Parochial Church Council
Annual Report of PCC Business
2017-2018
Adopted by the Parochial Church Council Standing Committee and signed on behalf of the PCC.
…………………………………..
Rev John Rainer
Incumbent
Date: ……………………………
Section 1:Governance and Management
Parochial Church Council
Parish Church of St Peter’s Shipley
Moorhead Lane
Shipley
BD18 4JH
Parochial Church Council Members 2017-2018
Ex officio Members:The Parish Priest and any ordained minister or deacon or layworker licensed to the Parish
Revd John Rainer / Incumbent
Rev Julie Bacon / Curate / To October 2017
Mr Angus McNabMiss Rachel McGirr / Local Outreach Co-ordinatorYouth & Children’s Worker / From January 2018
Miss Laura WoodMr Angus McNab / Youth and Children’s WorkerLocal Outreach Co-ordinator / To June 2017
Miss Rachel McGirrMiss Laura Wood / Youth and Children’s WorkerYouth and Children’s Worker / From January 2018To June 2017
Rev Julie Bacon / Curate / To October 2017
The Churchwardens
Mr Keith Brown
Mrs Andrea Peace
Members of the Electoral Roll who are members of higher synods:
Mrs Zahida Mallard / General Synod, Diocesan Synod & Aire & Worth Deanery Synod
Mr Michael Moss / Diocesan Synod & Aire & Worth Deanery Synod
PCC Treasurer / Term expires April 20
Mr Stuart Hargreaves / Airedale Deanery Synod / Term expires April 20
Mrs Yvonne Streatfield / Airedale Deanery Synod / Term expires April 20
Elected Lay Representatives:
Ms Lisa Adams / Term expires April 19
Mrs Mary Bavington / Term expires April 19
Mrs Jo Baxter / Disability Officer PCC Secretary / Term expires April 18
Mrs Viv Brealey / Term expires April 18
Mr Mark Davies / Gift Aid Secretary / Term expires April 19
Mr Martin Fawley / Term expires April 19
Miss Joyce Greaves / Term expires April 19
Mr Jonathan Mullin / Term expires April 19
Mr Matt Porritt / Term expires April 19
Mr Andy Thorlby / Term expires April 18
Mrs Frances Vose / Safeguarding Officer / Term expires April 19
Observers:
All licensed lay readers:
Mr David Atkin
Mr Geoff Carter
Mr David Mallard
Church Bankers:
Yorkshire Bank, 1 Westgate, Shipley, BD18 3SD
Independent Examiner:
Hart Wright Accounting, Chartered Certified Accountants.7 Henry St, Keighley BD21 3DR
The Parochial Church Council (hereafter referred to as the ‘PCC’) is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure and is registered with the Charities Commission, no. 1134797. The appointment of PCC members is governed by and set out in the Church Representation Rules. Lay representatives are appointed, by election, to vacancies if necessary, from members of the Electoral Roll who are nominated to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM). Initial induction for all new members of the PCC is conducted by the Incumbent.
St Peter’s PCC held8meetings during the 2017-2018 year, plus two Away Days devoted to the consideration of present missional issues for St Peter’s.
The PCC has a Standing Committee, with powers delegated from the PCC, consisting of the Incumbent, Church Wardens, Church Treasurer, PCC Secretary, and other PCC members as appropriate. The Standing Committee met twice during the year.
The PCC has a sub-committee delegated to consider all matters relating to the church fabric. The Mission Support Group has responsibility for proposing donations to the church’s Mission Partners on an annual basis although these are agreed by the full PCC. Working groups, mostly of PCC members, have been deployed during the year to consider issues of Giving and Generosity, the appointment of a new Children’s and Youth Worker, and the replacement of church signage to make the buildings dementia and disabled friendly.
Day-to-day management and responsibility for the church and its activities is delegated to the Incumbent and Staff Team, consisting of the Incumbent, Assistant Curate, Church Wardens, Youth and Children’s Worker, and Local Outreach Co-ordinator. The Staff Team meets regularly and meetings are also attended by the Church Administrator.Two lay Pastoral Co Ordinators attend the Staff Meeting once a month to brief the Staff Team on pastoral matters requiring attention.
Section 2:Main activities
2.1 Mission
Projects facilitated by our Local Outreach Co-ordinator, Mr Angus McNab, have continued to be a major focus of mission activity and are reported on regularly to the PCC. The Shipley Food Bank has grown in the number of sessions offered and the number of people it is able to support, although the closure of the Shipley Job Centre has brought changes in the level of use.It is good to be able to report that the trained volunteer cohort who run the Food Bank sessions, contains a growing number of folk from St Peter’s.Revd John Rainer became a trustee of the Food Bank in February 2018.
A market stall in the centre of Shipley continues to be rented on a fortnightly basis by the Bible Stall Project, leading to conversations with passers-by in the Market Place, with free Bibles available where appropriate. This Shipley Christians Together initiative has the support of the PCC, and members of St Peter’s share the staffing of the Stall.
The Early Intervention Programme, working to support youngsters at risk of exclusion from primary school, has continued, and will be reviewed in the coming months following a change of local management.
In January 2018 a group of church members launched Shipley Neighbours, a ‘Good neighbour’ project based on a similar undertaking in York which has grown to become a separate charity. For the moment Shipley Neighbours is a PCC project, although the intention is to spread the volunteer base beyond the church once it has become established.
St Peter’s has continued to support the activities of Shipley Christians Together which seek to reach out to the town, particularly over the Lent and Easter periods. St Peter’s was one of the churches which participated in the Big Hunt over the Easter weekend 2017, when local people were invited into various churches in Shipley for free refreshments and Easter-themed activities. Church members were also prominent in the delivery of The Big Cup, an event in Shipley Town Square in December 2017 to promote outreach at Christmas. The Christmas Day lunch, held at Shipley Salvation Army, for people nominated from all the Shipley churches who would otherwise be alone or not have a Christmas dinner, was also a success. SCT Meetings are reported to the PCC on a regular basis.
We have also continued to work closely with the Zephaniah Trust through the year, most obviously through Julia Leech, who continues on its sStaff as a mission partner of the PCC. The PCC was pleased to be able to support Zephaniah financially, with gifts both towards the funding of Julia’s post and to cover the cost of books for Year 6 children from Saltaire Primary School as they moved up to secondary school.
The Missionary Gift Weekend, organised by the Mission Support Group to both raise awareness of our mission links around the world and to raise additional funding for them, took place in June 2017, although this was interrupted when Garry Ion, our mission partner from East Africa, was taken ill. A cream tea and a barbecue were also held during the year to raise additional funds, along with regular cake stalls and other smaller events. We continue to be grateful to all the members of the Mission Support Group, and in particular its leaders, Eric and Anne Parker, for all their efforts in leading this work and maintaining important contacts with our links around the world.
2.2 Children & Youth Work
Laura Wood, who had been our Children’s and Youth Worker since 2013, resigned in June 2017 to take up a new post in Cumbria. Having decided that replacing LauraThe PCC agreed that continuing to have a full-time paid worker was essential to the continuance of effective work with the young and, a subgroup was formed of four PCC members plus Mrs Mandy Thorlby, a member of the congregation with youth work expertise who had mentored Laura, to oversee the process for appointing a new wWorker. This led to the appointment, following an interviews, of Miss Rachel McGirr, who began work in January 2018. The PCC are very grateful to many folk who continued to staff the work during the absence of a full time worker, and especially to Mrs Mandy Thorlby and Mrs Helen Scott, who both shouldered considerable responsibility in the latter half of 2017.
Youthie, our Friday evening open youth club, has gained some new volunteers and stayed open, attracting between 20 and 30 teenagers on Friday eveningseach week. Thanks are due to Julia Leech who has led the volunteers prior to Rachel’s arrival.
Sunday groups continue to be positive and a welcome space for the young people who attend church. Risen (13-18’s) organised and ran several successful fund-raising initiatives in 2017 before Laura Wood’s departure. Thanks are due to Gemma Richards, Dan Furlong and Julia Leech for assisting with leadership of this group.
Visits to the church from Saltaire Primary School and Ashmoor Nursery have continued and the feedback from both staff and students indicates that these visits are valued by all and church members are going into Ashmoor to read to children regularly as well.
We are currently noticing an increase in under 5’s attending church and the Ark. Furthermore, See and Know, the toddler group on Friday mornings continues to thrive. Mrs Debbie Skowronski has stepped down from leadership of this group, and thanks are due to her for her time in charge, as well as to Mrs Mary Bavington and all who continue to be part of the leadership of this group going forward.
2.3 Development of Ministry at St Peter’s
Our training curate, Rev Julie Bacon,left us in November 2017 following her appointment as Interim Priest in Charge of the parish of Kildwick and, Cononley with and Bradley. Our application to continue as a training parish with the 2018 cohort was not successful, and we have reapplied in February 2018 for a Curate from the 2019 cohort.
Mrs Viv Brealey continues to train as a Reader, looking to be licensed in 2019. Mr Dave Atkin and Mr Geoff Carter have offered Reader assistance during the year although both have had issues with illness. Mr David Mallard has given assistance when his work situation has allowed this. We have sought to respond to the Diocese’s call to develop lay ministry by encouraging several other lay individuals to assist with worship, particularly Mr Angus McNab, an d Mr Andy Thorlby and Mrs Frances Vose.
The PCC are grateful for the regular assistance of retired and visiting clergy, especially Revd Joe Batt, and also particularly. Also to those who filled in during the Revd John Rainer’s illness in 2017, notably Bishop Chris Edmondson and Revd Stuart Hacking.
2.4 Safeguarding
Mrs Frances Vose is our Safeguarding Officer. The safeguarding policy has been reviewed and updated during the year and will go to the next PCC meeting for approval. Concerns about one vulnerable adult were raised during the year ; following an investigation this was not deemed to require further action by the PCC.
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2.5 Buildings and Maintenance
Keeping up with the maintenance and repair of the buildings remains an enormous task and we are grateful to the Church Wardens for leading this, with the invaluable support of Mr Guy Barford and Mr Mike Moss in particular, along with a number of other individuals from the congregation who offer an invaluable service in ensuring repairs and maintenance are as cost-effective, efficient and appropriate as possible. We are also most grateful to Mr Stuart Ormondroyd for regular help over the year with the maintenance of the church gardens and flower beds.
Work undertaken this year is detailed further in the separate Fabric Report.
We continue to be in discussions with Vodafone, who have had equipment sited on the church tower since 1997. It now appears, from information received in February 2018, that Vodafone are preparing to re-site this equipment away from church premises in the coming year, with a resulting significant loss of income to the PCC. We are very grateful to Mr Andy Thorlby, who is representing the PCC in this matter, for all his work on it.
2.6 Deanery issues
St Peter’s Shipley is part of the Aire and Worth Deanery. We are represented at deanery level by Rev John Rainer, Mr Stuart Hargreaves, Mrs Yvonne Streatfield, Mr Mike Moss (also lay chair of the Deanery and a member of the Diocesan Synod) and Mrs Zahida Mallard (also a member of the Diocesan and General Synods.)
Deanery business is regularly reported to the PCC.
2.7 Policy issues
Health & Safety continues to be a regular item for review at PCC meetings. The policy is in the process of being reviewed and updated and will be presented to an early meeting of the new PCC. Steps are being taken to increase the number of first aiders in the regular congregations. No health and safety incidents have been reported to the PCC during the year.
We are seeking to respond to the need to put in place policies for a number of areas of church life, e.g. complaints, data protectionand to ensure that we will be compliant with the new data protection legislation which comes in in May this year. In response to the publication of a Diocesan Environment Policy in 2017, an Environment Policy for the parish was drawn up, with considerable assistance from Mr Andrew Calvert, and noted by the PCC, with the intention that we meet with Andrew during 2018 to discuss it further.
2.8 Disability issues
Mrs Jo Baxter continues as Disability Officer for the PCC. Jo and Dr. Elizabeth Andersoncontinue to work with us to consider what more the church can do to make sure it is supporting people with disabilities of all sorts to play a full part in our mission and worship as well as to meet the commitments made in order to continue with dementia-friendly status. A first part of this project has involved reviewing and improving signage around the church. Elizabeth attended PCC to progress this in January 2018 and a small group of PCC members is working on it.
2.9 Employment issues
The church currently employs an administrator (Mrs Judith Hudson), a Local Outreach Co-ordinator (Mr Angus McNab), and a Youth and Children’s Worker (Miss Rachel McGirr). and a cleaner/caretaker ( Mr Nathan Jones). is the church’s cleaner/caretaker.
2.10 Finance and giving
The church’s finances continue to be significant and we remain indebted to all those who are involved in managing them on our behalf, in particular r, the PCC Treasurer, Mr Mike Moss. Our Gift Aid Secretary is Mr Mark Davies who continues to advise us on maximising the benefits of Gift Aid. Thanks also to Mr JeffParkinson, for dealing with insurance matters and administering the parish weekend account, and to all those who take responsibility for counting and banking money each week.
The Parish Share position was especially prominent this year, as a new system of Share payment was introduced. It appears that the new system will bring about, over several years, a reduction in our Share demandrequest. For this reason, a group of PCC members who had already been working for some months on issues of giving and generosity, spearheaded a campaign to see that our Share was paid in full in 2017, using video messages shown during services to emphasise the positive aspects of the Share in the Diocese. At the end of December we were delighted to learn that the Share demand request for 2017 had been met in full.
Further details of the finances through the year are given at Section 4 of this report.
John Rainer March 2018
Section 3:Facts and Figures
Number on Electoral Roll as at April 2017 / 26262?Number of attenders at regular services / 168?
Number of baptisms / 4?
Number of confirmations / 0
Number of weddings / 3?
Number of funerals / 13?
Section 4:Financial Review 2017
Treasurer’s report for the year ended 31st December 2017
4.1 Introduction
This report is provided to go alongside the Statutory Accounts, which are available upon request.
The year 2017 has provided a church income about 15% lower than last year. The difference mainly being down to a large donation in 2016. Without the donation we would have seen a small increase from 2016. Despite this we were able to pay the Diocesan Share in full partly because we had enough funding for the Local Outreach Co-ordinator for 2017 in the funds at the start of the year. The Share requested was a decrease of 8% on 2016 due to a new method of calculation. We also managed to pay all our debts.
4.2 General
The Church’s general total income for 2017 was £234,157. Expenditure was £262,115 resulting in a “loss” of £27,957. Our Share was set at £128,709. Missionary/Charity Giving amounted to £17,552.