You have been warned

NOMINATIONS are now open for elections to the new General Synod. Does that make your heart thrill with excitement? I thought not. The general view of synods seems to be that they are “all right for people who like that sort of thing”.

Even if you are not interested in the process of Synod, you will find yourself affected by the results of its deliberations. If you care about the deployment of clergy, the provision of resources for worship and mis­sion, the maintenance of church buildings, the Church’s response to issues of the day, and many other things, you are dependent on the Synod’s work

And when people ask me, “What will General Synod decide about women bishops?”, my answer is: “It depends on the people who are elec­ted this time.” It is by no means cer­tain that the new Synod will vote in the same way as the one that has just been dissolved.

My own experience of the General Synod is that it does not adequately reflect the diversity and breadth of the Church of England. The mem­bers are predominantly un-young, un-black, and un-poor; few, especially of the laity, seem to have experience of congregations that are small and struggling, and many have fought their way there because they have bees in their bonnets — or, if I hap­pen to agree with them, have ad­mirably strong views about im­portant issues.

If you have a vote, I beg you to take advantage of your opportunity to choose members who will help to carry the Church forward in the way you believe it should go. It is pro­b-ably wise to choose people who like “that sort of thing”, or it might drive them mad, but at least they can be people who truly represent you. If you have not used your vote carefully and wisely, you cannot afterwards complain about what Synod has decided. Well, you can, and you will, but at least you have been warned.

‘Dear Bishop . . .’
IN A recent radio programme, the former Bishop of Richborough, the Rt Revd Edwin Barnes, expressed concern about the effect on the Church’s decision-making processes of the growing number of non-stipendiary women clergy — or, as he describes them, “ladies with time on their hands”.

Since the Bishop rarely encounters these ladies in the course of his par­ticular duties, it would be kind if readers who have experience of their ministry would write to him, ex­plain­ing what they do and whether you consider they are of value to the Church.

I feel sure that the Bishop would be grateful for this information — and as much of it as possible.

The Bard in the open
ON A recent visit to London, I was invited to take my pick of the plays on offer in the capital. Being a Shakespeare enthusiast, I chose one of his plays that I had never seen, or even read, The Comedy of Errors. The fact that it was being staged in the open-air theatre in Regent’s Park only added to the excitement; for I had never been to the park or the theatre.

At nine o’clock on a sunny morn­ing, tickets were booked for that afternoon. Soon after 11 a.m., it was raining in torrents. Suddenly, it seemed that Terence Rattigan under cover would have been a wiser choice. But the rain stopped, and we made our way to the park, and so did crowds of others. There was a capa­city audience.

The weather continued to be inter­esting: first, sun-screen was required; then welcome — if threatening — clouds gave us shade. I gradually be­came aware that I was sitting on a padded cloth seat that had been soaked by the downpour, and had dried only on the surface.

Finally, the rain began again, and from my all-weather kit I produced a voluminous mackintosh cape that sheltered two of us. Like second mar­riages, open-air theatre in England seems to represent the triumph of hope over experience.

Was the play worth it? Emphatic­ally, yes. Shakespearean humour often seems laboured to modern taste, but this was pure, riotous farce, taken at a cracking pace by a young, energetic cast with tremendous verve, but with moments of poignant feeling.

Shakespeare adapted a Roman play set in ancient Greece to Elizabethan England; so it did not seem out­rageous that we were seeing it trans­posed to 1940s Casablanca, complete with interpolated songs in the style of that period. Shakespeare em­bellished his plays with songs of his time; so I cannot think he would have complained.

The scenes flew by, and, despite assorted weather and residual damp­ness, the whole performance seemed much shorter than it actually was. Would I brave the open air again? Definitely, if I happen to be in Lon­don and have the opportunity.

The Revd Sr Rosemary CHN is a nun at the Convent of the Holy Name in Derby.