2023-12-31-accounts

PCC Annual Trustees Report to the Charity Commission 2023.

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Trustees Annual Report 2023 St Luke’s Parochial Church Council

Aim and purposes

St. Luke’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) is responsible for working in cooperation with the incumbents, the Reverend Robert Miles and Reverend Tom Devas, to promote in the parish the mission of the Church - pastorally, evangelistically, socially and ecumenically.

The PCC is also responsible for the maintenance of St Luke’s Church, Main Street, Thurnby.

The PCC currently employs 7 staff.

Objectives and Activities

The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community in Thurnby. The PCC maintains an overview of worship and pastoral activities throughout the parish in order to include those people within our church family and the wider village community.

Our services seek to be inclusive to all and are constructed in a variety of styles, all with the common goals of learning from the Bible, expressing our worship and praising God.

The planning of activities for the year is considered in line with the Commission’s guidance on public benefit, specifically in respect of the advancement of religion.

We strive to provide a framework, which allows people to enact their Christian faith in:

• Learning and developing knowledge of the Bible

• Developing knowledge and trust in Jesus.

• Worship, praise and prayer.

• Pastoral care and support.

• Outreach and mission work

The plan is to be an ‘in the community church’ opening a community centre and café within walking distance of the church in 2024.

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Achievements and Performance

Worship and Prayer

Our varied styled services provide alternative ways of enjoying and accessing corporate worship. Acknowledging and affirming a range of worship styles, while remaining loyal to the same Gospel message and biblical teaching.

In addition to our regular services (3 services on Sunday) we also run specific services around key church calendar events (such as Lent, Easter, Advent, Christmas). Weekly prayer meetings every Saturday morning and Monday morning are open to everyone. Prayer ministry is vital at St Luke’s and encouraged both individually and collectively in services and home groups.

Our confidential prayer chain continues to receive hundreds of prayer requests and many testimonies to prayers being answered.

Mission and Evangelism

The Cornerstone team of churches (St Luke’s, St Catharine’s and St Mary & All Saints) continues to develop together, reaching out to the local communities with a number of activities, events and courses.

Children and Families Ministry

Our Vicar and Schools and Community Outreach minister visit the local primary schools weekly with regularly lead assemblies in St Luke’s CofE School and Fernvale Primary School. Once a month St Luke’s School hold the assembly in our church building and parents are invited to Easter, Harvest and Christmas assemblies. Fernvale School have regular assemblies run by our team and have made a number of visits to the church this year. The annual Light party and Holiday club were both well attended and saw returning families to our Christmas events with a few families starting to regularly attend Sunday services.

‘Raindrops’ the parent and toddler group continues to grow, a space of welcome each week and provides support for new parents.

Youth Ministry

The weekly youth club (TYG- Thurnby Youth Group) run by the church is held in the local village hall and goes from strength to strength with many of the children in school years 4-7 being invited to the annual church camp. A small group of teenagers from across the Cornerstone Churches have been meeting monthly for Bible study.

Seniors Ministry

Part of the seniors ministry includes the vicar and family opening their home to hold a coffee and cake event,. A number of activities were also organised this year that included afternoon tea, Launde Abbey away day that involved reflection and prayer, a sunny narrowboat trip with pub lunch and ended with an adventure into Advent, focusing on the Christmas period.

Other Ministry

This year also saw occasional events and activities for men and for women.

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Mission and Evangelism continued..

Café Fifty Five

The Hub Community Centre and Café project is well under way and now called Café Fifty Five after Isaiah 55- Come All who are thirsty. This year from donations and grants we were blessed with over half a million pounds to build the café and contractors started on site following a groundbreaking event in March. It is expected to take between 9 and 12 months to complete. Our aim is to provide a community space- a place to meet, where everyone can feel welcome; and where there are opportunities to connect with one another and find help and hope. St Luke's church set up a company (The Hub Community Centre and Café Ltd) and will transform an old local derelict building into the thriving Café Fifty Five. The vision of being an 'in the community church', coming along side those who visit and discovering the needs of the local area is key and in 2024 we plan to launch a number of activities within the café space including weekly activities café, toddlers story time, digital drop-in, and by partnering with professional groups offering counselling services. Future plans include a Memory Café aimed at improving wellbeing and helping those with dementia and support for carers.

Living Hope Church

Since its launch in 2022 Living Hope celebrated its first birthday and has grown to a group of 20 people which is really encouraging. They have kept close to the 3 main aims; Engaging in the next generation, Connecting with other cultures and Creating community. This has been achieved in part by the great work of the newly appointed part time Community Evangelist Yvonne, who started in August. The weekly afternoon services have continue along with many outreach events for the community such a Light Party and Holiday club for children. The team stood outside the local Asda to engage people in conversation and invite them to an Easter event at the school following this up with an exciting summer programme of activities. The team were also involved in the remembrance day commemorations and a Christmas Light up event in Thurmaston. Two follow up courses were run this year called Hope explored and they are planning a church weekend away.

Netherhall

We have continued to support a pioneer curate who has continued working in the nearby area of Netherhall and supporting the local churches. He has help set up the Netherhall community association and they have organized a number of events for the community held in the what was an underused building, the Netherhall Community Centre and surrounding area. Plans for 2024 include encouraging and developing a worshipping community.

Pastoral Care

The ‘Love in Action’ team of volunteers continue working in the background providing help with meals, transport to doctor and hospital appointments and practical issues as well as visiting those who may be housebound and need someone to talk to.

Our Home Groups meet throughout the week to share fellowship around studying the Bible. These groups provide strong pastoral and prayer support. Home Groups continue to be a key part of church life for members at St Luke’s, a chance to come together, study the bible and support each other.

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Wider Support

For the King Coronation we organized a picnic lunch in the school grounds, it was a great celebration and involved the whole community.

We have links with six organizations that we support with prayer and finance, the local Bridge project caring for the homeless, CPAS and Scripture union and several projects overseas; MAF, Hope & Glory Foundation and a church planting ministry in Tatarstan.

St Luke’s Church Building

The schedule of works to keep the building in good shape continues and the buildings team have made great progress in sorting the roof and especially the guttering and downpipes with bespoke grills in place to stop pipe blockages. Lighting was also improved by fitting a new LED system that brightens the building and saves energy. The church clock has finally been fixed and a date has been set in 2024 to renovate and refurbish the church kitchenette. All the relevant plans and faculties for this have been approved. A five-year plan is in place to help keep track of what work is needed on a monthly and yearly basis and help in preparation for the quinquennial Inspection to be done by the Church of England in 2025.

Financial Review

The Charity Commission requires us to demonstrate that we are good stewards of our resources and that we do not hold on to an inappropriate level of reserves, indicating that working reserves should be around 3 months of the level of expenditure, this follows the ‘Reserves Policy’ the PCC have in place.

We will hold appropriate reserves whilst also using funds to meet the objectives for which we as a charity exist, mission and ministry.

We continue to be supported by the Leicester Diocese Resourcing Church fund and recently have been successful in applying for a grant to support in part the salary of our Schools & Community outreach minister

Structure, governance and management

PCC members are appointed as set out in the Church Representation Rules. St Luke’s PCC consists of the rector, an associate rector, church wardens and elected members.

The PCC is responsible for decisions made in relation to all general matters which include stewardship of the PCC funds and also oversee the Directors of The Hub Community Centre and Café Limited (Café Fifty Five).

The PCC, which met regularly throughout the year, and its associated committees were all well attended. Minutes and reports were received and approved.

Our Safeguarding team continues to ensure all volunteers attend training and have a relevant DBS and we have in place a safeguarding coordinator for children & young people and vulnerable adults. The Safeguarding Policy is reviewed and approved each year by the PCC and is based on the Diocese of Leicester model and in line with the National Safeguarding Standards.

This year we said goodbye to Discipleship Year student, and after 12 years in post our Operations Director retired with a new appointment made starting i n July 2023.

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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts ". Section A Independenl Examinefs Report Report to the trustees PrfLiSt4 Ctly.4ct PcG-, On accounts for the year ended 3isk J ZtrT&-< ao2¥ ChaTity no (rf any) /igS016 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above chartty fihe Trusf) for the year ended Responsibilities and basls of report As the chartvs trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordan￿ wtth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Act"). I report in respect ol my examination of the Trust's accounts Ca￿led out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Direcbons qiven by the Charity Commission under SectiC￿ 14q5Xb) of the Aci. Independent trhe charitys gross income exceeded £250,000 and l am qualthed to examinerfs statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member I have completed my examination. I ￿nfi￿n that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below.) whith gives me cause to believe that in, any material respecL" the accounting records were not kept in accordance wth seclion 130 of the Charities Act. or the accounts did not accord ￿Trth the accounting records; or the ac(xJunts did not comply with the applicable requirements onceming the forrn and content of accounts sel out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulalions 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts gtve a Irue and fair. view which is not a matter considered a5 part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no olher matters in connection Wtth the examination to which altenliori shouki be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Please Èe Ihe words in the brnckets if thay do not appty. Signed: Date: Name: .e. LA/iLLI Relevant professional quallficatlon{s) or body IER Oct 2018

(if any): Address: Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of con￿rn (see CC32. Independent examination of charity accounts". directions and guidance for examiner5)- Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018

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