I may be wrong, but I thought current practice in the C of E was for a warden to serve a maximum of 6 years (sounds like a prison sentence!) before standing down. Not sure if immediate re-election is permitted, though.
From memory, one is not supposed these days to be a warden for more than 6 consecutive years.
Whoever 'chose', 'lent on' or 'pressurised' them, a warden who is elected unopposed has been elected by the parish. In my experience actually pressing the election of wardens to a vote is slightly unusual. That means more people have stood than there are vacancies, The more usual experience is getting people to volunteer at all.
The Annual Parish Church Meeting can decide not to apply the six year rule, but that decision should only then take effect from the next annual meeting.
As do we, at least in Sydney, may well be different in other dioceses. A Rector's warden appointed and generally 2 people's wardens elected at the AGM - along with parish councillors (varying numbers, but often 1 appointed by the Rector and the rest elected.
In which case, does each incoming vicar choose a 'fresh' Warden, IYSWIM?
Well, it might vary from church to church. With the CofI, my churches had three year stints of service for wardens and Vestry (PCC) members. But other churches might differ. With the SEC, we seem to have yearly stints, but no-one is supposed to serve for more than three consecutive years.
I think if the Rector's/Vicar's warden is already in post, when a new incumbent arrives, the convention is to let him/her serve it out. Personally, I dislike choosing 'my' own person. My current warden actually fulfils both people's and rector's warden (we're a small bunch); although wardens seem to operate a little differently, to their opposite numbers in the CofE and CofI.
In the CofE wardens are elected for a year, and PCC members normally for 3 unless to fill a vacancy. It's quite complicated changing a warden mid-year and trying isn't recommended. It's actually quite a performance resigning.
... In which case, does each incoming vicar choose a 'fresh' Warden, IYSWIM?
In OZ and NZ where vicar appointing a warden is the rule, and where I have inherited a few on moves, I would never consider a change within a year, preferably two, even though the rules in all dioceses in which I have worked say that I have the right to replace on or near arrival.
In the CofE wardens are elected for a year, and PCC members normally for 3 unless to fill a vacancy. It's quite complicated changing a warden mid-year and trying isn't recommended. It's actually quite a performance resigning.
Our TEC shack does that. We have two wardens, and normally elect a junior warden, who automatically becomes senior warden in a year's time. Vestry members serve 3-year rotating terms, so we're usually electing a warden and three vestry members every year, plus a replacement for anyone who moves away.
We have, on occasion, had some people go straight from senior warden to junior again, because nobody else was willing to do the job.
We elect vestry members for three years, and they can serve two terms back-to-back, but then have to rest a year. In this parish the incumbent nominates the senior warden, and he/she is elected by the Annual Parish Meeting, whilst the Junior Warden is nominated from the floor from among the vestry members. Our system is a bit odd, but it was a reaction against the "closed vestry" in the parish most of us had belonged to before St Oddballs' was started.
Some interesting variations on practice in various churches!
Having recently resigned from our PCC, I was, however, pleased to hear that this week's meeting (which I didn't attend, of course) went well, and that one or two rather vexing issues seem to be on the way to satisfactory resolution.
Whether that is due to my resignation, or in spite of it, I leave others to decide!
Seems to have increased to 3, judging by the biographies on parish websites. One of each to preserve the species and the population at its present level, then an extra to help growth and just in case as well.
I'll search out those books
It helps out with the children's/youth ministry too, my former Parish has just produced the 4th Rectory baby and Mum is barely 30.
Comments
Whoever 'chose', 'lent on' or 'pressurised' them, a warden who is elected unopposed has been elected by the parish. In my experience actually pressing the election of wardens to a vote is slightly unusual. That means more people have stood than there are vacancies, The more usual experience is getting people to volunteer at all.
Well, it might vary from church to church. With the CofI, my churches had three year stints of service for wardens and Vestry (PCC) members. But other churches might differ. With the SEC, we seem to have yearly stints, but no-one is supposed to serve for more than three consecutive years.
I think if the Rector's/Vicar's warden is already in post, when a new incumbent arrives, the convention is to let him/her serve it out. Personally, I dislike choosing 'my' own person. My current warden actually fulfils both people's and rector's warden (we're a small bunch); although wardens seem to operate a little differently, to their opposite numbers in the CofE and CofI.
In OZ and NZ where vicar appointing a warden is the rule, and where I have inherited a few on moves, I would never consider a change within a year, preferably two, even though the rules in all dioceses in which I have worked say that I have the right to replace on or near arrival.
Our TEC shack does that. We have two wardens, and normally elect a junior warden, who automatically becomes senior warden in a year's time. Vestry members serve 3-year rotating terms, so we're usually electing a warden and three vestry members every year, plus a replacement for anyone who moves away.
We have, on occasion, had some people go straight from senior warden to junior again, because nobody else was willing to do the job.
Having recently resigned from our PCC, I was, however, pleased to hear that this week's meeting (which I didn't attend, of course) went well, and that one or two rather vexing issues seem to be on the way to satisfactory resolution.
Whether that is due to my resignation, or in spite of it, I leave others to decide!
It helps out with the children's/youth ministry too, my former Parish has just produced the 4th Rectory baby and Mum is barely 30.