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The position of a Churchwarden is one of the oldest in the country. The churchwarden is the Bishop's representative and is appointed by the Bishop in response to the vote of the Annual Church Meeting. As said in last month's magazine the position comes up for election each year. In their simplest form, the duties of a churchwarden can be described as maintaining an environment worthy of worship. Of course this covers a multitude of items from the church grounds to the fabric of the church itself. A prospective Churchwarden must be prepared to: Finance: Oversee the church accounts together with the Treasurer. Encourage and organise fund raising. Encourage tax efficient planned giving. Maintain a balanced budget or ensure that the PCC votes for any overspend and fixes how it is to be financed. Fabric: Maintain the fabric of the church and grounds, personally if necessary, organising preventative maintenance wherever possible. Motivating the congregation to participate in general repairs and maintenance of the church, grounds and hall. Engage contractors to undertake work too difficult for the efforts of the congregation. Meet and deal with contractors wanting access to the church for maintenance purposes. Deal with any damage, either natural or wilful, at all times ensuring the safety of people and the security of the building. Ensure the security of the church, including the issue of keys and lock changing. Maintain a key register. Ensure that insurance requirements are adhered to, and that any insurance claims are considered to minimise repair costs and handled correctly. Understand and action faculties to cover major works to the fabric of the church. Pastoral: Encourage worship. Ensure that worship takes place in a calm and measured environment, dealing with any problems which may arise during services including the evicting of troublemakers. Ensure that Sidesmen are present and know how to conduct their duties correctly. Ensure that church organisations and committees are organised and run within diocesan guidelines, particularly those referring to the leading of children. Meet any visiting dignitaries. Assisting the Incumbent in his duties as required and when asked. Involve as many as possible in the efficient running of the church. Chair a sub-committee (Fabric or Finance). Ensuring that the church hall is run efficiently and in the best interests of the church. Deal with the public over any church matters. Handle any queries during the absence on holiday or retreat of the Incumbent. Produce rosters to cover the many duties required to keep the church running. Attend as many services as possible each and every week. Finally, to involve yourself in any area of the church and its running that you deem needs you, and to get to understand the workings of the modern Church as much as possible. At first glance the above list may appear daunting but of course rarely do things happen all at once and there are, of course, two Churchwardens. There are also several willing and helpful members of the PCC and congregation who are able to help out. It must be said however that the position should not be undertaken lightly and is most suitable for someone working locally, in part time employment or retired. It is a most interesting position and is a worthwhile challenge to anyone prepared to give that old fashioned word, commitment. Tony Rice-Oxley |
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page last updated 24 FEBRUARY 2002 |
