The Archdeacon of Lynn, the Venerable Catherine Dobson, made her debut speech at General Synod on 13 July 2025. She was speaking in the debate about Church Growth and Revitalisation. A text of her speech is below.
“Thank you chair for calling me and to Kate [Wharton] for this helpful document and presentation. Although I have served on this synod for the whole of this Quinquennium this is my debut speech and I did not intend to speak while here.
I just want to share with Synod something about the amazing way I see God at work in the people and parishes of the Archdeaconry of Lynn in the glorious Diocese of Norwich.
Let me tell you about the parish of Roughton.
Where a few weeks ago I joined in worship to celebrate the opening of new facilities and the twelfth year anniversary of the Open the Book team sharing the love of God in their village school as they bring bible stories to them in fun and accessible ways.
Let me tell you about Gayton, Grimston and Massingham.
Where two members of the rural church are committed adult leaders for the young adults pilgrimage the Bishop of Norwich leads at Taize each year, and where a new churchwarden has been elected this year.
Let me tell you about Hunstanton and Saxon Shore
Where the churchwardens, local clergy and the rural dean are committed to working together discerning where God is leading them together across this seaside town and surrounding villages and running a well used foodbank in the town.
Let me tell you about Mattishall benefice
Where the commitment to the church school in Yaxham is second to none, and lay people in Mattishall work as a team to provide welcoming place of belonging for families through services such as Oasis and Who let the dads out with much tea and cake!
And let me tell you about the Coxfords group
Whose lay people care passionately about the church being the centre of their villages and believe that faith in Christ has much to bring to wider society.
Later this week, I will have the amazing privilege as Archdeacon of admitting churchwardens from across the archdeaconry to office. As the Bishop of Norwich often says, these are the unsung heroes of our churches.
I want to pay tribute to those amazing people in our parishes who have been faithful to Christ their whole lives – who have given and continue to give generously of their time, talents, gifts and resources.
Thank you to all from the bottom of my heart for all you do and the way you live out your faith as together we seek to be transformed by Christ, prayerfully, pastorally and prophetically.
All these benefices are in vacancy.
God is at work, urging, inspiring, challenging and cheering.
They long for clergy. But God is in their midst and at work.
Rural may be small but it is beautiful and God can be found there.
My question is how can we best support churchwardens and all lay people in vacancy in living out their faith in the ordinary everyday and is there learning from the Setting Gods people free initiative which can also be incorporated into this document?
You can watch the speech here at 2.42″ General Synod July 2025 | Sunday 13 Afternoon