Anita’s role in the church office


Maybe you’ve wondered what I do in the office.  Well. the things include...


Managing all wedding bookings, wedding blessings, renewal of vows, and arranging wedding banns, not to mention writing up the banns register.    Weddings take a lot of planning! I have to check the correct identification for each person, that that they are legally allowed to marry, and that they have a connection with our church. I then sort out couples wishes for music and hymns, flowers and bells - an organist and verger have to be arranged - and the fees need to be collected! I also assist Mark in organising our wedding preparation days and attend them to help sort things out for the couples.  I prepare the marriage registers and marriage certificate ready for the signatures on the day. And finally, once a quarter we inform the registrar’s office how many weddings there have been.


Looking after Baptism & Thanksgiving requests and preparing certificates for each occasion. I write up the registers, and make sure that everyone who needs to know when service is taking place knows.


Assisting with the administration of children’s clubs.  This involves getting the registers for the clubs ready for each new term, and also taking the bookings for our holiday clubs - making sure we know emergency contact numbers, addresses, ages, allergies, etc, etc!  Even before that there are all the holiday club invitations to be addressed and delivered.


Printing posters, laminating some and putting them up around both churches!  (We have lots and lots of posters, I’m sure you’ve noticed.)


Completing the Statistics for Mission return to the Diocese annually. They want to know the numbers on the church electoral roll, how many have been attending Sunday services, how many come at Easter and Christmas, and what different services and activities we run. Someone has to put this all together!


Looking after giving to our churches. I look after our side of the Parish Giving Scheme, envelopes for giving and standing orders, as well as any Gift Aid Declarations, so we can claim back from HMRC the tax on eligible  donations each month. I also have to maintain a record of all of this on a computer software system and make sure people get an annual statement each year. I also let the  Finance Committee and PCC know how things are going with the giving as this helps them with the budgeting.


And, in any time left, there’s helping with general office duties - answering phone calls and emails, checking answerphone messages, photocopying and printing things. whatever is required!  There’s always lots to do!         Anita.