Press Release: At The 14th General Synod, Church of Nigeria Reviews Its Foreign Mission Policy

The 14th General Synod of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion at its meeting held at St Mark’s Church, Nnewichi, Anambra State issued the resolutions on its foreign missions and endorsed by the Primate, The Most Rev’d Dr. Henry C. Ndukuba.

This became necessary because of many boundary issues coming up from its foreign missions especially in the North America.

The Synod extensively discussed the issues one after the other and approved resolutions presented below. These resolutions issued encapsulate Church of Nigeria Policy on Foreign Missions in the overall interest of all and in conformity with the provisions of the Protocols executed to promote that course.

The Resolutions are as follows;

RE: CHURCH OF NIGERIA POLICY ON FOREIGN MISSIONS

WHEREAS, the Church of Nigeria Foreign Mission is the entity of the Church of Nigeria (CON) Anglican Communion that serves the Church of Nigeria in the global sphere to carry out the great commission to make disciples of all nations.

AND WHEREAS, the General Synod at its meeting reiterated its powers to create missionary Dioceses, convocations, chaplaincies in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2020.

BE IT NOW RESOLVED AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED:

THAT, consequent upon the ongoing dialogue and engagements between the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), the Church of Nigeria shall continue to establish and maintain missionary areas, convocations, chaplaincies of like-minded faithful outside Nigeria and appoint persons within or outside Nigeria to administer them subject to the Episcopal oversight of the Primate.

THAT, the structure of the Church of Nigeria involvements outside Nigeria shall be in the form of Missions only in conformity with Anglican Conventions and Ethos.

THAT, the existing Dioceses of the Church of Nigeria in North America, to wit: the Anglican Diocese of the Trinity (ADOTT) and the Anglican Diocese of the West (ADOTW), be dissolved with effect from the 2nd day of February, 2024, and re-designated as Church of Nigeria Mission in North America 1 (CONNAM-1) and as Church of Nigeria Mission in North America 2 (CONNAM- 2) Mission Areas, respectively while all the Congregations and Clergy of the Dioceses shall henceforth be under the Missions.

THAT, in accordance with the policy of the Church of Nigeria on Foreign Missions, existing Diocesan and Suffragan Bishops shall henceforth be known and addressed as Missionary Bishops of designated Mission Areas and shall be under the direct oversight of the Primate pursuant to the Constitution and Canons of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2020.

THAT, General Synod directs its Standing Committee to undertake and conclude the process of authorizing the creation of the Mission Areas and their administration thereof.

The Primate has directed a strict implementation of these resolutions across all the Church’s foreign missions.

Korede Akintunde

CoN Communication Officer

21st September, 2023.