Deanery Synod

Deaneries are small geographical areas of the Diocese, within which parishes are grouped under the care of an Rural Dean. Each deanery is governed by a deanery synod, where you will also find a Lay Chair and Deanery Synod Secretary.

The deanery synod is a statutory body under the Synodical Government Measure 1969. There are 22 deanery synods in our diocese, one per deanery, each consisting, in the main, of the licensed and beneficed clergy of the deanery; the lay parochial representatives elected by the annual parochial church meetings of each parish in the deanery, and ex-officio (General and Diocesan Synod) members.

Deanery Synods have a significant role in our synodical system. They are located between PCCs at parish level and the higher synodical levels of Diocesan Synod and General Synod. One of the most important objectives of the Synodical Government Measure 1969, was to strengthen church organisation at deanery level.

The tasks of deanery synods

• to consider matters concerning the Church of England and to make provision for such matters in relation to their deanery, and to consider and express their opinion on any other matters of religious or public interest
• to bring together the views of parishes of the deanery on common problems, to discuss and formulate common policies on those problems, to foster a sense of community and interdependence among those parishes, and generally to promote in the deanery the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical
• to make known and so far as appropriate put into effect any provision made by the Diocesan Synod
• to consider the business of the Diocesan Synod, and particularly any matters referred to that synod by the General Synod, and to sound parochial opinion whenever they are required or consider it appropriate to do so
• to raise matters, as the deanery synod consider appropriate, with the Diocesan Synod