The first meeting in the new triennium of the London Diocesan Synod was held on Saturday 30 November 2024 at St Mellitus College, St Jude’s Church, 24 Collingham Road, London SW5 0LX.
The meeting was attended by over 140 members.
Meetings of the Houses of Clergy and Laity
The meeting of the Synod, being the first of the new triennium, was preceded by separate meetings of the Houses of Clergy and Laity. These meetings were held for the sole purpose of electing Clerical and Lay Vice-Presidents of the Diocesan Synod, who would also be Chairs of their respective Houses.
- Ade Adebajo was declared elected Lay Vice-President of the Diocesan Synod and Chair of the House of Laity
- The Revd Christopher Trundle was declared elected Clerical Vice-President of the Diocesan Synod and Chair of the House of Clergy.
Report of the meeting
This was the first meeting of the triennium, with a newly elected Diocesan Synod. The main focus of the meeting was on making sure all members had a good understanding of the Diocese and its vision, and of the role of the Synod.
The meeting opened with a Presidential Address from The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally (Attachment A) taking as its theme the current challenges faced by the church, reasons for hope and the importance of unity.
The meeting then received an introduction to the make-up, leadership and governance of the Diocese which serves over 4.2 million people and comprises over 500 parish churches and new worshipping communities, 161 Church Schools and is served by 1,250 clergy and licensed ministers.
The meeting also heard about the 2030 Vision, Ambitions and Priorities with examples of work underway to deliver this. The 2030 Vision is ‘For every Londoner to encounter the love of God in Christ’ and is based around Acts 2: 42-47. The Vision, ambition and priorities resulted from a listening campaign involving over 6,000 people from around the diocese. At the end of this item members shared what had struck them most (Attachment B).
This was followed by a session focussed on how the Synod itself works with practicalities and processes, including how motions could be brought to the Diocesan Synod originating from parishes, through to deanery synods, and then to the Governance team. The meeting explored how members can contribute most effectively to the Synod, with a chance to also discuss the pastoral principles in relation to how members can work together across the diversity of perspectives and experience represented by members of the Synod.
The meeting then moved on to the business of approving the budget for the London Diocesan Fund for 2025. Following a presentation by the Director of Finance and Operations, Synod members asked questions for clarification and to better understand the reasons and approach taken to some parts of the budget. At then end of the discussion, the following motion was put to the Synod:
“…That this Synod accepts the Diocesan estimates of expenditure for 2025 as the basis for ordinary expenditure, and authorises the financial authority to invite parishes to contribute the sum of £25.0 million during 2025 towards the mission and maintenance of the church in the Diocese…”
The motion was passed by an overwhelming majority in favour, with 11 votes against and 10 abstentions.
The final agenda item was a response to, and brief discussions of a wide-range of questions raised by individual members of the Synod. Topics included:
- The role of the church in advocating for those that may be adversely affected by a cashless economy.
- Raising the profile/ priority of religious education in schools.
- Opportunities for clergy of global minority heritage to progress to senior appointment.
- Clergy turnover, vacancy rates and stipends.
- The allocation of curates in training.
- The status of those commissioned as ‘Alternative Spiritual Overseers’ and those commissioned for ‘word ministry’.
- The Diocese’s Net Zero Carbon Action Plan.
- Trends in LDBS school rolls and impact on LDBS of the increase in employer’s National Insurance contributions.
- The Law Commission’s consultation on Burial and Cremation (which closed on 9 January 2025).
- The risk that the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS) may not be renewed in March 2025.
- The report from the Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice (published 4 November 2024).
- The dates of Synod meetings.
The meeting concluded with prayer at 1pm led by the Bishop of London, and which included a minute’s silence for those affected by domestic abuse, as part of the Mother’s Union Day of action.