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| 19 June 2013 |
On Tuesday 18th, the members of the St. John�s PCC met with the Archdeacon in what is referred to as the Archdeacons Visitation.
It happens every three years and is a means by which the Dioceses (the regional church management) are meant to ensure that local churches are keeping their house in order.
In fact it�s a very useful tool, as it allows the PCC to receive advice on where they may not be meeting any new regulations that churches are required to implement.
As with any public building and organisation, there are many aspects of regulation that we have to be mindful of, so that our congregation and visitors are within secure and safe surroundings.
As with many other church buildings, there is much to be thought about, as the members of the PCC are responsible for maintaining the building and grounds during their term of office. So the visit of the Archdeacon is a time when we can be advised of anything we may need to change or introduce.
On this occasion it appeared we were considered to be in a position to many similar churches, and the preservation of the building was the one area that gives any PCC the most headaches.
There are still many people who think that a local church has access to funds from the central organisation of the Church of England, and is able to call upon them when building repair work is required. In truth this is not the case and when repairs are required we only have the funds that are given by the congregation, or well wishers, to call upon.
The other difficulty we face is that when a fault occurs we are required to repair in a way that is sympathetic to the original building. On these occasions we must seek the advice of the DAC (Diocesan Advisory Committee) who, through their architectural surveyors, will instruct us how the work must be resolved. As the buildings are in many cases 130+ years old, the means by which the work must be undertaken is very expensive.
Due to Health and Safety requirements all high level work must be carried out from platforms that meet with the building work regulations. So even before the repair as begun, the costs of merely inspecting can be high.
On speaking to us, after his inspection, the Archdeacon was able to say that, but for a few detailed items, we were maintaining things well.
He remarked on the well kept condition of the church grounds, and said we were obviously making every effort to do what we could to keep the area safe for all its visitors.
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