St. Mary Magdalene
Belmont Parish Church
Annual Meeting Sunday 1 May 2022 11.30am
PCC
Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council for 2021
As the people of St Mary Magdalene Church we seek to: respond to the grace we receive from God; travel together where Jesus leads; provide from our resources to grow God’s church and care for all in need; and we are called by name to share our experiences of God.
St Mary Magdalene, Belmont is part of a United Benefice with St Laurence, Pittington. Rev Canon Heather Murray is the incumbent and Rev Liz Hollis the curate of the United Benefice. Rev Canon Leslie Morley, Rev Kevin Dunne, Rev Canon Di Johnson and
Rev Dr Jenny Moberly continue with Permission to Officiate at Sunday morning services at both churches.
The PCC is legally responsible for co-operating with the Minister in promoting in the parish the whole ministry of the church: pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the church buildings and for the moveable items in the church. It has overall charge of all expenditure.
Membership of the PCC is either ex-officio or by election at the Annual Meeting. The parish has between 100 and 200 names on the electoral roll so is entitled to twelve lay representatives to the council. Representatives to Deanery Synod also sit on the PCC: the parish holds three such posts, elected at three-year intervals. Readers licensed to the parish sit on the PCC if the annual meeting decides this. The PCC may also co-opt certain representatives - up to two for a parish of this size electoral roll.
Due to the particular circumstances of the pandemic 2020-2022 the current PCC members all agreed to remain on the council until the situation was more stable.
Membership of the PCC
Chair: Rev Canon Heather Murray ex officio Minister Warden Alan Port ex officio Warden Kevin Reynolds ex officio Reader Patrick Holroyd ex officio
St Mary Magdalene
2
APCM
PCC Deanery Synod (elected 2020) Deanery Synod (elected 2020)
Geoff Moore Charlotte Reynolds
St Mary Magdalene
3
APCM
Elected 2017 Anne Corbett, Jean Foulds (also representing Uniformed
Organisations) Elected 2018 (till 2020) Anna Harvey
Elected 2018 Paul Beken, Jane Moore, Jane
Robson Elected 2019 (till 2021) Julie Winkless
Elected 2019 Marjory Elliott, Judith Holroyd, Megan
Port Co-opted Gerald Ions (music)
Employees
Church Administrator Christina White Church Cleaner Rachel Whale Director of Music Gerald Ions The PCC also oversees payment of fees to vergers for weddings and funerals.
Church Statistics
There were 138 people on the 2021 Electoral Roll.
During the year we held 5 baptisms, no weddings, and 22 funerals.
Live-streamed services were relied on for the first 9 weeks of the year and continue to be watched by a small number of people.
After the restrictions were eased an average of 12 adults attended early Sunday service, and an average of 30 the later service. Both services saw the occasional under-16. Easter day saw 33 adults and 2 under-16s at the 10.30 service.
An average of 13 adults attended Wednesday
Communion. Up to 17 children and 11 adults
attended Messy Church.
An average of 11 adults attended the monthly Sunday afternoon "Time"
service. The Remembrance Sunday service was attended by 5 children
and 69 adults.
In the lead-up to Christmas a total of 526 children and 39 accompanying adults attended services for local schools. One child and 41 adults attended the Christmas Carol Service and 42 people attended Holy Communion on Christmas Day.
PCC Business during the Year
The PCC has had 6 meetings since the last APCM and this report highlights the work of the PCC from April 2021 to March 2022.
At each meeting we received an update on safeguarding: DBS checks and training undergone, any incidents, whether any disclosures have been made; and an interim treasurer's report.
April
We held a brief meeting after the APCM to elect officers, agree co-opted members and agree the composition of the Standing Committee.
June (held on-line)
We continued to discuss a defibrillator and replacing indoor lighting, and we considered replacement external noticeboards. We approved the installation of two memorial benches in the church grounds. Members were asked for their input on a job description for the church administrator post.
We heard how worship and fellowship were developing within the changing guidelines, and we agreed a new time of 9am for the earlier Sunday service. We agreed the commissioning of Anna Harvey as Authorised Pastoral Assistant to the parish, and agreed to support Angela Stockdale in the Lay Chaplaincy course.
September
We discussed our Guided Pledge (Parish Share) for 2022 and agreed to meet the proposed figure. We agreed a defibrillator, the indoor lighting work, a second handrail at the chancel step, and a routine check of the lightning conductor. We discussed various options for noticeboards. We agreed to trial switching off the high-level lights outside.
We discussed plans for Remembrance Sunday and initial thoughts for Christmas worship. We appointed two new trustees to the Belmont Educational Trust. We heard an update from the Pastoral Care Team, now moving from being solely telephone-based to including visits.
November
We welcomed the new Church Administrator Christina White. We agreed a 2% increase in payments to the administrator, cleaner and organist. We discussed the needs for safeguarding training and checks for various volunteers.
We agreed new external noticeboards. We agreed to accept the offer from Belmont Football Club to decorate a Christmas tree in the grounds.
We agreed Christmas services, as well as post-Christmas Sundays without services. We heard from the newly-formed EcoChurch group.
Electoral Roll report
January (held online)
We received the accounts for 2021 and agreed our charitable donations for the year as proposed by the small working party. We agreed to hear from the EcoChurch group at every PCC meeting. We agreed a small group to steer changes to our website (as the site host will cease in March) and broader online presence.
We discussed the diocesan priorities and what developments we would like to see in our church.
March
We agreed to bring the cleaner's hourly rate in line with the Living Wage and to increase the working hours of the church administrator.
We discussed covid guidelines and agreed to continue as we are for now. We discussed heating in church in view of the imminent rise in energy costs.
We accepted new policies on safeguarding; lone workers; and domestic
abuse. We agreed to accept the proposed suspension of presentation to
the benefice.
Electoral Roll Report
Unfortunately the number of people on the electoral roll has dropped, from 138 in 2019 to
- This has happened due to a number of deaths in the area or some families having moved both house and parish.
The roll itself is kept in paper form by Christina, our Church administrator, and by Peter & myself on computer. There is an abridged copy on the notice-board in the narthex which does not give address and telephone details.
Anne Corbett Electoral Roll Officer
St Mary Magdalene Belmont
End of Year Financial Statements
Year ending 2021
Page 1
Receipts and Payments Account
| Total funds Prioryear funds | |
|---|---|
| General - General fund (Unrestricted) | |
| Receipts | |
| Incoming resources from generated funds | |
| Voluntary income |
|
| 01 - Tax-efcient (gift-aid) planned giving | 34,346.60 32,990.80 |
| 02 - Other planned giving (not gift-aided) | 7,873.40 9,038.12 |
| 03 - Collections at services | 4,265.03 2,800.82 |
| 05 - Non-recurring giving. donations, appeals | 830.61 2,741.51 |
| 06 - Tax recovered via gift aid | 12,286.75 10,534.28 |
| 07 - Legacies received | — 500.00 |
| 08 - Income from Trusts or grants | 23,137.80 25,654.58 |
| Total Voluntary income | 82,740.19 84,260.11 |
| Activities for generating funds | |
| 09 - gross income from fund raising | 5.85 — |
| Total Activities for generating funds | 5.85 — |
| Church Activities | |
| 11 - Statutory PCC fees | 3,310.00 2,205.00 |
| 12 - Income from trading (magazine, hall) | 2,834.25 2,824.28 |
| Total Church Activities | 6,144.25 5,029.28 |
| Other incoming resources | |
| CHI - Choir Fund | — 882.00 |
| RES - Restricted funds | 10,061.41 12,041.93 |
| Total Other incoming resources | 10,061.41 12,923.93 |
| Total Receipts | 98,951.70 102,213.32 |
| Payments | |
| Cost of generating funds | |
| 17 - Costs of generating funds | 150.00 — |
| Total Cost of generating funds | 150.00 — |
| Charitable activities | |
| 18 - Mission giving/Donations to charity | 5,284.00 6,789.00 |
| Total Charitable activities | 5,284.00 6,789.00 |
| Church Activities | |
| 19 - Parish share | 61,728.00 52,074.32 |
| 20 - Salaries, wages, honoraria | 5,212.14 11,017.99 |
| 21 - Expenses | 947.69 772.85 |
| 22 - Mission and evangelism projects | 601.15 436.48 |
| 23 - Church running expenses | 9,311.92 9,410.82 |
| 24 - Church utility bills | 3,766.72 4,383.59 |
| 25 - Costs of trading (magazine, hall) | 2,730.00 2,474.64 |
| Total Church Activities | 84,297.62 80,570.69 |
| Governance costs | |
| 26 - Governance costs | 460.00 865.46 |
| Total Governance costs | 460.00 865.46 |
| Other resources used | |
| CHO - Choir Fund | 202.96 204.62 |
| REST - Restricted Funds | 10,439.90 12,807.89 |
| Total Other resources used | 10,642.86 13,012.51 |
| Total Payments | 100,834.48 101,237.66 |
| Excess of Incoming resources over Resources used | (1,882.78) 975.66 |
| Brought forward balance | 30,291.60 29,315.94 |
| Carried forward balance | 28,408.82 30,291.60 |
Page 2
| BF - Building Fund (Restricted) | |
|---|---|
| Receipts | |
| Incoming resources from generated funds | |
| Activities for generating funds | |
| 09 - gross income from fund raising | — 863.50 |
| Total Activities for generating funds | — 863.50 |
| Total Receipts | — 863.50 |
| Payments | |
| Church Activities | |
| 23 - Church running expenses | — 1,700.00 |
| Total Church Activities | — 1,700.00 |
| Major capital expenditure | |
| 27 - Major repairs to church | — 2,463.00 |
| Total Major capital expenditure | — 2,463.00 |
| Total Payments | — 4,163.00 |
| Excess of Incoming resources over Resources used | — (3,299.50) |
| Brought forward balance | 3,641.34 6,940.84 |
| Carried forward balance | 3,641.34 3,641.34 |
| BBRT - Barclays base rate tracker (Designated) | |
| Receipts | |
| Incoming resources from generated funds | |
| Investment income | |
| 10 - Dividends, interest, property income | 1.64 12.77 |
| Total Investment income | 1.64 12.77 |
| Total Receipts | 1.64 12.77 |
| Excess of Incoming resources over Resources used | 1.64 12.77 |
| Brought forward balance | 16,328.53 16,315.76 |
| Carried forward balance | 16,330.17 16,328.53 |
| NR - Northern Rock (Designated) | |
| Brought forward balance | 0.42 0.42 |
| Carried forward balance | 0.42 0.42 |
| Statement of assets and liabilities | Thisyear Lastyear |
| Cash at bank and in hand | |
| Barclays base rate tracker | |
| Barclays base rate tracker (Designated) - | 16,330.17 16,328.53 |
| 16,330.17 16,328.53 |
|
| Building Fund | |
| Building Fund (Restricted) - | 3,641.34 3,641.34 |
| 3,641.34 3,641.34 |
|
| General account | |
| General fund (Unrestricted) - | 28,408.82 30,291.60 |
| 28,408.82 30,291.60 |
|
| Virgin Money | |
| Northern Rock (Designated) - | 0.42 0.42 |
| Total for Cash at bank and in hand | 48,380.75 50,261.89 |
| Current Liabilities (Gilligate Loan) | 4,500.00 6,000.00 |
| Grand total | 43,880.75 44,261.89 |
Page 3
Charity Donations in 2021 CHARITY
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CHARITY
Durham Christian Partnership (3 projects:
foodbank, 300
streetlights, mental health)
Heel and Toe 200
Nightstop UK 250
CMS (Church Mission Society) 200
USPG (Now Us) 180
grace house 200
Motor Neurone disease 200
St Cuthberts Hospice 200
Middle East Christian Outreach 200
Butterwick Children's Hospital 200
Mercy Ships 150
Bible Society 200
Camphill Family Trust 150
Church Army 180
Macmillan Nurses 300
Salvation Army 200
British Legion Poppy 100
People's Kitchen 100
Broken Rites (Clergy) 100
(NE) Air ambulance 300
Alzheimers society 200
Marie curie 300
MS (Multiple Sclerosis) 180
RNMission to deep sea fisherman 180
British Heart Foundation 200
ReFuse (chester-le-street) 200
517
0
----- End of picture text -----
Page 4
Page 5
INDEPENDENT F.XAMINF.R'S REPORT TO THE PCC OF BELMONT ST .MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH. DURHAM I report on the accounts of the PCC for ihe year ended 31 December 2021 which are as sct out on the attached pages. Respective Responsibilities of PCC Members and Examiner The PCC members are responsible for the prepardlion of the accounts. The members onsider that an audit is noi required for this >'ear under section 14412) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 201 l Act) and that an independent examination is needed. li is my responsibilily lo: examine ihe accounts under seciion 145 ofthe 2011 Acl to folloN ihe procedures laid dow'n in the oeneral Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 201 l Aci and CBF guidance; and to state whether particular matters haN'e come to my attention. Basis of Independent Examiner's Report My examinaiion was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Cornmission and given guidance from ihe CBF. An exarnination includes a Tcview of ihe accounting record5 kept b)" Ihe PCC and a comparison of the accounts presented w'ith those records. li also includes consideration of an>. unusual items or disclosures in ihe accounts. and Seeking explanaiions from )-ou as members concerning an! such maiters. The proccdure5 undertsken do nDi provide all the evidence ihdt would be required in an audit and consequentl). no opinion is as to whether ihe accounts present a "true and fair view'- and the report is limited to ihose mailers set out in the statement below. Independent Examiner's Sialement In connection with rn), examination, no matter has come to my attention. l } Which gives me reasonable cause to belIee ihat in an>. material respect the requirernents: ti) keep accounting records in accordance w'ith section 130 of the 201 l Act- to prepare accounts .hiCh accord wilh Ihe accounting records and comply with the accounling requirements of thc 201 l Act have not been met; or 2) to 'hiCh. un opini h¢ac . attention should be drdwn in order lo enable a proper ounts to be reached. 7 Elvei Waterside Durham DHI 3DA 3 Februar). 202? CTA