Ottawa hosts the North American Cathedral Deans’ Conference

Dean Beth Bretzlaff and a team from Christ Church Cathedral have been preparing for months the 2024 North American Cathedral Deans’ Conference, which will take place in Ottawa from April 18 to 21. The conference is held in a different city each year, and the last time the cathedral and dean hosted the conference was in 2007.

Dean Bretzlaff said that some members of the planning team helped with the 2007 conference, so they have the benefit of experience. 

“The theme is cathedral as meeting place,” she told Crosstalk. “Ottawa is from the Algonquin word adàwe, which means a safe place to trade, and so we are inviting them to come and bring their experiences, exchange stories and knowledge, and take home new connections and inspiration.” She added that the theme is also particularly apt because “we are meeting at the confluence of the Ottawa, the Rideau, and Gatineau Rivers, which feature on the cathedral crest and our new logo.”

The aim of the conference is to give deans from across North American the opportunity to network and get to know each other’s context, she said. “It’s very unique every year wherever you are.” 

Last year’s conference was hosted by the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., so Bretzlaff offered to host, with the idea that it would be good to go from one national capital to another. The conferences, however, will be very different in character and atmosphere. The conference in Washington was very political with many high-profile speakers, and the days were packed with events, the dean said, recalling that one of the days was a full 14 hours with no breaks. 

The team is aiming for a more relaxed atmosphere and structure this year.

Those who attended the Ottawa conference in 2007 visited the Governor General’s residence and Parliament, so Bretzlaff said this year’s conference won’t repeat those stops, but there is time built into the schedule for the guests to visit some sites of their own choosing. 

This year’s conference will begin on Thursday with registration of the expected 80 to 100 deans and partners, and an orientation for new deans, followed by evensong, at which Bishop Shane Parker will speak. “Since he was a dean for so long, he has lots of wisdom to share,” Bretzlaff said. “Albert Dumont, the Algonquin teacher in residence at our cathedral and advisor to our bishop, will offer an official welcome to the land at a dinner hosted by the bishop that evening,” she added. 

Friday will begin with morning worship for those who wish to attend. Cathedral parishioner Julia Thompson, who is an executive coach and has worked extensively in reconciliation and anti-racism, will speak. Then the deans will learn about this cathedral’s context and that of the diocese.

In the afternoon, the deans will be bused to the RCMP stables to watch a practice for the renowned musical ride and tour the stables. That will be followed by a bus tour of the National Capital Region.

The day will be capped off with dinner and a kitchen party featuring the band Cécilia, one of North America’s best fiddle acts with Celtic and Quebecois influences.

Saturday morning will again feature worship and then National Indigenous Archbishop Chris Harper will speak to the deans about the creation of the self-determining Indigenous church within the Anglican Church of Canada and other Indigenous concerns. Two of the deans who work closely with Indigenous communities will offer their experience as well.

After the annual meeting and group picture, the Canadian deans will meet over lunch. There may be time for special interest groups to meet before the deans are free to explore Ottawa that afternoon and evening. 

The conference will end with a full choral Eucharist on Sunday morning. “It’s going to be beautiful, with full choirs and amazing floral arrangements” said Bretzlaff. The Dean of Coventry Cathedral in England, the Very Reverend John Witcombe, is coming to the conference, and he will preach on Sunday morning. Coventry Cathedral is home to the Community of the Cross of Nails, a global network of about 260 churches including Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa, dedicated to the work of peacebuilding and reconciliation.