**The Parochial Church Council of St John the Evangelist, Burgess Hill** ## **THE ANNUAL REPORT** _**and**_ **ACCOUNTS 2024** ## **Aims & Purposes** The Parochial Church Council of St John the Evangelist, Burgess Hill (the PCC) has as its primary objective the promotion of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England. The PCC has the responsibility of cooperating with the Incumbent, Fr David Charles, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church: pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. We aim to know Jesus better – and make Him better known. ## **Objectives and Activities** _**Fr David Charles, on behalf of the PCC**_ The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at St John’s. When planning our activities for the year, the Incumbent and the PCC have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on ‘charities for the advancement of religion’. The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016, fully recognising its duty to have due regard to House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. 2024 saw another year of growth, vitality and vibrancy for our parish church at St John’s. At the beginning of the year, four new Lay Ministers of Communion were commissioned, and it is always so encouraging to see lay ministry within our church evolving, particularly in new and additional ways. In preparation for Easter, a stimulating and thought-provoking Lent Course was co-ordinated by Dcn Stephen, and it was great to see such a healthy turnout at the midweek sessions. In Holy Week this year, the weekday Masses doubled in terms of attendance, while the principal services over the Triduum continued to see committed congregations and a faithful presence. At the end of the year, Advent and Christmas services were well attended and supported. We have very sadly lost several long-standing and stalwart members of the church over the past year. Their lives will be forever cherished and treasured. And yet in addition to the memory and example of those who have gone before us, we have been blessed by a continual stream of new worshippers and disciples, and it also has been fantastic to welcome a number of new people onto the church PCC. Confirmations have also continued throughout the year, as our people continue their own exploration of faith. On behalf of Dcn Stephen and myself: it has been a pleasure and privilege to have helped accompany them on that journey. pg. - 3 - Claire Elliott was also awarded the Order of St Richard at Chichester Cathedral, particularly for her sterling and stalwart work with our Junior Church – and especially in making sure that those who come to us with further and additional needs are always fully welcomed and included. Our finances seem to have finally turned a corner – though there is inevitably still a long way to go. Thank you so much to those who have given so faithfully over many years, to those who have increased their giving, and to those who have now joined the Parish Giving Scheme (PGS) over the past year – without doubt, this remains the most vital source of income for the parish. Occasional offerings have been enhanced by our acquiring of a new contactless giving machine; in Lent 2025, we will hope to have a particular focus on raising awareness surrounding legacies. It was a joy to be able to welcome our Diocesan Bishop and Patron of St John’s, the Bishop of Chichester, to celebrate Mass for us on June 16[th] – the Feast of St Richard of Chichester – at which the fully renovated organ was dedicated and blessed. The Anglican ‘organ and choral tradition’ is one of St John’s most core and attractive features, and this completed refurbishment work now stands us in good stead for moving forward this vital part of our mission – attracting new disciples into the mystery, wonder and beauty of holiness. Similarly, it has been splendid to have seen new people joining the choir and becoming involved and immersed in the life of our parish. While we have had to say a sad farewell (but an enormous ‘thank you’) to Paul Simpson, who retired as our Director of Music in the middle of the year, we have been equally blessed to have been able to appoint Christine Alp as our new DofM moving forward. An additional highlight of the year: the organ recital from Hugh Morris, Director of the RSCM, which attracted such a strong attendance – not only from within the parish, but with enthusiastic musical folk attending from all around the wider area. With St John’s being the civic church of the town, this presents us with several crucial opportunities for being embedded right in the heart of our community’s concerns, priorities and life – and thereby allowing us to reach out into its ongoing development. The annual marking of Armistice Day, and solemn observance of Remembrance Sunday are always key features, especially in terms of the Council and the Church working collaboratively together. Attendances at all services were discernibly up – most encouraging was the notable increase in young people attending, particularly from the uniformed organisations. pg. - 4 - We also had a key role to play in the D-Day commemorations this year. Additionally, we made sure we had a presence at the Town Summer Day in the Park – making our presence more prominent, and the church better known. The Spire Café has undergone significant renovation this last year – funded by a grant from the National Lottery, and with the project having been overseen by Graham Zimmermann (who has also made sure we now have ‘Welcome Packs’ for visitors). It’s splendid to see the Café in its fully refurbished form – while not only a clear advantage to our parish congregation, perhaps most importantly the improved facility makes a real impact on what we are able to offer to the community, as a venue situated right in the heart of the town. Thank you to all our volunteers who staff and oversee the Café – which has undoubtedly been growing and going from strength to strength. In line with best practice, the PCC has adopted the discipline of reviewing – in detail – one of our Safeguarding policies at each PCC Meeting. This has been a difficult year for the wider Church of England, but here at St John’s we strive always for a ‘belt-and-braces’ approach, to make sure that our church will always be as safe as is possible. Of course (and only naturally) most people encounter and engage with St John’s on a Sunday or Wednesday – yet so much goes on behind the scenes, every day of the week, to make sure that the church can meet the needs of every day. It would be fantastic see more people engaged at a fuller and deeper level – please speak to the Vicar of a Churchwarden is you could help in any way – or if you may have a calling or vocation that you might yet like to explore. Relatedly, our parish’s Mission Action Plan (MAP) has now been completed, reviewed and approved – thank you to all those who contributed to the corresponding consultative process. Copies of the MAP have been made available at the back of church and are on display in prominent locations all around the building. This will now form the basis of our plans for growth moving forward, having taken on board the views of those to all those who so generously and prayerfully gave thought to our future. I owe so many people so many thanks – first and foremost our marvellous Churchwardens – Colin and Graham – who do so much for us: both visibly and invisibly… often the behind-the-scenes, the hours they dedicate to the church should never be assumed or taken for granted. In addition to being Churchwarden, Colin does so much for us as Sacristan, in preparing for our services, and ensuring the church building is always all in order. Indeed – thank you to all the dedicated Church Officers; also, to Amelia who provides such valuable admin support – and indeed also to Betty and Jenny who so caringly look after our baptism families for us. There are of course so many others – what makes a church family is that we can _all_ be involved and invested in our parish. May 2025 be a year of further growth: but always – and ever – grounded in faith and in hope and in love. pg. - 5 - ## **Achievements & Performance** ## **Services Statistics** _**Fr David Charles**_ Attendance at services continues to grow steadily, despite several of our previous members having moved away, or who have been called to ‘higher service’. Growth should be a great sign of encouragement to us, and also an indication of one of our strengths – in that others are constantly being drawn to share in the life of St John’s. Of course, we think not only of our services in church, but in the outreach and care the parish provides to the housebound, infirm and unwell. We are blessed to have the opportunity to take a monthly Communion service both at Clayton Court and Edward House – and both Dcn Stephen and I regularly take _Thank you for all you did for [her] during her_ communion/visit those who – while unable to _time in hospital. (from all the family)_ physically attend the church – are still no less a part of our church family and fellowship. Attendance at Christmas and Easter services continues to hold well. Additionally, St John’s is committed to offering a full range of services and events that will hopefully appeal to all sectors of our community, and in offering opportunities for socialising and companionship alongside these occasions. At Easter, the attendance was 179, of which 138 were communicants. At Christmas, 453 people attended our church on Christmas Eve/Day, of whom 125 were communicants. We saw a really encouraging & continuing increase by means of the school & community services in 2024, versus the same figures last year. There were 9 baptisms during the year (over double than those in 2023), but unfortunately no weddings – we have simply had no enquiries. 19 funerals were conducted, of which 11 were _Thank you so much for all the empathy and_ held in church; there were 2 burials of ashes. _kindness shown in the service for our son._ These figures are broadly in line with those from _(P & D Mackenzie)_ 2023. There are an increasing number of home communicants – some who receive the sacrament during times of sickness or immobility, and those now long-term housebound. pg. - 6 - ## **Churchwarden’s Report** _**Colin Squires and Graham Zimmermann (Churchwardens)**_ Life at St John’s has been good during 2024, settling down to a regular pattern of worship, with extra services for all the major festivals. Our grateful thanks to Fr David for all his hard work and pastoral care for all in the congregation and to Fr John Twisleton and Fr Clay Knowles for their support of the parish. _Receiving him into church, and the prayers, were so calming and peaceful…. the Requiem Mass was so beautiful. (K, M & N)_ Although the outside clock faces were reinstalled during December 2023, there were a few issues getting all faces to show the same time, but thanks to Peter of Cumbia Clocks this was all sorted by mid-January. The narthex roof is still a major concern, but we hope to do this work during 2025. The fire extinguishers and the smoke alarms have all been serviced during the year. The lightning conductor was tested and passed in early January; this must be carried out every 5 years. The Spire café commenced being redecorated in June, the floor was re-sanded, new carpet was laid to the stairs and Upper Room and work on the CCTV was started. All this was thanks to a grant from the National Lottery following a successful bid by Steve Scott, so many thanks to him. pg. - 7 - During the year we have sadly lost a few of our regular congregation members, Bernie Widdowson, Averil West, Roy Horn, Gladys C’Ailceta, Michael Fernand, Martin Booth, Margaret Vowles, Dorothy Halsey and Judy Cripps: may they rest in peace and rise in glory. Colin Squires and Graham Zimmermann were sworn in as churchwardens at Crawley in July following their appointment at the APCM in early April. Archdeacon Angela Martin came to do her Visitation in mid- September; she was impressed with all that we are doing at St John’s and had no major issues with our records. Paul Simpson gave notice that he would have to stand down as Director of Music at the end of the summer, due to health issues: very many thanks to Paul for all that he has done – not only over the last 18 months, but for many years before. Paul’s last Sunday was 1[st] September – and a retirement cake, in the shape of the organ was made. We advertised for a new DofM and were delighted that Christine Alp applied for and accepted the post and commenced in mid-September. Christine brings a wealth of experience – not only leading choirs but being a singer and instrumentalist as well. The completion of the refurbishment of the organ in mid-June coincided with our Patronal Festival, and it was wonderful that Bishop Martin Warner was able to come and celebrate at our 10.00 am service. It was also good that Paul was able to play for this service, as he has been helping drive this project for many years. This enabled the piano to be again moved to the front of the church, which has proven much better for the family services. We also welcomed Ioanna as our cleaner – she does 4 hour per week, keeping the church, hall, upper room and toilets in a good state of cleanliness. We have experienced various ongoing issues with the heating system, but the new contractors PDP seem to be able to resolve these more quickly than the previous company. The architects carried out the quinquennial inspection on 17[th] October, and at the time of writing we are still awaiting their report. We also had visits from the local Beaver colony, London Meed School and Woodland Meed School. We held 11 concerts over the year. We welcomed back the Mid Sussex Brass Band, Sussex Harmonisers and Fretful Federation Mandolin Orchestra but also new artists playing Jazz, Folk, trombone and the Burgess Hill Marching Band, as well as an organ recital by Hugh Morris from the RSCM and a silent comedy by Neil Brand. pg. - 8 - Please do come and support our concerts, as this makes money for our church and keeps live entertainment going in Burgess Hill. These take a lot of organising – most of this is done by Amelia in the parish office, so thank you very much Amelia. The outside Christmas tree needed new lights this year, due to the old ones failing after many years of use. Thanks to generous grants from P & S Gallagher, Burgess Hill Town Council and others who enabled a complete set to be purchased, and to Stuart Jackson for putting them up. The tree lighting service on 11[th] December was a lovely celebration; thanks also to P & S Gallagher for providing the refreshments for this, and for Mid Sussex Brass Band for playing for the occasion. We received an urgent appeal for aid to Ukraine, to which members of the congregation have regularly contributed throughout the year. Very soon after, donations of sleeping mats, sleeping bags, dried food, hand-warmers, socks and warm clothes were donated. _I am overwhelmed by your congregation’s support and generosity – please thank them all from me. God bless. (Heather Farrant – Collections Co-ordinator)_ We would like to thank those who behind the scenes do so much to keep St John’s running smoothly, as well as all those who act as Duty Wardens and Sidespeople, in welcoming new visitors and being the first point of contact with us. ## **Electoral Roll** _**Ginny Nicholls (Electoral Roll Officer)**_ At the beginning of January 2024, we had 173 people on the ‘St John the Evangelist Church’ Electoral Roll. We were pleased to welcome an additional 19 people onto our Electoral Roll during 2024 after attending the church for more than 6 months. Sadly, we had 8 church members who died in the year. 7 church members moved away. 4 church members left the church and there was one duplicate record on the Roll. This resulted in a total of 20 people being removed from the Electoral Roll. This means at the end of 2024; we had 172 people on the Electoral Roll. The 2024 Electoral Roll can be broken down as follows: - 97 people living within the parish - 75 outside the parish - 67 males - 105 females The figures do not include anyone under the age of 16, or those who come to church regularly but for various reasons have not joined the Electoral Roll. The total comprises those who come regularly to the main Parish Mass plus people who attend the 8.00am Sunday Mass or the 10.30am Wednesday morning Mass. ## **How do I join the Electoral Roll?** It is possible to go on the Electoral Roll at any time of the year and application forms are available from Father David, the Churchwardens (Colin and Graham), the Parish Office or from the Electoral Roll Officer (Ginny Nicholls). pg. - 9 - You will need to be over 16, been baptised and not a member of the clergy (e.g. a lay person). Also, you need to live within the parish of St John the Evangelist; if you live outside the area, then you will need to have attended St John the Evangelist for at least 6 months. A reminder that if you are on the Electoral Roll, and your details change (e.g. move house, or email/phone number change), then please inform Ginny. ## **Why be on the Electoral Roll?** Being on the Electoral Roll allows you to be contacted by the clergy in times of illness, emergency, general support or bereavement. It also allows you to attend the APCM (Annual Parochial Church Meeting), where you can raise questions, and hear what is happening in the church. You can also join the PCC (Parochial Church Council) which is a committee of church members and clergy, who make decisions on behalf of the church members and looks to support the local community in outreach projects. The PCC meet about 6 times a year. ## **Fabric** ## _**Graham Todd (Fabric Manager)**_ ## **Organ** The complex refurbishment was completed in September to budget. The final cost was £82,000. The work included various items of builders work and electrical additions. The project management of the work was carried out “in house” and so saved us some money. ## **Churchyard** During the year the Fabric team liaised with the District Council and their contractor to control the tree and grass cutting, which has gone well and much improved from previous years. ## **Spire Hall** The hall, toilets, stairs and pastoral centre was refurbished and financed with a grant. My thanks to the team who organised this work. ## **Sound System** This equipment developed an intermediate fault which took time to resolve. We also had to purchase a new piece equipment to sequence the switching on. ## **South Aisle roof** A roof leak in the south transept corner was resolved caused mainly by poor original design of the church. Too few rainwater outlets being the main cause. ## **Heating** During the year regular maintenance was needed when pumps failed, and the two boilers would not work in conjunction with each other. We now have a more capable Service Engineer dealing with the matter. pg. - 10 - _**Jean MacCarthy, Kate Rhodes & Sue McCabe**_ ## **The Spire Cafe** It has been a busy year in the cafe. Following the award of a grant in the Spring, the cafe and kitchen areas received a fresh coat of paint, and the parquet flooring was repaired, sanded and refinished to a very high standard… also with the addition of some smart new tablecloths and printed menus! It is now a much more inviting space. A further grant enabled the purchase of a fully automated coffee machine, allowing us to offer an extensive menu of speciality coffees at very competitive prices. The Café was inspected on 11[th] October 2024 and awarded a hygiene rating of 5. We have a good team of reliable volunteers who help to make the Spire a warm and welcoming place for all members of the community. ## **Charity Giving** ## _**Di Tipler and John Carter (Charity Co-ordinators)**_ During 2024 with the generous support of the congregations on Sunday 8.00 am and 10.00 am services plus any weekday services we have collected a total of £1262.70. Cheques have been sent to the following charities: - WINTER COLLECTION - Turning Tides £490.65 this included money collected for congregation greetings towards the shared Church Christmas card SPRING COLLECTION - Unicef £212.00 SUMMER COLLECTION - Lifeboat Association £280.00 AUTUMN COLLECTION – Time4children £280.05 We always get a letter of thanks from these charities and however much is sent to them is greatly appreciated. These letters are posted on the notice board in the Narthex area. We welcome any suggestions from the congregation for future charities which will then go to the PCC for discussion and these suggestions can be given to either Di Tipler, John Carter or the Churchwardens wardens at any time. We aim to choose during the year a local charity, a national charity, an international charity. The Autumn choice is open to the PCC or congregation suggestion. It is then voted on at the PCC. _Thank you so much to St John’s for choosing us to be your charity for the Autumn donation for the generous amount you raised. The money will be able to put towards providing emotional listening support sessions for children in Primary Schools across Mid Sussex….We are so grateful for your support, it means a lot and will enable us to continue doing this work which is so needed at this time” from Lisa Westbury, Manager at Time4children (www.time4children.org.uk)_ pg. - 11 - ## **Music** ## _**Paul Simpson (Director of Music): – Jan to August 2024**_ 2024 has been a good year for the music at St John’s, with the organ back in action in excellently restored form, and the arrival of Christine Alp as the new Director of Music in September. Paul Simpson oversaw the first eight months of the year, with the choir continuing to lead the services for the first three months from the back of the church. The highlight was the introduction of the new setting of the Mass, based on one that Fr David used during his training, suitably arranged for congregational use in the current form of service by Paul. The Lent period saw experimentation with the psalms, with everything from Anglican chant to folk choruses (which has continued at the Family Mass), and Holy Week was as busy as ever, culminating in the return of the organ (and the choir to their proper place!) on Easter Sunday morning. The next few weeks were a shakedown for the effectively new instrument, with occasional services having to use the piano, but it was ready for the dedication by Bishop Martin on June 16[th] , when an augmented choir led the singing and performed new music written for the occasion by Paul – with lyricist Sarah Skomer. We were delighted that Nikita Mariam stayed with the choir after joining us for last year’s Nine Lessons, with aid at the dedication service from Natascha Bowen, Kate Cannon, Nick and Sigrid Moiseiwitsch and Mike Wood. Thanks also to Fearghus Beauchump, David Curtis-Brignell, Nic Robinson and Philip White-Jones for playing at evening and holiday services. Paul adds, “My thanks to everyone who assisted on my ‘second time around’ as Director of Music, particularly as my health continued to fail. It was an honour and a privilege to be back, and I’ve been delighted at the progress since my return to the congregation.” ## _**Christine Alp (Director of Music): September-December 2024**_ It was a privilege to arrive at St John’s at the end of September to take on what was obviously a thriving choir and music group. Thank to you everyone in the choir, and especially Paul, for your help in making it an easy transition for me. We have been delighted to welcome 2 new choir members, Charlotte (alto) and Amelie (soprano), and with a slightly larger group have moved back to using both sides of the choir stalls. We have also tried to work out the best place for the choir in family services. We would always welcome new members, particularly tenors and basses! pg. - 12 - A particular joy for me has been to discover music new to me that the choir enjoy singing, and to introduce them to some of my favourite church music. They have been very receptive to new pieces, enabling us to add to our repertoire and sing in a variety of styles. It was also good to reinstate the Advent Carol Service, and the choir worked very hard with both new and familiar music in this and 9 lessons and carols, and I was very pleased with the results. Thank you too to the extra singers who joined us on these occasions. The choir also sang before Christmas at South Downs Nurseries, raising money for charity and church funds with some community carol singing. I have also appreciated the contribution of the music group to family services, and again, if there are any instrumentalists out there who would like to join us, please make yourself known to me! Looking forward, I would like to encourage more children to be involved with singing at church; thank you to Claire with your help in this so far. ## **Community Outreach** _**Felicity Fernee (Market stall and outreach)**_ The church has continued to be open every Saturday morning offering refreshments, cake and fellowship, as well as a quiet spare for all people. Towards the end of the year, as part of the Church Mission Action Plan, we began opening the church on other days, beginning with Tuesday mornings and the aim is to have the church open every day of the week. From March, we had a monthly Saturday morning stall outside the church selling homemade cakes, marmalade, jams and 2[nd] hand items, plus continuing to have the church open for refreshments. Many thanks to the volunteers. Over £2,900 was raised during the year, as well as us striving to grow further – in becoming a place of welcome for everyone. ## **Deacon’s Report** ## _**Deacon Stephen MacCarthy**_ It is a rare privilege as a minister to share in the life and witness of our parish of St John the Evangelist. Alongside our regular Sunday worship and service, I am grateful for the opportunities given in supporting ministry to the housebound and the sick, both in their homes and in residential care or hospital. At times it can be isolating when unable to attend the church regularly, so it is good that we are not restricted to a building but are a living church that permeates our community. Our monthly services at Clayton Court are well supported, and I am pleased to report that 2024’s new initiative at Edward House has also become a regular monthly fixture. The parish Mission Action Plan (MAP) revised in 2024 envisages opportunities for increasing growth and ministry and will be supported by new initiatives that cannot rely only on those who _already_ have responsibility for parts of our church life. pg. - 13 - Our growth is planned to include small groups, such as our Lent Group, which we hope will become a regular opportunity for both study and prayer as members grow into raising separate groups over time. In thanks for the opportunities to minister at St John’s, I am grateful to Fr David for his generous support – alongside our other ‘Honorary’ clergy: Fr Clay, and Fr John. A particular privilege for me is sharing their faith journey with our adult confirmation group, which begins anew in Lent. Our long-established Pilgrimage to Walsingham was another joyful part of the year’s programme. This time of worship, retreat, and reflection brought together a group of 35, mainly from our own parish, and included regular pilgrims as well as those who had not experienced this before. New beginnings and a renewal of faith were shared together in ‘England’s Nazareth’. ## **EcoChurch** _**Ginny Nicholls**_ EcoChurch’s vision is for churches of all denominations to care for creation as an integral part of loving their neighbours and following God faithfully. Since obtaining the Bronze Award in 2023, we have continued to highlight to the congregation our need to care for our planet. We have done this in the sermons, prayers and providing information on the Eco Church notice board (changing every few months). In the autumn of 2024, EcoChurch updated their survey. I have run through the new set of questions and working with Father David and the PCC in trying to obtain the Silver award in the next few years. This we will continue to monitor. Their survey covers 5 areas of church life: - 1) Worship and Teaching - 2) Buildings - 3) Land - 4) Community and Global Engagement - 5) Lifestyle pg. - 14 - ## **Family Support Work** _**Felicity Fernee (Hurst Deanery Committee Member)**_ Family Support Work (FSW) is a Chichester Diocese organisation supporting families in need throughout West Sussex. Over 700 families have been helped this year in many ways through our 20 practitioners working across the county. St John’s have supported FSW during the year through food collection at Harvest and donations of new toys at Christmas as well as giving money to support the walkers on the annual sponsored walk. ## **Flower Arrangers** ## _**Carol Matthews (Flower Team Co-ordinator)**_ Throughout the year, the small team of flower arrangers have maintained keeping flowers in the church on a weekly basis except for the Lenten and advent seasons. My thanks go to Jackie Knowles, Jacquie Bowers-Frost and to Felicity for their help and support over the year. Many people have commented how nice it is to see the flowers in church and how hard we must work to maintain this. At the Easter morning service in 2024, once again you witnessed the creation of the Living Cross during the service, the finished effect looked wonderful – and again, thanks to Jackie and Jacquie for doing this. Back in the autumn, Jackie and I attended a flower demonstration at Wivelsfield Church; this was a very worthwhile morning as the demonstrator was showing different ways of arranging flowers using more eco-friendly ways rather than oasis for the arrangements. This is work in process for us at St. Johns, although I personally have started to use vases at the High Altar rather than always having a traditional pedestal arrangement. Lastly, I would like to thank the members of congregation who give generously at Easter and Christmas to help with the cost of purchasing flowers and to those individuals who sponsor the flowers on a specific week to commemorate a loved one, or to celebrate a special date. If anyone feels able to help in anyway with either arranging flowers or providing sponsorship for a specific occasion, event or memorial, please contact me. ## **Servers’ Report** ## _**Colin Squires (Server and Sacristan)**_ We are very fortunate at St John’s that we have such an experienced team of servers, helped this year by Penny Marr joining the team. We have been able to field a full team for every Sunday and all the major festivals throughout the year. I am very grateful to them all as they carry out their duties week by week, especially over Easter and Christmas when there are always a lot of services over a few days. However, we are always happy to have others join the team, especially any young people who might consider being a boat boy or girl. If you are interested, please speak to me after any service and I will give you all the information you need; it is such a privilege to serve at the altar and help the liturgy run smoothly by helping the priests. pg. - 15 - ## **From the Belfry** _**Doug Stewart (Tower Captain)**_ Our main aim remains unchanged, and that is to ring out to call people to the Main Service on Sundays (10.30 am). The number of ringers is the problem. There are 8 bells in the Tower but sometimes we only have ringers for 3 of them. 3 or 4 can sometimes be rung, but that is only when 2 regular visitors from Twineham attend. They ring at their home tower twice a month so that means only twice with us. We are fortunate that we have several learners coming on during practice nights. 2 of them a married couple who will shortly join us on a Sunday morning. We are a happy band and are always ready to welcome and teach anyone who wishes to learn our noble art. We only ask that volunteers are over 11 years old, for insurance purposes. ## **Children’s Church and Youth Group** ## _**Claire Elliot (Children’s Church and Youth Group Leader)**_ The Children's Church remains an active and important part of the life of St John's, particularly within the Sunday services. The leadership team remained small during 2024 meaning that we were not able to expand what we currently offer to the children and young people. Fr David has arranged cover one Sunday a month to enable him and Deacon Stephen to join Claire and Amanda for the Sunday morning teaching sessions. Sarah and Felicity also offer help when available. We had additional support from other members of the congregation for our Nativity rehearsals during Advent. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped during the year. We continue to offer children's church once a month on the 3rd Sunday. We run groups for two age groups (toddler - 9 years and 10 -16 years). Going forward we would really like to split the younger group into two so that we can offer more age-appropriate activities and learning. During the notices the children have been invited to share their work with the congregation. This has helped raise the profile of the children's church and has led to two new helpers expressing an interest in becoming part of the leadership team. This is very exciting. ## **Special services and events:** At Epiphany the children were involved in carrying the Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh and the Wise Men and Camels to complete the Nativity scene which was stationed in front of the organ pipes. ## _Mothering Sunday, 10th March:_ This was a family service, and the children worked on various craft activities at the back of the church, which they then gave to their Mums and grandmothers at the end of the service. pg. - 16 - ## _Palm Sunday, 24th March_ After the procession from the band stand with their palm crosses, the children remained in church to help illustrate the Passion reading by dressing the front altar with items as they were mentioned in the reading. The children have been involved in this way several times now and it has received positive feedback. ## _Good Friday, 29th March:_ We held a Children's Church/All age Stations of the Cross at 10.00am. The Station of the Cross Eggs help illustrate the themes and involve the young people, as we move around the church. The children also positioned the large crosses in the Lenten Garden. The hot cross buns afterwards in the Spire café are always a lovely time of fellowship. ## _Easter Saturday, 30th March:_ The children did an amazing job transforming the Lenten Garden and tree into a beautiful colourful and vibrant Easter Garden. This was set up in front of the organ pipes due to the piano being at the back of church whilst the organ was being restored. The young people also decorated a cross with yellow and white flowers that was placed at the altar on Easter day. ## _Easter Sunday, 31st March:_ The Alleluia Banner was resurrected and processed by the children, along with the flower cross, to the altar. Many keen volunteers were involved with this. Felicity provided lots of chocolates for the children and congregation, which always goes down very well. ## _Pentecost: 19th May:_ At Pentecost the stones that had been decorated by the children for St John’s 160th anniversary was distributed to the congregation to mark the end of the 160th year. ## _26th June:_ Bishop Martin came to St Johns for the dedication of the refurbished organ. The children’s church helped make a model of the organ pipes from cardboard tubes to mark this occasion. pg. - 17 - ## _28th September:_ The Children’s Church and Youth Group leaders, with help from lots of other members of the PCC and congregation, hosted a refreshments stall during the evening of the Bonfire parade on the pavement at the main entrance to the church yard. We were able to raise funds for the church. _Sunday 6th October is Harvest Festival:_ This was the first Sunday of the month, so the children stayed in the service. Donations of nonperishable food were brought and were displayed in the colourful boxes that the children decorated several years ago. The donations go to FSW (Family Support Work) who distribute them to families in need in the Diocese. There was also a “bring and share lunch” after the service. ## _Sunday 10th November – Remembrance Sunday:_ We held an additional Children’s Church session during the service for the children and young people to lay poppies and say prayers at the war graves in the church yard. ## _Advent and Christmas:_ On Sunday 17th November we started allocating parts and rehearsing for the Nativity play. We met each Sunday during Advent to rehearse. Thank you to all the additional people who helped make this a success. The children and young people were involved in the Nativity play in lots of different ways including playing a character in the play, being a narrator, helping with props, being a stagehand, or helping with the lighting and the PowerPoint slide show. The Crib Service, held at 4pm on Christmas Eve, attracted a huge congregation. We have a very large array of costumes so lots of additional children dressed up and joined in. ## **First Communion:** During the year one young person attended preparation classes for their First Communion which took place in June. ## **Resources:** A Children’s Treasure Hunt activity has been developed for visitors to the church. This goes alongside the educational materials that were developed last year for school visits. pg. - 18 - ## **Deanery Synod** _**Jean MacCarthy (Hurst Deanery Synod Representative)**_ The Hurst Deanery Synod met three times during the year. Each meeting began with an act of worship, most usually Evening Prayer. The format usually includes a Finance Report, a substantive subject for the evening, often with an invited speaker, and matters arising in the Deanery together with any events to be publicised. Below is a short summary of each meeting: ## **The initial meeting was held on 8th February 2024 in Christ Church Hall, Sayers Common.** Rev Rachel Cornish, the Rural Dean, introduced Steff Shepherd from Open the Book, who gave a presentation on its work. Steff explained that this is a Bible Society story- telling mission which goes into schools all over the country. It has been running for 25 years and is a Churches Together project. Finance Report: Robert Monroe, the Deanery Treasurer thanked the parishes for the money to sustain ministry within the Diocese. In 2023 91% of the Deanery’s total net costs had been met by Parish Shares and in 2024 approximately 90% of the total costs were covered by pledges from the parishes. The Diocese was budgeting for a deficit of £1.6 million in 2024 and so was facing some difficult decisions in future years. **The second meeting was held on 21st May 2024 in St Peter’s Church, Henfield.** The Lay Chair, Claire Levin, introduced Colin McFarlin, Volunteer Senior Waste Prevention Advisor, West Sussex County Council who gave a presentation on Waste Collection in West Sussex. Finance Report: Robert Monroe, the Deanery Treasurer thanked the parishes for the money to sustain ministry within the Diocese. All parish pledge instalments had been paid in full. The Deanery had pledged approximately 90% of its costs in 2024. The Diocesan deficit in 2023 had been £750,000. The budget for 2024 was set for a deficit of £1.6m. The Diocese was faced with asking for an increase in parish shares or else reducing the number of clergy. ## **The third meeting took place on 20 November 2024 at St Francis Church, Hassocks.** The Rural Dean welcomed a presentation on Carbon Literacy by the Diocesan Environment Officer – Revd. Buff Stone. The Diocesan Year of Faith begins on 1 December 2024. Both 950 years since the Diocese was founded and 1700 years since the Council of Nicaea. It is hoped parishes will use the Nicene Creed on 1 December. ## **Treasurer’s Report** _**Geoff Burton (Treasurer)**_ Total income has remained steady, helped by special appeals which brought in £21,000 and also a generous legacy of £10,000. Regular giving, including Gift Aid owed by HMRC has seen a slight increase. Total costs have increased by £28,000, due to major repairs to the Organ and the refurbishment of the Cafe, which are now complete. Excluding these costs gives a decrease in expenses this year caused mostly by lower energy prices. The church further reduced its planned Parish Contribution by £4,000, and as a result has been able to increase General Funds again to a much more acceptable level. Regular giving this year has covered 83% of our costs, compared with 70% last year. If we include the maintenance cost this percentage drops to 76%. pg. - 19 - In 2024 it cost £75,000 to run the church, even though the church only paid 48% of full Parish Contribution. This is the minimum cost. Maintenance, charitable donations, concerts and the Spire Cafe costs are in addition to this figure. This is £1,455 per week or £15.60 per week per person regularly attending this church. Every week, even if you don't come every week If the church paid full Parish Contribution, this would rise to £120,000 per annum, or £2,308 per week (£24.30 pp per week). The PCC has been active in reducing some of these cost, particularly printing and we are looking at other areas where reductions can be made, but we have built up some arrears on stonework maintenance which cannot be put off much longer. The listed building status of the church means we often have to pay more for repairs, particularly external repairs. General Funds have risen to £35,000, partly due to the legacy mentioned above. The legacy has been reserved for the necessary stonework repairs but additional funds will almost certainly be necessary. All other funds (Organ, Bells, Charity) are legally restricted and have to be kept for the specific use and they cannot be used to keep the church open. The cafe is still running two days per week but is seeing more use on Saturdays and Sundays. A big thank you to the volunteers who keep this going as well as to everyone that gives on a regular basis, to help run the church. ## **Safeguarding** ## _**Dr Vince Elliot (Parish Safeguarding Officer)**_ Safeguarding is, and always has been, an important part of the work of our Church. Our Church is committed to maintaining a safe environment for all children, young people and vulnerable adults, while remaining open and inclusive, to all worshipers. We have adopted and implemented the House of Bishops Safeguarding Policy, ensuring that all those who work with children and young people are safely recruited and appropriately trained. Currently all those who require DBS checks, are up to date. There are a few checks “in process” and these should soon be completed. Training is an especially important aspect of safeguarding. It raises awareness of safeguarding issues and participants learn how to respond if they have concerns. There are two levels of training “Basic Awareness” and “Foundation”. The “Foundation” course is for officers of the Church who have specific roles, and the diocese produces a list of those within a parish, who ought to complete this training. The diocese also holds a database of those who have completed which course, and I have, through the office of the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, been able to access this information and ensure that training within the parish is almost up to date. The “Basic Awareness” course, in addition to being a preliminary for those requiring the “Foundation” course is also available to anyone in the congregation, irrespective of whether they have safeguarding responsibilities. It is an Internet based course and takes about 1 ½ hours. I would encourage anyone who is interested in increasing their knowledge regarding the care and well-being of children and vulnerable adults, to consider this course. pg. - 20 - If anyone would like further information, please contact me and I shall provide details of how to access the course. There is within Safeguarding the concept of the “Trusted Adult”. It may well be that a child, or vulnerable adult, who wishes to talk about something that could be considered a safeguarding issue, may not feel that they can approach the safeguarding officer. They may fear starting some formal process or perhaps have concerns about confidentiality. In these circumstances, they may turn to someone they consider a “trusted adult”. Perhaps a youth group leader, or someone who they may see as friendly or approachable. If you are that person, that trusted adult, then the concerns expressed must be reported to the parish safeguarding officer. Everything will be dealt with in complete confidence, and with the utmost sensitivity, but they must be reported. We all have an obligation to ensure that our Church is a safe space. The purpose of the above-mentioned training is to ensure that everyone is aware of safeguarding issues and know what to do when concerns are raised. Safeguarding is more than just creating a safe space within the Church. As a Church we have a duty to all members of our parish and there is a spectrum of concern between pastoral care and safeguarding. It is important that anyone who is worried regarding the safety and well-being of any child or vulnerable adult should feel able to discuss their concerns with the parish safeguarding officer. It may not be a safeguarding issue, but it is better that we should have that discussion, than someone at risk should be overlooked. So, if anyone has any concerns or questions regarding the safety or well-being of any child, or vulnerable adult, no matter how minor or trivial they may seem - please come and talk to me about it. Anything you say will be treated in the utmost confidence. I am in Church every Sunday and as I have already said, my contact details are on the notices in the Narthex and in the Spire Café. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** _**Ginny Nicholls (PCC Secretary)**_ The PCC is a charity (Charity number: 1165166) registered with the Charity Commission. Its governing document is the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956. The PCC and Churchwardens are elected under the terms of the Church Representation Rules 2006 (Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969 as amended by Statutory Instrument 2004 No 1889). The Vicar serves under licence from the Bishop; Churchwardens and Deanery (and, whenever applicable) Diocesan Synod delegates are the subject of separate elections to their posts. All these then serve on the PCC ex officio. Churchwardens are elected annually, four lay members of the Deanery Synod for a three-year term, and a maximum of twelve members of the church are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, for a three-year term, on a rolling cycle. The electorate comprises those persons on the Electoral Roll. All those who attend our services / members of the congregation are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll; members are warmly encouraged to stand for election to the PCC and we try to ensure a balance of skills and experience where possible. The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish, including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent; a Financial Procedures Policy is in place. A Grievance Procedure and Disciplinary Procedure have both been adopted in respect of church employees. pg. - 21 - The Standing Committee (SC) of the PCC transacts PCC business between PCC meetings – either because the matter is urgent, or, on the other hand, because the issue is sufficiently routine that waiting for a full PCC discussion would be unnecessary. The Committee consists of the Vicar, Churchwardens, Treasurer, Secretary and one other elected PCC member. In 2024, the PCC was comprised of the following members, after the April 2024 APCM: |**Name**|**Appointment (expiry)**| |---|---| |Fr DavidCharles|Incumbent: ChairofthePCC, Standing Committee| ||| |JohnCarter|PCC (2026), Standing Committee| |Denise Court|PCC (2027)| |ClaireElliot|Deanery Synod(2026), Standing Committee| |VinceElliot|PCC (2026),ParishSafeguarding Officer| |Karin Ford|PCC (2027)| |LizGriffiths|PCC (2026)| |Jackie Knowles|PCC (2027)| |Jean MacCarthy|Deanery Synod(2026)| |SueMcCabe|PCC (2025)| |GinnyNicholls|PCC (2026),ElectoralOfficer,PCC Secretary, Standing Committee| |Andy Sanford|PCC (2027)| |Doug Stewart|PCC (2026)| |ColinSquires|Churchwarden, Standing Committee| |DianaTipler|PCC (2026)| |Graham Todd|Deanery Synod(2026), Standing Committee| |Graham Zimmerman|Churchwarden, Standing Committee| ||| |GeoffreyBurton|Treasurer, Standing Committee, Co-opted| |Deacon Stephen
MacCarthy|Co-opted| The PCC held 5 meetings during 2024 on the following dates: - 1[st] February - 7[th] April (a short meeting of the newly formed PCC following the APCM for the election of PCC officers.) - • 4[th] July - 12[th] September - 14[th] November A short summary of the PCC minutes is posted after each PCC meeting on the church notice board. This allows visitors and members of the congregation to have an overview of what is being discussed at PCC meetings. ## **Administrative Information** ## **Church Address:** St John the Evangelist Church, Lower Church Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 9AA **Administrative Address:** St John the Evangelist Church, Lower Church Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 9AA **Incumbent:** Fr David Charles: 01444 244340 or vicar@stjohnschurchbh.org.uk **Charitable status of the parish** The PCC is a charity registered with the Charity Commission: number 1165166. **Name and address of Independent Examiner:** Helen Preece, Unit 1, Teknol House, Victoria Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 9LH pg. - 22 - Copy of the previous APCM minutes is printed below: ## _**The Parish of St John the Evangelist, Burgess Hill**_ **Sunday 7[th] April 2024** 11.30 am in Church Attendance: 44 parishioners ## **Meeting of the Parishioners for the Election of Churchwardens MINUTES** ## **Chaired by Father David Charles** 1. Father David opened the meeting with prayer. 2. No formal apologies had been received. 3. Election of Churchwardens. Nominations had been received for: **Colin Squires** Proposed by Karin Ford and seconded by Tony Clements **Graham Zimmerman** Proposed by Andy Sanford and Val Sanford All were in favour and they were duly elected. Father David took the opportunity to express his huge thanks to the churchwardens for their hard work over the past year. Especially Graham Zimmermann taking over the role of Churchwarden after the sudden death of Liz Hayward. Graham has quickly learnt the role from Colin as well as bringing fresh insights to the role. Father David expressed his deep personal thanks for Colin Squires dedication to the role. Colin spends nearly every day at the church and does so many tasks behind the scenes. These unseen tasks make the church run smoothly and Father David wanted to acknowledge this hard work in the minutes. The Annual Parochial Church Meeting then followed: ## **Annual Parochial Church Meeting MINUTES** 1. Acceptance of the minutes of the APCM 26[th] March 2023 Proposed: Paul Simpson Seconded: Alan Seymour All in favour that they are a true and accurate report of the meeting. 2. There were no matters arising. Fr David signed the minutes. pg. - 23 - ## 3. Acceptance of the Annual Report Father David explained the format of the Annual Report. The Annual Report is made up of statutory reports, last year APCM minutes and the annual accounts as well as reports from all the many activities and individual groups that make up the life of St John’s. The Annual Report can only cover 2023. The APCM is generally held 3 months into the following year, so it is hard not to acknowledge things that have happened the first part of 2024. One key change from the Annual Report is the restoration of the organ. It was a delight to have the organ played last Sunday – Easter Day! It was wonderful to hear the organ being played – even with a few months left of restoration to go. The plan is to have an Organ Rededication Service on Sunday 16[th] June which will be led by Bishop of Chichester. Father David thanked everyone who has contributed to the organ fund over the past few years, but also over the many years when it was first highlighted that the organ needed repairs. A big thank you to Paul Simpson for providing his wisdom and guidance on how the organ needed to be restored, as well as playing the piano and leading the choir. He also thanked for the choir in accommodating with all the changes over the past few months. Father David highlighted from his report about the reopening of the Spire Café, which has been a joy seeing people coming into the church again. He particularly thanked Kate Rhodes and Sue McCabe for getting the Café restarted, and the volunteers that offer their help each week. He hopes the café will expand our mission and outreach especially as we have had a grant accepted to have the Spire Café area upgraded. Father David then pointed to the Mission Action Plan in his report. The MAP is to help the congregation set some meaningful goals and growth in numbers and faith. A provisional plan has been put together with the MAP committee following the consultations with the 3 different congregations at St John’s. He thanked everyone for their input. The MAP committee need to finalise their plan, and they will present it to the PCC to be agreed. The congregation will be kept up to date. Page 5 and 6 covered attendance statistics at St John’s. He was encouraged that there has been a steady growth of attendance over 2023. Father David asked the congregation if they were happy to approve the Annual Report. He explained the PCC had already approved the Annual Report and Accounts prior to publishing at the APCM. Proposed: Graham Todd Seconded: Paul Simpson All in favour. pg. - 24 - ## 4. Adoption of the Accounts Geoff Burton was absent from the APCM, so was unable to present the Annual Accounts 2023. Father David explained that we have to formally receive the Annual Accounts at the APCM, even though the PCC have agreed them and also the Independent Examiner has seen the Accounts and signed them off. He summarised that we made a small surplus last year, and we are financially better off, however, we have not been paying our full Parish Share, so we are technically falling behind. Please see page 19 for the Treasurer’s full report. Adoption of the accounts: Proposed: Annie Ellis Seconded: Jean MacCarthy All were in favour. ## 5. Presentation of the Electoral Roll As of Friday 22[nd] March 2024 (when the Electoral Roll was frozen before the APCM), the Electoral Roll stood at 178. Last APCM it was 162. This is an increase of 16 people. Page 8 of the Annual Report gives a more detailed breakdown of the Electoral Roll in 2023. ## 6. Report on Goods and Ornaments Colin Squires reported that the Church Log Book is up to date. The Terrier is mostly up to date. There are a few photographs that need adding which will be done shortly. The church is having an Archidiaconal Visitation’ in September to review the Log Book and Terrier. No one had any questions. ## 7. Election of Deanery Synod members With the sad passing of Liz Hayward, we have one 1 vacancy on the Deanery Synod. The other 4 places are not up for renewal until 2026. ## 8. Election of PCC members Father David reported that Roy Horn had one year left on his PCC term, but has decided to step down due to ill health. We also sadly lost Averil West who resigned due to ill health and died in March. We are allowed 12 elected members of the PCC. We currently have 7 elected members. There were 4 nominations for 5 places. Father David read out the following nominations: pg. - 25 - **Denise Court** Proposed: John Carter Seconded: Colin Squires **Karin Ford** Proposed: Brenda Matthews Seconded: Andrew Sanford **Jacqui Knowles** Proposed: Jean MacCarthy Seconded: Maureen Holt **Andrew Sanford** Proposed: Felicity Fernee Seconded: Jean Reynolds Everyone agreed to have them voted on. Father David thanked the whole PCC for supporting him over the past year. ## 9. Appointment of an Independent Examiner **Helen Preece** is prepared to continue. Proposed: Claire Elliott Seconded: Di Tipler All were in favour. ## 10. Any Other Business. None. Father David concluded the meeting the Grace. The Annual Parochial Church Meeting ended at 11.55 am. pg. - 26 - ## **St John the Evangelist Accounts 2024 and Examiner’s Report** pg. - 27 - Balance Sheet Totsl Furwls TotulFund5 2024 2023 Notes Intangi￿￿ a55et5 Tangible 35sets Heritage a55et5 Endowed investments 18.345 17,940 Totsl fixed a55ets 18.345 17.940 Stocks Debtor5 4.647 2,822 14 Investments Cash at bank and in hand 76,1?3 75,74 Total ¢ufrènt assets 80.821 7B,530 Creditors.. Amount5 falling due within one year 113,1061 15 Net current a55ets or Iliabililie51 47.193 6S,423 Total assets lesscurrent liabilitie5 65.538 83,363 14,OCOI Credltots. Amounts falling due after more than one year Total net a55et50r Iliabilitiesl 65.538 79,363 The funds ofthe charlly.. Endowment funds 18.345 17,940 Restritted income funds 10.787 53,484 UDre5tricteclfuDds 35.662 7,939 Revaluation reserve Totsl unrestrirted fuThds 35.662 7,939 Total charityfunds 64,795 79,363 18 Total funds carried f￿ard 35.662 10.7B7 18.145 64.795 79,363 Notes to the financial report Icontinued) Analysis of income and endowments Vnr•5tricted Re51ricted Endowe Total Fund5 TDtsIFund5 Fund Fund Fun 2024 2023 Noies 47.979 47￿79 4&801 Loose(ash collections 6,788 84 6￿72 6,480 Sumrnerfeto k Christrnas b￿￿ar Other Fund Ralslng Events Conierts 6.2ri) 12 6212 3.665 Othorspecial app￿alS Gift Aid recoverable 11.936 6.718 14,713 42.732 Id.424 26 14.450 14.337 LegaC￿S io,rKN) 23? 12.538 12,53B 6,761 D¢nation5 ?nd ley¢*s £97,327 £191138 £116,764 £J21.011 Fees lor weddings & funera15 1.450 1.450 3.392 ChariiabkathvMe5 £1.450 £1.450 £3.392 Cafe/Church H£ll 6.008 5.504 Conierts 9,726 9,9D6 4,614 Renitrom leThD8 01 Parish house ChuTch centre hirin8 lees Ma8aiine advernsemenrfees Bookstall sales 2,383 2JB3 3,16 0thertradlni4ctlvitiE5 £18.1 £15,2 E13,282 Bank &CBF dep051tinierest CBF Investrnent lund diwdend 1,486 1,4B6 1,670 499 1.483 1.982 492 Renifrom lethni ol Investment property 1Th￿StMe￿t5 É1053 £1,465 EZ,162 other re[￿pts Total lKomeandendowme￿ts0r1aI1IU￿ds £114879 £21,100 £139,980 £139.879 Notes to the financial report (continued) Rostrictod EndowedTT**al Funds F￿Thd Totoj Funds Fund Fund 2024 2023 Notes Speclal appeals costs 51ewardshipc05ts Grants costs Investment man38ementcost5 1.063 1.254 2,317 577 Co5tol rai5ingfura5 ,065 £1254 £2.317 977 Mission & evangelism costs Diocesan parish share Clergy and tsther people'sexpenses 1.020 i.ozo $85 34.9 34.90D 38,766 839 839 11.139 11,139 &673 Upkeep ol &ervice5 Church ¢unnin4tosts Sundayschool Church maintenance and repair upkeep ol thurthyard Upkeep olvicarage Stora8@cost&of donated 8ood5 22,579 22,579 31205 7.691 62.529 70.220 40.458 2.851 2.851 12 2.764 14 2.778 3.924 Bank ch3r8e5 Depreciatioh Governan C05rof