Maidstone
Deanery Synod Meeting Opening Prayer and Welcome The Area Dean, who was in the chair, welcomed the
members and opened the meeting with prayer. He then
welcomed the following members who were attending their
first Synod meeting: - Bible Study and Chaplaincy Report The Area Dean then invited the Reverends Susan Blade and Diana Petzsch to lead the Bible Study and give a report on the work of the Hospital Chaplaincy. They commenced by reading from St. Luke chapter 24 verses 13 to 32, which is the story of the Jesus meeting with the disciples on the road to Emmaus.From the passage they drew out three points that relate to the work of the Hospital Chaplaincy.Firstly, Jesus drew near: he came alongside them in an ordinary way. Secondly, Jesus listened:he invited them to speak about what they were discussing. He encouraged them to share would be another way of putting it. Thirdly, Jesus draws on Scripture as He begins to make connections for them. After this Jesus made Himself known to them as He broke the bread. As they recognised Him, He left them. Connections are made in a lot of different ways, but hopefully lead people to experience and express new life in themselves. In hospital new experiences come sharply into focus and need to be understood and accepted. That morning they had taken part in the hospital induction programme, as they do each month. They have to explain what is Chaplaincy. To tell staff that we are created in the image of God is not so appropriate, so they talk about being human, flesh and blood, also that the whole person is multi-dimensional. All these elements need to be nourished. They are regularly asked about their approach to abortion and to death, something that comes up every day in the hospital. Following the meeting, someone in a ward was dying. They have a CD player, which they offered to the family to use. They visited and sought to bring life into the hospital side room. As they prayed with them the Mother joined in the Lord’s Prayer.This work is providing support. People come to the Chaplaincy, and they go out to them. At times the staff have difficulty in finding a sense of hope and the Chaplaincy can provide them with support. Support for pregnancy loss comes through the Chaplaincy at the moment. It is important to rejoice and celebrate when appropriate and, even in difficult times, there can be a great sense of reconciliation within families. There is worship every Sunday and this goes out on the hospital radio.Eucharist is also given at the bedside. There are other times of worship.There is a quiet room, which other faiths use.It also used for counselling, particularly in the case of bereavement. They are currently recruiting for the new training programme for volunteers in the Chaplaincy.At present the Chaplaincy comes under the Hospital Services, Estates and Facilities Department. In conclusion, they drew members’ attention to a display on the table, which showed a pathway defined by some stones with lighted candles. They then suggested that there should be a time of quiet as members reflected on how Jesus made connection with the two disciples in their time of sorrow and need. Apologies for Absence 11 members of the House of Clergy and 24 members of the House of Laity and 1 visitor were recorded as present. Apologies had been received from 5 members of the House of Clergy and 1 member of the House of Laity Approval of Minutes The minutes of the meeting of 16th October, 2002, were approved, and signed by the Chairman. Appointment of Treasurer There were no nominations. The Chairman drew members’ attention to the fact that the Treasurer was already doing his other job and it would be good to find a replacement for him sooner rather than later. The Treasurer stated that he will get the accounts audited, but he had virtually given up being Treasurer through lack of time. On looking at the situation he felt that one area of the Deanery, the southern part of Maidstone, is under represented on the Standing Committee, and for a Treasurer to come forward from Loose or Parkwood or St. Martin’s would be very good. He warned that if no replacement has been found by the June meeting of Synod he will bring all the books to the meeting and leave them there. The Missing Families – The 30 – 44 age group The Area Dean welcomed Mrs. Jacky Cray and invited her to address the meeting. She began by saying that a key area, the 30 to 44 age group, is missing from our Churches, even though the Churches want to work with families. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul is like a woman in the way that he describes his approach to the people in Thessalonica. The Church needs to demonstrate to the people in this age group that they are dear to us. This missing generation has come about because of a loss of contact. This has arisen due to this age group being very media orientated and so they have been influenced by the bad press that the Church has received. Changing work patterns have also played their part. Women going back to work are another cause, though it must be emphasised that the greater majority of women are working part time, and many arrange their work at times when their husband is at home. However, this results in couples losing time together. She stated that when she was doing a training course for the Salvation Army working in the Gorbals in Glasgow, she found that the workers were very conscious that they had real difficulty in asking people to come to their meetings as they realised that they were held at the one time when families were together. Also families are under pressure. The parents were born at the time of the baby boom and they are caught in a sandwich between the older generation and dependant children. Their children are also under increasing pressures, such as homework, sport on Sunday and under age sex. The situation in Kent with the 11 plus means that children are tested and tested at school, and this is leading to eating disorders and stress disorders showing themselves among Junior school children. Most children who do come, are constrained to come to Church, and as a result play up their Sunday school teachers because they do not want to be there. There is also a loss of relating across the ages. There is a need to offer ways of supporting one another. Elderly people reading to the children can heal the gap between the elderly and the children. There are also unique opportunities at times of grief and bereavement. Sunday trading does not help, as shops open at 10 am and close at 4 pm. Most Churches hold their services during this period. An all age service at 3:30 to 4 pm., lasting 30 to 40 minutes could bring in the families after shopping. One church has started to hold such a service in a local school and has 80 people present. It is not necessary to stop doing everything, but it is essential to think creatively, so opening doors to the community. Sport on Sunday also clashes with service times. Mrs. Cray stated that she was involved in running a football club on a Saturday, so generating a sense of belonging within the children’s work. It is necessary to build community. Churches lack flexibility. One church in Exeter rediscovered what it meant to party, when it held a beetle party followed by an all age service the next morning. Remember Jesus’ life experience. He had love and compassion, was biased towards the poor and excluded. He did not try to get them into Church, but offered them grace rather than judgement. He wanted to bring near the demoniac and children, the poor and excluded. Jesus starts with people where they are. To reach this lost generation we need to be more flexible, and be more welcoming. We need to welcome children. Blown up photos of fun times with the children will be more suitable than a mug shot of the vicar. Many dioceses have their own children’s charter. Toddlers’ groups, men’s breakfasts, clay pigeon shooting, etc., are all ways of getting to know people so that you can share. We need to question timings of services and events, encourage participation and develop links with families. We also need to listen to them and identify gaps in our provision for them. Rather than have parenting courses, have parent support groups. Finally, have a prayerful creative brainstorm. Mrs. Cray recommended a bouncy castle and drum kit for coffee times as lots of under seven’s are fed up having been in there for forty minutes. The castle and drums will prevent spillage of the coffee. The Area Dean thanked her for a very helpful and lucid talk, and said that there was also a handout available. He then invited members to put their questions. Mrs. Pam Boocock queried where do you get the people from to do the new things. Mrs. Cray stated that older members of the congregation need security. How we recruit can put people off, so we do not advertise on the notice sheet, but check out who do people relate to and invite those that are suitable. The Area Dean added that radical surgery might be needed on some of our programmes to avoid people being overworked. He suggested that we should look at the whole thing and ask God where we are to work. Captain Aidan Greenwood said that he was interested in the timing of an all age service at 4 pm. Mrs Cray stated that to promote such a service it is necessary to have the relationship with a Christian teacher, preferably a headmaster or headmistress. Deanery Mission Plan Prior to the Reverend Karen Gorham reporting on the Deanery Mission Conference, the Area Dean expressed his and the members thanks for the vision that Karen had had for the Conference and for the way she had organised it.He felt that it should be repeated in a couple of years. The Reverend Karen Gorham commenced by thanking all those who had come along and supported it.She also thanked all those who had participated in the presentations. In reviewing the conference she said that her vision was not a one off. Having had the conference and learnt about what is going on, we now have to work on the second tier of the Deanery Mission Plan. She said that for her three thoughts had come out of the day. Our worship – Lee and Clive who had led our worship had shown the great diversity that exists and she felt that we should look at the possibilities of worshipping together. Outreach – There are new developments around the town. Are they the responsibility of the Parish? Children’s work – She had written a letter to Family Trust seeking their help in understanding what we can do better together. The Area Dean then briefly reported that he had written to Bishop Graham in October on the progress that the Deanery had made in producing its Deanery Mission Plan. He reflected that in October we had also agreed the idea of the Deanery Mission Conference and it was an achievement for it to be a reality in February. He said that some of the other suggestions that were made will take a long time. But we need to receive ideas following the Deanery Mission Conference. A children’s workers’ conference is a good idea; could it be a good idea for us? Mrs. Cray suggested that a baptism preparation and follow up course seemed appropriate having read the Diocesan Mission Conference notes. The Area Dean suggested that she might be the person to run the course. The Reverend Jim Perryman reported that 115 children came to the Deanery Day and there were a lot of different groups represented. The Reverend Mike McLaughlin mentioned that Christ Church Parkwood is running a children’s club during the May half term, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday form 10 am to 12 noon and they need more helpers. Diocesan Mission Links Day – 22ndMarch 2003 Mrs. Jean Sweetman, the Deanery Links representative for the event, thanked all the Parishes who had given her details of their individual links with Mission abroad. Two parishes, All Saints with St. Philip Maidstone and St. Stephen’s Tovil and St. Martins had not, as yet, responded and she was still waiting for information promised from St. Nicholas and St. Faith’s.All are invited to attend the Diocesan Mission Links Day on 22nd March 2003, which will be held in Canterbury Cathedral from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. There will be an address by Canon Mark Oxbrow of the CMS, also a number of group sessions with titles such as “Getting a Link Going, and Keeping it Going”, “Visiting our Parish Link, Help!”, “The Long Established Link: The Goudhurst Experience of Sri Lanka”, and “Money and Links”. Treasurer’s Report The Treasurer apologised for one typographical error in the proposals for the budget for 2003 that were enclosed with the Agenda. The final heading in the bottom line should read Budget 2003 and not Budget 2002. The Treasurer explained to members what the new entry,
Diocesan Grant, refers to. The Diocese having set up the
Financial Management by Deaneries and having some spare
money decided to use it to make a grant to each Deanery
of £2,000. As the money was only received at the end of
the financial year, the Standing Committee has not had
time to discuss how it should be used. The Area Dean then
proposed the following motion that “ This Synod
approves the accounts for the year 2002 and the proposed
budget for the year 2003 along with the revised
subscription rates as recommended by the Treasurer.”
The motion was seconded by Mr. Mark Lewis and agreed
unanimously. |