# Report and Accounts of 2023 for the Parochial Church Council of the Parish of St. Anne Bagshot
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Contents
|1.|
Aims and purposes ............................................................................................................. 3|
|---|---|
|2.|
Objectives and activities .................................................................................................... 3|
|3.|
Achievements and performance (including reports by various groups) ........................... 3|
||Safeguarding .......................................................................................................................... 3|
||Churchwardens’ report .......................................................................................................... 4|
||Changes to parish staff .......................................................................................................... 5|
||Electoral roll ........................................................................................................................... 5|
||Worship, prayer and fellowship ............................................................................................. 5|
||Children and family ministry .................................................................................................. 6|
||Pastoral care .......................................................................................................................... 7|
||Ecumenical relationships ....................................................................................................... 7|
||Choir ....................................................................................................................................... 7|
||Bells and Bell Tower ............................................................................................................... 7|
||St Anne’s Ladies Group .......................................................................................................... 8|
||St Anne’s Visiting Team .......................................................................................................... 8|
||Marriage Preparation............................................................................................................. 8|
||Small Groups .......................................................................................................................... 9|
||Surrey Heath Deanery Synod ................................................................................................. 9|
||Eco Church ........................................................................................................................... 10|
|4.|
Financial Review ............................................................................................................... 10|
||Unrestricted (General) Fund ................................................................................................ 10|
||Restricted Funds .................................................................................................................. 11|
||Reserves Policy ..................................................................................................................... 12|
||Independent Examiner’s Report to the members of St Anne’s Parochial Church Council|
||(PCC) on the accounts for the year ended: 31st December 2023 ....................................... 22|
|5.|
Structure, governance and management ........................................................................ 23|
|6.|
Administrative information ............................................................................................. 23|
|7.|
AVicar’s report ................................................................................................................. 25|
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## 1. 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.
## 2. 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.
## 3. Achievements and performance (including reports by various groups)
## 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.
We regularly consult and update the safeguarding dashboard by taking the recommended actions on training of volunteers and updating and reviewing risk assessments as well as policies.
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DBS checks are all up to date, and thanks to the actions of all the participants, 100% have joined the Update Service. This greatly simplifies the renewal of a person’s DBS which is required every three years.
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. We are looking forward to implementing the second stage of the safeguarding dashboard in 2024, which will further improve efficiency in the area of managing people’s training needs.
_Helen Perry, Neil Lyddiatt, Andreas Sistig_
## Churchwardens’ report
As in previous reports the work of upkeep and maintenance of the church fabric has continued throughout the year.
Routine testing of statutory compliance areas remains ongoing. Gordon Hunt our Health and Safety Officer has continued to oversee all things H&S related.
The organ has been regularly tuned and maintained.
A new active thermostat (Nest) was put in place so that the heating in the church can now be controlled remotely and further contributes to energy saving.
Phillippa, our Parish Office Manager continues to run the office and is a very much-valued member of St Anne’s team.
Following the previous survey of the stained glass and leaded lights and the faculty received, all works were completed.
Following the Archdeacon’s licence for the repairs to the water ingress caused by the rainwater downpipes in both the south & north aisles, all redecoration was completed in the early summer.
Works were carried out to maintain the driveway of the church.
A new faculty has been applied for, to create a more useable area in front of the chancel steps by removing two central pews and modesty screens.
As required the Inventory, Terrier and Log have been maintained throughout the year.
The wardens would like to express their gratitude to the many volunteers who helped in so many ways with the maintenance and running of the Church. Thanks to: sides-people; readers; intercessors; servers; crucifers; bell-ringers; helpers in the junior church; Pixies; the
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flower team; those serving refreshments; sacristans; church cleaners; those who support administration and finances; the pastoral team; the safeguarding team; those who kept the grounds so well-tended; those involved in eco-project activities; and to those who quietly got on and did jobs behind the scenes. We would both like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in organising and running the first Christmas tree festival, which was a great success.
Lastly thank you all for making this such a happy and thriving church community. Without you all, our church would not be the place and community it is.
## _Sue Hunt and Carolyn Nahajski_
## Changes to parish staff
2023 has only seen one change in our parish staff with the departure of our ordinand and Licensed Lay Minister Kester De Oliveira moving to take up a post as curate in Bristol. The PCC and wider church family thank Kester and his partner Jose for all they have brought to our community over the past 6 years and wish them God’s blessing for this new chapter of their lives.
_Revd Andreas Sistig_
## Electoral roll
This year we have 112 people on the Electoral Roll (the same total as last year), with 78 resident in Bagshot and 34 living outside the parish.
_Lynne Cowley, Electoral Roll Officer_
## Worship, prayer and fellowship
Worship and prayer during 2023 has further consolidated after the pandemic and in parts even grown slightly larger compared to pre-pandemic levels.
In addition to the 10am Sunday service broadcast via our dedicated YouTube Channel we have also been broadcasting other, special services, such as Easter and Christmas as well as funeral and wedding services where that was requested.
Daily Morning Prayer also continued via Zoom, but our regular Evening Prayer has come to an end due to the increasing difficulty to make it happen in the context of busy diaries.
With regards to our fellowship and social events 2023 saw us have a variety of fun-filled events (e.g. Quiz night, Eco/bees evening with wine and cheese, Holy Week Meal, Harvest Supper, etc.) which not only drew in members of the church community but saw a number of families and individuals from wider community attend as well.
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Our regular service pattern has also changed slightly this year with the reintroduction of the All-Age Worship Service on the first Sunday of the month. The second Sunday of the month 10am service now takes the form of a Holy Communion Service, followed by Matins on the 3[rd] and Holy Communion on the 4[th] and 5[th] Sundays.
The 8am service every Sunday has seen a remarkable growth in attendance, most Sundays above 10 and in some cases 15 or more people. Other services are attended on average as follows: 40-50 people for the 10am, 16-20 for the fortnightly Family@4 and 8-12 for the monthly Taizé service. The Wednesday service (which in the winter months has been moved to the choir vestry) also continues to see a lively attendance of about 10-15 people on average.
In summary, 2023 saw 13 baptisms, 7 weddings, 4 funerals in church and 12 funerals in local crematoria.
_Revd Andreas Sistig_
## Children and family ministry
Pixies Playgroup has grown steadily through 2023, with many new families joining us either occasionally or regularly, whilst other families have moved on as children begin school. Our volunteer team has also evolved, with several people joining us from the wider community. It has been wonderful to see new friendships form between adults and children as well as to be able to invite baptism families to attend and keep in touch with St Anne’s. We also welcome a representative from Surrey Heath Family Support on a monthly basis to network with our community and link families to wider support services.
In Junior Church on Sunday mornings, we have introduced monthly ‘Forest Church’ sessions where we can engage with God in creation, using all our senses and making the most of the outdoors; this links to the Eco-church initiative as well as enriching our time together. Alongside this we continue to use Godly Play stories, and other activities, to explore faith together. We have resumed running Junior/Forest Church weekly, except for the first Sunday of each month where we have re-introduced an All Age Worship service.
Family@four has continued with a few new families joining us; we also introduced a ‘5th Sunday Social’ where we have chance to deepen relationships with one another over a meal and some games. This led to Family@4 hosting a BBQ in early August, to which we invited families who had some connection with us eg Baptism and Pixies families.
Unfortunately the Friday Night Youth Club was not able to resume in 2023, as had been hoped, but plans for the re-formation of this group continue.
Many thanks to all the volunteers who make our children and families work possible; and to the children and families for their support throughout the year.
## _Revd Ellen Turtle_
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## Pastoral care
Pastoral care in 2023 has formed an integral part of our parish life with both clergy, Andreas and Ellen, as well as our dedicated pastoral visiting team (led by Helen Perry) visiting elderly, frail or lonely parishioners at home or in hospital.
As in 2022 Andreas has continued 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, Annie Bonella has continued to visit both Sunrise and the Neuro-rehab centre.
## _Revd Andreas Sistig_
## 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. A particular concern here have been the attack on Israel on 07 October and the ensuing violence in Gaza. Members have supported each other in praying for peace, understanding and an end to the violence.
## _Revd Andreas Sistig_
## Choir
In 2023 we formed a 'casual choir' to sing contemporary worships songs around the piano for All Age services.
At Christmas the choir sang two pieces for the carol service, 'Carol Of The Crib' and 'Lift Your Hearts'.
## _Alexandra Moore_
## Bells and Bell Tower
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, like most churches with bell towers, with special ringing for the celebrations of the King’s Coronation in May.
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The community of experienced bell ringers within our local district often come along to assist our practice evenings, and also, when required, to assist in ringing for weddings. Four wedding couples requested the ringing of bells in 2023.
During the year we were able to purchase new bell ropes to replace those on all eight bells as they had come to the end of their service life after many years of use.
## _David Perry_
## St Anne’s Ladies Group
The group meets every other month from March onwards, on a Thursday evening in the Church Centre, at 7pm.
We have various interesting Speakers at each meeting, at the end of which we have time for chatter and refreshments with friends .
We are a non-membership group, NOT exclusively for ladies, and have an open welcome for all.
In June we hosted a very successful ‘Coronation Cream Tea’, celebrating the new King and Queen’s reign.
In Tribute - Sadly, our Secretary Janet Wainscott passed away in August, after a short illness. Janet kept our diary of events and booked our speakers; she is very much missed by us all.
## _Brenda Shepherd, Chair_
## St Anne’s Visiting Team
In 2023 the Visiting Team continued regular visiting of the sick and the housebound in the parish. Visits were made to Bagshot care homes, including hymn singing and the occasional service. Pastoral phone-calls were also made to some individuals. In accordance with best safeguarding practice, individual Visitors 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_
## Marriage Preparation
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Three couples attended our Marriage Preparation Day. This was the lowest number we have had, partly because there were some couples getting married in 2023 who had attended the Preparation Day the previous year. Despite the small numbers, we were delighted that the day went well. The 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_
## Small Groups
The Bible study group continued to meet throughout the year with a break during the Summer. We moved our venue to the parish centre in the course of the year and meet regularly on a Monday evening once a month.
We have studied the Psalms and ended the year looking at the Acts of the Apostles. We have used material from the “Bible Project” to supplement our Bible reading and discussions.
## _Derrick Fenn_
## Surrey Heath Deanery Synod
The highlight of the year was the commissioning in September of the Revd Ellen Turtle as Area Dean, fittingly when the meeting was hosted by St Anne’s.
There were four meetings during the year. Topics have been:
- The environment and ecological issues as they affect the Church and safeguarding creation. The message was that change can be achieved by doing things differently, rather than doing more.
- Encouraging parishes to work towards Eco Church awards. Guildford is the leading diocese nationally. Churches were urged to set up a Net-Zero Plan.
- Parish collaboration and working together, rather than “re-inventing the wheel” so parishes can work together and/or support each other. Current examples are Living in Love and Faith, youth group and marriage preparation. Our own office manager Phillippa also has a similar role at Camberley St Mary.
- The Parish Needs Process which supports parishes as they listen and identify their top priorities for mission and growth, which will form the heart of their Church Development Plan, assisted by the Diocesan Mission Enabler team, working with each parish to help confirm and implement their plans. Parishes were encouraged to identify new areas for collaboration.
_Lynne Cowley, Nicki Hunt and Diane Wild_
## Eco Church
Eco Church has had a good year. We achieved the Silver A Rocha award in the autumn, having campaigned for blister pack recycling, setting up an apiary of three bee hives, and continuing to plant and grow food on the church premises which we were able to donate to the local food share on the Old Dean. We are running regular Forest Church sessions as part of Junior Church with an emphasis on nature education and caring for our planet. The Eco-themed monthly services have also kept the congregation mindful of the need to protect God's creation.
Ongoing recycling of soft plastics, batteries, water filters and printer cartridges continues as do the quarterly litter picks which involve the wider community. We have compiled a list of interested people who wish to be kept informed of Eco events and look forward to widening the involvement to the whole of Bagshot in time.
The Eco theme runs through much of what we do at St Anne’s, for example, we were careful to make the Christmas Tree Festival as carbon neutral as possible and we also reduced the church heating to 15C to reduce our energy use and also keep the cost manageable. We are mindful that we must take the congregation with us and make the transition to lower carbon emissions as easy as possible.
_Kate Dyerson, Eco Lead_
## 4. Financial Review
## 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 accounts for 2023 show some significant changes in our unrestricted funds when compared with the previous year. Total income was higher at £164.2k (2022: £109.4k) due in large part to the receipt of generous legacies amounting to £38.6k. Excluding the legacies, regular income increased by around £16k, mainly due to our Christmas Tree Festival but also due to an increase in one-off donations, interest and Church Centre Hire. Sadly, the total of planned giving contribution declined by around £1.5k.
Expenditure also increased to £130.8k (2022: £115.8k) mainly due to the costs of the Christmas Tree Festival, which produced a welcome profit of around £5k.. This profit was shared with the Shooting Star Children’s Hospice charity. There were also increases in church maintenance and Parish Share, combined with a full year of our employed Office Manager who started mid-2022. Additional contributors to increased costs were the high rate of inflation and increased church activity. The final result for the year (excluding the legacies) was a deficit of around £5.2k, a small improvement on the previous year’s deficit of £6.4k).
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During 2023, following the increase in interest rates, the balances of PCC funds not required in the short term, have been invested in the COIF Charities Deposit Fund, managed by CCLA Investment Management Ltd. This interest has made a welcome addition to our income.
The decrease in the total of Planned Giving is disappointing since this forms the steady bedrock of our financial support. There is a need to encourage more of our congregation to commit to regular giving and for all our contributors to review their contributions as inflation eats away at their value.
Hire of the Church Centre provides a valuable addition to our annual income (£22k in 2023). However, since a major part of this comes from a single hirer, this creates a theoretical risk which we need to provide for in our policy on Reserves (see below).
## 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 various headings.
## **a) Charitable Giving**
As in previous years our Christingle collection went to the Children’s Society. St Anne’s also provided ongoing support to Connect Counselling Service in Camberley through a regular monthly contribution from our unrestricted funds and a one-off donation from the Christmas “one-Card” project.
The “Big Brekkie” in May raised £650 for the support of Christian Aid.
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.
## **b) Funding of Projects within St Anne’s**
St Anne’s has two restricted 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 2023 the Friends funded the repair of and re-decoration of water-damaged plastered walls in the church and also the repair and re-surfacing of the churchyard. The Derek Shearing Legacy funded the repair of a number of stained-glass windows in the church and the windows in the belltower, following recommendations by the quinquennial architect.
## **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 by 20% due mainly to several new regular hirers. Expenditure increased by over 50% mainly due to increased utility costs and repairs or replacement of
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equipment. However, the outcome was still positive with a surplus of £429 (2022: £1,904) The Parish Hall maintains a healthy balance of £23k 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.
During the year the Hall was upgraded by the addition of WiFi Broadband and also an “Intelligent” thermostat which ensures a more comfortable environment for our hirers. Plans are being developed for further improvements to the internal and external environment of the Hall.
## Reserves Policy
Consistent with long-established PCC policy, we continue to aim to maintain a balance on free reserves (unrestricted cash plus readily liquidated investment assets) which equates to around six months of unrestricted payments. This is equivalent to ~£60,000. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to provide financial security against a number of potential risks, the provisions for which are described below:
Cover for loss of a major hirer £22,500 Emergency repairs £25,000 Working Capital £10,000 A reserve for staff redundancy £2,500 **Total £60,000**
Similarly, we need to maintain a reserve of around £10k for the Parish Hall to cover any need for emergency repairs.
The balance of the unrestricted funds at the end of 2023 was ~£98,000 (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 £22,698 in the available reserve. Designation of £60k as a reserve fund means that the PCC has £38k available for other projects. The identification of these projects will arise from the outcomes of the Parish Development plan which is currently in preparation and will be completed by mid-summer.
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## **Parochial Church Council of St Anne's, Bagshot**
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
**For the year ending 31 December 2023**
|**For the year ending 31 December 2023**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|**Unrestricted**
_Notes_
**Funds**
**INCOMING RESOURCES**
£
Voluntary income
2(a)
125,532
Activities for generating funds
2(b)
9,119
Income from Investments
2(c)
1,922
Church activities
2(d)
27,675
**TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES**
**164,248**
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
Cost of generation of voluntary income
3(b)
390
Fund-raising costs
3(c)
4,182
Church activities
3(a)
126,276
**Regular Expenditure**
**130,848**
**Special projects**
**TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**130,848**
**NET INCOMING RESOURCES BEFORE**
**OTHER RECOGNIZED GAINS AND LOSSES**
**33,401**
Revaluation of assets
Gains (losses) on investment assets:
5(b)
2,755
**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
36,155
BALANCES B/FWD 1 JANUARY
628,184
BALANCES C/FWD 31 DECEMBER
**664,339**|**Restricted**
**Funds**
£
6,619
1,980
8,354
**16,952**
9
15,741
**15,750**
**15,750**
**1,202**
1,202
83,687
**84,889**|**2023**
**2022**
£
£
132,151
94,390
9,119
2,252
3,902
1,073
36,029
28,826
**181,201**
**126,542**
399
565
4,182
614
142,017
127,472
**146,598**
**128,651**
-
2,905
**146,598**
**131,555**
**34,603**
**(5,014)**
2,755
(3,854)
37,358
(8,867)
711,871
720,738
**749,229**
**711,870**
**TOTAL FUNDS**||
||||**126,542**
565
614
127,472|
||||**128,651**
2,905|
||||**131,555**|
||||**(5,014)**
(3,854)
(8,867)
720,738|
||||**711,870**|
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## **Parochial Church Council of St Anne's, Bagshot**
## **Balance sheet at 31 December 2023**
|**Balance sheet at 31 December 2023**|**Balance sheet at 31 December 2023**||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
Notes
£
**FIXED ASSETS**
Tangible
5(a)
647,602
Investment
5(b) & (c)
82,937
**730,539**
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
6.
14,806
Cash at bank and in hand
13,893
**28,699**
**LIABILITIES**
**Creditors**
(Amounts falling due in one year)
7.
94,898
**NET CURRENT ASSETS/(LIABILITIES)**
**(66,200)**
**Creditors**
Amounts falling due after one year
-
**TOTAL NET ASSETS**
**664,339**
**PARISH FUNDS**
Unrestricted
664,339
Restricted
8.
**664,339**||**Restricted**
**Funds**
£
-
65,607
**65,607**
622
22,980|**2023**
**2022**
£
£
647,602
647,602
148,543
50,655
**796,145**
**698,257**
15,427
19,430
36,874
90,237
**52,301**
**109,668**
99,218
96,054
**(46,918)**
**13,614**
-
-
**749,228**
**711,871**
664,339
628,184
84,889
83,686
**749,228**
**711,871**
**TOTAL FUNDS**||
|||||**698,257**
19,430
90,237|
||**28,699**
94,898
**(66,200)**
-
**664,339**
664,339
**664,339**|**23,602**
4,320
**19,282**
-
**84,889**
84,889
**84,889**||**109,668**
96,054|
|||||**13,614**
-|
|||||**711,871**
628,184
83,686|
|||||**711,871**|
Approved by the Parochial Church Council and signed on its behalf by
Revd Andreas Sistig (PCC Chairman)
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## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2023**
## **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 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.
15
## **2. INCOMING RESOURCES**
|**2(a) Voluntary income**
Planned giving
Tax recoverable
Collections
Donations
Legacies
**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
Frimley Park Scrubs Fund
Holding Crosses
Afghan Refugee Support
Tear Fund
Toilet Twinning
Christian Aid
Vicar's Discretionary Hardship Fund
Shooting Stars
Other
**Totals c/f**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
55,703
16,446
3,287
11,550
38,567
125,552
-
9,119
9,119
1,054
869
1,922
5,336
94
22,225
-
27,655
**164,248**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
600
80
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,000
30
**2,710**|**Restricted**
**Funds**
1,770
594
-
4,255
-
6,619
-
-
-
1,980
-
1,980
-
-
-
8,354
8,354
**16,953**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
168
-
-
-
-
-
-
650
70
-
-
**888**|**TOTAL**
**2023**
57,473
17,040
3,287
15,805
38,567
132,171
-
9,119
9,119
3,034
869
3,902
5,336
94
22,225
8,354
36,009
**181,201**
**TOTAL**
**2023**
768
80
-
-
-
-
-
650
70
2,000
30
**3,598**|**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**|
16
|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/Broadband
Magazine/bookstall costs
Junior Church
Youth Club
Training
Misc
Eco-Church
Jubilee Flowers
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
Equipment for YouTube broadcasting
**TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**3(a)**
**(cont)**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
2,710
84,169
2,504
515
7,120
2,126
5,195
765
66
11,018
96
1,624
1,215
200
478
89
52
-
-
2,137
-
-
4,199
-
**126,276**
196
194
4,182
**130,848**
-
-
**130,848**|**Restricted**
**Funds**
888
-
750
-
-
4,206
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,604
-
-
8,293
**15,741**
9
-
-
**15,750**
-
-
**15,750**|**TOTAL**
**2023**
3,598
84,169
3,254
515
7,120
6,331
5,195
765
66
11,018
96
1,624
1,215
200
478
89
52
-
-
2,137
1,604
-
4,199
8,293
**142,017**
206
194
4,182
**146,598**
-
-
**146,598**|**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**|
## **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 to related parties.
17
## **5. FIXED ASSETS**
|**5.**
**FIXED ASSETS**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|**5(a)**
**ACTUAL COST**
At 1 January 2023
Add additions at cost
At 31 December 2023
**DEPRECIATION**
At 1 January 2023
Add charge for year
At 31 December 2023
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 2023
Value at 31 December 2023
Gains/(loss) on revaluation|29,028
31,783|
|---|---|
||**2,755**|
During the year the balances of PCC funds not required for short term purposes have been 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 monthly.
## **5(c) Investments (Restricted)**
The balances of the Restricted Funds not required for short term purposes are also invested in the COIF Charities Deposit Fund, as is the whole of the Miss Pike Legacy Fund (£22,698 at 31 December 2023).
|**6.**
**DEBTORS**
Tax recoverable
ChurchDesk payment in advance
Others (4)
**7.**
**LIABILITIES**
Amounts falling due within one year
Guildford diocese
Utilities
Wedding fees/deposits - in advance
Donations due
Other creditors (6 & 6)|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
13,112
1,215
479
**14,806**
**TOTAL**
**Unrestricted**
88,855
839
614
2,849
1,741
**94,898**|**Restricted**
**Funds**
622
-
-
**622**
**TOTAL**
**Restricted**
-
-
-
-
4,320
**4,320**|**TOTAL**
**2023**
13,733
1,215
479
**15,427**
**TOTAL**
**2023**
88,855
839
614
2,849
6,061
**99,218**|**TOTAL**
**2022**
13,930
2,429
2,547|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**18,907**
**TOTAL**
**2022**
88,180
1,151
1,713
2,436
2,574|
|||||**96,054**|
18
## **8. RESTRICTED FUNDS**
This Legacy Fund derives from a bequest to the Vicar and Churchwardens **Miss Pike Legacy Fund** for the good of St Anne's Church. To that extent the funds constitute a **(Vicar & Wardens' Account)** Restricted Fund and expenditure is restricted to purposes complying with these terms.
**Friends of St Anne's**
**Derek Shearing Legacy**
**St Anne's Parish Hall**
## **Refugee Fund**
**Grant to Friday Night Youth Club (FNYC)**
**FNYC Tuck Tax**
**Vicar's Discretionary Hardship Fund**
**EcoChurch Project**
**One-Card**
**Christian Aid (Big Brekkie)**
**Clergy Spiritual Development**
For maintenance of the church building and to enhance the contribution of St Anne's to the local community.
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’.
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.
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.
Surrey County Council provided FNYC with a grant of £500 for the purchase of sports equipment.
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. No decisions have been made during 2023.
A fund to be used by the Vicar at his discretion, and on a confidential basis, for the support of local residents suffering hardship.
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, the Coop and individuals in our community.
Donations to the One-Card scheme at Christmas made in support of Connect Counselling Service in Camberley and the "Toilet Twinning" project.
This fund is a vehicle for handling the finances of the Christian Aid "Big Brekkie", which is organised by church members in support of this national fund-raising event.
A fund provided by a private donor for the support of our clergy.
## **Fund movements**
|Balance at 1 January 2023
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Balance at 31 December 2023
**Fund movements**
Balance at 1 January 2023
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Balance at 31 December 2023
Balance at 1 January 2023
Incoming resources
Resources expended
Balance at 31 December 2023|**Vicar &**
**Wardens**
**Account**
21,626
1,072
-
**22,698**
**Refugee**
**Fund**
1,916
-
-
**1,916**
**Eco-**
**Church**
1,407
2,578
1,604
**2,382**|**Friends of**
**St Anne's**
14,100
2,472
1,811
**14,761**
**Surrey CC**
**Grant to**
**FNYC**
312
-
-
**312**
**One-card**
-
168
168
**-**|**Derek**
**Shearing**
**Legacy**
18,275
281
2,395
**16,162**
**FNYC**
**Tuck Tax**
750
-
-
**750**
**Christian**
**Aid (Big**
**Brekkie)**
-
658
658
**-**|**St Anne's**
**Parish Hall**
22,655
8,721
8,293|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**23,084**
**Vicar's**
**Discretionary**
**Fund**
2,645
-
70|
|||||**2,575**
**Clergy**
**Spiritual**
**Development**
-
1,000
750|
|||||**250**|
19
## **9. St Anne's Parish Hall - Financial Detail**
|**Incoming Resources**
**2023**
Individual bookings
1,715
Regular bookings
6,639
Interest
368
**8,721**
**Resources Expended**
Cleaning and Consumables
1,260
Hall Management and Admin
1,877
Utilities
1,859
Maintenance
1,877
Insurance
1,421
**Total Routine payments**
**8,293**
**Surplus (Deficit)**
**429**
**Balances brought forward to 1st January**
NatWest
23,441
Creditors
832
Debtors
46
**22,655**
**Balances at 31st December**
NatWest
6,920
CCLA
17,368
Creditors
1,265
Debtors
61
**23,084**
**Movements in Funds**
**429**|**2022**
1,510
5,829
-|
|---|---|
||**7,339**
866
1,743
1,318
181
1,326|
||**5,434**|
|||
||**1,904**
21,059
308
-|
||**20,751**
23,441
-
832
46|
||**22,655**|
||**1,904**|
20
## **10. Prior Period Comparative SOFA Restated**
## **Statement of Financial Activities For the year ending 31 December 2022**
|INCOME
Voluntary Income
Activities for generating funds
Income from investments
Church activities
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE
Cost of voluntary income
Fund raising costs
Church Activities
**Regular Expenditure**
**Special Projects**
**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**
Net Incoming resources before other
recognised gains and losses
Net gains on Investments
**NET INCOME(EXPENDITURE)**
Total Funds brought forward
Total Funds carried forward|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
£
84,853
2,252
864
21,488
**109,457**
521
614
114,854
**115,989**
**-**
**115,990**
**(6,533)**
(3,854)
(10,387)
**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**|**TOTAL**
**2022**
£
94,390
2,252
1,073
28,826|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**126,542**|
||||565
614
127,472|
||||**128,651**|
||||2,905|
||||**131,556**|
||||**(5,014)**
(3,854)
(8,867)|
||||**720,738**|
||||**711,871**|
21
Independent Examiner’s Report to the members of St Anne’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) on the accounts for the year ended: 31st December 2023
## **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. It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **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:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
22
## 5. 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 for regular meetings and once for a planning morning to kickstart the next planning cycle for the church development plan (to be finalised by July 2024). This initial planning morning was followed up by two more evenings for PCC members who missed the morning and any other interested parties.
All meetings had a very good average level of attendance.
## 6. 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: Mrs Sue Hunt Mrs Carolyn Nahajski
Diocesan Synod Representative: The Revd Jennifer Sistig (Self Supporting Minister)
## **Deanery Synod Representatives**
Mrs Diane Wild (also appointed PCC Secretary from 22[nd] May 2022)
Mrs Lynne Cowley
Ms Nicki Hunt
23
## **Elected members:**
Mrs Anne Bonella
Dr Kate Dyerson
Dr David Perry (Treasurer)
Mr Paul Ray
Mrs Brenda Shepherd
Mrs Laura Fox-Longdon (elected at APCM 14 May 2023)
Mr David Lovell (coopted to the PCC on 14 November 2023)
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 19 April 2023 and signed on their behalf by:
_____________________________
_Revd Andreas Sistig (PCC Chairman)_
24
## 7. Vicar’s Report APCM 28 April 2024
Last Sunday I lamented the fact that our lectionary almost carelessly split up the parable of the Good Shepherd in John 10 – and perhaps even more that it separated it from its theological context in John chapter 9, the healing of the man born blind.
Today I must say that the lectionary has fully redeemed itself by the choice readings it has given us for the Sunday when we have this year’s Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM). Of course, the lectionary was not _really_ able to anticipate that, but it does go to show that the way in which our appointed readings correspond to each other, and more importantly so, how they speak into the situation of a small English village church from across the divide of 2000 years and as many miles. It is quite a beautiful thing!
There are, of course, many burning questions for us at the moment: how can we live out the gospel in a contextually appropriate, lifegiving and genuine way here at St Anne’s? What are the challenges and obstacles we are facing to make that happen? And how should we in faith, love and trust proceed from here?
There are not many readings I can think of that speak more beautifully into that set of questions than the three readings the lectionary gives us this morning (albeit that we only heard two of them): the story of the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch, the commandment to love one another from the first letter of John and Jesus’ iconic image of the vine and its branches.
It is as if those three readings form a theological symphony just for us. A symphony that has a very simple and yet unmistakably beautiful and encouraging message: ‘If you are branches that stay connected to me, the vine, you will be filled with the perfect love that casts out all fear, a love that makes it no longer possible for you to hate a brother or a sister. The kind of love that makes you eager to share it with others, even with unlikely people who are very different from you, who literally or metaphorically speak a different language and may have no idea about how much God loves them and wants to be in relationship with them.
The kind of love that enables us to become the Body of Christ we are called to be at St. Anne’s. A community whose habits and practices anticipate and portray the life of the kingdom Jesus was talking about in the parable of the Good Shepherd last Sunday.
But before we look into how we may be going about that, I would like us to pause just for a moment to look back at the road we have travelled together since 2015 and become aware of a few facts:
- **Congregational numbers:** Since 2015, 27 regularly worshipping members of our congregation have died (that is over a quarter of the electoral roll and nearly half of our Sunday congregation) and yet the church electoral roll has grown from 105 in 2015 to 112 at present.
- **Financial demands:** The financial demands on us as a parish have increased substantially. Our parish share in 2015 was £62,000, in 2023 it had grown to £84,000. Our total expenditure in 2015 was £90,000, in £2023 it was £142,000.
25
- **Societal changes:** Society around us is changing. This can be seen in, among other things, the decreasing numbers of occasional offices (baptisms, weddings and funerals). Whereas funeral numbers have only marginally decreased in the nine years since 2015, weddings have roughly halved, and baptisms have even more dramatically reduced. In 2015 we baptised 43 children, in 2023 we did not even baptise a third of that – only 13 in total!
Out of that situation I can see a number of challenges arising. The following three seem to be among the most urgent:
- **Leadership:** Finding people who are willing and able to take responsibility in various areas, be that as Churchwarden, PCC member, as part of our finance or pastoral teams or to become a leader of an activity such as a homegroup, a social outreach project or a new service or fellowship event.
Having said that, just in the last six months we actually had a number of people join St Anne’s, some of whom have already started to get actively involved or have enquired about it.
- **Finances:** Securing enough finances that will see us become financially sustainable. Particularly focussing on regular income via planned-giving through the parish giving scheme will help us to make sure we have enough money for the year.
Again, having just identified this as a challenge it is worth realising that we also just had a number of people join the planned-giving scheme in the past few months!
- **Focus:** Drawing up a church development plan that will give focus to what we will do in the coming two years and create energy, excitement and willingness to get involved among the existing congregation and also among those members of the wider community, which is what we need in order to become a more vibrant and relevant community in which people of all walks of life experience something of the joy of being a part of the Body of Christ.
I know that for some, all three of these challenges are a cause of acute worry and even anxiety. How will we be able to find a new churchwarden and other leaders who can take on responsibility for things? How can we meet the financial demands of a growing church that is looking to grow further and engage meaningfully with its wider community? What kind of changes will the new church development plan bring, and will we continue the things that many have enjoyed so much over the years?
Let me just say - all of those questions and worries are perfectly normal! And I know that some of you feel them quite acutely at the moment – and I would be lying if I said that I did not occasionally worry a bit myself.
But I want to assure you that this journey we are on is not a journey that will see us make changes rashly or simply for the sake of them. St Anne’s will not suddenly become unrecognizably different overnight – because there is much about what we do at present that nourishes people and already helps them to grow deeper in their faith and in their
26
relationship with God and each other. We’re not going to rip out the organ or suddenly swing incense around.
But what we will be doing is prayerfully asking ourselves and God how we can become more explicitly who we've been called to be. How we can more clearly emphasize that which is important for us and do more of it. And that may well lead to us doing a little less of that which is perhaps more peripheral and less significant to the core of our identity.
We want to become more fully a church that is a blessing to all in our community. That provides a space, worship, relationships and activities that people find deeply life-giving and transforming – and out of that transformational experience with God and His people put their whole heart, mind and soul behind to help it grow!
For me, that vision is hugely exciting. But that does not mean that sometimes even I wonder how I am supposed to make all of that happen – and that then makes me worried! Of course it is not all up to me, but the journey is one we are all on. And how and when we will reach the destination that God is sending us towards depends on us all.
So, let’s make the first step, because nothing in life is ever standing still when you are genuinely trying to follow God’s call. That was true for Abraham, Moses, the prophets as well as Jesus and his disciples. To be called into the fellowship of God and His people means to pick up our bag, sandals and staff and to start moving towards the people God has placed at our doorstep. The people we need in order to become the church God is calling us to be.
Every time I stop and consciously look around at what kind of faith, hope, love and wisdom I see in the people around me here, I cannot but imagine how much more of a difference we could make in the lives of hundreds of people in the wider community. People who often have no idea how much God loves them and how their lives would be transformed if they would encounter God’s love made manifest by you and me in this place.
A love that not only nurtures those who receive it for the first time, but also those who give it and have perhaps been giving it for a long time. That is the beauty of love – the more you give it away, the more of it you end up having for yourself.
But it is not just about nurturing new people! I firmly believe that it is the nurture of BOTH, our existing community as well as those who we seek to reach out to that makes all the difference. Because the more we develop habits and practices that anticipate and portray the life of God’s kingdom, the more we nurture BOTH the existing part of our church family as well as the parts that we are seeking to grow. St Anne’s simply becomes a place of nurture in which it doesn’t matter if you’ve been here already for half a century or if you’ve literally just walked in for the first time. You’re a child of God in search of meaning and that is all that counts.
So, the imperative to nurture and connect to God’s people is what is driving this process! It is first and foremost a divine imperative (and not an organisational necessity), an imperative that is rooted in God’s very own desire to be in relationship with His creation (e.g. expressed by the vision of all people journeying to God’s holy mountain in Isaiah 2) and manifested in Jesus great commission in Matthew’s gospel. But it is also the ONLY way in which we will be able to solve the challenges of leadership and financial resources.
27
Only if we create a place that nurtures both new and established members of the community, a place with a vision people are genuinely inspired by, a vision and modus operandi that captures peoples’ imagination, a vision about a community in which people are unconditionally embraced, welcomed and transformed, ONLY THEN will we find sufficient leaders and financial resources to make it happen! Only then, not a minute earlier!
But it is not all hardship, challenge and change! There have also been a great many things worth celebrating in 2023. What comes to my mind particularly are three areas:
- **Community events:** Our pixies playgroup, which has been super busy and has a wonderfully happy vibe (despite the occasional temper tantrums). Pixies has also led to several baptism already! Furthermore we had a lovely Quiz night, Eco events such as litter picks and the bee evening (with wine and beer!), Holy Week Meal, Harvest Supper and especially the Christmas Tree Festival which saw 38 trees, over 1300 people visited over the 3 days and net proceeds of £2k for St Anne's and £2k for Shooting Stars. And I am super glad to say that we will have another festival later this year.
- **Eco Church:** We achieved the Arocha Silver Eco Church award. Our community bee project has grown in leaps and bounds. Recycling efforts continue with an evergrowing variety of items being collected. A particular thanks goes to the flower team who have made an outstanding effort to reduce the use of floral foam and continue to decorate the church very beautifully for our various festivals and services.
- **Inclusive church:** We finally became an inclusive church in 2023. This was quite a milestone for St Anne’s, and I am hoping that the new church development plan will see us further connect with people who may have experienced exclusion from the church in the past.
So, where do we go from here and what comes next?
Well, having spoken for months now about the theological principles and general approach, the coming two months of May and June will actually see us putting together the church development plan. This will be done in a way that will include everybody, both in services as well as stand-alone meetings. It will involve debate, prayer and careful strategizing. And everybody is encouraged to participate!
In that context it may be helpful to note a few important things:
- We don’t have any ready-made answers, only the vision to grow as a church that connects well with the people in the wider community, becomes a blessing to all it comes into contact with and leads people into a deeper sense of faith, hope and love with God and each other.
- We also don’t have a clear destination of what St Anne’s will look like in the future, that is for God to show us and for us to discover as we begin the journey.
- And thirdly, we don’t know how long it will take for us to get there. But I sincerely hope that it won’t be as long as the 40-year journey of the Israelites through the desert.
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The imperative to start the journey while at the same time not exactly knowing the destination is, of course, somewhat nerve-racking – but also exciting! But it is the only viable option for us at this stage. The ancient motto continues to hold true for St Anne’s as well: _Ecclesia Semper Reformanda_ – the church is constantly renewing.
In the same way in which the people of Israel only had a vague idea of what that promised place might look like when on that fateful night they hastily painted their doorposts with the blood of the lambs so the angel of death would pass over them, but faithfully gathered their things and fled head over heels towards a water barrier they had no idea how to cross – so must we set out on that journey God is calling us to.
Of course, the temptation is to just stay at the ‘Egyptian meat pots’, to keep clinging to the notion of a culturally embedded, institutional Christendom in which the established church need not do anything else, but fling open its doors for the people to flock through in their droves. That would be nice – but is that realistic and, more importantly, is it in keeping with God’s command?
It is as much keeping with God’s command as if the people of Israel had stayed in Egypt and still expected to somehow end up in the promised land.
Or as if the disciples had simply stayed in Jerusalem after the resurrection and expected the world to come to them rather than to go beyond Jerusalem, Samaria to the ends of the earth in order to spread the good news and baptise people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
So, the journey is part of our DNA. We HAVE to journey, to travel, to develop, to mature in order to live out our calling! We have to let go of the certainties, the meat pots of Egypt, the familiarity of the streets of Jerusalem, the comfort of these walls and go in search of the people we need to connect with in order to more fully become the kind of Body of Christ we are called to be!
Before I will come to the customary and most heartfelt thankyous, I want to leave you with a quote by two contemporary theologians, Nigel Rooms and Patrick Keifert, who describe the nature of the challenge ahead of us beautifully when they write about the missional journey of a church as an adaptive challenge. I know I used parts of this quote in last year’s report, but as it is so topical in our present situation, I want to remind us all of it:
‘For a congregation to take on its adaptive challenges, therefore, requires experimentation and failure, the ability to be consciously incompetent and to learn from mistakes. Adaptive challenges require change and transformation on the part of those facing them, in contrast to technical problems where there is a known solution, and no change is required. Technical problems (even though they may be complex) can be solved with knowledge and procedures already in hand. In contrast, adaptive challenges require new learning, innovation, and new patterns of behaviour. Adaptive challenges often appear as swamp issues entangled, complex problems composed of multiple systems that resist technical analysis and thus stand in contrast to the high, hard ground issues that are easier to address but where less is at stake for the organization
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or the society. They ask for more than changes in routine or mere performance. They call for changes of heart and mind—the transformation of long-standing habits and deeply held assumptions and values.’[1]
‘We can see a wonderful illustration of adaptive work and 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 laboured one, filled with difficult learning for all concerned. Time and again, during the years of the wilderness journey 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. As in adaptive work, 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.’[2]
So that is what I am asking you to do. Join us in the journey, join us in discerning what living into the new reality of being God’s faithful people at St. Anne’s will look like in the coming years.
But for now, let me conclude by saying a few very heartfelt thankyous:
- Our Churchwardens Sue Hunt and Carolyn Nahajski who have been working so very hard, often behind the scenes but I hope never without my support or gratitude!
- A very big thank you especially to Sue who is stepping down from that role today – I am ever so grateful for your help, encouragement and support during your time as church warden. There is a little something we will give you later during the meeting! And a big thank you to Carolyn for facilitating our Church Development Plan process over the last 6 months!
- Phillippa Pluess – our Parish Office Manager – whose friendly, competent and tireless work in the office is invaluable and quite frankly the nerve centre of much of what we do. I could not imagine running St Anne’s without her.
- The wonderful team that organised and ran the Christmas Tree festival with so many other volunteers from across the village and wider area!
- The members of our PCC who month after month come together to discuss, discern and decide on the day-to-day issues of our community. And to our members of Deanery Synod who work towards greater cohesion and cooperation among the various Anglican churches across Surrey Heath. And to Diane Wild, our PCC secretary.
- The Ministry Team – Ellen Turtle, Helen Perry, Annie Bonella and Jennifer Sistig for their wisdom, encouragement and patience.
- The Steering Group who have worked very hard again in keeping it all ticking over.
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- Ellen Turtle, who has filled her role as Associate Vicar with wisdom and good humour, for her work with children and families and for taking on the job of Area Dean (which is no small task)!
- David Perry our Treasurer who year after year brings a very steady, wise and altogether competent and diligent hand to the work of our finances, the Steering group and quite a few other things, thank you David.
- Stefan and Carolyn Nahajski – for their wonderful work with our bees and Eco Church!
- • Kate Dyerson for her continued work on our eco church project – and the whole Eco Church team, especially Paul and Christine for their work on all things vegetable related.
- Our office volunteers, especially Annie Bonella and June Pugh who have helped both me as well as Phillippa a great deal.
- Our Baptism coordinator Brenda Shepherd who brings so much joy and love to her role that it is pleasure to work with you.
- Paul Ray and Gordon Hunt for their DIY help and also for Gordon as our Health and safety officer.
- For those who have organised various events throughout the year – Nikki who ran a fun quiz night, Derrick and Glynis who organised the Big Brekkie, the Eco team who organised a bees evening – and all the people who assisted in all these activities.
- For Ellen and her team of Pixies helpers who, without fail, are there every Friday!
- Nick Dorrington, as always, for taking good care of the Parish Hall and its hirers.
- Our Electoral Roll Officer Lynne Cowley.
- Our parish visiting team lead by Helen Perry who also serves as our Parish Safeguarding Officer and validator.
- Neil Lyddiatt who helps with safeguarding admin and is also a Besom volunteer, together with Richard Roots and Carolyn Bartlett.
- Our marriage preparation team lead by Helen Perry.
- Our bell ringers, especially Nigel Nelson the Tower Captain and John Bauld, the Steeple Keeper.
- Alex Moore for filling our services with beautiful music and for leading our choirs, both casual and robed.
- Our stand in organists and our choir members, both robed and casual.
- Our guest preachers, readers, servers, sacristans, cleaners, flower arrangers, welcomers, sidespeople, gardening team, grass cutters, coffee providers and obviously all other volunteers which I inadvertently might have missed out.
- To my family – who supports, encourages and loves me even on the days when that is difficult – and there have been a few this last year!
Thank you all – from the bottom of my heart.
Yours in Christ,
Andreas
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