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Home Annual Vestry Meetings

Annual Vestry Meetings

An Annual Vestry Meeting is an annual meeting required by law in the Church in Wales, held to receive reports and elect key officers—including churchwardens, sub-wardens, 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 Constitution of the Church in Wales.

📌 Main Purpose

Within a Ministry Area, the Annual Vestry Meeting exists to:

  • Receive and discuss the annual report and accounts of the Ministry Area, prepared by the Ministry Area Council (MAC).
  • Receive reports from the Deanery Conference and the Diocesan Conference.
  • Receive any additional Ministry Area reports that the MAC chooses to submit.
  • Conduct elections, usually in this order:
    • Church Wardens (now often Ministry Area Wardens)
    • Sub-wardens (if the Ministry Area uses them)
    • Members of the Ministry's Area Council

🗓️ When It Happens

  • It is a legal requirement that each Ministry Area must hold an AVM annually.
  • In Llandaff these meetings MUST take place before 30 June, except in exceptional circumstances and permission from the Bishop.
  • Warning is usually given in churches and through the communication channels of the Ministry Area.

🏛️ Who can attend?

  • Members of the worshiping community of the Ministry Area.
  • Clergy, wardens, and MAC members are expected to attend.
  • Normally, the Leader of the Ministry Area (MAL) or another appointed cleric chairs the meeting.

📄 What Happens at the Meeting?

  1. Presentation of Accounts

The Treasurer of the Ministry Area presents the full set of accounts for the previous year.

  1. Reports from Church Bodies
  • Annual report of the Ministry's Area Council
  • Deanery Conference Report
  • Diocesan Conference Report
  • Any additional Ministry Area reports
  1. Elections

Representatives are elected to serve for THREE years, except in exceptional circumstances as laid out in Section 13.4 of the Constitution.

  • Church Wardens / Ministry Area Wardens
  • Sub-wardens (if applicable)
  • Members of the Ministry Area Council
  • Diocesan Conference (5 Lay Reps per MA)
  • Deanery Conference
  1. Any Other Business

Handled in accordance with the notice and consent of the meeting.

📝 In brief

The Annual Vestry Meeting in Wales is now an event covering the entire Ministry Area rather than a parish based event. It brings the entire Ministry Area community together to review the past year, receive formal reports, and elect the officers who will help lead the mission and administration of the Ministry Area.