Standing Committee & RB
Standing Committee - March 2006
The Standing Committee of the General Synod met on Tuesday 14 March 2006.
Appointments
The Honorary secretaries reported the results of elections held to fill vacancies among elected members of the Standing Committee. The following members were elected to serve until the end of the current triennium on 9 May 2006:
Revd Malcolm Ferry ? Derry & Raphoe
Captain Neville Barnes ? Derry & Raphoe
The Very Revd Arfon Williams ? Kilmore
Mr David Gillespie ? Kilmore
Revd Canon John McCullagh ? Dublin and Glendalough
Mr Desmond Kenny ? Meath & Kildare
The Very Revd Maurice Sirr ? Limerick
Mr Edward Hardy ? Limerick.
Working Group on Disability
The Honorary Secretaries reported that the Archbishop of Armagh had agreed Sunday 19 November to be designated Disability Awareness Sunday for 2006.
Review of Committees
At the request of the Standing Committee, the Honorary Secretaries have initiated the process of the review of committees and intend to present an interim report to the standing Committee in April.
Priorities Fund
The Standing Committee had a wide ranging and animated discussion on the work of the Priorities Fund. Mrs Bruton, representing the Priorities Fund Committee, reported that the value of grant applicants were much higher than the funds available. This meant that the Priorities Fund Committee could not support as many requests as it would like and to the levels that it would like.
Other issues covered by the Standing Committee discussion included the longer term purpose of the Priorities Fund, procedures for fund allocation and the need for a contingency fund. Mrs Bruton clarified that if a request for support is refused one year, then an application can be re-submitted the following year. She reminded the standing Committee that the criteria for recommending grants, does not provide for the payment of debts or the funding salaries.
The Standing Committee recommended that the diocesan targets for contributions to the 2007 fund should be increased by 3%.
Safeguarding Trust
The Standing Committee agreed to submit two bills to General Synod 2006 regarding child protection issues.
1. to include an additional chapter in the Constitution to make provision for Ministry with Children. This would create an effective legal standing for Safeguarding Trust.
2. to provide for the funding of Child Protection Officers who would advise and assist the Church in responding to concerns about the welfare of children.
Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission
The Standing Committee received the Committee for Christian Unity?s revised response to the ARCIC document, Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ.
Christian Aid
The Standing Committee recommended three names for consideration as Trustees/Directors of Christian Aid Ireland to go forward to the Nominations Committee of Christian Aid.
Standing Committee Membership ? Diocese of Tuam
The Standing Committee approved the application from the Diocesan Council of Tuam, Killala and Achonry for references to ?forty-five years? to be substituted by ?fifty-five years? in relation to the election of members to the Standing Committee to take office on 9 May 2006.
This will enable the Diocese of Tuam to have clerical representation on the Standing Committee.
Bishops? Advisory Commission on Doctrine
The Standing Committee approved a grant of ?6,000 be made from the General Synod Royalties Fund for the publication, launch and distribution of The Authority of Scripture: a Report of the Church of Ireland Bishops? Advisory Commission on Doctrine.
Marriage Law Reform Working Group
The Standing Committee approved the following resolution be recommended to General Synod 2006.
That the Marriage Regulations (NI) 2004, as approved by the General Synod of 2005, may be amended by the Standing Committee provided that any such amendments as may be made by the Standing Committee, shall be reported to the General Synod within twelve months of their having been so made.