2015 election for 3 proctors in convocation to represent ... · 2015 election . for 3 proctors in...
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2015 ELECTION
FOR 3 PROCTORS IN CONVOCATION TO
REPRESENT THE DIOCESE IN
THE GENERAL SYNOD
HOUSE OF CLERGY
THIS BOOKLET CONTAINS THE ELECTION ADDRESS OF EVERY CANDIDATE WHO HAS PROVIDED ONE
Why me?
In 2016 I will be celebrating 20 years since ordination. In that time I have had the privilege of serving the Church in a variety of roles, including as parish priest, university chaplain, pioneer minister, diocesan adviser, theological educator, training incumbent, Area Dean and now Archdeacon. I was ordained in the Diocese of Lichfield, serving my title post in Walsall, and then served in the Diocese of Liverpool for over 14 years before moving to the Diocese of Sheffield in January 2014.
As Archdeacon of Sheffield & Rotherham I work closely with the Area Deans of the Archdeaconry as well as the Archdeacon of Doncaster and the Director of the Parish Support Team. I am a Director of the Diocesan Board of Finance and member of the Bishop’s Senior Staff Team, Bishop’s Council, Diocesan Synod, Diocesan Mission & Pastoral Committee, Diocesan Finance & Property Committee, Diocesan Advisory Committee and the Diocesan Grants Committee. I also chair the Diocesan Board of Faith & Justice and was an active member of the Bishop’s Ministry Provision Advisory Group, playing a key role in the forming of the ‘New Norms New Beginning’ report.
I believe that this direct involvement in so many facets of the life of the diocese places me in a unique position to relate the important deliberations of General Synod to the various challenges we face as a diocese and to the vision that we share. I would hope to be in a strong position to bring our experiences as a diocese to bear on the debates in Synod and equally to apply the insights and decisions of Synod to the various aspects of our shared life as a diocese.
Why am I standing?
I very much doubt that anyone who stands for General Synod does so because they need more work to do, and that is certainly not the case with me! I am standing because I hope that by serving on General Synod I can make a positive difference to the Church’s engagement in the Mission of God, both locally and nationally.
God’s mission has always been my driving motivation throughout my Christian life and ministry. I believe passionately that when we are called to know and follow Christ we are at the same time called into the Body of Christ, the Church, which exists not for its own ends but to be that transformational community through which God chooses to make the good news of Christ known and build his Kingdom. The Church is to be actively engaged in God’s mission, led by the Holy Spirit, proclaiming the gospel in word and deed, calling people to faith and transforming the world through the Kingdom values of love for all, truth and justice.
Although the gospel remains the same in all places and times, our communication of the gospel will need to change in response to the culture and needs of the context in which we live and serve. That’s why I think the Ordinal is inspired in its reminder that we are to “proclaim afresh” this gospel in each generation. The successful strategies for evangelism and mission of the past may not be the most fruitful for the present or the future.
That is why I am absolutely committed to what has become know as the ‘Reform and Renewal’ programme that the previous General Synod set into motion. After years of measured decline in the reach and membership of the Church of England, with the resultant effect on vocations and finances, we cannot simply bury our heads in the sand and do what we have always done. It is right that the Church considers afresh its structures to ensure that they are fit for purpose in meeting the needs of today, how it allocates its resources for mission and growth, how it trains its future leaders, and how it effectively grows disciples of Jesus Christ who continue to deepen in faith and offer themselves in God’s service. I believe this significant agenda is the most important piece of business that the new Synod will immediately have to grapple with. As Archdeacon many of these considerations already impact on my daily work and I would treasure the opportunity to be at the heart of these discussions as a member of General Synod.
What is my approach?
I am unwaveringly committed to the divine inspiration and authority of Scripture in all matters of faith and conduct (2 Tim 3:16), and believe that we need to approach the Bible reverently, acknowledging that our current understanding is incomplete and our minds in need of renewal (1 Cor 13:12, Rom 12:2). At various points in history the Church has prayerfully reconsidered its understanding and changed its view in the light of fresh scholarship and insights – I believe this is what Jesus was alluding to when he taught his disciples that they would need the promised Spirit of Truth to guide them into all truth because there was far too much for them to understand in one sitting (John 16:12-‐13). The Christian faith is a living and dynamic faith, and we should never be afraid to change our thinking if doing so brings us closer to the heart of God and his truth.
Personally, I am delighted that the General Synod had the courage and conviction to reconsider our understanding of gender and leadership and authorise the ordination of women as priests and bishops alongside men. I am also inspired by the wisdom of the House of Bishops Declaration in this regard, especially the crucial five guiding principles, and remain committed to working with colleagues holding different perspectives and to seeking the highest possible degree of communion in the Church of God. I also support the ongoing process of shared conversations in human sexuality, the insights of which the new Synod will need to prayerfully and carefully consider alongside its wider theological exploration and grappling with Scripture. I would seek to engage in such discussions with both a rootedness in the authority of the Bible and an openness to new insights and perspectives.
It is my prayer that such an approach, combined with the variety of ministerial experience I have and my comprehensive involvement in the life of the diocese as Archdeacon, will enable colleagues from all traditions to have confidence in my ability to engage openly and honestly in the debates facing the next Synod, and make the positive difference I hope for.
GENERAL SYNOD ELECTION 2015
The Revd Canon Geoffrey Harbord
Proposed by: Seconded by: The Revd Canon Julian Sullivan The Revd Canon Peter Ingram Vicar of St Mary, Bramall Lane, Vicar of St John, Abbeydale and Sheffield Holy Trinity, Millhouses Dear Colleague At our recent Diocesan Conference we renewed our commitment to being a confident diocese with the clear aims of winning disciples for Christ, making a difference to the world and enabling all traditions to flourish. In my previous years as a member of General Synod I have supported a vision of a Church where all may find a home, which is committed to mission and has the courage to challenge injustice in the world. Because I am certain that this is the calling of the Church in the 21st century and that General Synod has a great role in enabling this, I am standing again for election. Reform and Renewal The Reform and Renewal agenda will figure highly in the next quinquennium of Synod. In the context of an average decline in Church attendance of 1% per year and the increasing age profile of clergy and congregations, these are exciting proposals for a sustainable Church. They need though careful critical assessment, which my long synodical experience will enable me to do. Resourcing the Future These proposals aim to ensure that mission in the poorest communities is appropriately funded. Having had long experience in ministry to deprived urban communities, I have a particular concern to ensure that under any new arrangements the poorest areas really will receive the support appropriate to their context. Resourcing Ministerial Education I warmly welcome the emphasis on growing both lay and clergy vocations. As a Bishop’s selector and former theological college governor, I will be keen to ensure training which gives excellent value.
Simplification Agenda Being a qualified canon lawyer, I am well aware that church law can sometimes hinder, rather than enable. Indeed, as a member of the steering committee for the Miscellaneous Provisions Measure in the last Synod I have already been involved in simplifying some archaic legal processes. As a member of the Dioceses Commission, I have also closely scrutinised the multiplication of suffragan sees. Checks and balances, however, together with proper scrutiny need to be maintained and I believe the so-called Enabling Measure for the fast-tracking of legislative proposals will need very careful examination. Other Issues The next Synod will consider afresh the seal of the confessional. Ways must be found to guarantee the value of this sacrament without protecting abuse. Same-sex relationships may also come on to the Synod agenda. I believe that facilitated conversations which broke the log-jam on the women bishops issue, and which I promoted in this diocese, are the best way to enable the concerns of all to be heard. Ecumenical relations will also figure highly, especially with further developments in the Anglican-Methodist relationship. As we continue this journey, I would want to ensure that we are saying the same things to all our ecumenical partners and that Anglican sacramental concerns are fully appreciated. On a personal note Born and educated in Sheffield, I have served all my ordained life in the diocese, previously in parishes in Rotherham and Doncaster which have included town centre, suburban and urban priority area ministry. For 11 years I have been the Bishop’s domestic chaplain and it is a mark of how our Church holds unity in diversity that I have found myself at General Synod on various and important issues voting in the opposite lobby to Bishop Jack and Bishop Steven. I edit the Diocesan Calendar of Intercession and serve on the Diocesan Advisory Committee, the Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee and the Diocesan Worship and Liturgy Committee. A particular interest is overseas ecumenical links, having many years of involvement in the diocesan link with the Hattingen-Witten Church District in Germany, as is canon law, in which I hold a master’s degree. In General Synod, I serve currently on the Legal Aid Commission and the Dioceses Commission and have done so on the Clergy Discipline Commission. I hope that your highest preference vote will enable me to continue to represent the diocese and work for a comprehensive and confident Church. Tel: 0798 9485 428 E-mail: pgh56@hotmail.co.uk
Election Address for The Revd. David Hildred Proposer: The Revd. Fiona Kouble Seconder: The Revd. Canon Christopher Barley In standing for General Synod I believe I am asking the question, “Would you like me to be involved in the governing body of our Church on your behalf?” If so, you’ll need to know where I’m coming from. I’m the incumbent of Darfield, which is in the northern part of the diocese, where we share a boundary with the diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales. Sometimes it can feel like we are on the edge, a long way from where the action is, but I want to show that those on the edge can get involved in the centre. All 26 years of my ministry have been parish based and so I’ll be seeking in General Synod to share views ‘from the coal face’, so to speak, of clergy who are in the thick of parish life. We know patterns of ministry are changing, and here, in this corner of our Deanery, Fiona and I form the clergy team in a Mission Partnership which has been running for two years. Between us we provide priestly ministry and leadership to three parishes, which have four churches. Some of you will know that my theological views on women’s ministry are to be found in the minority sector after last year’s vote in General Synod, but I stand full-square with the Five Guiding Principles in wanting to show that those of us of that persuasion are still able to minister within our Church. I want to do that by showing that our Mission Partnership is as strong as any other (although, to be honest, Fiona and I often refer to the Partnership as ‘probably the best Partnership in the Diocese’). I also want to do it by showing that minority view holders want to be, and, can indeed be involved at all levels of the Church, such that all can flourish: hence my offering myself for General Synod. I also come from the point of view that I want to do my best to keep the Church of England Anglican. By that I mean that the discussions and debates in General Synod must not stray beyond, for example, the Holy Scriptures, the catholic creeds and the Thirty-Nine Articles. As an evangelical I believe that an Anglican Church defined in that way is faithful to its roots and therefore has the authority to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to its context. I want the Church of England to remain Anglican. Although I find my spiritual home in one particular expression of the Church of England, I value the fellowship and ministry of other parts, which make up the breadth of our Church, and any involvement that I might have in General Synod will seek to maintain that breadth. There are some words that are ‘buzz’ words and ‘inclusive’ is one of those. I want our Church to be an inclusive Church, in that it is open to all sinners, who will within its fellowship find a welcome, and find forgiveness through repentance, and find a new hope and power for being the people God intends us to be as transformed by the Holy Spirit into the likeness of his Son, Jesus. I would like to be present to encourage General Synod to promote such inclusivity. Would it help to see a photo of me? There’s one on the parish website: darfieldallsaintschurch.org.uk I would value your support in turning the above aspirations into reality.
GENERAL SYNOD ADDRESS
Andrew Howard
I have already had the great privilege of serving on the General Synod, from 2008 to 2013, and I am now seeking your support for a further five year term. I had to give up my place on Synod, after moving to the Diocese of Sheffield, but I have continued since then to maintain a keen interest in its work, following all the proceedings and the debates. As a General Synod representative, I was a member of the catholic group, and I spoke on a variety of subjects and in different debates. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss anything to do with the election to the General Synod.
Biographical Information I was born in Derby in 1963, and from an early age attended my local parish church (Saint Alkmund’s, Derby). Music has always been an important part of my life and spirituality, and later on, I sang in Derby Cathedral Choir. After leaving school I moved to Manchester and worked in the hotel and catering industry for approximately 15 years. I studied for my first theology degree part-time at the University of Manchester while I was working. As an ordinand, I was at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, undertaking there some post-graduate study at Leeds University. I have experience of ministry in a variety of settings. My curacy was at Worksop Priory, and this was followed by my first incumbency at Saint Timothy’s, Hemlington, an urban priority area on the southern edge of the Middlesbrough conurbation area. Responding to the call to a different form of ministry, I then went on to become Chaplain of Teesside University, in Middlesbrough, which I did for eight years. At the same time, I acted as associate priest at two town centre churches, sub-warden of readers for the Deanery, and ATC Chaplain to the Middlesbrough Squadron. Two years ago, I moved to my current post as Vicar of Saint Wilfrid’s, Cantley.
I am a member of the Society of S. Hilda and S. Wilfrid, and I am committed to the working out of the Five Guiding Principles. I have always sought a deeper appreciation of the views of those with whom I would disagree. We need to respect other people’s theological integrity, as only then will we find a way to ‘mutually flourish’ as the guidance has it.
Interests My interests include: reading; playing badminton, playing the piano and the organ – when the church door is locked! I began to play the recorder a few years ago and hope to take my grade 8 next year. In also must admit to following ‘Corrie’ whilst partaking of a nice glass of Italian red wine – or two! If I am elected, I will participate fully in the life of the General Synod, making my contribution to proceedings and debates, as I did before. I shall produce regular reports for both the Diocese and Deanery, thus ensuring communication of information and decisions.
I have always deemed it both an honour and a privilege to be a member of the General Synod. There have been some fantastic debates and interesting times, and I would like very much to become involved in it once again, and to be able to play a part in this particular aspect of the Church’s life.
Proposed by Reverend Philip Ball, Vicar of Airmyn, Rawcliffe and Hook
Seconded by Reverend Canon Liz Turner-Loisel,
Area Dean of Snaith and Hatfield
Eleanor Robertshaw
A few weeks ago I was talking to one of my young (20 something) parishioners, and we were both airing our frustrations with the Church of England. Eventually, she asked me the obvious question: “Why would I want to be part of the Church of England if it frustrates me so much?” The answer was simply that I love the Church of England!
This is the reason that I am standing for General Synod. Whilst the Church of England may frustrate me at times, I am passionate about how we continue to be a Church which is at the cutting edge of issues in our world. To be part of General Synod means the opportunity to make a difference, and to ensure that God's love is seen through the Church of England.
So, why should you vote for me?
I considered standing in the 2010 election, but had only been ordained for a few months, and I felt that I did not know people and the workings of the Diocese well enough. In the last five years, I have tried hard to get to know as many people as possible within our Diocese. This has been a huge privilege. Our Diocese is very diverse and I have learned so much by talking with different people especially, those who may hold other viewpoints than me.
Within the Diocese, I have been a member of a number of Committees which has helped me see the 'whole picture' of the Diocese as opposed to a limited view from my Parish and Deanery. For the last eighteen months, I have been a member of the Bishop's Council and have been very interested to see the issues which our Diocese, and by extension other Dioceses, face as we try to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus. I am also a member of the International Committee, and begin a term on the Board of Education this month. I now wish to use the experience that I have gained to try to make a difference at national level.
My Background
Before I was ordained I was a teacher in a Rotherham Secondary School for ten years. This gave me a huge amount of experience in both working in a multi-ethnic and multi-faith environment. I also gained a lot of insight into poverty, and neglect of children. This gave my already strong thirst for justice a nudge. This continued in my Curacy Parish where I served in Stainforth, a mining village in North East Doncaster. Stainforth has a bad reputation, but my Curacy taught me that there are so many people who are trying to do good there and nurture the community. The Church was part of
this with its community facilities, and being part of this community led me to question how we can do more to serve underprivileged communities.
During my Curacy I undertook a placement in the rural Fishlake Group of Parishes. Much to my surprise I loved it, and this is what sharpened my calling when it came to Incumbency. I now serve the Parish of Great Snaith, a united parish of five churches, one of which is a small market town, and the others set more rurally. The last two years have been a learning curve about issues that affect the rural church, and also rural areas more widely. With many rural services being cut, quite often the church is the only community building remaining, and I am enthused in seeing ways that we, as a national church, will respond to this. I am also passionate about how we serve communities with limited resources. Clergy numbers have been short for a long time in this area, but this is becoming commonplace in most areas of the Diocese, so how do we sustain church? I would be very interested to speak in debates on just this subject.
I am also passionate about Education. I have two church schools in my Parish, and serve as a Governor at both. I have enjoyed this involvement hugely, especially seeing the children being nurtured and growing in a Christian environment. I also take assemblies in the local Secondary school each term and go into the other non-church schools at least once a half term.
I do not hold a particular churchmanship position, and thus am open to each debate and listening to arguments for and against, and then making a decision based on this. I feel that this is very important as Sheffield Diocese is a very broad Diocese and needs to have a fair representation on the General Synod. When observing the Synod during its last sitting, I was fascinated by debates in which there were no fixed positions, particularly a debate concerning whether Deacons should be allowed to be Archdeacons.
I hope that you will consider giving me your first preference vote. If elected I pray that I will serve the Diocese of Sheffield well, and to the best of my ability.
General Synod 2015-2020
Election Address – The Rev. Canon Ian Smith
I’m standing for the General Synod of the Church of England with some reluctance. I am not sure so many people from across the country, some with ‘party’ membership, talking at length and voting, has shown the church at its most responsive to issues. It has ended up frustrating some within and baffling those outside the church. So why am I standing?
1. I do hold passionately to the role of the people of God discovering together the mind of God with scripture and debate and reflection and prayer. The process is often slow but the aim is to keep us as united as possible as a church; being generous and gracious in our times of being marginal and in majority.
2. My mind is not made up on every issue. I do want to hear what I have not heard before; hear it better put; be made to argue my views more cogently and biblically. Having been a member of the Yorkshire region shared conversations on human sexuality I have experienced the joy, vulnerability and awkwardness of listening and speaking about our different views. At heart I sense I want gay Christians to find the church a place of mutual flourishing with straight and single people and find no bar to their love being as accepted as now we accept that gender is no bar to ordination and episcopate.
3. I want to be part of a synod that insists on tackling hard and often complex questions of environment, business, ethics, politics, life and death.
4. My commitment over twenty seven years of ordained ministry has been to parish, priest and people. The parish as a still useful frame in which to view a community, its needs, hopes, problems. The priest; as an extraordinary person who daily seeks to live and speak and act in ways that bless the people about them of all ages and creeds and none. The people; whose gifts and ministries are as varied as they are but often feel frustrated and limited by the things inherited. I am cautious about the impact the Reform and Renewal papers are going to have on the mission of the church. I look forward to listening to them explored and following their implementation. I will not be afraid to raise a critical voice or seek more information about any of the Reform and Renewal agenda.
At present I feel I am the most fortunate priest in the diocese with a simply wonderful congregation to serve and be loved by. I find myself used by individuals as they discern what God is asking of them and delight at the number of people going on to ordination I have worked with. I’m a rather unconscious leader; a shameless networker; my spirituality is at least as coloured as Joseph’s coat and my journey with Jesus is far from complete emotionally or spiritually I sense. I don’t shy from hard work and reading and if you feel it right, ask you to help me discover if God wants me on the General synod by voting, or not, for me.
The Revd. Jeffrey Stokoe, Vicar of the United Benefice of St. Hugh of Lincoln, Cantley & Holy Trinity, Doncaster.
S. Hugh’s House, Levet Road, Cantley DN4 6JQ Tel. 01302 371256 email. wjs56@live.co.uk
My nomination has been proposed by:
The Revd. Mark Cockayne, Director of Parish Support Team and seconded by
The Revd. Mary Gregory, Rector of Kirk Sandall & Edenthorpe in the Doncaster Deanery & Dean of Womens Ministry.
I have known Jeff as a deanery colleague for seven years, and over the past two and a half years have also worked closely with him in our respective capacities as Dean of Women's Ministry and Dean of the Hickleton Chapter. Jeff and I hold very different views on ordained and consecrated women, and yet we have been able to work together constructively, respectively and in friendship, not least as members of the Ministry Provision Advisory Group. The Group worked hard to identify how the House of Bishops' Five Guiding Principles on women and the episcopate might be implemented in our diocese. A key strand within these principles is a commitment to the mutual flourishing of everyone within the Church of England (no matter what their view on women and the episcopate might be), and to living with one another in the highest possible degree of communion. It is because I have found Jeff to be fully committed to these Principles, as well as being a dedicated and gifted parish priest, that I second his nomination to General Synod. Seconding Jeff in this way is also part of my own commitment to these Principles, not least seeing him, and others who hold his views, flourish within the Church of England. Mary Gregory August 12th 2015
Who am I? I was ordained in 1996 and am currently vicar of the united benefice of S. Hugh, Cantley and Holy Trinity, Doncaster where I have served since November 2009. My first incumbency was Edlington in the Deanery of West Doncaster after a curacy at Richmond Road, Sheffield. I am currently Dean of the Hickleton chapter and was a member of the ‘Ministry Provision Advisory Group’ which produced the ‘New Norms, New Beginnings’ report for Bishop Steven. This document has been commended to the diocese for study and followed on from the passing of the legislation to allow the consecration of women to the episcopate and the House of Bishops Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests. I have served the Diocese on the General Synod since 2008. My Family. I was born and brought up near Doncaster and have been married to Carol for 37 years; we have three married children and four grandchildren. Ordained Ministry. I currently serve the united benefice of S. Hugh, Cantley & Holy Trinity, Doncaster. Holy Trinity rents the chapel at the Deaf School and College in Doncaster after leaving a much loved building they could no longer maintain twenty six years ago. S. Hugh’s serves a series of post-war housing estates on the edge of Doncaster in a multi-purpose
building. Both parishes have undertaken Mission Action Planning in the last year and are working to draw others into the life of the church in their communities. I remain convinced that the church needs to maintain visible links to every community through its buildings, clergy and lay members and that each need the public and visible support of the diocese and wider church.
Why am I seeking re-election to the General Synod? I hope to continue to be part of the representation our diocese makes to the wider church: having served on General synod since February 2008 I feel able to make a positive contribution on the many issues that the church will have to face in the coming years. In the last Quinquennium the issue of women and the episcopacy was decided with what has been called light touch legislation backed by a robust House of Bishops Declaration underpinned by five guiding principles. These principles have formed the backbone of a fair and workable solution to that long debated matter along with varying forms of facilitated conversation and group work and I would support their continuation in the life of next synod where appropriate. Amongst the issues that will probably come before the next synod will be the seal of the confessional and whether it should be absolute when issues surrounding abuse and the protection of vulnerable adults and children are concerned. Whilst the protection of the vulnerable is paramount I believe the synod should think very carefully before it makes any decision that might break the seal of absolute confidentiality between penitent and confessor. Any proposed changes need to be scrutinised very carefully before decisions are made in order to ensure that while all people are properly protected we maintain the proper integrity of our sacramental actions. Since the synod agreed to restructure fees in 2012 more people have been in touch with me about that than any other issue. While the idea of structured set fees is a good idea in principle they appear not to be working properly in practice. Many parishes have lost much needed income which, for example, paid for the maintenance of churchyards while others have seen the numbers of occasional offices reduce because independent funeral takers can undercut our crematorium funeral fees. If I am re-elected I will work with others in synod to have fee structures reviewed in the light of experience and if possible changed to better meet the needs of our parishes and the people we serve. During the next quinquennium much of synod’s time will be spent considering the Archbishops ‘Reform and Renewal’ programme for the church which is considering how best to turn around the continued decline in church membership whilst growing and nurturing discipleship amongst all of its members. Whilst these are important and worthwhile aims for our church and its mission to our country the synod will need to scrutinise all proposals carefully to ensure they are appropriate to the task envisaged and maintain a fair balance between the rights of parishes and the wishes of Bishops councils to implement change. I have lived and worked in our diocese for almost the whole of my life and know about the area where we all live and serve. I am committed to the people and parishes of the diocese. I think I have an understanding of the problems we face and the potential in our parishes to make Jesus better known. I believe I am well placed to represent you on the General Synod. I would hope to be an effective and diligent member of the Synod and would be grateful for your highest preference vote.
Yours in Christ Jeffrey Stokoe.
mark.wigglesworth@sheffield.angl ican.org Home 01302 707815 Mobile 07818 416 424 1
MARK WIGGLESWORTH Mission Development Adviser Doncaster Archdeaconry Nominated by : Jan Foden Rector of Armthorpe, Area Dean of Doncaster
Seconded by : Phil Batchford Vicar of the Vine, Area Dean of Hallam
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I was ordained in Sheffield Cathedral in 1992 and have served in this Diocese for the last 23 years as a Curate, Incumbent, Area Dean and now as a Diocesan Officer. I have been a member of Diocesan Synod, Bishop’s Council and many Diocesan Committees and privileged to work with clergy from every deanery and every tradition in the diocese both on committees and one to one. I feel that this has given me a great deal of insight into the issues that affect the day to day mission and ministry of the churches across our Diocese. I have always sought to be supportive of those I work with and watchwords for my ministry have been ‘service’, ‘encouragement’ and ‘justice’. On the next page I have provided a more detailed biographical record of some of the ways in which I have served both in the Diocese and in the wider community. My ordained ministry has been almost exclusively within the Diocese. I now offer myself, my experience and my knowledge to serve the Diocese and the National Church as a member of General Synod.
My time as a missioner in the Diocese has reinforced my conviction that the Anglican Communion’s 5 Mark’s of Mission, provide a good measure for assessing the Church’s ministry.
1 – ‘To proclaim the Good News of God’s kingdom.’ This primary mark must be at the heart of all that we seek to do. The Crossroads mission has been a reminder of the power of the gospel. It is vital that the decisions of General Synod should help and not hinder the church as it proclaims the gospel afresh to this largely unchurched generation.
2 – ‘To teach baptize and nurture new believers.’ For the church to continue to be an effective agent of the Missio Dei it is essential that we ensure that she continues to grow new disciples in a Christ-like church. My work with Diocesan and National statistics makes me well aware of the urgent need for releasing the church into mission.
3 – ‘To respond to human need by loving service.’ The pastoral work of the church must continue to be resourced and encouraged. Our Diocese is one of the poorest in the country and I served for 15 years in one of our more deprived ex-mining towns. Across the Diocese we are working with people in desperate need. As a long term supporter of Tear Fund and Christian Aid and having been privileged to visit India and Tanzania I am well aware too of the wider global issues the rich west must not ignore.
4 – ‘To seek to transform unjust structures of society.’ The church must continue to be a prophetic voice speaking out against injustices in the world including those in this country not only outside but also within the church.
5 – ‘To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.’ Climate change, sustainable use of the world’s resources and pollution are just some of the issues that threaten the planet that God has placed in our care.
If I am elected then, as I read the papers and listen to the debates in Synod, I will use the 5 Marks along with scripture and prayer to guide my contributions and voting. I will also carry with me the people and parishes of the Diocese of Sheffield, the stories of our struggles and joys that I have shared in this Diocese over the last 23 years.
Thank you for reading this. I would be honoured if you would vote for me by making me your first or second choice.
mark.wigglesworth@sheffield.angl ican.org Home 01302 707815 Mobile 07818 416 424 2
Biographical Info Age 55 Married to Beth with 2 grown up children
Theological Education St. John’s, Nottingham 1989-1992 Ordained Sheffield Cathedral 1992 Curate : Brinsworth w Catcliffe 1992-1994 Curate: Goole 1994-1996 Vicar of Askern 1996-2011
Training Incumbent (2001-2003 & 2007-2011) Area Dean of Adwick-le-Street 2005-2011 Honorary Canon of Sheffield Cathedral 2010-present Director of Mission and Pioneer Ministry 2011-2014 Mission Development Adviser Parish Support Team 2014-present MA in Theology and Ministry (2014 – Durham) Dissertation reflecting on Missional value of Statistics for Mission. Membership of Diocesan Committees etc Diocesan Synod 1993–1995 & 2000-2014 Bishop’s Council 2001–2014 Leader of mission shaped ministry course 2011-present Part of the national missioners’ network 2011-present Parish Share / Common Fund Group 2000-present Diocesan Communications Group 2000-2014 Diocesan Grants Committee 2011-present Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee 2008-present Diocesan Business Committee 2007-2010 Diocesan UPA working party 1997-1998 Roles in Wider Community Software Engineer – Rolls Royce (Derby) 1982-89 Chief Union Negotiator for 400 professional staff Rolls Royce ASTMS 1986-89 Governor: Moss Road Infant’s School 1997-present Governor: Campsmount Academy 2000-present
(Vice-chair since 2007) Member Askern Community Partnership 1996-2010 (Vice Chair 99-04, Chair 04-07, Treasurer 07-08) Member of various Doncaster Borough Regeneration groups 1996-2003 including Doncaster Strategic Partnership Board 2001-2002,
Chair of Doncaster European Funding Community Initiatives Group 2000-2002
Leisure interests Spending time with my wife and family. We enjoy wildlife and the natural environment especially bird watching and walking. Sailing - I am a qualified RYA Dinghy instructor and regularly teach people of all ages to sail at Beaver Sailing club near Snaith.
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