Preparations for the 152nd Diocesan Synod gather momentum this week with three Regional Pre-
Synod Conferences, the first of which, for the Kingston Region, take place today (March 21) at
St. Luke’s Church, Cross Roads. Other Conferences will be held on Thursday, March 23 at
St. Gabriel’s Church, May Pen for the Mandeville Region; and Saturday, May 25 at Holy Trinity
Church, Westgate, for the Montego Bay Region.
Today’s Conference, which is the first face-to-face Synod meeting since the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic will be attended by Clergy, Synod Lay Representatives, Synod Deanery
Youth Representatives, Treasurers, and Church Wardens from the six parishes in the Region.
These include Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Thomas, Portland, St. Mary, and St. Catherine.
The day’s programme will begin at 9.00 am with a Service of the Holy Eucharist at which The
Rt. Rev. Garth Minott, Suffragan Bishop of Kingston, will preside. Bishop Minott will also chair
the Business Session – the first since his consecration last June.
Highlights of the Agenda will include a review of the 2022 Budget performance and the
presentation of the 2023 Budget by Mr. Wayne Powell, the newly-appointed Chairman of the
Diocesan Financial Board who took office following the retirement of the long-standing Chairman,
the Hon. Michael Fennell in 2022.
The Most Rev. Howard Gregory, Archbishop of the West Indies and Bishop of Jamaica & The
Cayman Islands will address the delegates on Diocesan and other developments in the Anglican
Communion.
The other feature of the day’s programme will be the tabling of resolutions for discussion at the
upcoming Synod, which will be held at the Holiday Inn Resort in Rose Hall, Montego Bay from
April 11-14.
