Archdeacon Michael Johnson presents unsuccessful motion calling for synods to be every two years rather than annual. Photo: Harvey Shepherd
The annual synod of the Anglican diocese of Montreal will remain annual.
In show-of-hands votes, delegates to the synod voted Friday to reject a proposal by the diocesan administration to have the main governing body of the diocese meet every two years instead. The proposal called for an educational conference to take place in the off years. As a result of the vote, proposals were dropped to shift responsibility for the roughly $2-million budget to the Diocesan Council, which meets about monthly between synods.
Archdeacon Michael Johnson, who proposed the motion, said delegates to previous synods had suggested that it did not seem to have enough to do to justify an annual gathering and there seemed to be a need for more “conferencing.” The cost savings from fewer synods were another factor, but not the most important,
Opposing it, Rev. Karen Egan Chalk of the Parish of St. Andrew and St. Mark in Dorval said, “It’s important for us to meet every year.” Rev. Chris Barrigar of St. Peter’s Church in the Town of Mount Royal, agreed that “an organization needs an annual general meeting.”
As is usual, Bishop Barry Clarke, presiding, did not announce the vote counts but they appeared fairly close.
The synod also moved toward setting up a development corporation to work with parishes seeking redevelopment projects on portions of their property as a source of revenue and for other purposes.
Harvey Shepherd is the editor of the Montreal Anglican, the newspaper of the diocese of Montreal.