The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution 2019

Statutory Instruments

2019 No. 1182

Ecclesiastical Law, England

The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution 2019

Made

9th July 2019

Laid before Parliament

6th August 2019

Coming into force in accordance with paragraph 1

The General Synod, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 7 of the Synodical Government Measure 1969(1), resolves to amend the Church Representation Rules(2) as follows.

In accordance with that section, the General Synod has passed this Resolution with a majority in each House of not less than two-thirds of those present and voting.

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) This Resolution may be cited as the Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution 2019.

(2) This paragraph and paragraph 2 come into force on 1st September 2019.

(3) Paragraph 3 comes into force immediately after the commencement of Schedule 1 to the Church Representation and Ministers Measure 2019 (which replaces the Church Representation Rules).

Mission initiative rolls: provision for 2019

2.—(1) After rule 29 of the Church Representation Rules insert—

“Mission initiative roll

29A.— (1) Where a bishop’s mission order is in force, the leader of the mission initiative must, at the direction of the bishop or bishops who made the order, establish and maintain a roll (a “mission initiative roll”) on which the names of lay persons are entered in accordance with this rule.

(2) If the mission initiative is represented on a deanery synod by virtue of a scheme under rule 27A, the bishop or bishops must give a direction under paragraph (1).

(3) A person is eligible to have the person’s name on the roll if the person—

(a) is baptised,

(b) is aged 16 or over, and

(c) has made a written application to have the person’s name on the roll.

(4) An application under paragraph (3)(c) must include a declaration that the applicant—

(a) either is a member of the Church of England or a Church in communion with it or is a member in good standing of a Church which is not in communion with the Church of England but which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and

(b) has habitually attended public worship as part of the worshipping community involved in the initiative during the preceding six months.

(5) A person who is eligible to have the person’s name on more than one mission initiative roll is entitled to have the person’s name on each of the mission initiative rolls concerned.

(6) In the case of a mission initiative which is in more than one diocese, the function of giving a direction under paragraph (1) is exercisable by the diocesan bishops concerned acting jointly.

(7) A direction under paragraph (1) must be given on or before 15 September 2019; and where a direction under that paragraph is given—

(a) the function of establishing a mission initiative roll under that paragraph must be completed no later than 30 October 2019, and

(b) the leader of the mission initiative must, no later than 30 October 2019, give the secretary of the diocesan synod written notification of the number of names there are on the mission initiative roll as at the date on which the establishment of the roll was completed.

(8) In this rule, “mission initiative” has the meaning given in Part 7 of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 (and, where a mission initiative has more than one leader, a reference to the leader is to be read as a reference to any of them).”

(2) In rule 36 of those Rules (House of Laity: number of elected members), after paragraph (3) insert—

“(3A) The secretary of each diocesan synod shall, no later than 30 November 2019, certify to the Clerk to the General Synod the total number of names on mission initiative rolls (within the meaning given in rule 29A) maintained in the diocese, as notified to the secretary under rule 29A(7)(b).

(3B) For the purposes of paragraph (3A), if a mission initiative is in more than one diocese, the number of names on the mission initiative roll for that initiative is to be divided equally between each diocese (but if it is not so divisible without remainder, the remainder is to be ignored); and the reference to the number of names on the mission initiative roll maintained in the diocese for that initiative is to be construed accordingly.”

Mission initiative rolls: provision for 2020 onwards

3.—(1) After Rule 27 of the Church Representation Rules insert—

“Mission initiative roll

27A.— (1) Where a direction is given under Rule 24(1), the leader of the mission initiative must establish and maintain a roll (a “mission initiative roll”) on which the names of lay persons are entered in accordance with this Rule.

(2) A person is eligible to have his or her name on a mission initiative roll if he or she—

(a) is baptised,

(b) is aged 16 or over, and

(c) has made a written application to have his or her name on the roll.

(3) An application under paragraph (2)(c) must include a declaration that the applicant—

(a) either is a member of the Church of England or a Church in communion with it or is a member in good standing of a Church which is not in communion with the Church of England but which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and

(b) has habitually attended public worship as part of the worshipping community involved in the initiative during the preceding six months.

(4) A person who is eligible to have his or her name on more than one mission initiative roll is entitled to have his or her name on each of the mission initiative rolls concerned.

(5) In the case of a mission initiative which is in more than one diocese, the function of giving a direction under paragraph (1) is exercisable by the diocesan bishops concerned acting jointly.

(6) Where a direction was given under rule 29A of the Old Rules, the duty under paragraph (1) of this Rule to maintain a mission initiative roll applies to the roll established under that rule; and a reference in Rules 27B to 27D to a mission initiative roll includes a reference to any mission initiative roll so established.

(7) In paragraph (6), “the Old Rules” means these Rules as set out in this Schedule in the form it took immediately before the commencement of Schedule 1 to the Church Representation and Ministers Measure 2019.

Additions to and revision of mission initiative roll

27B.— (1) The name of a person who is eligible to have his or her name on a mission initiative roll must be added to the roll.

(2) A mission initiative roll must be revised by the leader of the mission initiative no later than 30 May in each year.

(3) On each revision of a mission initiative roll—

(a) every addition to the roll since the previous revision (or, if there has not yet been a revision of the roll, since the establishment of the roll) must be reviewed and any further additions must be made as necessary, and

(b) a person’s name must be removed from the roll in each of the following cases.

(4) The first case is where the person has died.

(5) The second case is where the person has become a clerk in Holy Orders.

(6) The third case is where the person has stated in writing the wish to have his or her name removed.

(7) The fourth case is where the person was not entitled to have his or her name entered on the roll at the time it was entered.

(8) The fifth case is where the person—

(a) has not habitually attended public worship as part of the worshipping community involved in the initiative during the preceding six months, and

(b) has not been prevented from doing so by illness or other sufficient cause.

Preparation of new mission initiative roll

27C.— (1) The leader of a mission initiative must, no later than 30 May in every sixth year beginning with 2025, prepare a new mission initiative roll.

(2) On the preparation of a new mission initiative roll, the name of each person who is eligible to have his or her name entered under rule 27A must be entered on the roll; and a fresh application, which must include the declaration under rule 27A(3), is required from each person who is already on the roll.

(3) A person whose name is already on a mission initiative roll is not disqualified from having his or her name on the new roll merely because he or she has not complied with the condition in rule 27A(3)(b), if the person was prevented from doing so by illness or other sufficient cause.

(4) In a case where paragraph (3) applies, the application must briefly state why the person did not comply with that condition.

Notification of number on mission initiative roll

27D.   The leader of a mission initiative must, no later than 1 July in each year, give the secretary of the diocesan synod written notification of the number of names there are on the mission initiative roll as at 30 May in that year.”

(2) In Rule 49 of the Church Representation Rules (House of Laity: numbers), in paragraph (5), for the words from “the total” to the end substitute—

“the total of—

(a) the number of names on the rolls of the parishes in that diocese, and

(b) the number of names on the mission initiative rolls for mission initiatives in that diocese.”

(3) In paragraph (7) of that Rule, for the words from “the total” to the end substitute—

“the total of—

(a) the number of the names on the rolls of the parishes in that diocese, as notified to the secretary under Rule 10, and

(b) the number of the names on the mission initiative rolls for the mission initiatives in the diocese, as notified to the secretary under Rule 27D.”.

(4) At the end of that Rule insert—

“(11) For the purposes of paragraphs (5)(b) and (7)(b), if a mission initiative is in more than one diocese, the number of names on the mission initiative roll is to be divided equally between each diocese (but if it is not so divisible without remainder, the remainder is to be ignored); and the reference to the number of names on the mission initiative roll maintained in the diocese for that initiative is to be construed accordingly.

(12) The reference in paragraph (7)(b) to notifications under Rule 27D includes, in the case of any mission initiative roll established under rule 29A of the Old Rules, a reference to the notification given under rule paragraph (7)(b) of that rule; and “the Old Rules” has the meaning given in Rule 27A(7).”

(5) In Rule 84 of those Rules (interpretation), in paragraph (1), at the appropriate place insert—

““mission initiative roll” has the meaning given in Rule 27A;”.

Approved by the General Synod on 9th July 2019.

A.S. McGregor

Registrar of the General Synod

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Resolution)

This Resolution amends the Church Representation Rules as set out in Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969.

The amendments ensure that the number of lay persons who form part of the worshipping community involved in a mission initiative in a diocese (under Part 7 of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011) is included in the calculation of the number of seats in the House of Laity of the General Synod to be allocated to that diocese.

The amendments provide for the establishment, revision and renewal of rolls for certain mission initiatives in each diocese. The numbers on each roll are to be notified to the diocesan secretary who in turn certifies the numbers to the Clerk to the General Synod.

Paragraph 2 amends the Church Representation Rules in the form they take before the commencement of Schedule 1 to the Church Representation and Ministers Measure 2019 (which replaced the Rules). These amendments ensure that the numbers can be collected, notified and certified in the period from September to November 2019, in time for the calculation of the number of seats there are to be in the elections to the House of Laity in 2020.

Paragraph 3 amends the Church Representation Rules in the form they will take following the commencement of Schedule 1 to the Church Representation and Ministers Measure 2019. These amendments ensure that the numbers on the rolls for mission initiatives will be included in the calculation to be made before the resolution allocating seats is passed by the General Synod at its group of sessions in February 2020. The amendments also require rolls for mission initiatives to continue to be maintained and for the numbers on the rolls to continue to be notified and certified.

(1)

1969 No.2.

(2)

The Church Representation Rules are contained in Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969.