Delegate Diary – Day 2: “Something New Is Springing Up”

As delegates continue to gather in London, Ontario for General Synod 2025, there is a strong sense of spiritual resonance with this year’s theme: “They will soar on wings like eagles.” Archbishop Anne Germond’s primatial address expanded on this image by drawing attention to the molting eagle, “who maintains his primary feathers by shedding old ones.” She invited delegates to consider the questions: “Is this an invitation to shed old feathers? To be midwives of a new thing? How will shedding help us to soar?”

Following the address, Archdeacon Kelly Baetz, Archdeacon of the Deanery of Muskoka and priest-in-charge at All Saints Church in Huntsville, and James Hunt, a fellow parishioner and first-time General Synod delegate, shared their reflections on the imagery and message.

“It’s an image of hope,” said Archdeacon Baetz. “When we look at the decline of our churches in despair, this is a reminder that shedding is part of the process. Through that, something new can emerge. It’s pretty much the same as the pruning in John 15. Being cut back is painful, but it’s part of regrowth. It’s God doing something good for us—and for the world.”

Hunt also noted the tendency to interpret such metaphors in the most idealized terms. “When we hear about soaring on wings like eagles, we imagine the majestic bird in full flight. But no person—or church—is always like that. We have seasons of shedding, of loss. Sometimes we need to see the image differently and embrace the uncomfortable parts of growth.”

At the local level, Hunt sees signs of renewal. “At All Saints, we’re seeing some emerging leaders. That tells me that seeds must have been planted. So while we’re living in that tension of reaping the past, we’re also noticing something new.”

Both delegates acknowledged that it can be difficult to recognize new growth while it is still in its early stages. “Like seeds in the ground, we don’t know what’s there until it breaks through the surface,” said Hunt.

Bringing insights from national gatherings like General Synod back to parish life is a key priority for both delegates. Hunt referenced recent examples: “We’ve already introduced ideas from diocesan synod, like incubator churches and intergenerational ministry. What gatherings like this offer is a fresh set of eyes—a reminder of the excitement and hope that still exists in the Church.”

Baetz emphasized the importance of connection across the wider Anglican family. “In times of decline, people can become insular. There can be distrust of the ‘higher ups.’ But there’s no us and them. Being here feels like a family reunion—even among people I’ve never met.”

Her approach to leading conversations in the Diocese of Algoma when she returns will focus on “finding ways to translate the experience into something meaningful for others. It’s not about imposing the experience—it’s about communicating it in ways that help others engage.”

That sense of unity was embodied powerfully during Monday evening’s opening worship service at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where delegates were invited to bring water from their home regions and pour it into a common font. Beatz brought water from Fairy Lake in Huntsville. “The symbolism of pouring it in was meaningful, especially thinking of the woman at the well.”

That same water was used later in the service after the renewal of baptismal vows, to sprinkle the congregation of app. 600 people. “That moment of sprinkling impacted me the most,” said Baetz. It made me want to bring the best of myself to this experience—and leave behind the cynicism.”

For Hunt the sprinkling was also deeply personal. “I closed my eyes and felt the drops on my arms. I was aware that it was water from across the land—this combined force. But the individuality was still intact. It was a powerful reminder of our unity across diversity, across geography. I felt deeply connected not only to the Anglican family, but to this country that I love so much.”

The symbolism was not lost on either delegate. The water-blessing ritual echoed a similar experience at the recent Diocesan Synod, deepening the connection between the local and national church.

As General Synod continues, the reflections from Archdeacon Baetz and James Hunt serve as a reminder that to shed is not to fail—it is to prepare. As Hunt noted, “We don’t yet know what will spring up, but there are signs. We just have to be willing to see them.”