Synod Briefing
CATHEDRAL NEWSLETTER - 7 September 2023
Friends in Christ, don't forget that this Sunday I'll explain how this Sunday (September 10), I will preaching evangelistically about the time Jesus turned water into wine! You might like to invite a friend along. I hope many of you have been praying about that.
After the school holidays, I have scheduled a Simply Christianity course that I will lead, which will act as a good follow on, and also as an independent opportunity for people to find out more about who Jesus is, and what following him means for us.
The dates for Simply Christianity are Sundays 20 October to 19 November, from 1pm. If you invite someone, I encourage you to attend with them.
The Synod ( = denominational 'parliament' of the Anglican churches of Sydney and its surrounds) begins this Monday, 11th September.
It meets Monday - Wednesday 11-13 September, and then again Monday - Tuesday 18-19 September, 3;15pm-9:00pm each day, with a dinner break generally between 5:45-7:00pm.
Synod meets in the Wesley Mission's theatre, in Pitt Street, Sydney, and the Synod hall has a small public gallery for those interested. You can consult the Business Paper for the first day, with an indicative timetable at its end. Most Synod papers and reports are public documents and can be found here.
We host the annual Synod service immediately prior on the first Monday, at 1:30pm in our Cathedral. The service is open to the public.
From our Cathedral congregations, Graeme Watson and John Pascoe serve as your representatives, alongside myself. In addition, the Archbishop, Kanishka Raffel, has appointed Canon Chris Allan and the Reverend Ruth Schroeter as some of the extra representatives to the Synod (so that we don't just have senior ministers only among the clergy there).
Our Archbishop presents his Presidential Address on the Monday afternoon session, and he will touch on a wide range of matters to do with our mission of proclaiming Christ, the care and building up of our churches, and other interactions with the world around us. This will be first chance Kanishka has to articulate his purpose and priorities as he serves the churches, schools and organisations of our Diocese.
One of our massive mission and property questions is how to get sufficient resources to buy the necessary land and construct suitable church buildings out in far Western Sydney, i.e. north, south and adjacent to where the Western Sydney airport is being built. By approximately 2056, 50% of the population of Greater Sydney will live west of Parramatta. However, approx. 70% of the Diocesan parish assets (namely, church buildings) are located east of Parramatta. There's a draft strategy for the south-west part of Sydney being tabled as the next significant step.
You might think this is all a bit far-removed from Cathedral concerns. But it could be your grandchildren or nephews and nieces buying or renting homes out there. Will there be a good church established nearby trying to evangelise or build them up?
Those who are getting to know me understand that I am highly engaged in the business of Synod that might make me a bit unusual! Anyway, for those interested, here are some of the key issues of wider interest - the references are to the Bill or Motion number on the first day's Business Paper. Where I have put an asterisk, I am personally involved in drafting, moving or seconding the material there.
- M4 - Purpose and Priorities of our Diocesan Fellowship
- B4/M16 - Pastoral Supervision framework
- M17 - Performance appraisals
- M8 - Leadership of Indigenous Ministries in the Diocese
- M20 - SAIPMC Statement on the Voice
- M10 - Commencement of Voluntary Assisted Dying in NSW
- B9/M27 - revised Domestic Abuse Policy*
- M12 & M24-26 - Governance Policy Review
- M13-15 - Anglican Education matters
- M28-29 - keeping gambling reform on the agenda in NSW (poker machines) and federally (sports bet advertising)*
- M30 - Hungry or Homeless - considering Anglicare's report on touigh choices in the present cost-of-living pressures*
Many of these matters will attract strong engagement and possibly debate; some of them may be reported in the media.
This Sunday after each church service, I especially want to be available to anyone who wants to explore bcoming a Christian, after I preach evangelistically.
But next Sunday after each service, I will endeavour to make myself available to answer questions for anyone interested in matters discussed at Synod.
In the mean time, here is an excellent prayer to pray for the Synod and those participating.
God our Father,
you judge your people with wisdom and rule us with love.
Give a spirit of understanding to the synod of this diocese
that it may make wise decisions
that will give glory to you
and be a blessing to your people.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Warmly in Christ,
Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney