Day 3
General Synod 2023 Draws to a Close
General Synod 2023 Draws to a Close
General Synod 2023 has now concluded. This is the first year that the Synod has run both in person and online sessions. Days 1 and 2 took place in person in White’s Hotel in Wexford on Friday and Saturday May 12 and 13. The third session took place this evening (Tuesday May 16) online when members logged in to hear the Report of the Representative Church Body and to conclude the Bills process.
Honorary Secretary Canon Gillian Wharton gave the attendance figures: Day 1 – 407, Day 2 – 366 and
Online – approximately 300 (the figure is to be finalised).
The Journal Motion, directing the Honorary Secretaries to publish the Journal of Synod was proposed by Canon Wharton.
Before closing Synod with the Collect for Aid Against Perils, Archbishop John McDowell noted that this was the final year of the current triennium and said that he was aware of a good number of people who have served on General Synod for quite some years and for whom this was their final Synod. He thanked them for their service and commitment to the good governance of the Church of Ireland.
He thanked all who made General Synod possible, particularly the Honorary Secretaries and the staff of the Synod Department under Janet Maxwell. He also thanked the DCO for Armagh Jonathan Hull for his technical expertise. He looked forward to seeing everyone in Armagh next year on May 10 and 11 2024.
Canon Wharton thanked the Archbishop of Armagh for his chairmanship of Synod. She said that since he had taken office he had presided over Synods that took place entirely on Zoom, entirely in person and now a combination of both. She asked that members of Synod give feedback on how they found the format this year.