Standing Committee & RB28 Sep 11

September 2011 Standing Committee News

Before the business of the meeting began, the Archbishop of Armagh asked members to stand in silence to remember the life and the service given to the Standing Committee and the Church at large by the late Mr Leslie Johnston who died in August. The Archbishop welcomed the Right Revd Patrick Rooke to the meeting in his new role as Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry; he also welcomed Mr Garrett Casey as the new Synod Officer and wished him well in the position.

Honorary Secretaries’ Report
The Honorary Secretaries recorded their gratitude to the Revd John McDowell for the time, commitment and help he had given in his role as a clerical Honorary Secretary, which position he has now resigned to take up his new role as Bishop of Clogher. The Honorary Secretaries are taking forward the process of providing names for a new clerical Honorary Secretary from the Province of Armagh for the next meeting.

Finances
Mr Wilfred Baker presented a position paper from the Standing Committee Budget Sub-Committee, which was received and noted. The Standing Committee requested that a draft Budget for 2012 be submitted for consideration in November. There was discussion around the future strategic direction of Church committees, especially in light of the costs involved in running them. The Honorary Secretaries agreed to examine the area of future committee working into the future.

General Synod 2013 – Venue and Dates
In light of the 2008 Standing Committee resolutions providing that the General Synod be held on a rotational basis in Armagh and Dublin, it was resolved that the meeting of the General Synod 2013 be held in Armagh from Thursday 9 May to Saturday 11 May 2013. It was noted that the first day of the Synod would fall on Ascension Day and that this would afford a significant opportunity to mark it liturgically.

Minimum Approved Stipends and Pensionable Stipend
Mr Robert Neill, chairman of the Representative Body Executive Committee, addressed Standing Committee with regard to both matters.

It was resolved that, in accordance with Section 51 (1) of Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland, Minimum Approved Stipends shall be as follows with effect from 1 January 2012:

(a) No stipend shall be less than £26,008 per annum in Northern Ireland or €36,219 per annum in the Republic of Ireland in the case of an Incumbent or a member of the clergy appointed as Bishop’s Curate under the provisions of Section 42 of Chapter IV or of a Diocesan Curate over the age of 30 years appointed under the provisions of Section 43 of Chapter IV.

(b) The stipend for a Curate-Assistant shall be in accordance with the following scale:

First Year 75.0% of minimum stipend for incumbent
Second Year 77.5% "
Third Year 80.0% "
Fourth Year 82.5% "
Fifth and succeeding Years 85.0% "

The figure for Northern Ireland stipend reflects the inflationary situation in Northern Ireland and represents a 2% increase.

The rates for Pensionable Stipend have followed consultation with the Church of Ireland Clergy Pensions Trustee Limited, which has taken actuarial advice.

It was resolved that as recommended by the Representative Church Body and the Trustee, in accordance with Section 2 of Chapter XIV of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland, Pensionable Stipend shall be as follows with effect from 1 January 2012:

(a) Pensionable Stipend shall be £25,498 per annum in Northern Ireland and €36,219 per annum in the Republic of Ireland in the case of an Incumbent or a member of the clergy appointed as Bishop’s Curate under the provisions of Section 42 of Chapter IV or of a Diocesan Curate over the age of 30 years appointed under the provisions of Section 43 of Chapter IV.

Pensionable Stipend for a Curate-Assistant shall be in accordance with the following scale:

First Year 75.0% of Pensionable Stipend for incumbent
Second Year 77.5% "
Third Year 80.0% "
Fourth Year 82.5% "
Fifth and succeeding Years 85.0% "

The RB will communicate these items to members of the fund in the normal course of events.

Church of Ireland Historical Centenaries Working Group
It was resolved that the Revd Earl Storey be appointed to the Church of Ireland Historical Centenaries Working Group as an additional member from Northern Ireland to facilitate the work being undertaken. The Standing Committee further empowered the working group to co-opt up to five additional members to enable it to complete its work.

It was also resolved that, regarding the work of the Historical Centenaries Working Group, Standing Committee encourages the Commission for Christian Unity and Dialogue to consult with ecumenical parties, the Archbishops to consult Governmental and Political representatives and the Bishop of Connor and the Dean of Belfast to prepare liturgical material for use during services marking the centenaries of the 1912-1922 period.

Irish Inter-Church Committee
Dr Kenneth Milne was appointed as a Church of Ireland representative to the Irish Inter-Church Committee until March 2014.

Irish Inter-Church Meeting
The next Irish Inter-Church meeting will take place on Thursday 20 October 2011 at Edgehill College, Belfast. The theme will be ‘Hope’, with the Rt Revd Tom Wright as the keynote speaker. The Most Revd Richard Clarke and the Revd Canon Ian Ellis who serve as members of the Irish Inter-Church Committee are automatically invited to attend. The following were appointed as Church of Ireland representatives to the meeting: the Archbishop of Dublin; the Bishop of Connor; the Revd Barry Forde; Ms Margaret McNulty and a staff member and three students from the Church of Ireland Theological Institute as nominated by the CITI Director.

World Council of Churches
It was resolved to nominate the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Revd Alan Abernethy, as Church of Ireland representative to the central committee of the WCC. In addition to reporting back to the Church of Ireland, as representative, the Bishop will also report back to the Methodist Church in Ireland.

Christian Aid
Standing Committee requested the Honorary Secretaries to express its thanks to Mrs Bet Aalen for her service on the Board of Christian Aid as Church of Ireland nominee, upon her retirement. Standing Committee requested that the Bishops’ Appeal World Development Committee puts forward a nomination on behalf of the Church of Ireland to the Board of Christian Aid at its AGM in November 2011.

UN Commission on Status of Women
It was resolved that, regrettably, in light of current financial restraints, a representative of the Church of Ireland shall not be sent to the 56th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York in February-March 2012. The Honorary Secretaries agreed to seek papers following the session for briefing purposes.

ENDS