Diocesan Synod – October 2007

The St Albans Diocesan Synod met for a half day session on October 6 th.

Prayers were led by Mrs Audrey Meldrum on behalf of Wheathampstead Deanery.

The President, the Rt Revd Christopher Herbert, Bishop of St Albans, delivered the Presidential Address.

The Bishop of St Albans then answered a question on Diocesan Race and Sex Equality Policies.

The Synod passed a motion agreeing to retain the formula for Deanery Synod Elections and noted the request for future revisions of the policy to take full account of the circumstances of team ministries.

The Synod received the Report and Accounts of St Albans Diocesan Board of Finance for 2006. The financial presentation shown to the Synod can be seen here.

Elstow Deanery Synod’s motion requesting comparisons to be made with parish share schemes in other dioceses was passed.

The Board for Church and Society gave the Synod a presentation on the work of the Board, following which there was discussion in small groups. The accompanying paper is here

The Synod broke for lunch.

Canon Stephen Lake gave a presentation to the Synod on behalf of the Liturgical Commmitee on Transforming Worship. Synod passed the motion asking for parishes and clergy to review their public worship in partnership with the Diocesan Liturgical Committee to enable the DLC to report back to Synod by Advent 2009.

The Synod approved the motion setting clergy stipend levels for the diocese. The presentation seen by the Synod can be seen here.

Finally, the Synod passed the motion approving the estimates of requirements for the Common Fund and authorized expenditure up to that amount. The Synod also approved the level of parochial contribution for 2008. See the budget powerpoint here.