Council of General Synod members approved the Award of Merit recipients at their spring meeting. Photo: Marites N. Sison
A Court of Queen’s Bench justice, a parish warden, an advocate for women and past president of the Canadian Mothers’ Union, a former chancellor and an organizer of adult Christian education are this year’s recipients of the Anglican Award of Merit.
The award is the Anglican Church of Canada’s highest honour given to lay people who have contributed to the life and work of the church at national and international levels.
The Council of General Synod, the church’s governing body between General Synods, approved the list of recipients submitted by the Anglican Award of Merit committee at its spring meeting March 14 to 17.
The awardees are: Justice Brian Burrows (diocese of Edmonton), Carolyn R.A. Chenhall (diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island), Annette Graydon (diocese of Niagara), Canon Bud Smith (Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior) and Roger L. Spack (diocese of Montreal).
Burrows has worked for the Anglican church at diocesan, national and international levels. A warden, vestry member and treasurer of All Saints’ Cathedral, Burrows is also the chancellor for the diocese of Edmonton and for the ecclesiastical province of Rupert’s Land. Burrows has chaired the General Synod handbook task force, and has served as liaison to the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples on the Indigenous Covenant Implementation Commission. He is a member of General Synod’s organization committee, and was a member of the first governance working group. From 2006 to 2010, Burrows served as vice-chancellor of General Synod.
He also represented the Anglican Church of Canada at the Anglican Communion Legal Advisors’ Network.
Chenhall is a member of the parish council, warden and chair of the pastoral ministry committee. She has been a member of six General Synods and a member of a committee that presented a report on the ordination of Canadian Anglican women. She has also been a member of the planning and agenda team and the Council of General Synod. Currently she serves on the Vision 2019 implementation team. At the diocesan level, Chenhall has held many positions, including membership at the Diocesan Board of Religious Education and the Advisory Committee on Postulants for Ordination, and as chair of the strategy planning committee. She is also active with Anglican Church Women (ACW), formerly the Woman’s Auxiliary.
Graydon, a founding member of her parish Mothers’ Union branch, has served as past president of the diocese of Niagara’s Mothers’ Union, and has served as past president of the Canadian Mothers’ Union. She is currently Canadian co-ordinator for Anglican Women’s Network in Canada. Graydon has represented the Canadian church at international gatherings of Mothers’ Union and Anglican Church women conferences.
Smith served as chancellor and is a “faithful keeper” of the history of the former diocese of Cariboo, now the Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior (APCI). Smith continues to provide leadership and support to APCI. At the national level, he is a member of the National Ecumenical Group on Residential Schools. He also developed the guiding principles for the senior advisor to the Privy Council for Canada-the secretariat to the prime minister and cabinet-“that could inform a path forward for healing and reconciliation amongst the church, its parishioners, aboriginal persons and communities,” said the committee in its background information.
Spack, a member and observer at the Montreal diocesan synod for 35 years, is known for having organized and led adult Christian education in his diocese. He has served as director of the Anglican Renewal Ministries for 15 years and has also organized many ALPHA courses, which help people explore the basics of Christian faith. Spack is a member and vice-chair of the diocesan council. He is also the volunteer diocesan stewardship co-ordinator and founding member of Montreal Men’s FLAME (fellowship and learning for Anglican men’s enrichment) committee.