Standing Committee & RB
March 2003 meeting
STANDING COMMITTEE
MARCH 2003
PRIORITY GRANTS ON THE WAY
Around 670,000 euro is to be allocated to church and community development initiatives this year, said Mr Wilfred Young, chairman of the Priorities Fund, speaking at a meeting of the Standing Committee in Dublin on Tuesday (11 March 2003).
Mr Young said 77 applications had been received and grants awarded were now in the process of being distributed in support of a wide variety of projects. He said: "Our recommendations have been arrived at after considerable thought including the renewal of grant aid over the next three years for the promotion of Reconciliation and Outreach by the church in the life of the community."
Mr Young also paid a warm tribute to the late Mr Jim Getgood for his contribution to the work of the Priorities Fund over many years.
COVENANT COUNCIL
Church of Ireland representatives on the newly formed Covenant Council set up following the signing of the Church of Ireland/Methodist Covenant are: Mr David Brown, Ms Elva Byrne, Mr Stephen Edgar, Reverend Canon Adrian Empey, Reverend Dr Maurice Elliott, Reverend Canon Ginnie Kennerley, Mr Cyril McElhinney, Right Reverend Harold Miller, Reverend Brian Stewart and Mr Peter Thompson.
The Covenant Council will report annually to the General Synod of the Church of Ireland and to the Conference of the Methodist Church in Ireland. It aims to implement the Covenant at local, regional and national level and develop appropriate protocols and models for working together. This work will include advising on the interchangeability of ministries and, where appropriate, participating in developments taking place in Anglican/Methodist relations in other parts of the world. The Council will continue to reflect and advise on outstanding theological issues.
VISUAL LITURGY
A presentation on Visual Liturgy will be the focus of further discussion on the possibility of an electronic version of the Book of Common Prayer 2004 at the next meeting of the Standing Committee on Tuesday, 8 April 2003.
Visual Liturgy is a software package, which enables the user to plan acts of worship and produce service sheets using a computer.
BISHOPS' APPEAL
The Bishops' Appeal Advisory Committee reports that with the continued goodwill of all the dioceses it has been possible to support a wide range of projects in places as far apart as Africa, Central and South America and Asia. These include a donation of 20,000 euro to the Southern Africa Crisis Appeal that will be of particular help in the worst affected countries of Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola. In Central America an agency reports that thanks to Bishops' Appeal more than 300 people have received training in disabled women's rights. Trained teams will continue to help disabled women in the region.
The Committee distributes funds under the following categories: disaster, emergency and famine relief; education; medical, health and HIV/AIDS work; sustainable agriculture and rural development.
SYNODICAL REFORM
The Synodical Reform Working Group reports that key issues have been identified for further consideration. These include representation, timing and frequency of meetings, weighted membership, organisation of Synod business, election by proportional representation, legislation procedures, and mechanisms for input from diocesan synods. The idea is that these issues will be considered and resolved separately. The question of diocesan representation and overall membership remains the most urgent issue.