Diocesan Synod met at Manor School on Saturday 7 November. We opened the first Synod of the new Triennium with a service of Holy Communion. Archbishop Sentamu gave his Presidential Address, asking what God wants the church to be. There are two words for church in Greek; one means people who were summoned. Jesus was issued a warrant and summoned the people. The second word means a home for the homeless. God wants his church to be a house of prayer, a home for God's invited guests, a place where God is changing people, and a place of praise, so that people will know the good news that Jesus has come. The House of Laity elected Dr Nick Land as their chair, and the House of Laity elected the Revd Tim Robinson as their chair. Peter Warry, Diocesan Secretary, introduced the workings of Diocesan Synod. We are here as members of Synod to discuss and agree policies, to be a link between Parishes and Deaneries and the wider Church of England, and to build up the body of Christ. Members of Synod take decisions, keep Deanery Synods informed of decision, and report to Diocesan Synod of the views in Deaneries and parishes. Gavin Wakefield, Director of Training for Missional Ministry, updated Synod on September's Leading Your Church Into Growth conference. 80 participants from across the Diocese came, in teams of the incumbent and two lay people from 27 benefices. Feedback from the conference showed the value of laity and clergy coming together, and we're seeing concrete planning in parishes as a result. We are holding a larger conference for 80 benefices, 240 participants, in September 2016. Sarah Bullock, Archdeacon of York, reported on the July 2015 Group of Sessions. Synod approved simple alternatives for Baptism, the role (in some circumstances) of children in the distribution of communion, and the process of faculty simplification continued. The final day was spent looking at the environment. You can find Sarah's report in full at the bottom of this page, and the Diocese's new representatives at General Synod here. +John Thomson (Bishop of Selby) and +Paul Ferguson (Bishop of Whitby) spoke about their recent visits to our link Diocese of Saldanha Bay and False Bay. The people of the churches are helping to build a new South Africa, and through prayer and the work of the church, relationships are able to be lit up by the Gospel. Peter Warry told Synod that the Diocesan Board of Finance has agreed that Diocesan House will be relocated. Diocesan House moved to Aviator Court in 1999, when there were 17 members of staff. We've now outgrown that space, and we need facilities to deliver the School of Ministry and other training, much of which previously took place via York St John. We did an options appraisal to see if we could redevelop the stable block at Bishopthorpe Palace, but this was prohibitively expensive. We have had an offer accepted on a building in Clifton Moor. We will sell Aviator Court for residential development, and the other moneys for the purchase have come from the sale of an unneeded parsonage house. None of the money will come from the Common Fund. Archbishop Sentamu explained that the Diocesan Board of Finance has changed Peter's role description from Diocesan Secretary to Chief Executive Officer, to have an oversight on policy and spending, and hold staff and departments to account. Andy Broom, Archdeacon of the East Riding, reported on the responses to the consultation on Developing our Deaneries. This vision is to see Deaneries enabling mission, resourcing ministry, overseeing strategy and supportive relationships. Responses to the consultation was firstly positive, and secondly, a bit ambivalent. People appreciated that it was a vision that could be applied locally, strategically relevant, and ecumenical. However, only 13 of the Deaneries responded. Further reflections has shown that listening to the context is essential, the vision is embraced from different starting places, there are many relational demands that already exist, and there is both frustration and a lack of awareness. Synod gave the Deaneries Task Group permission to continue their work, passing the following motion: "This Synod supports the vision for deaneries being 'a network of churches, inspiring, influencing and leading mission and ministry locally', expressed in Paper 15/03 and invites the Deanery working Party to bring proposals for how this vision can be realised to the Synod in may 2016." Synod split into groups to discuss how this could be realised, and facilitators reported back to the Task Group. Peter Warry spoke about the national Reform and Renewal programme. The motivation for the programme was the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, to evangelise and make disciples. The purpose is to have the right people and resources to help re-evangelise England and grow the Kingdom of God. The key areas of focus are simplification, training for senior leaders, review of the National Church Institutions, resourcing Ministerial Education, and resourcing the future. With regards to national funding, there will be a change to how Dioceses are funded from the centre. That funding from the centre is 16% of this Diocese's economy - £2.2 million a year. In the future, half of the money we get from the centre will fund mission in the poorest communities, and half will be strategic development funding for new growth opportunities. We will have to bid for the latter, and the outcomes must justify the funding. The Diocese will get £1.5 million, and transition funding will be available through a 10 year period. A Task Group from Archbishop's Staff will lead on a creating a 10 year strategy and a 5 year plan, with external support. We will need to reflect on the challenge of resourcing ongoing ministry in the face of reduced income. We will need to consider how we invest for growth in those areas which are weakest, and where these is opportunity. We will need to assess local capacity, resources, (human and financial), and how we can measure outcomes. Peter Warry set out the financial position for 2015. We had set a £280k deficit budget, and we have a current forecast £130k budget. Freewill Offers are on target for £8.2m, but some months have been quite tight, especially September and October. For 2016, expenditure will be £13,928,580: an increase of £500,080. Income will be £13,252,750: an increase of £104,650. This leaves us with a deficit of £675k: an increase of £405k. Maureen Loffill, the Chair of the Diocesan Board of Finance, gave some uncomfortable truths. She explained that in 2014 we arrested the decline from Parish Share, but in 2015 our Freewill Offers slipped back, not keeping track with inflation and not even meeting the modest stipend increases for the last 3 years. The same has happened with the offers for 2016. We are seeing 4 years of standstill since 2012. As our income from the Church Commissioners will decline in the next ten years, it is even more important that the income from Freewill Offers is stable and growing. A deficit of £675k is manageable, if we tackle it now. Maureen presented the draft budget, and Synod approved the following motion: "This Synod approves the Budget for 2016 as set out in paper DS 15/18 and authorises the Diocesan Board of Finance to expend a sum of £13,929,000 with this facility to draw up to £300,000 of contingency in addition from reserves." Synod will meet next on Saturday 14 May at Manor School. .