Synod News
Charities Bill Proposed at Synod
A Bill to provide for the inclusion in the Constitution of the Church of Ireland of provisions which are desirable for the purpose of ensuring charitable recognition for Church of Ireland bodies in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland received its first and second readings at General Synod meeting online today (Tuesday December 1).
Proposed by Ven Leslie Stevenson and Hazel Corrigan, at the request of the Representative Church Body and Standing Committee, Bill No 1 deals with the requirement to insert certain clauses into the Constitution to reflect the nature of the work and mission of the Church which will enable the regulatory authorities to recognise various bodies of the Church as registered charities.
If approved by members, the new clauses, along with the Statements of Charitable Purpose, Charitable Objects and Public Benefit, will be incorporated into a new Chapter in the Constitution.
Proposing the Bill, Archdeacon Stevenson noted that the revision of charities legislation with the establishment of two new regulatory authorities had been almost 15 years in development and it was hoped to complete the registration of the remaining parishes in the Republic of Ireland within the coming months bringing a significant phase of work across the Church to a conclusion.
“From the Church’s point of view, strong governance and application of these charitable regulations is an important demonstration of our Christian witness and attests to the integrity of the Church’s structures. This, in turn, offers certainty to Church members and to the wider public in terms of how we raise and manage funds, and how we deliver public worship and pastoral ministry,” he stated.
The Bill has passed its first and second stages and will return to Synod for its final reading tomorrow.