Members of the Council of the General Synod (CoGS) gathered at the Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga, Ont. at 9 a.m. EST.
Bible study
CoGS members read and discussed Matthew 14:22-33. In this passage, the disciples struggle through a storm at sea until Jesus appears walking on the water, helping them while testing their faith.
Pathways: Considering the Pathways
Table groups discussed each of the pathways. General Synod staff, non-voting members and Anglican Journal staff did not attend this session so that members of CoGS could speak candidly.
Members took a break from 10:40 to 11 a.m.
Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples
National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop Chris Harper spoke about how the church and Indigenous ministries are evolving. Sacred Circle, Archbishop Harper said, had begun the process of looking into how it could better represent Indigenous Anglicans across the country through changes to voting and electoral processes for Sacred Circle and the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP).
Archbishop Harper discussed plans to expand the Indigenous youth gathering Sacred Beginnings, which Indigenous Ministries plans to grow and can split into different regions to allow youth in different parts of the country to take their voices into their communities. “This is about hope-building and instilling a sense of strength and identity,” he said.
Where the last gathering had included representatives from Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, ACIP hoped to begin including Indigenous youth from other parts of the country, such as Atlantic Canada. Many communities had expressed interest in having their young people participate but asked if non-Indigenous youth could attend. The response of Indigenous Ministries, Archbishop Harper said, was: “Why not?”
“This is how we grow and this is how the church can grow—by inclusiveness,” he added. CoGS then watched footage from the last Sacred Beginnings filmed by Anglican Video.
At a meeting the previous night, Archbishop Harper said, ACIP had elected two new co-chairs: Archdeacon Travis Enright from the diocese of Edmonton and the Rev. Catherine Askew from the Anglican Military Ordinariate, succeeding previous co-chairs the Rev. Canon Murray Still and Rosie Jane Tailfeathers. Both will attend the next meeting of CoGS, he said, allowing council members to meet and challenge them on the direction the church is going.
Archbishop Harper invited the Primate to acknowledge the ministry of Canon Still and Ms. Tailfeathers with CoGS and ACIP. The Primate recalled meeting and conversing with the outgoing co-chairs at the latest meeting of Sacred Circle in August, discussing topics such as the Survivors’ Flag honouring residential school survivors and how that would be shared across the church.
“What I experienced at Sacred Circle was the unique culture of Indigenous Anglicanism in this country,” the Primate said. “Those roots were not honoured for a period of time. But they are being honoured at this time through Sacred Circle.” He thanked Canon Still and Ms. Tailfeathers on behalf of the Anglican Church of Canada for their work.
Tracking (Part 2)
General Secretary Andrea Mann introduced deliverables from General Synod as found in the tracking document. The current CoGS would do substantive work over the triennium on most of the resolutions General Synod had directed to council, she said. The General Secretary used the morning session to go briefly through some of the resolutions.
Resolution A125 encourages CoGS to act on the creation of a National Coordinating Committee for Unity and Mission between the Anglican Church of Canada and the United Church of Canada, as part of the latter’s 100th anniversary. The General Secretary asked if CoGS agreed with a recommendation to address A125 at a later meeting in the 2025-2028 triennium.
The Primate said he had met with the moderator of the United Church one month prior and the two had discussed the need for the two churches to continue ecumenical dialogue. Bishop of the Territory of the People Clara Plamondon, member for the province of B.C. and Yukon, said there was a desire to clarify ecumenical relationships in dioceses and territories where Anglicans view that work as particularly important. The Primate said that given active engagement through staff work in creating protocols on how to maximize collaboration, creating a coordinating committee is probably not necessary at the moment. The Rev. Eileen Scully, director of Faith, Worship and Ministry, stressed the ongoing importance of ecumenical shared ministries.
The General Secretary listed more deliverables from General Synod:
- Resolution A126 encourages CoGS to renew looking into greater ecumenical collaboration and sharing of resources between the Anglican Church of Canada and the Presbyterian Church in Canada in light of the latter’s 150th anniversary. The recommendation is for this to be addressed in a future CoGS meeting later in the triennium.
- Resolution A180 urges CoGS to begin actively pursuing the pathways, which is ongoing work that started immediately after General Synod. CoGS has received one presentation and will receive regular reports and updates between and during in-person meetings.
- Resolution A020-R2, which concerns funding the pathways, would be addressed in the 2026 budget conversation later that afternoon.
- Resolution A020-R1 directs CoGS to initiate a process across the church for the dissemination and study of the principles of disability theology. The recommendation is for this to be addressed in a future meeting as a higher priority.
Preview: Refreshed Anglican.ca
Henrieta Paukov, director of Communications and Information Resources (CIR), introduced a preview for CoGS of the refreshed Anglican Church of Canada website, anglican.ca, which is launching on Saturday, November 29. She called anglican.ca “a very important tool in the national church’s communications toolbox.” It is the place where the national church offers resources to help Anglicans carry out their ministry, shares news and information about its work and raises money. News about CoGS is also shared on anglican.ca. Ms. Paukov said the updated website reflects the transformational commitments and is ready to evolve as the church undergoes the transformation process outlined in the Creating Pathways document.
Brian Bukowski, Manager, Web, and Alicia Brown, Communications Manager, co-leads on the website project, demonstrated the updated website for CoGS, speaking about the technical, design and content choices that had been made to ensure that the website serves its main audiences, which include Anglican clergy and lay people, as well as newcomers to the church. Both during the presentation and in conversations with staff immediately after, CoGS members shared very positive responses to the changes they saw on the website.
Members broke for lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m., followed by a sabbath period for rest until 2:30 p.m.
Finances 101
The Ven. Tanya Phibbs, prolocutor to CoGS and chair of the Financial Management Committee (FMC), offered an overview of General Synod financial management. She described its operations and governance, the role of the FMC and subcommittees, sources of income and expenses, and the Consolidated Trust Funds.
2025 YTD statements
Archdeacon Phibbs presented General Synod’s consolidated statement of operations for the nine months ending Sept. 30, 2025, including revenue and expenses.
Total actual revenue for the year to date was $6.32 million, nearly $540,000 less than the budgeted amount of $6.86 million.
Pathways: Considering the Pathways
CoGS moved into table groups to discuss the pathways. Church House staff, non-voting members and Anglican Journal staff did not attend this session so that members of CoGS could speak candidly.
2026 budget
Archdeacon Phibbs presented the 2026 budget for General Synod, which reflected a slight decrease in diocesan contributions. The total budget is $10,184,940 across nine departments and offices, a total reduction of $621,632 from the 2025 budget.
General Synod’s 2026 budget shows a surplus of $106,272—“a slight surplus, which is good news indeed,” Archdeacon Phibbs said. She presented a motion to approve the budget.
Bishop of the Territory of the People Clara Plamondon, member for the province of B.C. and Yukon, asked about the impact on the budget if there are changes to the location of the national office. CFO Amal Attia said that if there are changes the financial impact would appear in the budget. This was confirmed by Archdeacon Phibbs who said any changes would be reflected in a revised budget which would be approved by CoGS. Council carried the motion to approve the budget.
Resolution
Be it resolved that the Council of General Synod approve the 2026 budget.
Archdeacon Phibbs presented a further motion asking dioceses to increase pledges for proportional gifts. The Ven. Jordan Haynie Ware, the member for the province of Northern Lights who seconded the motion, said the recommendation came from a bishop member of the FMC out of a desire to draw dioceses together and encourage all to support the work of the pathways and the church in this time of transition. The motion was carried.
Resolution
That this Council of General Synod request each diocese to prayerfully consider pledging an amount for their proportional gifts for 2027 and 2028 of as much or more than their 2025 gift and to inform the General Secretary of this amount by June 30, 2026.
CoGS also carried a third motion put forward by Archdeacon Phibbs increasing car loans for northern clergy, as suggested by the FMC. Clergy in the North “aren’t very well paid,” Archdeacon Phibbs said.
Resolution
That this body approve the increase in the car loan provision to a maximum of $20,000 as recommended by the Financial Management Committee.
After CoGS approved the budget, the Primate offered some reflection. “Budgets tell stories,” the Primate said. Stories the church is telling now relate to the way it has done things for some time, he added, as reflected in the title of rows for different items in the budget. “We are in a time of change,” the Primate said. “We’re in a time of transition, and various row names will change as we restructure. Amounts may change as we restructure.”
The Primate offered the example of the word “reconciliation,” which appears as a budget item but which has shifted in meaning over the years, as something that the church aims to integrate in everything it does.
Elections
Deputy Prolocutor Brian Lee reported the results of three elections, which in each case became acclamation of a single candidate:
- Anne McMichael, lay member for the province of B.C. and Yukon, was acclaimed as CoGS member on the nominating committee.
- Bishop of Central Newfoundland John Watton, member for the province of Canada, was acclaimed as CoGS member to the Ministry Investment Fund.
- Bishop of Niagara Susan Bell, member for the province of Ontario, was acclaimed as CoGS representative to the Canadian Church Historical Society.
Members took a break for dinner from 5:20 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Canon VIII
Archdeacon Phibbs presented a motion amending regulations to Canon VIII, reflecting the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s support for converting defined benefit multi-employer pension plans to target benefit plans. The motion carried.
Resolution
That this Council of General Synod amend Regulation 12 of Canon VIII effective December 31, 2025 by adding section 12 to read:
Effective December 31, 2025, all defined benefits provided by the Plan are converted to target benefits.
Tracking (Part 3)—National Youth Council
The General Secretary resumed discussion tracking deliverables to General Synod with Resolution C013, which endorsed the creation of a National Youth Council and directed CoGS to examine options for the creation of such a body and to develop an implementation plan, seeking input from youth members of General Synod.
Young CoGS members spoke in favour of a motion directing the General Secretary to create a task force establishing the terms of reference for a National Youth Council. They said engaging youth from across the country in this way would not only help increase their representation on the church’s decision-making bodies but would also provide young people with opportunities to learn and grow. Several young CoGS members recalled positive experiences as youth delegates at General Synod 2025.
Other CoGS members also spoke in favour of the motion, and some recalled getting involved with the church through youth groups such as the Anglican Young People’s Association.
Bishop of Qu’Appelle Helen Kennedy, member for the province of Northern Lights and a board member for Alongside Hope, noted that Alongside Hope had its own youth council. She saw potential for networking and cross-pollination between those two councils. In developing its own terms of reference, Bishop Kennedy said, the National Youth Council could draw upon existing terms of reference from the Alongside Hope youth council.
CoGS voted to pass the motion.
Resolution
That this Council of General Synod direct the General Secretary to establish a task force to establish Terms of Reference for a National Youth Council, and to bring these Terms of Reference to the June 2026 meeting of the Council of General Synod for approval.
After the motion carried, the Primate said he was “100% supportive of this direction” and would do everything in his power to help the task force and—once terms of reference are approved—to support the existence of the National Youth Council.
Partner reflections
Dean Tim Dobbin, co-chair of the Planning and Agenda Team, led a “fireside chat” with Bishop Kennedy, representative of CoGS to The Episcopal Church (TEC), and the Rev. Lauren Schoeck, member for the province of Northern Lights and representative of CoGS to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC). Bishop Kennedy and Ms. Schoeck spoke about their respective experiences attending leadership meetings of TEC and the ELCIC.
Evening Prayer
CoGS ended the day with prayer in the chapel.
Members enjoyed an evening social until 11 p.m.