A new Synod begins
The eighth General Synod was opened by her Majesty the Queen on Tuesday 15th November. The previous day had been devoted to training sessions for new members of synod. The opening day itself was marked by an incredibly high level of security. No one was allowed into Church House without going through airport style security, complete with scanners, for which tickets and photographic identity documents were also needed. There were armed police and sniffer-dogs everywhere. The same security awaited us as we entered the Abbey. We processed in, diocese by diocese, the laity wearing normal clothing and the clergy wearing convocation robes (which for a priest is cassock, gown, bands, scarf and hood). The Archbishop of Canterbury presided over a service of Holy Communion, using the order from the Book of Common Prayer; The Archbishop of York read the Gospel; two young people led the prayers and The Reverend Professor Frances Young, a Methodist Minister, preached. Her inclusion in the service, with such a high profile role, emphasises the importance of the developing relationship within the Anglican/Methodist Covenant. Frances Young's text was from Romans 8.15, "The Spirit you have received is not a spirit of slavery, leading you back into a life of fear, but a Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry 'Abba! Father'". This was one of John Wesley's favourite texts and indeed much of the sermon made reference to Wesley for, Professor Young told us, "that controversial but life-long Anglican priest, John Wesley, might have some helpful pointers for Anglican Synod and Methodist Conference alike". Two pointers followed. Firstly, institutions need proper management, but they head for sterility if they lose sight of their core values. Secondly, the present needs to be put into perspective - by reference to the future and awareness of the past. The full text of the sermon can be found at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/gssermon.html.

The Queen at Church House
We moved back to the chamber of Church House, where the Queen made a speech to open the eighth General Synod of the Church of England. She spoke of the importance of the Christian Faith and the fact that all people, of whatever race, background or circumstances, can find lasting significance and purpose in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The full text of her speech can be found at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/hmspeechtogs.html.

The new Archbishop replies
The Archbishop of York, in replying to the Queen, spoke of the scandalous divisions of the church and, quoting the prophet Jonah, said that we cannot go on as we are. Quoting Pope John Paul II, he called for an "ecumenism of holiness that will finally lead us to full communion, which is neither adsorption nor fusion, but a meeting in the truth and in love". The full text of his speech can be found at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/sentamugsreply.html.

Down to business
After a break for lunch, the group of sessions got underway with formal welcomes and reports on the progress of legislative business. We were told that the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 - Sections 4, 5 & 21 has been brought into force and all provisions of the Measure not previously brought into force are expected to be brought in on 1/1/06; that The Pastoral (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Provisions Measures have been submitted to the Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament; that The Legal Officers (Annual Fees) (No 2) Order 2005, the Ecclesiastical Judges, Legal Officers & Others (Fees) Order 2005 and the Parochial Fees Order 2005 Measures had all been laid before Parliament and come into force on 1/1/06: and that The Clergy Discipline Rules have been laid before Parliament and will come into force on a day appointed, which is expected to be 1/1/06.

The agenda is discussed
Then there was the usual debate on the agenda, in which skilled speakers can raise points about anything they like on the basis that it should have been somewhere on the agenda. It is a slightly strange item on the agenda, but it serves the purpose of keeping the Business Committee on their toes and making sure that they are accountable to Synod for the way in which they set out and manage our agendas. There was criticism on how the Facing the Challenge of Terrorism report had come together, together with questions as to who has authorised it and who had written it. A new member claimed that nowhere in this session nor future business planned was there to be a debate on reversing the trend in falling church numbers. In answer it was pointed out that already there had been several debates on this subject. It was questioned why Synod had not had opportunity to restate the clear position reached in 1987 with regard to The Civil Partnership Act. In response it was said that the time scale of this had given Synod no opportunity. A comment, heard at previous Debates on the Agenda, was made that backbenchers rarely get asked to speak but the Chairman of the Business Committee said that this was not necessarily the case. Other speakers looked for a debate on ecumenical responses to the Rochester Report and issues relating to the Church and the world. In reply it was said that the Committee had to make sure essential business items were also dealt with.

The challenge of Terrorism
A debate following on the report Facing the Challenge of Terrorism (GS 1595). Some synod members had been anxious to debate this subject at the summer meeting which took place very shortly after the London bombs, but it was certainly more appropriate at a greater distance and with the benefit of a detailed report by the Mission and Public Affairs Council, albeit criticised by some as somewhat anti-American. A lengthy resolution condemned terrorism, offered sympathy to those affected, appreciation of helpers and emergency services, urged a search for the root causes and called on all to promote reconciliation and understanding, while also advocating the need to heed warnings from history about eroding human rights when considering new legislation. A wide-ranging debate followed an introduction by the Bishop of Southwark, considering how Christians should react to the perpetration of terrorism, highlighting the importance of a proper balance between protecting the public and interfering with civil liberties, the desirability of good communication with members of other faiths and the need to discover the underlying causes for and to take seriously extremist rhetoric which can be very persuasive. Importantly also the need for reconciliation and the value of learning from the good experiences of others in inter-faith relations. The motion, intended to be instructive rather than controversial, met with support from all.

A pause for reflection on Bishops
The formal business of the day ended with a new feature, which was a seminar of the Episcopate. In the Debate on Women Bishops in the July Group of Sessions, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, had suggested that Synod should hold this seminar to allow members to reflect on the Episcopate in preparation for the a further debate on Women Bishops in February. By going into seminar mode it was possible to talk through issues without the need to win points in debate and without any votes being taken. The Seminar was introduced by contributions from four speakers: the Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, who chaired the Commission on Women Bishops; Professor Thisleton, the distinguished theologian, who has just retired as a long-standing member of General Synod; the Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, Geoffrey Rowell, who is known to be against Women Bishops; Professor Young, a senior Methodist Minister and early church theologian. They addressed the nature of the Episcopate, the role of Bishops and their authority, and the differences between our three Orders of Deacons, Priests (or Presbyters), and Bishops. There was then a question period, for which members had been asked to produce topics beforehand. These were answered by the panellists with grace and good humour. By the end of the seminar most members felt better informed of the issues, and that it had been a success. It was agreed that Synod should consider having more seminars on other complex issues in the future.

Archbishop Rowan expands his vision
The final day began with a Presidential Address from The Archbishop of Canterbury. He told us that Synod is a body of people that takes responsibility for the Church's vision of itself. It is also an organ of the Church's constant search for a fuller grasp of the all-encompassing mystery in the middle of which it lives and prays. The way we conducted our business, in an attitude of prayer and refection upon the Scriptures, would help mould the feel of the wider Church over the coming years. He went on to talk about mission and the Synod's role in enabling and supporting such mission. He spoke of the need for people from differing perspectives, in the contentious issues facing us, to talk and pray together; of the need for imagination in addressing the Mission-shaped agenda; of the need for the Church to be a learning community; of the need for all of us to put into action in our own lives those things we have debated in Synod; and of the need to speak the language of younger generations. The full text of his address can be found at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/presidentialaddress.html.

Legislating for Mission
A number of items of legislative business followed. By far the biggest item was the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure, which is in fact the largest piece of legislation to be brought before Synod for some twenty years. Archdeacon Alistair Magowan is one of the members of the group tasked both with producing this measure and steering it through Synod. The measure follows up the recommendations produced by the recent Toyne review of the Pastoral Measure 1983. Its whole ethos is that of reworking existing structures, and creating new structures, which will enable imaginative reordering of parish (and even diocesan) boundaries, as well as allowing new mission initiatives to flourish, which are outside existing structures, but still under the authority of the Bishop. The whole point of the measure is to allow new things to happen, but always under a light touch of legislation that is meant to be liberating, rather than restrictive. This was the opportunity for the group to show off the legislation and for Synod to comment. At a later stage it will come back for further debate and eventual approval.

Children and Holy Communion
Other legislation included approval of rules covering the admission of children to Holy Communion and rules for appeals under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003, which will come into force on 1st January 2006. The rules relating to the admission of Children to Holy Communion bring what has become common practice under an official and agreed code of practice. The rules now go back to the House of Bishops and will come back before Synod in the February 2006 group of sessions.

The Churches Conservation Trust
One other matter discussed was The Payments To The Churches Conservation Trust Order 2005. The matter under discussion was that we should agree to some four million pounds (over a three year period) being paid to the Churches Conservation Trust, who look after a portfolio of several hundred redundant churches. In fact the Pastoral Measure we have started to consider will remove the term "redundant" from closed churches, which will become "churches no longer licensed for public worship". The vote to pay several millions of pounds for the upkeep of closed churches always brings a good deal of debate. One speaker said that some "closed" churches were more open and accessible than other "open" churches, which always seemed to be locked. It was said that even an unused church can be a witness to the Christian faith at the heart of a community. It must be remembered that the bulk of the money for this Trust comes from the Government who add more than twice the four million paid by the Church of England.

Who "owns" what?
We then moved on to consider some property issues. In the second phase of its work, the review group led by Professor David McClean developed its earlier thinking about Common Tenure and applied it to the property interests in parsonage houses, churches and church yards. It recommended that these be vested in the DBF. Last February, General Synod welcomed the review group's proposals but blew enough property gaskets to generate some further thoughts about these issues. The sub-group charged with drafting the legislation which is to come did the thinking and came up with proposals as follows:-

• Houses should be vested in Diocesan Parsonage Boards (DPB) which should hold them subject to the existing provisions in the parsonages Measure and the Pastoral measure.
• The DPB should be obliged to provide and manage housing. Where the DPB is the DBF, the parsonage sub-committee shall consist of all the archdeacons in the diocese and members elected by the Diocesan Synod of whom at least 1/3 will be clergy and 1/3 laity.
• Houses will not be the corporate property of the DBF.
• All clergy occupying a DPB house should do so under an occupational licence recording their rights and obligations.
• Clergy should have a right to object to acquisitions, disposals and improvements with adjudication by the Church Commissioners.
• The vestigial legal estates in churches and church yards should remain with the incumbent as corporation sole.

The debate was thorough and a wide range of opinion were heard though it was unfortunate that most of the speakers seemed to be middle aged men from the southern province driven by insecurity and a fear of their diocese. When one clergyman popped up to say that he came into the church because of love, one could almost see minds making connections and wondering if there is a positive side to this after all.

We considered 2 amendments; one calling for the preservation of the status quo (so we aren't quite such a brave new Synod after all!) - though how that sits within the letter and spirit of Common Tenure never emerged, and one amendment to this requiring that clergy other than incumbents should hold a lease ending with the end of their appointment. We coped with the procedural nightmare that is an amendment to an amendment and this latter was defeated by 19 votes. The former was put to a vote by houses where it was comprehensively lost as follows:- Bishops 28 - 0 : Clergy 103 - 51 : Laity 129 - 41.

The first draft of some legislation may emerge next year but this has still a long course to run and we'll be writing much more about it as the quinquennium unfolds.

Question Time!
Questions followed. Questions offers an opportunity for any member to direct an enquiry to any of the Synods Boards, or Committees, to the Archbishops' Council, the House of Bishops, various Commissions and senior members of the Secretariat. With the new Synod finding its feet it was not surprising that only 54 questions were tabled by the deadline some 10 days before Synod started. In spite of this it was still not possible for all the questions to be given a verbal answer in the one and a half hours allocated, such were the frequency that supplementaries were asked. Questions range from the entertaining "In full expectation of England's participation in the World Cup Final (Sunday 9th July at 7pm), what steps will the Clerk of the Synod be taking to negotiate with York University authorities adequate viewing facilities for General Synod members?" (with the answer that there was good Biblical precedence for a return from the wilderness after 40years!) to the prurient - "In the light of the House of Bishops Pastoral Statement on the Civil Partnership Act, and in view of the fact that many parishioners will want to be reassured that their minister, if in a Civil Partnership, is not engaged in an active same-sex union, has the House of Bishops considered how a bishop might best relay to those parishioners the reassurance he has obtained?" (answer - the Bishop will consider each case on its merits). Questions also provide an opportunity to enquire about ongoing work e.g. about continuing attempts to seek a permanent reduction in VAT for repairs to listed buildings. During this question time the respondents performed well on their feet, and there were no nasty surprises - that may change as new members understand how this particular part works!

Farewells
The Synod ended with speeches of thanks to two long-standing participants, both of whom have played an enormous part in the life of the Church of England and both of whom are retiring. The Secretary General paid tribute to Ingrid Slaughter, Assistant Legal Advisor to General Synod, and Roan Williams spoke warmly and movingly of the ministry of Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford. Both received standing ovations.

Signing for the Deaf
One innovation at General Synod is the fact that everything is now signed for the deaf. At times we wondered how certain things could possibly be translated into sign language. At one point the Bishop of Rochester began a sentence "The Pontifical Biblical Commission." and then turned to the signer and said, "now how are you going to say that in sign language?" - but she did, to great applause from Synod.

Where's the parrot?
One other innovation was the appearance of our very own James Humphery as chair of a debate. Of course James is a skilled and seasoned chairman of General Synod, but never has a debate in Synod been chaired by a one-eyed James, sporting a black eye-patch. Sensing a certain unease regarding the threatened spread of avian flu, James assured the Synod that his parrot was safely lodged in quarantine.

Private and Diocesan Motions
This being the start of a new Synod, private members motions have yet to gain enough signatures to get onto the agenda, but motions seeking such signatures relate to postponing the 2008 Lambeth Conference, cathedral entry charges, ethical investments, the sale of the Octavia Hill Estates in South London and married couples tax allowances. Motions sent up from Diocesan Synods, queuing for a place on future agendas, relate to rescinding the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod, carbon dioxide emissions and commemorating the bicentenary of the Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.

Next time
The Synod next meets 6th - 10th February 2006