ARCHDEACON’S VISITATION 2018
Church’s dedication name …………………………..………………………………………….………………
Parish ……………………………………..…………………………....…..
Deanery ……………………………………..………………..……...……
ARTICLES OF ENQUIRY (Churchwardens’ Presentments)
To the Churchwardens for the past year (2017/18)
The following questions have been prepared to enable you to make your Presentments, which is a duty imposed upon you by law.
Aiden R Hargreaves-Smith
Diocesan Registrar
A / BUILDING MATTERS:Inventory/Terrier (please use a separate sheet to list items if necessary)
Is your inventory up to date?
If not, do you need assistance in order to bring it up to date?
Acquisitions in 2017
Removals in 2017
Log Book
When was the last Quinquennial Inspection of your church?
What steps have you taken to fulfill the recommendations? (a brief outline please):
Faculties obtained (please attach an additional sheet if necessary):
Work carried out in 2017 (please attach an additional sheet if necessary):
Please enclose a copy of the annual Trees Report (if this is appropriate).
B / REGISTERS:
(e.g. Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child, Baptism, Confirmation, Admission of Children to Holy Communion, Banns, Marriage, Burial) are they up to date and held securely? yes / no
Are there any issues with the registers? yes / no
C / OTHER MATTERS:
Is there any particular reflection you wish to make or are there any questions you wish to ask the Archdeacon in your capacity as Churchwarden(s), about the parish during the last year?
Safeguarding Policy (Children and Vulnerable Adults)
Does the PCC have a Safeguarding policy in place?
(e.g. adoption of diocesan policy or national policy and practice guidance) / yes / no
On what date was the PCC’s last annual review of Safeguarding conducted? / yes / no
Is the PCC up to date with safer recruitment and safeguarding training?
Are DBS records kept in a safe and secure place? / yes / no
Thank you for attending to these Churchwarden questions.
The Archdeacon is always happy to be consulted by Churchwardens on any item of interest or concern.
OUTGOING CHURCHWARDENS’ DECLARATION
We, the undersigned, DO SOLEMNLY AND SINCERELY DECLARE that the answers herein written are, to the best of our knowledge and belief, a full and faithful Presentment as to all and each of the Articles of Enquiry to which they refer.
CHURCHWARDEN …………………………………….………………......
CHURCHWARDEN …………………………………………………….…………………………………………..
DATE …………………………..
Please note that this document will be analysed by the Archdeacon and his / her colleagues.
Serving with Accountability - 2018
2015 was the first year that we tried to incorporate the ‘serving with accountability’ dimension of ‘Transforming Presence’ alongside a slimmed down format for the Archdeacons’ Articles of Enquiry.
As you know, the vision expressed in ‘Transforming Presence’ makes spirituality and evangelism two clear priorities in the life of the church, along with the need to re-imagine ministry. Nevertheless.there needs to be some means whereby this is joined together – hence the importance of serving with accountability.
Every PCC is being invited to do a ‘self-audit’ in the light of the themes of ‘Transforming Presence’. The set of questions below will help you in that task. It is not intended that PCCs should cover all nine in any one year, but you may wish to look at the two or three areas where the church is doing well or to identify any weaknesses that are felt to be a hindrance to the church's mission. You should aim to consider each of the nine questions at some point over the next few years.
Once you have conducted this year’s exercise, please let us have some notes of your discussions. It would be good if you could also review last year’s response as well, so that progress can be celebrated and new challenges identified. Pleas send these to your archdeacon by 30th November, 2018.
Many thanks for your help in this,
The Ven. Elwin Cockett - Archdeacon of West Ham
The Ven. Annette Cooper - Archdeacon of Colchester
The Ven. Vanessa Herrick - Archdeacon of Harlow
The Ven. Robin King - Archdeacon of Stansted
The Ven. Mike Lodge - Archdeacon of Southend
The Ven. Dr John Perumbalath - Archdeacon of Barking
The Ven. Elizabeth Snowden – Archdeacon of Chelmsford
Serving with Accountability : Questions for a PCC
- Worship
What are you doing to make worship of God , Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the central focus of the life of the Church?
- Spirituality
What are you doing to teach people to pray and love God?
- Nurture
What are you doing to teach people about their faith and help them in their discipleship and understanding of the Bible?
- Evangelism What are you doing to share your faith with others and what have the results been in the past year? Does your Church have a place of nurture? If you have any schools in the parish, how much contact do you have?
- Vocation
What are you doing to nurture and develop the ministry of the whole people of God including enabling people to come forward for authorised lay and ordained ministry?
- Service
How is your Church a blessing to the community you serve?
And how is it witnessing to God’s kingdom of justice and peace?
- Hospitality
What are you doing to ensure that your church is a place of safety and welcome for all ages and for people of all backgrounds?
- Interdependence
How are you working in partnership with other Christian communities in your locality and at diocesan, national and global levels?
- Generosity
What are you doing to ensure that your Church is showing signs of generosity towards the wider church and community as well as becoming financially secure?