Memo to Synod reps, including Diocesan Organisations
The first formal notice to Synod reps to prepare you for Synod 2023 (September 15-17), as well as to those attending Synod from Diocesan Organisations (full memos attached below).
SECOND SESSION OF THE SIXTY SECOND SYNOD OF
THE DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN
15, 16 and 17 SEPTEMBER 2023
ST PETER’S CHURCH CAVERSHAM (15, 17 September), corner of Baker Street and Hillside Road, Dunedin.
DUNEDIN CENTRE (Saturday 16 September), 1 Harrop Street, Dunedin.
A Summary:
- If you are not able to attend, you need to request a leave of absence from the Bishop by Friday 1 September 2022.
- This year’s Synod will elect Diocesan representatives to General Synod / Te Hīnota Whānui and Tikanga Pakeha Conference.
- All Bills and Motions must be received on or before Thursday 27 July to be included in the Synod book
- If you want a hard copy of the Synod book you must contact the Registrar before close of Business on Thursday 17 August.
- Reports – in order that these may be included with Synod papers they will need to be received on or before Thursday 20 July with no extensions possible after this date.
- Catering forms must be returned by Thursday 31 August 2023 (we will get these to you in July).
The year’s Synod will convene on Friday, 15 September at 7.00 pm with the Synod Eucharist in St Peter’s Church, Dunedin, and may conclude no later than 3.00 pm on Sunday 17 September. We will confirm the exact length of Synod when the programme has been finalised.
As has been the case in the past, there are some formal matters I need to bring to your attention. They are as follows:
ATTENDANCE:
All Synod representatives are expected to attend every session of Synod. If you are unable to attend one or all days, email the Bishop via his Executive Assistant, Nicola Wong with Request Synod Leave of Absence in the subject line, or phone 03 488 0826. Your Parish can nominate an alternative lay representative to attend in your place for this Synod as long as the Bishop (or Vicar General in the Bishop’s absence) receives notification of this 14 days before the session commences (i.e. before Friday 1 September - see Statute 1 clause 2.5 and First Schedule clause 12).
PETITIONS, BILLS AND MOTIONS:
Members who intend to present any Petitions, Bills and/or Motions are invited to obtain advice (via the Diocesan Registrar) from the Committee on Statutes and Standing Orders. This committee looks at wording and format to ensure these are fit for purpose. (The members of this Committee are: The Worshipful Lauren Pegg (Chancellor), Rev’d Richard Aitken and Rev’d Canon Michael Wallace).
In order to facilitate preparations for Synod, please arrange to forward any questions, petitions, or any other matters that you may wish to bring before Synod to: -
The Diocesan Registrar, Anglican Diocese of Dunedin, P.O. Box 13170, Green Island, Dunedin 9052
on or before THURSDAY 27 JULY 2023 (or, by that date, hand delivered to the Diocesan Office, address below). This allows for proper consideration by the Committee on Statutes and Standing Orders and allows inclusion within the Synod book. When you receive your copy of the Synod book (or view on-line), you have 7 days i.e. until Friday 1 September to submit to the Bishop any further notices of motion, questions or petitions. The procedures around these are covered in the Standing Orders of the Dunedin Diocesan Synod.
ELECTIONS:
This year you will be called upon to elect your representatives to General Synod / Te Hīnota Whānui (GSTHW). There are two clerical and three lay representatives. The procedures for nominations and qualifications required for any nominee are as set out in Title B of the Canons of this Church and in our own Diocesan Statute No 6. The qualifications are:
- Every Ordained Minister who is licensed to any ministry or to any ecclesiastical office in any Diocese, shall be qualified to be elected as a Clerical Representative, whether residing in the Diocese or not and
- Every Lay person having been baptised and being registered in any local ministry and mission unit or recognised worshipping community of any Diocese, shall be qualified to be elected as a Lay Representative, in any Diocese.
The current representatives are:
Clerical: The Ven Dr Anne van Gend (Rural Ministry) and the Rev’d Canon Michael Wallace (Dunedin City).
Lay: Mr Keith Gover (Southland), Dr Penelope Fields (Dunedin City) and Mrs Glennys Faulds (Dunedin City).
Those whom you elect to fulfil these obligations will also need to be able to attend meetings of the General Synod / Te Hīnota Whānui and the Tikanga Pakeha Conference (TPC) which will be held immediately prior to the next meeting of the General Synod in 2024 (details still to be confirmed).
Members are asked to also note the following procedures, from the Diocesan Standing Orders, regarding Notice of Motions and Bills:
NOTICE OF MOTIONS:
Clause 22 No motion, of which 14 days notice has not been given shall be admitted for debate, unless Synod so resolves at the time at which notice is given.
To assist in the business of Synod, members are asked not to give late notice of motions, unless the matter is of urgency and where the usual 14 days notice has not been possible.
BILLS:
Clause 81 Any member intending to introduce a Bill to Synod shall forward a draft Bill to the Registrar at least 50 days before the date on which Synod is to meet i.e 27 July 2023
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
All Bills and Motions with financial implications must include recommendations, provisions, and/or proposals regarding how the required funds are to be provided.
PRESENTATION OF REPORTS:
Members are asked to note the following procedures regarding Reports to Synod.
- In order to save the time of Synod, all routine reports will be laid on the table and presented under one comprehensive motion.
- Members wishing to raise important matters that are not fully covered in the written reports may do so by submitting an appropriate Notice of Motion in accordance with Standing Order 22.
- To those of you who are required to write reports for Synod, or are involved in their preparation, please ensure they are forwarded to the Diocesan Office no later than Thursday 20 July 2023.
ACCOMMODATION & MEALS:
Please let us know if you need any information about accommodation options. The nearest motel units to The Dunedin Centre is the Motel on Moray, other (more) affordable accommodation can be found by following this link, for example Leviathan Hotel, Law Courts Hotel, Kingsgate Hotel. Please book any accommodation directly yourself if you have not already done so. Catering forms will be finalised and sent to you in July. Catering forms must be returned by Thursday 31 August 2023.
SYNOD BOOK:
According to Standing Resolution 4.9:
4.9 Electronic Availability of Diocesan Synod Papers (2021)
That the Registrar be instructed to make material to be considered by each session of the Diocese of Dunedin Synod (Order Paper, Bills and Motions of which notice has been duly given, and Reports to the Synod) available to all members of the Synod and the church (public) prior to the session, in accordance with Statute 8 Clause 5 (c) and Statute 39, in electronic and printed form on the basis that electronic copies and/or where requested printed copies be received 28 days before each session.
Provided that the Registrar does not consider that such material should remain confidential to the Synod until it has been considered by Synod.
This means that the Synod book will be made available electronically. If you want a hard copy to take with you to Synod, you must contact the Registrar before close of Business (4 pm) on Thursday 31 August and we will arrange printing of this for you (click on the link in the above line, this will generate an email with Request for Synod Book in the subject line). If you have requested this previously, we will print one for you unless you let us know otherwise.
If you have any questions, please contact the Diocesan Office.
With kind regards
Andrew Metcalfe
Diocesan Registrar - Kaiwhakahaere
Anglican Diocese of Dunedin
1A Howden Street (PO Box 13170)
Okaihe - Green Island,
ōtepoti - Dunedin 9052