UNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA SYNOD OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND THE ACT SYNOD STANDING COMMITTEE

Transcription

1 UNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA SYNOD OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND THE ACT SYNOD STANDING COMMITTEE MINUTES for the meeting of the Synod Standing Committee held at the Centre for Ministry on Saturday 15 March 2014 DECISIONS Decisions recorded in these Minutes were reached by consensus unless otherwise indicated by agreement or by formal process ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLE The Moderator paid respect to the Aboriginal people of the Burramattagal Clan and Darug tribes who have cared for this part of the land from time immemorial WORSHIP The Moderator led opening devotions. Rev Rebecca Lindsay led closing prayers TIMES OF SESSIONS am 10.45am am 12.30pm pm 3.00pm pm 5.00pm AGENDA 29/14SC adopt the Order of Business as printed subject to changes suggested by the General Secretary and alterations made by the Synod Standing Committee 27

2 ATTENDANCE Session Rev Dr Brian Brown Rev Dr Andrew Williams Rev Myung Hwa Park Ms Taualofa Ang aelangi Mr David Benn Rev Glenys Biddle Rev Karyn Burchell-Thomas Mr Paul Creek Rev Ken Day Mrs Sue Graves Mr Levon Kardashian Mr Neil King Mr John Kitchener Mr Trevor Knight Mr Ian Lawrence Rev Rebecca Lindsay Rev Greg McConnell Rev Kath Merrifield Mr Daniel Mossfield Mr Brian Mowbray Rev Niall Reid Dr Katalina Tahaafe-Williams Rev Carolyn Thornley Mr Ted Woodley Rev David Gore Rev Grant Bilbey Ms Pearl Wymarra Ms Malia Puna Mr Semisi Kailahi except 4 Rev Gordon Ramsay except 4 Ms Diane Torrens except 4 APOLOGIES Rev Simon Hansford Ms Natalie Willis Rev Young-Min Suh Rev Punam Bent Mr David Freeman Rev Bronwyn Murphy Mrs Jacki Watts Rev Warwick Cadenhead Rev Lindsay Cullen Session IN ATTENDANCE Ms Rhonda Ianna 1 Mr David Radcliff 2 & 3 Rev Christine Bayliss Kelly 4 Mr Bradon French 4 28

3 Ms Mary Kapotas Rev Jane Fry ASSOCIATED MEMBERS Mr Peter Andrews 1 & 2 Mr Peter Worland Mr an Gibson MINUTES 30/14SC confirm the Minutes of the Synod Standing Committee held 15 February 2014 ORDINATIONS (a) Rev Fololeni Tafokitau Reference from Sydney Presbytery dated 6 March /14SC note the ordination of Rev Fololeni Tafokitau by Sydney Presbytery as a Minister of the Word effective 2 March 2014 (b) Rev Suzanne Stanton Reference letter from Georges River Presbytery dated 21 February /14SC note the ordination of Rev Suzanne Stanton by Georges River Presbytery as a Minister of the Word effective 22 February 2014 RETIREMENTS (a) Rev Owen Lukins Reference letter from Illawarra Presbytery dated 5 March /14SC note the retirement of Rev Owen Lukins in accordance with Regulation (d)(i)(1), effective 30 April

4 EN BLOC 34/14SC determine that matters listed following be adopted en bloc unless the General Secretary receives a request before the commencement of Session 2 that a matter be considered separately SYNOD BUDGET : FIRST HALF RESULTS 35/14SC Reference Working Paper No. 7 & 7A receive the report AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAW 5A.3 UME BOARD Reference Working Paper No. 8 36/14SC approve the amendment to By-Laws 5A.3 below to take effect from the Synod meeting in September 2014 By-Law 5A.3 UME Board 5A.3.1 The board of UME Board will comprise: (a) (b) (b) (c) (d) the Executive Director ex officio and non-voting; The Principal of the United Theological College; not more than four (4) six (6) members of the Church elected by the Synod with one half retiring at each successive Synod but being entitled to re-election and with those retiring at the first Synod after establishment being chosen by lot; the Synod General Secretary ex-officio; not more than four (4) persons appointed by UME for up to three (3) years each for particular or specified reasons whose appointment shall thereupon be notified to the next meeting of the Synod Standing Committee for confirmation; 30

5 (e) (e) the Relationships and Resourcing Team Leader who will be present, receive papers and be entitled to speak but not vote. members of staff may be invited to attend meetings as required by the Board. LEGAL ACTION 37/14SC (a) UnitingCare note the decision of the Moderator to grant permission to UnitingCare to defend two claims in regard to unfair dismissal APPOINTMENTS (a) Synod Risk Oversight Committee 38/14SC on the recommendation of the Governance, Nominations and Remuneration Committee, appoint Mr Jonathon Rea to the Synod Risk Oversight Committee for a term concluding at the rising of the 2016 Synod (b) Ministers Assistance Committee 39/14SC appoint the following people to the Ministers Assistance Committee Rev. Alistair Christie (Chair) Mrs Marie Thompson (SNP) Rev. Rhonda White (PNP) Mr Philip Bickerstaff (SNP) Mrs Janelle Dodd (SNP) Mr Clive McCormack (KRG) (c) Admission of Ministers Committee 40/14SC appoint Rev. Dirk Andre van Doorene to the Admission of Ministers Committee for a three year term (commencing 1 April 2014) 31

6 ROYAL COMMISSION: RECORDS MANAGEMENT UPDATE Reference Working Paper No. 1 and Minute 179/13SC 41/14SC receive the report GOVERNANCE, NOMINATION & REMUNERATION COMMITTEE UPDATE 42/14SC Reference Minute 195/13SC, Working Paper No. 2 and 2A (i) receive the report (ii) note the Charter of the Governance, Nominations and Remuneration Committee and provide comments/feedback to the Committee before 31 March 2014 (iii) note and endorse the following with regard to the Preparation for Synod 2014 (noting that there are no vacancies on the Board of UnitingCare NSW.ACT): a. that nominations for election to Synod Standing Committee, Boards and specific Synod roles will be despatched by mid- April together with a revised Nomination Form and a personal gifts, skills and experience report; b. that separate correspondence will be issued with regard to nominations for membership of Synod. This is largely mechanical with the composition of the Synod [and hence the makeup of Presbytery nominations] being largely dictated by Regulations and By-Laws. [Note: the Governance, Nominations and Remuneration Committee does not believe it needs to play an active part in this process]; c. that in calling for nominations to Synod Standing Committee and Boards, it is proposed that all nominations be received no later than the end of July This will give the Governance, Nominations and Remuneration Committee ample time to assess the nominations vide gifts and graces; skills and experience and then, as may be appropriate, endeavour to elicit additional nominations. To the extent possible the Governance, Nominations and Remuneration Committee would endeavour to interview every nominee; d. that as has been the practice in the past, Boards will continue to have the prerogative to bring forward nominations but nominations for Board appointments will not be restricted to those emanating from the Boards. The 32

7 (iv) Governance, Nominations and Remuneration Committee contemplates discussing nominations with each Board as a means of ensuring there is an appropriate mix of skills and experience; e. that as a corollary to the above, it is proposed that nominations for Board and Synod roles may only be made in advance, for example, the capacity to bring forward nominations from the floor of the Synod be withdrawn as that does not allow the Governance, Nominations and Remuneration Committee the opportunity to adequately assess the applications or to advise the Synod of its views; f. that nominations from the floor of Synod to Synod Standing Committee would remain for this Synod; g. that the deadline of end July apply to Presbyteries regarding their nomination of a Member and Alternate member to Synod Standing Committee note the recommendation to the composition of the Synod Standing Committee as outlined in this paper, together with changes to the maximum term of Board appointments and bring a further proposal to the April 2014 Synod Standing Committee meeting FIVE-YEAR REVIEW OF PLACEMENT OF SYNOD GENERAL SECRETARY Reference Minute 181/13SC 43/14SC (i) receive the verbal report from the Review Team (ii) resolve that the Rev. Dr Andrew Williams be affirmed in the position of General Secretary of the Synod of New South Wales and the ACT (iii) recommend to the 2014 Synod Meeting the extension of the Rev. Dr Andrew Williams in the position of General Secretary of the Synod of New South Wales and the ACT for a further period of 5 years commencing 1 August 2015 to 31 July 2020 UNITINGCARE NSW.ACT BOARD REMUNERATION Reference Working Paper No. 3 44/14SC receive the report 33

8 DISCERNMENT AND PLANNING WORKSHOP 45/14SC Reference Working Paper No. 4 and 5 (i) establish a task group of the Synod Standing Committee to bring back a report on the key questions, objectives and initiatives to the April 2014 Synod Standing Committee meeting (ii) appoint the following persons to the task group Rev Dr Andrew Williams Rev Ken Day Mr Trevor Knight Rev Rebecca Lindsay Mr Daniel Mossfield Dr Katalina Tahaafe-Williams Mr Ted Woodley (iii) ask presbytery representatives to reflect with their presbyteries about their objectives and initiatives and how they might interact with the Synod Standing Committee process NCYC 2014 REPORT 46/14SC receive the verbal report MINISTERS ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE 47/14SC Reference Working Paper No. 6 (i) receive the report (ii) approve the Terms of Reference for the Ministers Assistance Committee and attach it to the Minutes as Appendix A 34

9 PASTORAL (a) Obituaries Mr Peter Tebbutt passed away on 26 February 2014 Mrs Joan Hubbard, wife of the late Rev Roy Hubbard, passed away on 27 February 2014 Rev Lettie Ellen Abraham passed away on 7 March 2014 (b) Illnesses Rev Mark Watt Rev Dr Ann Wansbrough CLOSED SESSION Pastoral matters were discussed in a closed session. The Minutes of the closed session are contained separately in the Minutes Apart and held in the records of the General Secretary CLOSE The meeting closed at 5.40pm NEXT MEETING Saturday, 5 April 2014 at the Centre for Ministry. Chairperson Date 35