Archdeacons' Annual (Deanery) Visitations

Every year parishioners elect Churchwardens to represent them and to work with their parish priest in enabling Christian mission and ministry in their parish.

In June 2025, there will be seven visitations, split between each archdeaconry.  Wardens will be sworn in by the Archdeacons as officers of the Diocesan Bishop.  Details are below.

If you cannot attend a visitation, then please let the Archdeacon's PA know.  It is important that you are sworn in by 31 August otherwise your election will not be legally confirmed. It is a requirement that wardens be sworn in by an Archdeacon unless there are exceptional circumstances. 

This year there is more flexibility and wardens could visit another Deanery Visitation  - again let the Archdeacon's PA know.  If that is not possible then please contact your Archdeacon's office so that he can make an arrangement for alternative provision.

If you have never attended a Visitation and are interested to see what happens at one, here is a livestream recording of the service at Christ Church Thornton in 2025 for Blackpool, Kirkham and Poulton Deaneries and led by Archdeacon David. 

Churchwardens' Briefings

We will be holding two free training sessions on Zoom for church wardens in July. They will include the following guest speakers:

Archdeacon – Welcome to the role of church warden

Ecclesiastical – Insurance matters

Diocesan Renewal Team – Parish Renewal

Chrissie Oakley – Statistics and Mission

Monday 14^th July 7.30pm

Wednesday 30^th July 7.30pm

Please contact Kelly Quinn or Jude Causer to book your place and receive the Zoom link.

Archdeacons' Charity 

This year, we will be supporting two charities - Christians Against Poverty and Olive Branch Food Bank.

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) partners with churches across the North West, including several within our own Blackburn Diocese in areas like Burnley, Clitheroe, Blackpool, Chorley, and Leyland. In our work together, we bring hope and practical support to those struggling with poverty. Poverty is more than just financial hardship; it robs people of dignity, hope, and opportunity, often leading to isolation and despair. Through dedicated staff and local church partnerships, CAP offers life-changing freedom and hope, helping people break free from debt and poverty and restoring their God-given value.

QR codes will be available at each visitation or you can donate directly through their page capuk.org/blackburn

Olive Branch Food Bank - .

The Olive Branch Foodbank based in Lancaster, provides a food bank and support service, for people suffering distress caused by factors such as addiction, homelessness, debt, job loss, broken relationships, poor health, or seeking asylum.

The drop-in centre is a space for guests to come and have a chat and a drink with one of the volunteers, who will listen compassionately, sign-post to further support services if appropriate, and offer to pray with guests, should they wish.

QR codes will be available at each visitation or you can donate directly through their page The Olive Branch

Churchwardens' Yearbook 2026  is now available to order- order form in word here Churchwardens Yearbook 2026.  The yearbook contains a useful outline of churchwardens’ duties; recommended reading matter and websites; helpful organistions and sources of finance; contact details for key personnel in all Anglican dioceses in England, Wales and Europe; religious festivals of other faiths; Parochial Fees tables.  The diary section is detailed and guide to readings and all manner of information.   Copies of the 2025 yearbook are available at a reduced price (£10.95) which may be useful for new wardens, as it will see you through to the remainder of this year.

The rest of this page contains all the paperwork relating to election of Churchwardens and other paperwork required to be legally compliant in the run up to the election of Churchwardens.  Please be aware that there are new Church Representation Rules effective from 2025 which impact on how PCCs and APCMs are organised, as well as the instruments.   

 VISITATIONS 2025

The Archdeacons are writing to all parishes with details relating to the year end and visitations for 2025.  The APCM has to be held by the 31 May, rather than April, in line with the Church Representation Rules 2025.    It is recommended that APCMs should be held after 17 May and before 31st May, ie  as late as possible. The wardens need to be admitted by 31 August if they do not attend a visitation. If they are not admitted into office by this date, they will not legally be warden of their parish.

Details of the dates and venues of the Visitations for 2025 are above.  The invitations to services this year are for churchwardens and incumbents as has become the custom.   

If you cannot attend your deanery visitation and wish to attend another, please advise your Archdeacon's PA.   If you cannot under exceptional circumstances attend at all, then again let us know so that the Archdeacon can make arrangements for you to be sworn in before 31st August.  

Note that existing wardens' term of office continues until the new warden has been sworn in at the Visititation (Canon E1 and Churchwardens Measure  2001 61b).  For the purposes of updating the website, where we know a warden is standing down, the date they finish is 31 August.  The intention is to update this on our database as soon as possible after the date of the Visitation when we know who has been admitted to office.

If you have any questions regarding the admission of wardens, please contact Kelly.quinn@blackburn.anglican.org in the first instance. 

The Notice for the Church door or noticeboard is the official Invitation from the Archdeacon to Churchwardens to attend a Visitation Service. The notice should be displayed from the first Sunday after receiving the full documentation directly from the Archdeacon until the date of the Visitation. For the notice to display in your church, please click on the deanery link above

Election of a Churchwarden

All forms relating to the election of churchwardens can be found on the Parish Resources Website.

This site also contains the forms for the election of PCC members, Deanery Synod members and administration of the electoral roll. 

Nomination as a Churchwarden

The Nomination Form for Churchwarden should be made available for anyone on the church electoral roll to nominate someone as Churchwarden. The Archdeacons do not need to see the the completed form(s); please do not send them in!  You should note that there are strict criteria regarding becoming a warden which are detailed on the nomination form.

After election as a Churchwarden - Declaration forms 

After election at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM), the PCC secretary should advise Kelly Quinn (Blackburn) or Jude Causer (Lancaster) of the names and emails of any new wardens.  The  Churchwarden's declaration will be completed at the Visitation and handed to the area dean. We are trying to reduce the amount of printing and paper we use in line with our Environmental Policy.  After the Visitation, church wardens will be sent an electronic link which enables them to check that their details held on our database are correct and enable then to amend them as necessary, including their GDPR preferences.  Details will sent to you in due course.  Alternatively, please complete this Churchwardens Declaration

and email it back to the office.   Please do not bring printed declarations to the Visitation. Please note that as a warden is a public office, at least one contact detail should be public, whether mobile, landline or email address.

Further support and information can be found on the Parish Resources website

Electoral Roll 

The Electoral Roll was revised in 2019.  The link to information is here.

Articles of Enquiry 

The Articles of Enquiry are now completed via the Parish Returns Online - in the same way as you would complete other returns.  There are no Articles of Enquiry this year.