History was made at General Synod on July 13, 2019, when Linda Nicholls was elected as the first woman primate in the Anglican Church of Canada. There were cheers and tears of joy as those present heard the announcement. They began to sing the doxology: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow…”
During her five-year term, the Primate has guided the church through many significant shifts and challenges. When the pandemic brought restrictions on in-person gatherings and travel, she invited Anglicans into her living room through video conferencing and webcasting, to pray, sing and worship. As an unexpected blessing, the Primate could now visit multiple parishes on a single Sunday, joining a worship service in one time zone, a confirmation class in the next and perhaps a parish Bible study later in the day.
Once travel restrictions were lifted, the Primate was delighted to meet Anglicans across the country. One of her most significant visits was in 2022 with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, to the Diocese of Saskatchewan, the Province of Rupert’s Land and the James Smith Reserve for a time of listening to residential school survivors and re-affirming the work of truth and reconciliation.
She has also highlighted anti-racism as an important focus for the Council of General Synod, including anti-racism training at every meeting of the Council and encouraging us all to live into the baptismal promise to respect the dignity of every human being.
She oversaw the Strategic Planning Working Group, which was responsible for drawing up the Anglican Church of Canada’s new strategic plan. The five transformational commitments that came out of that process are already guiding planning, priority-setting, resource allocation and collaboration with provinces and dioceses in the 2023–2025 biennium.
In addition to her work in building pastoral relations with dioceses and parishes, Archbishop Nicholls has represented the Anglican Church of Canada in ecumenical and international work. She has worked closely with Bishop Susan Johnson, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, our church’s full communion partner, as well as Churches Beyond Borders, The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
Her work in the Anglican Communion has included serving on the Primates’ Standing Committee and the Anglican Consultative Council, as well as participation in the Lambeth Conference. On the international ecumenical stage, she has acted as co-chair of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission. She has been a role model for women in ministry and an inspiration to Anglicans across the Communion.
We are deeply thankful to the Primate for the gifts she has given the Church. I invite you to join me in making an offering to the General Synod in generous gratitude for the witness and ministry of our 14th Primate, Archbishop Linda Nicholls.
Your gift will support the ministries of General Synod and the valuable initiatives that your Primate helped launch during her tenure. Thank you for your generosity, now and in the years to come.
With blessings,
![[signed] Alan T. Perry](https://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/Alan-Perry-signature.png)
The Venerable Alan T. Perry
General Secretary
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