Vicar’s Report 2020 APCM
St Paul's Church
What a year it has been, in the first three months January to March we started to move forward and build on the Mission and Ministry meetings that we held in 2019, Tony Morrison, Janet Griffiths and myself started to look at the Church of England resource titled "From Evidence to Action" which looks at 8 areas in how to move your Church forward and for our own personal discipleship we started to look at Mike Breen Book titled Building A Discipling Culture, sadly we only meet once.
Then as a country we went into national lockdown on the 23rd March 2020, this meant as a Church we had to look out of the box and do Church totally different, as the Parr Team we put together different / alterative services each Sunday. We quickly learned how to use Zoom, with Rev Gillian Hitchen taking the lead in this area for Sunday morning worship for the Parr Team, Rev Pauline Rowe taking the lead on Face Book which was made available to everyone, I took the lead on the mobile phone by using WHATTS APP for the Parr Team, the Readers, Ian Bowling Duncan Macrae & Gina Rouse phoned people up who didn't have internet accesses on the land line, leading people in a Sunday morning service.
What has been really interesting is, as we got more and more into these services people from all over the Parr Team came together as we worshipped on a Sunday, we have around 28 people a week on Zoom, around 35 people linking in to face book, around 16 people on WHATTS APP and 8 people on the Land Line phone, then on a Wednesday Evening on Zoom we held a Prayer and Praise evening and again we had around 16 people taking part.
What has been really positive about do Church like this is the Parr Team Churches coming together to worship and people of the different Church taking part in leading the prayers, bible readings, leading or preaching, it's been a great time to get to know each other and build relationship.
Our Children's ministry has been totally effected in how we having been making links over the years with the community through Messy Church, Easter activities and Christmas activities, again we had to look at how as a Church we can offer some sort of ministry to family within our Parish, Anne Simister, Debbie Doran & June White put together and held a Family Zoom All Age Worship every Tuesday evening at 5-30pm again this has been really positive for families as they share together.
At Christmas the Children Ministry team put together a Family Christmas Nativity trail around the Parish, with Nativity figure in people gardening's, so simple yet so powerful, Community and Church coming together as we celebrate the Lord birth.
June White and Debbie Doran have once again taken a lead in putting together a Monthly Prayer diary each month, which was sent to everyone who's got a e-mail address and those who don't have e-mail address a printed copy has been delivered to them.
At the very beginning of lockdown we set up a buddy call list, we have had 9 people taking the lead in making phone calls to around 6 / 7 people each week as we cared for people needs both socially and Spiritually, especially with those who live on their own, and I know from firsthand experience people did find this a real blessing of support.
Finances for the Church as held its own this last year, which saying the year we have is very good, I did write to each member in early May about the Churches financial position, can I say a very big thank you to you all for taking the challenge up, people have given by their weekly giving envelopes or through setting a standing order / direct debit, this has really helped St Paul's to keep their head above the water.
The biggest challenge we have faced over these last 9 months of lockdown as a Church, is in St Paul's Pre School, this is no fault of the VCM or the staff of St Paul's preschool, it is just the position we faced ourselves in due to the virus and the lockdown situation, times have been real tuff, at one stage from a financial point of view and lack of number in Children it looked on paper that we were going to close St Paul's Preschool altogether.
With a lot of support of the staff, the VCM and speaking to St Helens council on a financially bases it looks like we are in a better position to move forward, not being negative about this point but it depends on parents confidence of sending their children to a preschool as we come out of lockdown.
The Parr Team
Last year I reported that Holy Trinity were on a journey at looking at how can they be Church, being a Church presents within the Finger Post area.
In June Rev Tim Coates was appoint Team Vicar of Holy Trinity under the umbrella of Transform North West, which I believe is a great appointment and a great way forward for Holy Trinity as a Church, Holy Trinity came out of the Parr Team in November and is know a standalone Church, but still remains part of St Helens Deanery.
In December Rev Gillian Hitchen announced that she has been appointed Priest in Change of St Andrew's Orford and would be leaving around February 2021, I feel that Gillian and Mike has been a really blessing to the Parr Team over these last 2 1/2 years and wish them well in the ministry God as called them into at St Andrew's.
To finish my report off I would like to pay my sincere thanks to the Wardens & Deputy Wardens, Readers, Children ministry team and to the Telephone Buddies for all the ministry, pastoral work and mission we have and has been done over these last 12 months, it really has been challenging times.
I truly believe that as we move forward out of lockdown within our own lives and in the life of St Paul's we will have to be open to change in how we meet the needs of our community and church members in building the Kingdom of God.
With all its challenges it is a great and wonderful privilege in serving the Lord Jesus here at St Paul's, my prayer is that we will see God's Kingdom come more and more clearer as we move forward out of lockdown and we will see God's kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST.PAUL'S BLACKBROOK STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
For the year ended 31 December 2020
| Note INCOMING RESOURCES Voluntary income 2 Activities for generating funds 3 Income from investments 4 Church activities 5 Other incoming resources 6 TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES RESOURCES USED Fundraising costs 7 Church activities 8 Governance costs 9 TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED NET INCOMING / (OUTGOING) RESOURCES TRANSFER BETWEEN FUNDS NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS Balances brought forward at 1.1.20 Balances carried forward at 31.12.20 |
Unrestricted Funds £ 40,602.10 802.50 1.00 1,080.00 0.00 42,485.60 0.00 37,775.82 350.00 38,125.82 4,359.78 -3,207.00 1,152.78 6,712.69 7,865.47 |
Restricted Funds £ 36,280.81 0.00 0.00 1,821.21 0.00 38,102.02 0.00 45,879.65 0.00 45,879.65 -7,777.63 3,207.00 -4,570.63 15,577.75 11,007.12 |
TOTAL FUNDS 2020 2019 £ £ 76,883 86,297 803 2,598 1 3 2,901 9,451 0 0 80,588 98,349 0 0 83,655 100,465 350 350 84,005 100,815 -3,418 (2,467) -3,418 (2,467) 22,290 24,757 18,873 22,290 |
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The notes on pages 5 to 6 form part of these accounts
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