Posted Monday 10 March 2008
The annual Diocesan Synod was held on Saturday 8 March, and was attended by the Lay Reps of most charges, most of the clergy in the diocese, and visitors from other denominations and from our Porvoo partner diocese of Gothenburg, writes Diocesan secretary Gib Fitzgibbon.
The Bishop’s Charge expanded on the following quotation:
“Change is needed. A recent list of attendance from churches in one geographical area of the UK showed attendances of ten or less. The same list stated the amount of money needed to operate each of these churches and the average weekly collection. To keep the churches open ten times the amount would be needed than they were already giving. How are four people going to give ten times more than they already commit? When you have fewer and fewer people shifting the church’s understanding of leadership from one omnipotent leader to collaborative leadership is unavoidable, as is the understanding of how decisions are reached. Of course, being authoritative does not mean you are not empowering - Jesus showed many examples of that fact but identifying the best decision-making process for the situation is part of the role of leader.”
The Human Face of the Church, Sarah Savage & Eolene Boyd-Macmillan
Synod decisions
- Approved the accounts for last year, and the budget for the current year.
- Approved the terms of the Covenant Partnership with St Andrew’s Church of Scotland, Irvine as proposed by St Andrew’s SEC congregation, and requested its approval by the Inter-Church Relations Committee and General Synod in accordance with Canon 15, Resolution 1.
- Consented to the Bishop declaring that St Columba’s, Clydebank, cease to be an Incumbency, in accordance with Canon 36.2.
- Approved the wording of Canon 36 of incumbencies, joint incumbencies, and linked charges; Repeal of Canon 37; and consequential changes; albeit with reservations about the transition arrangements, and some of the implications.
- Approved an emergency grant of £10,000 to give the St Matthew Centre at Possilpark time to respond to immediate withdrawal of city funding.
- Agreed to create the post of diocesan ministry development officer.
Appointments
Diocesan Secretary (Canon 61 Res 1) Mr G FitzGibbon. Diocesan Treasurer (Canon 61 Res 2) Dr Terry Lillie.
Property Committee (Canon 50.8) The Dean, Diocesan Architect, Diocesan Surveyor, Diocesan Treasurer, Mr Elliot Glen-Esk, Rev Kirstin Freeman, Mrs Anne Sage, Rev Alan Wylie, Rev Canon David Bayne.
Boundaries Committee (Canon 50.9) (nominations from Regional Councils) Rev Sandie Montgomerie, Mr Alfred Thorp, Rev David Cook, Rev Gordon Fyfe, Mr Martin Axford. Diocesan Auditor (Canon 61 Res 9) Steele Robertson Goddard.
Election results
Three Members of General Synod – House of Laity: Margaret Hanley (St John, Greenock), Mrs Jan Whiteside (St Margaret of Scotland, Newlands), Mr George Taggart (St Oswald, King’s Park).
Diocesan Lay Representative on Provincial Faith & Order Board: Mrs Gill Young.
Diocesan Representative on the Provincial Admin Board: Dr Terry Lillie.
Diocesan Representative on the Provincial I&C Board: Dr James Currall.
Diocesan Lay Rep on Provincial Panel for Episcopal Elections: Mr Graeme Hely.
Alternate members for House of Clergy: Rev Drew Sheridan (St John Greenock), Rev Dan Gafvert (Christ Church, Lanark), Rev David McCarthy (St Silas, Woodlands), Rev Kenny Macaulay (St Augustine, Dumbarton).
Alternate members for House of Laity: Mrs Sandra Fowles (Holy Trinity & St Barnabas, Paisley), Miss Trudy Hill (St Serf, Shettleston), Mr Roy Parkin (St Bride Hyndland), Miss Margaret Wallace (St Augustine, Dumbarton), Mrs Helen Ball (St Bride Hyndland).
Synod homologated the following election by Regional Councils to General Synod, nem con: General Synod – House of Laity: Glasgow NW Mr Nick Cox (St Silas, Woodlands).
• For more information on Synod procedings, please speak to your congregation’s lay rep.
Category: Diocesan Synod
