Standing Committee & RB30 Nov 17

November 2017 Standing Commitee News

The Standing Committee of the General Synod met on Tuesday 21st November 2017 in Church House, Dublin. In the opening prayers, Canon Gillian Wharton thanked God for the late Mr Gordon Bradley – a former Standing Committee member from the Dioceses of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory – and asked that his wife and family would know the consolation of the love of God. The Archbishop of Armagh commended Mr Bradley as one of the great servants of the Church who gave all at local and central levels.

Mr Ken Gibson reported that the Church of Ireland, the Methodist Church in Ireland and the Presbyterian Church in Ireland have been invited to partake in a structured dialogue with An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD, on Monday, 22nd January 2018. The Church of Ireland will be represented by the Archbishop of Armagh, the Archbishop of Dublin, Canon Wharton and Mr Gibson. The meeting will discuss the forthcoming referendum on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, Brexit and cross–border communities, homelessness and social housing, direct provision and overseas aid, and education.

The Archbishop of Dublin reported on the launch of Ireland’s Citizens’ Dialogue on the Future of Europe on Wednesday, 15th November, at Trinity College, at which he and Canon Wharton represented the Church of Ireland. This interactive dialogue was hosted by the European Movement Ireland and the Minister for European Affairs, Ms Helen McEntee TD, is keen that a wide–ranging debate takes place. More information is available at www.europeanmovement.ie or via the hashtag #FutureofEurope.

Standing Committee confirmed the terms of reference of the Advisory Council to the Church of Ireland Centre, at Dublin City University’s Institute of Education. The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross was appointed as Convenor of the Historical Centenaries Working Group, and Ms Hazel Corrigan and Dr Ian d’Alton were appointed as additional members of the group. The Bishop of Down and Dromore, the Revd Stephen Farrell, Mr Ken Gibson, the Ven Richard Rountree, and the Revd Alan Rufli were appointed to the Book of Common Prayer Working Group whose remit is to seek expressions of interest from recognised religious liturgical book publishers for a reprint of the Book of Common Prayer following the 2018 General Synod.

The Revd Adam Pullen, Chairperson of the Council for Mission, was appointed to attend the World Council of Churches’ Conference on World Mission and Evangelism, from 8th to 13th March 2018, in Arusha, Tanzania. The Archbishop of Dublin closed the meeting in prayer.