Church of Sweden General Synod to reconvene next week for decisions

The General Synod will reconvene in Uppsala next week for its plenary working session and decisions. The single biggest item for decision is the proposal for the new Book of Worship, which has resulted in to 52 motions. During the session, this year’s cultural grants will also be awarded.

Directly after the end of the General Synod, the newly elected General Synod for the mandate period 2018–2021 will gather for an election meeting.

The General Synod’s second, decision-making plenary working session begins at 9 AM on Monday 20 November at Uppsala Konsert & Kongress. The General Synod will conclude with a divine service in Uppsala Cathedral on Thursday 23 November at 2:30 PM, under the direction of Bishop of Karlstad diocese, Sören Dalevi.

This year’s cultural grants will be awarded on Wednesday 22 November at 5:45 PM. On the same occasion, the Sami Council of the Church of Sweden’s Culture Prize for 2017 will be awarded.

The General Synod, which will convene for its second session, has dealt with 158 motions in the committees and a total of eight written communications from the General Synod and the presiding committee of the General Synod. The reports contain the committees’ draft decisions.

New Book of Worship
Among other things, the General Synod, is required to make decisions on the new Book of Worship. The proposals in the divine service committee will be debated for the whole of Tuesday, 21 November, and decisions will be made on Thursday 23 November starting at 8 AM. Immediately after these decisions, a press conference will be held with the Archbishop and the chair of the General Synod, among others. A press invitation with more information will be issued at the beginning of week 47.

Directly after the end of the General Synod, the newly elected General Synod for the mandate period 2018–2021 will gather for the election meeting on Thursday evening 23rd November and Friday 24th November. A new presiding committee for the General Synod and a new Central Board are elected at this meeting.

Accreditation
Journalists and photographers who want to cover the General Synod must be accredited and wear visible name tags, which can be picked up inside the meeting hall at Uppsala Konsert & Kongress.

Register your name, mobile number, e-mail address and editorial office via e-mail to ewa.almqvist@svenskakyrkan.se by at the latest Friday 17 November at 12 noon. Phone/SMS: 0705-469677.

Press images
High-resolution images from the General Synod and the cultural grants awards will be posted on the image bank IKON: www.svenskakyrkan.se/fotoweb. Click OK to go directly into the Press archives for downloading images. No log-in required. The photographer must be credited when photographs are published.