What is a Synod?

What’s a ‘Synod’?

At our Parish Annual Meeting this year, we will be required to elect 4 Synod representatives and 2 supplementaries.

A Synod only meets once a year on a Friday night and Saturday, usually in late October. The people go once a year for three years. So time-wise, it’s not a huge commitment. Less than 24 hours in a year.

We usually meet in Ballarat, and so part of the catch is that if you are elected to this very esteemed role, there is a night's accommodation involved. For some this will mean paid accommodation, and for others, it's a great opportunity to catch up with friends.

On Friday night and Saturday lunchtime, generous proportions of delicious food are offered, and this is a splendid time to meet people from all parts of the diocese. It is one of my favourite ‘spaces’ in the time away. They are a splendid group of people who are faithful, engaging and a joy to be with. Morning and afternoon tea are also served to a very high standard.

One of my favourite parts of synod is the worship, especially the Eucharist. About 100 of us gather together with some of the finest voices and musos we have in the diocese. To sing lustily as a group of faithful people is a profoundly moving and utterly enjoyable experience.

So what actually happens in the business part?

It begins with The Bishop (and it will be a new Bishop this year) offering an address, sometimes called their charge. I’ve always tried to bring copies back to the parish, as it gives a broad and overarching perspective of the diocese.

The roll is then called, and the bishop usually gives some very helpful housekeeping hints.

Questions, motions and petitions are asked for at the beginning of each session. It helps if you write these down beforehand so they can be printed out for all to see. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a petition tabled, but there are always a very healthy number of questions and motions, which is as it should be.

We then deal with any legislation that the Anglican Church of Australia hands down for our consideration. This is a cinch because we either adopt it or we toss it out. We can’t cherry-pick the bits we like. Simple really.

Then our own legislation, reports by diocesan groups, and the financial report of the diocese. The head of our Ballarat Grammar school always gives a classy, on-screen presentation of our fantastic school and what it is doing, which is a not-so-subtle but informative way of advertising our school.

Motions are dealt with towards the end of Saturday, and whilst there is always a healthy difference of opinion by some, in my forty-plus years, there has always been a dignified respect and collegiality in the sometimes robust debate. We are a mature lot of Christians who genuinely seek to discern God’s will as we sail on into the future. It is a privilege and joy to be part of this discussion, even though Fr. David is very shy and doesn’t actually say a lot.

Over the past few years, there have been some significant changes in our legislation. These may have escaped your notice, but here are some examples as voted on by our synod reps.

The length of time a priest can stay in a parish used to be limitless, just ask Canon Julien.  But now it is capped at 10 years with the possibility of extensions being sought every three years.

The Bishop of the diocese can now have a ‘captain's pick’ of which cleric goes to a parish every third time the parish falls vacant.

The percentage of the funds from the sale of Church property used for the redress scheme has changed from 25% to 50%.

The ceiling age for a priest or a bishop to retire is set at 70. Forty years ago, I thought that anyone who was 70 would be mouldering away and well past their use-by date. However, now that I am much closer to this magical age, I am beginning to reason thus.

Is it not possible that Reverend what’s their name, who is 71.5, might have a wealth of life and parish experience which would enhance the church of God? What if it is God’s will that a person should stay in active stipendiary ministry beyond the arbitrary 70 years old? Bishop Gary, who will have retired by the time this Synod comes around, will be over 70. However, his pastoral heart and his incisive mind are still as beautiful and quick as they were when I first met him at college.

One other really important thing that happens at Synod. We laugh a lot.

Please consider whether you might like to be one of our Synod representatives. Feel free to ask anyone who has been to the synod for more information and their perspective. The nomination forms will be coming out with all the other forms for our Parish AGM. Every one of you has great gifts and much to offer. In return, I know that you would come away enriched and smiling.