The term of office of the current Diocesan Synod ends on 31 July 2015.  Therefore Derby Diocese must elect a new Diocesan Synod from its clergy and church members. The electors are members (other than currently co-opted members) of the House of Clergy and the House of Laity of the Deanery Synods of the Diocese. The rules state that the electors are defined at 6.00am on the date on which the nominations papers are issued locally by the Deanery.

Elections to the new Diocesan Synod will be carried out during the period May to July 2015 to a timetable fixed by the Bishop in accordance with Church Representation Rule 32(1).  The new Diocesan Synod will take office on 1 August 2015 and the first meeting of the new Diocesan Synod will be on 17 October 2015. 

The Bishop, in accordance with Rule 32(2) has appointed the Rural Deans to be the Presiding Officers for elections by the House of Laity of Deanery Synods and the Lay Chairs to be the Presiding Officers for elections by the House of Clergy of Deanery Synods.

Nominations

A Notice of Election must be sent to every qualified elector, together with a nomination form. Every candidate may be nominated and seconded by qualified electors and every candidate must express with their signature, their willingness to serve, if elected. Opportunity is provided for a candidate, if he or she so desires, to set out in 100 words or fewer, a factual statement, such as professional qualifications, present office of relevant experience, for circulation with the voting papers.

 Nomination Forms will be posted to all electors on 14 May 2015.  Nomination Forms will be sent by post on the same day in order that every elector is treated equally.

Valid paper copies of Nomination Forms must be returned by mid-day on 5 June which is the closing date for nominations.

If nominations are received, which are equal to or less than the number to be elected, then these persons will be elected and notified accordingly.  If there are less than the number of people to be elected then the remaining places are treated as casual vacancies and are then filled by the House of Clergy or the House of Laity by a method to be decided by them in accordance with the Church Representation Rules.  This process is the responsibility of the Chair of the appropriate House.

Voting Papers

If there are more nominations than there are places to fill, then an election will be organised. A voting paper must be circulated to every qualifying elector by post no later than 12 June 2015 and these have to be returned by mid-day on 3 July. The completed voting paper must be signed by the elector, together with their full name written on the reverse of the form in order to be valid.  Candidates will be notified of the result. In the event of equality of votes, the decision shall be taken by lot by the Presiding Officer.

TIMELINE

14 May 2015                        Each Deanery issues Notice of Election and Nomination Papers

  5 June 2015                        Closing date for nominations

19 June 2015                       Deanery issues voting papers (if elections are required)

  3 July 2015                          Closing date for voting

10 July 2015                         Deanery presiding officers inform Diocesan Secretary, Deanery Synod Secretaries and candidates of election results and of Diocesan Synod Members

15 July 2015                         Diocesan Synod Elections must be complete

1 August 2015                     Members of the new Diocesan Synod hold office from this date

17 October 2015               First meeting of the new Diocesan Synod

NUMBERS TO BE ELECTED

DEANERY                                   Clergy                     Laity                      

Alfreton                                         3                               3

Bakewell and Eyam                      4                               5

Bolsover & Staveley                     3                                4

Buxton                                          3                               2

Chesterfield                                  8                               8

Glossop                                        2                               3

Wirksworth                                   2                               3

Ashbourne                                   2                               3

Derby North                                 6                               4

Derby South                                5                               4

Duffield                                        3                               5

Heanor                                        2                               2

Erewash                                      5                               6

Longford                                     2                                2

Melbourne                                  3                                3

Repton                                        3                                 4

Diocesan Synod

The statutory governing body of the Diocese is the Diocesan Synod which is elected with representation across the Diocese with broadly equal numbers of clergy and lay people meeting together in Diocesan Synod with the diocesan Synod with the diocesan bishop, the suffragan bishop and archdeacons.

Its role is to:

• consider matters affecting the Church of England in the Diocese;
• act as a forum for debate of Christian opinion on matters of religious or public interest;
• advise the Bishop where requested;
• deal with matters referred by General Synod; and
• provide for the financing of the Diocese.

Deanery Synod

Deanery Synods have two houses, laity and clergy, and their role is to:

• respond to requests from General Synod;
• give effect to the decisions made by the Diocesan Synod;
• consider matters affecting the Church of England by drawing together the views of the parishes within the deanery;
• act as a channel of communication to express the views of parishes to Diocesan Synod and thence to General Synod;
• raise with Diocesan Synod such matters as it considers appropriate; and
• elect members of the deanery to the Diocesan Synod and in respect of the House of Laity elect lay members of the Diocese to General Synod.

The Bishop's Council (and Standing Committee of the Diocesan Synod)

Under the construction of the Diocesan Synod, Bishop's Council has the following functions:

• to plan the business of the Synod, to prepare the agenda for its sessions and to circulate to members information about matters for discussion;
• to initiate proposals for action by the Synod and to advise it on matters on policy which are placed before it;
• to advise the President, being the Diocesan Bishop, on any matters which he may refer to the Committee;
• subject to the directions of the Synod, to transact the business of the Synod when the Synod is not in session;
• to appoint members of committees or nominate individuals for election to committees, subject to the directions of the synod; and
• to carry out such functions as the Synod may delegate to it. 

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Synodical procedure

Diocesan Synod

The statutory governing body of the Diocese is the Diocesan Synod which is elected with representation across the Diocese with broadly equal numbers of clergy and lay people meeting together in Diocesan Synod with the diocesan Synod with the diocesan bishop, the suffragan bishop and archdeacons.

Its role is to:

• consider matters affecting the Church of England in the Diocese;
• act as a forum for debate of Christian opinion on matters of religious or public interest;
• advise the Bishop where requested;
• deal with matters referred by General Synod; and
• provide for the financing of the Diocese.

Click here for more information, including Diocesan Synod members for the Triennium 

Deanery Synod

Deanery Synods have two houses, laity and clergy, and their role is to:

• respond to requests from General Synod;
• give effect to the decisions made by the Diocesan Synod;
• consider matters affecting the Church of England by drawing together the views of the parishes within the deanery;
• act as a channel of communication to express the views of parishes to Diocesan Synod and thence to General Synod;
• raise with Diocesan Synod such matters as it considers appropriate; and
• elect members of the deanery to the Diocesan Synod and in respect of the House of Laity elect lay members of the Diocese to General Synod.
  
  

The Bishop's Council (and Standing Committee of the Diocesan Synod)

Under the construction of the Diocesan Synod, Bishop's Council has the following functions:

• to plan the business of the Synod, to prepare the agenda for its sessions and to circulate to members information about matters for discussion;
• to initiate proposals for action by the Synod and to advise it on matters on policy which are placed before it;
• to advise the President, being the Diocesan Bishop, on any matters which they may refer to the Committee;
• subject to the directions of the Synod, to transact the business of the Synod when the Synod is not in session;
• to appoint members of committees or nominate individuals for election to committees, subject to the directions of the synod; and
• to carry out such functions as the Synod may delegate to it. 

The Diocese of Derby consists of most of Derbyshire and a couple of parishes in Staffordshire.

The cathedral is in Derby itself.

The diocese serves a population of around one million people and has more than 300 churches.

It works in communities, schools, prisons and hospitals as well being represented in various other aspects of city and county life.

Under three archdeacons, the Archdeaconries of Derby City and South Derbyshire, Derbyshire Peak and Dales, and East Derbyshire consist of deaneries and parishes all of which work alongside Christians of other denominations.

The diocese began life as the Archdeaconry of Derby and was originally part of the Diocese of Lichfield.

It was moved to form part of the Diocese of Southwell, when that diocese was created in 1884.

In 1927 the Archdeaconries of Derby and Chesterfield became the new Diocese of Derby, as a response to population growth. 

All Saints Derby was hallowed as the Cathedral on the 28th October 1927 and the next day the first Bishop of Derby, Edmund Pearce, was installed.   

Although only founded as a separate diocese in 1927, the county has a long and rich Christian history.

Derby Church House, Full Street, Derby, DE1 3DR

01332 388650 | enquiries@derby.anglican.org

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Mission, Evangelism and Parish Revitalisation

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Here are some facts and figures about the Diocese of Derby.

• All the Anglican (Church of England) churches in the UK fall into either the province of Canterbury, or the province of York. The Diocese of Derby is in the Canterbury province. Read more about the Church of England and how it is structured on www.cofe.anglican.org
• The geographical boundaries of the Diocese of Derby and the County of Derbyshire are virtually identical.
• The geographical area of the Diocese is around 997 square miles.
• Its population is around 1,056,000 (the City of Derby is around 261,400).
  (Source- Population of local authorities from Census date 2021)
• There are 255 parishes.
• There are 330 Church of England churches in the diocese.
• There are 220 licensed clergy (150 stipendiary 70 NSM).
• There are 70+ licensed lay readers.
• Derby was founded as a city in 1977.
• The Collegiate and Parish Church of All Saints became a Cathedral on Thursday, 7 July, 1927, although not hallowed until Friday, 27 October, 1927. It cost £10,000 to adapt the church into a Cathedral.
• The Diocese is divided into three Archdeaconries: Derbyshire Peak and Dales, East Derbyshire and Derby City and South Derbyshire.
• The Diocese is divided further into eight Deaneries: Peak, Carsington, and Dove and Derwent in Derbyshire Peak and Dales; North East, Hardwick, and South East in East Derbyshire; Derby City and Mercia in the Archdeaconry of Derby City and South Derbyshire. 
• Since the Diocese was legally inaugurated in 1927, there have been eight diocesan bishops
  • Edmund Pearce - 1927 - 1936
  • Alfred Rawlinson - 1936- 1959
  • Geoffrey Allen - 1959 - 1969
  • Cyril Bowles - 1969 - 1988
  • Peter Dawes - 1988 - 1995
  • Jonathan Bailey - 1995 - 2005
  • Alastair Redfern - 2005 - 2018
  • Libby Lane - 2019 - present
• There have been two suffragan (or assistant) Bishops of Derby (when Derby was part of the Southwell Diocese before 1927):
  • Edward Ash Were - appointed 1889
  • Charles Thomas Abraham - appointed 1909
• There have been seven Bishops of Repton:
  • William Warren Hunt - 1965 - 1977
  • Stephen Edmund Verney - 1977 - 1985
  • Francis Henry Arthur Richmond -1986 - 1999
  • David Christopher Hawtin - 1999 - 2007
  • Humphrey Southern -  2007 - 2015
  • Jan McFarlane -  2016 - 2020
  • Malcolm Macnaughton -  2021 - present

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