Synodical Government Measure 1969

[F1 Membership E

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 3 substituted (1.1.2020) by Church Representation and Ministers Measure 2019 (No. 1), s. 1(3), Sch. 1 (with Sch. 3); S.I. 2019/1460, art. 2

Composition E

29 (1) A diocesan synod consists of— E

(a) a house of bishops,

(b) a house of clergy, and

(c) a house of laity.

(2) The bishop of the diocese is the president of the diocesan synod.

House of bishops E

30 E The members of the house of bishops of a diocesan synod are—

(a) the bishop of the diocese,

(b) each suffragan bishop of the diocese, and

(c) such other persons in episcopal orders who work in the diocese as the bishop of the diocese may nominate with the agreement of the archbishop of the province.

House of clergy E

31 (1) The ex officio members of the house of clergy of a diocesan synod are— E

(a) the dean of the cathedral church of the diocese or, where the diocese has more than one cathedral church, the dean of each of them,

(b) the archdeacon of each archdeaconry in the diocese,

(c) each proctor elected from the diocese or from a university or theological education institution in the diocese to the Lower House of Convocation of the province,

(d) any other member of the Lower House of Convocation of the province who resides in the diocese, being either an ex officio or co-opted member of that House or a person chosen by and from the clerical members of the religious communities in the province,

(e) the chancellor of the diocese (if in Holy Orders),

(f) the chair of the diocesan board of finance (if in Holy Orders),

(g) the chair of the diocesan board of education (if in Holy Orders), and

(h) the chair of the diocesan advisory committee (if in Holy Orders).

(2) The other members of the house of clergy of a diocesan synod are—

(a) any clerk in Holy Orders nominated by the bishop under Rule 33,

(b) each person elected by the house of clergy of each deanery synod in the diocese in accordance with Rules 35 to 42, and

(c) no more than five other persons, each of whom must be a clerk in Holy Orders and co-opted as a member by the house of clergy of the diocesan synod.

(3) The reference in paragraph (1)(a) to the dean of the cathedral church of a diocese includes—

(a) in the case of the diocese of London, a reference to the Dean of Westminster;

(b) in the case of the diocese of Oxford, a reference to the Dean of Windsor;

(c) in the case of the diocese of Winchester, a reference to the Deans of Jersey and Guernsey.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(c)—

(a) each institution which is a member of the University of London is to be treated as a separate university wholly in the diocese in which its main site is situated, and

(b) any other university or theological education institution which is situated in more than one diocese is to be treated as being wholly in the diocese in which its main site is situated.

House of laity E

32 (1) The ex officio members of the house of laity of a diocesan synod are— E

(a) each person elected from the diocese as a member of the House of Laity of the General Synod,

(b) any other member of the House of Laity of the General Synod who resides in the diocese, being either an ex officio or co-opted member of that House or a lay person chosen by and from the religious communities in the province,

(c) the chancellor of the diocese (if not in Holy Orders),

(d) the chair of the diocesan board of finance (if not in Holy Orders),

(e) the chair of the diocesan board of education (if not in Holy Orders), and

(f) the chair of the diocesan advisory committee (if not in Holy Orders).

(2) The other members of the house of laity of a diocesan synod are—

(a) any lay person nominated by the bishop under Rule 33,

(b) each person elected by the house of laity of each deanery synod in the diocese in accordance with Rules 35 to 42, and

(c) no more than five other persons, each of whom must be an actual communicant aged 16 or over and co-opted as a member by the house of laity of the diocesan synod.

Power of bishop to nominate members E

33 (1) The bishop of a diocese may nominate up to ten additional members of the diocesan synod. E

(2) A clerk in Holy Orders who is nominated under this Rule becomes a member of the house of clergy of the diocesan synod.

(3) A lay person who is nominated under this Rule becomes a member of the house of laity of the diocesan synod.

(4) A person who becomes a member of a diocesan synod under this Rule has the same rights, and is subject to the same requirements, as an elected member.

(5) Where a person nominated under this Rule is eligible under Rule 15 or 16 for membership of more than one deanery synod, the bishop's council and standing committee must designate the deanery synod of which the person is to be a member.

(6) Where a person nominated under this Rule is a lay person who is on the roll of more than one parish, the person must choose the PCC of which he or she is to be a member.

Restrictions on membership E

34 (1) A person may not be a member of more than one diocesan synod at the same time unless the person is— E

(a) the chancellor of the diocese, or

(b) if a parish in the diocese has passed a resolution under the House of Bishops' Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests of 19 May 2014, a suffragan bishop chosen by the bishop of the diocese to undertake ministry in respect of that parish.

(2) The registrar of a diocese and any deputy registrar are each disqualified from—

(a) standing for election to the diocesan synod,

(b) being nominated or co-opted as a member, and

(c) being an ex officio member.]