General Synod 2019: A Primer.  The 42nd General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada will be held from July 10-16, 2019 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia in the Diocese of New Westminster. The theme of the synod is “I Have Called You By Name” (Isaiah 43:1).

More than 350 Anglicans from across Canada—delegates, partners, invited guests, displayers, volunteers and observers—will gather July 10-16 in Vancouver for the 42nd General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. While there, delegates will consider resolutions affecting the whole church.

General Synod is the highest governing body in the church. Although the Anglican Church of Canada is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, it has final authority over its own affairs. It can pass, alter and strike down its own laws—or, in church parlance, canons.

The General Synod meets every three years, unless otherwise determined by Council of General Synod (CoGS), provided such meetings are not more than five years apart.

Who Is General Synod?General Synod is composed of clergy and lay delegates—who are elected at the diocesan synods of every diocese in the Anglican Church of Canada—and the church’s bishops.

These delegates are divided into three orders: The Order of Laity, the Order of Clergy and the Order of Bishops. The Order of Bishops includes the primate; provincial metropolitans; diocesan bishops; coadjutor and suffragan bishops; assistant bishops who have been designated by the synod/executive of their dioceses and who exercise episcopal duties within those dioceses; the Bishop Ordinary to the Canadian Forces; and the National Indigenous Anglican Bishop.

While members are elected at diocesan synods, they are not considered to be their representatives; they are free to vote however they choose.

General Synod also includes several voting officers: president and chairperson (the primate); prolocutor; deputy prolocutor; general secretary; and chancellor. The treasurer is able to participate in discussions but may not vote.

The Canadian House of Bishops nominated the following bishops for the election of the 14th Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.

The Right Reverend Jane Alexander of the Diocese of Edmonton;

The Most Reverend Ron Cutler of the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Canada;

The Most Reverend Gregory Kerr-Wilsonof the Diocese of Calgary and Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert’s Land;

The Right Reverend Linda Nichollsof the Diocese of Huron; and

The Right Reverend Michael Oultonof the Diocese of Ontario.

A Collect for General Synod: Gracious God, you have called us by name,

and made us your own. Grant that hearing your voice, we may turn to you, and embrace and ever hold fast our communion in the Risen Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, now and forever. Amen. (From:gs2019.anglican.ca)

Reflection: Christ’s resurrection is central to the Christian faith.It’s one of those aspects of our faith that moves us beyond the normal realm of our experience.But the good news is that God does not operate within the limits of human capacity! Our faith in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead points us in hope to the possibility that God really is working to make all things new.That sounds attractive, but it’s still not easy.

But how do we encounter this presence of Christ? Faith enables us to move beyond believing only what we can see to entrusting our lives to the God of Creation.  It is a different path, a whole new way of life that sees the possibility of new life in our journey. But it is not an easy path. At the end of the day, it takes something of a leap for all of us to really entrust our lives to God.

What is your takeaway from John 20.1-18 in the context of a new leadership in the Anglican Church? Think about how it you can proclaim that same support to your church in the name of Christ?