Annual Vestry Meetings
An Annual Vestry Meeting is a legally required yearly parish meeting in the Church in Wales, held to receive parish reports and elect key officers—including churchwardens, subwardens, and members of the Ministry Area Council.
It must take place in every MA and follows the rules set out in Chapter IV, Part C of the Church in Wales Constitution.
📌 Core Purpose
Within a Ministry Area, the Annual Vestry Meeting exists to:
- Receive and discuss the Ministry Area’s annual report and accounts, prepared by the Ministry Area Council (MAC).
- Receive reports from the Deanery Conference and Diocesan Conference.
- Receive any additional Ministry Area reports the MAC chooses to present.
- Conduct elections, typically in this order:
- Churchwardens (now often Ministry Area Wardens)
- Subwardens (if the Ministry Area uses them)
- Members of the Ministry Area Council
🗓️ When It Happens
- It is a legal requirement that every Ministry Area must hold an AVM annually.
- In Llandaff these meetings MUST take place before 30th June.
- Notice is usually given in churches and through Ministry Area communication channels.
🏛️ Who Can Attend?
- Members of the Ministry Area’s worshipping community.
- Clergy, wardens, and MAC members are expected to attend.
- The meeting is normally chaired by the Ministry Area Leader (MAL) or another appointed cleric.
📄 What Happens at the Meeting?
- Presentation of Accounts
The Ministry Area Treasurer presents the full set of accounts for the previous year.
- Reports from Church Bodies
- Ministry Area Council annual report
- Deanery Conference report
- Diocesan Conference report
- Any additional Ministry Area reports
- Elections
- Churchwardens / Ministry Area Wardens
- Subwardens (if applicable)
- Ministry Area Council members
- Any Other Business
Handled according to notice and the meeting’s consent.
📝 In Summary
The Annual Vestry Meeting in Wales is now a Ministry Area–wide event rather than a parish‑based one. It brings together the whole Ministry Area community to review the past year, receive formal reports, and elect the officers who will help guide the Ministry Area’s mission and administration.