Diocesan Synod

Meeting dates in 2021

The most recent meeting of the Newcastle Diocesan Synod was held on Saturday 13th November 2021 at 10:00.

This meeting was hosted using Zoom Video Conferencing.

Agenda for 13th November

  1. Welcome and opening worship
  2. Botswana Partnership Agreement (Paper DS21 16)
    Use this link to watch a video of the Bishop of Botswana's presentation to the Synod
  3. Note of business transacted on 18 September 2021 (Paper DS21 13B)
    1. To agree the note of the business transacted
    2. Matters Arising
  4. Instrument of Delegation: Honorary Assistant Bishop, the Rt Revd Christopher Lowson (Paper DS21 15)
  5. Newcastle Education Board Scheme for approval in accordance with DBE Measure 2021 
    (Paper DS21 14A/Paper DS21 14B)
  6. Vacancy in See: update
  7. Next Steps (part 1) (Paper DS21 17)
    This item will involve the use of breakout rooms
  8. Screen Break
  9. Next Steps (part 2)
    This item will involve the use of breakout rooms 
  10. Budget 2022 (Paper DS21 18)
  11. Farewells
  12. Close

Most recent sessions of the Newcastle Diocesan Synod

A meeting of the Newcastle Diocesan Synod was held on Saturday 18th September. The meeting was hosted using Zoom Video Conferencing.

Agenda for 18th September

  1. Welcome by Bishop Christine
  2. Opening Worship
  3. Election of Chair of House of Clergy and Chair of House of Laity
  4. Minute of a meeting held on 8 May 2021 (Paper DS21 11)
    1. To agree the minute
    2. Matters Arising
  5. Presidential Address
    Use this link to see the Presidential Address
  6. Presentation by Together Newcastle
  7. Notices by the Secretary
    1. Diocesan Synod Elections to Boards and Councils
    2. Vacancy in See
  8. SCREEN BREAK
  9. Transformation Programme: Growing Church Bringing Hope: NEXT STEPS
    Use this link to see the video which supported this presentation
  10. Financial Upate
    Use this link to download the financial presentation
  11. Any Other Business
  12. Close

Open Synod Forum: FINANCE FORUM

  • Tuesday 20th July 2021
    An Open Synod Finance Forum was hosted using Zoom Video Conferencing on 20th July.

Open Synod Forum: LIVING IN LOVE & FAITH

Diocesan Synod: Formal Synod Meeting

The Diocesan Synod met on Saturday 8th May. The meeting was hosted using Zoom Video Conferencing.
Resources from the meeting, including notes following the meeting are included in the table below:

Agenda Item Paper number Title
1   Welcome and Opening Prayers
2
 		 DS21 03B
 		 Transcript: 28 November 2020
(agreed)
3
 		 DS21 04
 		 Promulgation of Amending Canons 40 and 41
(promulgated)
4

 		 DS21 05

 		 DAC Quinquennial Inspection Scheme 2021
(DAC Chair)
(Scheme agreed)
5

 		 DS21 06

 		 Instrument of Delegation: Honorary Assistant Bishop
(Bishop Christine)
(Instrument agreed)
6

 		 DS21 07

 		 Growing Church Bringing Hope: NEXT STEPS
(Bishop Mark; Chris Elder; Shane Waddle)
(Progress noted)
7

 		 DS21 11

 		 Introduction to Living in Love and Faith
(Chair of the House of Laity)
(Introduction noted)
    SCREEN BREAK
8   FINANCIAL ITEMS
  DS21 08A
 		 Annual Report and Financial Statements 2020
(Report and Accounts received)
  DS21 08B Summary of Financial Statements 2020
9   ELECTIONS 2021
9A
 		 DS21 09
 		 GENERAL SYNOD ELECTIONS
(Chair: House of Laity and the Secretary)
9B
 		 DS21 10
 		 DIOCESAN SYNOD ELECTIONS
(The Secretary)
    OTHER BUSINESS


The Diocesan Synod met in Open Forum on Saturday 13th March. The meeting was hosted using Zoom Video Conferencing.
Resources from the meeting, including notes following the meeting are included in the table below:

Open Synod Forum 13th March 2021

Video recording: this recording includes the Address by Bishop Christine; the presentations by the Revd Canon Rob Saner-Haigh and Bishop Mark; and the plenary session.

Use this link to watch the video

Paper DS21 01 Notes from the plenary session
Paper DS21 02 Growing Church Bringing Hope: Next Steps Update

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod was held on Saturday 28th November
A meeting of the Diocesan Synod was hosted using Zoom Video Conferencing on Saturday 28th November at 10:00am.
Papers supporting the meeting and notes following the meeting are included in the table below:

AGENDA 28th November 2020

Meeting held on 26 September 2020
Paper DS20 20B Notes from meeting held on 26 September 2020
Paper DS20 20C Slides accompanying meeting held on 26 September 2020

Suffragan Bishop of Berwick
Paper DS20 21 Instrument of Delegation: Bishop of Berwick DRAFT

The Environment
Paper DS20 22 Eco Diocese 
Paper DS20 22A Eco Diocese Registration
The Synod agreed:
that the Diocese of Newcastle register as an Eco Diocese

Paper DS20 23A Aiming for Carbon Net Zero
Paper DS20 23B Environment Policy 2019
The Synod amended the Environmental Policy to:
We must urgently reduce our carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 20230

Supporting media: Psalm 65

Growing Church Bringing Hope: next steps
Paper DS20 24 Transformation Next Steps Values and Priorities
Plenary feedback

The Synod:
endorsed the values, priorities and direction of travel presented and discussed (at the meeting)

Budget 2021
Paper DS20 25 Budget Proposal 2021
The Synod, sitting as the Board of Finance:
approved the budget

Covenant for the care and wellbeing of the clergy
Paper DS20 26 A Clergy Covenant Clergy Resource
Paper DS20 26B Clergy Covenant Congregation Resource


Diocesan Synod: Saturday 26th September.

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod was hosted using Zoom Video Conferencing on Saturday 26th September at 10:00am.
Papers supporting and arising from this meeting, including video links, are included in the table below:

Paper number item Title
DS20 18 Agenda
DS20 18A Note of the meeting on 27 June
Clergy Covenant The Clergy Covenant for Wellbeing Act of Synod 2020
Clergy Covenant Accompanying note to the Clergy Covenant Act of Synod
Clergy Covenant A document for reflection and action for the clergy
Clergy Covenant A document for reflection and action for local congregations
Clergy Covenant A document for reflection and action for bishops and the wider church
  Presidential Address by the Bishop of Newcastle, the Rt Revd Christine Hardman
DS20 19 Budget Discussion Document 2021
DS20 19B Transcript of the budget plenary feedback
DS20 19B Aidan breakout group
DS20 19C Bede breakout group
DS20 19D Cuthbert breakout group
DS20 19E Ebba breakout group
DS20 19F Ethelburga breakout group
DS20 19G Hild breakout group
DS20 19H Oswald breakout group
DS20 19I Oswin breakout group


Diocesan Synod: Saturday 27th June at 10:00am

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod will be hosted on Zoom Video Conferencing on Saturday 27th June at 10:00am.
Papers to support the meeting are included in the table below:

Paper number Title
DS20 10 Agenda
DS20 11 Transcript from 23rd November 2019
DS20 12 Final Report of the Parish Share Review Group
DS20 13A growing church bringing hope: next stepsA theological reflection
DS20 13B growing church bringing hope: next stepspre Synod questions to think about
DS20 14 Board of Finance Report and Accounts 2019 (subject to approval)
DS20 15 CV to support the appointment to the DAC for the Rt Revd Stephen Platten


Updated 13 March: Postponement of the Environment Open Synod Forum which was due to be held on 21 March

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod in Open Forum was due to take place Synod Forum on Saturday 21st March at the Northumberland Church of England Academy. The Bishops Officer for the Environment, the Revd Mark Nash-Williams, had pulled together a super agenda and workshops to help us focus our efforts on how we respond to environmental issues that we face.

The meeting was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you to all who worked with Mark to prepare the Open Synod Forum. We will circulate a new date as soon as we have that confirmed.

Resources from previous meetings of the Synod

Use this link to visit the Synod Archive

Use the above link to find information from previous meetings of the Diocesan Synod


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