It comes after the PSNI last month launched an unprecedented criminal investigation after the church acknowledged those failures. A Charity Commission probe is also underway.
Former Moderator Rev Trevor Gribben stood down earlier this year after a review found “serious and significant failings” in central safeguarding functions from 2009 to 2022.
During an almost five-hour General Assembly on Thursday, hundreds of ministers and elders met in Belfast’s Assembly Buildings to debate and vote on a report that contained a number of resolutions agreeing new measures on safeguarding.
The Assembly was chaired by Rev Richard Murray, who opened the proceedings – which were streamed live online – by saying the church is “deeply ashamed and sorry”.
Acting Clerk Rev David Allen later told the congregation the church had to now show its contrition over the failures.
Discussing the Moderator’s public role, Mr Allen said “invitations to some public events should be respectfully declined”.
"In our hearts and minds, we are wearing sackcloth and ashes as a denomination,” he said.
"That is what this is seeking to show the world. A broken and contrite heart. Sackcloth and ashes.
"That is how we are as a denomination being investigated by the PSNI and this resolution is here so there can be no hint of us carrying on unthinkingly, business as usual.”
One of the resolutions before the Assembly also explored the possibility of the Church setting up a financial redress scheme for victims affected by the failures.
Sir Bruce Robinson, who was a trustee from 2012-2022, said discussions over redress could not wait until the Church’s traditional General Assembly in the summer.
"I suggest we reconvene to monitor progress on all of these issues. I would suggest we need to start that discussion with a clear undertaking that we will not cause any further suffering and that we will commit to bring forward a scheme of financial redress,” he added.
Rev Ben Preston, of Craigyhill Presbyterian Church, said providing redress was about “putting our money where our mouth is”.
“Biblical repentance is more than words and feeling sorry. Harm is not just emotional or spiritual, for many it may be financial,” he said.
"Paying for private therapy, those who have lost earnings because of the trauma that they have suffered due to our negligence.
"Establishing this designated survivor redress scheme is not about paying people off, it's about taking responsibility for the destruction we have caused. We will not hesitate to bear the costs of our failures.”
Resolutions on improving the standard of safeguarding training and having a dedicated focus on adult safeguarding were also passed, as well as a resolution that sought to explore the level of financial compensation that could be made available to victims.
Towards the end of the meeting, a robust discussion on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) ended with the Church committing to discuss their future use.
Former head of safeguarding Dr Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin last month revealed she was unable to discuss her departure in June 2025 due to an NDA with the church.
Rev Susan Moore of Rathmullan, Milford and Fanad told the Assembly she was “deeply exercised that PCI uses such clauses at all” given its status as a charity.
"When PCI enters into agreements with NDAs attached, we are treading on murky moral ground,” she said.
"When we use NDAs to silence people we are in danger of shutting down information or trends which might help us to see patterns which alert us to problems.
"We can then make better informed governance decisions, but at the moment we are in the dark.”
The Assembly then heard from Mr James Livingstone of Templepatrick Presbytery, who said to dispense with NDAs would be “tying the hands” of those dealing with the situations.
"I've heard from a very worthy commentator in the media who said some people who were subject to these would like permission to unfold themselves," he added.
"Well maybe that's fine, but I wonder are they going to give the money back that they got on the back of those?
"They don't only protect the reputation of the PCI, very often it protects the other individuals as well in those situations and circumstances.”
The PCI solicitor, Stephen Gowdy, told the Assembly that the Church had to recognise the “reality” of NDAs.
"NDAs are a very common tool nowadays and it would be very foolish of us to exclude ourselves of using them," he said.
“A lot of people want to settle but don't want the fact or amount of settlement to be known and there are good commercial reasons for that.
"The critical word there is 'agreement'. They are not imposed; they are agreed. NDAs are not entered into by people without advice.
"We have got to recognise the reality that settlements take place where terms are kept confidential.”
The Church said a further timeline for a report on the safeguarding process will be brought to a second Special General Assembly in February 2026.