The Darlington District 2007 Autumn Synod was hosted by the Cleveland and Danby Circuit at the Oakwood Centre, Eaglescliffe. District Chair, Revd. Graham Carter, newly returned from his term of office as President of Conference, welcomed the Synod and those new to the District this year.
Worship was based around the film 'Happy Feet' and led by Revd. Grace Seymour of the host circuit. Graham Carter led bible study based on Luke chapter 9 with the theme that in God's Kingdom there is no hierarchy of importance, no room for narrowness or strictness, no place for triumphalism, but a desperate need for full commitment.
The Chair then submitted his Conference Report, speaking about the agreed changes in the Connexional Team, the Senior Leadership in the Methodist Church report, the proposed Youth Participation strategy, the Training Institutions report and plans for Training Officers and District Development Enablers, the new Lay Workers terms and conditions and the debates on climate change and trade justice in the food industry.
A detailed report was presented by Rev. David Deeks with some of the Team Focus proposals which are before the Conference, entitled 'Mapping a Way Forward, Re-grouping for Mission' in which he encouraged a back to basics campaign, urging us to consider again our priorities and how we are to offer to the world a church which is fit for mission in the 21st Century. District Mission Enabler Susan Johnson and Revd. Graham Peacock reported on their recent trip to the Evangelism Seminar in Atlanta USA.
Those elected to represent the District at the Conference of 2008 were Revd Paul Wood, Revd Andrew Lunn, Deacon Judith Ireland, Rosamund Carter, Norma Nevin, Keith Morton and Anne Offler. Elected representatives to the Youth Conference of 2006 are Hannah Wakefield and Lewis Wright both from the Durham and Deerness Valley Circuit.
2 Notices of Motion were proposed, the first by Rev Walter Attwood ~ presenting a report on the working conditions of actresses and actors in the Sexual Entertainments industry and the second proposed by Rev Malcolm Newman, a report on an article in the Daily Mail entitled 'ITV places its bets on web poker partnership'. Synod was asked to record its regret that ITV is going into partnership with PartyGaming. Rev Graham Carter then read a letter of greeting from Bishop Joseph Michuki of the District Miathene Synod Link in Kenya. Applications were invited to anyone wishing to be considered for the proposed visit to Kenya.
In his Chair's address Graham said that we have to be honest, that there has been failure in the church, but not to carry guilt for the failure. We are initiating a full review of work in the district to ensure that every aspect is focused on God's mission rather than preserving the church.Keith Phipps expressed his appreciation to the Chair and also to Richard Beilby who has been acting Chair for the last year.
Norma Nevin
The management in the sexual entertainment industry requires that their employees engage in practices that are injurious to their health and well-being whilst being filmed. The practices are unprotected vaginal, anal and oral sex. These practices of unprotected sexual activity are in contravention of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the regulations in relation to blood borne viruses.
Under the 1974 Act, and the related regulations, employers are required to carry out risk assessments and to make adequate provisions for the protection of their employees. By their failure to provide condoms the employers put their employees at an unacceptable risk of contracting hepatitis B, C and D as well as HIV/AIDS. These viruses are not detectable in the body for the first few weeks or months after a person has been infected, and during that time they are capable of passing on the infection through blood, vaginal secretions and semen to others with whom they have an unprotected sexual contact.
In the case of unprotected oral sex there is also the possibility of passing on the human papillomavirus virus which causes throat cancer. Throat cancer is more commonplace than it used to be because of the increase in the practice of oral sex. This human papillomavirus virus is more usually linked with cervical cancer.
These working conditions and practices are commonplace in the sexual entertainment industry and the industry highlights the dangerous practices in their promotional sales material.
These breeches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the related regulations have been brought to the attention of the Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Executive. He has indicated that the protection of employees in the sexual entertainment industry is a very low priority and that he has no intention of following up the information regarding these breeches of the law.
The Synod of the Darlington District of the Methodist Church having received a report on the working conditions of actresses and actors in the sexual entertainment industry believe that they, as employees, are not receiving from their employers the protection granted them under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and related regulations, especially the regulations concerning Blood-borne viruses. The Synod therefore calls upon the Health and Safety Executive to begin an immediate investigation into the dangerous practices involved in this area of the film industry and not to shy back from prosecuting where violations of the Act and regulations are discovered.
A letter to be sent to Mr. Geoffrey Podger, Chief Executive, Health and Safety Executive, Rose Court, Southwark Bridge, London SW1 9HS informing him of the concerns of Synod with a copy of the resolution.
A copy of the letter and resolution to be sent to all MPs covered by the District seeking their support for our resolution.
The circuits are asked to raise the issue with their MPs
Press release to local news media both before and after Synod.