GOVERNANCE
Any organisation needs to have a mechanism to oversee its decisions and finances and the church is no exception. In order to do this effectively within the Parish, there are two meetings normally held annually, before April 30th but in this year of coronavirus pandemic was held on Wednesday 14th October in Church House and by Zoom. These were:
You can find the documents that we look at by clicking the links below:
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Rector's Report presented on 14 October 2020
The list of PCC members with effect from the APCM on 14 October can be seen at the bottom of this page
The Meeting for the Election of Churchwardens (previously known as the Vestry Meeting)
The election of churchwardens is the only matter decided at this meeting, which can be attended by anyone who is on the Electoral Roll of the Parish, or resides in the Parish and is on the Register of Local Government Electors.
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM)
The annual meeting can only be attended by those people who are on the Electoral Roll of the Parish. This roll will have been revised or renewed and published before the meeting and you can check whether or not you are on the current roll by looking at the published copy which is in both churches, or by emailing the Electoral Roll Officer.
The meeting receives from the Parochial Church Council (PCC), and is free to discuss:
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the report on changes in the electoral roll since the last meeting
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an annual report on the proceedings of the PCC and the activities of the parish generally
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the audited or independently examined financial statement of the PCC for the previous year which will have been approved by the PCC
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a report on the fabric, goods and ornaments of the church
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a report on the proceedings of the Deanery Synod.
The meeting also has a responsibility to:
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elect members to the Deanery Synod every 3 years. The Deanery Synod is a meeting of all clergy licensed to a benefice within the Deanery plus elected lay members and is the next level up of Government in the Church of England
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elect members to the PCC
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elect sidespersons
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appoint an external examiner or auditor for the church accounts
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discuss any matter raised by anyone eligible to attend the meeting
There are three other meetings that are held regularly between the two annual meetings. These are:
Standing Committee:
Normally comprises clergy, churchwardens, treasurers and PCC secretary. The Standing Committe usually meets two weeks before PCC meetings to confirm the agenda and has the power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by the PCC.
The Parochial Church Council (PCC)
The Parochial Church Council (PCC), chaired by the Team Rector, is a group of people made up of members of the clergy and lay members of the parish some of whom sit on the Council as of right and some who are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM). Together they are responsible for promoting the mission of the church. They also have responsibility for the overall wellbeing, spiritual and practical, as well as financial, of their parish, the members and the buildings. The PCC meets regularly to discuss matters of general concern and importance to the Parish. The members with effect from 14th October 2020 (* St Michael's) are:
Incumbent
Rev’d Dr David Munchin (Chair)
Readers
Mr John Burnapp
Mr Colin Hull (Deanery Synod rep)
Mrs Usha Hull
Churchwardens
Mrs Diane Jenkin
Mrs Susan Keach* (Vice-Chair)
Mr Stuart Westley
Deanery Synod Representatives
Mrs Vernonne Allan
Mrs Shoena Eggington*
Elected Representatives
Mrs Gina Beck*
Mr Donald Bell
Mr Geoffrey Cummings
Mrs Jacqueline Davis*
Mr Emmanuel Emmanuel-Odiachi*
Mr Stuart Jenkin
Mrs Jean Perriman
Mrs Joan Shelley
Mrs Margaret Varco (Treasurer from 14 Oct)
Three vacancies
The Team Council
As St. Mary’s is part of a team of five parishes with six churches, a Team Council exists to coordinate the direction of the Team and support the Parishes in their ministry. Generally the Council is made up of the clergy and churchwardens from each of the five parishes.