Diocesan Synod Meets In Timaru For First Time

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29024, 13 October 1959, Page 18

Diocesan Synod Meets In Timaru For First Time

(From Our Own Reporter)

TIMARU, October 12. The Christchurch Diocesan Synod today met at St. Mary's hall. Church street. Timaru. Not for 100 years has Synod met out of Christchurch, and the fact that it is Synod's centenary lays emphasis on the importance of this occasion in South Canterbury’s centennial year. The first church in Timaru was St. Mary’s, built on the site of the existing church adjacent to the hall in which Synod will conduct its business until Thursday About 200 members of the laity and clergy of Synod are in session.

The usual Synod service was held in St. Mary’s church this evening, the preacher being the Rev. E. W. Carlile, chief secretary of the Church Army. The Synodical address was presented this afternoon by the president, the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren*.

The first Synod lasted for seven weeks, and the diocese, as then constituted, included Otago and the greater part of Westland Sixteen clergy attended, and Bishop Harper presided. These facts were recalled by Bishop Warren in his presidential address to Synod.

Bishop Warren devoted the greater part of his address to a review of the early days of church government in New Zealand, going back to the first General Synod, held in Wellington in March. 1859.

Speaking of the business transacted by the first Synod in Christchurch, Bishop Warren said that one of the most surprising resolutions dealt with church unity. It read as follows: “This Synod, deeply deploring the present divided state of the Church of Christ, and hoping that by the blessing of God the evil may yet be remediable, commends to the earnest attention of its Standing Commission (now Standing Committee) how far the work of our branch of the church can be harmonised with that of other societies of Christian men. and what steps, if any, can be taken towards mitigating or ending our differences with them.” “How far have we moved in a hundred years?” said Bishop Warren.

“The Presbyterian, Methodist. Congregational and Associated Churches of Christ have a Joint Standing Committee on Church Union. There have been meetings for some years.

“In respect of our own Church. General Synod, in Napier in 1955, appointed a commission to examine matters relating to the corporate union of the churches, and to advise the session of General Synod, which was to meet in 1958. on what action it recommended should be undertaken. “General Synod, in Hamilton in 1958. asked the Archbishop to nominate representatives for the purpose of entering into exploratory conversations with the Joint Standing Committee on Church Union.

“Some exploratory work has been done by our nine representatives, and the conversations will take place early next year.

“It is too soon to evaluate what progress has been made, but those of this diocese who have been interested in the Ecumenical Movement can hardly be accused of moving too fast,” Bishop Warren said.