The final day of Synod provided an opportunity to highlight the activities and celebrate the achievements of young people in the church – as well as acknowledge the workers and volunteers who are dedicated to ministry with children and young people.
Claire Benton-Evans, the Provincial Youth Coordinator, introduced three young people from the church to talk about how the church can help their generation, but first invited Synod to show their appreciation for those who run the church toddler group, creche, Sunday school, after-school club, family service, children’s programme, holiday club or youth group.
“They go the extra mile for the younger members of our church, as do the young adult volunteers who cheerfully work 16-hour days at the Provincial Youth Week,” said Ms Benton-Evans. “All these people are engaged in the vital work of discipling our young people.”
The Provincial Youth Co-ordinator also highlighted the global reach of the church’s young people. Since last year’s General Synod, young adults have represented the SEC in the UK, Germany, France and Ghana: at the Lambeth Conference, the World Council of Churches, the Ecumenical Forum for European Christian Women and at the 18th plenary of the Anglican Consultative Council.
“The SEC is the most active Anglican Province in this global youth network’s Europe region,” said Ms Benton-Evans, pictured. “They say decisions are made by people who show up: I am delighted to announce to Synod today that Ley-Anne Forsyth, youth officer for Moray, Ross and Caithness, and Rachel Walker, youth leader from St Andrew’s, Dunkeld and Dunblane, have just been elected to sit on the ACYN’s Global Council, representing the Europe region as well as the SEC.”
Synod then heard passionate addresses from three young people about what matters to them and to their age groups: high school student Jadon Rongong from Moray, Ross & Caithness, who called for greater support for asylum applicants; and Elizabeth Mills, from Aberdeen & Orkney, and Olivia Smith from Edinburgh, who both asked Synod to consider the difficulties faced by young people, in particular students, during the cost of living crisis; as well as practical steps to help make churches more inviting to students and young people.
Their comments built on the earlier message of the Rev Tembu Rongong, Convener of the Provincial Youth Committee, who had pointed out that following the challenges of the pandemic and the change of life to a ‘new normal’, young people need time away from those stresses.
Two strong opportunities are available this year: Yeek (Provincial Youth Week) at the end of July, which has the theme of ‘The Quest’, and the Youth Pilgrimage to Iona later this year.
The final day of business at St Paul’s & St George’s in Edinburgh had opened with a session on safeguarding. Convener Richard Baker summarised the recent workings of the Safeguarding Committee, before Lexy Plumtree of the Committee on Canons took Synod through aspects of a revised Canon 65, a substantial redraft which represents “a significant step forward in defining key areas of responsibility more clearly than under the current Canon”.
Ahead of the vote on the revised Canon, an amendment was proposed by Dr Stephen Goodyear (Aberdeen & Orkney) to include clergy alongside certain procedures regarding lay people. The Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth (Glasgow & Galloway) warned that the amendment would not achieve what the proposer had said it would achieve, and would in fact lead to greater confusion over what was the correct process to follow. The amendment was also opposed by the Committee on Canons. Synod rejected the amendment.
The first reading of the revised Canon 65 was backed overwhelmingly by Synod and it will now go to Diocesan Synods for further consideration.
After a brief presentation from Bishop Andrew Swift on the work of the Ethical Investment Advisory Group, the Standing Committee Convener, Bridget Campbell, proposed a quota for the year – carried by Synod – and the size of future Synod meetings was also discussed, with members voting that the next review of the formula which calculates levels of diocesan representation is deferred until refreshed membership statistics are available.
The final motions of General Synod 2023 concerned the election of candidates to various committees, and the confirmation of the Acts of Synod by the Primus took place during the closing act of worship.
[Main picture at top of article shows Provincial Youth members Jadon Rongong, Elizabeth Mills and Olivia Smith]
