The Scottish Episcopal Church General Synod took place at Stirling University from the 11th to the 13th June 2026. This annual gathering explores national issues for the church, works with changes to liturgy and canon law and sets plans for national finance. The Diocese of Brechin was represented by six lay people, six clergy and Bishop Andrew. Some reflections from delegates at the event are given below:
A Clergy Rep Reflects
This was my first ‘in person’ General Synod, and my first in the Diocese of Brechin. It was great to catch up with people I knew from my previous time in the SEC. Importantly, Synod, was an opportunity to experience being part of the wider Church, and a highlight for me was getting to meet new people, and to hear their stories of ministry in their various contexts.
As a table facilitator, I enjoyed engaging with my fellow Synod members as we discussed the agenda items. There was much energy in those debates, and there was a sense in the room that everyone’s contributions were helping to shape the future of the SEC. We followed a tightly-packed schedule over the two and a half days, but this was balanced alongside some good opportunities to socialise with one another.
To sum up my thoughts about General Synod, I would say that overall, it was a very positive experience, and it was a privilege to be a part of it.
Musings on General Synod from a Brechin Lay Rep.
Synod was well organised with GSO readily available to deal with any queries. – apart from when one was lost on campus! Synod got through the agenda largely on time. Interaction with members of Synod was good with several opportunities for discussion and feedback from tables. In general contributions from the floor were measured with no serious disagreements.
Main item of interest was probably Provincial Strategy which, like a certain President’s memorandum of understanding, could have done with more (any) detail. It will be interesting to see how the feedback from the discussions around the tables influence the next iteration of the strategy. The one item which produced a split amongst voters was the proposal to give young people guaranteed places on synod. At the moment anyone over the age of 16 years can be nominated to synod but, perhaps not surprisingly, very few take advantage of that.
The large campus of Stirling University was often a challenge to navigate, especially in the rain. The accommodation in student halls of residence brought back memories, although the modern student lives more comfortably than I did 60 years ago. Catering was very good but I have to confess to opting out of the “Pub Quiz”. Overall, I enjoyed the experience more than I thought I would.
A Clergy Rep Reports
The move to the new venue meant that in many ways the Synod had more of the feel of a conference. As ever, there was much joy and encouragement in meeting friends old and new, sharing news, meals and fellowship together. Being reminded that the Church is greater that our individual charges or dioceses is always a healthy corrective to our instinctive parochialism. The challenges we face are shared by all, and the examples of good practice are signs of life that we can all rejoice in and try out. The accommodation, I was in the Stirling Court Hotel, was perfectly adequate, as were the meals. The meeting rooms were a bit stuffy and cramped. There was little free time to explore the rest of the campus and its facilities but that was not why we were there.
The business of Synod felt somewhat highly-managed at times with much approving and commending of reports and decisions made elsewhere. The table discussions were instructive but, as always, too short. Perhaps the lack of any highly contentious moments resulted in proceedings being somewhat uncharacteristically serene and harmonious. What elephants in the room were not being acknowledged, I wonder?
Another clerical representative from Brechin
The Provincial Synod this year was largely smooth and harmonious, with no contentious matters arising. A presentation of the provincial strategy prompted positive and energetic table discussions around its three priorities: becoming a learning, diverse, visible, and growing Church, and what is needed to support these aims and visions. There were excellent and challenging contributions from the Provincial Youth Committee and the Legacy of Slavery Working Group. The new venue created a collegiate, conference-style setting, with all worship, meetings and meals in one place, though at times it felt somewhat cramped and overly warm. All motions passed by large margins, except the Rule 10 motion on youth election and membership, which passed narrowly.
A Lay Rep in their First Year at Synod
As this was my first time at General Synod, I found the broad range of issues under discussion very interesting and it helped my understanding of the structure and work of the Province.
I enjoyed the table discussions and learned more about common and different issues between churches. Highlights for me were the research done on Healthy Churches and the presentation by the Scottish Episcopal Institute.
I enjoyed worship with everyone together. I also enjoyed talking with others over dinner and breakfast, and will be keeping in contact with a few people. The quiz on the last evening was a lot of fun. There were a lot of laughs and it was nice to do something different after a busy day. The campus was a beautiful setting to spend time in.
