Council of General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada
Met at the Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga
from March 7 to 9, 2025

Unofficial notes of the meeting have been posted on the Anglican Church of Canada’s website for each day.

Council of General Synod members vote on a motion March 7 at the Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga. Photo: Matthew Puddister

Tuesday, March 7th

The agenda included

• Acting Primate’s Remarks
• Pension Committee
• Anglican Award of Merit
• Bible Study:  Revelation 22: 1-5
• Primate’s Commission on Proclaiming the Gospel in the 21st Century:  The draft report, Creating Pathways for the Transformational Change of the General Synod, was presented.
• Strategic Planning Implementation Group
• Sessional Officers and Committees Appointments
• Canadian Companions of Jerusalem Revised Terms of Reference
• Anglican-United Coordinating Commission Terms of Reference
• Alongside Hope / PWRDF
• Canadian Ecumenical Jubilee 2025
• Compline

Key Messages

Archbishop Germond asked CoGS members to reflect in their table groups on key messages they had heard throughout the day that could be shared with the church when they return to their parishes, dioceses and ecclesiastical provinces.

Council highlighted their excitement at what youth are doing with Alongside Hope. They found the six pathways identified by the Primate’s Commission to be compelling ideas for the national church to consider. Members were pleased that an implementation group was helping the church move forward with its transformational commitments. They were excited about continuing work with the Canadian Companions of Jerusalem and planned to spread the word about Jubilee 2025.

Council of General Synod (CoGS) members pray for Mr. Warren Hawk (right of centre, wearing blue shirt and jacket), representative of The Episcopal Church to CoGS, before his return to the United States. Photo: Matthew Puddister

Wednesday, March 8th

The agenda included

• Gospel-Based Discipleship:  Luke 5: 27-32
• Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples
• Financial Update
• Communications Committee
• Faith, Worship, and Ministry Committee
• 2023-2025 CoGS Deliverables:  Update on various tasks General Synod had assigned to CoGS in 2023.
• Report to General Synod 2025
• Governance Working Group Motions for General Synod
• Partner Reflection #1:  Mr. Warren Hawk, representative of The Episcopal Church
• Celebration to mark the last meeting of the 2023-2025 CoGS
• Taizé Evening Prayer

Council of General Synod members gather at the end of their closing Eucharist in the chapel of the Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre on March 9. Photo: Matthew Puddister

Thursday, March 9th

The agenda included

• Messages to next CoGS
• Eucharist
• General Secretary’s Report
• Reflections:  Prolocutor and Deputy Prolocutor
• Partner Reflection #2:  Ms Rosie Jane Tailfeathers, co-chair of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples read the partner reflection of co-chair Rev. Canon Murray Still, representative to The Episcopal Church
• Partner Reflection #3:  Ms Dorothy Russell-Patterson, CoGS partner to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
• House of Bishops
• Taking It Home
• Closing Remarks and Prayer

Taking It Home

Table groups spent 10 minutes in discussion about information from CoGS that they would take home to their ecclesiastical provinces, dioceses, and parishes.

Among their responses, members spoke about the difference various church ministries have made in achieving and fulfilling commitments globally, nationally and locally. They spoke about the critical importance of deeper decolonization of the church and its relationship with all of creation. They recalled the work of the Primate’s Commission and the Strategic Planning Working Group, highlights from the financial update, the need to speak to delegates in preparation for General Synod, and their excitement about the coming work to turn the six pathways of the Primate’s Commission into action.