Join Us at Synod 2024
Dear friends in Christ,
We are just over one month away from Synod 2024 and I am very much looking forward to the gathering of our delegates from across the diocese at St. George’s Burlington on November 20th-22nd. For many, this is the only opportunity we have to see one another each year, making it a wonderful chance to encourage each other in our shared ministry of Jesus’ Gospel.
Our Theme
The theme of this year’s synod is “Let The Children Come To Me”, from Jesus words in Mark 10:13-16. And our ministry day on Wednesday the 20th, will focus on how we can strengthen and develop children and youth ministries in all our churches.
Our Time Together
As we approach Thanksgiving weekend, I invite you to pray for our upcoming synod and to give thanks. We thank God for St. George’s and their volunteers as they prepare to host us, for the healthy financial position of our diocese this year, for the children's ministers who will share at synod, and for the faithful Bible teachers–Canon Simon Manchester and Bishop Felix Orji– who will guide us in God’s word.
I believe it will be a rich blessing for us to worship together, to hear testimonies of Gospel ministry from across the continent, and to welcome visitors and newcomers into our diocese. We are also grateful for Canon David Roseberry, who will encourage and equip us in our financial generosity. And we will have the joy of commissioning our own Darrell Critch, the newly elected bishop of Mahajanga, Madagascar, along with his family.
A Flourishing Diocese
It is heartening to see that active attendance in our diocese has grown this year, reflecting our transformation from a fledgling network of churches into a faithful and flourishing Anglican diocese of Canada, one that will eventually multiply. At this synod we will therefore consider a long-overdue name change to better reflect that we have grown and matured into a strong diocesan family. I will share more details about the proposed name change soon.
Please continue to pray for us all and our diocese. Your prayers for this synod are vital and a precious gift as we seek to be faithful to Jesus in our gathering.
Come and Join Us
If you are an elected delegate to synod and have not yet registered, please do so by October 20th. We also warmly invite anyone who would like to join us to register as an observer by the 20th as well. It will be a joy to be together in Burlington next month.
May God bless and strengthen the mission of his church through our synod, to the glory of Jesus.
Yours faithfully,
+Dan
The Right Reverend Dan Gifford
Diocesan Bishop