TN147 The role of the PCC

First published on this website in August 2023

Synopsis

I do not usually write for one denomination alone but these notes are specifically for Church of England churches, because they cover some ecclesiastical legislation which will not apply to other churches. Many PCC members have little idea what the Council’s role is. These notes seek to bring clarity. After all, a PCC cannot function effectively if it is not clear why it exists!

The first part identifies two sources of guidance for PCC purpose:

• the ecclesiastical legislation that applies to this issue;
• the role of the Board in a registered charity.

When all this is applied to a PCC four statements are suggested.

1. The role is high level
2. The role is broad
3. The role is operational
4. The role is about leadership

These are then applied to actual examples of business items that a PCC should tackle and, importantly, what the PCC should not be doing.