General Synod app

The app is designed for mobiles and tablets only and can be downloaded from either Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store. The app cannot be accessed via a web browser.

The app is optimised for devices running iOS 17 and above, and Android 13 and above. The app may run on devices with older installations of iOS and Android but be aware that you may encounter performance issues.

To log into the app, you must have an account authorised and created by the Synod Support team. Contact the team if you believe you should have access.

1. Open the app on your device.
2. Tap the Sign in or Reset your password button.
3. Tap Continue on the pop-up screen that appears.
4. Enter your username and password. Your username is your email address registered with General Synod and your password would have been set up previously. Tap the Login button.
5. If logging in for the first time on a device, tap the Allow Access button on the screen that appears.
6. You can now begin using the General Synod app.

Tap the agenda icon (first icon listed in the navigation bar) to access the timetable for either the main agenda or fringe events of the most recent Synod.

Use the date picker at the top of the screen to switch between days. The app will remember which day has been selected and will display this date whenever you navigate back to this screen until you’ve chosen another date.

Tapping on any agenda item or fringe event will give you a brief description of the motion or event, access to any related documents and the option to contribute to a debate during the current session.

Tap the documents icon (second icon listed in the navigation bar) to access all documents related to the current/most recent session of Synod. Use the drop-down menu at the top of the screen to filter the documents by category:

• Business done: A summary of all the business done, including passed amendments, for every sitting during the current Synod.
• Deemed and contingency business: Papers for any business that may be debated if time becomes available in the agenda.
• GS Misc papers: Background papers provided for information only. The content of these is normally not for debate.
• GS papers: Papers and reports covering business that will be debated during the current Synod.
• Members’ resources: Documents provided to help members navigate the logistics of any Synod group of sessions.
• Notice papers: Papers listing any corrections to the agenda or related papers, and advance notice of any upcoming motions and amendments.
• Order papers: A listing of the order of business for each sitting (i.e. morning and afternoon), including the addition of any amendments. Order papers are usually available 60-90 minutes before the next sitting and provide the most up-to-date version of the agenda.
• Question papers: A document listing all the questions submitted by members up to two weeks before the next Synod, with answers supplied by the relevant board, council, committee or commission.
• Timetable and agenda: The master document outlining what is happening when. It lists deadlines for submissions, legislative and liturgical items, and includes in full all the Diocesan Synod and Private Members’ Motions.
• Voting results: Complete voting results for every item voted on using the electronic voting system. The results are grouped by house, for and against.
• Worship: The master document for all worship sessions during Synod.
• Other documents: Any other documents that does not sit under any of the categories listed above.

Existing documents are updated, and new ones are added throughout the current session of Synod. This automatically occurs in the background while the app is open and active.

Tap on any document to open it in PDF viewer mode. We have added several new tools to help you better manipulate documents:

1. Download a document to your device
2. Enable split-screen functionality to allow you to view two documents side-by-side in landscape orientation. You will be prompted to search for a second document to view alongside the current document.
3. View thumbnail images of all pages in the current document. Scroll through this list to select and view a particular page.
4. Search for a word or phrase within the current document.
5. Repeatedly tap this icon to zoom in, increasing the font size of the document.
6. Repeatedly tap this icon to zoom out, decreasing the font size of the document.
7. Highlight a section of text
8. Add a note to the current page
9. Open to access more document navigation options

You can save and organise important documents and sessions for easy reference later with our expanded bookmarking functionality. Favourite or unfavourite a document or agenda item by tapping the bookmark icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the item card:

All selected documents and agenda items are saved for easy reference in the My Synod section of the app – tap the bookmark icon (third icon listed in the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen) to access these.

Tap the contact icon (fourth icon listed in the navigation bar) for a few ways to contact the Synod team:

• Use the General enquiries form if you have any general questions or comments for the team. A drop-down list of subjects will direct your enquiry to the appropriate team member.
• Use the Request to Speak form if you would like to contribute to a debate on a motion or amendment. This request does not go directly to the Chair. Submitting a question does not guarantee that you will be called upon by the Chair during the debate.
• Question Time is a 90-minute Q&A session usually held on the first day of Synod, where members have an opportunity to raise an issue in a way that places the reply on the public record. Use the Request to ask a question form to submit a question for this session.
• Private Members’ Motions (PMMs) are one of several ways that debates can be brought to the attention of the General Synod. Any member of the General Synod can write and submit a PMM. Use the Private Members' Motions form to signal your support for any PMM debate for inclusion in a future Synod.

The new archive is a repository of agendas and documents for past Synods dating back to February 2023. To access the archive, tap the ‘More’ icon (last icon listed in the navigation bar) and then the ‘See archive’ button. A pop-up screen will alert you that you are exiting the current schedule.

Use the date picker at the top of the page to select the past Synod you are interested in referencing and navigate the interface as you would for the current schedule. Tap the ‘Exit’ icon at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen to return to the current schedule.

Tap the magnifying glass icon in the top right-hand corner of any screen in the app to search for any main agenda items, fringe events and documents. You can use the filter at the top of the screen to further refine the search results by category.

Notifications may be used by the Synod Support team to alert members to important information. Notifications are enabled by default in the app. To turn these off, tap on the ‘More’ icon (last icon listed in the navigation bar) and switch the ‘Enable push notifications’ toggle to the ‘off’ position.

The easiest way to reset your password is in the app (see instructions below). However, if this proves unsuccessful, contact the Synod Support team at [email protected].

1. Open the app on your device.
2. Tap the Sign in or Reset your password button.
3. Tap Continue on the pop-up screen that appears.
4. Tap the Forgot Your Password? link.
5. Enter your username. Your username is usually your email address registered with us, but it may differ. Contact the Synod Support team if you are unsure.
6. Tap the Continue button.
7. Follow the instructions in your email to reset your password. If it doesn't arrive in your default inbox, you may need to check the junk/spam folder.

We periodically update the app to fix bugs or to make minor improvements. If the app is not behaving as expected, force quit the app and then re-open it. This resets the app and can be helpful when the app is unresponsive or freezing.

You should also check that you have the most recent version of the app installed if you do not have automatic updates enabled. You may also need to update your OS to access all the features in the app.

If all else fails, contact the Synod Support team.