# **CHURCH OF SAINT JOHN, NEVILLE’S CROSS, DURHAM**
# **ANNUAL REPORT and ACCOUNTS**
## **of the**
## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
**for the year ended 31[st] December 2023**
## **Incumbent :**
The Reverend Barnaby T. Huish The Rectory, 10 Westhouse Avenue, Durham, DH1 4FH.
Presented at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting Sunday 19[th] May 2024
_St John’s Neville’s Cross is a Registered Charity No. 1131053_
## **St John’s Church, Neville’s Cross, Durham Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council for the year ended 31[st] December 2023**
## **Administrative information**
St. John’s Church is situated in Neville’s Cross, Durham. It is part of the Diocese of Durham within the Church of England. The correspondence address is Antioch House, 66 Crossgate, Durham DH1 4PR. Since 1[st] August 2021 the Parish has formed part of the United Benefice of Durham St Margaret, Neville’s Cross St John and Bearpark St Edmund.
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) was formerly exempt from registering as a charity, however in May 2009 it did register with the Charity Commission under the terms of the Charities Act 2006 (Charity No. 1131053). The members of the PCC are the Trustees of the Charity.
PCC members who have served from 1[st] January 2023 until the date this report was approved are:
_Incumbent:_ The Revd Barnaby Huish Chairman _Churchwardens:_ Mrs Jo Cundy Vice-chair (was also a lay representative on Deanery Synod until 21[st] May 2023)
Mrs Kathryn Shanks
_Licensed Associate Minister:_
The Revd Canon Dr Nichola Chater
_Lay Representatives on the Deanery Synod:_
Mr Michael Chater (PCC Secretary from 21[st] May 2023) Mr Adriel Yap
_Elected members:_
Mr David Atkinson (PCC Secretary until 21[st] May 2023) Mr Michael Bullock Mrs Jenny Halford (until 21[st] May 2023) Mrs Susan Massey PCC Treasurer Mr Andrew Mattches Mrs Janet Phillips Professor Thomas Shanks (until 21[st] May 2023)
_Co-opted member:_
Miss Amy Ward
## **Structure, governance and management**
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC. The PCC Standing Committee is empowered to transact business on the PCC’s behalf outside regular meeting times if necessary; its current members are the Rector, Churchwardens, PCC Secretary and PCC Treasurer.
2
## **Objectives and Activities**
St John’s PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, the Revd Barnaby Huish, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It also has maintenance responsibilities for the Church and Church Centre complex of St John’s, Neville’s Cross. It also has responsibilities as an employer.
## **Achievements and Performance**
## _**Review of the year (January-December 2023):**_
In several ways this year was one of prayer and consolidation. The church continued in its commitment to Partnership for Missional Church (PMC): a three-year programme, undertaken at the Bishop’s invitation and with Diocesan support, for layled missional growth. The theme for most of this year was ‘listening’, which involved the PMC core team and others in interviewing members of the congregation and wider local community, finding and evaluating data on the parish from the 2021 census and other sources, and regularly ‘dwelling in the Word’ (helping us attend to God through the words of the Bible). Later in the year the focus moved on to ‘experimenting’ and, following a PCC away-day, a Mission Innovation Team was formed to develop ideas for engaging with our local community within the geographical area of the parish.
Since the departure of the parish’s Children & Youth Worker the previous year, teams of lay people had maintained the variety of youth and children’s activities in and around the church, and this continued throughout 2023: Messy Church continued to flourish under the dedicated and inspired leadership of Joan together with a committed and imaginative team of helpers; Playpeople likewise, thanks to Annette and Eleanor and others. Amy, our Music Missioner, led a regular sixth-form discussion group through the year, and for a number of Sundays she planned and led all-age services with younger members of the congregation. Meanwhile the St John’s youth ministry partnership with King’s Church (‘LOL: Living Out Love’) continued to run ‘Dive’ (for those in Year 7-9 on a Monday evening, which gradually grew in numbers during the year) and Super6 (which saw around thirty Year 6 children from local schools, and seven secondary school-age helpers, meeting in St John’s after school on Fridays through the Spring term).
Neville’s Cross Primary school held Easter, Remembrance and Christmas services in church; the Rector was invited to lead worship in the school on a number of occasions, and the school contributed artwork to the church for Easter and Remembrance Sunday. The Rector and Joan continued to serve as Foundation Governors at St Margaret’s CE Primary School; the Rector led collective worship there for Infants and Juniors once a week, and Joan devised and led Prayer Spaces events at Easter and Christmas (the latter involving children from both local primary schools, with over six hundred coming to the church in the space of a week to explore the Christmas story through prayer-related activities).
On Sunday mornings, Sarah, Sarah, Janet, Robert, Joy and others maintained a provision of primary and secondary-age related activities during the 10.30 service,
3
albeit for much of the year there were few (or no) children in attendance. Thankfully, and following much prayer and perseverance, numbers of children returned to church in the autumn, and since then they have continued to form part of our worshipping community. At the end of the year the church proceeded to appoint a new Children, Youth and Families worker (to begin work in 2024).
Amy planned and hosted a vibrant and poignant concert in church, attended by a number of Ukrainian families, to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February. In line with her contract, she continued to build on our relationship with the parish of Bearpark, being involved in the school and the church there and in various community initiatives and activities. Assisted by members of Bearpark Methodist Church, as well as people from St John’s and St Edmund’s, she ran a popular holiday club which was attended by children and families from the village, and she also led the Good Friday act of witness in the churchyard (which again involved a large number of children).
During the year St John’s PCC committed to build on its recently-conferred Silver Eco Church award, and also committed to work towards becoming a GRT (Gypsy Roma Traveller) Friendly Church. In November, Nicky (Associate Minister at St John’s) was appointed a non-residentiary Canon of Durham Cathedral in recognition of her work regionally and nationally with GRT communities.
We continued to hold two services for the most part every Sunday morning (except during August), at 8.45 and 10.30am. Between them our congregations have welcomed new members and have increased in size in the course of the year. The 10.30 service continues to be live streamed online each week, thanks to our dedicated a/v team; and similarly dedicated small teams of people work behind the scenes each week to set up for services, decorate the church with flowers and keep the building in order, as well as those who help enhance our worship through reading, leading prayers, making music, welcoming people and so forth.
Beyond Sunday mornings a good range of regular events and activities took place: over the year the monthly Taste service, led by Mike, welcomed a range of speakers from across the church community to talk about life and faith. The Mothers’ Union, led by Annette, also welcomed a wide range of speakers to its monthly meeting. The Open Door Café and Community Choir continued to flourish, each run by a committed team of volunteers, hosted by the church while engaging members of the wider community. Cross Quarterly, our printed community newsletter, is delivered by a team of volunteer helpers, again from within and beyond the church, reflecting its broad appeal and readership. Home groups continue to meet regularly during the week, involving a growing number of people from across the congregations. A number of concerts took place in church during the year.
Routine and other work on the church building and grounds continued through the year; and the PCC worked to ensure that compliance with our policies, and broader good practice, was maintained. Many people worked, on a voluntary basis, to make this happen, including our parish safeguarding officer Jan, our health and safety officer Lavinia, the churchwardens, the fabric committee and others.
4
In the course of the year St John’s was delighted to share in celebrating the 100[th] birthday of Derek, a regular worshipper here since the 1940s; it gave us occasion to reflect that while much has changed, St John’s remains, as it always has been, a community hoping to welcome and sustain people as we share in Word and in Sacrament, in prayer, in worship and in service of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
## _**Church Electoral Roll**_
At the Annual Parochial Church Meeting it was reported that there were 109 parishioners listed on the Church Electoral Roll.
## _**Financial Review, 2023**_
The planned giving has seen a healthy rise of over 10% in commitment from the congregation at St John’s. Well done! There was also a push to claim outstanding Gift Aid from donations which had been missed in the previous years. This has been allocated to the various funds where applicable.
Plate donations are a less convenient way of collecting income. We have invested in a Sum Up electronic device which, although slow to get off the ground, is now yielding an income by a means which many prefer to use. We can claim Gift Aid via the GASD scheme of small donations, as well as use the usual method for known donors.
Thanks are due to the Churches Estates Charity which supports the Rector’s secretary and associated expenses. We also had grants to support the Missioner’s work in Bearpark (£1,200) which allowed the play and lunch club to operate over six Mondays in the summer. The community magazine- Nevilles Cross Quarterly, also has a grant from the councillors to cover about half the expenses.
The church has also seen a revival in income for hire of the premises which had been affected by the pandemic over recent years.
The volatile nature of the market shows a rise in the value of investments this year to regain losses recorded last year. The capital with the Diocese is not accessible under the endowment rules but yields about £5,000 in interest.
The Parish Share to the Diocese was set at an affordable level for 2023, but the PCC felt able to make an extra one-off donation of £2,000. The PCC has already agreed to meet its pledge of £63, 525 in 2024.
St Johns’s gave £8000 to outward giving. Research was carried out amongst the congregation to advise the PCC of charities they wished to support. Two new charities were A Rocha – a Christian environmental charity, and Friends Families and Travellers supporting the GRT community. We have continued the support of Catherine Lee through CMS, Transform Trade and Nepacs which supports local work with families who have loved ones in prison. The flexibility in our outward giving policy may see a reduction in this figure as our employment expenses increase in 2024.
5
Special collections included ihe proceeds of a concert in aid of Ukrnine in February
2023. as well as the donaiion of Christmas colleclions to DASH- a housing charity.
Inevitably the upkeep of the building has increased with higher uiilities bills. We a150
spent more on consumables as the building was used more frequenily.
The main focus in 2023 was to finn up our financial posilion after several years of
planned deficii budgets. li leels w)sitive lo have had an excess of £29,000 of
receipts over outgoing payments. There are w)tentially quite a few building projects
to complete in the near future. Obviously. li has benefitted our finances not to have
employed a full time youth worker for ¢ighteen months. This hopefully create5 a way
forward in 2024.
Amy is now employed for 21 hours per week as Missioner. which is d¢bit¢d from the
stricted fund. We charge ihe Sunday Service provision of Music Director (4 hours)
to church expenses. With lh¢ appointment of Alex Walker as CYFW in January 2024.
we are going to stretch our financial re50urees in the future. The congregation need$
to be aware ihat giving into the Mission fund d(5 need to in¢reas¢ io fulfil this aim.
Antony Friswell has done a sterling job of preparing the accounts over severnl
months as he gains insighi io how St John's works. Next year we are hoping that
trdcking the finances will be ler as Antony has prepared this groundwork. So
many thanks are due to Aniony for this invaluable work and his patience as we have
tried to simplify the syslem in a meaningful way. Thanks are also due to Michael
Bullock who has helped and offered encouragemenL
Approved by the PCC at its meeting OD 12, May 2024, and signed on its behalf
by Tbe Reverend Barnaby Hui8h (Chairnian).
## **SUMMARY**
## **RECEIPTS**
|**IPTS**||
|---|---|
|Unrestricted Receipts|£128,799|
|Restricted Receipts|£36,319|
|**Total Receipts 2023**|**£165,118**|
## **PAYMENTS**
|**ENTS**||
|---|---|
|Unrestricted Payments|£101,648|
|Restricted Payments|£34,777|
|**Total Payments 2023**|**£136,125**|
## **ASSETS AT 31ST DECEMBER 2023**
|Investments|£253,720|
|---|---|
|Bank Balances|£73,704|
|**Total Monetary Assets**|**£327,424**|
## **St John's Neville's Cross**
## **Charity Number 1131053**
## **Receipts & Payments Accounts for 2023**
## **Receipts**
## **General Fund Receipts**
|**St John's Neville's Cross**
**Receipts & Payments Accounts for 2023**
**General Fund Receipts**
**Charity Number 1131053**
**Receipts**|**St John's Neville's Cross**
**Receipts & Payments Accounts for 2023**
**General Fund Receipts**
**Charity Number 1131053**
**Receipts**|**St John's Neville's Cross**
**Receipts & Payments Accounts for 2023**
**General Fund Receipts**
**Charity Number 1131053**
**Receipts**|**St John's Neville's Cross**
**Receipts & Payments Accounts for 2023**
**General Fund Receipts**
**Charity Number 1131053**
**Receipts**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**2023**
**Budget 2023**
**2022**||||
|Planned Giving|80,991|75,000|69,158|
|Gift Aid|17,700|18,000|12,268|
|Gift Aid frompreviousyear donations|7,733||2,223|
|Loose Plate Collection|1,559|3,000|2,247|
|Other Donations|2,810|2,000|4,710|
|Fees(Banns,weddings,funerals,etc.)|191|500|646|
|Whitby/Minsteracres weekend/day||1,000||
|SundryChurch Activity||250|500|
|Hire of Premises|4,898|3,000|2,673|
|MessyChurch|380||138|
|Open Doors|805|500|471|
|Solar Panels|2,479|2,500|2,383|
|Other Income|1|1|1|
|Interest/Dividends received|8,064|6,000|7,599|
|**Total General Fund Receipts**
**127,611**
**111,751**
**105,017**
**Designated Funds Receipts**||||
|PlayPeople|1,188|800|591|
|Organ Fund|||135|
|**Total Designated Funds Receipts**
**1,188**
**800**
**726**||||
|**Restricted Funds Receipts**|**Restricted Funds Receipts**|**Restricted Funds Receipts**|**Restricted Funds Receipts**|
|---|---|---|---|
|Local Mission and Grants|14,743|20,000|14,062|
|Grants(Church Estate Charityand others)|11,638|14,000|19,889|
|Eco Festival|1,106|1,500|1,210|
|LOL/Whitaugh|1,862|3,000|392|
|CommunityChoir|3,958|3,000|4,203|
|Flower Fund|214||162|
|Special Collections|2,298||1,625|
|Cross Quarterly|500|||
|**Total Restricted Funds Receipts**
**36,319**
**41,500**
**41,543**||||
|**Total All Receipts**|**165,118**|**154,051**|**149,509**|
1
St John's Year End 2023
## **Payments**
## **General Fund Payments**
|**Payments**
**General Fund Payments**|**Payments**
**General Fund Payments**|**Payments**
**General Fund Payments**|**Payments**
**General Fund Payments**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**2023**
**Budget 2023**
**2022**||||
|Parish Share|62,504|60,500|69,188|
|Office Sundries & Book-keeper|3,450||1,979|
|Services & Music & MD|3,591|1,400|2,869|
|Organists|1,445|1,000|1,120|
|MessyChuch|843|400|885|
|Café Church|25|150|17|
|Other mission and outreach/Open doors|929|800|576|
|PCC Expenses(mainlyfirst aid course)|719|400|511|
|ClergyExpenses(water)|396|1,000|372|
|Maintenance|2,949|||
|Cleaningand Consumables|2,061|||
|Utilities|6,140||6,460|
|Accountancy|1,387|1,000|1,009|
|Printing|110|50|202|
|Telephone/Wi Fi|1,136||2,414|
|Insurance|3,364||3,186|
|Bank Charges|60|||
|Sundries|478|500|26|
|SMDT/PMC Expenses|360|400|19|
|Fundraising (Sum upand Envelopes)|551|200||
|Whitby/Minsteracres weekend/day||1,000||
|Other Sundryevents||500|190|
|Previousyear funeral fees|||891|
|**Total General Fund Payments**
**92,498**
**69,300**
**91,914**||||
|**Designated Funds Payments**|**Designated Funds Payments**|**Designated Funds Payments**|**Designated Funds Payments**|
|---|---|---|---|
|BuildingMajor Repairs|||5,775|
|Outward Giving|8,000|8,000|7,000|
|Organ Fund|102|||
|Playpeople|1,048|800|276|
|**Total Designated Funds Payments**
**9,150**
**8,800**
**13,051**
**Restricted Funds Payments**||||
|Rector's SecretarySalary /expenses|11,470|14,000|12,113|
|Missioner Salary/Expenses|12,402|15,000|5,893|
|CrossQuarterly|1,059|1,000|1,065|
|Eco Fest|346|1,500|922|
|LOL|2,418|4,500|996|
|Nevilles Cross CommunityChoir|4,057|4,000|3,758|
|Flowers|262||115|
|Special Collections|2,298||1,625|
|Children/Youth ministrySalaries|165|7,500|12,742|
|**Total Restricted Funds Payments**
**34,477**
**47,500**
**39,229**||||
|**Total All Payments**|**136,125**|**125,600**|**144,194**|
2
St John's Year End 2023
Funds
1ST Jan
2023
Tra
aistDot
2023
Gweral Fund
Investment
58.$80
5.453
64.333
23.667
127.611
92.498
1.$34
7.980
34313 134061 X498 1.534 5.CO) 72313
Current Assets
rotsl G•nerd Fund
tsd funds
Bulldl Ma
or Repairs
Ms1On & Gifts IOX FuThJ
Sdèr Panels
Playpeople
n Furk
Toknl L)•sW•t•d Fth
35,553
8,050
1,484
2,51XI
40.553
1.484
L188
102
9.150 5.IXXI
1.563
1.$34 44.756
49352
R•strfrt•d Funds
Rector's Secreta
& Offke
LOL Yothh Mlnlstry
Emilronment & Comm
H•rdd Uster Funo
Fk)weTS
Communl Cholr
Church Youth Worker
Cross Quarterl New5thr
Mlssloner Sala
nses
S clal Coledons
Totsl R•51rf(l•d Funds
2,892
3,610
11,638
1.862
1.106
11,470
2.418
346
2.724
3,054
2,804
700
115
1.933
165
SS9
15.810
Fur
7(Kl
163
2,032
314
3.958
262
4.057
165
IOS9
14,743
12.402
2,298
2,298
19.126 36319 34A77
13,469
20.968
Endowm1 Fun
Chur¢h Hbll Tfllst
172,792
16.595
189,387
Totsl lunds
276,083
187.1
136.12S
6.534
6J34
327.424
8•nkA¢counts
C•fCash A¢¢oynt
CaKa5h
LOL
Account
afGold Account
6.038
3.531
5,202
24.158
392
S.S65
44,886
8,142
3.024
38,865
11,471
Vkar
e Fund CCLA
C8F De 51t fund (Churth Hall
Totsl kcounts
10,797
7>,704
Istj
2023
its
311tO•L
In¥esbnents
COIF Ethlcal Fund
CBF In¥estrnent Fwd
Tot4 In¥•51mffits
58.580
5.7S3
172.791
16.596
131,371 22.349
64,333
189,387
253,720
Toi•l Asseis
317,424
Approved bythe Parothal Chwch Council i)n
nd yxned M its behalf
The Revd BarnabyT Hufj5h IChalrmaThl
## **Notes**
**Accounts Format.** In recent years the year end accounts have been presented in “Accruals” format. The 2023 accounts are presented in simpler “Receipts and Payments” format. R & P accounts record only the actual monetary transactions that have taken place during the period. They do not include a valuation of fixed assets (AV equipment, solar panels etc.) and they also do not include an allowance for year-end “debtors, creditors and accruals” (amounts owing). There has been no change in the methods of recording financial activity (book-keeping).
**Funds.** Fund values have been brought forward from the 2022 accounts with adjustments for the exclusion of fixed assets, debtors, creditors and accruals.
## **Designated Funds**
**Outward Giving Fund.** The stated intention has been that 10% of the previous year’s voluntary income should be transferred to this fund to be disbursed at the discretion of the PCC to local and other charities. There appears to have been some confusion regarding this definition with the result that a balance of £8,050 had accumulated in this fund before any transfer for 2023. A total of £8,000 was disbursed in 2023 and the balance of £50 transferred back to the general fund. The PCC has adjusted the policy and there is now an opportunity to make a more flexible decision regarding this.
**Solar Panels.** The £1,484 brought forward in this fund was a consequence of “accrual accounting”, whereby the value of the panels was depreciated over 15 years and a generous gift towards the original cost of the panels was written down over the same period. This residual amount has been transferred to the General Fund.
**Playpeople** is now administered by the PCC who provide premises and staff for this community activity. The Church acquired funds of £961 from this once independent group which can be used to purchase equipment as deemed necessary.
**Organ Fund.** A generous gift was designated to be spent on the organ “at some time in the future”. This year £102 was spent on organ maintenance.
## **Restricted Funds**
**Rector’s Secretary and Office.** The Rector’s secretary is employed by St. John’s on behalf of the PCCs of St John’s, St Margaret’s and St Edmund’s churches. The salary and general office expenses are fully reimbursed by the Church Estates Charity.
**LOL Youth Ministry Fund.** LOL (Living out Love) Youth ministry was originally a project of St. John’s, St Margaret’s, St. Oswald’s and Emmanuel churches. It continues, on a voluntary basis, with St. John’s and King’s Church. St. John’s takes legal and financial responsibility for the project.
**Environment and Community Fund.** The PCC decided to place the surplus generated from the EcoFest (and other similar events) since 2014 in a restricted fund for environmental and community projects, including the annual EcoFest.
**Harold Lister Fund.** The fund results from a legacy in the will of the late Harold Lister. It was stipulated that the sum of £1,000 shall be used for Church purposes by The Rector from time to time at his discretion.
**Flower Fund.** The fund is used for money collected for church flowers.
**Community Choir.** The PCC decided to support the formation of Neville’s Cross Community Choir, allowing the choir to use the church without charge. The funds are administered by the church and the legal position is that the choir is under the control of the PCC.
**Church Youth Worker.** The PCC appointed a Children’s and Youth worker early in 2024. Applications are to be made for grants in support of employment and other costs.
**Cross Quarterly.** The publication of the Community newsletter, Cross Quarterly, is a Church initiative for the benefit of the wider community.
**Local Mission Fund.** In 2020 the PCC agreed to fund a Local Mission Worker for 21 hours a week. Work is done within the parish and outreach extends to the neighbouring parish, Bearpark. The post is funded by donations and grants.
## **Endowment Funds.**
**Church Hall Trust Fund** . The fund originated from the sale of the site of the old church hall. The capital was invested in 8,378 units of the Central Board of finance Investment Fund at a cost of £62,627. The use of the fund is restricted to the building of a new hall. As this restricted use is unlikely to be fulfilled, it is included in these accounts as an endowment fund. Dividends and interest are available for furthering the religious and other charitable work of the Church of England within the parish and are therefore included in the assets of the General Fund. The value of the fund at the year-end was £189,387.
## **Restricted Grants Received**
**The Church Estates Charity.** One of the objects of Church Estate charity are “furthering the religious and other work of the Church of England within the area of benefit, i.e. the parishes of St Margaret’s and St John’s. In practice the cost of the Rector’s Secretary and office expenses are paid by the Charity in arrears. In 2023, this amounted to £11,638.
**Cross Quarterly.** A grant of £500 was received from Local Councillors’ Small Grants Budget for the publication of the Community Newsletter.
**Local Mission (Bearpark).** Grants were received of £500 from Believe Housing, £500 from Diocese of Durham, £200 from Councillors’ Small Grants Budget.
CHARITY c&WIloN
FOR ENGIAKI ANO wEs
Independent examinerfs report on the
accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
PCC of St Jthn's Church. Nevlle's Cross
On accounts for the year
endod
31" Dewnber 2023
Charlty no
(If any)
1131053
charity (Ihe Tn) the year ended DD I I YYYY.
Responsibllllles and
basls of report
accounts in with the rUents of Charities Act 2011
(Yhew.
I rep(xt in resF*d of my examination of the Tntsys accounts carried out
urKler sedion 145 of the 2011 Act arKI in caryying out my examination. I
have follo**d all the apFAicabl8 Directiorts given by the Charity Commission
under 8e(*KJn 145(5)(b) of the A
Indopandont I
examln8rf8 statem•nt I hav8 comtAeted my 8xamination. I confffm that no material matter5 have
come to my attenti(M in connection with the examination (0r than that
disdosed below") which gives me uSe to beiieve that in. any material
the accountirNJ records not keFrt in aance with section 130
of the Charities Art or
the accwnts did rnt ao))rd with the ac(xxmting COrdS., or
the accourrts did not (x)mply *ith the applicable requirements
COnming the form and ntent of accourts set