Day 1
Commission on Ministry Report Hears of Worry for Future and Hope of Revival
The work of the Commission on Ministry was highlighted at General Synod this afternoon (Friday May 9).
Proposing the commission’s report, Captain George Newell (Dromore) said that in recent years the commission had become increasingly concerned about clergy wellbeing. He said that bishops had been trying to find solutions for clergy who were suffering from stress. He said that there were various sources of stress but that the stress mush be managed in such a way that it didn’t undermine the effectiveness of the church.
Captain Newell announced that Dr Scott Brown would run a pilot scheme for clergy to understand sources of stress, early signs of stress, and how to deal with it. He hoped this would lead to an ongoing programme for clergy in future years.
The commission also wanted to focus on church growth. For many years the church had looked at decline and had become accustomed to it, he stated. But now many parishes were experiencing growth and the commission was planning a conference to focus on church growth in 2026, he said. It would focus on what growth had happened and share resources. “Our church is one not of decline but one of growth for Christ,” he stated.
Judy Peters (Cork, Cloyne and Ross) seconded the report and looked at the retreats and conferences run by the commission.
The first was the Advent Retreat which is an opportunity for people to set aside time before the beginning of Advent – for both clergy and lay people. It takes place in Mount St Ann’s and for the last two years it has been assisted by the Church’s Ministry of Healing, she said asking members to look out for the advertisement for the retreat.
The Vocations Retreat has been an exciting development, she said. In 2019 the commission began examining vocations and as part of the project it was decided to hold a retreat. The commission has been delighted with the number of people coming to that retreat, she reported. The retreat is for anyone considering the ordained ministry at whatever stage they are at and enables people to understand what that journey is about. It is a confidential event and she expressed gratitude to the DDOs for encouraging people to attend.
The Retirement Retreat is an opportunity for people coming up to retirement to hear about pensions, finances and spiritual wellbeing as well as having an opportunity to chat to people, she said.
Speaking to the report Gillian Purser (Cashel, Ferns and Ossory) said that ministry involved all people. She expressed disappointment when she got her book of reports to discover that Synod next year would return to three days. She recalled speaking at General Synod in Belfast and saying that people were being denied the opportunity to speak at General Synod because of the cost. She said that three days in Slieve Donard, if it was not booked out, would cost over £500. She said she had to resign from Bishops’ Appeal because meetings take place on weekdays in working hours. “Do we want a church that is run by people who can afford to take time off work, people who are retired or by clergy. I don’t. I want to be in a church that is run by clergy and laity together and open to everyone regardless of status. I feel that by going back to three days we are disenfranchising a huge number of people in our church. I said this three years ago and I thought we would be listened to but we weren’t,” she stated.
Archdeacon Peter Thompson (Armagh) stated that nurturing vocations was important. There had been a drop in vocation, he said and noted that the current training system takes eight years to nurture a vocation through to incumbency but within the next eight years there will be 150 retirements. “Where are we going to find the clergy to fill the gaps?” he asked. “As a church we are standing on the edge of a precipice and the church is crumbling before us. We spend more time discussion pensions than vocations. What do we do? Close the doors, lock up churches and sell them?” He said the church must seek a new approach to team ministry. “We need bold vison and joined up thinking,” he stated. “We have a one size fits all model to training and vocations. CITI is doing a tremendous job but can only operate within the confines handed to them. Do we engage in outside the box thinking. By the time I retire what will be left in the church of Ireland if we fail to act to day. There is a deep and abiding joy in ministry and I thank God for that call. For others they have that call but we need to identify what is stopping people from responding to that call.”
Bishop Adrian Wilkinson (Cashel Ferns and Ossory) spoke about the Church Growth Conference planned for next year. He highlighted the ‘quiet revival’ in England and Wales – the growth of young people coming back to church, reading the Bible and seeking community, purpose and something authentic in a world that often feels isolating. They are looking for authenticity and causes they can embrace through social activism, he said. “The church is seen as a positive place by young people. Many young people are working from home. Must be isolating. They are looking for a community they can be part of and a place they can discover that God loves them no matter what. They are looking for authenticity in church community,” he said. He added that he is often asked how we can get young people back to church. “I think young people are looking for depth of engagement – something of deep spiritual significance in a world which is bemusing. People are looking for the sense of the sacred and a genuine engagement between them and the work of God. If this conference can begin with that then there is hope,” he concluded.
David Whyte (Dublin) spoke about caring for the carers. He said he was brought up in a rectory and a child in a rectory is usually the last person in a parish to know that something is bothering the rector. He appealed to everyone to bring back to the dioceses and parishes that rectors are humans. “They all like us and while we try to do our best it is not always possible to achieve what other people expect of us,” he commented.
Bishop Andrew Forster (Derry and Raphoe) said we are living in really exciting times in the Church of Ireland. “Gen Z are identifying the emptiness of rampant secularism and are seeking the authenticity that Bishop Wilkinson talked about. I want the Church of Ireland to be part of this wave,” he said. He suggested that part of this had to be worked through vocations. He urged each parish to create a culture in which each person was a vocation scout. “We spot in people their vocation, the talents and gifts of God they are given. I think many people are involved in ministry today because someone said to them ‘Have you ever thought of….?’ Don’t leave that to other people, spot the vocations in others. These are challenging but exciting times. God is at work. He will use you and me to identify vocations. Whatever discernment God has given us let’s use it in identifying vocations in others,” he said.
Andrew Brannigan (Down) said we should be praying for vocations and looking out for those people and doing what we can to support these people. He agreed that there was the worry of demographics but he was thankful for the work of the Commission for their work in vocations, and the RB which is supporting new students and the funding of curacies. He recalled his motion in 2019 which called on the Church of Ireland to recognise people’s theological qualifications to shorten their journey to ministry. People who have a degree in theology are still being asked to do a masters in theology, he said.
The Revd Catherine Simpson (Down) had just returned from the Alpha conference in London and there was a sense of hope. She highlighted the Peter Stream programme operated by St Mellitus College in London – as a pathway to training in the context of a year long programme for people who may experience disadvantage. This prepares people for the national discernment process. She suggested that the Church of Ireland move towards exploring that approach.
Paul Dundas (Connor) said there was an issue with vocations but sometimes the Church was not brilliant at using some of the talent it has. He said curacies could be better matched and people who did part time training over many years often took so long that they no longer considered full time ministry and their talents were lost to the church. He suggested that there may also be a problem with concentrating too much on political correctness and which wing of the church people belonged to.