Standing Committee & RB
March 2010 Standing Committee News
The Standing Committee of the General Synod met in Dublin on Tuesday 9 March 2010. The meeting opened with a scripture reading and prayer. On behalf of Standing Committee, the Archbishop of Armagh expressed good wishes to the Very Revd Susan Patterson who is returning to New Zealand, and thanked her for her contribution to the work of Standing Committee.Priorities Fund
A report and recommendations from the Priorities Fund Committee was received and adopted. It was agreed that, as recommended by the Priorities Fund Committee, the diocesan targets for contributions to the 2011 fund should not be increased.
Bill of Rights NI
Having met on a number of occasions, the Bill of Rights NI Working Group presented a report on the Bill of Rights NI. This was discussed and adopted by the Standing Committee as the official response of the Church of Ireland to the current government consultation and has been submitted to the Northern Ireland Office. It is available for viewing at www.ireland.anglican.org/officialsubmissions.
Charities Legislation
Further meetings with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland have been held and the secretariat noted the progress that the Church of Ireland has made. The draft statements of ‘Charitable Purpose’ and ‘Public Benefit’ developed by the Church have been favourably reviewed by the Commission as appropriate for use by vestries, or equivalent bodies, registering under the new legislation.
Interchangeability of Ministry
The Church of Ireland Interchangeability of Ministry Working group having held two joint meetings with the Methodist Church in Ireland Interchangeability of Ministry Working Group, tabled a progress report to Standing Committee.
General Synod Royalties Fund
The following grants from the General Synod Royalties Fund were approved: £2,700 to the Liturgical Advisory Committee for the production costs of the final Year A of Singing Psalms, enabling completion of the project; €4,000 to the APCK, to produce two Church of Ireland information pamphlets; and €2,000 to the Church of Ireland College of Education towards the publication costs of a bi-centenary history of the Kildare Place Society in which the College has its historic roots.
CCB: Internet
Standing Committee agreed to conclude the work of the Central Communications Board’s Internet Committee. The CCB has indicated that future needs in this area will be met in-house but that creative development of internet communication will be continued, drawing on in-house knowledge and the vision of volunteers with appropriate expertise. Thanks were expressed to the Chairman of the Internet Committee, the Venerable Raymond Hoey, and the members of the Committee for their work in promoting the use of the anglican.org domain and in developing the Church of Ireland website.
Church in Society Committee: Palliative and End of Life Care
The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (NI) published a consultation document entitled Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy for Northern Ireland in December 2009. The Church in Society Committee’s response to this was endorsed by Standing Committee. It is available for viewing at www.ireland.anglican.org/officialsubmissions and will be included in the General Synod Book of Reports 2010.
ICC Membership
On the recommendation of the Commission for Christian Unity and Dialogue, Standing Committee ratified the appointment of the following people to represent the Church of Ireland on the Irish Council of Churches for 2010: Mr Garrett Casey; the Most Revd Richard Clarke; Revd Canon Dr Ian Ellis; Revd Canon Raymond Fox; Revd Canon Mark Gardner; Mr Sam Harper; Revd Ernest Harris; Ms Ruth Handy; Revd Canon Walter Lewis; Revd Mark Loney; Mr Jim McGaffin; Mrs Roberta McKelvey; Dr Kenneth Milne; Mr Trevor Morrow; Revd Daniel Nuzum; the Most Revd Dr John Neill; Revd David Pierce; Ms Uta Raab; Revd Obinna Ulogwara; and the Rt Revd Trevor Williams.
Church of Ireland Press Office
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