Moravian Messenger June 2021
P. 1

moravian
JUNE 2021
messenger
Looking Ahead to Synod
Having been privileged to serve as the Chair of Sessions at the last two British Provincial Synods, it is interesting to find myself looking ahead towards our next Synod as a member of the PEC. And this Synod will be intriguing for all of us, for this will be the first ever Synod to be held online and not in person, face to face. Our usual Synod can be demanding enough, with all the logistics and practicalities to be organised, but at least the delegates are all together in one venue, with important discussions taking place on the floor of Synod, as well as over dining tables or in the bar between official sessions. Sadly, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, it will not be possible for us to be together in this way at this upcoming Synod. Instead, all the sessions, debates and votes will have to be conducted over the internet and this
is certainly a challenge for those of us who are preparing for this momentous event and even more so for those who will be responsible for actually making this happen for us.
The decision to hold our Synod online was one that was not taken easily by the PEC, and in fact it was only reached after a long period of careful and prayerful consideration. We realised this could be very difficult goal to achieve and that some people could possibly be excluded from an online Synod because of technical issues. However, given the uncertainties arising from the ongoing effects of COVID-19 and the fact that it is soon going to be three years since our last Provincial Synod, the PEC decided to go ahead and start planning an online Synod. Now, it has to be said that this was a leap of faith, so to speak, but,
having made the decision, the PEC put together a team of people. This group is made up of Br Michael Newman and Br Philip Cooper, the Chair and Vice Chair of Synod Sessions, who were elected in 2018. Others in this group included Sr Naomi Hancock, Sr Sally Ann Johnston, the Clerk, Br Joachim Kreusel, Sr Lorraine Shorten and the four PEC members. Over the last few months this group has met on Zoom many times, initially to ascertain whether the idea was feasible in the first place and then, when this course of action was agreed upon, the best way to proceed.
Follow up meetings gave us opportunities to share ideas, explore possibilities and to work on the practicalities of putting together an online Synod. This process involved investigating how other denominations, principally the Anglicans,
continued overleaf on page 62
Moravian Women's Association (MWA)
Away Day
(page 63)
Report of the natural disaster of Uvira
(page 65)
Great news for a Historic Building
(page 66)
Provincial Synod 2018 at Swanwick, Derbyshire
Rebuilding Back Better: News from Holy Family Church
(page 69)
© Br Kenneth Evans


































































































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