Description
This article explains what a faculty is and when it’s needed. It outlines the steps parishes must take to get approval for changes to church buildings, their interiors, or immediate surroundings.
Overview
The bishop is responsible for making sure that church buildings, furniture, fittings, and ornaments are suitable for Anglican worship.
Maintenance works do not require a faculty, nor the rearrangement of free-standing furniture and fittings inside the church. But when change involves adding or removing furniture, fittings or decorativefeatures inside a church, or altering the look or amenity of the church surroundings, you should seek approval for the proposed works.
What is faculty?
A faculty is the official permission granted to alter a church building, its contents, or its surroundings.
The parish leadership should consult their archdeacon if they’re considering changes inside or in thevicinity of the church. Archdeacons will be able to advise on what level of consultation and church approvals are needed.
In all cases, local and state heritage regulations must be factored into projects and identified during the application process.
Steps to apply for a faculty
The following shows the faculty application procedures:
• Vestry resolution
The parish vestry must pass a resolution supporting the proposal.
• Complete the faculty application form
Include supporting documents
- The form must be signed by the incumbent and a warden
- Address how the project aligns with your Parish Mission Action Plan
• Public notice and display
- Display the proposal in the church for at least two weeks, including two Sundays
- Announce the proposal verbally and in writing on two Sundays
- Include the display period in the application
• Detailed documentation
- Include drawings, colours, materials, and finishes
- Include the full text of any plaques or memorials
• Collect and forward any objections
- Any written concerns should be sent to the archdeacon and parish office
• Archdeacon review
- The archdeacon signs the form and may provide extra recommendations
- They will also review how the proposal relates to the Parish Mission Action Plan
• For large projects or special funds
- If the project costs more than $15,000
- Or if using a restricted AFSA Endowment Fund
- Additional approval is needed from the Property, Finance and Resource Committee
- Request this once the Archdeacon supports the proposal
• Registrar submission
- The application goes to the registrar, who checks its completeness
- The Registrar may request more information
• Archbishop decision
- The Registrar submits the completed application to the archbishop
- If approved, the archbishop issues a faculty under seal
• Record keeping
- The parish must keep the faculty document in its official records
Information from the Parochial Administration Ordinance
The following extract from the Parochial Administration Ordinance is relevant:
83 Buildings, Fittings, Furniture and Ornaments
- (a) No building shall be erected or placed on the Parish Trust Property, and (b) no building erected on the Parish Trust Property shall be altered, added to, demolished or removed from Parish TrustProperty, without the consent of the Parish Council, the Parish Priest and the Bishop being in each instance obtained.
- (a) No fittings, furniture, or ornaments shall be installed, placed in or removed from any building licensed for worship erected on Parish Trust Property, and (b) no such fittings, furniture or ornamentsshall be altered or added to without the consent of the Vestry of the congregation concerned, the ParishPriest and the Bishop being in each instance
- Any erection, placement, installation, alteration, addition, demolition or removal contrary to theprovisions of this section shall forthwith be demolished, removed, restored, rebuilt, replaced or made good as the case may be by the Parish Council or Vestry as the
case may be upon the Bishop requiring the same to be done and in accordance with any directions or modifications which the Bishop may direct.
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