Dr. Reginald Soward, 93, chancellor of General Synod from 1983 to 1986 and former prolocutor, died in April. He was, for many years, a parishioner at St. Timothy’s (North) in the diocese of Toronto. Seven active or retired bishops attended his funeral, attesting to his wide-ranging years of service to the church.
Mr. Soward was diocesan synod solicitor for 30 years and was given the Anglican Award of Merit for his years of service to the church in 1987. He spent 43 years as a member of General Synod from the diocese of Toronto and was a founding director of the Anglican Foundation, which he helped organize in 1957. Mr. Soward was advisor to the primate at a World Council of Churches meeting in British Columbia during the tenure of Archbishop Ted Scott.
He credited his 50-year participation in the Ruskin Literacy and Debating society for his ability to conduct public meetings and help keep the WCC meetings under control. Mr. Soward was predeceased by his wife Ruth, an active member of the Canadian Council of Churches, who died at 89 in 1994.
Canon Derek Arnold, once described as a true Edwardian gentleman, with a history of tireless volunteer service to the Anglican church, died in March, at the age of 88.
A one-time head of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canon Arnold volunteered as a Sunday school teacher, treasurer, church warden, member of synod and diocesan executive committee in British Columbia.
He was chair of the program committee at General Synod for 12 years, and also did a stint on the National Executive Committee for three terms. He also was the first chair of the board of the Sorrento Centre in British Columbia, a leadership training center for lay ministry in the Anglican church.
A passionate advocate for lay ministry, Mr. Arnold “fought the bishops tooth and nail” to get them to give lay people more responsibility within the church, said Rev. Bruce Pellegrin, Mr. Arnold’s son-in-law. “He was 20 years ahead of the consensus within the church on this issue.”