The skills and experiences of members of our congregations are essential for the running of the parish. As with all large organisations, we have a number of structures in place to help with the running of all our activities and there are a number of ways that you can get involved. We thank everyone who uses their skills and enthusiasms to serve God by serving the parish in this way.
Wardens
One or two churchwardens are elected from each of the three churches; a number of deputy wardens help share the load.
Parochial Church Council (PCC)
The main church committee is the PCC, which consists of clergy, officers, and up to 15 elected lay members. In general terms its function is to work with the clergy to promote the whole mission of the church.
PCC members are the legal Trustees of the parish (as a recognised charity) and are responsible for the maintenance of the church buildings and churchyard, and, with the incumbent, for deciding how the church’s money is to be spent. The PCC is formally the employer of any paid workers. The PCC has the right to be consulted about major changes to the forms of worship used in the parish and about the appointment of a new incumbent.
PCC Committees and Working Groups
Given its wide responsibilities and size, the PCC on its own may not be able to do everything that is needed in the parish. Some tasks need detailed research or thought that can’t be done in a meeting with up to 24 people. We therefore have a set of committees which each report back to the PCC. These are not legally required and may change from year to year. Each committee has at least one PCC member on it and may include other members of the congregation according to the skills needed. Currently our committees are: Finance, Fabric (what we would normally call buildings and surrounding grounds), Children & Young People, Kidlinks Management. We also have working groups focussing on specific areas such as Eco Activity.
Church Committees
Each of the three churches has its own committee, consisting of clergy, local churchwardens and between four and eight other members. These look after many of the day-to-day matters specific to their congregation and building and bring items to and from the PCC as necessary. Often joining a specific church committee is a good grounding for becoming a PCC member later.
For more information about any of these, please talk to one of the clergy or contact the Parish Office.