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2024-12-31-accounts

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Epsom Common
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Annual Report 2024-2025

Prepared for distribution in advance of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting 11 May 2025

Contents

Vicar‟s Report, Revd Canon Rosemary Donovan ...................................................... 4 Highlights of 2024-5 ................................................................................................ 4 Worship ................................................................................................................... 4 Eco .......................................................................................................................... 5 Church Development .............................................................................................. 5 Outreach ................................................................................................................. 6

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Social ...................................................................................................................... 6 Discipleship: Revd Sue Curtis .................................................................................... 7 Children and Youth Worker‟s Report: Sofia Welsby ................................................... 8 CC Kids ................................................................................................................... 8 CC Youth ................................................................................................................ 8 Youth Alpha/Youth Home Group ............................................................................. 9 Bubble Church ........................................................................................................ 9 Christ Church and the local Schools ..................................................................... 10 Events and Young Christmas ................................................................................ 10 The youth club ................................................................................................... 10 Our youth upper hall refurbishment project ........................................................ 10 The Posada ....................................................................................................... 10 All-age family services ....................................................................................... 11 Uniformed groups (the Scouts) ............................................................................. 11 CC United Football club ........................................................................................ 11 Pastoral Care: Sue Matthews and Jo Woolfe ........................................................... 11 Missions: David Blacoe ............................................................................................ 12 Church Governance: Jane Williams PCC Secretary ................................................ 14 PCC membership during 2024-2025 ..................................................................... 14 Ex-officio PCC members ................................................................................... 14 Elected PCC members ...................................................................................... 14 Annual Report for 2024 -2025 .................................................................................. 15 Review of PCC business from April 2024: Jane Williams ..................................... 15 Report on the Fabric of the Church and its other Properties - Andrew Hards, Fay Wedlake - Church Wardens .................................................................................. 16 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 16 Main Church ...................................................................................................... 17 Heating system and Net Zero Carbon Demonstrator Church ............................ 18 Hospitality and accessible toilet project ............................................................. 19 Drain .................................................................................................................. 19 Other items ........................................................................................................ 19 Parish Hall............................................................................................................. 19 The Grounds ......................................................................................................... 20 278 The Greenway (The Curate House) ............................................................ 20 Report on the Goods and Ornaments 2024-25 .................................................. 20

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Deanery Synod Report: Gill Glasspool ................................................................. 20 Finance: Nigel Daniels, Treasurer ......................................................................... 23 Statement of Financial Activities for the period 1 Jan 24 -31 Dec 24 ................. 24 Balance Sheet detailed ...................................................................................... 25 Introduction: ....................................................................................................... 25 Planned Giving and Other Income ..................................................................... 26 Expenditure. ...................................................................................................... 27 Missions ............................................................................................................. 27 Funds ................................................................................................................. 27 Investments ....................................................................................................... 27 Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) ........................................................... 27 Accounting Policies ............................................................................................ 28 Funds ................................................................................................................. 28 Incoming Resources .......................................................................................... 28 Resources expended ......................................................................................... 28 Fixed Assets ...................................................................................................... 28 Payments to Trustees ........................................................................................ 28 Independent examiner‟s report to the PCC of Christ Church, Epsom Common ....... 29 Minutes of the Combined Vestry and Annual Parochial Church Meeting April 2024 30 Attendance ............................................................................................................ 30 1. Minutes of the APCM, 21 April 2024, ................................................................ 30 2. Election of Churchwardens and PCC members ................................................ 30 3. Appointment of other Key Roles ....................................................................... 31 4. Vicar‟s Review Sunday 21[st] April 2024 ............................................................. 31 5. Electoral Roll: Report by the Electoral Roll Officer, Martin Shipton. .................. 35 6. Verbal Finance Report: Treasurer Nigel Daniels. .............................................. 35 7. Deanery Synod Report: included in Annual report ............................................ 36 8. PCC Report: included in Annual Report ............................................................ 36 9. Annual Report on the Fabric of the Church and other Properties, and on the Church Goods and Ornaments: included in the Annual Report ............................ 36 10. Questions from the Congregation sent in advance ......................................... 36

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Vicar’s Report, Revd Canon Rosemary Donovan

Highlights of 2024-5

This past year has contained many memorable moments for me personally particularly in the year the Church of England was commemorating 30 years since the ordination of women to the priesthood. As Diocesan Advisor for Women‟s Ministry I was very pleased to produce a video and article that promoted Christ Church as having one of the first female priests in Guildford Diocese notably Canon Mavis Wilson and the latest to be ordained in our current curate Esther. I also led prayers at the Chrism Eucharist and organised a celebration afternoon tea for women in the diocese. Then in November I led the Mothers‟ Union All Souls service at Guildford cathedral was also installed as an Honorary Canon of the Cathedral and it was lovely to celebrate with representatives from our parish there.

Worship

We continue to give thanks to the many faithful and dedicated members of our congregation who do so much to facilitate meaningful acts of worship to the glory of God. All who set up the church, operate tech, welcome, read, lead prayers and music, offer hospitality, clean, arrange flowers, check the heating, the list is endless, and we are blessed to be part of such a committed and generous community.

It has felt like 5@5 has fully embedded now with some very special seasonal celebrations that included the young people organising a mini-Olympics and line dancing challenge as well as an apple bake off for Harvest. It truly is an all-age celebration; involving food and fellowship often café style to have a more relaxed informal way of worshipping that provides an alternative to the 10 am said or parish

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communion.

Bubble Church has gone from strength to strength building up to twice monthly afternoon services which has welcomed many new families over the threshold. We have tried to incorporate elements of Bubble Church into morning services occasionally too and the puppets have proved highly popular. The Christmas Bubble Communion was a special opportunity to unite both congregations and we are hosting our first Bubble Baptism in the Spring.

The now regular summer outdoor worship (a very positive result of the Pandemic) continues to be popular and even had an outdoor Baptism this year. It was also good to welcome speakers from local organisations that are putting faith into action to challenge and inspire us. Bishop Paul, the new Bishop for Dorking joined us on Climate Sunday, to re-commission all our youth and children‟s volunteers and we were pleased to host the Civic service for our Mayor in September too.

We held a Fruits of the Spirit art exhibition as part of the Thy Kingdom Come wave of prayer with thanks to many of our talented home grown artists. We were delighted to see 2 young people and 3 adults confirmed at the Deanery service in West Ewell.

Eco

Throughout the Season of Creation members of the congregation shared eco initiatives to promote and encourage our on-going commitment to creation care such as water butts and composting as well as Councillor Steve Bridger from the Epsom Repair Cafe. Building on our current practice of outdoor acts of worship we intend hosting 4 seasonal sessions of Forest Church namely Spring: Dawn service; Summer: 5@5; Autumn: Creationtide and Winter: Campfire Carols. This year we have been pleased to have been identified as one of five churches in Guildford Diocese who will be national demonstrator churches able to access advice and grants to assist our commitment to Net Carbon Zero. To this end we are making improvements to draft-proofing the church and insulating the hall as well as upgrading to double glazing and installing solar panels.

Church Development

The PCC has continued to wrestle with increased need for improved facilities and decreased resources due to rising costs. We have been frustrated that plans for the

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pod which will add accessible toilets and a permanent hospitality area to the north aisle are taking a long time to come to fruition. In the meantime, we have commissioned a refurbishment of hall facilities to improve space for our employees and for the hosting of discipleship events for both young people and adults.

Outreach

With Rosemary being Mayor‟s chaplain we have been more visible in our local community particularly at town centre commemorations of Armed Forces Day, the 80[th] anniversary of D Day and Armistice Day. Churches Together in Epsom in which we play a very active part continues to host an open-air service on Good Friday in the marketplace as well as other seasonal stalls for A Light Party at Halloween and Christmas that are great way of demonstrating our faith. We have maintained our links with local schools and the Epsom Common Association but will sadly miss our partnership with Little Hands Nursery following its closure in the summer. The Age Concern annual Christmas Concert has become a regular opportunity to reach out to many people who don‟t often attend church alongside the annual memorial service in conjunction with Longhurst funeral directors. Both these events saw the church packed and many commented on the warm welcome and spiritual atmosphere to be found here.

Social

The small but dedicated team who come up with ideas and facilitate the planning of a variety of differing social occasions would love to welcome new volunteers and that can just be to assist with a particular activity as so often it‟s all hands to the decks and we are grateful for this team ethos at Christ Church. The Spring fair was a great example of us all working together and many enjoyed the organ recital, bell tower tours and puppet shows alongside the many stalls and games, The sheer joy on the faces of proud dog owners when they won a rosette for their prized pup was fantastic to see. Equally the Bonfire party saw a lot of new faces coming onto our site to enjoy the blazing fire, dazzling fireworks and festive food. Small profits were made and the trip to Christ Church Oxford enabled us to participate in a same sex blessing as well as enjoy the delights of this college city.

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Discipleship: Revd Sue Curtis

Disciples, in our context, are followers of Jesus. One can be a student who learns about the beliefs of Christianity without being a disciple - one who seeks to live the principles of Christianity in their context and their generation.

Discipleship is relational; courses and programmes can support this, but it is in essence more than that. Our discipleship should inform our identity and our relations with others, seeing all as loved children of God. The Anglican Church roots its beliefs and practices in Biblical understanding, tradition and reason.

Our vicar, Rosemary, supported by Esther, Sofia and the other members of the staff team, pastoral group, MU, prayer ministry and PCC do all they can to foster discipleship amongst new and established Christians, young and older people, those who are active in church, those with busy lives outside church and those who have become more housebound or frail. There is undoubtedly much we can develop but this has been an exciting year.

There have been adult and youth Alpha Courses in 2004. Both courses are being followed up by regular group meetings. Bubble Church is attracting young families, some of whom have not formally been involved in church previously. Peter, Hazel, David and I run long-established home groups. Paul and Denise are running a group monthly, which includes some people who are new to the Christian faith and/ or have been to recent Alpha Courses. During Lent a course was run in church. Esther took a lead on this. We explored what the Bible is, different genres and an overview of the Old and New Testaments. There was a listening course on Saturday 15th Feb run by the Prayer Ministry Team. As we develop as disciples and lead others to follow Christ, listening to each other, the sign of the times and the imperative to love God, the earth and all humanity is transformative.

In March, there was a Confirmation Service in the Deanery. It is exciting when we add those who are making this commitment as disciples to our church community, and we value their fresh insights.

It has been good to access an increasing programme of courses run by Diocese and Deanery, which have been attended by church members.

Tricia Coleman and Esther are planning to work with a team from Christ Church on a course called, „The Bereavement Journey‟ in May/ June. We are looking forward to Tricia‟s Commissioning as a Lay Associate Minister (LAM) on 5th July 2025 at Guildford Cathedral. We value her contribution to deepening discipleship at Christ Church.

Sofia is encouraging families and individuals to come to New Wine in the Summer.

The church owes a debt to all who contribute to our corporate life by their leadership, worship, musical contribution, prayer and presence, and the offering of their time, talents and resources.

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We need to remain a place of welcome and inclusion, where questions can be asked freely and ideas shared honestly. This is the responsibility of all of us, as we learn and share together, joining in all that fosters breadth and depth within our church life. There is so much on offer through which we can share and learn together. We need to be committed to participating where we can. Our Christian calling is to embrace the transforming work of God in all we are, and all we do.

Children and Youth Worker’s Report: Sofia Welsby

Began mid-April 2024 and has experienced nearly a full year of activities at Christ Church which has been a positive experience.

CC Kids

CC Youth

Many of the teenagers come to church on Sunday mornings with their family and younger siblings and hence come along to Sunday school. I am planning on conducting a survey to the youth and their families, to ascertain which days and times of the week they would prefer for the youth club to be and what activities they would like to do.

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The format I have adapted since the autumn has been 30 minutes of faith input (we did fruits of the spirit last year and God‟s blessings this term) followed by the choice of games, pool, an activity relating to the earlier input, or just socialising with their friends for the remaining 1.5hrs. Refreshments are served during the evening too.

Since the autumn we have focused on trying to make the upper hall more appealing and welcoming for young people and other visitors to the upper hall. Our aim is to make the space more homely and loungey feeling; somewhere you would like to invite your friends to come and „hang out‟. Sadly, it all costs money so we have tried to do some various fundraising activities and applied for grants from different places to make this happen. It is still an on-going process.

Another initiative we have started is to collaborate with other churches and youth groups in the Deanery. The idea is that we are lots of small groups of youth and it is nice to meet up with each other, to see that there are other young people who also go to church, that you might recognise from school or other clubs that they go to, but not realising they were Christians too. We went 10-pin bowling in December, we had a joint film night in January, and we will have a worship service 2nd March, followed by crazy golf in April. I am pleased with this initiative, and we hope that it will be fruitful. We are also keeping up to date with events and activities that the Dioceseled Youth Catalyst Project is offering to the young people across the Diocese.

Finally, our great young people continue to take an active role at our 5@5 and other less formal services. The congregation appreciates them being there and it helps the young people to grow in leadership skills, which we are trying to encourage.

Youth Alpha/Youth Home Group

In the autumn, on the back of the Adult Alpha group, Esther initiated the start of a Youth Alpha group that I assisted at. We had 6 attendants, and it was interesting, and it gave the young people food for thought.

Following on from that, in the New Year we started a Youth Home Group that meets twice a month at church (not in anyone‟s home). So far, we have used a material called Think Tank with covers free-standing topics, a modern-day text and questions, followed by a related bible passage and questions for discussion after that.

It is early days, but the format might be tweaked later. Personally, I think Home groups are very important for all age groups in a healthy and thriving church.

I am helped by a lovely group of volunteers for both the Youth Home group and CC Youth. I am very grateful for their valuable support

Bubble Church

With increasing numbers of families and a large team of volunteers we went to twice a month in September 2024. At present we have over forty families who are on our register. 10-15 families attend an average service.

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The children are so joyful and engaged, especially with the action songs and the „God Spot‟ when they‟re invited to come up and pray a thank you prayer. Bubble Church encourages the family to worship together and equip families to grow in faith at home. Subsequently, some parents have joined our Alpha courses and are seeking to go deeper in faith themselves.

We have a wonderful team who help everything run smoothly and offer such a warm welcome to families. We continue to pray God will bless this service and all the young families who attend.

Christ Church and the local Schools

We are getting on well with all our local schools, but it is relationships that we want to keep building on. In 2024 the Christ Church leadership team participated in leading regular assemblies at Southfield Park School. In the autumn we had year-2 school visits to our church from both Southfield Park and Stamford Green School, looking at the church and talking about „giving‟ at church.

Kingswood House School continue to use our church for end of term services/ assemblies/ concerts and all three schools came to us for their Nativity services in December. The events were very well attended.

We also had an open evening at church where staff, students and parents from Rosebery School could attend for prayers, message of condolences and lighting candles following the murder of one of their teachers.

Events and Young Christmas

The youth club started the autumn term with a big BBQ at the vicarage, for all the youth and their families. It was a fun and well attended evening. A special thank you to Craig who was the evening‟s grill-master.

At the first weekend in November, we had a Bonfire event, with a big bonfire and fireworks, again kindly hosted in the vicarage garden, followed on by refreshments and children‟s activities in the church hall. After a slow start to ticket sales, we were later overwhelmed by attendants, following Tricia‟s promotional social media magic. It was a great community event that was very well received.

Our youth upper hall refurbishment project was financially boosted by Christ Church‟s first Christmas tree sale in the church car park, in conjunction with Young Ones United Football Foundation & Trees for Youth. It was a first collaboration for both parties, but it was a promising start that we hope will turn into an annual event.

The Posada started on the first of Advent with the figures of Mary, Joseph and a newly knitted donkey (Thank you Wendy) from our church nativity set on a journey, with 24hr stop-overs at different members of the congregation and schools, who volunteered to take part as hosts during advent. The journey ended for the Holy couple

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when they reached the stable at our Crib service on Christmas Eve. It was a good activity, with people taking part from regular congregation and families associated with Baptisms, Bubble Church, Wheels and Squeals families, Kingswood House and Stamford Green schools also taking part. I hope this will be an annual event.

All-age family services We had one on the Sunday before Christmas and two Crib services on Christmas Eve, all featuring puppets from Bubble Church. It was the first time the wider congregation got a flavour of what puppet sermons were like. It went down very well.

Uniformed groups (the Scouts)

It was a bumpy year for our uniformed group relations, as we were working on getting a new lease agreed and signed for the rental of the premises. We did however have a joint service at our church for St George‟s day, with young people from different groups taking part up at the front. It was an enjoyable event. Things are now sorted re paperwork and good relationships are continuing.

CC United Football club

Pastoral Care: Sue Matthews and Jo Woolfe

The Pastoral Care Team continues to meet every 6 weeks to review and respond to Pastoral needs. The Ministerial team, Parish Safeguarding Officers attend the meetings, in addition to the lay members of the pastoral team. Prayer for those in need has continued through the prayer chain and intercessions in services. Prayer ministry is offered after the morning service, with at least two people available, who will pray with you, respecting confidentiality. All members of the prayer ministry team are trained and meet regularly with Rosemary for on-going training and support. The Tea Club meets quarterly. The Baptism team continue to work with families in preparation for, and after baptism. The weekly emailed Parish newsletter outlines how to seek pastoral support. Visits to those who have been bereaved or unwell during the year, taking small homemade Christmas cakes, gifts and cards are another much appreciated part of our pastoral care. Future plans for extending support to the bereaved are currently being considered: the Just Listen! Course will be a foundation for this & an Acorn Prayer Ministry course is being planned also. Talking to and welcoming new people coming to services are an important part of our pastoral ministry. We welcome everyone, including those seeking a baptism for children or themselves, couples wanting to get married and people attending due to bereavement. We try to be responsive to their needs and introduce them to a member of the clergy at the end of the service. All members of the team are trained by the Guildford Diocese and also attend update courses including Domestic Abuse Awareness and Safeguarding Leadership. Current team members are Pastoral Assistants: Sue Matthews; Tricia Coleman, Jo Wolfe Pastoral Secretary and Pastoral

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Visitor Jane Williams. More people are much needed for these roles. If you would like to join the Pastoral team or the Prayer Ministry team please speak to Sue Matthews.

Missions: David Blacoe

Christ Church continues its budgeted Missions Giving through five funded charities, which are supported for a five year period and have a dedicated Mission Champion. These are:-

Additionally one of the functions of the Missions Committee is to identify and request PCC approval to support charities requiring urgent funding from the Mission Emergency Fund. This year we distributed the following payments:

 £300 – Tearfund emergency appeal for the Democratic Republic of Congo This year‟s collections at our nominated services (Harvest & Christmas) for specific charities were:

During the year, we have been able to support our Charities through special presentations at the Sunday Communion service, to encourage personal commitment. We were fortunate to have contributions from both CSW and UNiViDa, who sent a special video illustrating the on-going need for pumps to manage flash floods and thanking Christ Church for support and prayers. We are encouraged and grateful for dedicated sermon slots to promote the work and needs of our Mission Partners.

As well as activities related to our funded Mission Partners, as a church we have supported our Missions Partners who no longer receive funding from our church budget, including the Christmas hamper collection for The Besom, and the Lent Appeal for the Bishop of Guildford‟s Community Fund. However we have been advised that the local Besom unit can no longer support the Epsom area, so there is no current link with Christ Church. An alternate local charity will be proposed for Advent.

Once again, we thank Christ Church PCC and congregation for their continued support for the Missions Group.

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Safeguarding: Leslie King, Parish Safeguarding Officer

The last year has been a very difficult time for the Church of England with regards to safeguarding. Safeguarding failings have been considered so serious that the Archbishop of Canterbury had to resign. Some have also argued the Archbishop of York should also resign over an apparent safeguarding issue when he was a Bishop.

The issue of safeguarding filled much of the February General Synod discussions. This ended with a move towards there being a totally external and independent safeguarding system but acknowledging that would take time to set up. Meanwhile Diocesan Safeguarding Officers will still be in place at the Diocesan level while work on constructing a totally independent system for safeguarding, as many wanted to happen immediately, would be the ultimate aim.

The Makin report (into the behaviour of John Smythe); the Scolding report (into the behaviour of Mike Pilavachi (leader of the Soul Survivor event); and the Jay report (into the effectiveness of safeguarding within the church) were all very critical of the Church of England‟s performance relating to safeguarding.

While most of this has been going on at the national level, it is a reminder to us at Christ Church of the pivotal importance of safeguarding within our own environment.

We have fully committed ourselves to ensure our vigilance: processes, training, commitments, transparency and encouragement are all in place and are all effective. The PCC has a responsibility to oversee safeguarding, and it is always a standing agenda item on each PCC meeting.

Over and above that, we all must recognise that safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone in our church. We must all remain vigilant about what may be going on around us, particularly in relation to older and vulnerable adults, and all youngsters, and report any concerns.

On Safeguarding Sunday in November there was an in-depth talk on the difficult and challenging subject of domestic violence. This showed we are committed to facing up to the hard issues. Several helpful information booklets on that have been published by Christ Church and are available to all in the lobby at the church entrance.

Christ Church is totally committed to encouraging anyone who is aware of a safeguarding issue relating to themselves or others, or witnesses anything, or has

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any safeguarding concerns to come and speak to the Parish Safeguarding Officers (Les and Maureen King) and/or the church leadership. They will be listened to with empathy, patience and compassion. Our safeguarding pledge is strong and is published in a leaflet also found in the church entrance lobby.

Over the past year there has been one safeguarding issue reported to the PSOs (not against a church member at Christ Church) which was reported to the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer for investigation.

Our main emphasis for the coming year is on ensuring as many folk as possible are trained in the Basic and Foundation courses on safeguarding and assisting those who have difficulty completing these courses online. This also involves ensuring that those who have already been trained take the necessary refresher training. We are also concentrating on ensuring all relevant volunteers and leaders have been DBS checked (note: A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, is a system that helps employers make safer recruitment decisions), and that their certification is up to date.

Church Governance: Jane Williams PCC Secretary

Christ Church, Epsom Common, is an Anglican Church in the Diocese of Guildford. The postal address is: Christ Church, Christ Church Road, Epsom KT19 8NE. Registered Charity number: 1127945.

The Parochial Church Council (PCC): Under Church of England legislation, the PCC is responsible for collaborating with the incumbent in promoting, in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church: pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. Worship matters are for the incumbent. The PCC is responsible for these premises: Christ Church, its Church Hall and the Curate‟s house at 278 The Greenway, Epsom.

The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have regard to the House of Bishop‟s guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults).

PCC membership during 2024-2025

Ex-officio PCC members

Clergy Vicar Vicar Revd Canon RosemaryDonovan Revd Canon RosemaryDonovan Chair
Curate RevdEsther HolleyHunt From07/22
AssociateMinister, OLM Revd Sue Curtis
Reader;LLM BerwickCurtis
Church
Wardens		 Chair Premises Andrew Hards yr 6 Lay Vice-
Chair
PCC Designated CW for
safeguarding
Fay Wedlake yr 3
Elected PCC members
Name Year appointed Additional Roles
David Blacoe 2023, 3yr 2024 Premises, Heating ,NZC project, Missions

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David Wedlake 2022, 3 yr BRC, Christ Church United Rep
GillGlasspool 2022, 3 yr Deanery Synod, ChildrenandFamilies
Jane Williams 2020, 3 yr 2024 PCC sec, BRC, Pastoral Team
Leslie King 2023, 3 yr Deanery Synod, PCC Safeguarding Officer
Nigel Daniels 2021, 3 yr 2024 Finance committee,Treasurer
Shirleyann Dartnell 2023, 3 yr Deanery Synod
Sofia Welsby 2024 August CFW, Deanery Synod Elected Rep
Tom Ellinor 2023, 3yr 2024 Premises,HeatingTeamandNZC project
Tricia Crawford 2024, 3 yr Web site, Publicity

Annual Report for 2024 -2025

Together with: The statement of financial activities (SOFA) for the year ended 31st December 2024; The balance sheet as at 31st of December 2024

Review of PCC business from April 2024: Jane Williams

The PCC met 7 times following the 2024 APCM, with average attendance of 82%. The PCC is supported by the Business and Resources Committee (the required standing committee with some additional delegated powers). The BRC has met on 5 occasions. Other groups met regularly, (each including PCC and non-PCC members), dealing with: Finance; Premises; Heating and Net Zero Carbon Project NZ; Missions and Giving; Evangelism and Outreach; Environmental/ Eco and Children and Youth Support Team. All report to the PCC at regular intervals. Each group is chaired by Revd Canon Donovan or a PCC member.

Seven days in advance of each PCC meeting, the agenda is displayed on the church noticeboard (mandatory). To keep the congregation informed, a summary of each PCC meeting is circulated in the following week‟s Parish email newsletter. This is also displayed on the PCC noticeboard along with draft minutes of each meeting.

Safeguarding is an agenda item at every PCC meeting. The whole church community is responsible for safeguarding. Les and Maureen King, Parish Safeguarding Officers and DBS Validators, have worked diligently to keep up to date with new developments and requirements. Fay Wedlake is the designated CW for oversight of safeguarding.

We spent time discussing the necessary maintenance to the church fabric, issues related to the Scout Hall lease which are now fully resolved with a satisfactory outcome for both parties. The current lease expires 31/12/2026. Considerable time was devoted to exploring development of the Parish Hall and a Church Pod, providing a servery and accessible toilet. We continue to investigate the Pod Development and ask for prayer for discernment to follow the right path to enhance worship and community outreach.

Sadly, Little Hands Nursery ceased to operate from July 2024. This gave an opportunity to refurbish the Parish Hall, completed March 4, 2025. PCC expressed thanks to James Hunt for overseeing the project and for the very reasonable cost of the works, especially of complete windows and external doors replacement.

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Tricia Crawford, a PCC member and long-standing member of Christ Church, is now working 25 hrs. /wk. over 4 days as the sole admin officer. We expressed our grateful thanks to Laura Sims and Laura Taylor for their valued work in the office. Both left during the year to more enhanced roles.

All PCC members attended an Away-Day held at The Octagon Room, St Mary‟s Church, Headley in November. This proved a valuable time for reflection on the way forward in terms of worship, personal growth in our faith, community engagement and in growing the Kingdom of God on Earth.

In January a group also attended a Diocesan Study Day on Outreach and Discipleship, with a focus on communicating our own personal faith journey to friends, family, our congregation, and people we meet.

Report on the Fabric of the Church and its other Properties - Andrew Hards, Fay Wedlake - Church Wardens

Introduction

Generally, the Church is in good condition but due to aging and deterioration of some of the construction elements, mainly of the high-level stonework and the heating system, significant costly works are anticipated within the next few years. This is consistent with the age and construction of the church building, its services and boundary walls.

The periodic Quinquennial Inspection was carried out in August 2024, as in previous years, by Robert Shaw, an architect approved by the diocese and registered in Conservation Architecture and Historic Buildings Consultancy. Robert commended the church on its devotion to upkeep and stated that, overall, the building and curtilage are in good order for its age and situation but drew attention to the condition of the stonework.

The upkeep of the church, hall, grounds and 278 The Greenway (the Curate‟s house) are overseen by the small, but dedicated Premises Committee. The Committee manages a planned maintenance programme to ensure that small things are dealt with in a timely manner and record when everything has been completed. This includes routine items such as servicing and safety checks of heating installations, fire extinguishers, electrical installations and equipment, fire alarms, organ and woodworm checks. These are an important element of the Health and Safety of the church and hall.

As in previous years, many checks and repairs continue to be carried out in-house, saving considerable expenditure. The wardens would like church members to note the continued hard work, advice and dedication of Richard Martin also Roger Wedlake and Tom Ellinor who have helped fix several technical problems e.g. the hearing-aid loop, organ console and projector.

Thanks, must again go to the teams of volunteers who work hard and often unseen with the upkeep including the church cleaners, the flower team and the Merry

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Mowers who have evolved into a “What‟s App “connected gardening group. An autumn clean-up day on 9[th] November was well attended. Thanks to all who took part.

Thanks also to Martin Shipton for continuing to deal with insurance issues. The church building is insured by the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group in the sum of £17,950,000 with a £500 excess. The hall is similarly insured for £3,333,000 with a £250 excess. EIG normally apply an inflation-indexed increase to these sums at this time of year. During the year, there has been one claim on the policy relating to a collapsed drain.

Main Church

Anticipated repairs - Stonework

As reported at the last APCM, parts of the stonework are clearly spalling, due to weathering and frost damage over the years mainly the high level gable end copings plus some more recent damage to lower areas most obviously the decorative moulding over the hall-facing doors. The Quinquennial Report has flagged up the need to set up a project for remedial work as soon as possible.

Set out below is an extract from the report outlining possible options

4.08 The PCC should organize remedial work within the coming five years. There are four options:

a) To lift and replace the existing stone copings, with new stones, of matching origin and profile, as a like-for-like process.

b) To retain the deteriorating stonework and to clad it with lead sheet as protection and weathering

c) To remove all loose and crumbly stones and to replace only those currently damaged and decayed.

d) To remove all loose and crumbly surface and to make good with lime-based render, as a “plastic” repair.

4.09 Considering these options - in reverse order,

d) is too short-term and would be considered on a Grade 2 building as akin to bodging. c) would necessitate full scaffolding access and mechanical lifting equipment. It would resolve only the currently deteriorated stone but the remaining stone (qv 4.07) would probably require replacement before too long. It is also likely that removal of intermediate stones from a coping line would disturb the bedding and pointing of the retained stones. b) involves full scaffolding but not the lifting equipment, stone sourcing and cutting. And is not cheap, but has proved satisfactory, and acceptable in Faculty/DAC/Heritage terms elsewhere.

a) would be ideal, but also the most expensive and lengthy process.

4.10 Pictures of lead-clad coping stones on another Listed Victorian church

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As reported at the last APCM, the PCC has previously been advised of the problem and agreed to follow Robert‟s earlier suggested likely future phased course of action. This involves assessing the degree of damage and drafting a Statement of Need (both already considered by Robert and Andy) for inclusion in an application for DAC approval. Obtain quotations for the most feasible options, with provision for inflation (potential contractors have been identified), and then in Robert‟s words “draw breath” to consider funding and grant applications.

Obviously, the options will need further consideration and discussion with contractors.

Heating system and Net Zero Carbon Demonstrator Church

The 2024 report advised that the heating system is known to be of limited life in terms of the boiler, radiators and pipework and is inefficient by modern standards. Problems have occurred obtaining spare parts.

A heating team was set up to investigate alternative replacement installations; ways of making the best of the existing system; and other items such as draught proofing. As a result of some in-house fettling, the system is now running as well as it can. Particular thanks to Roger Wedlake and Richard Martin. Recent changes to the faculty system mean that replacement gas boiler installation now requires a full faculty and there are reports that some churches are encountering problems with this.

As reported at the last APCM Christ Church applied to be chosen as a Net Zero Carbon Demonstrator Church. This is a national scheme and for successful applicants, ultimately opens up potential funding for projects to help churches achieve “Net Zero Carbon (NZC)”. This includes heating systems and solar panel (PV) installations; the scheme applies to both the main church building and hall.

Christ Church reached “stage one”, having been chosen as one of five churches in the Diocese to go forward, from over twenty applicants. Stage one gives access to a Technical Advisory Service, free Fundraising Consultancy support and a cash grant of up to £15,000 + VAT towards professional fees.

The heating team has gradually evolved into a heating and NZC group. The team has obtained fee proposals from two specialist companies (Sure Group and Inspired Efficiency) which should qualify for stage one grant funding and help the church move towards a project proposal that would qualify for stage two funding of up to £50,000 towards actual works. We are being helped by the Diocese and national

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NZC church teams. This includes fund-raising advice. A fund-raising workshop will be run at church on May 21[st] - all welcome with no obligation to get heavily involved.

NZC demonstrator churches must agree to be potential published case studies. We are to some extent guinea pigs in a pilot scheme to help the Church of England achieve its aim of net zero carbon by 2030.

Hospitality and accessible toilet project

At the time of writing the DAC had approved the architect‟s plan for the next stage in the faculty application process, submission of a petition to Diocesan Registry and public consultation. An update will be given at the APCM

Drain

Part of the foul drain from the church toilet collapsed and was repaired under an insurance claim in August 2024, usual £500 insurance excess applied.

Other items

Regular servicing of the heating system, organ and organ blower plus safety checks of fire extinguishers were carried out, as normal.

Parish Hall

The main item to report is the refurbishment project, approved by PCC and carried out during February 2025 by Four Contracting Ltd. Many thanks to James Hunt for arranging and overseeing this project at a beneficial cost.

The principal works were:

The total cost was £64,268.

Thank you too to all who helped with cleaning and setting-up following the work and those who generously sponsored much-needed items for the hall.

Separately, the previously minimal loft insulation was upgraded to a modern standard, a new trap and ladder plus a small amount of flooring installed in November 2024 by Surrey Loft Installations at a cost of £4,351 as approved by the PCC. A timely donation covered the cost.

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The community accessible defibrillator was installed in August 2024 by Community Heartbeat; this was donated at no cost to the church and approved by the PCC.

The foul drains have been blocked several times mainly by wet wipes and cleared “in house” Additional notices and bins have been provided.

The Grounds

The flint boundary walls, as mentioned in the last APCM, are extensive and aging with several areas of deterioration and varying amounts of lean, requiring regular monitoring and represent a future liability in terms of expenditure. A short section by the main path from the road was at the time of writing due to be repaired when the weather warms up.

278 The Greenway (The Curate House)

The alterations and improvements were fully reported at the previous APCM. Since then, there are no events to report. When the house becomes available for potential letting, the PCC will need to be mindful of the Renters Rights Bill which had its 3[rd] reading in January 2025.

Report on the Goods and Ornaments 2024-25

  1. A number of surplus hymn books and bibles were donated to good causes and the Sanctus Bell, unused for many years, is on loan to another church in the Deanery.

  2. 20 Bibles NSRV and 40 hymn books Nov 2024 to St. Peters Church, Burnham,

  3. Book aid https://bookaid.org: Terry Davey kindly delivered a donation from Christ Church of 100 Bibles to Book Aid Int.

  4. On loan to St Mary’s Ewell 100 Hymn Books; Sanctus Bells x2 and bell sack.

  5. Christ church retained 150 Bibles and 100 Hymn books.

Deanery Synod Report: Gill Glasspool

Deanery Synod met three times over the year, sharing ideas for the benefit of churches Deanery-wide.

All meetings were chaired by Revd. Canon Rosemary Donovan, Area Dean. Christ Church was represented by elected Synod members: Shirleyann Dartnell, Leslie King, Gill Glasspool and Sofia Welsby. Revd. Esther Hunt has also attended the gatherings and in January, we were additionally joined by Nigel Daniels, Alan Frame and Anne Sturton since members of the wider congregation were encouraged to be at that meeting.

As in previous years, Rosemary provided Area Dean updates at each meeting and any official Deanery business has been conducted: laity elections took place in October, when Sofia Welsby was elected to the Synod in a competitive election. In addition, the Vicar from each church venue leads a time of worship and provides a short update on their ministry and current priorities for their church. These

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contributions are always very interesting as they paint clear pictures of local initiatives and trends and help us get to know our local church leaders.

A number of Deanery members supported Rosemary at her installation as an Honorary Canon on Sunday, 24th November at Guildford Cathedral:

Wednesday 5[th] June 2024: St Mary‟s Ewell

Focus: Youth, led by Revd. Alastair Etheridge, Diocesan Mission Enabler

Alastair provided a very engaging and provocative talk, introducing the Diocese‟s Youth Catalyst Project which seeks to, “equip churches, youth ministries and young people to grow a generation of missionary disciples who live out and proclaim the gospel without fear”. The Diocese is training more than 40 people to make this happen, in roles for missional leaders, a social media team, 16 new apprentices and 12 established youth leaders. In part, the Project was born in response to the impact of Covid on reducing the number of youth and youth workers engaged in the Diocese. The current trend was for churches to focus on retention rather than missionary outreach. Some of Alastair‟s main messages were as follows:

Following this meeting, a Deanery Network for Youth and Children‟s Workers was set up, along with a WhatsApp group to facilitate sharing and co-working across the Deanery. A first meeting was held on 5[th] October and Christ Church has already run joint youth events with All Saints, Ewell; All Saints Banstead; and Epsom Vineyard Church. Christ Church is additionally creating a dedicated and welcoming youth space.

Wednesday 10[th] October, St. Mark‟s Tattenham Corner

Focus: Taking forward issues raised at Church Growth Conference – Revd. David Senior and Matt Ineson.

The Conference had taken place just two days previously, on 8th October at St. Paul‟s Howell Hill, Clergy, PCC members, staff and ministry teams from across the diocese had gathered for a series of inspirational talks and practical workshops led by Bishop Andrew. Revd. David Senior, Mission Enabler - Stewardship and Evangelism, Guildford Diocese, reported that the conference theme, “Leading your congregation deeper in discipleship”, had set everyone on fire for Jesus and he suggested this was likely to encourage and motivate others to discover why this was!

Attending Epsom Deanery for the first time, Mat Ineson, Mission Enabler Team Lead, Guildford Diocese had encouraged those present to consider what had

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impacted their personal walk with Jesus, and who had helped them. Members chatted in pairs and then fed back their responses. Mat observed that knowing the things which had helped us find faith (or deeper faith) would in turn help us understand the needs of others. Mat reported that the second round of the Parish Needs Process would target how churches are discipling the core so that they can be empowered in their witness and evangelism.

Tuesday 14[th] January, St. Paul‟s Howell Hill

Focus: Funding your Parish in 2025 – Revd. David Senior, Emma Brooker, Geoff Andrews and Alison Moulden

Increased numbers attended this meeting (many via live stream) as it was open to non-Synod representatives involved with funding ministry and mission for their churches. e.g. treasurers, giving secretaries.

Presentations and a question and answer session were introduced and chaired by Revd. David Senior. The presentations highlighted a range of different parish funding sources and focused especially on maximising regular giving through bank accounts.

David‟s talk addressed:

Revenue for capital appeals: Emma Brooker, NZC Statutory Fundraising CoOrdinator at The Church of England outlined 6 steps to success for securing funding for large-scale improvements to their building or fabric.

Net Carbon Zero Fundraising: Alison Moulden, Diocesan Environment Officer, reminded everyone to make NCZ a priority when making grant applications. In addition, she suggested churches work together across a Deanery, pooling resources. As well as being more efficient, this demonstrates collaboration and is more likely to attract funders. Demonstrating environmental sustainability of a project is also a winner!

Cornerstone: Will Porter, The Kindness of Strangers. Will, himself a worshipper at St. John‟s Stoneleigh, introduced „Cornerstone‟, a new and wide-ranging interactive platform which will be offered free to parishes. Cornerstone, commissioned and

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funded by the national Church, is still under development so this was a preview. Cornerstone is a diagnostic platform designed to support parishes as their giving grows. The platform guides individual churches to understand and improve their finances, giving practice and culture of generosity. This is done through insights, graphical presentation of bespoke parish data and flagging up of clear actions for development. Via Cornerstone, churches can choose from dozens of pathways to help focus resources on those areas most relevant to them. Pathways are easy to access via an agile learning environment with supportive templates and tools to make things as easy as possible. Additionally, Cornerstone gives parishes access to a free live database of over 800 grant-making bodies, carefully selected by and for the Church of England. Guildford Diocese was to be one of the first dioceses in the UK to receive free access to Cornerstone and training workshops were to take place on 2 April 2025. A full video recording of the meeting can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/live/guBzP03AaWA

Finance: Nigel Daniels, Treasurer

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Statement of Financial Activities for the period 1 Jan 24 -31 Dec 24

Christ Church Epsom Common Statement of Financial Activities
For the period from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024 Unrestricted Restricte Total Prior year
funds funds funds total
Incoming resources
Incoming resources from generated - - - -
f
d
Voluntary income		 134,274 - 134,274 205,654
Activities for generating funds 3,941 - 3,941 4,491
Investment income 23,909 - 23,909 20,173
Incoming resources from charitable 32,020 - 32,020 35,294
Other incomingresources 4,856 - 4,856 7,544
Total income 199,000 - 199,000 273,156
Resources used
Cost of generating funds 508 - 508 506
Charitable activities 184,119 - 184,119 344,459
Governance costs 97 - 97 241
Total expenditure 184,724 - 184,724 345,206
resources before transfer 14,276 - 14,276 -72,050
Transfers:
Gross transfers between funds - in 12,092 - 12,092 93,935
Gross transfers between funds - out -12,092 - -12,092 -93,935
Other recognised gains / losses
Gains/losses on investment assets 2,547 - 2,547 5,610
charity's own use - - - -
Net movement in funds 16,823 - 16,823 -66,440
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 560,344 - 560,344 626,784
Total funds carried forward 577,167 - 577,167 560,344
Represented by
Unrestricted
General fund 110,160 - 110,160 69,361
Designated
Church & Hall Fund - - - 3,783
Curate's House Fund - - - 4,614
Fixed Assets 2,935 - 2,935 14,534
Living Well Fund 463,423 - 463,423 467,003
Missions Appeals Fund 649 - 649 1,049
Restricted
Total funds 577,167 - 577,167 560,344
There may be minor discrepancies in the totals if the pence are not being shown

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Balance Sheet detailed

Balance Sheet detailed
As at
As at
31/12/2024
31/12/2023
Fixed assets
Current assets
Liabilities
Reserves
Z02:
Represented by		 1000: 278 The Greenway
2,935
2,935
1100: Equipment
-
1,908
1200: Audio,Visual,Lighting
-
9,691
Total Fixed assets
2,935
14,534
3200: Nat West Current account
100
275
3205: Nat West Reserve account
49,917
47,902
3220: Lloyds Bank Fees Account
1,839
1,839
3230: CBF Deposit Fund
446,356
447,599
3240: Investments
47,319
44,772
3260: Floats
100
100
3270: Sundry Debtors
29,550
7,394
Z05: Accounts Receivable
-
-
ZZZ08: Prepayments
-
-
TotalCurrent assets
575,181
549,879
0: .
-
-
3650: Uncleared Cheques
-
-
3680: Utilities Creditor
-
-
3690: Sundry Creditors
-
-
6699: Agency collections
949
975
Z04: Accounts Payable
-
3,094
ZZZ09: Accruals
-
-
Total Liabilities
949
4,069
NetAsset surplus (deficit)
577,167
560,344
Excess/(deficit) to date
14,276
-72,050
Z01: Starting balances
560,344
626,784
Gains/(losses) on investment assets
2,547
5,610
Total Reserves
577,167
560,344

General (Unrestricted)
110,160
69,361
Designated
467,007
490,983
Restricted -
-
Total
577,167
560,344

Introduction:

During the year ending 31 December 2024, Christ Church received income, including legacies, of £199,000 (versus £ 273,156 in 2023) whilst expenditure totalled £184,724 (versus £345,206 in 2023): a surplus over the course of the year of £14,276 versus a deficit of £72,050 in 2023.

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Whilst in 2023 there was significant expenditure on the updating of the Curate's house, in 2024 very little was spent on property refurbishment and, as a result, there was a small surplus of income over expenditure after several years of deficit.

In 2025 we are invested in renovating the Church Hall and are proposing to update facilities within the Church with the installation of the Pod. There will likely also be repairs and maintenance work on the fabric of the Church building. The regular standing order donations and trading income from the hall will be insufficient to cover this expenditure on our property and therefore we expect to incur a deficit of £221,548. This will be met from our current reserves.

The balance sheet at the end of 2024 records the total net worth of Christ Church as £577,167 compared with £560,344 at the end of 2023.

Planned Giving and Other Income

Christ Church is heavily dependent on voluntary financial contributions from our members, most of who donate via standing orders through their bank, for which we are eternally grateful. Standing orders generated £77,568 which was an increase of £2,016 over that received in 2023. We were able to claim from HMRC a total of £22,071 in gift aid (£20,248 in 2023).

Planned Giving forms a major source of our income. If you have not already done so, please consider joining our Planned Giving Scheme.

One off donations totalled £26,220 (£12,979 in 2023), some of which was gift aided. Income generated from Church Hall hire was £20,930 compared to £31,166 in 2023. The reduction was due to Little Hands contract ending in August 2024. The newly refurbished hall should hopefully attract new users and replace this lost income.

Income from Church hire was £883 (£1,130 in 2023).

The Scouts have finally signed the lease for the Scout Hut and have paid rent of £6,000 for 2022, 2023 and 2024. Legal expenses have been incurred to secure the new lease, some of which have been recouped from the Scouts in 2025.

Investment interest on cash balances held with NatWest and Churches, Charities and Local Authorities Investment Management Limited (CCLA) amounted to £23,909 (£20,173 in 2023).

No rent was received for The Greenway, this year or last year, and £4,491 was received in grants (£7,237 in 2023).

Legacy income of £2,008 was gratefully received (£91,205 in 2023).

Legacy income has been vital in keeping our Church solvent during and following the Covid crisis.

As mentioned above, our day to day spending and expenditure is broadly in balance however for major repairs and capital projects, we need to utilise our reserves. These reserves have largely been built up by legacy income and are steadily reducing. We ask you to kindly consider leaving a legacy in your will.

A gift to the Church is normally deducted from the value of an estate when inheritance tax is calculated thereby reducing the amount of inheritance tax payable.

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There are some leaflets on legacy giving at the back of the Church. More information is available at www.churchlegacy.org.uk or by phoning the information line on 08445 870875.

It is always important to take independent advice over such matters.

Expenditure.

Our Parish Share was £89,155, (£86,621 in 2023). This supports our clergy and ministry, as well as being part of the support to those parishes in the Diocese who are suffering from reduced income and are less well blessed with funds than ourselves. The Parish Share is expected to rise to £90,152 this year.

The AVL project (to enhance sound and visuals in the Church) was undertaken in 2018 and completed during 2019 and was treated as a capital expense. Depreciation on this, and a photocopier purchased in 2019, was over 5 years and is included in the year at £11,599. These assets are now fully depreciated.

Salary costs were £19,841 for the Office Administrators and Youth and Families Worker, (£10,901 in 2023.)

Missions

Donations and emergency appeals to our Missions partners amounted to £5,400.

Funds

The General Fund at the year-end is £110,160 and the Living Well Fund (intended for repairs and capital projects) is £463,423. These will decrease after expenditure on the Church Hall, Church repairs and the Pod.

Investments

In November 2018, £30,000 was invested in the Charities Ethical Investment Fund (COIF) managed by Churches, Charities and Local Authorities Investment Management Limited (CCLA). This was valued at £47,319 at the end of 2024, as against £44,772 at the end of 2023.

Unrealised gains and losses represent the movement in market values during the year and are credited or charged to the statement of financial activities based on the market value at the year end.

Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA)

These financial statements were approved by the PCC of Christ Church, Epsom Common on March 17 2025 and signed on its behalf by the Revd. Esther Holly Hunt, Chair of the PCC meeting.

The Income and Expenditure Analysis for 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024 and proposed budget have not been included in this report. A print out or email copy of this report is available on request from PCC Secretary Jane Williams pcc@christchurchepsom.org.uk.

The accounts also do not incorporate the financial statements of the Vicar and Churchwardens' Trust, which handles the legacies from Eden and Dennis King and Mildred Freeman.

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Accounting Policies

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Church Accounting Regulations 2006, together with applicable accounting standards and the SORP 2015. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The financial statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law.

They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body, nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Funds

Designated Funds are part of the unrestricted funds which the PCC has earmarked for a particular project or use, without restricting or committing the funds legally. The designation may be cancelled by the PCC if it later decides not to proceed or continue with the use or project for which the funds were designated. Unrestricted Funds are General funds, which can be used for PCC ordinary purposes.

Incoming Resources

Voluntary income, including donations, gifts, legacies and grants are recognised when there is an entitlement certainty of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis. Income derived from events is recognised as earned and is accounted for gross.

Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised when a liability is incurred. Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over or when awarded if that award creates a binding or constructive obligation on the PCC.

The Diocesan Parish Share is accounted for when due.

Fixed Assets

Consecrated land and buildings and movable church furnishings

Consecrated and beneficed property is excluded from the accounts by s.96 (2) (a) of the Charities Act 1993. The curate's house is included at the original cost. No value is placed on movable church furnishings held by the churchwardens held in special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal, since the PCC considers this to be inalienable property. All expenditure incurred during the year on consecrated or benefice buildings and movable church furnishings, whether maintenance or improvement, is written off as expenditure in the SOFA.

Other fixtures, fittings and office equipment and individual items costing £5000 or less are not capitalised.

Payments to Trustees

There were no Payments to Trustees during the year other than for goods or services purchased by Trustees in the course of their duty on behalf of Christ Church.

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Independent examiner’s report to the PCC of Christ Church, Epsom Common

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PARISH OF CHRIST CHURCH EPSOM COMMON

Registered Charity No 1127945

Minutes of the Combined Vestry and Annual Parochial

Church Meeting April 2024

Held at 10am on Sunday 21 April 2024. Chaired by the Vicar, the Revd Rosemary Donovan. Notes: The Annual Meetings were integrated with Parish Communion held publicly in church and live-streamed on Zoom (as approved by the Diocese). All votes included both those present and those joining via Zoom.

(Open to all Electoral Roll Members)

Attendance

The service was held in Church and live-streamed. 72 adults (age over 16) were present in Church, of whom 57 were eligible to vote. 8 adults were present via zoom. Apologies were received from Devorah and Robert Burns, Hazel Rose and Fay Wedlake.

1. Minutes of the APCM, 16 April 2023,

Included in the 2024 annual report as circulated via website, weekly newsletter and hardcopy in church (from April 9 2024) were approved

2. Election of Churchwardens and PCC members

The following nominees were unanimously appointed to these roles:

Role
 Nominee Proposer Seconder
Churchwarden 6~~th~~and final term
 Andy Hards Leslie King Jenny Breese
Churchwarden 3~~rd~~term
 Fay Wedlake Gill Glasspool Malcolm
Channing
PCC member (2~~nd~~3yr term)
 Jane
Williams		 Roger Morgan Ruth Grint
PCC member (2~~nd~~3yr term) Nigel Daniels Malcolm
Channing		 Christine
Channing
PCC member 3yr term after 1 yr
term		 Tom Ellinor Jane Williams Daniel Allsopp
PCC member 3yr term after 1 yr
co-opted		 David Blacoe Fay Wedlake William Brook
PCC member 3yr term Tricia
Crawford		 Joanna Woolfe Anne Sturton

Rosemary extended thanks to retiring PCC members Daniel Koboe, Lucy Warren and Clair Wright for their valued contribution over the past 3 years.

Thanks were expressed to Andy and Fay for all their hard work and for their willingness to continue as Churchwardens. Thanks were also extended to those

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above willing to continue their PCC membership. Tricia Crawford was welcomed and thanked for her willingness to serve.

3. Appointment of other K e y Roles

Douglas Slade, retired Chartered Accountant was reappointed as Independent Examiner of the financial accounts for year ending December 2024

Leslie and Maureen King were reappointed as Parish Safeguarding Officers and DBS validators.

Martin Shipton was reappointed as Electoral Roll Officer

All were thanked for their work and willingness to serve

4. Vicar’s Review Sunday 21[st] April 2024

Lectionary texts were Acts 4:5-12 and John 10:11-18

‘By what power or by what name did you do this?’

What a great question to ask?

When I look back on the events of last year which were very full, I wonder how we managed to fit everything in. I am constantly amazed by the commitment of our members and your willingness to journey with me and one another to create such a wonderful community here at Christ Church. We cannot do this in our own strength but through faith in the one who lays down his life for the sheep. Our church is Christ‟s Church not Rosemary‟s or Andy‟s or Essien‟s or Gabriel‟s I could go on. Christ is our cornerstone the one in whom we put our trust and depend on to make the impossible possible. There is salvation in on one else. We often refer to the church as a body. Bodies have hands and feet, and they work together to enable creativity, hospitality and generosity. On behalf of the staff team and PCC may I say a big thank you to all who contribute to our common life, which includes regular worship, on-going discipleship, pastoral care, stewardship, buildings maintenance and outreach? We do all these things because we want to follow the Good Shepherd and they demonstrate our devotion and willingness to serve Him.

The image of God as our shepherd, and Jesus as our good shepherd, is such a familiar one. But I wonder: is such an old-fashioned image still helpful to us? In biblical times, everyone knew a shepherd. It would have been a very recognisable and useful metaphor. But is that still the case? Yet Psalm 23 is still one of our most beloved psalms and passages in scripture, and Jesus as the Good Shepherd is still one of the most well-known ways of thinking of him, and of picturing him.

So, as I thought about why this is still the case, in this very modern, post-agricultural world of ours, it struck me that the answer is quite simple: We all long for a shepherd. We all know that we need someone to lead us, to protect us, and to guide us. We are a lot like sheep. And sheep need shepherds. The world, then and now, looks for someone to lead, because we need someone to lead us.

I suspect that is why superhero movies are still popular, and probably always will be. Because our world needs heroes. Our world needs leaders. Our world needs good

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and faithful shepherds, to take care of us, and to lead us. Our world certainly needs a good shepherd right now. We need someone that we trust to lead us, as a nation and all around the world. We are in uncharted territory. There is no road map for the future. There is no handbook to turn to. We live in the here and now and behave a lot like sheep.

Sheep are what is known as “flock animals.” They like to be together. They don‟t do so well on their own. There is safety in numbers, and sheep seem to know this. So, they tend to spend a lot of time together, and they find a lot of benefit from being together. And we as humans are “flock animals” too, are we not? We like to be together. We like to gather in groups. There is this innate drive to surround ourselves with like-minded people, in sports and politics, at work and at school. We tend to flock together. Birds of a feather flock together, as the old saying goes. Congregations, of course, are sometimes called flocks.

We are a community that recognizes that there are important reasons to be together. To worship, to celebrate life‟s milestones, or national events, to promote worthy causes and simply for fun as we saw in the PowerPoint of slides as we arrived today.

But what is unique about congregations is that we are not necessarily birds of a feather. I mean, we are all Anglican, and we all live in this community, but beyond that we have several differences. We are different ages, we grew up in different parts of the country, we have different tastes in music, we support different sports teams, and we have widely varying political views. We are not exactly birds of a feather, except that we are all followers of Jesus, and we are all here in Epsom. And so, we are here, flocking together, as best we can.

When you spend any time studying Scripture, it becomes obvious that God‟s plan is for us to be together, in a community of faith like this one. You might remember that the first thing Jesus does when he begins his ministry, is to call a group of disciples together. And the early church – after Jesus is crucified and raised – spent a lot of time together. In the Book of Acts, we learn what life was like for those early Christians. In Acts 2:46, we find this description:

“Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.”

Christians are supposed to spend time together. We are not intended to be on our own. That‟s why Jesus created the church. That is one of its primary purposes: So that we sheep can come together and be kept safe. And so that we can join in seeking guidance from our shepherd especially in uncertain times. This brings us to the second way that we are like sheep.

It turns out that sheep are very good at hearing, and especially at hearing the voice of their shepherd. A practice typical in Jesus‟ time was for shepherds to get together with other shepherds and their sheep during the day. A bunch of shepherds, all together with lots and lots of sheep, usually at some kind of watering hole. It was noisy and chaotic, to say the least. But at the end of the day, the shepherds would

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call for their sheep. And the sheep would follow their own shepherds to a safe place to sleep. Amid all that chaos, and all those competing voices, the sheep would hear their shepherd‟s voice and follow their shepherd. And that is, of course, what we are supposed to do, too: Listen to our shepherd, the Good Shepherd, and follow Him.

There are plenty of competing voices these days, all clamouring for our attention. Voices from our TVs, and our computers, and our phones and tablets, and so on. But there is only one voice that truly matters to our soul. And that is the voice of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Sheep are good at listening to the voice of their shepherd, and we need to be, too. The way Esther introduced Bubble Church to us and how we prayerfully responded as a community to support it and increase giving to enable a new part time Children and Youth worker is an example of how we are good hearers. We need to continue to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd guiding and encouraging us in this ministry, as well as in our redevelopment plans and eco church initiatives. We intend holding more whole church prayer meetings and I am really excited about Thy Kingdom Come this year too, as we pray earnestly for the fruits of the Spirit to be present in our community.

There is a third characteristic of sheep that I want to remind us of today, that sheep are natural followers. They don‟t like to be pushed; they prefer to be led. And it is their shepherd who leads them. We have all probably heard that sheep are not very smart animals, but that turns out not to be true. Sheep supporters claim this was a rumour started by cattle ranchers, because sheep don‟t behave like cows. Cows are herded from the rear by cowboys. They yell and prod the cows to get them going in the right direction. But when you stand behind sheep and make noises, they just try to get behind you again. So, some cattle ranchers assumed that they were stupid animals. When, in fact, sheep simply prefer to be led. Cows can be pushed. Sheep must be led. And, when you think about it, that‟s not that stupid. Sheep trust their shepherd and go where the shepherd goes. And they let the shepherd go first, to make sure the way is safe, and then to invite them to follow him.

And isn‟t that what Jesus is asking of us? To be his followers? He‟s not going to push us. He‟s not going to force us. Instead, Jesus just keeps calling us, in many and various ways, and inviting us over and over to follow him. He promises to lead us, to protect us, and even to lay down his life for us. And he invites us to trust him. Trust him and follow him.

As a PCC we have been trying to do that particularly regarding development plans for our site. Regular members will recall conversations with our architect Brendan Tracey about our needs and priorities which have changed as time progress. The pandemic and rising building costs have had a detrimental effect on our finances, and we need to be careful with resources. Consequently, we want to do something that will have large benefits with less risk. One of the major problems with our site is accessibility for those less mobile and the inability to host concurrent events due to safeguarding considerations. Namely we only have an inaccessible loo in the church and no hospitality facilities. The cluttered and unsightly arrangement of tables and boxes in the corner are dissatisfactory and we have proved the need for

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improvements. We are in the process of applying for a faculty to change this and so far the DAC is being very encouraging.

What is being proposed is a self-contained pod that could literally fit discretely into the north aisle that would provide both accessible toilets and hospitality facilities.

Slide 1: This shows the floor plan of the church layout, and you can see we are only talking about altering a small area in the corner.

Slide: 2 These 2 photographs show the before and after impact.

Slide 3: Finally, a more detailed cross section looking side on and then front.

These line-drawing images were displayed on the screen and also on the newsletter for several weeks (see link)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XVwH7ad_rIrb68eS0K71bIxCup8Ltvy8/edit?u sp=sharing&ouid=105666197516741528283&rtpof=true&sd=true

The PCC truly believe the benefits will out way any cosmetic downside and are taking the lead on this. We are aware that it will mean having beautiful windows in the toilets. And that we won‟t see the glorious Palm Sunday triptych from inside the church anymore so are exploring how to recreate them using light boxes as a feature on the side of the pod. It will enable us to be less wasteful as we can wash up mugs that will be stored easily in cupboards below the servery. We are currently spending about £50 a month on disposable cups, which is also not good for our eco credentials. Please if you can bring you own reusable travel mug. There will be no more setting up an unsafe urn as we can have a dedicated hot water tap and the clutter will be contained.

These plans have evolved through prayerful discernment, listening to one another and to God. It is intended that the hall refurbishment and office improvements would be a second stage with an option to extend further as funds permit.

Nothing stays the same for ever. The only certainty in life is change. This challenged the rulers and elders in Jerusalem causing them to ask questions about authority. We are fortunate today that we elect PCC members to represent and serve the wider community. I pray that you can have confidence in your leaders to manage things well, working for the greater good and long-term future. Please pray for them and get behind them.

We are blessed to have a shepherd, who is good and loving and faithful, who promises to lead us all the days of our life, through the trials and tribulations and whatever this world throws at us. We can help this shepherd by being good and faithful sheep: By continuing to flock together, faithfully listening for his voice, and by following him.

RAD 21/04/25

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5. Electoral Roll: Report by the Electoral Roll Officer, Martin Shipton.

Like the national electoral roll, membership confers voting rights and lists the names and addresses of all members, however, only the names are publicly available.

The Church Electoral Roll is the foundation of the structure of synodical government in the Church of England and only those who names are on the Electoral Roll are eligible for election to the PCC and synods. At last year‟s meeting I reported an Electoral Roll membership of 154 people which was a slight increase on the previous year of 149. This year we welcome 11 new members, but we have lost 28 members. So, membership now stands at 137. Every six years the roll has to be completely recompiled so that means that next year anyone wishing to be on the roll will need to complete a new application form, even if you only have just done so.

At this point I normally say something about the distribution of people on the Roll. I thought I would add a different perspective this year and ask the question – What are the most numerous names on the Roll? Topping the list we have, David with 5 entries and then with 3 entries each Ann, Jane and Jenny.

This past year has seen the death of seven members of our Church Family and from our Electoral Roll

Daphne Baptiste Sheila Frame Kate Wiseman Mary Jordan Chambers Former members Kathleen Gregory Sally Stephens Mike Farrell

I invite you now to stand as we pause for a moment to remember them. All are sadly missed, and we thank God for our memories of them and all that they gave to us both as individuals and also as a church.

6. Verbal Finance Report: T r easurer Nigel Daniels.

Nigel confirmed the financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2023 had been verified by Independent Examiner Douglas Slade, qualified Chartered Accountant. Nigel thanked Douglas for his guidance and his time given, to do this. Full details are included in the Annual Report. Nigel explained the deficit of £72,050 arose due to extensive necessary improvements to the Curates residence at a cost of £165,580. This was partly offset by the receipt of several legacies and with no cost for a Children and Youth Worker in that financial year. Nigel highlighted the opportunity for legacy giving which greatly contributes to capital projects, major improvements and repairs and keeping the church solvent. Leaflets on legacy giving are available at the back of the church.

Nigel also highlighted the possible rise in expenses for next year by as much as £70,000 due to repairs that may be highlighted in the quinquennial report and the costs of employing a Children and Youth Worker from April 2024. Nigel ended by thanking the Finance Team, June Skinner, Malcolm Channing and Anne Sturton for keeping the church finances smoothly ticking over and for their hard work and support. He also thanked predecessor Alan Frame for his many years of work as

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treasurer and for his friendship and guidance as Nigel himself continues in the role of Treasurer

7. Deanery S y nod Report: included in Annual report

8. PCC Report: included in Annual Report

9. Annual Report on the Fabric of the Church and other Properties, and on the Church Goods and Ornaments: included in the Annual Report

10. Questions from the Congregation sent in advance

 From Sarah Chorley I am so pleased that the Bubble Church initiatives have been met with such enthusiasm and thank all those that continue to support this. Is there a plan for children who are too old for Bubble church as the transition from 4pm in the afternoon to 10am may not be particularly attractive?

Response from Rosemary and Esther

As children get older, they have opportunities to help lead as service assistants, doing sound, refreshments and welcome. They are invited to join 5@5 and 10am services. In time we do anticipate a cross-over between Bubble church and Sunday morning worship, as we, with Sofia, invest in Christ Church Kids. We are praying for the whole Ministry to children and families. We are implementing our plans to grow our engagement with Bubble church families in discipleship and relationship.

In September we had a prayer meeting focussing on children and youth and the worker, who is now in our midst. We prayed over Bubble church, and God has indeed made that door open. We need to continue to pray for these things, for God‟s guidance and leadership in all these things. So we will hold another prayer meeting on April 29 at 19:30 to support our children and youth ministry.

 From Roger Morgan I see there’s nothing in the Annual Report about the Church’s music. Is this important strand of Christ Church provision kept under review by the PCC?

Response from Rosemary

Music is part of the worship team remit which was acknowledged by me in the report but is not a regular feature of the PCC agenda. Although whenever David, Ruth and Dan who are active members of that team have a particular request we do of course discuss it.

 From Hazel Rose Would it be possible to have a contemplative service on a Sunday evening?

Response from Rosemary

We would do this if there was a regular commitment from people to attend. Post Covid there has been little appetite for services in the evening. We tend to do special prayer meetings or seasonal services mid-week.

Rosemary offered to address any other questions relating to the annual report or church activities in a future “talk-about” session in a couple of weeks, if there is a need. Please email Rosemary with your questions.

Jane Williams PCC Secretary 24/04/2024

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