Updated 19, 21, 22 and 24 February
Online copies of the papers for the February 2011 meeting of General Synod are starting to appear online. I have listed them below, with links, together with other papers listed in the agenda but not yet online. I will update the list as more links become available.
The Report of the Business Committee (GS 1817) includes a forecast of future business, and I have copied this below the fold.
GS 1808 Amending Code of Practice under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003
GS 1808X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1812 Full Synod Agenda
GS 1813 Parochial Fees Policy: Report from the Archbishops’ Council
GS 1814 Draft Clergy Discipline (Amendment) Measure
GS 1814X Explanatory Memorandum
GS 1815 Challenges for the New Quinquennium
GS 1816A Common Worship Baptism Provision (Liverpool DSM)
GS 1816B Common Worship Baptism Provision (Note from the Secretary General)
GS 1817 Report by the Business Committee
GS 1818 Briefing paper by FOAG on ARCIC II – Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ
Christian Aid Report: Poverty – We’re All in this Together
GS Misc 872 FOAG Essays on ARCIC II – Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ
GS Misc 960 The House of Bishops’ Statement on Marriage after Divorce and the Ordained Ministry
GS Misc 970 Dioceses Commission: Guide to the Review Report No 2
GS Misc 971 Anglican Communion Covenant: Reference to Diocesan Synods
GS Misc 972 Affirming Our Common Humanity
GS Misc 974 Faith, Work and Economic Life
GS Misc 974B Faith, Work and Economic Life (Resources)
GS Misc 977 Central Stipends Authority report (38th)
GS Misc 979 Ordinariate: Questions and Answers
There are copies of the ARCIC report Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ on the websites of the Anglican Communion Office and the Vatican. The ACO also has a pdf version.
Forecast of future Synod business
One or more Private Members’ Motions and Diocesan Synod Motions are customarily included in each group of sessions.
The forecast of business provides a forward look to the groups of sessions in 2011. There are always considerable uncertainties when looking ahead in this way, so this should not be read as more than a broad indication of business that may come to the Synod in the future.
In February, the Synod will be debating a report from the Archbishops’ Council on the main areas of work for the Council over the next five years. These will include issues to do with ministry and the Church’s needs; the common good; and growing the Church, both in terms of numbers and confidence. Connected with that is the debate the Synod held in November 2010 on the Big Society. There are some major issues raised in both reports and the Business Committee is of the view that the Synod would benefit from a range of possibilities for engaging with them and deepening its understanding of them. While nothing concrete is included in this forward look in relation to that, the Committee will be considering how best this might be achieved over future groups of sessions.
In July, there will be the following regular business:
Presidential Address
Financial business (including the Archbishops’ Council’s budget for 2012)
Archbishops’ Council’s annual report
Church Commissioners’ annual report
Legislative business
Liturgical business
Reports
RE http://www.churchofengland.org/media/1161076/gsmisc971.pdf
In,
“21. If a majority of dioceses approve the draft Act of Synod, it will return to the General Synod for consideration in accordance with the requirements of Article 7 of the Constitution (involving a reference to the House of Bishops
and, if required by any of them, references to the Convocations and the House of Laity). Subject to the outcome of the Article 7 procedure, the Synod would then be invited finally to approve the draft Act of Synod.”
Does “them” refer to dioceses at the start of the sentence? What is the significance of “reference”?
Also RE http://www.churchofengland.org/media/1161076/gsmisc971.pdf In, “16. It is open to a diocesan synod, in addition to its consideration of the business now being referred, to consider further motions (proposed by members of the diocesan synod in accordance with its standing orders) relating to the draft Act of Synod. Any such motions must be debated and voted on separately from the motion in paragraph 12, which constitutes the diocesan response to the Article 8 reference.” What role can this play? Under Article 7 the only action of dioceses that seems to be relevant is yes or no to the current draft (that’s… Read more »
John
In paragraph 21 “them” refers to the Convocations and the House of Laity. “Reference” means that the Convocation or House holds a meeting and votes on the proposal. Votes against can stop the proposal proceeding any further. The details are in section 7 of the General Synod constitution.
http://peterowen.org.uk/articles/gs-constitution.html
Paragraph 16 allows diocesan synods to consider other motions in addition to the one in paragraph 12. They can then be reported to General Synod (see paragraph 17). Synod members may (or may not) take these supplementary motions into account when deciding how to vote.
The link to the House of Bishops statement re Divorce etc, doesnt seem to work!
That should work, now, Perry. Thanks for reporting it.