John Parrott, Circuit Steward of the Middlesbrough and Eston Circuit, welcomed Synod to the Oakwood Centre, Eaglescliffe. In the absence of The President of Conference and District Chair Revd Graham Carter the Acting Chair Rev Richard Bielby led Synod. We began with an imaginative act of worship was led by the host Circuit.
Bible Study was led by Prof James Dunn ~ based on Romans 14 and 15. Asking, in the light of Fresh expressions of being Church, how should we deal with conflict? Jimmy who has recently been made a Fellow of the British Academy guided Synod through the passage suggesting that it is not necessary for others to be wrong for us to be right!
Susan Johnson (The District Mission Enabler) shared with Synod some of the work she had done in her first year in the District and high lighted some of the forthcoming events including: All the President's People Roadshow, The Celtic Heart Concert and Dancing on the Edge of which more details are available on the District Website. The new Regional Economic Mission Enabler (revd Andrew Letby) was welcomed to Synod.
A special cross was displayed to Synod and will be sent to the Miathene Synod in Kenya symbolising our recently formed links. There is a hope that a group of people from our District will go to Kenya in 2008 and that people will come over from the Miathene Synod to visit our District in the next Connexional year. Synod agreed to take up an offer at the Autumn Sessions of Synod towards funding people from Kenya to visit our District. This raised £385.45
Revd Karen Jobson shared with us her experience of the World Methodist Council and Conference reminding us of the great hope for the Church thoroughout the world. The acting Chair (sporting his Methodist tartan scarf) reported back on the 2006 Edinburgh Conference. This was followed by an election to the 2007 Conference to which the following were elected: Rev Richard Bielby, Rev Roger Walton, Rev Paul Wood, Rev Kathryn Stephens, Rev Andrew Lunn, Deacon Anne Ellenor, Mrs Rosamond Carter, Mark Bagnal, Mollie Locke. Three nominations were received for Youth Conference 2006: Nikki Lunn, Megan Harris, Claire Nixon. Synod agreed to fund all three delegates.
Along side a number of business items including a report from the Chairs Nomination panel, various members shared Good News of new and not so new ways of being Church around our District. After rededicating ourselves to the work of God, Synod members returned to their home circuits.