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An online virtual meeting of the Synod Council of the Diocese of Ontario was held on Tuesday February 22, 2022. Highlights of the meeting include:

This meeting was primarily ministry and program focused, with a number of individuals and groups joining the meeting as guests.

Rev. Jeff O’Hare opened the meeting with a devotion focused on preparing for Lent, based on a piece of art and the story of the young boy who painted it.

After being provided with the pandemic update, Council heard a presentation on the Transition from Homelessness project. This work is a pilot/research project based upon a Peer to Community (P2C) model, led by Dr. Carrie Anne Marshall, who is a professor at Western University and the director of the Social Justice in Mental Health Research lab. Carrie and her team have partnered with Providence Care and KFLA Addictions and Mental Health to develop this pilot program which will run in Kingston and London, Ontario. It has recently received funding to move forward. The focus is to develop support for those who are moving from being ‘homeless’ and integrating into a supportive community. The program will operate from a ‘hub’ which will provide a facility for supporting those involved in the program either as staff or as participants. The Diocese of Ontario was approached about utilizing the 3 Adelaide facility to provide the facility and central hub location. There is now an understanding in place with Dr. Marshall, her team and Providence Care. Next steps to proceed on developing details and agreements.

Michelle Hauser and Anglican Foundation Director Dr. Scott Brubacher presented on the Anglican Foundation of Canada’s 2022 “Say Yes to Kids” grant program and a joint initiative with the Diocese of Ontario Foundation. Archdeacon Bill Clarke represented the Diocese of Ontario Foundation. Donations to this joint initiative will see a blend of funds remaining in the church/parish, with some flowing to AFC and some flowing to the diocesan foundation. More information on both fund raising and grants to follow as the program builds to it’s launch on April 1.

The Anglican Diocese of Ontario and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston have a long-standing Joint Commission for Justice and Peace. Council was given a presentation by our own Canon Sharon Dunlop  and Mary-Jo Mackinnon-Simms of the Archdiocese (who was also our 2021 Synod Observer). The presentation covered the wide ranging work of mission of this ecumenical initiative, including the work with Refugee Settlement (through DOORS), Prison Ministry, RC Youth Ministry, St. Mary’s Outreach Centre, the Green Group and others. They will also be offering a Lenten series ‘From Grief Toward Healing, Responding to the Crises of Our Times.’ Rev. Canon Valerie Kelly is the co-ordinator for the Justice and Peace Commission.   Council was updated by Bishop Oulton and the facilitator for the planned “Synod Council Vision” day to focus on governance and responsibility. The date has yet to be set due to the need for this to be an in-person event combined with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 situation. Planning is for Spring.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of Synod Council will be Tuesday March 22, 2022 at 6pm. This meeting will be online only.

The approval of the minutes of the February 22 meeting are pending. For questions about Synod Council, please contact Alex Pierson, Diocesan Executive Officer, by email at apierson@ontario.anglican.ca or by phone at 613-544-4718.