January is in full swing, and once again the AGM packs are disappearing like hot cakes. Yes, it's time for the Annual Parish Meeting.

Here at Church House Bookshop, the new year typically brings us a number of nervous parishioners, wondering quite what it is they have volunteered for. But there's no need to be afraid. Whether you're treasurer, churchwarden, or an ex officio member of the PCC there are plenty of publications devised to help you learn the ropes, quickly and easily.

2007 is also a year for updating the electoral roll, for which you will need the SG1 forms, available here.

If you feel you don't quite understand the whole PCC business, the Church Representation Rules offer a good place to start. Updated regularly, these rules govern the structure of the church council.

From here you will quickly learn that the PCC have three basic provinces to take care of: the church finances, the church building (including its contents), and the church yard. To know what this means in practice, who better to turn to than James Behrens?

Practical Church Management is a comprehensive volume dealing with everything from the organist's contract to liturgical copyright, charitable trusts to gift aid, risk analysis to press relations. It is structured in logical chapters, thoroughly indexed and includes contact details for various trusts.

Our next recommendation is another recent publication though with a narrower focus: Churchwardens: A Survival Guide. Beginning with a very helpful introduction to the Church of England and its structures, Dudley and Rounding look at what a Churchwarden is and why.

The particular strength of this Guide is in its provision of examples, potential scenarios and how to deal with them concretely. It will help you think through the different tasks, their implications and their importance. So instead of just providing rules (which it does) it will help you figure out to do when there are few rules for guidance.

First published in 1921, MacMorran's Handbook is the veteran version. Last revised in 2006, it provides both an introduction to the offices and, crucially, the text of the actual legislation PCC members are likely to consult on a regular basis. These legislative passages are clearly demarcated by a grey strip in the margin.

The current edition also includes flowcharts to clarify some of the less straightforward processes.

For those who prefer to learn the whole business in an hour and then get on with it, Ian Russell summarises the Churchwarden's tasks in just 55 pages!

Perhaps best described as a good overview, this is a wise read for anyone thinking about taking on the role of churchwarden. The different duties are carefully explained, and there is a reliable booklist at the end, (recommending both Macmorran's Handbook and the Church Representation Rules as supporting publications, naturally).

Few would envy those responsible for keeping track of church finances. But there are some valuable tools available. The most essential -and indeed invaluable- publication is this green A4 booklet: The Charities Act 1993 and the PCC. Here in one volume you have clear guidance on the presentation of the accounts and the annual report.

Spelling out the legal requirements, the options available and the monies to be accounted for, the book concludes with practical examples of balance sheets and financial statements. For churches with an annual income under £100,000, there is a shorter version that deals with preparing accounts on a Receipts and Payments basis - available here.

A photocopiable template for the balance sheet is available free on request.

Now alongside all of the above, there are a few other essentials appropriate to the different duties of the PCC. You will find links to the following books at the base of the page.

A good addition to the books already mentioned, The Churchwarden's Year offers a helpful calendar-based guide to the different duties which need to be attended to. Examples include everything from stowing away the Christmas decorations to making sure the gutters are cleaned. Short and down-to-earth, this one book should make sure you never miss anything vital.

An ABC for the PCC is helpfully alphabetised so you can find what you're looking for without ploughing through a lengthy index. The book explains the ins and outs of interregnums and electoral rolls in plain comprehensible language.

For more specific care and maintenance issues - how to look after stained glass and church fabrics, where to find funding for building repairs and so forth- the Council for the Care of Churches produce a range of guides, all featured in the Heritage category of Church House Publishing's catalogue (use our Enquiries option to request a hard copy).

The following list includes the most broadly used of these CCC publications, together with legal documents and other necessaries. More information about each book can be found by clicking on the product title in the bottom listing.

• Annual Meeting pack - SGA: This essential pack includes all the necessary paperwork to organise your annual meeting.
• Electoral Roll application form - SG1: As you may well know and will soon discover, the electoral roll is key to Parish decision-making.
• The Church Property Register (also known as the Terrier & Inventory): This loose-leaf publication sets out the format for recording each church's different possessions. It is available with or without an A4 ring-binder.
• The Church Log Book: A complement to the Property Register. Other registers (services, marriages &c. can be found in the Church administration category of our catalogue).
• Fundraising for your church building: Another CCC publication, this regularly revised guide provides advice on different methods and contact details for various trusts and associations.
• The Canons of the Church of England (6th Edition): Useful for those involved in planning liturgy, the Canons set out the regulations governing the use of Common Worship and other liturgy within the Church of England.
• So the Vicar's leaving: This is one you'll be hoping you don't need, but it's the best guide on the subject so keep it on your backlist!

If planning services it is also useful for churchwardens to have their own copies of:

• Common Worship (Standard edition)
• The Book of Common Prayer
• The Lectionary for the appropriate year (check which version your priest uses)
• The diocesan directory (you need to contact your diocese directly for this).

NB: The Guide to Church Inspection and Repair is currently out of print, pending revisions. For more information contact the Council for the Care of Churches: enquiries@ccc.c-of-e.org.uk