The opening session of General Synod 2016 continues in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire. The Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland welcomed members of Synod and the Synod’s ecumenical guests.

Guests this year include representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Church in Wales, the Irish Council of Churches, the Non–Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland, the Moravian Church of Britain and Ireland, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Rock of Ages Cherubim and Seraphim Church.

The Archbishop welcomed the ecumenical guests. The Revd Brian Anderson, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, replied on behalf of the ecumenical guests. He said that the Archbishop’s emphasis on welcoming the stranger was important. He added that Churches face challenges and that they need to look outwards rather than inwards. People are attracted to loving and forgiving institution, he said. “Where we as Churches provide space for grace, I believe we will benefit,” he stated.

Archbishop Clarke nominated Mr Lyndon McCann SC as his assessor.

The election of a Lay Honorary Secretary took place. Mr Roy Totten nominated Mr Ken Gibson as Lay Honorary Secretary. The nomination was seconded by Kaye Nesbitt. Synod assented to the election.

Honorary Secretary, Mr Sam Harper, moved Motion No 1 on procedure. Formal communications and reports have been laid on the table by Mr Harper.

The Archdeacon of Belfast read a number of communications to General Synod. This included one from the House of Bishops regarding the Commission on Ministries’ Self Supporting Ministry Bill. The communication said the House of Bishop’s welcomed the Bill subject to a number of points. They requested that the term ‘self supported ministry’ be replaced with ‘ordained local ministry’. The communication also addressed the issue of the possibility of transferring from ordained local ministry to stipendiary ministry.

The Archdeacon also read a communication from the Records Committee.

General Synod has now broken for lunch and will resume at 2.00 pm.