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2021-12-31-accounts

The Parochial Church Council of St John the Baptist with the Epiphany, Corby

Diocese of Peterborough

Reports and Financial Statements 2021

Charity Name The Parochial Church Council of St John the The Parochial Church Council of St John the The Parochial Church Council of St John the
Baptist with the Epiphany, Corby
Charity Registration 1178205
Principal Address The ecclesiastical parish is situated in Corby,
Northamptonshire and is in the Corby Deanery and
Oakham Archdeaconry of the Diocese of
Peterborough within the Church of England. The
parish consists of the Church of St John the
Baptist and the Church of the Epiphany (Chapel of
Ease). The correspondence address is St John’s Church
Hall, Church Walk, Corby, Northamptonshire,
NN17 1XF.
The Governing Document Parochial Church Council Powers Measures
(1956) as amended and Church Representation
Rules
Objectives The Parochial Church Council (PCC of St John
the Baptist with the Epiphany, Corby, has the
responsibility of working with the incumbent, the
Reverend Paul Frost, 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
of St John the Baptist and the Church of the
Epiphany and their respective church halls.
Members of the PCC The members of the PCC who served during the
year were:
Incumbent (Chair)
The Revd. Paul Frost
Church Wardens
Dr Louise		 Fairless
Mrs Lynn Hay
(elected May 2021)
Representative on
Dr Paul Buckingham
the General Synod
(re-elected October 2021)
(appointed vice chair
PCC, May 2021)
Representative on
Mrs Susan Norman
the Deanery Synod
(re-elected May 2021)
(appointed PCC
treasurer, May 2021)
From May 2021
Jamie Gibb
elections
Kelly Gibb
Carole James
Louise Lawson
Catherine Mason
Claire Morris
Other_ex-officio_
Hilary Buckingham
members
Catherine Hill
Co-opted
The Revd. Capt. Peter
Simmons
Key Management Those in charge of directing, controlling, running
Personnel and operating the Charity on a day to day basis
are the members of the Standing Committee
(Revd. Paul Frost; Dr Louise Fairless; Mrs Lynn
Hay; Dr Paul Buckingham; and Mrs Susan
Norman)
Bankers NatWest, 25 Corporation St, Corby,
Northamptonshire, NN17 1NR
Independent Examiner Mr John Hindle, 49 Kirby Road, Gretton,
Northamptonshire, NN17 3DB

1. Structure, Governance & Management

1.1 Trustees

The PCC is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and to stand for election to the PCC.

Members of the PCC are either ex officio or elected by the Annual Parish Meetings in accordance with the Church Representation Rules.

The two churches within the parish combine under one PCC. The financial statements at 31 December 2021 include income and expenditure for the year.

1.2 Electoral Roll

The Electoral Roll is maintained by Mrs Catherine Mason. As of December 2021, there were a total of 71 members on the electoral roll.

2. Activities and Strategies

The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to become Christians and be part of our parish community. The PCC maintains an overview of our worship and activities throughout the parish. When planning our activities for the year, we have taken note of the Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the supplementary guidance on

charities for the advancement of religion. Specifically, we enable people to grow in and live out their faith as part of our community through:

3. PCC and Subcommittee

3.1 PCC

The PCC (from May) has 6 elected members, 1 General Synod member, 1 Deanery Synod member and 2 churchwardens. Licensed Clergy and Readers are ex officio members. Peter Simmons (PTO) is a co-opted member. Total PCC membership for 2021 is 13.

The PCC met in person and via Zoom, further business was conducted by email. Attendance was good at meetings. Minutes and attendance are recorded at each PCC meeting. Main issues in 2021 included:

3.2 Standing Committee

The Standing Committee can meet when necessary to present to PCC various matters which need its attention. The Standing Committee comprises of the churchwardens, vice chair, treasurer, and the rector. The PCC Secretary takes minutes. During 2021 the Standing Committee had no reason to meet.

4. Parish Life and Ministry

The previous year ended with us saying goodbye to Andrew, Fiona, and Anna Silley. However, the sad farewell turned to excitement as 2021 began with many of St John’s tuning into Facebook Live to watch Andrew’s licensing as Vicar of St John’s Church, Bransholme, Hull.

The year was dominated by lockdown, social distancing, and as a church we aimed to keep safe whilst recognising that the ministry and mission of the church is of utmost importance. We remain grateful to God that no outbreaks of Covid 19 were traced to St John’s Church, perhaps suggesting our approach was appropriate.

With lockdown and restrictions the worshipping life of St John’s was once again different. For much of the year we had two services (Sunday and Wednesday) which enabled us to keep numbers down. We are grateful for Jamie Gibb and the worship team who helped us in our worship. For the first part of the year our services were recorded and uploaded to our YouTube Channel.

We praise God for the arrival of Peter and Elaine Simmons and have already been blessed by their many gifts and extensive experience in ministry. Peter’s support to Paul in sacramental ministry and weddings is especially welcomed.

It is a privilege for St John’s to be a training parish and we are so grateful for all that Rob Wood has done at St John’s. In particular, Rob’s work in developing small groups (Thrive Groups) will prove to be a wonderful legacy.

The number of funerals continued to be high throughout 2021 and although a small number of weddings were held, many couples decided to wait until 2022.

There has been no safeguarding concerns reported from any area of our church life which indicates that our procedures are doing their job. Keeping children and vulnerable adults safe is the responsibility of us all, and our Parish Safeguarding Officer (Cathy Mason) encourages all who are involved with the life of St John’s to complete an online course to increase basic awareness (https://safeguardingtraining.cofeportal.org - speak to Cathy for more information). Many vulnerable people look to the church as a place of safety where they can feel comfortable, enjoy being part of our family, and grow in faith. We can all play our part in helping to support awareness and create a culture of support and vigilance at St John’s. Both DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks and safeguarding training is renewed every three years for those who work with children and vulnerable adults in church.

With a significant historic building, extensive hall, and large grounds, maintaining the fabric of St John’s requires much work from many volunteers. In particular we note the tremendous work of Dave Norman who undertakes many of our maintenance duties, often at very short notice. We are also hugely grateful for the skill and unstinting hard work of Mary and Scott who have thoroughly regenerated the Garden of Remembrance. This has been greatly appreciated by those who remember loved ones and seek solace in the garden. Likewise the garden next to the south door of St John’s has been cleared, replanted, and vastly improved by the hard work of Janet Tinsley.

Our last five year inspection by a church architect (Quinquennial Inspection), highlighted the need to replace the roof on the south aisle of the church. This will be a large project costing upwards of £35,000. We have had the plans drawn up, received planning permission, and will now proceed to apply for a faculty from the Diocesan Chancellor.

The running of our church services have been made much easier thanks to the appointment of new Assistant Church Wardens (Vickie, Kelly, and Reece) and a new sacristan (Hazel) who ensures that everything is in order for Holy Communion.

Both the Rector and the Church Wardens express their grateful thanks to the efforts of so many people who serve, in so many ways, at St John’s.

Sports Ministry is now seen as an important part of church life within the Church of England. At St John’s we have been at the cutting edge of this with the Chapel Gym and the ministry of Tim Slater from St John’s Church. Tim runs five football matches every

week and a gospel message is shared at each game to the men who are not yet Christians. Further to this, a video message is sent out to all those in Corby who are on his books - approximately 250 men. Further afield,Tim runs Soccer Schools around the UK for youngsters aged 7-14 which includes football coaching, gospel presentations, and Bible classes.

The Chapel Gym seeks to provide a place ‘where change happens’ for our members, recognising that the change could be physical, mental, but praying that it will ultimately be spiritual. Tim, and others, are around the gym to build relationships with people and share the good news of Jesus. There are free Bibles that gym users can take, and well over 100 have been taken. In 2021 the Chapel Gym launched an intervention project with young people at Lodge Park Academy and we hope this will become a significant partnership.

With a different kind of sport, 2021 saw the introduction of Fishing with Faith - a family based activity allowing people to explore fishing, learn about wildlife, and enjoy being outside. With six sessions averaging 26 people per session, people from church and their friends and family enjoyed time together, learned new skills, and discovered more about Jesus with each session starting with a short talk and prayer. The passion, drive, and expertise of Scott Dunmore (and his team) has made this an incredibly exciting venture. St John’s Church is grateful to Yoke Hill Farm Fishery and the generosity of others who have supported Fishing with Faith.

St John’s Craft Club has been running since May 2015 and has around 15 people coming each week for a relaxed evening doing crafts. Having been closed throughout the pandemic, the Craft Club reopened in September with new members. Friendships have grown stronger, a Christmas Carol Service and party was enjoyed by all, and plans were put in place to support the 2022 Pole Fair.

Corby Mothers’ Union is based at St John’s Church and is concerned with all that strengthens and preserves marriage and family life. It met ten times throughout the year (the first four on Zoom) and the programme has included Bible study, discussions, fellowship, and fun. With the help of the diocese, Corby Mothers’ Union blessed a young family from the Exeter Estate with a holiday in Hemsby, Norfolk.

As the only bell tower in Corby, St John’s Church Bell Ringers led by the Tower Captain (Cathy Mason) keeps a great British tradition going whilst ensuring our community can hear that our church community is alive and well. Health and safety, maintenance, and recruitment, continue to be a challenge. The tower has benefitted from the support of the Guild (specifically Andy Bimson and David Dainty) who have helped with temporary repairs on the shrouding of the wheels. Planning for the Pole Fair and Jubilee in 2022 is underway. The team would love to have more members of the church family learning bell ringing to call people to worship on Sundays and ring for weddings and other celebrations.

1st Corby Scout Group was established 1925 and has always been closely affiliated to St John’s Church. The Group Scout Leader, Lee Richardson, reports the group was heavily impacted by Covid in 2021 although leaders showed amazing resilience adapting our very outdoors programme to online during the first part of the year. Camping was done in back gardens, and crafts were dropped off to homes by Akela. From the Summer there were thankfully no restrictions. Summer Camp was moved from Wales (still with strict restrictions) to the New Forest albeit with LFTs and masks! But Scouting was back. September saw a massive influx of new members and

each section (Beavers,Cubs, and Scouts) is nearly at full capacity. Numbers for Scouts is at an all-time high of 24 and a waiting list is in place. Income has dropped (as Foundations closed) and a fundraising team from parents is being planned.

At St John’s we have made children and families work a priority. As soon as restrictions started to ease, Sparkletots began with outdoor activities in the church car park and then moved back into the hall with reduced numbers. From September things returned to normal although two smaller group sessions were formed rather than one large session. This enables the team to get to know the children and parents more effectively. Ignite is our Sunday morning provision for primary school children and it has a core group of children as well as some who attend from time to time. Both Sparkletots and Ignite have a small group of committed leaders who have worked hard throughout the year.

The lockdown restricted much of the gospel work on the Exeter Estate . However, in the Summer the Exeter Thrive group (assisted by other volunteers) held a very wet afternoon of activities at the park which was well attended. It was also great to be able to talk to children and parents on Halloween as they gave out hot chocolate, toasted marshmallows, and shared the light of Jesus.

With all the challenges that 2021 has brought, we praise God for his faithfulness to us as a church and continue to pray that his Holy Spirit will guide us as we make Jesus known in our town.

5. Deanery Synod

In 2021 there was one meeting of Deanery Synod in October. The lay chair, Donna Winch, announced the appointment of the new Archdeacon of Oakham as the Revd. Canon Alison Booker. A deanery group to explore Living in Love and Faith (enabling the Church of England to learn together about identity, relationships, marriage and sexuality) was discussed.

6. Structure, governance and management

The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representative Rules. At St John’s the membership of the PCC consists of the Rector, churchwardens, licensed lay ministers, and those elected by those members who are on the electoral roll of the church. All those who are part of our congregation, and eligible, 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 guidance in the working of the PCC.

The PCC met five times during the year.

7. Financial Review

7.1 Financial Activity and Financial Position

The PCC’s main source of funding has traditionally been the offerings of church members. The adoption of the Parish Giving Scheme (launched within the diocese) has assisted us in promoting regular giving via direct debit. The growth of this method of giving is essential for our financial sustainability.

The Statement of Financial Activities and Balance Sheet show that the total income for the year for is £63,523.82 with a total expenditure of £63,695.88.

8. Responsibilities of Trustees for the Financial Statements

The PCC is responsible for preparing the Annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accepted Accounting Practice.

In preparing those financial statements, the PCC is required to:

9. Approval

The report of the PCC was approved by the PCC by 16 May 2022 and signed on its behalf by:

The Revd. Paul Frost Chairman

Report of the Independent Examiner to the Parochial Church Council of St John the Baptist with the Epiphany, Corby.

I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2021 as set out below.

Respective responsibilities of PCC and examiner

The PCC is responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The PCC consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independent examination is needed.

The examination included 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 seeking explanations concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently, no opinion is givens to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’.

The PCC prepares the accounts on a ‘Receipts and Payments’ form of accounting.

There are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, and accordingly, the accounts have been drawn up on a going concern basis.

Following inspection, I identified there were no matters for concern. Mr John Hindle.

St John’s Church, Corby. Annual accounts 1/1/2021 to 31/12/2021

Income £
Planned giving 27,079.24
Loose collections 3,677.10
All other giving and appeals 26,752.16
Gift Aid recovered 1,175.58
Interest 3.74
Wedding/Funeral Fees 3,460.00
Hall fees and Trading 1,376.00
Scouts 0
Total Income 63,523.82
Expenditure £
Mission giving and donations away 2,983.15
Parish Share to diocese 29,000.00
Clergy and staff expenses 742.33
Salaries and Wages 10,095.40
Mission and evangelism costs 2,232.52
Church running expenses 3,231.11
Church Insurance 2,224.80
Church Utilities 2,109.79
Hall Insurance 1,030.32
Hall Utilities 296.96
Major repairs and alterations (church) 4,749.50
Loans repaid to diocese 5,000.00
Total Expenditure 63,695.88
Excess Expenditure over Income (172.06)

Bank balances

C/A St Johns(86114344)
Reserve 1(46756469)
Reserve 2(46756477)
Reserve(46722432)
Lloyds A/C
Total
 31/12/2021
22,445.69
3,371.40
25,888.04
8,549.39
3,400.47
63,654.99		 1/1/2021
20,144.75
6,373.16
24,040.16
9,868.51
3,400.47
63,827.05

Notes:

  1. There were no material accruals for the year-ends 2020 and 2021

  2. Loans outstanding: £ Nil

  3. Parish Share requested for the year £30,000.00. Parish Share paid in 2021 was £29,000.00, which did not include £1,250 paid in advance in 2020. Parish Share for 2021 was therefore paid in full.

  4. These accounts have been prepared by Susan Norman (Treasurer) and Paul Buckingham (Assistant Treasurer), and independently reviewed without audit by John Hindle.

Signed: Susan Norman

Paul Buckingham

John Hindle

April 2022