ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF BLACKMORE ST. LAURENCE
Charity Number 1134161
Annual Report and Financial Statements of the
Parochial Church Council
For the year ended 31[st] December, 2021
Incumbent:
The Reverend Sam Brazier-Gibbs The Vicarage Church Street Blackmore Ingatestone Essex CM4 0RN
Bankers:
Santander plc Bootle Merseyside L30 4GB HSBC 91 High Street, Brentwood, Essex, CM14 4RU
CCLA Investment Management Limited COIF Charity Funds Senate House 85 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4ET
Independent Examiner:
Mrs. Clare E. Corby Farriers Blacksmiths Alley, Blackmore, Essex, CM4 0QU
The Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore
Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council (PCC)
for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2021
Administrative Information
St. Laurence Church is situated in Church Street, Blackmore. It is in the Deanery of Epping Forest and Ongar and part of the Diocese of Chelmsford within the Church of England. The correspondence address is The Vicarage, Church Street, Blackmore, Ingatestone, Essex, CM4 0RN.
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a charity, registered with the Charity Commission, No. 1134161.
Aims and purposes
St. Laurence’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) 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. The PCC is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the Grade 1 listed Church building and churchyard.
Structure, Governance and Management
The method of appointment of the PCC is set out in the Church Representation Rules. At St Laurence the membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent (our vicar), the churchwardens, our Licenced Lay Minister and members elected by those on the Electoral Roll of the church. All Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and are welcome to stand for election to the PCC.
The PCC is responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish, including deciding how the funds of the PCC are to be spent. The full PCC met four times with the average level of attendance of 80%. There were also two meetings held on Zoom with an attendance of 92%. Given the wide responsibilities of the PCC it has a number of Task Groups. Each dealing with a particular aspect of parish life.
These Task Groups, which include Mission, Outreach and Discipleship; Pastoral Care; Health and Safety; Children and Youth Work; Fabric and Finance; Worship Group and Ministry Team are all responsible to the PCC and report back to it regularly with minutes of their decisions being received by the full PCC and discussed as necessary.
Achievements and Performance
Worship and Prayer
We started the year with on-line services but when Churches emerged from ‘Lock Down’, inperson Sunday services resumed, although everyone had to wear a mask and singing of hymns was not allowed until July. Hymn books were not distributed but the words were projected on to a screen for all to see.
Rev Sam started a morning prayer group in Church and on Zoom which has proved popular.
Church Attendance
There are 68 parishioners on the Electoral Roll, 10 of whom are not resident within the parish.
Deanery Synod
The Synod met on zoom every quarter through the year and has been in discussion about how to become a mission agency. They have had various speakers including a guest from Citizens UK. St Laurence has been represented at every meeting.
The Church Building
The Fabric Committee met several times during 2021 and the following topics were discussed: tower and lych gate re-shingling/re-cladding; interior decorating; organ major overhaul; holm oaks fouling south side of church; new heating system; seating; lighting; audio-visual system with wifi; re-ordering – kitchen, w.c., quiet room, font; car parking. These were all items that have been on hold during the pandemic and will be part of a five year plan.
Pastoral Care
Sandra Wood and Sandra Keeble have been reviewing this and it will be overhauled next year. The Prayer Chain is currently being run by Sam.
Mission and Evangelism
We have developed a new strategy for mission and evangelism called the Evangelism Pathway and this is gradually being implemented within the church.
Children and Youth Work
Youth work has largely been on hold during the pandemic but recommenced towards the end of the year.
Ecumenical Relationships
As part of the Ongar MMU (Mission and Ministry Unit) we engage regularly with other churches in the area.
Gill Hall – Secretary
Financial review 2021
Receipts totalling £82,855, details of which are shown in the Financial Statement, were mostly placed throughout 2021 in our General Account with Santander plc, the exception being interest on other accounts, which was retained with them.
Payments in 2020 amounted to £74,835, which means there was a surplus of £8,020. Fundraising activities and church usage resumed during the year and are again helping us to balance the books. We received a £5000 legacy along with £3000 from the closure of the village playgroup although this is designated to be used for children’s work.
We have commenced activities for the repair of the Tower and Lych Gate and re-ordering the church and have engaged architectural services. The Friends of St Laurence (FoSL) have funded the architect fees for the Tower and Lych Gate project.
I would like to thank the many church members and friends who support the church through regular giving, which is our main source of income, all those who come and support the fundraising and social activities and FoSL for their fundraising activities and support for the fabric of the building and churchyard.
We paid our parish share of £43,087. The parish share largely provides the stipends, housing and training for the clergy and the necessary legally required administration of the Diocese as the Church of England is the state church. The Diocese allocates the specific costs for the provision ministry, training of future ministry and Diocesan services to each Benefice, along with grants from the Church Commissioners and a Fee Credit in support of the occasional offices undertaken in the previous year.
We have continued to support our Romanian Charity, Children in Distress and the Brentwood Schools Christian Workers Trust and the British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.
We have seen an increase in people giving regularly by monthly standing order. However, our parish share has increased for 2022 and our regular monthly giving income is not enough to cover this. This puts more pressure on fundraising and other activities to make up the shortfall and cover other expenditure. This situation should improve as ‘normality’ is resumed following the pandemic and our congregation begins to grow again.
John Hughes – Treasurer
Financial Statement for the Year ended 31[st] December 2021
General Fund Receipts and Payments Account
| Receipts Voluntary Receipts Planned giving (Gift Aided) Other Planned Giving Service Collections, Contactless & Online All other giving FoSL Funding Gift Day (2020) Income Tax recovered Legacies received Grants Activities for Generating Funds Teas in the Tower Serenitea Social Events Christmas Market Income From Investments & Other Accounts CCLA General Fund Interest Fabric Fund Donation Business Tracker Bond Interest Church Activities Parish Magazine Merchandise Charity Church Users Fees Other Receipts Other Total Receipts Payments Costs of Generating Funds Fundraising Activities Church Activities Mission Giving/Donations Parish Share Clergy & Staff Expenses Miscellaneous Church Expenses Mission and Evangelism Church Running Expenses Church Office Expenses Church Utility Bills Costs of Trading Other Outgoings Major Capital Expenditure Tower and Re-Ordering Vicarage Total Payments |
Notes 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 |
2021 2020 £ £ 30047 29067 1745 0 2367 4187 12430 20320 4515 0 7272 12578 8375 5000 0 0 0 0 0 832 1772 2555 274 1597 315 2 27 43 0 758 355 0 0 241 120 162 126 1015 800 6697 2531 272 221 |
|---|---|---|
| 82855 75762 |
||
| £ £ 0 0 2325 1730 43087 41924 6534 7140 594 293 622 184 6097 5552 1656 973 996 1697 240 1071 891 8952 0 2663 0 |
||
| 74835 60384 |
Surplus/Debit
8020 15421
Notes to the Accounts for the year to December 2021
1 Accounting Policies
The financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2011 using the Receipts and Payments basis.
2 Funds
The general fund usually represents 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 unless specified otherwise.
The fabric fund consists of unrestricted and restricted funds designated for the maintenance of the Church building, tower and churchyard.
These 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.
The Blackmore PCC have agreed to waive future contributions of Stondon Massey PCC Ministerial and Office Expenses.
Where the PCC collects monies on behalf of other charities, both the Receipts and Payments are included in these accounts.
| 3 Sundry Receipts: Other 4 Mission Giving and Donations BCSWT Children In Distress Childrens Society British Legion Community Giving 5 Clergy and Staff Expenses: Ministry Expenses & Resources Organist / Bells / Choir Verger 6 Mission and Evengelism: Children and youth Worship Material Training |
2021 2020 £ £ 272 221 |
|---|---|
| 272 221 |
|
| 1200 1200 450 450 0 80 80 595 255 |
|
| 2325 1985 |
|
| 6144 6177 290 170 100 100 |
|
| 6534 6447 |
|
| 106 184 352 164 |
|
| 622 184 |
Notes to the Accounts (continued)
| Notes to the Accounts (continued) | |
|---|---|
| 7 Church Running Exps. Insurance Copyright Licences Consumables General Maintenance Organ & Piano maint. Churchyard Memorial Plaques 8 Office Expenses: Office-Stationary Office-Postage Office-Telephone Office-Electricity Office-Photocopier Magazine Production IT Software/Hardware 9 Other Outgoings Payments to CDBF Book Purchases (monies recovered) Flower Tribute Expenses Stondon Gift Day |
2021 2020 £ £ 2770 2742 411 327 163 258 360 930 108 408 1828 1180 458 155 |
| 6097 6001 |
|
| 84 55 273 434 415 594 300 218 399 0 270 |
|
| 1656 1388 |
|
| 1071 145 100 221 |
|
| 1071 466 |
Financial Statement for the Year ended 31st December 2021
Fabric Fund Receipts and Payments Account
| Receipts Interest from CCLA Fabric Fund Donations Complaint Goodwill Gesture Payments Morgan Fire Protection M D Landscapes (Anglia) Ltd HSBC Account Closure Transfer Surplus CCLA Fabric Fund account at 31st December 2021 |
2021 2020 Designated Restricted Total Designated Restricted Total £ £ £ £ £ £ 2 2 42 42 43 43 600 600 50 50 0 |
|---|---|
| 95 0 95 42 600 642 |
|
| 0 196 196 0 156 600 756 309 309 |
|
| 309 0 309 352 600 952 |
|
| -214 -310 |
|
| 14312 1655 15967 14526 1655 16181 |
THE PRIORY CHURCH OF ST. LAURENCE, BLACKMORE
Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31st December 2021
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | Designated | |||||
| Funds | Funds | Total | Total | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Cash Funds and Bank Accounts | ||||||
| Santander Current Account | 27364 | 4174 | 31538 | 24373 | ||
| Santander Deposit Account | 62 | 309 | 371 | 62 | ||
| HSBC Fabric Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 216 | ||
| C.C.L.A General Fund | 12668 | 12668 | 12667 | |||
| C.C.L.A Fabric Fund | 15967 | 15967 | 15965 | |||
| Hampshire Trust Bank | 59042 | 59042 | 58284 | |||
| Total Cash and Bank Accounts | 99137 | 20450 | 119587 | 111567 | ||
| Total Funds | 99137 | 20450 | 119587 | 111567 | ||
| Other monetary Assets (all in respect of | unrestricted funds) | |||||
| End of year Income Tax claim | £1,969 | £6,392 | ||||
| Other Assets | ||||||
| Moveable church furnishings held by the Church Wardens on | special trust | |||||
| for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal. | ||||||
| Office Equipment used for Parish administration. |
Independent Examiner's Report to the PCC of The Priory Church of St. Laurence, Blackmore. This report on the accounts of the PCC for the year ended 31 December 2021 is in respect of an examination carried out in accordance with general direttions given by the Charity Commission. Respertive responslbllltles of trustees and examiner A5 members of the PCC, you are responsible for the preparation of the account5. You consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144121 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It15 my responsibility to= Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Charities Act To follow the procedures laid down by the general directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Charities Act. To state whether particular matters have come to my attention Basis of Independent exarninees report 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 PCC and a comparison of the accounts presented with those record5. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the PCC concerning any such matters. The procedure5 undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the 5tstement below. Independent examinerfs statement In connection with my examination. no matter has come to my attention: Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements= To keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Charities Act and To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Charities Act 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. Clare E Corbv Farriers, Blacksmiths Alley, Blackmore, Essex CM4 OQU 23 April 2022