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← The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of All Saints Guildford

2023-12-31-accounts

Reports & Accounts

2023

Annual Parochial Church Meeting 12th May 2024

Registered Charity Number: 1149709

www.allsaintschurchgfd.org.uk

All Saints’ Church PCC 2023/24

Ex-officio Members

Vicar

Churchwardens

Revd Beverly Watson Robin Holdsworth Carolyn Nicholls*

Deputy Churchwardens

Deanery Synod Representatives Simon Doran Marguerite Barclay

Current Members - term ending

2024 Rob Crossingham Ed Gillett Peter Nicholls Angela Rose Andy Wells 2025 Katherine Hopwood Annie Twidell Paddy Payne Martyn Whiteman

2026 Carys Lodge Julie Lodge Henrietta Harding

Co-opted Sophie Robson-Bravery Trish Tye*

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AGENDA

Annual Vestry Meeting - All Saints’ Church Guildford To be held on 12th May 2024

  1. Opening prayers

  2. Apologies for absence

  3. Notice convening the meeting to be taken as read

  4. Minutes of the Annual Vestry Meeting for 2023

  5. Election of Churchwardens

  6. Election of Deputy Churchwardens

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AGENDA

Annual Parochial Church Meeting - All Saints’ Church Guildford To be held on 12th May 2024

  1. Notice convening the meeting to be taken as read

  2. Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting for 2023

  3. Revision of the Electoral Roll

  4. Election of people to the PCC

  5. Annual reports for the church

  6. Financial statement for the year ending 31 December 2023

  7. Appointment of auditor

  8. Review of safeguarding

  9. Appointment of Parish Safeguarding Representative

  10. Year’s report by the vicar

  11. Church Development Plan

  12. Questions and points of interest

  13. Closing prayers

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Draft Minutes of All Saints’ Annual Vestry Meeting held on 26th March 2023

1. Opening Prayers

The meeting was chaired by the vicar, Reverend Beverly Watson, who, after welcoming those attending, said prayers.

2. Apologies for Absence

Apologies were received from Rebecca Brown, Graham Brown, Annie Cox, Richard Hemingway, Sue Hemingway, Bruce Hopwood, Carys Lodge, Roger Kerswell and Lucy Wallis.

There were 27 parishioners recorded as attending the meeting.

3. Notice Convening the Meeting

The notice convening the meeting was taken as read as it had been displayed for the requisite time prior to the meeting.

4. Minutes of the Vestry Meeting for 2022

The minutes were accepted unanimously as a true record and signed by the vicar.

5. Election of Churchwardens

Henrietta Harding has served a five year term as Churchwarden and was warmly thanked by the vicar. Henrietta gave her thanks to the meeting.

Robin Holdsworth kindly offered to stand again and was thanked by the vicar. Proposed by Sylvia Holdsworth, seconded by David Barclay and unanimously agreed. Carolyn Nicholls has also kindly offered to stand as Churchwarden. Proposed by Chris Lambert, seconded by Eve Gunn and unanimously agreed.

6. Election of Deputy Churchwarden

Lara Milne has decided not to stand again as a Deputy Warden and no nominations have been received.

Trish Tye PCC Secretary 2022/23

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Draft Minutes of All Saints’ Annual Parochial Church Meeting held on 26th March 2023

Apologies: Apologies were received from Rebecca Brown, Graham Brown, Annie Cox, Richard Hemingway, Sue Hemingway, Bruce Hopwood, Carys Lodge, Roger Kerswell and Lucy Wallis.

1. Notice Convening the Meeting

The notice convening the meeting was taken as read as it had been displayed for the requisite time prior to the meeting.

2. Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting for 2022

These were unanimously accepted as a true record. They were then signed by the vicar.

3. Revision of the Electoral Roll

Richard Pointer reported that the annual revisions to the electoral roll are six removals and nine additions, giving a total of 136. Out of interest, there are 92 women and 44 men on the roll. 89% of the roll live in the parish. Beverly offered her thanks to Richard and Sandra.

4. Election of members of the Parochial Church Council

Those retiring from the PCC by rotation are Trish Tye and Simon Moulden. Trish is willing to be co-opted on to the PCC for the coming year.

We have had three nominated candidates: Julie Lodge (proposed by Mike Truman, seconded by Eve Gunn), Carys Lodge (proposed by Mike Truman, seconded by Eve Gunn) and Henrietta Harding (proposed by Eve Gunn, seconded by Bijou Harding).

Proposal: That we elect these three nominees as one, to serve for the next three years.

Proposed: Beverly Watson; all in favour.

Trish Tye and Sophie Robson-Bravery to be co-opted to the PCC.

5. Election of Deanery Synod Representatives

The representatives are elected for three-year periods and we’re at the start of a new election cycle. We have two nominated candidates: Simon Doran (proposed by Carolyn Nicholls, seconded by Trish Tye) and Marguerite Barclay (proposed by Carolyn Nicholls, seconded by Pauline Coulter)

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5. Annual Reports for the Church

The Annual Reports had been previously available online and in printed form in the Reports and Accounts document.

Comments on the reports:

Carolyn Nicholls commented that Dray Court should be referred to as sheltered housing, not as a residential home.

Trish Tye gave her thanks to Jo Smalley and Katherine Hopwood for proof reading the reports and accounts.

6. Financial statement for the year ending 31 December 2022

Chris Lambert presented the financial report for 2022.

We operate a general fund, plus two subordinate funds for major expenses in the church and in the hall. Money gets transferred from the general fund to the subordinate funds.

This year we have suffered a deficit on the main fund. Our income has largely been flat but voluntary contributions are down, including gift aided donations.

Lettings in the church and the hall have increased and have more or less offset the drop in giving.

Expenses have increased a little, with the Parish Share being the biggest item.

It is important to note that the transfers to the two subordinate funds have caused these funds to increase in value. The value of the two funds more than offsets the deficit of the main fund, so the overall position is positive.

Questions:

Simon Doran asked if we had increased the rent on 6 Thorn Bank. Chris replied that we did when a new tenant started in September. We did incur a few extra expenses at the time of change over.

Beverly expressed her gratitude to Chris once again for his hard and diligent work.

7. Appointment of Auditor

Mary-Jane Crump inspects our accounts and will be happy to do so again .

8. Review of Safeguarding

Julie Lodge updated the meeting, starting with explaining that there

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has been a huge shift in training practice. Since covid, other than leadership training, all training can be done online in your own time. Julie realises that this isn’t always ideal, especially as some can be emotionally difficult. After Easter, Julie plans to have a time when people can come to the Reading Room to do their online training in the company of Julie and others. Julie will send emails out soon to highlight who needs to study what.

Simon Doran thanked Julie and asked how we record training attendance. Julie explained that we have a spreadsheet that covers safer recruitment, training and DBS.

Martyn Whiteman applauded the idea of group training and thanked Julie for offering this.

Steve Jones asked where the training needs per role came from. Julie explained that it is set out by the Diocese and that she will contact people with any training requirements once they have been recruited to a role.

Beverly offered a vote of thanks to Julie for all her hard work.

9. Appointment of Parish Safeguarding Representative

Julie Lodge was prepared to continue as the Parish Safeguarding Representative, and this was unanimously agreed.

10. Year’s Report by the Vicar

Beverly Watson presented her report as published. Julie Lodge thanked Beverly for all she has done during the past year.

11. Transforming Church, Transforming Lives Plan

Beverly Watson presented a summary of the Transforming Church, Transforming Lives Plan and the priorities of that in the coming year.

12. Questions and Points of Interest

13. Closing Prayers

Beverly Watson thanked everyone for coming and ended the meeting with prayer.

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Annual Reports 2023 - Introduction

The Parochial Church Council of the Church of All Saints, Guildford, Surrey (the PCC) has the responsibility (with the Incumbent) for promoting, in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. These reports not only contain an account of church activities during 2023 for the benefit of parishioners and others who receive the reports, but also provide a justification of the charitable status of the church, which enables us to claim back income tax under the Gift Aid scheme of HMRC, as well as providing other rights and privileges. The PCC is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the buildings of the church and church hall, and of the church field, car park and grounds. It is also responsible for the maintenance of 6 Thorn Bank, a house in the parish. Three members of the PCC are eligible to represent the parish on Deanery Synod.

In terms of Licensed Ministry, All Saints has an Incumbent (Revd Beverly Watson), two Licensed Lay Ministers (David Barclay and Alison Moulden), three Occasional Preachers (Martyn Whiteman, Julie Shaw, and Paul Young), and one Ordained Local Minister in training (Andy Wells). The parish also enjoys the ministry of a licensed Pastoral Assistant (Marguerite Barclay).

One of our members (Alison Moulden) serves as the Environmental Officer for London Diocese; and another (Alex Tear) serves as Director of Education for Guildford Diocese. The Incumbent is also an Assistant Director of Ordinands for Guildford Deanery. All Saints also employs a part time parish Administrator and Communications Officer (Trish Tye).

The reports that follow give a detailed account of the life and worship of All Saints throughout 2023.

Governance structures at All Saints include nine ‘Vision Groups’ which report to the PCC on a regular basis. These groups cover the following areas of church life: Worship, Pastoral Care, Children and Young People, Events, Missions, Finance, Premises, Administration and Communications, and also Eco Church. Each Vision Group is active in both guiding and serving the community of All Saints. The reports which follow give a more detailed account of the work of the Vision Groups over the past year.

All Saints is an intergenerational church, providing for the needs of the youngest child through to the most senior adult. Our worship includes Sunday services, mid-week services of Morning Prayer and a Thursday Com-

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munion, Collective Worship at our church school (Queen Eleanor’s Church of England Junior School), and a monthly service at Dray Court (sheltered housing for the elderly).

Services of Holy Communion are celebrated every Sunday, at either 8am or 10am. We also offer two ‘Services of the Word’ (without Communion) on the first and third Sundays of each month at 10am. The first Sunday of the month at 10am is known as ‘Altogether Worship’, and is ‘café style’; and the third Sunday at 10am is referred to as ‘Morning Worship’. Music on the first and third Sundays of the month is led by the All Saints’ band; and on second, fourth and fifth Sundays, music is led by a choir, under the leadership of Jeremy Barham.

A variety of other services are regularly offered, including Tea Time Church, a Healing Service, Songs of Praise, Choral Evensong, occasional offices (including baptism, marriage and funeral services), Remembrance services (including a service for the bereaved), a regular midweek Communion Service, Morning Prayer three days a week, and home Communions.

There is a strong sense of community at All Saints, supported and encouraged through social events and activities, via the work of the Events Vision Group. This ministry of hospitality is extended to the wider community, through activities such as the fireworks evening and the autumn fair. The church has strong links with local community groups, including uniformed organisations, the Onslow Village Residents’ Association (a local residents’ group), and three schools in the parish. The Incumbent is an ex-officio governor at Queen Eleanor’s School, and presently a Vice Chair.

Pastoral care is offered by the Pastoral Team, under the leadership of a licensed Pastoral Assistant (Marguerite Barclay). Within the Pastoral Team there are five Pastoral Visitors who care for those in need, and take ‘home Communion’ to the housebound. Pastoral care is also offered via the ‘Small Groups’ at All Saints, and there are now nine such groups meeting regularly for prayer, Bible study, friendship, outreach and support. These form an integral part of the Pastoral care that is offered at All Saints. Pastoral care now sits within the Vision Group structure at All Saints, in the form of the Pastoral Care Vision Group.

Children and young people are highly valued at All Saints, and are nurtured through Children’s and Young People’s Church, Youth Group, and the Toddler Group. Ministry in schools continues, with regular Collective Worship

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services at Queen Eleanor’s School, school services in church, and ‘Faith Days’ in school. Involvement also continues with Onslow Infant School, and the Montessori nursery which meets in the church hall. All Saints hosts ‘Prayer Spaces’ for Queen Eleanor’s School at All Saints, and the Incumbent leads Harvest, Easter and Christmas services each year for this school.

Work on the buildings has continued, and the hall and Reading Room are both now in a good state of repair, and in regular use by both the congregation and the wider community. A major challenge during 2023 has been subsidence, affecting the Library and Chapel area of the building; and both of these have had to be cordoned off whilst redevelopment of the buildings takes place.

Wider church links have continued, in partnership with local churches in Guildford Deanery, where the Incumbent has served as Assistant Area Dean for the past five years. Clergy in the Deanery meet on a monthly basis; and three Deanery Synods are held each year. Over the course of 2023 All Saints has continued a friendship with St. Francis’ Church in Westborough, offering support through preaching at Sunday services, and mentoring of the priest in charge (Revd Diane Peters) by the Incumbent.

All Saints has continued to give 10% of its donated income to charities and Christian missions both locally and globally.

Communication of the life and ministry of the church continues through the church website, social media, the parish magazine and the weekly news sheet. All Saints employs a part time ‘Administrator and Communications Officer’, to oversee the delivery of information to both church members and local residents.

All Saints has now achieved a silver Eco-Church award, and is working towards gold level. This has involved working to reduce our carbon footprint and live in a sustainable way; and to share this vision with our local community.

Along with all other Anglican churches, All Saints is committed to keeping people safe at all times. Much work has been done over the course of the year to ensure that All Saints is fully compliant with the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Policy. We are indebted to our Safeguarding Team for their work in this area.

Revd Beverly Watson, Incumbent

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Vicar’s Report

I always find it helpful, at this point in the year, to take a moment to reflect on the year that has passed – in this case 2023. So often we move quickly from one event to the next, from one season to another, with little time for reflection or taking stock; and this APCM allows time for that – to review the year that has been, to give thanks, to learn, to be better equipped for the year that is to come.

In the wider world, 2023 has had some significant moments and events. One that comes to mind is the coronation of King Charles III, over the bank holiday weekend in May. It marked the beginning of a new era for our country, after 70 years under our much loved Queen Elizabeth II. Another moment which shocked the world was the Hamas-led attack on Israel on the 7th October, sparking the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East. Along with the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the world has felt a less stable place than previously. And the increasing prominence of AI (artificial intelligence), is shaping our world in ways that are, as yet, unforeseen. It has been an unusual year, and along with the back-drop of ongoing climate change, it feels as if the world is a less secure place than it was.

Yet against that back-drop, here at All Saints we have a huge amount to be thankful for. Overall we’ve enjoyed a year which could be characterised as ‘gentle growth and consolidation’, after the changes and challenges of the Covid years. Our worship pattern has remained stable, with regular services at 8am, 10am and 4pm on Sundays; and this seems to be working well for our many and varied congregation members. Our café-style Altogether Worship services on the first Sunday of each month have provided an easily accessible route into our church, both for new people and some who are returning after a time away. It has been lovely to see some of these people coming again, starting to belong, and often quite quickly becoming established members of our church. Some of these are new families moving into the local area, often with young children; All Saints has been able to offer a welcoming community, and a place to belong.

We’ve seen growth at our other services too. Our choir has been blessed with several new members in the past year, including two new Choral Scholars. This has enhanced the worship at family Communion services, and encouraged the growth in numbers on the second, fourth and fifth Sundays. New members have been added to our band too, which has enriched the worship on the first and third Sundays. I now feel that Morning Worship on

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the third Sunday of each month is finding its USP, with the space and opportunity for more in-depth preaching.

Another of the contributors to this gentle growth and consolidation has been the strength and stability of our work among children and young people. For this we are indebted to Jeanette Whiteman (Children and Young People’s Vision Group chair), Julie Lodge (Children’s Church leader), Carolyn Nicholls (Toddler Group leader), and the teams they oversee. For many years we’ve been aware that without a ‘critical mass’ of children and young people, it’s hard for this area of our ministry to grow; but now, after sustained prayer, commitment and hard work, we have a core of children across our services. This means that when new families arrive, it’s natural for them to sense that All Saints is meaningful for them, and over the past year, quite a few have become regular members of our church family.

An area of growth, for which I’m very grateful, is within the Preaching Team. This year we’ve added both Paul Young, and the Revd Paul Fenner; and we are now a team of eight members. This has been a huge help to me personally, particularly in terms of my work-load; but it also means we’re able to offer a rich variety of styles, approaches and spiritual understanding across our services. We aim to ‘play to our strengths’, and this has enhanced all of our services.

Revd Paul Fenner has also been able to offer support with presiding at Communion services, both on Sundays and on Thursday mornings. Paul has lived in the parish for most of his adult life, and is licensed to St. Saviour’s church in Guildford. He knows the local community well, and has offered pastoral support and help with leading some of the courses we’ve offered at All Saints over the past year. I’ve found it a great blessing to have a second clergy person serving regularly at All Saints; one who can be called upon in emergencies and at short notice.

A person who has taken steps towards ordination, over the past year, is Andy Wells. Having been selected for training as an Ordained Local Minister, Andy embarked on the Local Ministry Programme in September. The insights and theological understanding Andy is bringing back from the course have developed our understanding of both ministry and mission here at All Saints. Andy has taken a greater role in leading services (especially our Altogether Worship service), preaching, and serving at Communion. This has encouraged others within the congregation to take new steps of faith, and has strengthened the culture of ‘vocation’ that we have at All Saints.

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Consideration of both Paul Fenner and Andy Well’s leadership brings me to the theme of courses at All Saints – another key feature of the past year. ‘Gentle growth’ is clearly about the numbers of people worshipping regularly at our church; but it’s also about growth in faith and Christian understanding – and that’s something we’ve also seen during 2023. Never before – certainly during my eight and a half years as vicar – have we run so many courses in one year, or seen so many people attending.

We began with our Lent course during the five Wednesday evenings in March, studying Paula Gooder’s book, ‘Let Me Go There’. We ran the course via Zoom, and as a shared enterprise with St. Francis’ Church in Westborough. Some 20 or so people attended, and it was a rich time of sharing and learning. This was followed closely by the ‘Living in Love and Faith’ course, over five Sunday afternoons during April and May. The course addressed the question: ‘How do questions about identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage fit within the bigger picture of the good news of Jesus Christ?’ – and was a course that all parishes in the Church of England were encouraged to offer. Some 25 or so of us met in church, in a café-style setting; and with the support of small group facilitators we listened carefully to one another, and shared our experiences and understandings in this area. We recognised that as a congregation we hold a wide breadth of views and beliefs, and are committed to living in love and faith together.

A third course following in the autumn entitled, ‘Aspects of Later Life’. This grew out of conversations between me and Marguerite Barclay, recognising the particular joys and challenges facing our more senior members. Together we designed a course that would address some of these issues from a Christian perspective, and in a way that would be accessible for people from the wider community too. The response was extraordinary, with some 35-40 people attending, over five Tuesday afternoons, including friends and neighbours of church members. It was a wonderful time of sharing and learning, and we’re indebted to those who led small groups, and those who offered their expertise in the field.

And finally, also in the autumn, we offered a Confirmation class for adults. In 2022 we offered a course for young people, with five being confirmed at a Deanery Confirmation service. This year we decided to offer a course for adults, recognising that the needs and experience of life are different. Paul Fenner and I ran the course together; and I’m delighted that three of our adults were confirmed at St. Nicolas church on the 4th February 2024. Through all these courses I’ve sensed a gentle growth in faith,

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understanding and commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Another area of church life which has developed over the past year, is events. A new addition to our portfolio of activities was the pancake party, which took place on Shrove Tuesday, 21st February. This event was held in the main body of the church; pancakes were cooked on site, using camping stoves and equipment, and toppings were provided by members of the Events Vision Group. Good numbers of people came, including families with young children, and our most senior members. It became clear that this event would become a regular feature in the church calendar.

Another new event was Paul Kerensa’s (Young) show about the history of religious broadcasting by the BBC. This took place in church, and was valued by a wide range of people. And a new departure from tradition was to hold the annual quiz night in church, and to buy in fish and chips for the occasion. This too was a great success, and may well become a regular feature of the church’s year.

Our established events continue to be valued: The Christian Aid car wash and cake sale in May, the Easter morning breakfast at the Vicarage, the autumn fair, closely followed by the ever popular bonfire and fireworks event. After 20 years of faithful service as our Events Vision Group Chair, Eve Gunn passed on the baton to Sophie Robson-Bravery. I look forward to the new events that will grow and develop in the year ahead.

Work on our buildings has continued and developed during 2023, under the leadership of the ‘Big Build’ team. Following the problem of subsidence which fully emerged in 2022, the Big Build group have charted a way forward. Following the appointment of an architect, Robin Nugent, plans are now in place to re-develop the foyer area, and to add much needed storage. Through this work we aim to develop our ministry of hospitality at All Saints, and to continue the trajectory of becoming more of a hub for the wider community. Following a gift day on the 26th November, we have been able to undertake a range of surveys, in preparation for the main work. My sense is that this project has drawn us closer together as a congregation, and given us a greater clarity and focus with regard to our mission and ministry priorities. This, too, I see as an example of ‘gentle growth and consolidation’.

Following more than eight years of faithful service as our PCC Treasurer, Chris Lambert passed on the reins to Andy Wells. Following Chris’

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experience as Treasurer, we took the decision to divide financial responsibilities more widely, by introducing a bookkeeper (Eve Gunn) to manage the day-to-day tasks. As part of the changes, we have moved to a new, online accounting system (ExpensePlus), which streamlines the processes involved, and offers greater financial security. This growth and consolidation of our financial structures is of great benefit, as we begin to address the financial aspects of the Big Build project.

For me personally, I would say that it has also been a year of gentle growth and consolidation too. Within family life I have become a grandmother for the second time, and it has been a joy to watch our family growing and developing. In ministry terms, I stepped down from my role as Assistant Area Dean, after five years of service. In the autumn I became a Local Vocations Assistant, travelling alongside people from Guildford Diocese who are exploring ordination. And more recently I’ve taken on the role of an Assistant Director of Ordinands for the diocese. This has given me new areas in which to learn and grow, and also enabled me to share the experience we have at All Saints of people preparing for licensed ministry. The Vicarage has been well maintained by the Property Team within Guildford Diocese; 2023 saw the complete redecoration of all rooms, and also a new fence between numbers 16 and 18 Vicarage Gate.

As always, the life of our parish embraces the whole of human life, from birth through to death, and over the course of 2023 we commended into the Lord’s hands seven long-standing members of our church community. These faithful departed are: Patricia Phillips, Doris Greenacre, Joy Hunter, Marianne Hehn, Yvonne Quittenton, Brenda Horsley, and Tom New – a previous vicar of this parish. We thank them for their devoted service, and give thanks for the lives, their faith, and their witness.

And so I commend to you this report, and all the reports and accounts for 2023. It has been a rich year of growth and development, and one for which I’m deeply grateful.

Revd Beverly Watson, Incumbent

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Structure, governance and management

The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. We also have a role description for PCC members and a PCC governance structure document, both of which can be found on the PCC noticeboard or in the PCC file in the church office. All church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.

Secretary’s report of the work of the Parochial Church Council January - December 2023

In 2023, there were a total of four meetings of the PCC. The PCC also enjoyed a meal together at Willow Grange and an away morning in September. There were also five meetings of the Standing Committee.

Following the APCM in March, we welcomed one ex-officio member, Carolyn Nicholls as a Churchwarden. Our other new members elected to PCC were Julie Lodge, Carys Lodge and Henrietta Harding. Robin Holdsworth was elected to serve another term as Churchwarden. At the first PCC meeting, Trish Tye and Sophie Robson-Bravery were co-opted to the PCC.

Marguerite Barclay joined Simon Doran as one of our Deanery Synod representatives.

The key activities of the Vision Groups and the PCC are recorded within this document.

Trish Tye, PCC Secretary

Churchwardens’ report on the fabric and ornaments of the church

The wardens have made their annual inspection of the church fixtures and fittings as recorded in the inventory, and all were found to be present. The records and documents were examined by the Archdeacon in October in his biennial visitation.

The Reading Room, used for worship at Thursday morning Communion, Sunday 8am communion and 4pm Tea time services, has developed into a warm and welcoming space for smaller congregations. There has been the addition of a smaller wooden cross on the wall. Many thanks to Andrew Kenchington for making this from the old pew wood.

We are grateful to the members of the Premises Vision Group for all their efforts in ensuring the maintenance of the buildings and surrounds. We are

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also very grateful to the members of the Big Build team as they steer us forward with the repairs and development of the church building.

We would like to thank our sacristan, Lara Milne, and her assistant, Henrietta Harding and also Andrea Fairbairn, for the great care they take of all the fabric and ornaments in their care.

The Wardens meet monthly with Beverly to discuss strategic planning, to share information and to mutually support one another.

Carolyn Nicholls & Robin Holdsworth Churchwardens

Safeguarding Report

The safeguarding team has continued to meet every six to eight weeks. The team is me, Beverly, Carolyn, Trish, Eve and Andrea who has joined us as DBS validator. We thank Carolyn for all her work in this role and welcome Andrea to the team. We continue to discuss issues for our church at each meeting and share out the jobs to be done. A big action last year was reviewing and then putting into place a new lifts policy.

We are very grateful to all those who volunteer and work at All Saints, as we work together to keep everyone safe. Key processes include safer recruitment and assessing training needs. Most training takes place online at the Church of England portal enabling people to do this at a time to suit them. We are also conscious that people may not want to do this alone or would like support doing it online. A session was run in the Reading Room to provide this support.

We continue to work on the Safeguarding Dashboard and use this as a tool to report to the PCC at each meeting. We have renewed our efforts to meet as a team ahead of each PCC meeting so that the dashboard and action plan are up to date.

In November we launched our emergency contact forms on Safeguarding Sunday. I would encourage everyone to complete one of these so that we know who to contact in an emergency. This however, remains your choice entirely.

My thanks as always go to the safeguarding team as their work underpins everything we do at All Saints.

Julie Lodge Safeguarding Officer

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Deanery Synod Report

This was a quiet year for the Deanery Synod and there is very little to report. The original intent had been that Synod would meet on 18th March, 7th June and 4th November 2023. However, as it turned out, none of these meetings took place, pending the appointment of a new Area Dean.

Fr Neil Roberts, the rector of St Nicolas' Church, started work as Area Dean in October 2023, and a number of other changes to our organisation and structures also took place. The Revd Alex Russell, Rector of Worplesdon accepted Neil's invitation to become Assistant Area Dean, and a Deanery Leadership Team was set up.

With the start of the New Year, Deanery Synod activities got underway again. On 17th January, there was an afternoon meeting to review plans for the Deanery with Bishop Andrew. This was followed a week later by our first Synod meeting, which was a chance for deanery representatives to reconnect and for new members to get to know other members of the group. For many of us, it was also an opportunity to meet Fr Neil for the first time, and I can confirm that we are in very safe hands!

On Sunday 4th February, a Deanery confirmation service took place and we were delighted that Sophie, Christian and Dan from All Saints were among those confirmed.

The remainder of the meetings this year will pick up on themes discussed by General Synod. Fr Neil has reminded us that one of the important roles of Deanery Synod members is "to consider and express their opinion on any ... matters of religious or public interest", so we anticipate some lively debates during the coming year.

Simon Doran Deanery Synod Representative

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Administration and Communication Vision Group

The purpose of the Administration and Communication Vision Group is ‘Overseeing an efficient system of organisation to support the ministry and mission of All Saints’. Our remit is quite wide and varied, including the running of the parish office, the administration of the Electoral Roll, managing the hall bookings and communications within and outside the church. Here are some of our key activities:

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sons. Thanks to Eve Gunn for her work as our Booking Secretary.

I must again give thanks to Sue Hawkins who provides invaluable help on an ad-hoc basis.

Trish Tye, Chair, Administration and Communication Vision Group

Children and Young People Vision Group

2023 was a busy one for all involved in the various groups that come under the umbrella of this Vision Group.

Toddler Group: Toddler Group continued to thrive with 12-15 families coming along each Friday during term times. Those who come like the light, open and airy space that the church provides, and they appreciate the fact that it is not as busy as some other toddler groups. As a result, we are able to provide a welcoming, nurturing, and relational environment and have been able to get to know those who attend regularly. We were also able to provide a couple of sessions during the summer holidays when most other toddler groups don’t operate. These were much appreciated by those who attended.

During the course of the year, Carolyn built up a team of people who were willing to go on a rota which makes managing our meetings much easier. But we still feel the need for another person who would be able to take an active lead on a Friday morning, if either Carolyn or I are unavailable.

The routine we have established seems to work well, with an initial period of time spent playing and chatting, followed by time in the Reading Room for refreshments and a story for the children. Then there is more time for

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play and chat before we finish with a short time of singing. During 2023 I started making ‘story sacks’ to go with each of the Bible stories I tell during refreshment time, so that we have little figures and objects to recreate the stories after I have read them. I now have 15 with more on the way!

Children and Young People’s Church: Numbers attending varied from week to week. Sometimes we had two or three and on other occasions there would be as many as ten. However, we were encouraged by the fact that some children were coming on a more regular basis. The age group we cater for is wide, going from infant through to lower secondary, with mothers or fathers sometimes coming with younger ones. In spite of the age gap, the group seems to gel and we are fortunate that the ‘Roots’ material we invested in at the beginning of the year caters for both younger and older age groups.

As with Toddler Group, a lack of leaders was an issue. After an appeal in church for volunteers several people came forward to offer their help, but this has very much depended on their availability.

Julie and I were prompted to raise questions about what was being provided for children at services when there was no Children and Young People’s Church. After discussions with Beverly, it was agreed that it was important for children to feel included and that there should always be something aimed at them and their needs.

Youth Group: At the beginning of the year around six or seven youngsters were attending our monthly meetings. In July we held a very successful BBQ to which we invited pupils from Queen Eleanor’s who would be going on to secondary school in September. A number of these have now started coming to Youth Group on a regular basis, taking average attendance up to ten.

We have a good team of leaders so that each month we can offer food, a craft activity, a short discussion and reflection alongside the games that are available.

Over the course of the year, I have been trying to replace some of the older equipment and buy more tabletop games that can be played individually or in pairs. As a result, we have a new air hockey table and several challenging puzzle games.

Jeanette Whiteman, Chair, Children and Young People Vision Group

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Eco Vision Group

2023 was the year that the Eco Team took a long hard look at the carbon footprint of All Saints’ Church. In line with other churches, and the Church of England’s net zero route map, we know that the majority of our carbon emissions come from heating of both the church and church hall.

Once the sad news about subsidence in the church came to light, it became apparent that now was the time to re-envisage our heating for the future, and plan to become net zero in our operations by installing a new, low carbon heating system at the same time as doing the Big Build.

We have secured PCC approval for this plan, and have commissioned and had back an energy audit, with recommendations for the best type of heating for our church – which is an air-source heat pump.

As the Big Build continues, the Eco Team are working as part of the Big Build Committee to ensure these plans go ahead.

We have continued to do all necessary to achieve Gold in all areas of Eco Church, and hope very much to apply for our Gold Eco Church award during 2024.

We would very much like to have new members to join the Eco Team, especially young adults, and we hope to work with other churches and organisations locally on eco outreach in the Onslow area.

Alison Moulden, Chair, Eco Vision Group

Events Vision Group

The new year got off to a very good start with a Shrove Tuesday pancake party in February. This was held in the church with Trish, Beverly and Carolyn manning the gas burners and allowing some of the older children the opportunity to flip their own pancakes, with limited success. It was a hugely fun event with much pancake mixture and toppings of all sorts available. The event raised £67 for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey appeal.

This was followed closely by the Lent lunch later in February, when Carolyn, Caroline, Jeanette and Trish provided a delicious variety of soups with bread for about 32 people and raised £245 for the DEC Turkey.

Our next big event was Songs of Praise and Strawberry Teas held in the Vic-

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arage in June. As always we had a lovely day and there was so much cake! We are truly blessed with the volunteers we have who are always happy to provide a cake, biscuits or produce for this event. We sat around chatting for ages and everyone enjoyed the get together.

Henrietta and her team organised the Autumn Fair in September and this time, in an attempt to be more eco friendly, we decided not to include a BBQ, but to focus on afternoon tea and to hold the event in the afternoon. This meant that the emphasis was on tea and cake and once again, we were very lucky to have our brilliant band of bakers. We’re glad to say we sold it all. We had some amazing music from the Motivation by Music gospel choir and the Red House Rhythm and Blues duo who entertained everyone.

In November, Simon Moulden and his team were once again very busy organising our annual bonfire night. This was a sell out within 48 hours and although the weather did not look very promising, the rain did hold off at the most crucial time. Continuing our aim to be more eco friendly we served only vegetarian hot dogs, along with the usual jacket potatoes and mulled wine. There were also soft drinks and cakes available for sale. It was a great evening and our thanks go to all the volunteers who helped with the event. The only thought we had was that next year we should charge more for entry!

We had a fantastic turn out at our Nine Lessons and Carols service in early December. A candlelit evening with beautiful singing and some thought provoking readings was a perfect introduction to the build up to Christmas. Mulled wine and various soft drinks were served alongside mince pies and nibbles. A very big thanks to Carolyn for organising this event and all the volunteers who helped on the night.

I’m so pleased to be able to say that Sophie Robson-Bravery has taken over leading the Events team now and I wish her and her team every success. The Events team are always looking for new fund raising ideas, so if you can spare some time to help with an event, or would like to organise a fund raising event yourself, do please get in touch with Sophie. With the Big Build playing such a big part in our church lives in the next few years, we’re going to need as many events as possible.

Eve Gunn (former Chair) and Sophie Robson-Bravery, Chair, Events Vision Group

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Finance Vision Group

The Finance Vision Group has met consistently during 2023, and takes an overview of the finances of our church. A major change has been the handover of the Treasurer role from Chris Lambert to Andy Wells; and the introduction of a bookkeeper (Eve Gunn) to oversee the day-to-day management of our finances. We have also made the transition to new accounting software (ExpensePlus), which provides greater efficiency and security.

The group has expanded during 2023 to include Eve Gunn (Bookkeeper and Bookings Secretary), Trish Tye (Administrator and Communications Officer), and Richard Pointer (Big Build member). This has been a great support to our existing members (Peter Nicholls, Ed Gillett, Rob Crossingham and Andy Wells), as we’ve overseen the changes noted above, and prepared for the financial implications of the Big Build project.

During 2023 the Finance Group oversaw our stewardship campaign in February, and has continued to take an overview of planned giving and rental income within the parish.

Once again I’d like to thank Chris Lambert for his faithful work as Treasurer over the past eight years, and Mary-Jane Crump for examining the accounts for us. I would also like to thank Eve Gunn for her sterling work as our Bookings Secretary, and for taking up the new role of Bookkeeper on top of that. I would also like to thank Trish Tye for her invaluable work behind the scenes, and IT expertise which has enabled the developments we’ve achieved over the past year. And I would like to thank Andy Wells for taking on the role of Treasurer, for which he is eminently qualified.

Revd Beverly Watson, Chair, Finance Vision Group

Missions Vision Group

The Mission Vision Group met on six occasions in 2023. Membership remained unchanged with Bruce and Katherine Hopwood, Richard Hemingway and Carolyn and Peter Nicholls. We are grateful for the opportunities we have had to draw attention to and promote interest and support for mission organisations working locally in the UK and overseas.

During the year we continued to support the work of Clare and Andrew Koens working for Wycliffe Bible Translators in Papua New Guinea. It is

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extraordinary that among the many isolated communities in that country there are more than 600 spoken languages and the great majority of them have never been written down. The Bible translators still have plenty of work to do!

In 2023 we welcomed a speaker from Friends International, working among international students here in Guildford. According to the university web site there are students here in Guildford from some 140 different countries. Later in the year we welcomed a speaker from United Society Partners in the Gospel (USPG).

For Christian Aid week we again staged a car wash in the Village Hall car park. This proved to be a very busy time with cars lined up for washing while owners chatted and hopefully learned something of the work of Christian Aid. The cakes specially baked for the event also generated a good income. We also delivered several hundred donation forms inviting online donations direct to Christian Aid.

Other organisations supported during the year included Mosaic Middle East based in Baghdad, Five Talents and USPG and A Rocha. Throughout the year articles featuring the work of these organisations have appeared in the church magazine.

In 2024 we look forward to further opportunities to promote and encourage involvement in mission, whether locally, nationally or overseas.

We are most grateful for the interest, generosity and support shown by members of the PCC and the congregation. Suggestions on how we might be more effective in creating awareness and involvement in mission, whether local, national or international are always welcome!

Peter Nicholls. Chair, Mission Vision Group

Pastoral Vision Group

The present team of Pastoral Visitors remains as Carolyn Nicholls, now formally appointed as Deputy Team Leader, Richard Hemingway our Meetings Secretary, Dave Barclay, Susan Groves and our now diocesan trained Pastoral Visitor, Linda Wells. Linda is growing and developing in her pastoral work and is now also a team member of the Dray Court service team as the representative of the Pastoral Team in that setting. Covid has left a marked impression on residents who are now less involved with group

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activities at Dray Court. Encouraging residents to come to the Dray Court service is important and a critical part of our engaging with the local community. Caring about them as individuals and encouraging them to be involved in the service is ongoing work, and exploring new options is now being prayerfully considered.

In March last year the whole team was able to attend the first post-Covid diocesan training day for all Pastoral Visitors and those originally trained as a Pastoral Assistant. As well as being a good opportunity to meet other church Pastoral Team members, after sharing what we are doing, we were also given the opportunity of hearing what proved to be a very inspiring talk on various aspects of growing older. We discussed how there is a gap in reaching out to this age group to explore the joys and challenges of growing older and who we can still be and how we are valued in God’s sight. On a personal level this felt quite significant.

A comment made at our Small Group Leaders meeting shortly before this training day was that they didn’t feel they had been helped to prepare for facing the changes and challenges, both difficult and good, brought about by entering the older age group. So here we were being encouraged to think about how we in our own churches could address those needs. I shared my real desire to explore if this was something we could do at All Saints with Beverly, and she herself was very motivated having been asked to take a funeral service for a long standing member of the congregation without any relatives and others who knew her well, knowing what her wishes were for her own funeral.

In the event, it was a very thoughtful and caring funeral but was particularly difficult for Beverly who had to try to imagine what her wishes might have been. So encouraging people to think about and prepare for future events, including arrangements before and after our death, suddenly became more pertinent. Beverly and I spent time prayerfully considering what might be important to include if we ran a course to address some of these issues and concerns. The outcome was a newly developed five week course entitled ‘Aspects of Later Life’. Beverly led the course with input from other relevant professionals and we as a pastoral team hosted the event. We were enormously encouraged that this course, aimed at both the church and the local community, was attended by 35 people most weeks. The overall feedback was that people had enjoyed and felt helped by the format and contents.

Sadly during this past year my husband Dave has had to face spinal surgery

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followed by being suddenly taken very ill and needing to have a pacemaker fitted, followed by a further emergency admittance to hospital. All of this has meant me intermittently not being available to take full responsibility for the work of the pastoral team for over two months since the end of September.

I am enormously grateful to Carolyn, in her role as deputy, for taking on full responsibility for the Harvest Festival gifts, distribution and home visits from the pastoral team on behalf of All Saints and of coordinating the pastoral work when I was needed at home. She was able to keep me updated without me having to be personally involved in the work being undertaken. To be on the receiving end of pastoral care ourselves was an awesome experience and gave real insight into what it is like to feel very vulnerable and dependent on others but wonderful to feel God’s love and provision through it. For me this is the core of pastoral care. To offer appropriate, loving, prayerful care and support in a way that expresses in a very tangible way that not only are we loved and cared for by those giving the support but also is such a rich expression of experiencing how we are loved and provided for by our Heavenly Father.

We are now considering as a team how pastoral work links in with the vision and opportunities for growth and change through the Big Build. We would value your prayers as we look and prayerfully explore what God is now calling us to be and grow in, in this new venture.

Small Groups : Our nine small groups are continuing to offer opportunities for ‘Growing Disciples’ through the house groups and others engaging with the community at large as well as our church community in offering opportunities for social and practical activities. One of the significant things being offered is the Hearing Clinic. This is a joint venture with the Audiology Department of the Royal Surrey Hospital and the diocese to train Hearing Champions who are able to offer practical help and support with hearing aids, hearing aid tubes, and provide batteries for the various hearing aids available through the NHS. Our Hearing Champions are Rosemary and Mike Woodcock and Dinah Alford, a resident from Dray Court. This clinic is held at All Saints (others meet in other venues e.g. libraries) on the third Monday of every month between 2.00pm and 3.00pm and is available to all in the local community. This is followed by the Hard of Hearing Group which offers the opportunity for people with a hearing loss to meet, encourage and support one another and hear a talk by an interesting speaker .

Marguerite Barclay, Chair, Pastoral Vision Group

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Premises Vision Group

Our group deals with the day to day maintenance of the church, the hall, the field as well as looking after 6 Thorn Bank. We engage practically with our parishioners through our Saturday and half term work sessions which have been productive over the past year.

The condition and new location of the bell tower, which is slowly losing its wooden slats, will be dealt with as part of the Big Build project. Access to carry out any repairs to the slats has proven to be difficult within health and safety rules.

Sadly the movement in the church structure has continued and was monitored throughout the year. Several surveys have been conducted in preparation for the Big Build project

Big changes can now be seen toward the bottom (northern end) of the field. The Orchard Project has been led by the enthusiasm of Carolyn Nicholls. Fruit trees have produced edible fruit and a further five trees have been added. For safety reasons the idea of having a pond has been dropped.

Routine maintenance jobs and minor repairs have been carried out as they have arisen in the church and hall. Thanks to Dave Mowat and Peter Nicholls for tackling these tasks which have included repairing chair backs, solving the hall radiator and boiler issues, mending the front door lock and stopping water leaks from toilets and taps.

The hall and its entrance were repainted in the summer and October half term respectively. A motion sensor light has been added to the top of the steps leading down to the hall.

A Quinquennial inspection of the church and hall was made by Nye Saunders and noted many small points that will come under the work of the Big Build project. One point which was raised will be dealt with shortly – mould on the vestry ceiling.

As part of the discussions about the future church heating, an energy audit highlighted some areas where we can save energy. These are gradually being addressed.

Work was satisfactorily completed at Thorn Bank to overcome a woodworm attack on the bedroom wooden floor and joists.

Robin Holdsworth, Chair, Premises Vision Group

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Worship Vision Group

Worship remains central to all we do and are at All Saints, both during the festival seasons, and also in ‘Ordinary Time’. It’s the heart of our calling, and our core purpose as a church. To worship means to honour the Lord with the whole of our lives, including the times when we gather together for services.

An overview of worship is taken by the Worship Vision Group, which meets five to six times a year, and a key member of this group is our ‘Worship Warden’, Carolyn Nicholls. The group reviews all aspects of the worshipping life of All Saints, and seeks to understand and respond to the Lord’s vision for our church. It also takes an overview of worship in our schools, and at Dray Court; and for prayer and the spiritual growth of members of our congregations. Our Lent course, Living in Love and Faith course, Aspects of Later Life course, and Confirmation course came within the remit of this group, and also oversight of our library, which is currently housed at the Vicarage.

Looking back at 2023 as a whole, my sense is that the past year has been one of consolidation and growth. After the challenges of Covid it has been good to see the worship pattern that emerged over that time become embedded in the life of our church. Our current pattern of services at 8am, 10am, and 4pm is working well on Sundays, with new people joining us regularly. Our café-style Altogether Worship on the first Sunday of the month has proved popular; and the 4pm service, Tea Time Church, is now well established, with a regular and committed core of members, and a good team of leaders.

Our Preaching Team continues to enrich our services, and it has been good to welcome Paul Young into the group, as an Occasional Preacher. We now have eight members of the Group (me, David Barclay, Alison Moulden, Martyn Whiteman, Julie Shaw, Andy Wells, Paul Young and Revd Paul Fenner). Since September our preachers have also been serving at St. Francis’ Church in Westborough, on a regular basis. This has been greatly appreciated by members of that parish. Andy Wells has stepped up to lead many of our Altogether Worship services, as part of his training for ordination, and this has been an encouragement to many within our congregation.

Services of worship continue beyond the walls of our church, both at Dray Court, and within our schools (Queen Eleanor’s, Onslow Infants and the

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Montessori nursery). Baptisms have continued, and it was a joy to celebrate a service for the renewal of vows for Scott and Lucy Wallis, after thirty years of marriage.

And finally, the music at our Services is overseen by our Choir Director, Jeremy Barham (on the second, fourth and fifth Sundays of each month); and by Andy Wells and the band (on the first and third Sundays). In this way we’ve been able to offer a breadth of musical styles, encompassing both the old and the new.

The choir continues to benefit enormously from the Choral Scholar scheme. This year Michelle Wong has remained in her role, and we were joined by a new singer Toby Loeffen-Ames who is also a music student at the University. Both contributed wonderfully to the carol service, at which we were also joined by Heather and Roger Kerswell, Sara Truman and Katherine Hopwood. This year we were also joined on a regular basis by Clare Grout, a new soprano, and more recently by Kirsten Buniak who is a Masters student from the USA, and will be with us until the end of the academic year. I am grateful to all of them for their contributions, as I am to the All Saints community for continuing to support the Choral Scholar scheme.

The choir was at the centre not just of the carol service but also the Patronal Festival Choral Evensong, and the Choral Meditation on the Passion - one of the real highlights of the year. We also managed a stirring rendition of Handel's Zadok the Priest at a Sunday Communion service, to celebrate the King's coronation in May 2023. Jeremy and I give our sincere thanks to Richard, Peter, Simon, Toby, Fiona, Del, Lara, Sheila, Meg, Clare, Kirsten and Michelle for their commitment to the choir and all its activities.

Andy Wells’ update on the band is as follows: I have the pleasure of giving you an update on the All Saints’ band again this year. It’s also an opportunity to personally thank our band members for their amazing support all year round. I always thought every church had a band, but actually, we’re pretty unique in what we have here at All Saints.

Our band is now 14 strong: five singers and nine musicians - drums, percussion, cello, clarinet/recorder, violin, piano/keyboard, bass guitar and flute.

We regularly have 11 playing every two weeks in church, plus events.

We’ve welcomed four new members to the band this year; three new singers and our youngest member at two and a half on percussion and

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drums!

It is a real privilege for me to play in the band and learn my place in the sound we build for the congregation. It’s a marvellous way to worship through the songs we play and we delight in hearing the congregation singing to our sound.

Believe it or not we have a repertoire of over 120 songs and we intend to grow this in 2024, with new songs for the Altogether Worship service. We’ll also be bringing a new instrumental beat twist to hymns we all love in the Service of the Word services.

But we’re more than a band, I think. We are our own little pastoral team. Each member arrives voluntarily to play and we take care to look after each other - each person is really important. I love that.

We’d love to continue recruiting into the band. I think it’s a real opportunity for those just picking up an instrument or for those who play just for themselves - or sing for themselves even. Whether you just want to play or sing a chorus or the whole song, it doesn’t matter - just come and take part.

Our Flower Team has continued to provide beautiful displays for Sunday services, for funerals and for special occasions. Particularly special displays were also created for Easter, King Charles III Coronation weekend, Harvest and Christmas. The Flower Team is overseen by Julie Lodge and Lizzie McAlister, and they are supported by a dedicated team of flower arrangers. To summarise: It’s a rich pattern of worship, which is developing as time goes by; and which I am privileged to lead. My prayer is that we will continue to worship the Lord together in the Spirit and in truth (John 4:23) in the years ahead.

Revd Beverly Watson, Chair, Worship Vision Group

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Finance Review – Year Ended 31 December 2022

The Statement of Financial Activities shows the various funds being used at All Saints. The day-to-day income and expenditure is shown in the General Fund and there are then funds set aside for specific uses. The Big Build fund for the missional expansion of the church, a fund for the choir scholars, and then two funds for larger repairs and maintenance that would be needed for the church and the hall, over and above normal costs. These can be looked at as “savings” accounts.

The line “Balances Brought Forward 1st January 2023” shows the amounts in these funds at the beginning of the 2023 year and the line Balances Carried Forward 31st December 2023 shows the total in these funds at the end of 2023. The total at the beginning of the year was £67,404 and this has grown to £91,676 at the end of 2023. The main reason for this is the establishment of a new fund, “Big Build”. Nevertheless, 2023 has seen the church and hall major funds increase by £3,625 as well. The general fund also shows a healthy balance of £59,754 at the end of the year.

We are moving to a new online accountancy package in 2024 which will bring greater insight into the budgetary planning and finances of our growing church as we enter a new phase in the mission God has planned for us. This year’s accounts are set out in a new way to easily show the various funds we have. It is, therefore, not possible to make a direct comparison with last year’s accounts. The 2022 specific figures are not included in the accounts, but the narrative below refers to them and makes comparison and commentary.

Incoming Resources (Notes 2(a) to 2(e) to the accounts)

Planned Giving remains the church’s largest income stream, followed by the hall and church lettings and then rental income from Thorn Bank. It is, therefore, pleasing to see planned giving increase from £41,802 (2022) to £44,883.

In addition to giving, fund raising events, note 2(b), such as the fireworks evening and fete raised £12,207 in 2023, up from £8,239 in 2022. Thorn Bank rental income, note 2(c), also provided more additional funds, increasing from £15,604 to £17,880.

The significant income from hall and church lettings positively remained buoyant for 2023 at £38,040 (2022, £37,849).

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Overall, All Saints income streams totalled £136,283, a positive increase over 2022 (£133,973), which is an important position to be in as the church looks towards its next missional step in the Big Build. The generosity of the congregation is always hugely appreciated and the stewardship presentations to the congregation in February are aimed at assisting in expanding the mission of youth and pastoral care at All Saints.

Resources Expended

The largest expenses in 2023 were the Parish Share, followed by salaries and cleaning costs of the buildings. The Parish Share increased by £2,495 to £82,618. The parish share has two functions. It funds having a full time vicar and vicarage in the parish (many parishes only have a part time incumbent). The church’s contribution to the Diocese helps fund the missional work of the Diocese and also those churches not able to support themselves financially, so that they continue to serve their own parish. Our friendship church at St Francis (Westborough) is a good example of this, where their missional work in the community provides great support to a very different demographic to that at All Saints. It is unlikely this would continue without the help of the Diocese, using the Parish Shares from all the churches in the Diocese.

The increase in salaries by £3,030 (£11,445 in 2022) reflects increased hours within the Parish Administration Team which involves taking on additional duties. This includes spreading the roles and responsibilities of the parish finances, as All Saints expands its support into the community and offers wider support services.

Note there is an additional £5,628 to be added to Missional and Charitable Giving (3a) that has been accrued as a creditor in the balance sheet, as this appears to be much less than 2022 (£6,600).

The remaining increases reflect the impact of inflation. Positively, this has all been mostly absorbed by the income streams.

The transfer out to the subordinate funds of £6,000 (see Statement of Financial Activities, note 3f) was predetermined at the beginning of the year when the budget was set out and is equal to 2022.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet has strengthened by £28,684 in 2023. This is due to the new fund for the Big Build, which totals £22,441 and then the increase in

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amounts for the scholars and church and hall major maintenance funds. Removing the Big Build fund still shows a strengthening position of £5,014 for the church.

By the grace of God, this leaves the church in a positive financial position going into 2024, as the church looks to both build a fund for the Big Build and widen its missional support for the community in youth and pastoral services .

Andy Wells, PCC Treasurer

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INDEPENDENTEXAMINER5REPORTTOTHE TRUSIEESOFTHE PARI>CHiALCHURCH COUP4CILOF ALLSWNfsGUIiDFORO I reporton the accountsof thecharityfortheyearended 31st December2023. Re5POD5ibilitiES and basis of repwt As Ihethantytrusteesofthe charityyou are resp￿ble10fthe preparatknn of the xcounts In accordancewith the requirementsof the &￿TrpanIes￿LI 2l￿￿1.the 2￿6 ACVI. Having sat15fied myself that the acwuntsof the company are noi required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Att and areeliwble for indewidÈnt Èxamination. I report in respertof mv exarnination of your cham￿saCcl¥JTrts a5 carrie010￿ Under section 145 of theCharitie5 Act 2011 I'the 2011 Ati'l. In carryin8 my examination I have the Direc￿nsaNe￿ bythe Char Commission under 5ertioD 14515llbl of the 2011 Act. Independent etsmiWsstatert Since thech3ntVs 8ross incomÈwas belr*w£250.(IXII am corn￿t toundertakethe examination a5 a competent per50n. I have completed my eXafflIna￿n. I comffirm that nornatter5h￿(0rnet0 myatteniion i c¢llDettion with the examinat￿ grying ME￿v5etO belwethat in any material re5PECt'. accounting recordswere ￿)t kept in respectof the cL￿PanY a5 required bysettion 386ofthe 2￿ Art.. or z. the accountsdoThJtaccLYd withthoserecwds.. or 3. the xcount5 do noi compty with the ￿cOUntIng requirements of secthin 396 of the Art other than any requirement that the account5 gwe a 'trve and fair viev/ whith is not a MattÈrt0n￿d￿rÈd a5 partof an indepefidÈnt Èxafflination.. or 4. the account5 have not been prepared in accordance with the method5 and principlesof the Staternentof Recommended Practiceforaccounting and rewrting by charities 3ppllcab￿tOch3rltIes preparingtheiraccounts in accordance with the Financial Reportin8StandafdapplKable inthÈ UK and Republic of IrelaThd. There are no concerns that I have come acros5 in connecthin wrth the examination to whKh attentlQn 5houldbedrawnin thisreptytintydertoenableaproperurKlet5t¥ndingofthear¢ounts to ￿ reached. Mr Adrian Curtl5. M3naginE DirÈctor Connect Supply Limited 157 Parc Bryn Detwen Uanharan Pontyclun CF72 9TX. 37

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS GUILDFORD Registered Charity No 1149709 BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31st December 2023 FIXED ASSETS Thorn Bank Bungalow Investment in Church of England CBF investment Fund CURRENT ASSETS Deblors and p￿payMents Short Tem) Deposits Cash at Bank CURRENT LIABILITIES Creditors amounts falling due in one year Genaral Charitable Missions - amounts CKAtslanding NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL NET ASSETS PARISH FUNDS Church Main Unrestricted Income Fund Unrestricted Designated Fund- Church Major Maintenance Fund Unrestricted Designated Fund - Hall Major Maintenance Fund Total Unrestricted Funds Big Build Fund Choral Scholarfs Fund Total Restricted Funds TOTAL ALL FUNDS 38

Note 2023 2022 General 12,OCKI 7,395 19.395 Genoral 12,000 7,395 19.395 1{e} 1{Q 1{g) 1{h} 12.270 11,782 63,130 87,182 4,267 11.416 42,709 58,392 10-) 1{k) 14.901 9,420 5,375 14,795 14,901 72,281 43.597 91,676 62,992 59.754 4.810 3.442 68.006 58.365 2.971 1.656 62,992 1{a} 1{b} 1{c) 1{d) 22.441 23,670 91,676 62,992 39

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ALL SAINTS GUILDFORD R•glst•r•d Charlty No 1149709 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AcnviTrES for the year ended 31st Oecember 2023 INCOMING RESOURCES Voluntsry income Activities for generatiThJ fvnds Income from investmenis Church activities Other incomirrfJ rescurces TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES RESOURCES EXPENDED Missionary and Chariiable GiviNJ Church ActivibÈs Costs of Fundraising Activitses Costs of Buildings upkeep gnd irnprovem8nt Governance Costs 1{kl TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED TOTAL NET BALANCES BROUGHT FORWARD 1st January 2023 MOVE FUNDS 2023 31D Credltors Debtors BALANCES CARRIED FORWARO 31st Docemhr 2023

All Saints Chureh 2023 2023 Restricted Restri￿ed Designated Desi9naied Big Build Choral Scholars Church Major Hall Major General Total 65,580 12,207 18,823 38,(HO 1.633 28.283 2,025 95,888 12,207 18,823 38,040 1,633 136,283 28.283 2.025 166.591 1,200 117,442 2,691 6.179 57 1,200 118,162 2,691 17.578 57 720 9.024 1.661 714 127.569 9.024 720 1.661 714 139.688 8,714 19,259 1,305 11,6611 17141 26,903 62,673 104 2,971 1,656 67,404 16.OCKII 2.5(KJ 12,217 6,584 14,901 12,270 59,754 22,441 1,229 4,810 3,442 91,676 41

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006, together with applicable accounting standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice “SORP” 2015.

They have, therefore, been prepared under the historical cost convention under which the assets attributable to the PCC are valued at the lower of cost or net realisable value. The financial statements include all transactions, assets, and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law.

They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their main affiliation to another body nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Funds

Under the SORP 2015 the church may operate three categories of fund, unrestricted funds, restricted funds, and designated funds.

Unrestricted Fund

An unrestricted fund can be used for anything deemed appropriate by the church to further its general purposes. By contrast a restricted fund must be set up when money is received by the church under condition that it must be used for a particular purpose. The money must be used for the purpose specified and cannot be used for any other (otherwise it would be a breach of trust).

Designated Fund

A designated fund is not restricted in this way but is money which has been earmarked by the PCC for a particular purpose and therefore must be kept separate from the main fund of the church.

Funds at All Saints

The general, day to day activity of the church continues to be accounted for in the church’s main unrestricted fund and the Statement of Financial Activities for 2023 shown on the previous pages relates entirely to this fund; the balance on the fund at 31st December 2023 stood at £59,754.

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Four designated funds set out in the Balance Sheet are explained in notes 1 (a), (b), (c) and (d) below.

1(a) Church Maintenance Fund:

This fund was established in 2019 to assist funding for major church repair and maintenance work.

In 2023 the movement on the fund was as follows:

023 the movement on the fund was as follows:
Opening Balance at 1st January 2023 £2,971
Transfer from main fund over the course of the year £3,500
Total Expenditure £1,661
Closing Balance at 31st December 2023 £4,810

1(b) Hall Maintenance Fund:

This fund was set up in 2019 to assist with hall repair and maintenance work.

In 2023, the movement on the fund was as follows:

023, the movement on the fund was as follows:
Opening Balance at 1st January 2023 £1,656
Transfer from main fund over the course of the year £2,500
Total Expenditure £714
Closing Balance at 31st December 2023 £3,442

1(c) Big Build Fund:

This fund was set up in 2023 to assist with the fund raising (both by grant and events organised by All Saints) for the Big Build Project. This project was established to develop the buildings at All Saints to offer a wider use to the parish community.

In 2023, the movement on the fund was as follows:

023, the movement on the fund was as follows:
Opening Balance at 1st January 2023 £nil
Transfer from main fund over the course of the year £28,283
Total Expenditure £9,024
Total Creditors £2,504
Total Debtors £5,686
Closing Balance at 31st December 2023 £22,441

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1(d) Choral Scholars Fund (est. 2023)

This fund was established in 2023 to assist with the funding of choral scholars in the All Saints Choir.

In 2023, the movement on the fund was as follows:

023, the movement on the fund was as follows:
Opening Balance at 1st January 2023 £104
Transfer from main fund over the course of the year £2,025
Total Expenditure £720
Total Creditors £180
Closing Balance at 31st December 2023 £1,229

Assets and Liabilities

1(e) Tangible Fixed Assets: Consecrated and benefice property is the property of the diocese not the PCC and is excluded from the accounts by S10(2) (a) of the Charities Act 2011.

Moveable church furnishings held by the vicar and churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal are inalienable property, listed in the Church’s inventory, which can be inspected at any reasonable time. Such assets are not valued in the financial statements.

The freehold property in Thorn Bank stands in the Balance Sheet at a nominal valuation of £12,000. This valuation arose when the property was transferred from Onslow Village Limited in 1983 to the church (as tenant of the bungalow).

1(f) Investments: The CBF Investment Shares are included in the balance sheet at cost price. Our 786 units are valued at £17,767.77 at the midmarket price of £20.6053 pence per share on 31st December 2023. This is up from £16,240 at the beginning of the year.

Net Current Assets:

1(g) Debtors and Prepayments:

Debtors and Prepayments:
General Fund Gif Aid & GASDS income tax recoverable £6,265
Payments in advance £319
Big Build Gif Aid £5,686
Total £12,270

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1(h) Short Term Deposits: Monies surplus to current needs are lodged with the CBF Church of England Deposit Fund at short term rates of interest and with immediate withdrawals allowed.

1(i) Cash at Bank: The PCC banks with CAF Bank Ltd at their West Malling, Kent head office.

1(j) Creditors and Accruals:

Creditors and Accruals:
Utlity Accruals £405
Mission Giving £5,628
Magazine Printng Costs £4,000
Deferred Income £1,219
Other small creditors £965
Big Build creditors (architect fees) £2,504
Scholars Fund creditors £180
Total £14,901

1(k) and 3(a) General Charitable Missions: The Voluntary Giving from the congregation comes to approximately £64,000. The charitable donations made by the church for 2023 will be in total 10% of that figure rounded and will total £6,828. The accounts only show £1,200 (this is for Wycliffe Bible Translators). However, there is an additional £5,628 (£804 each for 7 charities) to be added to Missional and Charitable Giving that has been accrued as a creditor in the balance sheet (see table below).

Wyclife Bible Translators £1,200
Christan Aid £804
Friends Internatonal £804
Five Talents UK £804
A Rocha Internatonal £804
USPG £804
Mosaic Middle East £804
North Guildford Food Bank £804
Total £6,828

Other Accounting Policies

Giving

Planned giving, collections, donations and legacies are credited when received. Income tax refunds in respect of gift aid claims on the Planned Giv-

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ing are credited quarterly when the claim has been calculated.

The income tax recoverable under the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) is claimed and accounted for twice annually – at the end of the tax year and at the end of the financial year. The income tax recoverable, £6,265, at the year-end – see note 1(g) therefore includes the second of these GASDS elements along with the main quarterly gift aid claim for the December Quarter.

Property rents and amounts due in respect of the hire of the hall are credited to the period to which they relate. All other income is credited when received.

Resources expended

Missionary and charitable giving is accounted for when the amounts to be donated have been agreed by the PCC.

The diocesan parish share is paid by twelve monthly instalments and accounted for accordingly. All other expenditure is generally recognised when it is incurred.

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Z INCOMING RESOURCES Note 2 {a} Voluntary Ineom• ann8d GiviTrJ Grft D￿alK￿ Income Tax Recovered Legacy Colleclions (Indudi￿ GASDSI tA)nations IrM)n re¢urringl 2 Ibl Pthivitses for generating fvnd5 Autumn Fete BMfirelfirew(¥ks Other 8v8nts aTrJ sur*Jry I￿Y)Me Variws Grants 2 {¢} Investrnents Rent from T￿)rn Bank pro￿rty Inte￿t and Dividends from Inveslments 2 Idl Church Activites Hall and church letbngs aga0￿ Sales Mwn8 Adverbsi 2 {el Other incoming resources Fees- w￿￿￿1￿j$mUn￿als Totsl In¢oming Resources 48

All Saints Chur¢h 2023 Restrlcted Big Build Restrlcted Deslgnated Deslgnated Choral Scholars Church Major Hall Major General Total 44.883 6,156 28.283 1.925 75.091 6,156 12.302 2,239 12,302 2,239 65,580 28,283 1.925 95.788 2,636 3.655 4,916 1.000 12,207 2,636 3.655 4,916 1.000 12,207 17,880 943 18,823 17,880 943 18.823 36,881 493 666 38.040 36,881 493 666 38.040 1.633 1,633 1.633 1,633 136.283 28.283 1.925 166.491 49

  1. RESOURCES EXPENDED Note 3 (al Mlsslonary and Charltsbbe Gmng General Missions and Charitable Giving 3 Ibl ch￿￿h A¢tlvltle$ Parish Share Other Ministry Costs SalarieslFK)noraria Clergy Expenses Church Util￿e5 H811 Util￿eS Insuran￿ church Insurance hall Cleaning Prinb'ng & Slation8ry Other Costs 3 Icl Costs of Fundraising ktivi agazine Costs 01 Printing Costs of events 3 Idl Costs of Bulldlngs Upktep and Improvtmtnt Church Hall Big Build Church Mai(* Hall Major Thom Bank repairs maintenance aThJ Insurnnce Thom Bank management fee 3 lel Gov•mance Costs Total Resources Expended 50

2023 Restrlcted Restrlcte(I Deslgnated Deslgnated Big Build Choral Scholars Church Major Hall Alalor General Totsl 1.200 1,200 1.200 1,200 82.618 1,576 14.475 1.244 2,232 1.799 827 662 6,315 1,610 4,084 117.442 82.618 1.576 14.475 1.244 2,232 1.799 827 662 6,315 1,610 4,804 118,162 720 720 2,691 2.691 2,691 1,701 1,552 1,701 1.552 9.024 1,661 714 1,638 1.288 17,578 9,024 1.661 714 1,638 1,288 6,179 9,024 1.661 714 57 57 127.569 9.024 720 1.661 714 139,688 51

Approved by the PCC on 20th February and signed on their behalf by:

Revd Beverly Watson (Vicar)

Mr Andrew Wells (PCC Treasurer)

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