## **St Faith and St Laurence Annual Report**
**and Accounts for 2021/2022**
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## **THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST FAITH AND ST LAURENCE HARBORNE**
## **ANNUAL REPORT 2021/2022**
**of the**
## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
**For the year ended April 2022**
**and**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**For the year ended 31[st] December 2021**
**Vicar:**
The Reverend Canon Priscilla White The Vicarage 115 Balden Road Harborne Birmingham B32 2EL
**Bank:** TSB plc 537 Bearwood Road Warley West Midlands B66 4BQ
## **Independent Examiner:**
_Mr M Pearsal_ Ark Aurora Ltd Chartered Accountants and Chartered Tax Advisors The Maltings 2 Anderson Road Bearwood Birmingham B66 4AR
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## **Annual Meeting of Parishioners for the Election of Churchwardens and Annual Parochial Church Meeting Tuesday 17[th] May 2022 at 7.30 pm and 7.45 pm held in the Church**
## **A G E N D A**
1. Opening Prayers
## **Annual Meeting of Parishioners for the Election of Churchwardens**
2. Election of Churchwardens
## **Annual Parochial Church Meeting**
## 3. Apologies for absence
4. Minutes of the 2020/2021 meeting
5. Business as required by the Synodical Government Measure 1969:
The Annual Meeting shall receive from the Parochial Church Council and shall be free to discuss: -
- A report on changes in the roll since the last annual parochial church meeting;
- An annual report on the proceedings of the Parochial Church Council and the activities of the parish generally;
- The financial statements of the Parochial Church Council for the year ending 31st December 2021;
- A report upon the fabric, goods, and ornaments of the church, under section 5 of the Care of Churches and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1991;
- A report on the proceedings of the Edgbaston Deanery Synod;
- A report on the activities of Churches Together in Harborne.
## 6. Elections
- Parochial representatives of the laity to the Parochial Church Council (6 for 2022-2025 plus 3 places on Deanery Synod,
- Appointment of sides people;
- Appointment of Independent Examiner;
- representatives to Churches Together in Harborne.
7. Any questions about parochial church matters, or discussion of any matters of parochial or general church interest, or any particular recommendation to the Council in relation to its duties.
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8. Final words from the Chair
- The Grace
## **Membership of the Parochial Church Council**
Members of the PCC are either ex-officio or elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules.
During the year the following served as members of the PCC: -
Vicar The Rev’d Canon Priscilla White (until February 2022) Licensed Reader Sally Griffiths Rachel Luckman Churchwardens Malcolm Adey Corinne Treacy Treasurer Loleta Atkinson Secretary Gill Hubble Deanery Synod Ruth Jeavons Representatives Elected Members David Arkell Laurie Deimel Alan Jones Alison Keepax Caroline Mosley Simon Palmer (co-opted 2021-2022) Helen Setchell Peter Thomson John Wadman
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## **ST FAITH AND ST LAURENCE: TASK GROUPS 2019/2020**
The PCC operates through a number of Task Groups, which meet between full meetings of the PCC. The Incumbent is an ex-officio member of all committees.
## **Finance & General Purposes Task Group** chaired by The Vicar
It meets quarterly (with extra meetings for specific projects if needed) and its remit is to oversee finance, building issues and general policies which need legally to be in place.
## **Children and Young People Task Group** chaired by Ruth Jeavons
To develop all aspects of worship for children and young people. Especially _Sunday Club, Messy Church, Stay and Play_ .
**Garden Task Group** chaired by Mrs Helen Hayward
The function of this group is to plan and action the various phases of the new garden and quiet areas
**Mission Task Group** chaired by Mrs Pauline Sitford Supports our Mission links overseas in Lebanon and Malawi. Thinks creatively about Mission and outreach in the parish. Christian Aid.
Plans and encourages Lent and Advent appeals for good causes. Promotes social action in the parish.
**Communications Task Group** Chaired by Caroline Mosley
**Socials Task Group** chaired by Mr David Glanvill
Organises particular events, for example the Christmas Fair. Participates in and supports events suggested by other groups. Organises special refreshments after services where needed.
**Worship and Education Task Group** chaired by Sally Griffiths and Rachel Luckman
Matters to do with worship. Involvement in the planning of special services. Plans courses, quiet days and Faith and Learning sessions
## **Giving Task Group**
Allocates the amount set by the PCC for charitable giving each year. Meets once a year for this task.
**Standing Committee** chaired by the Vicar
This is the only committee required by law. It now meets on an emergency basis to transact urgent business which cannot wait to be dealt with at a regular meeting of the PCC. The committee consists of the Vicar, Wardens, Secretary, Treasurer, with four other members of the PCC.
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## **Safeguarding Task Group chaired by The Vicar**
The Safeguarding Task Group works in line with the Church of England Safeguarding principles. We follow Birmingham’s commitment to promoting a safer church for everyone. Safeguarding is the action the Church takes to promote a safer culture. We are committed to the safeguarding, care, and nurture of everyone within our community.
The Parish Church Council has complied with its duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 to have due regard to House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
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## **Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Parishioners for the Election of Churchwardens and Annual Parochial Church Meeting Tuesday 1[st] June 2021 at 7.30 pm and 7.45 pm via ZOOM**
## 1. Opening Prayers
## **Annual Meeting of Parishioners for the Election of Churchwardens**
2. Election of Churchwardens
Malcolm Adey
## **Nominated:** Geoff Bennett **Seconded:** Peter Stokes **Vote:** Unanimous
Corrine Treacy.
**Nominated:** Alan Jones **Seconded:** Geoff Bennett **Vote:** Unanimous
Malcolm Adey and Corinne Treacy were duly affirmed as wardens for the coming year.
## **Annual Parochial Church Meeting**
## 3. **Apologies for absence**
- Apologies were received from Daisy & Magdi Obeid, Alan and Pat Jones, Mark Lawrence
## 4. **Minutes of the 2020/2021 meeting**
Priscilla asked if the PCC approved the minutes as being accurate
**Proposed** : Corinne Treacy **Seconded** : Malcolm Adey **Vote:** Unanimous
## **5. Business as required by the Synodical Government Measure 1969:**
- **a. Electoral Roll** –Judith Bennett, the Electoral Roll Officer, reported that we have 129 recorded that were made up of 61 residents of the parish and 68 nonresidents of the parish. Priscilla thanked Judith.
- **b. PCC Report** – had been circulated prior to the meeting.
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- **c. Financial statements –** These had also been circulated prior to the meeting.
## The **Statement of the Current Account for 2020** is found on pages 2 and 3.
**Income:** Significant reduction in income from; hall lettings, loose plate, gift aid, legacies and donations when compared to 2019. But note an increase in planned giving and Standing Orders.
## **Payments:** Common Fund for the year was paid in full.
Donation was reduced except a small payment to home missions and church organisations.
Church and roof repairs payments increased. As a result of COVID19 church cleaning also increased.
## **Designated/Restricted Funds** can be found on page 4 and 5.
Church Hall and Repair Fund: decreased as hall and church repairs costs were paid.
Fabric Furniture and Fittings Fund: No change.
Other Restricted Funds: Women’s Fellowship – No change.
## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
The total cash in all funds is less than the year before but we do know why.
## **Ratification of Report and Accounts for 2020.**
Priscilla asked if we approved the reports and Accounts
## **Nominated:** Ruth Jeavons **Seconded:** Caroline Mosley **Vote:** Unanimous
- **d.** Fabric, Goods and Ornaments - A report of the above was circulated in the booklet prior to the meeting. There were no questions received.
- **e.** Edgbaston Deanery Synod **-** No meetings held during lockdown
- **f.** Churches Together in Harborne – No meetings held during lockdown
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Before we moved on Helen Setchell said that she would like to thank Priscilla, the Wardens, and the team for the effort that has been made and how superb they have handled the Covid situation during lockdown or reopening of church. Geoff & Judith Bennett also thanked everyone involved for their hard work.
## **6. Elections**
## **a. Parochial Representatives of the Laity to the PCC**
There were 4 places for 2021-2024 There were two nominations as follows: -
_**Name: Helen Setchell**_ **Proposed:** Alison Keepax **Seconded:** Caroline Mosley _**Name: John Woodman**_ **Proposed:** Alison Keepax **Seconded:** Geoff Bennett
As there were fewer candidates than places these were voted in on a single vote, which was unanimous. Helen and John were welcomed on the PCC.
## **Deanery Synod**
There were 3 Places for 3 years No nominations had been received.
Priscilla said that there were still three places to fill and if anyone came forward, they could be co-opted onto the PCC at a later date.
People can transfer from PCC to Deanery Synod if anyone is interested and again can be co-opted at a PCC Meeting. At this point Priscilla said she has not had any indication that anyone wants to do this.
## **b. Appointment of Sidespeople**
Traditionally at St Faith and St Laurence, the appointment of sidespeople is delegated to the Churchwardens. The meeting agreed to continue this.
## **d. Appointment of Independent Examiner**
It was proposed that we continue with the current Independent Examiner: Ark Auroroa Ltd
**Nominated:** Helen Setchell **Seconded:** Loleta Atkinson **Vote:** Unanimous
## **e. Representatives to Churches Together in Harborne**
No representative at the moment
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**7.** Priscilla asked if anyone had any questions regarding parochial church matters. Alison Keepax flagged her concerns regarding our finances. Acknowledging that covid severely impeded our finances last year and is doing so this year too. She said that a rough forecast shows that, if our expenditure and income both remain the same, we will have just under £38,000 at the end of December 2021, and if things remain the same the following year we will be in deficit by £13,000 December 2022. She said her concerns are even more heightened by the fact that the Finance Task Group did not meet at all last year, we know our expenditure is higher now due to paying for a professional cleaning contract, and we intend to embark on a major project to replace the heating system. Alison said it needs to be a priority for PCC and it should be minuted here so that people not on PCC are also aware.
Priscilla said that we vary between surplus and deficit year on year. We hope to start letting the Church Hall in June and this will obviously bring in some money. The new heating system that is required will hopefully get massive grants but this is a long-term project. She said that it is a priority for PCC Meetings.
Alison said that her other major concern is our congregation numbers and believes that another high priority area to focus on is to consider what we can do to improve this. Pricilla said that we will be starting the Transforming Church Action Plan with mission. This will take a few months to work through as we want to do a listening exercise within the community to find out the best ways we can reach that community. This will be very much on our agenda for the next six months or so.
## **8. Final words from the Vicar**
Priscilla said I want to thank everyone who has stepped up to the mark to offer new expertise and to share in the work of the community.
A number of positive developments have happened during the year.
We are poised to gain the Ecochurch Bronze award in our attention to our relationship with the environment and our aim, along with the rest of the Church of England, to get to carbon neutral status by 2030. We have managed to reopen the church for worship and are now gently expanding our offer. Huge thanks are due to the task Group, ably led by Caroline Mosley, who has worked incredibly hard on all of this and continue to do so. It has been very special to have music from a small group of singers, and Simon Palmer and Mark Lawrence have worked very hard to make this happen. We have appointed RT Cleaning and Maintenance for our cleaning and caretaking needs. This company is run by Royston Treacy and we are grateful to him and to Corinne for all the work done over the year, much given freely, and look forward to more normal times ahead. We now have a plan to get the hall back open. Thank you to everyone. It has been a tough year in an awful lot of ways, not just COVID but all of the other things that have gone on for lots of people in church – illness, difficulties, and tension – but we will get out of it and come through the other side.
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Massive thank you to everyone who has contributed in any way to anything we have been doing. Everyone has been wonderful. A reminder that we are about transformation and that is the most important thing and not only our community transformed but the world should be transformed. So, my prayer is that as we move forward, we will be people who are prepared to gird our loins, step up to the mark, take on tasks, and be part of that effort.
Thank you.
Before the meeting closed Gill said she did not know whether this was the right time to speak but said that as everyone was aware I was due to leave my role today as PCC Secretary. Priscilla has not been able to find anyone to take on this role and said that she would have to do it herself unless anyone came forward. Gill said that in a million years she would not allow this to happen and said that at the first meeting of the new year she will be attending with her Secretary Hat on and hopefully we can then discuss the way forward at that meeting. So perhaps this could go on the Agenda.
Priscilla thanked Gill for her generous offer.
Laurie said that it probably would not work but could we split the job between a few people. Gill said that is definitely something we could discuss at the meeting.
The meeting ended with the Grace.
Meeting finished at 8.05 pm
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## **ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL FOR 2021/2022**
The church exists to promote the Christian Religion, to offer prayer, worship, and pastoral care, and to work in such a way as to offer public benefit to all who might wish to use it or its facilities, including the church hall.
The council has complied with its duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 to have due regard to House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
The church is currently in vacancy as on 6[th] February 2022, we said goodbye to our Vicar, Revd Canon Priscilla White, after 16 and a half years working amongst us. Priscilla’s last service was A Service of Communion – Presentation of Christ in the Temple. After the service she was presented with gifts from the congregation and people said their goodbyes. We wish her well for the future.
Since 28[th] March 2021, Palm Sunday, we gradually reopened St Faith and St Laurence. Restrictions on numbers were lifted in July 2021 and the first wedding to take place was Abigail and Tim’s on 25[th] July 2021. It was a wonderful wedding with wonderful music, so much happiness and love filled the church. We are still on that long and fastidious journey to reopen St Faith and St Laurence fully, though still making it as safe as possible for everyone.
We reopened on Palm Sunday on 28[th] March 2021. We are open for private prayer on Wednesdays between 1pm and 3pm. Our Sunday services patterns since have been 8am Communion and 10am Service of the Words on the 2[nd] and 4[th] Sundays and 10am Communion with 6.30pm Evensong on 1[st] , 3[rd,] and 5[th] Sundays. Since February 2022, we have stopped the ‘live streaming’. The Sundays Evensong at 4pm has carried on, though from May 2022 this will be only on the 2[nd] Sunday of the month. We were able to enjoy the Midnight Communion and the Christmas Day Communion in our church again.
The Communion of one kind was re-introduced firstly with the Priest going to give the host to the congregation and from Wednesday 2[nd] March, Ash Wednesday, the congregation went to the handrail of the Sanctuary. We also reintroduced in late March preaching from the pulpit if wanted.
Lent Course (March and April 2022). This Lent we have been called to reflect on the injustices of the world and to ask what God is calling us to do about them. The _LIVE LENT EMBRACING JUSTICE_ booklets which were provided to anyone who took part in our Lent Course this year. The booklet is 40-day individual reflections but our Lent Course was adapted to a weekly reflection for a small group context.
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Corinne Treacy and Malcolm Adey have fulfilled their roles but on 22[nd] March Malcolm had a hip replacement operation and has made a very good recovery and hopefully he will be fully back with us soon. We miss his cheery face. Well done to Corinne for continuing to hold the fort in his absence.
Our cleaning contract is held by RT Cleaning (Royston and Corinne Treacy) . This means that one of our PCC members has an interest in the firm. Corinne was not involved in the appointment process.
The churchwardens are responsible for all the contents of the church, including any movable furniture, books, vestments, plate, and ornaments.
The Terrier and Inventory of property owned by the church has been checked in March 2022 and it is confirmed that all items recorded are accounted for and in reasonable condition.
After the second closure of the church, we had to re-organise the church in order to make it as safe as possible for everyone. We followed the Church of England and the Government guidelines. We gradually reintroduced items and removed restrictions. In July and following the government lifting the restrictions on numbers, we removed crosses, ticks, social distancing mark on the flooring, barrier tape and booking requirements. The kneelers, bibles, music books and other literature items were reinstated.
A big thank you to the Re-opening Task Group, They have kept themselves very busy in order for everyone to be as safe as possible until they hand over in July 2021 to PCC.
For most of the past year, ministry with children has involved Messy Zoom, a form of Messy Church held via Zoom and led by Helen Setchell – many thanks to Helen for this. This has been centred round a theme with activities distributed prior to the Zoom event as worksheets and has been held once a month. However, in April we welcomed back our first Messy Church in the Church Hall since the pandemic, with great success. We have not yet managed to restart Sunday Club since stopping it due to the pandemic.
Stay and Play has restarted.
The noticeboard has still to be replaced for a ‘like-for-like’. But following Royston Treacy’s proposal to refurbish / upcycle the old notice board as a temporary option for only the price of the materials, an anonymous benefactor kindly paid for the materials needed.
Priscilla’s communication responsibilities have been reassigned as follows: Magazine – Peter Stokes (editor); Rachel Luckman (sub-editor); Pew Sheet – Peter Stokes; Website, Facebook, Churchsuite and the Weekly email – Caroline Mosley
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We will hold our first Litter picking / working party on May 7[th] between 10am and 12noon and would aim to do many more. This would allow for St Faith and St Laurence to look even more beautiful. We are grateful to the gardening team, lawn cutters, bush / hedge trimmers and other volunteers for keeping the garden and grounds tidy and well maintained.
A lovely weekend for our church - We decided to bring the postponed Christmas Coffee Morning back into play and agreed to hold it on the 30[th] April as a Spring Coffee Morning. This was our first social event and it was a tremendous success. There was a wonderful atmosphere in the hall and much chat and laughter. We had stalls: books, bric-a-brac, cakes, children’s cake making, refreshments, and a raffle. We managed to raise £234.10. whilst having a thoroughly good time. It was great to be back together. On Sunday 1[st] May the church was full for the Family Communion and Baptism of Lily Brigid Evans. It was a lovely occasion and all the children were delightful.
Only two meetings of the Fellowship were held in 2021, November and December. It was decided to change the meetings to an afternoon to avoid the dark nights in the winter months, therefore 2022 started on Tuesday, 1[st] March at 2pm. On 3[rd] May 2022 a group of us are off to The Bell in Harborne for lunch – happy days.
We say goodbye to Jackie Taylor this year. She has decided to retire from her voluntary role as Planned Giving Coordinator after 30 years of commitment.
Thank you to our two Readers – Sally and Ray, for all their hard work. Finally, our ongoing gratitude and thanks to all at St Faith and St Laurence for their continued willingness to give their time and offer each other encouragement and support in what is a difficult time. You are very much valued. We all must continue to work together.
## **Parochial Church Council**
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## **TREASURER’S REPORT**
## The **Statement of the Current Account for 2021** is found on pages 2 and 3.
**Income** : 2021 saw a reduction in income from planned giving, via envelopes and from lettings. Receipts from loose plate, gift aid, donations and weddings increased slightly towards the end of the year.
Prior to that, to ensure we met our expenses, we had to transfer £5,000 from the Church and Hall Repairs investment fund to the current account. A portion of that, £2,000, was previously owed by the Church and Hall account to the current account for hall repairs paid from the current account.
To date, 2022 is showing increases in hall let, and a continued increase in receipt from weddings when compared to 2021.
**Payments:** The Common Fund for the year, £44,400 was paid in full. We have negotiated a reduction from £44,400, to £36,000 (£3,000, per month) for 2022.
Church and roof repairs payments reduced significantly as completed in 2020.
As a result of continued, COVID19 church and hall cleaning also increased.
## **Delegated/Restricted Funds** can be found on page 4 and 5.
- Church Hall and Repair Fund: decreased as hall and church repairs costs were paid.
- Fabric Furniture and Fittings Fund: No change.
- Other Restricted Funds: Women’s Fellowship – No change.
## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
The first column includes CBOF Deposit Account which is a reserve account mainly to back up the Current Account.
The first column includes CBOF Deposit Account that is a reserve account mainly to back up the Current Account.
## **Thank You**
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Thanks to all those who have helped with recording the finances, in the past and currently. In particular, to Jackie Taylor and Alan Jones, and the counters: Brenda, Hilary, Anita. and Lesley. Also, to the church wardens, Malcolm, and Corinne for their support.
Thanks to Geoff who continues to make the annual grant claims and for his continued support.
Thank you also to those who give generously to the Church. Without your support it would be impossible to continue.
## Parish Giving Scheme
One last plea, **please join the Parish Giving Scheme** . This delivers the Gift Aid, (tax refund) much earlier, monthly, and it avoids the onerous task of completing and submitting the claim forms at the end of the year.
**Loleta Atkinson Treasurer**
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## **CHURCHWARDENS’ REPORT TO APCM 2020/2021**
_The Churchwardens are Bishops’ officers, chosen by the parish and admitted to their office by the Bishop or Archdeacon. Once admitted they have formal and legal responsibilities to fulfil._
Since 28[th] March 2021, Palm Sunday, we gradually reopened St Faith and St Laurence. Restrictions on numbers were lifted in July 2021 and the first wedding to take place was on 25[th] July 2021. We are still on that long and fastidious journey to reopen St Faith and St Laurence fully, though still making it as safe as possible for everyone.
## **Fabric and Building**
The fabric of the Church remains in a good condition and are maintained to an acceptable standard.
The state of the building is monitored and any maintenance and / or repairs needed are agreed through the Parish Church Council (PCC).
All maintenance services throughout 2021/22 were carried out in accordance with the regulations.
## _The Church_
No works were needed this previous year.
## _The Hall_
The hall and committee room hiring also restarted gradually. The hall had been hired only to the Queen Alexandra College (QAC) from March 2021 on a temporary arrangement for two days a week which ended at the end of May 2021. Then the Guides and the Brownies started to use the hall again from June 2021 on a term-time basis as before. Unfortunately, the Rainbows were not able to join and are still not part of the group. In September few more regular hirers reused the Hall together with some new regular hirers and some occasional ones. Finally in October, Heathercroft Bridge Club rehired the hall with few less sessions. The hiring of the hall and the committee room is not at its full capacity.
It has been a difficult transition to reintroduce the hall for hiring. Following the advice and instruction of the Church of England and the Government lot of documentation had to be created or amended i.e. Risk Assessments, Terms and Conditions and requested from the hiring Organisers or individual hirers. Thank you to the Reopening Task Group for making this possible.
The hiring cost has increased and booking forms have been updated. Thank you to Judith Bennett who has kindly taken the role of Booking Coordinator from Priscilla.
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## _Heating_
As part of our ‘Eco Church’ ethos to reduce our carbon footprint and in order to comply with the Church of England 2030 ‘Net Zero’ carbon target, we have already sought advice and guidance on how to change our way to heat the premises, to have hot water, to use renewable energy etc. Unfortunately, the project was not followed up due to COVID.
## **Goods and Ornaments**
The churchwardens are responsible for all the contents of the church, including any movable furniture, books, vestments, plate, and ornaments.
The Terrier and Inventory of property owned by the church has been checked in March 2022 and it is confirmed that all items recorded are accounted for and in reasonable condition.
After the second closure of the church, we had to re-organise the church in order to make it as safe as possible for everyone. We followed the Church of England and the Government guidelines. We gradually reintroduced items and removed restrictions. In July and following the government lifting the restrictions on numbers, we removed crosses, ticks, social distancing mark on the flooring, barrier tape and booking requirements. The kneelers, bibles, music books and other literature items were reinstated.
A big thank you to the Re-opening Task Group, They have kept themselves very busy in order for everyone to be as safe as possible until they hand over in July 2021 to PCC.
## **Grounds**
The noticeboard has still to be replaced for a ‘like-for-like’. But following Royston Treacy’s proposal to refurbish / upcycle the old notice board as a temporary option for only the price of the materials, an anonymous benefactor kindly paid for the materials needed.
In order to re-open the back garden fully and for Health and Safety reasons, 2 numerical locks are needed one on the cellar gate and one on the garden shed.
We shall hold our first Litter picking / working party on May 7[th] between 10am and 12noon and would aim to do many more. This would allow for St Faith and St Laurence to look even more beautiful.
We are grateful to the gardening team, lawn cutters, bush / hedge trimmers and other volunteers for keeping the garden and grounds tidy and well maintained.
## **Services**
We reopened on Palm Sunday on 28[th] March 2021. We are open for private prayer on Wednesdays between 1pm and 3pm. Our Sunday services patterns since have
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been 8am Communion and 10am Service of the Words on the 2[nd] and 4[th] Sundays and 10am Communion with 6.30pm Evensong on 1[st] , 3[rd,] and 5[th] Sundays. Since February 2022, we have stopped the ‘live streaming’. The Sundays Evensong at 4pm has carried on though from May 2022 this will be only on the 2[nd] Sunday of the month. We were able to enjoy the Midnight Communion and the Christmas Day Communion in our church again. Thank you for R.T. Cleaning & Maintenance to fog the church as a gift again this year so this could be possible.
The Communion of one kind was re-introduced firstly with the Priest going to give the host to the congregation and from Wednesday March 2[nd] , Ash Wednesday, the congregation went to the handrail of the Sanctuary. We also reintroduce late March the preaching done from the pulpit if wanted.
St Faith and St Laurence risk assessment had to be revised and will be revised whenever necessary to reflect any changes.
On 6[th] February 2022, we said goodbye to our Vicar, Revd Canon Priscilla White, after 16 ½ years working among us.
We say goodbye to Jackie Taylor this year. She has decided to retire from her voluntary role as Planned Giving Coordinator after 30 years of commitment.
Thank you to Peter Stokes who compiled and copied Parish magazines, orders of service, other liturgical material, and other printing whenever necessary.
Thanks to our counting team who, since October 2021, have started again counting after the 2[nd] Sunday and 4[th] Sunday of the month.
Thank you to Helen Hayward, Julia Reid, Anita Tippin and Hilary Shaylor (flower arrangers) who ensure that the church looks beautiful and welcoming.
Thanks to the organists and the choristers who carry on filling our services with some lovely music.
Thank you to the Stewards for their assistance and support given, our Lay Readers, for their involvement at church and online.
Finally, our ongoing gratitude and thanks to all at St Faith and St Laurence for their continued willingness to give their time and offer each other encouragement and support. You are very much valued.
## **Malcolm Adey & Corinne Treacy (Churchwardens)**
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## **WARLEY & EDGBASTON DEANERY SYNOD 2021**
As we do not have a representative on Deanery Synod Mike Sermon sent me the following information.
Warley & Edgbaston Deanery Synod met on three occasions.
On 12[th] May we had our inaugural meeting as Warley & Edgbaston Deanery Synod on Zoom, previous members were thanked for their commitment and service to our deanery and our new representatives were welcomed and commissioned by the Venerable Jenny Tomlinson Archdeacon of Birmingham. There were presentations from the Church of England Birmingham covering Parish Mission Support, People and Places, Property and Mosaic. There was a discussion around the future hopes and dreams that we have for our deanery.
On 15[th] July we held a meeting to elect a Lay Chair, a Secretary, Standing Committee members and an Environmental Champion for our deanery. The following representatives were elected: -
- Lay Chair - Paul Martin Old Church Smethwick
- Secretary – Ian Thorley St Mary the Virgin Bearwood
- Standing Committee members – Rev. David Gould Holy Trinity Smethwick, Guy Hordern St Bartholomew Edgbaston, Ian Thorley St Mary the Virgin Bearwood, Julia Howl St Peter Harborne, Paul Martin Old Church Smethwick, Priscilla White St Faith & St Laurence Harborne, Peter Pretlove, St John’s Harborne to serve alongside Rev. Mike Sermon Area Dean and Ruth Haynes Deanery Support Officer.
- Environmental Champion – Julia Howl
There were presentations covering Net Carbon Zero and the Birmingham Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship.
On 4[th] November we held a hybrid meeting in person at Holy Trinity Smethwick and on Zoom. There were presentations covering People and Places, our Warley & Edgbaston Deanery Project Team, Oversight Areas, communications, and the environment. We welcomed Rev Ben Baker St Mary the Virgin Bearwood and Rev Fiona Gregson Christ Church Oldbury and St John Langley to our deanery.
## **Mike Sermon (Area Dean)**
## **CHURCHES TOGETHER IN HARBORNE (CTH)**
No representative from SF&SL Church.
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## **REPORTS FROM TASK GROUPS AND CHURCH ORGANISATIONS FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES TASK GROUP REPORT**
**Membership:** Loleta Atkinson (Treasurer), Malcolm Adey (Chair and Churchwarden), David Arkell (Vice Chair), Tim Hayward, Alan Jones, and Corinne Treacy (Churchwarden/Secretary)
The Finance and General Purposes (F&GP) Task Group met four times in the previous year: 7[th] September 2021, 25[th] January 2022, 22[nd] February 2022 and 22[nd] March 2022
## **Finance**
See Treasurer’s report
## **Hall Booking**
The hall and committee room hiring restarted gradually. The hall had been hired only to the Queen Alexandra College (QAC) from March 2021 on a temporary arrangement for two days a week which ended at the end of May 2021. Then the Guides and the Brownies started to use the hall again from June 2021 on a term-time basis as before. Unfortunately, the Rainbows were not able to join and are still not part of the group. In September few more regular hirers reused the Hall together with some new regular hirers and some occasional ones. Finally in October, Heathercroft Bridge Club rehired the hall with few less sessions. The hiring of the hall and the committee room is not at its full capacity.
It has been a difficult transition to reintroduce the hall for hiring. Following the advice and instruction of the Church of England and the Government lot of documentation had to be created or amended i.e. Risk Assessments, Terms and Conditions and requested from the hiring Organisers or individual hirers. Thank you to the Reopening Task Group for making this possible.
The hiring cost has increased and booking forms have been updated.
Thank you to Judith Bennett who has kindly taken the role of Booking Coordinator from Priscilla.
## **Notice Board Project**
Following Royston Treacy’s proposal to refurbish / upcycle the old notice board as a temporary option for only the price of the materials, an anonymous benefactor kindly paid for the materials needed.
## **Roof Update**
The roofing warranty had been received and upon receipt of a final invoice, the retained 5% would be paid.
The policy excess of £500 had been refunded.
21
## **Maintenance**
- The PAT testing, the intruder alarm, the sound system, the boilers, the photocopier, and the fire extinguisher services, together with the maintenance of the bells were done in 2021.
- The broadband and landline services are now part of a package with Clear Business.
- The CD player had stopped working. Thank you to Rachel Luckman’s for a replacement.
- Priscilla’s tablet was no longer compatible with the card reader. Thank you to Helen Setchell for a replacement.
- From March 2022, the utility bills for the Vicarage had to be switched to the church.
## **Quinquennial 2017**
- The work required immediately had all been done
- The work required within eighteen months had all been done when and where it had been necessary.
- The work required within the Quinquennial had been completed. Some items requiring further investigation had been completed (permanent access to allow inspection of tower roof and vestry toilet) some other items were still in need of further investigation.
- Items outside: raised bed renewed, tree removed and rockery garden welltended.
- It was decided that the quinquennial would be monitored and revisited in September in preparation of this year quinquennial 2022.
Thanks to all the people who use their skills, time, and expertise to keep St Faith and St Laurence church and hall running and in good state of repair.
## **Malcolm Adey & Corinne Treacy (Churchwardens)**
22
## **ECO CHURCH REPORT TO APCM 2022**
**Membership:** Laurie Deimel and Corinne Treacy
The Church of England General Synod has recognised the climate emergency and called on all parts of the Church to become net zero carbon by 2030. Therefore, the Eco Church Task Group was created in 2019.
The Church of England collective approach to net zero is underpinned by six principles: Well Maintained, buy renewable, waste less, electric not gas/oil and offset the rest.
We have not met many times but have discussed and carried out our following plan of action:
- SF&SL premises are checked in and out weekly and necessary repairs are done as soon as possible.
- To ensure that we are wasting less gas and electricity, all lamps have now been changed to LED or energy efficient lamp strips. Unfortunately, we were not able, this year to pursuit our project to change our way to heat the premises, to have hot water, to use renewable energy etc. This is a separate large project.
- We are using whenever possible environmentally friendly cleaning and gardening products.
- We are trying to include an environment article in our monthly parish magazine and tips in our weekly e-mail. So if you have any ideas please email them at ssfaithlaurence@gmail.com
St Faith and St Laurence is now the proud owner of the Eco Church bronze award. So we need your help as we are now aiming for the Silver Eco Church Award.
We need more volunteers, so please if you have ideas and / or if you wish to be part of the Eco Church Task Group please contact Laurie or Corinne.
## **Corinne Treacy (Churchwarden)**
23
## **CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TASK GROUP (CYP)**
For most of the past year, ministry with children has involved Messy Zoom, a form of Messy Church held via Zoom and led by Helen Setchell – many thanks to Helen for this. This has been centred round a theme with activities distributed prior to the Zoom event as worksheets and has been held once a month. However, in April we welcomed back our first Messy Church in the Church Hall since the pandemic, with great success. Messy Church is built around a theme and activities with the children, as well as some time together as a group and is held once a month, aimed at nursery and primary school aged children. It is held on the first Saturday of the month from 1030 – 1200. If you know anyone who you think might enjoy it, please let them know or ask me for more details.
We have not yet managed to restart Sunday Club since stopping it due to the pandemic. We would like to do so but lack numbers of volunteers to be able to manage to restart it. It involves taking the children out of the main service on a Sunday to do some age-appropriate activities with them on a rota coming round once a month or so, depending on numbers of volunteers. Two people work together on a theme and, along with the children, present what they have done at the end of the main service. If you are interested in having a go at this, please speak to me to find out more, thank you.
Thanks to Messy Zoom, we have managed to keep a degree of involvement as a church in children’s ministry during the pandemic and now we have reintroduced Messy Church and are hoping to start Sunday Club again, this is increasing. If you would like to be a part of the Children and Young People’s group, please talk to me. We would also appreciate people’s prayers for this vital task, thank you.
## **Ruth Jeavons**
24
## **COMMUNICATIONS TASK GROUP**
The Communications Task Group is chaired by Caroline Mosley. Other members of the group are Rachel Luckman, Peter Stokes, and Peter Thomson. Priscilla White was a member until her retirement in February 2022.
No meetings of the Task Group were held in 2021. The arrangements made in 2020 with regards to the responsibilities for website maintenance (Priscilla White, backed up by Caroline Mosley), Facebook (Caroline and Priscilla) and ChurchSuite (Priscilla) were maintained. The exception to this was Twitter which Debbie White had offered to take on before her health declined. Priscilla maintained this in her stead.
The monthly parish magazine is compiled by Peter Stokes with Priscilla as editor until her retirement. This moved to a digital only version available on the website during the pandemic. A limited run of print versions, for members of the congregation without internet access, was restarted. The print copies for distribution at the services have now been reinstated, with increased numbers as the services have opened up during 2021.
The ChurchSuite database is used to maintain the church’s contacts list. It is used for the regular weekly emails and there is also a regular Young People and Children’s mailing. Priscilla was responsible for the upkeep of this and the creation of the weekly emails.
A meeting was held in early 2022 to discuss who would be responsible for Priscilla’s communication responsibilities and the restarting of the weekly pew sheet. Responsibilities have been reassigned as follows:
Magazine – Peter Stokes (editor), Rachel Luckman (sub-editor) Pew Sheet – Peter Stokes
Website, Facebook, Churchsuite and the Weekly email – Caroline Mosley
The livestreaming of services was discontinued with Priscilla’s retirement. The Task Group is to investigate the costs and benefits of resuming this.
New members are urgently sought for the Task Group. If you have any interest in helping with our work, please do get in touch.
## **Caroline Mosley**
## **MISSION TASK GROUP ANNUAL REPORT**
The Mission Task Group has met during this session.
## **Pauline Sitford**
25
## **SAFEGUARDING TASK GROUP REPORT**
The Safeguarding Task Group fulfils a vital role at Church. Everyone needs to be able to worship and be part of Church in safety, especially if they are in some way vulnerable (as we all are at times). The Safeguarding Task Group aims to ensure this. If you ever have a safeguarding concern, please contact me or another member of the Safeguarding Team, or the Diocesan Safeguarding team directly. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Our thorough policies can be found displayed at Church. Please review these and, if you have any questions, please contact me.
For those of you who need DBS clearance for your volunteering role, the lengths of time this is valid for has changed so you may be hearing earlier than previously about renewing this.
Thank you to everyone who works hard to ensure the safeguarding of all at Church and please do raise safeguarding issues if you have them.
**Ruth Jeavons**
26
## **SOCIALS TASK GROUP**
This year has been yet another with more twists of fate thrown in. After a lockdown of some ten months, we finally reconvened for a meeting on the 10[th] November 2021. We had a depleted Task Group by this time due to several of our longstanding members retiring. My personal thanks were extended for their dedicated service over many years.
We discussed what event we might hold in December to celebrate Christmas. In view of the short timescale afforded we concluded that we would hold a Christmas Coffee Morning. It seemed that this would be achievable. After some discussion we decided to use a local coffee man to provide the drinks and we would offer hot mince pies and sausage rolls. We would have a few stalls and a raffle. We proceeded to plan the publicity and seek items for the various stalls. Everything was on track until the outbreak of the Omicron variant of Corona virus. With the number of cases increasing at a worrying rate we took a decision to postpone the event.
Once again we put our meetings on hold until January 2022 when we met again to plan for the coming year. We decided to bring the postponed Christmas Coffee Morning back into play and agreed to hold it on the 30[th] April as a Spring Coffee Morning. We also discussed plans for other events during 2022 and drew up a timetable for the rest of the year which will be publicised in due course.
We will miss Priscilla and her invaluable contribution made over the past sixteen and a half years as she announced her resignation, effective from February 2022, and wish her well in the future
At our meeting in March, we welcomed Bronwen Jones and Vernon Fisher to the group. We firmed up an event for June to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee and discussed other ideas for the rest of the year.
May I take this opportunity to thank everyone for the support we have received over the past two years during an unprecedented period of uncertainty.
Thank you all.
**David Glanvill**
27
## **WORSHIP AND EDUCATION TASK GROUP**
## **Members of the Education and Worship Task Group**
Sally Griffiths; Rachel Luckman; Ruth Jeavons; Pauline Sitford; Caroline Mosley; Simon Palmer; John Wadman; Michael Averill; Pat Jones; Alan Jones.
## **We held three meetings during the period from April 2021 – March 2022**
## **Reporting issues arising from the Leadership Group (MA, CT, RL, and SG)**
The legal responsibility for the Church will now rest with the Church Wardens, Malcolm Adey and Corinne Treacy supported by the PCC. In addition, the Churchwardens are required to ensure that services are maintained in the parish church and that the costs of visiting clergy are paid and that the pastoral needs of the parishioners are looked after.
In the short term we will follow the service rota from Priscilla – up until Easter Day and Ray will organise the next rota up until the end of July.
We need an understanding of what we need to focus on - in the short term and then move on to priorities for the longer term.
We also have to get use to not having an incumbent!
## **Remit of EWTG and Issues arising from the merger of the Education and Worship Task Groups**
It was felt that we needed some ratification of the responsibility of the Education and Worship Task Group. There is a need to communicate with other Task Groups We need to ask for more people to come on different Task Groups. We will reintroduce Morning Praise and Special services which will need to be planned by the EWTG.
We will continue to plan Bible Studies; Lent and Advent Courses.
## **Re-opening of Church (Summer 2021)**
We awaited further Cof E / Government guidance, relating to the lifting of the final restrictions on Monday 19[th] July.
We continued with the existing pattern of services with social distancing and restricted numbers. (All services now in church),
- 10am Sunday Live streamed alternating Communion with the Service of the Word
- 8am Communion alternating with 6.30 pm Evensong.
- Weekly 4pm Zoom evening worship
- Private prayer on Wednesday 1-3pm.
Bookings as before with the requirement to state which service
28
## **Review of** _**Reading Mark**_ **Bible Study**
The Bible Study was not very successful. A small number of people attended during the initial weeks. It was generally thought that the Discovery Bible Study methodology was limiting.
We needed a good momentum/ attendance at the beginning of the course and larger groups for productive discussions! It was also a very long course spanning the whole of the summer term (people tend to be busy during sunny evenings!) Shorter courses might be more encouraging.
We have to learn and to adapt and should always experiment with new ideas and approaches
We all have a part to play in encouraging people to take up some Bible Study together as part of our faith journey.
## **Future of Digital Church in parallel with physical church:**
## **a) WhatsApp groups b) 4 pm Zoom service c) Live streaming**
It was agreed that we should keep the WhatsApp groups. The 4pm Zoom service has been enjoyed by the people who attend; fitting into their lifestyles and has been a safe way of worship during the pandemic. Zoom services have enabled us to reach out to a wider congregation and expand our church community. Through winter 2021/22 very few people came to the Zoom services and from May 2022 we will have one Zoom service on the second Sunday of each month.
## **Occasional Services – in church**
**ALL SOULS SERVICE** (October 31[st] ) **REMEMBRANCE** (November 14[th] ) **ADVENT CAROL SERVICE** (November 28[th] )
## **CHRISTMAS**
**Carol Service The Crib Service Christmas Midnight Mass Christmas Day Family Communion St Steven’s Day Service of the Word**
29
## **Lent Course** (March and April 2022)
Live Lent: Embracing Justice was the Church of England's theme for Lent 2022. It invited us to examine our own lives truthfully, to see the world more deeply and to pray - for the church and the world far and near - that 'justice may roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream' (Amos 4.24). For each day of Lent, the booklet for adults offered a daily Bible reading, a short reflection, and a prayer, as well as a practical challenge. Each week followed a different thread through the many stories of justice in the Bible to explore how God works with humanity to bring justice, wholeness, and salvation to all.
This Lent we have been called to reflect on the injustices of the world and to ask what God is calling us to do about them.
We used the _LIVE LENT EMBRACING JUSTICE_ booklets which were provided to anyone who took part in our Lent Course this year. The booklet is 40-day individual reflections but our Lent Course was adapted to a weekly reflection for a small group context.
## **HOLY WEEK AND EASTER ~10[th] April - 17[th] April**
**Palm Sunday** - Service of the Word in Church with a dramatised Bible Reading of The Passion
**Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday** - Daily reflections to be communicated through WhatsApp groups; emails; website; magazine
**Maundy Thursday –** A 7.00 Eucharistic service in church (PCC to be consulted) A Reading of the betrayal of our Lord followed by a short silent vigil.
|**Good Friday –**|Open Air Good Friday Service in Harborne High Street|
|---|---|
|12.00|All Age Good Friday Worship – followed by an Agape meal|
|2.00|Last Hour by the Cross|
|7.30|Stainer’s Crucifixion at St Peters Church|
|**Easter Day**|Family Communion in Church|
||Zoom Easter Worship|
||Choral Evensong|
## **Service Rota’s**
Lectionary readings for 8.00, 10.00 and 6.30 services (Rachel) Readers for 10.00 service (Brenda Stott) and 6.30 (Brenda Stott) Readers for Evensong (Diana Leadbetter) Intercessions for 10.00 (Rachel) Hosts/sides people (Corinne)
30
## **Patterns of worship as we enter the Vacancy**
The current pattern of worship will stay for the duration of the present service rota – 10am Sunday alternating Communion with the Service of the Word 8am Communion alternating with 6.30 pm Evensong.
## **Each Month from May 2022:**
1[st] , 3[rd,] and 5[th] Sunday:
2[nd] and 4[th] Sunday:
**10.00 Family Communion 8.00 Communion 6.30 Evensong 10.00 Service of the Word 4.00 Zoom Evening Prayer** (2[nd]
## Sunday)
## **Ordinary Time (Sermon Series)**
The Sundays of Green Time provide an opportunity for us to look more creatively at our patterns and content of worship. It will be a time for gently making some changes as long as we keep the momentum! Green Time gives us some freedom.
## **Sermon Series**
The three types of sermon series: -
## _**Expository.**_
An expository sermon uses biblical text to form all three elements: theme, main point, and minor points.
_**Textual.**_
Textual sermons use biblical text to form the main point and minor points of your sermon.
## _**Topical.**_
Topical sermons use Biblical text to form the minor points of your sermon selection **.**
We hope to begin our Sermon series later in the Summer and Autumn.
## **Music for Services**
**May 22[nd]** Water theme for Service of the Word (possible link with Christian Aid) Children from West House School to sing and play instruments [Mark Lawrence to liaise]
**June 5[th]** Special Service for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee / Pentecost **October 4[th]** Pet Service
31
We are keen to develop links with local schools particularly with Woodhouse Primary School. From September onwards we will be having All Age worship in the style of
Morning Praise with varied themes and relevant music to reflect the themes; These services will be held on the second Sunday of each month.
To develop new links, through Malcolm, with Uniformed Organisations and their possible involvement in our worship
To maintain links with the ATC
## **Ideas to reach out to the local community during the Vacancy**
Ruth to meet with Helen Setchell (CYP) ~ to promote Messy Church and begin face to face sessions back in the Church Hall/ Church
## Possibility of Involvement with _Harborne Churches Together_
Car park coffee and cake
To develop ways to encourage young people to join the choir and encourage their families to become involved with church worship and activities
Website and monthly magazine to be given more attention!
**Sally Griffiths Rachel Luckman**
32
## **CHOIR REPORT 2021/2022**
Over recent years it has been difficult to keep the choir and music going in church, for obvious reasons.
We have done our best with our dedicated small group of musicians, however. Special thanks to Susannah Palmer, Mark Lawrence and Sam Gray who all did so much, sometimes recording music, and then singing ‘live’ when circumstances allowed.
It has been wonderful to have back musical friends and family for special occasions. The Carol Service of 2021 was a real highlight, with a big choir and some wonderful music.
Last year we were delighted when we heard that Sam Gray, one of our choristers, had gained a place at Trinity College, Cambridge to study music, and a bass Choral Scholarship in the Chapel Choir. If you’re ever in Cambridge, why not visit Trinity College Chapel? The Choir sings Choral Evensong on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at 6.15 pm. If you can’t get to Cambridge in person, you can go to the Trinity College Choir website, and hear them in a live broadcast. Just click ‘live webcast’. The website is: http://trinitycollegechoir.com
Over the coming vacancy we are determined to keep high quality music going, and to extend our musical activities. For example, we have now introduced most movements of _The Salisbury Setting_ by Grayston Ives. Over Holy Week and Easter we will have good music and some choir for all services, and on Easter Day are delighted to join with St Peter’s Choir for Choral Evensong.
Sadly, we have lost some choristers who now have other activities on Sundays, but we are determined to re-build. I am keen to recruit new youngsters to the choir, and over the next term will be advertising locally, and going into local schools. Do you know of a boy or girl who sings well who might like to join us? If so, please let me know.
**Simon Palmer Organist & Choirmaster**
33
## **CHURCH FLOWERS**
Flowers have been arranged on the main altar every week except during Advent and Lent. This is made difficult as church is only open on a Wednesday afternoon for three hour and not all the flower arrangers are available on Wednesday afternoons. At festival times there have been flower on the altar, in the porch and at the lectern. The Advent ring was decorated on the lead up to Christmas. Easter, we plan to have flowers back to normal.
Again, my thanks to the small band of ladies who now arrange flowers in church. They do an excellent job.
I am reluctant to produce a flower rota until church services are back to normal but if we are to continue to have flowers in church they must be funded and so I ask that people who like to support the Flower Fund could still give donations on celebrating a special event or remembering a loved one or a special anniversary. We would be happy to welcome more volunteers to the list, you do not need to be an awardwinning arranger, a simple vase of flowers also looks good.
## **Anita Tippin**
## **THE COMMUNITY GARDEN**
Last year saw the refurbishment of the raised beds which are now looking very smart. The top two beds are planted with perennials and the lower with roses bushes. A lot of the ivy on the yew trees was removed and a lilac tree planted in memory of Bobbly Holland given by her son Robert and his wife.
## **The Garden Team**
## **STAY AND PLAY**
We are slowly gaining a few children and since the pandemic we have changed our timetable. The children are younger so this means they want to play and mix together to gain social skills. We are conscious of the mothers needs as well as the children and this gives the mothers a chance to mix together whilst the children play. We now need more children to enable us to continue.
**Hilary Shaylor**
34
## **CHURCH WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP**
Only two meetings of the Fellowship were held in 2021, the first being in November when John Smith visited and brought a selection of Christmas music for us to enjoy. Then in December we held a short AGM which was followed by a Christmas Quiz and light refreshments.
It was decided to change our meetings to an afternoon to avoid the dark nights in the winter months, therefore 2022 started on Tuesday, 1[st] March at 2pm. Mary Bodfish came to this meeting and gave us a talk about ‘The Kings Loose Box’ and on 5[th] April we heard about the work of Focus, Harborne.
We have an interesting programme of talks booked for the rest of the year (please see programme on the notice board in the Hall lobby) and any lady who may be interested in any of these subjects is very welcome to join us.
## **Helen Hayward**
## **VICAR’S REPORT**
The church is currently in vacancy as we said goodbye on 6[th] February 2022 to our Vicar, Revd Canon Priscilla White, after 16 and a half years working amongst us.
35
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **ACCOUNTS**
## **31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **ARK AURORA LTD**
**Chartered Accountants The Maltings 2 Anderson Road Bearwood, Birmingham West Midlands B66 4AR**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE PCC OF**
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE**
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2021 which are set out on pages 2 to 7.
## **Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and Independent Examiner**
The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
- follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
- state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of Independent Examiner's Statement**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission.
An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the management committee concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in a full audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
## **Independent Examiner's Statement**
In connection with my examination, no matters have come to my attention
1. which give me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
- to keep accounting records in accordance with s.130 of the 2011 Act; or
- to prepare accounts which accord with these accounting records have not been met; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
The Maltings 2 Anderson Road, Bearwood Birmingham West Midlands B66 4AR
Mark Pearsall FCA Ark Aurora Ltd Chartered Accountants
- 1 -
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **GENERAL FUND RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
|**RECEIPTS**
**Incoming resources from donors**
Planned giving
Envelopes & SO
Charities Aid/GYE
Collections
Loose Plate
Gift Aid
Weddings, etc
Donation
General Fund
Garden Fund
Votive Candles Fund-
Organ Fund
Roof
Flower Fund
Appeals
Advent
Christingle
Lent
Other
Disaster relief
Income tax recovered
Other voluntary incoming resources
Legacies
**Income from investments**
Bank interest
**Income from charitable and ancillary trading**
Fees
Magazine
Hire of church hall
Insurance claim
Coffee
Fund raising events
Fair Trade
Stay & Play
-
Printing
Sundry
**Total Receipts**|39307
-
3103
1846
3573
3295
-
11
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3963
-
159
-
-
12
-
522
|**2021**|**2021**||**2020**
46336
4004
3185
21
8763
62309
3000
70
12040
£ 77419|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||
£|39307
8522
3306
-
-
51135
-
8
4656
55799|46272
64
2226
1260
518
2728
-
45
-
412
-
21
-
-
-
-
4167
-
6852
-
135
641
-
245
-
-|
£|
|||||||
|||||
||
|||||||
- 2 -
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **GENERAL FUND RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
|**PAYMENTS**
**Grants/Donations**
Overseas mission and relief agencies
Home mission and other
Church organisations
Secular charities
**Operation of facilities**
Church heat & light
Church repairs
Church cleaning
Church grounds maintenance
Hall heat, light & water
Hall repairs
Hall cleaning
Hall telephone
Vicarage expenses
**Church management and administration**
Diocesan Common Fund
BDBF Fees
Affiliations
Clergy expenses
Upkeep of services
Insurance
Stationery and printing
Bank charges
Task groups
Wages & Honorarium
Accountants fees
Sundry expenses
**Total Payments**
**Excess of Receipts over Payments**
Transfer from/(to) Church and Hall Repair Fund
Transfer from Fabric Fund
**Balances at 1 January 2021**
**Cash and Bank balances at 31 December 2021**|
|**2021**
-
67
-
-
67
1774
727
-
175
1326
1451
5694
1034
447
12628
44400
1758
-
318
164
4054
1717
158
-
6075
678
685
60007
£72702
(16903)
-
-
36816
£ 19913|-
115
-
-
2007
44681
-
-
1417
415
2445
1096
320
51996
3928
107
1173
710
4522
1426
152
-
10617
678
499
£
|**2020**
115
52381
75808
128034
(50885)
39077
-
48624
£ 36816|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||
||||
3 -
**ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
**CHURCH AND HALL REPAIRS FUND, RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT – DESIGNATED FUND**
|||**2021**|**2020**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Receipts**||||
|Receipts||-|411|
|Interest from CBF Deposit Fund||18|207|
|||18|618|
|**Payments**||||
|Expenses||-|39489|
|**Excess of Receipts over Payments**||18|(38871)|
|**Bank balance at 1 January 2021**|29730||68601|
|**Bank balance at 31 December 2021**
£ 29748
**FABRIC, FURNITURE AND FITTINGS FUND, RECEIPTS**|||£ 29730|
|**& PAYMENTS ACCOUNT– DESIGNATED FUND**||||
|||**2021**|**2020**|
|**Receipts**||||
|Transfer from General Fund||-|-|
|Interest from CBF Deposit Fund||-|-|
|||-|-|
|**Payments**||||
|Expenses||-|-|
|**Excess of Payments over Receipts**
|(|-)|( -)|
|**Bank Balance at 1 January 2021**||17|17|
|**Bank Balance at 31 December 2021**|£|17|£ 17|
- 4 –
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONTINUED)**
## **OTHER RESTRICTED FUNDS**
The following groups are affiliated to the PCC and their funds are restricted
|
**Women’s Fellowship**
Receipts
Payments
**Excess of Receipts over Payments**
**Bank Balance at 1 January 2021**
**Bank Balance at 31 December 2021**
|**2021**
**2020**
-
-
-
––––
-
983
983
£ 983
£ 983|
|---|---|
- 5 -
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONTINUED)**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
## **Monetary Assets**
|**Church Church Fabric Minor**
**General & Hall Furniture Restricted**
**Fund Repair & Fitting Funds**
**Fund Fund**
**£ £ £ £**
Cash in Hand
2
-
-
101
Bank Current
Account
3381
-
-
882
CBOF Deposit
Account
16530
29748
17
-
**Total Cash**
19913
29748
17
983|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
103
4263
46295
50661|**2020**
**£**
103
16177
51268
88380|
|---|---|---|
## **Other assets**
## Parish Hall
The parish hall has not been professionally valued but is estimated to be have a current market value of £510426 (and has been insured for this amount).
- 6 -
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
The financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 1997 using the Receipts & Payments basis.
## **Funds**
General funds represent the funds of the PCC that are not subject to any special restrictions regarding their use and are available for application to the general purposes of the PCC. These include funds designated for a particular purpose by the PCC.
The accounts include monetary transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC can be held responsible. They do not include the accounts of other Church groups that owe an affiliation to another body, nor those that are informal gatherings of Church members.
Subject to the above, receipts and payments include income as received and expenditure when irrevocably paid.
## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
The following assets are recognised but not valued in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities:
Movable church furnishings held by the churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal.
Land and Buildings held on behalf of the PCC.
Other fixtures, fittings and office equipment where the PCC is free to dispose of such assets without faculty and where the original cost exceeded £1,000.
Amounts owing from the Inland Revenue where a formal claim has been made.
Any other amounts owing to the PCC including church hall lettings and insurance claims.
Legacies where formal notification of entitlement and amount has been received at 31[st] December by the PCC.
Investments held beneficially by the PCC.
Closing cash and bank balances are as shown in the receipts and payments account.
The following liabilities are recognised in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Any Loans or overdrafts advanced to the PCC.
Any arrears of Diocesan Common Fund.
Creditors for goods or services where the supply has been received and invoiced by 31 December.
- 7 -
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **ACCOUNTS**
## **31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **ARK AURORA LTD**
**Chartered Accountants The Maltings 2 Anderson Road Bearwood, Birmingham West Midlands B66 4AR**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE PCC OF**
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE**
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2021 which are set out on pages 2 to 7.
## **Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and Independent Examiner**
The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
- follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
- state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of Independent Examiner's Statement**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission.
An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the management committee concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in a full audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
## **Independent Examiner's Statement**
In connection with my examination, no matters have come to my attention
1. which give me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
- to keep accounting records in accordance with s.130 of the 2011 Act; or
- to prepare accounts which accord with these accounting records have not been met; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
The Maltings 2 Anderson Road, Bearwood Birmingham West Midlands B66 4AR
Mark Pearsall FCA Ark Aurora Ltd Chartered Accountants
- 1 -
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **GENERAL FUND RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
|**RECEIPTS**
**Incoming resources from donors**
Planned giving
Envelopes & SO
Charities Aid/GYE
Collections
Loose Plate
Gift Aid
Weddings, etc
Donation
General Fund
Garden Fund
Votive Candles Fund-
Organ Fund
Roof
Flower Fund
Appeals
Advent
Christingle
Lent
Other
Disaster relief
Income tax recovered
Other voluntary incoming resources
Legacies
**Income from investments**
Bank interest
**Income from charitable and ancillary trading**
Fees
Magazine
Hire of church hall
Insurance claim
Coffee
Fund raising events
Fair Trade
Stay & Play
-
Printing
Sundry
**Total Receipts**|39307
-
3103
1846
3573
3295
-
11
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3963
-
159
-
-
12
-
522
|**2021**|**2021**||**2020**
46336
4004
3185
21
8763
62309
3000
70
12040
£ 77419|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||
£|39307
8522
3306
-
-
51135
-
8
4656
55799|46272
64
2226
1260
518
2728
-
45
-
412
-
21
-
-
-
-
4167
-
6852
-
135
641
-
245
-
-|
£|
|||||||
|||||
||
|||||||
- 2 -
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **GENERAL FUND RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
|**PAYMENTS**
**Grants/Donations**
Overseas mission and relief agencies
Home mission and other
Church organisations
Secular charities
**Operation of facilities**
Church heat & light
Church repairs
Church cleaning
Church grounds maintenance
Hall heat, light & water
Hall repairs
Hall cleaning
Hall telephone
Vicarage expenses
**Church management and administration**
Diocesan Common Fund
BDBF Fees
Affiliations
Clergy expenses
Upkeep of services
Insurance
Stationery and printing
Bank charges
Task groups
Wages & Honorarium
Accountants fees
Sundry expenses
**Total Payments**
**Excess of Receipts over Payments**
Transfer from/(to) Church and Hall Repair Fund
Transfer from Fabric Fund
**Balances at 1 January 2021**
**Cash and Bank balances at 31 December 2021**|
|**2021**
-
67
-
-
67
1774
727
-
175
1326
1451
5694
1034
447
12628
44400
1758
-
318
164
4054
1717
158
-
6075
678
685
60007
£72702
(16903)
-
-
36816
£ 19913|-
115
-
-
2007
44681
-
-
1417
415
2445
1096
320
51996
3928
107
1173
710
4522
1426
152
-
10617
678
499
£
|**2020**
115
52381
75808
128034
(50885)
39077
-
48624
£ 36816|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||
||||
3 -
**ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
**CHURCH AND HALL REPAIRS FUND, RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT – DESIGNATED FUND**
|||**2021**|**2020**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Receipts**||||
|Receipts||-|411|
|Interest from CBF Deposit Fund||18|207|
|||18|618|
|**Payments**||||
|Expenses||-|39489|
|**Excess of Receipts over Payments**||18|(38871)|
|**Bank balance at 1 January 2021**|29730||68601|
|**Bank balance at 31 December 2021**
£ 29748
**FABRIC, FURNITURE AND FITTINGS FUND, RECEIPTS**|||£ 29730|
|**& PAYMENTS ACCOUNT– DESIGNATED FUND**||||
|||**2021**|**2020**|
|**Receipts**||||
|Transfer from General Fund||-|-|
|Interest from CBF Deposit Fund||-|-|
|||-|-|
|**Payments**||||
|Expenses||-|-|
|**Excess of Payments over Receipts**
|(|-)|( -)|
|**Bank Balance at 1 January 2021**||17|17|
|**Bank Balance at 31 December 2021**|£|17|£ 17|
- 4 –
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONTINUED)**
## **OTHER RESTRICTED FUNDS**
The following groups are affiliated to the PCC and their funds are restricted
|
**Women’s Fellowship**
Receipts
Payments
**Excess of Receipts over Payments**
**Bank Balance at 1 January 2021**
**Bank Balance at 31 December 2021**
|**2021**
**2020**
-
-
-
––––
-
983
983
£ 983
£ 983|
|---|---|
- 5 -
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021 (CONTINUED)**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
## **Monetary Assets**
|**Church Church Fabric Minor**
**General & Hall Furniture Restricted**
**Fund Repair & Fitting Funds**
**Fund Fund**
**£ £ £ £**
Cash in Hand
2
-
-
101
Bank Current
Account
3381
-
-
882
CBOF Deposit
Account
16530
29748
17
-
**Total Cash**
19913
29748
17
983|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
103
4263
46295
50661|**2020**
**£**
103
16177
51268
88380|
|---|---|---|
## **Other assets**
## Parish Hall
The parish hall has not been professionally valued but is estimated to be have a current market value of £510426 (and has been insured for this amount).
- 6 -
## **ST. FAITH AND ST.LAURENCE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
The financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 1997 using the Receipts & Payments basis.
## **Funds**
General funds represent the funds of the PCC that are not subject to any special restrictions regarding their use and are available for application to the general purposes of the PCC. These include funds designated for a particular purpose by the PCC.
The accounts include monetary transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC can be held responsible. They do not include the accounts of other Church groups that owe an affiliation to another body, nor those that are informal gatherings of Church members.
Subject to the above, receipts and payments include income as received and expenditure when irrevocably paid.
## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
The following assets are recognised but not valued in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities:
Movable church furnishings held by the churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal.
Land and Buildings held on behalf of the PCC.
Other fixtures, fittings and office equipment where the PCC is free to dispose of such assets without faculty and where the original cost exceeded £1,000.
Amounts owing from the Inland Revenue where a formal claim has been made.
Any other amounts owing to the PCC including church hall lettings and insurance claims.
Legacies where formal notification of entitlement and amount has been received at 31[st] December by the PCC.
Investments held beneficially by the PCC.
Closing cash and bank balances are as shown in the receipts and payments account.
The following liabilities are recognised in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Any Loans or overdrafts advanced to the PCC.
Any arrears of Diocesan Common Fund.
Creditors for goods or services where the supply has been received and invoiced by 31 December.
- 7 -