Deanery Synod

CONTENTS

Click on the subject heading below to move directly to that part of the Deanery Synod page.

• Who's Who in the Deanery Synod - names, addresses & phone numbers.

• What the Deanery is and what the Deanery does - a brief introduction.    

• The Next Triennium - "The work of the Synod during the next Triennium, June 2008 to May 2011, will be focussed onto three key areas. . . . "

SHERBORNE DEANERY SYNOD IN 2010

This Synod report will be briefer than usual as meetings were held only in February and June. The major topic planned for the November session needed extra time for preparation, and which Synod will cover it in two meetings in January and March 2011.

 In February the meeting availed itself of the conference facilities at Pearce Seeds with the principal speakers covering Pioneer Ministry work in Poole and Weymouth. The Reverends Paul Bradbury and Tony Stephens covered their specific roles in encouraging and building community based projects and Synod recognized that these developments showed the church in its mission capacity through such diverse undertakings as the “Street Pastor” scheme and workshop groups to develop and encourage people to learn and develop a wide variety of skills.  In Weymouth support came from some thirteen different churches who between them could provide up to 40 people to go out and about on local streets on a Friday and Saturday night as well as providing a “healing on the streets” presence on Saturday mornings. In Poole much of the work was concentrated in the old industrial area of the centre of the town with a ministry in the workplace scheme in operation in the Barclays Bank building. One particularly interesting development was the encouragement of urban vegetable growing on a community allotment as well as the planning of a community garden.  Synod then went on to be appraised of the procedures which are necessary to find and appoint the new Bishop of Salisbury, a process which will go on will into 2011.

 In June Synod met in Rampisham where Canon Alan Deboo, the Diocesan Lay Learning Support Officer aided by the Reverend David Heslop.  The Diocese has started a new initiative whereby a network of people meet three times a year to exchange ideas on Lay Learning and Alan and David gave a presentation of some of the points and ideas which had arisen . Members of Sherborne Deanery were then challenged to define how development of any learning should proceed.  Group discussion on a series of questions on this topic followed and suggestions which arose were noted by the speakers for potential future use.

 At the meetings Synod was brought up to date with the latest developments in the Rediscovering Our Parish Churches project and in due course Benefices will be asked to outline to a Synod meeting where they have reached with any projects pertinent to their own churches. Other routine business at each meeting inevitably covered finance, pastoral matters and the situation in the Sudan, where the Reverends Ron Hart and Simon Brignall were hoping to undertake a visit towards the end of the year. 

 No Deanery Information Officer/Web Master has been found in the year to replace Ivor Martin; however Ivor has continued to look after the web site, and if no successor is found by the end of 2010, there is a possibility that this facility will come to an end.

 The major work in 2011 for the last two meetings of the current Synod will involve “Women in the Episcopate”. Elections for the Deanery Synod membership for the next three year period (Summer 2011 –  2014) will be held in Spring 2011.

 Peter Sibley  -  Secretary to Sherborne Deanery Synod

Who's Who in the Sherborne Deanery Synod

Rural Dean:
Rev'd Canon Henry Pearson - The Rectory, Trent, Sherborne, DT9 4SL. (01935 851049)

Lay Co-Chairman: 
Mr Gil Williams - Princes Farm, Ryme Intrinsica, Sherborne, DT9 6JX. (01935 873580)

Deanery Secretary:
Mr Peter Sibley - Oakside Croft, Stony Lane, Holwell, Sherborne, DT9 5L J (01963 23721)

Deanery Treasurer:
Mr David Smart - 26 Ridgeway, Sherborne Heights, Sherborne, DT9 6DA (01935 813147)

Deanery Information Officer:
Rev'd Roy Catchpole - 60 Gainsborough, Milborne Port, DT9 5BB (01963 250040)

An Introduction to the work of the Deanery

The Deanery Synod (the council for the Deanery) is made up of the House of Clergy and the House of Laity whose members are the elected representatives of the Parochial Church Councils within the Deanery.  The Synod is co-chaired by the Rural Dean and an elected Lay co-chairman.  The Synod usually meets three times a year.  Synod members are elected for a three year triennium period and the next one will begin in the Summer of 2011.

Deanery Synod Agenda and Minutes may be obtained from the Deanery Synod Secretary, Mr Peter Sibley - Oakside Croft, Stony Lane, Holwell, Sherborne, DT9 5L J (01963 23721)

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SHERBORNE DEANERY SYNOD - THE NEXT TRIENNIUM

 The work of Synod during the next triennium, June 2008 to May 2011, will be focussed onto three key areas:

 1.  Further development of the Deanery Mission Action Plan (MAP) within the context of an initiative called “rediscovering our parish churches”.  The three year programme, funded by the Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) and English Heritage, will help focus and develop our Mission onto the needs of our communities; working alongside other churches, civil authorities and charities.  The project scope includes the employment of a community development officer and education on the context of our buildings within the five marks of Mission.

 2.  Planning for ministry deployment, both clergy and laity, in accordance with a programme approved by Diocesan Synod and funded by the DBF.  This will enable the Deanery to tailor the deployment and tasks of our clergy and laity in line with our particular requirements and circumstances.

 3.  Pastoral re-organisation, which is needed to bring stipendiary numbers into line with the goals for 2010.

 Details of this exciting work will be posted on the Deanery website (www.sherbornedeanery.co.uk) as it develops.  The outline of each of these activities was presented at Synod on 4 February.

 Increasingly the Deanery is viewed as a pivotal policy body within the Diocese.  In turn this means that key decisions affecting our Mission and deployment of resources will be taken at this level.  Therefore the work of the next three years inevitably will affect each parish and benefice/team significantly.

 The main task over the past three years has been to create a realistic strategic plan for the Deanery and begin its implementation.  This work has highlighted a significant difference between those parishes with active and engaged Deanery representatives, where much progress has been made, and those who have not.  Therefore we do urge that at APCMs, Synod representatives are chosen with these criteria in mind:

• A commitment to regular Synod attendance.
• A passion for Mission as being the expression of the Church’s involvement within the community it is there to serve.
• Good communication skills, in both directions between parish and deanery.
• Authority to take decisions on the parish’s behalf.  It should be noted that no decisions are called for without allowing for adequate discussion by PCCs.
• A willingness to work between the three Synod meetings each year.

 We are entering an exciting and crucial time that affects each parish.  Therefore it is important that every parish knows what is happening and contributes to the debate.  The need for effective Synod representation has never been more important.

 Gil Williams
4 February 2008