archbishop,church commissioners,dioceses,finance,finances,living in love and faith,mission,safeguarding,save the parish

John Brydon
Norwich East Deanery

PARISH PRIEST PEOPLE
It’s hard to imagine that 5 years have passed since I wrote to many of you asking for
your vote as I stood for General Synod under the then new Save the Parish (STP)
manifesto and in support, particularly but not exclusively of the rural parishes,
priests and people. Much has happened in this time but firstly and especially for
new voters a little about me.

Since leaving school I have been and remain committed to working in the voluntary
sector. As a lifelong Christian I continue to serve on various church committees,
and am currently again a churchwarden and a member of both deanery and
diocesan synod. I stood for General Synod following a period of criticism of the
Church as I felt change was needed and that the rural church in particular was
being sidelined. The newly formed STP provided a platform for like minded people
to come together.

During the 5 years some things have changed. STP has grown as an organisation
and last year we launched a Norfolk branch. We have a new Archbishop, a new
and more sympathetic Chairman of the Archbishop’s Finance Committee and most
importantly, we are now beginning to see positive change. Many of us were new to
synod and it has taken time for us to familiarise ourselves with what is a complex
and bureaucratic organisation governed by 141 pages of Standing Orders and to
begin to change entrenched views. STP is there to work with the church whilst at
the same time challenging measures and being a catalyst for change. Slowly but
surely we have changed the narrative and are now winning battles. For example,
the Triennium Funding Group now has to consult with synod when it is looking at a
new spending period and in the then proposed new Governance Measure (see
below), we were able to insert words that made it obligatory for the Central Church
to consider how money would be used for the ‘Cure if Souls’ when it was distributed.
Change is going to take time but STP is in a good position to move it forward.

Since joining STP I have worked on financial matters including consolidating the
finances of the 42 dioceses which the central church had not done. You can see our
work and the individual diocesan accounts in a tabulated form on the STP website.
This has enabled us to discern financial trends and has formed the basis of
discussions with central church officers, debates at synod, as well as external
presentations and discussions. I have raised various questions concerning the

church’s finances and been called on a number of occasions to speak on admin,
governance and financial matters. Along with others we worked on a plan to direct
money to the parishes. Unfortunately, a delaying motion amendment was passed so
the matter is now carried over to July 2027. A good reason for me wanting to stand
again so I can hopefully speak as well as vote. I have formed a Norfolk STP branch,
held an inaugural meeting last year and a conference this year on the 5 September
entitled ‘The Future of the Rural Parish.’

One thing I have not been able to do, is write at least annually to every voter. I have
given reports to Norfolk STP members and at Diocesan Synod but Data Protection
would not allow the diocese to give me individual contact details once the original
election process had closed.

So, what of the future. I am standing again because, whilst all synods are important
the next one will be even more so for the following reasons:-
• Financial Review – 35 dioceses have forecast deficit budgets for this year and
it will only get worse. I and others are committed to trying to free up money so
it can be directed where it is needed i.e. the dioceses and particularly the
parishes. The Church Commissioners sit on £11.6bn of your money given
originally to help poorer clergy and parishes. Unless we are successful we will
continue to see cutbacks in clergy and ever larger benefices as well as
minster groups.
• Mission and Pastoral Measure – the original proposed measure provoked an
enormous and negative response given it sought to remove many of the
safeguards a parish has. The new measure is line by line making its way back
for debate and it remains to be seen what the proposed changes are.
• Safeguarding – My personal view is that the whole of Safeguarding should
have been placed outside the church. However, synod agreed that we should
initially move to independent oversight, which is in progress, whilst retaining
control of the day-to-day operations.
• Living in Love and Faith – This item took up an enormous amount of synod
time. In the end it was clear that synod was almost split down the middle and
it was agreed this item should be closed at the July 26 synod meeting. In turn
two groups chaired by a bishop will be formed to take the work forward and
report back
• National Church Governance Measure – following queries by the
Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament this measure has currently been
withdrawn. STP were able to have inserted consideration of the impact on ‘the
Cure of Souls’ as a standing item whenever monies were to be distributed. It
is important that we ensure these words are back in any revised document.

Space does not allow for more but I should be pleased to deal with any
questions or give more information via [email protected] , telephone
01603 452701. In asking for your vote you are supporting both me and the
work of STP. I shall continue to work to support the parish system, our priests
and you the people, with a particular emphasis on the rural church.

Thank you, John Brydon