Day 2
Report of the Council for Mission received by General Synod
The report of the Council for Mission was adopted by General Synod on Friday evening (October 1).
Proposing the report the Revd Adam Pullen said that one of the great strengths of the Council was that it was composed of members drawn from to totality of the Church of Ireland, the Church of Ireland Theological Institute, Youth Department, Mothers’ Union, all the dioceses, lay and ordained, North and South, urban and rural. There are also representatives from the Association of Mission Societies that bring a global church and justice perspective as well as the contribution of the Methodist Church.
He said that in recent years the council had championed the Five Marks of Mission: Tell, Teach, Tend, Transform and Treasure. Videos on the five marks would continue to be made, supported by the Priorities Fund. He thanked Ruth Garvey Williams and Jonny Sanlon for their dedication in making the videos. He also thanked Dr Nick Shepherd of the Church of England for his support of the council’s recent digital worship seminar. He also thanked Lydia Monds from Bishops’ Appeal for her assistance.
Dean Tim Wright (Meath and Kildare) seconded the report and thanked Mr Pullen for his work as chair.
Speaking to the report, Frank Dobbs (Connor) complimented the council on the Marks of Mission videos they have been producing and said they had been very useful for CMSI. He said that the contributions from parishes to CMSI were important but that they had been decreasing which meant that they could not support parishes in building links with the Church throughout the world. Contributions from individuals had been increasing, he said.
The Revd John Tanner (Dublin & Glendalough) spoke of the work of the Bible Society of Ireland and the National Bible Society of Ireland. He said that the Biblical Association of of the Church of Ireland was now associated with the NBSI as many of their aims overlapped. He said the NBSI had been in a hiatus but was coming out of that due to the work of Dr Julie McKinley. He encouraged people to engage with the Bible Society through their website.
The Revd Cliff Jeffers highlighted the seminar – Practical Lessons from the Frontline – which was run by the Council for Mission and which is available to watch on the Church of Ireland Council for Mission Facebook page. He wished Adam Pullen well as he finished as chair of the Council for Mission.
Synod agreed that Canon Andrew Orr be coopted to the council.
Radiant Faith Five Marks of Mission 1 TELL