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south western synod

 

1     Getting equipped 

1.1   Two synod days in 2001 (one held at Central URC, Bath for churches in the north east of the Province, and one at Ivybridge in Devon for those farther into the south-west) were organised by clusters of neighbouring districts. Each provided opportunities for synod ministries and training committees to make presentations. A video, Ministry: it could be you, showed some familiar local faces talking informally about their own call to Christian service as ministers, lay preachers and CRCWs. The video has been sent round all the churches as a challenge to people to consider their vocation. The format provides considerable flexibility for use in worship, in small groups and by individuals watching the video at home.

1.2   Recognising that some churches need help in assessing their own potential and finding vision for the future, the synod agreed to create the  part-time post of Church Development Enabler for a three year period. The appointment awaits a suitable pastorate becoming available to provide the other half of what will be a full-time  ministry. 

1.3   Under the heading Understanding decline - going for growth, the synod Life and Witness Committee has organised three annual conferences on church growth, which have been well-supported by people from a broad theological spectrum. The strength of these conferences has been the readiness of people to listen to and learn from those with different experiences of being Church from their own.

1.4   A paper called Faithing the Future: towards a mission strategy, the fruit of a consultation with members of the synod executive, was agreed by the Spring 2002 synod. It is intentionally a list of priorities which the synod itself can deliver, and involves a re-examination of resource-sharing, priorities for training support, and a commitment to help district councils promote greater trust, participation, and spiritual discernment in their meetings.

1.5   This paper also reflects the need (implied by the Growing Up report) for those in positions of leadership in the church to go on developing skills of theological reflection, so that congregations may in turn become better equipped to interpret faith in their own environment, initiate dialogue with secular agencies and create partnerships in areas of common concern.

2     Mission in Partnership

2.1   Abbey Meads: The Church of Christ the Servant, Abbey Meads, a local ecumenical partnership established by Baptists, Methodist, Anglican and United Reformed Churches on a planned housing development of over 10,000  homes in North Swindon, opened its new building on June 9th 2001. The building, on a prominent site in village centre 1, was funded mainly by the South Western synod.  The congregation, which was established through the pioneering work of a Methodist deacon, has now inducted a Baptist minister, whose stipend  is co-funded by Baptists, Methodist and United Reformed Churches.

2.2   Avebury Chapel stands within the world heritage site of the ancient Avebury stone circle in Wiltshire, within sight of Silbury Hill and 30 miles from Stonehenge. The small congregation supported by the North East Wilts District Council has sought to make part of the chapel building into a visitor centre for the many tourists who visit Avebury. The District has set up a management committee and has taken responsibility for leading monthly Sunday afternoon services at the chapel. The church has recently signed an agreement with the Kennet District Council (local authority) to make the renamed and refurbished Avebury Chapel Centre into a tourist information and worship centre. A reopening ceremony, to mark the completion of alterations by Kennet Council, will take place on July 28th 2002.  

2.3   The Revd Heather Pencavel, a non-stipendiary minister in the Bristol District, was appointed in 2000 by the regional church leaders of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Greater Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Dorset, to be the South West Churches Advisor for Regional Affairs. This involves liaising with the South West Regional Development Agency, the Government Office for the South West, servicing the South West Council of Faiths and being sole representative of the faith communities on the South West Regional Assembly.

2.4   European Link: The synod's link with the Lippische Landeskirche has involved several formal and informal exchanges in the last two years: a group of elders from the Church of Lippe in north west Germany took part in a District Elders Training weekend in east Devon in 2000, while in February 2002, elders and ministers from the south west made a return visit to Lippe, to share their experience of being a Reformed Church today. The most significant development in this European partnership has been the year's placement by Pastor Andreas Finnern and Vikarin Stephanie Pšrtner, who, as part of their ministerial formation programme, have served in local churches in the south western synod. 

2.5   Theology South West is a project in which the synod is at an early stage of involvement. The South Western Ministry Training Course in partnership with other theological educators in the region is seeking to provide access to theological library resources through a web page, and to establish, in partnership with Exeter University, on-line theological education courses.

2.6   The Revd Roz Harrison was appointed as synod clerk on the retirement of the Revd Sandra Lloydlangston (2001), and Mr Gordon Latham replaced Mr Geoff Lunt as synod treasurer (2001). Both the outgoing synod officers had served between 10 and 13 years. The Revd Roy Lowes took up his post as URC secretary for training on 1st January 2002, and the Revd Peter Henderson has been appointed to be the new director of training from 1st August 2002.

2.7   The Revd Ray Adams was reappointed to serve for a second term as synod moderator, but within a few months was appointed to succeed the Revd John Waller as the church's deputy general secretary.  The synod thanks Ray for all he has done for the life of the synod during his time as moderator: for his thoughtful leadership, his sensitive pastoral care and for his ecumenical vision. We wish him well in his new post.