Standing Committee Snippets – July & August 2009

01 Sep 2009

Snippets are emailed to all parishes and clergy on our email database. Please circulate them to vestries and other interested people (lay and clergy) within the parish. Thank you. Please note – these are not a complete record of the meeting.For various reasons Snippets were not prepared after the July meeting, so this edition contains information from both the July and August meetings.

1. Synod preparation
Following support from the Standing Committee, a pre-Synod DVD has been produced. Standing Committee have been kept appraised of the business coming before the Synod and questions raised in the context of pre-Synod meetings. Standing Committee recommends the revised Standing Orders for use at Synod. A Synod programme was approved, and these documents have subsequently been mailed to Synod members.

2. Strategic Plan
There have been two meetings of The Fleet reported to the Standing Committee, noting initiatives underway towards meeting the goals of the Strategic Plan. These include the Bishop’s Mission Fund, planning for a conference for parents entitled A Good Childhood, rural ministry events, and youth leadership initiatives including The Kiln.

3. Archdeacon for Mission and Director of Education
Standing Committee approved in principle the job descriptions for these positions. Approval was given for The Director of Education position which will be held jointly with Theology House. Advertising is now underway.

4. Bi-cultural matters
A proposal is being prepared by the Diocesan Bicultural Education Committee about ways in which clergy, particularly those who have trained overseas, might be come proficient in the use of te reo liturgically.

5. 3 Tikanga Relations
A report on this Diocese’s relations with its Tikanga members was amended and approved to send to the General Secretary in response to a request from the General Synod Standing Committee.

6. Sale of land at Prebbleton
A request for approval to sell land adjacent to All Saints Church, Prebbleton was considered at length. Standing Committee resolved that it “is not willing to support the proposal for sale of land at this time and without further discussion with the parish, Church Property Trustees and town planners, as they seek a vision for the future.”

7. Christchurch-St Michael’s – Proposal for development of vicarage site
There was a preliminary discussion so that the views of Standing Committee could be conveyed back to the parish. No resolution was sought at this time.

8. Te Ngawai Parish
Approval was given for the Parish of Te Ngawai to move from a local shared ministry model to a vicar and team-led model of ministry. It is proposed that the position of vicar will be 40% of full time.

9. Clergy Allowances
Approval was given to increase these by 2% effective 1 November 2009, except for the housing allowance which will be adjusted to the level of one third of basic stipend.

10. Woodend-Pegasus
Standing Committee accepted the recommendation of the Finance and Audit Committee that the proposed new parish of Woodend-Pegasus is financially viable on the basis of a 50% stipend for a vicar.

11. Lay Training Fund and Clergy Professional Development Fund
These two funds are almost fully spent for the year. Application has been made to St John’s College to vary the use of other funds received in its grant to cover further expenditure, and in the meantime Standing Committee gave approval to use some of the discretionary project fund in the budget to cover additional applications.

12. The Kitchen Mission and Ministry Unit
Standing Committee received a letter advising that The Kitchen was closing. Standing Committee resolved to thank The Kitchen Mission and Ministry Unit for what they have done, their courage in establishing this ‘fresh expression’ of church, and their correspondence; and that Standing Committee agrees that the decision to close is the right one at this time.

13. Appointment
The Synod Minutes Committee was appointed.

14. Retiring members of Standing Committee
The Ven Carole Graham, The Revd Philip Lyes, Dr Corin Murfitt and Mr Richard Tankersley all retire from Standing Committee at the upcoming Synod. Thanks was expressed to these members for their commitment and diligence. Special thanks was conveyed to Corin Murfitt for his long service, and this will be noted at Synod. The importance of new members of Standing Committee being able to commit to regular attendance at meetings was noted, as was the need for more rural representation on the Standing Committee.

Next meeting: 14 October 2009