Information for Clergy, PCCs & Churches

Membership of Bishop's Council for 2008-9

Following the recent elections the attached is the membership of the new Bishop's Council for 2008-9 more>>

Proposed meeting dates for the 2008 Bishop's Council are:

10th July 2pm (Wells)

8th September 2pm (to be confirmed)

20th October 7pm (tbc)

1st December (All day) (tbc)

REVIEW OF DIOCESAN STRUCTURES

Review of Diocesan Structures - Summary

Bringing it all Together - Full Report of Review

CALENDAR OF MEETINGS 2008

Following the approval by Diocesan Synod at its November 2007 meeting, to the restructuring of the various councils, boards and committees work is now underway on the Calendar of Meetings for 2008 and will be published in due course.  However the dates for the 2008 Diocesan Synod meetings can now be confirmed, as the membership of Diocesan Synod remains the same until 2009, when new elections will take place:

19th April 9.30am

2nd July 6.30pm

18th October 9.30am

EXTENDED COMMUNION More>>>

Confirmation:

Dates for 2009 >>

Bishops' Guidelines (revised August 2008) >>

SORP 2005

1st Nov 2006: Treasurers have received a letter and booklet giving outline information about the changes to PCC Reports and Accounts that are required by new Charity Commission regulations (SORP 2005).

Explanatory letter (PDF)

SORP 2005 booklet (PDF)

SORP Blank annual report and accounts to assist PCC Treasurers and Secretaries:

      Rich Text format More>>

      PDF format More>>>

TIME OFF AND HOLIDAYS FOR THE CLERGY More>>

Published by the Diocesan Pastoral Care & Counselling Service

CLERGY SICKNESS
Sickness Guidelines for Clergy
Sickness Benefit Guidelines for PCCs

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS' CAR LOANS

Guidelines for Clergy Car Loans

CLERGY PENSIONS

Abbreviated document showing proposed changes to clergy pensions

PAROCHIAL FEES

2008 Table of Parochial Fees

Appendix to 2008 Table of Parochial Fees

2007 Table of Parochial Fees

Appendix to 2007 Table of Parochial Fees giving breakdown of retired clergy apportionment in line with the Bishop's Guidelines

Record of Fee Income form:
1. Assigned Fees
2. Non-assigned fees
3. Excel version
4. Instructions for completing forms

Vacancy Information and Fee Income forms (amend excel sheet above to suit if preferred)

The Bishop's Guidelines

UPDATE ON MARRIAGE LAW:

Issued by the Diocesan Registry April 2005
Includes:
1. No New Marriage Act
2. Marriage-Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004
3. The Gender Recognition Act 2004

Marriage Law (pdf - 73KB)
Marriage Law (rich text format - 11KB)

February 2006:
A letter from the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury concerning the Civil Partnership Act and changes in terminology. (pdf - 105KB)

February 2007:

Proposed changes in marriage law 2007

General Synod will be discussing in February 2007 the draft Church of England Marriage Measure.  The draft Measure would confer a right to marry by reference to enrolment on the electoral roll of the parish concerned at any time within the preceding 12 years and the Schedules to the draft Measure will, if they come into force in their present form , amend the Church Representation Rules so as to require parishes to keep a record of the contents of any church electoral roll which comes into force in or after 2007 for at least 12 years after the roll ceases to have effect.  That record must include details of any revision of, or additions to or removals from, the roll and their respective dates.

Parishes should please take note of this requirement on the assumption that the Measure will be passed.

Once the Measure has been passed full details of the changes in the Marriage Laws will be circulated.

The Diocesan Registry

February 2007

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND MARRIAGE MEASURE 2008

The Church of England Marriage Measure received the Royal Assent on 22nd May 2008.  The Archbishops have now signed an instrument bringing all the provisions of the Measure into force from 1st October 2008.  The House of Bishops has now issued the guidance required by s.3 of the Measure.  This can be found at

www.cofe.anglican.org/info/socialpublic/marriagefamily/

marriageanddivorce/marriagemeasure

Please contact the Registry (preferably by email)  with any queries.  Please contact  either Tim Berry (tim.berry@harris-harris.co.uk)  or Gill Hawkings (gill.hawkings@harris-harris.co.uk )

____________________________________________

Advice on marriage of foreign nationals 2007

Nationals of the Old Commonwealth (Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa), the European Union and the United States  (Category A) can marry after banns if they are resident in England.

If such people are not resident in England they should marry after the issue of a common marriage licence (if they satisfy the requirements) and the affidavit may be sworn before a local surrogate.

All other foreign nationals (Category B) should marry after a common licence  (if they satisfy the requirements) and the affidavit should be sworn before the Diocesan Registrar or one of his deputies.

The Chancellor has given guidance on how to deal with applications by foreign nationals in Category B as follows:

1.         The officiating cleric should interview the couple before they see the Registrar and the cleric should send a brief report to the Registrar covering such matters as how long the cleric has known either party and in what circumstances, and the parties understanding of and commitment to the intended marriage.

2.         The foreign national should provide the Registrar with some recent evidence of identity such as a passport or a work permit (even if this has expired).  If neither of these are available the Chancellor comments that this is not necessarily fatal but we should proceed with caution.

3.         There should be plausible evidence that both parties are single. This may well arise from the interview with the officiating cleric or with the Registrar.  If there is nothing else their word together with the affidavit will be regarded as sufficient evidence.

4.         It should be made clear to the parties that they should check that the marriage will be recognised abroad.  If the foreign national is from Category A this will not present a problem.  For Category B nationals a letter should be obtained from the appropriate embassy confirming that if the marriage takes place in England it will be recognised in the foreign country, or else indicating what steps need to be taken for the marriage to be recognised in the foreign country.

5.         The officiating cleric or the Registrar should be satisfied that the parties seek a "real" marriage in the sense that they are undertaking a commitment to permanence.  For example they will need to consider (i) what will happen in the event that one is deported (the fact that they are married will not affect their immigration status) or (ii) the consequences of that for other dependants like minor children from an earlier relationship.

T F  Berry

Registrar

July 2007

GRANT APPLICATIONS
A Parish Guide to English Heritage (EH) and Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Grants 2002-2005

Big Lottery Fund - Community Buildings Programme

The Church Buildings Council continues, via its Conservation Grants programme, to assist parishes with the conservation and urgent repair of artworks and furnishings of historical/artistic significance. Applications for Sculpture and Furnishings grants are now open and the closing date for the next round will be 2 January 2009. Applications considered under the Sculpture and Furnishings group includes monuments, textiles, timberwork, metalwork, church plate and churchyard structures.

The preparation of conservation reports is also eligible for grant aid and applications are considered throughout the year.

For further information (as well as details of applications for paintings, wall paintings, stained glass, clocks, bells, organs, books, manuscripts and fabric repairs) please visit our website www.churchcare.co.uk. Alternatively, or to discuss an application, please contact Dr Pedro Gaspar on T: 020 7898 1889 or E: pedro.gaspar@c-of-e.org.uk.

To read .pdf documents (Portable Document Format) you can use the FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader. Installing the reader is a straightforward process. Click on this link to install the reader >>