In five months, more than 400 delegates and visitors from the 30 dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) will gather at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., for the 37th General Synod from May 28 to June 4, 2004.
The diocese of Niagara and its bishop, Bishop Ralph Spence will be hosting the General Synod.
General Synod normally takes place every three years. It is the Canadian Anglican church’s chief legislative authority and represents more than 800,000 rank-and-file members of the Anglican Church, Canada’s third-largest Christian denomination.
The General Synod consists of the bishops of the Anglican Church and members chosen to represent all the dioceses, from among the clergy and laity. It is also responsible for the church’s constitution and gives general direction to the work of the General Synod national office.
The primate chairs the proceedings of General Synod. However, since the current primate, Archbishop Michael Peers retires before the 37th General Synod convenes, the acting primate, Archbishop David Crawley, bishop of Kootenay and Metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of British Columbia and Yukon, will chair the first sessions of the 2004 General Synod.
According to the General Synod Planning Committee, the theme chosen for the 2004 General Synod — See I am making all things new — describes the situation the Anglican Church of Canada faces today, “We are on the verge of new directions, a new strategic plan, the New Agape, a new primate and, we pray, a renewed sense of the church’s unity in its diversity,” says committee.
Voting members of the General Synod will act on a number of proposals, which include a new framework for the General Synod titled Strengthening the Church, Serving God’s World: A Framework for the work and mission of the General Synod, 2004-2010.
The election and installation of a new primate will be one of the highlights of the synod. Also high on the agenda is a presentation by the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP) and a discussion and debate on the blessing of same-sex unions.
Stephen Lewis, special envoy to the United Nations for HIV/AIDS in Africa will be one of the guest speakers.
Home groups will, as always, be a significant part of General Synod proceedings. They are the settings where prayer and bible study discussions occur, where important implications of the General Synod theme will be pursued and where reflections on the daily events of the synod will take place. Members and partners to General Synod will be assigned home groups upon registration.
Planning and preparations for the 2004 Synod are well underway, under the General Synod Planning Committee, headed by Peter Irish of Fredericton. The committee is responsible for the agenda, worship, communication strategies, logistics and budget of the General Synod.
As host, the diocese of Niagara has put in place a local arrangement committee under the guidance of archdeacons Marion Vincett and Bruce McPetrie. The local committee will focus on ground transportation, the children’s and companion’s program and will ensure that delegates and visitors are welcomed at various receptions and dinners. The local committee will also be responsible for recruiting volunteers to help as needed for the duration of the 2004 General Synod.
Information about the 37th General Synod can be found at gs2004.anglican.ca
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