Synod 2025 begins with evening Eucharist at the Cathedral

The 145th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa opened with a Eucharist service on the evening of Oct. 23, 2025, at Christ Church Cathedral.

The Rev. Dr. Christopher Brittain, Dean of Divinity at the University of Toronto’s Trinity College and recently appointed diocesan Canon Theologian, offered the homily. He quoted from Archbishop Shane Parker’s charge opening the 2024 Synod. “We must always remember that God is already at work in the world, and our task is to participate in God’s work by listening in a new way to the Holy Spirit.” He noted that those who heard those words last year were not expecting the change that began when Archbishop Parker was elected to lead the Anglican Church of Canada.

“As you gather as a Synod to discern together what the Holy Spirit is calling you to do as a church in this geographical region of God’s creation during a period of change and transition, I will offer you three points that I think Scripture is suggesting to us tonight.”

First, be prepared to be redirected.

Second, accept that this is going to be disruptive, so we better talk about this honestly together.

And thirdly, stay rooted during this time in God.

Elaborating on the third point, he said: “This is how we are to live in this period of time here in this diocese. Like James at the Council of Jerusalem, by keeping ourselves in the words we’ve heard sung so beautifully from Psalm 1, like trees planted by streams of water bearing fruit in due season. This is an image of resilience, of hope, of faith, of being able to withstand drought, withstand uncertainty, withstand frustration, due to remaining in intimate connection with God. Trust in God’s goodness, through prayer, through attention to the movement of the Spirit.”

He added, “I pray that during this Synod, we all might be sufficiently open to the Spirit that Christ can do many deeds of power in our midst or in what follows from the decisions that we make together.”

The service included the installations of the Rev. Canon Dr. Jon Martin to the Cathedral Canonry of St. James; the Rev. Dr. Christopher Brittain to the Cathedral Canonry of Saint Anselm of Canterbury and as Canon Theologian; and the Rev. Dr. Sarah Kathleen Johnson as an Honorary Canon. The Rev. Dr. Caz Ducros was commissioned as Regional Dean of West Quebec. The Rev. Dr. Thomas Brauer was commissioned as Regional Dean of the Southwest in absentia.

Bishop Michael Bird is the diocesan administrator until a new bishop is installed.