Advent reflections on a strange season
It’s been a strange season for the Church of England as most people reading this will know. I think I have to go back around 20 years or so to find a similar time. We’ve been rocked by the women bishops debate, unable to respond effectively…
Address to Diocesan Synod
The Sheffield Diocesan Synod met this morning just a few days after the General Synod debate on the Measure to enable women to be ordained as bishops. At most Diocesan Synods, the Bishop gives a Presidential Address. This is my address from…
A difficult day at the General Synod
What happened?
Today was not a good or easy day. After seven hours of debate and well over a hundred speeches the General Synod did not approve the Measure to enable women to be consecrated as bishops in the Church of England.
The Bishops…
St. Hilda and the General Synod
Today is St. Hilda's day and I'm on a train this morning travelling to London to the General Synod. The Synod is due to debate and vote tomorrow on the Measure to enable women to be made Bishops in the Church of England.
The vote has been…
Remembrance in Rotherham
Highlights of the week included a visit to the primary school in the village of Laughton on Tuesday. The school is the oldest school still in existence in South Yorkshire and celebrated its 400 birthday this year. It doesn't surprise me…
A powerful and helpful prayer
Every once in a while I come across a prayer which helps me pray. I normally stay with it for a while, trying to use it every day. Sometimes I paste it into the prayers I say each week.
A few weeks ago, I found a prayer of St. Augustine…
Goodbye to Rome
We leave Rome in a couple of hours. The Synod concluded on Sunday morning with a Mass in St. Peter's with the Pope presiding. Pope Benedict spoke from the gospel reading about the healing of Bartimaeus. According to Augustine, the fact…
The Propositions from the Synod of Bishops
So when all was said and done, what was the outcome of the Synod of Bishops?
After agreeing the Message from the Synod (the Nuntius - see yesterday's post), the Synod turned its attention on Friday evening and Saturday morning to agreeing…
The Message from the Synod of Bishops
I returned to Rome on Friday morning (this time with Ann) for the final part of the Synod of Bishops here. It's been good to step back in to the conclusion of the process which began three weeks ago.
While I have been away the Synod has…
Called to be a deeper church
On publication of the annual Statistics for Mission, Bishop Steven reflects that there remains a huge appetite to learn and explore the Christian faith. The sheer number of courses run by churches is a sign of how much people want to explore the big questions about the meaning and purpose of life. According to the […]