The three meetings of Synod this year have, in various ways, reflected a time of change within both the Church of England and our local deanery communities.

In May, at Little Easton Church, we welcomed Christina Rhees, a member of General Synod who is also a writer, broadcaster and National Chair of Watch (Women and the Church). Christina spoke on the position of women in the ordained ministry of the Church. She pointed out that 1 in 4 licensed clergy and 50% of all ordinands are now women and went on to explain the steps already  taken towards the consecration of women as Bishops and the need to ensure that the remaining moves are taken with the concerns of the whole body of the Church in mind. She also reported the overwhelming support from the National Youth Synod for women in the episcopacy.

At the October meeting in Little Canfield Church, Canon Gillian Greenslade  presented the Diocesan Deanery Vision Plan document. This was followed by discussion and sharing of information between parishes on “What do we do well?” and ”What could we do better?” and a concluding plenary session to pool ideas and information.  The emergent pattern of activity, resources and perceived needs across the deanery was interesting and will play a part in the formulation of the Dunmow and Stansted Deanery Vision Plan required by the Diocese in 2007.

In January  at St. John’s Church, Stansted,  Steven Dinsmore, Diocesan Adviser for Mission and Parish Development gave an excellent presentation on  “Mission-Shaped Church and Fresh Expressions  of Church“.  He spoke in the context of changing population patterns in our deanery, changing patterns of peoples’ lives and the fact that increasing numbers of younger people have no prior experience of church. He invited P.C.C.s  to read such books as “Mission-Shaped Church” and “Evangelism in a Spiritual Age” and to work through their implications for the parishes they serve.  Steven concluded with the challenge implicit in a quotation from the Archbishop of Canterbury.  “Mission is finding out what God is doing and joining in” (General Synod, Feb. 2004)        

Meetings of Synod this year have been lively, thought provoking and directly relevant to the rapidly changing times in which we live. Do join us at future meetings.