Unfortunately I rarely get round to posting things on this site but here goes...
I'm at a meeting of the General Synod in York from July 8th - 12th and all the papers are published online so I thought I'd give access to them here. To find all the papers go here: http://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/structure/general-synod/agendas-and-papers/july-2011-group-of-sessions.aspx
The house of clergy on Friday will debate the setting up of a Clergy Professional Association and how we handle the change to Common Tenure. Some of the more interesting bits of the agenda for me are parochial feesand some new Eucharistic Prayers for use in services where there are lots of children.
To view the proposed fees follow the link above and click on GS1832. The proposals for inner city parishes will mean church weddings become unaffordable for many and I'm not happy. Pretty churches in wealthier areas are worried that they won't be able to charge lots of extras and so will financially lose out - I'm not sure there's an easy answer.
The Eucharistic prayers look quite helpful and you can find them in GS1822
There of course is lots of other interesting business.
I've tried to cut and paste the timetable but it didn't really work but here are the agenda items.
Friday
Meeting of the House of Clergy
Introductions, Presentations and Welcome to Guests
Address by Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania on behalf of the ecumenical guests
Progress of Measures and Statutory Instruments Business Committee report Dates of groups of sessions in 2013 Appointments to the Archbishops’ Council Legal Advisory Commission constitution
Saturday
Presidential Address (by the Archbishop of Canterbury)
Rest of the morning: reflection, discussion and worship in small groups Lunch Legislative Business Private Member’s Motion: Mission Action Planning in the Church of England
Sunday 10 July
10.00 a.m. Holy Communion in York Minster
2.30 p.m. Higher Education Funding Changes Anglican-Methodist Covenant
Bradford Diocesan Synod Motion: Admission of Baptised Adults to Communion
Evening Worship Dinner
Annual Report of the Audit Committee Annual Report of the Archbishops’ Council
Monday 11 July
Morning Worship Confirmation of the Appointment of the Chair of the Business Committee
Legislative Business
Liturgical Business: Additional Eucharistic Prayers: First Consideration
London DSM: House of Laity elections
Lunch
Unfinished Business: A Pastoral and Missional Approach for the Next Decade: A report by the Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns
Budget of the Archbishops’ Council
Presence and Engagement: Inter faith issues
Evening Worship Dinner
Conversations with the United Reformed Church
Tuesday 12 July
Morning Worship
Christians in the Holy Land: Presidential Statement by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Church Commissioners’ Annual Report The Church and Education: Into the Next 200 Years
