Church Membership

Church Membership - How do I join?

If you have been regularly attending our church for 6 months or more then you may be eligible for inclusion on the Church Electoral Roll. 

This has two main purposes; the first of these is to do with the governance of our church - an explanation of this is given below.  Secondly, and more importantly it is about you making a definite statement of belonging to our Church community here in Lavant and it enables us to recognize you as part of our community and be able to communicate with you individually and collectively. 

If you are not on our Church electoral roll and would like to be, then please download the application form from here.

What is the Church Electoral Roll?

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:

a) the parochial church council;

b) 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 took place in 2013 and will take place every six 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.

Supporting Lavant Church

Members support the work of our church in many different ways - through community outreach activities, through music, by maintaining the churchyard, by assisting in services, by visiting people as well as such vital things as doing the cleaning and putting the bin out!  However, the responsibility is ours to be financially self-sufficient as we receive no assistance from the Diocese or any other part of the Church of England. It costs in excess of £100,000 per year to run our church in Lavant and the vast majority of this sum needs to be raised from our members. This is done through our collections at the Services, an envelope scheme and also via standing order. By preference we ask people to join the Parish Giving Scheme which is the most efficient way to collect the giving. We are of course grateful for people who can make one-off donations or consider including a legacy in their will. For more information on giving, please contact our treasurer here 01243-527725