CHURCH OF IRELAND COMES TO BELFAST
GENERAL SYNOD 2000
More than 600 delegates representing Church of Ireland dioceses
and parishes in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland will
be at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast next week for the first meeting
of the General Synod in the new millennium.
The three-day event from Monday (15th) to Wednesday (17th) will
be chaired by the Archbishop Robin Eames, Primate of All Ireland.
Following the Archbishop's opening address the Synod will consider
19 reports covering a range of topics and issues.
The Representative Body and the Pensions Board reports give an
annual account of central church stewardship of resources including
important statistical information and new regulations adopted by
the Representative Body relating to part-time deployment in stipendiary
ministry. This follows the change to the canons authorised by the
General Synod last year.
"Living with difference" is a prominent theme in the
Standing Committee report which urges people to "recognise
and respond creatively to change, particularly to change which is
perceived to be threatening." In tackling the issue of sectarianism
the report acknowledges that this is "a major feature of life
throughout Ireland" and proposes a number of pilot projects
to help promote greater understanding. The report also recognises
the needs of asylum seekers and ethnic minority communities.
A radical revamp of synodical structures which, if agreed, could
lead to a 50% reduction in the number of delegates, is signalled
by the Standing Committee following a working group review.
The size and representation on the General Synod could be the subject
of a Bill to be put before the Synod in 2001. If the proposals go
ahead each diocese would be represented by 20% of it's clergy numbers,
the ratio of 2 lay members for every clerical representative would
remain and elections to General Synod would be by Proportional Representation.
The advantages of such a new structure outlined by the review group
include greater delegate participation and the option of holding
future Synods in a variety of venues and places.
The G8 summit of the world's leading economic powers at Okinawa
in Japan on 23 July 2000 prompts renewed appeals for the cancellation
of debts faced by poorer countries.
The Standing Committee report says: "The terms imposed on
many poor countries by the International Monetary Fund and the World
Bank must be removed if the world's poorest people are to live with
dignity and hope." The report also suggests that there is more
long term benefit in working with local partners on sustainable
projects than in high profile fund-raising media campaigns.
Last year a special appeal launched by the Bishops of the Church
of Ireland raised £200,000 to help refugees in Kosovo.
The Church of Ireland is online with various web sites covering
topics such as education, social services, youth activities and
liturgy. The core site attracted 21,500 visitors last year from
countries such as Bosnia, Jordan and Iceland as well as the USA
and Canada.
The Central Communications Board reports, "The speed of change
is dramatic and this new and exciting Internet medium is both a
tremendous challenge and opportunity for the Church to have an active
presence in the new marketplace."
In a report on ministry it is stressed that "demographic change
is at a level perhaps unprecedented since the time of the Great
Famine." Moreover mushrooming public and private housing estates
and changing lifestyles have made a strong impact upon established
patterns of parish life. Regular worshippers, says the report, are
perhaps best understood as those who appear once a month or more.
Concern is expressed about young people who suffer "much stress,
guilt and anxiety." The need is to engender in them a realistic
sense of self-worth.
In a medical ethics working group report the issue of surrogacy
is described as a particularly difficult one for Christians. "It
raises profound questions about the nature of parenting and the
meaning of the family." The report concludes: "Surrogacy
runs the risk of so many emotional, physical and psychological problems
causing damage and hurt. We consider the running of that risk unacceptable
and therefore surrogacy to be unacceptable."
Political development issues are highlighted with an appeal for
compromise on both sides to make politics work in Northern Ireland.
There is concern for refugees. "Ireland", says the report,
"is becoming a multi-cultural society. Immigration, especially
from central and eastern Europe and from Africa, shows every sign
of increasing and it is imperative that state policy in the matter
should be humane. Parishes can play a valuable part in welcoming
the stranger in our midst."
Contemporary language will be a mark of the new Book of Common
Prayer due to be published in 2004. The editor is Canon Brian Mayne
and the liturgical advisory report says "
"the proposed book will be a unifying factor in the life of
the Church, as well as bringing enrichment and renewal to it's primary
task of worship."
A new church hymnal is to be published by the Oxford University
Press on 2 September 2000 with 719 hymns in total.
The Hymnal Revision Committee has endeavoured to create balance
between the retention of much loved favourites and the introduction
of some of the new and vibrant hymns which have been written in
the last forty years. The greater part of Irish Church Praise has
been included and over half remain from the current 4th edition.
The launch of the new hymnal will be in St Patrick's Cathedral,
Dublin on 5 September 2000 with Pam Rhodes, the BBC "Songs
of Praise" presenter, taking part in the service.
The Church of Ireland Marriage Council is to host a major conference
in November dealing with marriage, co-habitation and divorce. There
are also plans to set up a web site covering all aspects of marriage
and family life.
The Church of Ireland Adoption Society is the only protestant based
voluntary adoption agency operating in Northern Ireland. In 1999
a total of 125 enquiries about adoption were received including
some through the dedicated web page.
The Board of Social Responsibility report covering the Republic
of Ireland voices concern at the proliferation of Tribunals of Inquiry
relating to many aspects of society. "Lack of morality in High
Places has been exposed. Tax evasion, planning irregularities, child
abuse and past neglect of care and responsibility by institutions
in a place of trust have been brought to light." The report
also highlights the problems of drug abuse and drug related crime
in "practically every corner of the land."
The Committee for Christian Unity expresses regret over the failure
so far to establish an inclusive ecumenical body for Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Board of Education report says there is "considerable
concern at the manner in which pre-school education has developed."
It says advisory groups are neither appointed by the Education and
Library Boards nor totally accountable to them. This has resulted
in "the extension of the sectarian divide in education into
a sector which heretofore had been comparatively free from such
division."
In a reference to the Department of Education's consultative document,
"Learning for Tomorrow's World", the report expresses
concern at the over-use of market economy language, for example
pupils being referred to as "customers."
"Associated Sixth Form" projects involving Church of
England and Roman Catholic schools in Harrogate win special praise.
They have been in operation for some 25 years.
Christian Education and Children's Ministry will be the theme
of a conference in September to be held at the Slieve Donard Hotel,
Newcastle. Special guest speakers will be Professor Linda Vogel
from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, Illinois
and Susan Graham-Walker, Christian Education Department of the Diocese
of Toronto. The conference will include workshops on inter-church
work with children and parents, children after divorce and contact
centres for parents.
NOTE TO EDITORS
General Synod Programme Outline
Monday (15th) Opening address by Archbishop Eames
Reports including: Sectarian Issues
Synodical Structures
World Debt
Communications
Tuesday (16th) Reports including: Role of Ministry
Medical Ethics
Political Developments
Mission
Liturgy and Language
Wednesday (17th) Reports including: Education Issues
Targeting Social Need
New Hymnal
Marriage
Child Care
Standards of Morality
Christian Unity
With the Compliments of the Church of Ireland Press Office PR GS
/2000
Issued on 10 May 2000
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