Lucy Harrison
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Diocesan Logo
Low resolution versions of our logo are available to download below. For High resolution versions (for printed documents / signage etc) please contact communications@derby.anglican.org
The term of office of the current Diocesan Synod ends on 31 July 2015. Therefore Derby Diocese must elect a new Diocesan Synod from its clergy and church members. The electors are members (other than currently co-opted members) of the House of Clergy and the House of Laity of the Deanery Synods of the Diocese. The rules state that the electors are defined at 6.00am on the date on which the nominations papers are issued locally by the Deanery.
Elections to the new Diocesan Synod will be carried out during the period May to July 2015 to a timetable fixed by the Bishop in accordance with Church Representation Rule 32(1). The new Diocesan Synod will take office on 1 August 2015 and the first meeting of the new Diocesan Synod will be on 17 October 2015.
The Bishop, in accordance with Rule 32(2) has appointed the Rural Deans to be the Presiding Officers for elections by the House of Laity of Deanery Synods and the Lay Chairs to be the Presiding Officers for elections by the House of Clergy of Deanery Synods.
Nominations
A Notice of Election must be sent to every qualified elector, together with a nomination form. Every candidate may be nominated and seconded by qualified electors and every candidate must express with their signature, their willingness to serve, if elected. Opportunity is provided for a candidate, if he or she so desires, to set out in 100 words or fewer, a factual statement, such as professional qualifications, present office of relevant experience, for circulation with the voting papers.
Nomination Forms will be posted to all electors on 14 May 2015. Nomination Forms will be sent by post on the same day in order that every elector is treated equally.
Valid paper copies of Nomination Forms must be returned by mid-day on 5 June which is the closing date for nominations.
If nominations are received, which are equal to or less than the number to be elected, then these persons will be elected and notified accordingly. If there are less than the number of people to be elected then the remaining places are treated as casual vacancies and are then filled by the House of Clergy or the House of Laity by a method to be decided by them in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. This process is the responsibility of the Chair of the appropriate House.
Voting Papers
If there are more nominations than there are places to fill, then an election will be organised. A voting paper must be circulated to every qualifying elector by post no later than 12 June 2015 and these have to be returned by mid-day on 3 July. The completed voting paper must be signed by the elector, together with their full name written on the reverse of the form in order to be valid. Candidates will be notified of the result. In the event of equality of votes, the decision shall be taken by lot by the Presiding Officer.
TIMELINE
14 May 2015 Each Deanery issues Notice of Election and Nomination Papers
5 June 2015 Closing date for nominations
19 June 2015 Deanery issues voting papers (if elections are required)
3 July 2015 Closing date for voting
10 July 2015 Deanery presiding officers inform Diocesan Secretary, Deanery Synod Secretaries and candidates of election results and of Diocesan Synod Members
15 July 2015 Diocesan Synod Elections must be complete
1 August 2015 Members of the new Diocesan Synod hold office from this date
17 October 2015 First meeting of the new Diocesan Synod
NUMBERS TO BE ELECTED
DEANERY Clergy Laity
Alfreton 3 3
Bakewell and Eyam 4 5
Bolsover & Staveley 3 4
Buxton 3 2
Chesterfield 8 8
Glossop 2 3
Wirksworth 2 3
Ashbourne 2 3
Derby North 6 4
Derby South 5 4
Duffield 3 5
Heanor 2 2
Erewash 5 6
Longford 2 2
Melbourne 3 3
Repton 3 4
If your church has missed the deadline for any returns or would like to submit any updated data for a previous year, they may do so directly to the national team by going to Parish Returns Online (churchofengland.org).
Recording Online Attendance
Every Statistics for Mission return asks for a range of attendance data throughout the year; both an 'average' Sunday attendance throughout the year as well as a more detailed account of October attendance across a range of categories. But how do we do that when people are attending online church?
Measuring attendance of online church is difficult and problematic. Online platforms such as Youtube, Facebook and Zoom do allow content creators to view an analysis of who has viewed their output. However, these figures don't equate well to 'attendance'. Many of those who view will do so only for a few seconds and it still counts as a view; in addition, one single 'view' might represent the attendance of several people who are watching one device in a household.
The national Research and Statistics team of the Church of England have produced some forms and guidance on what and how you can keep track of attendance and they are asking for feedback from churches on how useful and easy to collect this information might be. You can download a simple Excel form that can be used to record information on your online church and attendance at services. It was originally designed for the periods of COVID lockdowns, but may still be useful for general online church.
In addition, the Church of England Digital Team have produced some good articles on how to use the analytics available on each of the major platforms you might be using:
Youtube
https://www.churchofengland.org/more/church-resources/digital-labs/labs-learning-blog/how-use-youtube-analytics
Facebook
https://www.churchofengland.org/more/church-resources/digital-labs/labs-learning-blog/understanding-facebook-insights
Zoom
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/204654719-Getting-Started-with-Dashboard-#h_6a8f039a-5ad2-47b8-b125-39c9c4de3995
General Introduction
Each year the national church asks parishes to collect a range of information about the number of people coming to church through the year and at special times, about baptisms, weddings and funerals, and about the worshipping community of the church.
A huge thank you to all those parishes who have collected and submitted their Statistics for Mission returns for 2020. It really is appreciated! Do start thinking about your 2021 return - you may like to download the collection tools below to help you keep track and make the job at the end of the year easier.
Why collect statistics?
Good quality statistics can present a facts-based window on the world, as well as help predict where things might be heading for the future. They can help with forming strategy, show whether current strategies are working well and highlight where more support might be needed.
Statistics can help us see more clearly what the church and the community we serve is like and inform the planning for the mission and ministry of the church.
Statistics can also help the wider church put her resources in the right place. They can help us to share good news widely, inside and outside the church.
Good statistics are a powerful weapon in the mission and ministry armoury of local parishes, dioceses and the national church. Not for nothing do we call them Statistics for Mission!
If you are new to Statistics for Mission, you can download a helpful introduction here.
How we collect the statistics
In Derby diocese, parishes use the Church of England online Parish Returns system to submit both their Statistics for Mission and Finance data. You can find out more about this system by downloading a short briefing here. The system can be accessed via any web browser - simply go to https://parishreturns.churchofengland.org/. You'll need a username and password to gain access. Each parish has an administrator for the system who can set up, amend and delete users for that parish. If you're not sure who the administrator is for your parish, your deanery administrator should be able to help.
A full and up to date user guide for the parish returns system can be downloaded from within the system.
When should the data be submitted?
Electoral Roll and Easter figures can be entered any time soon after annual general meetings are due to be complete. The rest of the data input opens at the end of September, but much of the information can't be completed until the end of the year. All data must be submitted by the end of January of the following year.
If you need further help and support concerning the collection and submission of the Statistics for Mission return, please contact your deanery administrator.
Statistics Collection Tools
Experience has shown that if parishes collect data week by week through the year, it makes completing the Statistics for Mission return at the end of the year much easier and produces much more accurate results. To help you to do that, we’ve provided some statistics collection tools that you can download from the links below.
These are not extra forms that you have to fill in. If you find them helpful, then please use them, and feel free to adapt them. We don’t need you to submit them – they’re for your convenience and use only.
Attendance Calculator (Excel) - assists in collection Usual Sunday Attendance and October counts, as well as recording figures for Advent, Christmas and Easter. Click the link below for the year you require:
- Attendance Calculator for 2022 data
- Attendance Calculator for 2023 data
Pastoral Care Register (Word) - a simple sample register that can be adapted to help keep track of attendance patterns across various services. Click the link below for the year you require:
- Pastoral Care Register for 2022 data
- Pastoral Care Register for 2023 data
Worshipping Community (PDF) - A document explaining the Worshipping Community statistics; their importance for the church (both locally and more widely), alongside some tips to help collect them.
Worshipping Community List (Excel) – Assists in collecting Electoral Roll, Worshipping Community, Joiners and Leavers figures.
Fresh Expressions Choice Tree (PDF) – A simple tool to help you decide whether you should include a group as a Fresh Expression in your Statistics return.
I have just returned from a visit to France and Belgium spending time in the area that formed the Ypres battlefield in the First World War, visiting trench systems, cemeteries, museums and memorials. At the Commonwealth Cemetery at Tyne Cot and the German Cemetery of Langemark I reflected on the destruction of war, sacrifice and loss of life. I, along with 3 other students, paid our respects to the fallen at the Menin Gate, Last post Ceremony, and were chosen to lay a wreath in commemoration. For me personally, it was a very emotional experience, due to one of my relative’s names being on the Menin Gate. Overwhelming as it was, it was a huge privilege to be picked to do this and I will remember it forever.
By Danni Garton, Yr10 Merrill Academy
Why do we choose to forget,
When the best is still to be written.
So many stories gone untold,
Enough tears to fill a river.
So many went off to war,
With no flower or a caring tear at all.
When all the crosses are there to say,
They died for us all.
Fighting in fields full of poppies,
With no one to care for them.
100 years later,
We remember the debt we owe to them.
Ella Percival Age 11 St John’s Church
Contact details for our local Ecclesiastical Insurance Group (EIG) representative:
Liam Whelan
Email: liam.whelan@ecclesiastical.com
Tel:01242 587742
Mobile:07827 831125
This site is provided by the church of England's National Stewardship and Resources team and offers over 400 pages of resources (web and PDF) to support all aspects of finance, accounting and reporting, stewardship, administration and management in the local church, as well as links to other sites and pages of interest.
The Board of Finance has negotiated a block membership for all PCC Treasurers. Please contact the Finance Office at Derby Church House for details
Available to download from here http://www.parishresources.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/PCC-Accountability-5th-Edition.pdf
