The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church will meet for a second time this year for the specific purpose of making an amendment to the Canon for electing bishops in time for use during a forthcoming episcopal vacancy.

The meeting, which will take place online, will take place on Tuesday 9 September and is expected to be held in the evening.

Canon 4, which describes the process for electing Bishops, went through a process of revision which was approved by the 2023 meeting of the General Synod. Subsequent Episcopal elections have taken place under this revised process in the Diocese of Argyll & The Isles and the Diocese of Glasgow & Galloway.  Feedback on the experiences of people involved in the process in those Dioceses has led to a further round of minor but important amendments to the revised canon.

Amendments were put to the General Synod meeting in June this year, where they passed first reading. To be put into effect, they require to be passed at a second reading, which is normally at the following year’s General Synod. The decision to hold an additional meeting of the General Synod this calendar year rather than wait until General Synod 2026 is to ensure that, should members approve the amendments, they will be in place ahead of the Episcopal election due to take place in the Diocese of Edinburgh, following the announcement of the retirement of Bishop John Armes in August this year.

The agenda and papers will be sent to Synod members in due course and will be published on the Scottish Episcopal Church website.

Proceedings will begin with a Celebration of the Eucharist led by the Primus at St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh which will be live streamed to Synod members. Anyone who wishes to attend in person will be welcome to do so.

The proceedings of the Synod will also be live streamed to members, and as was the case at previous online Synod meetings, votes will be cast via an online facility.