At the provincial synod for the Ecclesiastical Province of BC and Yukon, held on Sept. 22, Archbishop Lynne McNaughton made known her intention to step down as metropolitan.
Archbishop Lynne officially resigned in a letter dated Nov. 22, 2024 and addressed to David Lehmann, senior bishop in the ecclesiastical province. The letter has been published on the ecclesiastical province website. She cites personal reasons and a desire to devote more time to her role as Bishop of Kootenay as the main reasons for her resignation.
“After prayerful consideration, for personal reasons I am resigning from my position as the Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon, effective immediately. I wish now to let go of this responsibility to focus my work on the needs of the Diocese of Kootenay,” said Archbishop Lynne.
“It has been an honour to serve as Metropolitan as the province has embarked on finding new ways to work together, to begin restructuring to be more effective in our shared mission. I remain committed to take part in this ongoing work as the Bishop of Kootenay.”
In a letter from David Lehmann, dated Nov. 25, and also published on the ecclesiastical province website, Bishop David states that Lynne has served with “grace, vision, and fortitude” and that she “gave sacrificially to her role.”
“I have much gratitude for her and her brilliant leadership. The grace that she had in care for the Territory of the People in a time of profound crisis. Her vision of a province working collaboratively and compassionately. The fortitude to serve through what [have] been difficult years has been a blessing to me and the province.”
Bishop David Lehmann will serve as acting-metropolitan, and provincial synod members have been asked to save the date for an election on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. The election will be held on Zoom.
