Deanery Synod Report
April 2026
This has been an important year for the Deanery as it continues to develop and implement the Deanery plan at a time of challenging financial constraints. The number of clergy is to be reduced to 11. This will involve issues around the deployment of clergy, parish boundaries and commonality and co-operation between churches.
The Deanery Synod has also spent time discussing ideas in making safe-guarding central to the life of all churches across the Deanery.
The Deanery Synod met on June 25th 2025 at St Mark’s Shiremoor, October 23rd 2025, at Christ Church North Shields, and 10th February 2025 at St Mary’s Monkseaton.
Holy Saviour’s, Tynemouth. February 18th, 2025
A presentation was given by Reverend Canon Dr Rae Caro. Rae explained that although most of the churches will have seen this presentation, this one has been done for Deanery Synod mission.
Three questions were considered, Who is God in the Deanery? Barriers to Mission? and What is the Message? Members talked within small groups and gave their suggestions.
Dr Rae Caro confirmed her willingness to visit churches within the Deanery to give advice and information on ‘Building from the Ground Up’.
Iain Shaw gave out a pack detailing the Diocesan finances to all in attendance. Iain highlighted that average church attendance was up by 3%. The percentage of those attending over the age of 70 is increasing.
The finance news is less cheerful, the Diocese were hoping for an 8% rise, however the overall figure was only a rise of 0.8% for all Deaneries. The rise was 0.5% for our Deanery.
Dates at the bottom of the presentation are to be noted. 24.10.25 is the deadline for return with a window of 12.09.25 until 24.10.25 to be held for discussion within churches. It is hoped that the diocese will be able to achieve balance by 2027.
St Mark’s Shiremoor, June 25th 2025
There was a talk from Maggi Creese the Lead Officer in chaplaincy to survivors of abuse. There was a discussion on what is meant by moral injury, the betrayal of trust and the churches failure to prevent abuse.
Maggi Creese introduced ‘Jagged Edges’ an illustrated book that is intended as a resource for confronting and discussing the impact of abuse on individual and the church as a community. The book contains poems, illustrations and woodcuts by three survivors of abuse. The poems and images are based on the Gospel Passion narrative and create a set of new Stations of the Cross that connect their individual stories of abuse with Jesus’s suffering.
We then were put into small groups. Each group chose a poem. After discussing the poem, we fed-back our ideas and responses to the poem and how we could improve in helping and understanding survivors of abuse.
Deanery plan is being reviewed with particular focus on new communities at Forest Hall and the Fish Quay, North Shields.
Tim Mayfield has been appointed the programme manager for net zero. He is hoping to build a network of environment champions
There was a short report back from the Diocesan Synod. They had discussed Living in Love and Faith and there was an update on the appointment of a Racial Justice Officer.
Christ Church North Shields, October 23rd, 2025
Reverend Anne Marr was a visiting speaker. She gave an interesting and informative talk on 150 years of the Mother’s Union. Examples of the work undertaken by the Mother’s Union were presented to the meeting. Reverend Anne was thanked.
St Alban’s Church, Earsdon and St John’s Church, Backworth welcomed their new Reader, Jo Mcevedy.
The Deanery Plan was discussed. The number of clergy will be reduced to 11 in the Deanery. The next stage of the plan will be how the 11 clergy will be deployed.
Iain Shaw, the Deanery Finance Officer, gave out a handout detailing the Deanery finances. He felt things were going well but couldn’t predict whether financial targets would be met.
The position of Deanery Environment Champion remained vacant.
St Mary’s Monkseaton, February 10th 2025
There was a discussion of the new Deanery Plan. The number of clergy will be reduced to 11. This will entail a rethink of how those clergy are deployed, parish boundaries and areas of commonality across the Deanery. It is hoped the Deanery will not only maintain what it has but will thrive and grow through the implementation of the Deanery plan.
This was Emma Doran’s last meeting as Lay Chair of the Deanery.
Sean Dowinton.