Diocesan Conference

David Hammond-Williams reports from this year’s event

The centrepiece of this year’s conference was the launch of the Year of Mission – Open to God – that will be the focus of diocesan activity from now until Advent 2026 and beyond.

Another key moment was an update on the progress of the Pruning for Growth initiative as its second phase draws towards a conclusion.

Then, of course, there was the budget. And that means Ministry Share, which provides just over three quarters of diocesan income. The good news is that the amount of Ministry Share that has actually been paid is slightly up – to 76%. The bad news is that this still doesn’t cover the expenditure to which the diocese is committed during the next financial year.

So the Board of Finance’s budget, accepted by conference, proposes a deficit for 2026/7 of around £300,000, described by the Board’s vice-chairman Andrew Henley as “the least worst option.” But to do otherwise would have required a 16.5% increase in Ministry Share which, he said, was “undesirable and unachievable.” This way, the increase can be limited to 4%, which is equivalent to the rise in clergy stipends agreed at provincial level.

Meanwhile, conference heard that the motion from the diocese to Governing Body calling for greater financial support from the Province had been accepted and that a process of dialogue is under way. Although the outcome remains “highly uncertain”, Mr Henley said he was optimistic that additional support from the RB would give them “some room for manoeuvre” in the future.

Conference time is also election time. But concern was expressed that a significant number of the vacancies on diocesan boards and committees, as well as on provincial bodies, attracted insufficient candidates to fill them and in some cases no nominations were received at all. Details of those that were elected are listed on the diocesan website.

On an administrative note, conference passed a motion to amend the diocesan constitution to incorporate changes to the Standing Orders drafted for LMAs seeking to become Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) so they conform to a template agreed between the RB and the Charity Commission.

Next year’s conference will be held on Saturday October 3rd at a venue to be decided in Cardigan Archdeaconry.