Canada's Anglicans, Lutherans sign historic deal

About 2,500 Anglicans and Evangelical Lutherans gathered Sunday to witness the signing of an agreement promising closer ties between the two churches.

Known as the Waterloo Declaration, it allows two of Canada's largest Protestant communities to do more together while remaining distinct.

The new affiliation permits parishioners to worship and take communion in either church.

It also allows ordained ministers in one church to become clergy in the other without being reordained

The document was ratified by the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada on Friday. They have a combined membership of 900,000.

Sunday's ceremony was held in a local ice arena, where celebrants clapped, danced, and sang after the signing.