Annual Group Reports St Michael and All Angels Church 2012 Contents: General Synod Report 2012 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Diocesan Synod Report 2012 ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Deanery Synod Report 2012 ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Warden’s Report for 2012 ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Planned Giving Report 2012 ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Cleaning Team Report .................................................................................................................................................. 7 Drop Inn Café ................................................................................................................................................................... 7 St Michael and All Angels Rambling Group ........................................................................................................... 8 The Prayer Chain ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 The Coffee Rota ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 The Church Centre ......................................................................................................................................................... 9 Bible Fellowship Notes ................................................................................................................................................. 9 The Children’s Society .................................................................................................................................................. 9 St. Michael and All Angels Mothers' Union .......................................................................................................... 10 PCC Report 2013 – Readers ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Mission Committee ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 Refilwe Prayer Group ................................................................................................................................................. 12 1 General Synod Report 2012 The General Synod of the Church of England is the elected body that includes Archbishops, Bishops, Clergy and Laity. Their role is to decide on legislation, policy and direction for the Church. The meetings normally take place at Church House, Westminster in the first week of February, followed by one week in July at the University of York. (However, in 2012 this pattern changed with a further three day meeting in November in London). In 2012 General Synod business was dominated by the proposed Draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure. This is the legislation that will enable women priests to become Bishops in the Church of England. It has been on the agenda, in one form or another, for twenty years and the Church still has divisions on which agreement has not yet been found. In 2011 the proposed legislation had been debated at parish, deanery and diocesan level and the returns gave a consensus in 42 out of 44 dioceses. There were still issues raised about the provision for those who could not, or would not, accept women in the Episcopate. These views are rooted in tradition and in theological beliefs. So when we convened for the first of the 2012 General Synod sessions on Monday 6 Feb 2012, at Church House Westminster, we were prepared for a debate on an amending Motion coming from the Diocese of Manchester seeking further provision for those who would not accept the current legislation. This motion was defeated. The Diocese of Southwark Motion asked Synod to pass the legislation without further amendment. However, Revd Canon Pete Spiers (Liverpool) proposed an amendment to the Southwark Motion requesting the House of Bishops “not to amend the draft Measure substantially”. Following a lengthy debate, Canon Spiers’ amendment was carried. It was now down to the House of Bishops to consider what had been said during the debate and to bring back to Synod, for the July meeting in York, their final wording. As is now well known, the House of Bishops surprised everyone by amending the Legislation, and in the view of most people, the amendment was not acceptable and considered to be “substantial”. Therefore, when the York General Synod session convened in July, both the House of Clergy and the House of Laity voted to suspend the debate and ask the House of Bishops to think again. In order to avoid further delay in bringing this matter to a conclusion, Synod was asked to reconvene again in November at Church House, Westminster. The House of Bishops reconsidered the earlier changes and substituted a slightly amended form of wording to their earlier amendment Clause 5 (i)(c), suggested by a woman priest. So when we travelled to London in November, we were both hopeful and apprehensive of the outcome. In the event, we were not prepared for the result that followed, with the Legislation failing to get a two thirds majority in the House of Laity by a mere 6 votes. In the House of Bishops and Clergy the vote gave a clear two-thirds majority. Since then, many have been working to mend the hurt caused to our women priests and to give them our assurances of how much their ministry is valued. In addition, Parliament, the General Synod, the House of Bishops and Dioceses are undertaking a consultation and review process that we hope will eventually bring about the right conclusion to this long awaited decision. We expect a new form of the Legislation to be presented to General Synod in July at York, as the rules governing this Synodical legislation do not allow us to debate the lost motion again in this session of Synod, and Synod would have to wait for a new General Synod to be elected in 2015. General Synod did undertake a great deal of other important and worthwhile work during 2012. The Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr Rowan Williams) opened the February session with a Loyal Address to HM The Queen on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee. In his address, Archbishop Rowan reminded Synod that “Sixty 2 years ago today King George VI died, aged only 56, and as we begin to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen‘s Diamond Jubilee I would like first to pay tribute to the memory of her father, recalling his courageous acceptance, at a time of crisis, of a role he had neither desired nor expected. His exercise of this role won him great respect and affection, and his equally courageous leadership of our nation through its most testing time in modern history left a permanent legacy of gratitude. The Diamond Jubilee celebrates much more than the length of Her Majesty‘s reign.” Some of the other subjects debated included: The Independent Commission on Assisted Dying “That this Synod express its concern that the Independent Commission on Assisted Dying is insufficiently independent to be able to develop proposals which will properly protect the interests of vulnerable and disabled people.” The motion was carried in an amended form, 284 voting in favour and none against, with 4 recorded abstentions: Parochial Fees: final approval was given to this order. The new Fees Order for weddings and funerals came into force in January 2013. ‘The Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 (CDM) The draft Measure before Synod made both substantive and technical amendments to the Clergy Discipline Measure. The revision of the draft Measure was committed to the Steering Committee in respect of its final drafting. Appointment of Archdeacons: Chichester Diocese proposed that this Synod request that Canon C 22.1 be amended to read ―No person shall be capable of receiving the appointment of archdeacon unless he/she has been six years complete in holy orders at the time of appointment. The motion was lost. The Church School of the Future: The Chadwick Report opened a new approach to the structures of Church schools, including the recommendation that the central organisation become one with a single Church of England Education Office; that Diocesan schools need new types of guidance and support including greater collaboration between Diocesan Boards of Finance and Boards of Education and a re- thinking of partnerships with local government. The Living Wage: A Private Members’ Motion brought by Chester’s John Freeman “affirm the Christian values inherent in the concept of the Living Wage and strongly encourage all Church of England institutions to pay at least the Living Wage” received overwhelming support. Children helping with the distribution of the Holy Sacrament: It was agreed that children could help if the Diocesan Bishops agree to this request from the Incumbent or Head teacher in a Church school. Youth Unemployment: Synod approved a motion encouraging the Church,