Parishes
Claim form for service fees in a Vacancy
Churchwardens
Information for Churchwardens, setting out areas that will be useful to support you in your role.
Click here for a folder with the latest Churchwardens' docs and forms.
The Parish Reference Manual (updated March 2018) provides a summary of legal requirements and good practice for PCCs, Churchwardens and Incumbents.
Available here.
2022 Visitation documents [and see grey 'Resources' panel]
Form 2- Archdeacon's Triennial Inspection Checklist
Working with Volunteers- Guidelines for Parishes
Churchwardens are vital to the health and wellbeing of our church communities. It is an important and, at times, a demanding role. If you can’t find the information you are looking for please contact your area office.
Ramsbury office
Sherborne office
Contents [Click on a link to jump to a section]
Resources
Registry
Archdeacons Visitations
Churchwarden Annual Mailing
Annual Churchwarden Training
Training Opportunities
Care For Your Church Building
Safeguarding
Share
Vacancies
Looking after your Buildings and Contents
Health & Safety
Funding
Useful Links
Resources
Click here for a folder with the latest Churchwardens' docs and forms.
Registry
The Registry section of the website contains information about the legal aspects of holding the post of churchwarden. Click here to access it.
Archdeacons Visitations
The office of Archdeacon is an ancient one and the duties of archdeacons have varied considerably down the centuries and also vary considerably between dioceses. Their statutory functions include the following:
Assist the suffragan bishops with clergy appointments
Capability and grievance
Disciplinary issues
Faculties (planning consent for change in church buildings)
General Disputes
Individual pastoral care
Pastoral re-organisation
Parish difficulties or opportunities
Share issues (parish contributions to diocesan finances including clergy costs)
Key elements of the role of an Archdeacon in the Diocese of Salisbury:
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Play a full and active part in the common life of the senior leadership in the diocese in sharing in the oversight and development of the diocese within the Bishop’s Staff.
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Provide a senior priestly presence in their particular area of the diocese.
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Exercise the statutory and customary ministry of an Archdeacon in the Church of England within the Diocesan of Salisbury; fulfilling all archidiaconal and legal duties enabling the bishop to exercise proper episcopal oversight.
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Alongside local responsibilities assume appropriate Diocesan, national and possibly international portfolios.
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Work alongside the Suffragan Bishop of the local county, the Bishop and Archdeacons’ Office staff, and colleagues from across the Diocese to facilitate the local delivery of Diocesan strategy and policy in a creative and appropriate fashion.
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Work alongside the rural deans in the area in ensuring good appointment processes, pastoral care and support for clergy and their families, and the encouraging and developing of clergy and parishes in mission and ministry.
Churchwardens are admitted annually at a service held at various churches throughout the Diocese. Times and venues of the services are advertised from February for the services that are usually held in May and June of each year. Please contact your area office for details.
All churchwardens are expected to attend a service and are required to be admitted by 31 July. Churchwardens unable to attend a service in their own area are very welcome to attend a service out of their area.
Churchwarden Annual Mailing
Churchwardens are asked to provide a number of documents each year. Copies can usually be downloaded from the resources on the left of this page from February of each year.
- Churchwarden Declaration
- Inventory
- Archdeacons' Articles of Enquiry
- Ramsbury Area Ride and Stride Form
Please note that there are no Archdeacon's Articles of Enquiry for a year when the Bishop is carrying out the Visitation services. All forms should be handed in at the Visitation Service. Two copies of your annual report and accounts should be passed to your deanery treasurer annually. Information about what should be included in these reports can be found here.
Annual Churchwarden Training
Churchwarden conferences and/or training sessions are offered annually to all churchwardens, new or in post for a number of years. The aim is to give an opportunity to pass on information relative to your role but also provide a place to meet other churchwardens and swap experiences.
Training Opportunities
The area regularly runs a number of other courses or days that may be of interest, these may be aimed at those who have responsibility for the church building, those wanting more ideas about Mission or perhaps offer a quiet day for reflection. For full details of the courses currently on offer, please see your area office page.
Ramsbury office
Sherborne office
Care For Your Church Building
- For help and advice about any changes that you may be considering in your church please contact either the DAC or your area office.
- Approved architects listing – see DAC pages
- Quinquennial Inspections – for information speak to your area office
Ramsbury office
Sherborne office
Safeguarding
For any enquiries regarding safeguarding issues please contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser.
Share
If you have specific questions about your parish share, you are welcome to contact your Deanery Treasurer or your Archdeacon through your area office.
Ramsbury office
Sherborne office
Vacancies
What do you do if your vicar leaves? Click here for initial help and advice. For this and any other question regarding a parish vacancy, please contact your area office (see links below). You can also download the booklet entitled 'Information for Parishes in a Vacancy' using this link
For information about service fees during the vacancy period, please refer to the Decision Tree. You can use this link
If your benefice is vacant and you wish to claim service fees from the diocesan office please use the link in the Resources box (to your left)
To report parochial fees during a vacancy, please use the relevant form in
Ramsbury office
Sherborne office
Looking after your Buildings and Contents
- The Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC)
- The Church Buildings Council: Churchcare
- Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings run 'Faith in Maintenance' training courses for those responsible for church buildings. www.spabfim.org.uk, 020 7456 0913, info@spabfim.org.uk
- National Association of Fine Arts Society : www.nadfas.org.uk
- English Heritage: www.english-heritage.org.uk
- National Church Trust : www.nationalchurchestrust.org
- Ride and Stride –the annual appeal to raise funds for the Historic Churches Trust. Contact your area Historic Churches Trust secretary for contact details of the local organiser. See funding below.
- Churches Conservation Trust: www.visitchurches.org
Health & Safety
- See the DAC Health and Safety page
- Ecclesiastical Insurance: www.ecclesiastical.com
- The Health & Safety Executive: www.hse.gov.uk
Funding
- See the Stewardship Fundraising page
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Financial resources from the Accounts department here.
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The Aldhelm Mission Fund: grants for new mission initiatives in the Diocese of Salisbury.
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The Erskine Muton Trust Fund: grants to Anglican churches in Dorset for church buildings – Trust Officer:
01722 438665, elizabeth.wallis@salisbury.anglican.org - Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust: www.wiltshirehistoricchurchestrust.org.uk
contact@wiltshirehistoricchurchestrust.org.uk - Charities Information Bureau South and West – For help with information advice, support and training on funding. www.cibwilts.org.uk.
01380 729279, enquiries@cib.org.uk
Useful Links
- The Diocesan Registry: Churchwardens page
- The Church of England: www.cofe.anglican.org
- Charity Commission: www.charity-commission.gov.uk
- Parish Resources: www.parishresources.org.uk
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