Synodical Government Measure 1969

Parishes with more than one Place of Worship E

16 (1) In any parish where there are two or more churches or [F1 places of worship] the annual meeting may make a scheme, [F2 which makes provision for either or both of the following purposes, that is to say]:—

(a) for the election of representatives of the laity to the parochial church council in such manner as to ensure due representation of the congregation of each such church or [F3 place][F4 and]

[F5 (b) for the election by the annual meeting for any district in the parish in which a church or place of worship is situated of a district church council for that district]

(2) A scheme for the election of any district church council or councils under the preceding paragraph shall provide for the election of representatives of the laity on to such council, for ex-officio members and for the chairmanship of such council and shall contain such other provisions as to membership and procedure as shall be considered appropriate by the annual meeting.

(3) Such a scheme may also provide for the delegation by the parochial church council to a district church council of such functions as it may specify and subject to the scheme the parochial church council may delegate to a district church council such of its functions as it shall think fit [F6 but not including (in either case) the functions of a parochial church council as interested parties under Part I of the Pastoral Measure [F7 1983][F8 or the functions of a parochial church council under Part II of the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986]][F9 or section 3 of the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993].

(4) [F10 A scheme may] provide for the election or choice of one or two deputy churchwardens . . . F11 , and for the delegation to him or them of such functions of the churchwardens relating to [F12 any church or place] as the scheme may specify, and the churchwardens may, subject to the scheme, delegate such of their said functions as they think fit to the deputy churchwarden or churchwardens.

[F13 (5) No scheme under this rule shall be valid unless approved by at least two-thirds of the persons present and voting at the annual meeting nor shall the scheme provide for it to come into operation until such date as the bishop’s council and standing committee may determine being a date not later than the next ensuing annual meeting. Every such scheme shall on its approval be communicated to the bishop’s council and standing committee of the diocesan synod which may determine—

(a) that the scheme shall come into operation; or

(b) that the scheme shall not come into operation; or

(c) that the scheme shall come into operation with specified amendments, if such amendments are approved by an annual or special parochial church meeting and the scheme as amended is approved by at least two-thirds of the persons present and voting at that meeting.]

[F14 (5A) A special parochial church meeting of a parish to which this rule applies may be convened for the purpose of deciding whether to make such a scheme, and where such a meeting is convened the foregoing provisions shall have effect with the substitution for references to the annual meeting of references to the special meeting.]

[F15 (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F16

[F17 (6)] Where a pastoral scheme establishing a team minstry, or an instrument of the bishop made by virtue of that scheme, makes, in relation to a parish in the area of the benefice for which the team ministry is established, any provision which may be made by a scheme under this rule, no scheme under this rule relating to that parish shall provide for the scheme to come into operation until on or after the date on which the provisions in question of the pastoral scheme or of the instrument, as the case may be, cease to have effect.

[F17 (7)] A scheme under this rule may by varied or revoked by a subsequent scheme thereunder.

[F17 (8)] Every member of the team of a team ministry shall have a right to attend the meetings of any district church council elected for any district in a parish in the area of the benefice for which the team ministry is established.

[F17 (9)] This rule shall be without prejudice to the appointment, in parishes with more than one parish church, of two church-wardens for each church under section [F18 27(5) of the M1 Pastoral Measure 1983].

[F17 (10)] In this rule “place of worship” means a building or part of a building licensed for public worship.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by S.I. 1981/959, para. 7(1).

F2 Words substituted by S.I. 1973/1865, para. 10(a).

F3 Word substituted by S.I. 1981/959, para. 7(1).

F4 Word substituted by S.I. 1973/1865, para. 10(b).

F5 Rule 16(1)(b) substituted by S.I. 1981/959, para. 7(2).

F6 Words inserted by S.I. 1981/959, para. 7(3).

F7 Word substituted by S.I. 1984/1039, para. 9.

F8 Words inserted by Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986 (No. 3, SIF 21:4), s. 41(1), Sch. 4 para. 13(a).

F9 Words in Sch. 3 rule 16(3) inserted (1.2.1994) by 1993 Measure No. 2, s. 10, Sch. 3 para. 3(a); Instrument dated 31.1.1994 made by Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

F10 Words substituted by S.I. 1984/1039, para. 9(2).

F11 Words repealed by S.I. 1984/1039, para. 9(3).

F12 Words substituted by S.I. by virtue of S.I. 1984/1039, para. 9(4).

F13 Rule 16(5) substituted by S.I. 1984/1039, para. 9(5).

F14 Sch. 3 rule 16(5A) inserted by S.I. 1989/2094, para. 3.

F15 Rule 16(6)–(11) substituted for rule 16(6) by S.I. 1981/959, para. 7(5).

F16 Sch. 3 rule 16(6) repealed by S.I. 1984/1039, para. 9(6).

F17 Rule 16(6) to (10) (originally (7) to (11)) renumbered by S.I. 1984/1039, para. 9(6).

F18 Words substituted by S.I. 1984/1039, para. 9(7).

Marginal Citations

M1 1983 No. 1 (21:4).