Synod Motions and Elections Summary
Below you will find a summary of all the Motions passed at Synod 2021, as well as Elections. If you have any questions about any of these, do feel free to be in touch firstly with your Vicar / Priest in Charge or Synod Representatives, or with Diocesan Manager Ben Pringle.
Motion 1: our Procedural Omnibus motion, confirming the hours, order of business, Committees and other functions of Synod.
Motion 2: Omnibus
Motion 2 was passed after discussion. In summary, this Motion draws to a close the Nominations Panel as a Diocesan Committee, drawing its work under the care of the Board of Nominations. The role of Nominations Panel has been to find and recommend people into committee roles around the Diocese. A huge thanks to those who have served on Nominations Panel to date. In moving this work to the Board of Nominations, who undertake a similar function, we are moving towards lightening and streamlining the structures which help us to govern well. Our model of regional clusters and other mechanisms also now supports the search for people to serve on committees well. Board of Nomination will now also function as a check/balance on appointments to Diocesan Council, an important role that Nominations Panel had held previously.
Motion 3: Diocesan Council Report
This Motion, speaking to the Diocesan Council Report enclosed in the Reports Books for 2021, was presented by Archdeacon Sue Fordyce. She spoke of the privilege she feels in serving on Diocesan Council. She noted the joy and delight that the Bishops often express and experience as they go around the Diocese, and members of the Council get to share in some of this: being filled with joy at the wonderful things that are happening around the Diocese. Diocesan Council get to be enablers and encouragers of the initiatives that Mission Units want to bring.
Sue noted that in 2022, Diocesan Council will be focusing on two things in particular:
i) A deep-dive into the financial realities of Diocese, in order to increase the depth of our understanding so that we can better communicate realities and opportunities around finances and become wiser stewards of what past generations have gifted us.
ii) A continued focus on lightweight and low maintenance governance and administration.
Motion 4: Membership of Diocesan Council
This Motion ratified the membership of Diocesan Council for the coming period. A huge thanks to Archdeacon Pete Watson, who stepped down earlier in 2021 to concentrate on his Archdeaconry and local Wairarapa roles; Michael Webster, who moved to Auckland earlier this year; and to Rev. Caro Willis who is stepping down to focus on her ministry in the Hutt Valley. The following were ratified as Diocesan Council members for a two-year term:
Clergy: Venerable Canon Sue Fordyce, Reverend Ben Johnson-Frow, Reverend Sarah McMenamin, Reverend Chris Dodds
Lay: John Whitehead, David McLay, Lyn O’Fee, Sue Chalmers, Mark Bromley
During the discussion period Reverend Tim McKenzie (Parish of Kelburn) raised a question about gender representation across all Committees within the Diocese. Should equal gender representation be mandated going forward? On behalf of Diocesan Council, in response, Archdeacon Sue Fordyce noted that Diocesan Council were mindful of this issue, but it warranted further discussion which will be put on the agenda for Diocesan Council in the coming year.
Motion 5: Finance Committee Presentation and General Diocesan Fund (GDF) Budget 2022
David McLay of Finance Committee presented a summary of the General Diocesan Fund Budget for 2022, which has been approved by Diocesan Council and placed before Synod for adoption. He noted that next year’s budget will see a deficit of $115,000. The Parish Budget Share for 2022 will be $1,048,404 (a small drop from the 2020 figure of $1,054,638).
This year’s GDF accounts (excluding the Insurance Board) recorded a surplus of $74k (compared to a deficit of $135k in 2019) vs budgeted deficit of $83k (compared to a deficit $70k in 2019). The total GDF (including Insurance) recorded a surplus of $136k (compared to a deficit of $373k in 2019).
David also noted that in the coming year a strategic financial review would take place around the Parish Budget Share. Its guiding principles will be fairness, equity, good stewardship, and simplicity. He noted that there will be Treasurer workshops taking place in November, and strongly encouraged each mission unit to get someone from your vestry participating on this important issue.
Motion 6: was changed to a presentation around Safety. See this article for more information.
Motion 7: Health and Safety
Diocesan Manager Ben Pringle spoke to this Motion first. He underscored the importance of this moment in Health and Safety for the Diocese, and its relationship to the Sacred Spaces, Safe People process. The Diocesan Health and Safety Management Plan has been adopted, and represents best practice across a range of activities at parish and diocesan level. It is a living document, to be formed and adapted over time and tabled each year at Synod.
Ben noted the immense progress made in Health and Safety over the past year – with thanks to Andrew Black, Diocesan Health and Safety Officer. More than three-quarters of all parishes now have a H&S representative in place, and have received training – but we want to get those numbers up to 100% in 2022. Further key information and training opportunities will be released in due course.
Speaking to the Motion, Rev Stuart Goodin noted that this Health and Safety plan is part of the kaitiakitanga both of the Diocesan Council and Board of Trustees, but of the whole Diocese – we all need to make it bear fruit.
Diocesan Elections
The following people were elected as General Synod representatives for the Diocese:
Clergy: Archdeacon Julie Rokotakala, Reverend Kath Bier, Reverend Tim McKenzie
Lay: John Whitehead, Tony Hill, Etienne Wain, Daniel Luey
The following were elected to the Diocesan Board of Nominations:
Clergy: Archdeacon Sue Fordyce, Reverend Dr Digby Wilkinson,
Lay: Stephen Sharp, Roger Wigglesworth
A huge thank you to those who have served, and continue to serve, the Diocese in this way.
Motion 8: Diocesan Priorities for 2022
Bishop Ellie spoke to the priorities to be adopted by Synod for the following year:
1. Housing: seeking transformation for the most vulnerable within New Zealand’s worsening housing crisis
2. Climate: safeguarding all creation by actively reducing carbon emissions
3. Family: being on mission together.
Bishop Ellie extended her thanks to those parishes who have already put up their hand for assistance in considering how sites could be used to bring about transformation in the housing sector. She spoke of our care for creation as part of our 5 Marks of Mission, and invited us all again to step into the opportunity to respond to the Emission Reduction Plan when it is announced in October; and how the mix of rural and urban perspectives are so important. To sign up and to find out more, see this page.
Motion 9: Synod 2022
Next year’s Synod will (Covid-19 restrictions not withstanding) be held on September 24 and 25th 2022 in Kāpiti. A two-day Synod will allow us to experience the whanaungatanga we have been unable to uphold in the same way in recent years.
Motion 10: Vote of Thanks
Synod finished with the usual vote of thanks to all those involved, led by Archdeacon Julie. She noted that Synod remains part of our common life, and how in the genesis of the church in Aotearoa New Zealand Bishop Selwyn’s vision was for clergy and laity to have an equal voice in mission together, compared to the clergy-dominated governance of his UK experience.
Bishop Justin concluded our time together with one of his favourite blessings:
As you travel the journey ahead,
May you hear the whisper of God’s Fatherly voice guiding you to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family of faith.
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships, so that you will live deeply and from the heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and the exploitation of people, so that you will work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those that mourn, so that you will reach out your hand to them and turn their mourning into joy.
May God bless you with just enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you will do those things that others say cannot be done.
And may you know the love, joy and freedom that is your inheritance as the children of the Living God.
Amen
Each site then finished with Eucharist together, and then a well-deserved lunch!
