Big Decisions - September 2006

Webmaster | 29 August 2006

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Proceeds to repair cathedral property
Standing Committee agreed to pass an ordinance authorising proceeds held by the Property Trust from the sale of property in Cheltenham, Chatswood and Croydon for repairs and restoration to St Andrew’s Cathedral offices and the Chapter House.

Report on crisis in Communion
The Standing Committee received a communiqué summarising the recent work of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Panel of Reference. The panel is attempting to find a path through disputes over women’s ordination and homosexuality between parishes and their bishops in the Anglican Communion. This included an appeal by the US Diocese of Fort Worth which is in serious theological dispute with the Episcopal Church and six parishes in the US and Canada seeking alternative episcopal oversight.

Changes to regions proposed
Standing Committee will recommend to the Synod that minor amendments to the regional structure be made. They include expanding the reporting system of regional councils on developing ministry strategies and the filling of vacancies.

Inner west churches on the go
Standing Committee requested that a motion by which the Synod may assent to the reclassification of Ashbury and St Andrew’s, Strathfield as parishes be moved at the next session of the Synod.

Abuse prevention changes backed
Standing Committee supported amendments to the Faithfulness in Service manual. They included the definition of church workers as lay people who hold certain positions and are not employees of organisations and schools. Other changes are all improvements, clarifications, re-definitions or stylistic changes aimed at improving the code.

Review of discipline ordinances
Standing Committee will ask the Synod to substitute a revised form of the discipline ordinance that was first introduced at the last Synod. These include aligning meanings of child abuse and sexual abuse with the Faithfulness in Service manual and limiting scope of lay discipline to people holding positions of leadership in the Diocese, such as church wardens.

Slimmed down evangelism board
The Standing Committee has backed a proposal to reduce the size of the Board of Evangelism Ministries from 20 to 14 members. It supported the extension of the functions of Evangelism Ministries to include the resourcing of churches to evangelise and plant new congregations.

Minister stipends discussed
Standing Committee held a policy debate on stipends and allowances. A discussion paper recommended that seminars be held across the Diocese to help people understand the complexities in the area.

Funds freed for urgent repairs
Funds from the sale of a property in Moss Vale and insurance proceeds from a cottage in Berrima will be used for urgent repair and refurbishment of St John’s, Moss Vale and the adjoining house. There are concerns for the ongoing safety of the church building.

Deduction amounts remain the same
The Finance Committee resolved to leave unchanged limits of allowable deductions to parishes such as gifts for expenses on church property, the purchase of new sites, the repair of churches that are of historical or architectural importance and medical expenses for clergy.

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