Diocesan Committees

 

Secretary to the Diocesan Synod and Committees
Mr Colin Kelsey

This is the full list of diocesan committees and their membership (by office) as per the Standing Orders of the Diocesan Synod:

The Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches (DAC)

DAC membership:

Chair: The Archdeacon

2 members appointed by Synod: The Very Revd Nigel Godfrey and Mr Steve Hamer (also Electrical and AV Adviser)

Members appointed by the Bishop: Mr Ernie de Legh-Runciman (Bells and Tower Adviser) and Mr Alan Leece.

(The Committee may co-opt additional non-voting members)

The Archdeacon chairs the DAC. The Committee is there to advise parishes on building matters, particularly with regards to the need for a Faculty to undertake major works and the DAC advises the Vicar General who issues faculties on the merits of each case. The DAC also advises the Archdeacon regarding List B matters and considers Quinquennial Inspection Reports (QIRs).

The Archdeacon should be the first port of call concerning all but the most minor of works to church buildings and burial grounds. He will advise the parish as to which permissions are needed (List A, List B or Faculty) and he will tell you with whom you need to consult e.g. Manx Heritage, the Conservation Officer or one of the DACs experts, etc.

All the details including an 8 point guide right through the Faculty procedure to completion, and the various forms to be completed as Word or PDF documents, can be found on the Faculty Procedure page.

The DAC prefer applications in electronic form with the various documents as attachments, for which please use the Word files. If you find it easier, then hard copy applications, in duplicate, may be made. In this case use the PDF forms.

We strongly advise you to consult the Archdeacon about projected works before you have even passed a PCC resolution (although after initial discussions in PCC and a general agreement in principle). He may wish to visit the church or ask other members of the DAC to visit to discuss.

The DAC meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each January, and thereafter the 1st Wednesday of each March, May, July, September and November. Requests for Advice need to be with the Secretary to the DAC, Mrs Michelle Barwood (synod@sodorandman.im), no later than the 15th of the previous month.

Diocesan Organ Adviser

The Diocesan Adviser for all matters involving church organs is Gareth Moore who can be contacted on email at garethmoore@manx.net.

Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF)

Ex officio members: Bishop, Archdeacon

Elected members: 12 members elected by Synod (not more than half to be clergy)

The full Board meets at least twice in each year, a month or so ahead of the Diocesan Synods in July and November. It has an Executive Committee, which meets more frequently to implement the Synod’s and the Board’s policies and decisions and to monitor their progress.

Under the Church Act 1992 the Board of Finance is responsible for the operation of the central financial functions for the diocese. In discharging its duty the Board carries out the following functions:

  • providing for the costs of running the diocese
  • preparation of an annual budget which is presented to and approved by Synod
  • collection from the parishes of contributions to the Shared Ministry Fund
  • payment of stipends together with associated national insurance and pension costs
  • provision of housing for clergy and others holding office under common tenure
  • payment of the diocese´s share of central Church expenditure, including for training for the ministry
  • payment of compensation to clergy who lose office on pastoral reorganisation
  • management of certain Church trusts where the income is available for restricted
  • acting as custodian trustee of certain funds and property managed by parochial bodies
  • approval of all sales of Church land and the administration of the proceeds of sale
  • management and disposal of closed churches
  • making of schemes altering the objects, trusteeship, administration etc. of funds or property held for Church purposes
  • making of regulations specifying the terms of service of clergy and others holding office under common tenure.

The Diocesan Property Committee

The Property Committee is a sub-committee of the Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) and it consists of:

Chair: The Archdeacon

4 additional members including at least 1 stipendiary clergy: Revd Canon John Coldwell, Mr Julian Power Mrs Sue Waring and Major Charles Wilson 

The Diocesan Surveyor is in attendance

(The Committee may co-opt additional non-voting members)

The diocesan ‘Guide to Living in a Parsonage’ is available and a hard copy should be in each Vicarage study.

You may wish to also look at the Church of England’s guidelines, ‘Parsonages: A Design Guide’, commonly referred to as ‘The Green Guide’.

We seek to maintain our parsonages up to this standard and to recognise certain principles agreed across the Church of England:

  • That under Common Tenure, stipendiary incumbents have a right in law to a certain standard of housing.
  • That in the interests of fair play and natural justice amongst our stipendiary Incumbents (i.e. Vicars) this standard has a minimum and a maximum standard.
  • That we have to be able to afford this housing as a diocese and we need to steward our human resources (the clergy) and our material resources (the housing stock) well and wisely.

The Property Committee generally meets every other month beginning in January each year.

Standing Committee

The Standing Committee of the Synod advises the Bishop on the business and proceedings of the Synod.  Its principal responsibility is to decide on the agenda of meetings of the Synod, and for this purpose meets about 6 weeks before the date of each Synod meeting.

Ex officio members: Bishop, Archdeacon, Proctor in Convocation, lay member of General Synod, Diocesan Registrar, chairman of house of clergy, chairman of house of laity, chairman of Diocesan Board of Finance

Elected members: 3 members of house of clergy and 3 members of house of laity (elected by respective houses)

Church Commissioners for the Isle of Man

The Commissioners’ principal function is to make recommendations to the Bishop on changes to the pastoral organisation of the Diocese, and to make schemes to give effect to them.  They currently meet every 2 months.

Ex officio members: Bishop, Archdeacon

Appointed member: one person appointed by Diocesan Board of Finance

Elected members: 3 clergy and 4 lay persons (elected by Synod)

Legislative Committee

The Legislative Committee promotes legislation relating to the Church in this diocese, for enactment by the Synod (subject to approval by Tynwald and to Royal assent), and also monitors legislation enacted by the General Synod.  It meets about 6 weeks before each meeting of the Synod (usually on the same day as the Standing Committee).

Ex officio members: Bishop, Archdeacon, Vicar General, Proctor in Convocation, lay member of General Synod

Elected members: 3 members of house of clergy and 4 members of house of laity (elected by Synod)

Vacancy in See Committee

The Committee meets only if there is a vacancy in the See. It prepares a statement of the needs of the Diocese, and appoints six of its number to be members of the Crown Nominations Commission (the body responsible for nominating the new bishop).

Ex officio members: Archdeacon, Dean, proctor in Convocation, lay member of General Synod, chairman of house of clergy, chairman of house of laity

Elected members: 7/8 clergy and 8/9 lay persons (elected by respective houses by the STV system); the total must be 11 clergy and 11 laity, so the actual numbers depend on the number of ex officio members.