The Anglican Church of Canada Logo

Be fully alive, lay claim to hope, says Primate in New Year’s Day homily

Published on 
January 1, 2026

What does it mean to lift up the name of Jesus in a time when the Anglican Church of Canada has gone from being influential to living quietly on the margins of mainstream culture? It means being in deep communion with each other as followers of Jesus, with all of humanity and with the Creator of all things—and laying claim to the hope that dwells within us and around us, says Primate Shane Parker in his homily at the New Year’s Day Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa. Get the full homily in the video above, starting at 23:50, and download the transcript (pdf).

Explore related topic areas: Archbishop and Primate Shane Parker

Acknowledging the land and God’s creation

This acknowledgement is crafted in light of the Principles of Reconciliation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as we seek to live faithfully in Christ and in right relationship with all. 

We give thanks to the Creator for this land, its waters, forests and all living beings, and for the abiding presence of Christ among us. From coast to coast to coast, these have been cared for and nurtured by First Nations, Inuit and Métis through countless generations. 

We honour the enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have cultivated with these lands and waters, and the treaties and agreements that reflect these sacred bonds. We acknowledge the harms caused by colonial expansion, through frameworks like the Doctrine of Discovery and structures like the residential school system. We recognize our past failures as a Church, including disruption of connections to the land and suppression of Indigenous spiritualities. 

Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, we confess our need for healing. We commit ourselves to seeking truth, pursuing reconciliation and nurturing harmony with all creation. We place our trust in Christ, through whom all things are reconciled to God. 

May God strengthen us to live faithfully as stewards of the Earth. Let us walk in love, justice and reconciliation, joining in God’s work to restore all creation.