A record number of motions to this year’s General Synod

158 motions have been received to this year’s General Synod, the largest number in the past 15 years. The Service Book and the Church of Sweden elections are the two issues that have engaged members most leading up to this year's General Synod, which will be gathering for committee work in October and decisions in November.

The deadline for submitting motions ended at 4pm today, 3rd August. New motions were being received right up until the deadline, and the final tally was 158. Since the record year of 2002 with its 170 motions, the number of motions received has not been above 109.

“The single issue that has generated the most motions is the Service Book, with everything from general proposals to many questions on the details. Other hot topics are the Church of Sweden elections and questions of democracy, as always in an election year,” says Nils Warmland, general manager for the General Synod.

As usual, the list of motions also includes members’ interests in divine services and parish life, membership issues, international involvement, parish welfare work, and the Church of Sweden’s organisation.

All the motions to the General Synod 2017 are available to download and read (in Swedish only?).

All the information about this year’s General Synod is available from www.svenskakyrkan.se/kyrkomotet

Contacts:
Nils Warmland, general manager for the General Synod, phone: +46(0)18-169549
Press secretary Ewa Almqvist, phone: +46(0)705-469677

FACTS about the General Synod
The 2017 General Synod will meet at Uppsala Konsert & Kongress on 3-6 October and 20-23 November. The 251 seats in the General Synod for the 2014-2017 period of office are held by 123 women and 128 men from 12 nomination groups (see below) and the parishes abroad.

Swedish Social Democratic party (S) – 73 seats
Centre/right voters not affiliated with any political party (BA) – 31 seats
Centre Party of Sweden (C) – 30 seats
Free liberals in the Church of Sweden (FiSK) – 3 seats
Frimodig kyrka – an open and outspoken church (FK) – 12 seats
Christian Democrats of Sweden in the Church of Sweden (KR) – 12 seats
Visby Diocese Cooperation of Churches (KSV) – 1 seat
Members of the Swedish Green Party in the Church of Sweden (MPSK) – 11 seats
Non-politically affiliated members of the Church of Sweden (POSK) – 38 seats
Sweden Democrats (SD) – 13 seats
Members of the Left Party in the Church of Sweden (ViSK) – 4 seats
Öppen kyrka – one church for everyone (ÖKA) – 11 seats
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Parishes abroad – 2 seats
Members outside a group – 10 seats