St. James’ Church PCC
St. James’ Church mission is to pray, and to proclaim the Good News of the Risen Christ, of course, but while that’s being done, a back-up team has to take care of the details of church organisation, and that’s what the Parochial Church Council (PCC) does at St. James.
Every year, at the Annual Parochial and Vestry meetings, Churchwardens are elected and Sidespersons appointed. Every three years, two representatives are elected to the Deanery Synod. (Think of the organisation of the Church of England as being like the way our country is governed – the PCC is similar to the Parish Council, but we are also represented in the wider “government” that is Deanery, Diocese and General Synod!) The Clergy, Churchwardens and Deanery Synod Rep are members of our PCC by virtue of their position: at the Annual Parochial Meeting, up to another nine people are elected to run our church. This year (2024/2025) the full complement is the Parish Priest (Father Peter); Pioneer Minister
(Naomi Barraclough); Churchwardens Sandra Bourne and Derek Wolstenholme; Deanery Synod Rep Nicola Smith (Licensed Lay Minister); Sue Pelham,
Gill Keighley (Secretary), Jonathan Bellingham, Paul Buckmaster (Treasurer), John Evans, and Peter Swarbrick (Safeguarding Officer).
We meet every couple of months to discuss issues, such as (in no particular order):
- Finance;
- The future of ministry in the Over Wyre area;
- Quinquennial Inspection;
- Health and Safety;
- To receive the reports and recommendations of our four Subcommittees:
- Worship and Liturgy; Finance and Facilities; Communications and Social; and Mission and Outreach.
The PCC has a number of legal powers and duties, and in an interregnum for example, has to deal with the recruitment of a new Vicar and help the Churchwardens to “hold the fort!”
If you’d like to see the minutes of a meeting, to see what’s been going on, then please contact Gill Keighley, who will be pleased to help.
Better still, make sure that you’re on the church Electoral Roll (see Jackie Pickersgill 07870 878364), and stand for election at the next AGM – PCC isn’t an exclusive club, and we’re always very glad of new members with new ideas.