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 held annually, before April 30th. These are:
Meeting for the Election of Churchwardens - to be held on 3rd April 2019
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) – to be held on 3rd April 2019
The documents that we look at are:
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 Role 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 two other meetings that are held regularly between the two annual meetings. These are:
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 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.