Diocese Of Lagos Convenes 36th Synod, 2nd Session, A Gathering That Will Set The Church’s Direction For The Year Ahead.

The Anglican Diocese of Lagos, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), is set to hold the 2nd Session of its 36th Synod from Sunday, May 3 to Wednesday, May 6, in what promises to be one of the most significant ecclesiastical gatherings in the diocese’s calendar year.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by Prince Dapo Opeaye, the Diocesan Public Relations Officer of the Anglican Diocese of Lagos.

The four-day event, convened under the leadership of the Diocesan Bishop, the Rt. Revd Dr. Ifedola Senasu Gabriel Okupevi FICAT, will bring together clergy, elected lay delegates, archdeacons, canons, bishops, and distinguished guests from across the 100-plus churches that make up the sprawling Lagos Diocese.

The synod will be anchored on the theme: “The Doctrine of Salvation (Soteriology) and the Doctrine of End-Time (Eschatology): Their Relevance and Our Response to Them Today”, drawn from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. The theme signals a deliberate theological focus for the diocese: grounding its pastoral agenda and institutional decisions in the twin pillars of salvation and eschatological consciousness as the church navigates an increasingly complex social and political landscape.

According to Prince Opeaye, the synod opens with a solemn Eucharistic service on Sunday, 3rd May 2026 at 4:00 PM at the historic Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, a service that will feature full choir, liturgical processions, and the formal gathering of bishops, clergy, synod delegates, and invited dignitaries.

From Monday, 4th May through Wednesday, 6th May 2026, business sessions will commence daily at 8:00 AM at Our Saviour’s Church, TBS, Lagos. Monday’s opening ceremony will include the Bishop’s Presidential Address, the most consequential speech of the synod, in which Rt. Revd Okupevi is expected to review the diocese’s progress over the past year, speak on the state of the church and nation, and lay out the directional mandate for the parishes going forward. The synod will conclude with a Thanksgiving Service on Wednesday, 6th May.

The business sessions are not ceremonial. Clergy and lay delegates will deliberate on a broad range of reports, covering finance, evangelism, education, youth ministry, women’s fellowship, guilds, and church planting, before passing resolutions that will govern the diocese for the next twelve months. A formal communiqué, adopted at the close of proceedings, will constitute the official position of the Lagos Diocese on church and societal matters.

Key issues expected to feature on the 2026 synod agenda include the state of the Nigerian economy and its impact on Lagos communities, church growth and youth retention strategies, diocesan infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, and questions of social justice, corruption, and community responsibility. Diocesan finances, including budget approvals and assessment reports, will also receive significant attention.

Prince Opeaye further stated that delegates are reminded that attendance at all sessions, from the opening service to the thanksgiving, is mandatory. Clergy are expected in cassock and surplice; lay delegates are to present in Sunday best with synod badges. All delegates are urged to familiarise themselves with synod papers and reports before arrival and to come prepared to actively contribute to debates and resolutions.

Churches serving as venues are advised to prepare for protocol duties, ushering, welfare coordination, and traffic management. The diocese has also called on all member churches and the wider Anglican community to support the synod through prayer, fasting, financial contributions, and active promotion of the event across social media platforms. Sessions are expected to be live-streamed.

For all members of the Diocese of Lagos: watch the Bishop’s Charge. What is said from that podium on Monday morning will shape the life of every parish for the year ahead.

The Diocese of Lagos is a province of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), one of the largest Anglican provinces in the world. Under the leadership of Rt. Revd Dr. Ifedola Senasu Gabriel Okupevi FICAT, the diocese serves hundreds of thousands of faithful across Lagos State and beyond, with a robust institutional presence in education, healthcare, and community development.