The Faith, Worship, and Ministry Coordinating Committee of the General Synod (FWM) is seeking applications for appointment as a member of the Anglican Church of Canada/Mennonite Church Canada Ecumenical Dialogue. FWM anticipates selecting 4 members to serve on the Dialogue, discerned through a combination of open application and direct appointment. The Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples will also be invited to appoint a member or members, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada a full communion observer.
Mandate
The second phase of Anglican-Mennonite Dialogue in Canada was called for via a resolution of the General Synod in 2023. Its main areas of focus are to include the following:
- Continued exploration and encouragement of tangible national and regional collaboration by the two churches in social and ecological justice efforts of mutual concern, and especially around Indigenous justice and decolonization.
- Focused dialogue on questions of ordination and ministry as they pertain to the potential for local Ecumenical Shared Ministry arrangements involving Anglican and Mennonite churches at congregational levels.
The dialogue has also been encouraged to continue to adopt the “receptive ecumenism” approach as its methodology and inspiration.
Skills and Experience
The appointee will be a regular communicant member of an Anglican worshipping community. The representative will also demonstrate a passionate commitment to God’s mission as expressed within the Anglican tradition, while at the same time being open to learning from the insights and experiences of other Christian traditions for the sake of that mission.
Other specific skills and experience that would be assets to this work include:
- Knowledge of Anglican history and thought as expressed and lived within the Anglican Church of Canada
- Understanding of and personal commitment to dialogue with different denominational expressions of Christian faith
- Interest in new models and approaches to lay, ordered, and team ministry
- Experience of Ecumenical Shared Ministry at a congregational level
- Cross-cultural experience and intercultural openness
Expectations and Term
There will be 1 or 2 face-to-face meetings during the term of the mandate. Travel expenses for these meetings will be fully reimbursed by the General Synod. Other work such as occasional videoconference meetings, reading, writing, etc. will also be required.
The term of the appointment is expected to conclude Dec. 31, 2025.
Reporting and Accountabilities
Anglican members of the Dialogue will report on a regular basis to the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Coordinating Committee. Members are also directly accountable to the Council of General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada.
To Apply
Please provide a cover letter which includes an indication of your name, diocese, order of ministry (lay/deacon/priest/bishop) and primary contact information. This letter should also briefly express your reasons for interest in serving on this particular ecumenical dialogue.
Please also prepare a separate document which provides written responses to the following questions:
What about your own faith and denominational tradition do you treasure the most?
What about your own faith and denominational tradition challenges you the most?
Describe an occasion when you have learned something by engaging with someone from a Christian tradition quite different from your own. What have been the long-lasting fruits of that learning for you?
What excites you most about ecumenism?
Please forward your application to [email protected], with the subject line clearly marked as “Anglican-Mennonite Dialogue.”
Applications will be received until January 21, 2024.
(A first meeting is tentatively hoped for April 18-21, 2024. Those who apply are invited to tentatively ‘save the date’ pending notification of potential selection.)