Annual Report 2024
## **ST BARNABAS CHURCH EMMER GREEN**
**ANNUAL REPORT of the Parochial Church Council (The Trustees Report)**
**For the Period 31[st] December 2023 to 31[st] July 2024 EMMER GREEN and CAVERSHAM PARK, ST BARNABAS**
**ANNUAL REPORT of the Parochial Church Council (The Trustees Report)**
**For the Period 1[st] August 2024 to 31[st] December 2024**
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## **VICAR’S REPORT & OVERVIEW 2024**
I am pleased to report that 2024 felt like A Good Year. Despite many difficulties in the world around us, we continued to faithfully pray, praise and serve God in this place. Through the inevitable ups and downs of life, God has once again blessed us in unexpected ways this year, most notably:
- Celebrating the centenary of the laying of the church foundation-stone
- New members, including young people, joining our regular congregation
This is an ongoing process of ‘re-wilding’: seeking where God is working to bring growth and renewal. Many of our activities may look familiar: yet increasingly these are where God, rather than ourselves, is giving the energy. It’s not perfect; some things will flourish and some may wither; the aim is to walk with God.
On a technical note, the legal process to merge the parishes of Emmer Green and Caversham Park was finally completed in August, so we are now officially the parish of ‘Emmer Green and Caversham Park, St Barnabas’.
## **Our Priorities**
The three broad priorities remain. One of my mantras is that we ‘ **relentlessly build trusted relationships wherever we go** ’: this is not new, of course, but the emphasis on relationshipbuilding underpins all of our priorities.
1. **Develop our work with families: children and young people** . There has been a noticeable shift in attendances. Compared to 2023, the _number_ of over 70s has stayed the same but they make up a smaller _proportion_ of the total (previously 64%, now 53%) This is because all the lower age groups have increased in size. Our 2024 worshipping congregation is up about 20% on 2023, mostly due to growth in our under 30 age group.
2. **Reach out into Caversham Park** . We take whatever opportunities we have to raise our profile on Caversham Park. Many of our new families and life events are from Caversham Park. Our regular postcard-drops are good opportunities to make our presence felt there (thank-you to those who distribute these).
3. **Build up our mission capability** . We have made progress, strengthening our policies and procedures (more to come in 2025), improving our plan for buildings maintenance and practical plans for the future. Our financial position is improved somewhat, however the end-of-year balance does not tell the full story (and we are deeply thankful for generous legacy gifts). A significant challenge right now is a shortage of dedicated and responsible church officers to handle our practical and spiritual affairs. St Barnabas makes a substantial contribution to our community’s wellbeing, but it relies on people willing to take on the roles of warden, treasurer, safeguarding officer and the like.
## **Worship**
- **Sunday 9:30am worship** continued in its previous pattern. Following feedback, Services of the Word continued on second Sundays, with a clearer theme, often departing from the lectionary readings and introducing variety into the liturgical pattern.
- **Sunday 11:15am All Age worship** : In January this became a weekly service (alternating between Café style and Family Communion), and the start time advanced to 11:15 in October giving us a little more time. The music at Café church has developed a wider repertoire. Attendance has increased steadily: a significant number of young people; also teenagers; also some older people – this is a truly _intergenerational_ congregation. By
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December, more 30+ attendances prompted us to change the furniture arrangements for Café church, using a larger number of smaller tables.
- **Sunday 8am BCP Holy Communion** is now firmly re-established, with a loyal following.
- **Morning prayer** (Tues in church, and online Mon/Weds/Thurs) has 4-7 people each day.
- Wednesday **Midweek Communion** continues with a consistent attendance of 10-15.
- The monthly service at **St Luke’s** residential home continued.
This intentionally diverse range of worship opportunities speaks to a wider range of people. It does place additional demands on our resources, however the result is that more people are coming to church, more often. To mitigate the resource demands, I often adopt a ‘pop-up’ strategy: creating worship with a minimum of preparation (and increased spontaneity on the day).
## **Life events**
We were pleased to conduct **12 baptisms** this year (10 babies/children and 2 adults). Five young people were admitted to Holy Communion, following a change in policy. Three of our newer members were confirmed this year: Jacob Pottage, Daniel Robert and Marcel Thumwood. In November we held a bumper confirmation service at St Barnabas for what felt like the whole of Berkshire. No weddings or wedding blessings this year. We conducted **18 funerals** and memorial services.
There is a beneficial synergy between life events, our outreach activities (e.g. Bereavement Café and Toddler Thursdays) and worship (regular and special services). This makes it easier for people outside the regular congregation to benefit from what we offer.
## **High Days and Holidays**
Our increased activity levels at Christmas, Easter and Harvest in particular have resulted in higher attendances, around 10% more than 2023. Particularly encouraging was the higher attendances at Christmas Carol services and Christmas Day morning. It’s not all about ‘big’ services: worship such as Easter Dawn service and the Longest Night (Blue Christmas) were particularly appreciated by those who attended.
## **Prayer and pastoral**
It is encouraging to see the quiet development of our **prayer ministry** , gently in-built into all we do: through our Prayer Chain, the prayer station in church, our public intercessions list and, of course, prayer in worship. Prayer is the bedrock of our faith practice: it is always heartening for a Vicar to hear someone (else) say ‘we should pray now’.
I acknowledged last year that the need for pastoral visiting outstrips my personal capacity. My plan to establish **Pastoral Care Assistants** in the parish has been slowly developing this year. With new policies being finalised, I hope this will come to fruition in 2025. This will establish a team of pastoral ministers who are gifted, discerned, commissioned and supported.
**In memoriam** . Sadly I record that a number of our former congregation members have died this year: Joan Giddings, Jo Netley, Jan Raciborski, Wendy Preston, Alma Bone, Gladys Napier, Peter Hancock, Chris Hood, Ron Saban, Mary Kent and Daphne Jewiss. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
On a happier note, it was a great joy to dedicate a **new altar frontal** for ordinary time (green) on 2[nd] June: handmade by Ruth Thomas, it is a most welcome and beautiful addition to our altarware.
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## **Families, children and young people**
We have welcomed several new families this year. However the appearance of anyone at Sunday worship (if it happens at all) is the result of a process that started months, even years before. I view this encouraging upturn as the fruit of relentless relationship-building: God is blessing this patient, grace-full work, thanks to lots of seed-sowing activities:
- Years of **school visits and assemblies** . Our contact with Emmer Green Primary and The Hill Primary, plus the preschools, scouts and guides continues.
- **REinspired** (run by Churches Together in Caversham). Volunteers from St Barnabas join in RE lessons in the local primary schools.
- Wednesday and Thursday **morning school runs** . I stand outside church and speak to everyone who passes. This builds relationships and I’ve had lots of fascinating conversations (join me sometime!).
- Busy Bees, Toddler Thursdays (now well established) and the contacts parents and children have with St Barnabas church members, at our services, Handyman sale, Summer Garden Party and Christmas Fair.
An unexpected development at the 11:15 services has been 4-8 **teenagers** , as well as a larger number of younger children. Gen Z behavioural research tells us their continued attendance is far from guaranteed: we need to actively nurture these new people (including parents).
## **Learning and discipleship**
Our **Alpha** course continued from 2023, into Lent 2024. **Lent courses** (2 sessions/week) were well attended, following the Diocesan ‘Come and See’ materials.
Our **Bible Study group** has had a change of leadership and continues fortnightly.
Another surprising turn in July was the emergence of a group of 18-year-olds who we began to nurture weekly throughout the summer. Meeting fortnightly since October, this has developed into a **Young Adults Discipleship** community, with half a dozen people in the 18-30 age range.
## **Environment crisis**
Very pleasing to report that we achieved an **Eco Church Silver Award** in July. This work continues thanks to a core group, including an environmental policy and a plan to work towards net zero carbon: first stage is a scheme to put PV cells on the church roof. We were awarded a grant of £3k (from the Diocese and National church) to help fund the feasibility study.
## **Outward facing work**
As the cost of living crisis and other challenges wear on, I am ever more convinced of the benefit of our **fellowship gatherings** on peoples’ **wellbeing** . Thus, Tuesday craft, Bereavement Café, Living with Loss, Friday Fellowship, Toddler Thursdays, Men’s breakfasts and all the Church Hall groups become ever more important.
The **Safe Space** initiative encountered numerous delays, chiefly through lack of resource. However, the fact-finding stage was completed in the autumn, with more robust plans for 2025.
This year’s big event was **celebrating the centenary** of the foundation-stone being laid. A great series of events. Well done to everyone who put in such a lot of hard work to make it happen. To my eyes we created a ‘Kingdom moment’: a gentle, peaceful, joyful time, where hundreds of people came together and simply spent time enjoying one another’s company. More trusted relationship-building … and excellent feedback!
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## **And finally**
God continues to bless St Barnabas with committed people. We undertake this mission together: quietly, faithfully and sacrificially getting on with it week in, week out. To all of you who contribute to bringing God’s Kingdom into Caversham Park and Emmer Green in any way: a huge ‘thank-you’.
Nevertheless, I must particularly record thanks to my wardens, David and Sandra, treasurer Richard, safeguarding officer Joy and all who serve on PCC.
And thanks be to God: that his blessings to us allow us to be a blessing to others. Amen amen!
Kevin.
## **ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION**
This report covers the period from 1[st] January 2024 until 31[st] December 2024 during which the parish of Emmer Green St Barnabas and the parish of Caversham Park were merged to form a new single parish of Emmer Green and Caversham Park: St Barnabas. The new parish came into existence on 1[st] August 2024.
The new parish will use the existing St Barnabas church which is situated in Grove Road, Emmer Green, Reading. It is within the Reading Deanery, which is part of the Diocese of Oxford. The correspondence address of the PCC Secretary is 10 Barnard Close, Caversham, Reading RG4 6RZ. St Barnabas is registered with the Charity Commission who have agreed the change of name and the use of the existing charity number - 1164759.
## **Emmer Green St Barnabas – 1[st] January 2024 until 31[st] July 2024**
The PCC members who served during this period were:
Incumbent - Revd Kevin Lovell Wardens - David Howell and Sandra Rice
|Deanery Synod Representatives|Elected|
|---|---|
|Mark Burton|2014 (re-elected Oct 2023)|
|Roger Moore|2017 (re-elected Oct 2023)|
|Members||
|Felicity Chapman|2023|
|Susie Downer|2023|
|Bob Abel|2023|
|Richard Cunningham|2022|
|Wendy Howell|2023|
|Joy Abel|2022|
|Christine Bartlett|2023|
|Gail Houghton|2024|
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## **Emmer Green and Caversham Park St Barnabas – 1[st] August until 31[st] December 2024**
Following the merger of the two parishes to form the new parish of Emmer Green and Caversham Park: St Barnabas it was required to hold meetings to elect new churchwardens and members of the Parochial Church Council, these were held on Tuesday 17[th] September.
The PCC members who served during this period were:
Incumbent - Revd Kevin Lovell Wardens - David Howell and Sandra Rice
Deanery Synod Representatives
Members
Mark Burton Roger Moore Felicity Chapman Susie Downer Bob Abel Richard Cunningham Wendy Howell Joy Abel Christine Bartlett Gail Houghton Guy Watt
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
PCCs are charities governed by two pieces of Church of England legislation: the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956 as amended and the Church Representation Rules (contained in Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as amended, particularly by the Church Representation and Ministers Measure 2019). The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All eligible Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
The running of the church is supported by volunteers covering all areas of activity – Annex A.
## **OBJECTIVES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**
The PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent in promoting, in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical.
It has maintenance responsibilities for the church, parish centre and the church hall.
## **COMPLIANCE**
The PCC members (the Trustees) of St Barnabas Church, Emmer Green, Reading (Number 1164759) in agreeing this Annual Report noted that they were fully aware of the Charity Commission Guidance on Public Benefit and were of the opinion that the activities of St Barnabas Church met the Charity Commission requirements.
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## **CHURCH ATTENDANCE**
We have recently submitted our Mission Statistics for 2024 (chart below). The chart shows the detailed comparison with previous years, as seen it is clear the composition of our congregation is changing. The worshipping community is growing and, although we can report new people joining across the age range this year, as always happens when a congregation grows, we are growing younger. Our challenge is to nurture and disciple these new people into mature Christians. Also, our non-Sunday community is becoming significant: a growing number of people join us for Morning Prayer (mostly online), Weekday discipleship or Midweek Communion, who do not attend regularly on Sunday.
## **CHURCH MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE**
## **Health and Safety**
Following the retirement of the health and safety officer the position has remained unfilled. There was a trip and fall at the end of December which resulted in hospitalization. Remedial action was taken to remove the hazard.
_Roger Moore_
## **Safeguarding**
The past year has been challenging for the hierarchy of the Church of England. The Archbishop of Canterbury has resigned and there are challenges for other senior clerics. This is not about what has been done but about what has not been done in terms of safeguarding.
This obviously raises doubts about veracity at lower levels of the Church, at Diocesan and Parish level. It is absolutely appropriate that questions should be addressed about safeguarding of vulnerable people, both adults and children, within our Parish.
Over the past year I have tried to engage more people in the safeguarding process. It is not merely the responsibility of the Vicar and Safeguarding Officer. As we are told in the Bible, “Love the Lord your God,…. and love your neighbour as yourself”. Our neighbours are not merely the people we sit next to in Church. Our neighbours are around us all in the community.
To this end we have had 2 people from the congregation doing the Basic Level Safeguarding course online. I encourage more people to do the same. I have all the details needed for anyone else to do this.
Within our Parish there have been a few issues that have come to light this year. These have been managed locally, but with support from the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer as well. Any ongoing issues are monitored.
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DBS checks have been carried out as required, for those on the PCC and those who work with young or vulnerable individuals. All PCC members have done the basic level Safeguarding course, with some doing other levels as well.
At St Barnabas we remain vigilant in terms of Safeguarding and encourage others to be more aware.
_Joy Abel, Safeguarding Officer_
## **Electoral Roll.**
The Electoral Roll is a list of church members who can vote on Church matters, attend the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and stand for election to the PCC. The number of names on the Electoral Roll as at 31st December 2024 was 103. A complete new roll will take place prior to the APCM in April 2025 and the revised list of names will be displayed on the noticeboard during April. If anyone has any questions concerning the Electoral Roll, please speak to Christine Bartlett, the Electoral Roll Officer.
## **Planned Giving.**
There are 44 regular givers to St Barnabas. Of these 35 contribute via Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) and 9 by Standing Order. No regular givers remain using the little envelopes that were used several years ago.
Of the PGS givers, 33 give monthly, 1 quarterly and 1 annually. 18 have agreed that their gift amount will be increased annually by a rate of inflation, and 18 have made a gift aid declaration. The average monthly total received over the last year is £3,030. Since the PGS scheme has been running there has been a steady conversion from standing orders which the treasurer welcomes as there is no need to submit a gift-aid claim, PGS doing this for us.
Of the standing order givers there are 9 givers all of whom contribute monthly. Of these, 8 have made a gift-aid declaration. The average monthly total over the last year was £663. The treasurer submits a claim for gift-aid for these givers twice a year.
_Richard Cunningham_
## **WORSHIP AND MINISTRY**
## **Puppet Ministry**
Another year of Puppet Ministry to our local school children at the major festivals. During Christmas alone we had over 800 children and adults attend church to hear the good news of Jesus’ birth.
_David Howell_
## **Prayer Chain Ministry 2024**
In May 2012 Jean Rae felt guided to start the Prayer Chain initiative at St Barnabas. This she faithfully continued until her death in March 2018. Jean was a very special and talented person whose knowledge and experience I very much appreciated. I am grateful to have known her. I
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felt her Prayer Chain to be an important part of our life at St Barnabas and felt compelled to continue with Jean’s ministry although anxious about following in such able and learned footsteps. It has been a privilege to do so and I have been encouraged by various comments over the years.
The Prayer Chain is composed of 18 individuals who have committed to pray for those who have requested prayer. We do not physically meet to do so but pray in private as and when we choose. We pray not only for those mentioned in our church prayers but also for those who may not wish to be publicly identified, but who can be assured that all requests are entirely confidentially treated within the group. There is often more detail given with regard to whatever the situation may be that requires prayer.
- We pray for those in distress: because of illness, bereavement, life changing events.
- We pray for those who have died.
- We pray for encouragement and guidance for individuals and events.
- We pray with grateful, thankful hearts.
During 2024 we prayed for around 50 individuals, situations and events.
We firmly believe in the power of prayer. We offer ourselves to God in this ministry and we give thanks for the freedom and opportunity to raise our concerns with Him.
If you feel that you may like to become part of this group you will be most welcome, or if you would appreciate prayer for yourself or someone else then please speak to me.
## _Susie Downer_
## **Choir and music**
We ended 2024 on a high with our service of lessons and carols. We were delighted to welcome a few extra singers, including Kevin, to our Christmas choir.
Over the year we learnt new songs to sing during the 9:30am Communion services, most of these reflected the subject of the Gospel, others celebrated our wonderful environment and encouraged us to think about how we can be better stewards.
As we move into 2025, we intend to learn some of the songs that the 11:30am services use so that we can worship together more easily at joint services for special occasions.
A huge thank you to everyone who has taken part in the music of the church during 2024, especially to those who are coping with health problems or supporting family members. Your dedication to enriching the worship of our congregation is what enables us to embrace a wide variety of music.
Gail Houghton and Guy Watt have both been a great support to me in leading the music. I’d particularly like to mention Gail’s beautiful piano accompaniments and Guy’s growing knowledge of how to keep the organ running smoothly. Once again, I couldn’t have got through this year without the support and understanding of all the choir.
## _Felicity Chapman_
## **PARISH CENTRE AND OTHER ACTIVITIES**
## **Parish Centre Manager**
The Parish centre is in good shape and continues to be utilised by church and non church groups. A small amount of income is derived from its hiring, we have not had a
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push to see what can be done further to offset the increasing utilities bills. We look forward to opening the Safe Space during 2025 if the joint scoping exercise carried out by No5 and Ourselves is successful. Also in 2025 we look forward to welcoming a Special Educational Needs (SEN) support group from Emmer Green Primary School once a month.
## _David Howell_
## **Tuesday Craft Group**
The group is still thriving although faces change. Recently we said goodbye to Joyce who moved away to the Scottish borders. There is no need to bring a craft as this is as much about fellowship as being productive. Just come along for a natter and fellowship. Some ladies have been knitting for "Fish & Chip babies" in Uganda, these are simple hats and jumpers. The 2 annual in-house lunches are still very popular. We open most Tuesdays except around Christmas. I'm thankful for volunteers to cover when I am on holiday.
## _Wendy Howell_
## **Bereavement Support in the Parish Centre**
During 2024 new people continued to find us, usually via the internet and sometimes from as far afield as Twyford. Bereavement is such a significant life-changing event and we all react to it differently. But for everyone it involves having to find a new way of living and of learning very gradually to manage, emotionally and practically, without someone they love.
We currently are very fortunate to have 3 volunteers to help with each group.
## **Bereavement Café**
During 2024 16 new visitors attended the informal Cafe which takes place on the 1[st] Friday every month. The average number of individuals per session was 8, and the largest was 12. People find it reassuring to meet others who are experiencing similar feelings of grief and to learn that there is no right or wrong way to cope with bereavement.
## **Living with Loss**
This group meets on the 3[rd] Friday each month and we talk as a group, whereas there are many different conversations going on at the same time in the Cafe. 9 new people participated during 2024, with an average attendance of 5. There is a core of regulars who find it comforting to be able to acknowledge their ongoing grief without the sense that they ought to be “over it” by now. New visitors seem to value group support and they go away feeling less alone.
## _Gillian Wilson_
## **Busy Bees**
Over the last year we have had a small, committed group of people coming regularly with their children to Busy Bees. We also had one or two other people coming occasionally, but usually not at the same time, and some didn’t come again. Some of the children got nursery places during the year, so stopped coming. The new provision of free nursery provision may have had an effect on numbers.
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Also over the last few months people have moved on as the children have gone to school. This meant on several Mondays in a row no-one came and we have reluctantly decided to suspend Busy Bees for the foreseeable future.
## _Debbie Burton_
## **Thursday Toddlers**
This term time activity started in 2024. It provides the opportunity for mothers, grandmothers, and childminders to meet have a cup of coffee whilst their charges play with lego, play dough, jigsaw puzzles and a wide variety of toys as well as the chance to draw pictures. It is timed to allow older children to be dropped off at school before the session starts at 8.45. It finishes with songs and the banging of drums and shaking of rattles at 10am. This is proving to be a success with up to 14 children attending.
_Roger Moore_
## **FUNDRAISING/CHARITIES REPORT FOR 2024**
## **Charity Fundraising Events: Supporting Education for Life and Masi Corp (Masiphumelele)**
The usual 3 events (Handyman Sale, Garden Party and Christmas Fair) took place as in previous years. Despite the foul weather in December, the Christmas fair was well attended and took a record amount of money. These events are now able to take card payments which often helps. As ever, I am so grateful to those who offer their time to support me and the charities. Especially those who help dispose of items after the events. For details of the monies raised, please see the Annual Financial Statements.
_Wendy Howell_
## **ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS**
Our main focus during the first half of 2024 was to build on our Bronze award from the charity A Rocha, and I’m pleased to say that by July we had achieved silver status in all areas i.e. worship and teaching, community and global engagement, land, buildings and lifestyle. This is part of the drive by Diocese of Oxford for every church in the Diocese to be “carbon neutral” by 2035.
The recycling point in the porch of the Parish Centre is well supported by the church community, local residents and hall users. During the year we have been developing the area behind the church hall as an area for wildlife habitats.
We continue to review everything we do and our aim is to consider the environmental impact that we have as a church and as individuals. The PCC regularly discusses environmental matters and have recently started to look at the possibility of having solar panels on the church building.
Thank you to everyone for your encouragement and keep up the good work!
_Christine Bartlett_
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## **MEN’S BREAKFAST**
Men’s Breakfast will celebrate 10yrs in September 2025. It continues to thrive and is a permanent diary entry for so many. Social Prescribers continue to recommend us to older gentlemen to meet other men in the community and additionally men attending the Bereavement Café and Living with Loss are also being referred. The group consists of not only our congregation but also men from other churches in Caversham and an increasing number of men that don’t attend any form of worship.
_David Howell_
## **COMMUNICATION**
9.30 services continued to be streamed via Zoom during the year. Read All About It the monthly newsletter gained a few more contributions but is still in need of topical articles **.**
## **GARDENING GROUP**
The Gardening group continues to meet once a month to care for the Parish Centre Garden and all the gardens surrounding the church and church hall. We have been very fortunate to have been given a very generous donation again this year which means that we can buy decorative bark which works very well to keep moisture in the soil and help to suppress the weeds. We are very grateful for this.
Water butts were installed a few months ago and they will give a valuable source of free water. The new green bins will mean that we do not have to make trips to the dump.
We would love some new members on our team so do think about joining us. It would be great to see you.
_Juliet and Tony Holland_
## **ST BARNABAS HALL REPORT**
After the laying of a new floor in the Hall in 2023, we have been considering replacing the Hall windows. In 2024 quotations were obtained and it is expected that the work will go ahead in 2025.
I am pleased to say that the Hall had hired income of over £19000, similar to the previous year. We were able to provide £9000 to our Church, which is a valuable support.
During the year the Hall was hired by 16 community groups, who meet weekly, and by over 45 family children’s parties, which contribute a fifth of the income. And of course, our Church uses the Hall for fundraising and social events. The result is a popular centre for our Church & the local community.
Thank you to all the Groups who use the Hall. The details for each are shown on the “St Barnabas Church Emmer Green” website. Why not look up details of any classes that might interest you? Choose from Pilates, Zumba, Age UK Tai chi, Social Group formerly Rosehill WI, Art workshop, Keep Fit and two Dance groups. Click on the Group name to reveal contact details and leaders of each group.
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Thank you to our new cleaner, Rowan, who keeps the Hall clean. It’s essential with all that use. Thanks to the people in the congregation who help with other maintenance – Guy Watt for lots of handyman work, Bob Abel for accounts & billing, and others for bins, electrical checking and so on.
_Jon Barclay, Hall Manager_
## **WIDER CHURCH REPORT 2024**
## **Reading Deanery Synod**
Reading Deanery Synod continued to be a venue where members shared where their churches are, and consider where they will be in the next few years. Also, where members can think how they could learn from each other and support each other and explore ways to contribute together to God’s Mission in Reading. Mutual Support is a key part of the culture of Reading Deanery. An example is that poorer churches are supported by more affluent Parishes through the Parish Share Scheme.
This year Children Young People and Families (CYPF) are a particular priority. Bishop Steven, the Bishop of Oxford has made CYPF a priority, for all Churches in Oxford Diocese, and introduced this firstly to the Area Dean and Lay Chair Conference.
## **Oxford Diocesan Synod**
Oxford Diocesan Synod continued to consider and make decisions on items of strategic importance for Churches in the Diocese.
Children Young People and Families was, and continues to be, a priority: https://d3hgrlq6yacptf.cloudfront.net/61f2fd86f0ee5/content/pages/documents/ods-24-01-youthstrategy.pdf
In March Diocesan Synod passed the motion: “That this Synod endorses the need to significantly increase our engagement with children, young people, families and schools building on Disciples Together and to share the good news of Jesus Christ, and calls on every deanery and benefice in 2024 to develop plans and partnerships for growth”.
There was more business than this.
Members have the opportunity to put formal Questions to Diocesan Synod, which then receive a formal response.
Other items were: Racial justice, disability and deaf issues; Parents And Children Together (PACT); the Mothers Union; Review of the Development Fund; Safeguarding update; Christ Church, Oxford; 2025 Budget, including the 2025 Parish Share Scheme; Church Buildings (including the work of the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC).
Care for the environment was not forgotten. There was a Deanery motion from Witney and Sonning on The Climate and Nature Bill:
‘That this Synod, aware of the important aims of the Climate and Nature Bill, the only proposed legislation before the UK Parliament which ensures a comprehensive and joined-up approach to the climate and nature emergency, whose aims are broadly:
- To make sure that the UK cuts its emissions fairly and fully to stand the best chance of keeping 1.5 degrees alive
- To make sure that the UK takes significant steps to reverse the destruction of nature by 2030
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- To involve citizens in deciding the fairest way forward endorses the 'Zero Hour' campaign to promote the Climate and Nature Bill, and calls on the General Synod also to do so.’ .
It is good that St Barnabas PCC have agreed to put solar panels on both the Hall and Church roofs, and plan to commence a fund-raising campaign to do so. It would be good for that to commence in 2025.
## **REinspired**
REinspired Sessions are delivered in a number of primary schools in Caversham and Emmer Green. It is ecumenical, with people from a wide range of churches participating from producing resources to delivering sessions. It is good that REinspired sessions can be delivered by members of local churches so that children can learn about Christianity from Christians.
More volunteers are required, so perhaps you could pray about whether you can support this important work.
There have been two Project Managers, but one of them has had to move on. Let us hope that she will be replaced soon.
## **CTC Holiday Club**
CTC Holiday Club again took place at St Anne’s RC Primary School. Numbers of children attending were very high, with the Club being a few children over capacity. This year the theme was Champions, which coincided with the Summer Olympics. There were 5 Bible stories about Jesus, which were the themes for each day.
It is good that we have this opportunity to share the good news of Jesus with children in the Caversham area.
More volunteers are also needed for CTC Holiday Club.
_Mark Burton_
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## **Annex A – 2024 VOLUNTEERS AND ACTIVITIES**
This statement describes how many of the activities involved in running and sustaining the Church were organized and who as an individual or as a team had responsibility for the various activities during 2023. Some activities changed responsibility and others were no longer supported New volunteers and members are always welcome.
## **Worship and ministry**
Sacristan: Joy Abel Choir and music: Felicity Chapman Intercessions coordinator: Susie Downer Puppet Ministry David Howell Prayer Chain Ministry Susie Downer Readers coordinator: Joy Abel Authorised preachers: Mark Burton, and David Howell Chalice administrators: Bob Abel, Joy Abel, Christine Bartlett, Mark Burton, Noel Drury, Gail Houghton, David Howell, Awaiz Masih, Paul Rice, Rohama Masih, Sandra Rice, Lisa Williams, Matt Williams. AV and live streaming: Mark Burton Altar linen Christine Bartlett Flowers: Wendy Howell and Gail Houghton Sidespeople: Brian Bartlett, Christine Bartlett, Roger Moore, Wendy Moore, Richard Cunningham, Juliet Holland, Tony Holland Alpha: Sandra Rice Environmental champion Christine Bartlett
## **Safeguarding**
Parish Safeguarding officer: Joy Abel Safeguarding verifier: Debbie Burton
## **Buildings**
Parish Centre manager: David Howell Church Hall manager: Jon Barclay Grounds and gardening: Juliet Holland and Tony Holland Maintenance team: David Howell Busy Bees (Mon) Debbie Burton, Mark Burton Bible Study group (Mon) Christine Bartlett, Gail Houghton Craft group (Tues) Wendy Howell Toddler Thursday Anne Mace, Roger Moore, Wendy Moore Bereavement Café (Fri) Gillian Wilson Living with Loss (Fri) Gillian Wilson Friday Fellowship Mary Cameron Fundraising Wendy Howell
## **Fellowship and study groups**
Page 15
## **ST BARNABAS CHURCH Emmer Green and Caversham Park Reading**
**Registered Charity No: 1164759**
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**for the year ended**
**31st DECEMBER 2024**
Page 1 of 9
**ST BARNABAS CHURCH Emmer Green and Caversham Park Reading**
## **Administrative Information**
St Barnabas Church is situated on St Barnabas Road, Emmer Green, Reading RG4 8RA. It is in the Reading Deanery of the Diocese of Oxford within the Church of England.
It is managed by the Parochial Church Council, which is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2011) and is a Charity registered with the Charity Commission. Members of the PCC are registered trustees of the charity.
- 1 Registered Charity No: 1164759
- 2 Registered Address: St Barnabas Vicarage, 20 St Barnabas Road, Emmer Green, Reading RG4 8RA
- 3 Telephone: 0118 947 5214
- 4 Website: www.saintbarnabas.org.uk
- 5 Trustees and members of the Parochial Church Council:
Ex Officio:
Incumbent: Revd Kevin Lovell Wardens: David Howell, Sandra Rice
Elected Members:
Deanery Synod Representatives:
Roger Moore (Church Secretary) Mark Burton
Members:
Bob Abel Joy Abel Christine Bartlett Felicity Chapman Richard Cunningham (Treasurer) Susie Downer Gail Houghton Wendy Howell Guy Watt
6 Independent Examiner: William Harper
Sunnybank, High Street, Upton, Didcot OXII 9JE
7 Bankers: Barclays Bank plc Leicester LE87 28B
CCLA One Angel Lane EC4R 3AB London EC4R 3AB
Contents:
Page 2 Administrative Information Page 3 Finance Report Page 4 Financial Statements Page 5-8 Notes to the Financial Statements Page 9 Independent Examiner's Report
Page 2 of 9
**ST BARNABAS CHURCH Emmer Green and Caversham Park Reading**
## **Finance Report**
## **Financial Review**
Overall, 2024 was similar to 2023 from the Church finances point of view. The total of receipts £100,662 exceeds the total of payments £89,284 but this does not mean we can assume that the surplus will remain positive in 2025. However, it is important to note that without the receipts from hire of the Church Hall the underlying deficit would be around £6,500. The “CollectIn” has proved itself over this year and seen use in the charity fund raising events (e.g., Handyman sale) as well at Sunday worship and Parish centre cafe.
The income from teas and coffees has increased to £3,232 (£1,879 in 2023). Income from funerals has decreased this year to £2,005 (£ 2,919 in 2023). Income from hire of the Church, Parish Centre and Hall has decreased to £19,811 (£20,217 in 2023). Planned giving (Parish Giving Scheme and Standing Orders) have gone up a little £38,390. (£34,196 in 2024). Tax reclaimed from Gift Aid (from PGS, Standing Orders and Cash in offertory plate) rose a little, to £11,083 (£10,261 in 2023). We received one legacy of £1,000. Our investment income rose to £718 (£300 in 2023) because £10,000 was transferred from the main current account into the CCLA deposit account where it earns interest.
We applied to Oxford Diocese for a grant to fund the safe space and were given a grant of £5,336 with strict conditions that we account for the use and use the money only for the purpose given. In the year 2024 (as covered by this report) we spent £1,334 of that grant, but as I type this report in March 2025 we have spent another £272 so far in 2025.
## **Reserves Policy**
It is the PCC policy to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds which equates to at least 3 months' unrestricted payments. This is equivalent to £21,197 (using the 2024 payments figure) and is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow. (£18,984 in 2023)
Page 3 of 9
## **Financial Statements for the Year ended 31st December 2024**
|**1**
**Receipts and Payments**
**Accounts**
**Notes**
**Receipts**
**Voluntary Receipts**
Planned Giving
Collections at Services
Other giving and voluntary
receipts
(a)
Gift Aid tax recovered
**Activities for generating funds**
(b)
**Investment Income**
(c)
**Church Activities**
(d)
**Total Receipts**
**Payments**
Church Activities
Parish Share
Clergy and Staffing Costs
Church Running and Service
Expenses
(e)
Church Building Expenses
(f)
Mission Giving and Donations
(g)
**Cost of Generating Funds**
(h)
**Total Payments**
**Excess/(Deficit) of Receipts over**
**Payments**
**Cash at Bank at 1st January**
**Cash at Bank at 31st December**|**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Fund**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
_38,390_
_0_
_0 _
_38,390_
34,196
_6,250_
_0_
_0 _
_6,250_
4,544
_8,137_
_0_
_5,336_
_13,473_
22,953
_11,083_
_0_
_0 _
_11,083_
10,261|
|---|---|
||_63,860_
_0_
_5,336_
_69,196_
_71,954_|
||_23,212_
_0_
_4,483_
_27,695_
27,920
_718_
_0_
_0 _
_718_
300
_2,005_
_0_
_1,048_
_3,054_
3,349|
||**_89,795_**
**_0_**
**_10,867_**
**_100,662_ **
**103,523**|
||_60,450_
_0_
_0 _
_60,450_
58,381
_751_
_0_
_0 _
_751_
608
_3,267_
_0_
_0_
_3267_
4,176
_10,273_
_0_
_2,000_
_12,273_
11,914
_2,025_
_0_
_6,417_
_8442_
7,259|
||_76,766_
_0_
_8,417_
_85,183_
82,338|
||_4,101_
_0_
_0 _
_4,101_
9,861|
||**_80,867_**
**_0_**
**_8,417_**
**_89,284_ **
**92,199**|
||_8,927_
_0_
_2,450_
_11,378_
11,324
_36,334_
_11,400_
_2,026_
_49,760_
_38,436_
**_45,262_**
**_11,400_**
**_4,476_**
**_61,138_**
**49,760**|
Page 4 of 9
||**Statement of Assets and**|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**2**|**Liabilities**|**Notes**|**Unrestricted**|||**Designated**||**Restricted**|||**Total**||**Total**|
||||**Fund**||||**Fund**|**Funds**|||**2024**||**2023**|
|||||**£**|||**£**||**£**|||**£**|**£**|
|**Cash Funds (as at 31st December of year shown)**||||||||||||||
||Barclays Bank Church Current Account|||_17,020_|||_11,400_||_4,476_|||_32,896_|38,700|
||Barclays Bank Hall Current|||||||||||||
||Account|||_7,853_|||_0_|||_0_||_7,853_|1,388|
||CBF Church of England Deposit Fund|||_20,390_|||_0_|||_0_||_20,390_|9,672|
|||||_45,262_|||_11,400_||_4,476_|||_61,138_|49,760|
|**Other**|**Monetary Assets**|||||||||||||
||Income Tax Recoverable||||_558_||_0_|||_14_||_572_|1,253|
||Parish Share Denary Refund|||_1,549_|||_0_|||_0_||_1,549_|1,519|
|||||_2,107_|||_0_|||_14_||_2,121_|2,772|
|||||||||||||||
|**Assets retained for Church Use**|||_410,909_||||_0_|||_0_|_410,909_||410,909|
|**Liabilities**||||||||||||||
||Loan||||_0_||_0_|||_0_||_0_|5,000|
||Other expenses||||_0_||_0_|||_0_||_0_|0|
||Total||||_0_||_0_|||_0_||_0_|5,000|
|Loan:|During this year we have heard from||the daughter of||||the person|who|made the loan that in their||||will|
|they left a bequest to St Barnabas church of £5,000.|||||Since||this resulted in||the loan being|||cleared no money||
|has been sent by either the daughter or by|||our church. However, it does mean that the liability of £5,000 that|||||||||||
|might|have been needed to repay the loan||is now|removed|||and so the|loan|is now shown|||as £0.||
|The attached notes form part of these financial statements||||||||||||||
||**Notes to the financial statement for Year Ended**||||**31st**|**December 2024**||||||||
|**1**|**Analysis of Receipts and Payments**||**Notes**|**Unrestricted Designated **||||||**Restricted**||**Total**|**Total**|
||||||**Funds**
**Fund**|||||**Funds**||**2024**|**2023**|
|||||||**£**||**£**|||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Receipts**||||||||||||||
|**a) Other giving and voluntary receipts**||||||||||||||
||Donations||||||_3,650_||_0_||_0_|3,650|13,953|
||Other giving (includes grant received)||||||_3,487_||_0_||_5,336_|8,823|0|
||Legacy||||||_1,000_||_0_||_0_|1,000|9,000|
||||||||_8,137_||_0_||_5,336_|13,473|22,953|
|**b) Activities for generating funds**||||||||||||||
||Fund raising events||||||_169_||_0_||_4,483_|4,652|5,823|
||Rent from Church and Hall Hire|||||_19,811_|||_0_||_0_|19,811|20,217|
||Parish centre cafe||||||_3,232_||_0_||_0_|3,232|1,879|
|||||||_23,212_|||_0_||_4,483_|27,695|27,920|
Page 5 of 9
|**c) Investment Income**
CBF Deposit Fund Interest
**d) Church Activities**
Fees for Weddings Baptisms and
Funerals
Christmas and other collections
Vicar’s discretionary fund
Other activities
**Payments**
**e) Church Running and Service Expenses**
Alter requisites/flowers
Organist/choir
Vicar’s discretionary fund
Children and young people
Stationery/printing
Fees and subscriptions
Other activities
Verger fees at Funerals
**f) Church Building Expenses**
Equipment/consumables
Church insurance
Gas,Water,Electricity,Zoom,Phone,Internet
Maintenance
Cleaning
**g) Mission giving and Donations**
Donations for charitable purposes
**h) Cost of generating funds**
Fund raising events
Church hall expenses|_718_
_0_
_0_
718
300
_2,005_
_0_
_0_
2,005
2,919
_0_
_0_
_771_
771
0
_0_
_0_
_0_
0
0
_0_
_0_
_278_
278
430|
|---|---|
||_2,005_
_0_
_1,048_
3,054
3,349|
||_175_
_0_
_0_
175
924
_1,319_
_0_
_0_
1,319
339
_0_
_0_
_0_
0
0
_14_
_0_
_0_
14
0
_0_
_0_
_0_
0
174
_1,381_
_0_
_0_
1,381
1,572
_28_
_0_
_0_
28
1,168
_350_
_0_
_0_
350
0|
||3,267
0
0
3,267
4,176|
||_1,989_
_0_
_2,000_
3,989
1,075
_2,249_
_0_
_0_
2,249
1,981
_4,476 0_
_0_
4,476
4,505
_1,559_
_0_
_0_
1,559
4,352
_0_
_0_
_0_
0
0|
||10,273
0
2,000
12,273
11,914|
||_2,025_
_0_
_6,417_
8,442
7,259
_2,025_
_0_
_6,417_
8,442
7,259
_0_
_0_
_0_
0
325
_4,101_
_0_
_0_
4,101
9,536|
||_4,101_
_0_
_0_
4,101
9,861|
Page 6 of 9
|**4**
**Designated Funds**
Balance at 1st January
Receipts
Payments
Balance at 31st December
**5**
**Restricted Funds**
**Balance at 1st January**
**Receipts**
Grant received
Donations received
Fund raising events
Christmas and other collections
**Payments**
Expenses – Defribulator
Funeral donations
Donations made to charities
**Balance at 31st December**|**Vicar’s**
**Building**
**Other**
**Discresionary**
**Improvements**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Fund**
**£**
**£**
**£**
174
11,226
0
0
0
0
0
0
0|**2024**
**2023**
**Total**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
11,400
0
0
0
0
0|
|---|---|---|
||174
11,226
0|11,400
0|
||**Safe Space**
**Other**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
0
2,026
5,336
0
0
278
0
4,483
0
771
5,336
5,531
0
2,000
0
0
1,334
5,083
1,334
7,083
4,002
474|**2024**
**Total**
**2023**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
2,026
27
5,336
0
278
2,000
4,483
4,218
771
1,015|
|||10,867
7,233|
|||2,000
0
0
0
6,417
5,234|
|||8,417
5,234|
||||
|||4,476
2,026|
||**Donations made from Restricted Funds for Charitable purposes during the year were as follows:**|**Donations made from Restricted Funds for Charitable purposes during the year were as follows:**|
|---|---|---|
|**6**|**(Different charities were supported in 2023)**||
||No 5 Young People|1,334|
||Bishop of Oxford Outreach Fund|190|
||Christian Aid|116|
||Education for Life|2,388|
||Masiphumelele|2,388|
||Total|6,417|
Page 7 of 9
## **7 Charitable Giving 2024**
**The following gifts were made from Unrestricted funds during the year: (Different charities were supported in 2023)**
|**(Different charities were supported in 2023)**||
|---|---|
|Faith Christian Group
Wyfold Riding for the Disabled
CIRDIC
Reading Family Aid
A Rocha
Reading Street Pastors
3rd Reading Boys Brigade
Royal County of Berkshire Churches Fund
Total|250
250
500
250
250
250
250
25|
||2,025|
|**8**
**Fixed assets retained for Church use are:**
The Church Hall (dedicated as a church in 1897)
The Parish Centre completed in 2009
The Parish Centre garden completed in 2010
The regenerated Church Organ completed in 2016|**2024**
**2023**
N/A
N/A
332,967
332,967
18,206
18,206
59,736
59,736|
|---|---|
||410,909
410,909|
- 2 Basis of Accounting
The financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using the Receipts and Payments basis.
- 3 Fund Accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the PCC in furtherance of the general objectives of the Church. Restricted funds are subject to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donors or through the terms of an appeal, or fund raising events or collections as agreed by the
PCC. The Designated fund represents amounts set aside by the PCC for use at the discretion of the PCC.
(1d) Fees for Weddings and Funerals are the fees retained by the PCC. Fees received on behalf of the Diocese, vergers and organists and passed directly to them are not included for 2023 in accordance with financial guidance from the Church of England.
5 The Restricted Fund balance in hand comprises two parts: (1) a grant to set up a “safe space” where young people are protected from bullying and threats, and (2) remaining donations which are to be paid to charities.
Page 8 of 9
ith• Trt) k*ih•y•w•bJ&J 3111 D2021.
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Page9of9
## **ST BARNABAS CHURCH Emmer Green and Caversham Park Reading**
**Registered Charity No: 1164759**
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**for the year ended**
**31st DECEMBER 2024**
Page 1 of 9
**ST BARNABAS CHURCH Emmer Green and Caversham Park Reading**
## **Administrative Information**
St Barnabas Church is situated on St Barnabas Road, Emmer Green, Reading RG4 8RA. It is in the Reading Deanery of the Diocese of Oxford within the Church of England.
It is managed by the Parochial Church Council, which is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2011) and is a Charity registered with the Charity Commission. Members of the PCC are registered trustees of the charity.
- 1 Registered Charity No: 1164759
- 2 Registered Address: St Barnabas Vicarage, 20 St Barnabas Road, Emmer Green, Reading RG4 8RA
- 3 Telephone: 0118 947 5214
- 4 Website: www.saintbarnabas.org.uk
- 5 Trustees and members of the Parochial Church Council:
Ex Officio:
Incumbent: Revd Kevin Lovell Wardens: David Howell, Sandra Rice
Elected Members:
Deanery Synod Representatives:
Roger Moore (Church Secretary) Mark Burton
Members:
Bob Abel Joy Abel Christine Bartlett Felicity Chapman Richard Cunningham (Treasurer) Susie Downer Gail Houghton Wendy Howell Guy Watt
6 Independent Examiner: William Harper
Sunnybank, High Street, Upton, Didcot OXII 9JE
7 Bankers: Barclays Bank plc Leicester LE87 28B
CCLA One Angel Lane EC4R 3AB London EC4R 3AB
Contents:
Page 2 Administrative Information Page 3 Finance Report Page 4 Financial Statements Page 5-8 Notes to the Financial Statements Page 9 Independent Examiner's Report
Page 2 of 9
**ST BARNABAS CHURCH Emmer Green and Caversham Park Reading**
## **Finance Report**
## **Financial Review**
Overall, 2024 was similar to 2023 from the Church finances point of view. The total of receipts £100,662 exceeds the total of payments £89,284 but this does not mean we can assume that the surplus will remain positive in 2025. However, it is important to note that without the receipts from hire of the Church Hall the underlying deficit would be around £6,500. The “CollectIn” has proved itself over this year and seen use in the charity fund raising events (e.g., Handyman sale) as well at Sunday worship and Parish centre cafe.
The income from teas and coffees has increased to £3,232 (£1,879 in 2023). Income from funerals has decreased this year to £2,005 (£ 2,919 in 2023). Income from hire of the Church, Parish Centre and Hall has decreased to £19,811 (£20,217 in 2023). Planned giving (Parish Giving Scheme and Standing Orders) have gone up a little £38,390. (£34,196 in 2024). Tax reclaimed from Gift Aid (from PGS, Standing Orders and Cash in offertory plate) rose a little, to £11,083 (£10,261 in 2023). We received one legacy of £1,000. Our investment income rose to £718 (£300 in 2023) because £10,000 was transferred from the main current account into the CCLA deposit account where it earns interest.
We applied to Oxford Diocese for a grant to fund the safe space and were given a grant of £5,336 with strict conditions that we account for the use and use the money only for the purpose given. In the year 2024 (as covered by this report) we spent £1,334 of that grant, but as I type this report in March 2025 we have spent another £272 so far in 2025.
## **Reserves Policy**
It is the PCC policy to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds which equates to at least 3 months' unrestricted payments. This is equivalent to £21,197 (using the 2024 payments figure) and is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow. (£18,984 in 2023)
Page 3 of 9
## **Financial Statements for the Year ended 31st December 2024**
|**1**
**Receipts and Payments**
**Accounts**
**Notes**
**Receipts**
**Voluntary Receipts**
Planned Giving
Collections at Services
Other giving and voluntary
receipts
(a)
Gift Aid tax recovered
**Activities for generating funds**
(b)
**Investment Income**
(c)
**Church Activities**
(d)
**Total Receipts**
**Payments**
Church Activities
Parish Share
Clergy and Staffing Costs
Church Running and Service
Expenses
(e)
Church Building Expenses
(f)
Mission Giving and Donations
(g)
**Cost of Generating Funds**
(h)
**Total Payments**
**Excess/(Deficit) of Receipts over**
**Payments**
**Cash at Bank at 1st January**
**Cash at Bank at 31st December**|**Unrestricted**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Fund**
**Funds**
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
_38,390_
_0_
_0 _
_38,390_
34,196
_6,250_
_0_
_0 _
_6,250_
4,544
_8,137_
_0_
_5,336_
_13,473_
22,953
_11,083_
_0_
_0 _
_11,083_
10,261|
|---|---|
||_63,860_
_0_
_5,336_
_69,196_
_71,954_|
||_23,212_
_0_
_4,483_
_27,695_
27,920
_718_
_0_
_0 _
_718_
300
_2,005_
_0_
_1,048_
_3,054_
3,349|
||**_89,795_**
**_0_**
**_10,867_**
**_100,662_ **
**103,523**|
||_60,450_
_0_
_0 _
_60,450_
58,381
_751_
_0_
_0 _
_751_
608
_3,267_
_0_
_0_
_3267_
4,176
_10,273_
_0_
_2,000_
_12,273_
11,914
_2,025_
_0_
_6,417_
_8442_
7,259|
||_76,766_
_0_
_8,417_
_85,183_
82,338|
||_4,101_
_0_
_0 _
_4,101_
9,861|
||**_80,867_**
**_0_**
**_8,417_**
**_89,284_ **
**92,199**|
||_8,927_
_0_
_2,450_
_11,378_
11,324
_36,334_
_11,400_
_2,026_
_49,760_
_38,436_
**_45,262_**
**_11,400_**
**_4,476_**
**_61,138_**
**49,760**|
Page 4 of 9
||**Statement of Assets and**|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**2**|**Liabilities**|**Notes**|**Unrestricted**|||**Designated**||**Restricted**|||**Total**||**Total**|
||||**Fund**||||**Fund**|**Funds**|||**2024**||**2023**|
|||||**£**|||**£**||**£**|||**£**|**£**|
|**Cash Funds (as at 31st December of year shown)**||||||||||||||
||Barclays Bank Church Current Account|||_17,020_|||_11,400_||_4,476_|||_32,896_|38,700|
||Barclays Bank Hall Current|||||||||||||
||Account|||_7,853_|||_0_|||_0_||_7,853_|1,388|
||CBF Church of England Deposit Fund|||_20,390_|||_0_|||_0_||_20,390_|9,672|
|||||_45,262_|||_11,400_||_4,476_|||_61,138_|49,760|
|**Other**|**Monetary Assets**|||||||||||||
||Income Tax Recoverable||||_558_||_0_|||_14_||_572_|1,253|
||Parish Share Denary Refund|||_1,549_|||_0_|||_0_||_1,549_|1,519|
|||||_2,107_|||_0_|||_14_||_2,121_|2,772|
|||||||||||||||
|**Assets retained for Church Use**|||_410,909_||||_0_|||_0_|_410,909_||410,909|
|**Liabilities**||||||||||||||
||Loan||||_0_||_0_|||_0_||_0_|5,000|
||Other expenses||||_0_||_0_|||_0_||_0_|0|
||Total||||_0_||_0_|||_0_||_0_|5,000|
|Loan:|During this year we have heard from||the daughter of||||the person|who|made the loan that in their||||will|
|they left a bequest to St Barnabas church of £5,000.|||||Since||this resulted in||the loan being|||cleared no money||
|has been sent by either the daughter or by|||our church. However, it does mean that the liability of £5,000 that|||||||||||
|might|have been needed to repay the loan||is now|removed|||and so the|loan|is now shown|||as £0.||
|The attached notes form part of these financial statements||||||||||||||
||**Notes to the financial statement for Year Ended**||||**31st**|**December 2024**||||||||
|**1**|**Analysis of Receipts and Payments**||**Notes**|**Unrestricted Designated **||||||**Restricted**||**Total**|**Total**|
||||||**Funds**
**Fund**|||||**Funds**||**2024**|**2023**|
|||||||**£**||**£**|||**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Receipts**||||||||||||||
|**a) Other giving and voluntary receipts**||||||||||||||
||Donations||||||_3,650_||_0_||_0_|3,650|13,953|
||Other giving (includes grant received)||||||_3,487_||_0_||_5,336_|8,823|0|
||Legacy||||||_1,000_||_0_||_0_|1,000|9,000|
||||||||_8,137_||_0_||_5,336_|13,473|22,953|
|**b) Activities for generating funds**||||||||||||||
||Fund raising events||||||_169_||_0_||_4,483_|4,652|5,823|
||Rent from Church and Hall Hire|||||_19,811_|||_0_||_0_|19,811|20,217|
||Parish centre cafe||||||_3,232_||_0_||_0_|3,232|1,879|
|||||||_23,212_|||_0_||_4,483_|27,695|27,920|
Page 5 of 9
|**c) Investment Income**
CBF Deposit Fund Interest
**d) Church Activities**
Fees for Weddings Baptisms and
Funerals
Christmas and other collections
Vicar’s discretionary fund
Other activities
**Payments**
**e) Church Running and Service Expenses**
Alter requisites/flowers
Organist/choir
Vicar’s discretionary fund
Children and young people
Stationery/printing
Fees and subscriptions
Other activities
Verger fees at Funerals
**f) Church Building Expenses**
Equipment/consumables
Church insurance
Gas,Water,Electricity,Zoom,Phone,Internet
Maintenance
Cleaning
**g) Mission giving and Donations**
Donations for charitable purposes
**h) Cost of generating funds**
Fund raising events
Church hall expenses|_718_
_0_
_0_
718
300
_2,005_
_0_
_0_
2,005
2,919
_0_
_0_
_771_
771
0
_0_
_0_
_0_
0
0
_0_
_0_
_278_
278
430|
|---|---|
||_2,005_
_0_
_1,048_
3,054
3,349|
||_175_
_0_
_0_
175
924
_1,319_
_0_
_0_
1,319
339
_0_
_0_
_0_
0
0
_14_
_0_
_0_
14
0
_0_
_0_
_0_
0
174
_1,381_
_0_
_0_
1,381
1,572
_28_
_0_
_0_
28
1,168
_350_
_0_
_0_
350
0|
||3,267
0
0
3,267
4,176|
||_1,989_
_0_
_2,000_
3,989
1,075
_2,249_
_0_
_0_
2,249
1,981
_4,476 0_
_0_
4,476
4,505
_1,559_
_0_
_0_
1,559
4,352
_0_
_0_
_0_
0
0|
||10,273
0
2,000
12,273
11,914|
||_2,025_
_0_
_6,417_
8,442
7,259
_2,025_
_0_
_6,417_
8,442
7,259
_0_
_0_
_0_
0
325
_4,101_
_0_
_0_
4,101
9,536|
||_4,101_
_0_
_0_
4,101
9,861|
Page 6 of 9
|**4**
**Designated Funds**
Balance at 1st January
Receipts
Payments
Balance at 31st December
**5**
**Restricted Funds**
**Balance at 1st January**
**Receipts**
Grant received
Donations received
Fund raising events
Christmas and other collections
**Payments**
Expenses – Defribulator
Funeral donations
Donations made to charities
**Balance at 31st December**|**Vicar’s**
**Building**
**Other**
**Discresionary**
**Improvements**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Fund**
**£**
**£**
**£**
174
11,226
0
0
0
0
0
0
0|**2024**
**2023**
**Total**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
11,400
0
0
0
0
0|
|---|---|---|
||174
11,226
0|11,400
0|
||**Safe Space**
**Other**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
0
2,026
5,336
0
0
278
0
4,483
0
771
5,336
5,531
0
2,000
0
0
1,334
5,083
1,334
7,083
4,002
474|**2024**
**Total**
**2023**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
2,026
27
5,336
0
278
2,000
4,483
4,218
771
1,015|
|||10,867
7,233|
|||2,000
0
0
0
6,417
5,234|
|||8,417
5,234|
||||
|||4,476
2,026|
||**Donations made from Restricted Funds for Charitable purposes during the year were as follows:**|**Donations made from Restricted Funds for Charitable purposes during the year were as follows:**|
|---|---|---|
|**6**|**(Different charities were supported in 2023)**||
||No 5 Young People|1,334|
||Bishop of Oxford Outreach Fund|190|
||Christian Aid|116|
||Education for Life|2,388|
||Masiphumelele|2,388|
||Total|6,417|
Page 7 of 9
## **7 Charitable Giving 2024**
**The following gifts were made from Unrestricted funds during the year: (Different charities were supported in 2023)**
|**(Different charities were supported in 2023)**||
|---|---|
|Faith Christian Group
Wyfold Riding for the Disabled
CIRDIC
Reading Family Aid
A Rocha
Reading Street Pastors
3rd Reading Boys Brigade
Royal County of Berkshire Churches Fund
Total|250
250
500
250
250
250
250
25|
||2,025|
|**8**
**Fixed assets retained for Church use are:**
The Church Hall (dedicated as a church in 1897)
The Parish Centre completed in 2009
The Parish Centre garden completed in 2010
The regenerated Church Organ completed in 2016|**2024**
**2023**
N/A
N/A
332,967
332,967
18,206
18,206
59,736
59,736|
|---|---|
||410,909
410,909|
- 2 Basis of Accounting
The financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using the Receipts and Payments basis.
- 3 Fund Accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the PCC in furtherance of the general objectives of the Church. Restricted funds are subject to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donors or through the terms of an appeal, or fund raising events or collections as agreed by the
PCC. The Designated fund represents amounts set aside by the PCC for use at the discretion of the PCC.
(1d) Fees for Weddings and Funerals are the fees retained by the PCC. Fees received on behalf of the Diocese, vergers and organists and passed directly to them are not included for 2023 in accordance with financial guidance from the Church of England.
5 The Restricted Fund balance in hand comprises two parts: (1) a grant to set up a “safe space” where young people are protected from bullying and threats, and (2) remaining donations which are to be paid to charities.
Page 8 of 9
ith• Trt) k*ih•y•w•bJ&J 3111 D2021.
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CL 203
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