So this week I am again at Synod. I have been live-tweeting a lot from the chamber. This helps me with processing and distilling the work of the Synod for myself. I hope it also contributes to the transparency which encourages engagement and participation.
This blog is about how it feels as a human to be here, and about balance in all things.
The first time I came to Synod last November I booked myself for all the things. We started early (or you're moving in and out of hotel rooms luggage wrangling) - the programme was full and th learning curve steep. I went to additional evening meetings, and left them exhausted. It was brilliant, obviously, but required a little management.
So this time I came ready to get out for some exercise first thing, decided evening fringe events could manage without me, but to be present in the chamber as much as possible. So what's the upshot of trying to manage my mental and physical energy as best I can for this?
1. A jog round Westminster at dawn, even a very slow one, should be on everyone's bucket list. Take good headphones. Play your montage music 🙂
2. Being present in the chamber is really important, for the stuff that seems dull as well as the contentious/exciting stuff. Because boilers affect mission. Because the great ideas we lay on our clergy and laity can hinder more than help. It's what the imperfect privilege of being here is about. Be in the room where it happens.
3. I am a tribeless extrovert in a place full of people, many of whom I know (but not that well) and everyone is dashing about being very busy and on their way to the next thing. Combine this with long days and the disappointment of realising there are valuable points of view not being heard in the chamber* because there's just so much being squashed in, and yes, that's this vicar giving herself an early night and a good talking to.
Our next Synod is in York and we will be on a campus together. I am told this feels much more collegial, and I look forward to it. But I also have a plan. Next time I'm in London for Synod (and might still do it in York), one evening there will be a tribeless place. A sanctuary in a bar somewhere with no pressure, for folks who don't have to dash and might just want to talk through the day. A decompression zone. You won't need a special invite and noone will be canvassing for your vote.
If it turns out this already happens but noone told me.....🙄
*yesterday there was more than one maiden speech prepared (and request to speak submitted in advance) for the Clergy Remuneration debate, who did not get called. These were really important points about part time working, about women clergy (disproportionately) being pushed into SSM and essentially serving the church funded by a partners income and more.
