Grumpy Synod

The General Synod got underway yesterday in York in a grumpy mood!

The debate on the report of the Business committee, who set eh agenda and make all the arrangements for the synod meeting focused on why the meeting had been reduced from 5 days to 4 without consulting members. The committee felt that there was insufficient business to warrant keeping us here for 5 days, but some felt that with a long list of private members motions we could have looked at some of them.

Then there was discussion about new appointments to the Archbishop's Council which were to be ratified. It wasn't the particular people that were objected to but the process. well, I'm a process sort of person and I thought that the process looked good. A small group of people had advertised the vacancies, consider the applicant very carefully and made recommendations ot the Archbishops who then met each of those on the shortlist. What more can Synod expect, I wonder? an address to the whole synod, I don't think so!

After all that we did not have time to give full consideration to "Giving For Life" a report on stewardship. An interesting reflection on synod priorities!

Today we are considering Life in Christ, part of the second ARCIC documents. A complex discussion in groups will follow this morning, I will tell you all about it later! Then a follow up on Faithful Cities, a report on the church in urban areas, lots of legislation and budget setting. All in all a busy day.

Coventry Diocesan Synod

Well i thought it was a great meeting ... but then i would as I designed part of the process.

Our Bishop, Christopher Cocksworth, has written a document called Signposts for the future. It is based on his reflections on the diocese as he has travelled round all the deaneries and a number of parishes since he joined us in November last year.

He set a small group of us the task of introducing the document to the Diocesan Synod and ensuring that it got debated. However, this was to be the last meeting of the retiring synod (can synods retire?) and so we felt that we should focus on the process by which it could be debated rather than the content of the report.

We divided the synod into five groups and if you would like to see what they came up with you can here. You can even register and join in the debate. so please do tell us what you think about some of the issues raised and how they can be most appropriately discussed within the diocese.

Civic Service in Rugby

Its a while ago now, but i have been meaning to tell you about the Civic Service that took place last week in St Andrew's.

As you know, our new Mayor, well not so new now, is a Sikh. So we invited some members of the Gurdwara in Rugby to recite a Shabad, or extract, from the Guru Granth Sahib. They came with their portable harmonium and drums, sat on the floor and sang the haunting melodies that form such an important part of their worship.

After that, the secretary of the Gurdwara gave an explanation of what had been sung. At one point he apologised for not removing his turban in church. I responded by apologising for not covering my head as the Guru Granth Sahib was recited. It was a real meeting of cultures and religions.


I am also deeply grateful to my old friend Gareth Jones, the West Midlands Inter Faith Officer, for a most illuminating sermon as he explored the common aspects of our faiths and highlighted the significance of loving service in both communities, with reference to John 13, Jesus washing his disciples feet.

Rugby is a diverse town, and in this celebration we experienced that diversity at first hand. Thank you to Kam Kaur for giving us the opportunity and to everybody else who took part.

Ruth Gledhill predicts a cull

Ruth Gledhill writing in The Times has picked up on the Diocesan Synod motion from Bradford on reducing the number of senior clergy.

She seems to think that the motion will succeed, well maybe it will but there are things to consider that the motion does not take account of.

Lets start by thinking of the clergy who are not paid since the Bradford motion talks about the reduction in the number of paid clergy. There are now nearly as many unpaid clergy in the Church of England as there are paid ones. In my parish alone we have 7 self supporting clergy who give of their time freely, generously and with great effect in the life of the Rugby Team Ministry. Don't they have the right to receive pastoral care and oversight from their bishop?

Another area to consider is the greater expectation that many clergy have of access to their Bishop. We now expect good quality Ministerial Development, indeed we have a right to expect this. Maybe this could all be delegated to suitably qualified clergy or lay people, but if my bishop is my Father in God, then I can rightly expect to know him and be guided by him.

The Dioceses of Coventry and Leicester have led the way in combining central function and thus reducing costs while maintaining a close relationship between clergy and their bishop which can happen in a small diocese. Surely this is the way forward, not reducing the number of bishops who can lead the church in Mission and ministry.

I look forward to the debate!

Worship with the 29th

We had a great day yesterday at Coton Camp Site, which belongs to the Rugby District Scouts. Our group from St Peter John, the 29th Rugby, invited us to join them for their parade service which was led by our very own Rob Rogers, not to mention Will on the violin.... We then had a fab lunch!

These photos are not great having been taken on my phone but they give you an idea.

The 29th are great, and i say that as a Dad as well as Rector! The leaders are so committed and the kids love it. Thanks to you all!

General Synod Papers

The papers have arrived for General Synod, not such a massive pile as on some occasions but nonetheless a sizeable read. Some interesting debates in prospect though...

The first to catch my eye was Opening the Doors, concerning the church's ministry with people with learning disabilities. There is an excellent DVD that goes with the papers for this one. I hope we shall hear about L'arche. A number of my university friends were Assistants in that fabulous ecumenical community. Perhaps I might talk about the Bloxham Project in Rugby where people with learning disabilities run our Coffee Shop in St Andrew's three days a week. If you are passing through they make a mean cuppa!

Another highlight will be a debate on the Good Childhood Report by the Children's Society. This report has been very well received and it will be interesting to see what Synod makes of it, and how it can go on to inform our work with children and young people. Perhaps we should also read the new book edited by my colleague Peter Privett, Through the eyes of a child.

The old chestnut of reducing the number of senior posts in the CofE is raised by Bradford Diocesan Synod. Well I guess they are the people to do it as they seem to function very well with only one Bishop but I am not convinced. I hope to speak on this one.

There is a request for a review of the Clergy Discipline Measure brought by London Diocese, this too promises to be an interesting debate and I hope that the lessons of the last few years of running with this system of examining alleged clergy misdemeanours will be listened to.

Alongside all this there is the usual budgetary stuff for a summer weekend in York and saying goodbye to host of diocesan bishops. Byeee!

Speaking out against racism

The MP's expenses saga continue apace and yet more revelations are made daily. Clearly a major overhaul of the system of reimbursing MPs needs to take place and those who have worked the system need to think very carefully about their response ...

But, what worries me most is the effect this will have on people's voting habits. Trust has been abused and the public feel it very strongly, their only way of protesting about this is through the ballot box. Either people will simply not vote at all, and we already have tragically low turn out figures in local and European elections, or and perhaps more worryingly, they will see the answer in the smaller parties, especially the BNP. This, along with the continued concern over some of their policies has led the church leaders of Rugby to write to the local press, here is the letter.

The Rectory
Church Street
Rugby
CV21 3PH

From the Team Rector of Rugby, The Revd Mark Beach




The Editor
The Rugby Advertiser
By email

17th May 2009


Dear Sir

On June 4th some of us will be presented with a candidate from the British National Party on our ballot papers.

As church leaders, we are concerned about a recent BNP national campaign that included a large picture of Jesus with the caption, ‘What would Jesus do – Vote BNP’.

In contrast to this advertising campaign, we recognise that people who are inspired by Jesus' life and teachings take a different view. Many Christians are concerned by the BNP's position on matters of racial identity.

In recent years the BNP has been at considerable pains to show that it is not a racist organisation and that its sole concern is to protect the interests of our indigenous population, those whose roots in this country go back many years. But we believe it aims to achieve this by discriminating against and seeking to remove non-white or non-British people from our country

We do not believe that we need this “protection”. We number among our friends and members of our congregations people from all over the world. Many have come here at our own invitation over the last 60 years and have contributed massively to our economic and cultural life.

Within our churches, people of different races and backgrounds have brought us fresh insights into the Gospel and the teaching of Jesus, which we warmly celebrate. But most importantly for us, as Christians, we believe that ALL people are made in the image of God. Any action or word, political or social that denies this fundamental truth for us is racist and, in the light of this, we write to express our concerns about the implications of voting for the BNP.

This letter has been endorsed by 69 church leaders in Rugby.

Yours faithfully