## **The Annual Report Including the Financial Statements of**
‘’The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Castle Bromwich’’
## **Year ending December 2021**
(Registered Charity No. 1146681)
## **Promoting in the Ecclesiastical Parish**
**the whole mission of the church**
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**Structure, Governance and Management**
The Parochial Church Council is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council (Powers) Measure 1956. as amended and church representation rules.
St Mary and St Margaret is registered with the Charity Commission as ‘’The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Castle Bromwich’’ Charity No. 1146681
The method of appointment of PCC/Trustee members is set out in the Church Representation Rules.
All regular attendees at the church are encouraged to register on the electoral roll which enables them to vote and to stand for election to the PCC.
The PCC/Trustees of
- ‘’The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Castle Bromwich’’
_ex officio_ The Rector Revd Mark Hopkins MA (Cantab) MA (Bris) left 14[th] September
_ex officio_ 2 Churchwardens
Mrs Lisa Wakeman Mr Barry Hopkins (resigned 2[nd] November)
_ex officio_ 3 Deanery Synod representatives Mr Dennis Jorden Mrs Karon Ward Mrs Tricia Richards
_ex officio_ 4 Rev Margaret MacLachlan Honorary Curate Mrs Alyson Rickus Lay Reader
12 elected members
Mrs Elaine Jeffs (Treasurer) Mr David Greaves (Lay Chair) Ms Lesley Dunning (resigned 21[st] May) Mrs Shirley Middlemass Mrs Susan Bates Mrs Laura Fallows Mrs Jackie Harris (resigned 21[st] May) Mrs Margaret Grady Mrs Julie Fisher Miss Victoria Jorden (resigned 21 February) Miss Alice Jackson (resigned 21[st] May) Miss Laurie Fisher Ms Helen Giles (elected 21 May) Mrs Mary Jones (elected 21 May)
Bank Lloyds Bank, High Street, Sutton Coldfield
Independent Examiner Martin Lawrence, 213 Station Road, Stechford, Birmingham, B33 8BB
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This year’s Annual Report will be somewhat affected in its content due to the Covid pandemic with reduced activity in many areas of the church’s work in the community.
## **Aims and purpose**
The aims and purpose of the church remains undiminished where the mission, outreach, thanksgiving, and celebration are at the heart of the ethos in our parish. We are an open and inclusive Church and warmly welcome everyone at St. Mary and St. Margaret, whatever their background or previous experience of Christian worship. We are looking to grow every individual as a Child of God through close ties with the Church school and in our wider Church community.
**Our Mission** is to be relevant in this community and beyond, through loving Christian service.
**Our Aim** is to be a living, vibrant, witnessing Church at the centre of our Community.
## **Vision for the Future**
In 2019 we started our Transforming Church journey to grow our Church and meet the needs of an everchanging society. We embarked on a journey of reflection to consider who we are, who our community thinks we are and where God is calling us. **Our Progress**
- Transforming Church Report from Damian Herbert, Diocese of Birmingham,
- Transforming Church Team – following discussions with various Church Groups 2019 Vision Day feedback 2019/20
- Transforming Church Team discussions 2021
- Facebook Survey 2021
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## **Our Aims**
- To be a prayerful and Christ led Church: centred on the needs of the congregation, and wider Community. Caring and compassionate to all that live and work in Castle Bromwich - regardless of age, culture, needs, or background.
- To support our Church School family, fostering a mutual spiritual and pastoral partnership with Children, Teachers, and parents
- To be open, welcoming, and hospitable – sharing the Love of Jesus with everyone - regardless of who they are or why they join us. Whether new, of long standing or visiting - make everyone feel at home and included as we seek to broaden the diversity of our outreach and grow new disciples.
- To provide worship that satisfies the needs of all ages, abilities, and lifestyles, meeting people where they are in their Christian Journey.
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- To be mission led – taking the word of Jesus out into the community. Linking up with people, other communities and Churches on joint ventures that strengthen connection and unity between our different congregations.
- Provide a regular programme of activities to support Christian journeys. Creating a Discipleship Pathway particularly for new Christians, children, youth, and families to grow their faith.
- To be an environmentally responsible Church – committed to being stewards of God’s Creation
- To provide a thriving Christian Ministry for Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) – in the belief that children and young people can follow Jesus and be full members of the Church and are integral to Church growth.
## **Objects and Activities**
We have a thriving and inclusive all-age congregation from many walks of life. While many people come from the local community – the village setting of Castle Bromwich with its Hall and Gardens – many others are drawn from further afield and from different Christian traditions. By providing a variety of services and worship styles we hope that most needs are catered for while creating the conditions for discipleship and spiritual growth, development and wellbeing. We also have an excellent relationship with our local church school, St. Mary and St. Margaret CE Aided Primary School, where children participate in weekly clergy led worship, both in the school and in the church setting. Our family church team are working hard to improve these links.
Our Community Hall provides for our own needs while broadening our community outreach by offering a broad range of services and activities that have both deepened and strengthened our local ties while fostering and developing community cohesion.
## **Worship and Services**
At the beginning of the year our Church was once again closed because of the Covid pandemic. During this period of closure we held Sunday services via zoom with an average attendance of around 25 – 35 adults and a few children. Mid-January our rector, Rev. Mark Hopkins began a period of personal leave until he left the parish in September. Our zoom services continued, being led by guest clergy, the Café Worship Team or Mary Jones. We are very grateful to everyone who helped to ensure we continued to have Sunday Worship. We were delighted to be able welcome Bishop David to preside at the first service back in Church on Ascension Day. We have continued to have a 10am service each Sunday since May, with only the bread element of Communion administered when we have visiting clergy. We are extremely grateful to all the visiting clergy who have led us in our worship. There was reduced capacity due to social distancing measures but now these have been relaxed our attendances are slowly rising. We were unable to hold our Wednesday morning services due to lack of volunteers and clergy but hope to resume these early in 2022. Our annual Good Friday was replaced with on-line activities for families.
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The annual Remembrance Parade was officiated by our Area Dean, Revd Louise Shaw.
This busy parish church is currently in vacancy, has one Self-Supporting Associate Minister and one Lay Reader.
They are ably helped by our small band of loyal servers and administrants who turn up every week to support them, their help has been an invaluable resource and they continue to support our visiting clergy.
In 2021, the parish undertook
- 8 church funerals, 6 ashes interments
- 14 baptisms
- 9 weddings
- 1 renewal of vows
Our current service patterns are as follows:
- Sunday: Holy Communion 10.00 am Sung Service,
- Baptism every 1[st] Sunday 10.00 am
- Café Worship every second Sunday 10.00 am in church community hall
- Wednesday – we hope to resume services on 2[nd] & 4[th] Wednesdays of the month at 9:30 early in 2022 and hope that a class from our church school will once again join us.
## **Pastoral Care and Counselling**
Due to Covid we were unable to have our usual meetings but kept in touch through emails and phone calls . We kept in contact with those known to us who were vulnerable, we helped with shopping and prescription collections. We helped Mothers union with delivery of daffodils and prayer cards to Church members and those known to us in the community for Mothers’ Day 2021, Coffee mornings were cancelled through 2021, but we hope to resume them early in 2022
Bereavement group was restarted in September, meeting 4 times and being well attended.
The Summer Outing was cancelled and has been moved to 2022. We were pleased to be able to hold a Luncheon Club in September, the first for 18 months. It was attended by 24 people. Thanks go to the 6 ladies who made this possible, Shirley Middlemass, Lesley Dunning, Lisa Wakeman, Jane Eccleston, Helen Giles and Tricia Richards. We look forward to holding more Luncheon Clubs next year. Unfortunately, the Christmas Meal at Castle Bromwich Hall Hotel was also cancelled due to staffing problems at the hotel. The meal will now take place early 2022. We have continued to send Thinking of you cards to the sick and Bereaved and we held The All Souls Service on November 7[th] which was reasonably attended.
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It has once again been a difficult year but we are now looking forward to the coming year, and hopefully returning to normal.
## **Baptism Team**
St. Mary and St. Margaret as an historic church building continues to attract applications for Baptisms from both within and outside the Parish. Baptisms are carried out as part of the main Sunday 10am Parish Holy Communion service on the first Sunday of the month or during alternate months in the afternoon at 2pm where the service is Baptism only.
Out of Parish families must seek permission from their home parish priest for the Baptism to be done at St. Mary and St. Margaret. Families with no qualifying connection to the Parish are required to attend a 10am Sunday service for six months prior to the Baptism and a register of attendance is kept.
Due to Covid 19 in 2020 there were only 9 Baptisms. This caused a back log of awaiting Baptisms, which were able to place in 2021. We would like to thank Shirley Middlemass and Lisa Wakeman for all their hard work to get these baptisms arranged. 14 baptisms took place between July and November
The Baptism team undertakes the following:
The Saturday morning drop-in sessions at Church, ended when our on-line booking system was introduced at Church for Wedding and Baptism bookings
Assisting the Rector at Quarterly Baptism Thanksgiving Service and Baptism Preparation. Refreshments are served after this service.
Pre-Baptism home visits for families living in the Parish.
Inviting out of Parish families to attend a Sunday 10am service prior to the Baptism with the option of the family attending the informal Café Worship service on the second Sunday of the month. By prior arrangement the family can instead attend the Wednesday 9.30am morning service. The visit being conducted over coffee after the service.
Assisting the Rector at 10am and 2pm Baptism services
The preparation of records, certificates and invitations to the Thanksgiving Service and Preparation, and to the fourth Sunday 10am All Age Service for the presentation of afternoon Baptism certificates, is done by the Parish Administrator.
Our challenges for 2022 will be:
To increase members of the Baptism Team and encourage volunteers, particularly with regard to assisting at the Thanksgiving and Preparation Services and assisting with afternoon Baptism Services .
Building on and maintaining a relationship with Baptism families.
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## **Café Worship Team**
From doing online Services during the Pandemic, in April 2021, Cafe Worship moved this informal style of Worship into the Main Church due to social distancing. It will move back into the Hall in February 2022. Unfortunately, there are only two leaders remaining on the team. Café Worship remains popular with a wide mix of the
## **The Mothers’ Union**
Mother’s Union members are kept busy helping in many aspects of Church Life. Those less active pray, a worthwhile and important ministry for our church and community. Monthly emails are sent out to all members, some of our members embraced the new technology and took part in our Zoom services and events, but in September, we finally restarted our monthly afternoon meetings in the church hall, for those wishing to return.
Our meetings have now evolved into Friendship afternoons, where all members of the church and the local community are invited to come along and share Friendship together, we talk, reminisce, and may even play the occasional game, whilst enjoying a drink and chat. It has proved very popular and we average around 20 at each meeting. We held our Annual Afternoon Carol Service live in church and it was appreciated by all who came, we collected an amazing amount of useful items for Women’s Aid. We are looking forward to 2022
## **The Family Church Team**
Family Church Team is made up of volunteers from across Church whose aim is to promote Worship and Community events appropriate for All Ages Together. Individual Family Church groups will have covered their own activities in their own reports, so to avoid duplication I have only covered Family Church Community activities in this summary. For many of these events we were supported by volunteers from across the Church and local Community and we were pleased that many of the events were attended by non- Church visitors
- Mother’s Day – organised the distribution of daffodils to nominated homes across the Parish
- Regular Online Zoom socials – quizzes, bingo, book club and Virtual Pub nights. A lifeline for those in isolation
- Initiated a Prayer tree in the grounds
- Made craft bags and shakers for Children to use during Worship services
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- Community Picnic - our first major Community event post Covid – whilst a challenge with some restrictions still in place – it was a fun Community event
- Community Harvest Festival – Family Church teams, led our Worship in Church. Followed by a Community Scarecrow Trail and flower festival. All groups across the Church and the local school contributed Scarecrows and our flower arrangers made beautiful displays. The response from the community was overwhelming. The following day the school nursery and reception class came along and both teachers and children took part, and the feedback was very positive
- Light Party for Children - variation on the theme for Halloween took part on a Sunday morning
- Community Carols under the Stars & lighting of Christmas Tree – with everyone’s support – this turned out to be a rousing success and one we hope to repeat
- Christmas Craft Time – part of the Family Church Team organised a whole day of family fun and crafts – including a visit from Santa. This was a sell out and a great day and support event for families.
**‘Wayfarers’** is the Sunday school for primary aged children (4-11).
We meet in the Community Hall, after the Gospel during the 10.00a.m. service, on the first and third Sundays (term time only).The children on our roll enjoy the group, learning about the Bible and the Christian faith in a fun and interactive way, often including messy church elements.
Our two main activities during the year are enacting the events of Holy week at the Good Friday Children’s service and the presentation of the Nativity at the Children’s Christmas Eve service, which is normally supported by a packed church.
As with 2020 due to COVID restrictions the Good Friday Service 2021 was also presented online this time with pictures included that could be printed off and coloured in by the children at home.
Wayfarers were able to resume meetings on 19[th] September 2021. Due to continuing COVID restrictions and 2 less volunteers the decision was made to put the start age back up to 4 years of age and to cease the fifth Sunday meetings for the time being. Our first meeting coincided with preparation for Harvest Festival. Harvest crafts were made along with several Scarecrows for the Scarecrow Trail which the children enjoyed very much. Numbers are still low.
For the first time ever the Children’s Christmas Eve Service was held outside in the church grounds. The congregation were invited to join one of three groups around the grounds (Angels, Shepherds or Wise people) and had their own Carol to sing finishing
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at the Nativity scene on the back lawn. Lots of children got into the spirit of things and dressed up in appropriate costumes. Being the first time this had been done this way it was a learning curve, but the weather held up and it was well attended, positive comments were received and it would be worth repeating in the future.
## **Children at the Lord’s Table**
There was no Children at the Lord’s Table course during 2021 but we hope to be able to run one in the future.
## **Baby & Me Friendship Café**
Baby and Me Group continued in 2021 with limited numbers and social distancing measures in place. There was a small break over the summer while Leigh had her baby and some rest period afterwards. Numbers remained low throughout the year with on average 5-6 babies in attendance per session, presumably due to restrictions and anxiety amongst new parents regarding the ever changing situation. Low numbers led to the suspension of Baby and Me in the early months of 2022 with plans for its return in May 2022 in its full pre-pandemic format. Regardless of the low attendance, all parents who join us highly recommend the group and are positive about the difference it made to them. Due to very limited volunteer numbers, hosting sessions is still heavily affected by holidays and illness of the two hosts and we hope to encourage more volunteers to ensure the future viability of the group.
## **Bell Ringers**
This year the Bellringers have overcome a great deal of difficulties and fast been able to learn new methods, progress in well-known compositions, and continue our regular rehearsals with relatively few interruptions.
We have enjoyed, and look forward to continuing our weekly Wednesday practice nights as well as our ringing each Sunday Morning. In our practice sessions great progress has been made as a team; our striking is coming on strong, we have begun learning a new minimus method, and bobs are added to Bob doubles with greater confidence each week. Individual success has seen Jane complete her first peal and Emma add to her ever growing list of peals and ringing achievements.
And finally, our social sessions in The Remembrance Club continue with interesting and sprawling conversation as well as our initiation of 'The Bell Ringers Quiz Team' who have achieved first and second place in our monthly attendance of the Quiz at The Remembrance Club!
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## **Choir and Organ**
2021 proved to be a very difficult year health wise for Martin, our organist and musical director. It meant that over and above the limitations on music in church due to the pandemic he had to rely a great deal on replacement organists. We have to name and thank the following musicians:
Margaret Croucher, John Ward, David Griffiths, Margaret Herdman.
The choir remained downstairs at this time both for church services, funerals and weddings. The refurbishment of our wonderful organ had been completed in good time for Christmas 2020, but restrictions meant that singing in close proximity was not possible in our regular places upstairs. This frustrating situation continued throughout the year until eventually the choir and PCC agreed that we could go back again upstairs with additional protection provided by plastic visors. By this time Martin was back playing for services and we were able to make the most of the restricting circumstances. Thank you to Lisa Wakeman for helping with the retrieval of music for everyone to get going again.
A special thank you to the members of the choir for their understanding and advice during 2021. The members are as following: 5 sopranos, 2 altos, 1 tenor, 2 basses. Sadly, we had lost Peter Shipley, a wonderfully loyal, long-standing member of the basses and a true friend to so many. Jane Eccleston left the sopranos after years of loyal support; she moved to a new home in Lichfield, thanks to her for being so much fun at rehearsals. During the Christmas period of 2021 Martin asked Ted Richards to join in the New Year – happy to say we have a new tenor singer.
Let’s hope 2022 allows us to explore music in church in a more exciting way.
**The Flower Arrangers** bring both beauty and colour into our worship. We are thankful that we have this small and yet willing band who work hard to produce their excellent and stunning floral arrangements. Unfortunately, due to Covid and the closure of Churches we had few opportunities in the first half of the year to decorate the church with the usual floral displays but the harvest and Christmas floral arrangements were stunning once again.
**Church Cleaners** another small but willing band of loyal volunteers who have the thankless task of cleaning our beautiful old church, their efforts are very much appreciated. The group reduced in numbers after the lockdowns due mainly to deteriorating health, we would like to register our thanks to those who for many years looked after the Church so well.
**Gardening Group** we are pleased with the success of the church and hall garden, it provides a tranquil and relaxing area to refresh the Spirit, however as it becomes more mature it is harder to keep tidy but thanks to the tireless work of our small group of gardening volunteers it remains a lovely place to sit and reflect. It was well visited during lockdowns by members of the congregation and visitors alike who appreciated it's tranquility.
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## **Charity Fund Raising**
Due to Church being closed for much of the year, our monthly charity collections have not yet resumed.
## **The Hall/Social team**
Due to lack of volunteers, we are currently unable to organise social events on a regular basis but hope to in the future.
## **Hall Management Team**
The Community Hall is run by the Hall Management Team who report to the PCC. Policies and Procedures are kept up to date.
The Community Hall office is staffed by a part time Parish Administrator who deals with all hall enquires and bookings as well as supporting the Rector with administration.
The Hall is licensed for music and drink and has a kitchen available for hire.
The Hall was once again closed for the first part of 2021 but we have been pleased to see the return of some of our regular paid bookings, with Yoga classes and courses, Pilates classes, ballroom dancing and Baby Massage/Sensory Courses and welcome a new Martial Arts group.
Wayfarers resumed in the Hall in September, Café-Worship will resume services in the hall in 2022.
Use by community groups, such as Baby and Me, along with Wednesday coffee mornings, Bereavement Support Group, Mothers Union meetings, Luncheon Club and Soup and Rolls Lunches are gradually resuming. These events provide important opportunities for outreach, as they are attended by many people from the wider community, as well as Church regulars.
We look forward to be able to welcome more groups as we move into 2022
## **Safeguarding**
We work to provide a safe and caring community, through respectful pastoral ministry, for all our parishioners and congregation. Our clergy, Reader and all volunteers, who work with children, young people and vulnerable adults, are DBS checked and attend the relevant diocesan run safeguarding training courses. The majority of members of the PCC have also renewed their safeguarding training using the new sessions available online from Birmingham Diocese and, in compliance with the directive from the Church of England, are also DBS checked. Our safeguarding policies and procedures are discussed and approved annually at PCC meetings. The PCC has also appointed a children’s advocate and an adult’s advocate, who sit on the PCC to represent the interests of these vulnerable groups. Our Parish Safeguarding Co-Ordinator resigned in
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February 2021 and we would like to thank her for all her diligence in keeping our policies up to date and ensuring everyone accessed the appropriate training. A new coordinator was appointed in November who has now attended all recommended safeguarding training and the Diocese Resourcing day. 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. St. Mary & St. Margaret is using the new Parish Dashboard which gives us visibility of all policies, procedures and training for our church, related to keeping our church community safe.
## **Church/Hall Fabric**
The roof in The Remembrance Chapel developed a leak and it was found to be in a bad state of repair, thankfully with the help of Ian Simpson from the diocese, a reputable company was contacted and the essential repairs were carried out. The fixed electrical report was completed and a few repairs were highlighted. After consultation with the PCC we gained permission for the repairs and upgrading and this was completed successfully. The community hall had not been decorated in a number of years and was beginning to look tired and in need of decoration, this was done and a dado rail was added to prevent damage to the wall from the back of chairs. The office in the hall was re-ordered with the addition of extra storage and work surface.
## **Deanery Synod**
All Deanery Synod meetings in 2021 took place over Zoom
## **Wednesday 10[th] February**
Rev Louise Shaw led the opening prayers and welcomed guest speakers, Revd Guy Donegan-Cross and Revd Gail Rodgers
**Revd Guy Donegan-Cross** talked about growing Everyday Faith. The Church recognises 2 issues. Firstly, the need to support and affirm people in what they do in their daily lives, their jobs, their networks, where we live out our faith 95% of the time outside church. The other issue is that rather than energising the faith and discipleship of absolutely everyone, and the ministry of all people, we can emphasise certain roles in the church as more significant and de-skill people in the process. Revd Guy explained that they are looking for 2 parishes to create a team who would meet every 3 months, over 2 years. They would make 7 small shifts that will change the culture of the Church to help everyone be everyday disciples.
When at least seven shifts have been achieved, the Bishop visits to celebrate them being an Everyday Faith community. They are given a visual sign. And become a model of good practice for others. In a few years time the norm will be that every parish and area would be an Everyday Faith community in which all are equipped and set free for God’s work in every area of life.
**Revd Gail Rodgers** gave examples of three people, regarding how they use their faith outside of the Church. She spoke about how to help people by growing their confidence,
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how people don’t feel equipped to carry out their own ministry outside of the Church and how they didn’t feel that their vocation or the ministry they were doing was any interest. Gail discussed how helpful it was to pray in the Church peoples individual daily ministry and how that interest and prayer inspires, supports and equips people going forward.
**Pathways** Information was given about Pathways. Their goal is to provide opportunities for growth in discipleship and leadership. Everyone was encouraged to have at a look at the website https://www.cofebirmingham.com/pathways/
**Readers** – Revd Carole Young discussed the Deanery Readers group which is a safe place for the Deanery’s 38 Readers to air their joys and sorrows in ministry and their lives in general, and to share and collaborate with each other.. Readers are in need of support as lay ministry grows in the whole of the CofE, but often they don’t ask for help or support. This is where a ‘clergy’ led group specifically for all Deanery Readers aims to fill the gap.
Revd. Mark Waterstreet has expressed an interest in helping lead the group and will be involved in future meetings.
**Church Wardens** – Roy Baker Church Warden at St Pauls Dosthill discussed the new Church Warden group that had been created. It will be a place for Wardens to meet and talk to each other, to discuss issues and for the experienced Church Wardens to help mentor the newer ones.
## **News and Updates**
**Adam Larkin –** Adam Larkin – Youth Development Worker spoke about ‘Share’ a new resource created especially to help churches disciple their young people, in small groups or 1-1.
It has been designed for use with young people over the age of 11 and more mature Christians in the church community as a way to discover the Bible together, learn from each other and create an intergenerational friendship. Anyone interested in joining in were to contact Adam for more information.
Revd Louise closed the meeting with thanks and prayer.
## **Wednesday 16[th] June 2021**
Revd Louise welcomed everyone to the 4[th] Deanery Synod
Louise showed a short reflective video on nature and the environment followed by an opening prayer.
Guest Speaker **Revd Douglas Machiridza** explained that he is the Area Dean of the Deanery of Handsworth and Central and that he is one of the eight people that sit on the Environmental Board for Church of England Birmingham.
Fr Douglas explained that the Environmental Board meet to discuss what the Diocese can do to reduce our Carbon Footprint before 2030 and that the board are asking:All Churches/Parishes appoint an Environmental Person/Climate Change Champion
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At Deanery Level appoint Environmental Champions – one from Clergy and one from Laity
These will feed into a Church of England Birmingham Environmental Group composing of both Clergy and Laity.
Fr Douglas then went on to talk about things we could be doing both in our own lives and in our churches to help reduce the Carbon Footprint by 2030. The meeting was then split into Break Out Rooms for discussions about what we are currently doing in our churches to reduce the Carbon Footprint.
Louise asked the Synod to get in contact if they are interested in becoming an Environment representative as voices need to be heard. Louise closed the Environmental discussions with a prayer.
**Diocesan Synod** – Revd Ben Green discussed the minutes of the last Diocesan Synod that was held in March 2021. The subjects covered were Promulgation of Canons; Update on Carbon Net Zero; Update on Reference Group for Racial Justice; Update on Living in Love and Faith; Update on People and Places Update on the Clergy Covenant of Wellbeing
## **Lay Chair and Standing Committee and Diocesan Synod**
Archdeacon The Ven Simon Heathfield explained to the Synod the importance as well as the legalities of having both a Lay Chair, Standing Committee and Diocesan Synod Representatives. Being a representative will help keep the Deanery up to date with any information on Oversight Areas, Budgets and important information that will need to be passed down. Archdeacon Simon asked everyone to consider whether they could be our Deanery Representative.
## **News and Updates**
Bishop’s Youth Synod - Bishop David is looking for young people to join the Youth Synod.
## **Wednesday 6[th] October**
Revd Louise welcomed everyone to the 5[th] Deanery Synod and explained that this meeting had a People and Places focus. Revd Louise welcomed Gary Killeen, Programme Manager of People and Places as our guest, as well as Ricky Sandiford who is a member of the Deanery Project Team.
Louise continued with an Opening Prayer.
**New Lay Chair** Michelle Withey is the newly elected Lay Chair of the Deanery. A Prayer was said to Welcome her.
There was a discussion about forming the Standing Committee for the Deanery. This will consist of Michelle as Lay Chair, Louise as Area Dean, Ruthi as Secretary, Stephen Record as Treasurer, a lay person and another clergy person. Roy Baker put his name forward for the Lay person place.
**People and Places** – Guest speaker Gary Killeen went through what the People and Places framework is and the updates of where abouts People and Places are. Each deanery will have around 10-12 oversight areas, each comprising of multiple parishes, that will:
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- develop a shared vision for mission and ministry together
- work collaboratively in those areas to fulfil that vision
- enable and sustain the ministries of the whole people of God
Each oversight area will be resourced with a mixture of Lay and ordained people, working together under the leadership of an Oversight Minster who will ensure that the other Ministers (who may be lay or ordained, paid or a volunteer, full time or part time) are well supported.
So where have we got to so far?
**2019** - laying the foundation: merging our 13 deaneries into 6 and launch our parish support services and recruiting the team
**2020** - Building capacity: continued recruitment of the wider People & Places team (including our Area Deans), establishing the first of our new deaneries with their governance and structure (Chapter, Synod etc.) . And continuing to work in partnership with our parishes to start their Transforming Church Action Plans
**2021** : During 2021 there have been lots of conversations on how we bring our new deaneries together into the oversight areas that provide the landscape for us to grow and flourish .
Here in Coleshill & Polesworth, Louise has formed a People & Places project team to help with rolling out the framework across this deanery. The project team will ensure that there is local input into decision making as they seek to define the shape of this deanery going forward. The Deanery Project Team is a temporary capacity to support Deaneries and their Area Deans in implementing the People & Places initiatives and is
So the next key task under People & Places is to discern where the Oversight Areas will be. Each deanery will contain around 10-12 oversight areas which will each have a licenced oversight minister to co-ordinate mission and ministry in that area. Louise will co-ordinate conversations between Chapter, PCC’s, the Deanery Project Team, Archdeacon etc.. to work out where best these areas of mission will fit taking into account where local collaboration is already happening and lots of other factors.
And how is this actually going to work? Oversight Ministers will connect churches and ministries together. They will lead a community of communities that will ‘watch for the signs of God’s new creation’, and with others in the Oversight Area, develop a vision for mission.
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Oversight Ministry is essentially relational, but it will develop within the parochial structure of Church of England Birmingham. We anticipate different models continuing to develop, and our current thinking is that an Oversight Area might, for example, be:
1. A large single parish where the incumbent is the OM. OR
2. A pair of parishes where the OM is incumbent of one parish, and priest in charge of the other - where a Local Minister may be serving. OR
3. A group of say four parishes, with the OM as incumbent of one parish and priest in charge of another which has a Local Minister; and working alongside two ordained or lay leaders in the other parishes.
These models, and others which emerge, might be combined in different ways, depending on local circumstances.
In all cases, the PCC retains its usual responsibilities, and unless the OM is also the priest in charge or incumbent, the OM has no legal role in a parish.The relationship between the OM and other incumbents in the Oversight Area needs to be collaborative, with prayer at its heart. The Oversight minister will coordinate resource that could include Ordained paid minsters, self supporting ministers, licenced lay readers, local minsters, authorised worship leaders, Every worshipping community needs to have a leader and the intention is to have more ministry under the new People & Places framework.
Deanery Project Team – The Deanery Project Team started in February 2021 The initial task of the group is to discern the planning of Oversight Areas – where parishes look to missionally, common contexts and how they work together. The group uses TCAPS and encourages TCAPs to happen. The map of Oversight Areas will be discussed with PCCs, and consultation is taken throughout the process. The plan is then for the map to be brought to Deanery Synod.
## **News and Updates**
**Readers** – Revd Carole Young reported that the Deanery Readers met together at St. Peter & St. Paul, Kingsbury for their Inaugural Annual Eucharist Service on 16[th] September. The service was well attended (16) and feedback afterwards was that it had been a lovely service and was well received. Congratulations from the Deanery as Carole had been licensed to the group as Associate Priest at a service in Merevale.
**Closing Prayer** – Michelle Withey introduced the Synod to her “Prayer Plant” and closed the meeting in prayer.
16
## **Volunteers**
We must thank all our volunteers, many of whom work tirelessly in the background but without whom the church and hall would not run so smoothly. We are especially grateful to those who took on the task of ensuring our buildings were ‘deep cleaned’ when we were able to reopen and Covid precautions were put into place. Each year we do lose one or two of our older volunteers and we particularly give thanks to these people for their many years of service.
_The above report has been compiled by the PCC Secretary with input from the PCC Vice Chair, Church Wardens and Church Groups on behalf of the PCC/Trustees._
_**Approved by the PCC on 16[th] May 2022 and signed on their behalf by the PCC Vice Chair**_
## _**Mr David Greaves (PCC Vice Chairman)**_
17
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES Balance sheet at 31st December 2021**
|Note
**FIXED ASSETS**
Property - Hall
4a
Fixtures & Fittigs - Hall
4a
Fixtures & Fittings - Church
4b
Bells
4b
Organ
4b
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
6
Short Term Deposits
Cash at bank and in hand
**LIABILITIES; AMOUNTS FALLING DUE**
7
**WITHIN ONE YEAR**
Creditors
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**LIABILITIES; AMOUNTS FALLING DUE**
8
**AFTER ONE YEAR**
**NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS**
Unrestricted General
Restricted Legacy ( decoration Fund )
Restricted Interregnum Fund
Restricted - Hall (Captial Cost )
Restricted - Bells
Restricted Bells ( Capital Cost )
Restricted - Organ
Restricted - Organ ( Capital Cost )|2021
2020
£
£
538098
538098
0
2488
0
0
52291
52291
54600
54600|
|---|---|
||644989
647477|
||20000
20000
350000
350000
81702
76247|
||451702
446247|
|||
||0
0|
|||
||451702
446247|
|||
||1096691
1093724|
||403488
395613
30000
30000
0
0
538098
540586
13574
13353
52291
52291
4640
7281
54600
54600|
||1096691
1093724|
Approved by the Parochial Church Meeting on and signed on its behalf by :
Mr David Greaves Mrs L Wakeman
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
## **For the year ended 31st December 2021**
|**STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
**For the year ended 31st December 2021**||
|---|---|
|UnrestricteRestricted
Funds
Funds
Note
£
£
INCOMING RESOURCES
Incoming resources from donors
2a
42667
265
Other voluntary incoming resources
2b
468
0
Income from charitable and ancillary trading
2c
8011
0
Other ordinary incoming resources
2d
291
3681
Income from investments
2e
346
0
TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES
51783
3946
RESOURCES USED
Charities
3a
0
190
Activities directly relating to the work of the church
3b
46753
0
Fund-raising and publicity
3c
139
3193
Church Management & Administration
3d
0
0
Depreciation
3e
0
2488
TOTAL RESOURCES USED
46892
5871
NET INCOMING/(OUTGOING) RESOURCES
4891
-1925
TRANSFER OF ASSETS
Restricted
0
-2984
Unrestricted
2984
0
NET MOVEMENTS OF FUNDS
2984
-2984
BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD AT
1ST JANUARY
395613 698111
BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD AT
31ST DECEMBER
403488 693203|TOTAL FUNDS
2021
2020
£
£
42932
45430
468
1971
8011
3405
3972
17704
346
1948|
||55729
70458|
||190
765
46753
43565
3332
0
0
40
2488
2487|
||52763
46857|
||2966
23601
-2984
5568
2984
5568|
||0
0|
|||
||1093724
1070123|
||1096691
1093724|
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)**
## **For the year ended 31st December 2021**
## 2 INCOMING RESOURCES
|2 INCOMING RESOURCES||
|---|---|
|UnrestricteRestricted
Funds
Funds
£
£
2a Incoming resources from donors
Planned giving
Covenants
23726
0
Income tax recoverable on covenants
9160
0
Collections (open plate) at all services
1331
0
Sundry Donations
8450
265
Legacy
42667
265
2b Other voluntary incoming resources
Fete & Christmas Fayre
0
0
Donations to Community Hall
0
0
Community Hall Fund Raising
468
0
468
0
2c Income from charitable and ancillary trading
Community Hall Letting
3107
0
Fees ;- Weddings / Funerals
4544
0
Church Bells
360
0
Church Bells Donation
0
0
8011
0
2d Other ordinary incoming resources
Choir / Verger / Organ
240
0
Tea & Coffee Money
51
0
Income due to Diocese
0
3129
Organ Fund raising
0
552
291
3681
2e Interest from Legacy
346
0
TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES
51783
3946|TOTAL FUNDS
2021
2020
£
£
23726
27404
9160
9739
1331
1272
8715
7015
0|
||42932
45430|
||0
0
0
10
468
1961|
||468
1971|
||3107
2487
4544
918
360
0
0
0|
||8011
3405|
||240
0
51
226
3129
2424
552
15054|
||3972
17704|
||346
1948|
||55729
70458|
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS(continued)**
## **For the year ended 31st December 2021**
|3 RESOURCES USED
UnrestricteRestricted
Funds
Funds
£
£
3a Grants
Missionary and charitable giving:
0
190
0
190
3b Activities directly relating to the work of the church
Ministry: dioceasan quota
14000
0
Clergy expenses / Visiting clergy expenses
1561
0
Expenses during vacancy
0
0
Church running costs / Domestice Services
6975
0
Telephone / Broad Band
665
0
Church maintenance
1045
0
Church Materials
681
0
Church Administration
2102
0
Community Hall Electric
1490
0
Community Hall running costs
10083
0
Upkeep of churchyard
1200
0
Organist fees / Maintenance
3480
0
Justice Security / Alarm call outs
1449
0
Copier Charges
2022
0
46753
0
3c Fund-raising/publicity/extraordinary expenses
Costs of Fete & Christmas Fayre
0
0
Expenses re fund raising
0
0
Decorating Fund
0
0
Bells
139
0
Organ
0
3193
139
3193
3d Church management and administration
Interest on Loan
0
0
0
0
3e Depreciation
Hall Fixtures & Fittings
0
2488
Church Fixture & Fittings
0
0
0
2488
TOTAL RESOURCES USED
46892
5871|TOTAL FUNDS
2021
2020
£
£
190
765|
|---|---|
||190
765|
||14000
15000
1561
1046
0
2333
6975
6926
665
653
1045
1728
681
906
2102
1059
1490
1705
10083
3718
1200
1200
3480
3480
1449
1417
2022
2394|
||46753
43565|
||0
0
0
0
0
0
139
0
3193
0|
||3332
0|
||0
40|
||0
40|
||2488
2487
0
0|
||2488
2487|
|||
||52763
46857|
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) For the year ended 31st December 2021**
## **5 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BY FUND**
|UnrestricteRestricted
Funds
Funds
£
£
Fixed assets
0 644989
Current assets
403488
48214
Current liabilities
0
0
403488 693203
General Fund
Legacy;- Decoration fund
New Facilty Fund (Capital Cost )
Interegnum Fund
Bells ( Capital Cost )
Organ fund
Bells Fund
Organ ( Capital Cost )
**Total**
**6 DEBTORS**
Income Tax recoverable
Prepayment and accrued interest
Other Debtors
**7 LIABILITIES: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
a Accruals and deferred income
b Creditors for goods and services
c Other creditors|2021
2020
Total
Total
£
£
644989
647477
451702
446247
0
0|
|---|---|
||1096691
1093724|
||403488
395613
30000
30000
538098
540586
0
0
52291
52291
4640
7281
13574
13353
54600
54600|
||1096691
1093724|
||20000
20000
0
0
0
0|
||20000
20000|
||0
0
0
0
0
0|
||0
0|
## **YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2021**
## **Additional analysis of major items (for information only)**
|**Church Running Costs**||
|---|---|
|Insurance|3724|
|Utilities|3251|
|**Church Administration**||
|Stewardship Envelopes|62|
|Website|185|
|Incidentials|667|
|Zoom|158|
|Ladders|75|
|New mobile for office|50|
|Café Worship|255|
|**Maintenance & Repair**||
|New boiler cover|540|
|Boiler maintenance|50|
|Electrical Work|175|
|**Hall Running Costs**||
|Hall Manager|4023|
|Hall Cleaning|1164|
|Window cleaning|125|
|Hall deep clean|270|
|Repainting hall, tolilets,doors, new bulbs||
|in hall, outside lockable tap|1180|
|New cupboards etc.in office|400|
|New Hall & Church lock & keys x 2|43|
|Work done to be able to re-open hall|1337|
|Licences|568|
|Contract for emptying / cleaning the bins|316|
|Water filters|30|
|Annual fee for Ring bell|25|
|Call out to fix & re set hall alarm|240|
|Electrical work|270|
## **Charities**
|**Charities**||
|---|---|
|Malawi ( Mens Breakfast )|190|
|Childrens Society ( Christingle)|75|
|**Fund Raising Events**||
|Harvest Scarecrow Trail|464|
|Christmas Community Carols|395|
|Christmas Craft Farye|125|
|**Donations - General Fund**||
|Dame Mary Bridgeman|1300|
|Earl of Bradford|3000|
|Anon Don|588|
|In memory of Mr G Smart|2000|
|In memory of Joan Woodward|500|
|Mothers Union|50|
|In memory of C Smith|515|
|Pastoral Group|100|
|In memory of Janet Richards|410|
|Baby & Me|100|
|B Hopkins|100|
|M MacLachlan|100|
|M Rainey|20|
|M Danton|10|
|**Donations - Hall**||
|Pavers|420|
|Easy Fund Raising|48|
M. LAWRENCE & CO.
ICAEW
CHARTERED
ACCOUNTANTS
CHAR TERED AcCoUrATS
213 Station Road
Stechford
Binningham B33 8BB
Telephone . 0121784 5321
Fax: 0121785 0688
Email: admin@mlawrence.org.uk
Website: www.ndawren¢e.org.uk
Parocbial Church Council of St Mary and St Margaret
Castle Bromwich
I have examined the Accounts, Statements and InTr'oices submitted to me. and have
found some rninor differences, bul the%. are so insignificant that they do not require
any adjustments to the accounts of the Parochial Church Council of St Mary and St
Margaret for the period 01101121 to 31112121.
H Lawrence A.C.A.
Date .
M. Lawrence F.CA.
Charleied Accountant
Partner
A. Lawrence LLB Dlp LP
&)licitor
Chartered Accountant
Partner