Swiss Archdeaconry

Present:
The Venerable John Williams, Archdeacon
The Rt. Revd. Fritz-René Müller, Old Catholic Bishop of Switzerland

House of Clergy

Revd. Geoff Read, Basel	Revd. Paul Holley, La Cote
Revd. Adèle Kelham, Lausanne	Revd. Leighton Thomas, Lugano
Revd. Peter Parry, Montreux	Revd, Clive Atkinson, Vevey
Revd. Canon John Newsome, Zurich	Revd. Gabriel Amat, Zurich
Revd. Dr. Russell Milliard, Zurich

House of Laity
St Nicholas, Basel: David Frost, Robert Keene, M'anny Harrison
St Ursula's, Berne: Brian Morgan, Hector Davie, Barbara Winfield
Holy Trinity, Geneva: Peta Tracey, James Hill (visitor, Pastoral Assistant)
La Côte: Valerie Geschonke, Jennifer West
Emmanuel Church, Geneva: Helena Mbele-Mbong
Christ Church, Lausanne: Erik Mezger, Charles-Henry Müller
St Edwards, Lugano: Robert Gebhardt, Mary Palmesino
St John's, Montreux: Helen Parry
All Saints, Vevey: Dorothy Cundy-Wilson, Les Cutter
St Andrew's, Zurich: Robert Amstutz, Sarah Emch-Jones, Miriam Keller

Archdeaconry Dio. Rep. Carolyn Favre-Bulle

Apologies for Absence

Clergy: Revd. Robin Stockitt, Freiburg i.B.; Revd. Canon Dr. Richard Pamplin, Berne; Revd. Sam van Leer & Revd. Linda Bisig, Berne; Revd. Michael French, Geneva
P.T.Os: Revd. Canon Peter Hawker, Revd. Jonathan Long, Revd. David Miller, Revd. Andrew Ling, Revd. Hugh Pettingell, Revd. John Riegel
Old Catholics: Revd. Dr. Harald Rein, Revd. Christoph Schuler, Revd. Klaus-Heinrich Neuhoff
Laity: Karen Bell, Berne; Gillian Howie, Nick Meyer, Irene Kalibala, Geneva; Dulcie Mapondera, Emmanuel Geneva; Geoffrey Fookes, Montreux; Marilyn Buchmann, Nadine Christen, Zurich

1. WELCOME
   The Archdeacon welcomed all the members of Synod, and especially The Revd. Adèle Kelham, who had just taken up her duties as Priest-in-Charge at Lausanne.

2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
   see above

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES SYNOD 26 JUNE 2004
   It was pointed out that under 6. REPORTS Choir Festival, the month should be May, not April. The minutes were approved and signed.

4. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES
   - 6. REPORTS Archdeaconry Retreat This will take place 27/29 May at Montbarry and it will be led by Revd. Brian Pickett, a renowned retreat leader.

5. FINANCE
   a. Presentation of audited accounts
   b. Auditor's report and approval of accounts
   c. Presentation of budget 2005
   d. Appointment of Hon. Auditor 2005

   Presentation of audited accounts and Auditor's report
   Archdeaconry Treasurer, Brian Morgan, presented the 2004 audited accounts.
   Income All chaplaincy quotas were paid promptly and we received Sfr. 6,798 from the Diocese as Archdeacon's Grant. Total income amounted to Sfr. 26,982, which was over budget.
   Expenditure Some items were under budget, some over, but total expenditure was less than forecast, i.e. Sfr. 22,477 which gave a surplus of Sfr. 4,505 for the year. Our assets now stand at Sfr. 8,291 It was agreed to leave this as a reserve.
   SAMTS (Swiss Archd. Ministry Training Support Fund) There is now a balance of Sfr. 13,131.45 in this account. The second payment to the Diocesan Pastoral Conference in September 2005 will be paid during the year. A first payment of Sfr. 3,553 was made in 2004.
   Hon. Auditor Hector Davie read his report. The approval of the accounts was proposed and seconded and voted in favour by the meeting.

   Presentation of budget 2005
   The budget for 2005 remains much as that of 2004. A further Sfr. 6,500 can be expected from the Diocese for Archdeacon's expenses. Archdeaconry Secretarial and Travel are budgeted lower. Included also is the sum of Sfr. 4,500, being our commitment to the Old Catholics Aid Fund "Partner Sein" and which is financed by a contribution of Sfr. 500 from each chaplaincy. Income and Expenditure are budgeted at Sfr. 21,300.
   The budget was approved.

   Appointment of Hon. Auditor 2005 Hector Davie, Berne was appointed for a further year as Hon. Auditor.

   Many thanks to Brian Morgan for looking after the archdeaconry money so efficiently and to Hector Davie for auditing the accounts.

6. MINISTERIAL REVIEW
   All the clergy in Switzerland took part in this pilot project drawn up by Geoff Read, Basel. Discussions with clergy and lay partners indicate general approval of the way the review was done. The approved and signed copy will be sent to the Diocesan Office by end of March, for presentation at the Diocesan Synod in June as a model for the whole diocese. Any further suggestions should be submitted immediately to the Archdeacon, John Williams or Hector Davie, Berne. The Synod expressed its thanks to Geoff Read as instigator, the lay partners and the committee which worked on the programme.

7. UPDATE ON COPYRIGHT LAWS
   Hector Davie had nothing new to report. He had been in touch with CCLI (Christian Copyright Licensing International www.ccli.com) who were not enthusiastic about offering advice on Switzerland. The only solution is for chaplaincies to contact the copyrighters and make their own decisions.
   The Archdeaconry will not pursue this matter further.

8. ANGLICAN-OLD CATHOLIC RELATIONS
   Bishop Fritz-Rene Müller of the Old Catholic Church, who is also an Hon.Assistant Bishop in the Anglican Church, expressed his thanks for the invitation to speak to Synod members. He referred to the recent meeting between Anglican and Old Catholic bishops to discuss mutual problems and ways in which our two faiths could grow closer. His feeling is that generally, although not in Switzerland, the Old Catholics are more interested in the Anglicans than vice versa. This may be because of size - the Anglicans are part of a large body compared with the OCs, or perhaps it is language: Anglican = English, Old Catholic = local language of the country. It is important to emphasise, especially to outsiders, the catholicity (but not 'Roman') of our churches and that we are in full communion with each other. There are many levels on which we could intensify this relationship. He, Bishop Fritz-René, would willingly come and explain to chaplaincies what this is all about.

   St. Willibrord Society John Newsome, Zurich, Anglican Clergy Representative on St. Willibrord Council, told Synod that 2006 will be 75th anniversary of the signing of the Bonn Agreement, which established full communion between the Anglicans and Old Catholics. This is therefore a good moment to think of some practical ways in which we could work more closely together e.g. holding Synods at the same time and same place, licensing priests who are entitled to work in both churches, giving more publicity in our own churches to what the other church is doing. At the Willibrord Day in Alschwil last November representatives of many churches received communion together.

   Charta Oecumenica This is a document drawn up by the Conference of European Churches, representing protestant and orthodox churches, and the Council of European Bishops Conference for the Roman Catholic churches, to promote co-operation between the churches. Brian Morgan, Berne, attended the recent inauguration ceremony and signed the document on behalf of the Anglican Church in Switzerland

9. SACEP
   John Newsome has resigned from the programme committee , so another member of the clergy is needed to help Richard Pamplin. Brian Morgan queried whether SACEP had actually run out of steam and whether it was worth continuing. In any case, there will be no SACEP seminars this year in view of the numerous chaplaincy pilgrimages. The Archdeacon reported that Carsten Thiede, who led one of our seminars last year, recently died very suddenly.

10. DISTRIBUTION OF REPORTS
    Future policy on how much of the Synod documentation could, or should be sent by e-mail was deferred until the summer. There will be new Synod representatives this year and the Standing Committee recommended that no action be taken for the moment.

11. ARCHDEACONRY RETREAT
    This will take place at Montbarry on 27/29 May 2005. Theme "Psalms" Leader will be Revd. Brian Pickett, Wendy Astor, Berne has all information.

12. ARCHDEACONRY PILGRIMAGES
    Sam van Leer, Berne, who is co-ordinating the pilgrimage programmes of the Archdeaconry in this year of 25th Anniversary of the Diocese in Europe, was only able to arrive at the end of the meeting and distributed leaflets to those members who were still present. Lugano would like to combine their pilgrimage with the Synod meeting on 24/25 June. This will be discussed by Standing Committee.

13. DIOCESAN PASTORAL CONFERENCE
    12/16 September 2005 Cologne, Germany Theme: "Blessed to be a Blessing". This diocesan conference will give clergy from all over the opportunity to meet and discuss their problems.

14. FUTURE DATES
    See list following minutes next page

15. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
    • Synod elections 2005 Chaplaincies should remember that new Synod representatives must be elected at their AGMs this year.
    • Paul Holley, La Côte, introduced the two new lay representatives from La Cote and expressed his thanks to Peta Tracey for all the work which she had done in getting La Côte on its feet. La Côte is in good heart and looking forward to the future.
    • Emmanuel Church Geneva Helena Mbele-Mbong reported that Canon Nicholas Porter has left Geneva after doing a magnificent job there building up the church. The Rt, Revd. Bob Jones, a retired bishop, is replacing him on an interim basis.
    • Revd. Dr. Richard Pamplin, chaplain in Berne, has been appointed a Canon of the Pro-Cathedral in Brussels.

FUTURE DATES

Saturday	12 February	Institution of The Revd. Adèle Kelham as Priest-in-Charge of Christ Church, Lausanne
Fri/Sat.	6/7 May	Choir Festival in Basel
Fri/Sun.	27/29 May	Archdeaconry Retreat at Foyer Montbanry 1661 Le Pâquier-Montbarry
Fri/Sat.	24/25 June	Archdeaconry Synod with Bishop David and Adrian Mumford, Diocesan Secretary, Lugano
Sat./Sun.	5/6 November	Anniversary Service Basel

Please also remember all the pilgrimages being organised by individual chaplaincies

23.02.2005/MK