The Archdeacons are looking forward to meeting clergy, wardens and sidespeople at this year’s visitation services.
Downloads
• A list of the Visitation Services
• A Certificate of Election Please print this off and have your churchwardens complete this form after the Annual Meeting of Parishioners. Those churches where more than two wardens are elected (eg a team parish) should print off and complete additional forms for all their wardens.
Please note that there are no Archdeacons’ Articles of Enquiry this year.
The completed form(s) should be returned at the visitation service by the Churchwardens.
Attendance by all elected Churchwardens at a Visitation:
In recent years, we have noticed that some wardens have not attended any of the visitation services. It is most important that wardens attend one of the services to be admitted to office.
At the visitation services the archdeacons welcome, encourage, prepare the churchwardens for the coming year and highlight developments of particular relevance. The services are significant events in the life of the diocese and important occasions when churchwardens dedicate themselves to the service of Christ and his church at the beginning of their term of office, in the company of others who are taking on the same responsibility. It is disappointing when a churchwarden does not attend a visitation service, unless there is a very good reason.
Any warden that does not attend a visitation service will not legally be admitted as a churchwarden unless special arrangements are made with the Archdeacons’ PAs. They can be reached on respectively:
Laura Howard 01928 643435 laura.howard@chester.anglican.org (for the Chester Archdeaconry)
Deb Toole 01928 643420 deb.toole@chester.anglican.org (for the Macclesfield Archdeaconry)
Any such special arrangements will need to be completed by 31 August.
If special arrangements are needed this adds significantly to the DBF costs and is an additional task for our busy Rural Deans. So please make every effort to attend a visitation service. There are eight visitation services across the diocese, and it should be possible for a warden to find one which is convenient.
Remember, it is possible to attend a service outside the warden’s area but they must contact Laura or Deb in advance:
The Archdeacons will be available after the service and will be very happy to speak with any wardens (especially those who are taking on the responsibility for the first time). If wardens have issues they wish to discuss, the Archdeacons will always be happy to come and see them - appointments can be arranged with Laura or Deb.
Retiring Collection
Our retiring collection this year will be for the Dioceses of Aru and Boga, our link dioceses in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Aru and Boga are our diocesan partners in the gospel (along with the province of Melanesia). The north-east of the DRC is a conflict zone, so the needs of the dioceses are great. Through our giving we can support the Bishops and the Anglican church in their mission within their dioceses. They have given their support to the Diocese of Chester through recent visits of the Bishops.
Important Information about parking at the Archdeacon's Visitation Service on Monday 2 June 2025
Archdeacon’s visitation service Monday 2nd June 2025
Deaneries of Macclesfield and Cheadle. (People from other deaneries may also come to this event).
The postcode for St Michael and All Angels Church is SK10 1DY. The postcode we have previously published is SK10 1HW which will take you to the church office, please use the former.
We have also recently been advised that Cheshire East council will soon implement evening and weekend parking charges. There are a very small number of spaces for blue badge parking at the church. St Michael’s will have a parking attendant outside the church to direct anyone who may need help. The nearest car parks to the church are:
Whalley Hayes – 1-2hrs = £1.10, 2-3 hours £1.60
Churchill Way, Sunderland Street – 2-3hrs = £2.60
Macclesfield Town Hall (next door to St Mikes) – only parking up to 2 hours = £2.00 – so not really an option.
We are advised via the Cheshire East website that Duke Street carpark (SK11 6UR) will still have free parking. This is an approximately 8 minute walk from St Michael’s.
This is the link to the council website for parking information:
https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/car-parks-and-parking/car-parks/car_parks_in_macclesfield.aspx