Big decisions - June

School building fund to help parishes
Standing Committee approved the application of up to $15,000 from 2008 Synod Fund contingencies in order to establish a diocesan gift deductible school building fund for parishes. A single diocesan fund would lift the administrative burden on parishes wanting to set up their own gift deductible fund for building projects. The fund could apply to buildings used for organised teaching or training on a regular basis, covering Sunday schools, adult religious education centres and Bible study centres. As religious services do not fit this category, most church buildings would only be able to be funded through the fund to a certain degree.

Clergy could face jury duty
The Chancellor of the Sydney Diocese, Acting Judge Peter Grogan was asked by Standing Committee to write to Premier Morris Iemma and Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell expressing its concerns about the direction of proposed reforms, which could mean clergy – who are currently exempted – have to apply to be excused from jury duty for good cause.

Increased income distributions to parishes
Standing Committee agreed to a new policy on the proportion of income which should be retained (that is, capitalised) from investments held by the Property Trust for parishes. Importantly, where investments are held in the Property Trust’s Long Term Pooling Fund, no income should be retained. This should lead to increased distributions of investment income for many parishes.

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