Report from Convocation 2009

 

The big improvement for Convocation this year was that it started at 2:00pm.  Registration started at 1:30pm so this meant we didn’t need to leave until gone 12, but we left a bit earlier so we could find somewhere for lunch.  After food serving pub finding failure in previous years, this year we took sandwiches.  We bought the beer though.

So, the business got underway at just after 2pm.  The roll call followed registration and Convocation this was attended by 15 clergy, 38 lay members and 7 visitors.  After Paul was appointed Convocation and General Secretary, the Rules of Procedure were read, and listened to intently.  We then had letters to various people, memorials and acceptance of reports.  It’s the same routine every year, and it’s still very interesting stuff.

Next was the election of officers and Bishop Powell was once again elected Bishop Primus, but he did state that this would be his last year.  Following the election of the remaining officers, pretty much the same as the year before, we finished the session at around 3pm and all went off to settle into our rooms.  We were in a different part this year and I had a twin room.  Eric could have had a bed all to himself, but he didn’t want to.

After a refreshing cup of tea, we got back to business.  Oddly enough, the visitors decided not to join us this time.  Not sure why.  The last of the afternoon was spent trawling our way through the reports.  The sign-off sheet to establish each church’s congregation as a charity was probably at the bottom of someone’s in tray.  The good news was that two ministers from the US would be joining us as Presbyters-in-Charge, and there was a possibility of several churches leaving the Church of England in the next few years.  We wanted to head them our way.

Following a tea of pork steaks, we had Evening Prayer and the Convocation Charge from Bishop Powell. I then had a short session in the bar and the words green, pink and yellow will go down in history.  I was knackered so I went off to bed.  And got woken up at 3 in the morning by the fire alarm but we got back to bed about 20 minutes later.  To be woken up by the fire alarm again.  This time, everyone else on site decided they were missing out and wanted to join in.  It seemed like ages before we got back to bed this time, but at least we got to see some firemen!

The next day was met with a slide show of some pictures taken the night before.  Apart from all of us looking a bit sleepy, there was some interesting nightwear on show.  Bishop Powell mentioned he thought the fire alarms were similar to the air raid sirens during the war. 

Our visitors were then invited to speak and Revd Gerald Kirsch again sent greetings from the Countess of Huntington’s Connection and mentioned that Paul had visited their church wearing full robes which was quite unusual for them.  Bishop Meyer also sent greetings from Germany and said the fire alarm went off not for German reasons!

Following a brief discussion on what the Constitution and Cannons committee should be doing, the remaining reports were accepted.  We then broke up for a cup of tea and went back for Dad’s bit.  Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse…  After we voted to send the collection money to the Malabar Independent Syrian Church instead of Lalitpur and changing the REC Missionary Fund’s name to the Missionary Fund, we voted to keep the quota at £600.  All good stuff!  We then moved onto electing the Committees, which were also pretty much the same as last year.  It leads to a sense of déjà vu…

Then followed the motions.  I though this would take a while as we had a lot of changes to review and vote on.  Surprisingly, after a break for a baked potato lunch, these were concluded remarkably quickly with hardly any discussion.  They were all passed and thus concluded the day. 

After some funny chicken for tea I returned to the bar and had an interesting discussion with Gerald Kirsch.  The subject moved from the Bible to knees to pain sensitivity.  Go figure.  Instead of going to bed, cause it was quite late, I went and played pool with Jessica, Gerhard’s daughter.  She also was a quick study but I still beat her.  Twice.

All that was left to do the next morning was the minutes, Convocation costs and date of next meeting.  Costs were slightly up from last year, the next Convocation will be 24-26 May 2010 and the minutes were approved.  Oh, and there was a vote of thanks too.  After close of business, we had Holy Communion, the annual photo call, lunch, and then most of us went home, leaving Central Trust members behind.  Ah well!  Once again, a most convivial Convocation!