HALL GREEN UNITED COMMUNITY CHURCH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 AUGUST 2021
Membership
Membership has reduced slightly over the past year. Visitors are always made welcome to our services.
Worship
Regular weekly worship remained on Zoom with our sister congregation at Leominster until August as we felt the risk of returning to in person worship was too great for members’ safety and health. The services have continued to be shared on the Zoom platform. This has had a very positive effect on the two congregations, bringing them closer together and now knowing each other’s names and faces. For members who have been unable to connect to the internet we have remained in contact with them by telephone and weekly newsletters by post.
Special services and celebrations
Special services in the life of the church, have been celebrated including the Methodist Covenant service. Unfortunately, we were not able to offer Holy Communion via Zoom.
Ministry
The congregation have supported each other very well during the past year, looking out for each other and helping where needed. This has been very reassuring for the minister who has not been able to offer pastoral visiting as much as she would like due to government Covid restrictions.
Members have joined in with new ventures, such as Bible study, Prayer meetings, special services, etc. on Zoom with Leominster when able and are enjoying the new connections and opportunities Zoom has brought.
Members have read lessons and prayers during Sunday Zoom services.
Meetings for the life and continuity of the church have continued throughout the year with members meeting on Zoom where possible.
Rev Lorraine Shorten, our minister, spent a few hours a week for five months volunteering as a Chaplain at Heartlands Hospital supporting the staff and patients in a pastoral capacity.
Mission and Outreach
The Ladies Craft Group joined with Churches Together in Hall Green to make and decorate the outside of the church with Stars during Advent.
On 23 March 2021 an outdoor prayer service was held in the garden, candles were lit and yellow ribbons tied around the railings and trees to remember one year of the first national lockdown and family and friends who we have lost due to the pandemic. The local community appreciated this remembrance service.
A similar service was held on the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, 25 May, to remind us of the need for continuing work for racial justice.
All this had the effect of bringing church outside of the building into the community, something we are keen to continue.
Midweek groups and activities
Most activities remained on Zoom but we were very pleased that Friendly Corner Café was able to reopen its doors on 18 May. This was welcomed by local residents and members and seen as the first step to returning to a ‘new’ normality.
Members have embraced learning and sharing via Zoom and enjoyed new Bible study and prayer groups. Advent and Lent courses and Godly Play have all been shared on Zoom.
Ecumenical
The church is a member of Churches Together in Hall Green. There has been limited activity within the group over the past year, but a joint World Day of Prayer was held on Zoom in March involving most of the churches.
Direct Giving and Fund-Raising
Members have continued their financial support to the church throughout the year even though we haven’t been meeting in person for which we are very grateful.
Property
All necessary and legal fire, health and safety checks have been kept up to date by our Property team.
We are pleased that external lettings have been able to resume.
Covid 19 regulations have been followed, there are hand sanitisers around the church and hall and social distancing rules have been followed.
Forward looking conclusion
We are very happy to report that the congregation have weathered the pandemic storm very well and have remained positive throughout the year. Members have taught themselves how to use Zoom and are now much closer with the Leominster congregation, joining in with the Zoom worship services, prayer meeting and study groups.
Our minister says it is a real joy to serve Hall Green UCC as the member’s dedication and commitment to the church and each other are exceptional. She has felt very much supported, both in her ministry and personally, during the last very difficult 18 months and has offered the church her sincere thanks and gratitude.
We are excited to see where Jesus and the Holy Spirit leads us in the year to come. May God bless the work we do in Hall Green.
Trustees of Hall Green United Community Church
| Unrestricted Funds |
Designated Funds |
Totalsthls | Totals last | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SECTION B | ||||||||
| b1 | PAYtt'ENTS | |||||||
| b2 | Circuit Assessment or Share | 58.549 | 58.549 | 64,4CI2 | ||||
| b3 | Donations | 4.160 | 4.{60 | 3,971 | ||||
| b4 | Repairs and Maintenance | 7.395 | 7.395 | 17,434 | ||||
| Utilities (lnsurances,water | ||||||||
| b5 | charoes. heatino & liohtino) | 9.552 | 9,552 | 11.815 | ||||
| b6 | ||||||||
| b7 | Otherpayments | 14,280 | 1,222 | {5.502 | ||||
| b8 | TOTAL PAYi,IENTS | 93,936 | 1,222 | 95,158 | (be) | |||
| c2 | Totalfundsbrought forward from last year NET REGEIPTS'PAYMENTS |
44.044 | 39.201 | t-.; ru |
||||
| c3 | Subtotal | (c{+621 | 45.282 | 39,627 | Itrs.;l | |||
| c4 | lTransfersand adiustments | 476 | 476 | l-- ffil | ||||
| c5 | TOTALFUNDSATENDOFYEAR | (c3+c4) | 45,758139,627 | (cs) | (c6) |
| NTERNAL | NetReceiptd | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRGANISATIONS | Receiptg | Pavments | Prvmanis | |||
| ri | 3abv &Co | |||||
| t2 | :riendlv Comer | 820 | 31: | 507 | ||
| )3 | VloravianMen's Fellowshio | |||||
| 'A | \rorevien Women'sAssoc | |||||
| r5 | ||||||
| )6 | ||||||
| .J | ||||||
| >uDrcxator Inrernat | ||||||
| :8 | )roanisations funds | a2a | 31: | |||
| :hurchaccounts (total8 | ||||||
| oroughtforwiad frcmpage | ||||||
| ,,9 | 2-totals column) | 96.822 | 95.{5t | 1,6U | ||
| IUIAL UNN TSNU! |
NELS | |||||
| 'lC | SYCHURCH | 97,u2 | 95.471 | 2,171 | ||
| Continue on aseparate sheet if necessaryandbringthe totalsforward |
TOTAL RECEIPTS | TOTAL PAYTENTS |
| OPENING | CLOSING | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| BALANCES | BALANCES | ||
| 4.471 | 3.3S6 | ||
| a3F | 7.A82 | ||
| 77.94 | 74.107 | ||
| 83.2# | (6) | 85.385 | (cA) |
| t.980 | (e11 | 2.497 | G12| |
| 85.224 | tx) | 87.882 | (v) |