Diocese of Grahamstown

Diocesan Synod 5-7 August 2005, East London

AMENDMENTS TO THE ACTS OF THE DIOCESE
 

 
    That the dean and bishop undertake the necessary fund-raising to ensure the financial sustainability of the Department.

  

5.             Young people

This Synod

1         Noting that

1.1      Young people are an integral part of the church.

1.2      By virtue of their Baptism they have full membership in the Body of Christ (i.e. the church).

1.3      They are expected to be responsible leaders of the church in the future.

1.4      There are different youth groups in the Diocese that operate separately.

 

2         Resolves that:

2.1      The Bishop be respectfully requested to facilitate the process of establishing a department of Youth Ministries, which will include Junior Church, servers, St Agnes Guild, Diocesan Youth Guild, Young Bernard Mizeki etc., that will focus on:

2.1.1   Building a strong and vibrant Youth of our Diocese

2.1.2   Creating a user-friendly liturgy for our Youth

2.1.3   Nurturing the Youth spiritually and empowering them for the challenges that face them in and outside the church.

2.1.4   Encouraging parishes to feature issues that affect young people high in their agendas, and to give young people space to respond to them positively. 

2.1.5   (i)       Include youth representation on Parish Councils

(ii)      Compile a constitution as a framework for the youth categories, e.g. Youth, Servers, St Agnes etc

(iii)    Parishes to budget for Youth Development. 

 

6.             Diocesan Organisations

This Synod

1                 Noting that

1.1      The Diocesan Organisations play a major role in the life of the church;

1.2      Many people identify themselves with such organisations and commit themselves fully in their activities;

1.3      They find a spiritual home in them where they receive care and support;

 

2         Acknowledging that

2.1      These organisations operate as separate entities guided by their own constitutions and principles;

2.2      They have their own planned activities at parish, archdeaconry and diocesan level;

2.3      Such activities do clash with diocesan activities or among themselves;

 

3         Resolves to request the Bishop respectfully to:

3.1      Establish a committee that will:

3.1.1   Facilitate an annual planning meeting of the organisations;

3.1.2   Draw and maintain a calendar of activities

3.1.3   Encourage joint diocesan organisation programmes that will enhance fellowship. 

 

7.             Theological Education

This Synod resolves to recognise Sunday 21 August as Theological Education Sunday, on which all collections taken will be set aside for the College of the Transfiguration.

 

8.              Department of Spirituality

This Synod commends the Department of Spirituality in its work to consider

i.            The different spiritualities and different needs of people within the Diocese, e.g. clerical/ lay and Xhosa/ English speakers

ii.           Arranging weekend retreats/ workshops which can be attended by lay people

iii.          That the public worship of the Church falls within its area of operation.

 

 

9.             Land invasions

This Synod vigorously rejects the invasions of diocesan land that have taken place, and calls on the Bishop and the Diocesan Trusts Board to take whatever action is necessary to maintain the diocese’s title to its lands, so that these may be used to the maximum for diocesan purposes.

 

10. Link with Toronto Diocese

This Synod welcoming the presence of Bishop Colin and Mrs Johnson of the Toronto Diocese at Synod;

Wishes to express its gratitude to them, and its support of the partnership.

Respectfully resolves

to endorse the renewal of the Link relationship with Toronto Diocese;

to seek ways to express visibly in concrete terms the mutual importance of such a link

conveys our prayers to the Toronto Synod in September, and wishes Bishop Colin and the diocese God’s blessing at this Synod and in his ministry.

 

11.           Burton Commission:      

This Synod accepts the Burton Commission Report, and prays for wisdom for the next stage of this exciting adventure.

 

12.           CPSA Channels of Hope course

This Synod encourages every priest in the diocese to complete the CPSA’s Channels of Hope workshop course, so that every parish may join the diocesan initiative in fighting HIV/ AIDS.                

13. Strategic Planning

This Synod respectfully requests the Bishop to set up a commission to engage with the Strategic Planning process begun under Professor Paul Walters in order to implement it most effectively with Diocesan Council and the diocesan family and to continue to drive the process, and that the commission undertakes this process in consultation with our partner dioceses.

 

14.           Lay ministers to be licensed ‘for HIV/ AIDS ministry’

That this synod, recognising the central place of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the life of our Diocese and ministry:

          (i)     Respectfully requests the Bishop to create a new category of licensed lay minister; namely ‘for HIV/AIDS Ministry’.

        (ii)         Requests the TFM committee in consultation with the DATT to draft guidelines for the granting of this licence and submit these to the Bishop by 31^st October 2005.  

 

15.           Initiation/ Circumcision School

This Synod

1.        Noting that

1.1      The initiation/ circumcision school amongst the initiates is one of the old customs that are prevalent and are held in high esteem as part of their culture;

1.2      The schools are supposed to be seen as institutions of education and nurturing of young initiates;

1.3      In recent years many initiates have died or been left disabled because of negligence and irresponsible ways these young initiates are handled in the schools. As a result families are left devastated by such occurrences.

2         Resolves to:

2.1      Respectfully request the Bishop to establish a diocesan task team that will

2.1.1   Facilitate the process of integrating the schools with church activities at parish, archdeaconry and diocesan levels;

2.1.2   Establish a syllabus that will include life skills, behavioural patterns, family life and Christian values;

2.1.3   Create a liturgy for pre- and post-initiation school

2.1.4   Work with other stakeholders, i.e. traditional leaders, health, education, sport, recreation, arts and culture departments, and community leaders etc, in preserving this very important custom in our country, especially in the Eastern Cape.

2.1.5   The Diocesan AIDS Task Team undertakes to request that international infection control measures are used by the initiation schools.

 

16.           HIV/ AIDS

Synod resolves that

i.      All church leaders treat affected and infected persons with great sensitivity and empathy so that they feel part of the parish’s body and healing ministry.

ii.     Parishioners are openly encouraged to undergo AIDS tests to establish their status.

iii.    AIDS be high on the agendas of each parish and be addressed in the relevant structures.

iv     That churches also as one of their projects initiate feeding schemes for the unemployed and youth as a line of defence against serious illness as a result of living HIV-positive.

 

17.           Self-Supporting Clergy:

That it be resolved by Synod that

i.      A commission be appointed by the Bishop, such Commission to be chaired by the Bishop and will consist of such persons as may be determined by him but to include not less than two self-supporting clergy as members thereof.

ii.     The said commission shall investigate the needs and concerns of the self-supporting clergy and shall report their findings and recommendations by no later than the next Diocesan Council after 31 December 2005.

iii.    In so investigating, the commission will address such questions and issues as may be determined or directed by the bishop, but which shall include amongst others, the causes of perceived polarisation and/ or isolation on the part of self-supporting clergy

 

18.           Operation Outreach

Synod noting the high priority placed on Mission and Outreach by the Bishop’s Charge

respectfully requests

i.      That Operation Outreach be supported by all parishes

ii.     That Operation Outreach be encouraged to seek its own external funding, subject to the Trusts Board’s approval.

 

19.           Ilinge Children’s Project:

That this Synod acknowledges the work and commitment of Monica Vega and Heidi Schmidt in developing this project, and encourages all parishes to support in as many ways as possible, and in particular their wish that more programmes of this model be implemented in many more communities. 

1.             Anglican Xhosa Hymnal

“Are there strategies that can be applied to prevent the usage of the Anglican Xhosa Hymnal by some churches, not just some hymns but the whole hymn book?”

The Bishop replied:

At this Synod we adopted a Mission Statement which included the words “reaching out to communities (and beyond) and being involved ecumenically”. If our hymn book is used, by others, we hope this is part and parcel of reaching out beyond and being involved in Mission with others. We however would appreciate from you any suggestions you may have in terms of the way forward.

 

2.             In preparation for the next Synod,

would the Bishop of Grahamstown be prepared to:

          (a) Send out with the first Agenda papers, a description of the various posts for which we have to make nominations, so that we can nominate people with the right skills?

          (b) Post on the web site and prepare a notebook (using Bishop Kenneth’s notes?) on the process of Synod, so that Archdeaconries can workshop their delegates before attending Synod?

The Bishop answered: Yes

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