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2022-12-31-accounts

St Gabriel’s Church, Bishopwearmouth Sunderland

Reports for the

Annual Parochial Church Meeting for Year Ending 31st December 2022

Meeting to be held in Church following the 10.30 am service on Sunday 16th April 2023.

Registered Charity 1130674

C O N T E N T S

Page
Annual Report for the Year Ended 31 December 2022 3
Agenda – Meeting of Parishioners 8
Agenda – Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) 8
Minutes of the Meeting of Parishioners and APCM held on 1 May 2022 9
Electoral Roll Report 13
Freewill Giving Envelopes Report 13
Churchwarden’s Report to the APCM 15
Financial Report 17
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2022 – 18
Church and Estate Income
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2022 – 19
Church and Estate Expenditure
Resources Used 21
The Independent Examiner’s Report 22
Notes to the Financial Statements 23
Church Organisations – Year End Accounts (Summaries) 24
Annual report of the proceedings of the PCC 25
Annual Fabric Report (Churchwarden’s Report) 25
Buildings Committee Report 26
Deanery Synod Report 28
Safeguarding Report 28
Sunday School Report 29

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 2

Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2022

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

St Gabriel’s Church is situated in the City of Sunderland. It is part of the Diocese of Durham, within the Church of England. The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a corporate body which operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure. The PCC is a registered charity as its gross annual income exceeds £100,000.

PCC Members serving at the end of 2022 are:

Incumbent: (In vacancy) Warden: John Donald (Lay Chair) (ex-officio)

Deanery Synod: Revd Lilian Clark (Curate), John Donald (Churchwarden), Janet (ex-officio) Fielding, Linda Gowans (PCC Secretary)

Licensed & Authorised: Revd Lilian Clark (Curate) (ex-officio)

Readers with Permission Prof. Malcolm Hooper, Christine Rodgers to Officiate:

Other elected members: Ray Bell, Cuth Earl (Safeguarding), Jenni Little (Safeguarding Deputy), Peter MacLellan, Annette Rafferty, Joanna Rodgers (Treasurer), John Wolfe

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

The method of appointment and election of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules 2020 (Church House Publishing). All church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.

AIMS & PURPOSES

St Gabriel’s PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent in promoting the whole mission of the church in the ecclesiastical parish; pastoral, evangelistic, spiritual, social and ecumenical. It also has maintenance responsibilities for the church building and all the buildings on the church estate, including the hall complex, Stier House and Institute.

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

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OBJECTIVES & ACTIVITIES

The PCC is committed to enabling our whole church community to worship using a wide range of expression. In particular, we have agreed that our priorities are to be a welcoming church through our vision statement: Worship, Encouraging, Learning, Caring for our Community, Open to the Holy Spirit, Moving into Mission and Equipping Disciples.

We seek to offer a range of worship which is accessible to those who live in our local parish and also to those who live outside our geographical parish, whatever their background. Our services and worship aim to help us all put our faith into practice through Word and sacrament, prayer and music.

In our planning and activities, we keep in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the supplementary guidance for the advancement of religion. We try to enable people to live out their faith as part of our community through: worship and prayer, learning about the Gospel and developing their trust in Jesus, provision of pastoral care and missionary and outreach ventures. To facilitate this work it is important that we maintain the fabric of St Gabriel’s Church and its buildings.

ACHIEVEMENTS & PERFORMANCE

2022 was a year of new challenges and opportunities for St Gabriel’s. The church remains in vacancy but the trustees began the Prioritisation process towards getting a new incumbent. This is a very positive development and we are all looking forward to what the future may bring.

During the year we have not only welcomed new members into our congregation from a diverse range of backgrounds but have seen many people developing their own gifts and ministries. In July we were delighted to celebrate the ordination of Lilian Clark at Durham Cathedral after her many years of lay readership. She has now become an SSM attached to our parish. Rev’d Clark and our lay-readers along with many visiting ordinands, speakers and priests (including Bishop Paul, Bishop Sarah and Archdeacon Bob) have made worship enriching and varied. This year we introduced a monthly 8 am Eucharist in addition to our main Sunday morning services and fortnightly Wednesday Eucharists. It is our privilege to be part of many families’ life events and in 2022 we had one wedding, 26 baptisms and 19 funerals and our worshipping community was approximately 145 people.

Many aspects of worship have seen development. Our endeavour to become more ecoaware and animal-friendly has meant we now have an annual Eco Service and Animal Blessing Service. We use the organ, keyboard and guitar to worship and we have had solo singing performances from some of our congregation members. We make an effort to mark key events and in May we celebrated the Queen’s Jubilee with a special liturgy but, sadly, also mourned her passing in a meaningful September service of thanksgiving and recollection. Our Memorial Service, Safeguarding Sunday and Remembrance Day service are well-attended and have key pastoral elements. It has been important to us to continue to provide access to our worship through Zoom as well as in person.

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 4

Youth Ministry has started to grow again and we are always glad to have its contributions to our Family Services.

Accessing and exploring prayer has been a major focus for us this year. We piloted Saturday morning quiet prayer sessions, have instituted prayer times before PCC meetings, and have created a dedicated prayer request section on our new website. Our Thursday evening prayer group remains a faithful support for so many in the Church.

We remain committed to supporting 8 charities with our tithes. Last year we decided to sponsor Isaac in Guatemala through Compassion and exchange letters with him. We hope to be a positive force for good in his life. In addition to our tithe scheme we have also built links with local community projects, donating our Harvest Appeal food to the Foodbank run by Trussell Trust at Bethany City Church and our Toy Appeal to the Homeless Household Project at Ashkirk House. We have also fostered our relationship with the Chaplaincy at Sunderland Royal Hospital and were pleased to host the Trust’s first carol service since the pandemic hit.

Church-led activities for both members and anyone in the community are important to us. Coffee mornings which combine fellowship and fundraising have begun again and our monthly Bible Study allows people to explore Scripture. Ladies Fellowship and Gifted Gabes Craft group continue to flourish.

We are pleased that a great number of community and charity organisations make use of our halls and we have now welcomed Deeper Life Bible Church to use our facilities for their services. This means that all our main buildings are being used to worship on a Sunday morning. Our Community Institute continues to provide facilities for billiards, snooker and table tennis.

St Gabriel’s continues on a journey towards becoming an outward-looking, open and encouraging place to be. As the Prioritisation process continues, we prayerfully embrace new ways to serve our community and explore mission.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Total receipts in unrestricted funds were £95,606. Restricted donations of £5,240 were also received, of which £1,601 was a very welcome Diocesan grant towards our energy costs, £1,469 raised for external charities, £250 towards building repair costs, £200 for heating, £720 for administrative wages and £1,000 towards the purchase of a freestanding Contactless Device for the Church (we await delivery of this in 2023).

This year our Heating Appeal fund was invested into a 1 Year Fixed Savings Bond so that the monies would receive some interest before the new church heating system project would hopefully be commenced in 2023.

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 5

We did not receive any new legacies in 2022. However, thanks to the kindness of volunteers we have resumed fundraising events such as coffee mornings. These are well supported and, together with after-service refreshments, are a very valuable stream of regular income.

Planned giving has remained static. This year-on-year continuing trend is concerning for the church’s overall financial health, especially with the rate of inflation so high, and we continue to become more dependent on income from the estate in order to meet our costs. While giving through our Freewill Envelope scheme has decreased by 6%, bank giving has increased by 4%. Although we would seek to encourage more people to become part of our giving schemes, we would also like to state our sincere gratitude to those who continue to faithfully support the work of St Gabriel’s.

In contrast to the continued decrease in income from voluntary giving, our efforts to maximise our hall rental income have had very pleasing results with an increase of over 150% to be seen compared to 2021. We are glad that so many community, social and independent organisations are using our premises to undertake their work and we are also seeing a large demand from people in the local area for casual events such as birthday parties.

Both flats at Stier House are now tenanted, although the Lower Flat was empty for some months when more repair work was undertaken. At the end of the year it was realised that even more building work would be needed in 2023. In spite of these capital costs, the rental income from these properties will be vital to help support the church, especially if planned giving continues to remain unchanging despite our best efforts.

St Gabriel’s total income, including tax recovered, has decreased by 3% compared to 2021. This is mainly owing to the fact that we received no legacies whilst in the previous year we were in the unusual position of benefitting from three.

One of our biggest capital expenses during 2022 was the purchase of a contactless machine (on order) at a cost of £1,956. We are hoping this will be a wise investment and help us raise much needed funds going forward. £500 was spent on chairs for the Barnes and Chester Room to make our facilities more comfortable for users and £455 spent on a new water boiler for our hall kitchen. Our repair costs were nearly five times as much as 2021, with £9,954 having to be spent on the church roof alone. Other necessary repairs were undertaken to make the building as safe as possible with asbestos professionally removed and a replacement boiler room door fitted. Building maintenance costing £3,997 included PAT testing, church organ tuning, pest control, fire and security services, and electrical inspections.

In February, after much discussion by PCC and in light of upcoming building costs, we reviewed our 2022 Parish Share pledge of £30,000 and decided to reduce this to £19.500 in order to maintain an appropriate reserve and protect the financial wellbeing of the charity. This was not an easy decision to make and we seek to contribute as much to the Parish Share as we can.

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

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Tithed giving to external charities totalling £3,431 was issued, meaning The Leprosy Mission, CSW, Tearfund, Wearside Youth for Christ, Durham Lesotho Link, Compassion UK, Church Mission Society (our mission partners Andy and Kati Walsh in Brazil) and The Bible Society were all able to benefit. We seek to engage with our tithe charities as much as possible through inviting visitors to services and publicising their work in our newsletter and through social media.

Total expenditure shows a 25% increase from 2021. Revenue exceeded expenditure by approximately £4,464 in 2022.

At the year end, the total amount of funds held in the general account was £77,625.74 This comprises: Unrestricted funds £40,707.62 Restricted funds £36.918.12

RESERVES POLICY

It is PCC policy to maintain a balance (if possible) on unrestricted funds that equates to two months’ unrestricted payments. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies. The balance of £40,707.62 held in unrestricted funds at the end of 2022 far exceeded this target.

When possible, we will seek to invest funds in the CBF Church of England Deposit Fund.

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 7

ST GABRIEL’S, BISHOPWEARMOUTH

MEETING OF PARISHIONERSd in Church following the 10.30 am service on Sunday 1 May

MEETING OF PARISHIONERS

To be held in Church following the 10.30 am service on Sunday 16 April 2023

  1. Apologies for absence

  2. Minutes of the meeting held on 1 May 2022

  3. Matters arising

  4. Election of Churchwardens

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING To be held in Church following the Meeting of Parishioners

  1. Apologies for absence

  2. Minutes of the meeting held on 1 May 2022

  3. Matters arising

  4. Election of parochial representative of the laity to the Deanery Synod (3)

  5. Election of parochial representatives of the laity to the PCC (12)

  6. (NB minimum age for PCC membership is 16)

  7. Appointment of independent examiner

  8. Report on the Electoral Roll

  9. Report on Freewill Giving Envelopes

  10. To consider the Churchwarden’s Report

  11. To consider and, if thought fit, to approve the accounts for 2022

  13. To consider the annual report of the proceedings of the PCC

  14. To consider the report on the fabric, goods and ornaments of the church

  15. (Churchwarden’s Report)

  16. To consider the report of the Buildings Committee

  17. To consider the report on the proceedings of the Deanery Synod

  18. To consider the report of the Parish Safeguarding Officer

  19. To consider the report of the Sunday School Leader

  21. Questions relating to any published reports

  22. Any other business, of which notice has been given to the Chair or Secretary prior to the start of the APCM

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 8

ST GABRIEL’S, BISHOPWEARMOUTH

MEETING OF PARISHIONERS AND ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING

HELD ON SUNDAY 1 MAY 2022

PRESENT: John Donald (JD) – Chair

29 members of the congregation (names available)

Malcolm Hooper welcomed everyone and opened proceedings with prayer.

MEETING OF PARISHIONERS

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Area Dean David Tolhurst, Les Bruce, Sally Bruce, Geoff Carr, Jo Carr, Rob Clark, Ann Lalas, Miriam Townsend.

2.

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 25 APRIL 2021

These were approved as a true and accurate record and were signed by the Chair.

3. MATTERS ARISING

There were no issues raised.

4. ELECTION OF CHURCHWARDEN

One application had been received, from John Donald, who was elected unanimously and expressed the hope that a further applicant would come forward during the year.

The Meeting of Parishioners was then closed and the APCM opened.

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Area Dean David Tolhurst, Les Bruce, Sally Bruce, Geoff Carr, Jo Carr, Rob Clark, Ann Lalas, Miriam Townsend.

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 9

2. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 25 APRIL 2021

These were approved as a true and accurate record and were signed by the Chair.

3. MATTERS ARISING

There were no issues raised.

4. ELECTION OF PAROCHIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LAITY TO THE DEANERY SYNOD

As Revd Lilian Clark had now been ordained, there was a vacancy for one year until Deanery Synod elections in 2023. An application from Linda Gowans was approved unanimously, and she was welcomed.

5. ELECTION OF PAROCHIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LAITY TO THE PCC

It was noted that Churchwardens, Deanery Synod Representatives and the Pastoral Minister are ex officio members of the PCC. Twelve places are available for lay representatives under the Church Representation Rules: eight applications had been received earlier, and there was therefore no requirement for a vote. Annette Rafferty also applied and was proposed and seconded at the meeting; she was welcomed back. The following were duly elected for one year:

Malcolm Hooper, Christine Rodgers, Cuth Earl, Jenni Little, Peter MacLellan, Annette Rafferty, Christine Rodgers, Joanna Rodgers, John Wolfe (*Readers with Permission to Officiate, not automatically on PCC.)

6. APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

It was unanimously agreed that Judith Lees, Treasurer of Burnmoor Church, who acted as Independent Examiner for the 2020 and 2021 accounts, should be reappointed.

7.

ELECTORAL ROLL

The number of persons on the Electoral Roll was 130. JD thanked Linda Gowans for her work in keeping records up to date.

8.

FREEWILL GIVING ENVELOPES

JD thanked Peter MacLellan for his work, especially in dealing with the confidentiality involved.

9. CHURCHWARDEN’S REPORT

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 10

JD said that there are people in the church who are doing a wonderful job; unseen, getting on with the work. He had included a few names in his report, but there are others. He cited the words of the hymn ‘Be still, for the presence of the Lord’: God is moving us on. Appreciation for all JD does was expressed by general acclaim.

10. ACCOUNTS FOR 2021

JD complimented Treasurer Joanna Rodgers for the layout of the accounts and the ‘phenomenal’ amount of work involved, and thanked her and Peter MacLellan for the wonderful job they are doing. The accounts were approved unanimously.

11. REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PCC

JD thanked Linda Gowans for ‘superb paperwork – very exacting’ and for her support.

12. REPORT ON THE FABRIC, GOODS AND ORNAMENTS OF THE CHURCH (CHURCHWARDEN’S REPORT)

Any item that goes into or out of the church is recorded in the Terrier, Inventory and Log Book, all of which will be inspected by Archdeacon Bob Cooper in June.

13. REPORT OF THE BUILDINGS COMMITTEE

The past year had seen many problems, including repairs etc., noted in the report. JD thanked Andrew Donaldson and the Scouts for work done. Appreciation was expressed by Anne Anderson of the refurbishment of the church toilet.

14. REPORT OF THE PASTORAL MINISTER

JD reported that Lisa Clark does a tremendous amount of work, including telephone calls and emails, constantly seeing if there is a need.

15. REPORT ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE DEANERY SYNOD

In 2021 a booklet had been produced by the Diocese about what it was hoped to achieve during 2021-2026. This was to be given to Deanery Synods, to be circulated to parishes for consideration.

16. REPORT OF THE PARISH SAFEGUARDING OFFICER

Cuth Earl is our Parish Safeguarding Officer, with Jenni Little as his deputy. JD stressed that Safeguarding is an important matter – we are required to take courses, obtain certificates, and maintain knowledge and awareness. He expressed thanks to Cuth Earl for being ‘very proactive’.

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 11

17. QUESTIONS RELATING TO ANY PUBLISHED REPORTS

Thanks were expressed to Jenni Little for her report (which had inadvertently been left off the agenda in recent years), and to all the Sunday School leaders for their work.

There were no further questions.

18. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

JD thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting with the Grace.

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 12

Electoral Roll

The total number on the Electoral Roll is 130, made up of:

Resident Men 20
Resident Women 38
Non-Resident Men 23
Non-Resident Women 49
130

The number remains the same as the previous year. During the past year we lost five members: four deceased and one who moved away. However, we have recently been pleased to add five new people.

Linda Gowans Electoral Roll Officer

Freewill Giving Envelopes

As a church we greatly appreciate the way in which our members give and share their funds, each as they are able. It never ceases to amaze me that whenever we have a Disasters Emergency Committee appeal our congregation are so generous in donating their last coppers that we are able to give so much for others.

As a church community we pledge to give 10% of our income from Freewill Giving by way of Open Plate, Envelopes, Parish Giving Scheme and Standing Orders to assist our tithed charities. During the year we give to eight such organisations. THANK YOU !! on their behalf.

Freewill Envelopes

The current usage now stands at:

Gift aided – 23 people Non gift aided – 11 people

As we know, the key to this method is to use EVERY ENVELOPE and bring them as often as you can when you attend church but, in any event, fill them weekly.

Some members use the Parish Giving Scheme, some have a standing order set up to the church account and some give by way of occasional donations in the yellow Gift Aid envelopes.

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

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If you are a taxpayer and prepared to Gift Aid your contributions the Government will give 25% to us when the Gift Aid return is completed, enabling us to share even more with those in need whom we support. Whichever method you use Joanna and I are so grateful for your contributions.

As a church we are blessed that our community use of the church buildings brings in vital funds to enable the church to function.

It is not possible or right that we ask for greater and greater contributions from the few and I would ask that you please pray that the Lord will show us the way ahead so that we can continue our witness.

If anyone wants further information about starting as a regular giver, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at peter.mac@totalise.co.uk .

Peter MacLellan

Freewill Envelope Scheme Secretary

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 14

Churchwarden’s Report to the APCM – 16 April 2023

2022 saw another whole year in vacancy. Remarkably we managed to cram in many God-led services and initiatives. We were blessed with the presence of many visiting clergy, including Bishop Paul and Bishop Sarah. Many of the charities that we support came to share their organisation’s work with us.

We had to play catch-up with baptisms after the pandemic stopped them for two years. We started afternoon services to accommodate the backlog.

Eight o’clock communion was reintroduced on the first Sunday in the month and was greatly appreciated by those attending.

Sunday services grew steadily in popularity, and we tried to ring the changes and attempt new ideas at various times using different speakers and organisations. These included: An Eco service, Safeguarding Sunday, Wearside Youth for Christ service, Leprosy Mission service and many more.

A pet blessing service saw many bringing their pets. Both owners and animals were very well behaved!

A hospital Carol Service took place with many of the NHS staff coming across from the Royal for an hour of incredible singing.

The usual Mothering Sunday service saw the return of daffodils in the church; the Memorial Service saw many coming to remember family and friends; the Remembrance Sunday service focused on honouring soldiers captured in Singapore and Merchant Seafarers who lost their lives in 1942; many gifts were presented at the Christmas Toy Service and the Christmas Eve Crib Service saw a packed church with many Marys, Josephs, angels and animals on the stage!

Some services included testimonies and personal choice of hymn.

In October the two Bishops and no less than 150 clergy from the Durham Diocese descended on St Gabriel’s for a whole day attending seminars in every nook and cranny and getting through many cups of coffee!

The highlight of the year was Lilian Clark’s ordination service in Durham Cathedral on Saturday 2nd July where she was supported by family and friends. She took her first Communion service at St Gabriel’s the next day at 10.30 am.

The most repeated question that folk ask me is, “When are we getting a new Vicar?” The process started in the summer of 2022 and as I write this in March 2023 we are slowly edging closer to producing a Parish Profile which tells prospective candidates all about St Gabriel’s. The PCC has been challenged to explore the mission of the church in certain key areas. We would value your prayers for all those who are taking decisions and taking part in the process.

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 15

At a Wednesday morning Communion service we often sing, as a Gradual, the following hymn:

As we are gathered, Jesus is here, one with each other, Jesus is here; joined by the Spirit, washed in His blood, part of the body, the Church of God. As we are gathered, Jesus is here, One with each other, Jesus is here.

Whoever comes to lead us will find a welcoming and active church. God is certainly at work here and I would like to thank each and every one of the many people who are giving up their time and energy to take this wonderful family of St Gabriel’s forward into a new era.

John Donald Churchwarden

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 16

Registered Charity 1130674

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

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Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2022 Church and Estate Income

VOLUNTARY INCOME– this has slightly increased (approx.
2021 Voluntary Giving 2022 2%) compared to last year.
£13,756.42 Bank Giving £14,351.06 BANK GIVING(Standing Orders and the Parish Giving
£17,552.20 Envelope Giving £16,416.95 Scheme) some of which is gift-aided has increased by 4%
£4,344.67 Open Plate Giving £5,652.46 ENVELOPE GIVINGincludes the Freewill Envelope scheme
£35,653.29 TOTAL £36,420.47 and additional gift aid envelopes. This giving has decreased
by 6%
£5,363.83 Gift Aid Recovered £8,856.87
Other Giving
£15,146.92 Donations £6,270.14 DONATIONS– £4,100 for general funds, £1,970 for restricted
£22,505.67 Legacies £2.76 funds (£1,000 Contactless device, £720 Admin Wages, £250
£0 Coffee Mornings £930.65 Boiler Door) and £200 for designated funds (heating)
£37,652.59 £7,203.55 COFFEE MORNINGS– these fundraisers made a welcome
return in 2022
Activities
£7.91 Magazine /
£6,712.00 Wedding and Funeral Fees £4,277.00 MAGAZINE– no longer operational
£418.05 Appeals £979.17 APPEALS– this covers collections for external charities. This
£7,137.96 TOTAL £5,256.17 year monies were collected for The Leprosy Mission, The
Ukraine Appeal, Pakistan Flood Appeal, Trussell Trust,
Other Income Christingle Service
£0 Grants £1,601.00
£126.75 Events / GRANTS– Diocesan Energy Grant
£554.50 Funeral Collections £490.11 AFTER-SERVICE REFRESHMENTS– this source of income has
£259.70 After-Service Refreshments £1,125.96 greatly increased from last year.
£597.01 Other income £448.39 OTHER INCOME– refunds and rebates, fees for admin,
£1,537.96 TOTAL £3,665.46 flower monies
Estate Income
£11,750.35 Church Hall Lettings £29,519.54
£4,575.00 Stier House Flat Rents £9,925.00 CHURCH HALL LETTINGSmuch effort has been put into
£0 Other Income £0 developing this revenue stream (this shows an increase of
£16,325.35 TOTAL £39,444.54 over 150% compared to last year)
STIER HOUSE FLAT RENTSshow a steady income since the
£103,670.98
TOTAL INCOME £100,847.06 lower has regularly been tenanted

TOTAL INCOME shows approx. 3% decrease from 2022

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 18

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2022 Church and Estate Expenditure

2021 Outside Giving 2022
£3,400.00 Tithes £3,431.00 TITHESwere issued to 8 charities in 2022
£842.05 Other Outside Giving £1,755.39 OTHER OUTSIDE GIVINGincluded various causes such as the
£4,242.05 TOTAL £5,186.39 DEC Ukraine Appeal, DEC Pakistan Appeal and The Children’s
Society
Support Costs
£226.00
Children’s Ministry		 £20.00
£0
PCC Expenses		 £0 HOSPITALITYcosts were for parking permits for visiting clergy
£176.78
Hospitality		 £541.62 and after-service refreshments.
£50.00
Visitor Expenses		 £0 EVANGELISM– Purchase of ‘Why Jesus?’ books for new
£0 Evangelism £39.37 Christians visiting church
£452.78 TOTAL £600.99
Direct Costs
£25,000.00
Parish Share		 £19,500.00 PARISH SHARE– In February the PCC had to reduce their
£99.27
Clergy/Ministry Team Expenses		 £261.51 2022 pledge from £30,000 to £19,500 owing to upcoming
£3,396.80
Assigned Fees		 £3,753.20 building costs.
£28,496.07
TOTAL		 £23,514.71
Running Costs
£1,175.83
Electricity		 £2,013.82 UTILITIES– see Appendix 1.
£5,827.73
Gas		 £11,254.54 COST OF SERVICES– Includes £1,374 for copyright, music
£201.59
Water		 £225.96 radio and zoom licences
£8,145.12
Insurance		 £8,030.31 STIER HOUSE COSTS– maintaining the flats in a suitable state
£2,091.24
Costs of Services		 £2,021.97 for rental has meant substantial costs. See Appendix 1.
£7,349.35
Stier House Costs		 £4,527.79 EQUIPMENT & INSTALLATIONS– Major expenses this year
£477.94
Gifts		 £60.00 were £1,956 for a contactless machine (on order), £500 for
£489.13
Equipment & Installations		 £3,225.63 chairs for the Barnes & Chester Rooms and £455 for a water
£3,346.59
Repairs		 £15,090.54 boiler for the Hall kitchen
£2,947.15
Building Maintenance		 £3,996.82 REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE– Various repairs undertaken
£7,890.00
Salaries		 £11,965.00 including the church roof (£9,954), asbestos removal, boiler
£125.60
Cleaning Materials/Hygiene		 £596.37 door replacement and lighting. The majority of the costs for
£157.18
Printing & Stationery		 £236.28 maintenance pertained to the various boilers, church organ,
£286.22
Grounds / Gardening Materials		 £83.90 pest control, fire and security services, electrical inspections
£2,575.14
Administration		 £2,303.29 and PAT testing. See Appendix 1
£402.84
Bank Charges		 £453.57 SALARIES– cleaner, gardener, organist expenses,
£202.95
Other Expenditure		 £994.58 administrator wages
£43,691.60 TOTAL £67080.37 ADMINISTRATION– this includes internet, website,
photocopier, postage and DBS charges.
£76,882.50
TOTAL EXPENDITURE		 £96,382.46 OTHER EXPENDITURE– Flowers, refunds/rebates
TOTAL EXPENDITUREis approx. 25% increase from 2021

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 19

Appendix 1 Running Costs Breakdown

Utilities

Utilities
Church Estate Clergy Totals
Gas
Electricity
Water		 £7,803.34
£907.90
£48		 £3,451.20
£1,105.92
£48		 n/a
n/a
£129.96		 £11,254.54
£2,013.82
£225.96

Other

Other
Church Estate Totals
Insurance
Equipment/Installations
Building Maintenance
Repairs		 £3,475.70
£2,067.67
£2,762.11
£14,515.70		 £4,554.61
£1,157.96
£1,234.71
£574.84		 £8,030.31
£3,225.63
£3,996.82
£15,090.54

Stier House

Stier House
Lower Flat Upper Flat Totals
Gas
Electricity
Council Tax
Insurance
Repairs
Maintenance
LettingAgent		 £212.61
£180.00
£271.39
£200.90
£1,615.45
£291.99
£987.00		 /
/
/
£200.90
£266.55
£301.00
/		 £212.61
£180.00
£271.39
£401.80
£1,882.00
£592.99
£987.00
£3,759.34 £768.45 £4,527.79

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 20

Resources Used

Church& Estate – Incoming Resources

Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Totals
Voluntary Giving
Gift Aid Recovered
Other Giving
Activities
Other Income
Estate Income		 £36,420.47
£8,856.87
£5,033.55
£4,277.00
£1,574.35
£39,444.54		 /
/
£2,170.00
£979.17
£2,091.11
/		 £36,420.47
£8,856.87
£7,203.55
£5,256.17
£3,665.46
£39,444.54
£95,606.78 £5,240.28 £100,847.06

Church& Estate – Outgoing Resources

Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Totals
Outside Giving
Support Costs
Direct Costs
RunningCosts		 £3,641.11
£580.99
£23,514.71
£63,107.91		 £1,545.28
£20.00
/
£3,972.46		 £5,186.39
£600.99
£23,514.71
£67,080.37
£90,844.72 £5,537.74 £96,382.46

Summary

Summary
Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Totals
Incoming Resources
OutgoingResources		 £95,606.78
£90,844.72		 £5,240.28
£5,537.74		 £100,847.06
£96,382.46

End of Year Balances

End of Year Balances
Balance
1st Jan 2022		 Funds received
in 2022		 Funds spent
in 2022		 Balance
31st Dec 2022
Restricted Funds
Heating Appeal
Youth Ministry
Organ Restoration
Admin Wages
Church Hall Window Dressings
Toddler Group
Guide Dogs for the Blind
Leprosy Mission
Ukraine Appeal
St Benedict’s Hospice
Mastiffs in Distress
Contactless Device
Heating (Designated)
Boiler Door
Pakistan Appeal
Trussell Trust
Christingle Service
Diocesan Energy Grant
TOTAL		 £33,660.05
£1,356.66
£1,183.00
£200.00
£239.87
£500.00
£76.00
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
£37,215.58		 0
0
0
£720.00
0
0
£0
£60.00
£836.76
£80.75
£80.75
£1,000.00
£200.00
£250.00
£311.13
£10.00
£89.89
£1,601.00
£5,240.28		 0
£20.00
£720.00
£920.00
0
0
£76.00
£60.00
£836.76
£80.75
£80.75
£1,000.00
0
£250.00
£311.13
£10.00
£89.89
£1,082.46
£5,537.74		 £33,660.05
£1336.66
£463.00
0
£239.87
£500.00
0
0
0
0
0
0
£200.00
0
0
£76.00
0
£518.54
£36,918.12
Unrestricted Funds
General Funds		 £35,945.56 £95,606.78 £90,844.72 £40,707.62

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 21

INDEPENDENTEXAMINER'S REPORT Independent Examlnerfs Report to trustees of StGabrfefs Chur¢h Sunderland I re￿rt on the atcounts forthe year ended 31 De￿mber 2022 Respecll¥e responslbllftles olthe Trustt5 and Independent Examiner The chariV5 trustees consider that an audit 15 not required for this yeaf under sertion 144121 of the Charitie5 Act 2011 (the 2011Actl and that an independent examination i5 needed. It Is my responslbilityto examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 ACL. follow the procedures lald down Sn the General DirectSons glven bythe Charlty Commissioners Section 14515llbl of the 2011 Act.. and stste whether partitular matters have come to my attentJn. Basls of th15 Teport My exarniaation wa5 carried out in accordance with the General Dlrections given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a rewew of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the at¢ounts presented with those records. It a150 includes considering any ursusual items or disclosures in the accounts. and seeking explanations from the management committee concerning any such rnatters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in a full audit. and consequently I do not express an audlt oplnton on the accounts. Independent examlnerfs State￿nt In COFbnertion with my examination. no matter has Come to my attention whlch give5 Me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respertthe requirement5 to keep accounting records in attordance with sertion 130 of the 2011 Act,. or to prepare accounts which accord wlth these accountlng fecords have not been met; or to which. in my opinion, attention should be drawn order to enable a proper understanding of the account5to be reached. Signed....... Add￿Ss....￿1k￿*0u￿ T........................... Date St Gabriel s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023 Page 22

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 together with the applicable accounting standards and the SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice) 2005.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for the valuation of investment assets which are shown at market value. 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 affiliation to another body, nor are those that are informal gatherings of church members.

FUNDS

Endowment funds are funds, the capital of which must be maintained, only income arising from investment of the endowment may be used as restricted or unrestricted funds depending upon the purpose for which the endowment was established.

Restricted Funds represent (a) income from trusts or endowments which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in the terms of the trust or bequest, and (b) donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the PCC for a specific object. The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of each must be carried forward as a balance on that fund. The PCC does not usually invest separately for each fund. Where there is no separate investment, interest is apportioned to individual funds on an average balance basis.

Unrestricted Funds are general funds which can be used for PCC ordinary purposes.

INCOMING RESOURCES

Planned giving, collections and donations are recognised when received. Tax refunds are recognised when the incoming resource to which they relate is received. Grants and Legacies are accounted for when the PCC is legally entitled to the amounts due. Dividends are accounted for when receivable.

Interest is accrued. All other income is recognised when it is receivable. All incoming resources are accounted for gross.

RESOURCES EXPENDED

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. Amounts received specifically for mission are dealt with as

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

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restricted funds. Expenditure is generally recognised when it is incurred and is accounted for gross.

FIXED ASSETS

Consecrated and benefice property is not included in the accounts in accordance with s.96(2)(a) of the Charities Act 1993.

Moveable church furnishings held by the Vicar and Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal are inalienable property, listed in the church’s inventory, which can be inspected (at any reasonable time). For anything acquired prior to 2000 there is insufficient cost information available and therefore such assets are not valued in the financial statements. Subsequently no item has cost more than £1,000 so all such expenditure has been written off when incurred.

Equipment used within the church premises is depreciated on a straight-line basis over four years. Individual items of equipment with a purchase price of £500 or less are written off when the asset is acquired.

Investments are valued at market value at 1 December.

The values of Stier House, the Men’s Institute, the Church Hall and Cutter Suite do not need to be included in the PCC accounts.

The insurance values are as follows:

Church (including contents) £23,640,000
Stier House (buildings and contents) £298,646
Men’s Institute (including contents) £708,495
Church Hall & Cutter Suite (including contents) £2,960,000

Church Organisations – Year End Accounts (Summaries)

Balances
b/fwd		 Income Payments Balances
c/fwd
Men’s Institute £8,163.99 £2,270.00 £3,539.49 £6,894.50

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Annual Report of the proceedings of the PCC

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is the key decision-making body of a Church of England parish. It consists of clergy, churchwardens and others, including those elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) of the parish.

PCC meetings are held monthly, normally excluding April (when the APCM is usually held), August (holidays) and sometimes December (due to seasonal commitments). Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month.

In March a revised PCC/Trustee Welcome booklet was approved for circulation to current and future members, stressing their responsibility as Trustees of a registered charity. Appointments made at the Meeting of Parishioners and the APCM in April 2022 are given in the Minutes section of this report.

Scheduled meetings during 2022, continuing into 2023, were held on Zoom, with arrangements being made for those members unable to participate in this way from home. From November PCC members have been gathering from 6.45 pm for prayer, before the business meeting begins at 7 pm.

All meetings were chaired by John Donald, Churchwarden and Lay Chair. At the September meeting he introduced Duncan Podbury from the Diocese of Durham. He is our Prioritisation Group Facilitator during the process of getting a new incumbent. He has addressed additional meetings, in person and on Zoom, to which congregation members as well as those on the PCC were invited, in relation to the preparation of a Parish Profile.

We continue to circulate papers by email wherever possible. Once the minutes of the regular meetings have been approved at the following meeting, a copy (with the exception of anything which the PCC regards as confidential) can be made available to members of the congregation who apply to the PCC Secretary to see them.

Linda Gowans PCC Secretary

Annual Fabric Report (Churchwarden’s Report)

The Churchwardens should see that the PCC carries out its responsibilities for the care, maintenance and insurance of the fabric of the church, the goods and ornaments of the church and the fencing of the church. Churchwardens should record in a logbook all alterations, additions, removals or repairs to the church in their care.

The Terrier, Inventory and Log Book are available to the PCC and are updated as and when anything is done to the church and church plant. The Wardens by law are the legal owners of the moveable contents of the church which include furniture, ornaments and plate.

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The church plant is broken into five different areas: the Main Church and Underchurch; the Church Hall and Cutter Suite; the Lower Flat, Stier House; the Upper Flat, Stier House; the Men’s Institute.

  1. All building insurances for each building have been renewed.

  2. All boilers have been serviced and service plans for boiler insurance renewed.

  3. Appliance Safety checks have been carried out where necessary both for gas and electrics.

  4. The pest control service agreement has been renewed.

  5. The contract for fire extinguishers has been renewed.

  6. The lightning conductor has been tested and passed.

  7. Portable appliance testing has taken place.

  8. All certificates for licenses and services have been renewed.

In 2023 we will be having a Quinquennial survey carried out on the state of the property, so much of the work that has already been done will be professionally checked and advice given as to future repairs, etc.

John Donald Churchwarden

Buildings Committee Report

The Buildings Committee has again met on a regular basis throughout 2022 under the Chair of John Wolfe.

The year 2022 has been a busy one for the committee with major works being required to the Church roof costing just over £9k to rectify several areas and clear all gutters.

Further work has been required on the Lower flat in Stier House with regard to damp and condensation problems. In addition, the flat was empty for a short period while new tenants were found after the first tenants moved on at the end of their lease. Keyline Properties continue to act as agents to handle letting matters but all repairs and replacements come via the committee and, where necessary, the PCC for sign off.

The basic maintenance work, including inspection and testing of all electrical and mechanical systems, has continued with Peter MacLellan as Hon. Secretary again overseeing the various works and visits required.

The Buildings Committee continue to look at alternatives to our existing heating system and with the end of our current heating agreement coming soon this is a matter which will take up more time in the summer. We must, however, get the right system at the right price but sympathetic to our beautiful building.

The year saw two professional Fire Risk assessments being undertaken on the Church Hall and Cutter Suite in the first instance and then the Main Church Building. Whilst the

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

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assessments did bring to light several matters which needed our attention, most of which have been completed, the assessor was most complimentary about the buildings and our efforts to maintain them safely for Church and Community use.

During the year, Andrew Donaldson and his Scout helpers have again been active. A new alarm system has been fitted to the Church Hall and various small jobs around the buildings undertaken at no cost to the church finances. We are greatly appreciative of their help and their part in enabling the ministry of St Gabriel’s to continue in warm and secure buildings.

All certificates have been renewed during the year and PAT testing undertaken, so as a church we are fully compliant for insurance purposes.

It goes without saying that at 110 years old and a Grade 2 listed church we have an old building /buildings which are much admired by visiting preachers and visitors alike, and our position within the Deanery puts us ideally placed to go forward in faith and outreach in mission.

There are many jobs which are required, some that we would like to do and some that are more pressing. In my last report I mentioned three examples:

  1. The Flat Roof which the Upper Flat uses needing urgent work with regard to drainage and replacement. (Est £2/£3k). I am pleased to say this work has now been undertaken.

  2. The Church Hall windows which will all need replacing in the coming months / years to ensure the safety of Hall users. The wood frames are rotting and can only be patched up for so long before we must act. (Est £15k / £20k.) One year on and we are still keeping an anxious eye on matters.

  3. Our awareness from the last Quinquennial survey that the Narthex roof is nearing the end of its natural life and will need a full replacement. (Est £25k / 30k.) So far, so good !! But we must not be complacent.

The next Quinquennial survey is due in July /August 2023 and we await its findings and recommendations with interest and in trepidation.

As ever, regular maintenance and small repairs must continue.

The Buildings Committee pray and trust that in some way we will be guided and given the resources to take forward the tasks if this is the Lord’s will.

Please continue to hold the work of the Buildings Committee in your prayers as they continue in their endeavours during 2023, and support any appeals for assistance as they move forward with priority works.

If you know of tradespeople who might be able to assist, let John Donald or me know.

Peter MacLellan Secretary to the Buildings Committee

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

Page 27

Deanery Synod Report

There was one Deanery Synod Meeting in 2022 to discuss the report by the Diocese of Durham called ‘Renewing Pilgrimage: Our Diocesan Priorities’. It explores how we might practically respond to God’s call to Challenge Poverty , Energise Growth , Care for God’s Creation and Engage with children, youth and young adults .

John Donald Churchwarden

Safeguarding Report

Introduction

I am pleased to report that the PCC has ensured that our church continues to be compliant with all Church of England guidance and statutory requirements. Diocesan advice has been received and utilised advantageously during the year. This has ensured that the work we have carried out has been most straightforward and occasioned your PSO no undue stress.

Policies and Training

Statutory annual policy reviews have been carried out: in particular “Safeguarding at St Gabriel’s”, “A Parish Statement of Good Safeguarding Practice” and “St Gabriel’s Safeguarding Policy”. These required minimal amendments and the PCC authorised their display on the noticeboards about our premises.

Domestic Abuse Awareness training was recommended by the Diocese and all members of the PCC carried this out successfully.

All members of the PCC have updated their Safeguarding qualification to Foundation Level. Those members who are unable to access internet attended live training in the Underchurch which was very ably conducted by Lisa Clark.

The Parish Safeguarding Officer received training in the use of The Parish Dashboard;* this has been adopted by the PCC and is now up and running.

Over recent years, Safeguarding within the Church has developed considerably. New policies and procedures are certainly making organisations safer, but they have also significantly increased the amount of administration for PCCs and PSOs. The Safeguarding Dashboards – now used by more than 600 parishes in over 30 dioceses – are making administration and governance simpler for everyone. They can be displayed on a mobile phone, tablet, or computer. Operating on a traffic light principle, authorised users can see the status of safeguarding at a glance. Green Lights bring assurance that all is well, Amber indicates that action is required and Red means that this is a matter of urgency. Every Dashboard light has an accompanying information page, which explains what needs to be done and also

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

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contains links to useful resources. Currently we are working at Level 2 and are developing strategies, with guidance to achieve this during the coming year.

Matters Resolved

Posters giving information of Domestic Abuse Support Agencies were received and approved by the PCC. They are now displayed on the doors inside our lavatories.

Although the change in the requirement for PCC members to update their DBS accreditation from every five years to every three has increased the workload of our Administrator, it has been carried out with her customary efficiency and everyone is up to date.

Safeguarding Sunday

St Gabriel’s once more celebrated Safeguarding Sunday. We were delighted to welcome the Revd Sheila Bamber as President. As this was her last service as a member of the Diocesan Safeguarding Training Team, we were pleased to present her with a small bouquet of flowers, a token of respect for all the valuable work she has carried out in this part of her ministry.

During 2023 the PCC will continue to ensure that our church presents a safe and welcoming environment, in which all can thrive.

*Developed by ‘ Clearly Simple Limited ’ for use in the Church of England.

Cuth Earl Parish Safeguarding Officer March 2023

Sunday School

Sunday School got off to a great start in 2022 by children and leaders each doing a time capsule of their hopes and challenges for the year ahead. These would then be stored away and looked at again in January 2023. During the year many different topics and activities have been covered including the meaning of Lent, animals in the Bible, the environment, friendship, Easter Egg hunt in the vicarage garden, summer bulb planting to name a few. Andy from Wearside Youth For Christ has also been back to help out this year and we look forward to seeing him again in 2023. Two of the Sunday School leaders have also volunteered for WYFC by assisting Andy going into local primary schools in the lead up to Easter and Christmas to help children learn about Jesus.

Sunday School have helped read prayers in church at various services throughout the year including Mothering Sunday, Harvest and Toy Service. Children have also contributed to services by reading parts in a play about Elijah and the widow. Sunday School leaders and children enjoyed the preparation and taking part in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee party in June. The Crib service has continued to draw in a high number of people and a lot of families

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come annually. This service was again led by Sunday School leaders ably assisted by the Sunday School children as well as all the children who came along to the service. Sunday School have various biblical topics to look forward to for 2023.

Jenni Little Sunday School Leader

St Gabriel’s, Bishopwearmouth APCM 2023

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