At the last Synod the Diocesan Ministry Units Statute 2021 was passed. This means that AGMs will proceed somewhat differently from how they might have been conducted in previous years.

According to that Statute, the business of that meeting should include:
a. confirmation of the minutes of any prior meetings;
b. receipt and adoption of the accounts of the parish for the previous financial year;
c. presentation of a budget for the current financial year;
d. receipt of a report on the life of the parish from the Vicar and Churchwardens;
e. the election of the People’s Warden, Treasurer, Vestry members and (where required) Lay Synod Representatives;
f. appointment of an auditor or reviewer where appropriate; and
g. consider any matter required to be put to the parish under any Diocesan Statute or such other matters as the Vestry decides to place before the annual meeting.

“General business” is not part of that list. The AGM is not a place to raise issues. Those issues need to be raised beforehand, to be considered by vestry and parishioners before they come to the meeting. The AGM is a place to discuss the issues that have been raised and to make decisions. Therefore, if you want any issue raised, please bring it to my attention as soon as possible, so that it can be considered. We will continue to have reports from groups to supplement the reports from the Vicar and Churchwardens.

Last year we did not elect synod representatives due to some confusion on when the new term begins. Therefore, we will elect synod representatives this year, but only for a term of two years.

We need to elect two to seven general vestry members and a people’s warden and can elect a treasurer. The process has changed:
– nominations in writing with the vicar (through the administrator) before the meeting
– the candidate has to be present or submitted an apology
– the nominator or seconder need to be present
– a secret ballot has to be held
– each person nominated has to poll over 50% to be elected.

These changes were brought in so that a person with little connection to the parish would not end up in an important position. However, this could leave us in a position where sufficient office holders are nominated, but not elected.
From the beginning of this year, any person can only serve six consecutive terms in a particular position, before standing down from that position for at least one term (however long that terms is).

I think these are the changes that will affect us most, but let me know if you want to know more.
The new statute can also be downloaded from the Diocesan website.

Blessings – Tim