Marriage Measure, Pay Rises and Weddings Project as new Synod starts work

There was an air of anticipation at Synod, on October 3rd in Leeds. Bishop John Packer welcomed new members for the first meeting of a new three year term and in his opening address he reminded members old and new of the purposes of Synod.

As is customary at David Young Community Academy, the meeting began with breakfast.

Marriage Measure 'anomaly' challenged

While the Church of England’s Marriage Measure, introduced last year,  has been widely welcomed as bringing more choices for couples wishing to marry in church,  an apparent anomaly is to be  challenged by the diocese.  Members unanimously backed  a motion tabled by Bishop John to allow couples with family connections to a parish to be married in any church in the ‘benefice’ with which they have a connection - not just the parish church itself.

Bishop John said,  “I believe that when General Synod passed the original Marriage Measure most of us believed that the intention was that couples with a genuine qualifying connection to a church would be treated in the same way as couples who already  lived in that parish. But at the moment, for example, if two school friends wanted their weddings in a nearby church but one had moved away, the one still living in the neighbouring parish could have her wedding there, but the one with the ‘qualifying connection’ couldn’t. I don’t believe that Synod intended this anomaly when they framed the new Marriage Measure and I hope we can begin the process of changing the legislation.”

Giving for Life

An Archbishops’ Council task group, including Ven. Janet Henderson (pictured above), has been working on ‘Giving for Life’,  a national set of resources to help parishes develop an annual review of giving , and preach and teach on generosity and stewardship.  At Synod, Janet introduced the initiative and members also heard from Stewardship Officer Paul Winstanley and from parishes engaged in stewardship projects. It was overwhelmingly agreed, with one abstention, to endorse Giving for Life and commend it to all parishes to implement over the coming year.  Guidelines for clergy and PCCs will be sent to each parish, along with leaflets for churchgoers,  and a report on progress will be given to Synod in 12 month’s time.

Leeds Archdeaconry on film

Synod members were given the first showing of a new video, nowon the diocesan website giving a snapshot of Leeds . Area Deans talked about mission in their deaneries, and Archdeacon Peter Burrows introduced Rob Hinton (pictured right), who will be licensed at the headquarters of Yorkshire Bank when he becomes Minister to the Business Community on November 17th, a pioneer post financed by a special Archbishops’ Council fund.

 

Clergy given pay rise

In an amendment to the 2010 budget, already agreed at an earlier Synod, members agreed to a proposed 1% rise in clergy stipends, in line with the national recommendation. 

Diocese joins Wedding Project

Ripon and Leeds is joining six other dioceses in helping to pilot the Church of England’s Wedding Project, which aims to develop and support the church’s important wedding ministry.

At Diocesan Synod , Sue Burridge (pictured left), the Policy Advisor for Marriage and Family to the Archbishops’ Council and Revd Paul Bayes, National Advisor on Evangelism introduced the Wedding Project which aims to help parishes be as effective as possible in their ministry to engaged couples.  Training events are being planned for clergy and lay people involved in helping couples. A range of literature has been developed to help both churches and couples plan the big day, and a new website was recently launched.  

Part of the impetus for the Wedding Project has been the new marriage measure which allows couples to be married in a wider variety of churches to which they have some connection. For many couples their parish church is not the same as the church where they marry. But, as Synod members heard, research by the Project has found that couples not only would appreciate but expect follow-up and support from the church after the wedding day, and are happy to be referred to their parish church from the church where they have been married.

The Wedding Project has responded by producing a series of resources both online and on paper that will help parishes keep in touch with couples up to their first wedding anniversary.  

For more information go to www.yourchurchwedding.org