The Living in Love and Faith national team has requested Diocesan Synods to hold discussions on LLF ahead of autumn House of Bishops’ meetings. The informal discussions proposed would not consider a specific motion, but rather ask for group feedback on a number of questions about parishes’ engagement with the LLF process and the current views of Synod.
Motivated largely by pastoral and practical concerns and sharing the desire evident in the diocese to see the LLF process preserve the greatest possible degree of unity, at its May meeting Bishop’s Council discussed options for holding such consultations. It considered the impacts and implications for ministers and parishes of the timing and content of such discussions, the request to hold them before there were any further proposals available and that Diocesan Synod would therefore only be covering old ground, and also considered concerns about the practicalities of what was proposed.
Bishop’s Council agreed that the discussions should not go ahead in July but that, provided there was more clarity by then, Bishop Michael in consultation with the Diocesan Lay Chair and Chair of the House of Clergy would look again at holding discussions during November’s Synod. This would still enable our Synod to feed back in time for The House of Bishops’ meetings. The deadline for feedback is the end of November. This delay would allow time for clear proposals to emerge and further changes to the discussion questions and process to be made.
Bishop’s Council also suggested to Bishop Michael that it might now be good for him to identify a successor to the LLF Champion appointed in 2022. This would allow ministers and parishes to raise questions and anxieties relating to their local situation for advice and support.
Ways of encouraging parishes to address their local situation in a pastoral way will be explored – including whether there should be a facilitated conversations – but precise proposals would emerge after a new LLF Champion had been given the opportunity to offer their input.
Bishop Michael is pleased to say that he has now invited The Revd Preb Pat Hawkins, KHC, to take on the LLF Champion role and she has kindly accepted. Preb Pat is Vicar of Ellesmere in Ellesmere Deanery, where she is also Assistant Rural Dean as well as being Assistant Rural Dean in neighbouring Oswestry Deanery. She will say more about her intentions for the role shortly.