## **ANNUAL REPORT St John’s Ainsdale 2022**
Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Ainsdale St John, incorporating the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022 _Charity Number 1128996_
_Sharing God’s love, serving one another_
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INTRODUCTION 2
VISION & MISSION 3
WORSHIP & PASTORAL CARE 4
CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE 5
SCHOOL & NURSERY 9
COMMUNITY & FELLOWSHIP 11
THE WIDER CHURCH 13
WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA 14
BUILDINGS & GROUNDS 15
FINANCIAL REVIEW 16
MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE 18
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 19
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS 20
APPENDICES
1. PCC MEMBERSHIP & APPROVED ROLES 28
2. PROGRESSS AGAINST 2022 MISSION OBJECTIVES 29
3. PCC MISSION OBJECTIVES FOR 2023 30
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This Annual Report has been designed to be read online to support our desire to be environmentally friendly. If you need a paper copy, please contact one of the wardens.
_**“Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other. Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble and always be prayerful.”**_
Romans 12:9-12
**Page 1**
Welcome to our annual report for 2022 - our first full year post Covid lockdowns. It has been a year of stability with a regular pattern of services resumed. On the whole, the congregation has returned, but for those who still feel vulnerable we continue to live-stream the 10.30 Sunday service.
A significant event during the year was the retirement of our vicar, Rev. Jane Morgan. The congregations from the three services came together to hear Jane’s final sermon to us and to give her a wonderful send-off with a bring-and-share lunch on August 28th. We thank God for Jane’s ministry – bringing compassion and wisdom as we have developed, in particular, our school’s ministry and work around ecochurch.
During the subsequent interregnum we have been very grateful to the retired clergy Rev. Peter Todd, Rev. Bill Matthews, and Rev. Canon Ross Moughtin; and lay people, Jean Todd, Eirlys Jessop and Linda Davies; who have stepped in to ensure we have been able to maintain all our services.
Our links with St John’s Primary School and Natterjacks Nursery are as strong as ever. The children from school come into church every week for a whole school worship and whenever possible church and school link for specific events such as a whole school Prayer Day.
During this year we have been able to host more social events. The film shows have been particularly successful with young and old gathering together to enjoy them. We also had concerts from the Formby Brass Band and the choir, Connected Voices. This is something we want to continue and expand in the coming year.
We are currently in the process of appointing a new vicar and look forward to the exciting opportunities we know God has for St John’s.
## Ainsdale St John’s PCC
## **PCC MEMBERSHIP (to APCM 2023)**
_Incumbent Reader Churchwardens_
Currently in Interregnum Eirlys Jessop Chris Thursfield (PCC Chair) Lesley Phipps (PCC vice Chair) Paul Ellis, Jean Washbourne, David Phipps
_Deanery Synod Reps_
_Elected Members (and Trustees)_ Lindsay Jessop (PCC Treasurer) Giles Davies John Forshaw Maggie Hilton Patricia Jameson Ann Walton
Kate Corey Linda Davies Lynne Grice Frank Hyland Val Sinnott
**Members of the PCC are the charity trustees and are the 'persons having the general control and management of the administration of the charity' (Charities Act 2011, s177).**
_See_ _**Appendix 1** for further details & approvedroles_
## Leadership spotlight
In March 2022 Venerable Pete Spiers, our Archdeacon, commissioned Linda Davies as the **Missional Leader for Children and Youth** . Linda has a passion for this ministry which includes acting as Baptisms Co-ordinator, preparing our young candidates for Confirmation, leading Praise & Worship services and school worship, and being part of the IMPACT Youth Club leadership team.
**Page 2**
**St John’s Mission Priorities**
The primary objective of St John's Church Parochial Church Council (PCC) is to promote the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to cooperate with the incumbent, in promoting in the parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical.
## **OUR VISION** _**Sharing God’s Love, Serving One Another**_
## **OUR MISSION**
_**Demonstrating God’s love by supporting families throughout their lives: as children; as adults; as parents; and when they need someone just to listen such as at times of bereavement.**_
To help direct our activities, the PCC has a series of **Mission Priorities** which are focused around the **5 Marks of Mission** ( _see box right_ ).
Each year, the PCC sets specific **Objectives** against each priority. These help inform budgeting. Progress is reviewed monthly by the PCC’s Mission Group. _See Appendices 2 and 3 for_ _**Progress against 2022 objectives** and_ _**PCC objectives for 2023**_ .
In fulfilling our Mission Priorities, we aim to be:
**1. An active church family where all members are included and valued for who they are, respect each other’s style of worship, encourage involvement, and contribute to the whole life of the Church, including our Church School, with their talents and abilities.**
**2. Centred on God, letting Him lead us into the future He has prepared for us.**
**3. Growing in faith as we serve our community in Ainsdale.**
To facilitate the above, it is important that we maintain the fabric of the Church building and adjacent hall complex.
When planning our activities for the year, the PCC has considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion.
## **5 Marks of Mission**
- **A. TELL: Proclaim the** • Letting God touch the lives of others by **Good News of the** providing imaginative, varied, inspiring and **Kingdom** engaging worship.
- **B. TEACH: Teach, baptise** • Helping and nurturing all those who wish to **and nurture new** explore and deepen their relationship with **believers** God by providing opportunities for bible study, prayer and Christian fellowship in a safe family friendly environment.
- Equipping and supporting each other as members of an inclusive church family to be Christians in a modern world: at home; at work; with friends and in our local community.
- **C. TEND: Respond to** • Helping to transform lives of those in need **human needs by loving** in Ainsdale through providing a safe haven **service** for quiet contemplation and offering practical and emotional support for life events.
- **D. TRANSFORM: Seek to** • Working with other Christian and secular **transform unjust** organisations to promote global fairness for **structures of society,** all. **to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation**
- **E. TREASURE: Strive to** • Looking after God’s planet by raising **safeguard the integrity** awareness of the impact we have on **of creation and sustain** creation and the actions we can take to **and renew the life of** improve the environment. **the earth**
**Page 3**
Our regular pattern of **weekly worship** continued through 2022. We were blessed to lead **whole school worship** in church for all children and staff every Monday as well as holding special services for Harvest Festival, Easter and Christmas.
We continued to support families who had lost a loved one, hosting eight funerals during 2022.
The PCC are very grateful to the dedicated clergy and lay teams, worship band and choir who have had such a positive impact on our worship this year.
The **worship band** supported our Praise & Worship services and school collective worship. Their music is enjoyed by a wide range of ages with everyone becoming involved with the actions used to enhance the messages.
The **choir** membership remained steady at 12 (average attendance 8) in 2022. In addition to supporting HC services, they led the Remembrance Sunday worship on the village green, plus they had 2 Weddings (the first in several years!). A particular highlight was the Carol Service - back in church post covid - which was very well received with lots of lovely compliments.
The **Care Group** are a valuable part of our ministry. On 10[th] July 2022 the group was relaunched with a commissioning service in church, led by Jane our then vicar. With the ending of lockdown members were able to resume home visits to sick and housebound parishioners and take communion to people who cannot attend church services.
A small but dedicated **Prayer Group** meets each Monday afternoon in church. The **Prayer Circle** has been
## **2022 WORSHIP PATTERN**
## _Sunday 10-30 main service (also live streamed)_
To accommodate different styles, our main 10.30 Sunday service adopts different formats each week:
- _1st Sun:_ Praise & Worship (family service with worship band)
- _2nd Sun:_ Holy Communion (CW) with organ and choir
- _3rd Sun:_ Parade Service/P&W (family service with worship band and involvement from Guides, Rainbows and Brownies)
- _4th Sun:_ Holy Communion (CW) with organ and choir
- _5th Sun:_ varies with season and special events
## _Sunday 8-30 service_
Quiet traditional Holy Communion (alternate BCP/BCW) with no music. _Thursday 10-30 service_
Traditional Holy Communion (BCP) with no music.
plan more film shows in the future.
actively supporting those who request prayers.
A **Men’s Social Group** and a **Bereavement Group** have been started. A **‘bring & share’ lunch** to bring the congregations together proved a success and will be repeated in 2023.
The Care Group has put on a series of film shows on Friday afternoons as part of the **warm space programme** , coordinated with other churches in the village. It is hoped to
_**Our choir and music group supported services throughout the year; services included a special farewell for Jane’s retirement; refreshments and the reintroduction of parish lunches after services provided opportunities for fellowship.**_
**Page 4**
We were very encouraged to see some growth in the attendance of families at our 10.30 Praise and Worship Services and Parade Services post covid. We are trying to encourage those with young children to attend with active participation in worship. We are noticing that, although we have a dedicated space and resources for children at the back of church, they are choosing to come to the front and sit with parents and become involved with worship for the entire service. Also, there is time after the service to do some colouring or sit at the tables and read Bible stories.
## **Junior PCC**
We have been blessed to have our Junior PCC and young children help with readings and prayers at services. Feedback from parents is that their children want to come to these services and are enjoying the
Trust (SASWT) and supported by Linda & Katie from St John’s and Joan Green from the Village Church. Again, it has been a real
interactivity. We have also been encouraging Junior PCC members to have a role in services and they did an excellent job leading the Crib Service for over 100 children and adults. They have lots of ideas and enthusiasm and a growing awareness of their role in the Ministry and Outreach of our church.
the Crib Service for encouragement to see how over 100 children this initiative, which and adults. They originated at St. have lots of ideas and enthusiasm John’s to help with and a growing transition to high awareness of school, is a safe their role in the and welcoming Ministry and space for so many Outreach of our from different church. schools within our locality. We **IMPACT** have seen the IMPACT open children coming youth club early and queuing met each to get in and meet Wednesday friends, play during term sports, games time at the on the screens Methodist Church. The ecumenical and take part in group is led by Hettie and Tabz from faith-based discussions during our the Southport & Area School Worker ‘Cake Space’. The food certainly
goes down a treat with now up to 28 regular attendees.
## **Baptism**
Members of the church family continued to knit and crochet blankets for the children being baptised, as we welcomed each one into the church family, covering them in God’s love. The children also received a Bible as a gift. It was encouraging that baptism families returned to worship following baptism and they are included in the regular emails sent to our contacts with young families.
## **Confirmation**
In 2022 we were very proud of our five young people and one adult who were confirmed at St John’s Crossens. We held a special service at our church to celebrate their first communion.
_**Our children’s corner, introduced in 2022, proved a great asset; Impact youth saw significant growth during 2022; the travelling nativity visited many homes during advent; baptisms are a key part of our ministry to families; we had six confirmands in 2022; special services including Easter attracted regular and new families into church.**_
**Page 5**
We also supported a wonderful Prayer Spaces day.
## **Supporting our Church School**
Every Monday morning, during term time, Jane, John and Linda led a church service for 230 children and staff. The children really enjoy participating and join in enthusiastically with worship songs. The teachers have said that this worship starts the school week for them in a very positive way.
A key part of our church ministry is hosting special school services and events in church. These are attended by parents and other family members and provide an opportunity to welcome around 700 adults into church each year in addition to children and staff. In 2022 we hosted four whole school services (Harvest, Christmas, Easter and end of year), a Christingle, KS1 and KS2 Christmas performances, and seven Class Services, plus a special Community Carol Concert of
## **LOOKING TO THE FUTURE…**
## **“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”** _**Matthew 9 v35-38**_
The PCC are extremely grateful for all those who support our children and young people in church, in school, in their Uniformed Groups, through the SASWT, and as governors.
We have so much to build on in this area at St. John’s. However, the opportunities for ministry and growth far outweigh the small number of people actively involved in this work. We need to look to the future and, when appointing a new Vicar, how this area of growth can be built on – not to the exclusion of other parts of our church family, but to enhance and encourage more to become involved.
There is also a real need for new volunteers who feel they have a calling to assist with this important part of our mission, so it can be refreshed and renewed with their enthusiastic participation. We ask for your prayers that this need will touch people’s hearts.
music and songs performed by the children.
the whole school, and the travelling nativity once again made it around homes before sheep were returned to the Crib Service.
Linda led ‘Easter in a Box’ with year 3 and ‘Christmas in a Box’ for
## **School Governance**
Church members play a key role in the leadership of the school. Church appoints six Foundation Governors in addition to the incumbent. The Governing Body worked extremely hard during 2022 to support our Headteacher and staff as they continued to drive the school forward ( _see page 9)._
During the year we were sorry to say goodbye to Rev Jane and Frank Hyland as governors. Jane provided valuable pastoral support and was key to re-establishing regular school worship in church. Frank was one of our longest serving governors of with nearly 30 years of experience bringing positive challenge and guidance which will be impossible to replace! Thank you both.
_**Leading Remembrance Day service in school as part of our Prayer Space day; Linda led ‘Christmas in a Box’ and the children enjoyed collecting items to remember the Easter story; it is a privilege to welcome children into church for school Christingle, Christmas celebrations and RE lessons; Frank Hyland’s farewell as a governor.**_
**Page 6**
**17[th] St John’s Guides**
**Little John’s Baby & Toddler Group**
afternoons to mornings.
Little John’s had a very successful 2022 – the first full year year at their new morning session. They averaged 35 children per session but with many more than that on the register. Some children come every week and others more sporadically.
Little John’s attracts a mixture of mums, dads, grandparents and carers who bring the children.
There is a good buzz at every session and with such a diverse mix, they are able to provide mutual support for everyone.
## **Uniformed Organisations**
St John’s are fortunate to have strong Guiding units run by dedicated and enthusiastic leaders who volunteer so much time.
At their Christmas Party they gave out over 40 books. It has proved a popular decision to change from
_**Little John’s grew significantly in 2022. With around 35 children each week plus adults, it is a major part of our outreach.**_
Guides took part in a County event at Scarisbrick and planted trees. They had a fun Christmas themed weekend at Shirdley Hill making Christmas crafts, having a Christmas breakfast and watching a movie.
Guides had a busy year achieving numerous theme awards with bronze, silver and gold awards being presented.
Two guides and a leader were presented with Sefton Star awards for personal achievements and commitment to the unit. Well done!
They had a wonderful camp at Scarisbrick completing the Investigation badge. The Police came and set up a crime scene and did fingerprints. We’re not too sure who enjoyed the theme more – the leaders or guides!
The final meeting of the year was a cinema trip to see Matilda where they even managed an enrolment.
_**Guides enjoyed camping at Scarisbrick and trips to Shirdley Hill and the cinema.**_
**Page 7**
## **15[th] Ainsdale Brownies**
Brownies had a very busy year with lots of badges and crafts.
In February they planted sunflower seeds from the Parade Service and it was lovely to watch these grow.
In April, Brownies and Guides had a fabulous day out at The Crocky Trail – the first trip since lockdown. In May the Brownies went to a Jubilee party organised by a guide leader. They also had their own jubilee evening and made a card for the Queen. Brownies completed the Girl Power Electricity challenge learning all about electricity and how to be more energy efficient.
It was lovely in July to be able to take part in the Ainsdale Show after a two-year break.
Sadly, in September their patron, The Queen, passed away. Earlier that week they received a letter from Windsor Castle thanking them for the Jubilee card they had sent. This will be treasured by the unit.
Brownies joined Rainbows and Guides from Sefton for sports and outdoor fun at Scarisbrick. In November they joined the Remembrance Sunday service on the green and had a fun sleepover at Shirdley Hill - the first for many of the girls. The year ended with a cinema trip to see Matilda.
## **2[nd] Ainsdale Rainbows**
Rainbows had another great year. Once again, they had girls moving up to Brownies and lots of girls joining to form a full unit.
The Rainbows have gained interest badges, skill builders and theme badges and have shown their commitment to the Guiding Family
Rainbows had entrants in the annual Ainsdale show making bookmarks, with one Rainbow getting the bronze prize. Fantastic! Rainbows ran a teddy tombola at the show which was fun.
In the autumn they ran a preloved stall at the Church eco fair and raised money to buy a badge maker, which is well used.
Rainbows joined a county sports day at Scarisbrick and learnt cheerleading and Zumba.
To celebrate 35 years of Rainbows, the unit went to Knowsley Safari Park with hundreds of other Rainbows. Luckily, the girls had their Neckers on that they raised money for last year so they could spot each other! The sea lions were the favourite part of the trip.
Rainbows have been joined by some amazing new helpers who are wonderful and are loved by the Rainbows.
_**Rainbows met the Amur tiger at Knowsley Safari park. Brownies enjoyed trips to the cinema, Scarisbrick and a sleepover at Shirdley Hill**_
Here’s to a fun packed 2023!
**Page 8**
## **Report from St John’s School**
It has been a year of many positive changes at Ainsdale St. John’s CE Primary School.
We recently revealed our new logo which was designed for us by a parent. Governors, staff and children all shared ideas. The logo takes the form of a stained-glass window inspired by the beautiful window in church. It has layers which consist of sand dunes, sea and sun to represent our village and how lucky we are to live in such a special place created by God. The cross is central to the logo to show that, as a Church of England school, our faith is central to all we do.
Ahead of the logo, the governors worked with Liverpool Diocese education department to create a strategic plan for the school. From this, our ‘ASJ Way’ was created _(see box)._
To launch our new vision and values we held a prayer space day in school. With help from Linda Davies, John Forshaw and Southport and Area Schools Worker Trust, the whole school participated in a full day of prayerful activities. It was a wonderful experience for all involved.
As well as focusing on change within
## **THE ‘ASJ WAY’ – OUR CHRISTIAN VISION**
**At ASJ we all ... Aspire to Shine for Jesus! Our aspirational vision is anchored by a bible passage which encompasses our mission for each member of our Christian community, young and old, to find and develop their talents. To accompany our vision, we focus on 3 core Christian values.**
If you would like to keep abreast of further changes at school, please follow our Twitter account @AinsdaleStJohns and Facebook account, and the new school website which hosts our weekly newsletter to update about school life including our Christian value worship from that week.
our school community the children were aware of changes on a larger scale as we celebrated Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. The children took part in a carousel of activities led by the teachers with a whole school street party style lunch on the playground. The day ended with a flash mob dance where the whole school came together to dance to a selection of songs from each decade of the Queen’s reign.
inspirational leader within the same year. In school, we emphasised the many successes the Queen had achieved during her time as monarch as well as each child recording a special message in our book of condolence.
We are currently planning how to mark King Charles III’s Coronation as these global events are what the children will remember when they look back at their time at school.
_Lorna O’Brien_
_Headteacher_
Unfortunately, following this celebration, the children were then faced with the loss of such an
**Page 9**
donate some.
## **Report from Natterjacks**
They have built some lovely bonds and both nursery and school thoroughly enjoy it.
It’s been a busy year at Natterjacks!
We are also hopefully going to have scheduled playtimes with the reception children and our pre school children in the school playground from next term.
We have welcomed Rebecca Phillipson as our new nursery manager and also Clare Kingsmill who has located from our Marshside Road pre-school site as Deputy Manager.
Pre school have also been making regular weekly visits to woodlands lodge care home in Formby. The residents really look forward to the children coming to see them and we have joined in with lots of fun activities.
The management team have been working hard to implement new ideas and have strengthened our great relationships with the school, church and community.
We are in the process of renewing our accreditation in Millie’s mark pediatric award. We are very proud to have a full workforce who are
We have been welcoming year 5’s from St John’s school every Wednesday into nursery to buddy up with the pre-school children.
fully pediatric first aid trained.
We also have two qualified mental first aiders who are available to confidently speak to children, staff and parents/Carers.
All of our pre school children are getting school ready and we are making sure they can all start school as confident little people on their new adventure.
We have lots scheduled for our summer term, learning how to make proper Italian pizza dough and cooking it in a wood oven at Southport food market, trips to the bijoux cinema, baby massage and yoga.
We always welcome visits so please let us know if you would like to come into nursery.
So far it’s been a very productive start to the year and we look forward to flourishing and extending our good reputation as a nursery.
We are also creating a little kitchen garden this term which will be for nursery and the community to share.
_Mai-Ling, & John Duckworth_
## _Owners_
We will be adding an outdoor library and a food help store, where people can take food they need and also
_Natterjacks Day Nursery at St John’s_
**Page 10**
At St John’s we are extremely fortunate to have skilled and dedicated people who run events, lead groups and organise fundraising activities that provide wider fellowship and support those most in need in our community and further afield.
## **CAP Job Club**
St John’s Job Club works in partnership with Christians Against Poverty (CAP).
It is a tried and tested format with 156 Job Clubs across the country. By working with CAP, St John’s are delivering an effective service to help people step into work, even after years of unemployment. This includes materials to run our eightweek interactive Steps to Employment Course, covering topics such as identifying strengths, CV writing, and interview techniques. The course is designed to be an easy and effective way for us to practically equip club members, in a supportive environment that boosts confidence and morale. Through St John’s CAP job club, we can create a community that demonstrates God’s love in a relevant way.
During 2022 the Job Club continued to run weekly and support clients in the local Ainsdale and wider
Southport communities. At the start of the year, we were blessed to receive financial support from Leyland Road Job Club which had not reopened after the pandemic but had funding remaining which they kindly gave to us. This supported us during the year to help and support 18 clients, 5 of whom obtained employment, with another returning to further education. Help provided included practical support (e.g. improving IT skills, drafting CVs, preparing clients for job interviews and help with online applications), listening to clients, confidence building around skills and abilities, and just being there every week for them. During August we offered clients cinema vouchers to use during the break.
## **Christian Aid**
Christian Aid is an international
development agency that enables us to respond to Christ's command to care for all in need.
Everything Christian Aid does is in response to God’s gift to the world, of his son Jesus Christ. Jesus promised ‘good news for the poor and freedom for the oppressed’ calling us all to action. Jesus called his followers to ‘love God and love your neighbour.’ Through his life
and teaching, his death, and his resurrection, he inspired his followers to love God, love their neighbours and long for justice. Our faith in God, and in his loving relationship with us, gives us confidence and hope that poverty can be ended, despite all that might stand in the way.
For many years, St John’s has supported the work of Christian Aid.
In 2022 we joined forces with Churches Together in Ainsdale (CTiA) and held a sponsored litter pick on the beach and a ‘Big Brekkie’ and cake sale.
We also trialled the “deliver only” envelopes which involved volunteers delivering envelopes to households in the village and asking donors to drop the envelopes off at strategic places in the village. Over 2,500 envelopes were delivered across the village and raised £268.37 so it felt worthwhile. It also felt very much like a great witness to God’s love for the poor as these envelopes felt like a love letter to all households.
Overall, CTiA raised £1,656.58 which was forwarded to aid the work of Christian Aid.
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recycling theme covered with school.
- Members attended various webinars with Faiths4Change organisation on Reaching Net Zero Carbon in 2030.
## **Eco Group**
The Eco Group’s aims are encompassed in the fifth ‘Mark of • Bins for recycling identified in Mission’: _To strive to safeguard the_ church. _integrity of creation and sustain and_ • Beach litter pick involvement. _renew the earth._ In 2022:
## **Events**
After a pause during covid, we were pleased to reintroduce a programme of free and ticketed concerts and social events for the community.
- Bird table - legacy gift now in garden of remembrance.
- St John’s carbon footprint for 2021 was calculated at 44.1t CO2.
- Single use cup policy established - • Joining in The Great Big Green Week (24th Sep to 2nd Oct) to
- compostable cups purchased for raise awareness
- events and home trial showed fully compostable in 9 months. • Eco Fair at St John’s in October Eco Fair at St John’s in October
Where appropriate, church ran a licensed bar at events to raise additional church funds. Events held in church in 2022 included:
- compostable in 9 months. • Eco Fair at St John’s in October Eco Fair at St John’s in October licensed bar at events to raise with several stalls, church and additional church funds.
- • Eco products policy and purchase community group engagement.
- of consumables agreed (bulk Events held in church in 2022 Using _The Letters for Creation_
- packaging free washing up liquid, included: Christian Aid initiative, some
- dishwasher tablets, toilet rolls and amazing pieces of art from the • _Holiday cinema club:_ as a trial, we hand wash). school were displayed. This was a introduced this during the school
- • ‘Eco’ Lent activity calendars way for them to reflect on what holidays and it proved a big hit created, distributed and used in a caring for creation means to them with parents and grandparents church service and with school. and find a way for their voices to needing to keep children
- • Creation theme used within Creation theme used within be heard in the climate justice entertained! Films in 2022 were conversation. the Jungle Book and Elf.
- Creation theme used within Creation theme used within parade services. Pollution and
- _Jubilee party:_ the church hosted a celebration with music, song and food enjoyed by all generations.
- _Formby Brass Band:_ a fabulous evening of contemporary and classic hits were enjoyed by all.
- _Connected Voices:_ this fabulous local choir performed great songs from rock, gospel and funk to pop classics and musical theatre.
- _Christmas Community Concert:_ the infant and junior choirs from St John’s School sang some Christmas favourites while the musicians played some lovely carols. The children were fabulous and there were tears of joy from more than one member of the audience.
A full programme of events is planned for 2023!
_**The Eco Fair including children’s art display was a huge success; school singers and musicians wowed everyone at the Christmas Community Concert; SONG entertained at the Jubilee party; we also enjoyed concerts from Formby Brass Band and Connected Voices.**_
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## **Deanery Synod**
Deanery synod meetings in 2022 were severely affected by Covid and the absence of an Area Dean for part of the year.
The meeting in July was dedicated to _Fit for Mission 2_ , a Diocesan led initiative to address declining church attendance, an increasing admin burden, and unsuitable and unsustainable buildings _(see box)_ .
The intention is that within the Deanery, a single PCC with multiple leadership teams defined by the needs of the larger parish, will allow us to work more collaboratively and focus our gifts around suggested portfolios e.g. prayer, food poverty, discipleship, young people, bereavement, dept advice.
Each leadership team has its own finances and responsibilities (similar to a governing body in school) – trusting the teams to coordinate and run their own areas of ministry. The Diocese expects to see a flourishing of ministries within six years.
This is not the Wigan model but it has similarities.
Fit for Mission will engage the whole diocese between now and 2027, with a two-year intensive change period for each deanery which includes periods of consultation,
‘acting as’ a larger parish , and then formalising the changes. Cohort 1 (St Helen’s and West Derby) are well underway and Cohort 2 is starting to engage.
## **Churches Together in Ainsdale**
We take working together with other churches seriously, doing as many things together as we can.
The CTiA committee is made up of parishioners and clergy from St John’s, Ainsdale Village Church, Ainsdale Methodist Church and St John Stone/Sacred Heart.
The earliest our Deanery could take part would be Cohort 3 and the PCC are keeping up to date with developments.
## **Diocese of Liverpool**
## _**Achieve four mission priorities…**_
**1. Introducing people to Jesus**
**2. Deepening discipleship**
**3. Developing Christian Leaders**
**4. Working for Justice**
## **… through six elements**
- _**Developing our discipleship culture**_ through training and support, including delivering a Local Missional Leadership programme to support of new worship communities and justice initiatives.
- _**Creating missional leadership teams**_ of lay and ordained people working over larger areas with responsibility for specific mission and worship communities.
- **Developing mutual support and accountability structures** for all leaders.
- _Work towards_ **each deanery having one or two Larger Parishes** but more worshipping communities and justice initiatives.
- Making sure _**buildings are fit for**_ **purpose** through better use, investment, or closure.
- **Creating administrative services** in deaneries to support mission.
_www.liverpool.anglican.org/FitForMission_
The clergy also meet socially as a fraternal each month.
Each year the CTiA organises ecumenical activities with churches sharing leadership and hosting. In 2022 these were:
- Running the Impact youth group.
- Week of prayer for Christian unity.
- Lent course.
- Easter sunrise service on the beach.
-
- Support for Christian Aid.
- Supporting the eco fair at St John’s.
- Offering warm spaces through the week.
• Providing food during school holidays for struggling families. • Ecumenical children’s tent at the Ainsdale Show supported by Hettie and Tabz from SASWT.
- Ecumenical tent service on the green.
-
• Remembrance Day service on the green supported by St John’s choir with the uniformed groups. • School carol service. • Carols in the Co-Op.
The CTiA also experimented with a joint Alpha Course held at the Methodist Church with some frank and honest discussions along with good food and prayer.
**Page 13**
As in all things, ‘communication is key’. The local, national and yes, global audience, we receive to our website and Facebook pages is crucial for our church and its future. These are vital “tools” in spreading the word and if there are any church groups’ news or events coming up, please do send them to our website and Facebook managers to include and advertise them on our page … you never know who sees them!
## **Church web site**
Our website provides information on all our services and events and allows those far and wide to access information on our church.
Through the web we have reached nearly 10,000 people in 2022 which is a huge achievement. Our main website www.stjohnsainsdale.org.uk attracted 4,952 views in 2022 (down 769 from 2021), an average 413 views per month. Our other site www.achurchnearyou.com attracted over 5,000 views in 2022 (up 500 views from 2021). Whilst there has been a reduction in views for our main site, we must not forget that people were unable to go out during 2021 due to covid.
Chris Doragh, our website manager, overhauled the website at the beginning of 2023 to remove outdated content and pages.
We live stream our main 10.30am
Sunday service and stream weddings and funerals on request. The website includes a link to access our YouTube Channel.
is 76% women and 23% men, predominantly from the UK but also from Australia, Rwanda, USA, Ireland, Uganda, Italy, Nigeria, The Philippines and even Afghanistan!
We would like to attract more website views/uses. If you have any suggestions on how we could do this do not hesitate to get in touch.
Chris York has been managing our Facebook page for over 11 years now … and as evidenced by the reach it is an essential part of our outreach and mission.
Our sites are updated each week and hopefully provide our audience with an accurate record of what is happening at St John’s.
For the last 4 years the site has included a daily bible verse on the page as part of Chris’s own bible reading challenge and the feedback is this is well received and appreciated.
## **Facebook page**
St. John’s C of E Parish Church Ainsdale Facebook page is there to promote our place in the community as well as the world. Through it we can share news and events at our Church, our School, Nursery and other church groups…
Any events or updates are shared, where possible, on other local Facebook pages and groups, so this casts the net even further.
_**Our top FB posts of 2022**_
**Increasingly, online communication is key.** Local, national, and yes, ‘global’ web and Facebook audiences are crucial for our church, spreading the word much faster, to more people, and much more economically than we ever could through leaflets or word of mouth.
In 2022, our church page reached 47,355 people globally…an increase of over 27,000 from 2021!
Our top ‘reach’ post was a picture of our East Window, shared as part of the Church of England’s _Stained Glass Summer_ campaign in July with almost 17,000 people seeing it. Amazing how an individual post can reach so many people and households!
If there are any church groups’ news or events coming up, please send info to Chris and Chris to include on our pages … you never know who sees them!
It was encouraging to see our likes still growing - 927 ‘liked’ and followed our page up from 782 at the start of the year. This ‘audience’
_**Split of our FB likes**_
Here’s to more views, ‘likes’ and ‘follows’ in 2023.
**Page 14**
has now been included in the general lease agreement between the PCC and the nursery. The full lease is in the process of being finalised and work on the secret garden cannot be undertaken until this has been completed.
## **Church Building**
## **Church Hall**
## **Secret Garden**
An area of land opposite the Vicarage across from the public pathway, is known as The Secret Garden. The work planned for 2022 to clear and develop this land was delayed. The M.O.U. governing the use of the land by the PCC/nursery
Minor repairs were carried out during the year. The pattern of use of the committee room remained unchanged. Unused surplus equipment/items from the kitchen have been removed to allow more storage space for nursery use.
During the year there were ongoing minor repairs but no substantial work required inside the church building. The pendant lights in the corridor are low consumption LED units. If they fail, they require complete replacement of the fitting. One was replaced in the vestry corridor with a less expensive fitting of similar design. Following damage to the west-facing kitchen windows, all three windows were replaced with more robust safety glass. During the autumn/winter periods, the central heating controls required attention on several occasions. The PCC is considering options to improve controls and manage costs.
## **Grounds**
Groundworks and general maintenance were undertaken during the year around the properties. The church lawn was maintained by a gardener. One of the notice boards which had fallen down was removed. The Memorial Garden was maintained by a work party and the shed decluttered to make it more usable.
_**Tabz and Hettie from SASWT have a real passion for young people in Southport and have been great friends to St John’s church and school. They made good use of the grounds when they joined us for the Jubilee celebrations with the SASWT inflatable football pitch.**_
_**Church was lit up at Christmas; a working party de-cluttered and reorganised the shed to make it more usable.**_
**Page 15**
switching suppliers on gas, water and broadband.
## **Basis of Accounting**
The PCC has continued to adopt the simpler Receipts and Payments (R&P) basis of accounting. This means that all income and expenditure is shown against the year in which the money is received / paid.
## **General Fund**
During 2022 our current account balance reduced from £41,480 to £15,800. This was due to a significant reduction in our loan balance with Charity Bank and is shown below in more detail.
## _Income highlights:_
- Plate collections were up by 95% to £6,940.
- We received legacies totalling £75,000.
- Hall rentals increased from £5,000 to £11,200 as more groups returned after Covid.
- Nursery income increased by 10% to cover increased utility costs, to £28,900.
- Donations and appeals totalled £10,300, down from the previous year.
- Parish Giving reduced by 20% to £48,500 as several members left the scheme.
## **HIGHLIGHTS**
**Overall, financially, a good year. We have controlled and reduced our overheads and we have made significant progress to reduce our debt with Charity Bank.**
**The next 12 months will prove to be another challenging period as increased operational costs (mainly heating) will require a full review of our expenditure and we will seek to make the most effective use of our income.**
**We are also identifying ways to increase revenue and would like to set up a small fundraising team – if you are interested in helping then please contact our Treasurer, Lindsay.**
**A big thank you to everyone for all your continued support.**
_**INCOME EXPENDITURE LOAN BALANCE**_
Increased from Increased from Decreased from £147k £220k £133k to £246k £159k to £52k thanks to legacies mainly due loan through capital reduction repayments
## _Expenditure highlights:_
- Parish Share was down slightly from £76,400 to £74,000.
- Our loan balance with Charity Bank reduced from £159,000 to £52,000.
- Wages increased slightly to £8,300. Where possible the PCC took measures to reduce costs, and during 2022 we have managed to control our operational costs by
- Church running costs reduced from £28,000 to £26,500 as we changed most of our utility suppliers.
The PCC took the decision to continue funding key mission activities including the Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Job Club.
We also continued to pay our Parish Share in full to support the wider work of the Diocese and those churches impacted worse than us.
Natterjacks also helped us to maintain a healthy financial status by honouring their monthly payment and service charges.
Our Charity Bank Loan has reduced significantly during 2022 and we are grateful for the two legacies and wider support of all our
congregation to keep our interest costs as low as possible. Our Security Deposit Account has a credit balance of £6,432 which is held in Charity Bank as security against the loan. Interest charges on our loan remain high and we are focusing on clearing our loan as quickly as possible.
**We encourage use of the national Parish Giving Scheme**
**Page 16**
church and its mission in Ainsdale.
## **Charitable support**
Despite another difficult financial year, St John’s has continued to support other charitable organisations through direct donations and in-kind support such as making the church building and car park available for others to use.
In addition, we make the church freely available to the school and Uniformed Organisations and are proud to help support SONG, the award-winning musical theatre group for 10-20 year olds, who rehearse in Church on Sunday afternoons.
## **Donations and Legacies**
It is an important Christian value to give back to God in gratitude for the love and blessings we have received in our lives.
The congregation at St John’s has responded by regular giving in difficult financial times and through significant legacy donations. At times other donations are given to assist specific cost requirements and the PCC will abide by donors’ wishes.
If you are considering making a significant donation or leaving a legacy in your Will, please discuss this with our Treasurer or the Wardens. Giving back to church through our Wills can help sustain
_Flower Fund (restricted):_ made up of donations given to cover the cost of flowers for the church. This fund is now managed directly within the main church account.
The PCC hold 15.6 income shares in the CBF Investment Trust (value £329 as of 31 December 2022). It is the intention of the PCC to realise these shares at an appropriate time.
_Church Mission Fund (restricted):_ established in 2020 to fund specific, identified Mission objectives. This fund replaces the previous designated Mission Fund which was fully utilised during 2020.
## **Other Funds**
_Organ Fund (restricted):_ made up of donations given towards the upkeep of the church organ.
We also held a generosity week in 2002 to promote giving time & talents.
## **Reserves Policy**
**SOME OF THE CHARITIES WE SUPPORTED IN 2022 FINANCIALLY AND IN-KIND**
The General Fund target level is two to three months of average monthly spending (approx. £20,000 to £30,000). It is used as a contingency should income or expenditure be dramatically hit by circumstances that are unforeseen.
Natterjacks service charge and thirdparty hire charges were reviewed and increased during 2022 to help cover our increased utility costs.
Lindsay D Jessop
_Treasurer, St John’s Ainsdale 7[th] April 2023_
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Performance of investments
**----- End of picture text -----**
**Page 17**
## **Electoral Roll**
All church members are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. As at 31 December 2021 the Roll stood at 132. During 2022 there was a net increase of 2 with 6 entries added and 4 removed in the year. The Roll as at 31 December 2022 was 134.
## **PCC**
Individual PCC members, as Trustees of the Church, receive information, instruction and training when deemed appropriate. This may include information about Trustee responsibilities, health and safety, risk assessment and safeguarding procedures. The full PCC met ten times during 2022 with an average level of attendance of 83%.
The PCC is the decision-making body of The Church with any Committee making recommendations to the PCC for consideration.
## **Risk Assessments**
Procedures are in place to manage risks and minimise their impact on the wellbeing of church and hall users.
Action in the main areas of risk is managed as follows:
_Fire, Health and Safety:_ The PCC routinely review health and safety and fire arrangements and any relevant risk assessments. The wardens carry out regular inspections as part of their duties. Matters noted were either rectified or reported to the PCC for further action. The fire system and exits in the church and hall were maintained in working order and inspected by certified competent persons in accordance with the safety requirements.
_Operational Risk:_ The control measures associated with Covid infection were relaxed as the government infection controls and requirements were developed. During the year, there were no activities requiring additional risk assessments. The PCC continue to require a condition of hire that all hirers provide suitable and sufficient risk assessments to cover their activities.
**Safeguarding Procedures**
**St John's Ainsdale takes its duty and obligation to protect all extremely seriously.**
**We have adopted the national Church of England's robust procedures and guidelines. You can find out more about the national policies and procedures at**
## **http://www.churchofengland.org/s afeguarding**
If you have any safeguarding concerns or issues on a safeguarding matter please speak to Chris Thursfield, Parish Safeguarding Officer; or you can find useful contact information at http://www.liverpool.anglican.org/s afeguarding
Fortunately, there have been no safeguarding issues again this year. We are, however, vigilant in all we do and comply with Diocesan guidelines. As always, a copy of our own safeguarding policy and guidelines are kept in the vestry and can be viewed on request. All Safer Recruitment regulations are complied with and all who require DBS clearance complete the procedure. All personal information is confidential and is stored and managed in accordance with the data protection guidelines.
## **New Appointments**
The following new appointments were made during 2022:
- **Peter Hancock** PCC secretary
- **Donald Mackenzie** Job Club manager
- **Linda Davies** Missional leader for children and youth
## **Administrative Information**
St John’s Church is situated in Ainsdale, a suburb of Southport. It is part of the Diocese of Liverpool within the Church of England.
The address of the Church is:
_627-629 Liverpool Road Ainsdale Southport PR8 3NG_
The PCC is a body corporate and operates under the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956 and the Church Representation Rules 2017 and was registered with the Charity Commission on 3 April 2009.
PCC members (trustees) who have served from 1 January 2022 until the date this report was approved are shown in **Appendix 1** along with the specific church roles approved by the PCC.
**Page 18**
We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make St John’s the caring and vibrant community it is.
Some of them you see at the front during services and other events but many more work tirelessly behind the scenes making people feel welcome, setting things up, preparing food and drink, keeping the buildings looking lovely, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all, and supporting the administration.
Their names are too many to mention individually but we are hugely grateful for their continued dedication, selfless service and good humour.
We would like to thank all those who contributed to this report. If you are interested in joining or helping with any of the activities highlighted in this report, then please make contact with the leaders listed – they would love to hear from you!
|_PCC, wardens and welcomers/ sidespeople_|_Lesley Phipps and Chris Thursfield_|
|---|---|
|_Choir_|_Paul Ellis & Chris York_|
|_Musicgroup_|_John Forshaw_|
|_St John’s Care Group_|_Nancy Lloyd Parry_|
|_Children andyoung people’s ministry_|_Linda Davies_|
|_Impactyouth club_|_Linda Davies_|
|_Baptisms_|_Linda Davies_|
|_Little John’s_|_Chris Thursfield & Clare Lord_|
|_Guides_|_Vanessa Riley_|
|_Brownies_|_Amanda McCarter & Joanne York_|
|_Rainbows_|_Ruth Leney_|
|_Refreshments &parish lunches_|_Nina Haddock_|
|_Deanery Synod_|_Paul Ellis(to APCM 2023), Jean Washbourne, David Phipps_|
|_Ainsdale St John’s CE Primary School_|_Lorna O’Brien (Headteacher)_
_John Forshaw (Chair of Governors)_|
|_Natterjack’s Day Nursery at St John’s_|_Mai-Ling & John Duckworth (Owners/managers)_
_Becca Phillipson (Nursery Manager)_|
|_CAP Job Club_|_Donald Mackenzie(Job Club Manager)_|
|_Eco Group_|_Chris Treble_|
|_Church Building_|_Frank Hyland_|
|_Finance, Giving and Fundraising_|_Lindsay Jessop (Church Treasurer)_|
|_St John’s Website_|_Chris Doragh_|
|_St John’s Facebook page_|_Chris York_|
|_Electoral roll_|_Paul Olive_|
|_Christian Aid_|_Eirlys Jessop_|
|_Churches Together in Ainsdale (CTiA)_|_Jean Washbourne and Eirlys Jessop_|
|_Safeguarding_|_Chris Thursfield_|
## **Approved by the PCC on 25[th] April 2023 and signed on their behalf by Chris Thursfield (PCC Chairman)**
## _Chris Thursfield_
**Page 19**
**ST JOHN’S CHURCH, AINSDALE – INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT**
**Page 20**
**ST JOHN’S CHURCH, AINSDALE - BALANCE SHEET**
**Page 21**
**ST JOHN’S CHURCH, AINSDALE – RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS**
**Page 22**
**ST JOHN’S CHURCH, AINSDALE – RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS – cont.**
**Page 23**
**ST JOHN’S CHURCH, AINSDALE – FINANCIAL STATEMENT (FUND BREAKDOWN)**
**Page 24**
**ST JOHN’S CHURCH, AINSDALE – FINANCIAL STATEMENT (FUND BREAKDOWN) – cont.**
**Page 25**
**ST JOHN’S CHURCH, AINSDALE – FINANCIAL STATEMENT (FUND BREAKDOWN) – cont.**
**Page 26**
**ST JOHN’S CHURCH, AINSDALE – FINANCIAL STATEMENT (FUND BREAKDOWN) – cont.**
**Page 27**
## **PCC MEMBERSHIP**
||**To APCM 2022**|**From APCM 2022**|
|---|---|---|
|**Incumbent**|Rev. Jane Morgan - PCC Chair|Rev. Jane Morgan - retired 31 August 2022|
|**Reader**|Eirlys Jessop|Eirlys Jessop|
|**Churchwardens**|Lesley Phipps
ChrisThursfield- PCCVice Chair|Lesley Phipps - PCC Vice Chair from 31 August 2022
ChrisThursfield- PCC Chair from31 August2022|
|**Deanery Synod Reps**|Paul Ellis
Jean Washbourne
John Forshawto15May2022|Paul Ellis
Jean Washbourne
DavidPhippsfrom 15May2022|
|**Elected PCC Members**|Helen Parker - Secretary to May 2022
Kathryn Corey
Linda Davies
John Forshaw
Lynne Grice
Maggie Hilton
Frank Hyland
Patricia Jameson
Lindsay Jessop - Treasurer
Val Sinnott
Ann Walton|Kathryn Corey
Giles Davies – elected June 2022 for 1 year term
Linda Davies
John Forshaw
Lynne Grice
Maggie Hilton
Frank Hyland
Patricia Jameson
Lindsay Jessop - Treasurer
Val Sinnott
Ann Walton|
|**Co-opted members of PCC**|Gill Green from 28 February to 2 June 2022
Peter Hancock (PCC Secretary from 24 May 2022)||
## **PCC APPROVED ROLES**
|**PCC Chair**|Chris Thursfield|
|---|---|
|**PCC Vice chair**|LesleyPhipps|
|**PCC Secretary**|Peter Hancock|
|**Treasurer**|LindsayJessop|
|**Electoral Roll Officer**|Paul Olive|
|**Safeguarding Officer**|Chris Thursfield|
|**Online stats officer**|Paul Ellis|
|**Children’s Work Co-ordinator**|Linda Davies|
|**Health & Safety Advisor**|Frank Hyland|
|---|---|
|**Gift aid Secretary**|Heather Treble|
|**Church Calendar and hire bookings**|Deb Bishop|
|**Responsibility for Church Website**|Chris Doragh|
|**Chairperson of eco group**|Chris Treble|
|**Bankers**|The Co-Operative Bank|
|**Independent Examiner**|John Moores University (JMU) – the Accountancy Clinic|
|**Day to day Management**|Exercised by Incumbent and Wardens|
**Page 28**
## **PROGRESS AGAINST 2022 MISSION OBJECTIVES**
|**Mark of**
**Mission **|**St John’s Mission Priorities**|**2022 objectives and progress**|**Comments**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**TELL**|•
Letting God touch the lives of others
by providing imaginative, varied,
inspiring and engaging worship.|1.
Lead school worship weekly⚫
2.
Embed the new structure of Sunday and midweek
worship including encouraging families back to
churchpost pandemic ⚫|Good progress but still more to do to
encourage families back regularly and
ensure worship, including communion, is
accessible to all ages.|
|**TEACH**|•
Helping and nurturing all those who
wish to explore and deepen their
relationship with God by providing
opportunities for bible study, prayer
and Christian fellowship in a safe
family friendly environment.
•
Equipping and supporting each other
as members of an inclusive church
family to be Christians in a modern
world: at home; at work; with
friends and in our local community.|3.
Establish a weekly prayer group⚫
4.
Run a bible study post Easter⚫
5.
Re-establish confirmation classes for children and
adults⚫
6.
Run an Easter event for school and families
(‘Easter in a Box’)⚫
7.
Implement the LYCIG spirit of invitation: target
Easter Sunday, Harvest and Christingle⚫
8.
Be a welcoming church for people with disabilities
⚫|Prayer group and confirmation classes
relaunched. Utilised CTiA Lent course
rather than run our own bible study.
**_Bible studies identified as area to_**
**_improve in future_**. Easter activities in
school were a great success. PCC
completed the LYCiG course and we
targeted invites for specific services
including attracting over 100 for Crib
Service. Disability audit completed and
ramp purchased.|
|**TEND**|•
Helping to transform lives of those
in need in Ainsdale through
providing a safe haven for quiet
contemplation and offering
practical and emotional support for
life events.|9.
Continue to support Job Club⚫
10. Continue to welcome and build relationships with
new families through Little John’s⚫
11. Relaunch the Care Group⚫
12. Provide transition activities, including provision of
Impact, for children in Y6 moving to high school⚫
13. Enhance communications to promote our Christian
faith and signpost church activities to those
cominginto the buildingaspart of othergroups⚫|Job Club restarted with new manager.
Little John’s seen huge growth. Care
Group relaunched and restarted home
visits. Supported Y6 with bibles and
‘Moving On’; significant numbers now
attending Impact. Monthly newsletter
and event specific ‘postcards’ adopted
plus FB and school.**_More to do within_**
**_church to promote faith to visitors._**|
|**TRANSFORM**|•
Working with other Christian and
secular organisations to promote
global fairness for all.|14. Achieve Fairtrade Church status⚫
15. Support Christian Aid, taking a leading role in
Ainsdale⚫
16. Focus on rubbish collections, safe disposal &
recycling ⚫|Fairtrade status achieved. New ideas for
Christian Aid well supported. Recycling
bins provided in church and creation
adopted as service themes during year.|
|**TREASURE**|•
Looking after God’s planet by raising
awareness of the impact we have on
creation and the actions we can take
to improve the environment.|17. Reduce Church and individual use of plastic⚫
18. Encourage all church members to review their
carbon footprint⚫|Single use plastic cups replaced with eco
option. Carbon footprint assessed for
church family.|
**Page 29**
## **PCC MISSION OBJECTIVES FOR 2023**
During the interregnum, our objectives focus on sustaining a number of existing outreach activities and introduce a small number of new objectives targeted at rebuilding the church community post covid.
|**Mark of**
**Mission**|**St John’s Mission Priorities**|**2023 objectives – ongoing outreach**|**New objectives for 2023**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**TELL**|•
Letting God touch the lives of others
by providing imaginative, varied,
inspiring and engaging worship.|•
Continue to embed the regular pattern of weekly
worship through the interregnum
•
Lead school worship weekly|•
Encourage families back to church post pandemic
with a particular focus around Easter, September
and Christmas
•
Introduce a family/all-age communion service|
|**TEACH**|•
Helping and nurturing all those who
wish to explore and deepen their
relationship with God by providing
opportunities for bible study, prayer
and Christian fellowship in a safe
family friendly environment.
•
Equipping and supporting each other
as members of an inclusive church
family to be Christians in a modern
world: at home; at work; with friends
and in our local community.|•
Continue monthly newsletters and other targeted
communications to keep church members
connected
•
Support CTiA Lent Course
•
Run confirmation course
•
Welcome and support baptism families|•
Implement specific actions from LYCIG
•
Relaunch Junior PCC including opportunities for
leading services
•
Seek new helpers to support Impact and Sunday
morning children’s work
•
Introduce parish lunches to help bring church
members together|
|**TEND**|•
Helping to transform lives of those
in need in Ainsdale through
providing a safe haven for quiet
contemplation and offering practical
and emotional support for life
events.|•
Continue to support Job Club
•
Continue to welcome and build relationships with
new families through Little John’s
•
Continue to grow the support offered by the Care
Group|•
Run a regular cinema club (care group/ warm
spaces and holiday films)|
|**TRANSFORM**|•
Working with other Christian and
secular organisations to promote
global fairness for all.|•
Support Christian Aid, taking a leading role in
Ainsdale
•
Continue support for the Food Bank and make
lunch schemes working with school and
Natterjacks|_No specific new actions currently_|
|**TREASURE**|•
Looking after God’s planet by raising
awareness of the impact we have on
creation and the actions we can take
to improve the environment.||_No specific new actions currently_|
**Page 30**