Nuneaton Deanery Area Synod Meeting – October 2010 at St Andrews, Bedworth
Present
Marion Biddle; Wendy O’Brien; Karen Berry; Isobel Ashmead; David Hinds; Sheila Hinds; Iris Duggan; Anthony Truelove; Phillip Rees; Geoff Popejoy; Rev Martin Hammond; David Hopkins; Julia Jones; Rev Clive Jones; Don Jones; Paul Harris; Mary Gilbert; David Hitchcock: John Hitchcock; Mavie Gunn; Rev Tony Tooby; Andrew Gandon; Rev Peter Allan;
Kim Atkins, Rev Martin Hamond; Rev Mick Vincent.
Apologies received
Rev Kelly Betteridge; John Keiser; Trevor Moreley; Peter Rogers; Chris Harding; Jean Dunton; Rev Tony Collins;
Davis Toone; Anne Boffey; Rev Richard Hare; David Spires; John McCullens; Rev John Horton; Pete Aldersley;
Rev Heather Borres; Yvonne Stove; Keith Whitehall; Rev Ian Kennedy.
Item / Action1 / PA – the meeting will start with Business and finish with an act of worship.
MV said every parish should have the Advent Sunday Packs.
About “The Big Sing” at St Nick’s at 6pm parishes encouraged to cancel own evening worship and go to St Nick’s Costs £5
2 / Rev Martin Hammond welcomed us all to St Andrew’s
IA from Bulkington (on behalf of Wolvey)informed us about the Christmas Tree Fair at Wolvey.
3 / TT proposed Kim Atkins as Secretary for NDAS, seconded by PA all present agreed.
PA gave the outline of how the meeting had been structured
1 Mark Beech – feedback from General Synod
2 Karen Berry
3 Messy Church
4 Hear 3 peoples testimonies
5 Small group work
4 / Mark Beech clergy Representative St Andrew’s Rugby.
Thank you as I have been re-elected.At present he works with Ruth Walker (South) and Martin Saxby (Rugby). But with the election the setup might change.
Feedback from General Synod.
Discussions at General Synod included -
Ordination of Women Bishops. This topic was discussed for 17½ hours. The principle is widely accepted in General Synod but how to put into practice needs debating at Diocese Synods and fedback to General Synod.
There will be a code of Practice for clergy that cannot accept women as Bishops. Bishop Christopher has been asked to work on the group for the Code.
- Additions to the Lectionary – changes are generally for Cathedrals and are about evening prayers. At present the reading may not relate to each other so in future the reading will relate to each other.
- Clergy Pensions – less pension
- Budgets
- Church of England and Church of Scotland
- Coventry Diocese Motion on the Role of Deaneries. With Deaneries being able to open Bank Accounts (legally) employing staff and this needs the law to be changed.
- Youth Workers. Assurance that the Archbishops Council will look at this.
- Fresh expression – is about encouraging local churches to do something different outside “church”
Mark asked‘What should the General Synod be discussing’?
Broke into small groups to enable them to discuss this and feedback ideas
PA need to consider how to get younger people into church
TT failing number of clergy – relevance of clergy
AG not just evening prayer – more on where.
PH Greater dialogue with other denominations
DJ radical look at church in sustainable way- old mind set keeps church old.
MV emphasis on Peace, need to proclaim it more.
PR sanctity of marriage – Mark replied that Human Sexuality is on the agenda
IA if 50% believe in Christianity why is this not reflected numbers attend church. Need to do what it did 100 years ago; church is not only the building.
Mark advised that any Deanery Synod can make a motion to Diocese who may then make a motion to General Synod.
PA thanked Mark
5 / Karen Berry from JB Ministries gave a talk about what she does as a freelance puppeteer in schools and churches.
At present schools have to pay (£25-£30) for her attendance at a school assembly. She has put a bid into to Nuneaton Deanery to be able to visit schools. She has been asked by 30 schools to attend assembles but she feels that this be available for every school on the Nuneaton area.
The Bid money would be used to bridge the gap between school and church.
The bid was too late for September, but has been given £1000 up front, Bishop Christopher may make more money available,the bid was for £18,000, and Karen may get another £1000 before Christmas.
There is a man in Lichfield who gets £19,000 for 7 schools Karen’s bid was for £18,000 for 42 schools.
Karen asked us for our prayers about the bid and her work.
During the talk Karen demonstrated 2 puppets and the ethos of her work.
Some leaflets were left for anyone who wanted one.
No questions were asked at the end of the talk
WO stated how much the children of Fillongley School appreciate her
PA thanked Karen- TT proposed – WO seconded – vote- all in favour; no abstentions; non against
6 / PA asked JH to talk about “Messy Church”
This idea came from Lucy Moore Bible Reading Fellowship.
Messy Church works well where church going is not the custom. It is not normally held on a Sunday.
John stated the relevance is trying to get God’s message across.
Messy Church can include craft work and worship. It engages people in something they like doing and may lead to Christian worship.
Lucy is a good tutor and shows the bones of how it works but every church will be different. It can help find a connection – could be part of the Family Project.
Lucy Moore is coming to St Michael’s New Arley on 15/01/11 from 10am to about 4pm.
Mission Fund Bid is for £1000, to pay for the day and food on the day with some left to be able to give small grants to help start projects.
TT proposed – Seconded by JH. Votes- all for; no abstentions; no-one against.
7 / PA move on to the three stories about people who have been touch by Jesus
MV stated that part of St Paul’s mission is to reach out to people by doing God’s work.
They have 3 projects at present
- Unemployed drop in
- Mental Health Drop In – run by 6 members of the congregation who have been trained as listeners / carers.
- Handouts for people in need or are homeless.
Dean came to Nuneaton from Dorset via London. He was in a violent situation in a split family in Dorset. He tried moving to London first, but could not cope. After 3 weeks in the Nuneaton area the knocked on the vicarage door of St Paul’s, MV talked to him. Dean’s face was bruised and cut. This had been done by local lads. Dean was distressed; MV feed him and gave him a package. MV did not see him for 6 weeks. Dean came to the Vicarage for care and food. Later he let MV know he had a job and a bedsit. Dean wanted to give £20 to MV. Dean does not attend church. We need to be with people wherever they are. Dean was 17 years old.
Tula’s Testimony
Where I was in my life-
A while ago I remember seeing a notice on St Wilfrid’s Church gate, there were a few words that seemed to stand out to me, they were, “Is there more to life than this?” That is just how I felt.
I had been wanting to go to church for a while, but I wasn’t strong enough to walk through the door. I also knew that sometimes I hadn’t even give God a thought.
I have had health problems for a long time, and there was no improvement, nothing seemed to be getting any easier, some days because of the constant pain it was difficult for me to get around.
There were things going on in my life that were hard to deal with, and what i had experienced in the past was often on my mind.
I was reaching a point where I just couldn’t take much more. I’d had enough.
My family are precious to me, and I couldn’t worry them. What I was feeling I kept to myself. Whatever was happening I tried to get on with it the best I could. But I was finding it was a real effort to get through each day.
Mum had been ill for a long time, and when she died, I felt that within myself I wasn’t in a very good place, I was struggling to keep going. The thought of wanting to go to church was in my mind again, and I felt that if I didn’t make the effort to go then, I never would. I knew it would be hard and it would take a lot for me to just walk through the door, but, as soon as I walked in, the welcome I received from the Church family really helped me that day.
It took a little while when I went to church to find the courage to go forward for healing prayer during the healing service, which they have every third Sunday in the month. Thankfully, God was patient with me, because I know I was holding so much back. I just couldn’t let anyone get close. Gradually I began to experience God’s healing. I started to feel different, things became clearer, I saw things differently and I was gradually walking around with more ease, the pain wasn’t so intense.
What I had experienced in my life had affected me more that I realised, and now with God in my life, He has had an overwhelming effect on me, it is though a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I know I am in a better place with myself and I am always aware that God is still working in me.
The last couple of years God has helped me through so much. He has even given me Hope and the strength to carry on with my life. I know He is there for me.
I now have peace, calm and healing in my life, and I am so thankful.
Tula - June 2010
Sue Testimony
1 year ago I started attending All Saints Parish Church in Bedworth. I was in a deep dark place, finding it difficult to face each day. I thought about taking my own life – I am so glad I didn’t.
I went on a short break with 2 ladies; I had a nightmare one night. What was the nest move?
The ladies said “You could do with some prays”
After 2 week I felt that I had nothing to lose, but after 57 years as an atheist, it felt very difficult to go through the church doors. I was wrong – my life changed dramatically. I look forward to each beautiful day.
Nothing in my life has changed BUT God is with me now
I have persuaded someone else to attend church. I am learning something new each day.
It is due to people like you that I am still here.
8 / PA Impossible to follow that. What wonderful testimonies.
We have heard 3 different stories, so in groups of 3 / 4 –
What can we do in our church to enable that to happen?
Feedback from the groups
We need to remember the importance of the environment, what are the first impression people get, they should be a warm welcoming.
We should be leading by example, giving general encouragement and LISTENING.
Use the community Centre to help.
Look at the buildings, Corner evangelists can be nauseating but we do need follow Mission by all means.
The church community (home) has to welcoming.
We should not be only Sunday Christians. We should live our whole life as a gospel, and see gospel through whole life.
Individual in community, all individuals fail at some point, so need to go one step further and introduce Jesus,
Different services for different people, Pet; Pram...Bereavement follow up – people are crying out – we need to endeavour to reach them. Worship where they are.
When the Holy Spirit is working it can affect people.
Emmaus has worked.
PA – we need to make it a focus for prayers
9 / Act of worship to end evening.
Next Meeting 10th February at St Michael’s, New Arley.