We had one once in August or early September - everyone was away - so the two of us there passed the minutes as correct, agreed that the financial report was in order (both hon.sec. and hon.treas. absent visiting their daughter, but had efficiently sent papers before they left), dcided that everything was on course for the harvest supper, and had a cup of tea.

Whether it was legal or quorate is another matter, but (excluding the tea) I think it was seven minutes.

Oh that doesn't count as a full Vestry meeting! Good try though.

Hush, Ruth. I can't afford to have my vestry seeing your post when mine went on for ever last night! Though we did talk about forming a subcommittee that would ultimately shorten the meetings for everyone else.

The hour meeting was my (foolishly) stated aim when I began. So far, I've never managed less than an hour and a half, and I fear it has too often been longer.

How did you manage?

Our Vestry meetings are usually between 30 minutes and an hour, occasionally even shorter. They haven't always been though, when we had evening meetings it was a lot harder controlling the time, now we have them after the service on Sundays, and people tend to be more inclined to stick to the subject, make decisions and not ramble. It does sometimes mean we need to have an additional evening meeting if there is a lot of business of a particular thing to be discussed, but that means once or twice a year rather than every month!

Vestry meetings take 45 minutes precisely. When I became churchwarden I said that this would be my limit for these meetings and after I walked out of the first few precisely upon 45 minutes everyone else got used to the idea. Full PCC are now limited to 2 hours every other month!

I wish that during my time on our vestry I could have beaten your record but alas it was never so....

Rev,
This was in deed a record cos mine usually starts late due to lack of full attendance and once it takes off it hardly stops.
May God Almighty help us.