Reflections on the Ottawa Electoral Synod
By Archbishop Anne Germond
This past Saturday, February 28, I had the privilege of presiding at the electoral synod of the Diocese of Ottawa as they gathered to discern and elect their eleventh bishop.
As Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, it is my responsibility to preside at electoral synods across our province. It is always a deeply meaningful experience. An electoral synod is not simply an election. It becomes a liminal space — a holy space — where the Church moves from individual discernment into corporate discernment as the body of Christ.
Everyone arrives at the synod with the name of someone they believe God has placed on their heart to write on that first ballot. But over the course of the day, something shifts. In every electoral synod I have presided over, including this one, the process gradually becomes a shared discernment as the people of that diocese prayerfully ask together: who is God calling us to serve as our next bishop?
There was a wonderful spirit in the hall at Cathedral Place as people gathered before the synod began. Delegates were greeting one another, catching up with friends from across the diocese, and preparing themselves for the work of the day.
As always, we began with prayer and with the reading of Scripture. The Gospel appointed for the day came from John 17, where Jesus prays for his disciples on the night before his crucifixion. He prays that they may be one, that they may be protected, and that they may go out in the power of the Spirit to do the works he has done — and even greater works. That prayer of Jesus for his disciples was very much on my heart as I preached.
Throughout the day, we also felt the prayers of the wider Church. Electoral synods are never isolated moments. They are held within the prayers and hopes of the broader community of faith.
After the formal opening of synod and instructions regarding the voting process, the election began. Clergy and lay delegates vote in separate houses, and for an election to be declared the nominee must receive a majority in both the House of Clergy and the House of Laity.
As you might imagine, the rhythm of the day includes moments of anticipation and waiting as ballots are counted and results are communicated. Those pauses create space — space for silence, prayer, Scripture, and song. We used that space well. Hymns were sung, prayers were offered, and the Word of God continued to guide us throughout the day. It truly felt as though the entire synod was held in prayer.
The nominees — The Ven. Brian Kauk, The Ven. Kathryn Otley, and The Ven. Monique Stone — were gracious throughout the process. It was clear that there is a deep respect and friendship among them.
When the results of the second ballot became known, it was clear that the synod had elected a new bishop. After gathering in prayer with the nominees, I returned to the synod hall to announce that The Ven. Kathryn Otley had been elected as the eleventh Bishop of the Diocese of Ottawa. The announcement was met with great joy and celebration.
The consecration of Bishop-elect Otley has been scheduled for May 9, and there is much work to be done between now and then. I have invited Bishop-elect Otley to join us later in March for our provincial meetings, including the House of Bishops and Provincial Council, and she will also be invited to the national House of Bishops gathering in April where she will meet colleagues from across the Church.
The Diocese of Ottawa has been well cared for during this time of transition under the leadership of Bishop Michael Bird and others who have helped guide the diocese through this period.
Looking back on the day, I can simply say that it was a beautiful occasion — as electoral synods so often are — when the Church gathers in prayer, listens deeply for the Spirit, and trusts that God is at work among us.