General Synod 2007: In Plenary

Dean Peter Wall
Chair, General Synod Planning Committee

Six short months from now, the 38th General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada will be in the history books; a new Primate will have been elected and installed, important decisions will have been made; new paths will have been chosen. As we look forward to being together in Winnipeg in June, I want to invite Anglicans from across the country to hear, discuss, ask question, and offer comment.

General Synod is an event as well as a meeting. It brings together the church from across the country - 30 dioceses, domestic partners, international partners, staff, and guests. While it is true that General Synod has important business to attend to, it is also an opportunity to reflect on the three years that have passed since the last such gathering and to look forward to the next three years before the church comes together this way again. Synod gathers the church and, just as we take care in our parish churches week by week in the ways in which we gather, so we take care in planning an event like General Synod, which seeks to be welcoming, inclusive, comfortable, and informed. We do this by acknowledging that there are people who will be at Synod who will be very familiar with each other and with what Synod is and how it works; but there will also be people there for whom it will be a new and, at times, difficult and intimidating experience. We will make every attempt to welcome people warmly and to familiarize them both with the event and the meeting.

We will meet in Winnipeg, a beautiful and welcoming city, the gateway to the Canadian West and an important place in the history of our church. We will see various parts of the city, worship together in historic and beautiful places, and we will be treated to Manitoba hospitality and friendship. As one who spends lots of time in Winnipeg these days, I can bear witness to just how great as place it is and how wonderful its people are!

During General Synod, we will spend lots of informal time together - eating meals, riding elevators, socializing, unwinding. This is where the event overtakes the meeting, and really, becomes the church gathered. Think of the times before services and at coffee hour in your parish or community -- this is how Anglicans get to know each other and learn to value each other. While the business we do is of the highest importance to our church, the time we spend simply being with each other is no less important.

Our meeting time will be full and will probably seem pressured at times. We have a lot to do! We have a full day with our Lutheran brothers and sisters celebrating and deepening our relationship of full communion; we have a day devoted to the election of a new Primate. Hence, our business time is quite concentrated. There are several important items on the agenda, including such things as:

• A report from the Governance Working Group;
• Welcoming the new National Indigenous Bishop;
• The St. Michael Report;
• Our response to the Windsor Report;
• The work and ministry of the Council of the North;
• Some resolutions deferred by the 2004 General Synod on the blessing same sex unions;
• Hearing important news from our domestic and international partners
• The election of the Council of General Synod as well as of committees and boards

This is but as partial list. So there is a lot to do. There will be lots of opportunity to hear and learn about all of these issues, as well as to hear about the varied and amazing work our church carries out, both here in Canada and beyond our borders. We who are planning this exciting General Synod are working hard with a tremendously committed group of local planners and volunteers - developing exiting worship, invigorating social opportunities, local engagements, and a host of other things. It is an honor to do this work, and we look forward to June 2007! Please respond: What do you need to know? How can we help? What do you want to say to us? We look forward to hearing from you.