2022-12-31-accounts

The Diocese of Southwark

ANNUAL PARISH CHURCH REPORT 2022

CELEBRATING 151 YEARS OF WORSHIP & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

CONTENTS

Vicar’s Report	3
Churchwardens’ Report	4
FINANCE	5-6
Events and Fundraising
Administrator's Report	8
Charities, Causes & Campaigns	9
Families & Young People	10
Diddy Disciples	10
Electoral Roll	11
First Monday Club	11
Flowers In Church	11
Gardening	12
Hall Administrator's Report	12
Hall Treasurer's Report	13
Safeguarding	13
Sacred Space	14
Servers	15
Sides-people	15
Pastoral Report	15
TEAM
All Saints Church – Team Rector	15-17
St John The Baptist	17-18

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VICAR’S REPORT

Looking back on the past year, I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and blessing for being a part of the incredible St. John's church family. To all the amazing individuals who have supported, encouraged, and prayed for the church and for me, thank you from the bottom of my heart. The warmth and embrace I've experienced from this church and community have been truly remarkable. We've embarked on a journey together, filled with exciting God adventures that have shaped us all.

Last year, we kicked off the season of Lent with a pancake party that left us all "pancaked out" in the best way possible. The collaboration with St. John's school brought parents and children together, enjoying delicious pancakes and engaging in fun games. It was a fantastic start to the season, followed by a deeply meaningful Ash Wednesday service in partnership with Sacred Space. For Lent we studied Janet Morley’s book - The Heart's Time: A Poem a Day for Lent to help us prepare for Lent. For Mothering Sunday, as in previous years the dads were generous with their time and made beautiful posies.

One of the true highlights was our joint Palm Sunday service with Kingston Methodist Church. Witnessing the

unity and collaboration between our congregations was awe-inspiring, reminding us of the incredible things we can achieve when we work together as Christians.

As Holy Week unfolded, we experienced solemn yet breath-taking moments. The Maundy Thursday meal held in the serene garden of Gethsemane was a deeply moving experience, setting the stage for the reflective gatherings on Good Friday. And when Easter Day arrived, it was a glorious celebration as familiar faces and new friends joined together in the joy of resurrection.

We've continued to nurture our spiritual connection through our morning prayer sessions, available both in person and online. Join us at 9 am, Monday through Wednesday, to be part of this meaningful practice. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Wendy, our dedicated organist, for her commitment over the past three years. Gratitude is also due to Frances, who has been a rock, working alongside Wendy, myself, and the PCC to ensure the smooth operation of our church. We've had the privilege of celebrating baptisms, weddings, and funerals together, cherishing life's significant moments.

Let's take a moment to appreciate Emma Peries and Colin Bowes, they are managing our website, social media, and audio-visual equipment. Their tireless efforts in keeping our communications up to date and responding to emergencies have been nothing short of amazing.

Engaging with St. John's school for Collective Worship is both a privilege and a joy. Each week, I eagerly anticipate leading and working with enthusiastic young people who wholeheartedly embrace these sessions. Our weekly Bible Club has been a rewarding experience for everyone involved, as has the opportunity to lead worship services with Bedelsford school. Looking ahead, we hope to deepen our relationship with King Athelstan school, Surbiton High Juniors, and Kingston University Christian Union. Additionally, our collaboration with Refugee Action Kingston every Wednesday has been a blessing. The women's sewing group even created a beautiful turquoise dust cover and a white altar cloth as tokens of their appreciation for our church and our partnership with RAK. We remain committed to supporting Acts 435, making a tangible difference in our community.

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It has been an absolute pleasure working as part of the Kingston Team ministry, alongside our team Rector, Joe, and Mandy at St. John the Baptist. Their unwavering support has been invaluable, and I eagerly anticipate the future of our fruitful and affirming ministry.

I’d like to thank the PCC, the ministry team, and every single member of our church family. It is your contributions, big and small, that make St. John's the vibrant and extraordinary church that it is. I want to take a special moment to express my deepest gratitude to Emma and Mimi, who have dedicated several years to Children's ministry, leaving an indelible impact on the young hearts and minds within our community. May the Lord bless you abundantly in all your future endeavours.

As the year progresses, I eagerly look forward to sharing with you in detail our vision and mission action plan. But for now, our immediate priority is to consolidate the growth of our intergenerational church family and collectively transition into the next phase of ministry. Exciting things are on the horizon, and I invite you all to watch this space with anticipation and enthusiasm.

In closing, let us carry the spirit of gratitude, unity, and collaboration that has defined our journey thus far. Together, let's continue to inspire, uplift, and support one another as we navigate the beautiful tapestry of faith and community at St. John's. With God's grace guiding us, I am confident that the coming year will be filled with even more memorable moments, laughter, and shared adventures. Thank you all, and may our hearts be open to the adventures and blessings that lie ahead. Vicar - Lindiwe Maseko

CHURCH WARDEN’S REPORT

What an incredible year it has been for our parish, filled with momentous changes and exciting developments. Among these changes, we warmly welcomed our new Vicar, Joe Moffatt, at our sister church, All Saint's, Kingston. Alongside this, we are delighted to have Lindiwe, our new team vicar, who has already contributed a lot in such a short time. She has been an inspiration to us. She has forged strong connections within our community, particularly through her collaborations with local schools like Bedelsford and St. John's, where she has been instrumental in guiding and inspiring the children to embrace church life. I have been privileged to witness the services she has held for the children and to experience the unique relationship she has with them; she has a true and natural talent for working with young people!

Lindiwe's installation in January was a truly memorable event. We were honoured to have representatives from every part of her Christian family and previous careers join us. It was good to have the Archdeacon of Wandsworth, The Venerable Rev’d John Kiddle licensing Lindiwe with our team Rector Joe leading and presiding.

Over the past year, our church has continued to be a focus of the community and has celebrated the lives of those who have been born, lived, married and died within our lives. I pray that we can remember them for all that they have given and welcome those who have yet to give.

Many things have happened over the last year, we thankful for our relationship with RAK. This partnership has brought about exciting initiatives and projects that have further enriched our church and community.

The overwhelming support and participation of our local community during the Christmas season filled our hearts with joy. The members of our community choir were a true highlight, lending their incredible voices to our carol service, midnight mass, and Christmas Day services. Their contributions were simply outstanding, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of them.

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However, amidst all the joy, we must bid farewell to some cherished members of our community. We should like to express our gratitude to Mimi Fagan, who has contributed so much to our church over so many years. She is an exceptional person with many skills, flower arranging being just one of them! Mimi has held several positions of responsibility over many years, most significantly as leader of Diddy disciples and church warden.

We would like to thank Emma Lloyd-WIlliams for her tremendous support efforts and contributions. She has shown herself to be exceptional in her organisational skills, her ability to communicate with children and their parents. Emma - thank you.

This is a time of transition and, never before, have I felt so optimistic about the times to come. Lindiwe - we look forward to the future to which you will lead us!

Church Wardens

Wendy Malseed and Frances Hazelgrove

EVENTS & FUNDRAISING

2022 was a very successful year for Fundraising at St John’s with income of £20,285 compared to £8,488 in 2021. After expenses of £7,284, we raised a net £13k. We hosted 23 concerts for Banquet Records plus five other musical events. The Banquet shows included some big names from the contemporary music scene such as Melanie C, Tom Odell and Olly Murs, the gifted cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, plus some stellar visitors from the US – Lucy Dacus, Lissie and Beabadoobee. In addition to income from hire charges for these events, the ability to offer a licenced bar at most events through temporary licences has been a significant factor. Bar sales of £15k generated a profit of over £8k over the year. Our grateful thanks go to all who have helped set up and run the bars and we do hope our application for a permanent licence will be successful.

At Christmas the Silent Auction again proved to be a popular fundraiser and this year’s online event raised a net £2k for church funds plus £142 for St John’s School PSA while our Christmas Fayre event contributed over £1,000. A big thank you to all who contributed to the success of these events. It is also important to recognise that events are not just about raising much needed funds. Their social function is a great adjunct to the spiritual life of St John’s and enriches relationships between church members while also giving a warm welcome to visitors from the local community and beyond. Tony Hardy

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Revenue in the latter half of the year from church hire, bars at Banquet Records concerts and our Christmas Fayre and Silent Auction helped us to achieve a surplus of £9,343 for the year with church funds increasing to £92,552 at the close of 2022. This seemed a very unlikely outcome earlier in the year, given that we also faced large increases in energy costs from the autumn. Total income for the year was £103,839, all of which was from Unrestricted (ordinary) sources. We are still heavily reliant on all those who give to St John’s via monthly standing orders or envelopes.

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Although the total fell by £5k this year, at £25k it still makes up nearly a quarter of our income. Giving through the card reader along with cash collections grew by over 50% against a low base. We received a further £8,935 in income tax recovered on Gift Aid payments while the £16k annual University rent continues to be a significant slice of our income.

The real growth this year though was from church hire income which more than doubled to £16k, while the bars run at Banquet Records events helped lift fundraising to over £20k. We are extremely grateful to all who help run the bars and assist with fundraising. It made a vital difference to our year, both socially and financially. The online Silent Auction raised a net £2k for church funds plus £142 for St John’s School PSA while our Christmas Fayre event contributed over £1,000.

Expenses for the year totalled £94,496 and there was no further expenditure from the Regeneration fund. We again pledged and delivered £48k as our Parish Support contribution to the Diocese which supports the ministry here and at churches throughout Southwark, many of whom are significantly poorer than ourselves. Cost increases were experienced in most areas of our operations but the price of energy was most worrying with the cost of gas especially punitive. Without the government subsidy, we would have had a gas bill of £3,000 in December and still paid over £1,700 compared to £511 12 months ago, despite trying to be more frugal with heating. Our Regeneration Building Fund remains at £39,538 which is a handy sum to have in reserve, though not sufficient to kick start a further phase of building development. In summary, we closed 2022 with reserves of £92,552 made up £30,676 in unrestricted funds, £39,538 held in the restricted Regeneration Fund towards future building work, £20,596 representing the balance of legacies received plus a balance of £1,742 from the Refugee Action grant. It is the policy of the PCC to keep a minimum £30k in liquid reserves to cover unforeseen emergencies or loss of regular income.

I would like to thank Lindiwe, Frances and Wendy, Isobel, Mimi and all the PCC members for their support over the year. Special thanks go to Jo Need, our Gift Aid Secretary, to Emma LloydWilliams and Alec MacMillan, Ray Symons and Emma Peries for their invaluable help too. Tony Hardy, Church Treasurer.

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TREASURER’S FINANCE REPORT - YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AFFAIRS : YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

INCOME	Unrestricted	Restricted	2022	2021
Gift Aid	25296		25296	30483
Income Tax Recovered	8935		8935	10315
Loose Collections/Card Reader	4530		4530	2916
Donations/Grants	1757		1757	3378
Little Groovers	3261		3261	2025
Fund Raising - General	20285		20285	8488
Church Fees (net)	1102		1102	1079
Church Hire	16613		16613	7739
University Rent	16675		16675	16675
Interest	441		441	138
Missions	3494		3494	3417
Misc. Receipts	1451		1451	248
TOTAL	£103,839		£103,839	£86,902
EXPENDITURE	Unrestricted	Restricted	2022	2021
Missions & Affiliation Fees	3780		3780	3497
Education	393		393	300
Little Groovers	2564		2564	1620
Parish Support Fund	48000		48000	47000
Clergy Expenses	398		398	251
Church Administrator	2496		2496	2692
Organist Salary, Organ/Music	1740		1740	2020
Heating & Lighting	7143		7143	4883
Water Rates	192		192	120
Insurance	5559		5559	5412
Fundraising Expenses	7284		7284	3557
Church Repairs/Maintenance	8874		8874	7160
Regeneration Project	0		0	3424
Printing, Postage & Stationery	3948		3948	3377
Sundry Expenses	2125		2125	1261
TOTAL	£94,496		£94,496	£86,575
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT)			£9,343	£327
Transfer to reserves
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR			£9,343	£327
ADD ASSETS FROM 2021 BALANCE SHEET			£83,208	£82,881
ASSETS FROM 2022 BALANCE SHEET			£92,552	£83,208

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BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2022

	2022	2021
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors	2379	1910
Bank Current Account	21218	15298
Deposit Funds	72715	68087
	____	____
	£96,312	£85,294
LESS : CURRENT LIABILITIES
Sundry Creditors	-3790	-2086
	____	____
NET ASSETS	£92,522	£83,208
	____	____
REPRESENTED BY :
Unrestricted Fund	30676	20227
Restricted Fund (A) - Regeneration	39538	39538
Restricted Fund (B) - Legacy	20596	20596
Restricted Fund (C) - Kingston Refugee	1742	2847
	£92,552	£83,208
	____	____
		Restricted	Restricted	Restricted
NET ASSETS : 31 DECEMBER 2022	Unrestricted	A	B	C	Totals
Balances at 1 January 2021	20227	39538	20596	2847	83208
Income	103839	0	0	0	103839
Expenditure	94496	0	0	0	94496
Surplus (Deficit)	9343	0	0	0	9343
Transfers between funds	1105	0	0	-1105	0
Balances at 31 December 2022	£30,676	£39,538	£20,596	£1,742	£92,552

Signed : Church Treasurer Signed : Team Vicar

Independent Examiners Report

I report on the accounts of St John the Evangelist, Kingston upon Thames for the year ended 31/12/22. My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Comission. This includes a review of the accounting records kept by the church and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records.

I have examined the SOFA and Balance Sheet and confirm that these are in accordance with the accounting records, receipts, invoices, statements and documents submitted to me.

ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

As life has finally returned to normal, the church has become a hub of activity, both for church-related events and for outside hirers. We have welcomed a variety of community groups, such as Refugee Action Kingston, Kingston Morris Dancers, and 8218 Youth Theatre Group. I particularly enjoy coming in on Wednesdays and seeing the church buzzing with all the activities that RAK puts on for their clients. We have also hosted first aid and parenting classes, yoga and Pilates, alongside the extremely successful and profitable Banquet Records gigs. Olly Murs and Tom Odell, to name but a few, were among the highlights of the year. We have also welcomed back some of our regulars, such as the Orpheus Choir, Linden Wind, and U3A, with their wonderful choral and orchestral concerts, meaning there really has been something for everyone.

Our own church-led groups, the First Monday Club and Little Groovers, have continued to thrive, with good attendance and bringing the community together in our wonderful space.

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Our church school has also made good use of the space, with termly thanksgiving services and by performing their nativity play at the church. Bedlesford has had a number of services at the church and is definitely appreciating the upgraded facilities we can offer.

After all the years of hard work fundraising to upgrade the facilities, it's so lovely to see the church busy and being used by a wide range of groups.

CHARITIES, CAUSES & CAMPAIGNS

During 2022, St John’s continued to support a named charity most months, and was fortunate to welcome inspiring speakers from four of them (A Rocha UK, Anstee Bridge, The Leprosy Mission and Street Pastors). Fund-raising, mostly from individual donations and cake sales, enabled our church to pay a total of £3560 to various charities, the largest amount being £700 in March for the Ukraine Appeal.

During Christian Aid Week, St John's was well-represented at Kingston CA Committee’s town centre fund-raising event, when Lindiwe and several others did a 30-minute stint in the Jerusalema dance; and this year, in addition to whatever our members may have given via the local Justgiving site, we were able to bank a total of £1454 from the house-to-house collection, cake stall and Neville’s tin. Once again, big thank you to our loyal collectors and to all who helped achieve this magnificent result.

The Autumn shoebox appeal for Link to Hope was enthusiastically supported, with over 50 boxes, from St John’s church and school and All Saints church, being picked up in early November to start the long journey to countries in Eastern Europe. At Harvest Festival, the generous gifts of food and toiletries mostly went to Kingston Foodbank, with items not needed there being donated to Enhanceable and Refugee Action Kingston, where they were most welcome.

Refugee Action Kingston has continued to operate at St John's on Wednesdays, and during the year they also started a homework club after school on Thursdays. St John's support for Kingston Community Refugee

Sponsorship has also continued, with Grant Vanstone and Isobel Robinson serving as trustees. Our first family has settled in well in Surbiton, and we are now beginning to think about sponsoring a second family.

Once again, our warmest thanks go to all who have continued in these challenging times to give so

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generously of their time and resources, enabling St John's to reach out in response to the needs of the world around us.

(Lindiwe Maseko, Kay Baker, Emma Peries, Isobel Robinson, Tony Williams)

FAMILIES & YOUNG PEOPLE

We've had another busy year at St John's. It started in February with a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Party. The event was well-attended and, besides enjoying the pancakes and their various toppings, the children had a chance to joust with lemons, flip pancakes, and engage in a number of craft activities.

As Lent drew to a close, we had our Good Friday workshop, and the children enjoyed the story of Holy Week depicted in a child-friendly way. They also made their own Easter Gardens to take home and nurture.

We ended the year with our Nativity Service, which was also well-attended. The children enjoyed taking part in the story of Jesus's birth, and we even had a comedic King who decided to gift a Dinosaur to the new baby!

Away from Church services, Little Groovers continued to thrive, with 1520 families attending each week. This year, we would like to focus on our young people and develop some activities for them, so watch this space. We look forward to seeing what the future holds.

As life returned to normal, we decided it was time to bring everyone together as one big church family and have one service. This meant that Diddy was back in the service and back in the vestry. However, this has worked very well, and all the children have adapted brilliantly. It also means that parents can worship in the main service in peace! We have 10 to 12 children who regularly attend, and they continue to enjoy the Diddy Disciples material. We have also welcomed a number of new families, which is brilliant.

Sadly, we said goodbye to Mimi Fagan on Easter Day and to Emma at Pentecost this year. They have both been fundamental in setting up and running Diddy Disciples since we first introduced it. We thank them for their many years of service and wish them all the best in their future endeavors. They will be greatly missed.

In the meantime, our dedicated Diddy parents have kindly offered to provide coverage until July. We remain optimistic that we will secure a Children and Young Person's worker by then.

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ELECTORAL ROLL

As of our last APCM the electoral role had 113 people and currently in 2022/23 we are at 115. I would like to express my appreciation to our former Electoral Roll Officer, Jen Powell, for her exceptional work in updating and maintaining our electoral roll. Thanks to her dedication and hard work, the numbers on our electoral roll have largely remained unchanged. Jen stepped down from her role as the Electoral Roll Officer in March 2023. Her contributions to our parish have been invaluable, and we are deeply grateful for her service.

As we move forward, we are now seeking a new Electoral Roll Officer to take on this crucial responsibility. This role is vital in ensuring that our electoral roll is up-to-date and accurate. We are searching for an individual who is committed, dedicated and willing to take on this task. If you are interested in this role, please do not hesitate to contact us or the parish office. We will be happy to provide you with additional information about the position and answer any questions you may have.

FIRST MONDAY CLUB

Hooray! We managed to have a full program with eight to ten of us meeting either in church or out and about when the weather allowed. We had cultural sessions where we shared our favorite music and poetry, as well as domestic sessions making pancakes and mincemeat. We celebrated the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee by reminiscing about her coronation and the 1950s, and we also visited and strolled through the gardens at Ham, Richmond Park, and Chiswick House. We shared cake, conversation, quizzes, and companionship. If you find yourself at a loose end on a first Monday, please come and join us. You can pick up a program in church.

Frances and Jo

FLOWERS IN CHURCH

Each week, as we entered St. John's, we were greeted by the wonderful flowers that graced our church. The arrangements and designs enhanced our worship experience and created a warm and welcoming space for everyone. We are grateful to the Flower team for their creativity, attention to detail, and dedication in giving their time and effort. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Caroline Overholt, who has played a crucial role in organizing and coordinating the flower team rota. Caroline's commitment and leadership have been instrumental in ensuring that our floral displays are consistently exquisite and well-coordinated. To the entire flower team, we deeply appreciate and are truly thankful for the invaluable contributions you make. We cherish the beauty you bring to our church and the joy you bring to our hearts. God bless. Lindiwe.

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GARDENING

The focus of the SJC Gardening Team is to maintain the grounds of St. John's Church and create a welcoming appearance for all. We are a small team of volunteers, numbering 5 to 7, who contribute whenever we can. Our primary attention has been on the perimeter roses and the grass on three sides of the church. Our belief is that by bringing these areas to a high standard, many other imperfections will go unnoticed.

The community greatly appreciates the roses as they pass by. We often receive compliments, although we recognize that it is Mother Nature who truly makes the plants beautiful. The grass has shown significant improvement in the last 12 months, and we are driven by the belief that we will achieve Wisley level quality in 2024.

Many of you may remember Helene Keates, who lovingly tended the grounds for many years. The three camellia bushes at the rear stairs were transplanted from Helen's garden. We are thrilled that they have flowered this year and are flourishing. May they continue to grow and brighten up that area of the church grounds.

We are eager to hear from any active gardeners in the community who might like to join us. It's a very informal and friendly group. Lastly, if anyone has any old gardening tools, compost, ceramic planters, or plant supplements they no longer need, we would be pleased to collect and make use of them. Please enjoy the grounds; we certainly do! The SJC Gardening Team.

HALL ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

The hall had a very busy year with our regular hirers, the Kingston Kindergarten, Badminton group, Pilates, Jiu jitsu, a Fitness Dance Class, the Rose Youth Theatre, the Spring Grove Fringe, a Mother and Baby group and many private events and children’s parties. We were very sad that The Kindergarten closed in April after many happy years. In the Autumn we were pleased to have a Ballet School and Teddytennis join us. The Spring Grove Fringe put on productions in February, May, October and November. The hall continued to be regularly professionally cleaned.

Thank you to Ray, our Caretaker, for his continued conscientious help and support and for looking after our occasional hirers in a friendly way. Thank you also to Caroline Overholt who so cheerfully took over the Caretaker role during the weeks when Ray was away on his charity walk. The Hall Committee meet regularly and play an important part in keeping the hall in good repair and safe condition for everyone to use. Their wisdom and support are very much appreciated.

Frances Hazelgrove Hall Administrator

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HALL TREASURERS REPORT

St John’s Parish Hall

Finance & Building Report for the year ended 31 December 2022

Despite the sad loss of our long-standing hirer, Kingston Kindergarten, who closed at Easter, the Parish Hall had a successful year as a surplus of £8,459 was recorded. Total funds rose to reach £82,063 by the close of 2022.

Income was up by 10% at £23,367 (£21,119 in 2021). Of this, 81% came from regular hirers with highest usage by Jiu Jitsu and Spring Grove Fringe. Income from occasional hire mostly for children’s parties more than doubled over the year. Some of this reflects increased hire rates, although the Hall still offers excellent value compared to other facilities in the area.

Expenses at £14,909 were considerably up on last year, although we had lower occupation in the first half of 2021 alongside reduced energy and maintenance costs, so the comparison is not quite like for like. Weekly cleaning was maintained to a good standard by Paragon Green Cleaning, and we continued to repair things when necessary but avoid major expenditure.

The Hall Committee is now assessing opportunities to apply for grants to improve access and toilet facilities. In addition, we would like to replace the windows and doors plus fully redecorate the Hall. The cost implications are significant and will need external finance from grants or trusts along with our own reserves, while always maintaining a minimum £20k as a buffer.

Special thanks go to Frances Hazelgrove who manages the Hall bookings so well for us and to Ray Symons for looking after the Hall and grounds, plus the staff of Paragon Green Cleaning for their reliable service. Our thanks also go to Michael Wraight for looking after Hall maintenance, to Jan Hartley for leading the Hall management committee and to all our hirers for their valuable support.

Tony Hardy, Church & Hall Treasurer

SAFEGUARDING

It is the responsibility of the Parish Safeguarding Officers and the PCC to provide an annual report on Safeguarding and to confirm compliance with the duty to ‘have due regard’ to the House of Bishops’ (‘HOB’) Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance. Currently, Pat Askey and Grant Vanstone hold the joint role of PSOs.

In October last year, Grant Vanstone undertook a further review of the currency of safeguarding certificates and produced a schedule of safeguarding training and certificates. The Diocese is contemplating further training sessions for the PSOs.

An Audit of Parish Safeguarding was carried out in November 2022, with due regard to the House of Bishops' guidance. This review is still incomplete, and specific checks still need to be made to ensure that all PCC members are up to date with their three-yearly updates in safeguarding training.

Insurance cover and rental agreements have been audited and comply with the HOB guidance. Safeguarding is at the heart of all activities that the church and PCC are involved in. Safeguarding is now

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an agenda item at every PCC meeting. Formal notices are displayed as advised by the HOB guidance, with the contact details of the various officers. Photographs still need to be provided for the notices of the PSOs, but this is in progress.

We have procedures in place to deal promptly with any safeguarding allegation or suspicion of abuse. However, this needs to be constantly reviewed, and a further audit is due prior to October 2023, in line with the new changes and audit process introduced by the Diocese after the 2019 review and the restrictions and difficulties caused by COVID-19. A three-yearly review and update with regard to Safeguarding policies and training are being implemented and under review of all PCC members now and in the future.

We have systems in place to ensure that any known offender or others who pose risks to children are identified.

There are some final checks that need to be reviewed regarding training and certificates, although the policies and procedures are in place. However, as always, they need to be more robust and kept under review.

Risk assessments are carried out in relation to all activities that take place within the church and the areas under its responsibility, and guidance is provided to all who hire premises under the church’s responsibility. New confidential declaration forms have been issued by the Diocese this week regarding persons involved in children and young person’s activities together with others who work with vulnerable persons.

Thankfully, there have been no major issues reported again this year. There was one minor incident reported that involved the possible safety of a lone member of the PCC locking up the Church. The other individual involved may have presented safeguarding issues as well, and this is under review.

Strong and robust procedures tend to ensure that the likelihood of any issues becomes less likely and, if arising, are dealt with appropriately and without as much pain and difficulty than if there are less stringent checks in place.

SACRED SPACE

It has been a difficult year for Sacred Space as we continue to recover from the adverse effects of Covid. Our numbers have dwindled and it is feeling increasingly unsustainable as things currently stand. Despite this we had community meals on 7th June and 15th October, we celebrated the Winter Solstice on 21st December and had discussion meetings on 9th November and 9th February. One of our members, Rachel Michael, has launched her 'Embodied Perspectives' website this year and has offered weekly online meditations during Advent and Lent.

I have been preaching regularly and led a Sacred Space service on the theme of fire on 23rd October. I was able to facilitate an interactive prayer activity for children at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations on 4th June last year, which I’ll be recreating at All Saints for the Coronation, and helped host a Lent Difference course, with help from Isobel and Julie. I plan to start a new weekly destress meditation in Kingston town centre as a way of reaching out to those who might consider themselves spiritual but not religious. Once I've attracted enough regular attendees, I will relaunch Sacred Space Kingston as a new monastic community. This is in the hope that a more robust

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structure in the will better enable growth and support on-going discipleship. Rev. Ian Mobsby, in the Diocese, is advising me and I secured a small grant of £250 which I will use for publicity purposes.

Andrea Campanale

SERVERS

As servers, our role is to provide essential assistance to Lindiwe before, during, and after the service, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and seamlessly. Our efforts help create a reverent worship experience for everyone.

One of our main responsibilities are to prepare the altar for communion prior to the service. This task offers a moment of tranquility, allowing us to gather our thoughts, appreciate the beauty of our church, and reflect on the sacred act of preparation before the congregation arrives. It is a time of quiet contemplation, where we play a crucial role in setting the stage for a meaningful worship and communion experience.

If you feel called to contribute as a server and would like to help in this role, we encourage you to reach out to any of the current servers or speak directly with Lindiwe. She will be delighted to provide you with more information and guidance. Serving as a server not only allows you to actively participate in the worship service but also enables you to make a meaningful difference within our church community. Nev Hall

SIDES-PEOPLE

The Sides-people are an invaluable team that warmly welcomes us all to St John's, assists us with seating arrangements, provides constant guidance, engages in compassionate conversations, and remains vigilant in responding to emergencies with calmness and efficiency etc. Their presence gives us a sense of belonging and hospitality. In the past year, they have warmly welcomed hundreds of people. Their efforts ensure a smooth and inclusive experience for all, displaying a willing and can-do attitude that goes above and beyond to make everyone feel welcome. Looking back on the past year, it is evident that their contributions have had a significant impact on our church and community. Everyone in the Sides-People team - thank you very much for your love and service. As we look to the future may God bless you all, as you continue to serve him by serving us. Lindiwe

PASTORAL REPORT

A team has been set up to coordinate our pastoral work. We meet every two months after church to discuss any pastoral needs, we have as a parish, and agree what we are going to do. We have created a lone working policy as well as home visit risk assessment, which have both been endorsed by the PCC, to ensure we are supporting the members of the pastoral team. If you know of anyone needing our support, please do contact Julie or Lindiwe.

THE TEAM RECTOR’S REPORT – APRIL 2023

It has been a great joy to take up the role of Team Rector for the Kingston Team Ministry since September last year. I’ve been largely based at All Saints where I’ve been appreciating the centrality of its location, the strength of its musical tradition, the long pedigree of its history and the friendliness of its café. But I’ve also enjoyed getting to know the parishes of St John the Evangelist in

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Spring Grove and St the Baptist in Kingston Vale, both of which have distinctive and valuable ministries within their local neighbourhoods. And I’ve been meeting inspiring people left, right and centre from all the various organisations and community groups in Kingston. I can honestly say, there has yet to be a dull day. Indeed, the Queen died on my first day in the job, and its been something of a whirlwind ever since. But I’m slowly finding my feet and starting to feel very much at home.

This is mainly due to the wonderful welcome that I’ve been given. Thank you for the warmth and friendliness that my family and I have received from so many people. It’s been greatly appreciated. I would also like to thank my colleagues who have been a great support since I started and who also did a sterling job in carrying the benefice through the interregnum. In particular, I’d like to thank William Allberry, who did a pretty much full-time interim-vicar job at All Saints, and the two churchwardens, John Dewhurst and Roshan Jathanna, who shouldered a huge amount of work and responsibility. I’m very aware that all three churches depend heavily on small teams of highly dedicated staff and volunteers and I’m hugely grateful for their commitment and talent.

Highlights of my time so far include the big services at All Saints, such as the Thanksgiving for the Queen and the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany Carol Services; the Licensing Service for Lindiwe Maseko as Team Vicar at St John the Evangelist; and the worship at St John the Baptist led by the new Korean families. I also really enjoyed leading confirmation courses, in partnership with Lesley Charlton, my URC colleague, and seeing both young people and adults grow in their faith, their confidence and their sense of belonging.

I’ve found that keeping our arrangements between the three churches loose and flexible works well as we respond to different contexts, opportunities and challenges. I sense that each church is going through a transition period and needing time and space to work out their own vision and strategy for mission. But as these emerge, I look forward to identifying common themes and opportunities for closer collaboration. So, when the time is right, we’ll reintroduce our Team Ministry conference,

bringing together our three PCC’s, to consider an overall Kingston Team Vision. I hope that, in taking our time, we ensure that this is a ‘bottomup’ process, rather than ‘top-down’. That is not to say that we shouldn’t do as much as possible together in the meantime. I’ve hugely

valued the weekly meetings that I have with my Team Vicar colleagues, Mandy Beck and Lindiwe

Maseko, along with Andrea Campanale, our local Lay Pioneer and leader of Sacred Space Kingston.

This ensures that we are regularly praying together, keeping up-to-date with news and remaining alive to new opportunities for collaboration and mission. I’m delighted that all three churches have big plans for the Coronation weekend, involving some exciting community events and celebrations. We have also booked a Kingston Team Outing to Salisbury Cathedral on Saturday October 28 th . Look out for details of how-to sign-up. And in the pipeline is a monthly Kingston Team Ministry e-bulletin

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which will help us to share news, stories and reflections between our three churches. So I’m full of hope for the future. It feels like an exciting journey that has only just begun. Let us pray for one another, that God may guide us on that journey and deepen our faith and friendship along the way. Joe Moffatt

ST JOHN THE BAPTIST – APRIL 2023

In continuity with the past and our faith we have once more sought to serve Jesus in this place, through prayer and acts of loving service.

Thanks to so many wonderful volunteers, 2022 was full of great community events in which we invited our neighbours to join in all kinds of celebrations. We began the year still wearing masks and ended it with delightful church full of laughter and fun with everyone including the donkey crowding into church. Thank you to Sue Richardson and amazing team who put on a Jubilee Party, and a Summer Fair. For the first time Christingles moved outside for a whole light in the dark event and of course the tribute bands were back!

This year has been marked by the of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and our dear friend Vera Francis. In the words of the Queen "Grief is the price we pay for love." We as a Christian community give thanks for those who have gone before us into heaven and of whom we are reminded Sunday by Sunday.

In 2022 we had a new Team Rector, Joe Moffat, and we look to a much more integrated team in the years to come. Our worship during 2022 was blessed by many bilingual services and lunches. We have become a ‘be well’ church and are seeking to find still more ways to create a loving community. We give thanks for our many blessings as we move into a new year.

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ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST, KINGSTON UPON THAMES

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AFFAIRS : YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

INCOME	Unrestricted	Restricted	2022	2021
Gift Aid	25296		25296	30483
Income Tax Recovered	8935		8935	10315
Loose Collections/Card Reader	4530		4530	2916
Donations/Grants	1757		1757	3378
Little Groovers	3261		3261	2025
Fund Raising - General	20285		20285	8488
Church Fees (net)	1102		1102	1079
Church Hire	16613		16613	7739
University Rent	16675		16675	16675
Interest	441		441	138
Missions	3494		3494	3417
Misc. Receipts	1451		1451	248
TOTAL	£103,839		£103,839	£86,902
EXPENDITURE	Unrestricted	Restricted	2022	2021
Missions & Affiliation Fees	3780		3780	3497
Education	393		393	300
Little Groovers	2564		2564	1620
Parish Support Fund	48000		48000	47000
Clergy Expenses	398		398	251
Church Administrator	2496		2496	2692
Organist Salary, Organ/Music	1740		1740	2020
Heating & Lighting	7143		7143	4883
Water Rates	192		192	120
Insurance	5559		5559	5412
Fundraising Expenses	7284		7284	3557
Church Repairs/Maintenance	8874		8874	7160
Regeneration Project	0		0	3424
Printing, Postage & Stationery	3948		3948	3377
Sundry Expenses	2125		2125	1261
TOTAL	£94,496		£94,496	£86,575
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT)			£9,343	£327
Transfer to reserves
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR			£9,343	£327
ADD ASSETS FROM 2021 BALANCE SHEET			£83,208	£82,881
ASSETS FROM 2022 BALANCE SHEET			£92,552	£83,208

STJOHN THE EVANGEusf. KING￿0￿ UPOt4 THAMES BALANCE SHE￿AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 2022 2021 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors Bank Current Account DeposFt Funds 2379 21218 72715 1910 15298 £963 LESS: CVRREKf UABIUTIES Sundry Credttors -37 NEf ASSErs £92￿22 REPRESENTED BY: Unrestrirted Fund Restricted Fund (AI- Re%eneration Restricted Fund IBI- LeRacv Restricted Fund ICI- Kingston Refu%ee 76 39538 20596 1742 20227 39538 20596 2847 £91552 NET ASSEfs . 31 DECEMBER Z022 8alances at l January 2021 Income Expendtture Surplus IDefKFtI Transfers between fun(ts Totals 83208 103839 94496 9343 20227 103839 94496 9343 1105 39538 20596 2847 -1105 Balances at 31 December 2022 0.676 £39538 £20.S96 £1.742 £92.552 SiRned . Church Treasurer SiRned . Team Vicar Independent Examiners Report I report on the accounts of St John the EvanRelist, Kinyston uwn Tharnes for the year ended 3V12122. My examination was carried out in accordance with the ￿eneral directions RNen by the CharÈty ComTSSiOn. This includes a review of the accountinK records kept by the church and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. I have examined the SOFA and Balance Sheet and confirni that these are in accordance with the accountinK records. receipts. invoices, statements and documents subrnitted to rne. S￿ed. Independent Examiner