Upbeat Diocesan Synod yesterday

Finance, the future, women bishops and a wide-ranging Presidential Address from the Bishop of Ely, Stephen Conway, ensured an interesting day for members of the Ely Diocesan Synod which gathered yesterday at Witchford Community College near Ely.

The bishops were joined by elected members of the clergy and laity for debate and discussion as well as worship.

Bishop Conway talked of the shortage of water across the Diocese and then offered his own reflections on last week’s debate between Lambeth Palace and Westminster [see separate releases].

Synod received the accounts for 2010 along with the annual Report of Diocesan Activities.

A presentation followed of the ambitions and assumptions guiding the formation of a break-even budget for 2012.

The Synod then set aside standing orders to enable invited guests who were not members of Synod to participate in discussions concerning proposals to allow women to be made bishops in the Church of England.

A factual presentation about the draft legislation to enable women to be consecrated as bishops followed. After this, personal presentations from a traditional catholic, conservative evangelical and a woman priest’s perspective were offered showing the wide variety of views on this subject across the church.

Bishop Conway said today: “A sober and mutually attentive discussion ensued in smaller groups before a plenary session drew out questions for clarification on various aspects of the legislation which will be put to General Synod members in future months.”

The Bishop congratulated Synod and guests for the tone of discussion and expressed his hope that this tone be set again for the formal vote on the draft legislation at the October meeting. The legislation can only be considered if more than half the diocesan synods vote in favour.

At the end of the meeting Bishop Conway took the opportunity on behalf of Synod to acknowledge the contribution to diocesan life made over eight years by the Dean of Ely, Dr Michael Chandler, who has announced his retirement from October 31.

12th June 2011