Overhaul outlined for Church in Wales

Members of the Church In Wales are to be asked to participate in one of the greatest overhauls in the denomination since the 19th century.

The Governing Body met in Lampeter yesterday and approved motions which will now be discussed by individual parishes.

A review by the Representative Body, chaired by former WDA chairman Sir David Rowe-Beddoe, has studied ways to secure the financial future of the church.

The recommendations are designed to encourage input from individuals and congregations on ways in which a more efficient and sustainable church can be created.

To encourage a debate at parish level, a full-colour tabloid newspaper has been prepared to outline the recommendations.

A cassette and CD is also presently in production for distribution to clerics.

Recommendations deal with issues such as:

Pension provision - how can the church ensure future funding of clergy pensions?

Clergy remuneration - in the early 1990s, the Church in Wales was the most heavily "subsidised" church in the Anglican Communion with a significant proportion of the cost of deploying a cleric coming from central investments built up on the basis of past generosity. This remains the case to a lesser degree.

Property ownership and management - the Church in Wales has a significant number of buildings within its ownership.

The use to which they are put and their care is a matter that needs to be addressed.

Decision-making structures - much of the Church in Wales administrative structures are based on a 19th century model. Is this still appropriate for the 21st century?

Another key proposal, also passed in Lampeter, was a recommendation to reduce the membership of the Governing Body itself.

This proposal will see the Governing Body reduced from its present size of around 350 members to 144 - a change that will be phased in during the next four years, between now and April 2008.

The Governing Body yesterday also supported a private member's motion "unreservedly condemning terrorist attacks on innocent Israeli civilians" while also deploring "the Israeli Government decision to ignore the United Nation Security Council's overwhelming call for a cessation in the construction of the separation barrier in the Occupied Palestinian Territories".

Speaking to second the motion, Provincial Assistant Bishop of the Church in Wales, the Rt Rev David Thomas said, "This motion has absolutely no anti-Israeli intention. It criticises certain aspects of Israeli government policy, but that's an entirely different matter.

"I'm certainly not one of those who question Israel's right to statehood and therefore to land.

"Nor am I prepared to condone terrorism nor to deny Israel's right to protect its citizens from attack.

"We want to see the vicious circle of wrong and retaliation in the Holy Land broken once and for all.

"A necessary first step is for the demands of justice to be honoured by all involved, not least in connection with the barrier."