Present:

The Right Reverend Dr. Geoffrey Rowell, Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe

House of Clergy

Present: House of Laity
St. Nicholas, Basle: M'anney Harrison, Robert Keene, Anne Lowen (visitor)
St. Ursula's, Berne: Hector Davie, Brian Morgan, Karen Bell (Neuchâtel) Sarah Aebersold (visitor)
Holy Trinity, Geneva: Peta Tracey (La Côte), Nick Meyer
Christ Church, Lausanne: Charles-Henry M¨ller, Erik Mezger
St. Edward's, Lugano: Mary Palmesino, Vivienne Thomas (visitor)
St. John's, Montreux: Geoffrey Fookes, Helen Parry
All Saints, Vevey: Les Cutter, Dorothy Cundy-Wilson
St. Andrew's, Zurich: Robert Amstutz, Nadine Christen, Marilyn Buchmann, Miriam Keller, John Waygood

Apologies for Absence
Carolyn Favre-Bulle, Archdeaconry Diocesan Representative

Clergy: Revd. Geoff Read, Basle; Revd. Robin Stockitt (Freiburg i.B.); Revd. Linda Bisig, Berne; Revd. Paul Holley, La C6te; Revd. Nicholas Porter, Emmanuel Church Geneva;
P.T.O.s Revd. Jonathan Long; Revd. David Miller; Revd. Andrew Ling; Revd. Hugh Pettingell; Revd. John Riegel
Old Catholics Revd. Dr. Harald Rein; Revd. Klaus-Heinrich Neuhoff

Laity: David Frost, Basle; Barbara Winfield, Berne; Gillian Howie, Irene Kalibala, Geneva; Dulcie Mapondera, Helena Mbele-Mbong, Emmanuel Church; Robert Gebhardt, Lugano; Sarah Emch-Jones, Zurich

1. WELCOME
   The Venerable John Williams welcomed the Diocesan Bishop, The Right Reverend Dr. Geoffrey Rowell, to the Synod and then introduced himself in his capacity as the new Archdeacon.

2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
   See above

3. ADDRESS BY BISHOP GEOFFREY
   Bishop Geoffrey can now look back on his first three years in office in the Diocese in Europe and he shared some of his thoughts with us. Firstly the problem of how to exercise leadership over such a wide area and how to manage the growth. While the UK is cutting back on expenses, the Diocese in Europe is expanding - in the east, in the business centres, holiday resorts, where international organisations are. Some chaplaincies are very isolated and organising training for ordinands and lay readers is difficult. As yet there are no C of E representatives on the European institutions, but a pastoral ministry is being developed in Brussels. As always, the Bishop sees himself as a Bishop in Mission. The Anglican church on the continent is and will always be a minority, but we can be bridge builders, as seen in our relations with, for example, the Old Catholics, the PORVOO churches, ECUSA, Partners in Mission, the Roman Catholics and Orthodox churches. The Bishop himself is also on various ecumenical bodies and Church of England commissions.
   Next year 2005 will be the 25th anniversary of the diocese in its present form. Thanks to a generous donation, all clergy can be invited to a Pastoral Conference to be held in Cologne in 2005. Suggestions for pilgrimages to mark this anniversary are also encouraged.

   The Archdeacon thanked the Bishop for his address.

4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF SYNOD 24 JANUARY 2004
   The minutes were approved and signed.

5. MATTERS ARISING
   • "Partners" The Treasurer reported that Sfr. 4500.- (i.e. Sfr. 500.- from each chaplaincy) had been sent to "Partners", as agreed at the last Synod. The Trinity Sunday collections were handled individually by the chaplaincies.
   • Ministerial Review Peter Hawker has organised the introduction and John Williams will now be supervising the scheme. He thanked Geoff Read from Basle (in his absence) for the enormous amount of work he has put into the preparation of this scheme.
   • Copyright Laws Nothing new to report.
   • Banking Arrangements We are now with the Post Office and will hopefully pay less in charges.

6. REPORTS
   • Diocesan Synod 24-28 May 2004 Our representatives, Brian Morgan and Carolyn Favre-Bulle, attended and have compiled a report - see below.
   • SACEP John Newsome reported on the inspiring February seminar led by Revd. Mark Earey on "Liturgy and Imagination". Richard Pamplin gave notice of the seminar to be held on 17-18 September at Crêt Bérard led by Carsten Thiede on "Recent Archaeology and the Reliability of the New Testament: Old Questions and New Perspectives"
   • Choir Festival Geoff Fookes reported on the Choir Festival at Zurich in May 2004, which was directed by David Ogden. This was a demanding but highly successful and inspiring experience. Next Choir Festival 6-7 April 2005 in Basle.
   • Archdeaconry Retreat Barbara Winfield had sent in a report on the Retreat at Montbarry. The theme was "Being in God's Hands" led by Revd. Alison White. 33 people took part. As usual the peaceful surroundings encouraged meditation and prayer.
   • Anglican-Old Catholic Relations The Archdeacon welcomed The Right Reverend Fritz-René M¨ller, Bishop in the Old Catholic Church of Switzerland, and the Revd. Christoph Schuler. Christoph Schuler spoke on the "Partners Sein" agency, which seems to be moving in the right direction. They are inviting us to send a delegate to sit on the committee of "Partners". The St. Willibrord Society Day on 20 November to be held in Allschwil (BL) will examine ways of raising the profile of our churches and anyone involved in church publicity is invited to attend. Chaplaincies have information on this. 2006 marks the 75th anniversary of the St. Willibrord Society.
   • Future Policy on Despatch of Documents Do we want e-mail for everything? Standing Committee will study and report back at January Synod.

7. FUTURE PROGRAMME
   See dates at the end of the minutes.

8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
   Bishop Fritz-René M¨ller expressed his pleasure at being at our Synod. He always welcomes contact with our church and sees that it is important that we work together e.g. with mutual representation on pastoral conferences. We both belong to the Catholic (not Roman Catholic) community, a situation that many outsiders find hard to understand.

   Bishop Geoffrey announced that at the ordination service that afternoon he would be commissioning The Right Reverend Fritz-René M¨ller as Hon. Assistant Bishop in the Diocese in Europe.

   Lausanne The Council of Churches in Canton of Vaud has invited us to use the cathedral in Lausanne. Every first Sunday of the month at 18-19h there will be an ecumenical meeting of Christian denominations. We may also use the cathedral privately.

The meeting closed at 12 noon, followed by lunch., at which Peter Hawker was thanked for his years as Archdeacon and presented with a symbolic Swiss Cowbell as a token of the Archdeaconry's appreciation. Vreni Hawker received a bunch of flowers for her loving support of all that Peter does. A card signed by all Synod members present was also given to Peter and enclosed were CHF 3000.-given by members of all the chaplaincies as a sign of their gratitude.

ORDINATION AND EUCHARIST
The Ordination to the Priesthood of The Reverend Dr. Russell Hilliard took place in St. Andrew's Church in the afternoon, followed by a celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

FUTURE PROGRAMME

05.07.2004/MK