Diocesan open meetings on new women bishops proposals

The general Synod office has warned all dioceses that we can expect a formal consultation with the papers coming to us 17 February 2014 or shortly afterwards and requiring a reply by 22 May. The feeling is that following such a positive endorsement of the latest women bishops proposal at the recent November meeting the church would wish to proceed as quickly as possible. The vote at General Synod was overwhelming with 378 in favour, 8 against and 25 abstentions. Normally, deaneries would have an opportunity to discuss a formal consultation and feed in views to inform Diocesan Synod before its debate. However, the timing is very tight. The only scheduled Diocesan Synod meeting is on 1 March 2014. (Runnymede Synod is now meeting on 26 February to do this.)

Some in the Diocese may not want to have any more discussion on this subject, wherever they stand just wanting the matter to be settled. Others have expressed a desire for further discussion so that view points and strength of feeling can be aired and honoured. Noting these considerations the plan is as follows:
two informal meetings open to all in the Diocese, lay and ordained, on a synod or not, will be held on 9 January at the Cathedral at 7:30pm and 13 January at St Paul’s Woking at 2:30pm.

The paperwork available at present is GS1924, GS1925, GS1926 and GS1925-6x with GS1924 being the “Report of the Steering Committee for the Draft Legislation on Women in the Episcopate”. The easiest way to get to them is to simply put “GS1924” into Google. Otherwise they are on the CofE website under General Synod.

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