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2022-12-31-accounts

Report and Accounts of 2022 for the

Parochial Church Council of the Parish of St. Anne Bagshot

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1.1. Contents

1.1. Contents .......................................................................................................................... 2
2. Aims and purposes ............................................................................................................. 3
3. Objectives and activities ..................................................................................................... 3
4. Achievements and performance (including reports by various groups) ............................ 3
4.1. Safeguarding ................................................................................................................... 3
4.2. Churchwardens’ fabric report ......................................................................................... 4
4.3. Volunteers ....................................................................................................................... 5
4.4. Changes to parish staff ................................................................................................... 5
4.5. Electoral roll .................................................................................................................... 6
4.6. Worship, prayer and fellowship ...................................................................................... 6
4.7. Children and family ministry ........................................................................................... 6
4.8. Pastoral care ................................................................................................................... 7
4.9. Ecumenical relationships ................................................................................................ 7
4.10. Choir ............................................................................................................................ 8
4.11. Bells and Bell Tower .................................................................................................... 8
4.12. St Anne’s Ladies Group ............................................................................................... 8
4.13. St Anne’s Visiting Team ............................................................................................... 8
4.14. Marriage Preparation .................................................................................................. 9
4.15. Small Groups ............................................................................................................... 9
4.16. Surrey Heath Deanery Synod ...................................................................................... 9
4.17. Eco Church ................................................................................................................. 10
5. Financial Review ............................................................................................................... 11
6. Structure, governance and management ......................................................................... 25
7. Administrative information .............................................................................................. 25
8. Appendix A – Vicar’s report .............................................................................................. 26

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2. Aims and purposes

St Anne's Parochial Church Council (PCC) is responsible for co-operating with the incumbent, the Revd Andreas Sistig, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the Church and Church Centre complex of St Anne, as well as St Anne’s Parish Hall, all situated in Church Road, Bagshot.

3. Objectives and activities

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 Anne’s. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament. When planning our activities for the year, we have considered the Commission's guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the supplementary guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through worship and prayer, learning about the gospel and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus. Furthermore, provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish forms a major focus of our work as a church. To facilitate this work, it is important that we maintain the fabric of the Church of St Anne and the Church Centre Complex.

4. Achievements and performance (including reports by various groups)

4.1. Safeguarding

As in previous years, the PCC has complied with the duty to have “due regard” to the House of Bishops’ Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance.

All PCC members, along with the incumbent, have a duty of care to ensure the protection of children and vulnerable adults in the church community. As charity trustees, PCC members are legally accountable for ensuring good safeguarding practice in the parish and that safeguarding is a governance priority. To ensure that this has been achieved to date, the PCC reviewed and adopted the House of Bishops Policy Statement which outlines the Church of England commitment to safeguarding and underpins all policy and practice guidance. We also have a rolling ‘safeguarding’ agenda item in our PCC meetings as well as our weekly Ministry Team meetings during which the vicar or designated safeguarding lead to the PCC (Andreas Sistig and Neil Lyddiatt) regularly update the PCC and Ministry Team on all safeguarding relevant issues and whether any reports have been filed with the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) in the last few weeks.

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In previous years the parish would undergo an annual Safeguarding Self Audit (this was last completed in November 2021). Since 2022 this has been replaced by the parish dashboard, an online portal which fulfils the same purpose as the self-audit.

We regularly consult and update the dashboard by taking the recommended actions on training of volunteers and updating and reviewing risk assessments as well as policies.

As a parish we participated in the Diocesan PCR2 campaign (review of previous safeguarding cases) campaign which concluded in 2022. Furthermore, all current safeguarding concerns/reports were speedily and rigorously documented and processed by our parish safeguarding officer and the clergy in accordance with diocesan requirements and, where appropriate the DSA (Jackie Broadfoot) was consulted/informed. As in previous years our ChurchDesk people management system has continued to be a great help both in managing the safe recruitment process of volunteers as well as keeping relevant records up to date.

Helen Perry, Neil Lyddiatt, Andreas Sistig

4.2. Churchwardens’ fabric report

The work of upkeep and maintenance of the church fabric has continued throughout the year. Routine testing of statutory/compliance items remains ongoing, including fire extinguishers, portable appliance testing and carbon monoxide monitoring. A site visit with the county fire officer resulted in only minor edits to our fire risk assessment, and a very positive report from him. Gordon Hunt, our Health and Safety Officer, has continued to oversee all things H&S related - for which we offer deep thanks.

A meeting took place with the Surrey Heath environmental health officer – although she was primarily inspecting our tenant (Miriam Grace), she was positive about our own set up, and a few adjustments were made in the light of her advice.

The organ has been regularly tuned and maintained.

Further to the Quinquennial inspection report from 2021, the survey of the stained glass and leaded lights in 2022 and the faculty approval, we are planning for the works to be completed by the second quarter 2023.

An application for an Archdeacons licence was successfully obtained so that repairs could be made following water ingress, caused by the rainwater downpipes in both the south & north aisles. Redecoration will take place in 2023, following a period for the walls to thoroughly dry out.

We continue to work with Miriam Grace about day-to-day management of the kitchen. A new commercial dishwasher has been installed.

The storeroom was reconfigured to accommodate FNYC equipment alongside other items of our own, as well as Miriam Grace. Keeping this space accessible for all parties remains an ongoing priority.

As required under canon law, the Inventory, Terrier and Log have been maintained throughout the year.

Sue Hunt and Carolyn Nahajski

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4.3. Volunteers

As in previous years, the churchwardens would like to express their sincere and deep gratitude to all the volunteers who help in so many ways with the liturgical, pastoral and social life of the church, as well as with the maintenance and general running of St Anne’s.

Thanks to: sides-people; readers; intercessors; servers; crucifers; sacristans; choir members; helpers in the junior church, family@4 and Pixies; evening service helpers; bell ringers; sound desk managers; flower arrangers; makers of refreshments; church cleaners (including the brass); those who support the administration work, including the office; the safeguarding team; pastoral assistants and those who officially visit others; those who keep the grounds so well-tended, either regularly or for one-off events (such as ahead of Remembrance); those involved in eco-church activities, such as the allotment, litter pick and bees; PCC members; and finally, to all those who quietly got on and did jobs behind the scenes. We are acutely aware that this list is not fully comprehensive, but to you all, many thanks indeed.

We wish to express our thanks also to Ellen, Jennifer and Kester - for their specific volunteer contributions as clergy/LLM.

This year a special note of thanks must go to the committee members and numerous volunteers who organised and ran the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee exhibition in June - with a specific shout out to Neil and Jo Lyddiatt.

Following the more severe periods of lockdown in 2020 and 2021, this year has seen a return of many of our volunteers to active service, for which we are extremely grateful. However, it is becoming clear that our volunteer base is increasingly struggling to cope with the demands of a busy and growing church community. This will inevitably result in a renewed effort to recruit more volunteers in 2023 and/or in changing the way in which we run various activities.

Thank you to you all for making St Anne’s such a happy and thriving church community. Without you all, our church would not be the place and the community it is.

Sue Hunt and Carolyn Nahajski

4.4. Changes to parish staff

2022 has seen one major change in our parish staff, with the employment of our part-time parish office manager, Phillippa Pluess. This followed a very thorough recruitment process led by our church warden, Carolyn Nahajski (an experienced HR professional), in conjunction with Ellen and me, in line with both the Church of England safer recruitment requirements and also best practice. The PCC was delighted to appoint Phillippa to the position, effective 7th June 2022. Since then, Phillippa has become a much-valued part of the team, not least because she takes a great deal of administrative pressure off the clergy, wardens and treasurer, but also because she does so with a great deal of professionalism and humour.

Revd Andreas Sistig

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4.5. Electoral roll

This year we have 112 people on the Electoral Roll, with 80 resident in Bagshot and 32 living outside the parish.

Lynne Cowley, Electoral Roll Officer

4.6. Worship, prayer and fellowship

Worship and prayer during 2022 has largely returned to its pre-pandemic form, with the addition that we broadcast the 10am Sunday service as well as selected other services via our dedicated YouTube channel. For those unable to attend in person there is also the continued opportunity to meet via Zoom after the service for fellowship.

Daily Morning and Evening Prayer also continued via Zoom. With regards to Covid safe practices we continued to follow our Covid risk assessment for public worship which resulted in the decision not yet to re-introduce the Common Cup for Holy Communion services, and also to restrict the sharing of the peace to a friendly wave.

In terms of service styles we introduced an ‘Eco Service’ on the first Sunday of the month at 10am. This service is less formal and also includes a performance of the newly introduced ‘casual choir’, led by Alex Moore. The second Sunday of the month 10am service takes the form of Matins, followed by Holy Communion services on the 3[rd] , 4[th] and 5[th] Sundays. The 8am service every Sunday was changed to be exclusively BCP. With regards to attendance, our Sunday services draw an average of 8-10 people for the 8am, 40-50 people for the 10am, 16-20 for the fortnightly Family@4 and 8-12 for the monthly Taizé service. The Wednesday service has seen a lively attendance of about 10-15 people on average. In summary, 2022 saw 17 babies and children baptised, 2 weddings, 3 funerals in church, 4 funerals in local crematoria or cemeteries and 1 confirmation.

Revd Andreas Sistig

4.7. Children and family ministry

2022 provided a welcome return to normality for much of our children’s and families’ activities, following the covid disruptions of the previous two years – but was also a time of rebuilding and trying new things.

In March, our Junior Church finally resumed after several delays due to covid spikes. Due to a limited number of volunteers, we began with sessions on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays of each month (with some movement around Easter etc), using primarily Godly Play stories, occasionally alongside some more structured crafts or activities. This meant that, together with Family@4 on the 2nd and 4th Sundays, there was something more easily accessible for families and children each Sunday of the month.

Family@4 has continued and saw some growth in numbers through the year, and it has been a delight to see the children especially growing in confidence in leading the readings and in sharing their questions and ideas – there is always something for all of us to think about. Two particular highlights were Sam’s baptism within a Family@4 service, which saw both regulars

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and guests joining in together with much enthusiasm and laughter, and our summer service with BBQ which had over 40 people in attendance. It was a joy to be able to share food and fellowship together on both occasions – something we will develop further in 2023.

Pixies Playgroup has grown into a very well-established community this year, with a core group of ‘regulars’ and a growing number who come when they can, including a good mixture of mums, dads, and grandparents. This year we’ve been able to reintroduce refreshments and enjoyed some singing together at the end of each session, bolstered on one occasion by a ‘taster session’ from Music with Mummies (something we plan to do regularly). It has also been wonderful to be able to invite baptism families along to the playgroup as a way of keeping in touch, and to have a number of Pixies families decide to get their children baptised.

Whilst we have had ongoing conversations regarding the future of FNYC, this has not yet been able to resume although the conversation will continue in 2023. However, Jonathan was able to join with other young people from around the deanery to participate in a joint Confirmation course at St Paul’s which used Youth Alpha material, and following his confirmation in November he continues to attend the youth group there; it’s great to be able to share our resources!

None of this would have been possible without a wide range of people pitching in, whether regularly or occasionally, to enable our children’s and families work to continue to grow and develop – thank you to all who have been part of this, and especial thanks to the Junior Church, Pixies and Family@4 teams for your commitment, ideas, and adaptability.

Revd Ellen Turtle

4.8. Pastoral care

Pastoral care in 2022 has also largely returned to its pre-pandemic form with both the clergy, ministry team as well as well as our dedicated pastoral visiting team (led by Helen Perry) resuming their visits of elderly, frail or lonely parishioners at home or in hospital.

One significant addition to the pastoral care provided by the parish in 2022 was that Andreas started to visit the local prison, both for pastoral support of the prisoners as well as helping to run the Prison Fellowship ‘Sycamore Tree’ course. Jennifer who is the lead Chaplain at Frimley Health Trust has also been able to visit members of the church and wider community regularly when they were in-patients. Likewise, Ann Bonella has continued to visit both Sunrise and the Neuro-rehab centre.

Revd Andreas Sistig

4.9. Ecumenical relationships

Our ecumenical relationships remain strong despite the fact that the only organised activities with other churches or faith groups were the annual Walk of Witness on Good Friday and Andreas’ attendance of the Surrey Heath Interfaith group meetings. We hope that 2023 will see a renewed growth in activities in this area.

Revd Andreas Sistig

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4.10. Choir

During the summer, the choir learnt two pieces to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee; In Our Service and A Life Lived with Grace. At harvest we gathered around the piano to perform O The Life of The World in three-part harmony. For the Carol Service, the choir sang the American carol I Wonder as I Wander as well as a challenging setting of A Babe is Born. The sopranos enjoyed singing the descants for the congregational carols, accompanied by Brian Cotterill. We also meet on most Sundays with a ‘casual choir’ immediately after the service to rehearse a piece of music for the upcoming Eco church service on the first Sunday of the month.

Alexandra Moore

4.11. Bells and Bell Tower

The end of Covid restrictions meant that the bells have been rung for almost all of our main Sunday services during the year. In addition, the ringing team were pleased to contribute to the celebrations in the summer for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee and later in the year to mourn her death by ringing on half-muffled bells.

Practice evenings, and the two weddings for which bells were requested in 2022, have been assisted by the experienced ringers from neighbouring towers. It is good to report that new people have joined to learn the art of bell-ringing and have reached a level of skill that they are now able to participate in Sunday service ringing.

David Perry

4.12. St Anne’s Ladies Group

St Anne’s Ladies Group have had a very successful year. We usually have 20 - 25 guests at our meetings with varied and interesting speakers.

In July we held a wine and musical evening in the church garden which was very enjoyable and well attended.

The Ladies’ Group also organised the Church Christmas Fair last November, after a gap of three years due to previous Covid restrictions. This took place in the Church Centre and inside the church. The fair was a great success and was enjoyed by all.

Thank you to all of the committee for their hard work over the year.

Brenda Shepherd, Chair

4.13. St Anne’s Visiting Team

In 2022 the Visiting Team were able to resume regular visiting of the sick and the housebound in the parish. In addition, building on the experience of Covid, pastoral phone-calls were also made to some individuals. In accordance with best safeguarding practice, individual Visitors

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made brief written reports of each visit. Likewise, regular group meetings were held and a record of the meetings was written up and filed securely in the church office.

The Church Visitors do a service which is appreciated by the vulnerable people they visit and who themselves give back much to the person visiting them. This supplements the work of the clergy and the many individuals within the church who visit and care for friends and neighbours who are in need.

Helen Perry

4.14. Marriage Preparation

In the aftermath of Covid there were only two weddings in 2022. Five couples attended our Marriage Preparation Day, three couples planning to postpone their weddings until 2023. This relatively small group worked very well together, with the course leaders, and as individual couples. They addressed aspects of marriage such as communication, the resolution of conflict, financial issues and parenting. The clergy spoke to the couples about the importance of the marriage service as well as answering questions on the practicalities of the wedding day. Over an excellent lunch the couples were able to speak to Yvonne Fealey about their wedding flowers. Feedback showed how much the couples enjoyed and valued their experience of the day.

Helen Perry

4.15. Small Groups

The Bible study group has returned to meeting monthly at the home of Eve NightingaleSharpe.

We have looked at a number of books from the Bible using video material from The Bible Project, discussion in the group and reading from the Bible.

We are always open to new members joining us. If you would like to know more, please contact June Pugh or Derrick Fenn.

Derrick Fenn

4.16. Surrey Heath Deanery Synod

There were four meetings during the year where reducing costs in view of the energy crisis was very much to the fore.

In March at St Anne’s, the Area Dean asked us to consider the events in Ukraine and said that nobody could have predicted that the Covid crisis would be overshadowed by a war in Europe. Churches in the deanery had already stepped up to the challenge by donating items to be sent to Ukraine and helping refugees.

At the June meeting at St Martin’s, Old Dean, Synod was asked by St Mary’s, Camberley, to consider a proposal of changing the Canon Law so that Holy Communion is celebrated in the

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parish every week rather than every Sunday, therefore not diminishing the importance of Holy Communion but giving parishes more flexibility in its mission and ministry.

The Deanery Eco-Church representative spoke about the challenges for churches to achieve the bronze, silver and gold standards.

In September at St Lawrence’s, Chobham, the idea of setting up ‘warm hubs’ from November until March where people could be warm, have a hot drink, socialise and receive energy and debt advice. St Paul’s partnered with the council to offer a ‘drop in’ for Ukrainian families, but attendance was dropping as families returned home.

A question was raised over how individual parishes were handling the requirement for the Common Cup at Communion. In the context of increasing Covid numbers it was likely that a return to a shared common cup was not imminent.

St Mary’s, Camberley was the venue for the December meeting at which the presentation of the Diocesan Net-zero strategy up to 2030 was presented. It focused on insulation in 2022-5, then heating technology and includes schools and vicarages. Urgent advice needed on boiler replacements due in next couple of years.

This diocese has double the number of Eco-Church awards and signups than any other diocese.

Deanery Synod suggested that there was an opportunity for a shared, collective approach to avoid duplicating costs across parishes. Opportunities included survey costs and building planning.

The Area Dean emphasised the opportunity for parishes to collaborate and combine their requirements to seek collective tenders for services, leading to more cost-effective operation.

Lynne Cowley and Diane Wild

4.17. Eco Church

We had a very successful Eco year as we were awarded the Bronze Eco award from A Rocha. We had to take a detailed look at our use of energy, care for the environment and show engagement with both the congregation and the wider community.

The year started with a talk by Derrick Fenn on bee keeping and was well attended and led on to a small group keeping a hive in the church garden. We learnt a huge amount about these fascinating creatures and coped with a few nasty stings when we got too close. We drew off some of the honey at the end of the season but left plenty behind to sustain the bees over winter. A handsome amount of £450 was made from donations in return for jars of St Anne’s Organic honey and we were delighted by such generosity. The bees are here to stay!

Recycling improved in 2022 with dedicated bins in the church centre for soft plastics, pill packets, milk bottle tops, batteries and water filters. Thank you to the volunteers who regularly empty these.

The church organised a litter pick at the beginning of December, which was attended by people from across the community. Thanks to Nicki for organising high-vis tabards promoting the eco-project, which helps in our community engagement for events such as this.

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For the 2nd year in a row, we grew potatoes and tomatoes but added courgettes (successful), aubergines (not so much), and managed a small butternut squash. Proof of concept has been established and we are working on plans to enhance the garden and use more expert knowledge within the team to build on this early success.

The tubs at the front of church were refreshed with new compost and we have opted for perennials instead of bedding plants to improve sustainability and have also chosen bee and insects friendly plants to fit our eco theme.

Finally, a massive thank you to the flower team who have managed to make a huge reduction in their use of Oasis (a very nasty plastic product) and followed the RHS lead using more difficult, older techniques and have done a great job.

Kate Dyerson, Eco Lead

5. Financial Review

Summary

The accounts for 2022 show some small but significant changes when compared with the previous year. The income to our unrestricted (General) account, has shown an increase of around 6% over 2021. However, an increase in expenditure of around 14% means that the small surplus recorded in 2021 has become a deficit of around £6,000 in 2022.

Our church community has responded generously, as in previous years, to appeals for the support of refugee families, people in hardship and a number of church projects including the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. Other restricted funds for the ongoing support of the fabric of St Anne’s and also St Anne’s Parish Hall, discussed below, all show healthy balances.

Consistent with long established PCC policy, we continue to maintain an unrestricted reserve which is equivalent to six months of regular expenditure.

Unrestricted (General) Fund

The Unrestricted (General) Fund supports the day-to-day operations of St Anne’s, including the Parish Share paid to the Diocese, the largest part of which funds Diocesan Clergy. The major contribution to this fund is Planned Giving by members of our congregation and wider community. Income from Planned Giving was slightly lower than in 2021 and one-off donations suffered a significant reduction of nearly £4,000. However, the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, as well as being a happy and successful community event, made a healthy contribution to our fundraising. The major factor in our increased income was the fees received for the hire of our Church Centre, from £7,500 to nearly £20,000. This was predominantly due to use by the Miriam Grace Day Club. The overall change in income was an increase of around 6%.

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Expenditure in 2022 showed an increase of around 14%; due mainly to three different factors: an increase of around £6,000 in Parish Share, a 100% increase in gas and electricity costs, and the employment of a part-time Parish Office Manager. The Parish Share increase is a consequence of a change in its method of calculation which has affected St Anne’s particularly harshly compared with many parishes. Utility costs increased due to the renewal of contracts early in 2022 but the effect has been less than that experienced by domestic consumers, as fortunately we renewed before the impact of the war in Ukraine was fully experienced. The PCC has also implemented economy measures to reduce heating costs as far as reasonably possible. Other costs were controlled fairly closely to 2021 levels.

The deficit in 2022 is a reminder to the PCC and the whole St Anne’s community of the need to increase our income. Sadly, current forecasts for 2023 do not show any signs of improvement in our finances, with most indications being of a deteriorating situation. This has to be addressed if St Anne’s is to continue to be an active church in the Bagshot community.

Restricted Funds

The objectives and finances of our Restricted Funds are summarised in Sections 8 and 9 of the accounts. The main points are summarised below under the headings of a) Charitable Giving, b) Funding of Projects within St Anne’s and c) St Anne’s Parish Hall. During the year the PCC combined the residual balance of the Bagshot Together Covid 19 Community support fund with the Vicar’s Discretionary Hardship Fund. This was carried out with the agreement of major donors as the two funds had similar objectives and the objectives of the Covid Support Fund had been met.

a) Charitable Giving

During the year St Anne’s held a Quiz Night raising £760 for Tearfund and again donated the proceeds of the Christmas One-Card Scheme equally divided between the Toilet Twinning Project and Connect Counselling Service in Camberley. In addition to several small donations to individuals, the Vicars Discretionary Hardship fund made significant donations totalling £2,500 to our two local schools to enable them to support local children in hardship.

Support was also provided to an Afghan refugee family with whom we have contact.

As in previous years our Christingle collection went to the Children’s Society. St Anne’s also provides ongoing support to Connect through a regular monthly contribution from our unrestricted funds.

In addition to making financial contributions, St Anne’s is one of 18 local churches who are linked with The Besom in Camberley to provide food and other items to local families and individuals who are going through a time of difficulty and lack of money. Our Harvest donations, and those from Connaught Junior and Bagshot Infant Schools, were passed to The Besom and several bags of ‘festive food’ were sent to produce Christmas hampers.

b) Funding of Projects within St Anne’s

St Anne’s has two funds, The Friends of St Anne’s and the Derek Shearing Legacy, which can be used for repair of the church fabric and/or to support our work in the community. In 2022 the Friends fund provided equipment for the broadcasting of services on YouTube and also to

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supplement the funds raised for a new rapid Church Centre dishwasher. Generous support was provided for the provision of flowers to decorate the church on the occasion of the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

c) St Anne’s Parish Hall

Although the Trustees of St Anne’s Parish Hall are the Diocesan Board of Finance, the entire responsibility for the management and maintenance of the Hall is that of St Anne’s PCC, who assume all liabilities. The Trust Deed indicates that the Hall is for the benefit of the people of Bagshot, not just the church, so the accounts of the Parish Hall are reported as one of the Restricted Funds of the PCC, with Note 9. to the Financial Statement providing the detail.

Hiring income increased substantially (by 77%) due to the return of regular hirers post-Covid, new regular hirers and a greater number of occasional bookings, mainly for children’s parties. Expenditure increased only slightly, mainly due to increased utility costs. The outcome was a surplus of nearly £2,000 compared with a deficit of around £600 in the previous year. The Parish Hall maintains a healthy balance of nearly £23,000 to cover likely maintenance and renewal costs in the future. We are indebted to Nick Dorrington who looks after the Hall and liaises with the hirers.

Plans are being developed for improving the frontage and the drive at the side of the Hall. The aim is to improve the outward appearance of the Hall but also to facilitate additional parking, especially for the disabled. In conjunction with Bagshot Scout Group, we are also exploring options for replacing the store behind the Hall.

Reserves Policy

It is PCC policy to try to maintain a balance on free reserves (unrestricted cash plus readily liquidated investment assets) which equates to at least six months unrestricted payments. This is equivalent to ~£57,000. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies. The balance of the unrestricted free reserves at the end of 2022 was ~£61,500 (excluding the outstanding unpaid Parish Share). Note that although the Vicar & Wardens fund is technically a restricted fund, the limited restrictions on its use mean that we have included its balance of £21,626 in the available reserve.

It is our policy to invest the short-term investment fund balances with the COIF Charities Deposit Fund and longer term in the CBF Church of England Investment Fund, both managed by CCLA Investment Management Ltd. The latter fund generates an income of around £800 p.a.

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Parochial Church Council of St Anne's, Bagshot

Statement of Financial Activities

For the year ending 31 December 2022

Notes
INCOMING RESOURCES
Voluntary income
2(a)
Activities for generating funds
2(b)
Income from Investments
2(c)
Church activities
2(d)
TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Cost of generation of voluntary income
3(b)
Fund-raising costs
3(c)
Church activities
3(a)
Regular Expenditure
Special projects
TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED
NET INCOMING RESOURCES BEFORE
OTHER RECOGNIZED GAINS AND LOSSES
Revaluation of assets
Gains (losses) on investment assets:
5(b)
NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
BALANCES B/FWD 1 JANUARY
BALANCES C/FWD 31 DECEMBER		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
84,853
2,252
864
21,488
109,457
521
614
114,854
115,990
115,990
(6,533)
(3,853.56)
(10,386.75)
638,571
628,184		 Restricted
Funds
£
9,538
209
7,339
17,085
43
-
12,618
12,661
2,905
15,566
1,519
-
1,519
82,167
83,686		 2022
2021
£
£
94,390
98,954
2,252
890
1,073
838
28,826
16,229
126,542
116,911
565
252
614
195
127,472
112,286
128,651
112,732
2,905
3,699
131,555
116,431
(5,014)
480
(3,853.56)
4,134
(8,867.34)
4,614
720,738
716,124
711,871
720,738
TOTAL FUNDS		 2022
2021
£
£
94,390
98,954
2,252
890
1,073
838
28,826
16,229
126,542
116,911
565
252
614
195
127,472
112,286
128,651
112,732
2,905
3,699
131,555
116,431
(5,014)
480
(3,853.56)
4,134
(8,867.34)
4,614
720,738
716,124
711,871
720,738
TOTAL FUNDS
116,911
252
195
112,286
112,732
3,699
116,431
480
4,134
4,614
716,124
720,738

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Parochial Church Council of St Anne's, Bagshot

Balance sheet at 31 December 2022

Unrestricted
Funds
Notes
£
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible
5(a)
647,602
Investment
5(b) & (c)
29,028
676,630
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
6.
17,791
Cash at bank and in hand
25,097
42,888
LIABILITIES
Creditors-amounts falling due in one yea
7.
91,334
NET CURRENT ASSETS/(LIABILITIES)
(48,446)
Creditors-amounts falling due after one year
-
TOTAL NET ASSETS
628,184
PARISH FUNDS
Unrestricted
628,184
Restricted
8.
628,184
r		 Unrestricted
Funds
Notes
£
FIXED ASSETS
Tangible
5(a)
647,602
Investment
5(b) & (c)
29,028
676,630
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
6.
17,791
Cash at bank and in hand
25,097
42,888
LIABILITIES
Creditors-amounts falling due in one yea
7.
91,334
NET CURRENT ASSETS/(LIABILITIES)
(48,446)
Creditors-amounts falling due after one year
-
TOTAL NET ASSETS
628,184
PARISH FUNDS
Unrestricted
628,184
Restricted
8.
628,184
r		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
21,626
21,626
1,640
65,140
66,780
4,720
62,060
-
83,686
83,686
83,686		 2022
2021
£
£
647,602
647,602
50,655
54,299
698,257
701,901
19,430
19,514
90,237
92,764
109,668
112,278
96,054
93,441
13,614
18,837
-
-
711,871
720,738
628,184
638,571
83,686
82,167
711,871
720,738
TOTAL FUNDS		 2022
2021
£
£
647,602
647,602
50,655
54,299
698,257
701,901
19,430
19,514
90,237
92,764
109,668
112,278
96,054
93,441
13,614
18,837
-
-
711,871
720,738
628,184
638,571
83,686
82,167
711,871
720,738
TOTAL FUNDS
701,901
19,514
92,764
42,888 112,278
91,334
(48,446)
-
628,184
628,184
628,184		 93,441
18,837
-
720,738
638,571
82,167
720,738

Approved by the Parochial Church Council and signed on its behalf by

Revd Andreas Sistig (PCC Chairman)

15

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 December 2022

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The financial statements have been prepared under the Charities Act 2011 and in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 governing the individual accounts of PCCs, and with the Regulations' "true and fair" provisions. It is also the first year that they have been prepared under FRS102 (2016) as the applicable accounting standards and the 2016 version of the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP(FRS102)).

They have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for valuation of investment assets which are shown at market value. The financial statements include all transactions for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups which owe their main affiliation to another body or those that are informal gatherings of church members.

Changes to previous accounts

No material changes have been made to the accounts for previous years. (A minor adjustment has been to 2021 figures where Occasional Gift Aid Envelope donations have been transferred from the Planned Giving to the the Donation category. The total Voluntary Income for 2021 is unchanged.)

Funds

Restricted funds represent (a) income from trusts or endowments which may be expended only on those restricted objects provided in the terms of the trust or bequest, and (b) donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the PCC for a specific object. The funds may only be expended on the specific object for which they were given. Any balance remaining unspent at the end of each year must be carried forward as a balance on that fund. The PCC does not usually invest separately for each fund. (The Miss Pike Legacy fund is an exception to this.) Where there is no separate investment, interest is apportioned to individual funds on an average balance basis.

Unrestricted funds are general funds which can be used for PCC ordinary purposes. Funds designated by the PCC itself for a particular purpose are also unrestricted.

Incoming resources

Planned giving, collections and donations are recognised when received. Tax refunds are recognised when the incoming resource to which they relate is received. Grants and legacies are accounted for when the PCC is legally entitled to the amounts due. Dividends are accounted for when receivable and interest is accrued. All other income is recognised when it is receivable. All incoming resources are accounted for gross.

Resources expended

Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded if that award creates a binding obligation on the PCC. The diocesan parish share is accounted for when payable. Amounts received specifically for mission are dealt with as restricted funds. All other expenditure is generally recognised when it is incurred and is accounted for gross.

Assets

Consecrated and benefice property is excluded from the accounts in accordance with s.96(2)(a) of the Charities Act 1993.

Movable church furnishings held by the vicar and churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which required a faculty for disposal are inalienable property, listed in the church’s inventory, which can be inspected (at any reasonable time). For any thing acquired prior to 2000 there is insufficient cost information available and therefore such assets are not valued in the financial statements. Subsequently, the only item purchased costing more than £1,000 has been the Church Centre and its furnishings. All funds expended on the Church Centre project have been treated as capital expenditure. All other expenditure has been charged to Resources Expended when it occurred.

Equipment used within the church premises is depreciated on a straight-line basis over five years. Individual items of equipment with a purchase price of £1,000 or less are charged to Resources Expended when the item is acquired.

Investments are valued at market value at 31 December.

16

2. INCOMING RESOURCES

2(a) Voluntary income
Planned giving
Tax recoverable
Collections
Donations
2(b) Activities for generating funds
Fete
Other
2(c) Income from investments
Interest
Dividends
2(d) Income from church activities
Wedding and Funeral Fees
Sale of books & magazine
Church Centre hire
Parish Hall income
Total incoming resources
3.
RESOURCES EXPENDED
3(a) Church activities
Missionary and charitable giving
Connect Christian Counselling
The Children's Society
Covid 19 Bagshot Community Support Fund
Frimley Park Scrubs Fund
Holding Crosses
Afghan Refugee Support
Tear Fund
Toilet Twinning
Vicar's Discretionary Hardship Fund
Other
Totals c/f		 Unrestricted
Funds
57,121
15,409
2,598
9,725		 Restricted
Funds
1,910
1,594
6,034
9,538
-
-
-
209
-
209
7,339
7,339
17,085
Restricted
Funds
170
-
-
1,020
110
700
756
120
2,720
-
5,596		 TOTAL
2022
59,031
17,003
2,598
15,759
94,390
-
2,252
2,252
209
864
1,073
1,525
123
19,840
7,339
28,826
126,542
TOTAL
2022
770
115
-
1,020
110
700
756
120
2,720
10
6,321		 TOTAL
2021
60,221
17,952
1,169
19,613
84,853 98,954
-
2,252
2,252
-
864
864
1,525
123
19,840
21,488
109,457
Unrestricted
Funds
600
115
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10
725		 460
430
890
3
836
838
3,419
1,120
7,535
4,156
16,229
116,911
TOTAL
2021
745
90
216
-
272
1,665
-
120
-
181
3,289

17

Totals b/f
Ministry:
Diocesan Parish Share
Clergy expenses
Clergy housing
Church running and maintenance
Heating, lighting & water
Maintenance
Insurance
Service consumables
Music
Laystaff
Marriage preparation
Office supplies
ChurchDesk
Office Equipment
Telephone
Magazine/bookstall costs
Junior Church
Youth Club
Training
Misc
Eco-Church
Jubilee Flowers
Covid Support Costs
Church Centre running costs
Parish Hall running costs
3(b) Generation of voluntary income
Card processing fees
Stewardship/Income generating costs
3(c) Fund raising costs
Regular Expenditure
3(d)
Special Projects
Dishwasher for Church Centre
New Boiler for Church Centre
Equipment for YouTube broadcasting
TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED
3(a)
(cont)		 Unrestricted
Funds
725
82,689
2,438
395
6,688
1,178
4,970
452
20
7,895
213
1,371
1,215
431
81
56
1,384
2,653
114,854
73
449
614
115,990
115,990		 Restricted
Funds
5,596
828
598
161
5,434
12,618
43
12,661
1,725
1,180
15,566		 TOTAL
2022
6,321
82,689
2,438
395
6,688
1,178
4,970
452
20
7,895
213
1,371
1,215
-
431
81
56
-
-
1,384
828
598
-
2,814
5,434
127,472
116
449
614
128,651
1,725
-
1,180
131,555		 TOTAL
2021
3,289
76,606
2,337
405
3,394
6,876
4,923
209
59
2,555
20
1,860
977
-
393
140
114
-
-
1,055
276
328
1,746
4,724
112,286
192
59
195
112,732
3,699
116,431

4 PAYMENTS TO PCC MEMBERS

A small immaterial part of the expenses paid to the incumbent may have been related to his services as chairman of the PCC. No other payments or expenses were paid to any other PCC member, persons closely connected to them or related parties.

18

5. FIXED ASSETS

5(a)
ACTUAL COST
At 1 January 2022
Add additions at cost
At 31 December 2022
DEPRECIATION
At 1 January 2022
Add charge for year
At 31 December 2022
Tangible assets after depreciation
Tangible
(All unrestricted)		 Freehold
land and
buildings
647,602
-
647,602
-
-
-
647,602		 Church
Equipment
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Total
647,602
-
647,602
-
-
-
647,602

The freehold land and buildings comprise the Church Centre to which no depreciation is applied. Church equipment comprises office equipment and furniture in the Church Centre.

5(b) Investments (Unrestricted)

The PCC holds 1,406 Income Shares (no change since 2008) in the CBF Church of England Investment Fund, managed by CCLA Investment Management Ltd.

Value at 1 January 2022
Value at 31 December 2022
Gains/(loss) on revaluation		 32,882
29,028
(3,854)

5(c) Investments (Restricted)

The whole of the Legacy Fund (£21626.48) at 31 December 2022) is invested in the COIF Charities Deposit Fund, managed by CCLA Investment Management Ltd. Interest is declared daily and varies according to London money market interest rates. It is paid gross on a quarterly basis.

6.
DEBTORS
Tax recoverable
ChurchDesk payment in advance
Others (3)
7.
LIABILITIES
Amounts falling due within one year
Guildford diocese
Utilities
Wedding fees/deposits - in advance
Donations due
Other creditors (6)		 Unrestricted
Funds
12,814
2,429
2,547
17,791
TOTAL
Unrestricted
88,180
1,100
974
115
965
91,334		 Restricted
Funds
1,116
1,116
TOTAL
Restricted
-
51
739
2,321
1,609
4,720		 TOTAL
2022
13,930
2,429
2,547
18,907
TOTAL
2022
88,180
1,151
1,713
2,436
2,574
96,054		 TOTAL
2021
15,095
3,644
775
19,514
TOTAL
2021
89,119
1,338
364
556
2,064
93,441

19

8. RESTRICTED FUNDS

ICTED FUNDS
Miss Pike Legacy Fund This Legacy Fund derives from the bequest to the Vicar and Churchwardens for
(Vicar & Wardens' Account) the good of St Anne's Church. To that extent the funds constitute a Restricted
Fund and expenditure is restricted to purposes complying with these terms.
Friends of St Anne's For maintenance of the church building and to enhance the contribution of St
Anne's to the local community.
Derek Shearing Legacy Derek Shearing, a resident of Bagshot who died in 2020, bequeathed a legacy of
£20,000 to St Anne's ‘to be applied solely for the upkeep and maintenance of the
fabric of the parish church’.
St Anne's Parish Hall The trustees of the Parish Hall are the Guildford Diocesan Board of Finance but
St Anne's PCC is solely responsible for the management and maintenance of the
Hall, together with all associated liabilities. Under the terms of the Trust Deed,
the Hall is for the benefit of the people of Bagshot (not just the church). The
finances of the Parish Hall are included with those of the PCC as a Restricted
Fund. The St Anne's Hall detailed financial statements are provided as Note 9.
Refugee Fund This fund is is an amalgamation of the previous Syrian and Afghan refugee funds
reported in previous years. It aims to provide support to refugee families being
housed in our area.
Grant to Friday Night Youth Surrey County Council provided FNYC with a grant of £500 for the purchase of
Club (FNYC) sports equipment.
FNYC Tuck Tax A proportion of the payments made by members of the Friday Night Youth Club
(FNYC) for snacks etc. is retained for donation to charities. Club members
decide which charities will receive donations but due to Covid no decisions have
been made during 2021.
Church Centre Dishwasher Funds donated by Church members, towards to the replacement of the Church
Fund Centre Dishwasher by a faster machine more suited to centre usage.
EcoChurch Project The EcoChurch Project is our initial local response to the developing
environmental crisis threatening mankind. This restricted fund is a result of
donations from Waitrose and individuals in our community.
Bagshot Together Covid-19
Community Support		 The start of the COVID lockdown in March 2020 resulted in Bagshot residents
working together to support the more vulnerable members of our community.
Demand for this service, provided entirely by volunteers, was significant in the
early days of the pandemic but declined to zero in early 2021. After consultation
with the major donors, it was agreed in early 2022 that the residual funds of
around £4,000 should be transferred to the Vicar's Discretionary Fund for the
purpose of supporting members of the local community suffering hardship.
Bagshot - Frimley Park As for Bagshot Together (above), this fund is no longer required for its original
Scrubs Appeal purpose. As specified in the original appeal, the residue of £1,020 has been
transferred to Frimley Park Hospital to be used to support projects to enhance
the well-being of Frimley Park Hospital staff.
Vicar's Discretionary Harship A fund to be used by the Vicar at his discretion, and on a confidential basis, for
Fund the support of local residents suffering hardship.
One-Card Donations to the One-Card scheme at Christmas made in support of Connect
Counselling Service in Camberley and the "Toilet Twinning" project.
Holding Crosses A fund for the purchase of "Holding Crosses" and other items to be given by
Frimley Park Hospital Chaplains to their patients as tokens of comfort and
reassurance. The residual balance has been transferred to the Chaplains'
Departmentat Frimley Park to support their ministry to patients and staff.
Jubilee Flower fund To provide floral decorations in the church on the occasion of the Queen's
Platinum Jubilee celebrations, any excess funds to be used for church flowers as
required at a later date.
Tear Fund Quiz Donations made in support of Tear Fund during a Quiz Night.

20

8. RESTRICTED FUNDS (Continued)

Fund movements
Balance at 1 January 2022
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Balance at 31 December 2022
Fund movements
Balance at 1 January 2022
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Balance at 31 December 2022
Balance at 1 January 2022
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Balance at 31 December 2022
Balance at 1 January 2022
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Balance at 31 December 2022		 Vicar &
Wardens
Account
21,418
209
-
21,626
Refugee
Fund
356
2,281
722
1,916
Eco-Church
650
1,585
828
1,407
One-Card
-
290
290
-		 Friends of
St Anne's
14,459
2,388
2,747
14,100
Surrey CC
Grant to
FNYC
312
-
-
312
Covid 19
Community
Support
4,006
4,006
-
Jubilee
Flower Fund
-
601
601
-		 Derek
Shearing
Legacy
18,275
-
-
18,275
FNYC
Tuck Tax
750
-
-
750
Frimley Park
Scrubs
Appeal
1,020
-
1,020
-
Holding
Crosses
110
110
-		 St Anne's
Parish Hall
20,751
7,339
5,434
22,655
CC
Dishwasher
Fund
-
325
325
-
Vicar's
Discretionary
Fund
59
5,306
2,720
2,645
Tear Fund
Quiz
-
760
760
-

21

9. St Anne's Parish Hall - Financial Detail

Incoming Resources
Individual bookings
Regular bookings
Resources Expended
Cleaning costs
Hall Manager
Utilities
Cleaning Materials/Covid
Maintenance
Insurance
Miscellaneous/Admin
Total Routine payments
Surplus (Deficit)
Balances brought forward to 1st January
NatWest
Creditors
Debtors
Balances at 31st December
NatWest
Creditors
Debtors
Movements in Funds		 2022
1,510
5,829
7,339
826
800
1,318
40
181
1,326
943
5,434
1,904
21,059
308
20,751
23,441
832
46
22,655
1,904		 2021
720
3,436
4,156
578
800
893
11
413
1,315
715
4,724
(569)
21,382
417
356
21,320
21,059
308
-
20,751
(569)

22

10. Prior Period Comparative SOFA Restated

Statement of Financial Activities

For the year ending 31 December 2021

INCOME
Voluntary Income
Activities for generating funds
Income from investments
Church activities
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE
Church Activities
Fund raising costs
Cost of voluntary income
Regular Expenditure
Special Projects
Church Centre Boiler
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
NET INCOMING RESOURCES BEFORE
OTHER RECOGNIZED GAINS AND LOSSES
NET GAINS ON INVESTMENTS
NET INCOME(EXPENDITURE)
Total Funds brought forward
Total Funds carried forward		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
89,585
890
836
12,074		 Restricted
Funds
£
9,370
-
3
4,156		 TOTAL
2021
£
98,954
890
838
16,229
103,383 13,528 116,911
101,521
195
170
101,886
101,886
1,498
4,134
5,631
632,940
638,571		 10,765
-
82
10,847
3,699
14,545
(1,017)
-
(1,017)
83,184
82,167		 112,286
195
252
112,732
3,699
116,431
480
4,134
4,614
716,124
720,738

23

Independent Examiner’s Report to the members of St Anne’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) on the accounts for the year ended:

31st December 2022

Respective responsibilities of PCC and Examiner

The members of the PCC are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The PCC consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

Basis of independent examiner’s statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the members of the PCC concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention;-

  1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, the requirements:

  2. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and

  3. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the

  4. accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or

  5. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed

Roy Wolstenholme

Retired Accountant

(previously a Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy)

24

6. Structure, governance and management

The Parochial Church Council is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure. The PCC is officially registered with the Charity Commission as THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST ANNE, BAGSHOT, SURREY, Registered Charity Number 1171379.

The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. At St Anne’s the membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent, the curate, churchwardens, the LLM (Reader), members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the church as well as two elected Deanery Synod Representatives and any elected Diocesan or General Synod representatives.

All those who attend our services/members of the congregation are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.

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. New members receive initial training into the workings of the PCC.

The full PCC met nine times in person and once via Zoom during the year of 2022 with a very good average level of attendance.

7. Administrative information

St Anne’s Church is situated in Church Road, Bagshot. It is part of the Diocese of Guildford within the Church of England. The correspondence address is St Anne’s Church Office, 45 Church Road, Bagshot, Surrey GU19 5EQ. PCC members who have served at any time from 1 January 2022 until the date this report was approved are:

Ex Officio members:

Vicar: The Revd Andreas Sistig (Chairman) Associate Vicar: The Revd Ellen Turtle Wardens: Mr Derrick Fenn (stepped down 22[nd] May 2022) Mrs Sue Hunt Mrs Carolyn Nahajski (elected 22[nd] May 2022) Licensed Lay Minister: Mr Kester Oliveira Diocesan Synod Representative: The Revd Jennifer Sistig (Self Supporting Minister)

Deanery Synod Representatives

Mrs Diane Wild (also appointed Secretary from 22[nd] May 2022) Mrs Lynne Cowley

25

Elected members:

Mrs Anne Bonella

Dr Kate Dyerson

Ms Nicki Hunt (elected 22[nd] May 2022)

Mrs Carolyn Nahajski

Dr David Norminton (stepped down 22[nd] May 2022)

Dr David Perry (Treasurer)

Mr Paul Ray (elected 22[nd] May 2022)

Mrs Brenda Shepherd

Mrs Pat Stone (Secretary) (stepped down 22[nd] May 2022)

Our bankers are National Westminster Bank Plc and our Independent Examiner is Roy Wolstenholme, retired accountant and previously a Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. Approved by the PCC on 3rd May 2023 and signed on their behalf by:

Revd Andreas Sistig (PCC Chairman)

8. Appendix A – Vicar’s report

Churchill is often quoted as having defined success as the ‘stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.’

Perhaps that is one way of looking at the apostle Paul’s relentless missionary journey around the Mediterranean in an effort to tell as many people as possible about Jesus. Sure, Paul had some great successes as we know – after all there was a thriving Christian community in Antioch, in Ephesus, Galatia, Philippia, Corinth and even in Rome – most of whom were founded by Paul himself or one of his companions. And although some of them lived only for a few years and others seemed to be plagued by a lot of conflict, they undoubtedly were the foundation of the gospel being carried into the farthest parts of the world.

But it definitely wasn’t all smooth and plain sailing for Paul, and today’s reading from the Acts of the apostles makes us appreciate that. For how many of us have heard about Paul’s letter to the Athenians or that a Christian community even existed in Athens, despite Paul’s efforts.

26

And it wasn’t for a lack of trying or preparation – he even tells us that he went through the city, looking at all the amazing pieces of art, the statutes of philosophers, statesmen, military leaders and even gods. And you can just imagine what he might have thought – how can I explain to these people who, for all intents and purposes, had been the intellectual and philosophical giants of the known world for centuries – how can I tell them about the living God? The God I have encountered in Jesus Christ, the God of love, of compassion, of truth and forgiveness.

And perhaps in his wondering and pondering and even increasing desperation of how to find the right words so that people would listen to him, he may have suddenly found himself standing in front of this statue of the unknown God – and then the penny dropped! THAT was how he would try to explain who he was talking about to the Athenians.

He wasn’t going to talk about something completely new – he was going to use an element already part of the Athenian spiritual world and experience – the fact that there were unknown Gods – to introduce Jesus to them.

He wasn’t going to say that the God he was talking to them about was completely new to them – he simply said that they new him already, but were just unaware of the details and the fact that THIS God, the God we see in Jesus Christ, was indeed even more powerful than Zeus, Poseidon or Apollo.

This Pauline strategy of connecting the experience of the God we, as Christians, worship to the experience of the people we speak to, is probably the most obvious and genuine way to introduce God to people – then and now.

You may wonder why I say that – well, it’s obvious and again, we can take our clue from scripture:

So, when I talk with people perhaps in the context of baptisms or weddings or even in the pasta isle at Waitrose, I do what Paul did – I say ‘But you know him already – because you know love and peace and gentleness and kindness – you will have hopefully – experienced all those before and you long to both receive and also to give them to others. And in doing so you open a small window into an experience of God. You won’t see the whole of God, in the same way in which you can’t see the whole room when looking through the keyhole, but you get a pretty good idea of what it may feel like to walk through that door into the light and warmth of a place that is filled

27

with grace and love and peace and gentleness and forgives and wholeness and wisdom.

And yet, despite the obvious attraction of this image, not everybody wants to walk through that door – as the apostle Paul experienced in Athens and we often experience ourselves in our encounters with the world.

But, as Churchill (and more importantly, Jesus himself) said that shouldn’t stop us from trying, even if it does feel like an unsuccessful stumble from failure to failure. And if we should ever feel downhearted by a failure, let’s take encouragement from Paul’s advice that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

Having said that, I hope you will agree with me that our last year has been anything but a failure. In fact, I was quite overwhelmed when I realised that we nearly achieved all the things we had put on our Church Development Plan for the year.

So, allow me to just share 10 highlights with you that have filled me with great joy. This last year we:

  1. Recruited a part time Parish Office Manager – Phillippa Pluess.

  2. Re-organised the tasks and workload of other office volunteers.

  3. Recruited a new Church Warden, Carolyn Nahajski.

  4. Restarted our fortnightly Sun afternoon intergenerational Family@Four service, Friday morning Pixies Playgroup and Friday Night Youth Club.

  5. Ran a joint deanery course on ‘Living in Love and Faith’.

  6. Increased engagement through music by planning a Deanery Choral evensong and starting an informal choir.

  7. Grew our Eco church programme, achieving bronze status and now aiming for silver in 2023/24.

  8. Celebrated a wonderful Jubilee by having a very successful exhibition and a royal visit.

  9. Joined the Inclusive Church network.

  10. And last but not least my volunteer work at the prison and hospital in which some of you share and many more can, if you are interested.

So, what comes next?

Well, a new PCC with Laura Fox Longdon and David Lovell joining us this year and then, a new Church Development Plan – which is something that will involve all of us in the discerning for and drawing up of.

And it is about this journey from here onwards that I would like to just say a few words as well.

I believe that the journey into the future for St Anne’s – not unlike that of many other churches in our area and the whole Church of England - is somewhat of a mystery, certainly if one compares it to the church 30 or 50 years ago.

Societal changes have had such a profound impact on the church, on worshipping styles and patterns, congregation sizes and demographics, that I feel it is almost impossible to predict where our ship may be sailing to in the next 5 to 10 years.

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And while that may be quite scary on some level, it is also hugely exciting and encouraging, because of the potential is opens up for growth, change and faithful contextualisation of the gospel – all the while without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

I believe that St Anne’s is in many ways quite uniquely positioned and even well prepared to enter into these challenging waters – why?

Because we trust God and one another and because we discern and tackle together what needs doing next – not in a cloud cuckoo land sort of way, but with a healthy dose of realism, skill and hard work and an even healthier dose of prayerful trust that God will somehow make something of it all.

This trusting journeying side by side into a challenging and uncertain future is not unlike the Exodus journey of the people of Israel. The American author Anthony Robinson summarises it as follows:

‘We can see a wonderful illustration of […] leadership in Moses, who over the long stretch of the Exodus and wilderness journey engaged in helping former slaves make the transition from one reality, slavery, to a new and different one, freedom lived in covenant with Yahweh.[…] But this change is a long and labored one, filled with difficult learning for all concerned. And even if Moses was granted some rather impressive technical moves, like a staff that transformed from wood to snake with a simple toss, in the end the work of this transformation is [the kind of] adaptive work which the people themselves must do. Time and again, during the years of the wilderness sojourn Moses was confronted by those who wanted a quick fix, a technical solution. They wanted him to assume the role of the expert who had the answers. “Give us bread,” they demanded. Manna was provided, but the gift of manna only points to a deeper source of provision and to the new reality that is emerging, the reality of living in a trusting relationship with God. […] The problem or challenge that Moses and the people faced was not clearly known or defined at the outset. It was much more than making it through the Red Sea and gaining freedom from Egypt. That was the “freedom from” aspect of the story. But that was followed by the “freedom for” element. To discern what they were free for required learning and change of hearts and minds. Nor was there any readily apparent or clearly applicable solution for this huge adaptive challenge. The solution, such as it was, required making the journey, living into the new reality of being God’s faithful people in the midst of an uncertain situation.’

That is what we will have to do in the coming year. And although I would not dare to compare either myself or Ellen to Moses or Aaron, there is a degree to which even that comparison holds.

Neither Moses nor Aaron knew exactly where they were supposed to lead the people to, as it turned out they too had to learn to trust God and to stumble with enthusiasm from one failure to another (to quote Churchill again), until eventually they all reached the Holy Land.

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To this continued journey into the unknown, side by side, I want to invite you now – let’s go for another year in faith and trust that God will make something of the labour, energy and commitment we offer.

But before we embark on that journey of the coming year, let me close with the customary thank-yous which are, although a fixed annual feature of my report, by no means unimportant – on the contrary, they are heartfelt and most sincere, as I certainly know that I would not be standing here today were it not for you having stood beside me this last year.

A special thank you goes to:

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Thank you all – from the bottom of my heart. Yours in Christ, Andreas.

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