Moravian Messenger July 2021

JULY 2021
moravian messenger
Provincial Synod 2021 Online
This year we held our 100th Provincial Synod online. Aware that we could not meet in person the Provincial Board and the Church Book Committee worked hard to set up a Zoom Synod at Ockbrook Moravian Church.
The opening service led by Br Martin Smith, minister at Royton and Salem, set the tone for the Synod. He spoke of mutual love between the persons of the Trinity and the love that should be shown between members of the Church. Even though the Synod was so physically distanced there was a real sense of fellowship.
The first item of business at Synod was the proposed closure of Ockbrook School after 222 years. The chair of the Provincial Board, Sr Roberta Hoey, had
the unenviable task of sharing with Synod the devastating news that COVID had dealt a body blow to the school and that the school was no longer financially viable. Many questions followed and the issue, rightly, took up all the first morning. Deep sympathy was expressed to the pupils, families and staff of the school by many Synodals. The Provincial Board will make a statement on the proposed school closure in the August edition of the Messenger.
On the Saturday the elections for the Provincial Board were held. The elections resulted in a full Provincial Elders Conference of six members being elected, with Sr Roberta Hoey being elected for a further three years and Br David Howarth being elected for a year as a stipendiary PEC member. Br Paul Holdsworth and Br
Michael Newman were elected for three years as non-stipendiary members and Br Peter Gubi was elected for a one-year term as a non-stipendiary PEC member. Br Livingstone Thompson has one year to complete as a non-stipendiary member. Note the term Provincial Board and Provincial Elders Conference (PEC) are used interchangeably in the Church and in this report. We will have brief biographies of the new members of PEC, Br Michael Newman and Br Peter Gubi in the August edition of the Moravian Messenger.
Much of the time of Synod was taken up with the reporting back of the Provincial Board and of the various standing committees of the British Province Questions and comments followed these reports. Memorials were also presented
continued on page 76
Newly elected Provincial Board
In essential - Unity Looking at Intergenerational Ministry
(page 75)
Fetter Lane Memories
(page 77)
MWA - Central Committee Decisions
(page 80)
A Significant Event ...?
(page 81)
© Sr Lindsey Newens