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The Syrian Lesbian Blogger Story
Most people will be familiar with the details by now. A forty year old straight American male based in Edinburgh wrote a blog which purported to be written by a Syrian lesbian woman. And it took a lot of people in. It is an interesting story on a number of levels. There has been a…
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Clergy Morale
Anne has posted about the all too palpable sense of low morale amongst the clergy which she notices at General Synod last week. She reports that she is working on a CMD handbook. I think that it might be worth trying to think about the things which contribute to lower morale. One thing which came…
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Pentecost
Fabulous morning at church. All one could hope for. It is very good to be back home. The bellringers were ringing because of the festival. A jazz trio was helping lead the worship. Babies were everywhere. We had an honoured friend – one of the Nigerian bishops visiting and blessing us. Very full church. Candles…
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End of Synod Coverage
The Primus thanks members of synod for this meeting, retiring conveners and ecumenical friends who have come to the synod. Thanks chairs and the Indaba design group. Thanks his assessor, Paul Romano. Kennedy and David Fraser for IT, me for twittering, Cursillo for doing the tea and coffee and the Church Officers here at Palmerston…
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Final Session – Budgets and Quota
There will be a phased reintroduction of Building Grants. 3% increase in quota is proposed and expectation is that deficit will be eliminated.
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Administration Board
Michael Lugton: previously it has been reported that the board should consider Banking on Bloodshed. A member of the Board has been to a conference on Banking on Justice. The Board has in March this year considered this matter. The fundamental question is the extent that the church wishes to look at relationship between finance…
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Diaconate Working Party
John Armes: deacons are part of the three historic orders. In our system, a deacon remains a deacon but most become priests. Our system of recruitment is not disposed to discerning the vocations of those who feel called to a vocational diaconate. Working group has come to the view that this matters. SEC is part…
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Liturgy Committee
Darren McFarland: The new Service of the Word is now being licensed for experimental use with comments due back by Decemeber 2012. General Synod 2013 will consider what is hoped to be a final text. This will be tested out in a focused way by two churches in each diocese chosen by the bishops.These congregations…
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Doctrine Committee
David Jasper: The Doctrine Committee are thinking about marriage. They are writing documents about it and the church’s relationship to the way that marriage is changing in society. Should produce a Gosvenor essay about it next year. Bishop Gregor will be going to a Porvoo event about marriage and the Doctrine Committee will support him…
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Inter-Church Relations Committee – Intercommunion with the Evangelical Church of Denmark
motion is put and carried with 2 abstentions. We are now in communion with the Church of Denmark.