The Archdeacons are looking forward to meeting clergy, wardens and sidespeople at this year’s visitation services.
Downloads
• A list of the Visitation Services
• A Certificate of Election Please print this off and have your churchwardens complete this form after the Annual Meeting of Parishioners. Those churches where more than two wardens are elected (eg a team parish) should print off and complete additional forms for all their wardens.
Please note that there are no Archdeacons’ Articles of Enquiry this year.
The completed form(s) should be returned at the visitation service by the Churchwardens.
Attendance by all elected Churchwardens at a Visitation:
In recent years, we have noticed that some wardens have not attended any of the visitation services. It is most important that wardens attend one of the services to be admitted to office.
At the visitation services the archdeacons welcome, encourage, prepare the churchwardens for the coming year and highlight developments of particular relevance. The services are significant events in the life of the diocese and important occasions when churchwardens dedicate themselves to the service of Christ and his church at the beginning of their term of office, in the company of others who are taking on the same responsibility. It is disappointing when a churchwarden does not attend a visitation service, unless there is a very good reason.
Any warden that does not attend a visitation service will not legally be admitted as a churchwarden unless special arrangements are made with the Archdeacons’ PAs. They can be reached on respectively:
Laura Howard 01928 643435 laura.howard@chester.anglican.org (for the Chester Archdeaconry)
Deb Toole 01928 643420 deb.toole@chester.anglican.org (for the Macclesfield Archdeaconry)
Any such special arrangements will need to be completed by 31 August.
If special arrangements are needed this adds significantly to the DBF costs and is an additional task for our busy Rural Deans. So please make every effort to attend a visitation service. There are eight visitation services across the diocese, and it should be possible for a warden to find one which is convenient.
Remember, it is possible to attend a service outside the warden’s area but they must contact Laura or Deb in advance:
The Archdeacons will be available after the service and will be very happy to speak with any wardens (especially those who are taking on the responsibility for the first time). If wardens have issues they wish to discuss, the Archdeacons will always be happy to come and see them - appointments can be arranged with Laura or Deb.