Why Get You Name of The Electoral Roll - An Important Opportunity
A view from Revd. Colin Snell
Easter is generally looked forward to and welcomed by everyone. Seasonally the winter is behind us and warmer, longer, brighter days are ahead and to mark the occasion we enjoy a long holiday weekend. Easter brings with it an atmosphere of hope and exciting new possibility symbolised by eggs, baby bunnies, bright colourful flowers. We are surrounded by new life bursting out everywhere.
Perhaps that is the reason churches always hold their annual general meetings around this time. Setting out the year ahead fuelled by all the positivity that’s around.
And to add even further to all the excitement this year All Saints' Church will also be renewing its electoral roll! The electoral roll is the list of names of those resident in the parish and/or those who attend services on a regular basis. This is a self declaring system so the only names that appear on the electoral roll are those of people who have specifically asked to be on it and have completed the necessary form. What does inclusion on the church electoral roll mean? It means those people on the roll can vote on proposals tabled at the AGM and could even become parochial church council members, should they wish to and should they be duly voted for, after six months. Despite my attempts to big this up I’m still hearing “so what” echoing around Aune Valley!
Here’s the inducement to get your name on the electoral roll which I hope will persuade. Exeter diocese has a new bishop, a new leader, the Rt. Revd. Dr Michael Harrison . He visited All Saints church just a few weeks ago. Many of you will have met him. He came across as humble, approachable, wise and open. Every new bishop in every diocese is always asked the same question:- “What’s your plan?” or words to that effect. Bishop Michael has gone public with five priorities. Here they are:-
First, missional leadership: equipping and resourcing the ordained and lay leaders of our Christian communities as best as we can to develop disciples and make new disciples.
Second, developing a “missional DNA” across our Christian communities, encouraging outward-looking, invitational churches, hospitable to outsiders and engaged with their wider communities.
Third, cultivating an intentional vocational culture so that we are not asking whether God is calling me/us, but “To what is God calling me/us now?"
Fourth, children and young people being placed at the heart of our life, mission and ministry.
And fifth, a mixed ecology: understanding that we need different ways of doing and being Church. Alongside time-honoured Church we need all sorts of Christian communities which can engage with the 95% of our population who are as yet unengaged.
Apologies for some of the churchy language but I hope you can capture something of what the bishop is focusing on. Echoes of Easter hope perhaps? Without churches across the diocese embracing in a very real, practical, down to earth way the bishop’s priorities, which definitely have merit I hope you’ll agree, little is likely to happen. Which brings us back to the electoral roll. With your name on that roll you can engage yourself with the above priorities and inform in some ways what your local church does in response as well as engaging with other church initiatives. You can contribute your thoughts, your energy, your willingness to help, your vote. Crucial for the ongoing future life of the church.
But the window of opportunity is limited. If your name is already on the electoral roll it will not be automatically renewed this year. You will have to complete a new form at the latest by Sunday April 27th before the AGM which is scheduled for May 20th. If your name is not on the electoral roll and you want it to be you will have to complete a form within the same timescale. Electoral roll application forms are available at the church our can be downloaded from HERE
Perhaps that is the reason churches always hold their annual general meetings around this time. Setting out the year ahead fuelled by all the positivity that’s around.
And to add even further to all the excitement this year All Saints' Church will also be renewing its electoral roll! The electoral roll is the list of names of those resident in the parish and/or those who attend services on a regular basis. This is a self declaring system so the only names that appear on the electoral roll are those of people who have specifically asked to be on it and have completed the necessary form. What does inclusion on the church electoral roll mean? It means those people on the roll can vote on proposals tabled at the AGM and could even become parochial church council members, should they wish to and should they be duly voted for, after six months. Despite my attempts to big this up I’m still hearing “so what” echoing around Aune Valley!
Here’s the inducement to get your name on the electoral roll which I hope will persuade. Exeter diocese has a new bishop, a new leader, the Rt. Revd. Dr Michael Harrison . He visited All Saints church just a few weeks ago. Many of you will have met him. He came across as humble, approachable, wise and open. Every new bishop in every diocese is always asked the same question:- “What’s your plan?” or words to that effect. Bishop Michael has gone public with five priorities. Here they are:-
First, missional leadership: equipping and resourcing the ordained and lay leaders of our Christian communities as best as we can to develop disciples and make new disciples.
Second, developing a “missional DNA” across our Christian communities, encouraging outward-looking, invitational churches, hospitable to outsiders and engaged with their wider communities.
Third, cultivating an intentional vocational culture so that we are not asking whether God is calling me/us, but “To what is God calling me/us now?"
Fourth, children and young people being placed at the heart of our life, mission and ministry.
And fifth, a mixed ecology: understanding that we need different ways of doing and being Church. Alongside time-honoured Church we need all sorts of Christian communities which can engage with the 95% of our population who are as yet unengaged.
Apologies for some of the churchy language but I hope you can capture something of what the bishop is focusing on. Echoes of Easter hope perhaps? Without churches across the diocese embracing in a very real, practical, down to earth way the bishop’s priorities, which definitely have merit I hope you’ll agree, little is likely to happen. Which brings us back to the electoral roll. With your name on that roll you can engage yourself with the above priorities and inform in some ways what your local church does in response as well as engaging with other church initiatives. You can contribute your thoughts, your energy, your willingness to help, your vote. Crucial for the ongoing future life of the church.
But the window of opportunity is limited. If your name is already on the electoral roll it will not be automatically renewed this year. You will have to complete a new form at the latest by Sunday April 27th before the AGM which is scheduled for May 20th. If your name is not on the electoral roll and you want it to be you will have to complete a form within the same timescale. Electoral roll application forms are available at the church our can be downloaded from HERE