visitation news Spring 2014 - issue 13
Dear churchwardens... We’d like to begin by saying a big thank you to all our churchwardens, for all the good that you do as key lay leaders in our local churches. We couldn’t do without you! In times of rapid change and many challenges, the faithful, committed, ‘in it for the long term’ ministry of the Church of England is crucial in our communities and in our nation. Churchwardens play such a key role in supporting their clergy and in leading and inspiring the laity in mission and ministry. One of our roles as archdeacons is to be there for you and support you in that ministry, so do get in touch if we can be of any help.
move to having just four. Each archdeacon will now be working in a single episcopal Area, whereas the Archdeacon of Oxford used to work across two, as well as being on the staff at Christ Church. It is worth remembering that this post is still largely funded by Christ Church, at very little cost to the diocese. The Bishop and the Archdeacon of Oxford have fewer parishes to oversee than the other Area bishops and archdeacons, but both have wider responsibilities, with most of Bishop John’s attention needing to be on diocesan and national matters.
By the time you read this, there will be four archdeaconries in the diocese: Berkshire, Buckingham, Dorchester and Oxford. Dorchester is the new one, though in fact only Buckingham Archdeaconry of Buckingham y has remained unchanged. Four deaneries from Archdeaconry of Dorchester Berkshire have moved to Dorchester, which Archdeaconry of Berkshire brings the church boundaries more closely Archdeaconry of Oxford into line with county boundaries. Newport Dorchester archdeaconry now consists of most of Oxfordshire, and Oxford is Milton now a city archdeaconry with just Keynes Buckingham two urban deaneries. Newport Deddington
Why have a new archdeacon Mursley when times are tough? Bicester In some ways, that is the Claydon & Islip Chipping reason for having a new Norton archdeacon! Times are Woodstock tough and archdeacons are Aylesbury Wendover the key ‘connectors’ Oxford Witney between diocese, deanery, Cowley benefice and parish, helping Aston & to manage the process of Abingdon Cuddesdon Amersham change as numbers of Wycombe Vale of stipendiary clergy continue to White Horse fall, while the challenges of Wallingford Wantage Henley Burnham & ministry to a rising and diverse Slough population continue to grow. Maidenhead We are one of the largest & Windsor dioceses in England and have Newbury Reading more church buildings than any Bracknell other, yet have fewer archdeacons. Bradfield Sonning Chelmsford now has seven, as we
www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters
Your archdeacons are enjoying working as a team, and we hope that you too feel part of the team, in the diocese, archdeaconry and deanery, and especially in your parishes. We hope to see you all in Oxford for the big celebration on 20 September. Shaping Confident Collaborative Leadership is the Living Faith priority focus in 2014. May we, through the power of the Spirit, allow our Lord Jesus Christ to shape that confident collaborative leadership in us. Thank you for all you do. The Ven. Karen Gorham Archdeacon of Buckingham archdbuc@ oxford.anglican.org Tel: 01865 208264
The Ven. Olivia Graham Archdeacon of Berkshire archdber@ oxford.anglican.org Tel: 01635 552820
The Ven. Martin Gorick Archdeacon of Oxford archdeacon.oxford@ oxford.anglican.org Tel: 01865 208200
The Revd Canon Judy French has been appointed the new Archdeacon of Dorchester and will start on 19th June. archdeacon.dorchester@ oxford.anglican.org Tel: 01865 208245
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Thank You: Shaping Confident Collaborative Leadership in 2014 In 2014, we’re thinking about the Living Faith strand ‘Shaping Confident Collaborative Leadership’. Any article on that subject written for churchwardens has to begin with the words ‘Thank you’. For wardens are the lynchpin of so much of our leadership. Your work lies at the crossroads of PCC members, LLMs, youth and children’s ministers and self-supporting and stipendiary clergy. As you’ll know, over the last two years, the deaneries of our diocese have been developing deanery Mission Action Plans. One of the main priorities that has come out of those plans is demand for the training of church officers: wardens, treasurers and secretaries. Given the extent and complexity of the work that wardens do, that’s not surprising. Thankfully, there are good ways of supporting each other. In Chipping Norton deanery, for example, wardens get together a couple of times during the year. They eat together, hear from a speaker, share questions, ideas and experiences. This has been a great way to help wardens grow in understanding and confidence and has helped recruit new wardens too. Knowing they’ll have the support of others has lessened concerns about being left to swim alone at the deep end. So why not gather wardens where you are in 2014? Eat together, talk together, identify the strengths you have and the challenges you face. Wardens are a gift in the life of our Church. Enabling, shaping and growing your ministry of confident collaborative leadership should rightly be one of our main priorities in this year.
Articles of enquiry Many thanks to all churchwardens who dutifully complete the annual Articles of Enquiry return. Your archdeacons are aware that, as with the return of regular statistical information, these questionnaires appear both onerous and a bit of an inconvenience to busy parish life. However, both are an essential part of obtaining an overview of church life in such a varied and geographically spread diocese, and subsequent planning and deployment of resources wisely and well. It is becoming extremely difficult to plan or make proper decisions on incomplete data, so your continued cooperation is most appreciated. So what was gleaned from the questions asked last year? Well, the largest statistic is that congregations in the diocese spent at least £7.5 million on the upkeep and refurbishment of their church buildings. An amazing amount of effort expended on behalf of the nation, in fundraising, project management and grant applications. Our church buildings continue to be vulnerable to theft, with 14% of our churches experiencing some theft in the last year. It is good to see that a significant number of our churches are using SmartWater (84%) , and have logged all valuables (85%). For additional advice on protecting church treasures, please see the excellent ChurchCare website (www.churchcare.co.uk). Archdeacons always aim to ask a few questions about mission. Yvonne Morris, our Children’s Advisor, was pleased at the response to her questions and the statistics will help her prioritise work with churches in 2014. Twenty-seven per cent of our churches have a policy of admitting
A Grand Day Out! On Saturday 20 September 2014, we’re holding a Grand Day Out for the whole church family. That’s everyone who lives and worships in our 815 churches across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. We don’t often get together – but on that day we’ll gather with Bishop John, his team and each other. We’re meeting in central Oxford, making use of a number of venues around our cathedral (all in easy reach of Park and Ride drop-offs). Do come – there will be speakers and workshops, prayer and worship, family activities, games, youth events, events for people with learning disabilities, pilgrimage,
Yvonne Morris Children’s Advisor
children to Communion before Confirmation, yet only 36% have a practice of doing so. Fourteen per cent of our churches hold an afternoon club for primary aged children (21% in Buckinghamshire) and a quarter of our churches run a holiday club (29% in Oxfordshire).
One of our future priorities will involve our Communications Department working with deaneries to help facilitate local communications between parishes and local communities. It was therefore good to see that 78% of churches in the diocese have a website, 91% regularly receive The Door newspaper and 56% have made use of the Living Faith material. For more information about Living Faith resources designed for local church use, please see the diocesan website (www.oxford.anglican.org/livingfaith). Finally, the Articles flag up some concerns. We are particularly concerned about the 12% of churches who still have not adopted a child protection policy or have a named officer. Even if your church does not have any children worshipping with you, it is good practice to have adopted a policy. You never know, next Sunday those children may come through your doors! Your Archdeacon always reads the comments written on the forms, and takes all your concerns very seriously. It is great also to rejoice with parishes in all that is happening – and such a lot is. Thank you for all that you are doing.
and a massive picnic on Christ Church Meadow. We'll be fed by the God who's the source of our Living Faith. And we hope we'll return to our churches and communities with our imaginations inspired for the future. 2014 is a special year for us. It’s the final year of the initial five-year phase of Living Faith. As we reach that point, this time together is designed to help us think afresh about the challenges and opportunities of living as Christians at the start of the 21st century and explore where God is leading us next. Though the Grand Day Out is FREE, we do need to know how many people are coming. And as the programme develops, we need to keep you up to date with all that’s planned. To register, please go to the following web page www.oxford.anglican.org/imaginingfaith
SmartWater vital in the fight against metal theft The concerted effort by the Anglican community, Ecclesiastical, the police, SmartWater and politicians is continuing to put pressure on metal thieves in the UK, with the number of thefts dropping.
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Thief’s clothing led to conviction When metal thief Robert Kirvej’s accomplice screamed as he fell through the skylight in a Birmingham church’s roof, Kirvej fled the scene. The sound of breaking glass and subsequent commotion was bound to raise the alarm – and it did. Police found the fallen man inside the church, bleeding from a fractured skull, and immediately launched a search of the area. They stopped a Renault car which was being driven very slowly, possibly looking for something, and questioned the two men inside, one of whom was Kirvej. Kirvej initially denied any involvement in the crime, but police officers seized items of his clothing, which were tested and found to have traces of SmartWater on them from the church’s roof. This evidence was sufficient for his prosecution and eventually jailing for three years.
New figures from Ecclesiastical show there were fewer than 500 church insurance claims for metal theft in 2013, well down from the peak years of 2007–08 when claims were up to 2,400. However, experts at Ecclesiastical believe the drop in thefts may be reaching the bottom of the trough, with the potential for an increase in the next two years. John Coates, director of church insurance at Ecclesiastical, said: “Churches have made a tremendous effort over the last few years but it’s important to remember that metal theft is a cyclical crime. The impact we’ve made recently has definitely accelerated its downturn, but we have to remain vigilant and be prepared for an escalation of activity in the future. “Even 500 claims a year is too many. That’s still 10 churches being targeted every week.” Claims experts at Ecclesiastical are convinced that the effort churches have made with SmartWater combined with the heightened political profile of metal theft and the police’s proactive approach are behind the drop in thefts. Scrap metal dealers have also played their part by checking metal for signs of SmartWater and paying for it electronically, thus creating a traceable link between the metal and its vendor. SmartWater is working closely with the police on a series of covert raids on dealers’ yards, some of which have resulted in arrests.
In addition, Ecclesiastical’s initiative to fit roof alarms to the most vulnerable churches has proven a significant deterrent.
Ecclesiastical’s Paul Playford said: “This case is a terrific example of how the correct use of SmartWater can give police the overwhelming evidence they need to clamp down on metal thieves.”
“The price of lead has not dropped markedly, so the reason for the reduction in this crime must lie in the actions we’re taking,” added Mr Coates. The use of forensic marking fluid such as SmartWater by churches has become much more evident. But Ecclesiastical’s metal theft coordinator Paul Playford noted that there was still some confusion surrounding the display of signage. He said: “A lot of churches contact us because they are unsure about how to use the signage that is provided. The key is that the signs must be displayed prominently where a thief can see them – on church gates, downpipes, an exterior noticeboard or beside the main doors. SmartWater signage displayed inside the church may well go unseen. It’s important to remember that displaying the signs prominently is a condition of your church’s insurance cover for metal theft.” You can call Ecclesiastical for new or replacement SmartWater signage on 0845 600 9659. The use of SmartWater or another forensic marking product approved by us is a condition of your policy. For more information, speak to your local insurance consultant and surveyor or visit Ecclesiastical’s website at www.ecclesiastical.com/smartwater
SmartWater Facts ■
All SmartWater kits come with signage that must be displayed prominently.
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To be most effective, the SmartWater should be brushed in a line along joints and seams of lead or copper roofing, where one sheet of metal joins the next.
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Lead or copper flashing should be marked on the edges, where it comes out of the wall and along the bottom edge.
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Cleaning doesn’t remove SmartWater.
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SmartWater works closely with the police targeting scrap dealers who behave illegally.
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Additional SmartWater solution can be purchased at a preferential rate for Ecclesiastical Policyholders, directly from SmartWater by calling 01952 204 102.
Welcome to our health and safety special edition Eight top tips to be health and safety compliant Health and safety legislation seems to be such a minefield that it can be hard to know precisely what you have to do to comply with it. After all, there are so many different pieces of regulation, and those you may be familiar with are subject to frequent change. Here, Kevin Thomas, Ecclesiastical’s acknowledged expert on all things health and safety, gives you his top eight tips for keeping your church on the right side of the law – and ensuring everyone stays safe as a result. 1. Appoint a church official or member to be responsible for health and safety. 2. Take time to read Ecclesiastical’s guidance notes. You can find them on our website at www.ecclesiastical.com/ churchmatters. 3. You need a written health and safety policy. Our downloadable template is a good place to start. Just visit our website to find it. 4. Conduct and complete your risk assessments. 5. Implement the actions from your risk assessments. If you don’t, you’re simply going through the motions. 6. Review your health and safety formally once a year – and record your review. Evidence of your efforts is essential. 7. Record everything you do in relation to health and safety, but in particular, record your activity in your church’s annual report. 8. If you have questions or need advice, contact Ecclesiastical’s customer service team on 0845 777 3322. By following these eight steps, you will ensure that your church has done everything reasonably possible to comply with the law – and you will be able to prove as much should the matter become an issue.
It may not seem the most gripping of subjects, but health and safety is becoming more of an issue for Anglican churches. Increasingly, the team at Ecclesiastical is seeing more liability insurance claims from injured staff or visitors. We are aware of churches being prosecuted in recent times for breaches of legislation, which is why we’ve devoted two pages to bringing you up to date with the latest news – and hopefully giving you some interesting ways to test your health and safety knowledge. If you’d like more information on health and safety, visit the Church Matters section of www.ecclesiastical.com or speak to our customer service team on 0845 777 3322.
How good is your health and safety knowledge? Trustees and members of the clergy have a responsibility to ensure that their churches and other buildings comply with health and safety legislation. But just how much do you know about current health and safety legislation? Test yourself with the questions below. 1. If one of your employees or volunteers is injured in the course of their duties and takes sick leave, after how many days’ absence should you notify the Health and Safety Executive? 2. What is the minimum number of fire extinguishers a church should have? 3. How frequently does Ecclesiastical recommend a church’s portable electrical equipment is tested for safety? 4. Is it compulsory for a church to have a lightening conductor fitted? 5. What is a hot work permit? 6. What is the most common cause of fire in churches? 7. What does legislation say should be placed beneath an external oil tank? 8. How regularly should fire extinguishers be inspected? 9. What is the minimum number of stewards who should accompany guests touring the church’s tower?
10. The HSE says that ladders should be used to work at heights only when the job is of ‘short duration’. What length of time does the HSE define this to be? 11. When does the law say a path to the church door should be cleared after heavy snow? 12. What are the minimum first aid provisions for your church? You’ll find the answers on the reverse of the opposite page.
Your health and safety questions answered
How to conduct the perfect risk assessment
The team at Ecclesiastical regularly receives questions from churches about health and safety issues. To help you, we have chosen the most common questions and given you the answers.
“They’re absolutely vital,” Kevin declares. “As well as reducing the risk of potential injuries, a properly completed risk assessment can stop a vexatious insurance claim or court case dead in its tracks. It helps us defend claims, highlighting you take your health and safety responsibilities very seriously. What it shows is that a church has thought carefully about the risks an event, a hazard or a piece of equipment poses and has taken the necessary action to reduce that risk occurring.”
“Risk assessment? Oh no, not one of those.” This is a fairly common reaction when people are faced with completing a risk assessment form, something many see as a bit of a waste of time. But speak to Ecclesiastical’s Kevin Thomas and you’ll get a very different perspective on these documents.
The risk assessment form With so much depending on the risk assessment, conducting it correctly is of paramount importance. According to Kevin, the most important points to bear in mind are:
Q. What is the colour used to identify a water-type fire extinguisher? A. Red. The other colours are black for carbon dioxide, blue for dry powder and cream for foam. Q. Should our church conduct a risk assessment for fire? A. The law says yes. You should also make a record of your assessment and keep it safely. Q. Can we allow people to tour our church tower? A. Yes, but subject to Ecclesiastical’s guidance, which you will find at www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters. Key points are no children younger than eight; under-16s to be accompanied by an adult; no heavy or awkward baggage and a minimum of two stewards to escort the party. Q. What should we do if we discover a hazard on our premises? A. Record it on your risk assessment and take action to reduce the risk of injury. Q. What, if any, action do we need to take regarding asbestos in our church? A. You are legally obliged to find out if there is any asbestos present in your buildings.
Please refer to our Church Health & Safety Guidance notes on www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters
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Remember that a risk assessment is not just a form to complete; it’s a risk management process to go through. The form documents that process.
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Take time to think through the assessment. The more thorough your evaluation, the harder it will be for anyone to find fault with it.
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Consider who is most likely to be affected by a hazard – clergy? Volunteers? Members of the public?
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Ask someone else to read your completed assessment. They may well spot something you might have missed.
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Make sure you tell people who need to know about the risk assessment and store the document safely in a location where other people will be able to find it. If no one can retrieve the document, there is nothing to prove the risk assessment took place.
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A risk assessment is only effective if you act on its findings.
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Review the assessment regularly.
Q. Why is safeguarding important? A. Protecting the most vulnerable people in our communities is a vitally important duty. Failure to do so can result in prosecution and major liability claims. Q. Can we run a food bank? A. Yes, subject to Ecclesiastical’s guidance. Policies and procedures should be in place to cover its operation, including details of types of food donations accepted, storage, staffing levels and opening hours. Q. If we allow our church to be used as a night shelter, do we need to take any precautions? A. Yes. The Ecclesiastical team can give you guidance but you should have at least two volunteers at all times, appoint a coordinator, keep records in a log book and provide guidance for both volunteers and guests. You should also inform Ecclesiastical that you are running a night shelter. If you have a question not covered here, please feel free to contact the team at Ecclesiastical.
If you would like help conducting a risk assessment, visit www.ecclesiastical.com/ churchmatters where you can download a range of helpful guidance and risk assessment templates, or speak to our customer services team.
Keeping up to date We hope you are familiar with our Church Matters website which has a wide range of information, guidance and tools you can use to help you look after your church. help and inform you. Many customers also now get updates by email – just let us have your email address if you too would like to be updated in this way. As well as our website you can also get help from our customer services team or your local insurance consultant and surveyor.
No. 1 Which? Recommended Provider In December 2013 Which? readers voted us number 1 for our home insurance and customer service. In the independent survey, we were rated top ahead of many leading home insurers, recognising the focus we place on our customers. To be a Which? Recommended Provider a home insurer must have a high quality product with above average customer service. Which? combine their latest customer satisfaction results along with their assessment of each provider’s standard buildings and contents policy to select the best home insurance providers on the market. For your free no-obligation quote, please call 0800 917 3345 and quote ‘AVNH14’ (8pm to 6pm weekdays) or visit www.ecclesiastical.com/ churchworker
Answers: Health and safety knowledge 1. Seven working days. 2. Two; one water, one carbon dioxide. 3. Ecclesiastical recommends annual checks. 4. No, but churches should seek guidance from their architect. 5. A hot work permit is issued by the church to a contractor before they start work at the church. The permit controls the risks from heat-generating activities such as welding and grinding. 6. Arson. 7. A drip tray or bund – a protective wall to prevent spillage. 8. Annually. 9. Two. 10. Up to 30 minutes. Longer than that and scaffolding or a platform should be used. 11. When it is reasonable to do so – for example, after a snowstorm has finished, but not necessarily during the storm. 12. A suitably stocked first aid kit and a person appointed to take charge of first aid.
Our website: www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters
Customer services: All our guidance notes are collected together and sorted into the key categories of security, health and safety, fire and storms and bad weather. You can download our guidance and also see the latest information on topics such as food banks and telephone masts on church towers. There is also our month by month risk planner with short videos about each topic to
call 0845 777 3322 or email churches@ecclesiastical.com Insurance Consultants & Surveyors (IC&S): to find your local IC&S go to www.ecclesiastical.com/churchsurveyor Claims: call 0845 603 8381 (24 hour service) or email faithclaims@ecclesiastical.com
Help for the Treasurer As charity trustees, it is the duty of the PCC to try to achieve the best financial return within an acceptable level of risk. Rock-bottom interest rates from banks and building societies will have caused many Treasurers to ponder over higher risk investments in the hope of restoring much needed income, as well as to protect capital from the erosive effects of inflation. Our new brochure on the Amity Charity Funds attempts to put this into context and also explains why ethical investing can enhance, rather than detract from, long-term performance. Copies may be downloaded from our website at www.ecclesiastical.com/ charityinvestments Although we cannot offer specific investment advice, we may be able to offer some general guidance which you may find helpful.
Contact Mike Goddings on 020 7680 5839 or email mike.goddings@ecclesiastical.com Please note that the value of investments and the income derived from them may fall as well as rise and you may not receive the original amount invested.
Could an excess save you money on your church insurance? One of the simplest ways to reduce the cost of your Parishguard insurance is to include an excess in your policy, or increase the amount of your excess. Just like car or home insurance, the excess is the amount of any insurance claim that the church agrees to pay for itself. The church will pay the first part of the claim, up to the value of the excess, with Ecclesiastical meeting the balance of the claim. For instance, with an excess of £1,000, if you make a successful claim for repairs costing £10,000, your church pays the first £1,000 and Ecclesiastical pays the remaining £9,000. In return, the overall cost of your insurance policy is reduced because your church is effectively retaining some of the risk. The larger the excess, the greater the saving. If you would like to discuss your options to see if you can make savings on your premiums, please call Ecclesiastical’s customer services team on 0845 777 3322.
St John the Baptist church, Stadhampton Stadhampton’s St John the Baptist church provides community space for villagers in an ambitious redevelopment project. The church of St John the Baptist in Stadhampton reopened this summer following a £500,000 reordering project to adapt the nave of the church for use as a village hall. The planning phase of the project began in earnest in 2009, arising from a clear need in the village for a space to hold meetings and suppers and to host community activity groups. Space at the school had been used, but was often unavailable when it was needed most. Earlystage meetings with delegations from the DAC helped to define what level of alteration would be possible, and the parish and architect continued to work very closely with the DAC as detailed proposals were developed. The faculty was finally submitted and approved in May 2012, enabling the project team to access substantial grants from South Oxfordshire District Council, WREN landfill fund, Oxfordshire County Council and the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust, among many others, and also generous support from the local community. Work began on site in March 2013 and was completed in August. Throughout the project, the church’s consultation with the community was exemplary. Carefully thought-out interviews and questionnaires issued to local people right at the start of the project gathered useful data on the sorts of uses and users any community space would have to accommodate, and this data was in turn used to shape the architectural detail of the proposals. Well-drafted statements of need and significance clearly laid out the justification for and constraints upon the work.
Photography: Jola Reczynska of JR Photo Studio
The reordering work included the removal of most of the plain late Victorian pews, which the DAC had advised were not high quality or of great architectural significance. Underfloor heating was installed, with new stone floor tiles on top to allow easy maintenance and cleaning.
What is the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC)? In the north-west corner of the church, a simple servery was installed, with a sink, facilities for heating food and a serving counter. New cupboards in the base of the tower provided a useful vestry and small meeting space. In the south-west corner of the church, a new doorway was formed to give access to a discreet and well-designed extension, housing two toilets. At the opening, the Rt Revd Colin Fletcher, the Bishop of Dorchester, said: “I’m really excited to see this project come to fruition after many years of planning and fundraising. The idea of adapting the church to provide first-class community facilities is a win for us all. I hope it will be the blueprint for more similar projects in the future in other villages so that our churches can continue to serve the needs of communities in the best way possible. That is exactly what the Church of England is here for.” You can read about the project at the Stadhampton community website: (www.stadhampton.org). Churches for Communities: Adapting Oxfordshire’s churches for wider use by Becky Payne (ISBN 978 0 9927693 07) is a useful resource - details at (www.ohct.org.uk). For more information about adapting your church for community use, contact the DAC Secretary, Natalie Merry, at natalie.merry@oxford.anglican.org
The major role of the Diocesan Advisory Committee is to advise the Chancellor of the diocese on faculty applications by issuing a Certificate or, as they are now known since January 2014, a Notification of Advice. On average we see around 550 of these cases every year. Our second, but equally important, role is to offer specialist technical advice to parishes that are considering repair, conservation or redevelopment works to their church building and its contents. This is often done by delegations of the committee visiting the churches concerned, something we did over 150 times in 2013. Although the day-to-day work of the committee is supported by two full-time staff, the vast majority of the committee’s 19-strong membership is composed of volunteers, freely giving their time and expertise. Most of these volunteers are experts in particular specialist fields and can do much to help you deal with the peculiar problems that our historic church buildings can throw at you. Others are parish clergy, with a wealth of experience on the use of church buildings and their value as a resource for mission and ministry. There are also three architect members. All Archdeacons are ex-officio members of the committee and bring valuable pastoral context to its deliberations. The committee is chaired by Charles Baker, who is also a PCC member at his home church in Chalgrove and a member of Diocesan Synod. Before joining the DAC in 2012, he was chairman of the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust. To find out more about the DAC and to read biographies of the members, visit www.oxford.anglican.org/supportservices/dac-church-buildings/
New Faculty Rules New faculty rules came into effect on 1 January 2014. These new rules provide a single, comprehensive set of rules to replace three existing sets. The rules are now subject to an overriding objective that requires cases to be dealt with justly and expediently. The consistory court is required actively to manage the cases that come before it in a way that is intended to expedite the resolution of disputes and avoid unnecessary delay. Full provision is now made for the use of technology, and in particular to allow for the use of electronic communication in proceedings, and the faculty petition form has been substantially shortened and made easier to follow. What is currently called a DAC ‘Certificate’ in the existing rules has been renamed a ‘Notification of Advice’. Schedule 1 of the rules prescribes the circumstances in which applicants should consult English Heritage, relevant amenity societies and the local planning authority. Updated forms are obtainable from the diocesan website, and full details of the new rules can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/kw4w2ek
New Chancellor Alexander McGregor, who has been appointed Chancellor of the Diocese, introduces himself... I was appointed by the Bishop of Oxford to succeed Dr Rupert Bursell as Chancellor of the Diocese, and I took up office last November. The Diocese of Oxford has more churches than any other diocese in the Church of England, which means that there is no shortage of work for the DAC, the Diocesan Registry and the Chancellor. All of us involved in the operation of the faculty jurisdiction try to make things as straightforward as possible for parishes and anyone else involved. The DAC and the Diocesan Registry are important first ports of call for anyone who is considering carrying out works or other proposals to a church or churchyard in the diocese, and can provide helpful information and advice. The DAC and Diocesan Registry pages on the diocesan website contain a good deal of helpful material. The Chancellor’s Guidance to all Parochial Church Councils, Ministers and Churchwardens in the Diocese of Oxford as to Matters not requiring a Faculty (‘De Minimis Regulations’) issued by my predecessor in 2005 remains in operation, and I would recommend that churchwardens keep a copy to hand. Revised Churchyard Regulations that apply across the diocese (except where the Chancellor has authorised different regulations for a specific churchyard) were
issued in 2009 and, again, it is important that those who have responsibility for open churchyards are familiar with these regulations.
Where a faculty is required urgently, there are special procedures in place so that I can be asked to consider whether to grant an interim faculty that authorises the carrying out of certain works before the formal faculty process is completed. Any parish that thinks that it might need an interim faculty is encouraged to approach the DAC or the Diocesan Registry as soon as possible if the need for urgent consideration arises. The Reverend and Worshipful Alexander McGregor
WW1 CENTENARY 2014 sees the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. Churches are being invited to help their communities mark the occasion. In particular, all parishes and church schools are being invited to take part in the Royal British Legion Centenary Poppy Campaign. Churches may also like to consider opening their doors on 4 August, perhaps marking a vigil for peace and remembrance. The other occasion of particular significance this year is Remembrance Sunday (9 November). See www.oxford.anglican.org/firstworldwar
Whilst Ecclesiastical has used reasonable endeavours to ensure that the information in this newsletter is correct at the time of publication, please note: (a) the information is not intended to constitute a definitive or complete statement of the law on any subject, (b) the information may over the course of time become incorrect or out of date; and (c) neither Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc. nor its subsidiaries can accept any responsibility or liability for action taken or losses suffered as a result of reliance placed on the information provided in this newsletter.
For more information call 0845 777 3322 email information@ecclesiastical.com visit www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc (EIO) Reg. No. 24869. Ecclesiastical Insurance Group plc (EIG) Reg. No. 1718196. Ecclesiastical Life Ltd (ELL) Reg. No. 243111. Ecclesiastical Investment Management Ltd (EIM) Reg. No. 2519319. Ecclesiastical Financial Advisory Services Ltd (EFAS) Reg. No. 2046087. Ecclesiastical Services Ltd (ESL) Reg. No. 1811698. E.I.O. Trustees Ltd Reg. No. 941199. All companies are registered in England at Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester, GL1 1JZ, UK. EIO and ELL are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. EFAS and EIM are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. ESL is an appointed representative of EIO who is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. © Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc 2014
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