Looking ahead to a crucial General Synod

NEXT July, in Waterloo Ont., more than 500 people will gather for the 36th General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada under the theme Healing, Reconciliation and the New Life.

General Synod is the sovereign legislative and policy-setting body of the national church. It meets every three years.

Of those attending, about 400 are General Synod members, who include elected clergy and lay members from the 30 dioceses and every Canadian bishop.

Also attending will be ecumenical partners (clergy from other churches, faiths, etc), aboriginal people and overseas partners as well as staff and news media who do not normally participate in the proceedings.

This summer’s synod meets between July 4 and 11. Some expected highlights include a presentation by the Anglican Council of Indigenous People, a service of healing and reconciliation and a proposal for full communion between the Anglican church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC).

Between now and the end of our publishing season in June, the Anglican Journal will run a series of articles outlining some of the issues that will be before synod members, and also describing what those eight days will probably be like and the work it takes to make an event like General Synod happen.