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← The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of St Mark's Woodthorpe

2023-12-31-accounts

St Mark's Woodthorpe Journeying together in Faith Annual Reports and Accounts 2023

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Aims and Purposes

St Mark’s Woodthorpe seeks to be a heart for the community. As the only church in the parish, we desire to provide pastoral care, a social space and the opportunity to explore faith, both within and beyond the parish boundary, working ecumenically and holistically with a range of faith and non-faith based organisations.

Objectives and Activities

We have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and in particular, the supplementary guidance on charities for the advancement of religion.

As an Anglican Church in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community.

Our aims and purposes are focussed around, although not wholly limited to:

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Vicar’s Introduction

Dear friends

Have you noticed that God’s Word never runs dry?

I love the way that He speaks to us through familiar and unfamiliar Bible verses.

”Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped” (Numbers 9:17-18).

This Old Testament passage speaks to us about dependence on God. This scripture reminds us not to rush ahead without God’s leading, but it also reminds us not to stay put when God is calling us forwards.

The psalmist (Psalm 34:4) declares:

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”

I sought the Lord.

In the Old Testament, God’s people were, to a large extent, afraid of His presence. They left it to leaders like Moses to approach God directly.

As followers of Jesus, we need to seek God on a daily basis. On an hour-by-hour basis. God’s presence is with us today. Now. Here.

I love Journeying Together in Faith. These pages highlight some of the many activities that take place throughout the year at St Mark’s. More details can be found on our website: stmarksonline.co.uk or Facebook page: facebook.com/StMarksWoodthorpe

My heartfelt thanks to those who make all of this possible, through generously sharing their time, talents and treasure.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Grace and Peace

Rev Matt Roberts

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St Mark’s Parochial Church Council

Trustees

The Parochial Church Council has the responsibility of co-operating with the Incumbent in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. As a result of the Charities Act 2006 St Mark’s registered with the Charity Commission in 2009. Our Registered Charity Number is 1131702.

Incumbent Rev. Matt Roberts Curate Church Wardens Mrs Janet Tyers Mr John Sargent Members of Deanery Synod Mr Peter Fisher Elected members Mr Tom Bird Mr Peter Fisher Mrs Pat Simpson Mr Gary Ditchfield Mrs Jackie Carey Mrs Pat Fenton Mr Alan Stuart Mrs Sarah McNichol Mrs Linda Sheppard Mrs Kerri Ditchfield

Recruitment of trustees – Trustees are ex-officio or elected at the APCM. Those who are exofficio members have been elected or appointed to the role of Incumbent, Curate, Church Warden or a member of a Synod (Deanery, Diocesan or General). The APCM elects up to 12 people who are members of the Electoral Roll to serve as trustees for one year. Those whose names are nominated for election as proposed and seconded by members of the electoral roll. There is no procedure for identifying specific skills required by the PCC or nominating people who have appropriate skills except on an informal basis for the roles of Treasurer and Secretary.

Induction of new trustees – There is no formal induction procedure in place for new trustees. However, trustees are subject to best practice around safeguarding. Risk Management – The trustees have not undertaken a Risk Management audit.

Reserves Policy – The policy of this church is to hold in reserve the equivalent of 3 months’ running costs of £35,000. It is also our policy to hold £35,000 for possible building works resulting from the Quinquennial inspection. This policy is to be reviewed annually.

PCC Committees – The PCC operates through a number of committees that report to the PCC with recommendations for action. The Vicar is an ex officio member of all committees.

Standing Committee – This is the only committee required by regulation. It has power to transact business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any direction given to it by the PCC.

Fabric Committee – This committee is responsible for assisting the Church Wardens in the care and maintenance of the church building and contents.

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Mission Committee – The role of this committee is to mobilise the church in understanding its own missional role within the community; overview and coordinate missional activities and events within the Church and parish; enable and support prayer for the Church internationally and locally; coordinate, develop and maintain international mission links; advise PCC regarding the Church’s giving/donations to the Church internationally and locally.

Church Hall Management Committee – The committee is responsible for the care, maintenance and improvement of the Church Hall, promotion and publicity of the premises and reviewing the conditions of letting and hire charges.

Appointment of Officers

PCC Vice-Chair John Sargent Secretary Ann Gorman Treasurer Jackie Carey Insurance Bryan Mallows Electoral Roll Ann Gorman Gift Aid Treasurer Howard Lea Cashier Howard Lea Health & Fire Safety Officer Ron Myers Safeguarding and DBS Administration Pat Simpson Gedling Deanery Synod Peter Fisher

Appointments to Sub-Committees

Chair PCC members Other members
Fabric John Sargent Tom Bird
Pat Fenton
Alan Stuart
Janet Tyers		 Steve Leek
Mission Gary Ditchfield Alan Stuart
Kerri Ditchfield		 Paul Day Simon Court
Guy Mather Jane Court
JennyDuncombe
Church Hall
Management		 Bryan Mallows Tom Bird
John Sargent		 Jane Danvers
Ann Gorman
Vicki Hardy
Standing Matt Roberts John Sargent
Janet Tyers
Jackie Carey		 Ann Gorman

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Church Attendance and Other Statistics

The statistics for 2023 are in the same format as for 2022 and are as quoted in the ‘Statistics for Mission’ Annual Return sent to the Diocese. The figures in brackets show the previous year.

The average attendance on a normal Sunday (that is one excluding major Christian Festivals and services which attract large number of visitors) is 86.5 adults (+6) and 14 children (-4) (all Sunday services).

The total number attending worship on Easter Day and was 129 adults (+13) and 21 children (-1), the number of communicants was 108 (+14).

The total number attending church on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was 440 (+23), the number of communicants was 0 .

During 2023 there were a total of 4 Baptism (+3), of this 2 were under 1 year of age (+2). There were 0 weddings (-2) in 2023 and 3 funeral (+2) in church for the whole of the year.

At the APCM 2023 there were 121 (+7) names on the Electoral Roll.

Fabric Report

Our Fabric Committee formally met on four occasions during 2023, submitting reports, notes and suggestions to PCC.

During 2023 we installed a Digital Hub through the Diocesan initiative. Our Treasurer, Jackie Carey, and two of us were trained in the usage. We have now set up the hub near the sound desk alongside the Foodbank basket in a quieter area, now designated as the ‘Giving Area’. After early teething problems it is now working well and people seem to be able to find and use it. A visual QR code for donating (both projected and on documents) is also now in use. During the year we had to obtain and install a new and improved Wi-Fi hub .

The Sound System saw our only major refurbishment project of 2023. When the failure of the controller battery in the sound-desk late in the year, resulted in Bruce Roberts, engaging specialists and leading various work groups to set up speakers on stands and restore the sound whilst we awaited the replacement and repair. Consequently, all services, especially the Christmas ones were able to continue unimpaired. Projection is such a core feature in our 10.30 and special services and we are considering the next step in event of the projector failing. ‘Low-tech’ screens are now being hung on the inner doors to prevent glare from the car-park during 10.30 services.

In terms of the actual fabric of the building, minor problems were identified and repairs effected, swiftly in most cases, as they arose by Steve Leek, Tom Bird and myself (the easy ones). Late in the year the bottom lock on front door failed and we operate on one lock. The year ended with us considering our options for better quality locks. The Bell Rope snapped and we couldn’t ring for a couple of months (perhaps to the delight of the neighbours). Tom sourced a repairer in Loughborough and the rope was repaired and refitted, so our single bell was back in action before Christmas. Thanks to Steve and Tom the Tower Cross light now has far brighter lamps, is cleaner and there is a timer fitted at ground level enabling the constant seasonal adjustments to timings to be made.

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Donated additional Fire extinguishers have been located in the main body of the Church, following a successful Fire Service annual inspection.

Toilets seemed to be a daily concern at times this year, the Office area one, being an original, in particular. Over the years the stop valves had seized, so Severn-Trent Water had to be called to locate the external one. They did that but it too had seized up and had to be replaced: there is now only one external shut-off valve for both Church and Hall. The internal stop valves were then replaced and the toilet returned to use. A faulty syphon had to be replaced in the smallest ‘new’ toilet.

The internal cleanliness of the Church building remains at the highest standard due to the continual diligence and dedication of Elaine Cuthill. She took the opportunity during the summer to seal the floors.

Stephen Tyers and Steve Leek spent much time and energy early in 2023 improving and rationalising the cabling, plugs and storage of leads around the musicians’ corner of the dais. It is now far tidier than in former years and there are fewer trip hazards. Our organ was tuned during the autumn. The piano used primarily at 08.45 services, on Monday mornings and by The Woodthorpe Singers had to have two castors replaced and it now glides across the floor.

Externally our aged, failing 1960 windows and gutters have caused focus and concern and plans to be discussed, but no work was done during the year. The failing Fascia board outside Chapel has been replaced.

The Church grounds , like all gardens, are a continual pleasure and concern. We commend Mark Williams, our gardener, for his faithful service. We had a special grounds work-party in November to cut-back and remove, clear and tidy. Kind members took all the branches, twigs, weeds, leaves and berries to the tip. We discovered the talents of our Vicar for clearing ivy; no wonder we didn’t sing that carol at Christmas!

St Mark’s only continues to function so well due to the energy and commitment of the members, some that I have named and most that I haven’t, but who are nevertheless, devoted servants. Thank you to all who do the many unseen jobs week by week, maintaining and changing displays, cleaning and tidying, opening and locking, setting out and putting away. Most only notice when something hasn’t been done! Thank you all!

John Sargent – Church Warden

Church Hall Report

Introduction

The Church Hall has continued to support a wide range of different activities and organisations over the past year. Inevitably, there have been changes in the overall weekly schedule as some groups were not able to continue for a variety of reasons, whilst new ones emerged to ensure that our level of income was not affected significantly. Because of rising costs, especially for energy, we had to increase charges from October, but gave our users good notice so that they could plan for recouping this from their clients. We compared our charges to those of other similar venues to ensure that we were not pricing ourselves out of the market. We must continue to be grateful that we have such a versatile venue, with accommodation appropriate to the needs of different sized groups, excellent catering facilities, effective heating and toilet provision and excellent on-site parking.

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User profile

As highlighted above, there have been changes during the year in our regular users. Through no fault of our own, Tiny Talk, Little Legs and BeBops terminated their provision at different times of the year. However, we welcomed new groups, including Kick Boxing and Cookstars . A number of other potential groups are in the pipeline as we move further into 2024. So, a typical week last year was as follows:

Sunday Children’s groups (CYM) in the morning, using all rooms. Birthday/celebration parties in the afternoon, using a variety of accommodation. Older youth group (Edge) in the evening, using various rooms. Monday Lullababy , using the Main Hall all morning, into the early afternoon. KS Dance Academy using the Main and Small Halls from late afternoon until 8.30pm. Cookstars using the large kitchen fortnightly late afternoon. Tuesday Zumba classes for adults in the early evening. Wednesday Tiny Talk using the Main Hall until lunchtime. KS Dance Academy using the Main and Small Halls from late afternoon until 8.30pm.

Thursday Little Legs using the Main Hall mid-morning only. Woodthorpe Brownies using the Main Hall early evening only. Friday BeBops using the Main Hall for two hours in the morning. Woodthorpe Beaver Scouts using both Halls early evening (Oct.-March only) Saturday Kick Boxing from 10am in the Main Hall (morning only)

Tiny Talk (Friday am) and Zumba (Thursday evening) also offered additional sessions in the church. Woodthorpe Singers are now based permanently in the church on Monday evenings. Other activities are booked occasionally in the Church Hall, including Thursday Club, Gedling BC for elections, Lydia Prayer Group, NHS etc.

Maintenance

The Church Hall is maintained on a daily basis by our cleaner, Elaine Cuthill . She attends according to the weekly schedule presented to her, so we are indeed very fortunate to have someone so dedicated and flexible looking after the premises.

Since writing the last report, further improvements have been made to the building, including the fitting of new door closers to stop them slamming (thanks to Steve Leek ) and automatic lighting to the men’s toilets. Also, thanks to Tim Ball (Youth Minister) and other users for overhauling the storage facilities in the Small Hall.

We anticipate the installation of double-glazed windows in the toilets and Main Hall in the near future.

Conclusion

The Church Hall generates significant income which depends largely on the efficiency of the Church Administrator, Ann Gorman , who deals with the bookings, telephone enquiries, collection of keys, invoicing, weekly schedule for cleaning, ordering equipment/resources etc. Many thanks.

Bryan Mallows – Church Hall Manager

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a priority at St Mark’s.

We are committed to following the principles of the House of Bishop’s Policy for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Adults.

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Our aim to ensure that children and adults are kept safe whilst in our care, whether in church, or meeting on-line, and this is an integral part of our church life. We endeavour to do this through good working practice, including the safe recruitment of workers, as laid out in our C&YP and Adults Policies and Procedures, copies of which are on display on the Church Noticeboard or can be obtained from the Church Office.

All Church Officers, Employed Staff and Volunteers are required to have a DBS, if appropriate, and to keep up to date with the required safeguarding training as set out by Southwell Diocese.

We also have procedures in place to ensure that all users and hirers of our Church and Church Hall Premises adhere to the same principles regarding safeguarding.

Safeguarding is an agenda item at each of our PCC meetings and is reviewed regularly by the PCC.

If you wish to speak to somebody about safeguarding, please speak to our Parish Safeguarding Co-ordinator, Pat Simpson, via the Church Office on 0115 9267859.

Mission Committee

Background

Following the death of a much-loved member of the St Mark’s family and missional lead, Rosemary Cottingham, there was a temporary lull in the activities of the Mission Committee during the first half of 2023. It was decided that a review of St Mark’s missional life would be undertaken, commencing in June 2023 based around the Anglican ‘5 Marks of Mission’. A group of 8 church members with a heart for missional life began to meet on a regular basis to evaluate our current missional activities and identify opportunities and priorities with which to regain momentum. The findings of the group were recorded in a detailed missional review document and were presented to PCC in the Autumn of 2023. The following summarises the initial priorities of the group.

Burundi

St Mark’s Woodthorpe has a long-standing partnership with the church in Burundi which is a highly treasured relationship. Direct communications with representatives in Burundi were reenergised. In response to urgent human need, a fund-raising initiative was instigated in October 2023 which raised £2635 for church building and water supply projects and again in January 2024 which raised £1600 which was distributed between two dioceses in Burundi to assist with food and fuel shortages for parishioners.

Arrangements have been set in place for a special Burundi Sunday service with preaching by Bishop Paul Butler (formally of Southwell and then Durham) in the coming year.

Guatamala

Regular contact, prayer and financial assistance has been maintained with our Church Mission Society partner in Guatamala, Azaria, to assist in the family and children’s ministry in vulnerable communities.

Ukraine

As part of the Welcoming Churches Network, St Mark’s is delighted to welcome a Ukrainian family into our community and fully embrace them in St Mark’s life.

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Mission in our community

St Mark’s continues to support the needs of the local community in numerous practical and fundraising initiatives. Some examples of these include the twice yearly ‘Reloved Sale’ providing reasonably priced clothing and equipment to families, ‘Thursday Lunch Club’ providing fellowship for all including isolated friends and the ‘Refresh Café’ providing fellowship and support to young families. A pop-in Youth Café and a ‘Birthday Card Scheme’ are being launched to broaden local missional outlets.

Treasuring Creation

Mission Committee continue to support the work of the St Mark’s Eco Church team in the continuing ministry of treasuring God’s creation.

Communications

Opportunities are being developed to improve internal and external communications by regular updates to missional website material, improvements to missional visual display materials and regular verbal updates for all members during services.

Children’s and Youth Ministry (CYM)

There have been some pretty major changes for the Children’s and Youth Ministry in 2023. Most notably the departure of Beth over the summer. I would like to thank her for all her hard work over her time at St Mark’s and the positive impact that she has had on the ministry. Her handover and the excellent team we have here made my transition into the role as smooth as it could possibly have been.

We had two weekends away this year, Bonsal Camp for Edge in March and a second edition of the joint weekend away with St Martin’s Sherwood to the Oakes in November. Both of these were well received by the young people and are often talked about as highlights of the year. Our Sunday Groups of Sparklers, Rockets, Game Changers and Edge have continued throughout the year thanks to the dedication of the volunteers, both the adults and the older youth providing extra support. In addition to these, our aim is that every young person who regularly attends Edge or supports the younger youth groups and wants one, has an adult mentor who they meet with on a regular basis.

A particular highlight of the year was the two Edge outreach events, visiting some of the older members of our community before the summer and the afternoon tea that we provided at church in November. As well as being a blessing to the people that we were reaching out to, both gave the young people a chance to build and display their skills and grow in confidence. It has also been a blessing to see an increase in young people serving, not just in CYM groups but in the band and other ministries as well.

Looking forward to 2024 I have identified 4 key focuses for the Children’s and Youth Ministry in addition to continuing the existing groups.

  1. A return of the Good Friday Treasure Hunt

  2. Starting an after-school Youth Cafe after Easter

  3. A holiday club in October Half Term

  4. Preparing and equipping the young people to be able to lead a church service later in the year.

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Finally, thank you all for your welcome of me and how easy you’ve made my transition into this role.

Tim Ball - Children’s and Youth Minister

Gedling Deanery Synod Report

Synod met three times this year. In addition to our focus on Ministry and Mission, we were visited by Ruth Lee, the Growing Disciples Younger lead, who shared her enthusiasm for sharing the Good News with young people. James Halstead, Principal of the School of Discipleship came to talk to us about Lay Vocations, and Jean Lamb shared her vision for a deanery wide Lent/Easter trail, based on the stations of the cross, for 2024.

At each meeting, news from around the Deanery and from Diocesan Synod is shared. We hold discussions in small groups, and we pray for each other. We receive regular reports from Diocesan Synod with Revd. Sam Hustwayte still in post as Chair, as well as our lay representatives Michael, Peter, David and Muriel continuing to serve alongside Revd. John Allister. We also circulate regular reports from General Synod. John encourages representatives to share information with their PCCs, as one purpose of Deanery Synod is to feed information through from the diocese to the parish, and vice versa.

This year saw a new triennium so we needed to elect members to the standing committee. We were pleased to welcome Chris Childs as Lay Chair. Sam Hustwayte continued as Secretary along with Kurt Baron as clergy rep. Lay representative Peter Fisher was joined by Kathy Hogan. There are vacant positions for both lay and clergy representatives.

Churches in vacancy- Netherfield, Carlton, Colwick, Lambley, Gedling and Arnold continue in vacancy. Our churches in vacancy have continued their commitment to church life, with support from retired clergy and hardworking lay teams.

The post of Deanery Treasurer is still vacant. Please consider prayerfully whether you know anyone suited to this role. Encourage them to talk to our Area Dean, John Allister. We are supported by Gary Stevenson, whose details Portia can share if a parish needs support with treasurer matters.

Area Dean Revd. John Allister shared information about the Diocese of Goma and we agreed that, if at all possible, each church would make a donation of £100 via JustGiving. That amount would make a significant difference to a diocese with an annual budget of £20k, where ministers are unpaid and unlikely to have been educated beyond primary level.

Refresh Community Café

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Refresh Community Café has continued to offer a place of safety, fun and belonging for parents/carers and their under 5s in the community. The café meets every Wednesday in term time from 10-11.30am providing refreshment to parents and carers physically, emotionally and spiritually. It is a privilege to see God at work as we share the love of God with so many young families, welcoming them into church, listening, and offering prayer.

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At the end of every morning, a short thought for the day is shared and we finish with a time of singing and bubbles! Refresh Church has continued to feature every term, with the opportunity to explore Bible stories in an engaging accessible format, using puppets, stories and song.

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This year, to deepen relationships and demonstrate love in action, we have also invited parents/carers to additional events without their children including a ‘paint a pot’ evening and a wreath making workshop.

Refresh Community Café welcomes around 40 families every Wednesday and has a Facebook page with over 350 followers. We are very grateful to

all those who help enable Refresh Community Café to share God’s love with families in our community.

Thursday Club

This group is aimed primarily at Senior Citizens, but other adults are very welcome to attend. There are no restrictions placed on anyone wishing to attend from the Woodthorpe community and beyond. It is not an exclusive ‘club’ with membership fees etc. It is simply an opportunity to meet up with friends in the church hall, or occasionally the church, receiving some form of entertainment, refreshments and time to catch up with each other. During 2023, the average attendance was forty four across twelve meetings, one per month on a Thursday.

The majority of meetings were held in the afternoon, starting at 2.30pm. As we like to offer homemade cakes with tea and coffee, it was heartening to receive offers of baking from some of the members. Alan Stuart kicked of the year in January with a very interesting, illustrated talk on his experiences visiting Burundi. Other talks in the year included reflections of a retired auctioneer, the story of gin from a Victorian perspective, an insight into the life and death of Richard 111, revisiting afternoon etiquette with the Baroness Bolsover, opening up the Old Curiosity Box with fascinating gadgets from the past and Gillian Buck’s Malaysian Adventure.

Our March meeting is always a charity event and this year we supported the Angel Tree Foundation, a prison charity event to raise money for the families of prisoners. Two speakers amplified the work of the charity and how volunteers can offer different levels of support.

Other meetings provided musical entertainment provided by local musicians and singers, principally members of Burlington Live, the Stanza Singers and St Mark’s very own Stephen Tyers at the Summer Garden Party. We also welcomed Stephen (guitar) and Gemma Thomas (singer) to lead our carols at the annual Christmas Lunch at Ramsdale Park Golf Club.

We also managed to fit in an additional meeting in August in the form of a short trip. We were invited to go to the Waxwings and Goldcrest Gardens, part of the National Gardens Scheme, just beyond Redhill roundabout on the A60. Thirty five members were treated to a guided tour, followed by a delicious selection of refreshments and the opportunity to buy plants. The proceeds of this event were donated to charity. We hope to go again this year, but in another month to see the gardens in a different light. Whilst mentioning charity, the Thursday Club now donates 10% of income to the Arnold Food Bank.

Below are some examples of the activities mentioned above:

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Sadly, some of our long-term members are no longer able to join us because of health issues, more often than not restricting their mobility. We wish them all the very best and will always hold them dear to our hearts. We have welcomed quite a number of new members. I would encourage anyone reading this to forward the names and contact details of anyone who might benefit from belonging to a group such as the St Mark’s Thursday Club. We have an excellent team who will provide a friendly welcome.

Further details can be found on the church website or by contacting Bryan Mallows as follows:

bryan.mallows@ntlworld.com or 07884 062337

Home Groups

At St Mark’s, we encourage everyone to join a Home Group. Home Groups are small groups that meet regularly in people’s homes for fellowship, discipleship and support. They often include worship, bible study, prayer and fun and they enable us to take God’s values, gifts and calling into all of our lives. The groups create a secure, trusting environment where people can share openly and honestly and give members the opportunity to grow in the Christian faith and in their walk with God.

We currently have 6 groups; 2 meet during the day and 4 either Wednesday or Thursday evenings. There are 64 people from St Mark’s who attend a home group regularly. If you are not already in a group and would like to be, please speak to Matt or Pat Fenton.

Men@stmarks

St Mark’s has a group specifically for the men in our parish.

We meet at 9am on the first Saturday of the month for breakfast at a local eatery and usually get around 15/18 men coming along.

We are hoping to add other meetings throughout the year and all of our events are on our web site and our Facebook page ‘men@stmarks’

For more information contact Alan at menatstmarks@virginmedia.com

“Julian” Prayer Meeting

These are silent prayer meetings held in church on the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm and lasting 30 minutes. This is time between those who come and God in a prayerful atmosphere. We start with a short reading and then enter 30 minutes of silence, ending with some music and the Grace. As this is personal prayer, we do not share what we have prayed about or anything we may have received from the Lord.

Silence is essential so we encourage people to be there for a prompt start and refreshments are available afterwards. These are Ecumenical meetings so everyone is welcome to come to these and we usually have around 15 at the meetings.

Open Church

Open Church is a warm, friendly space and runs from 10-12 on Monday mornings in the church coffee bar area. Anyone coming through the doors will find a welcoming bunch of folk who enjoy a coffee and chat and the occasional birthday cake! It is an opportunity to form connections and deepen friendships. With a regular attendance of over twenty people, it is proving to be a popular

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point of call, marked on people’s calendars. Before Christmas Jane, one of the regular attendees, set up craft tables so people could make their own special Christmas cards.

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So why not drop by and pop in and see for yourself? If you enjoy singing there is a chance to join in, from 11.30-12 noon, with an informal time of songs of praise which has proved to be a popular addition to the morning. You can request a favourite hymn of your choice. We look forward to seeing you there and anyone is welcome so bring your friends and neighbours!

Diana Mallows/Gillian Buck

Dove House

During 2023, St Mark’s Church continued to work with Hope into Action in supporting the tenants in Dove House. Both tenants in the house reached the end of their two-year contract at the end of the summer and one of them moved out in September. The other tenant was able to stay in the house whilst the council sorted out accommodation for her and her son. A new tenant moved into the house in October with her young daughter to fill the vacancy but with a shorter tenancy due to the age of her daughter.

It has been quite challenging supporting the tenants. The small team of volunteers try to keep regular contact by phone and with visits to the house and in supporting them by going to groups or appointments with them as appropriate. A couple of volunteers from church also helped with some essential garden maintenance. A big thank you to everyone involved with this project. Ongoing prayer support is essential as we continue to show God’s love and grace in this ministry.

Linda Sheppard

Voice

Voice is well into its third year of running, making music together and providing a safe space for young people to meet and explore faith. We meet fortnightly on Wednesday evenings in St Mark’s Church, with a concert at the end of each school term. We currently have 7 regular members and are looking to expand our provision in Woodthorpe to offering primary workshops over the next half of the academic year. We loved performing at St Mark’s Carol Service in December, performing 2 songs to a huge number of people and this was both inspiring and empowering for our young people. Another highlight has been our socials at the end of terms, with our favourite one being bowling and bringing out our competitive sides. In addition to our regular sessions, we offer a mentoring programme, meeting with young people in either a 1:1 setting or a small group session to chat more openly and to read the bible and pray together.

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We are reaching more young people through this, and it is amazing to see them grow in faith with God and to see a real desire to understand, know and love God more deeply. As a team, our desire is to create a space where young people feel safe to ask questions of faith and about how it can impact their everyday life. We have loved seeing friendships grow and blossom and can’t wait to see where the next year takes us.

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Reloved

Reloved is a core team of 9 women from St Mark’s and other local churches. We meet twice a year to serve our local community by selling good quality, pre-owned (0-14years) (Reloved) children’s clothes, toys, games, equipment. We met in March 2023 and October 2023.

In March, we had 125 adult buyers (plus kids and helpers), total sales £2,300.00. £770.00 for the charity this time Safer Families Nottingham, 1463 items sold. We also recycle the clothing to Share wear.

In October 2023, we had 149 buyers (plus kids and helpers), Total sales £2,486.00, £812.00 for the Charity Angel Tree who provide Christmas presents for the children of prisoners, 1600 items sold.

Over the last two sales, the Reloved team have had an increase in the support from our church family at St Mark’s who have come with enthusiasm and have enjoyed their time helping at the sales. Without this ongoing support we could not continue with these sales. Thank you St Mark’s.

Financial Review

2023 has been an exciting but challenging year. We were grateful for the hard work of our Children and Youth Minister and Intern for helping the growth of our young people’s work. When they moved on we have been fortunate to employ a new Children and Youth Minister who has further ideas in promoting this work. Volunteers have continued to support this important area of the Church ministry.

Without volunteers our ministry in many different fields from 0 years to the elderly would be hard pushed to succeed. The financial support they give is enormous and their generosity in using their gifts, time and talents is so appreciated. The love and care shown by so many of our congregation to others reflects the desire Jesus has for all to share what he has given us and to do it with love.

As we all know the increase in prices for consumables has hit some groups in our community really hard. None so than keeping warm and although our utility bills have increased, we at

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St Mark’s open our doors every Monday morning for anyone in the community to come in for coffee and chat and friendship. The Refresh café on a Wednesday in term time for mums/grandparents/carers to bring their preschool children and this has become very popular. It is lovely to see the local schools using our premises, on occasion, for some school events.

We are also pleased that our Church Hall is widely used by community groups for their activities and for parties. We’re grateful for any grants and legacies we receive to assist with our ministries.

Because the world is becoming more digitally oriented, churches have to keep up and at St Mark’s this has been developed over the year so contactless giving and online giving is being encouraged as well as upgrading our computer programmes – easier for the younger generations to understand than others! It is wonderful that help is at hand and pride is swallowed as we ask for help! We are, of course, a family.

Jackie Carey – Treasurer

Independent Examiner’s Report to the PCC of St Mark’s, Woodthorpe

This report on the financial statements of the PCC for the year ended 31 December 2023, which are set out on the attached pages, is in respect of an examination carried out in accordance with Church Accounting Regulations 2006 (“the Regulations”) and section 145 of the Charities Act 2011.

Respective Responsibilities of members of the PCC

As members of the PCC, you are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records and for preparing the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.

You are also responsible for determining whether, in respect of the year (and the preceding two years), the PCC meets the conditions for exemption from an audit of the accounts set out in section 144(1) of the Act and the Regulations, and for providing me with information and explanations required for my examination.

Responsibilities of the Independent Examiner

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission under s.145 of the Charities Act 2011.

That examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the PCC and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

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Name: Flona Myers – CGMA

Can be contacted via St Mark’s Office Date: 28th February 2024

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Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 December 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 together with applicable accounting standards and the Charities SORP (FRS102).

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 their main affiliation to another body, nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Funds

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 for which they are given. Where such funds are not invested separately, any interest earnt is retained in the general account. 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 claimed on a quarterly basis and recognised when the income resource to which they relate are received. Grants and legacies are accounted for when the PCC is legally entitled to the amounts due. All other income is recognised when it is received.

Resources Expended

Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded, if the 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 restricted funds. All other 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.298 Charities Act 2011)

Movable church furnishings held by the Vicar and Church Wardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal are in alienable property. Listed in the church’s inventory, this can be inspected (at any reasonable time). Other assets, such as office equipment, are either deemed to have no residual value, or are written off when purchased their cost being less than £1,000.

There are no investments, other than those shown in the accounts with the Central board of Finance.

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ST MARK'S CHURCH

Financial Statements Prior Year Comparison

Current Assets
Debtors
Bank Acc
Petty Cash
CBF Interest Acc - Projects
CBF Interest Acc - General Investments
CBF Equity Investments - UK Equity
CBF Investments - Investment
CBF Investments - Property
Current Liabilities
Creditors - Short term
Current Assets less Current Liabilities:
Total Assets less Current Liabilities:
Long Term Liabilities
Total Assets less Total Liabilities:
Funds
General Fund
Des. Church Hall Fund
Des. Building/Windows Fund
Des. Refresh Cafe Fund
Des. Yth & Children Fund (grant)
Organ Service/Repair Fund
EEB Bank A/c Fund
P & L Account		 2338
1306
47971
37253
1
1
31871
31871
10142
10142
27249
27249
32647
32647
15451
15451
167670
155919
906
103
906
103
166764
155816
166764
155816
0
0
166764
155816
143383
139691
300
0
205
0
2423
1361
7228
0
881
965
1008
1008
11335
12792
166764
155817
2023
Actual
2022
Prior Year

CBF Equity fund Income Shares @ 31.12.2023 value £ 35995.10

CBF Property Fund Income Shares @ 31.12.2023 value £ 14011.66

C of E Investment Fund Income shares @ 31.12.2023 value £54526.70

ST MARK'S CHURCH

Prior Year Report

Net Profit/(Loss):
Hall Insurance & Licenses
Hall Utilities, Cleaning, Repairs, Equipment
Insurance & Licences
Utilities,Waste,Cleaning,Garden,Repairs
Accounts subscription
Bank Charges
Overheads
Salaries, PAYE, Pensions
RESTRICTED: Burundi
Flowers
Reloved; Cafe Church
GENERATED COSTS: Mission Events/Outreach
Coffee Bar
Children & Youth Ministry
Tiddlywinks/Refresh Community Cafe
Ministry expenses, pastoral, fees, audio
Training, Quiet Days, Away Days
Office Administration
Publicity, Website, Broadband etc.
CHURCH MINISTRY COSTS: Parish Share
Mission charitable giving
Payments
RESTRICTED: Giving;CYM;Burundi;Fabric
CBF Investment & Deposit Interest
Building/Windows
Church Hall
Reloved, Refresh Cafe, CYM
Youth & Children Fund
Easy Fundraising/Printer Cartridges
DESIGNATED: Mission/Outreach/RBP
Coffee Bar
Flowers,Thurs.Club
Church Hire; Mission Eventsl
Church Hall
Legacies, Miscellaneous
GENERATED FUNDS: Funerals;Weddings;Quiet Days
Collections at Services
Gift Aid recovered
Receipts
VOLUNTARY RECEIPTS: Planned giving

ST MARK'S CHURCH HALL Prior Year Report

2023 2022
Actual Prior Year
Receipts
Hall Regular Bookings 23207 17243
Hall One-Off Bookings 5815 7629
Hall Designated 300 0
29322 24872
Payments
Hall Cleaning 4320 3550
Hall Electric 2688 1734
Hall Gas 2509 1396
Hall Water 423 429
Hall Repairs & Maintenance 1646 1736
Hall Equipment Purchases 254 1625
Hall Insurance & Licenses 1681 1361
13521 11831
Gross Surplus/(Loss) 15801 13041
Net Surplus/(Loss) 15801 13041
Repairs and Maintenance Itemised
Beavers Storage cupboard clasp & 11
Additional roof repair 100
Hall roof repair 320
Dishwasher salt 2
Dance academy storage hasp &
padlock 11
Lounge carpet 152
PIR security light 20
Hall boilers service 414
Lounge carpet fitting 190
boiler leak repair 234
Speaker in large hall 115
Repair leaking radiator in large
hall 78
1646
Equipment Itemised
Broadband in hall Jan-Mar @
£18.75 56
Broadband 9 mths @ £21.45 193
Keys for hall kitchen 4
254

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Receipts & Payments Comparisons
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0
RECEIPTS Giving, Gift Aid, Generated Funds PAYMENTS Parish Share Ministry costs Generated Costs Overheads
legacies, Ministry,
Mission
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
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