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Dublin & Glendalough Synods 2022

“It is our calling under God to live in a time of vision, not division,” Archbishop Michael Jackson said on Tuesday evening (October 4). In his Presidential Address to Dublin & Glendalough’s Diocesan Synods, he called on the people of the dioceses to adopt a “hierarchy of urgency” setting new priorities and shaking up values to look and live beyond ourselves.
Archbishop Michael Jackson delivering the Presidential Address.
Archbishop Michael Jackson delivering the Presidential Address.

The Presidential Address was given during the Synod Service of Holy Communion in Christ Church Taney. The Archbishop took the decision to deliver a shortened version in light of the addition of a Bill to the agenda of Diocesan Synod which was received by members on Monday. He said that the Bill sought to discern the mind of Dublin &Glendalough Diocesan Synods in relation to a fresh alignment of the powers of the Diocesan Councils along with the relationship between both bodies for the future. In order to allow for full discussion on the Bill, he offered a synopsis of his Presidential Address, the full version of which you can download here.

In his address, Archbishop Jackson referred to the Lambeth Conference which took place during the summer. He said the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of two types of renewal which were apparent at the conference. The first related to the nature of the church and he said an integral part of the Anglican identity is that it is an incomplete part of God’s church, meaning that we are ecumenically interdependent with the rest of the Christian church. The second type of renewal identified by the Archbishop of Canterbury was the values that were agreed: solidarity, subsidiarity and global justice.

The Church of Ireland and the Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough are part of the Anglican Communion and Archbishop Jackson said that communion was at the heart of our identity and expression of faith. “Communion is our individual and shared belonging to God and our shared expression of this in prayer, worship and community action. Communion is both structural and spiritual. We need to connect as a matter of urgency with other and diverse members of the Communion in order to find our Anglican identity today,” he explained.  

Archbishop Jackson said that the shape and style of the Lambeth Conference pointed those present in the direction of receiving just as much as giving. This, he said, would require of the dioceses partnership arrangements with dioceses and parishes in areas of the world that are experiencing the sort of things we are experiencing, although often differently to us. In this way we can learn and grow. The people of Dublin & Glendalough have already experienced this through the diocesan link with the Diocese of Jerusalem.

Members of Diocesan Synods gathered in Taney Parish Centre.
Members of Diocesan Synods gathered in Taney Parish Centre.

One of the recurring themes of the Lambeth Calls was the appeal to the Five Marks of Mission of the Anglican Communion. Dublin & Glendalough has done extensive work on the Five Marks and are well placed to move forward with the Lambeth Calls locally if members of the dioceses want to be active members of the Anglican Communion, the Archbishop said.

Having come through Covid–19, forging new personal and spiritual pathways, Archbishop Jackson encouraged people to face the emerging future without fear. “We are living in the midst of an horrific war situation in Ukraine and in Europe, grief–stricken for those at the kernel of such human and societal destruction; we now are also in the eye of the storm of a fuel and a food crisis such as few can imagine. We are called by God to new compassions,” he commented.

In urging members to adopt a hierarchy of urgency, the Archbishop said: “The hierarchy of urgency is more than a setting of priorities. It is a shake–up of values. It is the realization and affirmation of the centrality of others in our planning and in our living. It is an individual and the corporate commitment that is capable of transforming our institution, our organization when we turn the lens outwards and let ourselves be viewed primarily through our responsibility for and with others.The hierarchy of urgency gives us fresh energy to live beyond ourselves and for others. The question is: Does the diocese want to do this? The decisions and the priorities are very much yours. Our calling is to empathy and to activity. This is how we refresh and grow our belonging to Jesus Christ and to the world of God’s creation. This is how we follow in the words of Holy Scripture: Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you …

and:

Go and do likewise …   

“Justice, environment, identity: these were the hierarchy of urgency identified by Archbishop Justin Welby for the Anglican Communion during the summer of 2022. This is an hierarchy quite different from that which forces the pace in the world we inhabit and take for granted. This points to a shift of focus and of direction in the life of The Anglican Communion for the future. This is the new Anglican Communion of which we are part.”

Archbishop Jackson thanked all involved in the smooth running of the dioceses in the past year, which he described as three years in one: in–Covid, through–Covid and beyond–Covid. In thanking the staff of the Diocesan Office he paid particular tribute to Diocesan Secretary, Sylvia Heggie, who has announced her intention to retire at the end of the year.

“The debt we owe to Sylvia is incalculable. On my own behalf, I want to say how effective and how professional I have found Sylvia to be throughout my time as archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough. Sylvia’s ethic has been and remains: What can I do to help? It is nothing short of incredible to recognize that Sylvia has done everything she has done through a half–time post. Sylvia has never refused to do everything she can to help those in need of advice, guidance and encouragement. To say that we shall miss Sylvia is the understatement of this synod,” he stated.

He concluded by stating that it is our calling under God to live in a time of vision, not division. Following on from the Lambeth Conference, he said the question for individuals was to discern what the Anglican Communion is and how they can, with urgency of faith, respond to it as part of a communion of Father, Son and Holy Spirit and a communion of faith, hope and love. The question for Dublin & Glendalough was, he said, “Is this diocese willing and wanting to be a diocese that is doing the Lambeth Walk?”

Further reports from Dublin & Glendalough Synods are available as follows:

Dublin & Glendalough Diocesan Secretary announces retirement

Work of Councils highlighted at Diocesan Synod

Board of Education highlights teacher shortage in Synod report

Social Action Committee seeks news of parish initiatives

D&G Synods adopt new governance standards reflecting international best practice

 


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