Day One of General Synod was jam-packed and frustrating. After typical first day procedural motions, many notices questions and motions followed, mostly from Sydney reps. Some feel too many. Fair enough.

But despite of this very real concern, some from other dioceses do appreciate that the Sydney contingent works hard to get across an enormous brief of material. Most other diocesan contingents struggle to do this. This became obvious as we trudged through some fairly dry and detailed matters of reform to our legislation. For example, there was a bill to amend Standing Committee procedures, another to do with the election of the Primate, and a third to do with the Special Tribunal that needs to exist to investigate wayward Bishops!

This material is frustratingly hard to follow (especially when some of the material was not paginated properly). Sydney's attention to detail became apparent when a couple of small but significant amendments from Bishop Glenn Davies and our Diocesan Secretary, Rob Wicks, were carried.

The day was also jam-packed. Imagine trying to get 250+ delegates fed when there was only space for 240 for lunch!

Yet our problems with lunch seemed trivial compared to one of the more moving moments of this Synod in Canberra " prayers for the plight of our drought-stricken farmers. The hardships of so many of our rural and regional dioceses brought one member to the edge of tears as he led us in prayer on this matter.

This theme also featured in Bishop George Browning's welcome to the host Diocese of Canberra-Goulburn. He named drought and especially climate change as the "elephant in the room'. He said it should be the main topic of discussion for our week together. Now there is a debate on the environment scheduled for Wednesday. But should climate change really be the main topic for a General Synod of a Christian denomination? 

In his Presidential Address to Synod, Dr Phillip Aspinall, the Primate, recalled the five Marks of Mission proposed by the international Anglican Consultative Council over twenty years ago:

1. To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom;
2. To teach, baptize and nurture new believers;
3. To respond to human need by loving service;
4. To seek to transform unjust structures of society;
5. To strive to safeguard and renew the integrity of creation.

I take issue with the suggestion that numbers 4 and 5 can be called the mission of the church. They are good things to do as citizens in God's world. But I cannot see in the Bible where the Lord Jesus enjoined them on us as the mission of his followers.

So I was pleased by the Primate's suggestion that we ought to make the first mark primary, with the other activities flowing from that. This would make gospel preaching primary. But the true "elephant in the room' is the uncertainty and disagreement across our denomination about exactly what the gospel is.

In so much of what is said at General Synod, the gospel is assumed rather than clearly taught. All Synod members have received a copy of a book about the "mission-shaped" church. It explores all sorts of ideas for new expressions of church, and other tips for outreach. But as far as I could see nothing is said about the cross of Christ and its effect, about this gospel being the power of God for salvation.

What is assumed in one generation can be lost in the next.