For the Election of a Diocesan and Suffragan Bishops, May 2025.

Inuktitut Version / ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᓯᒪᔪᖅ

The Diocese of the Arctic will be electing a diocesan bishop and suffragan bishops at an electoral synod in May 2025.

Geography and Demographics

The Diocese of the Arctic covers an area of some 4 million square kilometres (1.5 million square miles), that is, one third the area of Canada. The diocesan boundaries encompass the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Nunavik region in northern Quebec. Approximately 90,000 people live in communities dispersed throughout this area. In Nunavut and Nunavik, there are no roads to connect communities together, and the primary way to travel between communities or to the rest of Canada is by airplane. In the Northwest Territories, some communities are connected by road, but air travel is common due to the vast distances between communities.

Ethnically, our diocese is quite diverse. Most of the population is Inuit, with Dene, Cree, Inuvialuit, and Gwich’in also represented alongside Canadian settlers and an increasing number of immigrants from all over the world.

In our diocese, there are 47 parishes, and nearly every community located within the diocesan boundaries has an Anglican church. Our parishes are led by lay readers, deacons, and priests. Many churches hold services in local languages, and some use English. In Inuit communities, many use the Inuktitut translation of the prayer book, last updated in 1974. Hymnbooks in local languages and English are used for worship. An Inuktitut translation of the Bible was completed in 2012, with revisions underway. The diocese also supports translation projects in other indigenous languages, including Inuinnaqtun and Cree.

We maintain good ecumenical relationships with other Christians in our communities. The Roman Catholic Church has congregations in many of our communities, and a few other denominations and independent churches have a presence in a smaller number of communities. We attend Bible conferences and other events alongside our Christian brothers and sisters from other churches. Some of our congregations broadcast worship services and prayers over local radio stations, and our cathedral congregation in Iqaluit recently launched its own radio station.

The communities we serve vary by size. Two of our parishes are located in larger cities in our diocese: Yellowknife (pop. 20,000) and Iqaluit (pop. 8,000). Nine are located in communities with a population between 2,000 and 4,000. Fourteen are located in communities with a population between 1,000 and 2,000. Twenty-four are located in communities with a population less than 1,000. So the majority of our parishes are in small communities.

Although we share much in common, there is diversity among the communities in our diocese. Each region has qualities that make it distinct from other regions. Even within regions, communities have differences in culture between them. The diocese spans three territorial/provincial jurisdictions, each having different laws. There are differences in Inuktitut dialects between regions. We are united by our faith in Christ and our commitment to share the gospel with our communities.

Historical and Cultural Context

While the faith of our people is strong, we face a number of challenges in our communities. We acknowledge that historical traumas from residential schools, relocations, and the forced settling of nomadic peoples into communities have ongoing effects. Abuse of alcohol and drugs is common, along with associated violence. Mental health support is limited. There is a high rate of suicide, especially among youth. There are high rates of poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, and overcrowded housing. The future seems uncertain to many, but we believe in a God who does miracles and in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives. We have a hope and a future through Jesus Christ, and we work to share that hope in our communities.

Key Ministries and Programs

ATTS

Arthur Turner Training School (ATTS) is our ministry school for raising up local leaders and clergy for the diocese. The school was founded in 1970 in the community of Pangnirtung. After successfully raising up a number of clergy for our diocese, including five of our bishops, the school closed in the mid-2000s due mainly to issues with aging buildings. In 2016, the school reopened with a two-year residential training program for clergy in Iqaluit. Since reopening, the residential program has 7 graduates, including 6 ordained priests and 1 ordained deacon.

A new course was launched in 2023 to train lay readers and deacons using a hybrid model of online learning and short in-person intensive courses in regional hubs. Cohorts have launched in four regions of the diocese, some taught by ATTS staff and others by local clergy. This program currently has 14 “full-time” active students and 16 graduates, with 6 of the graduates already ordained to the diaconate. Dozens of others have taken single courses to help them in their service to the church.

In 2024, ATTS operated with one part-time director, one part-time Inuktitut language instructor, and one part-time administrative assistant, with plans to expand to two full-time staff and one part-time assistant. The position of director has recently become vacant, and our next bishop will need to appoint a new director to fill this important role.

Diocesan Youth Ministry

At the diocesan level, we have hosted youth conferences and events, including Teens Encounter Christ (TEC). One of our parish clergy serves as Youth Ministry Coordinator for the diocese. We plan to expand TEC to multiple regional gatherings to increase the reach of our diocesan youth ministry.

AADC

In December 2024, the Executive Committee of the Diocese voted to set up the Arctic Anglican Development Corporation, which will seek funding from the federal and territorial/provincial governments to develop diocesan lands. The corporation will be wholly owned by the Diocese. At the start, its focus will be on building multipurpose buildings in our communities that include worship spaces, meeting rooms, office space, and housing units which would generate income for the diocese. We hope this will help our diocese to become self-sustaining and less reliant on grants and donations from outside the diocese.

Episcopal Team

The diocesan bishop will lead a team consisting of the diocesan bishop and three suffragan bishops. Each suffragan bishop will also have another role as the incumbent of a parish or in another diocesan ministry such as ATTS. Suffragan bishops will devote an average of 1/3 of their work time to episcopal ministry and 2/3 to their other ministry. The regions of the diocese will be divided among the bishops for pastoral oversight and regular parish visitation. The diocesan bishop will also travel and visit parishes across the whole diocese. A few options for how the regions could be distributed among the bishops are provided in an appendix.

All four bishops will need to live in regional travel hubs (Yellowknife, Inuvik, Rankin Inlet, Iqaluit, Kuujjuaq, or Puvirnituq) to facilitate travel to the communities. Although the diocesan office is located in Yellowknife, the diocesan bishop could live in any of these hub communities. The diocesan bishop will need to do a significant amount of travelling to visit parishes, and the suffragan bishops will also spend some of their time travelling within their regions.

Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges:

• Geographic isolation and costly travel
• Social issues: poverty, housing shortages, addiction, and mental health crises
• Supporting clergy in remote areas
• Communication across barriers of language and technology
• A shortage of clergy to meet the needs of our parishes

Opportunities:

• Developing a shared vision and exploring new models for ministry in our communities
• Training and empowering new clergy
• Expanding ATTS and youth ministries
• Leveraging the AADC to improve financial sustainability

Our Next Bishop

We want our next bishop to:
• Strengthen and encourage our clergy and lay readers
• Work with suffragan bishops and diocesan leaders to develop a long-term vision and strategy
• Help parishes to develop a vision for ministry that fits their community context
• Work with parishes to raise up a new generation of leaders
• Travel throughout the diocese to understand the unique context of each parish and region
• Reorganize our diocese to equip us for the future (see Diocesan Reorganization below)

We want our next bishop to be:
• A faithful follower of Jesus Christ, a student of God’s Word, and a person of prayer
• An effective team leader who knows how to collaborate with others and delegate responsibility
• A good listener who will take time to hear from and care for our clergy and parish leaders
• Sensitive to cultural differences and familiar with the history of indigenous Canadians
• Fluent in Inuktitut or English and willing to learn and work in other languages as needed
• Able to develop a sustainable pattern of work and rest, travel and time at home
• committed to upholding Christian faith and practice as it has been handed down in this Diocese

Diocesan Reorganization

The next Bishop of The Arctic must lead the Diocese through a critical transition, focusing on legal compliance and financial sustainability. They will oversee an effort to amend our constitution to transition our structure from a corporation sole to a shared ministry organization compliant with modern charity laws. This effort will also require significant updates to our handbook and policies, along with renewal and/or renegotiation of leases of land occupied by church buildings. In addition, the next bishop will need to work to make our diocese financially sustainable, as we expect funding from the Council of the North to decrease from $496,500 to $95,000 in the coming years. Strong leadership and strategic vision are essential to ensure effective ministry across the Diocese’s communities.

Statistics

Diocesan Office Staff: 4 full-time, 2 part-time, 1 chancellor (volunteer)

Parishes
• Number of parishes: 47
• Self-Supporting Parishes: 7
• Assisted Parishes (receive assistance from the diocese to pay clergy): 13
• Mission Parishes (fully supported by the diocese): 22
• Inactive Parishes: 5

Parish Clergy & Lay Readers
• Active Bishops: 1
• Active Priests: 16
• Active Deacons: 15
• Retired Clergy: 22
• Licensed Lay Readers: 100

Clergy Employment Statistics:
Full-Time Paid Clergy: 14
Active Non-Stipendiary Clergy: 18

Demographic Statistics (Clergy):
Indigenous Clergy: 33
Non-Indigenous Clergy: 14

Remuneration for Bishops

The Diocese of the Arctic is offering compensation consistent with Council of the North guidelines. This includes:
• Diocesan bishop annual stipend including responsibility allowance: $49,757
• Suffragan bishop annual stipend including responsibility allowance: $47,757
• Northern allowance ($3,700-$18,517 per year depending on location of residence)
• Housing provided by the diocese
• Employment Benefits (health, CPP, EI, pension, continuing education fund)
• Paid Leave (6 weeks annual vacation, plus educational and sabbatical leaves)
• Vacation Travel Allowance available annually

Diocesan 2025 Operating Budget

 Presented on a modified cash basis                                                                       

REVENUES
Grant – The General Synod	$496,500
Arthur Turner Training School (ATTS)	$113,000
Parish Assessments & Stipend Reimbursements	$1,654,494
Donations	$238,130
Investment Income	$70,000
Sales & Miscellaneous	$19,600
Other Grants  (Specific Projects)	$52,500
Restricted Gifts (Specific Projects)	$140,000
Transfers from Restricted Fund	$94,307
TOTAL REVENUES	$2,878,531

Expenses
Arthur Turner Training School (ATTS)	$171,042
Assessment and Apportionment	$55,183
Episcopal Wages & Benefits	$244,595
Parish & Clergy Expenses	$1,259,010
Diocesan Synod 2025	$250,000
Other Expenses (Office, Fundraising, etc.)	$926,688
TOTAL EXPENSES	$2,906,518
REVENUES MINUS EXPENSES	-$27,987

            

Diocesan Bishop Nomination Form – English
Suffragan Bishop Nomination Form – English
Nomination Forms (Combined) – Inuktitut

View the Notice of Synod