National church office shuffles staff: new editor (Leanne Larmondin), communications director (Vianney Carriere).

There have been two major changes in leadership positions at the church's national office in Toronto.

Vianney (Sam) Cartiere, formerly the editor of the Anglican Journal and MinistryMatters, has been appointed acting director of the communications and information resources department. Leanne Larmondin, formerly the Web manager for the national church, is the new acting editor of the Anglican Journal. Both appointments are effective from Dec. 2, 2002 to May 31, 2003.

"These appointments were made in order to bolster our ability to communicate, particularly around the residential schools agreement in this phase when we are seeking ratification by the dioceses," said Archdeacon Jim Boyles, general secretary, who had been interim director of information resources since 2001. "This will assist Anglicans across the country to understand the agreement, its benefits and implications," he said.

Mr. Carriere has been the editor of the Journal since August 2000 and has worked for the Anglican Church of Canada since 1990. A veteran journalist, he worked for the Globe and Mail for 22 years and taught journalism at Ryerson Polytechnic University before joining the Anglican Journal, where he was news editor from 1990 until 1993. At that time he became the national church's editor of print resources (including MinistryMatters magazine) until he took the position of Journal editor in 2000. He will continue to edit MinistryMatters.

Mr. Carriere said he was pleased to take on the new communications responsibilities for the national church. "We are entering a time when communications are crucial," he said.

General Synod had been without a permanent director of information resources since May 2001.

Announcing the appointments, primate Michael Peers said "the recent agreement with the federal government will mean increased duties for the general secretary in meeting with dioceses and, at the same time, a greater need for focused, timely and coordinated communications."

Ms. Larmondin has worked for the national church since 1993, when she joined the Journal as staff writer. Previously, she worked as a writer for Wawatay News, a bilingual (English and Oji-Cree) aboriginal newspaper in northwestern Ontario. She became Web manager for the General Synod, in January 1998, a position she has held until her recent appointment to Journal editor.

"It is a coming home, of sorts," said Ms. Larmondin, who added she was committed to "continuing the quality journalism that the Anglican Journal is known for across Canada, in North American church press circles and throughout the Anglican Communion."

Both appointments will be reviewed after a six-month period.

General Synod's management team also approved some organizational changes for the communications and information resources division. Moved out from under the information resources umbrella are the general manager and the publishing manager of the Anglican Book Centre, who will now report to the director of financial management and development. The archivist will report to the general secretary.

Still reporting to the director of communications and information resources are the acting editor of the Journal, the circulation manager, assistant to director, coordinator of graphics and print production, librarian, senior producer of Anglican Video, and the Web managers.

Facts about the

* With a circulation of 230,000, it is the largest religious newspaper in Canada.

* It goes to every identifiable donor to the Anglican Church of Canada, every bishop in the Anglican Communion, and every member of Parliament and provincial parliament.

* Continuously published since 1875, it is one of the oldest religious publications in Canada.