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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HILLSIDE
(ALL SAINTS, LOBLEY HILL and St CUTHBERTS, MARLEY HILL) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1153663
ANNUAL REPORT
INCLUDING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023
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The Parochial Church Council of Hillside (PCC) presents its annual report along with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31[st] December 2023. The financial statements have been prepared based on the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements.
AIM AND PURPOSES
Hillside PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, the Reverend Glen MacKnight, in promoting within the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral evangelistic, social and ecumenical.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our churches and to become part of our parish community at Hillside. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament.
PUBLIC BENEFIT
When planning activities for the year, the incumbent and the PCC have considered the Charity Commissions guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:
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Offering people, the opportunity to gather for worship, prayer and teaching at a range of services and meetings throughout the week;
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providing pastoral care in a variety of ways e.g. visiting the sick, supporting those with special needs, providing help and advice at times of birth, marriage, and bereavement;
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offering programmes of teaching to young people in conjunction with relevant events and activities;
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promoting and supporting partnerships with churches, organisations and people involved in the faith, love and hope of Christ in action at home and abroad;
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providing facilities for the use of voluntary organisations within the locality;
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active participation in local events and voluntary work within our community.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Dear Hillside
I’ve occasionally said that as a Church we are “punching above our weight”. What do I mean by this? The Cambridge Dictionary states that punching above your weight means we “...become involved in, or succeed in, an activity that needs more power, money, etc. than [we] seem to have.” In others words it’s called having a disproportionate impact. As I look over the report’s contributions and think on those things that are not recorded, I’m very grateful. It becomes clear that Hillside Church is demonstrating a heart for others and a love for God as we ‘Get Involved Together’.
Partnership in Missional Church (PMC) helped us to take a look at ourselves, our communities and our calling; to step out in faith to discover what God is up to and how we can be part of it. In essence to become a missional church, not just for a season but working with the Holy Spirit to keep us alert to opportunities to tell others about God’s saving grace, through Jesus his son.
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Serving Hot Chocolate on the “Streets”
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If you were to close your eyes and think back across the year at Hillside, what would be a highlight? You can name it here………………………..
How about if I asked you for an area of improvement, would it need a longer line for you fill in?
And if you think about award ceremonies such as the Oscars or The Booker Prize, who would stand out for you, whom could you make blush with embarrassment? The reality is it’s not about the individual but rather as a Church, we want to work and engage with others.
The Wednesday drop-in is a great example of working with other churches to realise a place of welcome for refugees. Then there is our outside cooperation with Linking Lives to host the telephone service that is Two’s Company. The Bereavement Group, giving a listening ear for as long as is needed, as well as helping another church to establish its own group.
The Joshua Tree Cafe is respected as a Warm Space with a clear sense of welcome and good food. This creates a synergy with the Toddler Group that leads to a raising of the profile of Hillside Church in the community. This is bourne out in being named by a local Councillor in their promotional material and awarding us £500 for further development.
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Then there is Messy Church and St Cuthbert’s Toddler group (see all the high chairs in a row). What comes of these contacts? A growing reputation of welcome and hospitality - in the name of Jesus. We do not hide our light. We give space to allow others to flourish such as hosting the Messianic Community for their conference and who can forget ‘Wor Nativity’ which saw All Saints filled on two successive nights with parents watching their kids, laugh and dance.
There is Sunday School where Lisa and Louise have worked diligently to support our youngsters.
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The Youth Group with a determination to invest in young lives. Caitlin has just completed her Growing Young Leaders course, through the diocese, where Matthew is one of leadership team.
When Caitlin was baptised along with Mehrsam and his parents, one of the things she said was that she had attended a Messy Church. Will you just hold that thought for a moment and what it means.
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What we are doing is working out our call to worship God and make God known through his Son. This all takes effort – up a ladder, down a ladder, changing batteries in a microphone, opening your home to Home Group, writing Risk Assessment, applying for grants, keeping accounts and good stewardship, cutting grass, weeding, filling a padding pool, playing an instrument and singing. This gives a complex picture of a small organisation housed in three buildings, where due diligence to their maintenance is given. Are you able to offer your time and skills and money (with inflation accounted for) to promote your church in its role.
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The letter to the Hebrews it says ‘...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith...’ Heb 12: 1-3
This might sound a little ‘like running up that hill’, all that thought of endurance can be off putting. How about if we invert the passage to read ‘Jesus is the originator of your faith, he brings it to perfection, the flag has dropped – now run with endurance.
In Jesus we run faith filled and with endurance but only so far as our communion with Christ allows. This is why talking with God is so important, and why we meet together for prayer that we might race, endure and lift up those who are tired.
The report is a testament to Hillside’s desire and commitment to making God known. We have shortfalls in a number of areas and no shortage of ideas but we want to run as God leads.
I’ve recently had barista training in the JTC overseen by Christine and Maureen. All was well until I forgot to sprinkle Kevin’s Cappuccino with chocolate powder. I hung my head in shame remembering, that you can’t please all the people all the time.
Letting God lead the church means fully surrendering control to him, seeking his will through scripture and prayer, and being obedient to his guidance, even when it differs from human expectations. This requires humility, patience and trust that God's leadership will result in the best outcomes for the church.
God Bless Glen
Good Friday Walk of Witness — Stations of the Cross, St Cuthbert’s Marley Hill to All Saints Lobley Hill
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Curate Report
My curacy here at Hillside has been a wonderful time of learning many different skills; preparing and leading worship services, preparing sermons, preparing and delivering our Holy Communion services, and most recently our Lent and Easter services.
I have gained a lot of experience and have made a few mistakes along the way, but these have been part of my formation. I have been very fortunate to have Glen as my training incumbent to guide and nurture me through my curacy, to reflect on my experiences, and to give me insight and encouragement on how, when things don't go quite right, not to be fearful about doing things differently. Glen gives me lots of encouragement too when things go well, reminding me that God has called me and will equip me, which helps raise my confidence in my ability of my calling. I am blessed to have the support of my home church during this period of growth surrounded by the love of my church family which is also a great source of encouragement.
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There have been many, many highlights throughout my curacy, not only here in Hillside but being of service within the deanery at other churches with baptisms, funerals, weddings and Holy Communion services.
Watergate Court is one positive and special highlight. Being able to continue to serve and nurture the growing worshipping community there with the monthly Holy Communion service. Sadly we lost Meda recently she was a lovely woman of God and one of our founding worshippers. I have the humbling privilege of visiting her husband Bill in his new home to read the bible to him and sharing Holy Communion.
Curacy life has been wonderfully busy, but it has been spiritually fulfilling, great, and a blessing in many ways.
Blessings Reverend Amanda Boyd
Churchwarden report
Firstly, this year, Gill would like to express thanks to God for prompting Abi to serve Hillside as a Churchwarden and Abi for answering that call. It is such a blessing to have a second Churchwarden. Hillside has the capacity for four Churchwardens so if you feel the call don’t keep it to yourself! Please discuss it with Glen, Abi or Gill.
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A big THANK YOU goes to everyone who has offered to serve our Hillside and wider community in numerous different ways over the last year. You are making a difference in reflecting God’s love and sharing His message. There are too many of you to mention here but please consider yourself thanked whatever your role has been, either with the buildings, within the buildings, the grounds, admin or people.
Believe it or not we have continued to dispose of unwanted or broken items, rehoming them where possible. There is more to do, so if you feel strongly about saving items from landfill your help would be greatly appreciated.
For our buildings the required electrical, gas and fire extinguisher checks have been carried out. All Saints Church building had a thorough Fire Safety Audit in May 2023 and was broadly compliant. Further recommendations were given and have been actioned where the PCC felt necessary. The Hillside Health and Safety policy has been reviewed to ensure that, as far as is reasonably practical, our activities are carried out safely. Risk Assessments are necessary for the use of all Church Buildings and all Church Activities to minimise the risk of undesirable or harmful incidents occurring. Activity leaders produce these, they are shared with participants leading the activity, the Churchwardens, reviewed at least annually and then stored by Hillside Office.
In support of the Church of England’s move to become carbon Net Zero by 2030 changes are being made in our buildings and environmental impact is considered when items are replaced.
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At All Saints the Phase One high level repairs were completed by STS at the end of July 2023, as determined by the level of funding that we could attract and Church family’s generous giving.
The Trusts that supported us were the National Churches Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Joicey Trust, Sir John Priestman Charitable Trust, Northumbria Historic Churches Trust and the Durham Diocese Buildings Panel. It is reassuring to know that we have kept water ingress at bay around part of the Church building. We are now looking at meeting the rest of the Quinquennial Report’s recommendations for mid-level
repairs and commencing the process again for Phase Two.
To name but a few of improvements at All Saints, the band room is being transformed into a comfortable and accessible meeting room, a new hot water boiler has been purchased for the kitchen and trees have been pruned that had reached the extension roof and windows.
Hillside Community Hub has continued to be well used by the Community, although the start of 2024 has seen a drop off in the number of regular bookings. It is certainly still well used on a Friday by the Joshua Tree Cafe and Toddler group and it is still popular for party bookings at the weekend. In April 2023 changes were made to the kitchen to make it more suitable for use by JTC and an additional dishwasher was installed. Some maintenance to the roof has come to light with a water leak and this is being worked on. The work on the rotting rear decking commenced and it is the intention of the PCC to accelerate this removal in 2024.
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St Cuthbert’s Church once again suffered minor roof damage in the spring storms, this is being dealt with and the insurers are meeting the cost after the excess. The old heating boilers have been replaced by Plumbwise with two reliable boilers and the effect can be positively felt particularly in the kitchen area. Praise God some more as we have
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been able to meet the total cost through funding from the Northumbria Historic Churches Trust, Durham Diocese Buildings Panel and the Sir John Priestman Charitable Trust.
We now have a plan of the Garden of Remembrance Memorial Plaques on record. Several bushes, which were against the Diocese rules, were removed from the Garden and gardening equipment has been purchased. Although we are not fully compliant with the Diocese rules this area is starting to become easier to maintain and is looking tidier.
With everything required these days there is a raft of background administration that it is our duty of care to implement and that maintains a healthy, fruitful and fully functioning church. Thank you to Gloria who is forever busy with this and to all of you for graciously accepting whatever is asked of you when you are taking on a volunteering role.
Abi Sanders and Gill Corner Churchwardens
Deanery Report Gateshead West Deanery
Our deanery has 10 parishes and stretches as far as Chopwell. One of its roles is to support parishes in vacancy. We now have Dunston, Whickham and Swalwell without vicars/rectors. This will mean our clergy helping at times in the coming months. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide the new appointments. This could be a great chance for new co-operation between our four parishes.
Nicola from Dunston is training in work with children – part of a new scheme in the CofE. She is already involved with our Messy Church. Please pray for her as she develops her skills and experience.
Children and youth work is to be the focus of a deanery away day in June. This event is also a chance for deanery reps to get to know each other better.
The deanery gave £100 for Bishop Paul’s retirement gift, in recognition for all he did, including his 2015 prayer walk in our deanery. This had a transformational effect on deanery relationships.
After three years with no contributions the deanery needed to replenish its funds – we paid the requested £80.
Catharine Howe (Deanery Synod rep )
Drop in for overseas friends
We have been pleased to welcome a great many people from the Embassy Hotel to the Hub in the last year. Our facilities have given them space to relax, socialise, get help and support - very valuable when you are new, living and eating in one room, not sure what will happen next or what you should do. It has been a privilege to partner with City Church (who lead the refugee welcome project) and Hope Community Church. Since Christmas the situation has changed completely at the hotel, with fewer people living there and only for a short time. So the last drop-in was held at half term. The refugee welcome project continues in a lower key way, with an advice session once a week in Teams. Please pray for wisdom about if/how the project should support people now living in houses and flats.
Catharine Howe
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Messy Church
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Messy Church continues to run each month but numbers have dropped from an average of 16 children / 20 adults to 10 – 12 children and 10 adults, not including helpers. In addition to our regular type of activity ( Messy crafts) Dawn has developed working with clay further and we try to have a prayer focus each time….again run by Dawn. Katrina’s “foody” craft continues to be very popular……children love to eat! Bible account time led by Glen has taken on a more dramatic role with the children eager to take part.
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For the regular group who come along each month I think Messy is still an important part of worship at St Cuthbert’s but would love to hear from anyone who has ideas of how to increase the size of the group, advertising other than Fb posting and mail chimp reminder or even a change of time. Growth does not happen without change and we are open to all suggestions. Messy church takes time and regular commitment and I’m thankful to all those who help make Messy Church an exciting place to meet and minister to our young children.
Lina Beck
Toddler Group at Hillside St Cuthberts Marley Hill
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The Toddler Group at St Cuthbert’s continues to be well attended. We have a group of regular parents / carer who attend with between 8-10 children plus babies. Given the space available this is a good number. It is encouraging to
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note that as our rising 3 year olds begin to take up nursery places most avoid accepting Wednesday morning so they can still attend our small friendly group.
Some of our Toddler families have explored the possibility Messy Church sessions and two of our regular Messy family made their via Toddlers to Messy and are now 6 and 8 years old.
Toddler group is like an extended family and each visitor is welcomed and included by the adults…..Dawn and I simply facilitate and build relationships with the adults. Prayer requests have been made and great encouragement felt when feedback tells of the success of these prayers. When we introduced the prayer box Say One for Me some of the children ‘scribbled’ their prayers and we were able to chat with them introducing them to the idea of saying thank you at the limited level of a 2 year old. Never to young to develop the prayer habit.
Snack time is still the highlight of the session and the children now help putting plates and cups out pushed to the kitchen in the shopping trolley. Setting the table is still a struggle but their eagerness to be involved is heart-warming. We all enjoy birthdays with cars, cake and candles which one of the mum’s organises. We have introduced safety cups with lids for tea and coffee so adults can drink in the main area rather than taking turns as others watch over their children. Lina Beck
Toddler Group at Hillside All Saints Lobley Hill
Hillside All Saint's toddler group, runs alongside our Joshua Tree Café in the Hub, is singing and tumbling its way into our 8th year of fun packed Fridays. The Toddler group session is on a Friday morning from 10am to 11.30am and toys are left out in the afternoon as an extension to the Joshua Tree Cafe. There are over 20 children, who attend on a morning with a variety of family members, who also enjoy refreshments from the Café. We offer a good variety of toys, soft play, crafts and both children and adults enjoy joining in with Ellen’s song time and Allen, who is one of the children's grandparents, plays the guitar for an extra treat. Sessions remain at £1.50 per session, drinks and snacks are included which the children look forward to, plus treats on special occasions. We are open every Friday during term time and we are excited to see through another fun packed year. Lisa and Susan
Sunday School
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Sunday school has continued to meet over the last year during the service each week, with the exception of All Age Sunday, when the children participate in the morning worship along with the adult members of the congregation. In Louise’s absence Lisa has led the sessions, supported by Angela and Eileen, however we were glad to welcome her back into the team towards the end of last year.
We continue to use the Scripture Union materials as the basis of our Bible study, using a selection of activities from the Splash and X-stream books as our young people grow in their understanding, and
in their reading abilities. We are still a small group, but it has been good to have some older young people regularly attending Sunday services at Hillside, which is an encouragement for the faith of our children. We value your prayers for wisdom as we teach and guide these young minds, and for the deepening of the children’s faith and their relationship with Our Lord. Louise & Lisa
Hillside Youth
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The Hillside Youth Group is still running, however over the last year there has been several changes to the format. The Hillside Youth Leaders got together to discuss the format of the youth, including what was working, and what was not. As a result, the decision was made to stop the Youth Group meeting every Friday night in the Hub and move to meeting the first Sunday of every month. We also moved location to the Marley Hill Community Centre so we would be running at the same time as Messy Church and just across the road. This was done with the hopes offering an alternative to Messy Church for older individuals. This was run from March 2023 to December
- The leaders then got back together to review how this went, and the decision was made to move back to the Hillside Hub, still running once a month. So, we are still going with the usual games, snacks, and learning. There are also changes being made to how we are advertising the Youth Group along with other ministries within the Church, which is slowly moving forward in the background. Matty Brotherston
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The Joshua Tree Café continues to serve our community and beyond alongside the toddler group every Friday. Over the last year we have got steadily busier and we’re grateful for our small team of dedicated volunteers and without them we would be unable to function. We have our regular customers who are attracted by the welcome, the hospitality and the friendly atmosphere and we also see new faces on a regular basis. We continue to believe that what we do each Friday is an important part of ‘being church’. It is rewarding but tiring so over the last year we have introduced more time off, broadly in line with school holidays to give ourselves a bit more rest!
Joe Osman
For those who may not know much about this outreach, the Two’s Company Befriending Project is run by a National Charity ‘Linking Lives’ whom Hillside Church were partnered with three years ago. It can take the form of telephone befriending or Face to Face visiting aiming at tackling loneliness for older, isolated or lonely people. Just a weekly phone call or visit can make such a difference to someone who has little contact with the outside world. To know that someone is spending time listening to them and taking an interest can make them feel uplifted and valued.
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We currently have seven people receiving phone calls from our six volunteers, four belonging to Hillside (Me, Pat, Susan and Debbie) and two recruited outside (Christine and Alex). There have been two more folk referred recently who gave me the impression they didn’t need regular calls as their circumstances had changed, which I felt was fair enough. However I had a couple of good conversations with them! I also have one referral on hold and have received another one this week. Our ‘Link Friends’ are from all over Gateshead, most having been referred through GP Linkworkers. One lovely lady who receives calls has just moved from Bensham into Watergate Court last month and I have since sent some befriending leaflets there, to reach out further into our own community. I am pleased to say that three of our befrienders are now taking steps to do face to face visiting and we are currently upgrading their training. For anyone who may be interested in becoming a volunteer, it is a worthwhile activity to do and is quite flexible with a trial period, and only request a minimum of six months contact. If you would like to know more about this ministry, please ask me, Pat, Debbie or Susan.
Linda Cranney Two’s Company Co-ordinator
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There have been 25 people popping in and out of the group in the past year, some people have attended one or two sessions, others have continued for all six sessions before leaving and 4 or 5 have continued to attend weekly. The group has evolved during this time into a social group, covering lots of topics of interest following their bereavement.
We have had visitors from St Mary's & St Cuthbert’s Church, Chester le Street, Paul and Louise Vincent who came on the 26th of January this year to observe at 4 of our sessions as they are planning to set up a Bereavement Group in the Parish Centre, in Chester le Street.
See below encouraging feedback from Paul and Louise Vincent:
Dear Jacqui,
Thank you so much for having Paul and I at the bereavement group yesterday. I hope it wasn't intrusive in any way. You did a great job leading. We very much appreciated being part of it and learnt a lot to help us in the process of setting up a group at our church. Thank you for agreeing to Paul coming again
next week. It was good to see how much the members of your group are getting out of attending. Your loving care is making a significant difference to their wellbeing healing and wholeness. You're doing a great job Jacqui. Thanks again, Louise & Paul
Originally we held the group in the Lady Chapel at All Saints, but we now meet in a room next to the vestry, which is warm and private, feedback from people attending group is positive. Newly painted with blinds and a carpet have made the space more inviting, thanks to those involved for making this happen.
I continue to advertise the group on social media. Leaflet drop at Doctor Surgeries, libraries, and shops. Word of mouth to anyone who has lost a loved one.
As far as I am aware this is the only Bereavement Support in our area. The Group which was meeting at St Nicholas Church Dunston which ran for 13 years has now closed.
Jacqui Thompson Bereavement Group Facilitator
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Pastoral Report
This is an informal arrangement and is supported by :-
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Lina
Pat
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Gill
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Janice
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Sue
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Linda
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Janice
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Maureen
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Debbie
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Ellen
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Damian
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Gill
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Jacqui
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Context
The original purpose of the group was to ensure the pastoral oversight of the congregation, during a period of change with home groups. We continue to meet as a group approximately three times a year. The pastoral group will remain in place as we commence home groups.
The Past Year
During the past year the pastoral group and other members of the congregation have continued to responded to a number of needs, providing comfort, spiritual and practical support. Just to reiterate last years report this is not a perfect system and to the best of our ability the team work to ensure that people are cared for at times of vulnerability. This often comes at cost to the team as people have busy lives and their own commitments and once again I would like to thank all involved.
Writing this I am reminded that when Jesus cared for people he worked practically and in an unassuming manner. Always with compassion and respect for the person. The value base of the group is to do likewise. That as the church grows we care for people with respect, compassion, sensitivity and confidentiality working within the appropriate policies. But ultimately in love - Love keeps no record of wrong, it is not self-seeking, it prefers one another…
In 1 Samuel 26 verse 12 David finds King Saul sleeping but does not expose or touch him at a point of vulnerability. He exercises Godly wisdom … may we ask God for such wisdom as we work alongside people.
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Safeguarding
There continues to be a close link between the group and Alan Corner (Safeguarding Lead). In accordance with Durham Diocese Safeguarding Policy all members of the team are trained to level C0. Gill Corner and Janice MacKnight are trained to C2 level. All members of the team have a current DBS.
Prayer Phone
This is for urgent prayer needs and is held by Maureen Shreeve who forwards prayer requests to a team of people who are committed to praying. This is well-used and Maureen is excellent at sharing requests with the team and reminding us to thank God for answered prayer. If you would like the number please speak with Maureen. Also when making a prayer request please make sure you have permission to do so.
Prayer Ministry
Rev Dawn Hudson along with Sue Osman have reinstated the prayer ministry on a Sunday morning. Two team members are available for prayer on a Sunday morning. They wear a blue lanyard so that they are easily identifiable. Dawn has ensured the team are trained and continues to address any issues raised. The team are Dawn, Su, Dorothy McKenzie, Ellen Miller, Janice MacKnight and Damian Parry.
Finally, I am reminded of the privilege of caring for the body of Christ. We are human and work with imperfect processes, therefore if you have any suggestions for improvement please do not hesitate to contact me or a member of the team.
Janice MacKnight and the Team
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All those regular members of our congregations are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish, including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent.
Hillside comprises two places of worship, All Saints, Lobley Hill and St Cuthbert’s, Marley Hill.
Both are part of the Diocese of Durham within the Church of England. The correspondence address is Church Office, All Saints, Rowanwood Gardens, Lobley Hill, Gateshead, NE11 0DP.
The PCC is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2006).
PCC members who have served from 1st January 2023 until the date this report was approved are:
Ex Officio Members: Incumbent: The Reverend Glen MacKnight (Chairman) Curate: The Reverend Dawn Hudson Curate: The Reverend Amanda Boyd Warden: Gill Corner Abi Sanders (Churchwarden from Nov 2023) Deanery Synod: Catharine Howe Licensed Reader Lina Beck Elected Members: PCC Secretary: Gloria Anderson Matthew Brotherston Sarah Morden Abi Sanders (Elected member Jan to Oct 2023) Anna Mace
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Janice MacKnight Rita Muse Ellen Miller Dorothy McKenzie Christine Cowans (term ended 22 April 2023) Co-opted Members: PCC Treasurer: Robert Brotherston
The PCC met 9 times in 2023. Minutes are taken at all PCC meetings and approved copies are displayed on Church notice boards and made available on individual request.
Revision of Hillside Church Electoral Roll
At the time of submitting this report there are 70 members on the Hillside Church Electoral roll includes 30 members who reside outside the parish boundary.
Risk Review
The PCC continually reviews the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, and systems have been established to mitigate those risks. The risks facing the charity include the state of repair of the
Churches and the financial requirements to meet its stated activities, including payment of its annual Parish Share.
The work of the Church is governed by safeguarding policies of the Church of England and in particular with due regard to the House of Bishops’ Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance.
There have been no serious incidents or other matters relating to this charity’s financial year that we should have brought to the attention of the Charity Commissioners.
Hillside Safeguarding Report
I am happy to report that there have been very few safeguarding issues to deal with, and those that have arisen have been dealt with and resolved.
The Diocese has introduced another administration tool to help us keep everything up to date and in good order; this one is called the Safeguarding Hub. The setting up of this tool involved a lot of administration work by me and Gloria, but it now means that we have access to all records and information in one place. The tool sends us automatic renewal reminders when things like DBS checks, Safeguarding Training, Risk Assessments etc need renewing. All volunteer details, role descriptions and person specifications have been entered, along with DBS and training dates, but with 49 people having volunteer roles, and 27 different volunteer roles to manage, the tool is extremely helpful. These numbers highlight what a busy church we are, and how blessed we are to have such a high proportion of the congregation willing and able to be actively involved in our work, and we should all be truly thankful for that.
In November we held our first ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ service, which I hope served as a reminder to the congregation that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility; we all have a role to play in looking after each other. As well as the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, the Diocese has now put in place a Diocesan Safeguarding Support Officer, who is a great help. Her role is to support the admin side of things, as opposed to advising on actual safeguarding issues. Amongst other things, she has organised quarterly meetings for PSOs across the diocese, which gives us a chance to ‘compare notes’ and problems.
Alan Corner Parish Safeguarding Officer
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FINANCIAL REVIEW
Activity on the General Fund has remained stable and consistent year on year and has performed within the overall PCC objective of at least break-even. The fund still benefits from enhanced gas contracts that have another 2 years to run.
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Unrestricted
RETURN OF PARISH FINANCE Funds Last Year
Ta x Effi ci ent Pl a nned Giving 32,440 32,724
Other Pl a nned Giving 9,534 9,408
Coll ecti ons a t Servi ces 3,109 1,974
All Other Giving & Voluntary Recei pts 5,777 2,423
Gift Ai d 10,748 10,577
Gra nts 0 2,921
Fundraising 202 154
Sta tutory Fees Reta ined 1,165 904
Gross Income from Trading 9,335 9,591
Total Incoming Resources 72,310 70,675
Mi ss i on Giving & Donati ons 771 720
Di ocesa n Pa ri s h Sha re Contri buti on 30,000 30,000
Administration and Office Expenses 14,353 13,832
Cl ergy & Sta ff Expenses 887 603
Mi ss i on & Eva ngeli s m Expenses 318 132
Servi ce Expenses 1,442 1,071
Ma intena nce 1,175 4,254
Cleaning Expenses 547 1,470
Insura nce 5,114 4,465
Depreci a ti on 0 155
Tel ephony 628 1,142
Utility Cos ts 7,261 6,038
Genera l Expenses 2,480 871
Cos ts of Trading 1,754 614
Governence Cos ts 154 132
Resources Used 66,884 65,500
Net Income / (Expenditure) 5,426 5,175
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Special mention must be given to Gill and Ellen who throughout the year have diligently counted, analysed and banked over £20k of cash.
This stability gave the PCC confidence to commit reserves to help tackle some of the long overdue building repairs as highlighted by successive quinquennial reports.
Accordingly, Phase 1 of the High Level Maintenance at All Saints commenced on Monday 3[rd] July and was completed by Friday 28[th] July. Overall cost was £51k and was funded by way of £35k in grants, £10k transfer from reserves and £5k special donations from the congregation.
Huge thanks to Gill and Alan Corner for their sterling work in securing these grants.
Rob Brotherston
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RESERVES POLICY
The PCC recognises the need to hold reserves to ensure funding is available to provide continuing mission but also to ensure that the PCC can meet its legal commitments should the Charity be unable to continue due to a lack of sustainable income stream.
The PCC reviewed and reassessed the level of reserves during the year such that the level of reserves at December 2023 is deemed adequate to support current activities and cover known risks.
Signed on behalf of the PCC
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Rev Glen MacKnight 19 April 2024
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THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF HILLSIDE
(ALL SAINTS, LOBLEY HILL and St CUTHBERTS, MARLEY HILL)
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1153663
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2023
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Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Hillside Church Gateshead
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Hillside Church Gateshead (the Trust) for the year ended 31/12/2023.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination.
I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act;
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the accounts do not accord with those records or
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the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view" which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed:
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Name: Denise Bratton (CIMA ID-3372C9)
Address: 4 Ryall Crescent Medburn Park Medburn Northumberland NE20 0BX
Date: 07/04/2024
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Hillside Church - 1153663
Statement of Financial Activities
For the period from 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2023
| Unrestricted | D esignated | R estricted | Endo wment | T o tal | P rio r year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | funds | funds | funds | to tal funds | |
| Income and endowments from: | ||||||
| Donations and legacies | 61,810 | 1,902 | 35,385 | 1,387 | 100,485 | 70,915 |
| Income from charitable activities | 1,165 | — | — | — | 1,165 | 904 |
| Other trading activities | 9,335 | — | 12,589 | — | 21,924 | 20,266 |
| T o tal inco me | 72,310 | 1,902 | 47,975 | 1,387 | 123,574 | 92,086 |
| Expenditure on: | ||||||
| Expenditure on charitable activities | 66,112 | 1,373 | 12,842 | — | 80,328 | 77,133 |
| Other expenditure | 770 | — | 52,392 | — | 53,162 | 3,120 |
| T o tal expenditure | 66,883 | 1,373 | 65,234 | — | 133,491 | 80,253 |
| Gains / losses on investment assets | — | — | — | — | — | 29,834 |
| N et inco me / (expenditure) reso urces befo re transfer | 5,426 | 529 | (17,259) | 1,387 | (9,916) | 41,667 |
| Transfers | ||||||
| Gross transfers between funds - in | — | — | 10,173 | — | 10,173 | 892 |
| Gross transfers between funds - out | (10,173) | — | — | — | (10,173) | (892) |
| Other recognised gains / losses | ||||||
| N et mo vement in funds | (4,746) | 529 | (7,085) | 1,387 | (9,916) | 41,667 |
| Reconciliation of funds | ||||||
| T o tal funds bro ught fo rward | 20,149 | 9,239 | 18,164 | 30,227 | 77,779 | 36,112 |
| T o tal funds carried fo rward | 15,402 | 9,768 | 11,078 | 31,614 | 67,863 | 77,779 |
| Represented by | ||||||
| Unrestricted | ||||||
| General fund | 15,402 | — | — | — | 15,402 | 20,149 |
| Designated | ||||||
| All Saints Toddler Group | — | 1,329 | — | — | 1,329 | 830 |
| Renes' Fund | — | 4,748 | — | — | 4,748 | 5,451 |
| ST Cuthberts Toddler Group | — | 2,176 | — | — | 2,176 | 1,443 |
| St Cuthberts M aintenance Fund | — | 1,513 | — | — | 1,513 | 1,513 |
| Restricted | ||||||
| All Saints Gas Boiler Replacement | — | — | 3,898 | — | 3,898 | 5,552 |
| Buildings M aintenance Fund | — | — | — | — | — | 4,108 |
| Chapel Carpet | — | — | 100 | — | 100 | — |
| Cinnamon Network M icro-Grant | — | — | — | — | — | 2,000 |
| Joshua Tree | — | — | 7,056 | — | 7,056 | 6,349 |
| Rita's Fund | — | — | 24 | — | 24 | 100 |
| Warm Spaces | — | — | — | — | — | 53 |
| Endowment | ||||||
| Trust Fund - Sarah Jane Vickery Dale | — | — | — | 31,614 | 31,614 | 30,227 |
There may be minor discrepancies in the totals if the pence are not being shown
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Hillside Church - 1153663
Balance sheet (Separate funds) As at: 31 December 2023
| General | Designated | **Restricted ** | Endowment | A t 31/ 12/ 2023 | A t 31/ 12/ 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fund | Funds | £ | £ | |||
| F ixed assets | ||||||
| Tangible assets | 0 | 861 | 3,171 | — | 4,033 | 6,071 |
| F ixed assets | 0 | 861 | 3,171 | — | 4,033 | 6,071 |
| C urrent assets | ||||||
| Debtors | 11,553 | — | — | — | 11,553 | 11,019 |
| Investments | — | — | — | 31,614 | 31,614 | 30,227 |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 6,184 | 8,906 | 7,922 | — | 23,013 | 33,421 |
| C urrent assets | 17,738 | 8,906 | 7,922 | 31,614 | 66,181 | 74,667 |
| Liabilities | ||||||
| Creditors: Amounts falling due in one year | 2,336 | — | 15 | — | 2,351 | 2,959 |
| N et current assets less current liabilities | 15,402 | 8,906 | 7,907 | 31,614 | 63,829 | 71,708 |
| T o tal assets less current liabilities | 15,402 | 9,768 | 11,078 | 31,614 | 67,863 | 77,779 |
| T o tal net assets less liabilities | 15,402 | 9,768 | 11,078 | 31,614 | 67,863 | 77,779 |
| R epresented by | ||||||
| Unrestricted | ||||||
| Unrestricted - General fund | 15,402 | — | — | — | 15,402 | 20,149 |
| D esignated | ||||||
| Designated - All Saints Toddler Group | — | 1,329 | — | — | 1,329 | 830 |
| Designated - Renes' Fund | — | 4,748 | — | — | 4,748 | 5,451 |
| Designated - St Cuthberts M aintenance Fund | — | 1,513 | — | — | 1,513 | 1,513 |
| Designated - ST Cuthberts Toddler Group | — | 2,176 | — | — | 2,176 | 1,443 |
| R estricted | ||||||
| Restricted - Rita's Fund | — | — | 24 | — | 24 | 100 |
| Restricted - Warm Spaces | — | — | — | — | — | 53 |
| Restricted - Buildings M aintenance Fund | — | — | — | — | — | 4,108 |
| Restricted - All Saints Gas Boiler Replacement | — | — | 3,898 | — | 3,898 | 5,552 |
| Restricted - Joshua Tree | — | — | 7,056 | — | 7,056 | 6,349 |
| Restricted - Chapel Carpet | — | — | 100 | — | 100 | — |
| Restricted - Cinnamon Network M icro-Grant | — | — | — | — | — | 2,000 |
| Endo wment | ||||||
| Endowment - Trust Fund - Sarah Jane Vickery Dale | — | — | — | 31,614 | 31,614 | 30,227 |
| F unds o f the church | 15,402 | 9,768 | 11,078 | 31,614 | 67,863 | 77,779 |
There may be minor discrepancies in the totals if the pence are not being shown
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Notes to the Financial Statements
Note 1 – Basis of preparation
Basis of Accounting
Trustees’ duties are set out in the Charities Act 2011 and Charity Trustee Act 1993. These Acts impose a duty on the trustees to direct the affairs of the charity, ensure that it is solvent, ensure that proper accurate accounting records are kept, and that statements of account which adhere to the charity law and accounting regulations are prepared in respect of each financial year. These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 together with the applicable SORP (FRS102). Under the provisions of FRS102, the PCC is not classified as a larger charity and therefore is not required to produce a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.
Funds:
Unrestricted funds represent those funds of the PCC that are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use and are available for application on the general purposes of the PCC.
Designated funds are those which have been nominally allocated for a particular purpose by the PCC but which can be applied to other general purposes if required and are therefore also classified as unrestricted.
Restricted funds are funds given to the PCC to be spent for a specific purpose.
Endowment Funds relate entirely to a charitable trust whose objective is the provision of clergy residential accommodation.
INCOME
Voluntary Income and collections are recognised when received by or on behalf of the PCC.
Gift Aid receivable is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the donor. Tax recoverable is recognised in the same year in which the donations are made. Any recoverable tax not received is shown as a debtor in the balance sheet.
Any Gift Aid amount recovered on a donation is considered to be part of that gift and is treated as an addition to the same fund as the initial donation unless the donor or the terms of the appeal have specified otherwise.
Funds raised by church events are accounted for when received and are shown gross.
Rental income from the letting of PCC premises is recognised when the rental is due.
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EXPENDITURE AND LIABILITIES
Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the PCC to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
The diocesan parish share is accounted for when due. Any parish share that is unpaid at 31 December would be provided for in these financial statements as an operational (though not a legal) liability and would be shown as a creditor in the balance sheet.
FIXED ASSETS
Consecrated and benefice property of any kind is excluded from the financial statements in accordance with s.10 (2) (a) of the Charities Act 2011.
Tangible fixed assets are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost at least £500.
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and depreciation is charged on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful economic life of each asset.
CURRENT ASSETS
Amounts owing to the PCC at 31 December 2023 in respect of fees, rents or other income are shown as debtors less provisions for amounts that are considered uncollectable.
Stocks held for sale as part of non-charitable trade are measured at the lower of cost or net realisable value.
CURRENT LIABILITIES
All known liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law up to 31 December 2023 are included in these financial statements.
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Note 2 - Analysis of Income
| Donations Parish Giving Scheme Planned Giving Covenant Envelopes Uncovenanted Envelopes Open Plate Gift Aid Grant Income Misc Income Total Income from Charitable Activities PCC Fees Total Other Trading Activities Toddler Groups Traidcraft Hire of Premises Joshua Tree Community Café Interest Received Total INCOME TOTAL |
Total Unrestricted Restricted Endowment This year Last year 11,816 - 11,816 11,903 26,981 - 26,981 27,711 2,024 - 2,024 1,526 1,105 - 1,105 992 3,157 - 3,157 1,974 10,748 - 10,748 11,290 - 34,000 34,000 7,036 5,980 1,386 7,365 6,357 |
|---|---|
| 61,810 35,386 - 97,196 68,788 1,165 - 1,165 904 |
|
| 1,165 - - 1,165 904 1,903 - 1,903 1,735 - - - - 9,335 - 9,335 9,555 - 12,590 12,590 10,712 1,387 1,387 392 |
|
| 11,238 12,590 1,387 25,214 22,394 |
|
| 74,213 47,975 1,387 123,575 92,086 |
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Note 3 – Analysis of Expenditure
| Expenditure on Charitable Activities Diocesan Parish Share Contribution Salaries, wages and honoraria Clergy and staff expenses Church Event Costs (inc Toddler Groups) Cleaners Wages & Cleaning Expenses Joshua Tree Community Café Maintenance Telephony Administration Depreciation Insurance Church Service Costs Gas Electricity Water Governence Miscellaneous Total Other Expenditure Charitable Donations Total Total Expenditure |
Total Unrestricted Restricted Endowment This year Last year 30,000 - 30,000 30,000 12,892 - 12,892 12,413 887 - 887 925 989 1,004 1,993 1,032 2,118 - 2,118 1,470 - 6,683 6,683 4,504 2,478 53,099 55,577 8,928 628 - 628 1,142 1,458 - 1,458 1,700 383 1,655 2,038 2,435 5,114 - 5,114 4,465 1,702 110 1,812 1,071 2,791 - 2,791 3,127 3,959 - 3,959 2,592 511 - 511 319 154 - 154 132 1,423 2,683 4,106 3,280 |
|---|---|
| 67,486 65,234 - 132,721 79,534 771 - 771 720 |
|
| 771 - - 771 720 |
|
| 68,257 65,234 0 133,492 80,254 |
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Note 4 – Tangible Fixed Assets
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Plant Plant
Computer & &
TOTAL
Equipment Machinery Machinery
& Software (3yrs) (5yrs)
Cost
At 1st Jan 2023 5,455 3,179 10,189 18,823
Additions -
- - - -
Disposals
At 31st December 2023 5,455 3,179 10,189 18,823
Depreciation
At 1st Jan 2022 5,455 3,179 4,118 12,752
- - - -
Disposals
Depreciation 2,038 2,038
At 31st December 2023 5,455 3,179 6,155 14,789
Net Book Value
At 1st Jan 2023 - - 6,071 6,071
At 31st December 2023 - - 4,033 4,033
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Note 5 – Debtors
| This year | Last year | |
|---|---|---|
| Gift Aid Recoverable | 6,407 | 6,433 |
| Prepayments | 5,147 | 4,587 |
| Durham Diocesan Board of Finance | 31,614 | 30,227 |
| Accounts Receivable | 0 43,168 |
0 41,246 |
Note 6 – Creditors
| Accruals HMRC NEST Pension Costs Agency Collections Accounts Payable |
This year Last year 1,659 1,144 95 27 - - 15 389 582 1,399 |
|---|---|
| 2,351 2,959 |
Note 7 – Personnel Costs
| Salaries and other emoluments Employers National Insurance NEST Pension Costs Number of employees in post 31 December. Average number of employees over the year. |
This year Last year 12,892 12,233 - - 194 180 |
|---|---|
| 13,086 12,413 |
|
| 1 1 1.00 1.00 |
There were no employees who met the definition of "key management personnel" during the year. [0] No salary or employee benefits have been paid to Trustees in respect of their membership of the PCC. [0] Incumbent clergy salaries are paid directly by the Durham Diocese and not by the PCC.
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