From The Church Times-
THE highest church court in Aus tralia, the Appellate Tribunal, has ruled that both lay and diaconal presidency at the eucharist are not permitted under existing General Synod canons — contrary to claims by a 2008 resolution of Sydney Synod (News, 24 October 2008).
Since the 2008 Synod, at least one of the assistant bishops in the dio cese of Sydney has approved diaconal presidency in his area. There is evi d-ence to suggest that diaconal pres idency has taken place at some Sun day services, including pres idency by women who, although ordained priest in other dioceses, are licensed only as deacons in Sydney diocese.
The Tribunal’s findings, which were brought down on Thursday of last week by a six-to-one majority, were in response to a reference from 28 General Synod members, who were acting under a provision of the Church’s constitution. The signator ies came from 13 Australian dio-ceses, and included eight diocesan bishops.
The reference identified six con stitutional questions arising from the Sydney synod’s resolution, which said that there was no legal impediment to deacons’ presiding at the eucharist under the terms of a 1985 General Synod canon authorising deacons to assist the priest in the administration of the sacraments.
The resolution also affirmed lay presidency on the basis of the General Synod Lay Assistants at Holy Communion Canon 1973, although the synod was told that the Arch bishop of Sydney would still need to license lay presidents, and would not do so at the present time. This reluctance was believed to relate to the relation ship between the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen, and the GAFCON bishops.
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=99190
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