Parish of Gornal and Sedgley
2024 Report and Accounts for the Parochial Church Council of the Parish of Gornal and Sedgley[1]
Please note - This report is based on the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) report, which was approved 25[th] May 2025, which includes the 2024 end of year accounts.
Aims and purposes
Gornal and Sedgley’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of cooperating with the Acting Team Rector (Rev Catherine Mitchell), in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC has overall responsibility to oversee the maintenance of our churches and halls. However, specific responsibility for the day to day running and maintenance is delegated to the respective District Church Councils (DCC); namely All Saints’ church and hall, Sedgley, All Saints DCC; St Peter’s church and hall, Upper Gornal, St Peter’s DCC; St Andrew’s church and hall, St Andrew’s DCC.
Objectives and Activities
The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our churches and to become part of our parish community.
Safeguarding
The PCC, and the people of the parish are committed to their Safeguarding responsibilities.
1 The Parish of Gornal and Sedgley includes the churches of All Saints’, Sedgley St Peter’s, Upper Gornal and St Andrew’s, The Straits.
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The PCC is aware of its duty to have due regard to House of Bishops' guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. The Church of England’s safeguarding policy statement, ‘Promoting a Safer Church’, requires us to have an action plan in place that sets out how the policy is being put into action and committing to review this regularly. This action plan has been presented by Barbara Baker, our PSO and approved by PCC. Safeguarding is an agenda item on every PCC meeting.
The PCC wish to thank our safeguarding officer Barbara Baker for all her hard work during the past 12 months.
Achievements and Performance
2024 although was another year of challenges for the parish but there were also many blessings. As a parish, we have continued to be greatly blessed by an incredible amount of hard work and ministry that so many are contributing to God’s work in this place.
Our PCC, Standing Committee and Church Councils have continued to work together to help steer the parish forward, giving a great deal of time and energy, for which I am grateful and give thanks for the time given through the year.
At the beginning of 2024, Rev Catherine was diagnosed with breast cancer, and a plan for surgery and ongoing treatment developed with the hospital. Rev Catherine was signed off sick several of times during the year, until finally returning full time in the Autumn. Rev Catherine would like to thank the church community across the parish for their prayers, help and support during this challenging time. Rev Catherine would also like to thank local clergy, both stipendiary and self-supporting, for their support for services during this time.
At the beginning of April, the parish said farewell to curate Rev Calum Burke, as he moved on to pastures new, in a new post in Bradford, as Priest in Charge. Rev Calum has been with us for just over a year on placement from Top Church, Dudley. Rev Calum’s remit in joining the parish was to gain wider parish experience, to enable three communion services at All Saints and lead All Saints in the discernment process for the SMMIB (formally SDF) renewals project.
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The parish was blessed through Rev Calum’s ministry during his time with us, and we wish him well in his new ministry.
During the year the service rota was maintained with two mornings a month at 8:00, and one at 11:00, at All Saints, where there no services, a Prayer Meeting, led by Church Warden Keith Tomlinson, has been offered. The prayer meetings were suspended in the Autumn due to Keith’s health concerns; it was hoped that these meetings could be resumed once Keith felt able to lead them.
I would like to take the opportunity express my thanks to Rev Calum Burke, LLM Canon Jan Humphries and ALM Worship Leader Suzanne Bradley for leading services in the parish and Church Warden Keith Tomlinson for leading the Prayer meeting through the year.
Prior to Rev Calum leaving, continued working with the hub team from All Saints, in developing the Mission Plan for the Renewal Project at All Saints. The Renewal Project is a SMMIB funded project that identified All Saints having the potential to grow to a congregation size of 150. The funding would enable a full-time stipendiary priest (previously half time) to oversee a potential new worshipping community and a full-time children’s and family’s worker. After Calum left, Damien Herbert, Transformation Programme Director in Worcester Diocese, helped to develop the Mission Plan, with the latest requirements for Renewals Projects, from SMMIB.
During Autumn time, Bishop Martin, advised that a suitable candidate for the Renewals Project had been identified in the Diocese, and a meeting with Archdeacon Mark and Damien Herbert was arranged with the All Saints DCC and PCC to discuss whether the PCC would like to explore the potential candidate’s suitability for the post. The post was developed from Renewal Leader to Team Rector and Renewal Leader, with the primary focus on the Renewal Project at All Saints. At the meeting on 13[th] November the PCC agreed to explore the Initial Candidate for the post. A parish profile was developed and accepted by the PCC at the Section 11 meeting on 17[th] December. The Candidate was invited to apply, with the shortlisting meeting planned for 10[th] January 2025, and an interview date 17[th] January 2025. It is hoped that if the candidate is successful, the Renewal Project can
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commence, Summer/Autumn 2025, and the recruitment of a Children’s and Family’s Worker can take place.
Ministry across the parish continued including the Bereavement Hub, coordinated by Pastoral ALM Kath Apperley, and team of volunteers of Sheila Moss and Joan Sullivan. The hub welcomes several guests each month, who find it of benefit. The team are now planning to run the Bereavement Journey early in 2025.
The parish is blessed by LLM Canon Jan Humphries and AFM Kath Apperley who have taken many funerals in the parish this year, while Rev Catherine was unable to take funerals due to ill health. During 2024 59 funerals have been conducted by the team.
Due to resources and capacity this year, we have had to reduced our commitment on corporate prayer during the week, reducing the opportunities from Zoom prayers Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 9:15, to Thursdays only. The twice monthly prayer opportunities on Tuesday afternoons and Tuesday evenings, on Zoom and in person, continued through the year. My thanks to Kath Apperley and Joan Sullivan leading the afternoon and evening prayer meetings.
Our priority for Children and Families engagement and ministry continued during 2024, saw 24 children baptised, across the parish. Baptism is seen as one of our biggest opportunities for reaching out to those who do not know Jesus yet and will be a focus for the SMMIB project at All Saints.
The Good Friday Workshop was again hosted at All Saints Church Hall, which attracts many children and carers from the local community, the Good Friday workshop attracted 39 children and 48 adults. Sadly, we were not able to host a Teddy Bears Picnic this year, its hoped that we will be able to host one 2025. I would like to thank Barbara Price, Laura Robinson and the team for making these activities a success.
The toddler groups in the parish, Little Angels (St Andrews) and Noah’s Arc (All Saints), continue to be a blessing in the parish, and thanks must go to the hard work of the teams who organise and run the sessions.
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Once again connecting with the community was important for our churches. All our churches hosted successful fairs during the year; and at All Saints the church was open In July for the Black Country Festival in Sedgley, and the Sedgley Lights switch on event in November; sadly we were not able to open the hall for these events this year.
The Taste of Christmas and All Saints Christmas fair, which were both successful events again this year. A big thanks for all who arranged and coordinated the events in the parish.
This year we offered one memorial services for those the Team Ministry have conducted funerals for in the past year, which was well received. In November we hosted once again the Remembrance Sunday services across the parish, with the Act of Remembrance on Armistice Day for those gathered around the new war memorial in the gardens adjacent to the church.
Our connections with the local schools in the parish continued, with school trip to All Saints by Cotwell End KS1 and Woodsetton Schools which were a success and appreciated by the schools.
We also welcomed Alder Coppice and Cotwall End Schools to All Saints Church for their Carol services, which were again a great success where we welcomed over 1300 children and adults across 4 services.
The parish Christmas services were once again busy. This year we welcomed the choir from St Thomas’ Church, Stourbridge for the Nine Lessons and Carols at All Saints, which was well received by all who attended. The Christingles across the parish are always popular on Christmas Eve, with many people commenting that they see it as part of their Christmas tradition to come. The Christingles see over 500 children and adults attending, and I would like to thank all those involved with organising and leading these services.
During the year, we continued to work with our Diocesan Mission Accompanier Chris Sheehan who has been helping us to develop a Parish Health and Sustainability Plan.
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The focus of our Health and Sustainability Plan has been to Develop the Family Service at All Saints, which continued to evolve through the year, and has become one of the most popular services at the church. The family services use iSingWorship for the songs and hymns, rather than the organ, which continues to receive positive feedback from many people. Another project centres on Communication within the parish, which is intended to improve communications within the parish. Another priority is social events, which have been organised through the year by Edward Grist and Tracey Bates and have been popular. One of the most popular events was the parish lunch in January, at The Lodge in Dudley. Finally, the last project is to develop a Vision Statement. During the year we asked the congregations in the parish to complete two questionnaires. From which the vision statement for the parish was developed, which is “Worshipping God, Welcoming all, Serving our Community.
As we move forward into 2025, we will further communicate and develop the response to the new Vision Statement in the parish. Thanks to the hub team of Rev Chris Sheehan (Mission Accompanier), Matt Guy, Kath Apperley, Edward Grist, Tracey Bate, Jan Humphries, Linda Watkins and Maureen Allcock, for their work within the hub team.
Once again, our parish Safeguarding Officer Barbara Baker has worked hard with us to ensure that all are safe, and all appropriate training and checks have been done or are being done, my thanks to Barbara for all her hard work on behalf of the parish.
All Saints Hall continues to be a blessing with excellent facilities offered; the hall is well used by the community and thanks must go to John Anderson and Gail Griffiths for managing the hall, and bookings and requirements. The Reeling in the Years project has continued through the year and a blessing to all those who attend, any thanks to all who volunteer to make this activity a success.
Thanks also to our administrator Gail Griffiths for all her support and commitment in the parish office.
St Peters Church continues to worship in the hall, and the church community are developing how the hall can be a better worship space. After receiving a donation,
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we acquired a projector screen, which was used for the Carol Service and Christingle. The hope is to acquire a new projector for such services. Also, the church acquired a Hymnal for the times when organist Michael is unable to attend services.
The registration of the pocket of land, that the vergers house once sat, and the land on which the St Peters Hall sits, has continued, with relevant documents given to the solicitors dealing with the registration.
The church community continues to seek how we move forward in ministry and mission.
St Andrews church continues to be supported by LLM Canon Jan Humphries, I would like to express my thanks to Jan for all her hard work in managing so much of the life of the church community on The Straits. The hall at St Andrew’s continues to be used well, but there is scope for more hall bookings, which would improve the financial situation for the church. This year St Andrews hosted two successful fairs. St Andrews church has worked with Bridge Church, who hire the church hall for their services and a monthly coffee morning, to bless the community on The Straits with a defibulator. The cost of the unit was via a grant from Dudley Council to cover the costs. Training for the local community to use the defib was arranged via St John Ambulance. A launch event was organised and attended by local MP Marco Longhi, and local councillors on 28[th] March.
I would like to thank our treasurers in the parish, John Anderson, Sheila Moss and Alan Turner for all their hard work; and thank you all for all you are giving to God’s work in money, time and talents.
As a parish and the leadership teams of the PCC and DCC’s we continue to work within the framework of the Diocese or Worcester initiative of being Kingdom People, with its emphasis on the Gospel values of love, compassion, justice and freedom.
2024 has, once again, been a challenging year for the parish, the parish is a busy parish, with many opportunities to connect with people who do not come to church, it
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is hoped that 2025 will see the fruits of the SMMIB renewal project discernment, with 2 new team members.
As we move into 2025, we will need to continue to discern what God is calling us to as a parish in our Ministry and Mission, our stewardship of time, talents, and money; and what it means to be the people of God in the Parish of Gornal and Sedgley.
I would like to express my thanks to our Church Wardens, Church and Parish Councils, Authorised Lay Ministers and LLM Canon Jan, in support of the parish’s life and ministry during the year; also, thanks to all who give so much time and energy in many ways.
There are too many to mention by name but thank you to all who have given so much and all you are doing in the parish.
As I conclude I want to express my sadness at the sudden death of Edward Grist, Church Warden at St Peters, in January 2025. Edward was a significant member of the church and parish community and will be greatly missed.
Together with God we will move forward!
Catherine
Rev Catherine Mitchell
Acting Team Rector, Parish of Gornal and Sedgley
The following outlines, with these eight characteristics, the achievements and performance of the parish
1. Deeply rooted in prayer and study of the Scriptures,
Prayer is the most important activity we do as Christians. There are several opportunities that have been established within the parish: morning prayer each week at 9:15, on Thursday mornings. Also, two prayer meetings have continued once a month on a Tuesday afternoon, and once a month on a Tuesday evening, both are now online. The Thursday Fellowship Group continued, hosted by Kath
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Apperley and Joan Sullivan, online through the year and attracted members from outside the parish.
2. Renewed and transformed by regular worship,
During 2024 All Saints has developed the family service once a month and is now attracting more people than the other services offered at the church. This service is where we invite baptism families for the pre and post baptism visits.
During the year, due to ill health of CW Keith Tomlinson, the prayer meetings that were offered had to cease.
2. Equipped to witness to the Gospel of love, compassion, justice and freedom,
Occasional offices continued during the year, with baptisms and weddings and funerals. We continue to be blessed with how many families request baptisms in the parish, and allocated slots were all booked early in the year. There were three Weddings in the parish, two at All Saints and one at St Andrews. We continued to receive regular requests for funerals during the year which were conducted by Canon Jan Humphries (LLM), and AFM Kath Apperley. We conducted one memorial service for those who had died, over the past year, which was well attended and received by those who attended.
3.Dedicated to helping children and young people to belong and be nurtured in faith,
The toddler groups, Noah’s Ark and Little Angels continue to be well attended and supported.
We continued to engage a children’s evangelist, Paul Wilmot, who visits several of the local school to take assemblies on behalf of the church.
The Good Friday workshop was well attended. Sadly we were not able to offer a Teddy Bears picnic for pre-school children this year.
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5. Devoted to growing deeply as disciples, offering our time, talents and money to God
We continue to be blessed by many people in the parish working hard to keep the buildings.
We are thankful and blessed that all three churches were able to pay our Ministry Share in full this year. Grateful thanks to all who contribute to the financial obligations of the parish.
6. Resourced and released to minister to others
Within the parish we are blessed with several people who minster to the church and individuals; we have a licensed lay minister, Canon Jan Humphries and appreciate and value her ministry with us. There are also several Authorized Lay Ministers (ALM’s) who take on specific roles within the parish within worship, pastoral care and youth. Also, Kath Apperley is now and Authorized Funeral Ministers.
7. Ready to engage with and serve our community
The parish continued to support and serve at the local foodbank throughout the year. During 2024 all three churches were able to host several fairs during the year which brought in well needed income, and enabled connections with the community.
The Reeling in the Years project continues to reach out to the community who are lonely or living with dementia. Reeling in the Years shows films and offers refreshments for the those who attend.
The bereavement hub, at All Saints, meeting once a month, continues to be well received by those who attend. The team is supported by Pastoral ALM’s and other volunteers.
Sedgley Combined Charity sits within the oversight of All Saints Sedgley, with its income shown within the All Saints Accounts. SCC financially support the Reeling in the Years project, the Black Country Food bank, and limited running costs of the hall to maintain its use as a community asset.
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8. Committed to making our buildings fit for purpose as a spiritual and community resource
The church building of St Andrew continues to be at the heart of the local community and is blessed by the response by the community for the fairs offered during the year.
The church of All Saints has continued to be well maintained and overseen by our Church Wardens.
St Peters hall is well maintained for use as a worship space and community use. A small fabric committee has been set up to oversee maintenance.
The PCC and DCC’s of the churches continue to discern how we can make our buildings more flexible and appealing for both worship and community resources.
Financial Review
From 2024 financial accounts
Income £161,125 Expenditure £135,059 Excess £26,066
Balance brought forward from 31st Dec 2023 £212,678
Increase in value of shares £3,692 Balance at 31st December 2023 £242,436
See also Statement of Financial Activities for the Year ended 31st December 2024 for further information.
Reserves Policy
All three churches now have reserves policies in place
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Volunteers
We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our churches friendly and welcoming places, and in building the community. In particular I want to mention our licensed lay minister Canon Jan Humphries and our church wardens Mr Steve Castle, Mr Keith Tomlinson, Mr Dave Moss and Mr Edward Grist. We would also like to thank all of our PCC and DCC members, and all who give so much of their time for the church community.
Structures, governance and management
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. In the Parish of Gornal and Sedgley the membership of the PCC consists of the Acting Team Rector , churchwardens from the three churches, the licensed lay minister, the Treasurers from each Church, together with members elected by the members of the congregations who are on the electoral rolls of our three churches, ex oficio members (Deanery reps) and Co-Opted members. All those who attend our services are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll as Members. Members are encouraged to stand for election of the PCC.
The PCC, is the executive body of the parish and responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern for the whole parish, including on how any funds of the PCC are to be spent. The PCC delegates specific responsibilities to the individual church councils (DCC’s) as set out in the Pastoral Scheme dated April 2008. New members of the PCC receive initial training into the workings of the PCC.
There were four meetings of the PCC in 2023 (May (x2), July and December). The second PCC meeting in May 2023 was to confirm parish officers. The average attendance for PCC meetings was 71%.
The number of electors on the roll for the Gornal and Sedgley Team Ministry at 25[th] May 2025 is 156 a decrease of 22 from 2024.
There are 37 electors at St Peter’s, 94 at All Saints’ and 25 at St Andrew’s. (from the electoral roll officer report 25[th] May 2025)
Note: the electoral role was completely revised in 2025
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Administrative Information
The Benefice and Parish of Gornal and Sedgley, consists of the Parish Church of All Saints’, Sedgley; the Parish church of St Peter’s, Upper Gornal; and the Church of St Andrew’s, The Straits. It is in the Greater Dudley Deanery, being part of the Diocese of Worcester within the Church of England.
The correspondence address and administrative centre is All Saints Parish Office, Ladies Walk, Dudley, DY3 3UA
The PCC is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measures 1956m Church Representation Rules 2006).[2 ]
PCC members who served during 2024-25 Ex Officio members :
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Acting Team Rector: The Reverend Catherine Mitchell - From 7-5-17
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Licensed Lay Minister, Deanery Rep and Deputy Warden (St Andrew’s) Canon Jan Humphries
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Wardens: Mr Steve Castle (All Saint’s), Mr Keith Tomlinson (All Saints’), Mr Edward Grist (St Peters)
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PCC Secretary Mr Stuart Hutchinson (Ex Officio)
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Deanery Reps: Mrs Joan Sullivan, Mrs Kath Apperley and Mrs Sheila Moss (also PCC Treasurer)
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Mrs Barbara Baker (Parish Safeguarding Officer)
2 The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in Clause 4.4.5 of the Pastoral Scheme for the Parish of Gornal & Sedgley, dated 27th April 2008. (The scheme is pursuant to Church Representation Rule 18.)
Elected Members:
Mrs Tracey Bate (St Peters)
Ms Suzanne Bradley (St Peters)
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Mr David Moss (St Peters)
Mrs Joan (Margaret) Dain (St Andrews)
Mrs Rosemary Reid (St Andrews)
Mrs Maureen Matthews (All Saints)
Mr Andrew Bentham
Mrs Elizabeth Jeanne Williams (PCC Electoral Roll Officer)
Report approved by the Parochial Church Council of the Parish of Gornal and Sedgley 8[th] July 2025
Rev’d Canon Diane Cooksey
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT
TO THE DISTRICT CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST.PETER, UPPER GORNAL
This report on the accounts of the D.C.C. for the year ended 31[st] December 2024, which are set out on pages 1 to 5, is in respect of an examination carried out under regulation 3(3) of the Church Accounting Regulations 1997 and S.43 of the Charities Act 1993.
As the members of the D.C.C. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. It is my responsibility to issue this report on those accounts in accordance with the terms of regulation 25 of the Church Accounting Regulations 1997 and regulation 7 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 1995.
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission under S.43(7)(b) of the Act and to be found in the guidance from the C.B.F. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the D.C.C. and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express and audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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1) Which gives us reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
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a) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the Act and
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b) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the requirements of the Act, as also contained in the Church Accounting Regulations 1997
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.
J. A. Howell B.A.
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