C of I Standing Committee approves new clergy stipends

Photo above – Ms Carolyn Good, newly appointed member of the Advisory Council to the Church of Ireland Centre for Education (DCU).

The Standing Committee of the General Synod met on Tuesday, 17th September 2019, in Church House, Dublin.

Archdeacon George Davison opened the meeting in prayer and with a reading from Matthew Chapter 4.

The Archbishop of Armagh congratulated Archdeacon Andrew Forster on his election as Bishop of Derry and Raphoe and wished him God’s blessing as he prepared for his new role. The Archbishop also wished the Bishop of Down and Dromore well as he entered into retirement and commended the energy and commitment with which he had approached his ministry as priest and bishop. The Bishop of Down and Dromore thanked the Archbishop for his friendship and expressed his hope that the unity of the Church across the island of Ireland would be sustained and forged into the future.

Ms Ann Walton was welcomed to her first meeting of Standing Committee, as lay representative of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, having been appointed to fill the vacancy left following the resignation of the Revd Maebh O’Herlihy, on her ordination to serve in the Ordained Local Ministry.

Standing Committee approved the recommendations of the Representative Body regarding minimum approved stipends, pensionable stipends, and the Clergy Pensions Fund. The effect of the resolutions will be as follows from 1 January 2020:

– minimum approved stipend will increase by 2.0% in Northern Ireland and by 1.0% in the Republic of Ireland;

– no stipend shall be less than £30,195 per annum in Northern Ireland or €38,234 per annum in the Republic in the case of an incumbent, a bishop’s curate or a diocesan curate over the age of 30 years;

– pensionable stipend shall be £25,498 per annum in Northern Ireland and €36,219 per annum in the Republic in relation to each of the above offices; and

– the rate of levy to be paid by each diocese towards the cost of securing the solvency of the Clergy Pensions Fund will be set at the unchanged percentage level of 13% of the minimum approved stipend.

Standing Committee endorsed a strategic plan for a whole Church of Ireland approach to Children’s and Family Ministry, proposed by Canon Ian Berry (Photo above) following discussions with the Children’s Ministry Network, the Sunday School Society for Ireland, the Honorary Secretaries and the Representative Church Body.

Standing Committee approved a statement calling for all efforts to be made to ensure the continuity of peace, stability and economic security on the island of Ireland as the UK prepares to withdraw from the European Union.

This year’s General Synod passed in motion requesting that Standing Committee explore ways in which the issue of persecuted Christians can be brought more fully to the attention of Synod in 2020. The Inter–Faith Working Group has prepared a paper which it hopes will assist the Council for Mission in its continued work in this area. The paper, which was considered by Standing Committee, refers to the review of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s support for persecuted Christians, research on persecuted religious minorities in the Middle East and North Africa, the rise of anti–Semitism, and the difficulties experienced by Christians, Muslims and other religious groups in China and the former Soviet states. The working group is continuing a programme of dialogue with religious minorities in Ireland, including Jews and Muslims.

Information about events being co–ordinated by the central Church to mark the 150th anniversary of Disestablishment was circulated to members.

Ms Carolyn Good was appointed to the Advisory Council to the Church of Ireland Centre for Education at Dublin City University, to fill the role of principal of a small rural school as allocated by a resolution of the June meeting of Standing Committee. Ms Good is the teaching principal of Carrigduff National School, Bunclody, Co. Wexford.

The meeting closed with the Grace.