Standing Committee & RB29 Apr 09

April 2009 Standing Committee News

The Standing Committee of the General Synod met in Dublin on 21 April 2009. The meeting opened with a scripture reading, the Easter acclamations and prayers.

Honorary Secretaries' Report
A round-table meeting of interested parties on the issue of best managing children’s ministry has been arranged for Tuesday 26 May at 11.00 at Church House, Dublin.

Regarding 2009 General Synod arrangements, Mr Harper reiterated that the major change this year is that Committee reports will not be preceded by speeches, but that debate from the floor will be encouraged and proposers of reports will respond. He also stressed the importance of attendance on the third day and at the Sunday Eucharist, the main focus of Synod.

Clergy Tied Housing
Following a preliminary consideration at the request of the Church of Ireland Marriage Council, the Honorary Secretaries presented a background document on the matter of clergy tied housing and brought forward a resolution on the establishment of a Clergy Tied Housing Working Group, which was adopted. It was resolved to that the following be appointed to the group to examine the issue of clergy tied housing, consult with the Representative Church Body and other appropriate committees and submit an analysis to the Standing Committee: the Revd Malcolm Ferry (Standing Committee); the Rt Revd Alan Abernethy (House of Bishops); Ms Ruth Handy (Commission on Ministry); the Revd Brian Harper (Marriage Council); and a representative of the Representative Church Body Executive Committee. It was further resolved that the working group have the power to co-opt at least two clergy spouses and to ensure that one be a spouse working outside the home.

Ecumenical Canons/Review of Canon Law
Notes were presented to Standing Committee on the issue of a code of Ecumenical Canons arising out of local ecumenical partnerships for consideration. Standing Committee agreed to work towards the provision of enabling canon law upon which regulations could be based.

Code of Duty and Conduct for Clergy
The Honorary Secretaries presented Notes to Standing Committee on the matter of the possible need for a Code of Duty. It was agreed that discussions at General Synod on the matter should help inform any future decision by Standing Committee and that in preparation for the Synod debate, members study carefully Canons 26-34 and relevant sections of the Ordinal.

Church of Ireland Press Ltd
The meeting noted that the relationship between Standing Committee and the Board of Directors of Church of Ireland Press Ltd is based on the R.C.B. Report to General Synod (1965 Journal, p.26) which records that in 1963 'the Standing Committee of the General Synod then made arrangements for the Gazette to be taken over by a new Company, the Directors of which were nominated by the Standing Committee.'

Legal Advisory Committee
The Legal Advisory Committee agreed that the Resolution from the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe of 25 October 2007 is in contravention of Chapter XVI of the Constitution which provides: 1. Ministry with Children, approved by the Standing Committee of the General Synod and reported to the General Synod, hereinafter referred to as Safeguarding Trust, shall be implemented and adhered to throughout the Church of Ireland in the Church’s ministry with children. 2. Each bishop and diocesan council shall ensure that Safeguarding Trust be implemented and adhered to by all parishes, clergy and diocesan bodies within the diocese and in any diocesan activity.

The Legal Advisory Committee had considered the questions from Archdeacon Patterson put by the Standing Committee to it: 'The proposed declaration to be prefixed to the 39 articles contains a statement, "Negative statements towards other Christians should not be seen as representing the spirit of this Church today". 1. Does this statement have the effect of changing the doctrine of the Church of Ireland so that the theological content of such negative statements no longer expresses the doctrine of the Church of Ireland? 2. How does this proposed declaration affect the Preamble and Declaration prefixed to the statutes of the Church of Ireland? In particular the phrase, "The Church of Ireland doth receive and approve The Book of the Articles of Religion".' The Legal Advisory Committee agreed that the wording of the Declaration could be taken as placing a particular interpretation on some of the 39 Articles and commented that whether such interpretation involves a change of doctrine is not a matter upon which the Legal Advisory Committee is qualified to express an opinion.

Priorities Fund: Leighlin Cathedral
Standing Committee approved the recommendation of the Priorities Fund Committee to grant €1,000 for a feasibility study to St Laserian’s Cathedral, Old Leighlin.

USPG
It was resolved by the Standing Committee on behalf of the Church of Ireland to appoint to the USPG Council for the next three years the Revd Canon Patrick Comerford and the Revd Ken Gibson (a Presbyterian clergyman who sits on the Board of USPG Ireland).

General Synod Royalties Fund
It was resolved that a grant of €2,790 be made to the Covenant Council for the publication of its forthcoming booklet exploring the shared liturgical heritage and worship resources of the Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland, Working out the Covenant – a Shared Spiritual Heritage by Gillian Kingston.
 
Standing Committee Co-options
It was resolved that the last day for the receipt of nominations for the co-option to the Standing Committee is Wednesday 27 May 2009 and the final day for return of voting papers is Monday 8 June 2009.

ENDS