Sherborne Deanery Synod met recently to discuss matters such as giving, discipleship, and the needs of the local community. Yvonne Libbey, Deanery Synod member, has shared about the evening.
Sherborne Deanery Synod met on a delightful summer’s evening at St Mary Magdalene Church, Batcombe, which demonstrated one of the principles of our Deanery Plan by offering a very hospitable welcome. There was music on the bagpipes by Andrew Graham, our Lay Chair, to summon us to the meeting.
The 12th Century Church proved a fitting backdrop to modern technology used by Anna Hardy, Diocesan Giving Advisor, for her enthusiastic, lively, fast-moving presentation as she explained different ways of giving for buildings and people: MINT - Mechanism, Impact, Need, Trust.
Anna emphasised that if we don’t pay our Share, we are denying ourselves benefits, and that Giving is part of our discipleship. Small changes can make a real difference; have community events, share food, ask people to “come in” as Jesus did. Anna emphasised that she is there to help.
I felt that this was a really good meeting, which included education and information; a report back from our Lay Chair’s meeting with our new Bishop Stephen, finance (which is important!), our concern for the growing need of the Food Bank, what we could do as individuals, church or Deanery, and a report from the Diocesan Synod.
Pastoral matters included news of the appointment of Jim Edie as Team Vicar to St Paul’s, Sherborne and the Gryphon School, two priestings and some retirements, then looking outward to the world and our link Diocese of Ezo in South Sudan.
I’m much looking forward to learning more about Ezo when their Bishop Isaac and his wife, Nora, visit the Deanery in August following the General Synod. They have never seen the sea, so Andrew Tomkins, who speaks to them almost daily by WhatsApp, will take them to the Jurassic Coast, and clothes shopping, as their funds are very limited. Information about donations for these expenses can be obtained from atomkins1@gmail.com