During the report of the Standing Committee on Saturday, the General Synod passed a motion which would pave the way for the Church in Society committee, Board of Social Action (NI) and the Board of Social Responsibility (RI), to merge into a single structure to manage social theology in action in the Church of Ireland.

Certain to dominate the agenda of the new board, will be the affects of the economic recession. Proposing the report of the Church in Society, Right Reverend Michael Jackson, referred to the recession by saying it 'eats all in front of it and takes no prisoners'.

He continued 'The seriousness of this in relation to the morale of members of society, as we form a society, is as yet incalculable. The abject failure of those best placed to predict its coming and its repeated seismic impact on people who entrusted their personal savings and business aspirations to the financial institutions is matched only by the continued 'toughing it out' by these people'.

The Church in Society Committee, whose report was first to be received under the category of Social Action, consists of seven panels, each of which address social, ethical, political and legislative issues as they affect society both in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Speaking on this year's report, members of Synod addressed a number of broad and complex issues for discussion such as the ban of cluster munitions, Lisbon Treaty, Consultative Group on the Past, climate change and the global economic crisis. (For further information on the work of the committee in the past year, see http://ireland.anglican.org/https://www.ireland.anglican.org/legacyfiles/cmsfiles/pdf/Synod/2009/reports/25.pdf )

Two Church in Society Committee publications, Pastoral Care in the Digital World and Pastoral Care in the Recession: 2009 were available for members at General Synod and are also available online at http://www.ireland.anglican.org/index.php?do=information&id=134 .

The newly named Board of Social Action (NI) reported on a number of changes through the year, including a change of premises and new titles for some of its services.

The Board's social outreach services such as financial assistance to families and individuals in need and addiction services have been particularly affected by the recession. The Board also continues to offer a range of social work and social outreach activities, such as Adoption Routes, Fertility Counselling Service (NI) (http://www.fertility-counsellingni.org/ ), services to the adult deaf, hearing impaired and disabled. The board is also developing and piloting a training course in the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe on problematic drug and alcohol use and also a residential and after care unit for young people to address addiction issues.

The Board of Social Responsibility (RI), commended efforts to establish a combined social care body for the Church of Ireland.