The ACNA Provincial Council kicked off today, Wednesday, June 18, at the Trophimus Center of Trinity Anglican Seminary in Ambridge, PA. The Opening Eucharist was attended by lay delegates, clergy, and bishops from around the province. This service provides the spiritual foundation of prayer and worship that the Council is based upon, an invitation for Christ to be in their midst and help make the mundane tasks of administration and governance Spirit-filled and vitally important for the future life of the Church. The Rt. Rev. Ray Sutton, Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church, was the celebrant and the Most Rev. Steve Wood, Archbishop of the ACNA, gave the sermon.

Provincial Council is an example of the supreme legislative body that governs each of the churches of the Anglican Communion across the globe.  This is a regular and necessary feature of decision making among all Anglicans. Among Anglicans, the legislative branch of church government lies typically in the central legislative assembly of a Church.  In our case, this legislative authority is vested in both Provincial Council and Provincial Assembly. Article 7 Paragraph 1 of the ACNA Constitution states that the Provincial Council is the governing body for the ACNA and has authority to adopt canons and constitutional amendments for ratification by Provincial Assembly (which meets at least twice every five years) and to establish the program and budget of the Province. 

It is technically a synod (from the Greek word, which means travelling together), and it is representative of the whole Anglican Church.  Why?  The reasons extend back to the ancient Roman principle that “what touches all should be decided by all” (The Code of Justinian).  Therefore, the ACNA Provincial Council will not be the domain of the bishops or clergy only, but of bishops, clergy, and laity, meeting and praying together to determine God’s best and God’s will for the whole province. For this reason, every diocese in the ACNA is represented at Provincial Council by one bishop, one member of the clergy, and two lay persons. Please note the importance of the laity; they are equal in number to those in Holy Orders (Canon I.1.2).

In addition, there is a commitment among Anglicans to always seek the larger good—the common good—for the whole Church.  Historically, one can trace this commitment to Paul’s command in Philippians 2:5-11, that we should always seek the mind of Christ “who considered not equality with God something to be grasped but emptied himself…” Why?  For the sake of the Gospel and the extension of the Kingdom of God, through his death and resurrection, so that “every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD.”

In other words, when attending Provincial Council, you’re not attending to represent a particular party, purpose, or agenda. Historically, synods of the Church are called to reinforce and to manifest the common good or purpose for which the Church exists. Our common good, therefore, requires a commitment to mission: “To extend the kingdom of God by so presenting Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit that people will come to put their trust in God through Him, know Him as Savior, and serve Him as Lord in the fellowship of the church” (Article III, The Mission of the Province).  

This year, the Council will take place over three days from the 18^th to the 20^th of June, with most of the workshops and meetings on Thursday, the 19^th. It will be important to pay attention to a few important issues impacting the life of the province at this time. The Common Life Commission Report will be given by Bishop Steve Breedlove on the second day of the Council. Though not as detailed as what the College discussed in their meeting at the beginning of the week, the topics presented will be overlapping jurisdictions, women’s ordination, and what we understand mission to be, along with our theology of the Church. All off these subjects impact the way we do mission together as a unified province. The other topic to take note of will be presented by Dr. Tiffany Butler, who will speak on safeguarding the Church. Her expertise is on the canon law of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, and she has had regular input on the canonical development of our own young province. The third thing to pay attention to is the Rev. Cn. Andrew Rowell’s presentation on Title IV and the changes planned in our canons. He will present the basics of these changes and why they’re so important for church discipline and the future of our Church. He will also present how everyone can get involved throughout the coming year by asking questions, giving input, and raising concerns before a final version is presented at Provincial Council 2026.

Please keep this year’s Council in our prayers, that the Lord would help guide all the delegates as they listen to teaching, pray, worship, and fellowship together, and that He would continue our work towards greater unity and transparency in the life of this province.