THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CHURCH IN WALES BILL TO INCORPORATE INTO THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER AN ALTERNATIVE ORDINAL REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE

Transcription

1 THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CHURCH IN WALES BILL TO INCORPORATE INTO THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER AN ALTERNATIVE ORDINAL REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE JULY 2014

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3 MEMBERS OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE THE VENERABLE DR PETER PIKE (CHAIR), ARCHDEACON OF MONTGOMERY THE VERY REVEREND DR SUE JONES, DEAN OF BANGOR THE VENERABLE DENNIS WIGHT, ARCHDEACON OF ST DAVIDS THE REVEREND HAYDN ENGLAND-SIMON THE VENERABLE JONATHAN WILLIAMS, ARCHDEACON OF NEWPORT THE VENERABLE ROBERT WILLIAMS, ARCHDEACON OF GOWER 1

4 REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE BILL TO INCORPORATE INTO THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER AN ALTERNATIVE ORDINAL The Bill was presented to the Standing Committee in December 2013, following the discussion of the proposed Alternative Ordinal at the September 2013 Governing Body meeting. The background to the Bill was that the Governing Body had previously discussed a new Alternative Ordinal in September 2004, and authorised it for ten years, through the 1955 Canon for Experimental Use of Proposed Revisions of the Book of Common Prayer, Provisionally Approved by the Bench of Bishops* (as amended by the Canon to amend provisions relating to Bill Procedure). Since 2004 the Bishops have used the new Ordinal on appropriate occasions and in September 2013 informed the Governing Body of their wish to bring forward a Bill to authorise the service on a permanent basis, under the procedure agreed by the Governing Body for liturgical bills. The text is as authorised by the Governing Body in September 2004 subject to some relatively minor changes proposed by the Bench and marked in the text, reflecting practice and usage over the last ten years. Following the discussion in the Governing Body in September 2013, the Bench considered the issues raised but decided that no further changes should be made to the text. The Bench then presented a draft Bill to the Standing Committee. In accordance with section 27 (5) of Chapter II of the Constitution, the Standing Committee, being satisfied that the Bill was in order, published a printed copy of the Bill in English and Welsh to all members of the Governing Body, together with an explanatory memorandum. The Standing Committee agreed that the schedule to the Bill would only be made available electronically, due to its recent printing and circulation to the Governing Body, and to the fact that no further changes have been made since then. The Standing Committee decided not to consult with the dioceses, in accordance with section 28 (2) of Chapter II, as the Ordinal had already been fully discussed by the Governing Body and the Bishops and been used over a nine year period. The Lay Secretary advised all members of the Governing Body that a Select Committee had been appointed in accordance with Section 28 (1) of Chapter II for the purpose of considering and collating any amendments to the Bill put forward by members of the Governing Body and invited them to submit any such amendments within three months. By the closing date, 17 March 2014, no proposed amendments had been received. Because no amendments to the Bill as circulated had been received, the Select Committee did not meet. However, the Select Committee agreed in correspondence that it wished to propose an amendment consequential on the promulgation of the Canon to Enable Women to be Consecrated as Bishops by the Governing Body in September The change is simply to amend the text to reflect that Bishops may be of either gender, and to amend the language of the booklet to be gender inclusive where bishops are referred to, as is already the case with priests and deacons, by substituting his / her for his, he / she for he and his/hers for him. (The pages of the Schedule affected are 5, 13, 20, 21, 24, 25 and 28). 2

5 The Select Committee also agreed to recommend to the Standing Committee in accordance with Section 28 (6) of Chapter II that the Bill should be deemed noncontroversial. While there are amendments proposed by the Select Committee, these are of a consequential nature and logically follow the promulgation of the 2013 Canon to Enable Women to be Consecrated as Bishops. Members of the Governing Body have already received a copy of the Bill. The Select Committee proposes no changes to the Bill. However, for ease of reference the Bill is reproduced as Appendix 1 to this Report. A copy of the Schedule to the Bill incorporating the consequential changes proposed by the Select Committee is available to be viewed on the Church in Wales website. If members require a paper copy, they can request one from John Richfield at the Provincial Office. For and on behalf of the Select Committee The Venerable Dr Peter Pike Chair 3

6 Appendix 1 BILL TO INCORPORATE INTO THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER AN ALTERNATIVE ORDINAL WHEREAS under the provisions of Chapter II of the Constitution of the Church in Wales the Governing Body has power to make new articles, doctrinal statements, rites, ceremonies and formularies and to alter those from time to time existing. AND WHEREAS it is expedient that the Alternative Ordinal hereinafter set out shall be adopted and authorised for use in the Church in Wales. BE IT HEREBY ENACTED as follows: 1. The Alternative Ordinal as set out in the Schedule to this Canon is authorised for use in the Church in Wales and shall become part of the Book of Common Prayer which shall be amended accordingly. 2. All mention of and reference to the Book of Common Prayer in the Constitution of the Church in Wales and any rule, regulation, canon, enactment, deed or other document relating to the Church in Wales shall be construed to refer to such Book as amended by this Canon. 3. The Ordinal set out in the Schedule to this Canon shall be printed and published for use in the Church in Wales. 4. The Canon shall come into force immediately. 5. The Canon shall be known as The Book of Common Prayer (Amendment) Canon THE SCHEDULE ABOVE REFERRED TO Published separately 4

7 BIL I YMGORFFORI YN Y LLYFR GWEDDI GYFFREDIN ORDINAL AMGEN Atodiad 1 GAN FOD gan y Corff Llywodraethol, dan ddarpariaethau Pennod II o Gyfansoddiad yr Eglwys yng Nghymru, y gallu i lunio erthyglau newydd, datganiadau athrawiaethol, defodau, seremonïau a ffurfiau gwasanaeth, ac i newid y rhai hynny sy n bodoli o bryd i w gilydd, A CHAN EI BOD yn fuddiol mabwysiadu ac awdurdodi r Ordinal Amgen a draethir yn dilyn hyn i w ddefnyddio yn yr Eglwys yng Nghymru, DEDDFER TRWY HYNYMA fel a ganlyn: 1. Awdurdodir yr Ordinal Amgen a draethir yn Atodlen i r Canon hwn i w ddefnyddio yn yr Eglwys yng Nghymru a bydd yn rhan o r Llyfr Gweddi Gyffredin a newidir o ganlyniad. 2. Dehonglir bod pob sôn a phob cyfeiriad at y Llyfr Gweddi Gyffredin yng Nghyfansoddiad yr Eglwys yng Nghymru ac ym mhob rheol, rheoliad, canon, deddf, gweithred a dogfen arall yn ymwneud â r Eglwys yng Nghymru yn cyfeirio ato fel y diwygir ef gan y Canon hwn. 3. Argreffir yr Ordinal a draethir yn yr Atodlen i r Canon hwn a i gyhoeddi i w ddefnyddio yn yr Eglwys yng Nghymru. 4. Daw r Canon hwn i rym ar unwaith. 5. Adwaenir y Canon hwn fel Canon (Diwygio r) Llyfr Gweddi Gyffredin YR ATODLEN Y CYFEIRIR ATI UCHOD I w chyhoeddi ar wahân 5

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12 Cynhyrchwyd gan Adran Gyhoeddiadau yr Eglwys yng Nghymru ac argraffwyd ar ddefnyddiadau a ailgylchwyd Produced by the Church in Wales Publications Department and printed on recycled materials 1435 Medi / September 2014