CHURCH OF IRELAND PRESS OFFICE
Church of Ireland House, 61 - 67 Donegall Street, Belfast BT 2QH
Tel Belfast: (028) 90 232 909
Press Officer Brian Parker (M): 07775 927 807
PRESS RELEASE
5 May 2004
FIRST TIME IN ARMAGH FOR GENERAL SYNOD
The Church of Ireland General Synod will this year meet for the
first time in Armagh from Tuesday, 11 May to Thursday, 13 May 2004.
The Synod opens on Tuesday at 11am and on Wednesday and Thursday
at 10am.
The venue is the Armagh City Hotel at Friary Road and for three
days some 500 representatives of parishes and church organisations
will hear reports and discuss a broad range of topics and issues.
Press facilities are available throughout the three days and these
include a press conference opportunity on each of the three days
in the Press Centre at 1pm.
The hotel offers a wireless broadband facility and this is available
in the main concourse area. Anyone with a wireless adapter for
their laptop can use this service. The charges are £15 per
day for a block of 24 hours continuous access or £6 per hour,
continuous access.
The hotel will route calls to the press centre
Tel:
(028) 37518888
Fax (028) 37512779
E-mail:
The Press Officer
The Church of Ireland Media Officer is Rev Brian Parker (m) 07775
927 807.
News Reports will be posted on this website - Click HERE
Includes page references to the Book of Reports (BR)
Draft Order of Business
Day 1 - Tuesday 11 May
11.00 am to 1.00 pm
Presentation of the new Book of Common Prayer 2004. Editor is
Canon Brian Mayne.
Archbishop Eames speaks about the work of the Lambeth Commission
and the divisions in the Anglican Communion, the prospects of political
progress in Northern Ireland and the future shape of the church’s
ministry in the twenty-first century. The Archbishop will hold
a press conference in the Press Centre at 1pm.
Synod welcomes special guests – the Most Rev Sean Brady,
Archbishop of Armagh, Rev
Dr Ivan McKay, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland,
Rev W James Rea, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland and
the Venerable Arfon Williams from the Church in Wales.
PRESS CONFERENCE WITH ARCHBISHOP EAMES – PRESS CENTRE 1.00
pm
2.00 pm to 6.00 pm
Report of Pensions Board: Book of Reports (BR) pp109
The Most Rev Dr John Neill, Archbishop of Dublin, reviews provisions
for clergy pensions and gives an assessment of future prospects.
Mr Hilary Morrison, Connor Diocese, a long-serving member of various
central committees retires this year.
BILL – the only one at this year’s Synod – introduced
to seek amendments to the contribution scheme for clergy pensions.
Report of the Council for Mission in Ireland/Council for Church
Overseas.
Proposals to unite in mission the Council for Mission in Ireland
and the Council for the Church Overseas.
Report of the Committee for Christian Unity. BR pp 353
Rt Rev Peter Barrett, Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, looks at progress
on the ‘unity pilgrimage’ including the Anglican/Methodist
dialogue. He reflects on the nature of inter-cultural and inter-racial
Ireland.
Ms Andrea Wills, Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, looks at
the integration of refugees –‘a two way street’ – and
describes the trafficking in women as ‘the most dramatic
human rights violation’.
Report of the Liturgical Advisory Committee. BR pp 365
Rt Rev Harold Miller, Bishop of Down and Dromore, and chairman
of the Liturgical Advisory Committee, assesses the impact of the
new Book of Common Prayer 2004 on the worship and mission of the
Church.
6.30 pm - GENERAL SYNOD SERVICE IN ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL,
ARMAGH
Preacher is the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Dr Rowan
Williams. See separate note on press facilities and photo opportunities
prior to the Service.
Day 2 - Wednesday 12 May
10.00 am to 1.00 pm
Report of the Representative Church Body (RCB) BR pp 3
Mr Geoffrey Perrin, Dublin Diocese,chairman of the Representative
Church Body Executive Committee, calls for ‘vision and mission
rather than the management of the status quo’. He highlights
the need to tackle real practical issues and welcomes the introduction
of a major information management system in Church House –CHIMP.
Archdeacon Gordon Linney, Dublin Diocese, retires this year and
wins praise for his ‘apposite and incisive contributions’ as
a member of various central committees.
Report of the Church of Ireland Youth Department. BR pp 341
Church of Ireland Youth Department is engaged in a major review
of its organisation and strategies.
1.00 pm - PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE MOST REV DR RICHARD CLARKE,
BISHOP OF MEATH AND KILDARE AND CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION
ON MINISTRY,
IN THE PRESS CENTRE
2.00 pm to 6.30 pm
Presentation by the Commission on Ministry. BR pp381
The Church of Ireland Commission on Ministry has been consulting
with parishes and dioceses about the future shape of ministry.
Report of the Standing Committee. BR pp 161
Andrea Wills, Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, suggests that ‘many
exciting projects are springing up in all parts of the Church’.
There are now more opportunities for people to get involved and
if anyone wants to volunteer there is a “TALENT BOX” available
in which to post your name and area of interest.
Report of the Church of Ireland Marriage Council. BR pp 395
Report of the Board of Social Responsibility (NI). BR pp 409
Report of the Board of Social Responsibility (RoI) BR pp 421.
Day 3 - Thursday 13 May
10.00 am to 1.00 pm
Report of the Board of Education. BR pp 313
Board welcomes increased Government funding and prospects for
new schools in developing parishes. There are concerns about provision
for pupils with special needs and the failure of the Government
in the Republic to extend the vetting procedure to all school employees.
Churches welcome the Costello Report on the arrangements for post-primary
education in Northern Ireland. The Board calls for discussion about
ethos in education particularly within the controlled sector. There
are also references to the impact of the introduction of university ‘top-up’ fees,
especially upon socially disadvantaged students.
Report of the Secondary Education Committee. BR pp 337
The impact of the standardised school year and its impact on Boarding
Schools are up for discussion. Welcome for the recent reassurance
by Minister Dempsey that the ‘Block Grant’ scheme will
not be altered.
Report of the Church in Society Committee. BR pp 269
Rt Rev Dr Michael Jackson, Bishop of Clogher, says the Church
has no automatic place in today’s Ireland. On the contrary
we seem at times to be dancing to the tune of our own agenda. The
Bishop calls for active participation in the life of society-politics,
legislation, medical ethics, human rights and the environment.
1.00 pm in the Press Centre - PRESENTATION BY ARCHBISHOP EAMES
OF ‘THE OSCARS’ FOR
BEST PARISH MAGAZINE, BEST DIOCESAN MAGAZINE, BEST PARISH WEBSITE
AND BEST DIOCESAN WEBSITE.
Results of the Church of Ireland Magazine and Website Competition
2004.
The judges were Rev Dr Bert Tosh, Head of Religious Broadcasting
BBC (NI), Mrs Rosemary Rogers, Head of the School of Communication,
University of Ulster; Mr
Rodney Miller, Chartered Designer, and Mr Jonathan Martin, Managing
Director, J Martin Associates.
2.00 pm - 4.30 pm
Report of the Commission on Ministry BR pp 381
Report of the Church’s Ministry for Healing. BR pp 401R
Report of the Commission on Church Buildings. BR pp 399.
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