Standing Committee & RB24 Sep 21

RB & Standing Committee News

The Representative Body met in an online format on Tuesday, 21st September, 2021, with the Archbishop of Armagh in the chair.

The Archbishop of Armagh welcomed Bishop Ian Ellis to his first full meeting of the RB in his current role and thanked Mr Henry Saville, who has served in Chair of the RB Executive Committee since 2016, for his help and advice during his time in office.  Thanks were also expressed to the Bishop of Tuam, the Bishop of Limerick, and Mrs Ethne Harkness, for their service to the Church through the Representative Body.

Archdeacon Roderic West was welcomed following his re–election as a member of the Representative Body, as a clerical representative for the Diocese of Down and Dromore.

The Representative Body recommended to the Standing Committee that Minimum Approved Stipends shall be as follows with effect from 1 January 2022: no stipend shall be less than £31,100 per annum in Northern Ireland or €38,616 per annum in the Republic of Ireland in the case of an Incumbent or a member of the clergy appointed as Bishop’s Curate or of a Diocesan Curate over the age of 30 years.  This represents a 3% increase in Minimum Approved Stipends for Northern Ireland and a 1% increase in respect of the Republic of Ireland, following a review of inflation over two years by the Stipends Committee.

In addition, the Representative Body further recommended that Pensionable Stipend remain unchanged at £25,498 in Northern Ireland and €36,219 in the Republic of Ireland with effect from 1 January 2022, and that the rate of levy to be paid by each diocese towards the cost of securing the solvency of the Clergy Pensions Fund from 1 January 2022 be set at the unchanged percentage level of 13% of the Minimum Approved Stipend in force at that date.

Mr Henry Algeo was elected as the new Chairperson of the Executive Committee, succeeding Mr Saville, with effect from 3 October 2021.  Mr Oswyn Paulin was elected as the Chairperson of the Library and Archives Committee with immediate effect, succeeding Mrs Ethne Harkness.  Ms Hilary Prentice was elected as a member of the Executive Committee, also succeeding Mrs Harkness.

Mr Adrian Robinson was re–elected to serve a second term as Director of the Church of Ireland Pensions Trustee Designated Activity Company, and Mr Robert Neill was elected as a Director of the Company.  Dean Alistair Grimason and Archdeacon Dr Stephen McBride were re–elected as members of the Central Communications Board.  The meeting closed with the Grace.

The Standing Committee of the General Synod met on the same day, also in an online format.  Ms Hazel Corrigan opened in prayer and with a reading with 2 Timothy 3.  The Archbishop of Armagh, in the chair, noted that this was the last meeting of the Standing Committee in the current triennium and thanked members for their contributions and their time given to its work.  He recorded the thanks of the Standing Committee to the Bishop of Tuam and the Bishop of Limerick.

The Standing Committee adopted the recommendations of the Budget Sub–Committee, approved the recommendations of the Representative Body for rates of Minimum Approved Stipends, Pensionable Stipend and Clergy Pensions Fund Solvency Levy, and appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers as the auditors of the accounts of the Representative Church Body.

The following grants were approved for payment from the General Synod Royalties Fund:

• €3,000 to Church of Ireland Publishing for the publication of a liturgical pastoral resource, in respect of situations of Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Neonatal Death;

• €1,500 to Church of Ireland Publishing for the publication of a liturgical pastoral resource, in respect of situations of Sudden and Unexpected Death; and

• €1,000 to Four Courts Press as a subvention towards the publication of ‘The Church of Ireland under the Stuarts’ by Dr Patrick Little.

The above liturgical pastoral resources will be provided by the Liturgical Advisory Committee.  Archdeacon David Huss was appointed to the Disciplinary Panel, succeeding Archdeacon Stephen McBride.  Dr Clare Jones was appointed as the Church of Ireland representative on the Anglican Health and Community Network.  The Archbishop of Armagh also welcomed the appointment of Dr Nicola Brady as General Secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, and noted her extensive work in her current role as General Secretary of the Irish Council of Churches.

The Standing Committee also approved the starting times for the business of General Synod 2021 as follows:

• 11.00am – Thursday, 30th September;

• 2.30pm – Friday, 1st October; and

• 10.00am – Saturday, 2nd October.

The meeting ended with the Grace.