Synod Standing Committee Submits Report

Synod Standing Committee Submits Report

The Synod meeting has thanked the outgoing Synod Standing Committee (SSC) for their over the past two years.

For the first time, the entire SSC was on stage for the presentation of the report.

The committee was elected at the 2017 Synod meeting.

Standing Committee is often described as the “Synod between Synod meetings” and oversees the church’s business.

General Secretary Jane Fry said that the SSC had acknowledged that there had been some concern about the diversity of the committee. However, she noted that representation of members’ backgrounds was no guarantee of representation of thought.

The SSC has also acknowledged more communication with Presbyteries would be needed in future.

“It’s a significant committee in the life of this church,” Rev. Fry said.

“This is the committee that holds our boards to account.”

The previous standing committee was the first under a new format, with a reduced number of members.

The Synod meeting voted by consensus to receive the Standing Committee’s report.

Synod members asked questions about the size and function of the SSC.

As General Secretary Rev. Fry told the meeting on Friday, the NSW and ACT Synod has managed to pay off all of its debt.

Rev. Fry said that the SSC had needed to deal with a number of priorities including the budget situation and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child sexual abuse.

Members of the outgoing SSC include David Barrow, Rev. Paul Cosier, Sharon Flynn, Olivia Freeman, Sue Graves, Rev. Danielle Hemsworth Smith, Ian Lawrence, Rev. Nicole Fleming, Rev. Dr Susan Phalen, Queenie Speeding, and Jackie Watts. Previous members from this committee included Rev. Salesi Faupula, and Rev. Bomwook Choi.

Co-opted members include Graeme Tolson, and Rev. Robert Griffith.

Moderator Simon Hansford released the standing committee from their commitments.

The Synod meeting is underway until Sunday 7 July at Knox Grammar School.

Jonathan Foye is Insights’ Editor

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