Editorial: 3 Things to Keep in Mind at General Synod

So the countdown is on. Like that regular check-up you happily scheduled while leaving your dentist’s office, imagining that 12 months would never pass, so too GS 2010 is here whether we like it or not. Now, we’re sure it won’t be that bad. There will be many good things. Celebrating 300 years of ministry in the Diocese of Nova Scotia is a propitious event.  We are sure there will be many good addresses, and with a country as large as this, it is wonderful just to see and fellowship with Christians from across the country.

We do, of course, have hopes for what we would like to see. We would like to share three with you in ascending order of importance:

First, whether we consider the tale of decline in the once glorious Diocese of Quebec, the cutbacks in British Columbia, or the years of deficit spending at Church House, we must realise that we are facing a time of decline in the Anglican Church. General Synod needs to get ahead of this. From the national church office down cutbacks need to be made. Financial resources need to be left in parishes. General Synod should lead the way and demand less money from dioceses, which can then pass those savings on to the parishes. This is perhaps the time to reconsider expensive nine-day-long synods. This is a time for fiscal restraint.

Second, we must take seriously the call to act with integrity in relation to the covenant. The Archbishops of both the Indian Ocean and Uganda have written this past week, standing with Archbishop Mouneer Anis in his protest of TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada’s participation in the Communion. They are tired of TEC and the ACC on the one hand assuring them of their commitment to the Communion and on the other continuing with divisive activities. It is their consenting to the election of the Suffragan Bishop of Los Angeles, and not their perfunctory statements that speaks of TEC’s dubious commitment to the Communion. How will we demonstrate our commitment to the Communion at General Synod? 

Finally, and most importantly, we pray that General Synod will bring a renewed and increased commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is a great temptation in these times for us to become cynical about “The Church.” We think sometimes that it is power politics and not the Holy Spirit that is setting the direction of the Church. But God the Holy Spirit is at work.  He can and will work through the machinations of the Church -- he can make whole again this broken and fractured church. And He can call us back to our first love, and restore a waning church into gospel wholeness again. So let us pray that God will use General Synod 2010 to restore our church.

On a lighter note, if you are attending GS 2010 please say hello to us, and plan to come to our TAP party. We are much more fun when not inhibited by libel laws.