- Opening Worship was led by the Archdeacon of Stoke-upon-Trent.
- The minutes of the meeting held on 16th March 2024 were approved and signed accordingly.
- Bishop Matthew (Acting President) gave an update on Senior Staff appointments. A new Bishop of Wolverhampton had been appointed and would be announced in due course. Work was underway on the appointments of Archdeacons of Salop and Walsall. He was also delighted to announce the appointment of the Rt Revd Jan McFarlane as Dean of Lichfield and this was greeted with warm applause.
- The Diocesan Register promulged Amending Canon 43 which made miscellaneous provisions to the Canons of the Church of England.
- Bishop Matthew gave the Presidential Address. Looking forward to the item on Clergy Wellbeing he had reflected on the first two chapters of Genesis, which described what God intended for our Wellbeing. The new strategic framework that was currently being shared across the diocese was a contribution to the wellbeing of all expressions of church. He looked forward also to the financial section of the meeting, the DBF’s AGM, and a motion asking for redistribution of Church Commissioners’ funds. He then referred to the upcoming General Election, and the statement by church leaders of all denominations setting out their concerns for the wellbeing of those in our communities experiencing extreme poverty, the wellbeing of asylum seekers and refugees, and the wellbeing of the environment. So our wellbeing, the wellbeing of the Church of God and the wellbeing of the world which God loved so much, he sent His only son, were cause for our prayer and action, empowered by the Holy Spirit of God, who longed for all the creation to be well and for all manner of things to be well.
- The Chair of the Board of Finance made his introductory comments to the Annual General Meeting of the Diocesan Board of Finance. He reminded members of the serious financial situation we continued to face. He also thanked the members of Finance Team and all present for the part they had played in achieving these financial results.
- The Director of Finance presented the Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2023. Questions were invited and he then moved that:
The Summary Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Diocesan Board of Finance for the year ending 31st December 2023 be received.
This was voted upon and unanimously carried.
- The Chair moved that:
on the recommendation of the Bishop's Council, Hays Mcintyre be re-appointed as Auditors until the next AGM, and that the Chairman and Secretary be authorised to determine their remuneration within the budget
This was unanimously carried.
- Bishop Matthew introduced an item on National Church Financial Allocation and the following motion was put before Synod:
This Synod:
(i) calls upon the Church Commissioners and Archbishops Council to undertake everything necessary to affect a redistribution of financial resources directly to Diocesan Stipend Funds to reflect the value of contributions made by Diocesan Boards of Finance to the Church of England Funded Pension Scheme since it was established by the settlement of 1997 (£2.6 billion)
(ii) calls upon Diocesan Boards of Finance to manage the funds redistributed as a result of the above to support parish ministry in the ways discerned locally to be most effective in enabling growth and sustaining the Church of England's commitment to be a Christian presence in every community.
After some discussion the Revd Matt Beer (General Synod) moved that the motion should be adjourned until the next meeting of Diocesan Synod, after consideration and clarification by Bishop’s Council. This was voted upon and clearly carried.
- Bishop Matthew then gave a presentation on Clergy Wellbeing particularly reflecting on the situation now, post Brexit and post covid, with consciousness of a range of factors that had affected all. There was mounting evidence that clergy were experiencing issues increasingly reflected throughout society and the presentation set out the thinking as to how we might respond and further develop our care for the clergy.
- The Question Time paper was discussed, which contained nineteen written questions and answers. Several supplementary questions were answered. The Chair read a statement from Ian Peake (Shrewsbury), thanking diocesan officers for their work in answering the many questions received. This was wholeheartedly supported by members.
- The Revd Paul Kingman (Stone) raised a question relating to the Standing Committee Report, regarding a proposed SMMIB bid in respect of a project in Stoke-on-Trent. This was answered by the Archdeacon of Stoke who explained the details of the proposed bid.
- Bishop Matthew thanked all those who were not continuing to serve in the new triennium. Special tribute was paid to John Clark (Stafford) who had been a member of Diocesan Synod since 1970 when he had been elected to the newly formed General Synod. He had also served on other bodies such as Bishop’s Council and the DBE. This was greeted with warm applause.
- Bishop Matthew closed the meeting in prayer.
All papers are available at https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/diocesan-secretariat/synod-committee-info/ or by emailing Jo Durber or calling 01543 306067.