholic churches in Canada to the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission
(ARCIC III) and its 2018 published text Walking Together on the Way: Learning to Be the Church –
Local, Regional, Universal - Commend the Walking Together in Canada document for study and consideration by Canadian
Anglicans engaged in review of models of synodal governance in the Anglican Church of Canada
as a potentially useful ecumenical resource in support of that work. - Direct the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Coordinating Committee to see to the forwarding of
Walking Together in Canada to ARCIC III, the Anglican Communion Office, and the Anglican
Consultative Council as a contribution to the work of international ecumenical reception.
Resolution
Be it resolved that this Council of General Synod forward the following motion to the next session of the
General Synod:
Be it resolved that this General Synod
- receive the Final Report (2017-2020) of the Anglican-United Dialogue of Canada, including the
appendices Sharing Ministry Ecumenically and A Ministry of Unity - commend these materials to the church for wider study
- direct the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Committee to continue research and work on the
dialogue’s recommendations for encouraging and supporting Ecumenical Shared Ministry (ESM)
partnerships between Anglican and United Church of Canada congregations and non-
congregational ministries at the local level - continue to pursue with the United Church of Canada the recommendation first affirmed
Resolution A141 of General Synod 2016 to “establish a national coordinating committee for
unity and mission between at least our two churches.”
In-Camera Session
CoGS members went in-camera again for 1 hour to continue discussion of the #ACCToo open letter.
Members took a break from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Strategic Planning Working Group
Strategic Planning Working Group (SPWG) session 2 began with discussion and reactions to the Transformational Aspirations, with the majority of feedback from council members expressing a positive response, although some members suggested that the aspirations were somewhat vague.
The SPWG responded by encouraging members to view the aspirations as a compass, not a roadmap.
CoGS then discussed questions around the exact phrasing of the aspirations, particularly surrounding the phrasing of the affirmations of commitment to “dismantling racism and colonialism” and “justice for all people.” Members suggested adding specific mention to gender-based discrimination and whether it was redundant to include “justice for all” in the statement on stewardship as well has having a separate statement on equality.
In response to that discussion, CoGS and SPWG members amended the following motions to accept the aspirations as drafts, leaving their specific wording open to further discussion.
Resolution
Be it resolved that the Council of General Synod affirm the five draft Transformational Aspirations as the guiding principles for the work of the Council and Office of the General Synod until the next session of General Synod.
Resolution
Be it resolved that the General Secretary be asked to:
- communicate the draft Aspirations across the church and
- invite ideas for tangible next steps; and
- identify ways to use the draft Aspirations to guide the work of the Office of the General Synod.
Resolution
Be it resolved that CoGS, through SPWG, use the next year to articulate an appropriate purpose and role for
the Office of the General Synod, reflecting current and future contexts, based on the draft Transformational Aspirations and a new “Listening 2.0” process.
Resolution
Be it resolved that CoGS, in consultation with Sacred Circle, invite the whole church into a broad conversation on effective structures, governance and use of resources, leading to recommendations to the next session of General Synod.
Announcement of Josie De Luca’s Retirement
CoGS honoured Josie De Luca on the occasion of her retirement from the position of travel & event planner.
Evening Prayer
The Rev. Louise Peters led the council in evening prayer.
Council members at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre enjoyed a trivia game and evening social from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
March 13, 2022
~ from The Anglican Church of Canada Website
Pat Lovell delivers her last partner reflection as representative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) to CoGS. Image: Screenshot
Members of the Council of General Synod (CoGS) gathered together at 10 a.m. ET, either in person at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga, Ont. or online via Zoom.
Orders of the Day
The Rev. Monique Stone, co-chair of the planning and agenda team, read out the Orders of the Day.
Worship-Eucharist
The opening worship and Eucharist included a sermon by National Indigenous Archbishop Mark MacDonald.
In-Camera Session
Council members closed out the morning with an in-camera session.
Members broke for lunch until 1 p.m.
All Parties Agreement
Dawn Maracle, the Anglican Church of Canada’s interim Indigenous justice animator, updated the council on progress by the parties involved in the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement toward the drafting of a Covenant of Reconciliation. The development and signing of the covenant together comprise one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action. Maracle shared a draft of the covenant with members of the council and discussed what the covenant might mean for the Anglican Church of Canada. CoGS members applauded the draft and discussed it. Approving the covenant, when its wording is finalized, Maracle said, would be one way for the church to renew its commitment to reconciliation. Archbishop Linda Nicholls, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, said part of the church’s work over the next year would be to bring the covenant to General Synod when it meets next summer.
Partner Reflection
Pat Lovell, representative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) to CoGS, offered a partner reflection. Lovell said she was very impressed with the way the council’s in-camera sessions had been handled, and with the strategic plan development process. Articulating aspirations and directions for the church rather than goal-setting, she said, led to more realistic strategic planning, and ELCIC has used this approach in its strategic planning also.
She praised the church’s work toward dismantling racism, and said churches need to continue this work. She said she had seen a great deal of creativity in how churches were conducting their work. She said she also enjoyed the animated conversations she had had with other CoGS members during Bible study. Lovell noted that this would be her last time with CoGS as ELCIC representative. “It has been a great pleasure to be with you and I thank you for this incredible opportunity,” she said.
Second Session: Identifying Future Work for CoGS
Archdeacon Alan Perry, general secretary of General Synod, asked directors of General Synod departments to provide very brief updates on their work. CoGS heard from Andrea Mann, director, Global Relations; the Rev. Eileen Scully, director of Faith, Worship and Ministry; Ryan Weston, lead animator, Public Witness for Social and Ecological Justice; Joe Vecsi, director, Communications and Information Resources; and Deborah Barretto, director, Resources for Mission.
General Secretary’s Report
Perry began his report with a description of maps as on the one hand useful and informative and on the other hand as distorting reality to some extent. The church’s strategic planning process, he said, “has a bit of a map in it.” Yet though it is a work in progress, he said, the church’s strategic plan is likely also to help the church move forward, and he added he was grateful for the work that has been done on it.
Who the church will be in the years to come, he said, depends on it and on the Spirit.
Closing Prayer and Commissioning
Nicholls and the Rev. Louise Peters, chaplain to CoGS, led the closing prayer and commissioning.
Adjournment
Council adjourned shortly before 3 p.m.