Church Administration
Our Parochial Church Council (PCC – see below) currently has 9 members, all of whom regularly attend Sunday services and are fully involved in supporting the work of the church.
Members are elected annually and meetings are held approximately every four months. We are an inclusive PCC and believe all have a positive contribution to make in the life of our church.
Our current PCC was elected in April 2023.
Churchwardens: Elaine Hawes and Carolyn Glennon
Lay Members of the PCC:
- Chair: Elaine Hawes
- PCC Secretary: Ann Boulter
- PCC Treasurer: Hilary Havard
- Carolyn Glennon
- Alice Jacob
- Geoffrey Lilley
- Hannah Pemberton
- Peter Sampson
- Wendy Sampson
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Curate: Rev Bill Sokolis
Electoral Roll Officer: Elaine Hawes
Parish Safeguarding Officer: Elaine Hawes
Deanery Synod Representatives: Carolyn Glennon, Elaine Hawes
Our Benefice (local group of 7 churches) has 4 Lay Elders, licensed to support the Priest in Charge. Ann, Carolyn, and Elaine are regular members of St Mary’s Church, and one other lay elder, Jill Pascoe (Gt Glemham).
STOW
For many years St Mary’s PCC has elected to send the monetary donations raised during Harvest Festival to STOW. Supporting Tanzanian Orphans and Widows (STOW) is a registered charity founded by a group of people in Suffolk in 2005. Its aim is to relieve the poverty and advance the education of children who have been orphaned by AIDS and also other vulnerable children in Tanzania. It works through Tanzanian charities in Tanga. STOW has also created links between local Suffolk and Tanzanian schools.
Food Bank
Food donations from the Harvest Festival all went to our local food bank at the nearby IP17 Good Neighbours Scheme.
EMMAUS
The money raised at our annual Nine Lessons and Carols evening is given to Emmaus, a charity supporting vulnerable, socially isolated people and those at risk of homeless across the country.
Get In Touch
ASSOCIATE PRIEST
Reverend Bill Sokolis: billsokolis51@gmail.com
BENEFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Mrs Ann Boulter: 01728 831485
CHURCH WARDENS
Carolyn Glennon: 01728 605761
Elaine Hawes: 07796 687252
Location
St Mary's Church is part of the Alde River Benefice and can be found on:
Dead Mans Lane, Benhall, Suffolk IP17 1JL