2019 is the year we renew our church Electoral Roll
Once in every six years, your local parish church is required to prepare a new church electoral roll. That means everyone has to come off the existing roll, and re-apply. In St Weonards, we need to complete this exercise by 18 March, ahead of our Annual Parochial Church Meeting on 2 April 2019.
The Electoral Roll is your parish church’s register of electors. In the same way that being on the civic Electoral Roll allows you to vote in parliamentary and local elections and referenda, joining the Church Electoral Roll means that you can vote on Church matters, attend the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and stand for election to the PCC.
O course, you don't suddenly become a formal member of the Church by signing up to the church's Electoral Roll; instead, you already 'belong' if you consider St Weonards Church as your spiritual home.
Why join the church Electoral Roll?
Joining the electoral roll is an important way of confirming your commitment to the St Weonards community and to the vision of the church. It also opens up the way for greater involvement in the life of the Church of England at deanery, diocesan and national levels. By joining, you become entitled to participate in the government of the church and to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, where the elections take place for:
1. the Parochial Church Council
2. the parish’s representatives on the Deanery Synod.
Any person entitled to attend the APCM may raise any question of parochial or general church interest.
In addition, those who live outside the Parish of St Weonards but are on the Electoral Roll here enjoy all the rights and privileges that go with being resident in the Parish (for example, baptisms and weddings). However, if you live outside the Parish and want to come onto the Electoral Roll, you have to have been worshipping at St Weonard's Church for a minimum period of 6 months.
It's very helpful for the Church of England to have an idea of the commitment of its people in a parish, and the Electoral Roll is a simple way of recording this. We don't over-inflate the significance of the Electoral Roll, but it would be a missed opportunity for people to ignore it.
What does the church Electoral Roll affect?
1. The maximum number of PCC lay members
2. Representation on the governing bodies of the Church (Ross & Archenfield Deanery Synod, Hereford Diocesan Synod, and General Synod).
The Church of England is governed by a synodical system which joins with the Bishops to make decisions. Being on the Electoral Roll is the entry point and Christians share an individual responsibility to be part of the “Body of Christ” and to participate fully in our part of His Church. This system is intended to enable church people at every level to be in touch with the Church as a whole and to play their part in decision making. Also, the system is intended to ensure that the laity has their place in every aspect of church life, including doctrine and services.
The Electoral Roll does NOT have a direct bearing on the way the Parish Offer (formerly Parish Share) is assessed. The old accusation that the Parish Share was a sort of tax on the size of the Electoral Roll is no longer relevant!
How do I join the Electoral Roll?
Please look out for the Electoral Roll forms on the tables at the back of St Weonard's Church. Alternatively, you can download an
Electoral Roll form from our web site. You can also find our
Electoral Roll Data Privacy Notice there. Please remember we need your completed Electoral Roll form back by
18 March at the latest.
Thank you for your continued support and fellowship and we look forward to seeing you again soon.