Pre-synod24 Apr 24

General Synod motions 2024

Standing Orders

Motion No.8 (proposed by the Honorary Secretaries) would amend the deadlines for submitting proposed bills for consideration at General Synod to ensure that submissions are not received during Holy Week.

Motion No.9 reduces the required time for considering the Standing Committee and Representative Body reports, in the course of the business of General Synod, from ‘not less than two hours’ to ‘not less than one and a half hours’.

Baptism

Motion No.10 (proposed by Prof Patricia Barker, Dublin & Glendalough) reads as follows:

‘Whilst affirming the sanctity of marriage, this Synod acknowledges that it is a reality of modern life that infants are often born to single parents and/or to couples who are not married. In this regard, this Synod affirms that, in accordance with Canons, Chapter 9 of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland, irrespective of the marital status of the parents of an infant, a minister must not refuse or, save for the purpose of preparing or instructing the parents or godparents, delay to baptise any child within his or her cure who is brought to be baptised, provided that due notice has been given and the provisions relating to sponsors and godparents are observed.’

Clergy pensions

Motion No.14 (proposed by Mr Robert Neill, Dublin & Glendalough) seeks to:

• approve the closure of the Church of Ireland Voluntary Contributions Schemes to further contributions from members of the Clergy Pensions Fund;

• authorise the Church of Ireland Clergy Pensions Trustee DAC to transfer all monies held in the Voluntary Contributions Schemes to the Clergy Defined Contribution Pension Schemes;

• authorise the Pensions Trustee and the Representative Church Body (RCB) – the Church of Ireland’s central trustee body – following this transfer and re–investment to wind up the Voluntary Contributions Schemes;

• note the Bill being brought forward by the RCB to make related amendments to Chapter XIV of the Church of Ireland Constitution – which covers the governance of the Church of Ireland Clergy Pensions Fund.

Gaza and other humanitarian crises

Motion No.16 (proposed by Canon Elaine Murray, Cork, Cloyne & Ross) reads as follows:

‘That this Synod, mindful of the deafening silence from Christian churches regarding the current situation in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis that has unfolded since the appalling events of October 7:

• requests the Standing Committee to identify an enhanced mechanism by which we as a church community may publicly speak to such gross humanitarian situations in a timely and Christian manner, especially when sacred Scripture and the Word of God is being weaponised (whether in Israel/Gaza or in Russia/Ukraine) to justify atrocities and acts of war.

• further requests that progress in this matter will be reported to the General Synod of 2025.’

Bills procedure

Motion No.17 (proposed by the Honorary Secretaries) contains 25 proposed amendments to amend the terminology of the General Synod bills procedure which would, in particular, amend

• ‘first reading’ to ‘introduction’;
• ‘second reading’ to ‘Principle Stage’
• ‘committee’ to ‘Amendment/Detail Stage’
• ‘third reading’ to ‘Final Decision Stage’;

and make related changes to the Standing Orders.

Fair trade

Motion No.18 (proposed by the Rt Revd Dr Ferran Glenfield, Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh) reads as follows:

‘That the General Synod recognises the significant part that the Fairtrade Foundation has played in raising awareness of the challenges facing farming communities in many parts of the world, and in particular the impact of the climate change in our generation and reaffirms our commitment as churches and individuals to use fairtrade products.’

Euthanasia and assisted suicide

Motion No.22 (proposed by Dr Keith Gardiner, Diocese of Connor) reads as follows:

‘The General Synod, upholding the inherent dignity and value of every individual as being created in the image of God, and affirming the Christian calling to protect the most vulnerable in society, opposes legislation to permit euthanasia and assisted suicide; commends the loving service of all who provide physical, emotional and spiritual care for those who are suffering; and calls on governments to provide equity of access to high quality palliative care.’

Additional motions

The Timetable motion (Motion No.1) allocates the time available between the items listed on the agenda paper and is proposed by the Honorary Secretaries when business commences on the first day of General Synod.

The Allocations motion (Motion No.13) is proposed annually to authorise the Representative Body to make allocations from its General Funds to support the ministry of the Church.  The 2024 motion will primarily support the maintenance of the stipendiary ministry, the training of ordinands, General Synod activities, and Pioneer Ministry.

Membership motions elect members to each of the following committees of the General Synod: the Standing Orders Committee (Motion No.2); the Petitions Committee (Motion No.3); the Elections Committee (Motion No.4); the Record Committee (Motion No.5); the Bills Committee (Motion No.6); the Legislation Committee (Motion No.7); the Church of Ireland Marriage Council (Motion No.11); the Commission on Ministry (Motion No.12); the Church of Ireland Pensions Board (Motion No.15); the Commission for Christian Unity and Dialogue (Motion No.19); the Council for Mission (Motion No.20); and the Covenant Council, which oversees the relationship between the Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland (Motion No.21).  Membership motions are generally taken alongside the debates on reports to the General Synod, if scheduled in the timetable motion.

General Synod concludes with the Journal motion (Motion No.23) which instructs the Honorary Secretaries to ‘publish with as little delay as possible, the Journal of the Proceedings of the General Synod during this session, with such appendices as they think expedient.’