Emmanuel Electoral Roll

What is the Church Electoral Role? Why have one?

It is your parish church's register of electors; it is the list of those qualified to attend and to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting where the elections take place for

•  the parochial church council

•  the parish's representatives on the deanery synod.

Any person entitled to attend the Annual Parochial Church Meeting may raise any question of parochial or general church interest.

Renewal of the electoral roll takes place in 1996 and every 6 years thereafter. In a year of renewal no names are carried over from the old roll and everyone must make a new application to be included on the new roll.

What difference does it make?

By enrolling you become a voting member of the Church of England and so help to ensure that all the synodical councils of the Church - the parochial church council, the deanery synod, the diocesan synod, and the General Synod - are fully representative of its members.

Synodical government gives an opportunity for partnership between bishops, clergy and laity in the life of the Church:

First, the system is intended to enable church people at every level to be in touch with the Church as a whole and to play their part in decision-making.

Secondly, the system is intended to ensure that the laity have their place in every aspect of church life, including its doctrine and services.

What it means for us here at Emmanuel

The Church of England takes our Electoral Role count to be a representation of our congregation size and therefore our feasibility as an ongoing church - the larger our electoral role, the more likely we will be permitted to remain as a functioning church with our own vicar.

We are also very closely linked to the synods of the Church government, since we have our own member (John Ward) on the General synod, who is also ex-officio on the Deanery and Diocesan synods.

So please, if you haven't already, or even if you're not sure, fill in the form below and hand it to Carrie (or any member of the PCC) on Sunday.

» View Electoral Roll Application Form as pdf

» View Electoral Roll Application Form as Word file