THE 145th SYNOD OF THE DIOCESE OF NIAGARA CONVENING CIRCULAR to be held on Friday, November 8 & Saturday November 9, 2019 Registration Begins at 8:00 am Synod Proper Session Begins at 9:00am on at the The Lincoln Alexander Centre 160 King Street East, Hamilton Table of Contents GREETINGS FROM THE SECRETARY OF SYNOD ............................................................................................ 3 AGENDA FOR THE 145th SYNOD OF THE DIOCESE OF NIAGARA .............................................................. 4 Friday, November 8, 2019 ............................................................................................................................ 4 Saturday, November 9, 2019 ....................................................................................................................... 5 2019 SYNOD RESOLUTIONS/NOTICES OF MOTION ................................................................................. 6 ORGANIZATIONAL MATERIALS ............................................................................................................ 11 How to Format and Speak to a Resolution ................................................................................................ 11 SYNOD MINUTES ................................................................................................................................ 12 Minutes of the 2nd Session of the 144th Synod of the Diocese of Niagara ................................................. 12 BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................... 20 Information on Proposed Canon Changes ................................................................................................. 20 Declaration of a Climate Emergency Motion ............................................................................................. 21 REPORTS OF THE BISHOP’S COMMITTEES ............................................................................................ 23 The Bishop’s Advisory Committee on Church Buildings ............................................................................ 23 The Bishop’s Decennial Inspection Committee ......................................................................................... 25 The Bishop’s Advisory Committee on Property Renewal .......................................................................... 26 SYNOD COUNCIL ................................................................................................................................. 27 2019 Diocesan Synod Council Membership .............................................................................................. 27 Report of the Diocesan Synod Council....................................................................................................... 28 REPORTS OF SYNOD COUNCIL COMMITTEES ....................................................................................... 31 The Financial Advisory Committee ............................................................................................................ 31 The Finance/Budget Subcommittee .......................................................................................................... 32 The Insurance/Risk Management Subcommittee ..................................................................................... 33 The Audit Committee ................................................................................................................................. 34 The Investment Subcommittee ................................................................................................................. 35 The Human Resources for Ministry Committee ........................................................................................ 36 FINANCIAL INFORMATION .................................................................................................................. 37 2018 Audited Financial Statements ........................................................................................................... 37 2020 Proposed Budget ............................................................................................................................... 59 Accounts Receivable to September 30 2019 ............................................................................................. 65 SEPARATELY INCORPORATED BODIES .................................................................................................. 67 The Anglican Church Ministries Foundation, Niagara ............................................................................... 67 OTHER REPORTS ................................................................................................................................. 68 The Diocesan Archivist ............................................................................................................................... 68 The Greening Niagara Committee ............................................................................................................. 69 The Niagara Anglican Publication Board .................................................................................................... 70 The Diocesan Refugee Sponsorship Initiative ............................................................................................ 71 The Cathedral Place Property Management Committee .......................................................................... 72 MEMBERS OF SYNOD .......................................................................................................................... 73 Page | 2 GREETINGS FROM THE SECRETARY OF SYNOD Dear friends, I am looking forward to welcoming you to the 145th synod of our diocese which will be held on Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9! Our annual synod is a time to gather as a diocesan family for the building up of our Church through the discernment we will undertake, the decisions we will make, the sharing we will do, the relationships we will strengthen, and the prayers we will offer to God. This year's synod theme is drawn from psalm 96, "Sing to the Lord a new song." Chosen by Bishop Susan Bell, it reflects a diocesan focus on renewal and our work towards a new mission action plan. In addition to a charge by our own bishop, we are delighted to welcome the Right Reverend Bill Cliff, Bishop of Brandon, as our featured speaker. There will also be some canon changes to consider, ministry stories and highlights to share, a budget to approve, an important presentation by the Mission Action Plan leadership committee and enriching worship to nourish us and root us in the Gospel of Jesus. I’m so grateful to both the agenda committee and the worship planning group for their outstanding work! On the first day of synod, registration will take place in the foyer of the Lincoln Alexander Center, beginning at 8:00 am. There you will be warmly welcomed and receive your nametag, voting card, and any other information required for your participation at synod. Lunch is included on both days. If you haven’t already, please be sure to call Mary Anne Grant at 905-527-1316 extension 380 by Thursday October 24 with any dietary restrictions. Also, don’t forget to bring a reusable water bottle. The Lincoln Alexander Centre (located at 160 King Street East in Hamilton) is a new venue for our synod; at this site you will enjoy excellent sight lines, professional sound and audio, and cushioned chairs with fold-out writing tables. We will also have space for displays from our partners in ministry. All this, and we expect the per delegate cost of synod should be comparable, if not less, to previous two-day synods. Lastly, thank you for serving as a member of synod! Whether this is your first or fifteenth synod, I hope you will find it to be a spiritually invigorating and rewarding experience! I am really looking forward to working with you and supporting this important governance function in the life of our diocese. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me ([email protected] or 905-527-1316 ext. 330) if I can be of assistance as you prepare for our synod. Sincerely, The Reverend Canon Bill Mous Secretary of Synod & Director of Administration Page | 3 AGENDA FOR THE 145th SYNOD OF THE DIOCESE OF NIAGARA “Sing to the Lord a new song” ~ Psalm 96:1 Friday, November 8, 2019 The Lincoln Alexander Centre, Hamilton 8:00 Registration 9:00 Gathering Worship with Bishop’s Charge to Synod 10:00 Organizing Synod o Territorial Acknowledgement o Credentials Committee Report Motion 1 o Welcome to New Members of Synod & Guests o Privileges of the House o Election of Honorary Clerical and Lay Secretaries of Synod Motion 2 o Approval of Minutes of the 2nd Session of the144th Synod of Motion 3 Niagara o Notices of Motion Motion 4 o Agenda Committee Report Motion 5 o Reception of All Reports o Announcements 10:20 Presentation of Arms to the Right Reverend Susan Bell 10:30 Break 10:50 Mission Action Plan Presentation Motion 6 11:40 Report of the 42nd General Synod 11:55 Ministry Moment: Migrant Farmworkers Ministry 12:00 Lunch with regional caucus meetings to select synod council nominees 1:30 Ministry Moment: Chinese Anglican Ministry 1:35 Canonical Changes o Repeal of Canon 1.10, Regional Councils Motion 7 o Revision of Canon 2.5, Concerning a Solicitor for the Synod Motion 8 o Repeal of Canon 2.8, Diocesan Loan Funds Motion 9 1:50 “Tempest Tossed, … or not?” - Bishop Bill Cliff 2:30 Break 2:50 Ministry Moment: