The Archbishop of the Independent Anglican Church (Canada Synod) is the Most Reverend Peter Wayne Goodrich, of Cambridge, Ontario, and the Co-adjutor Bishop is the Rt. Reverend Thomas McCourt of Toronto, Ontario. St. Matthew’s Cathedral (Cambridge) is the Diocesan Headquarters of the Church. Archbishop Goodrich was elected Presiding Archbishop of the Church at the General Synod held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on June 30th, 1978. Earlier during the same Synod, Archbishop William Henry Daw, assisted by Archbishop Joseph Neth (Liberal Catholic), and Bishop William Vincent (Paul) Hains-Howard (Western Orthodox, Matthew Succession) consecrated the Reverend Peter Wayne Goodrich to the Episcopate.

Under the direction of Archbishop Goodrich many positive developments have taken place. Since the 1978 Synod, parishes have been established in Stoney Creek, Ontario, (St. George’s Tapleytown) Oakville, (St. Columba’s) Cambridge, Ontario (St. Matthew’s Cathedral) and in Kitchener, Ontario, (St. Mark’s). St. Matthew’s Cathedral and St. George’s, Stoney Creek and St. James, Georgetown, Delaware hold services in buildings owned by the Church. In 2006 several congregations were added in several cities including Toronto, Ontario (St. Clement of Rome) Kemmerer, Wyoming, (St. George). Following an Interim Concordat of Intercommunion, The Independent Anglican Church headed by Bishop John W. Gains of Georgetown, DE, was received fully into the newly named Anglican Church, Province of North America, Inc. which was so named to reflect the international and North American outreach of the I.A.C. Canada Synod, 1934. The Letters Patent for the Anglican Church, Province of North America, Inc. were issued by the State of Delaware on February 3, 2006. The congregations received into the church include: Georgetown DE., (St. James) Los Angeles, CA. (St. Michael’s) Springfield, MO. (Our Lady of the Ozarks) Blackstone, VA. (St. Basil’s Mission) In September, 2003 the Order of the Oblate’s of St. John the Evangelist was formed with Fr. Gregory Theopistos as Prior and The Rt. Rev. Joseph Salm as Episcopal Visitor. The Oblate’s are open to both clergy and lay persons.

In 2005, the Primate’s Initiative for Safe Harbour was established as a means to provide Episcopal Oversight for women who have been ordained in the Anglican and Episcopal Churches, and no longer can, in conscience, remain in Communion with their church. Any clergy who find themselves in this situation can contact Archbishop Peter Goodrich for more information about this important new development in the Church.

The Independent Anglican Church (Canada Synod) was established as a Corporation by Federal Charter on November 7th, 1988, by Supplementary Letters Patent granted by the Government of Canada. The Independent Anglican Church has published two service books for use by its congregations. The Book of Common Prayer, Canada, and THE PSALTER, Psalms and Canticles Pointed and Set to Anglican Chants, were both published in 1991. A companion Holy Week and Other Services book was published by the church in the Fall of 2000.

Located at St. Matthew’s Cathedral is the Diocesan Library which houses many fine volumes, approximately four thousand, some of which are rare and quite valuable. This fine collection features books and information about virtually every religion, and have been collected over the past forty years by Archbishop Goodrich. The library is reputed to be one of the finest small church libraries in Canada, and is available for students of St. Matthew’s Cathedral College as well as other students of religion.

The discipline and public worship of the Church are, most properly, Catholic. Our adherents will experience a spread of services and style stretching gloriously all the way from Anglo-Catholic to (Low) Evangelical. Most of our congregations would be described as being Broad Church, following a via media.

Our Church may be thought of as conservative in policy, a view which may stem from our devotion to the Book of Common Prayer, 1991 and our retention of the Book of Common Praise 1938, and Anglican Chant for the Psalms and Canticles. This conservatism is also obvious from our insistence that all clergy subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion and lead lives compatible with Scripture. The Church is committed to the male priesthood and episcopate; and since the priest is the Bishop’s personal representative or vicar in the parish, we consider the priesthood an extension of that order. We hold that the diaconate is historically a separate order that is open to all.

The Church has its own educational facility, known as St. Matthew’s Cathedral College, which prepares students for the sacred ministry. The minimum requirement for admission to the College is a Bachelor of Arts degree from a recognised University, although special consideration may be given to mature students of suitable background to study for certification in the sacred ministry. It is hoped that at some time in the future the College will affiliate with a recognised university, and will, at that time become a full degree-granting institute. At this time, in compliance with the Church Charter, the College grants only diplomas or certificates as well as an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity.

Through the initiative of Archbishop Goodrich, the Independent Anglican Church (Canada Synod) has entered into dialogue with the Anglican Church of Canada. In this context, Archbishop Goodrich has been graciously received by several Anglican Bishops, and has had many meetings with them. These include: Archbishop John Bothwell, (Archbishop of Ontario) Bishop Walter Asbil, (Niagara) Bishop Terence Findlay, (Toronto) and most recently in the fall of 1998, with Bishop Ralph Spence (Niagara). It is hoped that this initiative will continue to be fruitful and lead to a fuller understanding and co-operation between the two churches.

It is not the policy of the Independent Anglican Church (Canada Synod) to encourage members, either clergy or lay, to desert the Anglican Communion. We consider our ministry to be to those who for whatever reason, have already left the Anglican Church of Canada, or any other Church within the Anglican Communion.

The Independent Anglican Church is not in communion with, nor part of, the Continuing Anglican Movement, nor with any other independent Anglicans, but, considers itself to be unilaterally in communion with any Anglican Jurisdiction that has a valid Apostolic Succession and maintains the Anglican Tradition of Common Prayer worship.

The Independent Anglican Church, Canada Synod has been experiencing a large number of inquiries about our jurisdiction in the past year. Clergy and congregations from as far away as West Virginia, Florida, California, and in the Province of Ontario, Canada including the Cathedral Church of a mainline denomination are seriously look into joining our church. Our spiritual growth and outreach are seriously hampered by the lack of funds and a dearth of qualified clergy. It is a fact that all of our clergy are volunteers and receive no stipend. Can you help? Are you a clergyman, with or without a congregation, in America, Canada, or overseas, who is looking to be a part of the future wave of conservative Prayer Book Anglicanism and Spirituality? If so, please contact the Archbishop at his personal e-mail, bpgoodrich@cogeco.net. If you are a Lay person who is willing to help in organising a mission in your area, or making a much needed financial contribution to our denomination, then please contact the Archbishop. All financial contributions are Income Tax deductible in Canada and the United States, and can be made over the telephone using Visa or MasterCard. Of course, donations may be sent to St. Matthew's Cathedral, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Cheques should be made out to the cathedral and marked for deposit only.

It is also most important to note that this web-page is being hosted at no charge by Netministries, 6501 Terrace Drive, The Colony, TX, USA 75056. Your financial contribution to this worthy effort would also be most gratefully and prayerfully received.

Our church's devotion to the King James Bible, Authorised Version, is more than just the inherent beauty of the Elizabethan language. A prominent Rabbi, Stuart Rosenberg of Toronto, Canada, in a television interview about ten years ago, was asked by the interviewer if he ministered to his flock using the Old Testament exclusively. Rabbi Rosenberg answered, Tom, a Rabbi ministering to a congregation in North America must be entirely familiar with both the Old and New Testaments in order to be really effective in his ministry. I personally carry with me the King James Bible. The interviewer asked Why the King James? and Rev. Rosenberg answered, The KING JAMES BIBLE, Authorised Version is the rendering of Scripture that most accurately reflects the spirituality of the Old Testament. Remember Tom, as it says in the New Testament, The letter of the Law killeth, and the Spirit giveth life. We couldn't agree more!

If you are interested in the Independent Anglican Church (Canada Synod), Come over into Macedonia, and help us. Help rebuild the walls. Help keep intact the Holy City of God. Help us to maintain the Faith of our Fathers, the Anglican Way.

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