St Mary's Church, Standon Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council st For the year ended 31 December 2023 Address: The Vicarage Kents Lane Standon Hertfordshire Reglstered Charity liumber 1131081 ParochiAI Church Coull¢il of St Mary? Slandon Trustees, Annu)Il Report For Ihe vear ended 31" December 2023 Standon PCC is a COTporate body estsblish¢d b). the Church of England which operat¢s undEr the P￿0¢h181 Church Council Powers Measure. It ha5 the responsibility of cfroperating with the Rector in promoting in th¢ ecclesiastirnl parish the whole mission of ihe Church. pastornl, evangelical, so¢ial and ecumenica]. It also has maintengnc¢ responsibilitie8 forthe fabric of the church building, its contellts amd the churchyard. Jt is in a benefice with the parishes of The MundeThs with Sacombe. We Gontinue to stream our main Swiday seryic¢s online, &8 peopl¢ fiDd this useful if they're unable to attend in person. All of our services are joint ones with our b¢D¢fi¢e partners. Our average attendance was 70 at our 10.30 5ervi¢¢s 8nd 12 at our 8.00. We offer monthty choral evenSQDg seThTr¢es, atiracting art average of 59 worshippers. In Februjry, we held a sp¢cial Tudor evensong, f¢aturing early rnusic. &5 Part of a weekend of celebration of the completion of the refi￿bIshM¢nl of the Sadl¢ir tombs. Our Christmas service& N'ine Le55ons & Carols, Christh)as Eve Christingle and Jnidnight 5¢rvices, draw yn 5ignificantty more worshippers, as th)es our aLnual Remembrance Sunday service. ￿'t held a setvice of m¢mori¢s in October and & Good Friday meditation as well as perfor￿]￿¥ Stainer's Crncifik'ioll on Passion Sunda),. We have Continu￿ to meet on W¢dnesday mornings for worship and discussion" averdge attendan¢¢ h&$ increased slightly to 12. During the year we hosted 3 services for our local church school. Our Fresh Expr¢ssiots, All SainLQa..6 Ipreviou$ly the Centre), continued to ]neet in All Saints, another of our benefice ehurches and our children's and youth work ¢oniinued on Ilethiesday afternoons in t¢mi time, when the All Saints weekly eafé takes place. Two of our young people fro]n those groups were confirnied in Marth 2023. During the year, we conducted 12 funerals and 5 ￿edding5 in th¢ rhurch. We baptised 10 children ill mainstream servi¢e5 and one of our Christianity Explored participants baptised in th¢ wnfrmation serviee in November. Ow toddler aud carer group on Friday momirtgs continue5 to be well attended. Thrvughout the year we have unlockLxi our church during daylight houjs, 8nd it has be¢n used by many for prnyer and reflection. We ho%ted the annual Iwal District Bell Iungers, seryice as we]1 as wncerts by external ￿0Up$. including the local community choir, which rehears¢5 weekl> in 5t Mary's. tn the summer we offered our aDnual Holiday Bible Club for ebildren aged 4 to l l. Over four days. we considued the story of Jonah, parallclled with Peter s denial of Jesus and subs¢qu¢t]t con)nus5ioning by Jesus to feed hi5 she¢p. 45 children attended and it was appreeiaTed by both the children and their par¢nts. Several of ¢)ur own young people helped with the club, and *'¢ . leaders in 2024. hope to conlinu¢ to build on this work for participants and youn- We offer fri¢ndship. practical help andp&5tornl care to any in ollrcommunity who need it. Our home groups and Bible study groups have mixed online with in-person ￿ettIng% and participanr5 have continued to find them helpfill. We have continuod witb our, 'Midweek hfjusic. recitals and time of social int¢rnction monthly on W¢dnesda)' lunchtimes. Membership Members of the PCC are either ¢x-officio or elected b) the Annual P￿oChial Thurch Meeting {APCM) in accordance with the Cburch Representation Rules. Our 2023 annual mtsting took place on May 14thafter the morning service. During the year, the followuE $¢rved &$ membets of the PCC.. Rector Rev John Chitha Elected Members Mr hlicbael Baker (until 14 May) Mr Cliff Beeston Mrs Stephanie Beeston (from 14th May) Miss Lizzy Franks Richard Franks Mrs Sue Geddes Mr Derek Goodall Mrs Margaret Goodall Mr Mark Korczyk Mrs Marion Smir Mr Michael Smith Wardens Angle Adamson Mr Keith PlwtllDer Reader Mrs CaroLine Franks 01Scers Miss Lizzy Franks Hon. Secrelary Mrs Carolme Frank5 Hon. Treasurer Deanery Synod None at present Represemtatives Ba￿kS CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling K¢nt ME19 4JQ The CBF Church of England Deposit Fund 80 Cheapside London EC2V 6DZ lllv¢sknent Funds Tb¢ CBF C of E Investment Fund 80 Ch¢2pside London EC2V 6DZ ]nd¢pelldEnt Examin¢r Sarah Crispiti ACA Stewardship l Lamb's Passag¢ London ECIY 8AB Paroehlal Church Couneil of St.Mary, Standon Trustees, AnDual Report For the )'ear ended 315t Dec¢mbcr 2023 Flnanclal Responsibilitios of tbe PCC Charity law requires us &$ Trustees to prepare financial statements for ¢ath acwuntiThg yearwhich record the Teceipt5 and pawents of the charity for th¢ year. We are responsible for kwing proper accouniing reci)rds which disc1(￿ with tyasonable ac¢urd¢y at any time the finalleial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. We are also resp)nsible foT safrguarding the assets of the cburch and taking reasollable steps to prevellt fraud alld otber irregularities. Policy on R¢$erye5 The PCC recogni5es the need to hold reserv¢5 to allow the protection of its core activities in the event of income shortfllls and to promote bala￿¢￿ strategic plaDning. Rc5cryes are defined as inconie that becomes available and which the PCC can spend at its discretion to furth¢r its objectives but which has noi yet been spenL committed or d&%ignated. At tbe end of 2023, th¢ PCC held £74,857 in its uDrestiicted General Fund. This sum is below the amount stipulated in our agreed policy to hold l)etsveen 12 aDd 18 months. anticipated expenditur¢, but we are continlling activelj to consider how we will address dwindling reserves. Fund5 beyond our imrnediaie ne¢d5 are held on deposit WSth the CBF Church of England Deposit Fun( whi¢h provides w with as competiti>e a rdie of inlgrest as ally, but with low risk- and instant acce5S. At the end of 2023, in addirion to our uDr¢stricLed genernl fjJn(L we hold LmTestricted de5ignat¢d funds of £1,000 in th¢ Transport Fund, £38,290 in the Legac) Fund. £3,925 in the Tithe Fund, £1 3 in the Centre Fund and £165 in a fund for the repair and replac¢ment of streaming equipment. We also hold a gift of £l:O¢M), to be 5peDI iD part to fuThd new communion table ]inen. We have received two legacies in 2023. Wien we receive a legacy, we transfer IO% to the Tithe Fund, to be used for others as appropriate Th¢¢d5 come to our attcrktion. Sinee the ytrdr en(L new linen bas been donate(L and the for its replacement is no longer needed. The designation has been rev'ersed in 2024. The re8trictcd restojxtion fund has received donations from individuals and grants from the Friends of St Mary's and other charitable trllsts io fund capital work, in¢ludinti the restordti¢)n proj¢d ott the Sadleir tombs and the beginning of the rem¢dial work on our tower, highb'gbied ilt our latest Quinquennial report. W¢ bave alsoundertaken to the failed Victorian drainage wider the tower, which b¢¢n causing damaging damp iyh the tower walls. AD application bas been submitted in February 2024 to the Listed Place5 of Worship scheme. to Tecover VAT paid on capital projects. Risk ManageMe￿t Any charity, in carrying out its obj￿tives, ￿￿st have an eye to the risks involved. We are responsible for an an¢i¢nt building, designed wiib no thoughi for the needs of ftail or disabled people. ￿..e deal firquently with p¢ople who are Yulnttable. We work with children. Our income is by dotiation and oft¢n s(Kne of the PCC have a￿¢55 to Eotsfidential inforniation. We try to guard against risk without letting risk-limitsng Tnwsures get in the of our ministry.. Wiere we we insure against fjnancial loss. Where this ts not practical. we ts). to minimtse risk in other ways. For example, Ive haye treated the lead on our ¢hurthroof ivith Smart Water and installed an alaTm SNStetn; we have also ask.ed our neighbours in the High Street to report any suspicious activity around the church. and lye l¢aNe the Q(K)d hgbts on until &ft¢r the pub opposite has closed and the High Str¢¢t ig quiei. We hav¢ installed a ccrv sj'stem to monitor actiiity at our main doors. We hold a comprehensive set of risk assessments which are reviewed regularly. We have aD appoitited Health and Safefv Offi¢er and there is a Health and Safety Policy in place. We have installed a handrail at the stone cbancel sieps. We hav¢ a ¢are to the qualifications and integrity of those to whom we entrust sensitive infonnation or ac£es5 to our funds and tsk"e sensibl¢ precautions to prot¢ct them and those with whom they interdcl including safer recTUittnent procedures and the use of ¢n¢]￿tion or other security systems on th09¢ computers our Data Protection Officer dec￿5 ￿prOpriate. The PCC has ¢on]pli¢d with tbe duty under section S of th¢ Safeouarding and Clcrgv Discipline Measure 2016 (￿thICh sets out the PCC'5 obligations io safeguard children and vuln¢rable adults). We Make sure that all trustees of th¢ cljarity {whtch works regularly with Children and vulnerable adults), &% well as th[￿ working regularlv with childr¢ll and vulnerable adults are subj¢rt¢d to DBS checks in line with'l'hirtyon¢'.¢igbt guideliues and are conversani our Safeguarding Poh"cy and Go(Ki Pra¢ti¢e GuidElines. We eDsur¢ that all involyed in the work of our church have the required le¥Kel of saf¢guaTding trdining.. according to Church of England guidelines. Our b¢nefice Safeguarding oificer, who advises the PCC, has &KLensive ekperience of Child pro¢eciion and safeguarding ISSU￿ in relation to her role Designated Senior Person at school and her work as Safeguarding Officer at CPAS summer catllps. She is also a Diocesèn volunteer tyainer ID Safeguardin(r. The financial fundion8 of thE PCC are shared between thr¢e people, working indep¢nd¢ntly. All wot* undertaken by volunteers is subject to review. Committee Structure artd Review of th¢ Year The PCC operates through a number of committees: which meet betsveen rnectillgs of the. full PCC. Other than the Standing Committee, the PCC rornmittees do not have delegated decisiots ma&iDg power5. they make recommendations to the PCC, which is responsible for all decision making. Parochial Church Council of St Mydryy Slandon Trnstees, Annual Report For the year ended 31st December 2023 StsndingCommitt¢e This, the only cotllmittee required by law, h&s power to transact PCC busine6s behveen its meetings, subj¢¢t to directions given by the cowicil. It is cornprised of the Rrfior, our Reader. Churchwarden4 Secretary and Treasurer. The Benefice Ad]ninistrator also attends these meetings. World Mission Group This committee is benefice-wide and considers matters to do ivith world-wide mission, including th¢ way WE 5UPPOrt our missiottary partners o¥erseas, both r]nanciallv arLd through PTa>"er arnd encouragemenL It considers wk]irh clLarities and organisations should be supported throuoJ] appeals, special wllertions or specific donations and has orgaDisEd fundraising events for spc¢ifi¢ missionary proj¢cL8. We adopt a beR¢fi¢¢ approach to all of our support of world mission. Special Appeals Once again, spefjial appeals weTe well supported during 2023. Regular giving for our mission partners in Burundi amounted to £2,607includiDg gift aid recovered. During tbe year, we sent £2,707, the amount collected in 2022 2nd early 2023. The balance of the amount ¢ollected in 2023 will be sent in 2024. £2,417 was received in donations and gift aid t&x for the 2023 haTvest oppeal, split b¢￿teA Ki5iizi Hospital in U8anda aDd the School for the Deaf in Jordan. £185 wa5 received for 202) Operntiott Christmas Child. £)19 w&8 given at our Remembrance service for the Royd Britisb Letsjon. In Decetnb¢r 2023. our appeal w&4 again for our I￿al food bank. £3,182 was rdised by the benefice in 2023, aud another £1.83] w¥s r¢¢eived iti JanuaTr 2024. Gift aid tax of £211 bas been claimed in January 2024. The £mount raised is being spent on ￿1)cery delitr¢ries directly to the distribution centre, a5 and when they are needed. We collect items for th¢ local food bank in all of ow Eburcbes: but we have also continued to orgatiise online 9upemarkct delsverieg directly* and £3,992 was donated by our bfflefice for this pwpose. We bave a rnontbly Pop-up Shop 2fter OUT family seryice, its profits contributing to th¢ Foodbank total. The total of the amounts collect¢d iti 2023 ill response to appeals ￿ help others totAlled £12,902, including the amount given for our r¢gular missionary partneT5. Members look part in OperatioTL Christmas Chtld, filling shoe boxes to be sent to parts of the WOTld wh¢r¢ children affected by war or dis&ster have no other hope of receiving R gift at ChristD)as. 134 boxes were sent in NoYemb¢r, bound for Ukraine. All Saints@6 All Saints@6, previouslv ille C¢ntre, a place for contempordry worship, tea¢hing and discussion, met for worship and Bibl study on Sunday afternoons at All Saints. Two of the re￿ congregation wer¢ confirmed ID March. Youih and Children*s Work Our youth wort has continu¢d to provide a w'ide rdnge of acliviiies for young people. In addition to our in-house youth work, our weekly lunchtime club at our Ghurch school in Puck"eridge, and after school club at the same school on the same day, led by our Youth Work prtiers: K¢d Balloon Foundation: has been well supporte(L with a waitjng list to join. Our after school RE club rnn by Lizzy btank5 at our chlkrch scbool in LtMl¢ Munden is also oveT-subscnTr)ed. We have provided Collective Worthip weekly forboth of our scboo]s. Lizzy ¢ontinu¢s to be an overnll lead¢r of Orwell 3, a CPAS Pathfinder Holiday. and in Awst we helped fimd several youngsters from our benefice who att¢nded the week long c*mp orwised and run by a team of trained voluntem. Finance Committee This committee Lif repTe5entatives of PCQ church members and the other bell¢fi￿ tre&qurers considers all aspects of PCC finances. It is responsible for lh¢ preprdtion at)d rnonitOTtng of budgets. review of thc current financial position and for advising the PCC on financial ￿atters. Our fiDan¢ial results for this year show a deficit OTh our UDrestricted general fund of £9.701. £77,507 was spent during the year on pro￿dIng Christian ministy from St Mary's. This illcludes parish share pavm¢nts to the Diocese of £60,141 to support diocesan costs such as clcrgy %tipends and housing, trailliThg for clew and reader5 and the many support sEryices we have available to U5 in our pari8h ministry, and costs of £6,553 to support }outh WQTk. In addj'lion, we gpent £22.980. including £8,946 from the T¢stri¢ted Friends of StslldoD Churchvard Fund, on the running and maintenanc¢ of the church and Churchyar￿ attd £7,816 on administrative and other costs. We have spent £17,093 from thE restricted Restoration Fund on Capital proiects, wholly funded by grants alld donations for that purpose. Eleetoral Roll At the end of 2(P3, ther¢ were 110 members on the electoral roll. 28 of these jive outside th¢ parish. Other High Points of the Year Our aim is the promotion of the Gospel of ow Lord J&4us Christ according to the prnctices of the Chwch of England. All our activities are organised against this background. Our st*ed aim. with which all our service materials are badged. is 'Being withesse9 to Jesus, making disciples of Jesus. growing leaders for Jesus,. Tbis airn penneates all that we do. Parochial Church Council of St Mary? Stsndon Trustees, Annual Report For the vear ended 3151 Decemb¢r 2023 Being witnesses to jes￿ includes being hig presence in our co]JmJUDity. ￿¢ have continued to provid¢ p￿toral suppo 6vents and opportunities for people to gather together. practi￿ help through our support of the local foodbank and taking oyery opportunity w¢ $¢¢ to express our faith in a way that dernonsU*ed G(xl's love for all. and what he offers to 8TJJ who ¢ome io him. Our pastor21 team has w'orked io offtr supportto those wbo need it. Our funeral ministy been parti¢ularly IInportall¢ a source of hope and comfort for grieving famili￿, and our commurtity has glppreciated the church building, &9 we'v¢ llsed it for pastoral Services and cotnrnunity eV￿ts as well &s welcoming visitors for whatever re￿ll they Come. Our toddler group continue5 to thrive: as do our monthly concerts with time to get together beforehalld over a wp of coffee or te& A group of bereav￿ 8pous¢s meet ]nonthl￿ to offer trdch other 5upporL and a group of people who on their own meets monthly for lunch at a lo¢al pub. Members of our churclles CODttnue to be involved LD many of the organisations in our pari8hES. MakiDg disciples of Jcsus ineludes nurturing Thew Chri#ians and d¢veloping our existing congregations. W¢ raTh a 'ChristAanity Explored, course duTing th¢ year, and several of the participallts bayc become regulars. one being bawised and two confmed in November. We have followed severa] Biblical leaching series in our mainstream 8¢rviGts' at our midweek 3ErvRces we have explored a divers¢ 5¢1ectiOll of Biblical b(*￿- from Ezekiel to James, letter. as M'¢ll discussing Such tOPiC6 as the '[ am, saytngs of Jesus. Our h0￿C gr(￿pS continue to stretch panicipaDts, as Thell &$ providing ]nutual support 2nd ¢ncouragemenL We seek to encourage and develop a d¢sire among our memb¢rs continually to be leamitig and growing 89 Christians. We have worked closely with our two benefice churth s¢hoo]4 continuing the strong ties betweeD Church and school 8nd working to draw some of the children and, with them, th¢ir parents into thurch family life. We bav¢ Mrelcomed our church schools to our churches for their I￿eSt, E&sier and end of J'ear services. Most of the Little Munden School pupils attend our Wednesday cAfé in All Saints, taking part in the activities t¢aching Providrt and often involving th¢ir parents too. We try to organise worship thai will draw in members of our communtty. (h]r bvnefice choir is highly thired in our are4 and enhances our worship, particularly at our monthl> cboT41 evensong seTrices. We continue to offer Book of Commo Prayer services a5 well as Common WoT5hip ones: and on the fourtb SundaN of eacb month we hold 2n infornial service where families are ¢ntournged to co]ne and join io activitie5 &¥ well as more traditional worship. On Sunday evenings, apart from evensong Sundavi our'café-style, church meets in All Saiois. Our monthly chU￿h>.￿d working party continues to draw ID people noi otherwi5¢ associ￿ with the thurch as well as keeping our churchyard looki￿g attractive and tidy. OTowing leader5 for Jesus f(Kusses niore on our own peopl¢. We encourage and offer help to any ill our collgregation who are hearing God's calL to explore what that might mean. There is fi￿dill£ available for any forwhom 5tru¢tured training is appropriate. Both our Rector and Reader took time out on retr￿ during the y¢sr, and our Musical Dir¢¢tor took a 3-month sabbatical, as he discerned God's plan for him for th¢ time ahead. Our curate moved on in the Sun]￿er, earlier than p12ntted. beCa￿￿e of a family move to St Albans, as God call¢d both ber husband and her to new challenges. Our beautiful, ancieni. grade I I1￿¢d building presents us with real cballenges &$ we strivc to be the livitig church in these villages. The Friends of Si Mary's continue to raise futtds to finaDce Tesloration projects. and following our quinque1￿141 inspection in 202? we have started to pl￿ for significant work to the tower. Tenders are being sought as this report is prep&red, and the first phase will be completed during ?024. The Friend5 of Standon chu￿ILvard team manages th¢ churchvard for ¢i)nserv&tioll and the protection of wildlife as w¢ll as for tbe benefit of the bereave& forniing a ivorking party tbe first Saturday morning of eacb mont14 which anyone illter¢5t¢d is welcome to join. Much has been achieved during 2023, but, as ever, ther¢ TS mucb still to do as sbape ow vision for th¢ Thext years. We are ready and eager to carry our work forwrf and: with God'5 belp, plan Éo be instrnmentaj ill spreading his gospel ever wid¢r in this community and abroad. Limllations oftbis report Because Strive to operate in everitthing 05 part of aunited b¢nefiee this reporL from just one parish of the thre¢, does not provide a cotnplete or fully accurate pictur¢ of our It shou]d be read ift conjunctiOD with reports of what is happenillg in our sister parishes of The Mundens and S￿0￿be. Publie Benefil The Trustees have complied with the duty to have due regard to the public benefit guidan¢¢ published by the Charity Commission. Thi5 report wa5 approved by the PCC on 05.032024 and siglled on th¢ir behalf by iiev John Chitharn (1ncurnbe￿t). Parochial Church Counci5 of St Mary, Standon Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31st December 2023 Total 2023 Total 2022 Funds Funds Receipts Voluntary income 2a 120,419 36,096 156,515 146,123 Income frorn investments 2b 1,087 4,530 2,239 Church activities 4,878 2.147 7,025 6,849 Other incoming resources 140 140 2,291 Totsl Re¢8ipts 128.880 39.330 168,210 157,502 Paymfrnts Church activities 98.321 38,672 136,993 133,795 Goveman¢e costs 1,062 1,062 990 Total Payments 99,383 38,672 138.055 134.785 Net Receipts I (Payments) 29.497 658 30,155 22,717 Balance as at 1st January 2023 88.984 24.388 113,372 ),655 Balance as at 31$t December 2023 118,481 25.046 143,527 113,372 The notes on pages 3 to 5 form part of these accounts Parochial Church Council of St Mary, Standon Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31st December 2023 2023 2022 Bank Balan¢¢s and Cash Short term deposits Cash at bank and in hand 81,903 61,622 143,525 79,359 34,013 113,372 Of the total cash. £25,046 is restricted. Other Assets and Liabillties Assets.. CBF interest recewed 04.01.24 for 2023 Gift aid tax recovery not yel recewed VAT recoverable (Listed Places of Worship Scheme) Grants lo be received 2024 for capital work in 2023 Red Balloon Fouftdab'on for Spring term 2023 pahl December 2022 Other monetary assets 1,098 3,594 2,495 3,474 5,790 3.541 3,348 3,285 4,341 20,305 5,535 16.196 Liabilities.. Unbilled fee for independent examination Money donated for missionary partners and appeals not yet sent Other amounts due 1,100 1.000 10,544 1.280 8,393 1,500 12,924 Investments Mart