Church Governance

The 2023 Annual General Meeting of the Chaplaincy of St. James, Voorschoten will be held online (on Zoom) on 22nd March 2023 at 8pm.

Church Council

Church of St James, Voorschoten
Here at St James we are part of the Church of England, and as such have a particular management structure that contributes to the leadership of the church. It is called the Chaplaincy Church Council, or more informally, the church council. The church council is an important body in the life of the church. Please do pray for it as it makes decisions which affect the mission and ministry of St James.
​The role of the church council
In summary, the council exists to co-operate with the chaplain in sharing leadership of the chaplaincy so that we may all:
  • Play our part in God’s mission and ministry in this place.
  • Steward our buildings and churchyard for the furtherance of God’s kingdom.
  • Contribute to the wider life of the Church of England.
  • Conduct ourselves in ways which fulfil best practice in safeguarding, finance, and employment.
At its meeting in April 2016, the council formulated its own purpose statement:
Meetings
Our church council meets nine times a year, and has a standing committee to carry on routine business between meetings.
"​The church council is an elected group that works with the chaplain to seek God's direction as we build a loving and healthy church together and reach out to others in mission. We do this by generating and implementing actions and policies that are grounded in prayerful reflection."
Membership
Council members are elected at the Annual Chaplaincy Church Meeting which is held between 1 January and 30 April. Members are elected for three years, renewable for a further three years. To be eligible you must be over 16, on the electoral roll, baptised and a regular communicant. All clergy licensed to the chaplaincy, the churchwardens, and any members of the archdeaconry, diocesan or general synods on the electoral roll are ex officio on the council.

Annual meeting

Every year we hold an Annual Chaplaincy Church Meeting. Its purpose is to elect lay representatives to the chaplaincy church council, to receive a number of reports about chaplaincy activities and events, and to discuss the business of the chaplaincy and its council. Everyone whose name is on the electoral roll is warmly encouraged to attend and take part in the meeting.
Electoral Roll
To participate in the Annual Meeting you need to be on the electoral roll. This is a list of lay persons who meet the following criteria:
  • Baptised
  • Aged 16 or over
  • A member either of the Church of England, or another Church that subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity
  • To have habitually attended public worship in the chaplaincy during the period of six months prior to enrolment
You can be added to the electoral roll at any time, but the ideal time is during its annual revision in the period leading up to the Annual Meeting. You will need to complete the form ‘Application for Enrolment on the Electoral Roll’, available from the churchwardens and/or the electoral roll officer.
Annual Report
In preparation for the Annual Meeting, a report is compiled covering the following areas:
  • The proceedings of the chaplaincy church council and the activities of the chaplaincy generally
  • Changes in the electoral roll since the last annual meeting
  • The financial statements of the church council for the previous calendar year, audited or independently examined
  • The fabric, goods and ornaments of the chaplaincy
  • The proceedings of the Archdeaconry Synod
The report is first approved by the church council and then made available to congregation members ahead of the Annual Meeting. This saves time at the meeting by reducing the need for verbal reports, and enables those attending to consider questions they may wish to raise.
Annual Meeting
The date and location of the meeting are publicised well in advance to enable as many people as possible to attend. Nominations are then invited for the various vacancies: churchwardens (elected/re-elected annually), Archdeaconry Synod representatives (elected every three years) and lay council members (elected every three years). Anyone whose name is on the electoral roll can be nominated to stand for the actual vacancies.
At the meeting the agenda includes the following items:
  • Apologies for absence
  • Minutes of the last meeting
  • Consideration of the Annual Report
  • Elections and appointments:
    • Lay representatives to the church council
    • Archdeaconry Synod representatives
    • Churchwardens
  • The chaplain’s report
  • Questions about church matters or of general church interest
  • Date of next meeting

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