Synod observer - day 1

Take a couple of hundred clergy, add a couple of hundred laity, and mix in 50 bishops, put them altogether for five days on a university campus in the north of England, and you have the summer meeting of the General Synod in York.

We meet in the spaceship-like Central Hall of the University (above). Here in the late 70s as an undergraduate I sat my final exams and received my degree on Graduation Day.

Today, adorned with a large cross, Central Hall has been commandeered by what the BBC likes to call 'the Church of England's ruling body.'

Actually the GS is more like the Church's parliament than its government. Indeed it has the power to pass 'Measures' which, after Royal Assent, become the law of the land, as well as discuss any matters of relevance to church or nation.

If you read the papers you would think we only ever talk about women bishops and gay sex - the former does indeed feature quite heavilly in this synod, but the latter, hardly at all. Instead, there is a welcome focus this year in York on mission, evangelism, and making disciples. Three cheers!

The Synod began with a welcome to the ecumenical guests - representatives from the main UK denominations who can take a full part in synod debates but not vote - followed by a speech from a visiting  bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland. Next up was a report by the Business Committee, essentially are opportunity for synod members to discuss the agenda - what is on it and why and what is not on it and why.

Following a series of short debates in which the appointment of various synod officials was confirmed, the main item of the afternoon was the Presidential Address by the new Archbishop of Canterbury (the two archbishops are the joint presidents of the GS).

For many of us this was our first opportunity to hear Archbishop Justin.

In a wide ranging address he called for, among other things, a renewal of prayer and religious life in the church, a renewed confidence in the Gospel, and the goal of 'spiritual and numerical growth in the church.' We live in revolutionary times, said the Archbishop, but 'the Gospel of Jesus Christ is indeed THE good news of our time.'

In an address which repeated several times the refrain 'the eternal God is our refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms' he concluded with the prayer: 'come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your people and kindle in them the fire of your love.'

Synod responded with warm and prolonged applause.

Next up was the EGGS (Evangelical Group in General Synod) dinner and meeting, a chance to review the forthcoming agenda and note evangelical concerns and synodical initiatives by EGGS members, followed by Question Time in the Central Hall.

Here Synod members can ask the Bishops, Church Commissioners, and the heads of all the main church departments questions on any pertinent matters. Ninety questions were tabled, including one by me and one by Adrian, but we reached the10pm cut off before Synod got to our questions, so no verbal reply for us (nor the chance to ask a supplementary), but a written reply instead.

The day's business concluded, the Archbishop of York closed in prayer, and we went off to prepare for tomorrow's small group work, guided by a team of facilitators, on women bishops but more about that tomorrow.