Representatives from the Diocese of Leeds took part in a range of debates at the most recent General Synod.
Held in London from Monday, February 10, to Friday, February 14, General Synod dealt with a packed agenda, covering items including racial justice, supporting working class vocations, approving the new Clergy Conduct Measure, supporting sports and wellbeing ministries, new governance for the national church institutions, promoting young adults’ voices in church decision making, and changes to processes around the Crown Nominations Commission.
Of the Synod, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, said: “This Synod covered debates on a range of issues, some of national importance.
“The media agenda was challenging and sometimes difficult to navigate.
Members of the Synod from the Diocese of Leeds engaged fully, wisely and intelligently with a number of agenda items.
“Their voices were heard and I am pleased with our contribution as a diocese to these national agenda issues.”
One of the main items at Synod focused on the future of safeguarding in the Church of England, and after a spirited debate Synod approved a motion which included setting up an external scrutiny body; transferring most functions currently delivered by the National Safeguarding Team (NST) to an external employer; agreeing to further work to determine the legal and practical requirements necessary to implement the transfer of safeguarding teams in dioceses and cathedrals to the same external employer as the NST; and lamenting and repenting of the failure of the Church to be welcoming to victims and survivors and the harm they have experienced and continue to experience.
From Leeds, people make contributions to a full range of debates.
In the debate about racial justice Canon Professor Joyce Hill spoke about monuments linked to slavery, while Fr Gary Waddington, Team Rector at St Wilfrid’s Harrogate contributed to the debate about supporting working class vocations.
In the safeguarding debate, Catherine Stephenson; Fr Paul Cartwright, Vicar in the Priory Benefice; and the Revd Catherine Shelley, Vicar in the Benefice of Todmorden with Cornholme and Walsden; all contributed, with this Synod being Revd Catherine’s first.
Joyce Hill and the Ven Paul Ayers, Archdeacon of Leeds, spoke in the debate approving the new Clergy Conduct Measure, while the Revd Millie Cork, Curate in the parish of Great Horton and Lidget Green, and Fr Paul contributed to the debate on promoting young adults’ voices in church decision making.
Stephen Hogg presented the motion on new governance for the national church institutions, which developed from work led on Bishop Nick, who spoke in the debate, as did Joyce Hill.
Joyce also contributed to the debate on changes to processes around the Crown Nominations Commission, as did Diana Tremayne.
The Revd Canon Joyce Jones, Associate Priest in the Benefice of High Hoyland, Scissett and Clayton West spoke as the Chair of the Standing Orders committee.