Diocese of Glasgow & Galloway
SC013925
DRAFT MINUTE OF DIOCESAN SYNOD
held at Holy Trinity and St. Barnabas, Paisley on Saturday 7th March 2015
Constitution - Synod was constituted by the Bishop during a celebration of Eucharist.
The Bishop’s Charge given during the Eucharist:
December 2014 was a very challenging time for me. My brother-in-law, roughly the same age as me, was dying of a fairly aggressive cancer of the liver and then the George Square disaster took place, more or less adjacent to our Diocesan Centre. It is not a time I will readily forget.
But, in a way, there is nothing whatsoever remarkable or special about any of that. Death and dying happen all the time until it is one’s own turn, and terrible accidents, and much much worse than that or than anything that is likely to happen to any or most of us, happen all the time too, and people have to live with the aftermath of them all the time. No way around that or out of that. And no escape from one’s own death, even if it seems that for some people in this bizarre age of ours escaping taxes is increasingly possible, but not death.
This means, I think, that, one way or another, we all know what it is like to feel surrounded by death and the aftermath of death. There are times in our lives when that is a very intense experience indeed. And for many people in the world today it is, terribly and tragically, perhaps their overwhelming experience of life – if any of you saw the exhibition of Syrian refugee children’s art at the cathedral last year you would have experienced one very powerful and very terrible instance of that. But you don’t need me to list many other examples – we all know of many in the world today, from Ebola to Isis and much in between, and not only in countries other than our own.
The humanist funeral that was arranged for Peter, my brother-in-law, while entirely in accord with his and my sister’s wishes and done very well, did not help me with that sense of being surrounded by death. No help at all. So, what does help - after all, I’m not standing before you sunk in gloom and I don’t want this Charge to leave you gloomy either. Well, I suppose the basic answer to what helps, what has helped me now for a very long time, is being part of a community that is all about the giving of life. A community that lives by what we are doing just now, the Liturgy, a community that is formed and sustained by the Eucharist, rooted in the life-giving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a community drawn into the energies of the kingdom of heaven to better serve that coming kingdom now, in the kingdom of this world. This I deeply believe, because it is my experience, intensified no doubt by my immediate context.
But at this point, let me stop and ask a question of myself. Are you merely parading your individual experience here, and expressing it in pretty idealized terms at that, and then making the mistake of universalizing that experience, as if it is the same for everyone, as if everyone finds the church to be a place of new life, life that in the end is not extinguished by death? After all, according to this year’s rather disappointing statistics, fewer people than we had last year are finding their way to our church, far less finding it life-giving in the way I happen to do and always have, since I became part of it. Isn’t what I’ve said, then, flying in the face of the facts? Moreover, there are people who, at this juncture, and indeed at any juncture I could think of, whatever I may find and believe, deeply believe, experience the church to be quite the contrary of life-giving – you can hear some of one group’s distress and frustration in Beth’s explanatory paper for the motion she is to propose later in Synod. The question facing our church on the matters addressed by that motion might be put like this – what does being made a place of new life mean for our understanding and practice of marriage, change in the matter of gender or no change; it has obviously meant change in other areas in the past. That question will be for General Synod to resolve. And a process to enable it to do that will be offered for its consideration by the Faith and Order Board at General Synod this year. So, it isn’t enough, in this Charge, for me just to share personal experience, however heartfelt it may be.
So, I want to come back not to my own perceptions and experiences, but to the heart of the liturgy, the heart of our life as the church and to what for us all is a key moment with key words in the Liturgy. Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this bread and this wine, that overshadowed by his life-giving power, they may be the Body and Blood of your Son, and we may be kindled with the fire of your love and renewed for the service of your Kingdom. The Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life: Creed and Liturgy are at one, lex orandi and lex credenda, the law of prayer and the law of belief, are at one. The Liturgy makes us to be God-bearing, God-serving, maybe even God-disclosing and God-discovering and so life-giving in the world.
There are very many examples all over this Diocese of how that character given to us and sustained in us by the celebration of the Liturgy is expressed in practice in the world both by individual disciples and by whole congregations, in small ways and in bigger ways. I hear about them all the time as I go around the diocese, not least as I review Mission Action Plans, and I am much encouraged and inspired. I think about the dynamic role played by our church in Bishopbriggs in energizing church engagement with Low Moss prison, not least for the well-being of prisoners’ families and children. I think of the people I will baptize and confirm at Easter at the cathedral and Castle Douglas, people who have found new life and been nurtured in it to this point. I think, I think ….. At today’s Synod we will hear of just three other expressions of this life-giving character – the Development Plans for our Cathedral, exciting, ambitious, aiming to enhance and to make plain the life-giving ministry and mission of St. Mary’s in Glasgow and across the whole Diocese. John Riches will be speaking about his passion, shared by many people in the Diocese, for life-giving initiatives in which we are sharing and can share in overseas engagement. And we will have a presentation too about the St. Mary’s for All project at Hamilton – also a bold, life-giving and life-enhancing initiative expressing our Spirit-given character.
So, if this Charge has any theme it is to recall us to the kind of people and the kind of church we are being forged to become and to be in the celebration of the Liturgy. Words of a Russian Orthodox theologian about the Eucharist I read the other day on the train back from meetings in Edinburgh sum much of this up for me:
It is the very essence of the Christian faith that we live in a kind of rhythm – leaving, abandoning, denying the world, and yet at the same time always returning to it; living in time by that which is beyond time; living by that which is not yet come, but which we already know and possess[1].
If these words are anywhere near true of us, then we will be and ever more deeply become sources of new life and blessing wherever we are and whatever we enterprise, things small and big. It is my thanksgiving that it is so and my prayer that it will become ever more so.
Amen.
The Bishop in the Chair
Welcome
The Bishopwelcomed everyone to the Diocesan Synod 2015, and then invited Revd. Tom Wilson from Holy Trinity and St. Barnabas to speak to Synod. Revd. Tom Wilsonalso welcomed Synod to Holy Trinity and St. Barnabas, and commented how glad that they were to be hosting Synod. He also gave some housekeeping notes, pointing out that the layout was different from 2010 when they had last hosted Synod.
The Bishopthen welcomedecumenical guests includingrepresentatives from other Christian denominations; Alan Anderson,Methodist Church, Revd. Craig Richmond, United Free Church, Revd. Mitchell Bunting, United Reformed Church, Revd.Karen Hendry, Church of Scotland, Major David Wing, Salvation Army, and Father Dennis Carlin from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paisley, representing the Roman Catholic Church. He also welcomed Mr Holgar Sandelin, Secretary to the Bishop of the Diocese of Gothenburg.
The Bishopthen extended a warm welcome to other invited guests; Mr. John Stuart, Secretary General, from the General Synod Office and Mrs. Helen Gray from SRG LLP, the Diocesan Auditors.
The Bishopwelcomed one new member of the clergy in the Diocese, the Revd. David Gifford, Rector of St. Mary’s Port Glasgow, St. Fillan’s, Kilmalcolm, and St. Mary’s, Bridge of Weir. All other new members of Synod were asked to stand and receive the acclaim of Synod.
Apologies for Absence
The Diocesan Secretary announced that the following clergy were absent with permission from the Bishop;Revd.Professor David Jasper, Revd. Andrew Baldock, Revd. David Cook, Revd. Ian Boffey, Revd. Kenny Macaulay, and Revd. Christian Okeke. A further 13other clergy had sent their apologies.
Apologies had also been received from 9Lay Representatives, 2 of whom are represented by Alternates leaving 7charges without a Lay Representative vote, St.Kentigern, Dennistoun, St.Ninian’s Portpatrick, St.John’s, Eastriggs, St. John the Evangelist, Annan, St.Augustine, Dumbarton, St. Margaret’s, Renfrew, and St. Matthew’s Possilpark.
Apologies had also been received from other invited guests;
The Hon. Lord McEwan, Assessor, Mr John Park of SRG LLP, Auditors.
Finally, the Bishop asked Synod to stand and keep a term of silence to remember the following, Revd. Joyce Pow, and Revd. Colum McGranahan, who died this year.
Appointments for Synod
The following appointments were made by the Bishop for this meeting and approved by Synod:
Bishop’s Assessor:Mr. Rory Anderson
Minute Secretaries:Mr.Chris Zochowski, Mrs. Jean Graham
Tellers:Mrs.Christine Hughes, Mrs.Gill Young
The Bishop obtained Synod’s approval for guests and non-voting members to speak at Synod. The following appointments were then approved by Synod;
Appointments
Diocesan Secretary (Canon 61 Res 1):Mr.Chris Zochowski
Diocesan Treasurer (Canon 61 Res 2): Mr. Bob Burgon.
Diocesan Property Committee (Canon 50.8): Convenor -The Dean, Diocesan Architect, Diocesan Surveyor, Diocesan Treasurer, Mrs A. Sage, Revd D. Orr, Mr R. Webster and Mr. A. Jamieson.
Boundaries Committee (Canon 50.9): (nominations from Regional Councils) Ms. Jennifer Whelan, Revd. David Cook, Revd. Gordon Fyfe, Mr. Alfred Thorp, Mr. Martin Axford, Revd. Alan Wylie, and Mr. Paul Hindle.
Diocesan Auditors: (Canon 61 Res 9): Steele Robertson Goddard(SRG LLP) were appointed for a further year. The Bishop explained that the Auditors had already presented their report, (included in the agenda papers) to the Diocesan Council as Trustees of the Diocese, and were represented by Mrs. Helen Gray at Synod. He offered his thanks to the Auditors for the professional job that they do for us.
Allthe above appointments were approved by general acclaim.
Approval of Minutes
The Bishop requested that Synod agree the Minuteof the Diocesan Synod held at the Barony on 1st March 2014. The Bishopthen asked for Synod’s approval to sign the Minute as a correct record of events and this wasduly proposed by Canon David Bayne and seconded by Mr. Graeme Hely.
Matters arising: There were no matters arising from the Minute of 2014.
AOCB: No items had been notified for the meeting.
The Secretary invited Mr. Kennedy Fraserto address Synod about housekeeping issues regarding the use of microphones during the day, and he also requested speakers to give their name and charge before speaking for the recording of proceedings.
Change to Agenda - The Secretary announced that there weresome small changes to the agenda. If there was time, some of the ‘five minute slots’would be heard before lunch. A fifth slot had been added to the agenda, to allow Mr. Holgar Sandelin from the Diocese of Gothenburg to address Synod, and a sixth slot would be added on The Mother’s Union. A change to the order of Development team presentations was also announced.
Election announcement
The Secretary advised that there were separate coloured voting papers, yellowfor Lay Representatives and bluefor Clergy.
Some changes were announced by the Secretary, firstly with the candidates for Clergy Members of General Synod. These changes resulted in the following;
Candidate / Proposer / SeconderRevd. Tom Wilson / Revd. Drew Sheridan / Mr Colin Wright
Very Revd. Ian Barcroft / Revd. Alan Wylie / Revd. Martin Callaghan
Secondly, in the election of four Alternate Clergy members of General Synod, there were so far no nominations from Clergy and the Secretaryasked for nominations from the floor. The resulting clergy were nominated, proposed and secondedas follows:
Candidate / Proposer / SeconderRevd. Liz O’Ryan / Revd. Pat Smith / Very Revd. Ian Barcroft
Revd. Moira Jamieson / Revd. Canon Shelley Marsh / Revd. Jane Ross
Revd. Canon Tom Montgomery / Revd. Dr. James Currall / Revd. Sandy Montgomerie
Revd. Canon Shelley Marsh / Revd. Cedric Blakey / Revd. Kirstin Freeman
In other elections, there were 4 candidates for the 4 places as Alternate Lay Members of General Synod, no additional candidates were noted. These were Mrs. Susi Cormack Brown, Miss Trudy Hill, Mrs. Anne Jones and Mr. John Mitchell. The Secretary added that there were three Diocesan representatives required forProvincial Committee positions, and announced the following positions and nominations;
Diocesan Lay Representative for the Provincial Panel for Episcopal Elections:
Candidate / Proposer / SeconderMrs. Anne Jones / Dr. Beth Routledge / Mr. Kennedy Fraser
Diocesan Representative for the new Mission Board:
Candidate / Proposer / SeconderMrs.Lorraine Darlow / Revd. Tom Wilson / Mr. Simon Johnson
Diocesan Representative for the Provincial AdministrationBoard:
Candidate / Proposer / SeconderMr. Geoff Sage / Revd. Canon Shelley Marsh / Mr. Bob Burgon
Each of these positions had only one candidate, and as no further nominations had been received, the Secretary would be announcing later in the day that these candidates were elected unopposed.
The Secretary asked for Synod’s approval to allow the Bishop’s Staff Group the authority to appoint representatives for both the Mission and Ministry Board and Home Mission Committee should proposals to create the new Mission Board be rejected at General Synod in June. This was agreed by Synod.
The Secretarythen asked the Dean, Very Revd. Ian Barcroft, to introduce the election for a new Canon.The Dean announced the three candidates for the position of Canon asRevd. Drew Sheridan, Revd Gordon Fyfe and Revd. Professor David Jasper, and instructed clergy to find their voting papers in green. The Dean then explained the voting process to the clergy.
Submission of Synod Returns
The Bishop asked the Secretaryto introduce the Summary of Congregational Returns contained in the agenda papers. The Secretary drew Synod’s attention to the graphs showing the summariesof congregational roll numbers and numbers of those communicants as recorded on the Sunday next before Advent. He then asked for comments from the floor.
In discussion on the figures, Jim Gibson, Lay Representative, St. Margaret’s, Newlands asked how the congregational figures were derived. The Bishop responded that two rolls were kept by charges, the congregational roll covered those people connected to the charge, and the communicants roll recorded those who had communicated at least once in the year. Kennedy Fraser, Lay Representative,St. James the Less, Bishopriggs, thought that the statistics were not reflective of current attendances and commented that General Synod had asked the College of Bishops to reflect on the collection and meaning of the statistics. He also asked that the Diocese collect other statistics, including information on the payment of the Living Wage to all of its employees. He asked that this be recorded next year on the Summary of Congregational Returns.
Revd. Alan Wylie, Motherwell and Wishaw questioned the gender breakdown figures and noted that they did not add up in 2013. The Secretary responded that the 2014 figures for the first timehad been correctly broken down by gender. In previous year’s,some charges had only provided total numbers which meant that the statistics appeared to not add up.
Dr Beth Routledge, Lay Representative, St. Mary’s Cathedral, asked for clarity on what was meant by children admitted to communion. She noted that at the Cathedral, all were welcome to take communion. She suspected that the number was inaccurate, and this point was noted.