Pip n Jay is a large group of people, with a lot of activity going on, and responsibilities which involve a substantial team for leadership. Here's a rough guide to make it easier to find the people you might want to reach.

Canon Malcolm Widdecombe (also known as "Wid") retired as vicar of Pip n Jay on May 31st. The church's parent organisation, the diocese, is going through a "vacancy" consultation period with the church to decide what happens next with Pip n Jay's leadership. This is expected to take several months, and we will be posting news updates on this site during the process.

Meanwhile, the churchwardens (Bruce McKay and Simon Thorne) become trustees of the church's income and property. They have asked the team of Licensed Lay Ministers (LLMs) to organise worship services. Practical leadership of the church remains with the team which has been organising church activity for quite some time now.

Church administrator Rose Taylor is most people's first contact for practical questions about organising things at Pip n Jay. She will know who to contact about anything you want to ask. You can contact her here, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 0117 929 3386.

Leadership structure

The leaders of the church's functional sections are:

You can find out more about their work under the links from our Pip n Jay People / "Church Structure" menu

Elected officials

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the legal right and duty to govern the financial affairs of the church. It is responsible for the care and maintenance of the church building and its goods and ornaments. It is expected to co-operate with the vicar in promoting the whole mission of the church. It is elected by the church membership at the church's Annual General Meeting.

The PCC currently includes:

• the churchwardens (Bruce McKay and Simon Thorne) - they look after practical matters with the church building
• Diocesan Synod representatives (Alan Reader and David Shepherd) - our nominated representative with the Bristol diocese of the Church of England
• Deanery Synod representatives (John Goodgame (also PCC chairman), Sally Macpherson, Bruce McKay and Wendy Watson) - our representatives with our Church of England deanery, a smaller area within the diocese
• the treasurer (Mark Butt) - looks after church finances
• and others elected to the PCC - for 2009-10 this is Adrian Bright, Rob Hook, John Houghton, Martin Joinson, Jill Kells, Bill Knox, Bern Leckie, Andrew Macpherson, Sheila McKay (PCC deputy chairman), Ruth Richardson, Greg Sharples and Duncan Wakelin (PCC Secretary).

The PCC meets around eight times each year as a whole group, and it can create various committees to look after business between meetings. These include

• The Standing Committee - a legal requirement for Church of England churches, these are the people with the power to conduct church business at any time. For 2009-10, this is Bruce McKay, Simon Thorne, John Goodgame, Mark Butt and Ruth Richardson. (Now you know who to go to when you need something done in a hurry...)
• The Building Committee - the churchwardens plus others with relevant skills. They plan and advise on matters to do with the fabric of the church - the car park, the walls, the roof, the pews, etc...
• The Finance Committee - the treasurer, deputies and various others whose job is to advise the treasurer
• The Missions Committee - various people appointed by the PCC to advise on the support (but not selection) of missionaries across the world. Pip n Jay gives away a large fraction of its income to support mission, so this is a really important part of our church.

How you can join in

If you are a regular at Pip n Jay, you should join the electoral roll - the official list of people with a vote, and therefore a direct influence on how the church is run. You can also get in touch with any of the people named here to find out more - maybe they can help you, maybe you can help them? You will find an easy way to contact most of them at our Quick Contacts page.