Ministry Area Vestry Meeting 2026

Ministry Area Vestry Meetings should be held no later than 30th June 2026.

Your MA VM should be held in accordance with the Church in Wales constitution, Chapter IV C. In particular, please ensure that the date of the MA VM is displayed near the principal door of all churches and other Church in Wales buildings used for public worship for a period including the two Sundays immediately preceding the date of the MA VM. Oral notice of the meeting must also be given at the principal services in the Ministry Area during this period.

This pack contains

All MA Leaders have been provided with the MA VM paperwork packs from the Diocesan Centre, in readiness for your meetings. For your information, these hard copy packs contain:

Diocesan NF forms 1–4
A record of your current MAC Trustees and MA Officer appointments, as held on the Diocesan database
Charity Commission Trustee Eligibility Declaration forms
Supporting document booklet: Role Descriptions of MA Officers

The following items of business should be conducted at this MA Vestry Meeting

Receive and approve the MA Accounts (and its constituent church accounts if available).

MA Churchwardens: Nominate and vote on the 2 MA Church Warden posts. MA Church Wardens should be admitted to office on the Sunday following the Ministry Area Vestry meeting. On that day please complete 2 x NF2 MA Church Warden Declaration Forms.

Ministry Area Council Members/Trustees (MAC): Nominate and vote all remaining Ministry Area Council Members/Trustees (MAC). A list of your current MAC Trustees has been provided. Each church should have the opportunity to be represented if possible. Each representative will be ex-officio members of their respective church committees (if such a committee exists).

Note that all MA Officers should also be appointed as MAC trustees. Please complete this information on the NF4 form during your MA Vestry Meeting.

Note that New Trustees should also complete both of the additional forms below:

NF1: New MAC Trustee notification form
Charities Commission Trustee Declaration form

Term of Office

The Church in Wales constitution (Chapter IV C 13.4) has changed. MAC trustees will now be elected for a three-year term, with one-third of the elected members being elected each year. To begin this process, you should elect all MAC trustees and MA Officers (as in previous years). You should then draw lots (or otherwise agree) to determine which third of the elected trustees/officers shall serve a three-year term, which trustees/officers shall serve a two-year term, and which trustees/officers shall serve a one-year term. For future vestry meetings you will only elect one-third of your MAC trustees / MA Officers.

Please complete the length of term for each member on the NF4 form during your MA Vestry Meeting, and on the NF1 form for newly appointed MAC trustees.

Individual Church Office Holders

Please ask your churches to notify the Diocesan Centre of their Church Office Holders directly, to ensure that churches can be kept up to date with Diocesan communications.

Please do provide your churches with a copy of the enclosed NF3 form.

Alternatively, your church officers can contact the Diocese directly by using our online church officer notification form on the Diocesan website.

Returning completed forms

Please return your completed forms, enclosing a copy of your MA Annual Report, to the Diocesan Office by 31st July 2026.

Digital submissions are welcome, to be returned to diocese.swanbrec@cinw.org.uk.

Alternatively, hard copies can be posted or delivered to the Diocesan Centre.

The Charity Commission Trustee Eligibility Declaration form(s) needs to be completed for new trustees and should be handed to your MA Administrator. These will be required by the Charities Commission.

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