It is your parish church’s register of electors. In the same way that being on the civic Electoral Roll allows you to vote in parliamentary and local elections and referenda, joining the Church Electoral Roll means that you can vote on Church matters, attend the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and stand for election to the PCC. Being on the Electoral Roll does NOT make you a “member” of the Church; simply regarding St Alban’s as your spiritual home does that.
You can, of course, be a full and active member of St Alban’s Church without joining the Roll. Being on the Electoral Roll does not entail signing up to any additional commitments, however, it does help the Church show its strength. Representation on the governing bodies of the church depends on the number on the Electoral Roll.
In some churches it can influence the maximum number of PCC lay members but other churches, like ours, have agreed to fix the number of elected representatives to release members for other areas of service. However it does affect our representation on the wider governing bodies of the Church (Harrow Deanery Synod, London Diocesan Synod and General Synod).
The Church of England is governed by a synodical system which joins with the Bishops to make decisions. Being on the Electoral Roll is the entry point and Christians share an individual responsibility to be part of the “Body of Christ” and to participate fully in our part of His Church. This 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. Also, the system is intended to ensure that the laity have their place in every aspect of church life, including doctrine and services.
The Electoral Roll also has some bearing on our contribution to Common Fund: although it is only one factor which also includes our other commitments and socio-economic factors.
To apply for the Electoral Roll you must meet ALL the following conditions:
The phrase “member of the Church of England” requires further explanation:
If you are a parish resident you do not have to actually attend the Church of which you consider yourself a member; but if you live outside the parish, then 6 months’ regular attendance at a church inside the parish is a requirement. If you know your postcode you can find out if you are resident in the parish by using this online tool. If still in doubt, please see the map in the Parish Office.
NOTE
You can be on the Electoral Roll of more than one Church, but you can only serve on the PCC of one Church at a time.
If you are not resident in the parish but were a habitual worshipper in the parish, and have been prevented by sickness or absence or other essential reason from worshipping for the past six months, you may write ‘would’ before ‘have habitually attended’ on the form and add ‘but was prevented from doing so because’ and then state the reason.
In these notes, ‘parish’ means ecclesiastical parish.
Joining the electoral roll is an important way of confirming your commitment to St Alban’s community and to the vision of the church. But it also opens up the way for greater involvement in the life of the Church of England, at Deanery, Diocesan and national levels. By joining, you become entitled to participate in the government of the church and to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, where the elections take place for:
Any person entitled to attend the APCM may also raise any question of parochial or general church interest.
In addition, those who live outside the Parish but are on the Electoral Roll enjoy all the rights and privileges that go with being resident in the parish (for example, baptisms and weddings). However, if you live outside the Parish and want to come onto the Electoral Roll, you have to have been worshipping at St Alban’s for a minimum period of six months.
Numbers are important in the present climate in which the Church of England needs to be aware of the commitment of its people. Church morale is affected by statistics and while it would be wrong to inflate the significance of the Roll it would be a missed opportunity to ignore it.
Joining the roll is an important statement of witness and a step along the path of discipleship. With your name on the electoral roll, the strength of the Church can be seen in our local area, and across the Diocese. If you’re a regular at St Alban’s, you should be on the electoral roll!
Application forms can be downloaded here or obtained from the Church Office or from our Electoral Roll Officer, Eileen Eggington. Fill in your full name and address, and tick the appropriate boxes (see the explanation above, or ask our Electoral Roll Officer, Eileen Eggington). It would assist us greatly if you would also complete the optional contact details section for our records, particularly email addresses. Please note that only names will appear on the published Roll. Please deliver the completed forms to the Church Office or email to Eileen Eggington.
A copy of the current Roll is kept in a folder at the back of Church. However, in the years when a full revision is required (next one: 2025) you must submit a new application to be included on the new Roll regardless of whether you were on the previous roll or not.
If you are a member of St Alban’s and your contact details have recently changed, it would be helpful if you could let Eileen Eggington know, as well as updating your details via iKnow Church or, if that's not possible, notify Shirley Clements at the Church office.
The Electoral Roll Officer gives a report at the APCM. Also, a copy of the new Roll is available in the Church Office.
Please click here for a General Privacy Notice, which explains how we handle your data, and your rights under the Data Protection regulations.