Day 1
Marriage Council Continues to Provide Support as Changes to Church Wedding Rates Noted
The role of the Church of Ireland Marriage Council was highlighted to members of General Synod meeting in Armagh this afternoon (Friday May 10)
Presenting the Marriage Council’s report, the Revd Jonny Campbell–Smyth said that it was established almost 30 years ago with the aim of providing support to couples considering marriage, and to church leaders as they guided couples through preparation for marriage. It also signposts couples needing support in their relationship.
Referring to Canon 31, he said the Church and the council must do whatever possible to support couples pastorally who have entered into this covenantal relationship.
He presented official data which showed that the number of marriages per year had declined across Europe by almost 50 between 1964 and 2022. In the same period the divorce rate had doubled. More locally he outlined statistics in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. In 1964 the number of couples married in Church of Ireland parishes in Northern Ireland was 2,343 and in 2022 that has reduced to 511, making that a 78% reduction in the past 60 years. The Central Statistics Office for the Republic of Ireland shows that only 1.1% of marriages (that’s 242) in the Republic took place in the Church of Ireland within 2023. Civil ceremonies however increased to 31.6% of all marriages in 2023.
“So statistically there is a growing tide of couples moving away from church weddings across the island, but that doesn’t imply that our role is diminishing. The Church has a lot to offer to support couples in their relationships. The church can be an incredible place of hope, a place of encouragement, a place that models love, a place of refuge, and a place of welcome. We don’t know when couples will need us, but I believe the Church has the opportunity to provide support at any stage, whether when a couple are considering marriage, supporting couples through the challenges of life – whether health, loss, divorce, remarriage, the empty nest, whatever it is, the church is there to support – and this is where we as a Marriage Council I think have begun this year to spread our wings wider,” Mr Campbell–Smyth stated.
Over the past year the councils has attended diocesan synods, led marriage enrichment courses for parishes, and supported couples with relationship counsellors across the island. With external funding the councils can finance a couple’s first six sessions with a counsellor, he said. But he said it was disappointing that the counselling services were not utilised enough by parishes and encouraged clergy to signpost people to their services.
For the year ahead he looked forward to the retreat for clergy and their spouses in October facilitated by Bishop Ken Good and his wife Mary. On June 10th they are inviting Church leaders to join a lunchtime webinar to resource them when helping people come to terms with the death of their spouse. There will be other webinars organised on topics such as blended families and remarriage and supporting people through divorce and separation. They will also continue to partner with Mothers’ Union.
He thanked all who had served on the Marriage Council and announced that he would be stepping aside as chair.
Speaking to the report, Dean Cliff Jeffers (Cork, Cloyne and Ross) suggested that the Church of Ireland was missing an opportunity by not being more relaxed about where marriage ceremonies could be conducted. He suggested reexamining this so that the church could be more involved in people’s lives.
The following were appointed to the Church of Ireland Marriage Council to serve from the first day of General Synod 2024 to the day before the meeting of General Synod 2026: Most Rev Pat Storey, Vacant (Chairperson), Rev Ian Linton, Ms Heather James, Rev Carlton Baxter, Rev Emma Rutherford, Mrs Patsy Devoy, Mrs Kay Clarke and Ms Esther Simpson.