The image reminds us of some of those in past years who have supported and helped to manage St Edmund & St George Church and Hethe Parish. The memorial is for Isobel (Margaret) and Raymond Allen who lived in what was then “Caberfeidh” and is now the Old Stone House. There is a seat in the churchyard donated in memory of Robert Morton Saner who lived in Hethe Cottage (originally Hospital Farmhouse). Robert received an MBE in the 1942 Honours for his service in the Indian Civil Service as Under-Secretary to the Government of India in the Defence Department. He later received an OBE followed by a CBE in the 1962 Honours for his service as Counsellor for Her Majesty's Embassy, Buenos Aires.

At the time that Mr and Mrs Allen and Mr Morton Saner were members of the PCC there were a total of 13 members. Meetings were often held in member’s houses - the meeting of 3rd February 1987 was held in Hethe Cottage.

Do you know that Parochial Church Councils (PCCs), originally known as the Vestry, are the oldest form of local governance? They evolved from Anglo Saxon meetings of selected local people who would administer the law in their parish - both civil and ecclesiastical. They later took responsibility for supporting the poorest local people. In the early 19th Century, it is said that they “spent not far short of one-fifth of the budget of the national government itself”! If only that were true for today’s PCCs!

According to Wikipedia the vestry committee were responsible for “the maintenance of the church and its services, the keeping of the peace, the repression of vagrancy, the relief of destitution, the mending of roads, the suppression of nuisances, the destruction of vermin, the furnishing of soldiers and sailors, even to some extent the enforcement of religious and moral discipline”.

PCCs are now recognised as charities responsible for supporting the local clergy in the running and management of the ecclesiastical parish. Civil responsibilities are shared by the District and Parish Councils.

Our current PCC is chaired by the Revd Alice, Flora is the Church Warden, Helen Pritchard the Deanery Synod Representative, Mike the Secretary and Treasurer. There are three other members - Pauline O’Gorman, Helen Wood and June Nisbet. Six short of the membership in 1987!

The roles of PCC church warden, secretary and treasurer are vital for the successful running of our church and parish and, following over a year of unprecedented disruption, there are opportunities to serve as a second churchwarden or take over as secretary or treasurer.

Please let one of the PCC members know if you are interested in becoming a PCC member and/or taking on any of these roles.