Diocesan Advisory Committee celebrates 100 years!

The celebration of the centenary of the founding of Gloucester DAC took place on 21 February – one hundred years to the day after the first ever meeting of the DAC in this diocese.

The DAC is a group which advises parishes on all sorts of schemes, large and small, which affect their church buildings and churchyards. Though most dioceses have such a committee, our DAC was one of the first of its type in the country, and originally founded to deal with a large number of proposals for war memorials in the aftermath of the Great War. To mark the occasion of the centenary, DAC members and advisers, both current and those who served the committee over the years enjoyed a celebratory lunch together.

Bishop Rachel, who could not be with us recorded the video message below for those who attended:

 

The DAC Secretary Adam Klups said, “We are proud to say that in the 101st year since the founding of the Gloucester DAC, we have one of the best and strongest Diocesan Advisory Committee memberships in the country. Our members and advisers represent a wide range of specialisms relevant to church buildings and churchyards. They all volunteer their time and expertise to help parishes plan and manage their church building projects. Gloucester DAC is stepping into the next hundred years with plenty of energy and enthusiasm.”

We had speeches by the Chancellor of the Diocese June Rodgers, outgoing Chairman Henry Russell and Senior Church Buildings Officer Natalie Fenner, focusing on the past and present work of the Committee, as well as plans for the future. The former and current DAC secretaries Jonathan MacKechnie-Jarvis and Adam Klups prepared a quiz to test our guests’ knowledge of the church buildings in the diocese in a fun atmosphere. The day was also special as the DAC said goodbye to its chairman of 14 years, Henry Russell. The new chair, David Ball formally took over the responsibility for the Committee.

Read more about the work of the DAC here →