We Have A New Primate!

Friends, 

On Thursday June 26th, our national church elected a new Primate—and I want to share that news with you directly.

The Right Reverend Shane Parker, Bishop of Ottawa, has been chosen to serve in this role, and I give thanks for his leadership, wisdom, and the calm strength he brings. I’ve admired Bishop Shane for many years—his clarity, his care for others, his deep grounding in the Gospel, and his willingness to do the hard work of reconciliation and change with both courage and compassion.

You might be wondering: what exactly is a Primate?

In the Anglican Church of Canada, the Primate is our spiritual leader and senior bishop, elected by General Synod to serve the whole church. It’s not a position of authority in the usual sense—it’s a calling to be a servant-leader. The Primate holds the church together across vast geography and great diversity, offering pastoral care to bishops, representing us in the wider Anglican Communion, and guiding the work of our national office.

This includes overseeing General Synod’s staff and resources, and—especially now—leading us through important structural and cultural changes as we live more faithfully into who we are today. 

His own journey—beginning as a labourer in western Canada, then working as a sociologist before being ordained—gives him a grounded and honest view of the church and the world. He’s led pilgrimages to the Holy Land, taught at Saint Paul University, and walked alongside Indigenous advisors and elders in the work of healing and reconciliation. He brings a wealth of experience, a deep spirituality, and a strong pastoral heart to this new role.

Please keep Bishop Shane and the people of Ottawa in your prayers as he transitions from Ottawa into this new season of national ministry. 

Blessings,

Alex+