The Parochial Church Council of the Benefice of St Stephen Gateacre also known as the ## **Gateacre Team Ministry** ## **Annual Report 2024** **Annual Report and Accounts for Parochial Church Council of the Benefice of St Stephen Gateacre including St Mark Childwall Valley & St Stephen Gateacre for year-end December 31st, 2024 Parish Number 646T, Diocese of Liverpool** TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT .............................................................................................................................. 4 Reference and administrative details ............................................................................................................ 4 Structure, Management and Governance ..................................................................................................... 5 Background ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Membership ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Day to Day Management ............................................................................................................................ 5 Safeguarding ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Sub-Committees ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Objectives And Activities ............................................................................................................................ 7 The Electoral Roll ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Church Reader Report Focus on St Stephen .................................................................................................. 8 Church Reader Report Focus on St Marks ................................................................................................... 10 FABRIC AND BUILDINGS ................................................................................................................................... 10 Church Wardens Report ............................................................................................................................... 10 Community Payback Report ......................................................................................................................... 14 Paint & Pray .................................................................................................................................................. 17 ADULT DISCIPLESHIP & WORSHIP .................................................................................................................... 17 Netherley House Group ............................................................................................................................... 17 Thursday Fellowship Group .......................................................................................................................... 18 Saturday Morning Prayer Meeting ............................................................................................................... 18 Music Group ................................................................................................................................................. 18 Cultivate Course .......................................................................................................................................... 19 CHILDREN’S DISCIPLESHIP & WORSHIP ........................................................................................................... 19 Sunday Club and Children’s Work ................................................................................................................ 19 Saplings Toddler Play Group ........................................................................................................................ 20 Messy Church ............................................................................................................................................... 21 School Visits .................................................................................................................................................. 21 COMMUNITY .................................................................................................................................................... 22 Liverpool Phoenix Voices Choir .................................................................................................................... 22 Craft Group Online ....................................................................................................................................... 22 JUSTICE ............................................................................................................................................................. 22 AA ................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Page 2 Drop In Community Cafe & Warm Space Hub ............................................................................................. 23 Foodbank ...................................................................................................................................................... 23 EVENTS ............................................................................................................................................................. 23 150th & 50[th] Year Celebrations ................................................................................................................... 23 Summer Fayre .............................................................................................................................................. 24 History Day ................................................................................................................................................... 24 Christmas Tree Festival & Craft Fayre .......................................................................................................... 25 Deanery Synod ................................................................................................................................................. 25 FINANCE ........................................................................................................................................................... 26 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ................................................................................................................................. 28 TEAM RECTORS FINAL THOUGHTS .................................................................................................................. 40 Page 3 ## TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT The trustees present their report and the independently examined financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024. ## Reference and administrative details |eference and administrative details|eference and administrative details|| |---|---|---| |Registered charity name||The Parochial Church Council of the Benefice of St Stephen
Gateacre| |Charityregistration number||1164672| |Postal Address
(Official correspondence to Parish
Secretary)||St Stephen's Parish Church, Belle Vale Road, Gateacre,
Liverpool L25 2PQ
gateacreteamminstry@gmail.com| **----- Start of picture text -----**
Principal St Stephens Church Office, Belle Vale Road, Gateacre, Liverpool, L25 2PQ
Office
NAME APPOINTED RETIRED ROLE
The Trustees Revd. Tom Langdon- 17.11.24 Chair from date of
Smith licencing
Mrs Hilary Morgan 29.04.18 Chair/Reader (Chair
from Jun 2023-Nov
2024)
Mrs Joy Jary 25.04.18 Secretary/Reader
Mr Scott Pughsley 24.05.21 Church Warden &
Safeguarding
Officer
Dr Margaret Reid 15.05.23 Church Warden &
Leader Recruiter
Mr Carl Sullivan 15.05.23 Deputy Church
Warden/Deanery
Synod Rep
Mrs Hazel Frear 24.05.21 Treasurer from
(second term) 30.06.23
Mrs Alane Stockwell 25.05.22 Deanery Synod Rep
Mrs Beverley Williams 15.05.23 Deanery Synod Rep
Revd Katy Canty 27.2.24 Retired SSM - Co-
opted
Mr Albert Gregory 15.05.23
Ms Barbara Hawkins 24.4.24
Ms Dawn Styles 24.4.24 2.7.24
Ms Deirdre Gray 24.4.24
Mr Ian Driver 15.05.23
Ms Sandra Sandland 15.05.23
Mrs Shearon Young 24.4.24
**----- End of picture text -----**
Page 4 |**Independent**
**examiner**
**Mr Adam Syddall M.A., F.C.A.**
asyddall@pbsyd.co.uk
https://www.pbsyd.co.uk/contact
01204 380038
Grafton House,81 ChorleyOld Road,Bolton,Lancashire,BL1 3AJ.|**Independent**
**examiner**
**Mr Adam Syddall M.A., F.C.A.**
asyddall@pbsyd.co.uk
https://www.pbsyd.co.uk/contact
01204 380038
Grafton House,81 ChorleyOld Road,Bolton,Lancashire,BL1 3AJ.| |---|---| |**Bankers**
Gateacre Team MinistrySt Stephen's -**HSBC Bank PLC**,101 Lord Street,Liverpool,L2 6PG|| |Gateacre Team -**Lloyds Bank PLC**,Horsemarket Street Warrington WA1 1TP|| |**Legal**
**Advisors**
**Mr Howard Cellar**
liverpoolregistry@1thesanctuary.com
www.liverpooldiocesanregistry.co.uk
020 7222 5381
1 The Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3JT
The first point of contact should be Stephen Borton, the Chief Clerk in the Registry, or, in
his absence,Luke Tatem.|| |**Architect for**
**St Stephen's**
**& St Mark’s**|**Mr Bill Schafer**
http://www.schaferassociates.co.uk/contact.html
01942 717300
56 Belvedere Rd,Ashton-in-Makerfield,Wigan,WN4 8RU.| ## Structure, Management and Governance The Benefice of St Stephen's, Gateacre Parochial Church Council (PCC) operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure 1956. The PCC is a registered charity, with registered Charity Number 1164672 (3rd December 2015). The Parish of St Stephen Gateacre includes the churches of St Marks, Childwall Valley, St Stephen Gateacre and Christ Church Netherley (now closed). ## Background The PCC of The Benefice of St Stephen, Gateacre, known as the Gateacre Team Ministry, has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent Team Rector, the Revd. Tom Langdon-Smith who was licenced in November 2024, in promoting within the parish the whole mission of the Church, in the areas of worship, pastoral care, evangelistic outreach, social justice and ecumenical relationships. ## Membership Members of the PCC are either ex-officio, co-opted or elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. ## Day to Day Management Day to day management of the Team is exercised by the Team Rector and Churchwardens: contactable via the parish office email above. The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All church members are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC. The PCC is responsible for members receiving induction training, including trustee responsibilities, basic health and safety, risk assessment and management, and safeguarding. ## Safeguarding Gateacre Team Ministry – Safeguarding Report for the APCM Page 5 Gateacre Team Ministry (GTM) continues to take its safeguarding responsibilities with the utmost seriousness. We are fully compliant with our duty to safeguard all children, young people, and vulnerable adults who engage with our churches and associated activities. GTM has adopted, in full, the safeguarding policies and procedures of the Church of England, as outlined in Promoting a Safer Church: The Church of England Safeguarding Policy Statement and accompanying guidance in the Parish Safeguarding Handbook. These provide a clear and robust framework that underpins all aspects of our safeguarding work. Recognising the unique contexts of our individual churches and settings, we have supplemented national policies with a series of bespoke auxiliary safeguarding policies. These have been developed to reflect our specific local needs, such as the presence of on-site nurseries at St Mark’s and St Stephen’s churches, and the use of designated safe spaces. This tailored approach ensures our safeguarding measures remain both rigorous and relevant. We believe that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Our commitment to a proactive and diligent safeguarding culture has had a significant impact across the ministry. By embedding safeguarding into the life and practice of each church within the Team, we have created safer environments for worship, community outreach, and pastoral care. Our volunteers and clergy are regularly reminded of their responsibilities, and safeguarding is a standing agenda item at PCC meetings. Margret Reid serves as the named Lead Recruiter for GTM and ensures full compliance with the Church of England's safer recruitment guidance. All recruitment—paid and voluntary—is conducted in line with safer recruitment protocols, including the requirement for enhanced DBS checks, the taking of references, and the use of role-specific safeguarding agreements. Scott Pughsley serves as the Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) for Gateacre Team Ministry and is also a Volunteer Diocesan Safeguarding Trainer. Scott has delivered Basic and Foundation Safeguarding Training to GTM volunteers, as well as supporting the wider safeguarding efforts of the Diocese by delivering training to individuals from other parishes. His dual role ensures that GTM benefits from up-to-date safeguarding knowledge, direct liaison with diocesan safeguarding leads, and a clear pathway for reporting and responding to concerns. In addition to training, the PSO monitors and reviews safeguarding practices across all GTM churches, ensuring that policies are implemented consistently and reviewed annually or as required. A central safeguarding register is maintained and updated regularly. In summary, Gateacre Team Ministry remains fully compliant with Church of England safeguarding requirements. We are committed to sustaining a culture of vigilance, compassion, and accountability in our safeguarding practice. We continue to learn from national developments, diocesan updates, and our own experiences to ensure that all those who worship, serve, or visit within our churches do so in a safe and nurturing environment. ## _~Scott Pughsley_ _Parish Safeguarding Officer Volunteer Diocesan Safeguarding Trainer_ ## Sub-Committees The PCC operates the below sub-committees: ## **Standing Committee** Page 6 This is the only committee required by law. It has the power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by the PCC. It is made up of Team Rector, Parish Churchwardens, Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. ## **Christmas Tree Festival** To prepare and promote the annual festival. ## **150th & 50th Year Celebrations** To prepare and promote the two churches anniversaries in 2024, St Stephens 150th and St Marks 50[th] . ## Objectives And Activities At the Benefice of St Stephen's Gateacre we believe our mission to be proclaiming the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England, through word and deed to love the Lord our God and to love all his children. To do this our objectives in 2024 were: 1. To appoint a new Team Rector 2. To grow in love, faith, and commitment together 3. To run Lent Groups, an Alpha Course and Advent Course 4. To encourage good relations with our wider community and the families that attend both the Nurseries that now operate in our Church facilities 5. To produce accounts on time 6. To ensure that the below are reviewed and updated as needed: - a. Risk Assessment - b. Financial Budgeting and review of expenditure - c. Health and Safety - d. Safeguarding - e. Operational Risk - f. Objectives - g. Activities and Aims are undertaken - i. To install a new heating system in St Stephen’s and a new fully accessible toilet within St Mark’s. - ii. To Grow Messy Church - iii. To re-kindle school involvement The PCC acknowledge with gratitude the service, ministry, and dedication of all those who have contributed to our achievements in their giving of time, talents, and financial resources during a challenging year of interregnum. ## The Electoral Roll |**District Totals**|**District Totals**| |---|---| |St Marks
18|| |St Stephens
51|| |**Parish Total**|**69**| Page 7 We note that since our last electoral roll review, our membership at St Marks has shrunk from 30 to 18, at St Stephens has shrunk from 64 to 51, and so **overall our membership has shrunk from 94 to 69.** ## Church Reader Report Focus on St Stephen We started 2024 in interregnum, and as a leadership team, were determined to use this time to make a difference and grow, not just tread water. In January 2024, I led the PCC in an away day at St Nicholas’ Church Centre, so we could concentrate on Mission and not just the buildings. We took this opportunity to pray for our team and created a new Mission Statement “Working together to share the love of Jesus with our Community,” and to decide where we would focus our energies. From this we recognised, for the two churches to become one church, with two worship centres, needed to work and socialise together more. We recognised: Our strengths were worship, teaching, and a desire to serve God. And our weaknesses were in the areas of young people, teenagers, and growing disciples. We recognised we did not have the capacity or vision for youth work, therefore this needed to become one of our priorities in prayer. We wanted to strengthen our discipleship, fellowship and bible study, and decided from April until October, on every third Sunday, to hold an evening service at St Stephens, and worked through the book of Ephesians together. During the year we have worked together to clear both buildings of rubbish. This has breathed fresh air, space, and life into our buildings, and strengthened relationships as we worked alongside each other. One of these accomplishments was to restart the faculty to remove the broken pews which were stored between St Stephens Church and the Parish Centre. We received permission to find them their next home and began exploring where this might be. The discovery of Dry Rot at St Stephens, was heart breaking – however, we worked together, received advice from the diocese to have the situation resolved. For Sunday Services we decided to keep the worship pattern the same as 2023’s, with team services on the 1st and 3rd Sundays, and service of the word on 2[nd] and 4th. We are grateful to the retired clergy who came and not only led and preached but also encouraged us along the way. We did not have a formal Sunday School and started to experiment with diverse ways to engage the children. We are grateful to Revd. Katy Canty who negotiated a deal for us to access Roots on the Web material and a team was formed to deliver this on Sundays during the main service. This lifted pressure off Readers and those leading. There were two important celebrations, the 150th Anniversary of St Stephens and 50th Anniversary for St Marks which are written about later. Page 8 In August 2024, we held a Party in the Parish. 150 + 50 gave us “200 reasons to celebrate”. We had over 100 people who came, had fun, and looked at the churches. This helped put our name back in the minds of our community. We would like this to become an annual event. In November, we welcomed Revd. Tom Langdon-Smith and his family. Nina, his wife and their children George and Isaac. The Installation was held at St Stephens with food in the parish centre after the service. Then the following week at St Marks after Revd. Tom’s first service was a welcome lunch. In December, we held our normal Christmas services, including our annual Christmas Tree Festival, with a table sale. As mentioned previously, we recognised we needed to build relationships – and we had Afternoon Teas and some Quizes. Throughout the year, we have been part of the discussions for Fit for Mission, debating whether we would join a new Larger Single Parish, with other churches in the deanery. This focused our minds on mission and discipleship, helped by Cultivate and Pyramid Reviews. I would like to thank everyone who worked so hard this past year to make it such a success, especially our amazing Churchwardens Margaret and Scott! On reflection, I believe we have achieved the aims we set ourselves in January 2024, and I look forward to seeing what blessings, and teachings, God brings us in 2025. _~Joy Jary_ _Church Reader with a focus on St Stephens church_ Page 9 ## Church Reader Report Focus on St Marks Since our last APCM, it has been an eventful year. Starting with the service and lunch celebrating St Mark’s 50th Anniversary on 28th April with the Archdeacon, which was a great occasion. As one of my duties during the interregnum I was responsible for organising a rota of Clergy cover for our Communion Services. It was very encouraging to receive so much support from all the clergy in the Deanery, and from other Readers, meaning that we had cover for every service that required it! We have also held several successful Quiz Nights, with this becoming a much anticipated and enjoyable event, raising funds for Tear Fund and the Gateacre Team. We hosted the Cultivate Course at St Mark’s, with a good average attendance each week of 20 from various churches in the Deanery and ongoing exploration of establishing new worshiping communities. St Mark’s continues to host Foodbank on a Saturday and an AA Group on a Tuesday, also the nursery Happy House continues to occupy the hall part of the building. It is great to see the Church being used regularly by the community and hope to grow this. It was great to be a part of the Party in the Parish and share food and fun with lots of the local community. I have enjoyed helping with the visits from our local schools and meeting the teachers and children. In November it was wonderful to welcome Tom, Nina, George, and Isaac as Tom took up the position of Rector for the Team. I have very much enjoyed working with Tom and sharing our vision for the future of the Team. It has been encouraging and inspiring to have a Rector again and I very much look forward to what the future holds as we work together. _~Hilary Morgan_ _Church Reader with a focus on St Marks church_ ## FABRIC AND BUILDINGS ## Church Wardens Report ## 1. Introduction This report outlines the significant improvements carried out across the Gateacre Team Ministry churches of St Mark’s and St Stephen’s over the past year. These works have not only enhanced the aesthetic and structural integrity of our buildings and grounds but have also made our spaces more fit for mission, welcoming parishioners, and community members alike. Our collective efforts continue to support a vibrant ministry and outreach, underpinning our commitment to creating safe, inviting environments for worship and community activities. Page 10 ## 2. Buildings and Grounds ## 2a. Completed Works ## **General Grounds Maintenance** ## **Clearing of Overgrowth:** The grounds at both churches have been cleared of significant overgrowth, dramatically improving the overall appearance and safety of our outdoor spaces. This work has provided a cleaner, more accessible environment that better reflects our mission and invites community engagement. ## **St Stephen’s Improvements** ## **Mature Tree Maintenance:** Mature trees at St Stephen’s were professionally cut back by an arborist, ensuring safety and improving the visual appeal of the surroundings. ## **Pathways Repaired:** The pathways have been cleared and repaired, making them more accessible and safer for visitors, thus enhancing the ease with which the community can navigate our facilities. ## **Vicar’s Vestry Refurbishment:** The vicar’s vestry has been reboarded, plastered, and decorated, restoring it to a functional state for pastoral and administrative use. ## **Toilet Facilities:** Repairs and redecoration of the toilet facilities have ensured that our services and events are supported by well-maintained amenities. ## **Roofing and Gutter Rectification:** Roofing and gutter issues have been addressed to safeguard the building from weather-related damage, contributing to the longevity of our cherished heritage. ## **Faculty for Pews:** A granted faculty has enabled us to remove defective pews and retain three in line with the faculty conditions. This has not only improved seating safety but also provided a more flexible interior layout to suit evolving ministry needs. ## **Dry Rot:** Our introduction to Serpula lacrymans (the organism that causes dry rot) occurred in late 2023 when we saw what looked like mushrooms growing out of the choir pews: A consultation with the Diocesan Buildings Adviser confirmed this was dry rot and we were advised to contact a specialist contractor. Page 11 Initial investigation was confined to the south side of the chancel; the pews were unaffected, but removal of the timber floor showed extensive involvement of the joists: replacement of the timber floor and joists was required along with chemical treatment. The next phase of investigation was to include the choir vestry. Access to this room was hampered by storage of numerous items including several redundant pews. It was after our Service of Nine Lessons and Carols in December 2023 that enough folk were available to do the heavy lifting so we could gain access and open the cupboards. Everyone was shocked by the discovery of mycelia (the white filaments of the fungal network) covering the ancient choir robes and wood of the cupboards. This was not good news! The contractors stripped out the cupboards and removed plaster so the walls could be injected with chemicals. The dry rot fungus can travel behind plaster and through mortar. Investigation of the vestry roof revealed a long-standing leak in the lead valley gutter between the pitched roof of the vestry and the pitched roof of the chancel. Some walls were replastered. The lead was replaced and the roof timbers inspected. The final phase of investigation was the removal of the 1930s oak panelling in the choir part of the chancel. This was the most nerve-wracking part of the operation as we had no idea how the panelling was attached. Our fears were unfounded: the panelling is suspended on wooden pegs inserted into the wall and could be easily lifted off. To our relief this oak was not infected so after the application of some prophylactic chemical treatment, the panelling was replaced intact. This has been a lesson to us all that any leaks, water ingress and damp should be tackled as soon as possible. The name of the dry rot fungus, Serpula Lacrymans can be translated as “creeping” or “little snake” and “making tears.” Although apparently ‘making tears’ refers to the drops of water that can be seen on the mycelium of the fungus, the very mention of the words ‘dry rot’ will bring tears to the eyes of any church warden! ## **St Mark’s Improvements** ## **Nursery Play Area Reinstated:** The nursery play area at St Mark’s has been brought back into use, providing a safe and engaging space for our youngest visitors during services and community events. ## **Cross and Feature Lighting Repairs:** The prominent cross at the front of St Mark’s and the associated feature lighting have been repaired, reaffirming our church’s identity and ensuring it remains a beacon of faith in the community. ## **Drainage System Rectification:** The drainage defects have been rectified, preventing water damage and contributing to the overall upkeep of the building’s fabric. Page 12 ## **Window Upgrades:** Three windows have been replaced with double glazed units, enhancing energy efficiency and ensuring a more comfortable environment for all who use the building. ## **Shared Improvements Across Both Sites** ## **Railings Maintenance and Painting:** The railings at both churches have been maintained and freshly painted, reinforcing the boundaries of our sacred spaces while contributing to a neat and professional appearance. ## **Clearing of Accumulated Clutter:** A significant clearing of amassed clutter has taken place across all sites, creating open, organised spaces that better serve both the congregation and community activities. ## **St Stephen’s Centre and Parish Centre Enhancements Centre Decoration:** The decoration of St Stephen’s Centre is nearing completion, aiming to create a warm and inviting space for community gatherings and church events. ## **Parish Centre Hall Lighting:** The lighting in the Parish Centre Hall has been completely replaced, offering a brighter, more energyefficient setting for our various functions. ## **Electrical Testing** All electrical equipment at St Stephen’s Church and the Parish Centre has undergone PAT testing to ensure compliance with safety regulations. St Mark’s is currently awaiting PAT testing for its electrical equipment. 2b. Works in Progress We are currently undertaking several projects that will continue to build on the momentum of our recent improvements: ## **St Stephen’s Nursery – Milk Kitchen Replacement:** The milk kitchen is being replaced to provide a modern, functional space that meets the needs of our nursery and enhances our child-friendly facilities. ## **St Stephen’s Choir Vestry:** The choir vestry is undergoing further decoration following significant remedial works, which will create a dedicated and inspiring space for our musical ministry. ## **St Mark’s Fire Exit Doors:** Replacement of two fire exit doors is underway to ensure our buildings meet the highest safety standards and remain compliant with current regulations. 3. Future Plans Looking ahead, we have several key projects in the pipeline designed to further support our mission and improve our facilities: ## **St Stephen’s Heating System Replacement:** The heating system in St Stephen’s church is planned for replacement, ensuring a more efficient and reliable source of warmth, thereby enhancing the comfort of both congregants and visitors. ## **Community Garden Improvements at St Mark’s:** We are planning improvements to the community garden at St Mark’s. This initiative will not only beautify Page 13 the grounds but also provide a space for community interaction and outreach activities, nurturing both physical and spiritual growth. ## **Security Enhancements at St Mark’s Nursery:** The erection of a security fence at the rear of St Mark’s Nursery is anticipated, aiming to enhance safety and secure the play area for children. ## 4. Impact on Mission The comprehensive improvements detailed above have had a transformative impact on our ministry: ## **Enhanced Welcoming Environment:** The aesthetic and functional enhancements ensure that our church buildings are inviting and accessible, encouraging both worship and community participation. ## **Safety and Accessibility:** Improvements in structural repairs, pathways, and amenities contribute to a safer environment, thereby reinforcing our commitment to the wellbeing of our congregation and visitors. ## **Mission-Driven Spaces:** By addressing long-standing issues and modernising our facilities, we have created spaces that not only serve current needs but also inspire future growth and outreach efforts. These improvements directly support our mission by fostering environments that are conducive to worship, community engagement, and spiritual nourishment. ## 5. Conclusion The work undertaken at St Mark’s and St Stephen’s this year stands as a testament to our commitment to creating spaces that are both functional and inspirational. We are immensely grateful for the hard work and dedication of our teams, volunteers, and community members. A special thank you is extended to all our volunteers and the Community Payback team, who have worked tirelessly to support the improvement of all sites. The positive impacts of these improvements are already evident, and we look forward to the continued enhancement of our facilities as we strive to further our mission in the coming year. ~Scott Pughsley and Margaret Reid Church Wardens, Gateacre Team Ministry. ## Community Payback Report ## 1. Introduction Before the involvement of the Community Payback Team, both St Mark’s and St Stephen’s church sites – including their buildings and gardens – were suffering from significant neglect. Overgrown grounds, dilapidated facilities, and general disrepair were not only impacting the aesthetic appeal but also compromising safety and community engagement. Under the exceptional leadership of site supervisor Theresa, the Community Payback Team has transformed these spaces into welcoming, safe, and vibrant environments that are fit for mission. ## 2. Progress and Achievements ## **St Mark’s Church** ## **Gardens and Grounds:** The once heavily overgrown gardens have been maintained to create a peaceful and attractive Page 14 environment. Overgrown vegetation has been cleared, and trees have been pruned to enhance both appearance and safety. ## **Allotment Transformation:** The allotment area has been cleared of fly-tipped waste and overgrowth, with plans in place to convert it into a children’s allotment – a resource for the nursery and local families. ## **Fence and Play Area Restoration:** Metal fences and railings have been freshly painted, restoring their visual appeal and longevity. The nursery playground, previously unusable, has been revived with all play equipment repainted and made safe for use. ## **Building Enhancements:** A new cross has been installed to symbolise renewal and faith, and ivy has been removed from the building to prevent potential structural damage. Wooden windows have been maintained to preserve the historical character of the church. ## **Interior Refurbishment:** Interior painting and comprehensive cleaning have refreshed the church space, making it brighter and more welcoming. The Peace Garden has been carefully maintained as a tranquil space for reflection, and a new nursery vegetable garden has been created to promote sustainability and education. ## **St Stephen’s Church** ## **Community Centre and Grounds:** The Community Centre has been repainted to give it a fresh, welcoming appearance. The gardens have been cleared, with pathways fixed to improve safety and accessibility. ## **Dedicated Spaces:** The War Memorial Garden has been maintained as a dignified and serene place of remembrance. The Clergy Vestry has been repainted and refurbished, and preparations in the Choir Vestry are underway to create a dedicated Sunday School space, fostering community engagement and education. ## **Clergy House and Rear Areas:** The Clergy House gardens have been tidied and maintained, while extensive cleaning has ensured a pristine environment around the church. The removal of overgrown vegetation and fly-tipped waste at the rear has helped protect the building from damp and further deterioration. ## **Additional Achievements Across Both Sites** ## **Car Park and Vicarage Gardens:** At St Mark’s, the car park has been cleared and is now regularly maintained, enhancing accessibility for visitors. The vicarage gardens at both churches have been transformed into attractive, well-kept spaces that support community functions. ## **Comprehensive Cleaning:** A thorough cleaning of both church interiors and exteriors has restored the beauty and hygiene of the buildings, making them more inviting for congregants and community members alike. ## 3. Community Impact The transformative work carried out by the Community Payback Team has had a highly positive effect on both church sites: Page 15 ## Enhanced Accessibility and Safety: Clearing overgrown vegetation and repairing pathways have made the sites safer and more accessible, encouraging greater use by parishioners and the wider community. ## Revitalised Spaces: Restored gardens, refreshed interiors, and improved communal areas contribute to a welcoming atmosphere that supports both worship and community activities. ## A Place for Renewal: The installation of a new cross at St Mark’s, together with the overall improvements, symbolises a renewed commitment to faith and community, inspiring a sense of pride and belonging. ## 4. Future Plans The Community Payback Team has outlined several future projects to continue enhancing the church sites: ## **St Mark’s Future Works:** - Treating the interior with sealant to protect the building structure. - Painting the entrance doors and storage containers. - Cleaning the UPVC cladding. - Decorating nursery classrooms to create an enhanced learning environment. ## **St Stephen’s Future Works:** - Painting the sports centre and stage. - Refreshing the youth centre and toilet facilities. - Continuing regular maintenance to ensure both sites remain in excellent condition. ## 5. Recognition of Leadership A special mention is due to Theresa, the Community Payback Team’s site supervisor. Her dedication, professionalism, and hands-on leadership have been the driving force behind these remarkable achievements. Theresa’s ability to motivate the team and foster strong relationships within the church community has been invaluable. Her commitment to achieving ambitious standards in every task has not only transformed the physical appearance of our sites but has also nurtured a spirit of renewal and hope. ## 6. Conclusion The work of the Community Payback Team has been nothing short of transformative. Through diligent effort and outstanding leadership, the once-neglected sites of St Mark’s and St Stephen’s have been revitalised into welcoming, safe, and inspiring environments that support our mission and serve as vital community hubs. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Theresa and the entire team for their exceptional work, and we look forward to the continued positive impact of these improvements on our congregation and the wider community. _~ Scott Pughsley and Margaret Reid Church Wardens, Gateacre Team Ministry_ Page 16 ## Paint & Pray Paint and Pray is a men’s group that was setup to bring men together through practical work and conversation. It provides a relaxed space to build friendships while helping with projects around the church and wider community. Although the group was originally intended to include prayer and praying for the resources that were needed to complete the jobs, over the past year it has focused on practical activities, teamwork, and supporting one another through everyday conversation. The group has carried out repairs, redecorated the vestry, and helped organise a couple of successful skip-filling days. They have also helped with ongoing grounds maintenance and cleared overgrown areas around the site. Alongside the practical work, the group has become a space to share ideas for future improvements and to offer support to other activities and groups within the church, for example a community garden at St Marks was dreamed up and plans began to form. Paint and Pray has built a powerful sense of community and teamwork and looks forward to continuing its work in the year ahead. Thank you to everyone that has been involved, for all the jobs completed, the resources donated, and the support in conversation. If you would like to offer resources or get involved, please speak to Fran, Carl, Scott, Ian D, or Ian S. _~Fran Ware_ _Paint & Pray Member_ ## ADULT DISCIPLESHIP & WORSHIP ## Netherley House Group Netherley House Group has been established for over 20 years and meet on a Wednesday evening. Over that time we have had as many as fourteen members. We now have five, as many have passed away over the years but we live with the sure and certain hope that they are with the Lord. As a close knit community we have supported each other spiritually, mentally and practically, through many peaks and troughs in our lives. We don’t feel vulnerable in each other’s company and find it easy to air our views when we share the Bible together. We are not here to pass judgement on each other and therefore feel that it is important to be transparent. On occasions we might not always feel comfortable with some of the Bible passages, in contrast we are often totally inspired as we search for the truth and it is important to remember that we do not know everything and trust in Our Lord. It was also encouraging to have a visit from Revd Tom in one of our studies. A huge thanks to Norma for her hospitality for over 20 years and to Enid, Pat, Norma and Rob for feeding the group spiritually this past year. _~Shearon Young_ _House Group Member_ Page 17 ## Thursday Fellowship Group Our Thursday Fellowship meets fortnightly at 1:30pm in the Parish Centre. We have 11 members, and our average attendance is 7. We tend to study the Bible passages and themes related to Church seasons or topics suggested by members, and always pray for each other, our community and church. For example, we have used a Lent course, where members had their own book for daily use, and discussed what we had learned when we met as a group. We had lively discussions at times while still respecting other people’s views, wrestling with the topic. The group is not so big that people are reluctant to share. One group member said that “It is in fellowship that we develop our discipleship.” We thank God for blessing us in this way. _~Kay Lyons & Charlie Dykins_ ## _Fellowship Leaders_ ## Saturday Morning Prayer Meeting Some years ago, a few of us felt it would be good to meet regularly to pray. We met initially in person in the church once a month on a Saturday morning but during and after Covid we moved to Zoom which meant that people who could not physically join us, could also participate. We still pray from 09.00 to about 09.40 on the fourth Saturday of the month. We feel that this constant undergirding of prayer is vital for the health and strength of our church and the individuals within it. We also reach outwards to pray for our local community and its opportunities, for our whole country and further afield. Praying together is a wonderful way to encourage and strengthen faith and we would love to see more engage with this ministry, so ask me if you would like to receive the Zoom code. _~Revd. Katy Canty_ _SSM Minister_ ## Music Group It’s been a very encouraging year to be involved in the church music, with an active group contributing to worship in the Gateacre Team. It’s been fantastic to have singers Alane, Charlie, Chris, Colette and Hazel as part of a new worship group, and, more recently, to add Tom’s guitar and vocals into the mix too. Special thanks to Dave, Alfie, Scott, Mike and others, who have operated the sound and screens. This bigger team has allowed us to have regular live music at both St Marks and St Stephens. We’ve even learnt some new songs! Before the 150th Anniversary services Patrick, Dave and I worked through several evenings to improve and maintain both church PA systems, rationalising and tidying the setups as we went. A reliable reconditioned computer was bought to replace St Stephens laptop to run the projector from. To this was added some new open-source free presentation software called FreeShow. This has made more visuals possible during our gathered worship. We hope 2025 sees something similar for St Marks. A kind donation from a congregation member has allowed us to put a dehumidifier in the pipe organ at St Stephens, improving its condition and allowing it to be used in services. There is plenty more to do, from growing the worship team Page 18 and learning new music, to bringing the PA and screens up to a high standard. The newly cleared stage in the parish centre also provides a huge opportunity for outreach events. If you’d like to get involved in any of this, please let me know. _~Ian Driver_ _Musical Director_ ## Cultivate Course As part of our commitment to Fit for Mission we hosted the Cultivate Course at St Mark’s in 2024. The aim was to encourage people to consider how we can expand and create new worshiping communities, that was based around statistics that only 1% of our communities come to something connected with our churches. Therefore 99% weren’t. This is an ongoing group as various people are looking at setting up different worship communities and other groups, such as men’s gatherings, gardening spaces and warm hubs. All these spaces of gathering around different purposes gave opportunities to share faith in action and for some, to build new worshiping communities outside of the traditional church setting. Please pray that we see new leaders, and team members raised up so that as a church across Liverpool Diocese we would see more people connecting with the church, and with God. _~Hilary Morgan_ _Cultivate Leader_ ## CHILDREN’S DISCIPLESHIP & WORSHIP ## Sunday Club and Children’s Work In 2024 both myself and Revd. Katy Canty had felt spiritually concerned about reaching the children in our church communities and beyond. We decided that it was time to start a Sunday Club, and I volunteered to do it. Others also volunteered to lead. We are a small team and remain hopeful that others will come on board to help lead. Revd. Katy had already been researching into Roots On the Web a resource to help equip Sunday School leaders with resources to teach children from the Bible. It has a variety of resources for all ages. Katy already does outreach children’s work with the local schools and leads different events. We started the Sunday Club in September 2024 and 7 months on, Roots has proved to be a useful tool which we have adapted to meet the needs of our children. Fundamentally, we strive to nurture our children through the word of the Lord using a variety of media including digital media, modelling clay, playdough, watercolours, fabrics, and many other materials to create a sensory and memorable experience. We have also used role-play and drama as tools for re-telling Bible stories. There have been challenges acquiring some resources but on advice from Revd Tom to put a request out for fabrics, we now have a reasonable selection of fabrics for various uses, such as collages, drama/ Godly play. Also, we have been able to share some resources from each church alongside providing some of our own. I am very positive about Sunday Club and continue to pray for its growth. Some weeks we only have a few children but have had as many as 12. We must always remain hopeful! Page 19 Matthew 18-20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Thanks to Bev, Carl, De, Katy and Sandra who I have led alongside. _~Shearon Young_ ## _Sunday Club Leader_ ## Saplings Toddler Play Group The last year has been a quieter year than some. This has led to more peaceful sessions and more opportunities to really get to know the adults and children in the group. Our numbers over the winter were affected by it being very cold in the Parish Centre Hall. However, we continued with all the usual activities including active play, art & fun crafts, puzzles & books, and all the usual activities you would expect at a toddler group. In addition, we marked Christian festivals. At Easter, our children were given some chocolate. At Christmas, Bev led the group retelling the Christmas story and singing carols before Father Christmas arrived with Christmas story books and chocolate. During the year as children left to go to school or nursery, we gave them Bibles. We feel that we are fortunate to be able to ensure that all our families receive some Christian books, as many homes have no access to any Christian literature. We were able to contribute some of our funds to cover the cost of the new and bright energy efficient lighting system in the hall, which together with the redecoration, has made it a much more pleasant space to be. We entered the Christmas Tree Festival and have also encouraged our parents and carers to support church activities during the past year. We have been blessed over the past year and ask that you will continue to support our efforts by praying for the group. _~Bev Williams & Kay Lyons_ ## _Saplings Leaders_ Page 20 ## Messy Church Messy Church continues to be a corner stone of our outreach to children and families in the area. The main purpose of Messy is to tell and show children how much they are loved and accepted by God...whilst having fun, making things and sharing fellowship. During the year we looked at the following themes, Love for everyone, characters of the bible, the Olympics, creation, the armour of God, Easter, Advent and Christmas. Bev Williams and Joy Jary also qualified in paediatric First Aid. Ever since the pandemic we have not returned to the numbers we used to attract (we are on average getting less than 12 children) however, we believe this an important outreach, and the people who attend do not attend the Sunday Services. We met at the end of 2024 to plan a relaunch of Messy Church for the first quarter of 2025. Setting a new time and a change in format to make it easier for leaders and volunteers. Our Christingle Service, which was held in December was a great success. _~Joy Jary, Bev Williams & Kay Lyons_ _Church Reader & Messy Church Leaders_ ## School Visits As a result of visiting Belle Vale Primary with posters advertising the 150 year's celebrations, we received a request to re-form links with our church. We invited the children over so that they could see for themselves. As well as learning about our local history, this gave them a chance to see what a church looks like inside and begin to understand more about the Christian faith. Almost simultaneously, Norman Pannell School got in touch asking to bring groups of children round to see a church, so we organised several days where the children came in small groups. We started with a brief conducted tour of the church, pausing to show them things like special windows, the pulpit, the font, the altar. We explained simply the origin of the church and explained to them how it had changed over the years, for example in the way we ‘do’ music. We then let them choose from a variety of crafts which were based on parts of the church so there were things like mosaic patterns from altar tiles, plans of the church, and colouring in pictures. We also had a scavenger hunt where the children had to identify parts of the church from photos and for the older ones, to think about the symbolism. We finished the visit with a story about Easter and the reality of the risen Jesus. Page 21 We have also been invited to take Assemblies in both schools and Belle Vale Primary came back into the church at Christmas to see the decorated trees and enjoy more craft, before hearing the Christmas story again. We are continuing with the contact. Many thanks must go to the wonderful helpers who assisted me – Joy, Bev Heather, Kay, Margaret, Sandra, Fran, Lisa and my husband Tom. _~Revd. Katy Canty_ _SSM Minister_ ## COMMUNITY ## Liverpool Phoenix Voices Choir To celebrate St Stephen’s 150[th] year anniversary Liverpool Phoenie Voices choir performed their Sing Choirs Of Angels concert in December 2024. A programme of modern and traditional carols, with an audience participation in some, and an opportunity to audition for the choir! They are a community based, mixed voice choir that had used St Stephens as a rehearsal space several years ago. The choir have continued to return to the church for concerts and to reconnect with the people of the area. There is often a packed church to greet their performances, and the choir look forward to their next return to Gateacre. _~Alane Stockwell_ _Choir Member_ ## Craft Group Online The Craft Group remained meeting online since the pandemic, which allowed those who remained at home to engage. We met once a month and covered a range of different Crafts. The hope is that this will grow and establish itself. _~Hilary Morgan_ _Craft Group Team Leader_ ## JUSTICE ## AA The AA meet in St Marks church weekly on a Tuesday between 7:30 and 9pm. “Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. A.A.’s primary purpose is to help alcoholics to achieve sobriety. AA continue to contribute toward bills for the church, and the church remains grateful that this work continues to offer support to those who need it.” Page 22 ## Drop In Community Cafe & Warm Space Hub The Drop In has continued to thrive and, in fact, is growing with an average of 18 people most weeks. During the colder months of the year we advertise as a Warm Hub where people can come to stay warm. We have a lively core group of regulars and there’s lots of laughter and fellowship. We offer free toast, tea and coffee, and a warm welcoming cafe space for anyone to enjoy. Throughout the year the local Police pop in, PCSO Neil is one of our main contacts and a real asset as he shares what’s going on in the community to help look after people and keep them safe. At Christmas we hosted a special meal, and had a visit from the man in red. We are always happy to welcome newcomers and look forward to growing into next year. Pop along to say hello, or for a brew and catch up. _~Hilary Morgan_ _Drop In Team Leader_ ## Foodbank St Mark’s Foodbank is part of the Trussel Trust South Liverpool Foodbank network, helping local people in crisis with emergency supplies of nutritionally balanced food. St Mark's Foodbank is open each Saturday between 10am and 12 noon to fulfil vouchers issued to those in need. It was supported by donations from the Gateacre Team harvest service, and throughout the year by regular donations through the congregation and also from across the city through the network. Thank you to all of those who support this valuable work. To find out more, or to offer further support, please go to https://southliverpool.foodbank.org.uk _~Alane Stockwell_ _Foodbank Volunteer_ ## EVENTS ## 150th & 50[th] Year Celebrations In 2024 we were celebrating 150 years of history and worship at St Stephens, and 50 years at St Marks. There was a formal celebration on 11[th] February at St Stephens where it was agreed that the liturgy should be fairly formal, unlike our usual pattern, but that it should include both old and new elements. To that end, we selected both traditional and modern songs which Ian Driver led along with the music group, and recited Psalm 24 which was used in the original Consecration Service. For the prayers we Page 23 combined a prayer used at the laying of the foundation stone, a Jubilee prayer of 1924 and finally a modern prayer written for this special occasion. During the service we had contributions from the congregation as we remembered St Stephen’s in the past and Kay Lyons and Margaret Reid presented this. Joy Jary spoke about St Stephen’s today and the many activities we run, and Carl Sullivan gave a brief insight as to what it is like coming into church. The service was led by Joy Jary and Rev Canon Katy Canty and the Right Reverend John Perumbalath, Bishop of Liverpool gave the address which was based on the reading from ## 2 Timothy 1:1-10, read by Charlie Dykins. Arch Deacon Miranda came on 8th April to St Marks to celebrate with them marking their 50th year since being planted from All Saints, Childwall. It was a great occasion. The services were very well attended and there was a wonderful spirit of praise and thankfulness as we looked back at the past, rejoiced in the present and looked forward with expectation as to what lies in the future. _~Revd. Katy Canty_ _SSM Minister_ ## Summer Fayre The Summer Fayre was organised by Charlie and Fran with two aims: - To connect with the community showing them the church is still present, - and as a fundraiser for our mission and ministry in the Gateacre Team. Despite not having one for a number of years, it went really well. This we put down to the volunteers who rallied around to run the stalls and organised themselves, as well as many donations coming in. We sold cakes, books, plants, and children’s toys. There were also some independent stall holders with craft items. We raised about £900. Those we spoke to all enjoyed themselves. We could have only hoped for even better weather. A big thank you to everyone who made it possible. _~Charlie Dykins_ _Summer Fayre Co-Lead_ ## History Day As part of our 150[th] celebrations we ran a History Day in St Stephen’s and the church was open again as part of the Party In The Parish. On both occasions we advertised the events through a variety of means and many of the congregation helped greatly by delivering leaflets locally. On both days we had a good number of people who had been associated with the church or Gateacre C of E school in the past who revisited. Amongst many others, we received two daughters of a former Church Warden, who has engraved brass vases in his memory, former choir members, a lady who had received a school award for ‘proficiency in scripture’ from the Arthur Bower Forwood Memorial Prize and several Page 24 others who had been married here and were pleased to find their registry entries which had been scanned into the computer. Alongside this, there was a guided walk ‘The Great and Good of Gateacre with Diana Goodier of the Victorian Society and Merseyside Archaeological Society which included Childwall Churchyard where many of the benefactors, clergy and congregation of St Stephen’s are buried and which tell much of the history of St Stephen’s which was originally part of the All Saint’s Parish. As well as all the archives on display in St Stephen’s we also had stalls organised by the Gateacre Society and the local Pre Fab group. The recently re-written and reprinted ‘History of the Parish Church of St Stephen’ by Tom Canty was on sale along with local pictures and other craft items. Both days gave good scope for interesting conversations and a real interest in our current church and made a very good bridge between us and our local community. ## _~Revd. Katy Canty_ _SSM Minister_ ## Christmas Tree Festival & Craft Fayre We had 20 trees displayed in church from different groups including church and outside organisations, like the Salvation Army, Community Payback and Foodbank. There were 20 paying stall holders in the parish centre hall, and an extra 8 tables with church members selling cakes, tombola, free children's crafts and more. 105 visitors came through our doors during the afternoon, which was incredible considering the storm outside. They were all very positive and complimentary. Despite the weather, we managed to raise £800 for the Gateacre Team. We plan to meet for a debrief to learn ready for 2025, so that we can bring new ideas to improve and grow this special event. _~Bev Williams_ _Christmas Tree Festival and Craft Fayre lead_ ## Deanery Synod Deanery Synod met on the following occasions during 2024; February at St Mary’s, Halewood, April at St Hilda’s, Hunts Cross, July and October at All Saints, Speke Page 25 In March 2024, PCCs voted on the Diocesan Fit for Mission initiative, the following Churches decided to enter into the next stage noting concerns and barriers which need addressing over the course of the next year to eighteen months: St. Anne’s Aigburth, All Hallows Allerton, Gateacre Team, Grassendale St Mary’s, St Mary’s and St Nicholas Halewood, St Hilda’s Hunts Cross, Mossley Hill and Speke Team this forms a viable cohort to move forward. The following churches decided not to go forward with the Fit for Mission initiative but remain fully committed to the mission and ministry of Liverpool South Deanery: St. Michael’s, Garston, St. Peter’s Much Woolton, Penny Lane St. Barnabas, All Saints Childwall and All Souls Springwood. Following the vote, All Souls, Springwood have since opted in and St Matthew & St James, Mossley Hill have opted out. Those churches who opted in will work towards becoming the single parish of ‘Christ our Light’. Fit for Mission was the main focus of many of our synod meetings over the last year but also wanting to continue to work together as a deanery regardless of our individual church’s stance on Fit for Mission. Rev Phil Saltmarsh was appointed as Change Lead and Lisa Gilligan as Change Facilitator. Jess Forester has been appointed as part time administrator. Fit for Mission Joint Worship and Prayer Evenings were held at St Anne’s, Aigburth, in St Mary’s, Grassendale, St Mark’s, Childwall Valley and in Halewood. Two 6 Week Cultivate Courses held in September at St Anne’s Aigburth (daytime) and St Mark’s Childwall (evenings). Other items covered at our Synod Meetings in 2024; Rev Julia Pratt shared about her role as chaplain at Liverpool Hope University. Joe Cotterall from Network of Kindness joined us in October. St Stephen’s Gateacre celebrated its 150th Anniversary, St Mark’s celebrated its 50th Anniversary. St Mary’s, Grassendale celebrated its 170th Anniversary. A week of prayer was held in September 2024 and 20 young people and adults were confirmed in October and November following joint Confirmation preparation across the deanery. Parish Share was also a key area of focus at our meetings. We still carry a significant deficit but are currently on track to pay full parish share during 2025. In July we held our Diocesan Synod elections, and the following members were appointed; Ian Crowe, Jenny Radford, Sue Snow and David Bishop to the house of laity and Nicola Milford, Alex Rayment and Gareth Morgan to the house of clergy We welcomed Rev Tom Langdon to the Gateacre Team Thank you to Peter Franklin who continues to update our deanery website – www.liverpoolsouthdeanery.org.uk; thanks to all who regularly share and contribute to our deanery Facebook page. Thanks also to Geoff Bullen who has kindly agreed to produce minutes for our Deanery Synod meetings. The role of secretary remains vacant. ~Natalie White Deanery Synod Secretary ## FINANCE I have 3 friends who are church treasurers and they all tell me that they can carry out most of their tasks in one evening per month! They all serve in small rural churches so perhaps this is the difference! When the interregnum started in June 2023 we had two empty clergy houses, two rented curate houses, two Page 26 churches, a Parish Centre and two licensee nurseries and various hall hirers. I counted 16 Utilities which needed to be matched to properties and two council tax situations to be rectified. Some of this involved linking Meter Point Reference Numbers to utility accounts, and crawling into small cupboards to read meters! The next challenge was our current account for which signatories and primary users were difficult to identify, and security barriers caused a lock out from telephone banking. The situation still isn’t resolved, and we can’t write cheques, but we are able to receive income and spend it very easily so we’re on ‘hold’ as Fit for Mission will bring about a reorganisation of banking. 2023 Accounts were completed just in time for the deadline; we are very grateful to Phil Janvier who came out of retirement to assist with this! 2024 accounts are completed and awaiting independent examination at the time of writing. We have changed some of the nominal codes used to record income and expenditure, so this makes comparison with previous accounts more difficult but hopefully better reflects the uses of our buildings. 2024 has been an expensive year catching up on repairs on all of our sites. Grants received from various bodies and the generosity of our church members have enabled us to do this work. This has included completion of the dry rot work in the chancel and choir vestry. A major challenge for 2025 will be to increase our income so we can pay 100% of our Parish Share. We currently meet only 75% in our monthly direct debit. We also have a large deficit inherited from previous years. Church buildings are being maintained as much as possible within our financial constraints. Finance, Giving and Fundraising continue to be an issue for all churches. We continue to promote the Parish Giving Scheme, and have also been reviewing rental income through our buildings. Our Gift Aid Tax Reclaim continues to be hard work, but helps support our ministry. We are very thankful to Sue Carey and Hazel Frear who work diligently on this. Regular giving and individual one-off donations are generous but do not cover our running costs. Therefore we are reliant on the rental from the two nurseries (St Mark’s hall and St Stephen’s Parish Centre) and the two previous curate houses enable us to meet some of our costs. However, big bills for dry rot and roof repairs at St Stephen’s have meant we faced another financially challenging year. Due to some grants and a legacy we were able to complete the work. We have been unable to pay our parish share contribution in full (our invoice is approximately £4000 per month) but we have maintained our monthly payment of £1500. **At the end of October 2024 our outstanding parish share owed to Liverpool Diocese totalled £100,653. There is also a £20,000 loan from the diocese which has not yet been paid back. We remain in conversation with the diocese about this.** To finish with some hopeful news, we now have a Finance Team of three and we are beginning to work together to try to keep accounts up to date. We also need to start thinking more strategically and plan for the future. Once the 2024 accounts have been examined, they will be on display and available for any church member to peruse, and questions will be welcomed at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. ## _~ Dr Margaret Reid_ _Church Warden_ Page 27 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS LYDEPENDLYT LE4MINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE PAROCHL4L CHLIiCH COUNCIL OF THE BEf*EFICE OF ST STEPHLTr4'S GATL4CRE Imdepemdent tx¥iiii•eT'5 rtport to tbe kn5tee4 of Tht P*rOrbI￿ Coumnl of the BeDtfi¢e of St Stephell's Cate*tre l Rport to the cbuity ttustees ODW LUmllMtion of tlle accoullts of The PaTDcth￿Ichurrb of the BeDe&e of St Stepkntt'i Gateacre (Ihe TnL*) fortheyear ell&d 31 Dttembtr2024. Re$po*sk+ffjties attd bads of report As the chan'ry trusrees of the Tnwt y¢)u ire respollsibk f(r & FYepaTatico of the in ￿￿Td￿ce with ofthe Ch￿ilIeS Act 2011 Dbe W. I1ry￿ llL of w exallllDatioll of t￿eT￿s￿l xccoullts catrid outundeT S￿tiOn 145 of theAct catryillg wt examillation I have followed all apphcable DIrects"C￿ by the ch￿IlY Commission UDder Sectson 145(5)(b) of Jmdeptmdent eurnin￿'S 5titeThemt C￿ tecorth DOtkeptiDTe5pecl ofthe TTUSI u ￿ll￿ed iry Sethiio 130 ofthe A¢ the at£OUnts ¢to )￿t accordmryth those recwds.. or the iccounts donotcomply V4itbtbe 4pplicable contentof accouuts set ill the Ch￿DeS (Accounts alldReports) Re8ulatsoDS 2008 otF*r tknnwrequireD*ntthat th acc4yJDts Bive a tn be draTrTL It￿tt ill (fder toeDable apropu uthtanthllg of the to be teach A J Syddall M.A.. F.C.A. P B Syddall & Co ChartetedAecmi￿ Grlftou House 81 Chorley OldR￿a Boltou BLI 3AJ Page 28 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE STAlEM￿￿ OF FINLNCL4L ACTIITtIES FOR THE ITAR EYDED 31 DECEMBER ?OJI 2024 Total 2023 Total UDre5thcted Re#ncted Note5 INcoh￿ ENDOllThtENtS FROM DollalioDS and legaciei 63.015 2J87 65.402 36.948 l.l97 7.062 70 20.451 Total 138 142 116 126 Charitable adiTrilie5 Cknantabk *tsvAties 124 4 130 688 ￿50 14597 (2.720) 11077 15.870 EECONCILL4TION OF FUYDS Toul fjJll& b￿ght fOr￿￿d 284J27 27.OJS 311962 296.092 TOTAL FLryDS CARRIED FORWARD 299 32J 29 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE BALLNCE SHEET JI DECEMBER ?024 2024 Total 2023 Total UDre5thcted Re#ncted Note5 FLTED ASSETS Tall￿bIe aS￿ts 267.IN)O 267.( 267,OL CURRLYf ASSETS C•th xtb4llk awliuhaud 27 24.315 81J42 ¢59,590 CRED￿oR5 (4J03) (4J03) (4.628) 52J24 14,315 76IJ9 64,962 TOT.4L ASSETS LESS CiIRRENT LIABIL￿E8 319J24 24.315 343W9 331.962 cRED￿oRs 120,000) (20m￿> 00,0￿) I¥ET ASSETS 299 323 311962 9524 284.917 TOTAL FLryDS 323 311962 The fmallcialststemtnls y￿e appr￿edbY tbe BO￿a￿£T￿thS autborised for issue rn........_._._..._.._......._..._.... 30 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE NOTES TO THE FIYAf*CIAL ST.4TEMENTS FOR THE ITAR EYDED 31 DECEhfBER ?OJI AccoiJf4TLYG POLICIES The fiDaDciil statements of the cbanty. w￿"£b is * pubbc Eer*fit ULtsry UDler FRS 102, knve bttD p￿￿ted ' cco[da￿l Iwith C￿Ibel SORP IFRS 1021 Accounttng alld Re￿rt￿ by Chanties". StatemeLt of Re£0DllllerdedPrac￿e apphcabletochaTitsespreparwgtheiraccounts ill 1ccordance￿1th the F￿a￿￿IRePDrnB Standatdapp]icknle mthe LEalldRq￿bhc of trdand(FRS 102) (efferttiTe l JaLuary2019)'. Srnndard 102 Tr FJllanc￿ Rq>ortsDg Stathd wlicable m the UK ard RepubiLC of Ireland ind the char￿.￿ coh All illcome is recowd Ststuoellt of Fillaw￿ Athryties the ch￿lty h•$ ents"tkmut to tk t￿1 it iswdmble thatthe mtony￿1]l￿¥eL￿[wEa md theammt tjnbv Trlixbly. LMkn"knttes ue recegllued as expd'kn as soon as is • leBal or collstructi￿ obligatb)D coromittiDg chxnty to that eKpenditute. tt ts Ptobable thxt a ttaTth of eEolloDllc I￿llefitS 4FiII be setdEll￿Lt the amoullt of the obkn8atsoll can te measutedrebabty. Ewidl'ture 15 accounted for on an accnMLs andbas bea c]assthed Ullder headjngs that aggregate all cost related to the Ca￿80ry. &￿There co8t8 caDnot Ix directly TLNGIBII FIXTD ASSETS TLL4TION The chanry is from tsxon ￿ cbantsble actiiotie FUM) ACCOUYIDIG UDTEstsidedfiDIs can Inaccordar￿￿ltb the c]yttiable obJ'ecttve%attk dixretTh of the tfU5tee4. OIHER TRADING ACmltIES 2024 2023 31 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE P40TES TO THE FDILNCIAL STATDIEf*TS. coRti••td FOR THE ITAR EYDED 31 DECEhlBER •OJI INI￿STAdENT INCOME 2024 2023 Hre of faci]ities 54.6S9 45.364 12.067 696 70 31 December 2023. TRUSTEES, E￿ET￿sE5 31 De£eJthI 2023. L4Dd a COST At l j￿U•ry2o24 ad31 De£ethe¥ 2024 NET BOOK Tr"ALUE At 31 Dereth 2024 At31 De£￿J￿ 2023 2024 2023 32 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE P40TES TO THE FDILNCIAL STATDIEf*TS. coRti••td FOR THE ITAR EYDED 31 DECEhlBER •OJI CREDITORS: AMOUNfs FALtJNG DIJE AFTERMORE ONE IIAR 2024 2023 Other (see note 81 An ￿ of theDutillity ofloaD5 IS pvtnbelow.. 2024 2023 33 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE P40TES TO THE FDILNCIAL STATDIEf*TS. coRti••td FOR THE ITAR EYDED 31 DECEhlBER •OJI Net At 1.1.24 31.12.24 Umrtstrirted hmds 2&K927 14>97 299J24 Restrirted 935 lJ55 172 2J40 621 (935) lJ55 172 DebtAdvKe 12J40) Ihsctetion fimd 621 contai￿ fijnd 750 565 12 (31} (3) Flo￿tr Gas alldeietmc ttharges Hezitage Lottuy Sjnd Is 965 822 224 965 78? 224 1.000 3,215 171 S,750 J38 702 gs 333 566 1,087 ry67 5.ljl 166 (40) Mu&c sO￿lla aDd bgbtlllge￿fU￿a Rocksohd fiu 32lS 171 Saphw fulld St Mark heatsngandmof fur#1 DGMF h￿¢b cknb Famdy Gth forJesus 1,181 (5?0) 71)2 333 Netl*dey 41kh ffi)￿d 207 5.ljl 166 TOTAL Fiif4DS 34 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE P40TES TO THE FDILNCIAL STATDIEf*TS. coRti••td FOR THE ITAR EYDED 31 DECEhlBER •OJI Umrtstriried hmd {l24J84) l4.597 Restrirted 61 (996) 12J40} (935) {2JlO) (185) (Ji) (Ji) (8) Flower {40) 1,181 (528) 166 Sapbll%s fulld St Mark heatsng4Ddmof fur#1 1.462 1281) 720 TOTAL FUIIDS 14 35 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE P40TES TO THE FDILNCIAL STATDIEf*TS. coRti••td FOR THE ITAR EYDED 31 DECEhlBER •OJI C••r4tiFts for IA Net At 31_12 23 At 1.123 Unre5trirted 270.089 14.838 284.927 Resttirted hmth 935 1355 172 2340 621 935 1355 172 DEbtAdwK Roof repair5 fimd 621 99 750 43 15 692 965 822 224 1,000 3215 171 4.509 866 702 95 333 366 1.087 267 750 43 15 692 905 G￿ alldelecthc char8es Hentage ￿￿tt￿Y fond Nles5y C]Mrch Music $oulld aDdli8bhngequp*ntfird Ry)weut of lo•ns Ro&sohd fill￿1 224 3215 Sapltllgs fttlld St ma￿ heatinBalldrnof DGMF cb Famdy Gth for Jesus 3 J37 1,032 702 95 333 566 1.0 267 Ne1￿￿tY 4thb foDd TOTAL Fiif4DS 311962 Unrtstrirted 115.094 {100256) 14.838 Restiirted 1.032 1.032 TOTAL Fiif4DS 116 126 loo 36 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE P40TES TO THE FDILNCIAL STATDIEf*TS. coRti••td FOR THE ITAR EYDED 31 DECEhlBER •OJI A Jtw 12 12 llmths corthtrApsi¢ioui8 as follty•s: Net At 31_12.24 At 1.123 Unre5trirted 270.089 29.435 29).524 Resttirted hmth 935 1355 172 2340 621 (935) 1355 172 DEbtAdwK Roof repair5 fimd (2,340) 021 99 565 12 750 43 15 692 905 (185) (31) (8) G￿ alldelecthc char8es Hentage ￿￿tt￿Y fond Nles5y C]Mrch Music $oulld aDdli8bhngequp*ntfird Ry)weut of lo•ns Ro&sohd fill￿1 692 965 782 224 1,000 3215 171 5.750 338 702 95 333 366 1.087 267 5.131 166 (40) 224 3215 Sapltllgs fttlld St ma￿ heatinBalldrnof DGMF cb Famdy Gth for Jesus 3 J37 2213 (528) 702 95 333 566 1.0 267 5.131 NetF*Tle)" 4thb foDd ifo TOTAL FUM)S 290 OW2 313 839 37 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE P40TES TO THE FDILNCIAL STATDIEf*TS. coRti••td FOR THE ITAR EYDED 31 DECEhlBER •OJI as follows: Unre5trirted 254.075 29.435 Resttirted hmth oi 1996) (2,340) 1185) (935) 0,340) (185) {311 (Bl {40} 2213 (528) 166 Roof repair5 fill Drop w fimd (8) 1105) 1281) 1528) 1.830) Messy Church Itngs fttlld St M￿k heatinBalldwof 65 1494 TOTAL Fiif4DS 25 230.944) 27.747 10. RELITED PARTY DISCLOSURES Th￿tWere no ￿lated party trawaCtio￿ foT theye4re￿d3I DecemEer 2024. 38 E PAROCHtAL CHLUCH cO￿4￿L OF THE BENEFICE OF ST STEPHEN'S GATEACRE DETAItED STATENILVT OF FIY.&VCL4L.4CrnITIES FOR THE ITAR EYDED 31 DECEhlBER ?OJI 2￿24 2023 Donations and iegicits 756 25,061 2.922 20,559 5.748 Legac*$ 9J40 14J35 io SW Colkd¥)Ms 65.402 36,948 Otker trading actiirytks Fvlldriising events 7.062 20.451 H]re of facihties Rellt received 54,659 14.212 12MJ 453fA 12,667 696 70.101 58,727 142J65 116.126 19J60 10,410 1.712 2J47 13.016 37J21 14.640 7.960 Telephoue Church ruDllm8 COStS 2,611 5.791 9.3Tr) 415 35,049 12,458 ,702 1.093 137 Office costs and g￿lry ewD5ey 4950 6,180 Fwldraising expenge5 52 129.740 99,356 Swrt rojts Govern￿e costs 948 9tsJ 11177 15.870 39 ## TEAM RECTORS FINAL THOUGHTS I arrived on Sunday 17[th] November 2024, having been sent by St Stephens church to train to become a vicar in September 2016. It is uncommon for someone to return to their sending church, and I was thoroughly interviewed, more than once, by church representatives and the Bishop on different occasions. On 31[st] December I had been in post 45 days therefore I look to the incredible work of the Gateacre Team for the other 320 days. What I have been reminded of by many who have worked so hard this past year is to “look at where we’ve come from.” So as I have read the various reports, covering buildings and grounds management, discipleship and worship for adults and children, community, justice and many events; I have been blown away by what has been achieved by hardworking and faithful, unpaid volunteers! I look at January 2024 when Joy led the vision day that made significant note that we needed to be ONE church, with two worship centres. This has been my experience, and also, was shared with me through colleagues experiences before I arrived. This is to be commended, when you can look to the pains of the past and see a significant and noticeable change in culture. I am thankful to both Readers and other leaders who stepped up to lead well during this time. Leaders are lone people without those who get behind them, and so to all those who stood in support of Joy, Hilary, Margaret & Scott, thank you for developing and executing a clear vision for the year. I can read from the various discipleship prayer and study groups, and in the Lent and Advent courses, that people have grown in their love and faith commitment to follow Jesus. There has been considerable reconnecting with the primary schools in the area with Belle Vale and Norman Pannel being welcomed into St Stephens for educational visits. There was vast energy put into growing Messy Church, that we hope 2025 will be an even more fruitful year for growth. It is clear from the people hours invested into building maintenance that there was an incredible amount of clearing out that had to happen, and much needed work to prevent water coming in, as well as fixing various broken things. What an effort has been made to maintain our buildings. People are clearly more important than buildings though, and so it is with genuine delight that I see most of this report to be about connecting with God, the church and the community. I am especially thankful to those who care for the least and the lost and our children and young people. Whilst there is a lot on offer for children of primary school age or less, it is noticeable that we’ve nothing to write about our teenagers. I hope and ask God, that we begin to see a shift in this. When I began looking closely at the Teams finances it became clear that they were in poor condition, with a historic underpayment of parish share, and build up of arrears. Parish Share pays to train up new clergy and also pays current clergy costs, allowing poorer churches to pay less toward their clergy, and richer churches to pay more. This is a very simple explanation of a far more complex calculation. It was not guaranteed that the Gateacre Team would be able to appoint to the Team Rector post. Myself and the Team are ever thankful to the deanery who have taken a chance on us, to see a continued investment into the area, that we all hope will show much fruit over the years. Our financial plan has been to increase income through more rentals of the Parish Centre. We know we also need to look at what it means to live as a generous disciple, and so learn more together and with the help of God. We already give thanks as part of our offertory prayers for those gifts offered in talents, time and service as well as those financial gifts that all help towards us ministering within the Gateacre Team. Page 40 I became a trustee of the Mary Jane Cross Charity, and the 2024 grants awarded to those in need was £755. In 2025 I hope to see this increased drastically to relieve more people who are in financial need. If you need help in this way, please speak to a Church Warden or myself. My heart is more with the people, and December saw me visit more than 40 homes to be invited in for a brew or drop a note through with contact details to say I’d called and please invite me back. I am truly grateful to those who welcomed me in during my first months in post, both in these visits and for my incredibly well choreographed service where the hospitality to all those visitors was epic! Thank you. To quote Ian Driver at a recent PCC, we would like to “Dream Big Dreams!” We believe in a big God, who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine, so we will aim high with His help, and dream big dreams with Him, to build His kingdom in Childwall Valley, Gateacre and Netherley. It is with this in mind that the PCC set the below aspirations for 2025: DISCIPLESHIP - To improve our spiritual care for young people who are not part of our worship community. - To go deeper in our learning and studying together. - Improve what we offer our children during worship, review Sunday Club and other teaching opportunities. - Explore and develop what it means to be “Fit for Mission” and “fit for purpose.” ## WORSHIP - To explore planting a worship centre back into Netherley. - To grow in numbers at all worship centres. ## COMMUNITY - To strengthen relationships in the community, with the people and with the schools. - For the Community Garden project at St Marks to be a success. - To have another successful Party in the Parish missional event. - To have 6 social events throughout the year. - To develop how we use St Marks building. ## JUSTICE - To see more justice in our communities. FINANCE, ADMIN & BUILDINGS - To increase our regular hires and rental income stream. - To pay our parish share in full. - To get more organised for 2025’s APCM. - To see our parish centre developed to generate income that drives our mission. The practical challenges I see ahead are: - growing our discipleship and mission - growing our finance - growing in number at St Marks and St Stephens - growing our volunteer capacity Page 41 Finally, I add my voice to all the others that have offered thanks to those who have made this past year possible. Thank you for patiently reading this report and our vision for the coming year, but especially to those who have given so much of themselves to see God’s Kingdom grow in 2024. Thanks to the tea makers, cleaners, washers, dryers, flower arrangers, altar cloth changers, administrators, planners, prayers, readers, singers, musicians, preachers, leaders, those not on this list who I’ve missed, and growing army of volunteers. Without you working together and partnering with God, this past year would not have been as filled with God’s glory as it was in our community and our shared life. To God be the glory, forever. Amen. _~Revd. Tom Langdon-Smith_ _Team Rector_ Page 42