the parishes of Christ Church, St Barnabas and St Martin
The Parish of
St Martin of Tours, Epsom
with St Stephen-on-the-Downs
ANNUAL REVIEW
OF PARISH ACTIVITIES
2017
Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Sunday 23rdApril 2017
11.30am
To be held in the Main Hall,
Church House
Registered Charity Number: 1134149
REPORT FROM THE VICAR
I am grateful to all my colleagues in Ministry, and our staff colleagues. A particular joy this year is that two people are in training as Pastoral Assistants, two as occasional preachers, and one going forward for Lay Reader training. This year it has also been a delight to have Christopher Hancock with us ‘on secondment’ from Headley, in his first year of curacy.
Parish Vision
This has progressed well – our Junior Church goes from strength to strength, our baptism preparation and practice are growing, our Saturday Café has begun, and we are planning to appoint a Children and Families Worker to begin in the autumn. Our musical programme is as popular as ever, and we are hosting community events and developing our community links.
Giving
Last year I hoped we would see at least a 10% increase by now, but this has not yet materialised. Our planned giving falls short of our Diocesan contribution (currently giving is around £80K, and our share is £96K). Whilst we are fortunate to have other income from rentals and hires, our stewardship challenge remains significant, and we are working with the Diocese to have an awareness campaign in the coming year.
Fellowship
It has been good to visit people at home, and host people at the Vicarage. It is great to feel we are growing as a Church family. It is so important that from the youngest to the oldest we all feel welcomed into the fellowship of our Church. We also need to be nurtured in our faith, and we are growing the opportunities on offer to do this.
Nick Parish
Annual Meeting for the Election of Churchwardens
11.30am on Sunday 10th April 2016, in Church House
Draft Minutes
The Annual Meeting for the election of Churchwardens was held in the hall Church House on Sunday 10th April 2016.
(N.B. Both meetings may ask for any matters to be placed on the PCC Agenda; not decision making meetings for policy)
1Prayers - led by John Padwick
2Members Present - approximately 60 parishioners
3Apologies for absence
Chris Hyde, John Roll Pickering, Peter Atkinson, Helen Lockhart, Richard and Diana Devin.
4Minutes of Meeting held on Sunday 12th April 2015
The Minutes of the previous meeting held on Sunday 12th April 2015 were agreed and signed as a true record.
5Nominations for Churchwardens
Two nominations have been received for the two Churchwarden vacancies for the year2016/2017.
Mrs Alyson Aronson – proposed by Jay Holloway-Neville, seconded by Maureen Suatt.
Mr David Eggett - proposed by Chris Hyde, seconded by Maureen Suatt.
6Election of Churchwardens
Mrs Alyson Aronson and Mr David Eggett were elected unanimously to serve.
7Any Other Business
Michael Standagespoke on behalf of himself and Glenys about their work as Churchwardens. Michael asked the congregation to consider if they could help volunteer in the Parish for roles such as Safeguarding Representative and Treasurer.
Nick thanked Glenys and Michael for all their work in the Parish.
CTiE Representation – John Padwick outlined the duties of the representativesof the Laity to Churches Together in Epsom.
St Martin's appoints two representatives to Churches Together in Epsom.
Mr Chris Donahue, Miss Judith Mitchell and Mrs Glenys Scadden have put themselves forward to stand. Voting papers distributed.
ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING 2016
Draft Minutes
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting was held in the Church on Sunday 10th April 2016.
Nick Parish chaired the meeting and approximately 60 parishioners attended.
1Health and Safety Issues
Mary Dixson said that the pathway on the right of the church as you look at it is uneven. It was stated that the path is the responsibility of S.C.C.
2Safeguarding Issues
We continue to look for a Safeguarding Representative.
Judith Christie asked if the person undertaking the role would need to be DBS check, Nick will find out.
3Minutes of Meeting held on Sunday 12th April 2015
The Minutes of the previous meeting held on Sunday 12th April 2015 were agreed and signed as a true record.
4Matters arising
None
5Election of Parochial representatives of the laity to the PCC
i)4 members for a period of 3 years
ii)1 member for a period of 2 years
iii)2 members for a period of 1 year
The following members of the PCC have completed their terms of office and now retire from the PCC
Mrs Alyson Aronson
Mrs Linda Blackwell
Mrs Maureen Suatt
Mrs Pat Hinksman
Nick Parish thanked the above for their term of service.
4 members of the laity to be elected to the PCC for a period of 3 years.
Mrs Ruth Foxcroft - proposed by Chris Hyde, seconded by Jean Wright
Miss Judith Mitchell - proposed by Linda Blackwell, seconded by Pat Hinksman
Mrs Linda Blackwell - proposed by Judith Mitchell, seconded by Pat Hinksman
One vacancy
1 member of the laity to be elected to the PCC for a period of 2 years.
Mrs Maureen Suatt – proposed by Anne Eberhard, seconded by Judith Mitchell
One vacancy
1 member of the laity to be elected to the PCC for a period of 1 year.
Mrs Patricia Hinksman – proposed by Linda Blackwell, seconded by Judith Mitchell
The Churchwardens are ex-officio members of the PCC, by virtue of their office.
All nominees were elected unanimously and thanked for offering their time to undertake these roles. Thanks was given to all members of the PCC who have worked so hard during the year.
6Election of Sidespersons
The following were appointed as sidespersons to serve for 12 months:
Linda BLACKWELL, Janet BROOKER, Byron DAVIES, Charles DE CHASSIRON,
David EGGETT, Nancy EGGETT, David FAULKNER,Pauline FAULKNER, John FLOWER, Patrick GABBETT, Michael GIBBS, Rosemary GIBBS, Michael HARDMAN, David HOLMES, Vicki HOLMES, Chris HYDE, Sue HYDE, Judith MITCHELL, John ROLL PICKERING, David STAMP, Eva STAMP, Michael STANDAGE, Daniel STECK, Mary STREET, Maureen SUATT, Jean WARD, Peter WHITE, Julia WHITE, Hilary WILLSON, Jim WILSON
Judith Mitchell added to the list.
All were elected unanimously.
7Electoral Roll Report
The following report was presented by John Aronson.
The electoral roll was revised on 23 March 2016 in accordance with the required procedures.
There has been a slight decrease in numbers on the roll this year; we started with 207 members and finished this year with 205 which is a net decrease of 2.
- 2 members died (1 resident and 1 non-resident)
- 4 members moved away (all previously resident,)
- 4 new names were added (all resident)
- There were 2 changes of address (with no change in residency status).
Of old the total of 207 names, 151 were resident in the parish and 56 non-resident being 73% and 27% respectively, the new total of 205 shows 151 resident and 54 non-resident, which is 74% and 26% respectively.
Since the revision of the roll 1 resident member has died.
The roll is re-opened for additions or deletions from the close of this AGM, so if anyone eligible wishes to join please fill in a form (available at the back of church) and put in the “A” pigeonhole for my collection or deliver it to the Parish Office. The names and residency status of members on the roll is available for inspection at the back of church and for security, the roll with addresses and contact details is held in the Parish Office where it is available for checking. Please enter any corrections to be made on the sheet inside the front cover of the version at the back of the church.
JOHN R ARONSON, ELECTORAL ROLL OFFICER
The Crow’s Nest, Silver Close, Kingswood, Surrey KT20 6QS. 01737-832584
Appointment of Electoral Roll Officer
Mr John Aronson has agreed to stand again as Electoral Roll Officer. Mr John Aronson was proposed through the chair and elected unanimously.
8Secretary’s Report of the Proceedings of the PCC during year 2015
Linda Blackwell said the numbers attending St Stephen’s is static.
Mr Laurence Impey report as it appeared in the Annual Review was agreed.
Thanks and appreciation to Mr Laurence Impey for his role as PCC secretary.
9Appointment of Examiner/Auditor for year 2016/2017
Tudor John will select the Auditors.
10Report on the Fabric, Goods and Ornaments of the Parish
The Fabric report as it appeared in the Annual Review was noted. The Fabric Committee continue to look after our buildings. Thanks and appreciation expressed to David Faulkner and the Fabric Committee.
The new boiler was discussed and the problems have now been rectified.
11Deanery Synod Report
The Deanery Synod's report as it appeared in the Annual Review was agreed and adopted unanimously. Thanks to John Roll Pickering, author of the report.
John Padwick asked if Licenced Lay Ministers are part of Deanery Synod, Nick will find out for John.
12Matters arising from Group Reports (not already covered)
None
Guildford Cathedral – please support the cathedral to meet their target for work that is needed to the roof.
13Any Other Business
Parish Gazette – disappointment was expressed that the magazine is no longer produced. It is hoped that a new magazine in a different format will be produced in the future.
Website – this needs to be kept up to date.
Committees – Nick will be rearranging the structure of the committees in the future.
Communication – continue to improve communication within the Parish.
14Vicar’s Remarks and Open Forum
Nick outlined the key developments of the last year and the proposals for next year. This was followed by a question and answer session.
David Holmes gave a vote of thanks for all the hard work done by Nick within the Church and Parish.
15Date of next ordinary Parochial Church Council Meeting:
Thursday 19th May 2016 at 7.30pm at St Stephen’s preceded by Holy Communion at 6.45pm to which everyone is welcome.
CTiE – the results of the vote was announced, Judith Mitchell and Glenys Scadden were elected.
The Revd Nick Parish thanked everyone for coming to the meeting today and closed with the Grace.
SECRETARY’S REPORT ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PCC 2016/7
The PCC met on six occasions during 2016/17. At the beginning of the year the sub-committees responsible for the diverse aspects of church life were reviewed, and members volunteered to serve on these so that all were represented at PCC meetings. The PCC has this year once again been concerned about figures relating to our financial position and our congregation. The perception that these are linked has led to a renewed focus on mission and vision. Improvements to the fabric of our church buildings have been an ongoing concern; likewise the range of activities in our church life and the potential for more.
The year was distinguished by two very welcome developments: first, the collation and installation, after the resolution of the vacancy at Walton-on-the-Hill, of Nick as Vicar of St Martin’s, and second, the arrival of Christopher Hancock for one year’s training as Curate. The officiating team was further strengthened on three counts when Graeme Lodge came forward to train as a Licensed Lay Minister, to join, eventually, our existing team of Clive Dougal, Ruth Foxcroft and John Padwick ; Sarah Lutton and Martyn Holloway-Neville volunteered to train as occasional preachers, each to preach up to five times a year; and Linda Blackwell and Helen Mitchell volunteered to undertake training as pastoral assistants. The PCC was only too pleased to agree funding to support all these important roles.
The PCC also welcomed the involvement of Alan Hulme, the diocesan Director of Mission, in the ongoing work to develop a new practical vision for the parish. Besides the launch of a Saturday morning Café, an amended pattern of services was approved which provides for three new services to widen our liturgical offering. Increasing our congregation is once again the aim of the PCC, in particular middle-aged adults and families; a Children and Families Worker is to be appointed later this year. The post of Safeguarding Officer has at last been filled; we are grateful to Peter Christie and John Aronson for sharing this essential work. Financial support to enable St Martin’s School to fund RE projects was approved. The results of a questionnaire relating to St Stephen’s and delivered to all Langley Vale residents are being studied.
Assuring an efficient and economical way of disseminating news was a concern. In the absence of enough volunteers to relaunch the Gazette as a magazine, the PCC endorsed the proposal to expand the church website for the publication of services, news and events. The website now hosts not only our weekly newsletters, both current and past, but also a range of content in the section News, Views and Reviews that previously would have been published in the Gazette. Paper copies of the latter are also available by request. Names of PCC and sub-committee members can be found on-line, as can the minutes of PCC meetings once they have been approved. For newcomers to the church an up-dated Welcome Pack is nearing completion.
Practical improvements to the church’s buildings were approved: a non-slip mat and handrails were fitted to the entrance porch; new, more practical chairs for the clergy on the dais have received official approval; however, plans for the external lift at the eastern end of Church House, although now officially approved, will be re-examined in the light of a projected increase in costs. Work has started on the refurbishment of our property in Worple Road in order to increase its attractiveness to a new tenant. In church it is planned to upgrade the lighting and sound system and to add audio-visual capacity; this will be part- funded by a generous legacy.
The PCC approved a more transparent policy relating to legacies and how they would be managed; likewise a new policy on reserves which will enable the funding of more growth areas. There was concern that the amount of committed giving decreased last year, hence the urgency of increasing our attractiveness to new members; however, efforts instigated by the churchwardens to cut costs in the daily running of the church have borne fruit, and compensated for this decline in income. The PCC remains very concerned that once again our annual income does not cover our annual costs. Once again we have to be grateful for a large legacy; but it is obvious that we cannot rely on occasional windfalls to keep us afloat financially.
To develop policy in line with financial developments it was agreed that PCC meetings should be rescheduled to take place after the publication of the accounts for each quarter, with some flexibility to call up to two further meetings during the year. A fresh look at the structure of committees was also approved: given the importance of stewardship in the light of the continuing deficit in regular income, Stewardship was brought into the Standing and Finance Committee, while Mission was joined with Outreach. The position of Treasurer remained unfilled throughout the year; however, the book-keeping was kept up-to-date and the annual accounts were lodged on time with the Diocese and with the Charity Commissioners. The task of producing these figures will be made easier this coming year with the PCC’s approval of a new accounts package.
CHURCHWARDEN’S REPORT
As we were both elected at the APCM last April, this has been our first year in office. To begin with, we would like to record our deep debt of gratitude to Michael and Glenys, our predecessors; they have been a very hard act to follow!
The usual pattern of handover between retiring and newly elected Churchwardens is to have some crossover with no more than one Warden being elected at an Annual Meeting. Although that option was not available to us, we are keen to ensure that this happens for our successors – whenever that may be!
We wish to thank all of you for your kindness, prayers, encouragement and support. The job of a Churchwarden is varied and diverse, but it is made inestimably easier by the support that you give us. In particular, the support of Nick, Christopher, Adrian and the wonderful team in the office cannot be overstated, whilst the Sidespersons and the Deputy Wardens have also helped us out on innumerable occasions.
Last April, we decided that our primary objective for this year was to reduce the Parish’s overall spending and thus ameliorate any deficit in our annual accounts this year. The accounts that will be presented for approval at this year’s APCM will show how far we have achieved that objective. Some changes that we have introduced have been simple cost savings – all printing is now by default in black and white, whereas other changes have simplified the way we work – the meeting cycle of the PCC has been reduced from once every two months to once a quarter. However, it was and remains our principle that we must eliminate all waste and unnecessary expenditure, and this value for money drive will continue into the future.