Task force to review bishops’ leadership role

Niagara Falls, Ont.A task force has been formed to review how the Canadian House of Bishops meet and how it provides leadership for the church. Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, said it was an opportune time to conduct a review. This is because for the first time in more than a decade, the church has four new metropolitans (senior bishops) and a number of new bishops. Bishops have also been clamoring for more time “to be bishops and to reflect on the nature of Episcopal ministry” rather to hear presentations when they meet, he said.The primate told the fall meeting of the House of Bishops that the task force would also look at the purpose of their meetings. He said among the questions would be, “What do we see as priorities when we come together?” The task force members are: Bishops James Cowan (British Columbia), Jane Alexander (Edmonton), George Bruce (Ontario) and Ronald Cutler (Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island). During its meeting, held Nov. 2 to 6, the bishops also began initial discussions with their counterparts from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) about the future of their joint meetings. “We enjoy being with you, but it doesn’t feel like a joint meeting. It feels like a meeting that the (Lutheran) Conference of Bishops is being invited to,” said ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson. Recommendations were made to form a joint agenda committee, and to give more attention to “community building instead of just information sessions,” among others. Anglican and Lutheran Bishops have been meeting jointly once a year for the last 12 years. The Anglican Church of Canada and the ELCIC have been in Full Communion since 2001.