Standing Committee & RB21 Mar 24

Standing Committee News

The Standing Committee of the General Synod met in Church of Ireland House, Dublin, on Tuesday, 12th March 2024.  Opening the meet in prayer, Canon Malcolm Kingston related St Patrick’s mission to Ireland to St Paul’s calling to Macedonia (Acts 16), as referred to in Patrick’s writings, and asked that the Church would be better enabled for mission through the Priorities Fund and Pioneer Ministry, and everyday conversations of grace as we celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

The Archbishop of Armagh noted that this would be the last Standing Committee meeting for several members, as the first meeting of the Standing Committee elected for new triennium will take place in June.  He thanked members for their service, notably Mr Wilfred Baker and Mrs Joan Bruton who are standing down after 40 years and 32 years of service respectively.

On behalf of the Standing Committee, the Primate offered condolences to the family of Judge Derek Rodgers, a member of the Legal Advisory Committee to the Standing Committee and formerly Chancellor of the Diocese of Connor, who died in February following a long illness.

The Honorary Secretaries’ report noted that there had been a 63% return to date from parishes for the Church of Ireland Census, and encouraged all remaining parishes to submit their returns so that statistics can be made available at the June meeting of Standing Committee.

The Standing Committee approved the recommendations of the Priorities Fund Committee, which this year received 60 applications (requesting grants amounting to €912,639), and recommended 55 grants (totalling €579,982), across four areas:

• Outreach initiatives;
• Christian education;
• Innovative ministry in a rural context; and
• Training – lay and ordained.

As requested by the Diocesan Council of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory, the Standing Committee approved an increase in the alternative age criteria for the election of diocesan representatives from Cashel, Ferns and Ossory to the Standing Committee, from 45 years to 55 years.

General Synod 2024

This year’s Church of Ireland’s General Synod meeting will be taking place in Armagh on Friday, 10th May, and Saturday, 11th May, with an online session for the third day’s business on the evening of Tuesday, 14th May, and, if required, also on Thursday, 16th May.

The Standing Committee approved motions to be brought to the General Synod to allow two amendments to its Standing Orders i.e. to prevent key deadlines for business falling within Holy Week, and to reduce the fixed time for the reports of the Standing Committee and the Representative Body from two hours to one and a half hours (in order to facilitate scheduling of business in the current format for General Synod meetings).

The Standing Committee received the report from the Episcopal Electoral Process Review Working Group, and approved the Bill presented by the working group and asked that it be presented at the General Synod in May 2024.

The Standing Committee adopted its report (along with the appended reports of the committees reporting to Standing Committee) to the General Synod.

Appointments

The following appointments were made by the Standing Committee:

• Ms Hazel Corrigan, the Bishop of Connor, the Revd Peter Ferguson, Archdeacon Andrew Orr, Provost Lynda Peilow, and Mr Roy Totten – to the membership of the Priorities Fund Committee;

• Ms Susanne Campbell and Mr Ian Coombes – as nominated Church of Ireland representatives on the Board of the Secondary Education Committee;

• Mr Stephen Addis and Bishop Pat Storey – to attend the Conference of the Methodist Church in Ireland, in Belfast, in June 2024;

• Ms Heather James – to the Marriage Council;

• Dean Niall Sloane and Ms Sarah Taylor – as members of the Advisory Council to the Church of Ireland Centre at Dublin City University.

The following were appointed to represent the Church of Ireland at the AGM of the Irish Council of Churches, in Ahoghill, in April 2024: the Archbishop of Dublin; the Bishop of Connor; the Dean of Limerick; Canon Dr Kenneth Milne; Dr Catherine Smith; Dr Nicole Gallagher (or substitute); Mr Glenn Moore; Ms Cate Turner; Ms June Butler; Canon Malcolm Kingston; Canon Katharine Poulton; Canon Kevin O’Brien; Mr David Ritchie; the Revd Suzanne Cousins; the Revd Abigail Sines; the Revd Philip McKinley; the Revd Maithrie White–Dundas; and the Revd Dennis Christie.

The Bishop of Connor concluded the meeting in prayer.