The following text is a summary of General Synod 2023, taken directly from the monthly online SEC magazine, Inspires. If you haven’t read (or even heard of!) Inspires yet, please consider subscribing to this monthly summary of events and initiatives across the entire Scottish Episcopal Church. Click on this link www.scotland.anglican.org and sign up in the bottom left-hand corner of that page…
General Synod 2023, Day-by-Day
Approval of the the Net Zero Action Plan (2023-2030), adoption of a revised process to elect bishops, and a historic first address by a Moderator of the Church of Scotland which celebrated the joy of working together were among the highlights at General Synod 2023, held at St Paul’s & St George’s in Edinburgh earlier this month.
The road to net zero and the custodianship of Creation were at the heart of the opening address from the Primus on day one of Synod, and later that day members backed two motions which approved the Net Zero Action Plan itself and also the provision of funding considered appropriate to make the plan happen.
On day two, the Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton spoke of the opportunities both emerging and possible from the Saint Andrew Declaration, a series of acknowledgments and commitments agreed between the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Scotland in 2021 intended to deepen their relationship.
The Moderator spoke of her “hopes and prayers and vision for our shared call in Scotland” and said that despite the churches living through challenging times, there are new opportunities for collaborative approaches.
Later that day, changes to the way that a new bishop is elected in the Scottish Episcopal Church were debated, with members asked to decide on a second reading of a revised Canon 4. The motion to adopt the revised canon required a two-thirds majority of all houses to be carried, and it was duly adopted when Synod put the matter to a vote..
The final day of Synod provided an opportunity to highlight the activities and celebrate the achievements of young people in the church – as well as acknowledge the workers and volunteers who are dedicated to ministry with children and young people.
