Leeds Diocesan Synod
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DS 19 06 02 Leeds Diocesan Synod DRAFT Minutes of the thirteenth meeting of the Synod of the diocese of Leeds held at 9.30am on 16 March 2019 at Soothill Hall, Ashville College, Green Lane, Harrogate, HG2 9JP. Chair: The Bishop of Kirkstall A minute’s silence was held to remember the people of New Zealand following the recent shootings at mosques in Christ Church. The Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Ripon, led prayers in Maori and English. 1 Welcome. The Bishop of Kirkstall welcomed and gave the Chair’s permission to speak to: Item 9 Diocesan Environment Policy: Mrs Jemima Parker, Diocesan Environment Officer. Item 12 Diocesan Strategy 2019 – 2024: Mr Andrew Norman, Director of Ministry and Mission. The following were also welcomed: Members elected since the last meeting Archdeacon Jonathan Gough, the new archdeacon of Richmond and Craven Mrs Mary Chapman, Chair of the Archbishops’ Council Audit Committee. Bishop Paul explained that when the diocese was formed it was planned that there would be a review of the diocesan governance. Mary was leading that review, focusing on the property sub-committee, the Mission and Pastoral committee arrangements and scrutiny. Mary would be consulting widely including interviewing people. 2 Opening worship. Opening worship was led by The Revd Canon Sam Corley. 3 Apologies. 25 Apologies have been received. 4 Declarations of conflicts of interest. The Revd Canon Kathryn Fitzsimons declared an interest in Item 10 Ratification of Leeds Board member nominated by the Leeds Board. There were no other declarations of interest. Chair: Mr Matthew Ambler 5 Presidential Address. The Bishop of Kirkstall gave his Presidential Address, a copy of which is attached to these Minutes. 6 Minutes of the last Meeting on 13 October 2018 DS 19 03 01 The Chair to move: “That the draft minutes of the last meeting held on 13 October 2018 DS 19 03 01 be approved as a correct record.” The motion was approved with five abstentions. 7 Matters arising not covered elsewhere on the Agenda (if any). There were no matters arising. 8 Questions for Synod. Questions had been received from: Mrs Deirdre Morris, Wakefield deanery (1 question) The Revd Dr John Hartley, (Outer Bradford deanery) 2 questions Mr Justin Brett, (Harrogate Deanery synod) 1 question. Written replies had been tabled and a copy of the replies are attached to these minutes. There were no supplementary questions to Mrs Deirdre Morris’s question. It was noted that The Revd Dr John Hartley was not present at the meeting. There were no supplementary questions to The Revd Dr John Hartley’s first question. There were no supplementary questions to The Revd Dr John Hartley’s second question. Mr Justin Brett, Harrogate Deanery, asked a supplementary question to his question. He asked if his supplementary question could be answered with “yes” or “no”. The supplementary question was “Does the diocese pay expenses to cover vacancies in stipendiary posts?” Debbie Child answered that sometimes it did. Mr Justin Brett, Harrogate deanery asked a second supplementary question. He asked what this meant. Debbie explained that in general in an interregnum, a sequestration form is completed by parishes to claim for the support the parish receives at that time. The question may refer to times when there is a retired priest in the congregation [Mr Brett confirmed that was what the question referred to] in which case during a vacancy the diocese does pay and it is through the sequestration account. Page 2 of 21 9 Diocesan Environment Policy DS 19 03 02, DS 19 03 02 01, DS 19 03 02 02, DS 19 03 02 03 Diocesan Synod members had been circulated with a draft diocesan environment policy, model environment policy for parishes, Draft Diocesan Environment 5 Year Plan and an Environment Policy Briefing for Synod document. The Revd Canon James Allison, General Synod Reminded Synod of the hope that Christians can bring to environment issues. In the 18 countries which had reduced carbon emissions (including the UK), the common thread was that their populations believed that by the small things individuals did, they could reduce carbon emissions. Adopting the proposed new diocesan environment policy could make a difference. He proposed the motion: “That this Diocesan Synod adopts the Diocesan Environment policy contained in DS 19 03 02 to bring the Diocese of Leeds carbon reduction targets in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommendations”. Mrs Jemima Parker, Diocesan Environment Officer Outlined that adoption of the new environment policy by parishes would require a change in mindset. Parishes would need to view each action and decision in light of its environmental impact and look at greenhouse gas emissions as well as pounds and pence. There could be a carbon cost unless expenditure was on enhancing the environment or on renewables. Implementation of the new environment policy would have initial costs and may attract criticism, particularly from those who do not like change. However, environmental projects could be fun and were an opportunity for a congregation and the wider community to work together in new and exciting ways. There could be an opportunity to share the church’s values, beliefs and hope. Reducing the church’s carbon footprint was not about shrinking its mission. Jemima explained that she worked with a team of voluntary area environment champions and there were now seventy-two parishes which had an environment representative. There was also a diocesan environmental newsletter, “God’s Green Fingers” circulated around the diocese bi- monthly. Synod members were reminded that the papers circulated in support of the motion, included a five-year environment strategy incorporating initiatives to implement. Jemima highlighted there were sources of grant funding available, particularly for projects linking young people and the environment. She also mentioned the Green Journey scheme, which involved an energy broker to provide energy services beyond the capacity of the diocesan team. The diocese of Leeds is currently a national leader in this area of mission and ministry. She urged the Synod members to support the motion so the diocese could continue to lead on what was probably the defining issue of our time. The Revd Ruth Newton, Ripon Deanery and General Synod Said that loving and caring for environment was a way of being good news. It is God’s world, Christ was part of this world and the Holy Spirit has been sent for the renewing of creation. She said the World is precious to God and it needs to be precious to us. If we exploit the earth, reduce species and biodiversity, making it less hospitable to human life it must be against His will and should be something that the church as His people should stand up against. In the context of the changing climate, it was often those who are the least culpable who suffer the Page 3 of 21 most. She said the poor of the world use the least of its resources and yet bear the brunt of the devastating changes and have the least resilience to the vagaries of drought and flood. This was why tackling this problem could be seen as climate justice. She said the fifth mark of mission was safeguarding the integrity of creation and sustaining and renewing the life of the Earth and the new environment policy fitted in to this. Working for the environment and for climate justice was an act of loving service, equality and fairness. The choices individuals and churches made mattered. Ruth commended and seconded the motion and thanked Jemima Parker for her work on the motion and as the Diocesan Environment officer. There were no questions of clarification. Synod debated the motion: Mr Ian Fletcher, Inner Bradford Deanery He said he had sat through motions like this before and thought it was easy to vote for them: “The World is in a mess and the Church needs to say and do more about it”. How can the Church make a difference? The former Bradford diocese had looked at saving CO2 emissions via energy efficient lightbulbs. He believed that whilst people had voted for this, few if any had actually done anything about it. He said he was a member of the Energy Scrutiny committee, which had been looking at the Green Journey energy scheme and in particular the tendering of the scheme for the next three years. So far, the scheme had saved an estimated (unaudited) 2142 carbon tonnes of emissions. There was also an estimated saving of £105,846 some from VAT savings. He said environment matters do not always cost money, sometimes there were profit centres too, for example electric charging points for cars. One of the big advantages of the diocesan scheme had been the way it has altered what other dioceses do. He said he was in favour of the motion. The Revd Chris Lawton, Wensley deanery Referred to the DS19 03 02 02 environment policy for parishes. He was concerned that there seemed to be a move to say all meat was bad and all vegan was good. He believed the situation was more nuanced. He worked very closely with farmers through the Mart chaplaincy and they experienced constant social media pressure about how they farm. Farmers were to be encouraged to be the best they could be and not have all meat production written off as simply bad. He outlined that upland well-managed meat production is carbon negative. He recommended that in Point 8 the four examples be missed out as they seemed to have a vegetarian and vegan bias, which missed out the real benefits that could be achieved through good management of farmland.