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Governance

Governing Documents

General Operating Bylaw
Basis of Union

General Operating Bylaw

The General Operating Bylaw, approved by the CBAC Assembly in 2010 (amended in 2011, 2012 & 2013, 2016, 2021, 2025), is a document which governs the activities of the CBAC in Assembly, and its Council between assemblies. The Bylaws document also sets out a general mandate for, and the composition of, each Board that the Assembly appoints.

Links:

CBAC Council

The role of the Council is to carry out the mandate given to it by the CBAC as outlined in Section 4 of the General Operating Bylaw.  Acting as the agent of The CBAC between assemblies, the Council is entrusted with the responsibility to:

  • Administer, manage, and give oversight to the spiritual, temporal, and administrative affairs, activities, business, and property of the Convention between Membership Meetings.
Current Board
  • Rev. Mitchell Foley – President
  • Dr. Crystal Todd – Vice President
  • Dr. Lois Mitchell – Past President
  • Rev. Renée MacVicar – Executive Minister
  • 2025 – Mr. Andrew Hopper
  • 2025 – Dr. Carl Hudson
  • 2025 – Ms. Anne Johnson-McDonald
  • 2025 – Mr. Don Stevens
  • 2026 – Rev. Dr. Danny Smith
  • 2026 – Rev. Colin Cook
  • 2026 – Mrs. Beth Drummond
  • 2026 – Rev. Dr. Brian MacArthur
  • 2027 – Rev. A. Sasha Cheprasov
  • 2027 – Ms. Linda Matthews
  • 2027 – Rev. Dr. Elias Mutale
  • 2027 – Rev. Michael Palmer
Links:

Boards & Committees

Our CBAC is a complex organization of member churches that have joined together for fellowship, cooperative ministry, and mission. Its ministries, facilities, and resources are owned by the member churches, which are in themselves autonomous and incorporated organizations.

Our CBAC has established a number of Boards to carry out tasks and ministries best performed at arms’ length from the parent organization. Most of the Boards are incorporated bodies in their own right. The CBAC, however, owns them in the sense that it appoints their members and holds them responsible for carrying out the mandate it has given them.

2025 Nominating Committee Board Descriptions

Acadia Divinity College

The role of the Board of Trustees of Acadia Divinity College is to carry out the mandate given to it by the CBAC, which is to be responsible for the administration of the College including, but not confined to, staff appointments and removals, salaries and tenure, and have charge of all property, revenue and business affairs.

Board of Trustees, Acadia Divinity College

Members Appointed by the CBAC
(Complete list available here: http://www.acadiadiv.ca/board-senate):

Term ending October 2025

  • Hanley, Rev. Dr. Perry
  • Miller, Airdrie
  • Wheaton, Garnet
  • One (1) Vacancy

Term ending October 2026

  • Crouse-Crompton, Dr. Susan
  • Jelley, Mark
  • Mutale Motey, Mercy
  • Watt, Kathy

Term ending October 2027

  • Anderson, Rev. Andrea
  • Batumbya, Rev. Emmanuel
  • Chan, Rev. Dr. Chi Wan Helen
  • Kohler, Rev. Scott

Members Appointed by Acadia University Board of Governors:

  • Green, Daniel
  • Thomas, Stan
  • Tolliver, Cora

Ex Officio

  • Executive Minister, Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada; President, Acadia Divinity College; President, Acadia University
Links:

Acadia University

The Board of Governors of Acadia University is constituted as described in Chapter 134 of the Statues of Nova Scotia 1891, as amended. The powers of the Board of Governors are outlined in the By-laws. The other Board members are appointed by various groups (the Alumni, Faculty, Students and the Provincial Government) with varied interests and perspectives on Board matters, and they bring those perspectives to Board meetings.

The Governors of Acadia University

Appointed by the CBAC (complete list available here: http://board.acadiau.ca/Board_Members.html):

Members

Retiring 2027

  • Colpitts, Gale
  • O’Connor, Dr. Candy
  • Tod, Rev. Judith
  • Tolliver, Cora
  • Thomas, Stan

Retiring 2030

  • Barrett, Edward
  • Daye, Melinda
  • Fleckenstein, Shelley
  • Green, Rev. Dr. Daniel

 

Links:

Atlantic Baptist Foundation

The role of the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Baptist Foundation is to carry out the mandate given to it by the CBAC, which is to provide financial services for the benefit of the Churches, Council and Agencies of The CBAC.

The mandate also requires that the Bylaws of the Atlantic Baptist Foundation be approved by the CBAC.

Current Board

Members

2025

  • Curtis Dixon
  • Marie Kenny
  • James McLellan
  • Steve Shaw
  • Rick Kirkbride

2026

  • Mr. Stephen Drost
  • Mr. G. David Eldridge
  • Ms. Sheila Lucas-Cole
  • Mr. Lawrence Pelletier
  • Mr. Peter Graves

2027

  • Mr. George Doak
  • Rev. Craig Minard
  • Mr. Jeff Waddell

Ex Officio

  • President and Executive Minister, Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada
Links:

Atlantic Baptist Housing

The role of the Board of Directors of Atlantic Baptist Housing (legally continues to be called Atlantic Baptist Senior Citizens Homes Inc.) is to carry out the mandate given to it by the CBAC and the Letters Patent of Incorporation issued by the Province of New Brunswick under the Companies Act, which is to:

  1. Build, construct, establish, maintain, and operate dwelling and boarding accommodations and accommodations for nursing home care and therapy for the aged or infirm and such other persons who may desire or reside in or be cared for or accommodated in any establishment of Atlantic Baptist Senior Citizen Homes Inc.
  2. Assure the good reputation and faithful ministry of the facilities to the glory of God,… emphasize a concern for the quality of life as well as for the length of the life, … and administer the facilities for the benefit of the whole person, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. (Preamble to the General Bylaws)
Board of Directors, Atlantic Baptist Housing

Members

2025

  • Janice Cameron
  • Tara Steeves
  • Laura Selig
  • One Vacancy
  • One Vacancy

2026

  • Sally Basque
  • Michael Trites
  • Cathy Blades
  • Janice Bond
  • Terrance Bentley

2027

  • Ms. Margo Hall
  • Rev. Gordon Horsman
  • Rev. Gordon James
  • Rev. Wayne Johnson
  • Mrs. Judy Parsons

Ex Officio

  • President and Executive Minister, Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada
Links:

Atlantic Baptist Mission Board

The role of the Atlantic Baptist Mission Board is to carry out the mandate given to it by the CBAC, which is to provide a “central guiding vision and leadership to the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada in the areas of evangelism, church planting, intercultural ministries, and other mission endeavours. (Article 2 – Purpose, Constitution of the Atlantic Baptist Mission Board.)

The mandate also includes the following:

  1. In cooperation with the Associations, to make decisions regarding Pastoral Ministry Grants,
  2. To work closely with the Council to achieve the goals of The CBAC, and
  3. To assume responsibility for the property matters, trusts and investments of the previous Home Mission Board.

Members

  • Rev. Brandon Thompson
  • Mr. Jim Verboom
  • Rev. Angela Wade
  • Rev.  Kevin Vincent, Director, Atlantic Baptist Mission
  • Mrs. Joan Peacock, Home Missions Coordinator, Atlantic Baptist Women
Links:

Baptist Historical Committee

Role: The role of the Baptist Historical Committee is to collect, sustain and reproduce various historical resources of our Baptist Heritage. The Board also appoints the members of the Baptist Heritage Series Editorial Committee. The members are responsible for deciding on the use of the budget of the committee, responding to issues important to the history of Baptists, encouraging authors and collectors of material and seeking to share enthusiasm for our history with our people.

Baptist Historical Committee

 Members:

2025

  • James Murray
  • Gordon Walker
  • George Gray
  • Haleigh Sears
  • One Vacancy

2026

  • Rev. Ruth Tonn

2027

  • Dr. Robert Forsey
  • Mr. Sterling Huskins
  • Rev. Dr. Scott Kindred-Barnes
  • Dr. Robert Wilson

Ex Officio Professional Members:

  • Crandall University (History): Keith Grant
  • Acadia Divinity College (History): Dr. Melody Maxwell
  • Acadia University Archivist: Patricia Townsend
  • Acadia University Librarian

Ex Officio CBAC Members:

  • CBAC Executive Minister, CBAC President

Co-opted Advisory Member – (to be updated)

 

Links:

Board of Ministerial Standards and Education

The role of the Board of Ministerial Standards and Education is to carry out the mandate given to it by the CBAC, which is to:

  1. Individually interview ministerial candidates who are considering training for the Baptist ministry with ordination in view … to determine their fitness for the pastoral office; to direct them in their course of study; to consider with them the financial obligations involved; and to assist in any way which lies within the jurisdiction of the Board. Further, the Board of Ministerial Standards and Education shall review the progress of the preparation of candidates from time to time and report the same to the appropriate Association committees.
  2. Review the cases of ministers who leave the ministry to enter secular callings outside the denomination … to determine whether their names shall or shall not remain on the Accredited List of Ministers within the CBAC. This will be done with notice and right of appeal to the Executive of Council.
  3. Meet with ministers who are ordained, and recommended by a body in fellowship with the Baptist World Alliance, and recommend that they be placed on the Accredited List of Ministers, after ensuring that they have met the conditions set forth in the Recognition of Prior Ordination document.
  4. Meet with ordained ministers coming from church bodies not affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance, and recommend that they be placed on the Accredited List of Ministers, after ensuring that they have met the conditions set forth in the Recognition of Prior Ordination document.
  5. Be the keeper of the standards on behalf of the churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Any minister or pastor appointed, inducted, ordained, installed, recognized, or employed by a church or agency of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada and who is accredited by CBAC, and any candidate for ministry who has been accepted by the Board of Ministerial Standards and Education for the purpose of pursuing preparation for the ministry and is currently working toward that goal, are accountable to the CBAC Assembly through the Board of Ministerial Standards and Education for maintaining and upholding Biblical and professional standards of Christian ministry. Any complaint of sexual or professional misconduct shall be dealt with by the Board according to the procedures set forth in the Moral Failure document approved by the CBAC Assembly.
Current Board

Members

2025

  • Dr. Richard Jackson
  • Rev. Carolyn Steeves
  • Rev. Shawn Tait

2026

  • Dr. Rhonda Britton
  • Mrs. Wendy DuBois
  • Mrs. Pam Smith

2027

  • Rev. Gordon Cook
  • Rev. Wayne Murphy (Chair)
  • Rev. Gail Whelan-Dunn

Ex Officio

  • President, Crandall University or designate
  • President, Acadia Divinity College or designate
  • CBAC Executive Minister
  • CBAC Directors

    Canadian Baptist Ministries

    Canadian Baptists choose to unite as churches, denominations (Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec, Union d’Eglises Baptistes Françaises Au Canada and Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada) and women’s organizations (Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec, Atlantic Baptist Women and Women in Focus) to give leadership to their local and regional ministries. As well to give leadership to their national and global ministries Canadian Baptist through their Canadian Baptist partners and Women’s Organizations have also chosen to establish Canadian Baptist Ministries. It is important that these organizations relate to each other in an effective and harmonious way on behalf of the Canadian Baptists and in service to the Lord Jesus.

    The Atlantic Section of Canadian Baptist Ministries is composed of three members appointed by the CBAC, plus the President of Atlantic Baptist Women, and the Executive Minister (who is an ex officio member without vote). These people comprise the full Board of Canadian Baptist Ministries, along with equivalent appointees from the other conventions/unions and women’s organizations.

    Current Board

    Members

    2025

    • Mrs. Joy Cook

    2026

    • Rev. Dr. Michael McDonald
    • One vacancy

    Ex Officio

    • Executive Minister, Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada
    • President of Atlantic Baptist Women
    Links:

    Crandall University

    Role: The role of the Board of Governors of Crandall University (formerly Atlantic Baptist University, Atlantic Baptist College, United Baptist Bible Training School) is to carry out the mandate given it by the CBAC and by the Act to Incorporate Crandall University, which is to provide for persons of any race, colour or creed, university education with a philosophy and viewpoint that is Christian.

    The above mandate also includes but is not limited to the following responsibilities:

    1. To have the whole management of the financial affairs of the University,
    2. To receive and disburse all moneys,
    3. To control, keep and manage all its property,
    4. To transact all business relating to property and moneys committed to its care by the CBAC or otherwise, and
    5. At all times and in all things observe and obey those orders and instructions of the CBAC that are in harmony with the religious and educational policies of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada.
    Board of Governors, Crandall University

    Members

    2025

    • Jennifer Robertson
    • Stephen Stultz
    • Autumn Tremere

    2026

    • Jim Dixon
    • Raphael Iluyomade
    • David Morehouse
    • Douglas Schofield
    • Darren Smith

    2027

    • Ms. Kim Adair-MacPherson
    • Mrs. Sheila Cummings
    • Rev. Dr. Stephen McMullin

    Appointments for one year, 2024-2025:

    • Rev. Rob Nylen, Alumni Representative
    • Ms. Robyn Howe, Student Representative
    • Mr. Graeme Ching, Faculty Representative

    Ex Officio

    • Executive Minister, Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada
    • President, Crandall University
    Links:

    Nominating Committee

    Role:The role of the Nominating Committee is to prayerfully prepare a list of suitable candidates for service on boards, committees and the offices of Vice President and President. This list of nominees is presented to Oasis Assembly for their consideration each August. More information about the Nominating Committee can be found in Section 8.04 of the General Operating Bylaw.

    Nominating Committee Process
    1. The presentation of a name for a particular position must be accompanied by a completed Information Sheet for Prospective Nominees. The presentation of a name may be made by another person or by the person themselves. A person’s name may be presented for consideration by the Nominating Committee for more than one position.
    2. Individuals who are presented for nomination must in every case be a member of one of the Churches of the CBAC and a believer who has been baptized by immersion.
    3. Names suggested for nomination must, in every case, be sent to the Regional Representative. The Regional Committee will meet to consider names for the various positions. This Committee will consist of Regional Representatives and Moderators of the Associations in the Region (with power to add). Their work will be to prioritize the names presented and then to bring the list (the Regional Representative), along with all the names of the individuals that were considered, to the CBAC Nominating Committee.
    4. The CBAC Nominating Committee will consist of nine persons, one from each Region. The Executive Minister and the Past President will be ex officio members without vote. The Past President will serve as Chair of the Committee. This committee will prepare the Nominating Committee Report for presentation to Assembly. The Assembly always has the prerogative to nominate additional names in any category.
    Regional Representatives
    • Region 1: Southwestern, Saint John-Kings Associations
      • One (1) Vacancy as of August 2023
    • Region 2: Northwestern, York, Queens-Sunbury Associations
      • Rev. Linda Perrin, Clarendon, NB (2025)
    • Region 3: Miramichi-North Shore, Westmorland-Kent, Albert Associations
      • Rev. Kevin J. Matthews, Miramichi, NB (2024)
    • Region 4: PEI Association
      • Rev. David L. DuBois, Charlottetown, PE (2024)
    • Region 5: Newfoundland & Labrador, Cape Breton, Antigonish-Guysborough Associations
      • One (1) Vacancy as of August 2023
    • Region 6: Cumberland, Northeast Nova, Halifax Associations
      • One (1) Vacancy as of August 2023
    • Region 7: African United Baptist Association
      • Rev. Dr. Elias Mutale, Dartmouth, NS (2025)
    • Region 8: Eastern Valley, Annapolis-Digby Associations
      • Rev. Andrew Conrad, Berwick, NS (2026)
    • Region 9: Yarmouth, Shelburne, Lunenburg-Queens Associations
      • Mr. Sanford (Sandy) Hood, Shelburne, NS
    • Nominating Committee Chairperson – Rev. Brent MacDonald, Past-President
    Related Documents:

    Pension & Benefits Board

    The role of the Pension and Benefits Board is to carry out the mandate given to it by the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada, which is to serve the CBAC by:

    1. Providing financial assistance in cases of need for our pastors, their spouses, widows, widowers, or orphans, and returned missionaries residing in the Atlantic Provinces;
    2. Administering a CBAC Retirement Plan for CBAC employees, pastors, and others who qualify under the Regulations of the Board; and
    3. Administering a Group Insurance Plan or Plans for CBAC employees, pastors and others who qualify under the Regulations of the Board.
    Current Board

    Members

    2025

    • Mr. Charles Eager

    2026

    • Mr. Robert H. Young
    • Mr. Toby M. Bodechon

    2027

    • Ms. Cindy Dockendorff
    • Mr. Ben Dunnett
    • Jeff MacArthur – Treasurer
    • Karen Gunn – Pension and Benefits Manager
    Links: