BISHOP'S LETTER.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XXI, Issue 14, 1 October 1931, Page 2

BISHOP'S LETTER.

My Dear Friends, — I shall this month write only a short note to ask you to remember m your prayers the Synod of the Diocese, which will be meeting at the middle of the month. I need hardly remind you that the Synod is not the concern of the Clergy alone. It is the Council of the Church m the Diocese, and the Laity are just as much members of the Church as the Clergy;

they form, m fact, by far the greater part of it, and they have their duly elected representatives m the Council of the Church. It is part of the constitution of the Church of the Province pf New Zealand that every act of the Church shall be assented to by all three Orders, Bishops, Clergy and Laity, and this applies to whatever is done m the General Synod, the Diocesan Synod, or the Standing Committee of the Diocesan Synod. The Synod consists of the House of Clergy and the House of Laity, meeting m one chamber under the presidency of tho Bishop. Every question is normally debated by Clergy and Lafty together, and a decision may be made "on the voices," but if a division is called for there must be a majority of both Clergy and Laity m favour if it is to be carried; while the Bishop has the right to vote for or against the motion; but it is very seldom that the Bishop exercises his right of veto. Important matters affecting the working of our Parishes, and the management of our Church Trusts come before Synod year by year, and this year there will be questions to be dealt with arising out of the recent earthquake. This being the case, I have no hesitation m asking you to pray that m all matters brought before it the Synod may be guided to such decisions as may tend to the good of the Church and the Glory of God's Name. Before closing I. would like to saythat I am deeply thankful that it has been found possible to hold this session of the Synod m Napier. After the earthquake such an arrangement seemed quite out of the question. But the Synod Hall has been repaired; the temporary Church has been built, and the holding of the Synod m its usual surroundings will be a step towards bringing Napier and the Diocese back to normal conditions; for this we thank God. Yours sincerely, HERBERT WAIAPU.