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Overview Search Committee 120th Session of Synod Timeline Constitution and Canons

Election of Our Next Diocesan Bishop

19 Oct 2024    Bishop Geoff announces his retirement effective June 1st, 2025.

24 Oct 2024   Executive Committee of Diocesan Council appoints The Ven. Simon Blaikie as Administrator of the Diocese.

2 Nov 2024     Diocesan Council decides upon the preferred process to elect Rupert’s Land next Bishop.  Substantively, the Council wishes to proceed in a timely manner neither unduly delaying the election nor hastening the election in such a manner that would hamper the Search Committee’s work in discerning the will of the diocese.  An Episcopal Electoral Synod is requested between 15 May 2025 and 15 June 2025.

4 Nov 2024      The request to proceed as Diocesan Council has determined is forwarded to Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson, Metropolitan of the Province of the Northern Lights and the Provincial Executive Council.

26 Nov 2024    Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson advised the Diocesan Administrator that authority is granted to proceed as proposed on 4 Nov. 

30 Nov 2024    Diocesan Council elected 6 representatives to serve on the Diocesan Search Committee.  Those elected are:  Ven. James Dugan, Rev. Matthew Bowman, Rev. Canon Di Panting, Deb Buxton, June Rachel Mawejje, Chris Whitmore and a request was made to the Metropolitan to allow  Elder William (Bill) Shead. 

The appointed members from the Province are Bishop Rachel Parker (Brandon), Rev. Peter Coolen (Saskatoon), and Chris Katzell (Saskatoon)

2 Dec 2024      The Metropolitan agreed to the Diocesan Council’s request for Indigenous representation by allowing them to include an indigenous elder on the search committee, bringing the total to 10 people

Dec 2024         First meeting of Search Committee.  Appointment of Committee Secretary and election of the Chair of the committee.  Committee begins its work [see Provincial Canon IX C9.10].

25 Mar 2025   Search Committee provides the Administrator; “set out in memorandum form, the general qualifications and requirements that relate to the Episcopal vacancy and also any specific qualifications that might be required or desirable with respect to the person to fill the vacancy”.  see Provincial Canon IX C9.10(a)(b)].

8 May 2025     Search Committee provides the Administrator with a list of the nominations and associated material [see Provincial Canon IX C9.10(k)].

31 May 2025   Episcopal Election Synod.  Chair: Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson. 

Lay and Clergy Synod Delegates gather at Synod and elect the next Diocesan Bishop [see Provincial Canon IX C9.19, C9.20, C9.21, C9.22, C9.23, C9.24].

The name of the Bishop-Elect is formally submitted to the Metropolitan [see Provincial Canon IX C9.25] who will cause a notice of the election to be sent to each episcopal member of the Electoral College [see Provincial Constitution Part 4.15].  Barring any objections, the Metropolitan and two other bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province shall confirm the election in writing [see Provincial Constitution Part 6.25]

After the due election and confirmation of the Bishop-Elect, the Metropolitan shall, with all convenient speed, proceed to consecrate the Bishop-Elect and for this purpose the Metropolitan shall be assisted by not fewer than two bishops of the Province, one of whom shall be a diocesan bishop [see Provincial Constitution 6.25].