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2020-08-31-accounts

2020 Annual Report of the Avenue Church (Registered Charity 1137080)

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot TQ12 2BY Minister: Rev. Gill Daniel

Mission Statement:

“The purpose of the Charity is to advance the Christian faith in the Area of Benefit in accordance with the principles and practices of the Participating Churches.”

The Church and Its Services

The Avenue Church is a Local Ecumenical Project made up of people from the Methodist and United Reformed churches, but people from various Christian traditions are regular worshippers with us. The LEP came into being in the year 2000, following an informal sharing agreement which ran for over 15 years. The Avenue Church is the largest of 16 churches in the Teignbridge Methodist Circuit.

The church building was erected in 1966, on the site of the Queen Street Methodist Church, when people from that church and Courtenay Street Methodist Church joined together to form the new congregation. The accommodation is designed on simple, straightforward lines, airy and centrally heated. In the sanctuary there is a gallery and a good, recently refurbished, pipe organ. For the hard of hearing, an effective sound amplification/loop system is in place. A laptop is used to project the words of hymns, readings and other PowerPoint presentations, but hymnbooks and songbooks are still available for those members of the congregation who prefer to use them.

Worship

The Avenue is a friendly church and the worship covers a wide range. There is scope and enthusiasm for further development of worship patterns. On the first Sunday there is a monthly 9.30 am All Age Praise service with an average attendance of 20 people. The weekly Sunday Morning Service at 11 am has an average attendance of 100 adults. On the second and fourth Sundays those under 18 attend the first part of the service before moving into their Junior Church programme, split into age appropriate groups. On the third Sunday there is a service called IGNITE, held in the upstairs hall, which reaches out to families who are new to the Christian faith. The Evening Service at 6.30 pm, the nature of which is constantly evolving, has an attendance of between 15 and 30. A Prayer Labyrinth is occasionally set up in the sanctuary to provide a quiet space for personal prayer and reflection. A monthly Shopper's Service is held on the first Wednesday in the month.

The children and family worker supports a number of children and families through pastoral contact, Parents' and Toddlers' Group and engagement through local schools. Safeguarding policies are fully in place. Jigsaw is an outreach group who are studying the relevance of the Christian faith in the current world.

Other activities

The Avenue Church actively supports Christian Aid (e.g. hosting the Lent Lunches), Action for Children, Homeless in Teignbridge Support (HITS), Rowcroft Hospice (Torquay), and participates fully in Christians Together in Newton Abbot and District. As a Church, we are committed to World Justice Issues, promoting Fair Trade which includes our Traidcraft stall. Newton Abbot is a Fair Trade town.

The Avenue has established a sharing agreement with a local health and well-being charity called KingsCare which uses the church facilities several times a week for some of its activities.

Church Groups and Events

Financial Review

The accounts for the year showed an overall excess of receipts over payments of £20,861 (Receipts being £126,749 while payments were £105,888). Payments were significantly under budget, mainly due to Covid impact of less utilisation of the building, and Teignbridge Circuit contribution 3 month cancellation.

Reserves Policy

The current Reserves policy of the Church aims to have available general funds which equate to six months of revenue expenditure. The Church achieved this target throughout the year and has funds £160,051. The funds which are not already designated to projects or held by Internal Organisations are kept for the maintenance and replacement of Church buildings and assets.

Pastoral Care and Outreach

The Church has revised the pastoral care system and all members of the church family come under the care of the ministerial team and the dedicated team of pastoral visitors under the leadership of the Pastoral Care Coordinator. The majority of members and some adherents now have an allocated Pastoral Visitor (now re-termed Pastoral Friend) but many groups within the Church also look after each other in that group.

Outreach is very important to the Church and in addition to the impact that the Child/Family support worker is making, many of the Church’s activities give benefits to other than Church members and gives the Church an opportunity to deliver the Christian message.

Structure, Governance and Management

In 2010 a new ecumenical constitution was agreed. The church was granted charity status, registration number 1137080. The church trustees, formerly the church council, are responsible for the day to day running of the charity. They have to report to the congregational meeting concerning their activities twice a year. The church manages its affairs by placing a lead trustee responsible for an identified area of church life. The trustees meet regularly under the chairmanship of the minister and report to the wider church meeting. There were no serious incidents during 2019/20 financial year.

Administrative Information

The Avenue Church is situated in the centre of Newton Abbot. The correspondence address is:

Address: The Avenue, Newton Abbot,TQ12 2BY

Telephone: 01626 360 400 E-mail: office@theavenuechurch.co.uk

Website: www.theavenuechurch.co.uk.

Trustees

Church members who served as Trustees in the 2019/20 year are as follows:-

EX-officio members

Rev. Gill Daniel - Chairperson/Methodist Minister

Elected members

Andrew Robinson – Text and Context

Jean Francis - Worship & Communication

Dr Mark Clarvis - Hospitality

Gill Sinden – Pastoral

Debbie Weible - Children and Youth

Rodney Shute - Property

Brian Smith - Treasurer and Resources

Julian Thorne - Church Discipleship and Learning

Anne-Marie Whiting - Secretary

2020 Annual Report of the Avenue Church (Registered Charity 1137080)

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot TQ12 2BY Minister: Rev. Gill Daniel

Mission Statement:

“The purpose of the Charity is to advance the Christian faith in the Area of Benefit in accordance with the principles and practices of the Participating Churches.”

The Church and Its Services

The Avenue Church is a Local Ecumenical Project made up of people from the Methodist and United Reformed churches, but people from various Christian traditions are regular worshippers with us. The LEP came into being in the year 2000, following an informal sharing agreement which ran for over 15 years. The Avenue Church is the largest of 16 churches in the Teignbridge Methodist Circuit.

The church building was erected in 1966, on the site of the Queen Street Methodist Church, when people from that church and Courtenay Street Methodist Church joined together to form the new congregation. The accommodation is designed on simple, straightforward lines, airy and centrally heated. In the sanctuary there is a gallery and a good, recently refurbished, pipe organ. For the hard of hearing, an effective sound amplification/loop system is in place. A laptop is used to project the words of hymns, readings and other PowerPoint presentations, but hymnbooks and songbooks are still available for those members of the congregation who prefer to use them.

Worship

The Avenue is a friendly church and the worship covers a wide range. There is scope and enthusiasm for further development of worship patterns. On the first Sunday there is a monthly 9.30 am All Age Praise service with an average attendance of 20 people. The weekly Sunday Morning Service at 11 am has an average attendance of 100 adults. On the second and fourth Sundays those under 18 attend the first part of the service before moving into their Junior Church programme, split into age appropriate groups. On the third Sunday there is a service called IGNITE, held in the upstairs hall, which reaches out to families who are new to the Christian faith. The Evening Service at 6.30 pm, the nature of which is constantly evolving, has an attendance of between 15 and 30. A Prayer Labyrinth is occasionally set up in the sanctuary to provide a quiet space for personal prayer and reflection. A monthly Shopper's Service is held on the first Wednesday in the month.

The children and family worker supports a number of children and families through pastoral contact, Parents' and Toddlers' Group and engagement through local schools. Safeguarding policies are fully in place. Jigsaw is an outreach group who are studying the relevance of the Christian faith in the current world.

Other activities

The Avenue Church actively supports Christian Aid (e.g. hosting the Lent Lunches), Action for Children, Homeless in Teignbridge Support (HITS), Rowcroft Hospice (Torquay), and participates fully in Christians Together in Newton Abbot and District. As a Church, we are committed to World Justice Issues, promoting Fair Trade which includes our Traidcraft stall. Newton Abbot is a Fair Trade town.

The Avenue has established a sharing agreement with a local health and well-being charity called KingsCare which uses the church facilities several times a week for some of its activities.

Church Groups and Events

Financial Review

The accounts for the year showed an overall excess of receipts over payments of £20,861 (Receipts being £126,749 while payments were £105,888). Payments were significantly under budget, mainly due to Covid impact of less utilisation of the building, and Teignbridge Circuit contribution 3 month cancellation.

Reserves Policy

The current Reserves policy of the Church aims to have available general funds which equate to six months of revenue expenditure. The Church achieved this target throughout the year and has funds £160,051. The funds which are not already designated to projects or held by Internal Organisations are kept for the maintenance and replacement of Church buildings and assets.

Pastoral Care and Outreach

The Church has revised the pastoral care system and all members of the church family come under the care of the ministerial team and the dedicated team of pastoral visitors under the leadership of the Pastoral Care Coordinator. The majority of members and some adherents now have an allocated Pastoral Visitor (now re-termed Pastoral Friend) but many groups within the Church also look after each other in that group.

Outreach is very important to the Church and in addition to the impact that the Child/Family support worker is making, many of the Church’s activities give benefits to other than Church members and gives the Church an opportunity to deliver the Christian message.

Structure, Governance and Management

In 2010 a new ecumenical constitution was agreed. The church was granted charity status, registration number 1137080. The church trustees, formerly the church council, are responsible for the day to day running of the charity. They have to report to the congregational meeting concerning their activities twice a year. The church manages its affairs by placing a lead trustee responsible for an identified area of church life. The trustees meet regularly under the chairmanship of the minister and report to the wider church meeting. There were no serious incidents during 2019/20 financial year.

Administrative Information

The Avenue Church is situated in the centre of Newton Abbot. The correspondence address is:

Address: The Avenue, Newton Abbot,TQ12 2BY

Telephone: 01626 360 400 E-mail: office@theavenuechurch.co.uk

Website: www.theavenuechurch.co.uk.

Trustees

Church members who served as Trustees in the 2019/20 year are as follows:-

EX-officio members

Rev. Gill Daniel - Chairperson/Methodist Minister

Elected members

Andrew Robinson – Text and Context

Jean Francis - Worship & Communication

Dr Mark Clarvis - Hospitality

Gill Sinden – Pastoral

Debbie Weible - Children and Youth

Rodney Shute - Property

Brian Smith - Treasurer and Resources

Julian Thorne - Church Discipleship and Learning

Anne-Marie Whiting - Secretary