REPORT ON THE ARCHDEACONRY SYNOD HELD AT ARRAS 27 – 29 January 2005

Once a year, clergy and elected lay representatives from all the Anglican churches in France (& Monaco) meet together to ministering to English-speaking people in France. There are 28 Anglican chaplaincies [of which ours is one] and more than 50 congregations in all [thus the Aquitaine chaplaincy consists of 5 separate worship centres, spread over a large area]. All shades of Anglicans are represented, from "high church" to evangelicals like ourselves, and everything between the two. Of these 28 chaplaincies, 14 have direct links with the Intercontinental Church Society [ICS], our sponsoring & supporting Mission Society.

This year, as last year, the Synod was residential and took place over 2 days and nights. This enabled a much freer exchange of ideas and time for fellowship outside the main sessions, than a shorter time [as on past occasions] would have allowed. Travel expenses are reimbursed from Archdeaconry funds, but otherwise representatives pay for their own board and lodging.

Apart from the usual sessions involving addresses from the [Assistant] Bishop [David Hamid]; Charlotte Methuen, the Diocesan Training Advisor; the Treasurer, etc – the most interesting sessions, from the lay viewpoint was the House of Laity meeting, and an address given by George Lings. The House of Laity met while the clergy gathered in Chapter.

While they were there the Revd Michael Selman [of the Aquitaine chaplaincy] raised an issue referred to in my last year's report. [...for the Archdeacon (currently Anthony Wells, chaplain of the ICS church, St Michael's , in Paris) it was an impossible task to keep au courant of all that went on in the 50 often very diverse congregations scattered across France, and to pastor all the 33 clergy who serve them. As a result, the chaplaincies often feel there is a vacuum and lack of purpose at the centre.] After discussion by the clergy, it was agreed that Michael bring the matter to a full session. The question was how to meet the challenge of growth, without putting undue strain on the office of Archdeacon. He proposed 'This Synod, recognising the growth of the Church in France, and the need for strategic, administrative and pastoral oversight, recommends that this Archdeaconry should move towards the provision of a full-time Archdeacon (acknowledging our mutual financial responsibility for that).' This motion was carried in the full session of both Houses.

The House of Laity meeting was split into small groups, in which we shared what had been really positive and encouraging in our own chaplaincies during the past year, together with any comments or pointers which another chaplaincy might learn from or find helpful. I spoke about our Youth work – its growth in numbers and depth – and the blessings and challenges provided by their Youth Weekends, particularly perhaps the 'Bring a Friend' ones – and the need to have this all preceded and underpinned by prayer.

The Revd George Lings – one-time rector of a thriving evangelical Anglican church in Kent – is now part of an important think-tank that has produced a challenging report on "Being a Mission Church". Although this was produced with the set-up in the UK in mind, its ideas were nevertheless relevant to ourselves. In the UK the Church of England is the Established [State] Church, and operates largely within a parochial system [i.e. one defined by historic geographical boundaries]. Since the challenge is to reach the majority of the population who are now completely or partially unchurched, the report gives much food for thought. It underlined the fact that an individual's networks are now more likely to be interest- or work-orientated, and to cross many of these parochial boundaries. So we can no longer expect people to "come to us", but we must find ways of reaching out to them, where they are in their networks, whether this involves their intellectual or social activities, and wherever these happen geographically to be. In addition, fewer and fewer people have any previous experience or understanding of 'church' on which to build. What we do on Sundays has become more and more alien and less attractive to most people. The challenge to us all was, how do we take this on board and respond?

Valerie Golton, Archdeaconry Representative