Updated 25 December
The original timetable, linked below, omitted a second Questions session on the Tuesday. An updated version has been issued, and I have corrected my version below.
The General Synod of the Church of England will be meet in London on 6-9 February 2023. The outline timetable is now available online and is copied below.
GENERAL SYNOD: FEBRUARY 2023 OUTLINE OF BUSINESS
Full details of each item will be on the agenda
Monday 6 February
Meeting of Convocation of York 12pm
1.45 pm – 7.00 pm
Revival of the Standing Orders made under Section 1 of the General Synod (Remote Meetings) (Temporary Standing Orders) Measure 2020
Opening worship
Introductions
Presidential Address
Business Committee Report
Legislative Business Amending Canon No 42 – revision stage
Legislative Business Diocesan Stipend Fund (Amendment) Measure – revision stage
Legislative Business Church of England Pensions (Application of Capital Funds) Measure – revision stage
#Living in Love and Faith
*5.25 pm Questions
6.45 pm Evening worship
Tuesday 7 February
10.15 am – 12.30 pm
9.00 am Eucharist
Legislative Business Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 2021 (consequential amendment to regulations under Canon B12) – for approval
Legislative Business Miscellaneous Provisions Measure and Amending Canon 43 – revision stage
Loyal Address
*11.50 am Questions
2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Resourcing Ministerial Formation
#Living in Love and Faith
Wednesday 8 February
9.00 am – 12.30 pm
Opening worship
Cost of living debate
Legislative Business Parochial Fees Order – for approval
Legislative Business Miscellaneous Provisions Measure and Amending Canon No 43 – revision stage – continued
2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
#Living in Love and Faith
Thursday 9 February
9.00 am – 12.30 pm
Opening worship
Legislative Business Diocesan Stipend Fund (Amendment) Measure – final drafting and final approval
Legislative Business Amending Canon No 42 – final drafting and final approval
Governance Review Group next steps
Legislative Business Church of England Pensions (Application of Capital Funds) Measure – final drafting and final approval
1.45 pm – 5.00 pm
Legislative Business Electronic Service Registers – for approval
Standing Orders Committee report
Safeguarding
*4.05 pm Lincoln DSM – Insurance Premium Tax – deferred from July 22
Farewells
*5.00 pm Prorogation
* not later than: Please note that all timings are indicative unless marked with an asterisk
# Living in Love and Faith: Please note that content related to Living in Love and Faith will be published on the Agenda.
Deadline for receipt of questions: 1200 hrs Tuesday 24 January
12 CommentsNaomi Nixon ViaMedia.News An Argument for an Honest Church
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Colin Coward Unadulterated Love LLF, safeguarding, abuse and Radical New Christian Inclusion – where did that go?
41 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more information on the diocesan websites of Southwark and Bristol.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Kingston: 16 December 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Jonathan Martin Gainsborough, to the Suffragan See of Kingston, in the Diocese of Southwark.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 16 December 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Jonathan Martin Gainsborough, Chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol, in the Diocese of Bristol, to the Suffragan See of Kingston, in the Diocese of Southwark, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Richard Cheetham following his retirement.
Martin was educated at the University of Bristol and The School of Oriental and African Studies and trained for ministry on the Southern Theological Education and Training Scheme. He served his title at St Luke’s, Barton Hill, in the Diocese of Bristol and was ordained Priest in 2011.
In 2013, Martin was appointed Priest-in-Charge at St Luke’s and in 2016 he became Canon Theologian at Bristol Cathedral. During this time, Martin was also Professor of Development Politics at the University of Bristol.
Martin took up his current role as Chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol in 2019.
31 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s Office. The London diocesan website has more information here.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Kensington: 15 December 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Emma Gwynneth Ineson to the Suffragan See of Kensington.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 15 December 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Emma Gwynneth Ineson, BA MPhil, Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, to the Suffragan See of Kensington, in the Diocese of London, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Graham Tomlin following his resignation.
Emma was educated at the University of Birmingham and trained for ministry at Trinity College, Bristol. She served her title at Christ Church, Dore in the Diocese of Sheffield and was ordained priest in 2001. Emma took up the role as Chaplain at Lee Abbey, Devon in 2003 before being appointed as Tutor of Practical and Pastoral Theology at Trinity College, Bristol in 2006, and Director of Pastoral Studies in 2010. She was appointed Principal in 2014. During this time she also served as Associate Minister of St Matthew’s, Kingsdown, and of St Mary Magdalene, Stoke Bishop, in the Diocese of Bristol.
In 2019, Emma was appointed Bishop of Penrith in the Diocese of Carlisle, and in 2021 she took up her current role as Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.
Emma was a member of the 2022 Lambeth Conference Design Group, chairs the Church of England Minority Ethnic Vocations Advisory Group, is a member of the Commission for Theological Education in the Anglican Communion, is a member of Tearfund Theology Committee, and is Central Chaplain to the Worldwide Mother’s Union.
51 CommentsPress release from the Church of England
Smyth Review: update from independent reviewer
13/12/2022
December 2022
The independent reviewer, Keith Makin, has confirmed that the Learning Lessons Review is now reaching its final stages. This message has been relayed to the victims and survivors with whom the reviewers are in contact. The review team has analysed previously unpublished documents, including contemporaneous correspondence and notes from the relevant period. The material gathered, including testimonies, written statements and witness statements has been extensive, and far greater than originally envisaged. The next stage will be consultation with victims, as part of the review team’s commitment to put victims at the heart. This is intended to begin in the week commencing 9 January 2023. Once this is completed, it will be followed by a representations process involving individuals and organisations who will be named and criticised in the published report. If you wish to be part of the consultation with victims, and are not already in contact with the review team, please contact Keith Makin at keith.makin@independentreviews.live.
The review team and NST regret this necessary further delay, which they recognise will understandably be disappointing for victims and survivors.
The NST has arranged continued support for victims through Nina Tanner, a specialist Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA). The formerly named Splitz organisation have changed their name to Fear-Less.org.uk Home – Fear Less (fear-less.org.uk) but still provide the same service to victim and survivors. Nina remains the independent lead for support for the victims of John Smyth and fulfils the same role as before. If you need support, she can be contacted on Nina.Tanner@fear-less.org.uk or on 07825 741751. If you have been affected by this latest update and need support, please do contact Nina.
The NST continues to look into every clergy person of whom they have been informed, within the scope of the Terms of Reference, who may have failed to disclose Smyth’s abuse.
11 CommentsBosco Peters Liturgy Christian Decline?
Penelope Doe ViaMedia.News The ‘Trans’ Body of Jesus and Transgressive Theologies
Kelvin Holdsworth What’s in Kelvin’s Head Reparations, the Churches and LGBT communities
Paul W Thomas Church Times All parishes need focal ministers — urgently
“Stipendiary priests overseeing multiple parishes require a secondary support system, argues Paul W Thomas”
Updated 14 December
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office. The Bishop of Ebbsfleet replaces the former Bishop of Maidstone and will minister to complementarian evangelical parishes throughout the Church of England. There is more detail in this Church of England press release.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Ebbsfleet: 9 December 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Dr Robert Munro to the Suffragan See of Ebbsfleet, in the Diocese of Canterbury.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP
Published 9 December 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Dr Robert Munro, Rector of the Benefice of St Mary’s Cheadle with St Cuthbert’s, in the Diocese of Chester, and Rural Dean of Cheadle, to the Suffragan See of Ebbsfleet, in the Diocese of Canterbury. This is in succession to The Right Reverend Rod Thomas following his retirement in a national role previously conducted by the Suffragan See of Maidstone.
Rob was educated at Bristol University and trained for ordained ministry at Oakhill Theological College. He was ordained Priest in 1994, served his title at St John the Baptist, Hartford, in the Diocese of Chester, and in 1997, was appointed Rector of St Wilfrid, Davenham.
In 2003, Rob was appointed to his current post as Rector of St Mary’s Cheadle with St Cuthbert’s, and completed his D.Min from Reformed Theological Seminary, USA. He has served three terms as Chair of the House of Clergy, and on the General Synod and the Dioceses’ Commission.
Update
The Chester diocesan website has this article which includes a link to a video of the Bishop of Chester interviewing the new bishop.
20 CommentsThe Church of England has released its Statistics for Mission 2021 and the following press release. The annual Statistics for Mission return collects attendance and participation information from across the Church of England. Also available is an excel file of detailed diocesan figures. Statistics for earlier years are available here.
Statistics for Mission 2021 published
06/12/2022
Attendance at Church of England parishes rose sharply last year compared to 2020, but continued to be affected by Covid measures, new statistics from the Church of England show.
Average weekly attendance, which includes Sundays and midweek attendance, grew to 605,000 in 2021 compared to 345,000 in 2020. But it was lower than in 2019 when average weekly attendance stood at 854,000 people.
The number of baptisms and weddings grew in 2021 compared to 2020, with 26,500 marriages and services of prayer and dedication after civil marriage and 55,200 baptisms or thanksgiving services for a child.
Many churches continued to provide ‘church at home’ services in 2021, offered online, by phone, post, email, and other means amid a range of Covid restrictions.
It comes as separate figures show the number of people praying online has continued to grow sharply over the past year with downloads of the Church of England’s Daily Prayer audio at 3.2 million so far in 2022 – 62% higher than 2021 when it was launched. Total downloads now stand at 5.2 million.
Daily Prayer audio – across the Daily Prayer podcast and app – has now reached more than 1.1 million unique listeners.
Meanwhile, figures from the Church of England’s digital channels show that social media content – prayers, Bible verses, reflection content, good news stories and encouragement – have been seen more than 65 million times this year so far.
This amounts to approximately 1.3 million impressions per week with content seen roughly 190,000 times a day.
And the Church of England’s national online service averages around 150,000 views a week with an average of 300 written comments a week from regular online worshipping communities.
Dr Ken Eames, author of the Statistics for Mission 2021 report, from the Church of England’s Data Analysis team, said: “2021 was another year of Covid-related disruption for churches, as the figures in this report show.
“The figures from 2020 and 2021 describe the extraordinary times that churches and their communities have been through and need to be understood in that context.
“My expectation is that we will see a further return of worshippers to churches in 2022.”
In his summary to the report, he remarks that clergy, lay leaders and congregations had shown an “impressive and encouraging” adaptability throughout an uncertain year that was still affected by Covid restrictions.
The summary adds: “The pandemic continued to have an impact on the life of the Church of England, with some churches being closed for worship for parts of 2021 and some members of congregations continuing not to attend in-person services. It would be very surprising, therefore, if Church of England attendance and participation in 2021 returned to their pre-pandemic levels.
“This report should be treated as a summary of another anomalous year, indicating the extent to which things have ‘bounced back’ but noting that further bouncing back is expected.”
Read the full report: Statistics for Mission 2021 | The Church of England
60 CommentsFrom time to time members of the Church of England’s General Synod are given the opportunity to ask questions for written answer between sessions. The most recent such questions and answers were released last week and are now available online.
Questions Notice Paper November 2022
3 CommentsApril Alexander ViaMedia.News Mutual Flourishing or Repeating Our Mistakes? A Response to Together in Love and Faith
Kelvin Holdsworth What’s in Kelvin’s Head The English Heresy
The first results for the religion question in the official census of population of England and Wales in 2021 were released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on 29 November 2022: Religion, England and Wales: Census 2021. Here are a few articles in response.
Archbishop of York ‘We are here for you’ – Archbishop responds to Census findings
Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Faith in England – the 2021 census
Church Times Leader comment: Census reality
Andrew Brown Church Times Press: What the census tells us about faith
A local newspaper has reported that the Dean of Lichfield, the Very Revd Adrian Dorber, is retiring in the Spring. As yet this has not been announced on either the diocesan or cathedral websites.
3 CommentsPress release below from the Prime Minister’s Office
The Bishop of Oswestry replaces the former Bishop of Ebbsfleet as one of the Provincial Episcopal Visitors in the southern province of the Church of England. Fr Thomas will be consecrated on 2 February 2023. There is more detail in this Church of England press release.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Oswestry: 2 December 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Paul Thomas to the Suffragan See of Oswestry, in the Diocese of Lichfield.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 2 December 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Paul Thomas, Vicar of the Benefice of St James Paddington, in the Diocese of London, to the Suffragan See of Oswestry, in the Diocese of Lichfield.
Background
Paul was born and raised in West Wales and received a BA in Medieval English from Cardiff University in 1996 and an MA in 1998. He trained for ordained ministry at Ripon College Cuddesdon, and was ordained Deacon in 2002 and Priest in 2003.
Paul served his title at St Mary with Christ Church Wanstead, in the Diocese of Chelmsford, and in 2006 he was appointed Assistant Priest, and later Associate Rector, of St Marylebone in the Diocese of London. In 2008, he was additionally appointed Chaplain at St Marylebone Secondary School and Chaplain to the Royal Academy of Music.
Paul was appointed to his current role as Vicar of St James Paddington in 2011 and additionally served as Area Dean of Paddington from 2016 to 2021. Between 2017 and 2019 Paul also served as Acting Archdeacon of Charing Cross in the Two Cities Area of the Diocese of London.
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Simon Butler ViaMedia.News Dear Bishop Christopher… An Open Response to my Diocesan Bishop after his Address to Southwark Diocesan Synod
– written in response to this Presidential Address to Diocesan Synod, 19 November 2022
Press release from the Church of England
House of Bishops – 29 November 2022
29/11/2022
The House of Bishops met by Zoom for its 29 November meeting.
The Chair began the meeting by inviting the Bishop of London, Chair of the Next Steps Group, to offer reflections on Living in Love and Faith (LLF) and the recent meeting of the College of Bishops. A range of views and reflections were discussed by the House regarding both the content and the LLF process, with the Bishop of London acknowledging the complexity and depth of feeling around the issue. The Bishop of London concluded by urging the House to continue listening to God and thanked the House for its participation and contribution to LLF to date.
The House then turned outs attention to the Mission and Pastoral Measure Review and was addressed by the Third Estates Commissioner and by the Head of Mission, Pastoral and Church Property. The House was invited to comment on the general scope of the main recommendations including the approach to church buildings, patronage changes, and other changes which would support episcopal ministry in the long term. The House gave its views on a range of policy issues which will be incorporated in the recommendations of the Review as they are finalised.
The Bishop of Rochester then introduced the House to the recently appointed national Director for Safeguarding who provided a summary of his role to date, before turning the House’s attention to how it will respond to the final report of IICSA and its key recommendations.
The Bishop of Sheffield and the Executive Chair, Diocesan Secretaries and Chief Executives both introduced a paper highlighting a range of issues related to the recruitment, induction support and accountability of Diocesan Secretaries. Several proposals were discussed by the House with a view to reducing unnecessary staff turnover and ensuring that Diocesan Secretaries operate as effectively as possible. The House endorsed the development of the proposals as well as a best practice framework for Dioceses and requested an update on progress be made to the House in May 2023.
A paper relating to the process of assessing the return to ministry of respondents who have been subject to a limited prohibition under the Clergy Disciplinary Measure 2003 was then discussed by the House and presented by legal officers of the National Church Institutions. The House endorsed the refinement of current guidelines and gave comment and observation on the Draft Code of Practice on Return to Ministry.
The Bishop of Guildford updated the House on recommendations made by the National Church Governance Project Board in relation to the role of bishops in the governance arrangements of the National Church. The House discussed the recommendations and gave advisory guidance on the recommendations contained in the paper.
The Secretary General then updated the House on the distribution so far of national Church grants totalling £15 million to dioceses, to help them meet the challenge of increased energy costs.
The meeting ended in prayer.
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Talique Taylor Earth & Altar What is Communion?
Kelvin Holdsworth What’s in Kelvin’s Head Turning Up and Being Counted
43 CommentsPress release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more on the St Albans diocesan website.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Hertford: 24 November 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Dr Jane Mainwaring, Archdeacon of St Albans, in the Diocese of St Albans, to the Suffragan See of Hertford, in the Diocese of St Albans.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 24 November 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Dr Jane Mainwaring, Archdeacon of St Albans, in the Diocese of St Albans, to the Suffragan See of Hertford, in the Diocese of St Albans, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Michael Beasley following his appointment as Bishop of Bath and Wells.
Background
Jane was educated at Leeds University and Trinity College, University of Wales, and trained for ministry on the East Anglian Ministerial Training Course. She served her title at St Gregory’s Sudbury, in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, and in 2001 she was ordained Priest
In 2003, Jane was appointed Team Vicar of St Mark’s Hitchin, in the Diocese of St Albans, and from 2015 she also served as Rural Dean.
Jane took up her current role as Archdeacon of St Albans in 2020.
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Colin Coward Unadulterated Love Being realistic about God
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Stephen Cottrell Archbishop of York Opening the Scriptures
The 25th, and final, Archbishop Blanch Memorial Lecture
The Very Reverend Christine Wilson, the Dean of Lincoln, recently anounced that she will retire on 31 March 2023. Her leaving service will be on 2 February. The announcement is in a chapter letter; you will have to scroll down to find it.
0 CommentsThe Rt Revd Dr Alan Winton, the suffragan Bishop of Thetford in the diocese of Norwich, has announced that he will retire in April 2023.
1 CommentThe Dean of Chelmsford, the Very Revd Nicholas Henshall, has announced that he is moving to be Parish Priest of St Thomas the Apostle, New Groombridge in the Diocese of Chichester. The Dean has written this letter about his move.
I failed to notice it at the time, but the Dean of Newcastle, the Very Revd Geoff Miller, announced his retirement some time ago, and his farewell service was last Sunday.
12 Comments