2020-12-31-accounts

Classification: Public

Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council for the year ended 31 December 2020

Incumbent:

Revd Hannah Cooper

Bank:

CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ

Registered Charity no:

1159205

Independent Examiner:

Sarah Large BSc (Hons) CAT 4 St Clement Road Colchester CO4 0LN

stlukescolchester.org.uk stmarkscolchester.org.uk

Classification= Public

Classification: Public

St Luke’s Church ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING 2021

Dear Church member,

We give a very warm invitation to share in our APCM and look forward to seeing you.

AGENDA Welcome, Opening prayer, reflection on the last year, songs of praise and Bible reading

MEETING OF PARISHIONERS

1. Welcome

2. Appointment of Scrutineers

3. Choosing of Churchwardens (2 for 1 year)

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING

1. Elections

Elections for Parochial Church Council (3 members for 3 years)

Elections for Deanery Synod (1 member for 2 years)

Reports

2. Apologies for absence –

3. Minutes of 2020 APCM

Minutes of 2020 APCM pages 3 – 6 Matters arising Administrative Reports a. Presentation of Electoral Roll page 18 b. Financial Report pages 8-11 c. PCC Report pages 17-18

4. Matters arising

5. Administrative Reports

• d. Church Property Report

page 22

e. Diocesan Synod Report page 22-23

• f. Deanery Synod Report

6. Church life reports

page 23-24 pages 25-34

7. Appointment

• a. Independent Examiner for 2021

8. Vision: Revd. Hannah Cooper

9. Any other business – please email 24 hours in advance

10. Prayer & Blessing

Classification: Public

St Luke’s Church

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING 2020

Monday 19[th] October at 8pm on Zoom

Welcome, Opening prayer, bible reading and songs of praise

The Bible reading was Psalm 99 and the worship song was Our God Saves

MEETING OF PARISHIONERS

1. Welcome

Hannah welcomed all to the meeting and thanked them for coming this evening.

2. Appointment of Scrutineers

Hannah confirmed that if there is any requirement for voting on this that herself and Deb Turner will do this.

3. Choosing of Churchwardens (2 for 1 year)

Lynne Gettings has been proposed by Mark Rassell and seconded by Cathy Groslin Mark Harris has been proposed by Jo Rassell and seconded by Susie Shepherd.

As there are just 2 nominations for churchwardens and 2 vacancies, there is therefore no requirement for a vote. Hannah is delighted that Lynne and Mark will be joining us for a further year, and thanked them for all they have done so far and all they will be doing in the year to come.

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING

1. Elections

Elections for Parochial Church Council (2 members for 3 years)

Hannah confirmed that only those on the electoral roll would be able to vote, if it was required. There were 3 members that were nominated for the PCC role, but one of those people has asked to withdraw, which was Julia Thomas. Julia did not want to stand in the way of new people coming onto the PCC.

Jennifer Greenley was proposed by Jo Rassell and seconded by Lynne Gettings. Paul Philips was proposed by Sammy Huttley and seconded by Simon Cooper.

As there are now only 2 nominations for 2 vacancies, there is no requirement for a vote. Hannah thanked Jennifer and Paul for their nominations and stopped to pray for them as they begin their new roles on the PCC. Hannah also thanked those that were stepping down from the PCC and for all they have brought to it.

Hannah raised the issue of how many elected members there are on our PCC, as this needs to be in line with numbers on the electoral roll. It is the only place where we can extend and invite more members. This however won’t come into effect immediately, it will be for 2021.

There are currently 6 elected members on the PCC which is quite low given the numbers on the electoral roll. Hannah doesn’t want the PCC to become too big, but she is going to suggest at this APCM that we agree to extend our elected members by 2 more, so by 2021 there will be 8 elected members. In the interim period Hannah would like the PCC to work out how they would like to construct a healthy PCC with a workable number.

Page 4 of 35

Classification: Public

This was seconded by Mark Harris and agreed unanimously.

Elections for Deanery Synod (3 members for 3 years)

3 nominations have been received:

Adrian Jones. Proposed by Hugh Thomas and seconded by Petra Dean Deborah Olawoye. Proposed by Jo Rassell and seconded by Janet Jones Sarah Adcock. Proposed by Jo Rassell and seconded by Anne Mayne

As there are 3 vacancies and 3 nominations, there was no requirement for a vote. Hannah said that it is great to welcome them onto the PCC and also onto Deanery Synod. Hannah also thanked those who were stepping down from the Deanery Synod and for all they had brought to it.

Reports

2. Apologies for absence –

Apologies were received from Howard and Dee Gardener

3. Minutes of 2019 APCM

Corrections to be made to the minutes of the APCM 2019 meeting are as follows:

Page 4 says that Hugh Thomas goes monthly to preach at Wormingford, whereas it is actually a whole team that goes monthly, of which Hugh is part of.

Also on page 4, it describes the curate as being bouncy. Not quite sure what that means and the sentence will be removed.

Page 5 describes the LLM role as one that is open to anyone in the church. This should be amended to say that if anyone wants to consider the role, they can, but that it does take a lot of training and discernment.

Proposed corrections accepted by Mark Harris and seconded by Janet Jones.

There were 16 abstentions, due to people not being at the previous meeting.

4. Matters arising

None

5. Administrative Reports

a. Presentation of Electoral Roll

The electoral roll was sent this out earlier in the month. It was emailed out, and there were originally 146 people on the list. It contained one mistake, as an electoral roll is not allowed to include anyone that is ordained. Anne Mason is now ordained and so she is removed from the list. Tim Mason has also asked to be removed as they are more involved in the rural parishes. This makes it 144 on the electoral roll at St Luke’s. Previously, the number was 127 so it is good to see an increase in numbers.

b. Financial Report

(including Independent Examiner’s Report)

c. PCC Report As a

further correction, Anne Mason was accidentally missed off the list of ministers under the PCC report and Church Life report. The Deputy Churchwardens should also have been included on the PCC report. These were simply mistakes that will be corrected.

Page 5 of 35

Classification: Public

d. Church Property Report

e. Diocesan Synod Report

f. Deanery Synod Report

6. LLM’s Report

Do you remember those golden days of 2019, when Sunday morning began with the decision – “What shall I wear to church?”; maybe a hurried breakfast if you’re like us, trying to squeeze in a few extra moments under the covers; what about starting the Sunday roast; and off to Highwoods?

What a changed landscape at present, but at least we are taking small steps back to meeting together, albeit in small, socially distanced, select groups.

Last Wednesday, I was reminded that, amongst all the negativity and gloom of our present situation, our God is very much alive and unfettered and is doing a new thing in and through his people. He is in control and has new things for us to do…

Our LLM task is to briefly look back to 2019 for a quick review of comings and goings, so here goes. Please forgive any errors or omissions from this list – please don’t blame my coLLM Diana!

• Colin Smith has been our illustrious Treasurer through the year, ably assisted by Jo Rassell, Ian Duthie and Mark Hall.

• Sammy Huttley has been our Youth Leader.

• Karen Cakebread, our Families and Children Minister, and Hannah have led Munch.

• Thanks also to Anne Mayne and team, who were looking after the littlies in the creche on Sunday mornings.

• The chaplaincy at the Oak Tree Coffee House flourished up until lockdown, ministering to both staff and customers.

• We seem to have been growing priests since Hannah joined us, with Rev Chris Smith and Rev Anne Mason as our curates and Rev Paul Mann our Associate. In 2019 Janine Wild and Emma Smith embarked on the quest for ordination and are now on course.

• Anne continued to serve as Chaplain at The Gilberd School.

• Through the year a team supported the MMU, with monthly visits to Wormingford to lead a morning service there, whilst others were grafted to join Rev Mandy Elmes in her parishes of Gt Horkesley, Boxted with Langham, and West Bergholt. Following on from this, we now share our curate, Rev Anne with Mandy’s parishes.

• Evening services were growing their own distinctive styles up until lockdown, and it has been encouraging to see them re-emerging since September, in reduced, safe form.

• Discipleship groups have grown, and, if anything, have become even more important during lockdown as the primary way to maintain some kind of personal contact beyond our Facebook services and the Zoom chat.

7. Church life reports

Hannah highlighted that the idea of an APCM is that it details all the different things that happen in our church. Hannah encouraged people attending the APCM to look through the reports and to read about what goes on. Some of the activities/ministries have been paused or changed due to Covid 19, but God is in control and where He wants us to move, we will flourish.

Page 6 of 35

Classification: Public

8. Appointments

a. Independent Examiner for 2020

Our independent examiner for last year was Sarah Large. Sarah has said that she would be very happy to be the independent examiner again. Hannah extended her thanks to Sarah.

Proposal accepted by Hugh Thomas Seconded by Mark Harris

Agreed unanimously

9. Any other business

Lynne Gettings said that 2019 seems like a long time ago now but that we should stop and reflect and give God thanks for our leaders and staff: Hannah, Chris, Paul, Karen, Sammy, Guy and Susie at the Oak Tree. During 2019 we reflected and talked about growth but who could have seen the way that St Luke’s has grown. It has grown through the online community, through the team of Helping Hands, through work in schools and through the planting of St Marks. Know that the leaders and staff would say its about the huge numbers of volunteers and we give thanks for all these people and for what is to come. Lynne thanked God for our leaders, staff team and volunteers and prayed that we commit afresh our work at this time. Lynne thanked God for all He has enabled us to do in this pandemic and that we trust God in the coming weeks and months.

10. Prayer & Blessing

Paul Mann finished the meeting with a blessing. Hannah thanked everyone for coming and being a part of this meeting and for giving up their time.

Page 7 of 35

Classification: Public

ST LUKE’S CHURCH REPORT

Welcome to Our 2020 Annual Report

2 Corinthians 4:8-10

8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.[10 ] We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.’

I feel this passage helps to sum up the year of 2020. We have been hard pressed, but not crushed, struck down but destroyed. 2020 was an incredibly, very tough year, much of it spent under strict lock down restrictions. The pandemic has hit many elements of our life, restricting our movement, restricting our social contact, changing patterns for work, home schooling, and for some having to shield, has been a heavy burden to carry. The church, like everything else, has had its challenges. I smiled at the slogan ‘The Church has left the building’ but in reality, not being able to worship together in person has been really tough.

Not being able to sing together, not being able to meet in the Oak Tree, not being able to offer laying on of hands in prayer ministry, and not being able to offer a hug or hand on the shoulder for those who are suffering, has been so difficult. But, as reminded in the passage above, despite the hardships, Jesus is still Lord, Jesus has still risen and God is GOOD. We have rallied, we have done our best to still be church, even when we can’t meet together for church.

There has been cause for celebration. This is the very first Annual report for the parish of Highwoods that now covers two churches in one parish! 2020 was also the year that, despite a global pandemic, we planted a brand-new church. Whoop Whoop! St. Mark’s have spent their first 6 months meeting online via Zoom. Welcome members of both St. Luke’s and St. Mark’s.

It’s now May 2021, and it feels like we’ve only just had our APCM which reviewed 2019 in October 2020, but it is good getting back into the rhythm of reviewing the previous year earlier in the year.

You might assume that, because of the pandemic, there hasn’t been much going on within the Parish. While there has been some disruption and frustration, I hope the reports included will encourage you that plenty has continued and some new ministry has evolved. Please do read the whole document. Use it as an aid to pray and get excited for all that has happened, but also for all that will continue to happen over the next year.

As a family: myself, Simon and the kids really value the love and support that St. Luke’s has continued to provide. We love being part of this wonderful fellowship.

Restrictions are beginning to ease, there is hope, but I feel there is still a long way to go – in this time of change and movement, I invite you to join me in prayer that God’s glory and power may continue to break through.

Hannah

Revd. Hannah Cooper, Priest in Charge

Page 8 of 35

Classification: Public

Financial Report (including Independent Examiner’s Report)

Page 9 of 35

Classification: Public

Accounts/Financial Statements 2020

Page 10 of 35

Classification= Public Ilwb) 1491641 EIJ.U51 CJKf6 TOW JMt5 &0 359 EIQLV &Jo( E4 15914 EIQ11I6L Éo T￿lAWly ULJWI 91005 EOL To 321A3 Joy ]rji¥1?￿kntDr￿￿1 E75 E12L44 ÉL7LB.LV Éts Él￿ tEpCup5 2016117tsfft.tfyred U7.459Ji £w.44 £IW7 £L>)3L6 Eato ECJ 47151 A4 F*tSt• É79Y £iI Page 11 of35

Classification= Public E4JO1YJ 1516P) É1111 51 QJ El.442 E616 YLU Eotb) P¢ohiP4EEdlCth*>iS) Page 12 of 35

Classification: Public

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF

ST LUKE, COLCHESTER

Registered Charity Number 1159205

Additional notes to the Financial Statements for the period ending 31[st] December 2020

Accounting Policies

As stated, these financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006, using the Receipts & Payments (i.e. Cash) basis, including any uncleared bank payments made.

These accounts include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of any church groups or activities that owe their major affiliation to another body, nor those that are informal gatherings of Church members.

Funds – General & Designated

General Funds represent the funds of the St Luke’s 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 represent the funds that have been designated for a particular purpose by the PCC, but these funds are also unrestricted regards their usage. St Luke’s currently operates four designated funds as follows:

People In Need Fund, where the PCC allocated £100 per month from St Luke’s general funds to this designated fund to provide a reserve for use by the PCC as and when individual situations of serious personal need arise – due to the current pandemic the previous cap on the fund of £2000 has temporarily been removed.

PA Fund, where the PCC allocated £50 per month from St Luke’s general funds to this designated fund to provide a reserve for use by the PCC to invest in new or replacement PA equipment.

Equipment Fund, where the PCC allocated £50 per month from St Luke’s general funds to this designated fund to provide a reserve for use by the PCC to invest in new or replacement general equipment.

Parish Share, where the PCC allocated £225.75 per month from St Luke’s general funds to this designated fund to provide a reserve for use by the PCC to support expected future increases in our Parish Share and/or to support an additional financial gift to the diocese given the current difficulties caused by the Covid 19 pandemic.

Page 13 of 35

Classification: Public

Funds - Restricted

Restricted funds are those funds that must be spent on restricted purposes. St Luke’s currently operates restricted funds as follows:

Uganda Fund - where these funds have either been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting the activities of the Nsambya Full Gospel Mission Church and/or Children’s School(s) and Orphanage(s) in Kampala, Uganda.

Community Coffee House - where these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting the Oak Tree Community Coffee House.

Munch Fund - whereby these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting the work of the Munch Initiative.

Munch Grant Fund - whereby these grant funds have been received specifically for the purpose of supporting the work of the Munch Initiative.

Keep Cups – where these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of purchasing St Luke’s Church “Keep-Cups”

Beacon House - where these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting Beacon House

Christmas Support Fund - where these grant funds have been received specifically for the purpose of providing a Christmas hamper to families in need within our parish.

Church Planting Fund - whereby these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting the new Church Plant – now known as St Mark’s.

Diocese Church Plant Expenses - whereby these grant funds have been received specifically for the purpose of supporting the Church Plant Expenses

Diocese Plant Development Costs - whereby these grant funds have been received specifically for the purpose of supporting the Church Plant Development Costs

First Steps - whereby these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting the First Steps Group.

Gforce Club Night - where these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting the St Luke’s GForce Children’s Ministry.

Men Behaving Boldly - where these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting the St Luke’s Men Behaving Boldly Missional Community.

People in Need - whereby these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting people in need.

• People in Need (Covid 19) - whereby these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting people in need specifically impacted by Covid-19.

Page 14 of 35

Classification: Public

Youthworker Fund - whereby these funds have been given or otherwise raised specifically for the purpose of supporting the employment of a Youth Intern and/or Youthworker by St Luke’s.

Receipts (Incoming Resources)

Planning Giving receipts and Collections & Other Giving receipts are both recognised when received by or on behalf of the PCC. Income tax recovered (under Gift Aid) is also recognised only when received.

Income that is raised by any special events is accounted for gross, with any associated expenses being separately identified and disclosed - these are included under Note 5.

All other Income is also recognised only when received.

Expenditures (Resources Used)

Diocesan Quota - The Diocesan Quota or Parish Share is accounted for only when paid, but with any amounts still unpaid as at the 31[st] December being provided for an an operational liability, and shown as a Creditor in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

There is no outstanding amount payable with relation to the 2020 St Luke’s Parish Share as at 31[st] December 2020.

Employment Costs - Salaries and associated PAYE and National Insurance costs payable to HMRC are accounted for only when paid, but with any amounts still unpaid as at 31[st] December being provided for as an operational liability, and shown as a Creditor in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

There are no amounts outstanding as at 31[st] December 2020.

Grants/Donations - Grants and donations made by the PCC are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded if the award creates a binding obligation on the PCC.

There are no such outstanding binding awards as at 31[st] December 2020.

Other Expense Items - All other expenditures are accounted for only when paid, unless any particular expense item incurred but not paid represents a material operational liability as at 31[st] December, and thus shown as a Creditor in the Balance Sheet.

Fixed Assets

Church Furnishings - Moveable Church furnishings held by the Vicar and Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC, and which require a faculty for disposal, are accounted as inalienable property, and are listed in the Church’s Inventory.

For inalienable property that was already in existence as at the 1[st] October 2012, there is insufficient cost information available (such assets having been originally acquired by St John’s PCC, Colchester), and thus are not valued in these accounts.

There have been no such items acquired in the period 1 January 2020 – 31[st] December 2020.

Page 15 of 35

Classification: Public

PA Equipment, Office Equipment & other Sundry Assets - Individual items with a purchase price

of less than £1,500 are expensed in full at the time of original purchase.

Investments

General Investments – General investments held are valued at Market value as at 31[st] December 2020

There are no general investments held as at 31[st] December 2019.

Subsidiary Companies – Investments in Subsidiary Companies are stated at cost less any provision necessary for permanent diminution in value.

St Luke’s PCC holds 90.5% of the ordinary share equity of the Highwoods Community Interest Company (HCIC)

The PCC considers that the investment in HCIC has no realisable value at present and thus, whilst noted, is not shown as an asset within the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.

Current Assets

No debtor amounts are shown in respect of any fees or other amounts due at 31[st]

December, as all income is accounted for only when received and there are no

material amounts outstanding as at 31[st] December 2020.

End

Page 16 of 35

Classification: Public

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL

PARISH OF ST LUKE, COLCHESTER

STATEMENT OF PCC RESPONSIBILITIES

The PCC are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice)

The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the PCC to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the PCC and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the PCC for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;

• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

The PCC are responsible for keeping accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the PCC and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the Church Accounting Regulations 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the PCC and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Page 17 of 35

Classification: Public

St Luke’s Church, Colchester – PCC Report for 2020 Introduction

St Luke’s PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the Incumbent in promoting within the parish the whole mission of the Church – pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It oversees and directs the mission and work of the church of St Luke’s, Colchester, meeting at St John’s & Highwoods Community Centre on Highwoods. The report of the PCC which follows, along with the Church Life Reports of the various ministry streams of the church, illustrate how the PCC fulfils its obligations to benefit the public ~ mainly to the worshipping congregation and to the local community, but also beyond.

PCC Membership

Members of the PCC are either ex-officio or elected by the Annual Parochial Church meeting in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. During the year the following served as members of the PCC:

Priest in Charge : The Revd. Hannah Cooper Curate : Revd Chris. Smith

Curate : Revd Anne Mason (Shared with Gt. Horkesley, Boxted & Langham & West Bergholt) Associate Priest : Revd. Paul Mann

PCC Elected Members

Church Wardens Mark Harris Lynne Gettings

Deputy Church Wardens Jennifer Greenley Mark Visage

Pearson Nago Mark Visagie Stuart Angier Nyenye Motsi Jennifer Greenley Paul Philips

PCC Treasurer

Colin Smith

Licensed Lay Ministers Diana Benge-Abbott Hugh Thomas

Deanery Synod Representatives Adrian Jones Deborah Olawoye Sarah Adcock

Standing Committee

Hannah Cooper Lynne Gettings Stuart Angier Mark Harris Adrian Jones Colin Smith

Page 18 of 35

Classification: Public

PCC Committees

The PCC operates through a number of groups, which meet between the full meetings of the PCC:

Standing Committee

This is the only committee required by law. It has the power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to the directions given by the Council.

Finance Group

The general financial dimension of the work of St Luke’s is accomplished by monitoring income and expenditure, setting budgets, maintaining financial controls and co-ordinating the annual accounts. This work is overseen on the PCC’s behalf by the Finance Group, led by the PCC Treasurer.

Mission and Mercy Giving Away

The Mission and Mercy budget is apportioned to support mission and charities at home and abroad including regular reviews of the ‘agencies’ to which St Luke’s gives.

Uganda Fund

This fund exists to support the Nsambya School, Orphanage and Clinic in Kampala, Uganda that St Luke’s has links with, mainly through child sponsorship but also through occasional gifts for other purposes.

Church Attendance

After the annual update of the Electoral Roll in 2020 there were 140 people on the Roll, 63 of these being resident in the parish, 77 being non-resident.

The average weekly attendance for our main online morning service, counted during October, was 70 computers. During the whole of 2020 there were no Baptisms or Thanksgivings. 1wedding took place at St. Johns. There were 7 Funerals

Page 19 of 35

Classification: Public

Review of the Year 2020

The PCC met 6 times during 2020. The Finance Group met as necessary and reported back to the PCC, via the Treasurer. The Standing Committee did not meet formally during 2020, but Standing Committee members made urgent decisions on behalf of the PCC by e- mail, on a small number of occasions.

In 2020, St Luke’s PCC sought to advance the Christian religion and benefit the public in the following ways:

• Weekly Sunday public worship services held at St. John’s and Highwoods Community Centre, on Highwoods, including activities for children and young people, and monthly quiet Holy Communion services held at the Oak Tree Coffee House, until March 2020, when the pandemic meant we were no longer able to meet in person.

• From March 2020, we moved our main morning worship online and offered occasional face to face evening services when restrictions allowed.

• Our Midweek discipleship groups have continued to meet. These groups have enabled church members to grow in their faith, show friendship and support to one another, and to connect with members of the wider community.

• Running monthly Men’s breakfasts at a local pub. Until March, when this moved online.

• Run a number of different children’s and youth activities. From March 2020, these have mainly been via Zoom.

• Began a new service called Families Faith and Fun, designed for families with primary aged children, this has been a face-to-face service, held when restrictions allowed.

• Running a weekly term-time parent and toddler group, when restrictions allowed.

• Providing an e-mail-based ‘PrayerNet’, enabling church members and others the opportunity to share needs and concerns with church members, who then pray for the situations shared.

• Supporting church members trained as Street Pastors who offer a listening ear, help and friendship to the youth culture in Colchester town centre on Friday and Saturday nights. Again, the Street Pastors have had a very unusual year due to the pandemic.

• Supporting Colchester Foodbank, which provides emergency food parcels to families and individuals in crisis. Supporting Beacon House, which supports people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or in insecure accommodation in Colchester.

• Giving 10% of our annual income away to a range of local, national and international charities and Christian ministries.

• Running a child sponsorship scheme for children attending Nsambya School in Kampala, Uganda.

• Running a community coffee shop - ‘The Oak Tree Coffee House’ - in Highwoods Shopping Centre. As well as being a pleasant venue in which local residents can enjoy a range of good quality beverages and snacks, and purchase local crafts and ‘TraidCraft’ products, the Oak Tree is also used as a meeting venue by St Luke’s for various groups outside of business hours and is available for hire by other community groups. The Oak Tree has been established under

Page 20 of 35

Classification: Public

a separate legal entity, Highwoods Community Interest Company, in which St Luke’s PCC is the majority shareholder.

• Set up the Oak Tree Chaplains, who offer a listening ear and an opportunity to talk at the Oak Tree Coffee House on a Wednesday morning. Since March, this hasn’t been able to happen.

• Reports have been received from Deanery Synod.

• Links with schools in the parish have continued to develop, including being involved in assemblies (some online!), lessons (online!), church visits – which happened via a film, during home schooling. We have also been able to provide hampers, craft sets and financial assistance to families that the school has identified as struggling.

• We celebrated the priesting of our Curate Revd. Anne Mason.

• Planted a new Church, St. Mark’s.

On behalf of the PCC

Revd. Hannah Cooper Chair of PCC

Parish Response to Covid 2020

Since the pandemic and lock down hit in March 2020, the church has been reaching out to the local community. We quite quickly developed Helping Hands, a small team of people who were able and willing to commit to a weekly trip to Tesco, to retrieve shopping or prescriptions. This meant that there was one person available to go to Tesco each day of the week (excluding Sundays) this really helped those that were shielding and unable to get an online delivery. This group also collected food bank parcels. A special covid response People in Need stream of funding was also established to support those in our community who were really struggling.

This has been an amazing opportunity to reach out and meet new members of our community and it’s through our Helping Hands that new members have joined our church.

During the pandemic we were able to offer free picnic lunches for kids in October half term at the Oak Tree, and then Essex County Council offered funding which has enabled us to offer hampers to the local schools. Each time we have provided 50 hampers, which have been given to Brinkley and Highwoods school to give out to their families that are most in need.

Thank you to all those who have volunteered and worked to make this happen.

Prayer points:

• Pray for all the connections that have been made, Lord give us creativity to use these connections wisely.

• Lord, continue to give us opportunities to work in our local community.

Revd Hannah Cooper

Page 21 of 35

Classification: Public

Our Church Planting DNA

In 1981, the then vicar of St. John's Church (Revd. Brian Nicholson) had a vision for a "Christian presence and community involvement on the new development on Highwoods". He saw that presence as being "in the form of a minister and involvement in a community building through which local Christians could minister to the varying needs of the Highwoods estate".

The vision started to become reality in February 1990, when 28 members of St. John's were commissioned to begin a monthly family service in Highwoods Primary School. 2 years later, weekly services began.

Meanwhile, a Resident's Association was set up to explore the possibility of building a community centre. On Palm Sunday 1998, the congregation processed in celebration from the Primary School to the newly-built Community Centre.

Even in these early days of the life of St. Luke's, there was a strong sense that planting was in its DNA - seeds of faith, born from prophetic prayer. Revd. Peter Cook was the Associate Minister at that time. He would regularly prayer walk in North Colchester along with Daphne Digweed, one of the original church planters and a Reader at St. Luke's. As part of one prayer walk Daphne planted acorns at the very spot where the new community centre is to be built at the site of the old rugby club. We didn't know this until very recently when Pete shared it with us. We were deeply moved to recognise that God's hand was on the planting of St. Mark's all those years ago.

At a PCC Away Day in January 2020 where the PCC was prayerfully reflecting on vision and priorities for St. Luke's, there was a strong desire from the PCC to plant a church. Bishop Roger joined the PCC meeting in February and the PCC communicated this to him. At that meeting Bishop Roger shared the plans for the refurbishment of the old rugby club, which was to become St. Mark's Community Centre. It was hoped that this might become the place of worship for the new church plant once the Community Centre was completed.

Within a month of the February PCC meeting, the country was in lockdown as a result of the pandemic. However, prayer, planning and commitment to the church plant continued throughout this time - even when we knew that face to face worship might not be possible.

Amazingly, against all the human odds, we commissioned 31 members of St Luke's Church in November 2020 via Zoom to plant St. Mark's Church. It was a wonderful celebration of God's people following him.

As we reflect on the planting of St. Luke's and the planting of St. Mark's, there are echoes in the journey. The timing, the detail, the leadership have been in God's hands as he has weaved the threads into place.

St. Mark’s Church Plant – The Journey So Far

On Sunday 8th November 2020, 31 members of St. Luke’s Church (20 adults and 11 children) were prayed for and sent out to establish a new worshipping community in the parish. This commissioning service was held using the Zoom video conferencing suite as the United Kingdom was in a national lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

St. Mark’s Church met for the first time on Sunday, 15th November, with the Zoom platform enabling ‘live’ worship with the whole congregation invited to participate in and lead as much as possible. By the end of 2020, we saw our youngest and eldest members taking an active part in worship, and while it has been a struggle to not meet together, the new church is really getting to know each other.

Page 22 of 35

Classification: Public

As well as the whole church family service, children and youth have had their own Sunday gathering that combines fun, friendship, bible teaching and prayer. A few weeks in, and the young people were already beginning to value and own these groups.

With the younger members being well discipled, the adults began to gather mid-week as one large group in preparation for the launch of three separate discipleship groups at the start of 2021. This midweek gathering was a brilliant way to go deeper with each other, with God and in prayer.

None of us began 2020 expecting to be part of a new vibrant worshipping community by the end of the year, let alone that we would be doing so via some unheard-of video conferencing technology. Yet this is the journey we have been on, and God’s goodness has got us this far.

Here’s to a 2021 where we can get out in the community, share God’s love and see His Kingdom expanded here in Highwoods.

Rev. Chris Smith

Church Plant Leader, St. Mark’s Church

Church Property Report 2020

The only major item of expenditure in 2020, was £606 for the Laptop for our new Administrator.

Lynne Gettings and Mark Harris

Diocesan Synod Report for APCM – A year like no other – 2020

The opening Diocesan Synod of 2020 was scheduled to take place on 18[th] March, but could not take place as the Great Lockdown was upon us. In June, a Diocesan Synod was held, but was informal on Zoom as the legal niceties were as yet unclear.

As COVID-19 had forced us into meeting online, instead of face-to-face, so the legal measures were put in place to allow churches to function, particularly in the areas of governance. Our worship services had previously been given broad approval from the national church, as well as from the Diocese, but a “Bishop’s Instrument” was still required to allow the proper functioning of Diocesan Synod, along with APCMs, Deanery Synods and PCCs to take place by electronic means… Consequently, Diocesan Synod convened for the first time this year in October 2020. The

Presidential Address was very much a word in season, not least as Bishop Stephen had left for York, so that the link was given here for those who would wish to hear what Bishop Peter brought from “Barnabas and the Rule of 6.”

https://www.chelmsford.anglican.org/news/article/diocesan-synod-october-2020-presidential-address

The business of the Diocesan Synod focussed on the ongoing work of the Racial Justice Task Group , with a verbal report from Bishops Peter and Roger. This group had been set up in response to the Black Lives Matter.

Other items discussed featured the Stewardship Project, where the working group were proposing to encourage three major themes:

• a. Promoting sacrificial giving as a part of our Christian discipleship.

• b. Refreshing our ecclesiology to renew our commitment to shared responsibility.

• c. Resourcing parishes to equip them with effective practical tools - especially the promotion of the Parish Giving Scheme.

The project would draw upon some of the key themes from the seasons of the liturgical year, starting from Kingdom Season - Anticipation, thanksgiving, through to Candlemas - Completion / looking forward/ expectation. Because of our current restrictions, much of this will be using digital media and online resources.

Page 23 of 35

Classification: Public

2021 Budget - A paper was brought that introduced the draft 2021 budget for the general fund.

Diocesan Environment Group - At the February meeting of General Synod, a motion was passed, committing the entire Church of England to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. Each diocese is required to address the implications of this motion. During Lockdown, the DEG has been engaging with others across the diocese to formulate the right response to this motion within Chelmsford Diocese. The secondment of Revd James Gilder as Diocesan Environment Officer, has enabled a project plan to be drafted which aims to address the entire scope of the task, as set by the national Church. The plan aims to achieve very significant reductions in the carbon generated by the work of this diocese, in the most pragmatic way possible as a significant priority within the Fifth Mark of Mission.

[Information on what is expected of an Eco-Diocese can be found here - https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/denominational-awards/eco-diocese/ ]

A month later, a further Diocesan Synod online meeting took place (on Saturday, 21[st] November).

The Racial Justice Task Group reported back the progress that had been made following October’s meeting, including the National Task Group’s discovery that little action had been taken in response to recommendations made since 1985 concerning racial justice.

A report entitled, “Reflections on 2020 from the Youth Synod” was submitted which spoke of: • Different impacts which the pandemic and lockdown had had on young people, particularly the more vulnerable.

• Some members had lost contact with their Church, others were still engaged, although all found it difficult to have conversations from afar.

• One youth synod member commented that this is a time when we understand who we are.

• There were stresses with exams and school work, many had struggled to engage.

• In some cases, the distance has strengthened relationships with others.

• There are constant changes and most felt it was good to have structure to some extent.

• The Church can best engage with young people in these challenges.

• Their speaker shared personal experience of working with Ambulance Services and the impact the pandemic and lockdown had on mental health and the isolation some experienced, particularly people in care homes.

Further business covered the Deployment and Affordability of Stipendiary (paid) Incumbents, along with a proposal to change the representation of clergy and lay people at the forthcoming 2021 Diocesan Synod Elections.

Hugh Thomas

Diocesan Synod rep for Colchester Deanery

Deanery Synod Report 2020

Lay representatives plus clergy from all the Colchester Anglican churches meet three times a year, to hear what’s going on in the Diocese and nationally, and to discuss and share ideas about how we can work together more effectively across Colchester.

11[th] February 2020 at St. Margaret’s, Berechurch

• The Good News Story this month came from St. Stephens’ Church and John Clifton gave an excellent presentation regarding the Eco Church Scheme which St. Stephens’ had recently signed up to, and invited sister churches in the Deanery to do the same.

Page 24 of 35

Classification: Public

• Our area Dean, Reverend Canon Paul Norrington gave a presentation updating Synod members on the Deanery Vision Plan (DVP) which had been approved by the Deanery Standing and Pastoral Committee (DSPC) on 27[th] January 2020.

• Synod was informed that the DSPC had appointed John Chandler as Deanery Finance Officer.

25[th] June 2020 – Online via ‘Zoom’

• The Archdeacon of Colchester, Venerable Ruth Patten and Area Mission and Ministry Advisor, Reverend Phil Ritchie gave a presentation entitled ‘ Towards Financial Resilience’, discussing the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our parishes. This was followed by a question and answer session.

1[st] December 2020

• At the time of writing of this report a further Deanery Synod is to be held on 1[st] December 2020. Again, due to current restrictions which are in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this Synod will be held online vis zoom. Further details will follow.

Page 25 of 35

Classification: Public

CHURCH LIFE REPORTS

Mission & Ministry – Colchester

Ministry Team 2020

We believe that every person who has been baptised into the body of Christ has been commissioned by Jesus for ministry in his church. This belief is lived out by encouraging and equipping every member of St Luke’s Church to fulfil their part in Father God’s mission of love to the whole of humanity.

Included in our ministry team are a team of paid and licensed staff who encourage and guide the ministry of St Luke’s Church.

Paid Staff

Administrator Deb Turner Children’s and Families Worker Karen Cakebread Youth Worker Sammy Huttley Licensed Staff Priest-in-Charge Revd. Hannah Cooper Associate Priest Revd. Paul Mann Curate Revd. Christopher Smith Curate Revd. Anne Mason Licensed Lay Minister Diana Benge-Abbott Licensed Lay Minister Hugh Thomas

At the beginning of 2021, we also welcomed Revd. Lisselle Clarke-Moisley as Curate at St. Luke’s, which technically should wait till next year to report, but we are really pleased to have her!

Revd. Hannah Cooper

Evening Services 2020

During 2020, evening services are where most of our face-to-face services have happened. This is because from March 2020, our main morning service has stayed online – Facebook or YouTube. The community centre is too small to accommodate all of us together, due to social distancing requirements – we can accommodate 25 in the hall for a service and there have been many who would not have been able to attend due to shielding, so we made the decision to leave the main morning service online, and when the restrictions allowed, we met in small numbers for our evening services 3 times a month.

We developed a new evening service on the 1[st] Sunday of the month, a service devoted to prayer – which is now run by a small team. This service has always met on Zoom, as we felt it was important to provide something online alongside the face-to-face options.

Page 26 of 35

Classification: Public

During strict lock down, we also offered Revive on Zoom, where there was live worship, a sermon, and an opportunity for discussion in small break out rooms.

For all those that have been involved in the different types of evening services, thank you! It’s not been easy working around the changing restrictions, but it has helped to encourage and bring hope.

Prayer points:

• That we would hear where God is leading us in terms of evening services

• That restrictions would allow more regular evening services

Revd. Hannah Cooper

Midweek Discipleship Groups 2020

Mid-week discipleship groups were launched during 2017, and have incorporated some of the continuing missional communities such as Men Behaving Boldly, Mum’s the Word and Mature Oaks.

We encourage everyone within St. Luke’s to belong to a mid-week group, either missional community or discipleship group. To give you a flavour:

During 2020 We have the following discipleship groups led by: Tuesday

Jennifer Greenley Sarah Adcock and Gillian Hobbs Chris and Emma Smith (moved to church plant November 2020)

Wednesday Janine Wilde & Dawn Lewis Paul Mann & Susie Shepherd

Thursday

Hugh Thomas (Mature Oaks) Diana Abbott / Mark Harris Tim Ford and Diana (Thursday church) Mark Rassell (Men Behaving Boldly) Friday Susie Sanderson & Karen Cakebread (Mum’s the Word) Hugh Thomas & Adrian Jones

As with the whole 2020, some groups have found it easy to move online, others have struggled. Please pray for the leaders of each of these groups, and for the members that are meeting regularly to study the bible and pray together. If you are currently not within a missional community or a discipleship group, please do get in contact with me, and I can attempt to match your requirements with a group!

Revd. Hannah Cooper

Mature Oaks 2020

In the first two months of 2020 the pattern of meetings for Mature Oaks continued, with coffees shared with St. John’s Church, Great Horkesley, along with the Happiness Course, interspersed with trips to the Rovers Tye and various charity tea rooms. Little did we think when we met in Brightlingsea on 12[th] March that we would be grounded the following week, and forced to go online. Up to then, Zoom had been some sort of ice lolly my grandchildren would want from the Ice Cream van: now it was to be our regular virtual meeting place!

Page 27 of 35

Classification: Public

Ever since, we have been meeting weekly on Thursdays for virtual coffee and godly chatter, and this has proved to be a huge support to us all through these difficult times. At the same time, a number of us also wanted to study the Bible together, so Tuesdays became the “Mature Plus Zoom Session.”

During the summer, we were able to break out into the Country Park twice for socially distanced masked interactions, whilst some of us managed to share a monthly communion service in October to December.

Back in April 2013, there had been a meeting held at the Oak Tree Coffee House, described as an “Acorn Plant” This had been in response to our church vision for “Growth.” At the time we recognised the need to strengthen pastoral care and ministry for older folk, and this grew into the Mature Oaks.

With the launch of St. Mark’s, we were encouraged to reassess our position. A survey showed that we wished to remain together, whilst also recognising that our membership was no longer restricted to “older folk.”. Our new pattern of meeting for virtual coffee on Zoom continued to serve our needs, with continuing mutual support for those of our number who do not have the internet.

In January 2021, Mature Oaks broadened its appeal to others and rebranded to form Friends In Faith. More of this next APCM!

Hugh Thomas

Oak Tree Coffee House 2020

Goodness, what a year we had!! Lockdown meant that for most of the year we were shut. The sadness at not being able to be with each other and serve our community was very difficult. For those that serve at the Oak Tree, we are a family and support each other. It was very upsetting to have to close for such a long time.

However, Father God is good and through the marvel of technology I was able to pester everyone and keep in contact. A huge thanks to the Directors for doing the same with the team. Communication matters so much and was a lifeline in those lonely times.

There has been much excitement about returning to work and we have been reunited with our community. It’s been wonderful.

I would ask that you pray for those that hold Leadership roles in the Oak Tree. That we would always listen first and react after. That we would always seek to be excellent stewards of what we’ve been trusted with. That the team would always know how valued they are and how integral they are. By far the biggest prayer: That Father God would always have His way and that He would reign in that place and in the heart of those that run it.

Susie

Men’s Ministry 2020

We are the Men’s group and during 2020 met on a regular basis, every fortnight for Beer and Prayer and monthly for Men’s Breakfast. All now on Zoom. It’s been great to meet, chat and pray. If you want to join us or want more info please just mail us at [e-mail]

Mark Rassell

Page 28 of 35

Classification: Public

Colchester Deaf Church 2020

Colchester Deaf Church started meeting once a month in the Oak Tree Coffee House in October 2019. We enjoyed gatherings from January to March 2020, with numbers between 8 and 15. It was so special that we were able to meet in March, the week before lockdown began. We were able to start a WhatsApp group before being separated. Of the core 8 members, half of us do not have a computer, or access to the internet or to Facebook, so WhatsApp became an essential lifeline.

From May, we started filming ourselves signing the different parts of our services, and Tim Abbott edited them for us. These were shared on Facebook and WhatsApp. In the autumn, some of us were able to meet in the community centre, a much larger space so we could be well spaced out, with thanks to Churchwarden Mark Harris, and our new Churchwarden for Deaf Church, David Spayne, for making this possible.

In March 2020, in God’s amazing timing, there were two new national initiatives. One was a new Facebook group, BSL Church Worship. All the various Deaf Churches around the country started posting their services, or individual Christians shared a signed song or “thought for the day”. Whereas before, my Deaf brothers and sisters had access to church once a month, now they could go to 2 or 3 church services every Sunday!

The second was a new website called Christian BSL. This is a developing collection of signed prayers, bible readings, and a dictionary of Christian jargon. For Christmas, they created a carol service, presented by Deaf Christian leaders from around the country. This was published on YouTube and Facebook on the Saturday before Christmas, and amazingly the lockdown rules allowed us to gather at the community centre to watch it, joining with a thousand other people across the country, from Scotland to Cornwall. What a joy!

• Give thanks and praise for technology and for these two new ventures that have meant that Deaf Christians, normally so isolated, have been able to continue to grow in their faith and to feel part of a much larger Church.

• Please pray as we find new ways to be together in the future, especially for those without access to technology, and as we try to reach out to isolated Deaf people across our area.

Pray for all deaf and hard of hearing people, as we emerge wearing face masks; making communication that was already difficult and stressful, impossible. Please be patient, and take the initiative to find a way to communicate; maybe taking a step back and lowering your facemask so that someone can lipread you, or writing something down on paper or on your phone and showing it. In Mark 7, Jesus took a deaf man away from the crowd and showed him what he was doing, so that he could understand him. We need to learn from Jesus how to treat people with kindness and respect.

Diana Benge-Abbott

Children’s Ministry (0-10yr olds) 2020

Highlights:

• Seeing our St. Luke’s families sharing their faith together within their own homes. Witnessing them create their own rituals and ways of worshipping God together, which was unique to their family alone. Observing families growing together in faith, which has continued through the Family, Faith and Fun Services (where we can meet in person) once a month.

• Being able to continue to support out MUNCH families (now 15 in total) through the COVID epidemic. During this period of home schooling, shielding and isolation we have been able to offer pastoral care and practical support to all of our families and observe these families

Page 29 of 35

Classification: Public

supporting one another which was great. We provided ongoing parcels over the summer holidays and vouchers to visit the Oak Tree Coffee House for a substantial lunch together.

• Seeing my own daughter’s confidence grow through the online Cakebread Productions and our church children who have added so much to our Sunday Services through leading, reading and being a part of our bigger online Sunday services.

• Creatively adapting the ways in which we could support our local schools by creating videos to supplement assemblies, RE topics and Church Visits.

Plans:

• To begin exploring and praying about the best way forward with regards to re-establishing Sunday and midweek children’s groups, schools work and MUNCH over the summer as we gradually come out of lockdown.

Prayers:

• That God would continue to hold what the future of our Children’s and Families Work might look like and that it would be His plans that unfold.

• I’d love to pray a prayer of thanks and blessing over Stef Jones and Cris Emmott who have amazingly supported me and the children’s work over the last few years!! Their wisdom, sensitivity, fun and heart for the children will be missed as they both felt called to move onto St. Mark’s. May God continue to bless them in whatever way they decide to continue their ministries, you both will be missed!

• So, in saying that, I pray that all the resources, support and volunteer help (that will be needed in regrowing our Children’s Ministry Team, our kids’ groups and all aspects of this role), would be sustainable and forthcoming as and when it is needed.

Karen Cakebread

Youth 2020

During 2020 our youth have been wonderfully led by Sammy, our youth worker, who is currently on Maternity leave, so I am writing the report for the APCM.

As with many of our ministries our youth haven’t been able to meet very much in person, but I was excited to see how quickly Sammy and the youth team moved to provide resources that the youth could assess and engage in.

The youth have met weekly via zoom since last March, which is an amazing testament to both the young people’s commitment and the commitment of our youth team.

I have loved how involved our youth have been in many of our online services, providing readings and prayers, and on occasion taking the whole lead of the service.

United

As St. Mark’s was planted in November 2020, it was important that our youth had opportunities to continue meeting together – so United was started, giving opportunities for youth from both St. Luke’s and St. Mark’s to meet together.

Mentoring

During 2020 our mentoring programme began to build, we hope during 2021 we will be able to offer a mentor to each of our amazing young people.

Page 30 of 35

Classification: Public

Solid

Unfortunately, all of the summer youth gatherings like Solid were cancelled, due to the pandemic, so we weren’t able to get involved in anything bigger. We hope this might be different for 2021.

Prayer points:

• To continue to pray for our amazing young people

• To give thanks for those who give up their time to encourage and teach our youth

• Wisdom to see how our youth can continue to be an integral part of the parish

• Opportunities to reach out and offer youth opportunities across the MMU

Revd. Hannah Cooper

Chaplaincy at The Gilberd 2020

As you may already know, Revd. Anne Mason has been the CYO chaplain in the Gilberd Secondary School since 2017. This was a three-way agreement between St. Luke’s, CYO and the Gilberd School. Anne did an amazing job kick starting this role. She became well known to both staff and young people and became a most respected and sort after member of staff. As Anne began her curacy, we knew that this role wouldn’t be something Anne would be able to maintain long term, and so in February 2020, Anne stepped down from the role. I’m really pleased that CYO has appointed a new chaplain for the Gilberd in September 2020: Revd. Sarah Haywood – who is also the pioneer minister in Myland Parish. While there is less direct contact between St. Luke’s and the Gilberd I am really pleased this role has been filled by someone who is a key part of the North Colchester Family of Churches MMU (Mission and Ministry Unit).

Prayer points:

• Prayer for Sarah as she continues to develop her ministry at the Gilberd

• Prayer for the students – all have been affected by the national pandemic and home learning

• Prayer for the staff – as they continue to pick up the pieces both academically and pastorally

Revd. Hannah Cooper

Pastoral Care Team 2020

The Pastoral Care Team is connected into the overall ministry of St. Luke’s through the Ministry Leadership Team.

The Pastoral Care Team seeks to oversee the pastoral care that is exercised within the fellowship of St. Luke’s. This important ministry is undertaken by our members for our members . This is an important principle, as we are all part of this ministry: for every act of loving kindness that wells up from the compassion set within us is part of the fulfilment of St Paul’s charge to the church in Rome when he writes about ‘Love in Action’ (see Romans 12:9-21).

The outworking of this has been providing practical care and support as we meet the short-term needs of folk within our fellowship. We continue to provide this care in accordance with appropriate guidelines, especially when this involves the needs of children and young people and those who are ‘vulnerable adults’.

A small team has continued to meet regularly over the past 9 months (since our last APCM), to provide oversight of our pastoral care. In our meetings we both pray over and review our pastoral care provision. This is always undertaken in such a way that confidences are maintained and respected. Our main areas of focus have been:

• What pastoral care have we been able to offer?

Page 31 of 35

Classification: Public

• Have there been any ‘missed opportunities’?

• Where do we focus our effort in the future?

Our meetings have also included a review of the pastoral care that has been offered through the ‘St. Luke’s Helping Hands’ initiative, that has reached out to those who have needed support during the coronavirus pandemic.

Pastoral Care Team: Paul & Lorraine Mann, Hannah Cooper, Diana Benge-Abbott, Karen Cakebread, Hugh Thomas and Jo Rassell.

If you know of a pastoral need, please do ensure you pass this information on to a member of the pastoral team.

Prayer for 2021:

• That Father God would continue to guide and inspire all of us to look with care, concern and compassion on those around us as we emerge from the unprecedented time we have been living through.

• That we would continue to make a difference and be aware of the extant and emerging pastoral needs of both the congregation and the local community.

May Father God continue to bless us all in all we do.

Paul & Lorraine Mann – Pastoral Care Co-ordinators

Assington 2020

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to host our usual annual weekend at Assington away, due to the pandemic. We were incredibly grateful for the use of Assington Hall as a camping venue for families and friends of St. Luke’s. Thank you, Lucy and Paul, for hosting us.

Revd. Hannah Cooper

Prayer at St Luke’s 2020

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)

This past year, with its challenges, frustrations and heartache, has been one which none of us could ever have foreseen and it has affected us all. Our church life, and how we do church, has also changed. Yet, in all of this, God remains constant. This passage reminds us that, even when things are difficult and God seems distant, He is always there and always for us. Sometimes the best thing to do is to be still and let God be God.

This report has been written to outline the ways that prayer has continued to play a central part in the life of St Luke’s:

• Corporate Prayer: One of the benefits about meeting remotely has been the way it has helped many people engage - often in much greater numbers than before. There has been a number of prayer meetings on different topics and it has been great to have restarted a regular monthly prayer meeting on the first Sunday of each month. This has involved listening to God and interceding on various issues locally and in the wider world.

• Prayer events: Covid restrictions have again put some of our regular events on hold. Nevertheless, we have continued with others - albeit in a different format; for example, a special live-streamed reflective service for Good Friday this year. Thy Kingdom Come in 2020 was also marked with a series of written reflections and a zoom prayer meeting.

Page 32 of 35

Classification: Public

• Prayer net: Prayer net has continued – communicating prayer requests for specific needs to those who are on the mailing list. It is always encouraging being able to pray both for those inside and outside the church and seeing answers to those prayers.

• Praying for and supporting each other: Although prayer ministry on Sundays has obviously been put on hold, supporting each other both practically and through prayer has remained essential; not least through the mid-week groups - some of which have developed very close relationships with each other through this time and deepened their prayer life too.

Please pray:

• Thanking God for having been with us in the past year (even at moments when we found His presence hard to see.)

• For our continued journey with prayer in St Luke’s as lockdown restrictions start to ease - and how we might go from here.

• For all of us, both collectively and as individuals, that we may experience the power of prayer, be motivated to pray and see the difference it makes!

Sarah Adcock (prayer co-ordinator)

Worship Ministry 2020

It’s been an unusual time for all of us learning how to adapt the way we express sung worship. There is something so very wonderful and powerful when Father God’s children come together to lift their voices in praise to Him. To have had that taken away has only made me value it more. I’m looking forward to this season being over and a new one starting.

Coming before Him in worship, I would encourage us all to recognise He deserves our

praise. That sung worship isn’t about us but rather about the One who made us. It’s one of the ways we say thank you. In all things, we need to think about what we are singing to Him and not just sing the words we see. He is worthy of it all.

Know who you are in Him and recognise that you have value, that you are on this Earth because He wanted it.

Susie

Mission & Ministry – Beyond Colchester

Uganda 2020

I have been keeping in contact with our friends in Uganda. Here is the latest message from Pastor Paul:

“Church is doing well and we pray for more of the presence of the Lord. The school is progressing, now being officially open. Careers for young people have been affected by the COVID lockdown. We have just done our PLE National Exams and awaiting results. The teachers are doing their best in such an environment. Please pray for us as many schools are struggling to meet their budgets (the funds sent by St Luke’s help but we are seeing less children due to the current situation). Many teachers found other employment during school lockdown and I am afraid we may not get them back in the education sector. We are still having problems with the drainage and we need to build a church on higher ground. The plans have been submitted but not yet through to approval.”

The above message I received on 30th April. I know when I have been out there, I have seen the church flooded, the floor and the equipment ruined. I know the water can reach up to the windows. Thank you, to all those who give to Uganda, as without your help, they would struggle.

Page 33 of 35

Classification: Public

They do their best and most of the children are from the surrounding slum, and many parents cannot afford the fees. Pastor Paul has a kind heart and tries to accommodate many. At least those children get some education. Life is hard and even when many young people go on to High School, they cannot always find employment and remain in the slum.

A few years back, St Luke’s contributed towards the fees for drawing up the plans for a new church. But things in Uganda move slowly and are always changing. It is good to know the plans have gone forward for approval. Please pray they go through without any more changes and hold ups. Pray also that Pastor Paul can get good teachers, the problem being he cannot pay what some schools pay their teachers (there is not a set scale, if there is, it cannot always be met). So many good teachers go to international schools in Kampala or to other districts outside the capital where the pay may be higher, depending on how they are funded. The system out there can be complicated. However, I have attended joint educational meetings and there is a desire and move to improve education within the country.

Finally, as you may or may not know Pastor Paul is head (like a bishop) of the Full Gospel Churches in Uganda and he is responsible for pastoring, teaching and encouraging over 1500 pastors throughout the country. So please pray for him as he also oversees the school. When you think about Uganda pray for his wife Joy who is often left alone as he travels the country.

Jennifer Greenley

Mission and Mercy 2020

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt 6: 19-21)

As a church, we aim to give away 10% of our income each year to organisations and good causes outside of St Luke’s. The Giving Group was set up to this end in order to discern prayerfully where this money should go. It meets several times a year, and for this financial year, it has comprised of Sarah Adcock, Michael Allen, Graham Stringer and Mark Visagie. We also try to have a St Luke’s advocate for each organisation we support –someone who particularly has a heart for that work and will keep informed about what is happening. The group is accountable to the PCC, who have the final say on the recommendations made. Below is the table of our spending this current year and the groups we have given to. Sometimes our giving is influenced by an emergency we feel the need to respond to, but generally it is more planned and regular. We often focus on Christian organisations, but not exclusively. Within that, our giving tends to fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Organisations with a Colchester focus - e.g. Beacon House, Food Bank, Friends’ International (ministering to overseas students at the university), CYO (schools’ work) and CAP (Christians Against Poverty).

• Organisations where St Luke’s members have a personal involvement. (e.g. Vision for China - which supports disadvantaged youngsters in China) and the Nsambya church and school in Uganda.

• Organisations which address a wider need nationally or internationally (such as Tearfund). Additionally, we also have People in Need –a fund administered to assist those in need within our church and our local community.

If anyone wants to know more, please do talk to one of the group and do let us know of any causes or needs you feel we might want to support as a church.

Page 34 of 35

Classification: Public

Please pray:

• For generous giving!

• For wisdom for the giving group as it discerns where the money will be best used.

• For the charities and organisations which will receive our money –asking that God will use it mightily to really make a difference to people’s lives.

Our giving in 2020 was as follows:

International
Vision for China	£400
Bishop’s Lent appeal	£500
Tear Fund(General)	£325
Tear Fund(Covid appeal)	£700
Tear Fund(South Sudan)	£400
Bible Society	£325
Care International(Yemen)	£400
NHS charities	£150
National
Barnabas Fund	£325
Good News for Everyone	£325
Local/Colchester
CAP Colchester	£546.03
Beacon House	£1030.53
CYO	£2061.06
Treetops	£325
Friends International	£200
Colchester Food bank	£991.88
Essex Integration	£400
Sanctuary Housing (Highwoods)	£500
Totalgiven	£9904.50

Sarah Adcock and Jo Rassell, on behalf of the Giving Group

Page 35 of 35