MINUTES OF THE THIRTY-EIGHTH SESSION
OF THE GENERAL SYNOD
JUNE 19 – 25, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Joint Anglican / Lutheran Day
Anglicans and Lutherans were welcomed to the Winnipeg Convention Centre by the Rev. Dr. Richard Leggett . The theme for the day was ‘Water’ – the water of baptism and issues relating to water in today’s world. Everyone participated in the Celebration of the Eucharist and combined table groups discussed what they knew, or didn’t know, about each other’s churches.
The theme speaker was Dr. Sallie McFague, Distinguished Theologian in Residence at the Vancouver School of Theology, well known as an eco-theologian and activist in the movement to “green” the Church.
National Aboriginal Day
This “Day” was celebrated by nine Canadian church organizations commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the 1987 ecumenical statement entitled “A New Covenant”.
At a ceremony held during the Joint Anglican / Lutheran Meeting, Church leaders (including Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, Evangelical Lutheran Bishop Raymond Schultz and Roman Catholic Archbishop James Weisgerber) renewed their commitment to the Covenant in support of aboriginal peoples’ continuing struggle for justice and self-determination.
In Memoriam – Mr. Joseph Harvey
The Primate advised that Mr. Joseph Harvey, an exhibitor at General Synod from Split Lake in the Diocese of Keewatin, had died suddenly in a Winnipeg Hospital at 12.15 p.m. today. Synod members observed one minute of silence in his memory and a prayer was offered for his life and service. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Welcome to Partners
The Rt. Rev. Patrick Mwachiko
The Director of Partnerships, Dr. Eleanor Johnson, introduced and welcomed Bishop Mwachiko from the Diocese of Masasi, Tanzania, and he addressed Synod members. (See Appendix H)
The Rt. Rev. Pie and Mrs. Clavera Ntukamazina
Ms. Cheryl Curtis, the Director of PWRDF, introduced Pie Ntukamazina, Bishop of Bujumbura, Burundi. He thanked the Anglican Church of Canada for its continuing support during times when his country was “in trouble”, noting that “a good friend” is someone who appears when you are in danger.
Mrs. Ntukamazina reported on the work of the Mothers’ Union, which is undertaking educational, medical, restoration and recovery work following the Civil War in Burundi.
The Primate thanked everyone for their presentations.
Election of the Prolocutor – Results of the First Ballot
| Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews | 79 |
| Archdeacon Bruce Bryant-Scott | 15 |
| Dean Terry Dance | 20 |
| Ms. Heather Dixon | 11 |
| Canon Robert Falby | 59 |
| Ms. Suzanne Lawson | 47 |
| Rev. Dr. Richard Leggett | 28 |
| Dean James Merrett | 7 |
| Rev. Robert Towler | 18 |
| Total number of ballots | 284 |
The name of the nominee with the lowest number of votes was dropped and Archdeacon Bryant-Scott and Ms. Dixon requested that their names be removed, leaving six names on the 2nd ballot. Ballots were distributed and collected.
Resolution
Report of the Windsor Report Response Group
Moved by: Bishop Colin Johnson
Seconded by: Archdeacon Peter Fenty
That this General Synod endorse the report of the Windsor Report Response Group, as adopted by the Council of General Synod (March 2007), and that the following be forwarded, along with the report, to the Anglican Communion Office and the Provinces of the Anglican Communion.
The Anglican Church of Canada:
- reaffirms its commitment to full membership and participation in the life, witness and structures of the Anglican Communion;
- reaffirms its commitment to the Lambeth Quadrilateral, as received by our church in 1893;
- expresses its desire and readiness to continue our participation in the ongoing life of the Communion through partnerships and visits, theological and biblical study, in order to foster Communion relationships, including the Listening Process and the development and possible adoption of an Anglican Covenant;
- reaffirms its mutual responsibility and interdependence with our Anglican sisters and brothers in furthering the mission of the church;
- notes that, in response to the Windsor Report, the Diocese of New Westminster expressed regret, and the House of Bishops effected a moratorium on the blessing of same-sex unions;
- calls upon those archbishops and other bishops who believe that it is their conscientious duty to intervene in Provinces, dioceses and parishes other than their own to implement paragraph 155 of the Windsor Report and to seek an accommodation with the bishops of the dioceses whose parishes they have taken into their own care; and
- commits itself to participation in the Listening Process and to share with member churches of the Communion the study of human sexuality which continues to take place, in the light of Scripture, tradition and reason.
Amendment
Moved by: Rev. Henry Dunbar
Seconded by: Rev. Gene Packwood
That the word ‘endorse’ in paragraph 1 be changed to ‘receive’.
- That the following words be added at the end of item #1:
and commits to adhere to the principles and provisions of the Windsor Report, and urges all dioceses to do so, including:
a) upholding Lambeth Resolution 1.10 as the current standard of Anglican teaching on the matter; and
b) upholding a moratorium on the blessing of same sex unions.- That the following new paragraph #6 be added and the paragraphs #6 and #7 be renumbered as #7 and #8 as follows:
6. shall urge all dioceses, notwithstanding the previous practice of any diocese, to comply with the moratorium.
Suspension of Debate
Debate was suspended by the Primate to permit the reporting of the results of the 2nd ballot for the Prolocutor.
Election of the Prolocutor – Results of the Second Ballot
| Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews | 109 |
| Dean Terry Dance | 16 |
| Canon Robert Falby | 74 |
| Ms. Suzanne Lawson | 58 |
| Rev. Dr. Richard Leggett | 21 |
| Rev. Robert Towler | 13 |
| Total number of ballots | 291 |
The name of the nominee with the lowest number of votes was dropped and Dean Dance requested that his name be removed from the 3rd ballot, leaving four names on the ballot. Ballots were distributed and collected.
Resolutions
Report of the Windsor Report Response Group
Debate resumed on the amendment (as above).
The amendment was then put and -
DEFEATED
The original resolution was then put and -
Point of Personal Privilege
Bishop Michael Ingham rose to correct misinformation stated earlier in Synod – i.e. he advised that Resolution B001 re Blessing couples in covenanted same-sex unions was not submitted by him but had been submitted by the Diocesan Council of the Diocese of New Westminster. The Rev. David Parsons apologized to Bishop Ingham for his error.
Election of the Prolocutor – Results of the Third Ballot
| Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews | 131 |
| Canon Robert Falby | 90 |
| Ms. Suzanne Lawson | 60 |
| Rev. Dr. Richard Leggett | 9 |
| Total number of ballots cast | 290 |
The name of the nominee with the lowest number of votes was dropped and Ms. Lawson requested that her name be removed from the 4th ballot, leaving two names on the ballot. Ballots were distributed and collected.
Resolutions
ACC-13 Resolution 4
Bishop Moxley advised that this resolution had been deferred pending revision.
Council of the North Grants – Resources
Moved by: Archbishop Terrence Buckle
Seconded by: Bishop David Ashdown
That the General Synod undertake to provide the necessary resources in stewardship and congregational development to assist all Council of the North dioceses to move as close as possible to self-sufficiency.
Election of the Prolocutor – Results of the Fourth Ballot
| Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews | 156 |
| Canon Robert Falby | 133 |
| Total number of ballots | 289 |
The Primate declared that the Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews was elected Prolocutor.
Dr. Andrews is the President and Vice-Chancellor of Thorneloe University in Sudbury, Ontario, in the Diocese of Algoma.
Ms. Bonnie Anderson extended appreciation to retiring Prolocutor, Dean Peter Elliott, for his service and friendship and presented an invitation to Dr. Andrews to attend the next Episcopal Church National Convention.
Dean Elliott congratulated Dr. Andrews and thanked all nominees for the position of Prolocutor for allowing their names to stand for election.
Nominations for the Position of Deputy Prolocutor
Bishop Moxley called for nominations for this position and announced that the deadline was
9.00 p.m. on Friday, June 22, 2007.
Review of Election Procedures for the Primatial Election
Dean Elliott reviewed in detail the procedures for the election of the new Primate, which would take place on Friday, June 22nd in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Winnipeg.
Evening Prayer
The session concluded with prayer and song, led by the Rev. Arthur Anderson (and others) of the Peguis First Nation, Manitoba.