The Parochial Church Council has a major role to play in enforcing the authority of the Church of England in the local community. It is a complicated body for it has to carry out a mixture of spiritual, legal, financial pastoral and missionary functions. The PCC has responsibilities not only to the congregation of the Parish Church but to all parishioners, i.e. to all the people, who live in the Parish, regardless of their denomination or faith or creed. The PCC shares the privilege and responsibility of making decisions with the priest, and in return it co-operates with the Clergy in the whole mission of the Church.
The Synodical Government Measure 1969 sets out the task of the PCC. It states:
1. It shall be the duty of the incumbent and the Parochial Church Council to consult together on matters of general concern and importance in the parish.
2. The function of the PCC shall include;
a) Co-operation with the incumbent in promoting in the parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical;
b) The consideration and discussion of matters concerning the Church of England or any other matters of religious or public interest, but not the declaration of the doctrine of the Church on any question;
c) Making known and putting into effect any provision made by the Diocesan Synod or the Deanery Synod, but without prejudice to the powers of the Council on any particular matter;
d) Giving advice to the Diocesan Synod and the Deanery Synod on any matter referred to the Council;
e) raising such matters as the Council consider appropriate with the Diocesan Synod or Deanery Synod.
3. In the exercise of its functions the PCC shall take into consideration any expression of opinion by any Parochial Church Council meeting.
This gives great emphasis on the part played by lay people in the parish. However, co-operation, communication and consultation are clearly extremely important for the success of this partnership between Clergy and Lay people.
The Church Representation Rules have much to say on how the PCC is organised and how many people can stand for election. It also devotes several paragraphs to how business is to be conducted by the PCC. However the rules are silent on what business the PCC should conduct.
Working within the organisation of the church of England and under the tenets of Canon Law, the PCC members are in effect Trustees of an independent charity. They are responsible for making decisions in the Parish, subject to the laws of the land, albeit delegate all matters relating to the respective Churches via DCC's (District Church Councils) - one for St Bartholomew's, and the other for St Mary Magdelene. Matters of 'policy' or 'finance' must still be referred back to the PCC for ratification as the legal governing body of the Parish.
It is extremely important therefore that the PCC, a mixture of elected Lay members and ex-officio Clergy, works closely together for the benefit of the Parish. It is the first level of a complex administrative and management structure of the Anglican Church, which links together the Deanery Synod, the Diocesan Synod and the General Synod. Through this structure important consultations take place, decisions are reached and outcomes are communicated.
Top down and bottom up issues are discussed and acted upon. These might be trivial or they may indeed have far reaching effects.
The PCC takes a keen and overarching interest in all the various activities that happen in a very busy parish. All the various voluntary groups and uniformed organisations [e.g. such as the St Bart’s Sunday Club, Beavers, Cub, Scouts, Brownies. Rainbows. Guides @ St Bart’s], are ultimately responsible and accountable in some way to the PCC. It is for this reason that the Parish APCM at the Parish of East Ham receives an Annual Reports on Parish activities.
The PCC in the Parish of East Ham meets at least six times per year. The meetings are held on a six weekly cycle [generally mid-week], at 8.00 pm until about 10.00 pm – alternative venues of St Alban’s Christian Centre, St Bartholomew’s Church & Centre, and St Mary Magdalene Church or Hall.
Matters are usually arranged to ensure that there are not too many ‘heavy’ issues on the same agenda. A ‘typical’ Agenda is normally arranged to cover spiritual issues, administrative issues, matters relating to the buildings and fabric of the buildings, financial matters, and children & young people's work. There are some standing Agenda items of Reports from each Church, and Children/Young People’s work. This allows the Parih as a whole to keep the PCC abreast of any important developments locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally.
During our Intereggnum(s). (and in the absence of a Team Rector pending a ‘Parish Review’), the 'Parish Wardens' have alternated taking the Chair. The PCC’s are now Chaired by the Incumbents (Team Vicars') for our two Churches, alternating the role. It is quite normal for some matters to be deferred to a later meeting, giving PCC members time for further thoughtful reflection.
Further information can be obtained via the Parish Office at St Bartholomew’s Church & Centre, E6. Other information can be found on this Web Site Directory.
With acknowledgements to ‘An ABC for the PCC: a handbook for Church Council Members’ by John Pitchford - [Mowbray 1993].
