Electoral Roll
What is the Electoral Roll?
The Electoral Roll is a list of the names and addresses of every person who can vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting of the parish.
Who can be on it?
Any lay person (i.e. not ordained) who is baptised and at least 16 years old can be on the Electoral Roll, provided they live in the parish (you can follow this link to see a map of the parish bounderies.) or have worshipped at the church regularly for a minimum of six months. You can be on the Electoral Roll of more than one church but if that is the case you must choose which church you wish to vote in as you may only vote in one.
How can I join the roll?
Please ask our Electoral Roll Secretary, Rachel Smith for a form to complete. Her contact details can be found on our Who's Who page.
What does membership mean to me?
As mentioned above, membership means that you are eligible to vote in the Annual Meeting. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, it confirms your support for the provision of Christian witness to the whole community in this place. That witness includes pastoral care and the provision of worship for everyone.
How can I show this support?
You can support your church both spiritually and practically – spiritually through a regular prayer and worship life, and practically through the giving of your time, your skills and through financial support.
How do I know what help is needed?
Please ask! Fr Gerry, our Vicar and Fay Wilson and Chris Smith, our Churchwardens, are always delighted when someone offers practical help, and will be able to help you channel your gifts into the right area.
This may be anything from helping to keep the church and garden looking well kept, to helping out with paperwork or social events, serving tea and coffee, helping with our food bank or joining our welcoming team of Sidesmen or greeting visitors.
If you are interested in singing with our choir, please contact our Director of Music, Graeme Martin.
Contact details of all of these can be found on our Who's Who page.
What about financially?
There are no rules about giving but there are guidelines. We are asked to make our giving a priority, to plan our giving and to give in proportion to our means.
I always put money in the Offertory when I come to church. Isn't that enough?
The church is always here providing ministry, week by week, even when you are unable to be at services, and it costs the same to provide ministry in this place whether you are here or not.
This is why we encourage everyone who is able to join the Planned Giving scheme, supporting the church via a regular monthly Standing Order with your bank or by using weekly envelopes, whereby you help to ensure a regular source of income for your church.
What is Gift Aid?
If you are a taxpayer, your church can receive back from the Inland Revenue all the basic rate income tax you have paid on your gift to the church, provided that the amount of tax you have paid is equal to, or more than, the tax being reclaimed.
For every £1 you give, another 25p can be claimed back by the church from the Inland Revenue.
How do I do it? Speak to Chris Smith our Treasurer, who can provide you with a Gift Aid declaration which is very simple to complete – you just provide your name, address, postcode and the date!
If your circumstances change and you wish to stop the Declaration at any time, you only need to ask Chris Smith to cancel it.
Is everything confidential?
Yes. A number on your set of envelopes will identify who you are only to the Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer (currently a vacant position). In the same way we take every precaution to maintain confidentiality if you use a Standing Order through your bank.
We are obliged to keep the confidential record of your donations for six years after we reclaim the tax in case the Inland Revenue wish to make an audit, but after that we destroy the record securely.
What do I do now?
If you are able to offer time or skills to the church, or wish to review your giving, then please contact Fr Gerry, Fay, Chris or Graeme as appropriate. Contact details of all of these can be found on our Who's Who page.
Whatever you decide, thank you for taking the time to look at this information and for all that you already do for the church.