“Behold, I am doing a new thing.” – Isaiah 43: 18, 19
The 64th session of the Synod of the Diocese of Kootenay 2021 opening worship was live streamed by YouTube Thursday evening, May 13, Ascension Day. The Rt. Reverend Lynne E. McNaughton, Bishop presided. The theme of the Synod was from Isaiah 43: 18, 19 “Behold, I am doing a new thing.”
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vd3buTv4ai4
Opening Worship was broadcasted from The Cathedral of St. Michael and All Angels, Kelowna for the whole Diocese.
The Ascension of the Lord
Prelude: “Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier” (BWV 731) by Johann Sebastian Bach; Andrew Fraser, organ
The Opening Hymn: Alleluia! Sing to Jesus Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!
Text: William Chatterton Dix
Music: HYFRYDOL; Rowland Huw Prichard
Singers: The St Michael and All Angels Cathedral Choir: Michael Kalmuk, Penny Venables, Kamilla Vaski, Michael Treschow
Welcome: The Most Reverend Lynne McNaughton, Archbishop
Canticle: O Laughing Light, O First-Born of Creation (officiant: The Venerable Christine Ross)
Text: Phos hilaron; Greek hymn; para. Sylvia G. Dunstan
Music: PHOS HILARON; John R. Van Maanen
The Proclamation of the Word
Psalm 47 (officiant)
The First Lesson: Acts 1.1-11 (Penelope Johnson, St Edward the Confessor, Oliver
Canticle: Bless the Lord (The Song of the Three) (officiant)
The Second Lesson: Ephesians 1.15-23 (Sanford Braddock, St Mark’s, Kaslo
Canticle: A Song of Christ’s Appearing (1 Timothy 3.16; 6.15a, 16) (officiant)
Hymn Christ, Be Our Light
Text and Music: Bernadette Farrell (St Saviour’s Pro-Cathedral, Nelson)
The Gospel: Luke 24.44-53 (The Reverend Richard Simpson, St Saviour’s, Penticton)
The Charge to the Diocese of Kootenay: The Most Rev. Lynne McNaughton
Hymn Behold, Behold, I Make All Things New
Text and Music: John L. Bell
Singers: Joan Rubb, Norene Morrow, Andrew Fraiser (with Pippa Marie Reed)
Prayers of the People
The Reverend Elizabeth Lewis, Kootenay Summits
Hymn Go to the World
Text: Sylvia G. Dunstan
Music: ENGELBERG; Charles Villiers Stanford; descant and organ part, David Willcocks
Singers: The Cathedral Choir
Postlude: Allegro Thomas Arne Sarah Currie, organ (St. Saviour’s Pro-Cathedral, Nelson)
Friday, May 14 was organized by the Spiritual Development Committee as a day of prayer and a Day of Sacred Creation falling on the liminal day between Ascension and Pentecost.
The entire diocese was invited to: paint a picture, sew a quilt, take a retreat in your woodshop, create a composition, collage some images, get your hands dirty, craft with your children, engage your inner wordsmith, make music, bake bread to share, or plant some seeds…
Saturday, May 15 was the first day of Synod business and began with worship at noon. This was followed by orientation and protocols etc. Then the Primate, The Most Reverend Linda Nicholls, spoke about “Global and National Realities.”
This was followed by “Statistical Realities” (COVID and the Church Presentation), “Our Realities” (Financial Presentation); and a reflection by The Most Reverend Lynne McNaughton about “Our Spiritual Realities.” Delegates were then encouraged to discuss “Their Realities’.”
Voting then took place for Nominees for Diocesan Court; Nominees for Diocesan Council; Nominees for Provincial Synod; and Nominees for General Synod.
Afterwards there was a Memorial presentation followed by worship.
Sunday, May 16 was the concluding day of Synod. After noon worship the results of elections were announced. This was followed by a financial Q & A session. Debate and Resolutions followed.
Results from discussion groups on “Our Realties” were then presented. This was followed by a presentation on “Green Abbey.” Then Bishop Lynne McNaughton addressed Synod on “Where do we go from here?”
Afterwards group discussions took place and reported back regarding their view of the future. This was followed by a summary of the discussion.
The results of the resolutions and motions were announced. This was followed by the Bishop’s Concurrence and motion to Adjourn.
Resolutions:
RESOLUTIONS as of March 23, 2021 MOTION ONE: Revisions to Constitution, Canons and Rules of Order Proposed by: Mr. Peter Stafford; Seconded by: Mr. Geord Holland
BE IT RESOLVED THAT: (i) The existing Constitution, Canons and Rules of Order of the Diocese be REPEALED AND DELETED in their entirety, and (ii) The revised Constitution, Canons and Rules of Order, in the form of the documents presented to Synod and initialed for identification by the Chancellor of the Diocese, be APPROVED and SUBSTITUTED therefore. The current Constitution, Canons and Rules of Order can be found at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5754e78407eaa05442bcbd33/t/5cc1f9e5fa0d6061c2300f86/155621 6295546/Constitution+Rules+of+Order+Canons+2018.pdf
BACKGROUND:
- Pursuant to Canon 24(1) of the Canons of the Diocese, Diocesan Council established a Canons Revision Committee (the” Committee”) consisting of the Bishop, the Chancellor, the Executive Archdeacon, Mrs. Joan Bubbs and Mr Peter Stafford tasked with a review of the Constitution, Canons and Rules of Order of the Diocese;
- The General Secretary of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Ven. Alan Perry, agreed to assist the Committee in its review;
- The Committee recommended to Diocesan Council certain revisions to the Constitution, Canons and Rules of Order and on September 30th, 2020, Diocesan Council requested the Regions to consider such proposed revisions;
- On February 3rd, 2021 Diocesan Council considered the responses received from the North Okanagan Region and All Saints Anglican Church, Central Okanagan Region, and South Okanagan Region to the proposed revisions and approved further revisions to the Constitution, Canons and Rules of Order; and
- Pursuant to Canon 24(3) a draft of the Constitution, Canons and Rules of Order, incorporating all proposed revisions and initialed for identification by the Chancellor, was forwarded to the Secretaries of Synod on March 3rd, 2021 as part of a special meeting of Diocesan Council.
EXPLANATORY NOTES to the DRAFT REVISED CONSTITUTION, CANONS AND RULES OF ORDER CONSTITUTION: Virtually all dioceses across Canada have as their foundational documents a constitution, a set of canons and rules of order. The constitution typically makes provision for the structure, institutions and governance of the diocese while the canons typically provide for the way in which the functioning of diocesan institutions is carried out. Normally a higher voting threshold is required to effect an amendment to the Constitution. The existing Constitution of the Diocese of Kootenay was adopted many years ago and amounts essentially to a simple declaration of adherence to the fundamental principles, theological practices and liturgy of the Anglican Church of Canada. The Canons Revision Committee (“CRC”) examined whether a revision of the Constitution was in order and if so what changes should be made. The Ven. Alan Perry undertook a review of the forms of constitution of all the larger dioceses in Canada and the CRC found itself in agreement with his recommendation that our constitution be revised to be consistent with the forms of constitution adopted by most dioceses in Canada. In practice this initially involved moving all those provisions of the existing Canons and a few provisions in the Rules of Order, which more properly belonged in a constitution, to the existing Constitution. This major task was undertaken by Archdeacon Perry for which the CRC is most appreciative.
MOTION 2: Development of a Proposal for an Annual Synod MOVED BY: The Rev. Canon Nick Pang, SECONDED BY: Andrew Stephens-Rennie BE IT RESOLVED that this Synod request Diocesan Council (or a working group designated thereby) to create a proposal for an annual Meeting of the Synod of the Diocese of Kootenay, using all appropriate technologies at its disposal.
EXPLANATORY NOTE/BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The events of 2020/2021 have increased technology usage and comfort levels with virtual meetings across the Diocese of Kootenay. Appropriate technology is now in place in order to enable wide geographic areas to meet together. This motion was developed in the interest of promoting increased transparency, accountability, and mutual responsibility amongst those tasked with governing the Diocese as a whole, and the parishes who express the Diocesan mission locally. With available technologies, an annual synod could be developed at relatively low cost. We believe that in order to move forward in our missional life together as a Diocese we can and should take advantage of the resources at our disposal in order to intentionally set the mission of the Diocese of Kootenay before us on a more regular basis. Note that this is a change in practice, but not in canon, which currently dictates that “the Synod shall meet on a summons from the Bishop and at such time and place within the Diocese as the Diocesan Council shall direct.” (Canon 2.1 [April 2018 edition])
PRACTICALITIES: We envision a similar 3-year cycle as currently exists with a large, in-person, multi-day gathering every third year. This occasion would be best suited to setting a strategic vision for our common life together every triennium, and to equipping members of the Diocese of Kootenay with knowledge and skills needed in order to carry out that ministry. In each of the two intervening years we envision a single-day meeting of Synod conducted online. This would include all of the constitutionally mandated business of Synod and the presentation of a budget, with the intention of freeing up time in the in-person gatherings of synod in order to allow for a more mission-focused conversation. It would also provide more regular and consistent feedback amongst those tasked with governing the Diocese as a whole and the parishes who express this mission locally. This will increase connectivity and communication with regards to major decisions affecting the whole Diocese—all while keeping financial implications of gathering at a minimum.
MOTION 3: Diocesan Structure Working Group
Proposed by: Trevor Freeman; Seconded by: Monty Tuck
BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
- Diocesan Synod 2021 instruct Diocesan Council to appoint a Structure Working Group to review existing diocesan structures (including regions, the role of Worshipping Communities, and properties) and to advise the Archbishop and Diocesan Council on proposals for new and revised structures that serve Christ’s Mission in our Diocese now and in the generation to come, and
- a preliminary report be made to Diocesan Council no later than November 2021 with respect to whether the current structures serve our needs and are nimble enough to adjust to shifting ministry needs.
BACKGROUND:
The Diocese of Kootenay is blessed with rich resources. We have an abundance of property throughout our Diocese, we are in a healthy financial position, and we are rich in faithful people. We, like the world around us, are also faced with particular challenges. The question of how best to meet those challenges with our resources needs careful attention. Even more importantly, the question of how the Spirit is calling us to participate in God’s work needs prayerful attention.
The structural framework of the Diocese of Kootenay was set many years ago. The intervening years have seen adjustments and additions to that original framework. The structures we have inherited make certain assumptions about the life of the church and world. Those assumptions may no longer hold true. Given the ongoing change in both the church and the wider world it is timely to do a comprehensive review of our structures to see whether there might be a better way to serve and support our baptismal ministry. The current structures may or may not be up to the task. A review of those structures with an eye to re-structuring for our current and future needs is both timely and necessary.
The role of regional structures and property assets is to serve and support the baptismal ministry of the church. These structures do not exist for their own sake. The structures of the church were made for us, not us for them. We can change them as we need to. In order to do this well, however, we need a careful and thoughtful small group to look at how new ways of being church ought to inform the daily functioning of our organisation.
The priorities for a Diocesan Structure Working Group could include:
- a review of regional boundaries and whether non-geographical or other models of organization might be beneficial
- a review of diocesan property assets to ensure that the diocese is being a good steward of its resources
- a review of the relationship of Worshipping Communities to the wider diocese
