Welcome!
Welcome to the very first edition of the General Synod Times. As a member of General Synod 1998 there is a great deal of information that you will want to know as you prepare yourself for May 21 to 29, 1998. The General Synod Times will be one of the vehicles that will keep you up to date on how planning is proceeding, what items you can expect to see on the agenda, information about the General Synod site and other useful information. Copies of the GS Times are also being sent to others to provide info about GS.
Who’s Planning GS?
That’s a great question, thanks for asking! The Council of General Synod appointed a committee (The General Synod Planning Committee) to work with the General Secretary to develop the agenda and programming for General Synod. Members of the GSPC are Allen Box, Chair, Bishop Andrew Hutchison, Pamela McBeth, James Merrett, Dorothy Davies Flindall and Rendina Hamilton. A Worship Committee is busily working away on developing resources for daily bible reflection and worship, the Opening Eucharist, prayer vigil space and other elements that help to provide the grounding for all that we do at General Synod. Members of the Worship Committee include Elizabeth Hutchinson, Chair, Peter Hannen, Gordon Light, Barbara Malloch, Peter Wall, Paul Gibson, Patrick Wedd, and Gwenda Wells.
The Local Arrangements Committee will make sure that you get from the airport to McGill, help you get around the campus, and offer you a taste of Montreal hospitality that is guaranteed to make you want to come back for more! Members of the LAC include Brian Hammond, Chair, David Blunt, David Daniel, Carolyn Roper, Gordon Guy, Peter Hannen, Gwen Kearns, Pamela McBeth, Michael Pitts, Joan Shanks, Constance Middleton-Hope, Beverly Tidman, Wallace Sparling, Joan Shanks and Cynthia Hawkins.
The General Secretary, Jim Boyles, has the responsibility to "exercise a general oversight of the work of the General Synod....and make the necessary arrangements for meetings of General Synod." (according to Section III, part 16 of the Constitution). Pat Henshaw, Executive Assistant to the General Secretary provides an important support function keeping track of delegates, keeping Minutes of the GSPC and other administrative tasks.
A General Synod Coordinator, Jamie Tomlinson, has been contracted to (according to the Position Description) "co-ordinate the planning, preparation and facilitation of the 1998 General Synod in Montreal." In other words, if you have a question on just about anything related to General Synod, Jamie should know where to direct your query! Jamie is based in Ottawa but commutes regularly to Montreal and Toronto.
How’s The Agenda Coming Along?
Another excellent question! Developing an agenda for an event that happens once every three years over a period of nine days is no easy feat. It is important to accommodate time for the legislative work of the church, provide opportunities for members to meet and engage people from other parts of the country, allow for periods of hospitality and rest, build in occasions to encounter the people and ministries of the host diocese and discuss the issues that are important to us as a church and society.
The GSPC is very mindful that one of the hallmarks of the Strategic Plan, adopted by the 1995 General Synod, was that GS needed to be more consultative. Accordingly, the GSPC is using the theme (Lift Every Voice - Faisons Entendre Nos Voix) as a guiding principle in developing the program for Montreal. GS veterans will recognize terms such as "information dialogues" and other phrases that described sessions at which members simply received a report on a particular topic. In 1998 General Synod members will be given the opportunity to share their stories and engage others in dialogue. Rather than focus on a single topic, sessions will relate to the priorities of the Anglican Church of Canada. This approach will be a departure from what has happened at GS in the past but promises to be a unique way of engaging the issues that effect us all.
Preacher for Opening Service
Archbishop French Chang-Him, Metropolitan of the Seychelles, has accepted the Primate’s invitation to preach at the opening service. Archbishop Chang-Him will bring a unique perspective to General Synod. As the Archbishop of the Indian Ocean Chang-Him’s Episcopal ministry covers a scattered and culturally diverse province which includes Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles. When he was elected Archbishop, in 1984, French Chang-Him was only 46 years old making him the youngest Primate in the Anglican Communion.
Snipits of McGill
The McGill University campus, site of General Synod ‘98, is located in the heart of downtown Montreal. There will be plenty of space in the plenary hall with prayer vigil area, displays and other amenities close at hand. One of the extraordinary features of McGill is that it is carved into the side of a mountain. This means that GS members will have to "put on their climbing shoes" as they move from the residences to the cafeteria to the plenary and about to other areas.
The Local Arrangements Committee will provide transportation to events that are planned for venues off-campus such as the opening service and the diocesan banquet. Some form of shuttle service is being investigated to help folks around the campus.
Travel Arrangements
UNIGLOBE Vector Travel Inc. of Toronto has been appointed the central travel agent for GS. In an upcoming mailing you will receive specific information about booking your travel arrangements. There are many benefits that will be realized if we make use of the central agent, such as group discount rates and the receipt of free tickets for every prescribed number that are purchased. As an added incentive...two passes for travel within North America will be given to the winner of a draw taken from the names of those booking their air travel through UNIGLOBE Vector travel!
How to Reach Us
You can expect to receive bits of information about General Synod on a regular basis for the next several months! If at any time you have a question or concern about any aspect of General Synod please feel free to contact the General Secretary or the GS Coordinator at the numbers provided below:
Jim Boyles
Phone: (416) 924-9199 ext. 280
Fax: (416) 924-0211
e-mail: [email protected]
Jamie Tomlinson
Phone: (416) 924-9199 ext. 743
Fax: (416) 924-0211
Jamie’s Ottawa office:
phone: (613) 738-3131
fax: (613) 738-0770
e-mail: [email protected]