General Synod 2007

MINUTES OF THE THIRTY-EIGHTH SESSION
OF THE GENERAL SYNOD
JUNE 19 – 25, 2007

FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2007

Primatial Election

Members gathered in the Church of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Eucharist was celebrated with Archbishop Andrew Hutchison presiding and Archbishop Tom Morgan preaching.

Following the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, General Synod reconvened with the Prolocutor, Dean Elliott, in the Chair. The Order of Bishops withdrew. The Order of Clergy was seated on the left and the Order of Laity was seated on the right. Ballot books were distributed to clergy and lay members.

The Prolocutor appointed the following and gave instructions on the balloting procedure:

Lay Scrutineers Clergy Scrutineers Assessors
Ms. Kathy Derksen Rev. Canon Maureen Crerar Dr. Beth Bilson
Dr. David Gould Archdeacon Dennis Drainville Canon Robert Falby
Captain Rob Marsh Archdeacon Patricia Johnston  

First Ballot

The first ballot was taken at 11.00 a.m. Names on the first ballot:

Bishop George Bruce Bishop Frederick Hiltz
Bishop Bruce Howe Bishop Victoria Matthews

The Prolocutor asked three times if all had voted and then declared the balloting closed.

The scrutineers counted the ballots. The Prolocutor announced the results.

Results of the First Ballot

  Clergy Laity
Bishop George Bruce
14
9
Bishop Frederick Hiltz
40
57
Bishop Bruce Howe
5
18
Bishop Victoria Matthews
56
54
Total
115
138

Point of Order

Mr. George Power raised a point of order with respect to the number of lay members of Synod registered to vote, as the report of the Credentials Committee listed 135 lay members and 138 lay ballots were counted. The Chancellor advised that there had been additional registrations by members after the initial report.

Second Ballot

The Prolocutor called for the second ballot at 11.30 a.m. He asked three times if all had voted and then declared the balloting closed.

The scrutineers counted the ballots. The Prolocutor announced the results.

Results of the Second Ballot

  Clergy Laity
Bishop George Bruce
1
4
Bishop Frederick Hiltz
49
69
Bishop Bruce Howe
1
5
Bishop Victoria Matthews
64
60
Spoiled Ballot
1
-
Total
116
138

The Prolocutor declared that, as Bishops George Bruce and Bruce Howe had each received less than 10% of the votes cast in the second ballot, their names would be dropped from the third ballot.

Third Ballot

The Prolocutor called for the ballot at 12.40 p.m. He asked three times if all had voted and then declared the balloting closed.

The scrutineers counted the ballots. The Prolocutor announced the results.

Results of the Third Ballot

  Clergy Laity
Bishop Frederick Hiltz
53
73
Bishop Victoria Matthews
62
64
Total
115
137

Request for Additional Nominations - Order of Laity

Moved by: Ms. Heather Dixon
Seconded by: Mr. Eric Parsons

That the Order of Laity requests further nominations from the Order of Bishops for the Office of Primate.

DEFEATED IN THE ORDER OF THE LAITY

Request for Additional Nominations - Order of Clergy

Moved by: Rev. David Parsons
Seconded by: Rev. Gregory Mercer

That the Order of Clergy requests further nominations from the Order of Bishops for the Office of Primate.

DEFEATED IN THE ORDER OF CLERGY

Fourth Ballot

The Prolocutor called for the fourth ballot at 1.15 p.m. He asked three times if all had voted and then declared the balloting closed.

The scrutineers counted the ballots. The Prolocutor announced the results.

Results of the Fourth Ballot

  Clergy Laity
Bishop Frederick Hiltz
56
75
Bishop Victoria Matthews
60
62
Total
116
137

Request for Additional Nominations - Order of Laity

Moved by: Ms. Angela Morgan
Seconded by: Ms. Cathy Hartsook

That the Order of Laity requests further nominations from the Order of Bishops for the Office of Primate.

DEFEATED IN THE ORDER OF THE LAITY

Fifth Ballot

The Prolocutor called for the fifth ballot at 1.40 p.m. He asked three times if all had voted and then declared the balloting closed.

The scrutineers counted the ballots. The Prolocutor announced the results.

Results of the Fifth Ballot

  Clergy Laity
Bishop Frederick Hiltz
60
81
Bishop Victoria Matthews
56
56
Total
116
137

 

At 2 p.m. the Prolocutor declared that an election had occurred.

Act 29

He thanked the scrutineers for their work.

The Prolocutor, Deputy Prolocutor and General Secretary delivered word of the election to the Order of Bishops. The Order of Bishops returned to the Church of the Holy Trinity to a standing ovation. The Primate presented Bishop Fred Hiltz and proclaimed him as the new Primate Elect. Bishop Hiltz accepted.

The Primate Elect addressed Synod and his remarks, in part, included the following:

I would like to express my appreciation to the other Primatial candidates. I will enter the Primacy with a great deal of trepidation, as it is a daunting and overwhelming task. I love this Church and I have always loved it. I pray to God that I will always give generously of myself to it. As I currently reside in the Eastern part of the country, I will need to get to know Central, Western and Northern Canada and, hopefully, I can arrange to spend plenty of time visiting the areas I do not know. I will work very hard to further the key initiatives that have already occurred in this Synod around the Church re-committing itself in wonderful ways to the Church in the North. I look forward to visiting the dioceses within the Council of the North and will do everything I can to support them.

I am a supporter of Full Communion with the ELCIC and will do my best to ensure that this relationship is deepened and nurtured at every level of the Church. I shall look forward to meeting the new National Bishop and continuing the relationship. I shall also do my best, with your help and prayers, to be a Primate who will draw the Church together, to keep members in dialogue and at the table, so that we may remain together in Christ.

My hope and prayer for our Church is that the world will be able to look at us as ‘gospel people’. Please pray for my wife and I as we prepare to leave Nova Scotia for Toronto.

The Primate Elect delivered the benediction.

The Primate, Archbishop Hutchison, thanked Synod for its work and advised that the Primate Elect would be installed as the 13th Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada in Winnipeg on June 25, 2007.

The Prolocutor thanked the Rector and parish members of the Church of the Holy Trinity for their kind generosity and hospitality.

Announcements

The General Secretary advised that the Diocese of Rupert’s Land had been invited to the Synod this afternoon for an Open House tour. He also reminded Synod members about the following deadlines:

The meeting reconvened in the Plenary Hall. The Primate was in the chair.

Orders of the Day

Mrs. Barbara Burrows presented the Orders of the Day, noting that nominations for Deputy Prolocutor had closed.

Youth Presentation

The National Youth Initiatives Coordinator, Judy Steers, presented details of youth initiatives which are happening at the National level, including:

The aim of these various initiatives is to resource, provide training for and encourage local parish and diocesan youth ministries.

Generation 2008, a National Youth Ministry Forum (for youth workers, youth ministry staff and clergy) was announced. It will be held in June 2008 and details are available at the website: www.generation.anglican.ca.

Bishop Moxley spoke in support of these “good news initiatives” which have sparked and encouraged youth ministry in her diocese (Nova Scotia and PEI). Bishop Moxley advised that Synod would be asked to authorize additional funding for youth initiatives from the General Synod budget.

Special Presentation to Bishop Charles Arthurson

Archbishop John Clarke and Bishop Anthony Burton made a special presentation to Bishop Charles Arthurson (Saskatchewan), the first indigenous Bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada who was attending his last General Synod. Some of the words used to describe “Charlie” were – sincere, honest, a friend, tireless, a pioneer of episcopal aboriginal ministry who performed his duties with sincere grace and patience. Bishop Arthurson responded in Cree and English and gave thanks to God for his health and his family. He advised Synod that he will celebrate his 70th birthday on July 3rd at the Calgary Stampede!

The Prolocutor took the Chair.

Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP) Presentation

Ms. Donna Bomberry, Coordinator for Indigenous Ministries, introduced the session. It commenced with a Drum Song by the Rev. Mervin Wolfleg during which all ACIP members and Partners entered the hall from the east, south, west and north.

The ACIP Co-Chairs (Rev. Gloria Moses and Archdeacon Sidney Black) welcomed everyone to this special ACIP event to celebrate the appointment (on January 4, 2007) of the first National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald. Ms. Bomberry provided the history and background since 1993 of the Indigenous Ministries’ Covenant Journey and the Primate welcomed Bishop MacDonald, his wife Virginia and their three children to the Anglican Church community in Canada.

Bishop MacDonald greeted Synod members in the native language of Alaska, saying that “you are all my relatives”. He paid tribute to all indigenous bishops in Canada – and to Bishop Charles Arthurson in particular – and reflected on the issue of indigenous peoples being treated like aliens in their own land. He quoted from the Book of Revelation (Chapter 3) about the words of the Holy One, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens (doors) that no one will shut and shuts (doors) that no one opens. He concluded with the hope that Jesus will be able to close a door to misery that no one will ever be able to open again.

Numerous visitors were acknowledged, including the Secretary General of the Anglican Indigenous Network, Mr. Malcolm Naea Chun from Hawaii.

Representatives of many First Nations’ groups and communities presented gifts to Bishop MacDonald, his wife and children. Each Synod member also received a gift.

The Primate resumed the Chair.

Nominating Committee – Nominees for Deputy Prolocutor

Bishop Moxley announced the following nominees and advised that biographical information would be available on Saturday morning:

Ms. Heather Dixon Canon Robert Falby
Mr. Matt Koovisk Captain Rob Marsh
Mrs. Sheila Vanderputten  

The nominators briefly introduced their candidates and all nominees introduced themselves to the members of Synod.

Announcement

Dean Peter Wall advised Synod that the Rev. Canon Susan Johnson had been elected National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.

Evening Prayer

The session concluded with prayers in the Taizé tradition.

 


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