Synod 2023

The Diocese of Toronto’s 162nd Regular Session of Synod was held Nov. 17-18 at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North hotel in Richmond Hill. The theme was Cast the Net, after the diocese’s visioning and strategy process. Here are some of the highlights. For more information about any of these items, visit the Synod page of the diocese’s website, www.toronto.anglican.ca.

DAY 1

Synod starts with Eucharist and Bishop’s Charge
Synod started with a worship service that included a land acknowledgement and the Bishop’s Charge. The readings were read in English and Spanish and the gospel was read from First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament. Bishop Andrew Asbil based his charge on John 21, the scriptural passage that undergirds Cast the Net, the diocese’s visioning and strategy process. He spoke about the initiatives coming out of Cast the Net, including the Season of Spiritual Renewal, of which the Rev. Canon Dr. Judy Paulsen will be the coordinator. He spoke about his hopes for a companionship program between the Diocese of Toronto and the Diocese of Brasilia, and his hope for the diocese to engage in a capital campaign, with a feasibility study beginning in late 2024. He expressed his gratitude to all the clergy and lay leaders of the Diocese, staff and his wife Mary. For the complete charge, see pages 8-9.

Sponsors thanked
The honorary secretaries of Synod – Sheila Robson, ODT, the Rev. Canon Lisa Newland and Connie Kendall, ODT – thanked Synod’s sponsors, which generously contributed to offset the costs of the event. They included Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. and Canso Investment Counsel Ltd., AON and Design Werke, M&M Faith-Based Consulting, and Trinity College and Wycliffe College.

Synod approves council’s report
Synod approved Synod Council’s report to Synod. The report covers Synod Council’s activities from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. Highlights include the Cast and Learn grant program and the master agreement that sets out a process and fee structure and defines the framework for working with Kindred Works, a property developer.

Missional and Outreach Moment
These moments, held throughout Synod, highlight missional and outreach ministries that are happening in the diocese. In this moment, Synod watched a video on Hiking Church, a service and walk in which participants experience God through the great outdoors. Hiking Church was created by the Bishop’s Committee on Creation Care.

OHC Brothers receive standing ovation
Br. Reginald-Martin Crenshaw and Br. David Bryan Hoopes of the Order of the Holy Cross led mid-day prayers. Bishop Asbil informed Synod that the Holy Cross Priory was closing in May 2024 after several decades of service. The Brothers, including Br. Leonard Abbah, received a standing ovation for their faithful service over the years.

Synod endorses Cast the Net
After mid-day prayers and lunch, Synod heard a presentation about Cast the Net, the diocese’s visioning and strategy process that has been underway since the summer of 2022. The Cast the Net consultants and steering committee members were introduced. They included Canon Ian Alexander, the Very Rev. Peter Elliott, Canon Anita Gittens, the Rev. Canon Dr. Alison Falby, David Toycen, ODT, the Rev. Dr. Alvardo Adderley, Cormac Culkeen, the Rev. Canon Andrew Federle, Tina George, Eirene Wee and the Rev. Deborah Wilson. The presentation included a video about Cast the Net and its vision. At the heart of the vision is The Good News of Jesus Christ. We are followers of Jesus Christ, whose Good News is the joy and challenge at the heart of our common life. Surrounding the core are four other aspects of the vision:

• Renewing Spirituality. We are renewed daily in our spiritual lives and share our faith with others.
• Inspiring Faith in Action. We seek justice for all, walk alongside those in need, and respond with loving service and prophetic advocacy.
• Reimagining Ministry – both lay and ordained. We support and encourage faithful and fruitful ministry by all who serve the life of the Church.
• Transforming Diocesan Culture. We live and work as the Body of Christ, each member connected to the whole, and each valued for their unique gifts.

Cast the Net’s vision and its 20 calls can be summed up in one line, which is both invitational and imperative: Followers of Jesus, inspired by the Holy Spirit, serve the world God loves! Synod heard that the calls are to all parts of the diocese, not just the Synod Office or the parishes. Synod learned about the timetable for Cast the Net, its listening process and the 20 calls. Synod adopted the following motion: “It is moved by the Rev. Canon Dr. Alison Falby and seconded by Dave Toycen, ODT, that this Synod endorse the vision and calls for the diocese developed through the Cast the Net diocesan-wide consultation process; and delegate to Synod Council, working with the Cast the Net team, the completion of a final report and detailed recommendations, for distribution throughout the diocese in the first quarter of 2024.”

Synod hears about Pilot Governance Project
Chancellor Marg Creal made the following presentation: “If you attended the Pre-Synod meeting, I appreciate your patience as I repeat some important information, as I believe it is crucial for all members to hear. Our journey spans seven years, and I’ll walk you through the timeline:

• 2017: The Governance and Decision-Making Working Group was established under the strategic plan, Growing in Christ 2016-2021.
• 2019: The Working Group’s report and recommendations were considered by Synod. A motion for a pilot project was approved in principle, but changes to The Constitution were defeated. The matter was referred to the next Regular Session of Synod.
• 2021: Synod approved motions allowing changes to the diocese’s governance structure. The two-year pilot project included: amalgamation of Diocesan Council and Executive Board into Synod Council; Synod Council, consisting of 25-27 members; formation of five committees: Audit, Finance, Property, Human Resources, and Risk and Governance; amalgamation of existing committees; delegation of decision-making authority to committees with parameters set by Synod and Synod Council.
• 1, 2022: Synod Council was established, and all five committees were operational.
• February 2022: Synod Council approved a policy defining decision-making authority for Synod Council and its committees.
• June 2022: Governance structure evaluation was initiated by Joy Packham, ODT, and Robert Hart, ODT, with positive responses and support for the Synod Council structure.
• November 2022: Synod received the Governance Review report.
• May 2023: A further Governance Review was submitted, recommending Synod Council’s permanence, pending clear communication to the diocese about its structure and the committees’ structure and mandate.

Synod adopted the following motion: “It is moved by Sheila Robson, ODT, and seconded by the Rev. Canon Lisa Newland that Synod receive the Governance Review report dated May 12, 2023.”

Synod approves Constitution and Canon changes
Chancellor Marg Creal made the following presentation. “The Constitution and Canons Committee diligently considers amendments or revisions to the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese as they arise and reports on how best such revisions or amendments may be incorporated into the Constitution and Canons. A summary of the proposed changes are as follows:

“Changes to The Constitution s. 15(4) and Canon 13 s. 4(6)(a) are being made to add the Executive Director as a secondary signing officer when the Treasurer and Director of Finance is unavailable. There is also a housekeeping change in Canon 13 to replace ‘Area’ with ‘Suffragan.’

“As a result of making the new governance changes permanent, s. 35 of The Constitution, and Canons 2, 5, 31, 36, 37, 39 all have proposed revisions. Additionally, it is proposed that Canon 3 be deleted in its entirety.

“And finally, as our diocese grows into its new structure, comprised of five archdeaconries instead of the traditional four episcopal areas, there are a couple of instances where we need to suspend canons to allow for flexibility.”

Synod approved the following motions dealing with the Constitution and Canons:

• Motion #5A: It is moved by Chancellor Marg Creal and seconded by Vice Chancellor Paul Baston that Synod approve the changes to The Constitution, as recommended for approval by Synod Council and presented in the Convening Circular.
• Motion #5B: It is moved by Chancellor Marg Creal and seconded by Vice Chancellor Paul Baston that Synod approve the changes to Canon 13 as recommended for approval by Synod Council and presented in the Convening Circular.
• Motion #5C: It is moved by Chancellor Marg Creal and seconded by Vice Chancellor Paul Baston that Synod approve the changes to The Constitution, s.35, Canons 2, 5, 31, 36, 37, 39, and delete Canon 3 in its entirety, as they relate to implementing the new governance structure, as recommended for approval by Synod Council and presented in the Convening Circular.
• Motion #5D: It is moved by Chancellor Marg Creal and seconded by Vice Chancellor Paul Baston that Synod approve the changes to The Constitution, s.3(17) and suspend Canons 43 and 44 until the next Regular Session of Synod, as they relate to areas and area council, as recommended for approval by Synod Council and presented in the Convening Circular.
• Motion #5E: It is moved by Chancellor Marg Creal and seconded by Vice Chancellor Paul Baston that Synod approve the changes to Canon 14 as recommended for approval by Synod Council and presented in the Convening Circular.

Missional and Outreach Moment
Synod watched a video about the Scarborough Steeplechase, a 10 km scavenger hunt starting at Holy Trinity, Guildwood and ending at St. Timothy, Agincourt. The steeplechase involves several church teams and raises funds for PWRDF.

Synod members attend breakout groups
Synod members attended breakout groups on the following subjects: wills, estates and tax – why we all need an end-of-life plan; discerning vocations; where have all the volunteers gone?; children’s ministry conversation starters; Lusophone ministry in the Diocese of Toronto and the Diocese of Brasilia; regional ministry approaches; parish finances; and property mandate from Synod.

Banquet features guest speaker
Synod enjoyed a dinner, and the Rt. Rev. Maurício Jose Araujo De Andrade, bishop of the Diocese of Brasilia, was the guest speaker. Bishop Andrade brought greetings from the people of the Diocese of Brasilia. He spoke about his hopes for the companionship program between the Diocese of Toronto and the Diocese of Brasilia. “Partnership is our strength,” he said, adding that the dioceses can do much together to serve their communities. He spoke about the diversity of both dioceses and the mission of God in their communities. “Our mission is to announce the Church of God to the world of God.” For the full story, see Page 11.

New canons announced
Bishop Asbil named the following as honorary canons of St. James Cathedral:

• The Rev. Canon Julie Burn, Church of the Resurrection
• The Rev. Canon Andrea Christensen, St. Timothy, Agincourt
• The Rev. Canon Alison Falby, All Saints, Sherbourne St.
• The Rev. Canon Andrew Federle, St. Clement, Eglinton
• Canon Anita Gittens, St. Paul the Apostle, Rexdale
• The Rev. Canon David Bryan Hoopes, Order of the Holy Cross
• Canon Janet Marshall, director of Congregational Development
• The Rev. Canon Rob Mitchell, St. Olave, Swansea
• The Rev. Canon Lisa Newland, Christ Church, Stouffville
• The Rev. Canon Jesse Parker, St. John the Evangelist, Port Hope
• The Rev. Canon Mark Regis, St. Mary and St. Martha
• The Rev. Canon Kevin Wong, All Saints, Markham

Day concludes with prayer
The first day of Synod concluded with prayers led by the Bishop’s Youth Ministry Committee.

DAY 2

Financial statements approved
After Morning Prayer led by the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine, Synod reconvened and received the audited financial statements for the Incorporated Synod of the Diocese of Toronto and the Cemetery Fund for 2022. Synod also approved the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP, chartered accountants, to conduct the audit of the financial statements for the year ended Dec. 31, 2023, at a fee to be approved by the Audit Committee.

Priorities and Plans approved
Synod members watched a presentation of the Diocese’s Priorities and Plans for the next two years and the financial budgets for 2024 and 2025. Synod approved the following motion: “It will be moved by Sheila Robson, ODT and seconded by the Rev. Canon Lisa Newland that Synod receive the document entitled Priorities and Plans 2024 & 2025 and approve the priorities and the financial budget contained therein and that Synod Council report back to Synod on this plan. It will be further moved that Synod approve that the Assessment Rate, as defined in Canon 4, remain at 24.7% for 2024 and 2025.”

Missional and Outreach Moment
Synod watched a video about The Common Table, Church of the Redeemer’s drop-in community.

Members elected
Synod elected the following members to Synod Council, Provincial Synod and General Synod:

Synod Council

Synod Council generally exercises the executive powers of Synod between sessions except those of a legislative character. The 25-member governance body meets monthly to carry on the work of Synod. Elected members hold office from the conclusion of the meeting of Synod in which they were elected until the conclusion of the next Regular Session of Synod, usually a three-year term. Synod elected the following:

• The Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Fields (St. James Cathedral)
• The Rev. Lucia Lloyd (St. John, Bowmanville)
• The Rev. Graham McCaffrey (St. Dunstan of Canterbury)
• The Rev. Mark Regis (St. Mary & St. Martha, Toronto)
• The Rev. Philip Stonhouse (St. Matthew, Islington)
• Lawrence Barker (St. Luke, Burnt River)
• Heather McGregor, ODT (St. Mary Magdalene)
• David Toycen, ODT (Trinity Church, Streetsville)
• Canon Laura Walton, ODT (Holy Trinity, Clearview)
• Eirene Wee (St. Paul, Bloor Street)
• Adam Nymann (St. John the Evangelist, Peterborough), youth member

General Synod

General Synod meets every three years, and the term of office for a member is three years. The term of office begins at the General Synod in 2025 and continues until the next General Synod. The Diocese of Huron will host the next General Synod in London, Ont. The following were elected:

• The Rev. Canon Philip Der (St. Christopher)
• The Rev. Yohan Dumpala (St. John the Baptist, Norway)
• The Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Fields (St. James Cathedral)
• The Rev. Lucia Lloyd (St. John, Bowmanville)
• The Rev. Canon Nicola Skinner (Grace Church, Markham)
• The Rev. Brian Suggs (All Saints, Kingsway)
• The Rev. Canon Claudette Taylor (Epiphany and St. Mark, Parkdale)
• Chancellor Marg Creal, KC, (Church of the Redeemer, Bloor Street)
• Finn Keesmaat-Walsh (Redeemer, Bloor Street)
• Yvonne Murray, ODT (Holy Wisdom)
• Noah Skinner (Grace Church, Markham)
• David Toycen, ODT (Trinity Church, Streetsville)
• Mary Walsh, ODT (St. John the Baptist, Oak Ridges)
• Canon Laura Walton, ODT (Holy Trinity, Clearview)
• Logan Liut (St. Thomas, Huron Street), youth member

Provincial Synod

The next Session of the Provincial Synod will take place in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., hosted by the Diocese of Algoma during the week of Sept. 24, 2024 (exact dates not confirmed). The Provincial Synod meets every three years and the term of office is for three years beginning at Provincial Synod 2024. The Provincial Synod meets and considers matters of interest in the provincial sphere such as theological education, social issues, government relations, chaplaincies, and vocational diaconate ministries. The following were elected:

• The Rev. Canon Kit Greaves (Christ Memorial, Oshawa)
• The Rev. Dr. Alison Kemper (St. Matthias, Bellwoods)
• The Rev. Brian Suggs (All Saints, Kingsway)
• The Rev. Graham McCaffrey (St. Dunstan of Canterbury)
• Karen Beckles (Epiphany & St. Mark, Parkdale)
• Ryan Ramsden, ODT (Grace Church, Scarborough)
• Susan Schuschu, ODT (St. John, East Orangeville)
• Canon Laura Walton, ODT (Holy Trinity, Clearview)
• Noah Skinner, Grace Church, Markham (youth member)

Substitutes

• Finn Keesmaat-Walsh (Church of the Redeemer, Bloor St.)
• Lawrence Barker (St. Luke, Burnt River)

Missional and Outreach Moment
Synod watched a video from All Saints, Peterborough about its various ministries and activities.

Motion withdrawn
A motion dealing with the development of affordable housing by the diocese was withdrawn by its mover as Synod ran out of time to discuss it. Bishop Asbil said he would ask Synod Council to explore other ways that the diocese can address the issue of affordable housing development.

Guest speaker reflects
Bishop Maurício Andrade said he enjoyed being at Synod and looked forward to the Diocese of Brasilia and the Diocese of Toronto working and sharing together in a companionship program.  He invited Bishop Asbil and Anglicans to visit his Diocese.

Honorary secretaries elected
The following were elected honorary secretaries of Synod for the ensuing two-year term; the Rev. Canon Lisa Newland, honorary clerical secretary; Constance Kendall, ODT, honorary lay secretary; the Rev. Jason Prisley, assistant honorary clerical secretary.

Bishop gives closing remarks
In his closing remarks, Bishop Asbil thanked all those who worked on and participated in Cast the Net. Like the disciples on the beach in John 21, “we have been through the turbulence but God is calling us into a new way together,” he said. “Meeting here together has been an absolute tonic to the soul. To hear the chatter and buzz and excitement of Anglicans coming together after so long has been such a gift, and to know that we have a lot of work to do in our communities large and small across the diocese, and to pledge that we will move together and change together and grow together to become the next self that will be built on trust and working together as communities.” Bishop Asbil thanked all those who made Synod possible. He also thanked Sheila Robson, ODT, who was stepping down from her role as honorary lay secretary of Synod at the conclusion of this session. She has served in this capacity since 2021.

Synod concludes
Synod concluded with a prayer.