J2 Area Meetings and Pastoral Committees

1          The purpose of the Area Meeting is expressed in the Manual as ‘fellowship, support, intimate mutual oversight and united action’.   That purpose needs to be continued in the new arrangements.  It requires a grouping of churches and people, in which the grouping is smaller than the Synod, but large enough to provide objective discussion.   Although there had been concern that four Areas set up in 2005 gave an excessive workload to the officers, after consultation with Area Secretaries and Pastoral Conveners it was considered preferable to continue use the geographical areas of the (past Districts), rather than have further changes.   Because it would be inappropriate and confusing to use the term District for these local units, it was decided that the geographical unit should be the Area. 

2          Much of the important work of the Pastoral Committees will be dealt with at this local level, using delegated powers of the Synod, including decisions about the grouping of churches, vacancies, concurrence with calls, regular consultations with churches, support of local worship leaders, etc.    While the Pastoral Committees will continue to have authority to make some decisions, it is desirable that there should be a larger gathering with representation from all the churches in the area to which the Committee would report.  It is proposed that this gathering should be called the Area Meeting and its core membership would be the members of Synod from the churches in the Area. 

3          As well as these two formal  Area bodies, the Synod Area Meeting and the Synod Area Pastoral Committee, there are opportunities for ad hoc meetings on specific topics.   In the Cumbria Area, there is recognition of the role of the Special Category Ministry of President and the developing ecumenical context. 

4          The Area Meetings should achieve the purpose of fellowship, etc., providing regular opportunities for ministers and representatives of local churches to meet, to worship, to hear of the on-going work of churches and the Pastoral Committee, to elect members of the Pastoral Committee and representatives to Synod committees, to encourage joint programmes on advocacy and mission activity, and to discuss current issues.   The Meetings would take place twice a year, in addition to the Synod meetings which should include time for separate Area Meetings. The local church representatives would be those who attend Synod, with appropriate ecumenical representatives and mission advocates. 

5          The Area Meeting will recommend to the full session of Synod, for due appointment by Synod, the Area Conveners and Secretary, the Pastoral Committee, ex officio members and other representatives.    The Chair of the Area Meeting, the Convener of the Area Pastoral Committee and the Secretary, who would also be Secretary of the Area Pastoral Committee, work together to arrange the business of the Area Meeting and generally act between meetings for the Area as a whole. 

6          The Area Pastoral Committee will probably need to meet at least six times a year.  

Some members might receive the papers but attend the meetings only when the agenda included items relevant to their area of responsibility.   There should normally not be more than twelve members of the Pastoral Committee.