Archive

Diocesan Synod 2025: list of papers

Diocesan Synod 2024: list of papers

Diocesan Synod 2023: list of papers

Diocesan Synod 2022: list of papers

Diocesan Synod 2021: list of papers

Diocesan Synod 2020: list of papers

Diocesan Synod 2019: list of papers

Diocesan Synod 2018: list of papers

Diocesan Synod held on 24th July 2017

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod took place on 24th July 2017 at St John's Church, Percy Main.

Diocesan Synod held on 27th May 2017

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod took place at the Josephine Butler Campus, Northumberland Church of England Academy, Ashington.

Diocesan Synod held on 11th March 2017

An Open Synod Forum took place at the Dr Thomlinson Church of England Middle School, Rothbury.

The theme for the meeting was the launch of a new strategic vision growing church bringing hope. A short formal meeting of the Diocesan Synod took place at the interval. Documents supporting the Synod can be downloaded from the links below, including sound recordings and a link to photographs.

Diocesan Synod held on 26 November 2016

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod took place at the Josephine Butler Campus, Northumberland Church of England Academy, Ashington.

The Agenda and Papers used at this meeting are set out below.

Listen to the sound recordings from the Synod (via Soundcloud)

Diocesan Synod held on 11th October 2016

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod took place at St John's Church, Percy Main, North Shields.

The meeting had a single item agenda with the budget document forming the basis for discussion.

The budget document can be downloaded using this link DS16 07

Listen to the sound recordings from the Synod(via Soundcloud)

Diocesan Synod held on 24th September 2016

An Open Synod Forum took place at the Josephine Butler Campus, Northumberland Church of England Academy, Ashington.

The Synod met for an Open Synod Forum at the Josephine Butler Campus, Northumberland Church of England Academy, Ashington on Saturday 24th September.

The theme for the Forum was Walking with Aidan, the next part of our journey with the Companions of St Aidan. Documents supporting the Synod can be downloaded from the links below, including sound recordings and a link to photographs.

• Companions Leaflet
• Participation
• Photographs from the Synod
• Listen to the sound recordings from the Synod (via Soundcloud)

Diocesan Synod held on 14th May 2016

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod took place at the Dr Thomlinson Church of England Middle School, Rothbury.

Recordings from the Synod are available at https://soundcloud.com/diocese-of-newcastle

The Agenda and papers were as follows:

Diocesan Synod held on 12th March 2016

An Open Synod Forum took place at the Josephine Butler Campus, Northumberland Church of England Academy, Ashington.

Recordings from the Synod are available at https://soundcloud.com/diocese-of-newcastle

Diocesan Synod met on Saturday 12th March 2016 at the Northumberland Church of England Academy, Josephine Butler Campus, Ashington NE63 9RX.

This was an Open Meeting and ovr 130 people attended. The Synod began with a Presidential Address from the Bishop of Newcastle followed by a conversation with the Bishop. After a short break the Disability Task Group led a series of workshops which allowed people to share some of the joys, challenges, opportunities and frustrations of living with disabilities as part of God's church and the world.

The seven main workshops were:

• Hearing Loss: Hearing loss affects nearly all of us - either personally, or in someone we know well. How can the church community do more to include those who have limited hearing, and make their experience of worship and activities joyful instead of frustrating?
• Unseen Disabilities: This will be an interactive group exploring a wide range of conditions and impairments with one thing in common - their invisibility to others. The attitudes of others, whether family, friend or stranger (e.g. in church) can determine crucially how far they feel welcome and included in worship and fellowship.
• Mobility Impairments: Not just a ramp... A workshop about all sorts of barriers that limit access to worship and fellowship and the attitudes that can disable us all.
• Sight Loss: Why might visually impaired people not want to come to your church? The worshop will examine a range of reasons and look at how, with greater awareness, the church community can positively address them.
• Learning Difficulties: People with Learning Disabilities have much to offer the church. We will consider how to maximise individual characteristics, minimize barriers and offer appropriate assistance. Greater awareness is needed by us all.
• Mental Health Issues: How can churches truly include those suffering from mental illness? What support can we give? And what support is available for us as we support others?
• Dementia: Nothing to be afraid of! I have simply forgotten your name. Ways in which we can learn to sare the joys of worship, activities and everyday life with those whom we love.

An eighth workshop was a tour of The Centre (use this link to find out further information) located within the Josephine Butler Campus. It shares the building with the Josephine Butler Primary and Secondary campuses. The Centre caters for the needs of children and young people aged 4-19 years who have severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties and we also have facilities, based on a TEACCH approach, for children with autism.

Diocesan Synod held on 28th November 2015

A meeting of the Diocesan took place at the Josephine Butler Campus, Northumberland Church of England Academy, Ashington.

The Agenda and papers used at the meeting are set out below.

Diocesan Synod held on th October 2015

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod took place at St John's Church, Percy Main, North Shields.
Agenda and papers used at the meeting held on 6th October
A sound recording of the meeting is available at SoundCloud using this link https://soundcloud.com/diocese-of-newcastle/sets/diocesan-synod-finance-meeting-held-on-6th-october

Diocesan Synod held on 19th September 2015

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod took place at the Cathedral Church of St Nicholas, Newcastle.
The Diocesan Synod held its first meeting of the new triennium on Saturday 19 September when more than 90 people gathered for a Eucharist at the Cathedral which was followed by a short formal meeting of the Synod. Business carried out included:
Election of the Vice-Presidents: The Revd Canon John Sinclair was elected to serve as Chair of the House of Clergy and Canon Carol Wolstenholme was elected to serve as Chair of the House of Laity;
Overview of the business carried out at the last session of the General Synod held in York in July: A presentation was given by the Revd Canon Dr Dagmar Winter supplemented by the Revd Janet Appleby, Professor John Bull and Canon Carol Wolstenholme.
Overview of the Election Process: Members of the Diocesan Synod need to elect people to serve on the following Boards and Committees:
i) Bishops Council & Standing Committee; ii) Diocesan Education Board; iii) Houses and Glebe Committee; iv) Diocesan Mission & Pastoral Committee; and v) Vacancy in See Committee
The nomination period is now open and runs to noon on Monday 5 October. Nomination forms are available here.

Agenda and papers used at the meeting on 19 September

Diocesan Synod held on 16th May 2015

A meeting of the Diocesan Synod took place at the Dr Thomlinson Church of England Middle School, Rothbury.

• Sound extracts are available from https://soundcloud.com/diocese-of-newcastle
• This meeting was open to members and non-members.
• This was a special meeting of the Synod and we welcomed two representatives from the Archbishops' Council, Canon John Spence and the Revd Dr Malcolm Brown.
• The meeting began with worship followed by a presentation about the Reform and Renewal proposals. The presentation was followed by group work and a plenary session. This was a valuable opportunity to engage with the Reform & Renewal consultation.
• The Synod broke for refreshments and reconvened for a formal meeting.
• Agenda and Papers

• More information about the programme of Reform and Renewal is available using this link

Diocesan Synod held on 14th March 2015

This was a morning of Learning and Reflection for Lent to be led by the Revd Dr Calvin Samuel, Academic Dean and Director of Wesley Study Centre, St Johns College, Durham.

Diocesan Synod held on 29th November 2014

A meeting of the Diocesan took place at the Josephine Butler Campus, Northumberland Church of England Academy, Ashington.
Papers:

DS14 06 Agenda

DS14 09 Minute of Synod held on 24 May 2014

DS14 10 Note of a meeting held on 6 October 2014

DS14 07 Dignity at Work: Policy & Procedures

DS14 08 Budget 2015

DS14 11 Poverty Task Group Report to Synod

DS14 12 Elections to Diocesan Synod 2015

Introduction to the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser

Lay Voices Conference, held on 25th October 2014

A Lay Conference was held at the Centre for Life, Newcastle to affirm lay voices and help make them heard across our diocese.

A conference to celebrate, inspire and enthuse lay people was held on Saturday 25th October at the Centre for Life, Newcastle.

FOLLOW UP NOTE FROM THE CONFERENCE (DEC 2014)

PROGRAMME (download in PDF format)

POWERPOINT SLIDES (download in PDF format)

VIDEO 

Lay Voices 2014

Seven church members from across the diocese attended the General Synod at York from 11th to 13th July. Look out for news and articles following this visit, particularly about what they enjoyed, what they discovered and the amount of networking they achieved over a busy three days.