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General Synod - Summary of Business Conducted on Saturday 5th July 2008

5 July 2008

 

WOMEN BISHOPS:  REPORT OF THE WOMEN BISHOPS LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING GROUP (GS 1685)

The Bishop of Manchester (Chair of the Legislative Drafting Group) moved the motion to take note of the report.

Following debate, the motion was carried by the Synod.

 

Audio of session

 

 

Following lunch, the Archbishop of York gave a Presidential Address.

 

Audio of address

 

 

LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS

 

DRAFT ECCLESIASTICAL OFFICES (TERMS OF SERVICE) MEASURE  (GS 1637B)

Draft Measure for Final Drafting and Final Approval

Report by the Steering Committee (GS 1637Z)

The Bishop of Dover (Chair of the Steering Committee) moved the motion to take note of the report. Following debate, the motion was carried.

Synod gave final approval to the the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Measure, after a division by houses. The voting was as follows:

                      Bishops      Clergy      Laity

In favour         20              109            110

Against             0                5              13

Abstentions     0                4                2

 

DRAFT CHURCH OF ENGLAND PENSIONS (AMENDMENT) MEASURE  (GS 1682A)

Draft Measure for Revision and Final Approval

Following debate, Synod gave final approval to the Church of England Pensions (Amendment) Measure, after a division by houses. The voting was as follows:

                         Bishops         Clergy      Laity

In favour            22                  79            97

Against               0                    0               1

Abstentions        0                    0               1

 

DRAFT CHURCH OF ENGLAND (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) MEASURE  (GS 1683A)

Draft Measure for Revision

Report by the Revision Committee (GS 1683Y)

The Chair of the Revision Committee (Mr James Humphery (Salisbury)) moved the motion to take note of the report.

Following debate, the motion was carried by the Synod. The draft Measure will now return to the Steering Committee for its final drafting.

 

DRAFT VACANCIES IN SUFFRAGAN SEES AND OTHER ECCLESIASTICAL OFFICES MEASURE  (GS 1692)

Draft Measure for First Consideration

The Archbishop of York read a statement signifying The Queen's consent to the Synod's consideration of the draft Measure.

The draft Measure will now be committed to a revision committee.

 

DRAFT CROWN BENEFICES (PARISH REPRESENTATIVES) MEASURE  (GS 1693)

Draft Measure for First Consideration

The Archbishop of York read a statement signifying The Queen's and Prince of Wales's consent to the Synod's consideration of the draft Measure.

The draft Measure will now be committed to a revision committee.

 

DRAFT VACANCY IN SEE COMMITTEES (AMENDMENT) REGULATION 2008 (GS 1694)

Draft Instrument for approval

Following debate, the Vacancy in See Committees (Amendment) Regulation 2008 was considered, and, following an amendment, approved.

The Vacancy in See Committees Regulation 1993, as amended, was then solemnly affirmed and proclaimed an Act of Synod.

 

 

READER MINISTRY: REPORT FROM THE MINISTRY DIVISION OF THE ARCHBISHOPS' COUNCIL (GS 1689)

Following debate, Synod passed the following amended motion, after a division by houses. The voting was as follows:

                         Bishops         Clergy      Laity

In favour            17                  72            102

Against               2                    27               23

Abstentions        6                    16              12

'That this Synod welcome the report on Reader Ministry, celebrating the ministry of Readers, and call upon the dioceses, deaneries and parishes of the Church of England, along with the House of Bishops:

(a) to encourage the study of the report, and in particular by clergy and Readers;

(b) to consider how its recommendations and action points may be pursued nationally and in each diocesan and local situation; and

(c) in the case of dioceses, to report back to the Ministry Council of the Archbishops' Council by July 2010 on initiatives they have taken to implement one or more of the recommendation

 

Audio of session