## **ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, TERRIERS ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020** |**CONTENTS**|| |---|---| ||**Page**| |Annual Report of the Trustees (Parochial Church Council)|1 to 6| |Independent Examiner's Report|7| |Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA)|8| |Balance Sheet|9| |Notes to the Accounts|10 to 17| page 1 ## **PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI, TERRIERS** ## ANNUAL REPORT for 2020 ## **AIM AND PURPOSES** The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of the parish of St Francis of Assisi, Terriers has the responsibility of co- operating with the incumbent, the Reverend Joanna Gallant, in promoting, in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the church building and church hall of St Francis of Assisi, Terriers, High Wycombe. ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES** The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at St Francis of Assisi. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament. When planning our activities for the year, the incumbent and the PCC have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. We try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through: - Worship and prayer; learning about the Gospel; and developing their knowledge of and trust in Jesus Christ. - Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish. - Missionary and outreach work. - Support for organisations locally, nationally, and internationally whose aims reflect ours. To facilitate this work, it is important that we maintain the fabric of the Church of St Francis and of the Church Hall. ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** ## **WORSHIP AND PRAYER** The PCC seeks to offer a range of services during the week and over the course of the year that the church community and our many visitors find both beneficial and spiritually fulfilling. Due to the coronavirus pandemic the church building has been closed for much of the year, but we have continued to engage with individuals and families both those connected to our church and within the wider community, through the streaming of online Sunday services, Festivals, and Messy Church from the vicarage. The online services have reached some new people, who regularly gather virtually for worship, and many of those who previously had been unable to attend church are delighted to be able to access services online and reconnect with church family members. Our worship continued to be enhanced by the musical contribution of our organist, Tessa Shaw, who recorded music each week for the online services. Church members and families recorded readings and intercessions each week, with sermons recorded by members of the worship team, and Nick Gallant collated, edited and provided the technical support on a weekly basis. page 2 In addition to this both established members of the congregation and those on the fringe received regular pastoral letters, service booklets and prayer resources throughout the year. During Advent and Lent a small group met weekly on Zoom for discussion, bible reading and prayer. During periods when the church building was open, in person Holy Communion services were provided at 8am on Sundays and 10.30 am on Wednesdays, with a live streamed Sunday service from the vicarage at 10am. The vicar and Nick Gallant continued to build relationships with Highworth Combined School, provide supervision for staff and respond to pastoral and social concerns where possible. The All-Souls Service in November, for bereaved families and individuals, was live streamed and attracted some familiar and new faces. The Carol Service in December was held on Zoom and included readings and music from all ages within the congregation. Highworth Combined School and Wycombe Homeless Connection also contributed readings, and we were also joined by families from the community. Families were encouraged to join the online ‘Big Christingle’ run by the Children’s Society and Church of England, where donations could also be made online. As we were unable to hold an in person nativity service, to ensure that the whole community could engage with the nativity story a large wooden nativity set was commissioned and erected outside the church which drew many visitors from all ages from across the community, and the feedback was extremely positive. All Christmas and Easter services were live streamed with the sacrament administered outside the church for those who had joined online or said the service at home. During Easter a large Easter Garden was erected outside the church for the community to engage with, and a memorial cross was placed by the entrance to remember loved ones with the tying of a ribbon. Messy church contributed painted stones and butterflies. St Francis was delighted to welcome Lyn Gooch LLM and Revd Hilary Jones to the St Francis family and worship team and they bring a wealth of experience and giftings to enrich the mission and ministry of St Francis. All are welcome to attend our regular services both in church and online. Following the renewal of the Church Electoral Roll in 2020 a total of 58 parishioners was reported, 19 of whom were not resident within the parish. The Sunday in person attendance, as counted during October 2020, averaged 12 adults and 0 children. The average Sunday in person attendance has been calculated as 11 adults and 1 child. These numbers are lower than last year due to social distancing reducing attendance numbers and the church building being closed for the main 10am service. In addition to our regular services, we usually enable our community to celebrate and thank God at significant landmarks on the journey through life. In marriage, vows are publicly exchanged and God's blessing is proclaimed, and funeral services provide an opportunity for friends and family to express their grief and give thanks for the life which is now complete in this world and to commend the person into God's keeping. Sadly, with the church building closed for much of this year we have been unable celebrate baptisms or marriages and have held no funerals in church. The vicar has taken funeral services at the crematorium. page 3 ## **DEANERY SYNOD** Two members of the PCC currently sit on the deanery synod. This provides the PCC with an important link between the parish and the structures of the wider church, Nick Gallant was elected to the Deanery Mission and Pastoral Committee and our vicar oversees the wellbeing of deanery clergy and lay ministers. ## **THE CHURCH AND CHURCH HALL** Use of the church hall has been impacted significantly by the pandemic and successive lockdowns, and in the summer Terriers Play-Group closed. We very much hope that a broad range of community groups will continue to be able to benefit when the hall re-opens , and part of the new vision is to look at using the hall as a wellbeing café, offering a place for the whole community to meet socially, and access different services and support for body, mind and soul. Irene Hasan has been appointed volunteer parish administrator and hall manager and will be supported by the new hall committee. Use of the church building has also been affected and the PCC very much hope it will continue to be used as a venue for church and community-related meetings and musical concerts. Plans to install a new boiler, toilets, kitchen area and level access are moving forward, so that the building can provide a place for the whole community to gather together, with much needed accessible facilities, for both the worshipping community and other groups who use the church, and we are thankful for the experience and support of Mick Relf in this respect. ## **PASTORAL CARE** We are grateful to all those who support the vicar in the pastoral ministry of the church and since the beginning of the pandemic the congregations’ commitment to caring for one another, neighbours and friends through telephone calls and doorstep deliveries of shopping has been much appreciated. A pastoral and social committee has also been established to continue a more coordinated approach and we very much hope that visiting the sick and housebound members of the congregation to provide pastoral care and administer home communion will soon resume. The vicar and lay people from the parish continue to support the Butterfly Hospice. ## **MISSION AND EVANGELISM** In March the PCC met to continue discerning the vision for the church and have since clarified the mission statement, that St Francis seeks to be a ‘Beacon of Hope, Community of Love and Well of Refreshment’ for all the community. The building project, community garden and wellbeing café will be expressions of this, and a significant fundraising project will be launched soon. We continue to engage with the local community, wider Church and the world and we established the Harvest Fund to support families and individuals who were in need of emergency food supplies and essential items. The annual Lent Project for 2020 supported East Side Youth Club. The parish website remains a valuable source of information about parish life and the "Friends of St Francis" Facebook group has grown considerably following online services and daily prayer reflections provided by Lyn Gooch LLM and Sally Brocklehurst. It is also a useful channel for publicising events at St Francis such as services and events. In line with the vision planning for St Francis, we hope that the website and social media will be refreshed and rebranded in the coming year. page 4 Knit and Natter continued to meet on zoom and created knitted gifts that were sent out at Christmas and this Easter, which were much appreciated by everyone. Walkers United took part in the Historic Churches Trust - Ride and Stride and the flower ladies continued to decorate the church beautifully, when it was open for services. Sadly, the choir and club Francis were unable to meet, but Messy Church continued both online and through posted resources. Plans for the community garden were also put on hold, due to the pandemic, but Lyn Gooch LLM, who heads up the project, has made a further application for funding and, as restrictions lift, is preparing to move the project forward. The church continues to support Wycombe Homeless Connection in various ways with the vicar leading prayer meetings and a supervision group for the charities support workers. ## **ECUMENICAL AND INTER-FAITH RELATIONSHIPS** The church is a member of Churches Together in East Wycombe (CTEW), Churches Together in Buckinghamshire and Wycombe Sharing of Faiths. Members of the congregation at St Francis also work with Christians of other traditions in our support for Wycombe Homeless Connection and One Can Trust. Church leaders meet occasionally for fellowship and mutual encouragement. ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** With the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, this has been a challenging year for us, as for all charities. Our main source of income has remained voluntary giving with £21,381 from Stewardship, £1,800 from collections and £5,081 from tax refunds on both Stewardship and collections under the Gift Aid scheme. We also received rent from the “Everything Everywhere and Hutchison 3G” telecommunications companies for installing and using their mobile phone base station installation in our bell tower. The Annual Rent was £13,500. We received dividends from two investments: £1,161 from the H F Field Trust and £2,143 from the St Andrews Trust. Our congregation generously donated £1,155 for other charities, and also £1,075 for a Harvest Community Fund to support families and individuals who are in need of emergency food supplies and essential items. We also received a generous donation of £20,000 to the Hugh Brocklehurst Memorial Fund to support the organ and music in the church. Our remaining income is usually from the rental of our church hall to local groups, and from fees from weddings and funerals Both of these were significantly reduced because of the pandemic. Our outgoings were £72,155, to provide the Christian ministry from St Francis of Assisi within Terriers. Our ‘parish share’ contribution to the Diocesan funds, which, as well as paying the administrative costs of the Diocese, provides the stipends and housing for the clergy, was £32,081. With our reduced income we were unable to pay our full share. We also made substantial economies including the temporary suspension of the paid Hall Manager post and its replacement with a voluntary role. Included in the expenditure total was £9,730 for electrical upgrade work required by our insurers in the church and the hall offset by a VAT refund under the Listed Places of Worship Scheme, of £918. The net result for the year, excluding the charities fund, electrical expenditure, donations to the Hugh Brocklehurst and Spirituality Resource Fund and a bequest, was a deficit of expenditure over income of £355. As at 31 December 2020, we had net assets totalling £190,687, of which £117,812 were endowment investments and £32,547 restricted funds, leaving £7,845 unrestricted funds, and £30,503 designated for special church needs. ## **VOLUNTEERS** We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our church a safe and welcoming community; in particular, our churchwardens, Mary Amer (who extended her term for another year), Liz Helps (who extended her term by 6 months), Lakshan Wanigasooriya elected page 5 last October, and assistant wardens Janet Banks and Valerie Stringer, who despite the many challenges faced this year have provided practical and steadfast support in their ministry to both the church and vicar. We are grateful to Peter Gee for continuing in the role of church treasurer, his wise counsel and faith have been invaluable during what has been a very uncertain time financially for the church. We also value the role of the other members of the Parochial Church Council who have faithfully served with humour and vision, and we wish to acknowledge the continued commitment of our sacristan Mary Phipps and administrator Irene Hasan; musicians, preachers, readers and intercessors who have embraced new technology to continue their ministry and enhance the regular worship; and we are mindful of servers, sides people and those who usually provide hospitality each Sunday and on special occasions during the year, whose ministry has been put on hold. We are thankful for all who have continued to keep the church grounds tidy on a regular basis, and Sarah Wanigasooriya for her active commitment to ensuring the safeguarding of all who serve and engage with the church. We also thank Mary Amer, Tessa Shaw and Nick Gallant for their enthusiastic commitment to the young people, providing creative, online and postal resources during this difficult year. ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. At St Francis of Assisi the membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent (our vicar), churchwardens, and members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the church. All those who attend our services/members of the congregation 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. The PCC met 6 times during the year. Given its wide responsibilities, the PCC has a number of task groups, each one dealing with a particular aspect of parish life. These groups which include worship and mission, communications, finance, pastoral and social, hall, building and grounds, are all responsible to the PCC and report back to it with reports of their deliberations being received by the full PCC and discussed as necessary. page 6 ## **ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** The Church of St Francis of Assisi is situated in Amersham Road, Terriers, High Wycombe. It is part of the Diocese of Oxford within the Church of England. The correspondence address is St Francis Church Office, Amersham Road, Terriers, High Wycombe HP13 5AB. The PCC is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2011) and a charity registered with the Charity Commission (registration number: 1155035). PCC members who have served from 1[st] January 2020 until the date this report was approved are: ## _**Incumbent:**_ The Revd Joanna Gallant (Chair) ## _**Churchwardens:**_ Mrs Mary Amer (Lay Chair from Oct 2020) Mr Lakshan Wanigasooriya (from October 2020) ## _**Deanery Synod Representatives:**_ Mrs Mary Amer (until July 2021) Mr Nick Gallant (until October 2023) ## _**Elected members:**_ Mrs Sally Brocklehurst (from APCM 2020 - Secretary) Mrs Janet Banks (until APCM 2022 ) Mrs Christine Bradbury (until APCM 2022) Mrs Irena Lowe (until APCM 2022) Mrs Hazel Noakes (until APCM 2022) Mr Michael Relf (until APCM 2022) Dr Peter Gee (from APCM 2020 - Treasurer) Mrs Valerie Stringer (from APCM 2020) Approved by the PCC on 13[th] June 2021 and signed on their behalf by Revd Joanna Gallant ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, TERIUERS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020 P88e 7 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE YAROCHIAL CHUKCH COULYCIL OF sr FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH. TERIUERS I rewt on thc accounts of the d)urch ftr the )t8r 314 Dt&SES ON INVEsfMENTS *rhti v*lwt U51 mxrktt vil at 111120 {thiti at 31112120 Chthreb of England In¥￿t￿t￿t Fund- I#eome Shares 2.024 sharts- Ficld Btyuest F"und 3.733 5har¢s- Si Andrew5 Fund 38.798 71.575 110,373 2.668 4,771 7.4)9 41,466 76.346 117.812 Nott 19 7 INCOME FROM HALL LE￿INGs 2020 2019 HALL KECF.Irrs AIYD PAYMEKfs AccouNr RECEIPTS Hall Idtings 8,434 16.958 8.434 16,958 Olher iwomiDg resources miscellan￿ inCC￿le 3,145 3.145 To(*1 Re¢eipts 211,103 PA YMF.P4TS Hall ¢osts Fire prtcauTI(mS Heat, light and water Insuran Repairs 4nd renevals Cleaning Sundry cxpenses Postage and stationery Performing righis licence 645 2,290 1,080 4,955 1.289 224 ,503 3.529 935 2.169 2,613 416 578 932 10.483 12.675 Hall *dmiThistratioD Salarias and PA YE TLlephune (offic¢) 5.930 298 298 6.228 Total paymemts 10,781 18.903 Surplws l (Defirit)- transferred to Gentr*l F¥md {2J47) 1,200 ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, TERRIERS FINANCLIL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2020 page 14 NOTES TO THE Accouwrs ST AFF cosrs 2020 2019 Salaries and wages Churth Sett¢tsry Hall adminithil￿j 1,976 5.9iO 7.906 9 COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJE￿ FUND 2020 2,000 2019 Balanc¢ January 2020 Grants rxeiv Donati￿$ re¢¢ived Expenditure Balance ai 31￿ De&%miYr 21120 2.050 2.000 10 CHiIRCH HEATII¥G FU]¥D 2020 2019 Balancc of fund at Isi J￿uary 2020 Donations received Exrthditure Bal8nce of fimd at 31A De¢th]t*r 2020 1.000 I I SPIRITUALITY RESOURCLS FUND 2020 2019 Flalance of fund at Isr January 2020 [)L￿allOnS rettived r.xpendi(ure Balance of fund at 31￿ D￿￿nbcr 2020 2.453 2,453 12 CHOIR FUND (R¢drict¢d) This fund has be￿ ¢￿ablished fr(An knatithls rtteived aDd may the purpose 2020 2019 Balan¢e at l.%1 January 2020 Fe¢s received- nct retsined I'ransfer to GLX)tYal Furtd - choir ex￿5¢5 in )tar Balance at 31 st Decanitr 2020 454 454 142 312 454 ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, TERRTERS FINANCiAL STATEMENTS YEAR EL¥DED 31ST DECEMBER 2020 page 15 NOTES TO THE ACCOUlYts 13 CHARITIES FUND (Restrkted) 2020 2019 Balance at IA January 2020 Reeei Gin Aid txx 834 345 117 lkn*tioDs C'.hrisiian Aid- lunthc5 Lent proj¢¢t- EASt Side Y(Ktth Rid¢ & strid¢ 37 1,155 1520 ments christi￿ Aid - lunches l.ait project- East Sid¢ Youth Wycomix Homeless C¢mneAii 1,031 249 .334 (2,786) Ilalance at 3 1st December 2020 851 685 14 H BROCKLEHURST FUND (Restricted) 2020 2019 Balance ai 1st January ?020 Receipts in )t8r Re¢¢ipls in incane fr(Kn FAX& & ￿lendar sales Rrfeipts in YQT refund of VAT ￿ (ffgan repairs in ycar t of printing atr￿ve calendars Trnnsftr io Gth￿al Fund . ¢xgan exF