From Mission Church to District Church
The Vicar and Wardens of All Saints were responsible for St. Thomas' until 1970. Then, with the Church of England adopting Synodical Government, a new Constitution was made. It became a District Church electing its own deputy Churchwardens and its Committee but being responsible to the Annual Parochial Meeting of All Saints, Rhodes.
The Parish magazines at the time track the process of transition. Copies of these may be read at Manchester Central Reference Library (Archive Section) in Peter Square Manchester. For your convenience the relevant extracts are printed below.
The Archive Library Reference: L178/1/20 Box 15
Parish Magazines: February - June 1970
All extracts reproduced by kind permission of Manchester Central Reference Library
Extract from Parish Magazine Feb 1970
ST. THOMAS, BOWLEE
At a General Meeting held on January 4th it was decided to accept a tender from Messrs. N. F. Hawton Ltd. for £236 for the interior redecoration of the Church, Vestries, and porches. Any gifts or efforts towards this will be welcome.
Under the new Synodical Government Measure which comes into effect this year, an alteration can be made in the position of St. Thomas. Hitherto all authority has been in the hands of the Vicar, Wardens and P.C.C. at Rhodes. In fact, however, although one or two Bowlee men have been members of the P.C.C., neither the Wardens nor any other member of the P.C.C. has taken an active part in the proceedings, and members of St. Thomas have made their own decisions under the Vicar’s Chairmanship. But reports have been made to the P.C.C. regularly.
Now St. Thomas can continue as before with an agreed number of their members on the P.C.C., who will be responsible for all the decisions, or else the Annual Parish Meeting can produce a scheme for Bowlee to have its own Committee and Deputy Wardens. This Scheme would have to be registered at the Diocesan Office. The General Meeting at Bowlee on January 4th unanimously decided that the latter method was most suitable. Annually before April 30th at the Annual Parish Meeting in Rhodes, a report together with the audited accounts will have to be produced, but the Parochial Church Council itself will have no jurisdiction.
Extract from Parish Magazine Mar 1970
ST THOMAS, BOWLEE
Thank you for the anonymous donation of the Library Edition of the New English Bible.
The P.C.C. has agreed in principle to St. Thomas’ having its own Deputy Wardens and Church Committee. A scheme will be prepared for presentation at the Parish A.G.M. on April 16th.
It is hoped that the interior decoration will be completed by Easter.
Extract from Parish Magazine Apr 1970
The Vicarage,
11th March, 1970
My dear Friends,
April brings with it our Annual Vestry & General Meeting on Thursday, 16th, at 8 p.m. in School. Please come if it is at all possible, and let us know what you think the Church should be doing, and how badly its officers are doing it (or how well). Those on the Electoral Roll will get a personal invitation, with the agenda and a copy of the accounts. If you are not on our Electoral Roll, please get a form from Church, from myself, or from Mr. Barrett, fill it in, and let Mr. Barrett have it before the day. If by any chance you are not on the Roll, are unable to fill in a form before the date, and would like to come, please do come to the meeting.
To be on the Roll you must be 17, reside in the Parish, and be member of the Church of England. If you do not live in the Parish, you must have at tended Rhodes or Bowlee Church for 6 months.
This Meeting has several important things to do. There wilt be reports on last year’s work from myself, the secretary, and the Treasurer. The Treasurer will point out forcibly what you will be able to see in the accounts, that we have practically nothing left in reserve after paying for the new Boiler. All efforts this year must therefore go towards the cost of the boiler. A Church of our size must always have £2OO— at least in reserve in case the roof blows off, or some other catastrophe happens.
Then the meeting will continue with elections of the Churchwardens, Parochial Church Council, and Sidesmen for the coming year. We must also elect three people (including one from St. Thomas, Bowlee) to represent us on the Deanery Synod. This is important, as members of the Deanery Synod elect the new Diocesan Synod, on which, no Parish has direct representation, and also the General Synod.
Further there is to be a new Scheme for St. Thomas, Bowlee, by some people known popularly as the Mission; in fact it is designated the Mission Church of St. Thomas, Bowlee. All Churches are of course Missions in themselves, but daughter Churches no more than Parish Churches. We therefore propose changing the name to the District Church of St. Thomas, Bowlee, with its own deputy Churchwardens, and officially responsible for looking after itself. According to the deeds, the Rhodes Church- wardens are with the Vicar the persons responsible. For years St. Thomas has looked after itself under the Chairmanship of the Vicar. This will regularize matters. Hitherto reports have been regularly made to the P.C.C. These reports will, if the Scheme is approved be made only annually to the A.G.M. Otherwise in practice there will be no change. All Services other than weddings will take place at Bowlee, but weddings still have to be solomnised at the Parish Church.
(Editor’s italics and colour)
Thursday, April 16th, 8.p.m. is an important date, and I look forward to seeing many there in School.
With every good wish,
Yours sincerely,
ERIC GREENHALGH
Extract from Parish Magazine May 1970
ST. THOMAS, BOWLEE
St. Thomas Church now looks very well after the redecoration. The treasurer reports that he is just a few pounds short to pay the final bill.
The new Scheme whereby St. Thomas be comes a District Church in Rhodes Parish has been approved by the Diocese. If Rhodes Annual Parochial meeting approves the Scheme, a general meeting will be held in May to elect the deputy Churchwardens and put the whole Scheme into effect.
Extract from Parish Magazine Jun 1970
ST. THOMAS, BOWLEE
The new Constitution has now passed all its stages, and at the first Annual Meeting held on April 23rd, Messrs. W. A. Broxton and J. Pye, Snr. were elected Deputy Churchwardens. Mr. J. Pye, Jnr. was elected to the Deanery Synod. Fifteen others were elected to the Committee, and at a Committee Meeting held immediately afterwards Mr. W. A. Broxton was elected vice-Chairman, Mr. J. L. Parkinson, Secretary and Mr. W. G. Witts Treasurer. Delight was expressed at the present appearance of the Church, but the Treasurer pointed out that the decorations were not quite paid for. Accordingly Mrs. Davies, kindly volunteered to hold another Coffee Morning, and June 13th was fixed.
Archive Library Reference: L178/4/1 P.C.C. Minutes 1970-1984
Extract from Parochial Church Council minutes of meeting held on April 16th, 1970
“St Thomas scheme has now been adopted”