The Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin, Bathwick
Charity Number: 1137972
ANNUAL REPORTS 2023
to be presented at
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting
on Sunday 16th April 2023 following Parish Eucharist at 10:30 a.m.
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ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
St Mary’s Church is situated in Bathwick, Bath. It is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells within the Church of England. The correspondence address is: -
The Parish Office, St Mary’s Church, Darlington Street, Bath BA2 4EB.
Email: office@bathwickparishes.org.uk www.bathwickparishes.org.uk Phone 01225-447450 The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a charity registered with Charity Commission. Reg Charity No 1137972 PCC members who have served from 9[th] May 2021 until the date this report was approved are:
| Name | Post | |
|---|---|---|
| Incumbent | The Revd. Peter Edwards | Chairman |
| Readers | Marilyn Kirby | PCC Secretary: Standing Committee, Restoration Action Group |
| Thomas Bunn | Emeritus | |
| Stephen Howard | Deanery Synod, Finance Committee | |
| Marcus Wedge | Fabric Committees | |
| Churchwardens | ||
| Jan Howard |
Standing Committee, Fabric and Finance Committees | |
| Clare Goodhart* | Standing Committee, Fabric and Finance Committees, | |
| Children’s Church, Organ Restoration Working Group, | ||
| Evangelism and Mission Benefice Group | ||
| Diocesan Synod | John Porteous | Vice Chairman PCC, Standing , Fabric and Finance Committees |
| Deanery Synod | Julia Brownbridge | Restoration Action Group |
| Stephen Howard |
Finance Committee | |
| Nicky Parker |
Finance, Children’s Church, RAG & Social Committees | |
| Elected Members: | Richard Andrews ^ | Mission and Evangelism Benefice Group |
| Ruth Beavin resigned May’22 Social, Evangelism and Mission Benefice Group | ||
| Julia Brown # | Children’s Church and Mission Group | |
| Julia Brownbridge | RAG | |
| Roy Hatch # | RAG | |
| Nick Lennard | Treasurer: Standing Committee, Finance and Fabric Committees | |
| Nicola Mathiason | Mission Group | |
| Helen Moss | Mission Group | |
| Andrew Parker | Electoral Roll Officer, Fabric Committee, Restoration Action Group | |
| Organ Restoration Working Group | ||
| Carole Stickney |
Social and Fabric Committees | |
| Dominic Taylor ^ |
Co-opted Members: None
* From APCM 9[th] May 2021 ^ From 3[rd] April 2022 # Until APCM 9[th] May 2022
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
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OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The PCC has considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and the advancement of religion.
The aim of the PCC is to co-operate with the incumbent in promoCng in the parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelisCc, social and ecumenical. In addiCon it also has maintenance responsibiliCes for the church and its associated property. The PCC sees the Church's mission as witnessing steadfastly to the ChrisCan faith and proclaiming the gospel through prayer and preaching and the celebraCon of the sacraments through service to the people of Bathwick and further afield and to those in need. The Church Hall provides a safe haven for young people in the local area.
MISSION STATEMENT
By God’s grace and mindful of our heritage we aim to extend the Community of Faith where God is glorified and the Good News of Jesus Christ is proclaimed and lived
THE “WORSHIP” ETHOS
St Mary’s has been “Anglo Catholic” since “Oxford Movement” Cmes, when the Church of England was re-affirmed as Catholic, in worship and pracCce. That revered tradiCon, as demonstrated by the Sunday Morning Sung Eucharist, has been influenced by subsequent developments in Catholic teaching and pracCce of liturgy. Music, (generally tradiConal classical and Anglican), is valued, with statues, art, incense and vestments adding to the sense of the numinous. CelebraCon of the Sacraments with awe and wonder at the mystery of the love of God is a priority. Two key texts are 1 Cor. 14:40 and Hebrews 12:22-24.
RECTOR’S REPORT
Dear brothers and sisters,
Later this year – in September – I will have been parish priest of Bathwick for 10 years, by far the longest I have been in one parish or benefice since I was ordained – and indeed the longest period Clare and I have been in a single place since we were married back in 1991! But I see that I opened my report a year ago with thanks to all the members of the St Mary’s congregaCon for their warm support for me and my family – and this is something that I can look back on throughout this past decade. Our two parishes of Bathwick remain special places – offering a style and rhythm of worship centred on a daily Eucharist – that is almost unique across the Deanery and beyond.
One of the legacies of the Covid pandemic – but something that the pandemic accelerated rather than began – is the decline in the numbers of people aMending regular Church of England worship. This has had a knock-on effect in the financial contribuCons being made by
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parishes across this Diocese of Bath & Wells, parCcularly in respect of the years that many of our church buildings were closed to worshippers and/or to external groups hiring buildings for a range of community purposes. In the two Bathwick parishes, our finances, under the stewardship of Nick Lennard and others working with him, have remained considerably stronger than most other parishes, although we do have a significant forecast challenge to break even at St Mary’s in 2023, but the Diocese has approved a plan to reduce its expenditure over the next few years principally by reducing the number of paid clergy across the Diocese, and this will affect the Deanery of Bath especially where the current number of incumbents (22) is to be reduced to 17. We do not know how or when or if this will affect the Bathwick parishes, but we are reminded to generously conCnue giving our Cme, finances, and prayer to St Mary’s at this Cme of uncertainty.
As I write in early 2023, we are looking forward to both our parishes taking part in the Healthy Churches iniCaCve which will help us to understand the relaCve strengths and weaknesses of our two parishes against a series of qualiCes that are characterisCcs of healthy and growing churches across all denominaCons. Over these next months this will enable us to review all that we do so that we can celebrate those areas in which we excel, and adjust those areas in which we have work to do, so that our two churches can be as well posiConed as possible to share the good news of Jesus Christ in our local community.
Looking back at 2022, you will find details of the various acCviCes that have taken place during the past year in the life of St Mary’s church included in this Annual Report and Accounts, a range of acCviCes that characterizes all that we do in this place to worship God, to serve him in this community, and to provide a place for community groups and individuals to meet in safety.
Thanks are due from me personally to our Churchwardens Jan Howard and Clare Goodhart, to our PCC members, our assistant clergy and Readers, to our Parish Administrator Kerry Hughes, and to all those who have maintained the life of our church as well as supporCng me personally over these past months. Thanks too to Nick and those who have supported him for their conCnued careful stewardship of our financial resources.
As I end this short report, may I commend to your prayers all those from our congregaCon who died in 2022 or for whom funeral or memorial services took place in St Mary’s church (or held elsewhere but conducted by a minister from St Mary’s church) during the course of the year: Abraham PraMen, Richard Seaman, John de Cordova, Brian Chappill, Patrick Bryan, Richard Forse, Nicholas Pace, Catriona Reid, Anne Skipper, Sylvia Stubbings and Stella Straughan. We conCnue to pray for those who mourn their passing. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
May God conCnue to bless this place and all that we seek to do in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Revd Peter Edwards Rector of Bathwick
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TREASURER'S REPORT
The finance commi�ee met to receive reports on the financial situa�on of the church, to agree the following year’s budget and to discuss and resolve any financial issues.
Overview
The financial results for the year have been sa�sfactory, Unrestricted Funds Surplus for the year was £1,271 (2021: £9,739) The war in Ukraine and residual effects of the pandemic caused the value of Investments to fall by £14,991 (2021: there was a rise of £15,025. The Unrestricted Reserves are now £74,971 (2021: £88,691)
Church Maintenance of £18,078 exceeded the budget owing to emergency repairs to unstable pinnacles, and a report on energy use of the church.
The cost of replacing the South Aisle roof was £81,178. It was financed largely by transferring £75,000 of the £375,000 dona�on from Laura and Rando Howard (received in 2021) The Restora�on Fund reserves are now £47,248.
The Organ Fund benefi�ed from £4,976 of interest arising on the investments of £400,000. The value of these investments declined by £15,332 (2021: rise of £20,244) The Organ Fund reserves are now £444.656 and will be used to finance the restora�on of the organ which commenced in March 2023.
Unrestricted funds comprise the general opera�ng expenses of the church and the other funds are for monies received and expended for certain specific purposes. Funds given for a par�cular purpose are known Restricted Funds and include Alms, Restora�on Appeal, Emergency, Pastoral and Zambia.
The Music Endowment Fund contains money given specifically for music at the church.
Assets
The Total Net Assets as at 31 December 2022 were £586,596 (2021: £692,324). Of these £74,971 (2021: £88,691) is for unrestricted use by the church for its general running costs.
and the balance of £511,625 (2021: £603,633) is in restricted funds.
Unrestricted Funds
This fund records the income and expenditure of the church. The income from giving by the congrega�on (includes tax reclaimed Gi@ Aid) was £55,700 (2021: £56,658) which was a decrease of £958 compared to the previous year.
As the pandemic eased, the income from Hall hire and Church hire increased by £7,141 Income from the car park was £23,018 which was an increase of £528 Fees for weddings and funerals increased by £207 We had a contribu�on of £2,000 towards joint expenses from our sister church St. John’s.
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The church maintenance trust, (which is a separate fund which does not appear in our accounts) gave us £12,432,
Interest received was allocated propor�onately to the Funds, Unrestricted was £3,514 making a Total Unrestricted Income of £120,194 (2021: £111,522)
Expenditure was £118,923 (2021: £101,783) of which the largest components was our quota to the Diocese (which goes to meet the cost of the clergy) of £50,016 (2021: £50,016 and rou�ne maintenance of the building of £18,078 (2021: £7,987). Hea�ng and Ligh�ng decreased by £365 because we have a fixed price contract.
The net result for the year was a surplus of £1,271 (2021: £9,739). Investments are revalued each year, and this year showed a reduc�on of £14,991 The Unrestricted Funds carried forward are £74,971 (2021: £88,691).
The Restricted Funds
These balances carried forward represent the money received for specific purposes and not yet spent.
----- Start of picture text -----
Alms 1,014
Liturgical Display 477
Restoration Appeal 47,248
Emergency 1,910
Pastoral 762
Zambia 3,218
Flowers 103
Choir Fund 2,237
56,969
Music Endowment 10,000
Organ Restoration 444,656
----- End of picture text -----
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Alms are collec�ons received but not yet remi�ed.
Restora�on Fund monies are the accumula�on of fund-raising efforts less monies expended. Emergency Fund has collec�ons which are accumulated and disbursed to specific appeals e.g. a natural disaster.
The Flower Fund dona�ons of £63 and £110 was spent. The balance is now £103.
The Pastoral Fund is at the disposal of the parish priest. Collec�on produced £175 and £437 was used for some pastoral grants.
Organ Restora�on Fund had income of £9,485
The Unrestricted Funds Budget for 2023
It is difficult to an�cipate income and expenditure whilst the Covid-19 pandemic could restrict ac�vi�es in the future.
Income: We are budge�ng for £100,350. In 2022 Income totalled £120,194
Expenditure: We are budge�ng for a total of £110,067 (2022: Expenditure was £118,923). The main item which is difficult to budget is church maintenance. We have allocated a round sum £10,000
We have agreed that it is prudent to maintain reserves of around 6 months of budgeted expenditure which amounts to around £60,000. The Unrestricted Reserves are £74,971 The budgeted Deficit of £9,717 for 2023 will reduce the Unrestricted Reserves to £65,254
Nick Lennard Treasurer
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