General Secretary of General Synod - Functions of the General Secretary
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official4991
- Date
- 1968 May 16-17
- Type
- Resolution
- Mover
- Chancellor R.H. Soward
- Seconder
- Archbishop of Algoma
- Prologue
- Chancellor R.H. Soward presented the following letter from Mr. E.W. Netten of Price Waterhouse and Co.:
- The position of General Secretary, as currently constituted, is very largely concerned with serving as Secretary to the General Synod, the National Executive Council and numerous committees and commissions; coordinating the work of the committees and commissions; representing the Anglican Church of Canada on a variety of inter-Church and ecumenical matters; arranging for the publication of official Church journals and proceedings; rendering assistance to the Primate; and involvement in Anglican-United Church union matters. The present General Secretary, Canon R.R. Latimer, takes up new duties on a full-time basis in June relative to the General Commission on Union with the United Church.
- With removal of Anglican-United Church union affairs from the purview of the General Secretary, consideration is being given to restructuring the position, to replacing it with another senior position or to using a different title.
- We offer below, as requested, our preliminary thoughts on the matter, recognizing that our contemplated, more detailed study of the position has not yet been made.
- We believe that the importance and time requirements of the functions which logically should be assigned to the General Secretary justify retention of the position, and with that title. His key functions would include:
- 1. Secretary of General Synod, the NEC and, possibly, other Church committees;
- 2. serving as executive assistant to the Primate, with the qualifications and standing requisite to carrying out projects or undertaking other tasks at the Primate's request, or to representing the Primate at official gatherings;
- 3. serving as the Church's national ecumenical officer in relations with other Churches and with inter-Church organizations, particularly on ecclesiastical and coordinate matters.
- The workload on United Church union affairs will diminish materially for the new incumbent of the position, and other time-consuming features of the position perhaps might be shorn away through simplifying the committee structure and by transferring much of the responsibility for producing meeting journals, circulars and minutes to someone else. Even with such changes, it appears to us that the three key functions delineated above would warrant continuance of the position. This would be especially so if, as well as may be the case, the requirement to provide executive assistance to the Primate should place heavier demands upon the position that it currently does. It can also be anticipated that activities in the fields of ecumenism and Church union (quite apart from the United Church) will become increasingly onerous.
- We see no need, at the present time, to supersede the position with another. Nor do we feel that there are benefits to be derived from reorienting the position or from altering its title to emphasize certain functions by using a designation such as "Executive Assistant to the Primate" or "Ecumenical Officer." The title "General Secretary of General Synod" seems quite descriptive of the position as we visualize it, and correctly connotes to Church officials a close relationship with the Primate; we, therefore, see no compelling reason to change it.
- These preliminary conclusions are based upon the background knowledge we acquired during our earlier survey, the discussions on May 2 and the perusal of pertinent memoranda. We appreciate that there are many facets of the position of General Secretary which we have not commented upon, including other less significant or time-consuming duties now attaching to the position, the relative emphases of its key functions and its relationships with the whole area of program. These subjects are best left to the more detailed contemplated study to follow.
- We shall be happy to expand upon, or to discuss, our preliminary conclusions with you or other Church officers, if you wish.
- Text of motion
- That the report on the functions of the General Secretary be received. CARRIED
- Notes
- It was noted that after September 1, 1968, church union negotiations with all other denominations will be removed from the General Secretary's area of responsibility and will be dealt with by the Anglican Executive Commissioner on Church Union.
- Subjects
- Anglican Church of Canada. General Secretary
- Christian union - Anglican Church of Canada
- Netten Report
- Netten, Edward William (Ted), 1930-2019