St Laurence Church, Frodsham
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of the Ecclesiastical Parish Church of St Laurence, Frodsham Charity No: 1130013
ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Aim and Purposes
The PCC role is to work with and support the incumbent, the Reverend Elaine Atack, and the wider Ministry Team, in promoting the whole mission of the Church - pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical – in Frodsham.
The PCC is further responsible for the repair and maintenance of two properties; the Grade 1 Listed Parish Church of St. Laurence, and the Church Hall.
Frodsham has a linked Voluntary Controlled Church of England school, with which it works very closely.
During 2023 the Incumbent has made regular visits to another school in Frodsham: Frodsham Manor; and towards the end of the year made inroads with Frodsham Academy school who have visited our church and would like to extend our links.
Objectives and Activities
The PCC is committed to enabling the people of Frodsham to become part of our parish community at St. Laurence. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and supports the vision of being “the Church of every day”, providing different services and worship throughout the week to meet the needs of different groups.
When planning our activities for the year, the incumbent and the PCC have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:
Worship and prayer; learning about the Gospel; developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus.
Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish.
Missionary and outreach work – recognising that wherever we are – church is there. Other organisations and initiatives wholly or partly supported by the PCC, include:
Mothers Union (10 meetings a year)
Faith in Action (monthly)
Church Choir (weekly + special events)
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Church Bell Ringers (ditto) Toddler Praise (each Wednesday in term time) Messy Church (monthly in term time) Reading Group (weekly – with breaks) Walking Group (monthly/variable – weather dependent) Craft & Chat – (weekly) Still Point Reflective Service – (monthly) School visits A visible presence in town by the Incumbent Social activities
The Incumbent and newly established Fabric Committee are working with our new Architect & Heating expert to make our building fit for purpose – lighter / brighter / more cost effective and Eco friendly for this generation and those to come.
Achievements and Performance
Worship and Prayer
We extend an open invitation to attend our regular services. We are an inclusive church.
At present there are 145 parishioners on the Church Electoral Roll.
As well as our Sunday services, we have a well-established mid-week Toddler service, a Tuesday evening Eucharist and a Friday afternoon Craft and chat, a monthly reflective service “Still Point” - and a monthly Messy Church. We regularly welcome families seeking baptism; we welcome those who wish to be married in church; and we support grieving families at our funeral services
Church is open from 10.00am – 4.00pm on weekdays to allow visitors and locals to enjoy its peaceful ambience and have time for private prayer. Our Blessed Sacrament chapel has a votive candle stand and a prayer request board – both are well used.
Deanery Synod
Three members of the PCC can sit on the Deanery synod. This provides the PCC with an important link between the parish and the wider structures of the Diocese of Chester.
Pastoral Care
A Pastoral Team was identified and given training by the Incumbent. The “Accompanied church” was established. These are the people who for whatever reason (permanent or temporary) cannot be part of our “Gathered church” in the actual building.
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Each Pastoral Visitor is allocated people to visit and “take church to them”: sometimes just a visit and a prayer, a chat, or taking CD’s of the various services, newsletters with up to date information – so they feel that they are still valued and “in touch”
Pastoral care is always a high priority with our Incumbent and people are regularly phoned, visited as needs arise – including bereavement.
This continued throughout 2023.
Mission and Evangelism
Helping those in need is a demonstration of our faith and we feel that giving to Charity is an important part this:
Our Christingle gave all donations to The Children’s society
We help with on the street collections for Christian Aid and give the collection from the services during that week towards the work of Christian Aid
Our Harvest service encouraged people to give generously to the Foodbanks: helping people locally; and again donations from that service were given to the Charity Christian Aid to help worldwide.
A prayer diary was sent out once a month with the newsletter which is also available online to develop our knowledge and trust in Jesus and a regular framework for daily Private Prayer.
A “spin off” from our Faith in Action group was to create “Bee Friends” which works with people in our community to tackle loneliness etc. It established in 2022 a weekly Coffee morning in our Parish Hall to create a safe and warm space to meet and have free refreshments. Our incumbent and other members of our church family regularly visit to meet with the people both socially and pastorally – sharing the love of Christ. This has been a huge success and we now have many regulars as well as increasing newcomers.
“The Sanctuary” at the Parish Hall is a quiet place of prayer and reflection and where small acts of worship can take place in the heart of the town.
Occasional Offices are recognised as great opportunities for Mission and during 2023 many new young families attended services at our church.
Toddler praise and Messy Church have become very popular.
Our Incumbent visits school regularly for weekly acts of worship. Pupils are regularly brought over to church for services or an informal “look around”
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Our Incumbent helps the Headteacher at our church school each year to deliver the Christianity Module and children can then decide whether they would like to be admitted to HC. In October 2023 we held a special service where 5 were formally “Admitted to HC” – a valuable opportunity to welcome families to church.
Ecumenical Relationships
The church is a member of Churches Together in Frodsham and they hold regular meetings.
During the week of prayer for Christian Unity (Jan 2023) a joint service was held at St Laurence and was well attended and well received.
– St Laurence Frodsham Parochial Church Council main unrestricted account
Income
Total receipts on unrestricted funds in 2023 were £119,820.85 – this is £17,000 down from the previous year despite a transfer of nearly £18,000 from the maintenance account for roof repairs.
£56,200.84 came from regular and occasional giving, including Gift Aid; this being a decrease of around £1,900 when compared to the 2022 total. This continues the decrease over the last couple of years due to the loss of a number of regular givers due to them moving away or sadly dying – though the reduction is lower than last year.
£12,219.64 was received from other voluntary receipts see 3a on page 2 of the Receipts and Payments Account. This was significantly down from the previous year due to no legacies, large donations or insurance claims.
£1,925.00 was received from other activities; see 3b on page 2 of the Receipts and Payments Accounts and the breakdown of Fund Raising under 3g. The Hotpot and Coronation Lunches with the Christmas Craft Fair were our fundraising events.
£48,610.20 was received from church activities inclusive of other income and is detailed under 3c and 3d on page 2 of the Receipts and Payments Account. Fee income increased as did Parish Hall lettings and the aforementioned transfer from the maintenance fund.
The Charitable donations total received is £865.17.
Expenses
Our total expenditure from our unrestricted fund for 2023 was £156,578.19.
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£71,756.64 was spent to support the Diocese in providing Christian ministry through the parish share, this compares to £69,666.60 for 2022.
£617.09 was spent on fundraising; the breakdown is detailed under 3h on page 2 of the Receipts and Payments Account.
£84,204.46 was spent from unrestricted funds to maintain and repair the Church Buildings and manage and resource the work of St. Laurence's within the town. The breakdown of this total is shown on page 2 of Receipts and Payments under 3e and includes a breakdown of other expenses(£742.50) under 3f. Church expenses were lower as there were no major repairs to the church and less expenditure on the Parish Hall.
The net result for the year for our unrestricted fund was an excess of receipts over payments of -£36,757.34 – this is an increase of £4,000.00 – the legacies received over the previous years have enabled us to bear this large loss – but this has now been used up. The balance carried forward into our unrestricted fund at 31st December 2023 totalled £6,011.36.
- Restricted Fund (St. Laurence Repair Fund Main Account)
Income
Total receipts for 2023 was nil.
Expenditure
Total expenditure for 2023 was £17,775.70 – the monies transferred to the main church account to cover the 2022 roof repair.
The net result for the year for our restricted fund Main Account was a loss of £17,775.70 so the balance carried forward into our restricted fund at 31[st ] December 2023 totalled £11,756.27.
Structure, Governance and Management
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. At St. Laurence’s the membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent (our vicar), churchwardens team, the readers and members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the Church plus the members of Deanery Synod. All those who attend our services are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and identified to stand for election to the PCC.
The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent.
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The PCC met regularly during 2023 - sub groups were created and given “structures” agreed by the PCC. In 2023 these included:
Events Committee; Childrens team; Pastoral team; Finance sub group; fabrics committee; Parish Hall Committee.
Safeguarding is taken seriously and during 2023 our Safeguarding officer has been attending courses and working to ensure that DBS’s are carried out as required – along with relevant training.
Administrative Information
St. Laurence’s Church is situated in Frodsham, Cheshire. It is part of the Diocese of Chester within the Church of England. The correspondence address is The Vicarage, Vicarage Lane, Frodsham WA6 7DU.
The PCC is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2006) and a charity excepted from registration with the Charity Commission.
Names of current members of the PCC are:
| Chairman The Vicar |
Reverend Elaine Atack |
|---|---|
| Vice-chairman / Deanery Synod / Wardens | Team Canon Prof Elaine Graham |
| Wardens Team | Betty Rutter |
| Wardens Team | Terrence Hayes |
| Treasurer | John Wharne |
| Acting Secretary | Rev Kath Williamson |
| Safeguarding Oficer | Mary Lamb |
| Lay Reader | Andrew Rudd |
| PCC Oficer | Veronica York |
| PCC Oficer | Pauline Reece |
| PCC Oficer | Nick Smith |
| PCC Oficer | Chris Wilding |
| PCC Oficer | Pauline Sharpe |
| PCC Oficer | Steve Bate |
| PCC Oficer | Minnie Alam |
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Indepeiident Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl membern of 15K OF ST L&thQcl-JLtr, Charlty no (if any) On accounts for the year ended Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (llhe Trust") for the year ended Responslbllltles arbd As the tharity trustees. you are respon&ble for the preparation of the basls of report a¢¢ounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Acf,). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Act and in caryng out my examination. I have ft>llowed all the applicable tlirections given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. Indepondent tThe charitys gross income exceeded £250,000 and l am qualified to examinerfs ststement urKlertake the examination by being a qualified member of Iwisert name of applicable listed body]]. Delete I l rfnot applicabb. I have completed my examination. I wnfifm that no material matters have come to my attents'on (other than that disclosed below ) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect,: the accounting records Vre not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act., or tr¢e accounts not accord wth the accounting records., or the accounts dKI not compty with the applicable ruIreMents conceming the form and content of accounts set out in the Charitias (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts gi a 'twe and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have corne auoss no other mattefs in connection with the examination to vthich attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Please delete the wonts in the betS rfthey do not appty. Slgned: Name: Relevant professlonal qUalIfi&On(s) or body (If any): IER October 2018
Address: Section B Disclosiire Only complete ff the examiner needs to high5ight matters of concem (see CC32. Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and gubdance for examiners). Glve here details of any Items that the examlner wishes to dlscloge. IER October 2018