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

The Search Committee consists of ten members total; six members appointed by our Diocesan Council (three clergy and three lay members) along with three members – a lay person, a cleric, and a bishop – appointed by the Metropolitan of the Province (Greg Kerr-Wilson) from a panel elected at the last Provincial Synod. In addition, at the request of Diocesan Council and with the approval of Archbishop Greg our Search Committee will be joined by one of our Indigenous Elders.  The Committee members from our diocese are The Ven. James Dugan, The Rev. Matthew Bowman, The Rev. Di Panting, Ms. Deb Buxton, Ms. Rachel Mawejje, Mr. Chris Whitmore and Elder William (Bill) Shead. The appointed members from the Province are Bishop Rachel Parker (Brandon), The Rev. Peter Coolen (Saskatoon), and Chris Katzell (Saskatoon). The first meeting for this Search Committee will take place in December 2024.

To learn more about the functions and responsibilities of the Search Committee please see the Constitution (particularly Part VI) and Canons (particularly IX) of the Ecclesiastical Province of the Northern Lights.  These documents can be found here

Bishop Search Committee
Update #1 - January 3, 2025

The Bishop Search Committee was elected by Diocesan Council on November 30 with additional members appointed by the Metropolitan (as per Canons) shortly thereafter.

The first meeting was held on December 19.  The meeting was mainly organizational in nature assisting the members in understanding the Canons and timelines leading to an Episcopal election on May 31, 2025.  At the meeting The Rev Matthew Bowman was elected secretary for the Committee and The Ven James Dugan was elected chair.

The second meeting was held on January 2 at which time norms for the committee were established and broad discussions held regarding communicating and gathering information from ministries of and within the diocese – from parishioners, committees, clergy, and vestries.  All information will need to be gathered by February 28.  That information will find its way into a diocesan profile which will need to be completed by March 20.

We also identified prayer resources which will be used by the Committee and made available throughout the diocese

The Committee’s next meeting will be January 27.  At this meeting we will decide on the particular method(s) of information gathering (eg., surveys, focus groups, etc.) and begin to draft an outline for the profile.

Please remember:

  • There will be updates posted after each meeting of the Bishop Search Committee.
  • Lay Synod Delegates elected at this year’s Annual General Meetings (AGMs) will be the people eligible to vote at the Electoral Synod on May 31 ( along with clergy delegates).
  • Pray for the Search Committee, for openness throughout the diocese for the Holy Spirit’s gift of discernment. Prayer resources will be made available under Cycle of Prayer.