CANONS
I - APPLICABILITY OF THE CANONS GENERAL AND PROVINCIAL SYNODS
Those Canons and General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada and of the Synod of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert’s Land as presently in effect or as enacted or amended from time to time which by their provisions have mandatory application to the Diocese of The Arctic are hereby adopted and incorporated as Canons of the Diocese.
II - APPOINTMENTS
The Bishop shall have the right to appoint a Dean, Archdeacons, Canons and Regional Deans whenever in his or her judgement such appointments are desirable and similarly to terminate any such appointments. The Bishop may also at his or her pleasure appoint and remove chaplains and any and all of the following, viz.: the Commissary, Chancellor, Registrar and Treasurer.
III - PARISH ORGANIZATION
(1) Parishes, (with their congregation or congregations as designated from time to time by the Bishop in consultation with the Executive Committee) in the authorised list of the Diocese and recognised by the Bishop are to be regarded as duly organised according to the Constitution of the Diocese of The Arctic.
(2) Whenever it is deemed advisable by the Bishop and the Executive Committee to organise a new Parish by merger or otherwise, divide or terminate a Parish, or add or remove one or more congregations to or from a Parish, they shall do so and the appropriated designations shall be made by the Executive Committee and the authorised list of the Diocese amended accordingly. Any change which affects the status of the self-supporting Parish shall be referred to that Parish prior to being implemented.
(3) A self-supporting Parish is a congregation, or group of congregations, in charge of one Incumbent, which without recourse to extra-parochial financial assistance has been able to pay and has actually paid a stipend equal to the clergy basic stipend and allowances approved by the Council of the North other than those which are the responsibility of the Diocese and has paid all expenses and extra-parochial obligations of that particular Parish for at least one full year prior to the time in question.
IV - APPOINTMENT OF INCUMBENTS
The word “Incumbent” wherever it occurs in the Canons of the Diocese, shall be kept mean the Cleric or other person who for the time being has the cure of souls in a Parish and who has been licensed or appointed by the Bishop to perform such ecclesiastical duties therein.
On a vacancy occurring in any Parish within the Diocese the mode of appointment the new Incumbent shall be as follows:
(1) Self-supporting Parish:
Each self-supporting Parish at its annual meeting, or on attaining the status of a self-supporting Parish, shall elect a committee of three persons, to be called the “Parish Search Committee”. The members of this Committee in existence at the time a vacancy occurs shall remain in office until an appointment is made or until the next Annual General Meeting.
When a vacancy occurs, the Bishop or the Bishop’s representative shall confer with the Parish Search Committee within a period not exceeding three months. The Parish Search Committee and the Bishop may bring names of Clerics for consideration at this conference. They shall place before a Special Meeting of the Parish as provided under Canon X(2) the name(s) of one or more Clerics for election, and the candidate approved by the meeting shall be appointed Incumbent. Should those in attendance be unwilling to accept the name submitted, the same process shall be repeated until an Incumbent has been chosen, provided that the Bishop may at any time be empowered to appoint an Incumbent by written application from the Parish Search Committee and the Churchwardens with the consent of a majority of those in attendance at a
Special Meeting as outlined above.
The bishop may appoint a locum tenens provided that an Incumbent Minister be appointed within a period not exceeding two years from the time the vacancy occurs.
(2) Non-self supporting Parish:
The appointment shall rest with the Bishop.
V - MINISTERING IN PARISHES
After an Incumbent has been duly appointed to a Parish, no other clergyman, layleader, or lay reader, (except those, if any, appointed to congregations within a Parish) though holding the licence of the Bishop, shall hold public prayer, or service, or administer the Sacraments within such Parish, or on behalf of its parishioners, whether according to the prescribed order of the Church or not, without the consent of the Incumbent; provided that
(I) a cleric may visit ministerially, with private administration of the Sacraments, if necessary, any person or family in the habit of attending his or her ministrations; and
(II) the Bishop may license Clerics to special chaplaincies or to extra-parochial ministries.
IV - RESIGNATION
When a Cleric wishes to resign his or her charge, and subject to fulfilment of any commitments as to the Cleric’s period of service, he or she shall give three months’ notice thereof in writing to the Bishop and Parish stating his or her reasons and such Cleric shall not leave his or her charge before the end of such period unless permission to do so has been given in writing by the Bishop or the Bishop’s Commissary; nor shall such permission be given unless other suitable arrangements can be made for carrying on the work, or unless, in the judgement of the Bishop or the Bishop’s Commissary, there are special necessity.
VII - MAINTENANCE OF CLERGY
The duty of maintaining the clergy rests primarily upon the congregation to which they minister, and the responsibility of seeing that the stipend and utility costs are regularly and fully paid rests upon the respective Churchwardens and vestries. Any assistance toward stipend and utility costs received from diocesan sources is only to be considered temporary financial support, which is given in gradually decreasing amounts until the people are able to support their own clergy.
VIII - PARISH RESIDENCES
The Parish, subject to the approval of the Diocesan, shall provide a suitable house for the residence of the Incumbent. A suitable house includes the provision of and payment for all necessary utilities.
IX – DIOCESAN (Red Ribbon) AND PARISH (Blue Ribbon) LAY LEADERS
(1) The appointment of Diocesan and Parish Lay Leaders shall rest with the Bishop.
(2) Prior to the appointment of a Diocesan or Parish Lay Leader, the candidate shall make the following declaration prior to being licensed and admitted:
“I, (A.B.), about to be admitted to the office of a (Diocesan/Parish Lay Leader) in the Diocese of The Arctic, do hereby declare that I have been baptised and confirmed and am a regular Communicant of the Anglican Church of Canada. I assent to the Book of Common Prayer and I believe the doctrine of the Anglican Church of Canada as therein set forth to be agreeable to the Word of God.
And I further promise to conform to such regulations as are or may be laid down by the authority of the Bishop of the Diocese; to act in obedience to the Incumbent in whose parish I may minister; to endeavour so far as in me lies to promote peace and unity, and to conduct myself as becomes a worker for Christ, for the good of His Church and for the spiritual welfare of my people.
(Signed)..........................
Witness.......................
(date)........................”
(3) Admission to the offices of Diocesan or Parish Lay Leader shall be in such form and with such matter as the Bishop may from time to time direct.
(4) The form of license at present in use in the Diocese of The Arctic is as follows and is hereby adopted:
“................................be Divine Permission, Bishop of The Arctic to our well-loved--
Greeting:
We do hereby, on the nomination of.......................... under our hand and seal, appoint and License you to be a (Diocesan/Parish Lay Leader) in our Diocese of The Arctic, to discharge, as you may find opportunity, the office of (Diocesan/Parish Lay Leader) in the.........or any other Parish, subject at all times to the consent and under the direction of the Cleric in charge:
‘The office shall be to read the word of God in the congregation and, in the absence or illness of the Cleric, or on urgent occasions at the request of the Cleric, to read in the congregation any appointed portions of the Morning and Evening Service, teach and preach as the Cleric shall authorise; and generally to aid in Parish work and perform such functions as it is competent for a lay member of the Church to perform, and as you shall be directed to discharge, under the authority of the Bishop.’
And we do further hereby reserve to ourselves and successors the power of at any time recalling this license.
Done under our hand and seal at.............., this.........day of......., in the year of our Lord,........and in the......year of our Consecration.”
(5) The following are the regulations under which the license to a
Diocesan or Parish Lay Leader is issued and they shall be endorsed on the license:
a) The Licensee exercises his or her office under the direction of the Incumbent of the Parish.
b) When the Incumbent is present at any service it shall be entirely under the Incumbent’s direction.
c) The Licensee shall be vested and shall wear the badge of office on every formal occasion when he or she officiates.
d) In the absence of a Cleric, the Licensee shall read the order of Morning or Evening Prayer with the exception of the Absolution.
e) The licensee shall not take any of the Occasional Offices, except the Licensee may (I) baptise a child in danger of death (see directions for administration in the office of Private Baptism), (ii) take Parts I and II (other than the blessing) of the Ministry to the Sick, and (iii) when a Cleric cannot officiate, may take the Burial Service, after seeing that the requirements of the civil law as to registration have been complied with.
f) The Licensee may prepare candidates, their parents and their sponsors, where appropriate, for Baptism, candidates for Confirmation and couples for Holy Matrimony, under the direction of the Incumbent.
X - CHURCH MEETINGS
All Church meetings shall be opened and closed with prayer.
(1) General - A general Parish meeting is a gathering of parishioners from all or substantially all the congregations within the Parish at one principal or central place and may be called at any time by the Bishop, the Bishop’s Commissary, Administrator or the Incumbent. The Incumbent shall consult with the Bishop prior to calling such general Parish meeting. The presence of ten parishioners, including the Warden or a representative of each congregation to be represented at the meeting and the Incumbent (if there be no Incumbent, then a Churchwarden of the Parish), shall constitute a quorum.
(2) Special Meeting - A special meeting within a Parish is a gathering of parishioners from one or more but less than substantially all the congregations and may be called at any time by the Bishop, the Bishop’s Commissary, the Administrator or the Incumbent, or in the Incumbent’s absence, his or her Churchwarden or the Wardens, as the case may be, upon resolution passed by the Vestry or Council or Councils concerned. The Incumbent, the Incumbent’s Churchwarden or wardens, as the case may be, shall consult with the Bishop prior to calling such special meeting. The presence of the majority of the Vestry or Councils of the congregations concerned, the Incumbent or the Incumbent’s representative designated by the Bishop, the Bishop’s Commissary or the Administrator and at least four additional
parishioners from each congregation concerned shall constitute a quorum.
(3) Annual Meeting - (A) Parish: The annual meeting of each Parish shall be held during January, or as soon thereafter as possible, for the purpose of hearing the annual statement of the Incumbent, the reports of the Churchwardens, to appoint and elect Churchwardens and other members of the Vestry for the Parish centre congregation (“Centre Congregation”) for the ensuing year, or to appoint or elect a Churchwarden and one-half of the other members of the Vestry for the Centre Congregation for the ensuing two years if not already appointed or elected at a special meeting called for that purpose, and for transaction of any other business affecting the welfare of the Parish; provided that the appointment or election of Churchwardens and other members of the Vestry may take place at a special meeting of the Parish
convened at such earlier time as may be convenient. The meeting shall be open to all members of the Parish, but only those parishioners qualified (Canon XI) may take part and vote.
The order of proceedings may be as follows:
(i) Prayer,
(ii) Minutes of last Annual Meeting.
(iii) Incumbent’s statement showing the condition of whole Parish, (services, communions, baptisms, marriages, deaths, special services, choirs, Sunday schools, societies and organisations).
(iv) Report of Incumbent’s Churchwarden, showing state of:
(a) Church buildings and lands within the Parish and inventory of fabrics, requisites for service (furniture, books, music, linen, vessels).
(v) 1) Report of People’s Churchwarden:
a) Financial statement of the Parish duly audited and of the Centre Congregation showing receipts and expenditures, special offerings, Incumbent’s stipend, Synod assessment, and assets and liabilities.
(b) Any resolutions of the Vestry requiring attention.
2) Report of Wardens, written or verbal, of other congregations in the Parish;
(a) Property report and state of buildings of their congregations.
(b) Report for their congregations of services taken by diocesan/parish lay leaders and visits of the Incumbent.
(c) Reports of congregation collections, with statement showing amounts used locally and why, and amounts sent to the Parish centre.
(d) Any recommendations arising from the above requiring Parish action.
(vi) Reports of all church organisations.
(vii) Appointment of Incumbent’s Churchwarden, if required.
(viii) Election by parishioners of the Centre Congregation of the people’s Churchwarden, if required.
(ix) Election by parishioners of the Centre Congregation of
(a) Vestry members, and
(b) Lay delegate to Synod.
(x) Election of Parish Search Committee, if applicable.
(xi) Appointment of auditors.
(xii) In self-supporting Parishes the stipend to be paid to the Incumbent for the ensuring year. In other Parishes, largest possible portion of stipend to be paid to the Incumbent. (See Canon XVI(1)).
(xiii) Notices of Motion or other business.
N.B. - All elections shall be made by ballot.
B. Congregational: The annual meeting of each congregation of the Parish other than the Centre Congregation shall be held as soon as possible following the annual meeting of the Parish, for the purpose of hearing the annual statement of their congregational Warden, reports from the annual meeting of the Parish, to elect a congregational Warden, to elect other members of the Council for the ensuring year or to elect a congregational Warden and elect one-half of the other members of the congregational Council and to transact any other business affecting the welfare of the congregation and its responsibilities to the Parish.
The order of proceedings may be as follows:
(i) Prayer.
(ii) Minutes of last Annual Meeting.
(iii) Incumbent’s report, as for Annual Parish meeting.
(iv) Report of Warden, showing the state of the church buildings, and lands and inventory of fabric, requisites for services (furniture, books, music, linen, vessels).
(v) Report of Treasurer, showing receipts and disbursements of the monies collected by the congregation.
(vi) Reports of organisations of the congregation.
(vii) Election of congregational Warden, if required.
(viii) Election of members of the congregational Council.
(ix) Election of Lay delegate to Synod.
(x) Warden’s report of the Annual Parish meeting.
(xi) Motions necessitated by the above report to enable the congregation to fulfil its responsibilities to the Parish.
(xii) Other business.
(4) (A) Vestry: A meeting of the Vestry of a Parish should take place upon a fixed date, at least every quarter, in the interests of the Parish and Centre Congregation but meetings may be called at any time by the Incumbent upon three days’ notice being given to its members. The presence of the Incumbent or, in the Incumbent’s absence, a Churchwarden and the greater of one-third of the members or three members of which the Incumbent or Churchwarden, as the case may be, must be one shall constitute a quorum.
(B) Council: A meeting of the congregational council should take place on a fixed date, at least every quarter, in the interests of the congregation, but meetings may be called at any time by the Incumbent upon a week’s notice being given to its members. The presence of the Incumbent or, in the Incumbent’s absence, the Warden and the greater of one-third of the members of the Council or three Councilmen including the Chairman shall constitute a quorum.
(5) Except in cases of urgent necessity, at least two Sunday’s notice shall be given of General, Special and Annual meetings both orally at the time of Service and in writing, in the form set forth in Appendix A, upon the notice board or other convenient place within the Church, churches or designated site.
(6) Convenor: The Incumbent is ex-officio the Convenor and Chairman of all church meetings within the Parish but he or she may delegate this authority. If there be no Cleric present a Churchwarden, Warden or other parishioner so delegated shall convene such meeting as shall be the Chairman.
(7) At any meeting of the parishioners duly convened, the votes of those only who are entitled to sign the Declaration of Parishioners (Appendix B) shall be recorded, and their decision shall bind those who are absent.
(8) The Chairman shall have the usual powers appertaining to the Chairman of any public meeting. The Chairman shall have the same right of voting as if not in the Chair, but shall have no casting vote, and an equality of votes shall be considered as defeating a proposition.
(9) The right of adjournment is in the meeting, and must be decided by a majority of votes without debate.
(10) Minutes of proceedings and resolutions of every General, Special, Annual, Vestry or Council meeting shall be correctly entered in the proper book, and unless the Minutes are read and approved at the close of the proceeding meeting, the first business of every meeting after the opening prayer shall be the reading, passing and signing by the Chairman of such Minutes of the proceeding meeting.
XI - MEMBERSHIP
A parishioner is any person of the full age of 16 years who has been baptised and is a Communicant, contributes regularly to the financial support of the Parish, and is a recognised attendant of a congregation in the Parish.
Parishioners entitled to vote at a meeting shall be those able to make the Declaration set forth in Appendix B; and shall be required to do so if necessary.
XII - CHURCHWARDENS AND WARDENS
(1) (A) Two Churchwardens shall be chosen annually, or one Churchwarden in the case of two year terms, at the annual meeting of each Parish from amongst the communicants of the Centre Congregation of the full age of 19 years, one to be appointed by the Incumbent and one to be elected by the parishioners of the Centre Congregation. In the case of two year terms, the appointment and election of Churchwardens at the annual meeting of each Parish shall be in alternate years so that only one Churchwarden is chosen each year; provided that in the first year that a Parish adopts a two year term, one Churchwarden shall be appointed or elected for a period of one year as the Incumbent shall determine. They shall be ex-officio members of the Vestry and shall continue to hold
office until their successors are appointed.
(B) One Warden shall be chosen annually, or every other year in the case of two year terms, at the annual meeting of each congregation other than the Centre Congregation from amongst the communicants in that congregation of the full age of 19 years. The Warden shall be an ex-officio member of the parish Vestry and shall continue to hold office until the Warden’s successor is elected.
(2) A parishioner may not be a Churchwarden or Warden in the same congregation for more than four consecutive years.
(3) Churchwardens and Wardens shall, before acting as such, make and sign the Declaration of Office appointed in Appendix C(1) or (2) as the case may be.
(4) The Incumbent’s Churchwarden shall be primarily responsible for the due care of the property of the Centre Congregation. The people’s Churchwarden shall be responsible for the proper care and accounting of all monies belonging to the Centre Congregation or contributed by its members for any purpose. A congregational Warden shall be responsible for the due care of all property of the congregation and the proper care and accounting of all monies belonging to that congregation or contributed by its members for any purpose.
(5) If the office of the Churchwarden appointed by the Incumbent shall at any time become vacant by death, resignation, absence for three months without written leave from the Minister, or otherwise, it shall be the duty of the Incumbent forthwith to appoint some other fit person to the vacant office, and as soon as may be after such appointment, the Incumbent shall:
(i) make a return in writing to the Vestry Clerk of the name of the person chosen by the Incumbent to fill the vacant office,
(ii) cause a written notice of the said appointment to be forthwith attached to the notice board of the church,
(iii) cause the appointment to be announced at a regular service of the congregation, and
(iv) immediately notify the Secretary of the Synod of any such appointment.
(6) If the office of the people’s Churchwarden or Warden shall become vacant by death, resignation or otherwise, or absence from the discharge of duties for three months without written leave from the Incumbent, a meeting of the congregation shall be called as soon as may be convenient to elect some fit person to the vacant office. Upon election the Incumbent shall make a return, give notice, announce and notify in the same manner as provided for appointment of the Incumbent’s Churchwarden.
(7) As soon as possible after the close of the annual meeting of the Parish and each congregation and signing of the Declarations of Office, the Churchwardens elected shall take over all monies, books, inventory and other property of the Centre Congregation and the Wardens elected, if any, shall likewise take over all property of their respective congregations.
(8) It shall be the duty of the Churchwardens and they are hereby empowered:
(a) To see that Divine Service is decently and regularly conducted in their congregation, if possible, at least once every Sunday and if there be no Incumbent, Diocesan or Parish Lay Leader or Student, to be responsible for the due conduct of the service by some fit person approved by the Bishop; to procure all things requisite for Divine Service; to have, with the Incumbent, the joint disposal of all offerings, and in the case of any disagreement between the Churchwardens and the Incumbent respecting the disposal of the offerings, there shall be an appeal to the Bishop as Ordinary, whose decision shall be final.
(b) To have, jointly with the Incumbent, custody of all monies contributed by each congregation belonging to the Parish, and to supply and provide safe custody for parochial records, to keep parochial accounts, to pay all sums received for specific purposes and to submit in due time to the auditor for the purpose of making the audit, the accounts for the year with the vouchers and to lay the same before the annual Parish meeting, to arrange for the securing of sufficient subscriptions for the congregational and toward Parish expenses and to pay over at least monthly to the Incumbent the stipend due to the Incumbent from the Parish and to forward to the Treasurer of the Diocese the amounts received for Synod Assessment and other amounts due to the Diocese.
(c) To see that all books needed for registers and records of the congregation of the Parish are provided, and that entries are regularly and duly made as required by Canon XV (B).
(d) To collect the offerings and all contributions for general or special purposes and have them entered in the book for the purpose, to pay all salaries and accounts.
(e) To keep the fabric of the church and its appurtenances in repair and insured.
(f) To maintain good order and quiet in and about the church or place of worship, and in the adjoining roads and public places, during Diving Service.
(g) To give attention to the residence of the Incumbent and grounds at all times and especially during any period of vacancy.
(h) To keep an inventory of all lands and property, real and personal.
(i) To transmit to the Secretary of the Diocese all information, with regard to any proposed change in the church buildings, or property in their charge, as required by Canons XVII and XVIII, and to see that no alteration or change of significance takes place until the approval of the Bishop and the Executive Committee has been received in writing.
(j) By example and influence to encourage regular attendance and hearty response on the part of the congregation and generally to assist the Incumbent by zeal and moral support, in all matters affecting the welfare and advancement of the congregation.
(9) It shall be the duty of Wardens and they are hereby empowered to perform for their congregations the duties set out for Churchwardens in Section (8)(a),(c),(d),(e),(f),(h) and (j).
XIII - VESTRIES AND COUNCILS
(1) (A) There shall be a Vestry for the Centre Congregation in the Parish comprised of the following:
The Churchwardens
The Lay Minister of Synod
The Treasurer (if not an elected member)
The President of the Women’s Work
A representative of Youth Organisations as
determined by them together with eight, six or four persons elected at the annual meeting of the congregation to serve for one or two years, as the case may be, and qualified under Canon XI and from each other congregation in the Parish, the Warden or a Council Member selected by the Council. In the case of two-year terms, one-half of such persons shall be elected in alternate years.
(B) There shall be a congregational Council for each congregation in the Parish other than the Centre Congregation comprised of the following:
The Warden
The Lay Member of Synod
The Treasurer (if not an elected member)
together with six or four persons elected at the annual meeting of the congregation to serve for one or two years, as the case may be, and qualified under Canon XI. In the case of two-year terms, one-half of such persons shall be elected in alternate years.
(2) Every person so elected shall, before acting on a Vestry or Council, make and sign the Declaration of Office set forth in Appendix C(3) or (4), as the case may be.
(3) Members of Vestries and Councils shall hold office until their successors are elected.
(4) If a vacancy occurs on the Vestry or Council (other than that of Churchwarden or Warden) by reason of death, resignation, absence from the Parish or congregation for more than three months without leave from the Incumbent, a meeting of the Vestry or Council shall be called to elect some other qualified person to fill the vacant office and such person so elected shall hold office until the next ensuing election of Vestry or Council, as the case may be.
(5) It shall be the duty of Members of Vestries and Councils, and they are hereby empowered:
(a) In every meeting to deal with all matters connected respectively with the Parish or congregation, and to declare by resolution what shall be done in the premises but not such things which require more than a nominal outlay of money;
(b) To support and assist the Churchwardens and Wardens in the discharge and performance of their duties as outlined in Canon XII (8) and (9).
(6) At the first meeting of the Vestry and Council after the applicable Annual meetings, they shall appoint one of their own number to act as Secretary of the Vestry or Council who shall record the Minutes of all meetings; and shall appoint a Treasurer who need not be an elected member of the Vestry or Council.
(7) Where a Parish centre has more than one congregation, they shall organise the Vestry, if possible, as if they were one congregation.
XIV - AUDITORS
The Centre Congregation shall appoint one or more accountants to be auditors, if possible, failing which they shall appoint one or more other competent persons. The duty of the auditor shall be to examine and certify, if correct in the auditor’s opinion, the financial statements to be presented at the Annual Parish meeting. Other congregations in the Parish are responsible for forwarding a statement of their accounts certified by the Warden and Treasurer to the Treasurer of the Centre Congregation annually in time for the annual Parish meeting.
XV - PARISH RECORDS
(A) Incumbent’s Registers
The following general Parish Registers shall be kept by the Incumbent of every Parish, and upon the Incumbent’s resignation shall be disposed of as the Bishop and Archdeacon may direct:
(1) A General Register or card index containing the names of persons belonging to each congregation in the Parish distinguishing those who have been baptised, those who have been confirmed, and those who are communicants.
(2) An annual list of all Churchwardens, Wardens, Vestry and Council members, and other officials in the different congregations of the Parish and a file of all Declarations of Office.
(3) Registers of Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages and Burials.
(4) A Register of the various Societies and Organisations belonging to the Parish, together with the names of their officers.
(5) The Registrar of the Diocese shall, upon request of any person, give a certificate under the Registrar’s hand of any record in any of the registers mentioned in Section (3), which is in the Registrar’s custody, for which certificate the applicant shall pay a fee.
(6) When completed all books of record and registers mentioned above should be deposited for safekeeping in accordance with the directions of the Bishop or the Registrar of the Diocese.
(B) Churchwardens’ Books
The following books shall be provided by the Churchwardens in every Parish throughout the Diocese, and shall be handed to their successors in office:
(1) Minute books in which shall be entered the proceedings and resolutions of all Vestry and Council meetings.
(2) Minute books in which shall be entered the proceedings and resolutions of all General, Special and Annual meetings.
(3) An Account book properly ruled, in which shall be entered the accounts, showing the receipts and expenditures as well as the Assets and Liabilities of the Parish in accordance with a system outlined by the Treasurer of the Diocese.
(4) An Account Book properly ruled in which shall be entered the accounts, showing the receipts and expenditures as well as the Assets and Liabilities of each congregation.
(5) A Vestry Book to be kept in each congregation in which shall be entered and initialled at the time all services which take place in that congregation, with the name of the person officiating, signed by the person officiating if possible, the number of persons present, the number of communicants, and the amount of the offerings under their various headings.
(6) A list of the names of all persons comprising that Parish and the amount of the promised contributions by each congregation towards Parochial and Synod funds. A copy of the list of names of each congregation shall be kept locally by each congregation.
(7) An inventory of all Church property, furniture, fixtures, goods, books, deeds, lands, and buildings in care of the Parish (including the Incumbent’s residence), and a copy of the said Inventory shall be forwarded to the Synod Office immediately after the Annual Meeting each year.
(8) When completed all books of record and registers mentioned above should be deposited in accordance with the directions of The Bishop or the Registrar of the Diocese.
XVI - FINANCES
(1) The amount of stipend, allowances and assessment to be paid by the Parish shall be determined by the Diocese in line with the directives from the National Executive Council of General Synod and the Council of the North, and an annual commitment shall be made by the Vestry of the Centre Congregation following consultation with the other congregations in the Parish, each of which being expected to commit themselves to meet a part of the cost towards the support of their Incumbent and Parish.
(2) Collections for special purposes shall be arranged as directed by the Executive Committee of the Diocese.
(3) The duty of maintaining the clergy rests primarily upon the parishioners to whom they minister, and the responsibility of seeing that the stipend and utility accounts are regularly and fully paid rests upon the Churchwardens and Wardens and Vestries and Councils. Any assistance toward stipend and utility costs received from Diocesan sources is only to be considered temporary financial support given in gradually decreasing amounts until the people are able to support their own clergy. The first charge therefore on the parochial funds after assessment, cost of utilities in the church and residence of the Incumbent and other allowances shall be the payment of the Incumbent’s stipend.
(4) Parish assessments and all other monies payable to the Treasurer of the Diocese shall be paid monthly. The Lay Members of any Parish which has not paid its agreed extra-parochial acceptances in full for the fiscal year preceding a Synod meeting may be refused the right of attendance at Synod by the Executive Committee.
(5) It is the duty of Clergy, all Churchwardens, the Vestrymen and Wardens and Councilmen to encourage the principle of stewardship in all church members. They shall earnestly endeavour to get each member of the congregation to make provision in their budget for regular and generous gifts for the work of the church, both parochial and missionary, as God has prospered them. Such gifts shall be on the basis of a weekly pledge, if possible, and shall be obtained by means of an Every Member Canvass held at least once a year.
(6) The holding of raffles, bingos or any other species of gambling or games of chance to raise money for any purposes is expressly forbidden by any church organisation within the Parish.
(7) Except when impractical, there shall be a collection at every service.
XVII - CHURCH BUILDINGS, REPAIRS, ETC.
(1) No new Church buildings, enlargements, repairs, or renovations of any significance, or change in the fabric or furnishings of any church, parish hall, or residence, shall take place in any Parish until the plans, proposals, and other information in connection therewith (including without limitation specifications, estimates, quotations, financial processed), have been submitted by the Vestry concerned for the consideration and approval of the Bishop and Executive Committee, failing which approval, no action shall be taken.
(2) No ornaments, alter hangings, memorial plaques, photographs, furnishings or ecclesiastical furniture of a permanent nature shall be placed in church, removed from church or replacements made, without the written permission of the Bishop.
(3) The Executive Committee shall prepared standards for church buildings and furnishings, parish halls and residences, for the purpose of helping the Parish to provide adequate structures.
XVIII - ORDER AND ELIGIBILITY FOR LICENSING
No person shall be eligible for employment or to hold license to minister in the Diocese of the Arctic who, while employed or licensed or seeking employment or license,
(1) willingly engages in sexual relations outside of marriage;
(2) willingly engages in homosexual, lesbian or bisexual practices;
(3) willingly engages in sexual activity with a minor;
(4) willingly engages in a sexual relationship with, or makes a sexual advance to, any person during a period they are providing counseling to them, or to any staff person (spouse excepted) who is under their direct supervision;
(5) fails to disclose to the Bishop a prior conviction pertaining to child sexual abuse;
(6) promotes or supports such behaviour, lifestyle or teaching.
At the discretion of the Bishop, a license denied or invalidated by the foregoing
provisions may be granted or restored if, in the opinion of the Bishop, the behaviour that gave rise to the refusal or cancellation has been fully dealt with.
XIX – DISCIPLINE/COURT OF THE DIOCESE OF THE ARCTIC
General Synod Canon XVIII (June 1992) shall serve as the Canon on discipline for the Diocese of The Arctic along with Provincial Synod Canon II.
(1) There is hereby established and constituted an ecclesiastical court of the Diocese to be styled the “Court of the Diocese of The Arctic”, and referred to in this Canon as the “Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese”.
(2) Subject to the Constitution, the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese has jurisdiction on appeals from the decisions of the Bishop:
(a) in respect of the conduct of a member of the clergy of the Diocese;
(b) in respect of all ecclesiastical causes within the Diocese;
(c) in respect of all offenses against the laws ecclesiastical;
(d) to act as the Registry for and to facilitate any appeal from the judgement or decree of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese brought by the Bishop or a member of the clergy of the Diocese; and generally to consider any matter referred to it by the Synod of the Diocese.
(3) No appeal shall lie for any error or defect in form in any proceedings, judgement or decree conducted or issued out of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese.
(4) The Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese shall be composed of
(a) a senior member of the clergy, having at least ten years in Holy Orders;
(b) three (3) members of the clergy, having at least five years in Holy Orders; and
(c) three (3) lay members, each being a communicant in good standing of the Anglican Church of Canada, residing in the Diocese, at least one of whom is or has been a member of the Bar of the civil jurisdiction in which he resides for at least ten years.
(5) No member of the Clergy or other person who is concerned with a matter before the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese shall be a member thereof for the purpose of hearing and rendering a decision with respect to that matter.
(6) The members of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese shall be elected by the Synod of the Diocese each regular session thereof.
(7) Should a vacancy in the membership of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese occur by reason of death or resignation of a member, or should any member become disqualified for any cause, the senior member of the clergy shall appoint another eligible person to fill the vacancy.
(8) The senior member of the clergy of where there is a conflict, the next most senior clergy member of the court shall chair the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese.
(9) There shall be appointed by the senior member of the clergy a registrar of the
Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese, and such other officers as said Court deems necessary.
(10) A member of the clergy may appeal a decision of the Bishop with respect to an Offence on any grounds set out in the Canon on Discipline of General Synod.
(11) The Bishop of The Arctic and any member of the clergy convicted by the
Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese may appeal a decision of the Court to the Ecclesiastical Court of the Province of Rupert’s Land by filing notice of appeal with the registry thereof. The decision of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Province of Rupert’s Land on appeal shall be final.
(12) The appellant shall give notice of appeal to the respondent and to at least one member of the clergy of the Diocese by whom the member of the clergy was charged and to the registrar of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese within sixty days from the delivery of the judgement or decree.
(13) Every appeal shall be prosecuted to a hearing by the appellant within one year after such judgement or decree is given, and the senior member of the clergy shall arrange for the convening of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Province of Rupert’s Land for the purpose of hearing the appeal or any matter connected therewith.
(14) Forthwith after payment of the costs of transcription the appellant shall be entitled to receive from the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese that issued the judgement or decree appealed from, and in any event, within sixty days of the notice of appeal referred to in section 12, a transcript of all the proceedings and judgements or decrees appealed from, certified to be correct by the registrar of the Diocesan Court or other officer of the Diocese.
(15) The appellant shall then file such transcript with the registrar of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Province of Rupert’s Land within ninety days of giving notice of the appeal referred to in section 14.
(16) The senior member of the clergy shall give the appellant and the respondent at least thirty days notice in writing of the date set for the hearing of the appeal.
(17) Subject to any order made by the Ecclesiastical Court of the Province, if any of the proceedings in sections 14 to 18 are not taken within the times respectively limited thereof, the appeal shall be considered to be dismissed and the judgement or decree appealed from shall be final.
(18) The quorum of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese shall be three of the members, at least one of whom shall be a lay member.
(19) The Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese may sit in any location within the Diocese at such times as the senior member of the clergy shall, from time to time, order and direct.
(20) The Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese shall determine all questions of evidence and procedure.
(21) The Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese shall have the power to vary or to impose such sentences and penalties and to make such orders and decrees as it may decide provided only that those sentencese, penalties and decrees are within the limits set out in the Canon on Discipline of General Synod, with or without payment of all or part of the costs incurred by any of the parties.
(22) The decision of a majority of the sitting members of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese sitting shall be final and binding, except only in those cases where there may be a further right of appeal under this Canon or under a Canon of the General Synod.
(23) In the event that no majority ruling is given in the Ecclesiastical Court of the Province of Rupert’s Land hearing an appeal from a decision of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese, the judgement or decree appealed from shall stand affirmed.
(24) The decisions of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese or, on appeal, those of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Province of Rupert’s Land shall be in writing, and copies thereof shall be furnished to each of the parties to the proceedings or to the appeal.
(25) The Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese may make such rules and orders as to procedure and practice, and forms thereof, as it from time to time may deem necessary; but where no applicable rules and orders have been made, or where no forms have been prescribed by the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese to guide and govern the proceedings before it, the Court shall follow the rules of the Supreme Court of Appeal of the Anglican Church of Canada, mutatis mutanadis.
(26) The Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese shall hear matters brought before it in accordance with the principles of fairness and natural justice.
(27) Where, in respect of any matter of substance or procedure relating to a hearing in the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese or an appeal to the Ecclesiastical Court of the Province, this Canon or the Rules of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese or Province is or are silent, the provisions of the Canons of General Synod on the Supreme Court of Appeal of the Anglican Church of Canada on Discipline shall apply, mutatis mutandis.
APPENDIX A re. CANON X - CHURCH MEETINGS
“Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the Parishioners of ...................[Parish] or [Congregation] will be held...............on the..........day of.............A.D. 19...... at .........o’clock in the.................for the purpose of.............................at which time and place all parishioners who are qualified under Canon XI are entitled to take part and to vote.”
Dated this.................day of..............A.D. 19.......
APPENDIX B re. CANON XI - MEMBERSHIP
“I, .............................do hereby declare that I am baptised, that I am a bona fide worshipper in the congregation of ...........................in the Parish of...................and that I have contributed regularly to the financial support of the Parish.”
APPENDIX C re. CANON XII AND XIII - DECLARATIONS
1. “I, ............................ declare that I will faithfully and truly execute the office of Churchwarden of the Parish and Congregation of ......................................to the best of my knowledge and ability according to Canon XII of the Synod of the Diocese of the Arctic.”
2. “I, ............................ hereby declare that I will faithfully and truly execute the office of Warden in the Congregation of ........................................in the Parish of.......................to the best of my knowledge and ability according to Canon XII of the synod of the Diocese of The Arctic.
3. “We,
1. ......................... 8 .........................
2. ......................... 9. .........................
3. ......................... 10. .........................
4. ......................... 11. .........................
5. ......................... 12. .........................
6. ......................... 13. .........................
7. ......................... 14. .........................
hereby declare that we will faithfully and truly perform the office of Vestry members in the Parish and Congregation of ................................................... to the best of our knowledge and ability according to Canon XIII of the Synod of the Diocese of The Arctic.”
4. “We,
1. ......................... 5 .........................
2. ......................... 6. .........................
3. ......................... 7. .........................
4. ......................... 8. .........................
hereby declare that we will faithfully and truly perform the office of Council members in the Congregation of ............................in the Parish of
...............................to the best of our knowledge and ability according to Canon XIII of the Synod of the Diocese of the Arctic.”
CONSTITUTION
WHEREAS by Chapter 74 of the Statutes of Canada, 24-25 George V, 1934, The Bishop of the Arctic and his successors in office were incorporated for the purposes of the management and control of the property, affairs and interests of the Anglican church in the matters relating to and affecting the said Church in the Diocese of The Arctic by reason, amongst other things, that no Synod or Assembly, Convocation or other body comprising representatives of the clergy and laity had at that time been convened or organised;
AND WHEREAS Assemblies of the clergy and laity in the said Diocese of The Arctic have been convened and it is now desirable that a Synod of the said Diocese of The Arctic be organised;
AND WHEREAS by Section 5 of the said Statute the Corporation may exercise all its powers by and through an Executive Committee or such boards or committees as the Bishop from time to time appoints;
NOW THEREFORE representatives of the clergy and laity of the Diocese of The Arctic duly appointed and elected in the manner prescribed by Section V Subsection 1 on the Constitution of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert’s Land assembled at Frobisher Bay on the 10th day of April, 1972, hereby adopted the following to be the Constitution of the Synod of the Anglican Diocese of the Arctic.
1. The Synod of the Anglican Diocese of The Arctic shall consist of the Bishop of the Diocese who shall be President of the Synod, the Bishops Coadjutor, Suffragan and Assistant Bishop, if any, the clergy of the Diocese licensed by the Bishop (including chaplains appointed by the Bishop to institutions outside the geographical boundary of the Diocese and who are paid a stipend by the Diocese in respect of such appointment) and not under ecclesiastical censure; the Lay Members hereinafter provided for, such persons, if any, as hold any of the appointments of the Executive Secretary, the Treasurer, the Registrar, the Chancellor, two members of the Diocesan Board of Anglican Church Women elected or appointed by its
Executive, each Catechist and each Lay Reader holding a current licence and having charge of a parish.
Members of Synod may be male or female and all members are entitled to take part in debates and to vote. If a vote by orders is requested, then those in Holy Orders shall vote in the Clerical Order (Bishops, Priests, and Deacons) and the remaining members in the Order of Laity.
2. a) The word “Communicant” wherever it occurs in the Constitution, Canons or Regulations of the Synod, shall be taken to mean one who had communicated in a congregation of the Anglican Church not less than three times within the last twelve months provided he or she has had the opportunity to do so. The declaration of the person affected as to whether he or she has, or has not had opportunity shall be taken as conclusive answer upon this point.
b) The word “Parish” wherever it occurs in the Constitution, Canons or Resolutions of the Synod shall include one or more congregations as it or they may be designated by the Executive Committee from time to time.
c) The word “Cleric” or “clergy” wherever either term occurs in the Constitution, Canons or Resolutions of the Synod shall include Bishops, Priests and Deacons.
3. Every Parish recognised by the Bishop, duly organised with Church wardens and Vestries (and Wardens and Councils, if any) and in good standing in the Diocese shall be entitled to send to Synod one Lay Member from each designated congregation in the Parish.
a) Every Lay Member shall be a Communicant not in Holy Orders, of the full age of sixteen years, who is a parishioner able to vote in a parish meeting under Canon XI and who has been duly elected a Lay Member for the Parish.
b) No Lay Member may represent more than one Parish. One or more substitutes shall be elected by each Parish who shall succeed as Lay Member in order of standing of election in the case of death, removal or other inability to act of the Lay Member.
c) The Bishop may appoint for each Synod session not more than three other persons being communicants and of the full age of eighteen (18) years to be Lay Members of Synod. In addition, the Bishop may, on the nomination of each of the Regional Deans of the Diocese, and after consultation by the said Deans with the Clergy holding the Bishop’s license in the Deanery, appoint one lay delegate from each of the deaneries to be a youth delegate to Synod. Youth delegates shall, in all cases, be of the full age of sixteen (16) and shall not have reached their twenty-sixth (26) birthdays on the date of commencement of Synod, and such youth delegates shall in all other respects meet the qualifications of lay delegates of Synod with the
exception of necessarily being eligible to vote in a Parish meeting pursuant to Canon XIII as those qualifications are set out in Section 3a of the Constitution. For greater certainty, youth delegates may participate as full members of Synod.
d) Every elected Lay Member to whom it shall fall to attend the Synod shall receive from the chairman of the Parish meeting or Cleric in charge of the Parish a Certificate of election in the following form:
DIOCESE OF THE ARCTIC
PARISH OF
I hereby certify that at the meetings of the Parishioners of this Parish held on days of A.D. 19 , , being a Communicant not in Holy Orders of the full age of eighteen years and a Parishioner able to vote was duly elected Lay Member (or a substitute Member, the Lay Member being unable to act) to the Synod for the current year.
(Signed) Cleric in Charge or Chairman.
e) In the event that the Parish is without a Cleric at the time of the meeting of the Synod, a copy certified by two Churchwardens, a Churchwarden and a Vestry member or two Vestry members, of the minutes of the election shall be deemed sufficient to secure the seat and the persons certifying to the minutes may sign the above certificate.
f) The certificate of election shall be presented to the Credentials Committee by each Member on arrival at the Synod session for the purpose of identification.
4. Prior to the opening of the Synod one Cleric and one Lay Member shall be appointed a Credentials Committee by the Bishop whose duty it shall be to:
a) determine the Parishes entitled to representation by reason of being in good standing and otherwise not in default in payment of assessments or filing of returns; and
b) examine the certificates of election of the Lay Members of eligible Parishes;
c) permit registrations of all duly qualified representatives from eligible Parishes and make their report to Synod.
5. Immediately after the report of the Credentials Committee has been submitted and dealt with, the Synod shall proceed to elect a Secretary whose duties shall be to keep the minutes of Synod and prepare the same for publication and such other functions as may be required.
6. A regular session of the Synod shall be held triennially at a time or times appointed by the Bishop after consultation with the Executive Committee. The Bishop shall likewise appoint the place of meeting.
A special session may be called by the Bishop, or in the absence of the Bishop, by the next highest dignitary in the Diocese, at such time and place as the Bishop or the said next highest dignitary, after consultation with the Executive Committee shall appoint, subject to the provisions of subparagraph 13(b).
In all Synod setting the English and Eskimo languages will be recognised and all reports and proceedings shall be made available in both languages where possible. Should other languages used within the Diocese be expressed in Synod then such languages shall be recognised subject to availability of interpreters.
Where the Bishop and the Executive Committee decide that it is inadvisable to convoke
a regular session of the Synod within the time set out above, the Bishop may postpone
the session for a period not exceeding two years.
7. A quorum for Synod shall consist of at least one-fourth of the clergy of the Diocese, and one-fourth of the Lay Members of the Diocese registered under the provisions of Clause 4 hereof.
8. No resolution of the Synod shall be passed without the concurrence of the Bishop and a majority of the clergy and lay Members present and a quorum of the Synod present; the votes of the clergy and laity to be taken collectively unless a vote by orders is demanded by any three members of the Synod before the question is put from the Chair, when a majority of the clerical order and the order of laity voting separately will be necessary to affirm the resolution.
9. An Executive Committee shall be constituted at each regular meeting of the Synod, which Committee shall consist of the following members who shall remain in office until their successors are elected or appointed, namely, the Bishop, as Chairman, the Bishops Coadjutor, Suffragan and Assistant Bishop, if any, or the Bishop’s Commissary, if any; those persons holding any of the following offices or appointments in the Diocese, the Dean, Archdeacon, Chancellor, Executive Secretary, Secretary of Synod, Treasurer, a diocesan representative on the Executive of General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada or equivalent governing body as designated by the Bishop, if not already a member of the Executive Committee and two
Clerics and three Lay Members to be elected by Synod. The Bishop may appoint up to four additional members of Synod, either clerical or lay from any part of the Diocese. Alternates for the elected members of the Executive Committee shall be those persons next in order in the number of votes received at the most recent Synod and they shall act at meetings of the Executive Committee in the absence or inability of the elected members to attend such meetings. When any vacancy occurs among the elected members of the Executive Committee between regular meetings of the Synod the alternate next in order in number of votes received at the most recent Synod shall fill the vacancy and become a member and if there be no alternate available such vacancy shall be filled by the Executive Committee. In each case clerical and lay members’ places shall be filled respectively from among the Clerical and Lay Members of the Synod.
The Executive Committee, when constituted, shall be appointed by the Bishop as the Executive Committee within the meaning of Section 5 of the Act to incorporate the Bishop of The Arctic.
a) The Executive Committee shall carry out decisions of the Synod; shall prepare business for the Synod; report its proceedings thereto and in the interval between meetings of Synod shall exercise the executive powers of the same and carry out such tasks as may be given to it by the Synod or various committees of the Synod.
b) The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a year, its first meeting to be immediately after its appointment at Synod and at which it shall itself appoint a Secretary, a Treasurer and an Auditor. Two-fifths of the members but in any event not less than three shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting and provided that of such quorum, one member shall be the Bishop or in the absence of the Bishop, the next highest dignitary of the Diocese, a member of the Executive Committee. Where less than one-half of the members (alternates present due to absence of members being considered members for this purpose) of the Executive Committee shall attend a meeting, no act of that meeting shall be
valid unless and until the business transacted at the meeting has been minuted including the theme of discussion on each matter and such minutes have been circulated to all members of the Executive Committee not present and not less than one-half of those members not present have signified in writing their approval of the business transacted. In the event any business or act of such a meeting is not so approved, then it shall stand over to the next meeting of the Executive Committee for consideration and if approved with a quorum present, even though less than one-half of the members of the Executive Committee are present, it shall constituted approval of the Executive Committee. Provided that where due to the emergency nature of the business to be transacted as to which the Bishop or the Bishop’s commissary or next highest dignitary as the case may be shall certify, the act shall be valid and binding immediately upon approval or authorisation at the first meeting of
the Executive Committee if a quorum is present.
c) Notice of each Executive Committee meeting shall be given in writing (or such other means of communication as the Executive Committee shall approve from time to time) at least two weeks prior to the date thereof, including, if possible, an agenda of matters to be dealt with. Meetings may be held at any time without notice if all members are present at the meeting or those absent are replaced by alternates or those absent not replaced by alternates have waived notice of the meeting. Members unable to attend may submit written views on all or any matters to be dealt with and such views shall be placed before the meeting.
d) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 9 to the contrary, any resolution or act consented to at any time by the signatures of all the members of the Executive Committee is as valid and effective as if passed at a meeting of the Executive Committee duly called, constituted and held for that purpose.
10. The various Committees of the Synod shall be constituted and their business conducted as their representative Canons shall direct, or where no specific Canon applies, as Synod shall determine, or when constituted between Synod meetings, as the Executive Committee shall determine.
- The Bishop may appoint other Diocesan Officials in addition to those mentioned in the Constitution and Canons, to assist in the operation of the Diocese with the concurrence of the Executive Committee. They shall hold office during the pleasure of the Bishop.
11.02 Where a member of the Executive Committee is unable to attend meetings of the Executive and that inability would result in a Deanery being unrepresented at Executive Committee meetings, the Regional Dean may designate a member of Synod of the same Order, resident in that Deanery, to attend Executive Committee meetings in the absence of the said member. Such member of Synod may be designated pro tempore to the Executive Committee as a non-voting member.
12. In the absence of the Bishop of the Diocese, the Bishops Coadjutor, Suffragan or Assistant Bishop, or of any Commissary the Bishop may appoint, the chair at any meeting of the Synod shall be taken by the highest dignitary of the Diocese who may be present.
13. a) In the event of the total incapacity of the Diocesan, for a continuous period of more than two months, or the See becoming vacant through the death of the Diocesan at a time when there is no Bishop Coadjutor, the Bishop Suffragan, or if there be no Suffragan, the Assistant Bishop, or if there be no Assistant Bishop the Dean, or if there be no Dean, the next highest dignitary in the Diocese, shall be the Administrator of the Diocese, who will have the responsibility for matters pertaining to Diocesan Administration until such time as either the Diocesan is able to resume his or her studies or a new Diocesan is consecrated; provided that if there be a Bishop Coadjutor and if the vacancy is not the
result of the death of the Diocesan, the Bishop Coadjutor shall be the Administrator of the Diocese.
b) In the even of a vacancy occurring in the episcopate of the Diocese of The Arctic then the next highest dignitary in the Diocese able to act and having complied with the applicable provisions of the Constitution of the Province of Rupert’s Land, shall summon a meeting of Synod to fill the vacancy; such meeting to be called by letter or telephone or by transmission by FAX and to be held on a day to be fixed by the Executive Committee of the Synod not earlier than that period of time which is necessary to give at least two weeks’ notice of such meeting to each member of Synod, time to be reckoned from the date of the mailing or of the transmission by FAX of the notice and to be held on a day fixed by the Executive Committee of the
Synod not earlier than that period of time which is necessary to give at least two weeks’ notice of such meeting to each member of Synod, time to be reckoned from the date of the mailing or of the transmission by FAX of the notice if notice is given by mail or by FAX, but otherwise upon the earliest day that is practical for the holding of such meeting having regard to the season of the year, availability of transportation and a convenient location; provided that in the event of a vacancy of a Bishop Coadjutor or Bishop Suffragan or Assistant Bishop, the Executive Committee shall first determine whether such vacancy is to be filled.
c) A Bishop desiring to resign shall send his or her resignation to the metropolitan naming the day on and from which such resignation shall have effect and subject to the same proviso and conditions set forth in subparagraph b) unless a Bishop Coadjutor be then in office or notice of an election for a Bishop Coadjutor has been given by the Bishop.
d) The bishop shall be elected at the meeting of Synod called as above set forth provided there shall be a quorum present and such election shall be by ballot voting by orders in the following manner:
(i) a majority of the total votes in each order shall determine the choice, provided at least one-half of the clergy and at least one-half of the Lay Members of Synod entitled to vote are present and vote;
(ii) in a quorum be present but less than one-half of the clergy or less than one-half of the Lay members of the Synod entitled to vote are present and vote, a nominee must secure two-thirds of the votes of that order less than half of which is present in order to be elected;
(iii) if, after twelve successive ballots have been had at any one election, and no Cleric has been elected as provided in subsections (I) and (ii) hereof, a further ballot shall be taken and the percentage of the clergy voting thereafter for each Cleric shall be added to the percentage of the Lay Members voting thereat for the same Cleric, and the Cleric who obtains the highest total of percentages shall be declared elected.
e) In the event that in the normal course of a session of Synod is scheduled to be held within one year of the occurrence of a vacancy in the See the selection shall take place at such scheduled session of Synod.
- No alterations in the Constitution or Canons shall be made or be effective unless the proposed alterations have been tabled at the Session of Synod next following the date of their proposal, such tabling to be preceded by the giving of sixty (60) days notice in writing of the text of the proposed alterations by mail or fax to the Bishop(s) of the Diocese and delegates to that Synod in both English and Inuktitut. Notice shall be sent in all cases by the Executive Officer of the Diocese or his designate.
Where such notice has been given and the proposed alterations have been properly tabled and where no objective is raised to the alterations as proposed, such alterations shall come into effect immediately upon the conclusion of the Session of Synod at which they are tabled. Provided however that:
any proposed alterations in the Constitution or Canons shall become immediately operative if they have been considered and approved unanimously by a quorum of the Executive and are afterwards not objected to by the delegates to the Synod next following;
any three accredited delegates to the Synod referred to in (a) whether members of laity or clergy or any combination thereof or a Bishop of the Diocese may by motion raise an objection to the alterations to the Constitution or Canons in which case that objection shall be considered by Synod and the alteration shall only remain operative if it is confirmed by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Clerical Order and a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Order of Laity present, voting separately, and
where an objection has been considered by the Synod as aforesaid and the alterations fail to obtain majority approval by the majority referred to in (b), it shall be considered defeated and the Constitution or Canons shall continue as they were prior to making and approval of the alteration by the Executive.
14.02 Where an alteration to the Constitution or Canons has been considered and defeated by the Synod, that particular alteration shall not afterwards be considered and approved by the Executive but may be introduced in sixty (60) days written notice first being given by mail or fax by the Executive Officer or his designate to the Bishop(s) and to delegates to any subsequent Synod as provided in s.14.01 and where so introduced shall be considered and may be approved in the manner and by the majority of delegates to Synod as set out and provided for in s. 14.01 (b) of this Constitution.
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