PARISH CHURCH ELECTORAL ROLLS [page last updated 28/1/11]

Each of the three parishes in this Benefice has its own electoral roll which is revised annually during the month before the annual meeting, and every six years it is completely regenerated. The next full recompilation is in 2013. It is effectively an official membership list for each of the parish churches and allows members to fully participate in the councils and synods that make up the Church of England. Any eligible person may have their name on the Roll provided they are baptised; of sixteen years or upwards; have signed an application form for enrolment and declare themselves either:- a) To be a member of the Church of England, or of a Church in communion therewith, resident in the parish; or b) To be such a member and, not being resident in the parish, to have habitually attended public worship in the parish during a period of six months prior to enrolment; or c) To be a member in good standing of a Church which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (not being a Church in communion with the Church of England) and also prepared to declare themselves to be a member of the Church of England having habitually attended public worship in the parish during a period of six months prior to enrolment. If through sickness you've been unable to attend habitually, but otherwise you would have attended habitually, then you are still eligible to apply and should explain this on the application form. To apply to go onto an Electoral Roll, fill in an application form which is available from all Churches, or you can download and print one from this website - go to the bottom of this page. Please ask the Vicar or a churchwarden if you need help - see the CONTACT US page. You may apply to be on the electoral roll of more than one parish provided you qualify for each. Hand the completed application to a churchwarden, the Vicar or to whoever is the Electoral Roll Officer for that parish. There is no cost or subscription involved with being on the Electoral Roll, although all church members whether on the Electoral Roll or not are encouraged to participate in the Parish Giving scheme to support the church and its activities. See the Giving and Stewardship page on this website. Electoral Roll members are entitled to attend, speak and vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) which is the Church's AGM. Lay people not on the electoral roll are not entitled to attend the APCM. Parochial Church Council (PCC) members must also be on the Electoral Roll for that parish and to have been so for at least the 6 months preceding their election, and to be an 'actual communicant' as defined by the Church of England. Note that if you are on the Electoral Roll then you will also be automatically included in the Benefice Church Directory unless you choose not to be. DOWNLOAD AND PRINT AN APPLICATION FORM. Three 'pdf' files may be downloaded - one for each parish. Click below as required to download. They should print single sided on A5 size paper, but if on your computer it comes out A4 size then that is OK.   Click here to view (print) the Electoral Roll Application Form for Milton Ernest.   Click here to view (print) the Electoral Roll Application Form for Pavenham.   Click here to view (print) the Electoral Roll Application Form for Thurleigh.