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Status
Received: on time
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Income
£132.0K
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Spending
£151.1K
Public benefits
The Irish Council of Churches is committed to the advancement of the Christian religion and the promotion of religious harmony. Its vision is to be a benchmark of unity in Christ for churches and communities globally by developing and providing a channel for Ireland’s churches to connect through a common belief in Christ. Five values underpin its
work: The goal and grounding of all that we do is our shared FAITH in Jesus Christ; we seek to be faithful to God and committed to our journey together; HOLINESS: Willing to be opened and changed by God as we connect with each other and meet together in the Lord; Experiencing God’s holiness as we spend time together in prayer and seeking to be reconciled in Christ; RESPECT: Respecting and seeking to understand each other’s beliefs; we are aware of our diversity while recognising the presence of Christ in each other as we seek to understand the fullness of God’s revelation for the world; HOPE: Hoping in Christ and living in the power of the Holy Spirit sustaining us and fuelling our courage; We are courageous in our vision and mission having the strength together to fulfil our reason to be; WITNESS: Witnessing to God’s kingdom of justice, peace and reconciliation through word and action; to our common discipleship in the way we live and work together; and as we listen to the world in which we live and serve. The Irish Council of Churches meets the public benefit requirement in two ways: 1 The advancement of religion The formal ecumenical body in Ireland, established in 1922, its current membership reflects the changing landscape of Christianity in Ireland across Protestant, Orthodox, Reformed, Independent and Migrant–led churches. Since 1973 it has coordinated the Irish Inter-Church Meeting, a formal dialogue between the Irish Council of Churches and the Irish Episcopal Conference. Together, the Council and the Meeting bring together senior leaders representing the majority of Christian traditions in Ireland. Member churches express their Christian witness working together for the benefit of all peoples, in Northern Ireland and internationally. The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include the ability of member churches to work together to raise awareness and understanding of their religious beliefs and practices. The Irish Council of Churches provides an opportunity for member churches to better understand each other; promoting co-operation, joint working, and greater efficiency. The direct benefits are demonstrated through regular evaluation of The Irish Council of Churches’ services and activities and through feedback from representatives of each of the member churches. The Irish Council of Churches is accountable to all its member churches and its work is reported to their governing bodies. This purpose does not lead to harm. The beneficiaries of this purpose are the member churches of The Irish Council of Churches. The beneficiaries also include the public generally in Northern Ireland specifically those involved in or associated with the Christian faith. There is no private benefit. 2 Through reconciliation and the promoting of religious harmony The Irish Council of Churches enables churches to work together to promote reconciliation across the historic political, social, ethnic and religious divides in Northern Ireland and throughout the Island of Ireland. The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include the promotion of political, social, ethnic and religious harmony by promoting good relations between people of different Christian traditions, building cooperation and understanding and sharing information with the general public. This purpose does not lead to harm. The beneficiaries of this purpose are the public generally in Northern Ireland especially those who look to their church and the Irish Council of Churches to provide guidance on how they should treat others in society. There is no private benefit.
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
Key activities of the ICC include: Formally bringing together senior representatives from across our member churches to meet, dialogue and plan activities of mutual concern, at least quarterly. Promoting reconciliation across historic political, social, ethnic, and religious divides. Facilitating joint co-operation through our liaison groups,
Enabling collaboration, co-operation and the sharing of information by bringing together representatives with specific responsibilities for a wide variety of aspects of the mission and ministry of our members. Coordinating working groups which advise on topics of mutual concern, bringing together nominated experts representative of the diversity of views expressed by our members. Enabling dialogue, sharing and joint action with the Irish Episcopal Conference through the Irish Inter-Church Meeting, representatives of which meet at least quarterly. Highlighting the work of member churches before each other and the wider public in Ireland through disseminating resources, aggregating news on our website, sharing information on initiatives and communicating joint statements. Engaging with government and civil society on issues of mutual concern and advocating on public policy issues, as requested by our members, for the benefit of society at large. Working with our member churches on externally funded joint projects which fulfil our charitable purposes. Assisting the churches in relating to newer migrant-led churches and building informal relationships with leaders of other faiths. Working closely with other national and international ecumenical bodies, particularly those established to work in England, Scotland and Wales as well as Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, The Conference of European Churches and the World Council of Churches. Representing the member Churches at keynote public events, including supporting joint public worship. Exploring the on-going development of our networks to achieve our purposes.
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of religion
- The advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation or the promotion of religious or racial harmony or equality and diversity
Who the charity helps
- General public
How the charity works
- Advice/advocacy/information
- Cross-border/cross-community
- General charitable purposes
- Religious activities
