Report of Havant & Portsmouth Deanery Synod Special Meeting held at the Church of the Resurrection, Farlington on 21st September 2005

This meeting was attended by Revd Ann Leonard (Vicar), Henry Thurstan and James Hawkins as St Peter’s Church deanery synod reps. After a welcome from the incumbent, Revd Steve Summers, the clergy moved to the church hall and the laity remained in the church.

This meeting was a special additional Deanery Synod meeting chaired by Ian Hewitt (St John’s +, Rowlands Castle), the new Lay Chairman of Havant Deanery Synod, with Mrs Dorothy Worsfold, the Lay Chairman of Portsmouth Deanery Synod.

The meeting was restricted to the lay Deanery Synod reps. (The clergy were voting separately, for three General Synod proctors) The majority of those Deanery Synod reps present (approx. 40) were from the Havant Deanery.

The sole purpose of this meeting was for the Deanery Synod members to meet and question the six candidates for the election of three Portsmouth Diocese lay members of General Synod. All the Deanery Synod representatives are voting by post prior to 30th September, with each voter placing the six candidates in order. [It should be noted that all Synod members vote in accordance with their Christian conscience; they are not delegates from their PCCs and they do not have a directive as to their voting.] The votes are counted and the election of the three lay members decided by proportional representation on 4th October. The first meeting of the new General Synod is in mid November in London. (Portsmouth Diocese clergy (?) also separately elect three Proctors in Convocation for the General Synod).

The lay member candidates are:

• Miss Anne Ashton – aged 76, member of current General Synod so can expedite current business of General Synod (e.g. women bishops), wide experience of differing churches and of current and past Synod views and practice.
• Mrs Lucy Docherty – aged 50, on Diocesan Board of Mission and non-executive NHS trust chairman, hence valuable skills applicable to General Synod, tolerance and dialogue from ecumenical background and RC husband, keen to get faith out of the church and into the community, as a mother has essential ability to relate to young people, essential to help young people have some Christian faith even if not traditional Anglican.
• Mr Robin Green – aged 61, Reader, evangelical, has served on Diocesan Board of Mission, Council for Mission & Unity, World Church Forum & Bishop’s Council. Conservative in ethics, opposed to women bishops, dialogue with others but no compromise, keen to further General Synod mission work, holds fundamental views.
• Dr Bryan Olive – aged 73, PhD, Royal Navy service, recently PCC and Deanery and Diocesan Synods, currently oblate probationer of order of St Benedict whose principles he endeavours to keep, aim to balance prayer and work, not keen on women bishops as inevitable schism in Anglican church, conservative attitude.
• Mrs Sue Rodgers – aged 51, member of current General Synod, Diocesan Lay Assessor and Bishop’s Council, also Hants & Diocesan Schools Appeals Panel, keen on people and pastoral issues, visits Diocesan parishes extensively, appreciates many contentious/difficult issues ahead for General Synod but Synod experience will aid contribution.
• Mrs Debbie Sutton – aged 48, extensive NHS experience including national guidelines work, comparable to General Synod work, current Deanery Synod, Diocesan Lay Examining Chaplain for Ordinands, extensive youth work helps understand church’s youth retention problems, relation of church to other churches/faiths/secular world is important, keen to develop Anglican relations outside church.

[These nutshell notes are based on the CVs provided by candidates and their 5-minute presentations.]