After eleven years on the Church of England's General Synod I was ready to step down but it did feel strange not being there yesterday for the inaugural meeting of the new synod.
Every five years the newly elected Synod is opened by the Queen. There is a service in Westminster Abbey and then afterwards the Queen addresses the General Synod in the main assembly room in Church House.
Yesterday Prince Edward stood in for her and read her speeech to synod members.
Once again she articulated her own deep faith.
She told Synod: 'None of us can slow the passage of time; and while we often focus on all that has changed in the intervening years, much remains unchanged, including the Gospel of Christ and his teachings.'
She went on to say: 'The list of tasks facing that first General Synod may sound familiar to many of you: Christian education; Christian unity; the better distribution of the ordained ministry to the needs of the population. But one stands out supreme: “to bring the people of this country to the knowledge and the love of God”.
And she concluded her speech, as she always does, with a prayer:
'At the beginning of this new Synod, my prayer is that the Lord’s blessing may be upon you as you embark on your deliberations; and that you will find inspiration in the joyous words of the hymn you sang this morning: O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear, and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.'
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