Parochial Church Council
Originally
the administration and finances of a parish were the legal responsibility of
the incumbent and
the churchwardens. Parochial Church Councils were set up
in 1919 as a successor to the vestries, which had had their civil functions
removed in 1894 with the establishment of civil parishes. The members of the
congregation had little say in the running of the church except in electing
the churchwardens.
The Parochial Church Council, or PCC, is an executive
committee of the parish with powers and duties defined by certain Acts of
Parliament. The membership consists of the clergy and churchwardens of the
parish, together with a number of representatives of the laity elected by
the annual parochial church meeting of the parish. The PCC secretary and the
treasurer are elected from the PCC.
The PCC has the responsibility of co-operating
with the incumbent in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole
mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical.
Formally, the PCC is responsible for the financial affairs of the church and
the care and maintenance of the church fabric and its contents.
It also has a voice in the forms of Service used by the church and
may make representations to the bishop on matters affecting the welfare of
the parish.
Although the PCC has ultimate responsibility, it delegates some of this
work. There are subcommittees of the PCC that meet at appropriate intervals
and feed back to the next PCC meeting.