Policies

Baptism of an Adult

We provide opportunities during the year, usually in warm weather, for those who come to faith in Jesus Christ to undergo baptism by full immersion, sometimes called a ‘Believers Baptism’.

Baptism of a Child

The Baptism Service (sometimes called ‘Christening’) assumes that one or both of the parents are practising Christians and also already members of a local church.

As evidence of this, and for the service to have any meaning for the church and family, we therefore expect:

One or both parents to be attending Christ Church regularly for at least 6 months before we explore the possibility of baptising their child. This gives them an opportunity to decide whether to become members of our church family so that together we can help their child grow to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

If parents have little or no Christian background, we also expect them to participate in an introductory course exploring the Christian Faith.  This provides an opportunity for parents to understand the meaning of the promises they will be expected to make on behalf of their child.  If you’d like to start an informal conversation regarding this please contact our vicar Simon Vibert.

Baptisms always take place within the normal Sunday morning services so that the Church family can share in the promises made with the parents and Godparents to bring the child up within the Christian faith

Parents and godparents are expected to be able to respond truthfully with the words in bold in the 

Baptism Service liturgy

If you wish, you may download a copy of the Baptism Service (pdf)

Service of Thanksgiving

The Church of England offers an alternative Service of Thanksgiving for parents who do not feel able to make the promises contained in the Baptism service or who do not wish to attend church regularly. The service provides an opportunity to thank God for the birth of the child, give the child a name and pray for the child and family.

This service can take place in the family home or at the Church within or outside of our normal Sunday service times.

If you would like more information on these options please get in touch with our Vicar, Simon Vibert.

Our Baptism Policy was re-endorsed by the Parochial Church Council on 15 April 2014

Holy Communion Policy

An Open Table

Holy Communion is a means of God’s grace and at the Lord's Table we remember Christ’s death for sinners. At Christ Church, we welcome to the Lord’s Table all who trust and love the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour.

Children

We welcome to the Lord’s Table children who trust and love the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour, understand the meaning of the death of Christ and, having the consent of their parents, wish to share in the Communion.

The Invitation

The Bible (1 Cor 11:26-28) and the Church of England (the BCP exhortations) direct that all who want to receive the bread and the wine at Holy Communion must examine their lives. One of the following invitations may be used by the minister before Communion:

Either: “The Scriptures teach that each of us who intend to eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord must examine our lives and repent of our sins. We must come to the Lord’s Table with a penitent heart and firm faith. Above all, we should come giving thanks to God for his love towards us in Christ Jesus.

You who truly and earnestly repent of your sins and are reconciled and at peace with your neighbours and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God and walking in his holy ways, draw near by faith, take this holy sacrament for your encouragement and make your humble confession to Almighty God.”

Or: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” (1 Cor 11:26-28 TNIV)

Any who feel unable to receive the bread and the wine are welcome to come forward and receive a blessing or, if they prefer, to remain in their seats.

Pastoral Care

At Christ Church the responsibility for the pastoral care of the Church family rests with our Vicar, Simon Vibert, but, as we are a large Church, pastoral care is shared with our church community.

The Pastoral Care Team (PCT) includes the Clergy, the Churchwardens, Pastors and trusted individuals.  The latter are appointed by invitation only and are established members of the Church.  Our Pastoral Care Team undergo appropriate safeguarding checks in line with the Diocesan Safeguarding Handbook including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for those working with vulnerable adults.

Pastoral care at Christ Church operates within an explicit policy of corporate confidentiality. Where appropriate, confidential information is shared between those with pastoral care responsibilities. This protects against the possibility of manipulation or exploitation and ensures everyone receives appropriate care.

We are blessed with a number of Pastors who lead our Children’s, Youth, Student,  Adult and Family ministries. They share in the provision of pastoral care under the leadership of the clergy. The Pastoral Care Team meets weekly to review and pray for those in need within the church family. Home Group leaders or others may also be asked to visit church members at home or hospital if it is requested. If any member of the Christ Church family is in need of pastoral care, they should contact Simon Vibert, one of the Pastors or a member of the Pastoral Care Team.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:7-12)

We make use of external support when the need arises. This may include the following agencies:

Domestic Abuse – 01483 776822

Cruse Bereavement Support – 01932 571177

Samaritans – 01932 844444 

Citizens Advice – 01932 842666

In fulfilling their duty of care, the clergy at Christ Church welcomes the Church of England’s Clergy Professional Conduct Guidelines.

Endorsed by the Parochial Church Council: 13th May 2014

ELECTORAL ROLL PRIVACY NOTICE

Who are we?

Christ Church Virginia Water PCC is the data controller (contact details below).  This means it decides how your personal data is processed and for what purposes.

Why do we process your personal data?

We use the personal data you provide on the electoral roll application form to enable us to manage, maintain and publish the electoral role in accordance with Church Representation Rules (CRR) to:

·         determine eligibility for attendance and participation at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting and for election to the Parochial Church Council deanery, diocesan and general synods where applicable;

·         calculate the number of representatives who may be elected to each of these synods in the following year;

·         undertake a review and revision of the electoral roll as necessary; and

·         publish your name and address, by exhibiting the roll in the parish church or the church website.

What is the lawful basis for processing your personal data?

1.     Processing for the purpose of determining eligibility, creating the electoral roll and use of the roll to calculate numbers for election to synod is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation.  The processing is a statutory requirement imposed by the Church Representation Rules, which means that you must give us this information if you want to be included on the electoral roll.

2.     Processing for the purpose of determining eligibility and creating or revising the electoral roll is carried out in the course of our legitimate activities, as this relates solely to members the Church of England in connection with its purposes.

3.     Processing for the purpose of publishing the electoral roll relates to personal data which are manifestly made public by the data subject.  When you apply to have your name added to the church electoral roll, the automatic legal consequence as stated in the CRR, (Part I Formation of the Roll 1(8) and Revision of Roll and Preparation of New Roll 2(1), 2(3) and 2(7)) is that your name and address will be published, and by submitting your application form you are making that data public.

Sharing your personal data

Your personal data will be shared within the institutional Church of England and with the general public.

How long do we keep your personal data?

We keep your personal data for 6 years after a complete review of the electoral roll.

Your rights and your personal data 

Unless subject to an exemption you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:

·         The right to request a copy of your personal data which we hold about you;

·         The right to request that we correct any personal data if it is found to be inaccurate or out of date;

·         The right to request your personal data be erased where it is no longer necessary for us to retain such data;

·         The right, where there is a dispute in relation to the accuracy or processing of your personal data, to request that a restriction is placed on further processing;

·         The right to object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing and to have that processing stopped;

·         The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office.

Contact Details

If you would like to discuss this further please contact Annette Ross, Operations Manager, Christ Church, Virginia Water, GU25 4PT email: office@cc-vw.org or telephone 01344 844946.

You can contact the Information Commissioners Office see their website for details https://ico.org.uk/

On 7 January 2014, the Church Council of Christ Church Virginia Water adopted the Domestic Abuse Charter agreed by the Guildford Diocesan Synod on 9 November 2013. We therefore:

Accept that domestic abuse is a serious problem which occurs in all sections of society including church families

Recognise that domestic abuse can be the physical, sexual, psychological, spiritual, emotional, social or financial abuse of a person within an intimate or family-type relationship and that forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour

Recognise that domestic abuse in all its forms is unacceptable and irreconcilable with the Christian faith and a Christian way of living

Undertake to listen, support and care for those affected by domestic abuse

Will keep up to date, embrace training and work with domestic abuse support agencies, publicising their work

Will teach, model and encourage what it means to be in good, respectful, safe and nurturing relationships

Local Assistance Contact Details

Your Sanctuary (Woking, Runnymede & Surrey Heath) – 24 hour, Surrey wide.  01483 776822

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Privacy Notice

DATA PRIVACY NOTICE

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of Christ Church, Virginia Water

1. Your personal data – what is it?

Personal data relates to a living individual who can be identified from that data.  Identification can be by the information alone or in conjunction with any other information in the data controller’s possession or likely to come into such possession. The processing of personal data is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”).

2. Who are we?

The PCC of Christ Church, Virginia Water is the data controller (contact details below).  This means it decides how your personal data is processed and for what purposes.

3. How do we process your personal data?

The PCC of Christ Church, Virginia Water complies with its obligations under the “GDPR” by keeping personal data up to date; by storing and destroying it securely; by not collecting or retaining excessive amounts of data; by protecting personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access and disclosure and by ensuring that appropriate technical measures are in place to protect personal data.

We use your personal data for the following purposes: –

·               To enable us to provide a voluntary service for the benefit of the public in a particular geographical area as specified in our constitution;

·               To administer membership records;

·               To fundraise and promote the interests of the charity;

·               To manage our employees, third party contractors and volunteers;

·               To maintain our own accounts and records (including the processing of gift aid applications);

·               To inform you of news, events, activities and services running at Christ Church, Virginia Water.

4. What is the legal basis for processing your personal data?

·       Most of our data is processed because it is necessary for our Legitimate Interests to enable our charitable and missional aims.  For example, maintaining

membership records, contact information and operating team rotas for the effective function of Sunday services.

·       We use Explicit Consent to keep you informed about news, events, activities and services and keep you informed about diocesan events via e-news.

·       Legal Obligations in relation to Gift Aid or employment, social security or social protection law, or a collective agreement;

Religious organisations are also permitted to process information about your religious beliefs to administer membership or contact details.

Where your information is used other than in accordance with one of these legal bases, we will first obtain your consent to that use.

5. Sharing your personal data

Your personal data will be treated as strictly confidential and will only be shared with other members of the church in order to carry out a service to other church members or for purposes connected with the church. We will only share your data with third parties outside of the parish with your consent.

6. How long do we keep your personal data?

We keep data in accordance with the guidance set out in the guide “Keep or Bin: Care of Your Parish Records” which is available from the Church of England website [see footnote ].

Specifically, we retain electoral roll data while it is still current; gift aid declarations and associated paperwork for up to 6 years after the calendar year to which they relate; and parish registers (baptisms, marriages, funerals) permanently.

7. Your rights and your personal data 

Unless subject to an exemption under the GDPR, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data: –

·       The right to request a copy of your personal data which the PCC of Christ Church, Virginia Water holds about you;

·       The right to request that the PCC of Christ Church, Virginia Water corrects any personal data if it is found to be inaccurate or out of date;

·       The right to request your personal data is erased where it is no longer necessary for the PCC of Christ Church, Virginia Water to retain such data;

·       The right to withdraw your consent to the processing at any time

·       The right to request that the data controller provide the data subject with his/her personal data and where possible, to transmit that data directly to

another data controller, (known as the right to data portability);

·       The right, where there is a dispute in relation to the accuracy or processing of your personal data, to request a restriction is placed on further processing;

·       The right to object to the processing of personal data, (where applicable) [Only applies where processing is based on legitimate interests (or the performance of a

         task in the public interest/exercise of official authority); direct marketing and processing for the purposes of scientific/historical research and statistics]

·       The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office.

8. Further processing

If we wish to use your personal data for a new purpose, not covered by this Data Protection Notice, then we will provide you with a new notice explaining this new use prior to commencing the processing and setting out the relevant purposes and processing conditions. Where and whenever necessary, we will seek your prior consent to the new processing.

9. Contact Details

To exercise all relevant rights, queries or complaints please in the first instance contact the Operations Manager, at office@cc-vw.org

Information Commissioners Office 0303 123 1113; email https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/email Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire. SK9 5AF.

Keep, Care or Bin:

https://www.churchofengland.org/more/libraries-and-archives/records-management-guides