Appointment - the appointment or election of churchwardens takes place at an 'Annual Meeting of Parishioners' (previously known as - prior to 1964 - the Easter Vestry Meeting) held not later than 30 April each year. This meeting is separate from the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and may be attended by:
The Annual Meeting of Parishioners is usually held immediately prior to the APCM and is convened in much the same way as an APCM. Pre-printed forms are available for this purpose as part of the Annual Meetings pack (SG'A') available from Church House Bookshop.
Churchwardens are elected by the Meeting of Parishioners. Each candidate must be nominated and seconded in writing by a person entitled to attend the meeting and the nomination must be given to the minister of the parish before the meeting commences. The nomination must be signed by the candidate to the effect that they are willing to serve and not disqualified (see Qualifications for appointment). If the minister feels that the election of one or more of those persons nominated might give rise to serious difficulties in his or her relationship with the churchwardens then the minister may make a statement that the meeting will elect one warden and that he or she will appoint the other. The name of the person so appointed by the minister shall be declared to the meeting prior to the election of the other warden.
Elections can be conducted by use of voting papers or, if no one objects, a show of hands is acceptable (as per Church Representation Rule 11). The minister may not vote on the election of the churchwardens, but may vote on matters of procedure. He or she does not have a casting vote on any matter before the Annual Meeting of Parishioners (unlike the APCM). The meeting determines its own procedure subject to that outlined above.
GUILD CHURCHES: the appointment of churchwardens is part of the business of
the Annual Guild Church Meeting. They are chosen by the joint consent of the
vicar and the meeting, or if there is no agreement half of the wardens are appointed
by the vicar (the "lesser half" if an odd number) and the other half
are elected by the meeting.
