Photo: John Jackson, Director of Finance presents the Annual Report and Accounts for 2025
Diocesan Synod took place at Christ Church, Orpington on Saturday 4 July.
It was a full agenda, which included an update from Tia Ndu, Programme Manager for the Diocesan Called Together vision and strategy, who outlined the latest progress to mobilise the four workstreams of the vision.
This included sharing some of the early benefits for parishes, particularly with increased staff capacity now available to support churches with their local plans and mission, and wellbeing support for those in church roles - lay and ordained.
A quartely update for sharing with parishes will be made available in July.
The Diocesan Annual Report and Accounts for 2025 were also discussed, with Synod receiving a presentation from Stephen Smith, Chair of the Diocesan Board of Finance and John Jackson, Director of Finance.
In addition, there was reflection on a motion brought by Cobham Deanery centred around freedom of speech and a private members motion brought by Billy-Jo O'Leary on looked after children and those in care.
Synod also received reports from Cat Jamieson, Net Zero Programme Manager for the Dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester, and Archdeacon Allie Kerr updated on work to develop a diocesan Safeguarding Action Plan.
In his Presidential Address, Bishop Jonathan looked ahead to each item. He particularly drew Synod's attention to the positive signs highlighted in the Annual Report regarding an uplift in Parish Offers, as well as usual Sunday attendance among children and young people, as well as adults.
He thanked every parish for their generosity, commitment and partnership in growing God's Kingdom. He also reflected on the recent pastoral visit made by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
A fuller round up of what took place at Diocesan Synod will be shared in due course.
Read Bishop Jonathan's address in full below.
Bishop Jonathan's Presidential Address
You will be glad to know that I do not intend to make this a long address, as we have a very full agenda today and much to discuss.
I would however like to express my appreciation for all the work that has gone into the Annual Report and Accounts – and even more importantly, my appreciation for all the fantastic ministry that is going on in the churches, chaplaincies and schools across the Diocese of Rochester.
I count it an enormous privilege to serve as your Bishop and I am so encouraged by what I see and hear as I visit different places and hear from people what God is doing in them and through them in the communities which they serve.
I do also believe that the work in which we are engaged to develop and implement our Diocesan Vision and Strategy is beginning to bear fruit in significant ways – even if there is, of course, a long way to go!
As you will have seen from the Annual Report, national statistics indicate that we saw an increase in attendance in 2025 of just under 3% among adults and a little under 7% among children and young people.
This is not yet full-blown revival, but it is hugely encouraging and it is borne out when I take Confirmation Services around the Diocese and see significant numbers of teenagers and young adults coming to faith and sharing their testimonies of how God is at work in their lives.
In a similar vein, Stephen Smith, the Chair of the Diocesan Board of Finance, will report very encouraging signs with regard to our finances, with the first increase in parish share receipts since 2017.
Again, there is still a long way to go but this is really good news, and I am so grateful for all the hard work and generosity that lies behind this in parishes across the Diocese. Thank you so much for your support in all of this.
We have also enjoyed some particular highlights over the last few months, with not one but two visits from the new Archbishop of Canterbury, firstly on her pilgrimage from London to Canterbury, and then three weeks ago when she made a pastoral visit to the Diocese and we were able to take her to a great variety of places, from Chatham and Gillingham to Tonbridge, Rochester, St Barnabas, Cray and finally to Chislehurst, before putting her and her Chaplain safely on the train back to Lambeth.
The visit was themed, at her request, around health and well-being (hence our visits to Medway Maritime Hospital and the Ambulance Service as well as the well-being project in the Cathedral gardens) and around young people, beginning with an early start in Tonbridge (especially for the teenagers concerned!) and a brilliant bike-renovation project at St Barnabas, Cray.
Not forgetting a memorable all-age service at St John’s, Chatham, at which Archbishop Sarah preached, and a great discussion with members of the team there, sharing the story of the reopening of the church building and its role in the regeneration of Chatham. Again, huge thanks and congratulations to all involved!
These are all great reminders that whatever may be going on in the wider world and whatever challenges the Church of England may be facing in its internal wranglings, God is at work and invites us to join in with what he is doing. And that is the message with which I would like to leave you as we move into our business together this morning.
The Annual Report and Accounts that you have before you are not some dry and dusty document.
They are the story in words and pictures – and yes, in numbers – of what God is doing amongst us here in the Diocese of Rochester – and we are all part of that story and have an important role to play within it – whether we are in a small urban or rural parish, a large town-centre church, or working in the Diocesan Office or in one of our wonderful church schools.
Each of us is part of the Body of Christ and makes a vital contribution.
Two other items on our agenda – the two motions for debate – encourage us to look outwards in different ways to the world around us – to concerns around freedom of speech and Christian witness in society, and to the needs of Looked After Children and Those in Care.
I hope we will listen attentively and contribute thoughtfully in these two debates, recognising that it is part of the role of the Church of England to seek to influence the life of our nation as part of our seeking God’s kingdom of righteousness and peace.
There will be many other such issues for us to consider as Christians in the months and years to come, starting with the return of the Assisted Dying Bill to the House of Commons this autumn, sponsored by one of our local MPs, and I would urge all of us to be praying hard about this and to do all we can to help people understand the issues at stake and the potential risks involved, especially for vulnerable, elderly people in our society.
There will be other topics too, relating to the future of our economy and society, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence and the changing nature of work.
Christians have a hugely important contribution to make on these issues, rooted in our understanding of human beings as created in the image of God and as interdependent persons who are precious to God and to whom we are bound as neighbours whom we are called to love as ourselves.
And that theme of care for the vulnerable and our responsibility for one another will be reflected in another key item on today’s agenda and that of every Diocesan Synod, namely the work of safeguarding.
Big changes are underway in the Church’s understanding and practice of safeguarding, shaped in part by input from the Charity Commission as well as by the outcome of a major review of the Church’s safeguarding structures.
Archdeacon Allie will report on some of this today and we will be returning to this subject at our next meeting on 7th November in Chatham.
These matters are all rightly part of our core concerns as a Church. They are part of what it means for us to seek first the kingdom of God – remembering that we are called together to change, serve and grow with compassion, courage and creativity. Synod, thank you all for being part of this shared work and of our shared pilgrimage. I thank God for each one of you and for the privilege of serving with you.
May God bless our work today to the glory of his name. Amen.
The Rt Revd Dr Jonathan Gibbs
Bishop of Rochester