Addressing the General Synod of the Church of Ireland today, the President of the General Synod and the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Alan Harper, praised the administrative staff who made the work of the General Synod possible, drawing particular attention to Mr Derek Philips who retires from his post as Synod Officer this year.

Inviting applause from the General Synod floor, the Archbishop asked “is there light after Derek Philips”, before introducing Mr Philips' replacement, the Synod Officer Designate Ms Jenny Polden.

In a warm tribute to Mr Philips, Mr Sam Harper, the longest serving of the General Synod’s Honorary Secretaries, explained that “we (the Honorary Secretaries) more than any others have relied on Derek’s encyclopaedic knowledge.”

“This year was the first time I ever heard Derek say ‘that hasn’t happened before’. His loyalty has been beyond comparison” Mr Harper said.