Constitution of the Parochial Church Council
Preamble
The constitution of Parochial Church Councils (PCCs) in general is covered in the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as amended from time to time. This measure and the Church Representation Rules which flow from it cover every variation of PCC and synod possible in the Church of England and they are thus quite clumsy documents for regular use.
The appointment and functions of churchwardens are found in the Churchwardens Measure 2001. The application of this measure is covered in this document.
In addition these measures provide for a variety of ways of doing some things which need to be decided at by the parish. This document is a summary of the relevant sections of the Synodical Government Measures which are applicable to St Nicholas’ Southfleet as well as decisions taken by the APCM and the PCC in the past where local options have been exercised.
The Parochial Church Council
Introduction
Contrary to popular belief the administration of the church is an essential part of the ministry of the church. Consequently the Parochial Church Council (PCC) forms a cornerstone, which supports the ministry of the church. The PCC is the chief administrative body in the parish and its existence ensures that the laity has a voice in the affairs of the church. It is also one of the primary instruments of every member ministry.
The scope of the work of the PCC is much more than administrative. Its essential task is to co-operate with the rector in promoting in the parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. This includes consideration and discussion of matters concerning the Church of England or any other matter of religious or public interest.
It is the combined duty of the rector and the PCC to consult together on matters of general concern and importance to the parish.[1] This means that the PCC is the custodian of the parish vision and mission.
The PCC is also a body corporate with perpetual succession and therefore has a legal existence apart from the members who compose it.
The Church Electoral Roll
The electoral roll is a list of the names and addresses of people who have indicated their intent to play a role in the leadership and governance of the church. It consists of laypersons that are:
1. baptised,
2. communicant members of the Church of England or of a church in communion with the Church of England,
3. are at least 16 years old,
4. are residents of the parish or who have habitually worshipped at the parish church for at least six months, and,
5. who apply to be enrolled on the electoral roll.
Names will be added to the roll where people who qualify submit an application to the Electoral Roll Officer. The name of the Electoral Roll Officer will be found in Appendix A to this constitution, which is kept up to date all the time. Names will be removed from the electoral roll when requested by the person concerned or when a person no longer qualifies to be on the roll.
Names can be added or removed from the roll at any time during the year until the revision period is reached. The revision period starts approximately 6 weeks before the next Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) when a notice of revision will be placed on the notice board in the porch of the church.
During the revision period any names which no longer qualify will be removed and parishioners are given a last chance to enter their names onto the roll. The revised roll will be displayed on the notice board at the back of the church to allow any representation to be made in respect of the correctness of the roll.
The revision period ends no less than 14 days before the next APCM and from that day until the day after the APCM no changes may be made to the Electoral Roll.
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting
The life of the PCC starts in the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM), which takes place each year not later than the 30 April. In fact the entire synodical system of government of the Church of England starts in the APCM. Everyone who is on the electoral roll is entitled to attend and vote at the APCM.
It is normal practice in this parish to hold the APCM on the Wednesday nearest to St George’s day.
At the APCM the following three actions take place:
1. Reports from the existing PCC
2. Elections for the new PCC
3. Questions and Discussions
Composition
The PCC consists of the following people:
1. The Rector
2. All licensed clergy in the parish (Priests and Deacons)
3. Churchwardens
4. Readers
5. Lay representatives to Deanery Synod, Diocesan Synod, or General Synod whose names are on the roll of the parish
6. Members elected by the APCM
7. Co-opted members
Officers of the PCC
The rector is the chairman of the PCC. The PCC must elect from its number a vice chairman, who may function as the Chairman for PCC meetings.
The PCC appoints the following officers of the PCC:
1. A secretary, who need not be a member of the PCC, who will be responsible for taking the minutes of the meeting and passing them to Chairman for approval.
2. A treasurer who must be a full voting member of the PCC. If the treasurer is not an ex officio or elected member of the PCC then he must co-opted onto the PCC as a full voting member.
3. An electoral roll officer who need not be a member of the PCC
Main Functions and Duties of the PCC
1. Evaluating the needs in the local community and congregation and co-ordinating action in respect of worship, evangelism, social responsibility, discipleship, training-for-ministry and pastoral care. This includes the following:
a. Approving the forms of service to be used in the parish in accordance with the provisions of the Church of England (Worship and Doctrine) Measure 1974
b. Approving all changes to the times of services.
c. Approving the list of people who are to be included in the rota of duties as leaders of different facets of worship. In terms of Canon C8 (4) the rector retains the exclusive right to approve the list of people who may preside and preach at services in the church.
2. Seeking ecumenical contact with other Christians at local level. This is not limited to contact with formally constituted groups but also to contact with Christians who are not members of the Church of England, for whom there may be no local church, with the aim of being their church in this place.
3. Managing the financial affairs of the church and the keeping of accounts. Much of this work will actually be done by the treasurer under the oversight of one of the churchwardens
4. Drawing up an annual budget for money to be collected, funds to be raised, and expected expenditure. In the determination of the purposes to which parish monies are to be put, the contribution to the stipendiary fund and the parish share to the diocese shall be the first financial priority.
5. The care, maintenance, preservation and insurance of the fabric of the church and its ornaments, together with the care and maintenance of the churchyard. This will function under the oversight of one of the churchwardens. It is to plan for the quinquennial inspection of the church building in accordance with the Inspection of Churches Measure 1955, and plan to execute any work required as a result of the inspection.
6. It is the legal owner of the church moveable property (under the guardianship of the bishop) and has the power to acquire, manage and administer property for ecclesiastical and educational purposes. It is however important to realise that the church property does not belong to any one generation of parishioners, and thus care must be taken to ensure that any action taken today will not be harmful to the next generation. For this reason any changes to the structure and character of the church must be approved by means of a faculty.
7. It has the power, jointly with the rector, to employ, and dismiss staff and to determine conditions of service and salaries. In this it is subject to the employment law of the land and must be seen to be a righteous and fair employer. If there are any paid staff they will be listed in Appendix A
8. It has the power to set a voluntary Church Rate for any purpose connected with the affairs of the church. This rather quaint statement gives the prerogative to the PCC to encourage parishioners in the practice of dedicated and sacrificial giving to the church, with an injunction to consider the claims of tithing and covenant giving.
9. It has the right to be consulted in the appointment of a new rector. This is exercised through the parish representatives appointed in terms of the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986, section 11.
10. In any Pastoral Scheme, which will affect the parish, the PCC is an interested party who must be consulted.
11. It has a right to object to the sale or demolition of the parsonage house.
Churchwardens
The office of churchwarden predates the PCC and although their historical functions have mostly been taken over by the PCC they still have a particular role over and above their membership of the PCC. There are two churchwardens. They must be baptised Christians, whose names are on the church electoral roll of the parish, are actual communicants, are twenty-one years of age or upwards; and are not disqualified.
Appointment
They are appointed by the joint consent of the rector and the Annual Parish Meeting (APM). Annual Parish Meeting means a meeting of persons whose names are on the church electoral roll of the parish together with persons resident in the parish whose names are entered on the register of local government electors. The meeting of parishioners must take place before 30 April each year. In practice the APM takes place immediately before the APCM and has only one item on the agenda which is the election of churchwardens.
If agreement cannot be reached then the rector may appoint one churchwarden and the parishioners the other. If this happens the bishop must be informed.
Before entering on their duties the churchwarden must be formally admitted to office. This is done by either the bishop or the archdeacon, at his annual visitation, and will include subscribing to the declaration that they will faithfully and diligently perform the duties of their office. This means that if new churchwardens are elected they become churchwardens-elect until admitted at the annual visitation and the old churchwardens will remain in office until this has taken place.
General disqualifications
1. A person shall be disqualified from being chosen for the office of churchwarden if he is disqualified from being a charity trustee under section 72(1) of the Charities Act.
2. A person shall be disqualified from being chosen for the office of churchwarden if he has been convicted of any offence mentioned in Schedule 1 to the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
3. A person shall be disqualified from being chosen for the office of churchwarden if he is disqualified from holding that office under section 10(6) of the Incumbents (Vacation of Benefices) Measure 1977.
Disqualification after six periods of office
A person shall be disqualified from being chosen for the office of churchwarden when that person has served as a churchwarden of the same parish for six successive periods of office. A person would have to stand down for a minimum of two years before standing again for office.
In this parish it is our custom that churchwardens should not normally serve for more than four successive periods of office after which they would stand down for a minimum of two years before standing again for office. Where a churchwarden has stood for four successive periods and there is no-one willing and able to stand in his or her place then he may stand again. In this case it shall become a matter of urgency to identify a possible successor.
The Functions of the Churchwardens
The churchwardens are officers of the bishop and they are the principal lay leaders of the parish. They are, together with the rector, the leadership of the parish, each fulfilling a complementary role in leading the life and work of the church in the parish. They fulfil the biblical functions of elders in the New Testament.
It is their duty on the bishop’s or archdeacon’s visitation, to answer such questions as may be put to them about the condition of the parish. They should also at any time report to the bishop, any irregularity or failure of which he ought to be informed.
They are responsible for oversight of the care and maintenance of the church fabric, which includes the church building, the churchyard, as well as the furniture, fittings, ornaments and other movable property of the church. In practice this is exercised through a fabric subcommittee which is chaired by one of the churchwardens
They are responsible for the provision of all the requisites for divine service. In practice this is done by the sacristan(s) who will be accountable to the churchwardens for this task.
It is their duty to maintain order in the church and churchyard, especially during times of service. They may remove persons who cause a disturbance or show that they intend to do so. It is an offence by law to cause any disturbance in the church or to interrupt divine service, and the churchwardens have the power to arrest any such disturbers.
It is the churchwarden’s duty to provide seating in the church for the parishioners and they may direct persons where to sit and where not to sit. This is usually done by sidesmen (who may be male or female) and welcoming teams, who are in turn accountable to the churchwardens for this task.
When a vacancy occurs on the benefice, the churchwardens are sometimes appointed sequestrators.
Deputy Churchwardens
The Rector may, with the concurrence of the PCC, appoint up to two deputy churchwardens, who are PCC members qualified to be churchwardens as described above.
Deputy churchwardens are appointed to prepare them for the office of churchwarden. It is implicit that anyone appointed as a deputy churchwarden will stand for office as churchwarden within a period of three years.
Churchwardens Emeritus
Where a churchwarden has served a minimum of six periods of office (not necessarily successive) and has decided neither to stand for office as a churchwarden anymore nor to stand for election to any position in the PCC, the Rector with the concurrence of the PCC may appoint such a person to the office of Churchwarden Emeritus.
Churchwardens emeritus may attend PCC meetings and offer advice whether solicited or unsolicited on any matter. They may not however propose motions or vote.
Where a churchwarden emeritus is appointed as a churchwarden or elected to any position in the PCC then he or she shall no longer hold the office of churchwarden emeritus.
Membership of the PCC
Ex Officio Members
The following are ex officio full voting members of the PCC by virtue of their office in the church
· The Rector
· All licensed clergy in the parish (Priests and Deacons). The APCM may resolve that clergy with permission to officiate who are active in the parish ministry, and who reside in the parish, should also be ex officio members of the PCC.
· Churchwardens as their appointment takes place outside the APCM
· Readers – The APCM may limit total number of readers on the PCC. If there are more readers than the maximum number set by the APCM then an election is to be held among the readers to determine who shall be on the PCC. Readers can also be elected or appointed as churchwardens, deanery representatives or elected members. These readers shall not be included in the total number of ex officio readers. The APCM may resolve that readers with permission to officiate who are active in the parish ministry, and whose names are on the electoral roll, should also be ex officio members of the PCC.
· Lay representatives to Diocesan Synod, or General Synod whose names are on the roll of the parish who will have been elected to this position by a body other than the APCM. These members may also stand for election to any lay office in the parish.
Deanery Synod Representatives
The number of deanery synod members for each parish is set by Diocesan Synod. Deanery Synod Representatives hold office for three years, after which they may be re-elected. They are elected by the APCM in the year that the term of office of a deanery is expected to end. The number of representatives for the parish, and the year of the last election, is in appendix A.
The election of deanery synod representatives shall be the first election undertaken at the APCM when this has to take place.
Deanery synod representatives may not also be elected members as described below.
Elected Members
The maximum number of elected members depends on the number of names on the electoral roll, as shown in the table below:
Number on electoral roll |
Elected members on PCC |
|
Not more than 50 |
6 |
|
51 – 100 |
9 |
|
101 – 200 |
12 |
|
More than 200 |
15 |
The number of elected members is set by the APCM, from time to time, to reflect the electoral roll numbers. When a change is made it shall come into effect at the APCM following the one at which the resolution was passed. This number is in appendix A.
Elected members must be at least 17 years old and on the electoral roll for at least six months at the date of the APCM.
Elected members hold office for a maximum of three years after which they may be re elected. One third of the members shall stand for election each year.
Every member elected shall on election be advised of when they shall be required to stand for election next.
Co-opted Members
The PCC may co-opt any person on to the PCC due to particular needs of the time, to a maximum of one fifth of the elected members, or to fill a vacancy.
If co-opted member is on the electoral roll then they may be co-opted as a full voting member, otherwise as a member who may speak but not vote.
Co-opted members hold office until the next APCM.
Resignation from- and Cessation of- Membership of the PCC
Any elected member may resign at any time by submitting a letter of resignation to the PCC secretary, in which the date of resignation should be stated. If no date is specified then the date of resignation shall be the date on which the letter is received by secretary.
Any member who for any reason no longer qualifies to be a member of the PCC shall be so informed by the secretary, and after a period of 14 days, during which the circumstances for non qualification may be appealed, shall cease to be a member of the PCC.
In the case of an appeal the rules for appeal shall be followed.
Sub Committees of the PCC
Standing Committee
The standing committee is the statutory committee which carries out the business of the PCC between meetings. It will normally meet once in the months when the full PCC does meet.
The members of the Standing Committee are:
· The Rector
· The Churchwardens
· The Treasurer
· The PCC Secretary
· The deputy Churchwardens if any are appointed
It may make decisions based upon a ‘phone-around‘, by the secretary, to get the agreement of the members for a particular decision or course of action.
Fabric Committee
The fabric committee consists of the following:
1. Rector
2. Churchwardens – one of whom will be the chair
3. Two more members of the PCC
4. As many other interested people as required
The committee must meet at least once per year.
On receipt of the quinquennial inspection report the fabric committee must draw up a plan to implement the recommendations of the report over the following five years.
Each year the fabric committee is to draw up and execute a maintenance plan for the fabric of the church that year. This is to cover the interior and exterior of the church building and the churchyard. It must also include the elements of the plan for implementing the quinquennial inspection which are applicable to that year.
- The Rectory
- Hook Green Rd
- Southfleet
- Kent
- DA13 9NQ
01474 833252