Standing Committee & RB
September 2003 meeting
STANDING COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 2003
New Marriage Law
New marriage laws scheduled to come into operation in Northern Ireland on 1 January 2004 require the Church of Ireland to revise its system of regulation.
In association with the Registrar General a comprehensive education programme will be used to help clergy manage the new regulations. A report is to be presented in November covering all aspects of the new law including authorisation for the solemnisation of marriage and preliminary guidance for clergy.
In the Republic of Ireland new Marriage Law Reform proposals are expected to lead to draft legislation being brought before the Oireachtas within the next year.
Human Rights
The Church in Society Committee is to consider a pre-consultation document on a Charter of Rights produced by the two Human Rights Commissions in Ireland. The two Human Rights Commissions in Ireland act through their Joint Committee in accordance with the Belfast Agreement. The Church in Society Committee is asked to prepare a response in consultation with the Legislation and Politics Committees from both jurisdictions as well as a lawyer from each jurisdiction.
The Book of Common Prayer 2004
The Standing Committee received a presentation from the Central Liturgical Officer Canon Ricky Rountree on the Book of Common Prayer. Blank copies of the Pew, Desk and Large Print edition were presented to those present and handed around for inspection. Attention was drawn to the intention of the publisher, Columba Press, to produce a presentation edition. The large print edition will contain the most commonly used service material and the Psalter. An electronic version of the BCP 2004 is also being produced, which is purpose designed for the production of service sheets for special needs and special events. A Braille edition of the BCP will also be produced. The Standing Committee affirmed the specifications for the various editions of the BCP and also recommended the publishing contract to the Representative Body of the Church of Ireland for approval. The Central Liturgical Officer, Canon Rountree, will initiate a comprehensive information programme leading up to the formal authorisation of the book on Trinity Sunday 2004.
Child Protection
The Committee has written to the Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern TD, expressing concern that a vetting process has not been put in place for those with substantial unsupervised access to children in the Republic of Ireland. This issue has been a matter drawn to the attention of government by the Church of Ireland Board of Education in the context of the Church?s Safeguarding Trust policy on previous occasions with letters recently having been sent to both the health and education ministers. The same difficulty faces other voluntary sector organisations in the Republic of Ireland and recently formed the basis of a campaign spearheaded by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children to highlight the issue again. The letter to Mr Ahern points out that in Northern Ireland the pre-employment checks service is in place for both employees and volunteers working with children.
Appointments
Ms Ruth Handy is elected as a member of the World-Development-Bishops? Appeal Advisory Committee.
Dr Raymond Gillespie of the Methodist Church and an eminent historian is elected as a member of the Literature Committee.
The Most Rev John Neill is appointed to represent the Church of Ireland at the Second Theological Conference of the Porvoo Communion to be held in Iceland from 23 to 27 September 2004.
The Standing Committee in January 2003 appointed the Rt Rev P F Barrett, the Very Rev R S J H McKelvey, Dr A Pierce and Mr A Gillis to represent the Church of Ireland at the Irish Inter-Church Meeting to be held on 21/22 November 2003 at the Dromantine Conference Centre, near Newry. At the meeting on 16 June the Rt Rev W P Colton, the Rev J W Blair, the Rev S F Mikhail and Mr T Sargent were also apointed. The Rt Rev M G StA Jackson, the Rev F X Murenxi, the Rev Canon W D Sinnamon and the Very Rev D S G Godfrey were appointed as alternates.
The Rev Canon W D Sinnamon is appointed to represent the Church of Ireland at an Interfaith Consultation in Oslo in November 2003.
Dr K F Dunne and Rev W B A Neill are appointed to represent the Church of Ireland on the Inter-Church Standing Committee on Mixed Marriages for a three year period.
The Rt Rev P F Barrett is appointed to represent the Church of Ireland on the Irish Council of Churches.