Saturday 6th September 2008 dawned with torrential rain and flood warnings across the country. Not to be outdone by the weather, 81 adventurous Presbyters, Deacons and lay people arrived safely at The Wensleydale School, Leyburn where they were met by the host Circuits of Wensleydale and Bedale for the Darlington District Autumn Synod. Many folk tried valiantly to reach the venue but were hampered by the flooded roads and had to turn back.
Opening Worship was led by Rev Graham Evans of the Bedale Circuit and music was provided by ‘Simple Harmony’ from Snape, in Bedale. Graham extended a warm welcome to our Darlington District Chair, Rev Ruth Gee. Ruth expressed her thanks to all who had organised or taken part in her Welcome Service, held in Durham Cathedral on Monday 1st September.
Mrs Anne Offler (Children and Young Peoples Worker) reported on the feedback she had received from Youth Conference 2007, and showed a DVD outlining the Youth Participation Strategy discussed at the Scarborough Conference.
Those elected to Youth Conference this year are Hannah Wakefield and Amy Thorns both from the Durham and Deerness Valley Circuit.
Those elected to Conference 2009 in Wolverhampton are Rev Andrew Lunn, Deacon Judith Ireland, Norma Nevin, Anne Offler, Susan Jaleel, Rev Angy Long and Ann Lake.
Following the appeal at Conference 2008 it was agreed to send proceeds of this Synod Offering to the Zimbabwe Lorry Appeal, £396.85 was collected.
Mrs Susan Johnson (District Mission and Development Enabler) and Mr Mark Bagnall (Training Officer) both outlined their new posts within the District.
Mr Martin Clarke from the Connexion Music and Resources Group reported on the progress of the work of the group towards the new Hymn Book.
The group who visited the Miathene Synod in Kenya gave an enthusiastic report of their time at the Jambo Sana Project, their visit to a feeding station and a Methodist School, their attendance at a Kenyan wedding, and how they represented the UK in the Methodist Conference in Nairobi.
After lunch Rev Ruth Gee spoke of us living in ‘exciting and interesting times’ as she introduced the afternoon group discussions based on the paper from Conference 08 “The Missional Nature of the Circuit”.
In closing, the Chair expressed Synods thanks to the host circuit.