Members of Council of General Synod (CoGS) gathered at the Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga, Ont. at 9 a.m. EST.
Gospel-Based Discipleship
CoGS began the day with gospel-based discipleship, reflecting upon Luke 5:27-32, in which the tax collector Levi holds a banquet for Jesus. When the Pharisees and their scribes complain to the disciples, asking why Jesus eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus responds, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples
The Ven. Rosalyn Kantla’tant Elm, Director of Indigenous Ministries, presented a report from the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP). Archdeacon Elm described a spirit of resurgence in ACIP discussions, which she expected to see more of as the church works towards the next Sacred Circle and General Synod.
ACIP members recently met in Toronto and discussed aspects of the Covenant which Archdeacon Elm said are now starting to bear fruit. One of the tasks ACIP was assigned at Sacred Circle 2023 was to look at membership of ACIP and for meetings of Sacred Circle. Research by the Ven. Travis Enright, archdeacon for reconciliation and decolonization in the diocese of Edmonton, found there was scant membership representing coastal areas and parts of the interior. Enright responded by putting together a new membership structure to ensure better representation based on traditional Indigenous territories, languages and cultures.
The Toronto meeting also included discussion of the roles and responsibilities of ACIP members. Members spoke about their history as Anglicans at a time when there is declining trust in institutions. They discussed the seven hypotheses from the Primate’s Commission and the transformation of their communities, particularly in northern areas. ACIP had decided on creating a “governance lab” for teaching and discussion on issues such as membership, Archdeacon Elm said, in order to learn and re-discuss the intersection between the Anglican policy and Indigenous ways of knowing and being.
Across Canada, Indigenous Anglican mission and ministry is forming and expanding. Suicide prevention and response ministry headed by Dorothy Russell-Patterson includes plans to visit three communities this year. Indigenous youth are another focus for ACIP. With participation from the diocese of Brandon and Alongside Hope, Indigenous Ministries has created a program called Fire Talks alongside Sacred Beginnings to create peer counselling groups for youth across Canada, which continues to garner more partnerships.
Lastly, Elm said, Indigenous Ministries has been awarded a grant for men’s mental health mission and ministry. The program seeks to help survivors of Ralph Rowe, a former Anglican priest and Scout leader who abused hundreds of Indigenous boys. Seeing a lack of response for supporting mental health and spirituality in affected communities, Indigenous Ministries has obtained the grant to resource the beginnings of that ministry in northern Ontario but will require participation from the Primate’s office and national reconciliation animator Dawn Maracle.
National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop Chris Harper said he was blessed to work in this ministry and that ACIP had done wonderful work at its meeting summarizing a year’s work. “You can hear in our voices hope for the church,” he said.
Members took a break from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Financial Update
Chancellor Clare Burns facilitated an informal panel for the update from the Financial Management Committee, directing questions to CFO and treasurer Ms. Amal Attia alongside General Secretary the Ven. Alan Perry.
Offering context for the latest finances, Ms. Attia said overall General Synod revenue has taken a bit of a hit over the last 25 years. Currently 74% of General Synod revenue comes from diocesan contributions, according to the 2024 consolidated financial statement. There was a year-end deficit in operations before transfers, which auditors said was largely insignificant due to an unexpected major proportional gift from a diocese.
With transfers from reserves, investment and depreciation taken into account, actual revenue increased and expenses dropped from 2023 to 2024, leaving General Synod with an increased surplus of $3.9 million from $1.5 million. Most of that change is due to transfers and market appreciation of the church’s investments, Ms. Attia said. The total amount in the Consolidated Trust Fund (CTF) is $44 million. Based on an encouraging return on investments, the Financial Management Committee recommended using a portion of CTF annual income each year to help fund operations.
At its February meeting, the committee had considered the possibility of using up to 4% of annual income out of the CTF Unrestricted Fund, starting in 2026. The Unrestricted Fund currently has a market value of $22 million.
Deputy Prolocutor the Ven. Tanya Phibbs put forward a motion to accept the committee’s recommendations, which carried.
Resolution
Be it resolved that this Council of General Synod endorse the principle of using up to 4% of the value of the CTF Unrestricted Fund, in any given year beginning in 2026 and continuing thereafter, as a contribution to the operating funds of the General Synod in that year’s budget.
Members broke for lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Communications Committee
The Rev. Cynthia Haines Turner, chair of the Communications Committee, said the committee was recommending to maintain the status quo for the time being—not because it believed the status quo was the best option, but because they believed the church needed an extensive survey to know where Anglicans stood in relation to communications and the role of the Anglican Journal, and to understand full implications of any major decisions.
Ms. Haines Turner presented three motions that respectively called for a review of communications needs and the journalistic mandate and format of the Anglican Journal. The first motion initially called for a comprehensive assessment of communications needs within the 2025-2028 triennium; however, CoGS voted to amend that motion to move up the deadline to November 2026. The amended motion as well as the two motions concerning the Anglican Journal all carried.
Resolution
That the Council of General Synod recommend that the Communications Committee undertake a comprehensive review of the communications needs of Canadian Anglicans, and bring recommendations arising therefrom to the Council of General Synod in November 2026.
Resolution
That the Council of General Synod recommend:
(a) That as part of its comprehensive review of the communications needs of Canadian Anglicans, the Communications Committee continue during the next triennium to study the appropriateness of the journalistic mandate of the Anglican Journal, and report on its findings to the Council of General Synod; and
(b) That the current journalistic mandate of the Anglican Journal, as outlined in Appendix C of the Governance Manual of the Anglican Church of Canada, remain in effect for at least the next three years.
Resolution
That the Council of General Synod recommend:
(a) That as part of its comprehensive review of the communications needs of Canadian Anglicans, the Communications Committee continue during the next triennium to monitor the financial and other implications of moving to a digital-only format for the Anglican Journal, and report on its findings to the Council of General Synod; and
(b) That the Anglican Journal continue to be published in print form for at least the next three years.
Faith, Worship, and Ministry Committee
The Rev. Dr. Eileen Scully, director of Faith, Worship, and Ministry (FWM), spoke about the structure of the FWM Coordinating Committee and the three main areas of work: the Youth Secretariat, Liturgical Advisory Committee, and Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Advisory Committee. She presented three motions from FWM that all carried.
Resolution
Be it resolved that this Council of General Synod receive and commend to the church the statement of the Anglican-Mennonite Dialogue on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Anabaptist Reformation.
Resolution
Be it resolved that this Council of General Synod receive and commend to the church the Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue of Canada’s Statement on Ecclesial Apologies.
Resolution
Be it resolved that this Council of General Synod
(a) Approve for Study, Trial Use, Evaluation, and Feedback, The Ordinal (2025) for use where permitted by the Ordinary for a period of three years or up to the time of the next meeting of the General Synod.
(b) Request the dioceses using The Ordinal (2025) to provide feedback to the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Committee.
Members took a break from 2:35 p.m. to 3:05 p.m.
2023-2025 CoGS Deliverables
General Secretary Alan Perry presented an update on various tasks General Synod had assigned to CoGS in 2023.
- A101—Commissioning a Document on History, Structure, and Governance of the Anglican Church of Canada. Status: Still in formation.
- A102—Strategic Planning Working Group. Establish an implementation group. Status: CoGS adopted terms of reference in May/June. Group appointed March 2025.
- A129—National coordination committee for unity and mission with United Church. Work with the United Church to establish this group. Status: Group formed, starting work. Terms of reference adopted by CoGS.
- A200—National Advisory Council on Dismantling Racism. Status: Group established, getting going.
- A201—Dismantling Racism. This is the work of Faith, Worship and Ministry and the National Advisory Council for Dismantling Racism. Status: Ongoing.
- A202—Call to Action 59. Call to Action #59 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls on “church parties to the Settlement Agreement to develop ongoing education strategies to ensure that their respective congregations learn about their church’s role in colonization, the history and legacy of residential schools, and why apologies to former residential school students, their families, and communities were necessary. Status: Ongoing.
- A202A—Dismantling Racism. “[E]ngage with the full historical realities of the Anglican Church’s involvement in slavery, and other forms of racial injustice, as well as its historical work in striving to dismantle racism.” Status: Ongoing.
- A203—Net-zero – travel and offset costs. “[S]eek to reduce the carbon impact of travel for meetings of General Synod, the Council of General Synod, and its committees, when possible, by offering online or hybrid options and choosing lower-carbon travel as a witness to the rest of the Church, and to report on these efforts regularly and to General Synod 2025.” “[P]urchase carbon offsets for such travel as is deemed still to be necessary, using offset initiatives of Indigenous communities where possible.” Status: Ongoing.
- A204—Climate Emergency. “Encourage Anglican parishes in Canada to work on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to help Canada reach a science-based target to keep global temperature increases at or below 1.5 degrees Celsius.” Status: What’s happening in your parish/diocese? “Request the Public Witness for Social and Ecological Justice Coordinating Committee to report progress back to the Council of General Synod annually and to General Synod 2025.”
- A205—Bottled Water. “Direct the Council of General Synod, its Councils, and Committees to immediately eliminate bottled water use for all meetings, except in locations where safe drinking water is unavailable.” Status: Implemented.
- C008—”Request the House of Bishops engage in a discussion regarding the principle of proportionality of membership, as reflected in the Constitution of General Synod for the membership in the Orders of Laity and Clergy, and to recommend a method for applying this principle to the Order of Bishops for consideration by the Governance Working Group and the Council of General Synod, in advance of the next meeting of General Synod.” Status: Discussions in progress.
Report to General Synod 2025
Canon (lay) Ian Alexander, prolocutor, invited council members in table groups to discuss the messages they most wanted General Synod 2025 to hear from the 2023-2025 CoGS. Among their responses:
- General Synod needs to be aware of what it sends to CoGS, since assigning too much work can mean many tasks either don’t get done or don’t get done well.
- Acknowledge that the church is in a time of change.
- Keep the gospel at the centre of everything we do.
- The church is not broken. Healing is possible and we are on pathways of healing that will not leave the church stuck in a place of despair and anxiety about the future.
- Our diversity is our strength; respectful community-building here are gifts we must lean into in our church going forward.
- Embodying consensus models of decision-making going forward is a helpful way to make decisions in the church.
- Keep the Holy Spirit central.
- The House of Bishops is listening and working on what’s best for the church.
- Show determination and concretize the transformational commitments and pathways to move them from words to action.
GWG Motions for General Synod
Chancellor Burns presented motions from the Governance Working Group withdrawn at General Synod in 2023 that would be returning for discussion at the next General Synod. These included:
- Amendments to Section 11 of Declaration of Principles—first reading
- Resolution A030-R1
- Motion Responding to GS2019 Resolution C005—Eliminating the Need for Approval by Two Successive Sessions of General Synod
- Delete the phrase “voting at two successive sessions of the General Synod”.
- Require “notice of the proposed change having been previously referred for at least a year to all diocesan and provincial synods.”
- Resolution A031
- Motion Responding to General Synod 2019 Resolution C005 – Changing the Threshold for Required Votes by Orders
- That the phrase “a two-thirds majority in each Order” be changed to “a two-thirds majority of the members with a majority in each Order.”
Other motions referred from General Synod 2023 include Resolution C009 on consensus decision-making; motions from the provinces on reviewing cuts to Council of the North funding; and a resolution on modifications to Canon III that would allow the Primate at their discretion to retain any episcopal and metropolitical offices held at the time of election to the primacy.
Partner Reflection #1
Mr. Warren Hawk, representative of The Episcopal Church (TEC) to CoGS, offered a partner reflection, conveying greetings from TEC Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and Ms. Julia Ayala Harris, president of the House of Deputies.
Coming from the People of the Seven Council Fires, more commonly known as the Great Sioux Nation, and the diocese of South Dakota, Hawk recalled asking why he had been selected to represent the U.S. church at CoGS. The Episcopal leaders said they felt the Anglican Church of Canada’s focus on Indigenous ministries and reconciliation coincided with Hawk’s work co-chairing TEC’s mission looking into boarding schools in the United States for Native Americans.
Hawk displayed visible emotion speaking about how they had discovered 34 such schools in the U.S. that had been run by TEC and were working in those states to determine whether there were burial sites there. Hawk’s own parents had attended boarding schools for Native Americans. TEC had also had a contract with the U.S. government to negotiate treaties with Indigenous people. When TEC came into his people’s traditional territory, now part of South Dakota, they had created what was known as the Missionary Diocese of Niobrara. That organization still exists, with Hawk serving as chairman. The Niobrara Convocation will hold its next meeting in June. Hawk expressed appreciation for TEC’s “willingness to put themselves forward to realize the truth of our history as a church.”
He thanked CoGS for their hospitality and warm welcome and said he was very impressed by the council’s work. Archbishop Anne Germond, Acting Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, in turn thanked Hawk and expressed gratitude for his work, recalling the “long and difficult history” of the Canadian church. The acting primate said she would send a note back with Hawk for the presiding bishop. “You are our neighbours and we love you,” Germond said. CoGS members gathered around Hawk as National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop Chris Harper led a prayer for him before his return to the United States.
Members enjoyed a break and banquet dinner from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Celebration
Marking the last meeting of the 2023-2025 CoGS, members held a celebration that included the singing of hymns. Archbishop Germond, Archdeacon Perry and Mr. Alexander presented each member with a certificate of gratitude for their contributions to the life of the council, as well as a card with the text of St. Francis’ prayer before the crucifix at San Damiano.
Taizé Evening Prayer
Council closed out the day with evening prayer in the Taizé style.
Members attended an evening social from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.