Thank you for serving on the PCC of Saint Wilfrid Church, Bognor.

Our vision is to play our part in the evangelisation of Bognor, the revitalisation of the church and the transformation of society.

We seek to be Creative, Caring, & Courageous in all we do, & to Celebrate at every opportunity.

Introduction

The PCC (Parochial Church Council) plays an essential part in the life of the church.

With the day-to-day tasks of operations and ministry delegated to the Vicar and Staff Team, in addition to acting as trustees of the church from a charitable perspective, the PCC are those from amongst the church community, who lead the way in ensuring that the ministries are aligned to the vision of the church, and that the key community values (Attending, Praying; Serving; Giving) are embedded across the church.

The PCC meets with the Vicar and other Senior Leaders, to talk and pray through the activities, events and ministries; to review the finances; and to make key decisions together, relating to church life.

How We Operate

Meetings

The PCC meets up to 6 times over the year, with dates set and communicated in advance.

The preference for these meetings is face-to-face, however, online platforms will also be used, as necessary.

Meetings are chaired by the Vicar, with agendas issued in advance, minutes taken and action points noted, as appropriate.

Communication

All members are issued with an email address, which should be used for all related communication.

News and Updates are posted on the PCC SharePoint site.

File Storage

Files are stored and shared via the SharePoint site. This is password protected.

Decisions

Where a significant decision needs to be made by the PCC, this will either be done by face-to-face or via the SharePoint Site.

Where decisions need to be made about routine matters, this will be done at a meeting of the Standing Committee.

Member Expectations

To seek God in public and private prayer for Saint Wilfrid, Bognor.

— Prayer

To express views clearly and to respect the confidentiality of serving on and alongside the PCC.

— Confidentiality

To enjoy fellowship with one another and to promote joy in our meetings and relationships.

— Fun

To be Godly in thought, word and deed and be an example to the congregation.

— Godliness

To serve in a capacity below that of a trustee.

— Action

To be accountable to the congregation, to call the staff and volunteer team to account, when appropriate and in an appropriate way, to protect the church.

— Accountability

To be regularly giving to Saint Wilfrid Church and promoting a generous spirit in personal and corporate terms.

— Generosity

To prepare well for meetings, concentrating on financial and legal matters and to take collective responsibility for PCC decisions.

— Responsibility

To provide support to the vicar and his family, to staff members and key volunteers, to watch out for them so that they thrive.

— Support

To be a regular attendee at services and events.

— Attendance

Member Roles

Whilst all members are invited to use their experience and expertise to enable the church to thrive, certain members fill specific roles. Some members form a Standing Committee of the PCC. The Standing Committee acts on behalf of the PCC, and may meet more regularly than the PCC, to discuss and decide routine matters.

Church Wardens

Church Wardens have a particular role in supporting the Vicar in the leadership of the church.

Treasurer

The Treasurer acts on behalf of the PCC to ensure the financial policies and protocols of the church are met.

Secretary

The PCC Secretary ensures that all paperwork relating to PCC business is in place and communicated, as required.

The role of Safeguarding Officer [insert link] is a further crucial role, associated with the PCC. In addition, we seek those with professional competencies and experience in: Finance; HR; Communications (& associated fields); Data; Legal Services; Architecture and Engineering; Health and Safety; Strategy and Programme Management.

Formalities

As a trustee of the organisation (Saint Wilfrid is registered with the Charity Commission. Charity Number. 1142723), members names are listed against the following in the Annual Report: ‘The PCC (of Saint Wilfrid Church, Bognor), has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent:

  • To promote the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England.

  • To promote in the parish the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical.’

Whilst day-to-day management is delegated to the Vicar and those he appoints, in addition to the above, it is also the responsibility of the PCC to ensure the maintenance of the building and good stewardship of all our resources.

Entry Onto The PCC

Members are required to be on our electoral roll [link to electoral roll] and are nominated [link to nomination process], and subsequently elected onto the PCC at the APCM (Annual Parochial Church Meeting). Usually, members remain on the PCC for three years.

Declarations & Checks

Because of the charitable nature and responsibility of the role, members are required to make a number of declarations in relation to their eligibility. In addition, because the church works amongst some of the most vulnerable in society, including children, we require that all members of the PCC provide certification of safeguarding training. It is also our practice that all volunteers sign a volunteer agreement.

[link to eligibility declaration]

[link to safeguarding checks/training]

[link to volunteer agreement]