Council of General Synod

The executive body of General Synod is called the Council of General Synod.

Its membership is made up of the Primate, the Prolocutor, the Deputy Prolocutor, the Chancellor, bishops, clerical and lay members of General Synod elected by the General Synod on the nomination of the Provincial Caucuses, one youth member of the General Synod from each ecclesiastical province elected by General Synod on the nomination of the Provincial Caucuses, one member nominated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and two members nominated by the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples.  The General Secretary of the General Synod is an ex officio member of the Council of General Synod without voting privileges.

The Council of the General Synod shall consider and report upon any matters referred to it by the Primate or the General Synod.

Council of General Synod Working Groups:

Planning and Agenda Team

The Planning and Agenda Team, the Task Force on the Role of the Primacy, the Strategic Planning Process Group and Governance Working Group will meet simultaneously the week of March 10 – 14, 2008 in Toronto. There will be opportunities during the week for all groups to meet and worship together. It is hoped that this pattern of meeting together will continue throughout the triennium.

Task Force on the Role of the Primacy

The Task Force on the Role of the Primacy is to conduct a detailed study of the role, duties and functions of the Primate and to recommend changes, if any, to Canon III on the Primacy.

Strategic Planning Process Group

To oversee and plan the process for strategic planning of the future ministry priorities for the years 2010-2019.

Governance Working Group

To review the governance of General Synod with a view to enhancing the work and mission of General Synod.

Prioritized Operational Plan Working Group

• Report from meeting held on September 25, 2006
• A Statement to the Church
• General Synod news story

Anti-Racism Working Group

Information on the work of the Anti-Racism Working Group of CoGS, including reports and A Charter for Racial Justice.

Documents and Resources

A Word to the Church on Questions of Human Sexuality from the Council of General Synod May 2009
At the May 2009 Council of General Synod (COGS) meeting, members heard updates from several church committees on how they are working on General Synod 2007’s resolutions around human sexuality. This is COGS’s response to these updates.

Anglican Communion Working Group

More information on the Anglican Covenant and the Windsor Process can be found here.

• First Draft of the Anglican Covenant(Nassau Draft)
  • A preliminary response by the Anglican Church of Canada
• Second Draft of the Anglican Covenant(St. Andrew’s Draft)
  • A preliminary response by the Anglican Church of Canada
  • Second and final response by the Anglican Church of Canada

COGS Highlights: Unofficial Notes of General Synod meetings (1999 to present)

Serving God’s World, Strengthening the Church, A Framework for a common journey in Christ 2005-2010 (March 2004)

Intentional Listening

• Intentional Listening 2003: A Project of the Council of General Synod
  Interim Report To Council, July 2, 2003
• Intentional Listening Final Report to Council of General Synod (November 2003)

Global Anglican Congress on the Stewardship of Creation (November 11, 2002)

• Declaration to the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development
• Declaration to the Anglican Communion

Communiqué from the Council of General Synod (May 7, 2000)