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Reporting Groups

There are a number of groups which are required to report to the Standing Committee of the General Synod. These include Commissions, Task Forces, Working Groups and Networks, and other bodies established by Canon of General Synod.

Commissions

Strategic priorities identified by the General Synod are referred to Commissions for implementation. Eight Commissions have been established to provide advice to the Primate, the Standing Committee and the General Synod.

These Commissions are:

Church Law Commission
Doctrine Commission
Ecumenical Relations Commission
Families and Culture Commission
Liturgy Commission
Mission and Ministry Commission
Safe Ministry Commission
Public Affairs Commission

The Terms of Reference of each expert Reference Commission is found in the Strategic Issues, Commissions, Task Forces and Networks Canon 1998.

Task Forces

A Task Force can be established by the Standing Committee of General Synod when it believes that the Church would benefit from specific advice on a contemporary issue, project or activity in an area of the Church’s mission. With their clearly defined task boundaries, these groups operate for a limited time. Their recommendations are then put to the Standing Committee of the General Synod and their advice made available to Anglicans everywhere. Task Force reports are written to inform the church and the wider community with the thoughts and opinions expressed by Task Force members offered to all members of the Anglican Church as they think through the various issues and reflect on their ramifications for Anglican life and practice. Their findings are not necessarily an official or institutional pronouncement.

Working Groups

The General Synod or its Standing Committee establishes Working Groups to deal with specific matters that require the attention of a small group of representative specialists. These matters need to be of national significance as each of the twenty-three dioceses of the Anglican Church of Australia are responsible for dealing with their own regional or local life and mission.

Some groups can deal with matters on an ongoing basis, whilst others operate only for a fixed period of time or are concerned with a clearly defined project of importance to the life of the Church nationally. Working Groups report to the Standing Committee at such times and on such basis as the Standing Committee may from time to time require.

Networks

There are a number of Networks which operate within the Anglican Church of Australia. The functions of a General Synod Network are:

a) To share information and ideas among those with common concerns;

b) To facilitate joint action by the members of the Network from within their own shared resources;

c) To communicate with Standing Committee on issues of significance.

Reporting Groups

Commissions

Task Forces

Working Groups

Networks

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