Standing Committee’s March report

The Standing Committee of the General Synod met on Tuesday 8 March 2011 and posted the following account of its business on the web on 13th April, 2011. Business covered the special synod for Tuam, General Synod arrangements and a committee to examine a code of conduct for clergy.

The meeting was opened with a scripture reading and prayers.

On behalf of Standing Committee, the Archbishop of Armagh congratulated the Rt Revd Dr Michael Jackson on his recent election as Archbishop of Dublin. The Archbishop of Armagh also noted that the Dean of Limerick, the Very Revd Maurice Sirr, will be retiring on 31 March and he thanked Dean Sirr for his many years of service to the Committee and wished him well in his retirement.

It was agreed that, following the General Election in the Republic of Ireland, Standing Committee would write to the incoming Taoiseach of the 31st Dail, Mr Enda Kenny, TD, to offer prayers and goodwill on the formation of a new government.

General Synod, Armagh
The Honorary Secretaries reported on the arrangements underway for the meeting of the General Synod which will take place in Armagh City Hotel, 12-14 May 2011.

Special Meeting of General Synod
The Honorary Secretaries reported on the special meeting of the General Synod which took place on Saturday 5 March at Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin, to debate the Bill relating to the See of Tuam, Killala and Achonry. The attendance was confirmed as having been 109 clergy and 179 lay people: a total of 288 members of the House of Representatives. The Bill was defeated with 12 clergy voting for it and with 88 against, while 14 lay members voted for and 142 against. It was noted that debate had been lively and that the venue had proved suitable for the occasion of the one-day synod. Implications of the outcome of the proceedings were discussed in broad terms, to be returned to in due course.

Anglican Covenant
It was agreed that a briefing paper relating to the Anglican Covenant prepared by the Anglican Covenant Working Group will be issued shortly, in advance of the meeting of General Synod in May. This will become available on the Church of Ireland website and will be included in the forthcoming Book of Reports.

Code of Duty and Conduct for Clergy
It was resolved that a motion be brought forward to General Synod to appoint the following to the Clergy Code of Duty and Conduct Committee with a view to producing a Clergy Code of Duty and Conduct and make an interim report to Standing Committee in January 2012 and a report to General Synod 2012: the Rt Revd Paul Colton, the Revd Stephen Farrell, the Revd Maria Jansson, the Ven. Dr Stephen McBride and Mrs Ethne Harkness, with the Revd Terence Dunlop as a consultant to the committee.

Irish Council of Churches
It was agreed that Mr Colin Ferguson be appointed as Church of Ireland representative to the Irish Council of Churches’ Board of Overseas Affairs. It was also agreed that the Revd Canon Dr Ian Ellis be appointed as representative of the Church of Ireland to the ICC.

Four Nations Anglican Faith and Order Consultation
The Rt Revd Dr Michael Jackson and the Revd Niall Sloane will represent the Church of Ireland at the Four Nations Anglican Faith and Order Consultation to be held 9-11 May 2011 at Llandaff, Wales.

Irish Church Hymnal
A reprint of the large print standard edition and large print presentation edition of the Irish Church Hymnal (2000) is required. Standing Committee resolved to instruct Oxford University Press (OUP) to reprint 8,500 copies of the large print standard edition and 3,500 copies of the large print presentation edition with monies made available from the General Synod Royalties Fund. OUP has agreed to keep the full musical edition of the Hymnal in print.