Bishop-elect Kathryn Otley kindly shared her answer with Perspective.

I am honoured to have the opportunity to respond to the question. The first gift I will highlight is the style of leadership I practice: non-anxious leadership. In times of great change there is great anxiety, and people respond reactively, taking a defensive posture, stymying growth. A bishop, by setting a tone of calm composure, helps to settle the atmosphere, empowering people to react responsively, with thought. And an environment is created in which we are able to accomplish our tasks.

The gift of working well with others — more than simply collaborative: as it says in Ephesians: God gives us grace… to equip God’s people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ. I “equip God’s people” by encouraging others to bring forward their ideas, and I recognize their contributions. A bishop celebrates this rich diversity of gifts — the abundance of God’s grace working through each of us. I have a gift of recognizing leadership qualities both clerical and lay. It is a Bishop’s role to raise up leaders- supporting and empowering their ministry.

The gift of fostering partnerships is crucial in our changing context. In my service across the ecclesiastical province and the county, I developed a gift of connecting with other dioceses, bishops, clergy, and laity. I have partnered with non-profit and for-profit organizations, with ecumenical and interfaith partners, and municipal and federal organizations. As bishop, I’d offer the gift of experience in negotiating with prospective partners, communicating clearly our Anglican perspective, identifying our shared goals and learning from their experience.

God gives direction, we need to map the course. A bishop must keep the diocesan ministry direction aligned with its purpose, set clear goals, make decisions, be accountable.

When working with wider church councils, I learned to focus on what is most appropriate to address at each level. I share that gift here: there are so many tasks before us, without focus the result will be scattered, make no impact, we could become discouraged. I offer the gift of setting priorities at diocesan level; then empowering clergy at work in parishes, with their congregations, to minister in their communities.

The bishop must carry out complex decisions and make hard choices which can result in conflict. An important part of healthy growth and change, conflict is not to be avoided. The gift of addressing conflict is necessary for bishop. I have the gift of experience in dealing with conflict; listening, reflecting with colleagues and then enacting decisions with compassion and firmness. I take responsibility for decisions and when I make a mistake, I learn from it.

Gift of perspective (two ways):

1. In my various diocesan leadership roles, I developed a broad perspective of the many facets of our diocese: rural, suburban, village, town and city. This is an important gift for a bishop, who will face issues of employment, governance, finance, pastoral and property —and must deal with them contextually.
2. A bishop also represents our Diocese to whole church. While working at the provincial level I received the gift of perspective from outside our diocese — seeing us through eyes of wider church —learning what we, ADO [the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa], uniquely have to offer and how we can combine our strengths to drive change, through raising awareness, advocacy and action.

It is the role of bishop to teach and there is a thirst for knowledge, for expanding our understanding of faith & our call to serve God. As bishop, I would share my gift of the joy of teaching and learning. I would facilitate teaching, my own and others’, throughout our diocese.

The bishop is the chief pastor exercising gifts of listening, presence, prayer, and support. My pastoral support of parishioners and colleagues is a gift I offer and a key skill a bishop needs in navigating the often-delicate relationships in ministries. This includes the gift of setting boundaries — all living things have boundaries; healthy boundaries create an environment of safety and well-being that we require to thrive.

Our rapidly changing world tempts us to try to ‘hang on to what we have left’; that is operating from a model of scarcity. My gift is to remind us that as a people of faith, we are called to live from a model of abundance — to throw open our doors and, emboldened by prayerful reflection, risk new ideas and seek out challenges.

We can refresh and strengthen the things that traditionally define us — and then ‘widen our tent’ and be enriched by the ideas and gifts of those who are new and those who are our neighbours.

We are a diocese alive in hope, energized by the Spirit and gifted with talented, generous and faithful people. I offer my gifts of leadership as a candidate for bishop, together let us renew the ministry of the church.

The post Bishop-elect shares the gifts she brings appeared first on Perspective.

The election took place on Feb. 28 at Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa. Otley was one of three archdeacons nominated, with the Ven. Brian Kauk and the Ven. Monique Stone, from among clergy in the diocese. She was elected on the second ballot with 53.62 percent of the vote from clergy members of the electoral Synod and 50.39 percent of the vote from lay members. Election requires a majority (more than 50 percent) in both orders.

Archbishop Anne Germond, metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario who offered the homily at a Eucharist worship service prior to the election and chaired the election proceedings, thanked all of the nominees for allowing their names to stand in the election process and for their faithful service in the church.

In a brief word to the Synod after her election was announced, the bishop-elect said she was honoured that “among such gifted colleagues you have elected me to be your bishop, leading our Diocese at a time that is full of challenges, but I believe challenges that we can transform into opportunities together. We do that by calling on the sure and certain hope of our faith. And so, I just want to close with the words of Paul in Romans: ‘May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing that we may overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.’ Amen.”

Otley has been a territorial archdeacon in the Diocese for eight years. She currently serves as incumbent at All Saints’ Westboro in Ottawa, and prior to that was incumbent at Christ Church in Bells Corners for 10 years, incumbent for the Parish of Fitzroy Harbour for five years, and served as associate curate at Saint John the Evangelist on Elgin Street. She was first ordained as a deacon in 2006 and as a priest in 2008 after earning her Bachelor of Theology and Master of Pastoral Theology at Saint Paul University.

Serving the diocesan church, Otley has worked on governance committees, clergy wellness and development ministries, been a member of the All My Relations episcopal panel. She has served the Anglican Community Ministries as a chaplain to the Well, board member of the Ottawa Pastoral Counselling Centre and served on the Community Ministries Committee. She is a member of the Bishop’s Panel on Housing Justice. At the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, she served as diocesan representative for 15 years – chairing the Homelessness and Affordable Housing working group in that time. At the national church level, she now chairs the Public Witness for Social and Ecological Justice Coordinating Committee.

Otley is the first woman to be elected as bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa and joins 12 other women currently serving as bishops in the Anglican Church of Canada. The Rt. Rev. Victoria Matthews was the first woman elected as a bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada in 1994.

Otley said that she is honoured to be the first woman elected as bishop of Ottawa and to join the ranks of women bishops. She added that she stands “in solidarity with and builds on the strong foundation of leadership of all genders.”

The bishop-elect will be consecrated and installed as Bishop of Ottawa on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Christ Church Cathedral Otawa. All are welcome to attend the service, which will also be livestreamed.

The post Archdeacon Kathryn Otley elected to be Bishop of Ottawa appeared first on Perspective.

People can pray during the election in two ways:

1. Participate in the onsite prayer vigil at the Cathedral on February 28.

During the election an on-site Prayer Vigil will take place in the Reconciliation Chapel beside the main altar of the Cathedral, welcoming non-delegates and delegates. All are invited to come to the Cathedral and participate at any time after 8 am and join the Prayer Vigil. Participants do not have to be present for the whole time and may come and go as their personal schedule allows. People planning to come to the Cathedral to pray are asked to contact Paul Dumbrille at afp@ottawa.anglican.ca; 613-225-0806.

2. Those who cannot come to the Cathedral, either alone or with others, are encouraged to set aside time on February 28 for prayer.

Weekly prayers

Parishes are encouraged to include prayers for the election in their liturgies and gatherings in the weeks preceding the February 28 election. The following are suggested prayers for the 6 weeks prior to the election.

Week of January 18

Pray for the mission of the Church.

Everliving God, whose will is that all should come to you through your Son Jesus Christ. Inspire our witness to him, that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope of his resurrection, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

Week of January 25

Pray for the Ottawa Diocese.

0 God, by your grace you have called us in this Diocese of Ottawa to a goodly fellowship of faith.  Bless the one who is to be our bishop, the other clergy and all the people.  Grant that your Word may be truly preached and truly heard, your sacraments faithfully administered and faithfully received.  Amen.

Week of February 1

Pray for the Electoral Synod.

Loving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who will take counsel in the Synod of this Diocese for the renewal and mission of your Church. Amen.

Week of February 8

Pray for those offering to serve as bishop.

Gracious God, you led your holy apostles to ordain ministers in every place.  Grant that your Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may choose suitable persons for the ministry of being a bishop, and may uphold them in their work for the extension of your kingdom. Amen.

Week of February 15

Pray for the election of the person God would have to be Bishop.

Almighty God, giver of every good gift, look graciously on your Church in this Diocese, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for us, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Week of February 22

Pray for the one who shall be chosen.

Gracious God, give your grace, we humbly pray, to the one who will be called to the office and ministry of bishop for your people in this Diocese; and so fill them with the truth of your doctrine and clothe them with holiness of life.  Amen

Prayer gatherings prior to the election

Parishes or deaneries are encouraged to hold in-person or online prayer gatherings in the time before the election focussed on praying for the election of a bishop. Resources for such a gathering can be provided by contacting Paul Dumbrille at afp@ottawa.anglican.ca; 613-225-0806.

The post Let us pray for the election of a bishop for our Diocese appeared first on Perspective.

The Ven. Brian Kauk is the Incumbent in the Parish of Mississippi Lake, where he has served since 2016 during which time it became an Area Parish. In 2023, he was appointed Territorial Archdeacon of the Southwest, and he has also served as Archdeacon of Lanark—Arnprior since 2017. Ordained in 1996, Kauk has previously served as the Regional Dean of Stormont, Incumbent of St. Mark’s, Ottawa, Incumbent of the Parish of North Dundas, as well as in the parishes of Christ Church Bells Corners, Clayton, and St. John the Evangelist Smiths Falls.

Kauk is currently a member of the diocesan Triennial Evaluation and Priority-Setting Task Force and of the Community Ministries Committee (and is a former chair). He serves on the Parish Proportional Share Review Sub-Committee. He is also an assessor and member of the Advisory Committee on Postulants for Ordination.

The Ven. Kathryn Otley is the Incumbent of All Saints Westboro. She was appointed as Territorial Archdeacon of Central Ottawa in 2023. She served as Territorial Archdeacon in the Carleton Deanery from 2018 to 2023. Ordained in 2006, Otley previously served as the Incumbent of Christ Church Bells Corners from 2013 to 2023 during which time the parish used its land resources to create the affordable housing project Hollyer House and Community Hub (resource centre and food bank). Prior to that, she served as Incumbent of the Parish of Fitzroy Harbour and as associate curate at St. John the Evangelist, Ottawa and chaplain at The Well.

Otley co-leads Fresh Start, a new diocesan clergy support and development team. She is a long-time member of the Homelessness and Affordable Housing Working Group, now renamed as the Bishop’s Panel on Housing Justice, and has served as a diocesan representative to the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. She was also a diocesan representative to the 2025 General Synod.

Otley currently chairs the Anglican Church of Canada committee: Public Witness for Social and Ecological Justice.

The Ven. Monique Stone is the Incumbent of Christ Church Bells Corners and Territorial Archdeacon for West Ottawa. She previously served as Incumbent at Julian of Norwich Anglican Church in Ottawa from 2018 to 2024 and as Incumbent in the Parish of Huntley from from 2011 to 2018.

She currently chairs the diocesan Triennial Evaluation and Priority Setting Task Force and is a member of Diocesan Council.

From 2023 to 2025, Stone chaired the Primate’s Commission: Proclaiming the Gospel in the 21^st Century, resulting in Creating Pathways for the Transformational Change of the General Synod, which was approved by General Synod in June 2025 to serve as a map to guide change within the Anglican Church of Canada.

Prior to her 2011 ordination, Stone was a senior associate at PACE Public Affairs and Community Engagement Ottawa. In that role, she was the lead consultant working with the City of Ottawa, the Centretown Citizens Ottawa Housing Corporation, and the National Capital Commission on issues such as sustainability and transit.

The full curriculum vitae of each of the nominees as well as a list of those who nominated them is posted on the diocesan website. Each of the nominees has been asked to respond to a series of questions related to the role of bishop, and their responses have also been posted.

Four public meetings will be held in different locations across the diocese in the weeks leading up to the election. The meetings are intended to help people in the diocese get to know the nominees better and members of the electoral Synod to discern which nominee is best suited to be the next bishop. A moderator will invite each nominee to address the meeting and respond to questions from the audience. There will also be an opportunity to get to know the nominees during an informal reception. While only members of Synod will do the actual electing of the bishop, the public meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend.

The schedule for the public meetings is:

February 11, 2026 at 7 pm – St. Helen’s, Orleans (1234 Prestone Drive, Ottawa)

February 12, 2026 at 7 pm – Trinity, Cornwall (105 Second Street West, Cornwall)

February 15, 2026 at 7 pm – St. Paul’s, Kanata (20 Young Road, Kanata)

February 20, 2026 at 7 pm – Holy Trinity, Pembroke (68 Renfrew Street, Pembroke)

All of the meetings will also be livestreamed. Should severe winter weather force the cancellation of an in-person event, the public meeting will take place on the same date but in an online setting. Check the diocesan website for further details and updates:  ottawa.anglican.ca/episcopal-elections-2026

Additional nominations will be accepted until the electoral Synod convenes on Feb. 28, but only clergy whose nominations were received by Jan. 24 are invited to participate in the four public meetings. All candidates must be a cleric in good standing within the Anglican Communion, must be at least 30 years old, must have served as a priest for at least seven years, and must conform to the doctrine and discipline of the Anglican Church of Canada. (More detailed information is available on the diocesan website on the episcopal election page.)

In a previous article, Synod Secretary, the Rev. Canon Stephen Silverthorne, outlined some of the qualities required for the role of bishop. ‘The greatest requirement is a commitment to careful discernment. It is a privilege to serve as bishop, but it’s not an easy calling. Among other things, the office of bishop involves serving as a pastor, an administrator, a theologian, and a communicator,” he said. “We believe in God’s providence and in God’s power to equip people for the roles they are called to, but it is a challenging role which requires candidates to consider carefully the costs involved. So, we encourage everyone in our diocese to pray that the Holy Spirit would embolden and encourage the right people to allow their names to be put forward for nomination.”

Election Day

All lay members of the 145th Annual Synod (held in October 2025) are eligible to vote in the Electoral Synod, as are all active clergy in our diocese. Following procedures set by diocesan canons, ten retired clergy, chosen by their fellow retired clergy, will also serve as members of the Electoral Synod.

The Electoral Synod itself will be held at Christ Church Cathedral on February 28, 2026. Registration begins at 8 am. A celebration of the Eucharist will begin at 9 am. At the Electoral Synod, electors will be issued ballots and invited to vote for the nominee they feel is most qualified. Voting is conducted by orders, meaning that the votes of clergy and laity are counted separately. To be elected, a nominee must receive a majority of votes both among the clergy and among the laity. If a round of balloting does not achieve this, more rounds of balloting follow until a nominee has achieved a majority in both houses. The Most Rev. Anne Germond, Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, will chair the Electoral Synod.

The bishop-elect will be installed at a service at Christ Church Cathedral on May 9, 2026.

— With thanks to the Rev. Canon Stephen Silverthorne

The post Three archdeacons nominated for episcopal election appeared first on Perspective.

Perspective asked the Rev. Canon Stephen Silverthorne, the Clerical Synod Secretary, about how an episcopal election works. He thoughtfully answered our questions and walked us through all the proceedings.

How do you discern if you should nominate someone?

First, to be a nominator requires that you be a member of Synod. The diocesan canons and bylaws specify who is a member, but in most cases, this is someone who is either a clergyperson in active service, or a lay person who was elected to be a member by their parish vestry.  Others are members by virtue of serving on Diocesan Council, or by being appointed by the bishop. It’s best to check with the Synod Secretaries if you’re unsure of your membership status. Of course, those who aren’t members of Synod are welcome to share their thoughts on a potential nominee with their parish’s members of Synod.

Beyond that, many of the questions to ask yourself before nominating someone are the straightforward ones: is the proposed candidate a good manager, a good communicator, and a good pastor? Do they clearly love Christ and his church? Do they themselves discern that God is calling them to this role? But just as importantly, our discernment cannot neglect prayer. Many leaders in the Bible, like Esther or King David, might not have distinguished themselves from others by their past achievements. Yet, God raised them to leadership because they were people who would rise to the unique challenges of the moment. Discerning this capacity in others is more than a rational calculation, though it includes that. It is a genuine openness to the Spirit which can only be accessed through patient, prayerful listening. Our hope is that this kind of listening will play an important part in people’s discernment as they consider whether to nominate someone.

What are the required qualifications for candidates?

The core requirements for candidates are set out in the Canons of our Diocese and of the Ecclesiastic Province of Ontario. We’ve posted an FAQ document on the diocesan website [https://ottawa.anglican.ca/episcopal-elections-2026 ] outlining these in more detail. Briefly, however, candidates must be a cleric in good standing within the Anglican Communion, must be at least 30 years old, must have served as a priest for at least seven years, and must conform to the doctrine and discipline of the Anglican Church of Canada.

What is the process for nominating a candidate for the election?

The first step in nominating a person is to discuss it with the person you are hoping to nominate. Before all other considerations, a nominee must consent to being nominated, and must meet the minimum criteria I just mentioned. If both of these conditions are met, the next step is to download the nomination form from the diocesan website. This will be available later this fall. The form will ask for information on the nominee’s formal qualifications, such as their date of ordination. It will also require the signatures of at least five clergy and five lay members of Synod. These are the nominators, and by signing they assert their belief that the nominee is qualified to serve our church as bishop. Once completed, the form should be forwarded to the Secretaries of Synod. Nominations will be accepted up to the moment that the Electoral Synod is called to order, but only nominees whose form is submitted by the first nomination deadline on January 24, 2026, will be eligible to participate in the series of public meetings held in the runup to the election. These are intended to introduce nominees to the wider diocese and help us better to discern who God might be calling to the office of bishop.

I understand that the House of Bishops may play a role in the nomination process.

Yes, the nomination process allows for input from the House of Bishops. This input comes through our diocesan Supplementary Nominations Committee. That body is an ad hoc committee empowered by our canons to nominate up to two individuals to add to the list of nominees. The committee is given this power in order to enhance the diversity of candidates in the electoral process, allowing it to bring candidates forward who might not otherwise have been considered. The House of Bishops is an important resource for fulfilling that purpose, as it can help identify people from around our Communion who could be the right fit for our Diocese. So, the committee values the bishops’ advice very highly. It’s important to note however, that the bishops’ role is strictly advisory. While it values their opinion, the committee has the final say on who it may nominate based on its own evaluation of our diocesan needs and on the suitability of potential candidates.

What is required of the candidates in the election process?

The greatest requirement is a commitment to careful discernment. It is a privilege to serve as bishop, but it’s not an easy calling. Among other things, the office of bishop involves serving as a pastor, an administrator, a theologian, and a communicator. We believe in God’s providence and in God’s power to equip people for the roles they are called to, but it is a challenging role which requires candidates to consider carefully the costs involved. So, we encourage everyone in our diocese to pray that the Holy Spirit would embolden and encourage the right people to allow their names to be put forward for nomination.

Once candidates are nominated, they will be invited to respond to a set of questions prepared by our Episcopal Election Committee. These are intended to provide a platform for nominees to express their views on matters important to the church, and to give more information to electors as they discern who to vote for. Those whose nominations were received by the first nomination deadline will also be invited to participate in four public meetings, which will be held in the weeks leading up to the election. These will be moderated by a member of the Episcopal Election Committee and will be held at different locations throughout the diocese. The format for each will be consistent and will give nominees the chance to provide personal introductions as well as to reflect on their approach to the opportunities and challenges facing our Diocese.

How does the episcopal election work? Who votes?

All lay members of the 145th Annual Synod (to be held in October 2025) are eligible to vote in the Electoral Synod, as are all active clergy in our diocese.  Some retired clergy will also be eligible to participate. Under our canons, only 10% of clergy who are retired as of August 1, 2025, will be eligible to vote in the Electoral Synod. In October, the Secretaries of Synod will initiate a process for selecting retired clergy for these purposes.

The Electoral Synod itself will be held at Christ Church Cathedral on February 28, 2026. The Synod will convene following a celebration of the Eucharist. Electors will be issued ballots and invited to vote for the nominee they feel is most qualified. Voting is conducted by orders. In other words, the votes of clergy and laity are counted separately. To be elected, a nominee must receive a majority of votes both among the clergy and among the laity. If a round of balloting does not achieve this, more rounds of balloting follow until a nominee has achieved a majority in both houses.  The Most Reverend Anne Germond, Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, will chair the Electoral Synod.

The post Electing a new bishop appeared first on Perspective.

August 1, 2025 — Archbishop Anne Germond (Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastic Province of Ontario) issued a call for the convening of an electoral synod.

August 6, 2025 — Diocesan Council met to appoint members of the committees prescribed by the diocesan canons for the election. A Diocesan Administrator, Bishop Michael Bird, was also appointed at this meeting. His appointment is effective on Sept. 21, 2025 until a new bishop is installed following the election.

Autumn 2025 —Nomination forms and the diocesan profile are published. Nominations can be made at any point after the forms have been made public, up until the electoral synod is called to order.

January 24, 2026 — Nominees whose nominations are received prior to this date are eligible to participate in public meetings.

February 6, 2026 — Names of all nominees whose nominations are received by January 24, 2026 are published, along with their relevant biographical information, and their written responses to a set of formal questions provided by the Episcopal Election Committee.

Between February 7, 2026 and February 21, 2026, four public meetings are held in locations throughout our diocese, allowing everyone an opportunity to meet the nominees in person.

February 28, 2026 — Electoral Synod is held at Christ Church Cathedral. Registration begins at 8am. Celebration of the Eucharist begins at 9am. Electoral Synod business begins immediately thereafter.

Bishop Michael Bird has been appointed as diocesan administrator, effective Sept. 21, 2025 until a new bishop is installed following the February 28 election. Bishop Bird now resides in the Diocese of Ottawa, but he was the 11th bishop of the Diocese of Niagara from 2008 until he retired in 2018.

The post Timeline for electing the 11th bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa appeared first on Perspective.