Handbook.

Useful information, guidelines and help with a range of church and people issues. This area is being continually revised and updated.

 

Annual meetings (resources)

• The election of Churchwardens and the Annual Parochial Church Meeting - guidance notes - March 2009
• Church Representation Rules 2006 - an essential guide to church rules (external link to purchase)

• Application for enrolment on Electoral Roll
• Nomination form for election of Churchwarden
• Nomination form for election to PCC
• Notice of Annual Meetings
• Notice of election of Churchwardens
• Notice of elections at Annual Meetings
• Notice of Electoral Roll revision
• Registrar's Letter re Churchwarden's length of service - March 2008

 

 

Clergy Discipline Measure

• Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 - complaints of misconduct - general information (external link)
• Clergy Discipline Measure - code of practice (external link, pdf 400kb)
• Clergy Discipline Measure - Guidance for Clergy

 

 

Clergy (and others) - finance and employment

• Assigned fees form (clergy)
• Car loan scheme for clergy and lay workers (external link)
• Charities giving grants and help to clergy
• Child Protection - Clergy CRB Application - how to go about it - updated November 2008
• Clergy and licensed lay workers - pensions questions answered (large external download) - updated April 2009
• Clergy and licensed lay workers - pensions questions answered online
• Clergy and licensed lay workers - pensions and divorce questions (large external download)
• Clergy deployment, remuneration and conditions of service (external link)
• Clergy expenses and reimbursement (external link)
• Clergy parental benefits (external link)
• Clergy paternity leave and pay – application form (external link)
• Clergy pay and conditions – information including rates of pay, taxation and parochial expenses (external link)
• Clergy Pensions - the Way Forward - consultation report 2 (June 2006)
• Clergy sickness – statutory notice form (external link)
• Clergy sickness – what to do
• Clergy tax – guidelines for completing Tax Return (external link)
• Common Tenure - information and guidance
• Dignity at Work - guidance for churches to reduce incidents of bullying and harassment at work (external link)
• Grievance procedure for Licensed Ministers
• Guidelines for the professional conduct of the clergy (external link)
• Inland Revenue – clergy working expenses agreement (external link)
• Recruitment of ex-offenders policy (Wakefield Diocese)

 

 

Clergy - general, holidays and housing

• A guide to good practice for working agreements
• Clergy holidays and time off
• Clergy holiday accommodation (external link)
• Clergy retirement housing booklet (external download)
• Clergy retirement housing information (external link)
• Guidance for newly appointed parish priests with church schools
• Handbook for clergy households
• Houses Handbook (from diocesan Property Department)

 

 

Clergy - vocations, training, CME and Pastoral Visits

• Clergy Appointments Advisor (external link)
• Clergy sabbaticals - guidance notes
• CME - clergy in-service training grant request (editable Word doc)
• CME - clergy retreat grant request (editable Word doc)
• Identifying appropriate training incumbents
• Information for new ordinands (external link)
• Pastoral visits 2008-2009 - a guide
• Pastoral visits review questions - 2008-2009
• Pastoral visits review questions - 2008-2009 (editable Word doc)
• Procedures with regard to curates

 

 

Child Protection

• Child Protection - Diocesan Code of Good Practice
• Child Protection - Guidance for Child Protection Officers and Incumbents checking a CRB Application Form - updated July 2008
• Child Protection - Volunteers CRB Application - how to go about it - updated November 2008
• Child Protection - Readers CRB Application - how to go about it - updated October 2009
• Child Protection - list of acceptable ID for CRB checks
• Child Protection Confidential declaration form
• Child Protection - CRB - Interview Identity Checklist
• Child Protection Recruitment of ex-offenders policy
• Child Protection - Storage and handling of disclosure information
• Child Protection - planning an event - guidelines 2003
• Child Protection - Protecting All God's Children: House of Bishops Report 2004 (external link pdf 154kb)

More information and resources about the protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults is available on the Child Protection page.

 

 

Church administration

• Admission of baptised children to Holy Communion - Regulations 2006
• Admission of baptised children to Holy Communion - Parish Application Form
• Anglican Sources for tracing your Family History (external link)
• Canons of the Church of England (Canon Law) (external link)
• The Charities Act and the PCC - 3rd edition 2006 (external link)

• Church copyright and performing rights (external link)
• Church or parish halls - model hiring agreement for PCCs (downloadable Word doc)
• Church Representation Rules 2006 - an essential guide to church rules (external link to purchase)
• Churchwarden's Measure 2001 - a brief guide (Peterborough Diocese)
• Data Protection – a guide for parishes
• Data Protection guidance (Truro diocese)
• Funeral Arrangements - letter to parish clergy - July 2009
• Funeral Arrangements - letter to retired clergy - July 2009
• Handbook for Churchwardens and Parochial Church Councils - useful overview of church law and regulations (external link to purchase)
• Keep or Bin? – care of parish records
• New premises licensing regulations - some notes
• Parochial fees for 2009 and beyond (external link)
• Wakefield Common Fund Calculation Method
• Youth and Children's Worker Employment Guidelines

 

 

Church buildings, maintenance and regulations

• Advice on funding and fundraising for buildings (external link)
• Archaeological requirements for works on churches and churchyards
• Bishop’s guidelines – aumbries
• Caring for your church building and church's contents - maintenance, repair and care (external link to Churchcare)
• Chancellor’s guidelines – De Minimis rules
• Chancellor’s guidelines – statements of significance and need
• Developing your Church Building - advice and information on extended and additional uses, alterations and extensions (external link to Churchcare)
• Diocesan guidelines – carpets
• Diocesan guidelines – fine art
• Diocesan guidelines – lighting
• Diocesan guidelines - organ and blower maintenance
• Diocesan guidelines – reordering for worship
• Diocesan guidelines – sound systems
• Diocesan guidelines – window protection
• Disability access advice (external link to Churchcare)
• Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2000 (Appendix A) - Archdeacon's Faculty
• Flooding and Historic Buildings - practical advice about anticipating and dealings with flooding disasters - (external link to English Heritage)
• General guidelines – making changes to a listed church
• Guidance on church security (external link)
• National Churchwatch - security guidance for churches and people (external link)
• Smoke Free Regulations - website (external link)
• Smoke Free Regulations - guide (external link)
• Smoke Free Regulations - signage (external link)
• Smoke Free signage - guidance for churches

 

 

Churchyard, maintenance and regulations

• Archaeological requirements for works on churches and churchyards
• Care of churchyards – a brief guide
• Caring for your churchyard - management and legislation (external link to Churchcare)
• Chancellor’s guidelines – churchyard regulations
• Grave or Memorial Stone erection - application form
• Guidance for best practice for treatment of human remains excavated from Christian burial grounds in England (external link)
• Guide for Burial Ground Managers (external link)
• Ministry of Justice - Managing the safety of burial ground memorials - January 2009
• Ministry of Justice - Memorial Safety Guidance Q&A - January 2009
• Ministry of Justice - sensible approach to memorial safety - January 2009
• Trees in Churchyards - Wakefield Diocese guidelines

 

 

Church - fire safety

• Church Fire Safety - advice from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• Church Fire Risk Assessment Form (Ecclesiastical Insurance)
• Fire Risks (external link to Ecclesiastical)
• Fire Safety Guidance - letter from the Archdeacons
• Fire Safety Guidance - notes from EIO
• Fire safety - a short guide (external link)
• Fire safety - small and medium places of assembly (churches) ( external link)
• Hot Work Permit (external link)
• Portable Electrical Equipment in Offices and other Low Risk Environments (external link)

 

Church - health and safety

• Accident and Witness Report Form (external link to Ecclesiastical)
• Chancellor’s guidelines – trees in churchyards
• Church Health and Safety advice from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• Church guidance on health and safety at events from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (external link)
• Drivers and Corporate Manslaughter - diocesan guidance
• Electrical Safety in Churches - advice from Ecclesiastical
• General Risk Assessment Form from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• First Aid at Work: Health and Safety Executive (external link)
• Five Steps to Risk Assessment (external link)
• Health and Safety - advice and model policies from Ecclesiastical (external link)

• Portable Electrical Equipment in Offices and other Low Risk Environments (external link)
• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT testing) - advice and information (external link)
• Preventing slips and trips at work (external link)
• Reporting injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences (external link)
• Safe use of ladders and stepladders (external link)
• Safe use of lifting equipment (external link)
• Safe use of work equipment (external link)
• The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (external link)
• Vertical Ladders Guidance - advice from Ecclesiastical
• Work at Height (external link to a number of relevant leaflets)

 

 

Church - health and safety (asbestos)

• Asbestos and church properties (external link)
• A Short Guide to Managing Asbestos in Premises (external link)
• Asbestos and organs (external link)
• Asbestos health and safety issues (external link to Health and Safety Executive)
• Asbestos management (West Yorkshire Methodist District presentation)
• Asbestos Watchdog (asbestos industry information and enquiry service - external link)

 

 

Church - health and safety (personal safety)

• Personal safety - advice and positive practical guidance (external link)
• Personal safety - advice for clergy, churches and others from National Churchwatch (external Link)
• Personal safety - clergy safety - advice from the Diocese of London (external link)

 

 

Church - security

• Church Security - advice from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• A Fragile Inheritance - the Care of Stained Glass and Historic Glazing, book published by Church House Publishing (external link to purchase)

• Data Protection – a guide for parishes
• Data Protection guidance (Truro diocese)
• Data Protection website (external link)
• Metal theft - guidance advice from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• Metal theft - anti theft advice from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• Metal theft - article from Ecclesiastical (external link)
• National Church Watch (external link)
• Safe and Sound? A Guide to Church Security, booklet published by Church House Publishing (external link to purchase).

 

 

Ecumenical (resources from the Council for Christian Unity)

• Courtesies - guidelines for clergy and parish congregations when relating to Christians of other churches (external link)
• Churches in relationship with the Church of England
• 21 steps to encourage local mission and unity
• Churches designated under the Sharing of Church Buildings Act
• Canon B43 - relations with other churches
• How any CofE parish can share worship with Christians of other traditions
• Check list - for the application of Canon B43
• Canon B44 - text and introductory notes
• How the Church of England shares in Local Ecumenical Partnership with other churches (Canon B44)
• Involvement of other churches in the life of Church of England parishes
• Salvation Army and Quakers - guidelines 2005
• Summary of Canons B1 to B42
• Code of Practice for Canons B43 and B44
• Ecumenical participation in Ordinations
• How dioceses can authorise ministers of other churches for work in single-congregation LEPs
• When ministers occupy houses belonging to other denominations
• Finance and LEPs - good practice
• Joint Confirmations - guidelines for good practice
• A Declaration of Ecumenical Welcome
• Anglican-Methodist Covenant - the Text
• Applying Canon B 43 in the context of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant

 

 

Marriage and weddings

• Marriage Measure - October 2008 (external link)
• Marriage Measure - October 2008 - guidance from the House of Bishops (external link)
• Marriage Measure - October 2008 - specimen welcome form (Word doc)
• Marriage in church after divorce (external link)
• Marriage in church after divorce - explanatory leaflet for inquirers
• Marriage in church after divorce - House of Bishops advice to clergy

 

 

Ministry guidelines

Additional advice on the Social Justice page.

• Alcohol - advice
• A place of refuge - a positive approach to asylum seekers and refugees in the UK (external link pdf 223kb)
• Asylum seekers - advice More advice on the Social Justice page
• Bereavement - advice
• Debt - a matter of life and debt - advice from the Church of England (external link)
• Drugs - advice
• Families and parenting - advice
• Gambling - advice
• Gay and lesbian - advice
• HIV and AIDS - advice
• Housing and homelessness - advice
• Marriage and divorce - advice
• Mental health - advice
• Missing persons - advice
• Promoting a Safe Church - Policy for safeguarding adults in the Church of England 2006 (external link pdf 312kb)
• Protecting All God's Children: House of Bishops Report 2004 (external link pdf 175kb)
• Responding to Domestic Abuse: Guidelines for those with pastoral responsibility 2006 (external link pdf 459kb)
• Sexual abuse - advice

 

 

Miscellaneous

• Wakefield Diocese Staff Handbook - updated April 2009
• Wakefield Diocesan Synod Standing Orders
• Major Incident Plan, October 2005

 

 

Rural Deans

• Rural Deans - claim for reimbursement of expenses (pdf 18kb)
• Rural Deans – job description, guidelines and relevant canons (pdf 62kb)

 

 

Vacancies - guidance for parishes

Wakefield Diocese produces various resources to help guide parishes through a vacancy or interregnum (when their priest leaves). This information is normally given to Parochial Church Councils at a special meeting (usually) with the Archdeacon before the outgoing priest leaves. That meeting helps explain what is involved, and what will happen next. These papers are a support and reminder.

• Covering letter from the Archdeacons (pdf 49kb)
• Contents of the Vacancy Pack (pdf 54kb)
• 1 How do we get a new parish priest? (pdf 49kb)
• 2 A guide to writing the statement of the conditions, needs and traditions of the parish (the ‘Parish Profile’) (pdf 96kb)
• 3 The role of the parish representatives (pdf 64kb)
• 4 The role of the Churchwardens (pdf 34kb)
• 5 The role of the vice-chairperson of the PCC (pdf 27kb)
• 6 The role of the Rural Dean (pdf 31kb)
• 7 Information sheet for visiting clergy (pdf 30kb)
• 8 Who’s doing what during the vacancy? (pdf 28kb)
• 9 Institution/Licensing service: a note about the collection (pdf 24kb)
• 10 Rural Dean’s briefing of the new priest (pdf 27kb)
• 11 Care of curates and other ministers during a vacancy – a code of practice (pdf 31kb)
• 12 Fees during a vacancy (pdf 12kb)
• 13 Guidelines for Churchwardens - parsonage houses (pdf 62kb)
• 14 Supporting schools through a vacancy (pdf 64kb)
• A sheet to record the expenses of visiting clergy (pdf 11kb)
• Resolutions A, B and C (pdf 6kb)
• Institution and Induction Service resources (Word doc 62kb)

 

The following guidance is for Wakefield Ministry Scheme parishes in vacancy:

• Vacancy Guidelines for WMS parishes - Appointments and Induction
• Vacancy Guidelines for WMS parishes - Notes for Core Group
• Vacancy Guidelines for WMS parishes - Notes for Rural Deans
• Vacancy Guidelines for WMS parishes - Pro forma for inclusion in parish profile

 

 

Worship

Click here for useful links and resources (mostly external links).
Click here for a list of more worship resources on the site.

• Administration of Holy Communion by lay people and Extended Communion (pdf 28kb)
• Admission to Communion before Confirmation (Bishop of Wakefield) (pdf 13kb)
• Admission to Communion before Confirmation (House of Bishops 1997) (pdf 14kb)
• Admission of Children to Communion Liturgy (pdf 60kb).
• Bishop's Certificate in Pastoral Ministry - Authorisation service (pdf 35kb)
• Bishop's Certificate in Pastoral Ministry - Authorisation service (rtf 10kb)
• Confirmation Report - sent after a Confirmation Service (pdf 44kb)
• Institution and Induction Service resources (Word doc 62kb)

   

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