DIOCESAN SYNOD Chair: the Bishop of Leeds

DS 19 03 01 DIOCESAN SYNOD DRAFT Minutes of the twelfth meeting of the Synod of the diocese held at 9.30am on 13 October 2018 at Soothill Hall, Ashville College, Green Lane, Harrogate, HG2 9JP. 1 Opening Eucharist. The Bishop of Leeds presided at a Eucharist service to close the Diocesan Synod term. Chair: The Bishop of Leeds 2 The Bishop of Leeds welcomed: All the new members of the new Diocesan Synod for the 2018 – 2021 term. The Chair of the House of Clergy, The Revd Canon Sam Corley (Allerton Deanery) and the Chair of the House of Laity, Mr Matthew Ambler (Huddersfield Deanery) The Very Revd Simon Cowling, the new Dean of Wakefield Cathedral (Simon is now an ex- officio member of the Diocesan Synod). Melina Galibuna visiting the diocese from the link diocese of Tanzania. The following were welcomed and given the Chair’s permission to speak (SO3): Item 10 Children’s Society Presentation: From the Children’s Society, Mr Jonathan Turner - Senior Relationship Manager and The Reverend Mike Todd, Church Engagement Regional Manager. Item 12 Diocesan Strategy 2019 – 2024: The Revd Canon Andrew Norman, Director of Ministry and Mission Item 13 Diocesan Budget 2019: Mr Geoff Park, Chief Finance Officer Mr Irving Warnett, Chair of the Finance Assets and Investments Committee, Leeds Board nominee trustee (to be ratified). Visitor to the Synod: Mrs Judith Calvert, Secretary to the Diocesan Mission & Pastoral Committee. It was noted that Mr Paul Winstanley (Stewardship Officer) and The Revd Canon John Carter (Communications Officer) were both attending Diocesan Synod for the last time. Each was thanked for their twenty-one years of service to the diocese. 3 Apologies. 33 apologies had been received. Page 1 of 16 4 Declarations of interest – Members were reminded of the need to declare any conflict of interest on matters on the agenda. Mrs Jane Evans, Calder Valley Deanery Declared a conflict of interest in Item 11 Ratification of Leeds Board members nominated by the Leeds Board, she was one of the Leeds Board Nominee Trustees. Chair: The Revd Canon Sam Corley 5 Presidential Address. The Bishop of Leeds gave his Presidential Address, a copy of which is attached to these Minutes. 6 Minutes of the last Meeting on 16 June 2018. One amendment had been received to the draft minutes: the reference on page 2 to The Revd Canon Ann Nicholl should be to Canon Ann Nicholl. It was reported that the copy of the minutes to be signed had been amended to reflect this. The Chair moved: “That the draft minutes of the last meeting held on 16 June 2018 DS 18 10 01 be approved as a as a correct record” The motion was approved with one abstention. 7 Matters arising not covered elsewhere on the Agenda. There were no matters arising. 8 Questions for Synod Questions have been received from: Mr Graham Foster, Halifax Deanery (2 questions), Dr Sallie Bassham, Bowland and Ewecross Deanery, (2 questions) and Canon Malcolm Halliday, General Synod (2 questions). Written replies had been tabled (a copy of the questions and tabled replies are attached to these minutes). Mr Foster had given his apologies for the meeting. There were no supplementary questions from the Synod members to Mr Foster’s questions. It was noted that Dr Bassham was not present at the meeting. Supplementary Question to Dr Bassham’s first question: Mrs Christine Jack, Harrogate Deanery Asked if the lay membership of the Diocesan Synod could make provision for allocated representation from different areas of the laity eg Licensed Readers. Debbie Child replied that this was an issue which could be considered by the Diocesan Synod in the future. Page 2 of 16 There was no supplementary question to Dr Bassham’s second question. No supplementary questions were asked by Canon Malcolm Halliday or Synod members to Canon Halliday’s two questions. Chair: Mr Matthew Ambler 9 General Synod report DS 18 10 02 A report from the February 2018 General Synod meeting prepared by Stephen Hogg had been circulated to Synod members. Stephen gave a short presentation on his report. He particularly directed the Synod members to the Church of England website online reporting of the General Synod meetings for more detail. An item highlighted was the Church Representation Rules simplification process being led by Professor Joyce Hill, General Synod member for the diocese. Questions The Revd Chris Lawton, Wensley Deanery Asked for an update on progress for a General Synod link person for each deanery synod without an ex-officio General Synod member. [This provision is set out in the Deanery Synod Rules Rule 6]. Debbie Child confirmed this would be looked in to. 10 Children’s Society presentation The Reverend Mike Todd, Church Engagement Regional Manager of the( Church of England) Children’s Society gave a PowerPoint presentation thanking the diocese for its support of the work of the Children’s Society. He outlined the work of the charity, which is directly with children and also campaigning and lobbying on children’s issues. The charity particularly focusses on young people in the 10 years to 18 years age range and the current issues affecting them, including body image, child sexual exploitation and children in care. Every diocesan bishop is a president of Children’s Society. The charity has some key projects in the diocese of Leeds and has shops in diocese for example in Morley and in Shipley. The charity is known for Christingle, which is 50 years old this year. Revd Todd encouraged the Synod members to think afresh about their use of Christingle including use in new settings (ie not just in church buildings) and to use the new Messy Christingle resource. He thanked Synod for the opportunity to give the presentation and asked the Synod members to pray for work of Children’s Society. Questions Christine Jack, Harrogate deanery Asked how the Children’s Society, as a faith based charity, related to other children’s support groups eg NSPCC and UNICEF including those who provide children’s homes? The Revd Mike Todd replied The Children’s Society no longer provided children’s homes. It worked with children of faith and those of no faith and not all of those who worked for the charity were people of faith. It was not a proselytizing organization. The charity had proactively chosen to focus on 10 years to 18 year olds, as there were other charities who were expert and established in work with younger age groups. This meant the charity could fully commit its expertise, time and resources in one area. Page 3 of 16 Professor Joyce Hill, General Synod Asked that the PowerPoint presentation given by The Revd Mike Todd be made available on the diocesan website or sent to the Diocesan Synod members. The Revd Mike Todd confirmed he would make a copy available for adding to the diocesan website. 11 Ratification of Leeds Board members nominated by the Leeds Board DS 18 10 03 Synod members had been circulated with a document containing the personal statements of the four lay nominee trustees proposed by the Leeds Board for ratification by the Diocesan Synod. Synod members were notified that The Revd Nigel Wright, Allerton Deanery, was unable to attend the Diocesan Synod and propose the motion for this item in his name and that The Rt Revd Dr Jonathan Gibbs, Bishop of Huddersfield, would propose the motion instead. Bishop Jonathan Gibbs reminded members that the diocesan governance structure provided that as well as the elected and ex-officio members of the Leeds Board, there was provision for the Leeds Board itself to nominate five (one clergy and four lay) people who possessed particular areas of expertise to be Leeds Board trustees. These nominations needed to be ratified by the Diocesan Synod. The Leeds Board proposed the four lay people whose personal statements were contained in the document circulated to the Synod be ratified by the Synod. Three had already served on the Leeds Board and one (Irving Warnett) was a member of the Finance Assets and Investments Committee which advised the Leeds Board on financial matters. Bishop Jonathan proposed the motion. “That this Synod ratifies the appointment of the Leeds Board nominee trustees whose details are contained in DS 18 10 03” Synod members did not wish to debate the motion. Synod members voted unanimously for the motion. A refreshment break was taken. Chair: The Revd Canon Sam Corley 12 Diocesan Strategy 2019 – 2024 DS 18 10 04 Page 4 of 16 Synod members has been circulated with a document outlining the final draft of the proposed strategy for the diocese for the period 2019 – 2024 (DS 18 10 04). Using a PowerPoint presentation, the Bishop’s Strategy Group gave a presentation to the Synod members to update following three previous presentations at Diocesan Synod. The Rt Revd Paul Slater, Bishop of Kirkstall, Chair of the Bishop’s Strategy Group Introduced the Bishop’s Strategy Group: The Very Revd John Dobson, Dean of Ripon Cathedral, The Ven Andy Jolley, Archdeacon of Bradford, Mrs Jane Evans, Calder Valley Deanery and Leeds Board Nominee trustee, The Revd Canon Andrew Norman, Director of Ministry and Mission and Mrs Debbie Child, Diocesan Secretary and Secretary to the Diocesan Synod. Bishop Paul outlined the context of the proposed strategy, which was rooted in the diocesan vision: Confident Christians, Growing Churches, Transforming Communities and was characterized by the value statement of Loving, Living, Learning. In discerning how to achieve a vision, the Bishop’s Strategy Group had identified three enabling means: Clergy and Lay Together, Purposeful Resourcing and Dynamic Partnerships.

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