05 May 2025

 

Notice

Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011

Draft Pastoral Scheme

 

The Guildford Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee has prepared a draft Pastoral Scheme  for

 

(i) the dissolution of the benefice and parish of Ewhurst with Okewood and Forest Green;

(ii) the creation of a new benefice and parish of Ewhurst and Ellens Green, for the parish church of the new parish, for the parsonage house of the benefice of Ewhurst with Okewood and Forest Green to be the parsonage house of the new benefice and for the future patronage arrangements for the new benefice;

(iii) the creation of a new benefice and parish of Okewood and Forest Green, for the parish church of the new parish and for the future patronage arrangements for the new benefice

in the diocese of Guildford.

 

• The draft Scheme is on the Commissioners’ website www.churchofengland.org/consultation or you may obtain a copy from me. Large print and/or audio copies are available on request.

 

• Anyone may make representations for or against all or any part of the draft Scheme (please include the reasons for your views) by post or, preferably, by email to reach the Commissioners no later than midnight on Tuesday the 27th May 2025. Please send your representation to (e-mail: rex.andrew@churchofengland.org) or letter marked for the attention of Rex Andrew, Pastoral Division, Church Commissioners, Church House, Great Smith Street, LONDON SW1P 3AZ.

 

• If they have not acknowledged receipt of your representation before this date, please ring 0207 898 1743 or e-mail them to ensure it has been received. For administrative purposes, a petition will be classed as a single representation and the Commissioners will only correspond with the sender of the petition, if known, or otherwise the first signatory for whom they can identify an address – “the primary petitioner”.

 

• · When making a representation, please indicate the nature of your interest in the proposals (e.g. parishioner, member of parochial church council, etc) and whether you would like an opportunity to speak to their Committee regarding your representation if the Commissioners decide a hearing should be held regarding the case. Please ensure you provide contact information so that they can be in touch with you regarding later stages of the process.

 

• · If they receive representations against the draft Scheme, they will send them, and any representations supporting the draft Scheme, to the Bishop whose views will be sought. Individual representors and the primary petitioner will then receive copies of the correspondence with the Bishop (including copies of all the representations) and will be told whether a hearing is to be held. They and individual petitioners may comment further to the Commissioners. Copies of all of the representations received and associated correspondence will normally be published on the Commissioners’ website if the matter needs to be considered by them.

 

• If a hearing is held, anyone may attend the meeting of the Commissioners that considers the case and representors may have an opportunity to speak to their Committee. Otherwise, if a hearing is not to be held, the case will be considered in private and you will be informed accordingly.

 

• When they acknowledge representations the Commissioners will let individual representors (and the primary petitioner) know the next few dates of their Committee’s meetings. They will confirm the actual date if a hearing is to be held nearer the time.

 

• The Commissioners’ will decide if the draft Scheme should proceed when they consider all the representations on the basis of a paper prepared by the Commissioners’ staff and any points raised at the meeting.

 

• The Commissioners will notify all representors of their decision and give a statement of the reasons for it.

 

• Please see the Commissioners’ website www.churchofengland.org/consultation for further information about the procedure.

 

 

Wendy Harris

Secretary

Guildford Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee