Michael Thompson to retire as general secretary of national church

Archdeacon Michael Thompson, who has served as general secretary of the General Synod since 2011, will be retiring June 30, 2020.

In an email Monday, January 6, Archbishop Linda Nicholls, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, wrote that Thompson had told her of his decision to retire shortly before beginning his current sabbatical leave, which will run from January through to the end of March.

“Michael has served as both Principal Secretary to the Primate and General Secretary over many years,” Nicholls wrote in her email. “His leadership of General Synod and work on the settlement regarding residential schools have been unstintingly offered with grace, compassion and wisdom. He now will have an opportunity to exercise other gifts of ministry in new ways in his retirement.”

Nicholls said she would work with the Council of General Synod (CoGS) to form a search committee with the purpose of helping her nominate a candidate.

Thompson had been serving as rector of St. Jude’s Anglican Church in Oakville, Ont. when he was appointed general secretary, succeeding Michael Pollesel, who was elected bishop of Uruguay later in 2011. Thompson was principal secretary to former primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, Archbishop Michael Peers, from 2001 to 2004. He was also principal author of Vision 2019, the church’s strategic plan, which concluded last year, and served on many General Synod committees.

The general secretary oversees the day-to-day operations of the Anglican Church of Canada’s national office.