Sacred Trinity Church, Salford Annual Report for 2022 April 2023 *) ## SACRED TRINITY CHURCH Deanery of Salford, Diocese of Manchester PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS 2022/23 |Rector|Andy Salmon| |---|---| |Lay Vice Chair:|Lorna Cook| |Churchwardens:|Vacant| |Church Warden Emeritus|Les Kott| |Deputy Churchwarden|Vacant| |Treasurer:|Lorna Cook| |Gift Aid Secretary:|Peter Hughes| |PCC Secretary:|Michaela Salmon| |Deanery Synod Rep|Neil Worthington and John Hardman| |Safeguarding Co-ordinator|Mel O’Neill| |Sides people|In abeyance during the pandemic| |Sacristan|Margaret Kott| |Electoral Roll Officer:|Vacant| Other Council Members: Vacancy (2025) Lorna Cook (2023) Melanie O’Neill (2024) Michaela Salmon (2024) Vacancy (2023) Lev Eakins (2024) Honorary Clergy: Rev Rebecca Craven (NSM) (until July 2022) The PCC accounts are held at; Co-operative Bank, Delf House, Skelmersdale WN8 6GH ## **Report of the Rector** The past 3 years have all been quite challenging. At the beginning of 2022 we definitely still felt that things had not returned to normal, post-covid. I feel that from the summer onwards though, our numbers have gone up again. We have been very busy with baptisms and have had weddings again and our numbers on a Sunday are back to more like they were before Covid. We are now averaging about 30 on a Sunday morning and anything from 8 to 25 on a Sunday evening. Our attendance is still fairly erratic and we have lost some good financial givers and suffered a bit of a dip in regular giving. We have however, been blessed with new people which is great. I hope that people will be able to take on more active involvement in the running of the church as we need new Church Wardens and new Parochial Church Council members. Amongst the comings and goings this year we have been very sad to lose Margaret Kott who has been an absolute rock of Sacred Trinity and has been incredibly generous and supportive over the years. She had also been very ill for a long time and her funeral was an occasion of great sadness but also of celebration. We have also been sad to say goodbye to Rebecca who after many years service has moved on to pastures new. We also said goodbye to Lisa who was an excellent TFG volunteer but is now studying Psychology in Germany. We have gained a new TFG volunteer, in Ethan Roberts who has settled in really well and we have Simon Peters on placement with us who brings interesting experience and insights from his URC background. We are really pleased to have Neil Whittaker with us when he isn’t helping out elsewhere. Neil is a self-supporting priest who brings many gifts and is currently organising a busy art day for us. Our major building project hasn’t made much progress so far due to not meeting the criteria for those we have asked for funding. We will continue to try to raise the money we need to finalise our plans and identify the way ahead for the major project. We have already raised some of this money from our own congregation and for this we are grateful. If you would like to make a donation please let us know. We still hold to our vision statement which is that we seek to “build friendship and community in which faith, hope and love can transform lives”. This means that are committed to engage with our community and use the resources we have such as our building and our people, both on our own and in partnership with others to build better community and share the love of God. In pursuit of this our Community Choir (the Flat Iron Choir) has been particularly successful as the numbers have now stabilised at a good point and there is a genuine growth of friendship and community as well as lots of music. Place of Welcome on a Tuesday lunchtime has also been going very well. The numbers have not been large but those who come really appreciate it and the partnership with Salford’s Health Improvement Team has been beneficial to all involved. The Chapel Street Camera Club have been meeting again post-covid in church for a regular catch up and planning and each week out and about. Our bell ringers (the MUGs) continue to be an important part of our church community and get us noticed with their regular Sunday morning ringing. We offer hospitality to Manchester School of Samba, to the AA, to Manchester Migrant Solidarity and a recent partnership is with Salford Hong Kongers. We continue to host concerts and art events and also allow people to film and record in our building which helps with income as well as building relationships. Looking forward, we are very pleased that Peter Hughes will be ordained deacon in July and will serve us as non-stipendiary curate. We are quite a diverse community and hope to get that diversity better represented on our PCC. As well as progressing with the building plans we want to continue to grow the church community and the community activity in our building. As I write this we are in the season of Easter and reflecting on the way that the risen Christ walks with us. My prayer for Sacred Trinity is that we will know Christ alongside us and continue to discover and nurture God’s new life in this place where we are and in these people that are our community. Rev Canon Andy Salmon ## **Electoral Roll** Our Electoral Roll has been revised and currently stands at 32 names. ## **Safeguarding** Sacred Trinity has a Parish Safeguarding Officer who is Mel O’Neil and she can be contacted via safeguarding@sacredtrinity.org.uk. We work in line with the National Church safeguarding policy and procedures. Mel is stepping down and we need to recruit a new person to take on this role. We are very grateful to Mel for her contribution over the years. ## **Secretary report for Annual Parochial Council - 2023** There were six PCC meetings between April 2022 and April 2023. Copies of the PCC meeting minutes are available for inspection upon request. Meetings have taken place mainly face-to-face, with some joining online. Safeguarding has been a standing agenda item and the PCC has considered various ways to ensure we’ve done everything we can to make sure all members and visitors to the church are kept as safe as possible, including those who attend separate groups taking place in church such as bell ringers, samba, AA etc. Church finances and the building have also featured regularly on our agendas, especially with the rising cost of fuel bills and other essential costs to keep the building open and welcoming to our community. We’ve also discussed the Mission Action Plan, our mission community and new initiatives such as Places of Welcome and planned social events to help the congregation get to know each other better and to welcome newcomers, as well as other events such as Heritage Open Days. We’ve also discussed the programme of services and other activities to celebrate Christmas and Easter. We’ve discussed staffing: this has included saying goodbye to Rebecca Craven as she retired and to Lisa Fischer who finished her Time For God volunteer year and welcoming Neil Whittaker as a part time self supporting minister and Ethan Roberts as the new Time for God volunteer. We are also pleased that Peter Hughes will be deaconed and will become our non stipendiary curate in July 2023. Thanks to everyone that has contributed to these meetings and for work carried out by the PCC members between meetings, which enable the church to continue its mission. Michaela Salmon ## **Music Director’s report 2022 - 2023** ## Achievements over the year - Church The process of re-learning and stabilising the church’s musical repertoire, following the return from the pandemic, is more or less complete but a new, and very welcome, challenge is the increase in the number of weddings. Wedding repertoire is a different thing to church repertoire based around a series of standards and I have started to acquire those standards. The Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin by Wagner and the Wedding march from a midsummer night’s dream by Mendelssohn are now fairly secure. I am now working on an arrangement of the Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel and the Air from the Water Music by Georg Friedrich Händel for a wedding in July. ## Achievements over the year - Choir The choir now has over 20 members, although regular attendances are around 15 - 16. Last year’s report noted that having 20 members was a goal for the choir, so it is pleasing to see that we have achieved it. Attendance at performances is stronger, too, with 16 members coming to sing at the recent “Dreamspace ; Seeds of hope” event, the highest attendance at a performance other than “Beer and Carols”. The new format, pioneered last year, with 4 performances over the year; “Beer and Carols”, the carol service; a spring concert and an informal summer concert, is highly successful and popular. Additionally , the choir has formed itself into a mutually supportive community thanks, in part, to our WhatsApp group which enables members to interact outside of choir practice, but also on a conscious ethos of learning and growing together. Choir practices have featured much more technical work which has resulted in the choir’s tone and voice production improving dramatically which, in turn, makes the choir a more inviting prospect for potential members. The choir, over the last year, has contributed around £50.00 a week to church coffers, which is welcome at a time when the church is under financial stress. I am very grateful to Ethan Roberts for the efficient way that he has run the “front of house” functions; hospitality and payment, leaving me to focus on music. ## Summary Achievements this year have focussed on the choir, but this has been a time of growth in numbers and of community building for the choir. ## **TfG/YAGM Volunteer Report** It has been both a joy and an honour to serve as the Sacred Trinity volunteer for the past eight months. You all have welcomed me into your lives and have made this place feel like home. For me, it is a testament to how Sacred Trinity lives out the love of Christ. So, I begin this report with a huge thank you to this community for all it has done for me. My schedule during our time together has been varied and never dull. I work here at Sacred Trinity on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. I help set up for services and other such events (such as Silence in the City or Places of Welcome) and do other tasks like making the notice sheets, sending the weekly email, and designing & sharing posts on our social media. Making lots of tea and coffee is another critical part of my role. Along with those three regular days, I am also at church on Monday nights to open up and have drinks waiting for The Flat Iron Choir. I do stay to sing with them, and this group has been a vital part of my overall experience. Finally, I also occasionally assist in setting up for gigs and running the bar. During the day on Mondays, I am down the road at Friars Primary School. I spend my time there working with the rambunctious yet delightful Year Five students; especially the ones who need a bit more nudging to do their work or are struggling to learn English. As exhausting as those days can be, I am always excited to see those kids. Come Thursday, I am at an area L’Arche home, serving people living with learning disabilities. Here, I have come to appreciate being with and understanding others in a new way. The greatest part of my job is that its key element is simply being present with others, including all of you. Whether it’s having drinks at Place of Welcome, chatting with someone on a Health-History Walk, sitting quietly with a core member at L’Arche, or answering a thousand questions from the kids at Friars, being present in such moments with those people is what it’s all about. There are times when that doesn’t feel like work, and there are instances when it most certainly does. Either way, I have come to see how living vulnerably and allowing our lives to intertwine has shaped and grown mine in numerous ways. When I return home to America in a few months, I will do so with a deeper faith, a more inclusive heart, and multiple new perspectives. The world would be better served if more churches were like Sacred Trinity. It may appear small; it braves attendance problems and money issues that numerous similar congregations likewise face. Yet through it I have met some of the loveliest, quirkiest, wisest, and most eclectic - all around best - people I have ever been privileged to know. It’s difficult for me to find the words to describe what a wonderful place Sacred Trinity is. I am truly blessed to be doing my year of service here with you. Ethan Roberts ## **Deanery and Diocesan Synods:** I represent Sacred Trinity on Salford & Leigh Deanery Synod, and I represent the Deanery on Diocesan Synod. Both Synods have now returned fully to meeting in person. Both meet three times a year, and try to move around their respective areas, which can mean some long journeys. Deanery Synod has been pre-occupied by the move to Mission Communities. This is of particular interest for Sacred Trinity as we are very much a city centre parish, albeit in the City of Salford, and so we have joined a cross-border Mission Community. While this is all well and good, I retain some concern that our links with the wider Salford community may wither. Our church was founded to minister to the people of Salford, who had no local church at the time, and the financial support of the Booth Charities is based on that local ministry. Diocesan Synod has been pre-occupied by financial issues, mainly the slump in Parish Share payments, but also the reduced income from investments and fees for "occasional services" like weddings and funerals. The Diocesan Board of Finance, which is Diocesan Synod again but wearing a different hat, has had to agree to reductions in expenditure and the sale of Church House, which for many years had been at 90 Deansgate in Manchester. A slimmed-down head office has now been established in church property in Bury. Also on the agenda for both Synods have been the energy crisis, in financial terms, and the practical challenges of moving to net zero carbon dioxide emissions. Grants have been made available to the diocese, from the Church Commissioners nationally. Diocesan Synod voted to distribute over half of this money as lump sums to each church building, including Sacred Trinity, and to distribute the remainder to churches that were particularly struggling. Grants have also been available for such practical measures as low energy light bulbs and insulation. Other topics for Diocesan debate have included the _Living in Love and Faith_ report, and its implications, though of course the real decisions are the responsibility of General Synod. We have also been introduced to Wiggle the Worm, an enthusiastic but inarticulate evangelist. It/they did not seem to identify with any particular sex but clearly has great appeal for children and is part of the _Children Changing Places_ mission project. For once, it's a good thing to open up a can of worms. And we spent a long time over two Synods on the very topical issue of individual cups for communion wine. After much debate, Synod decided not to support this. It is not something that any one diocese can decide for itself anyway; it would only have been forwarded to General Synod with a request for the House of Bishops to consider it. But the science and the ecclesiastical legalities were fascinating. Neil Worthington ## **A Place Of Welcome Report 2022** _Jesus said “Anyone who welcomes You welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me” Matthew 10:40_ The doors at Sacred Trinity have often been open on a Tuesday for anyone who wishes to come into church. In considering how we could play our part in reducing the feelings of isolation in the community (so evident at the end of the Covid pandemic) in the spring of 2022 the PCC gave their blessing to changing the Tuesday opening into becoming a Place Of Welcome. Places Of Welcome are part of a network of community spaces open for a specific time each week to welcome anyone in with a hot drink, light refreshments and the opportunity to stay and chat. In the case of Sacred Trinity this is from 12noon until 2pm on a Tuesday. The PCC invested in corporate banners to advertise this new status on the railings outside the building and above the entrance door. Since that time it has been a privilege to welcome in a diverse range of guests from members of the local community to visitors from overseas who have recently decided to settle in the area; some who have a connection with the church but many who have not. Refreshments, treats and time to chat are freely available for whoever comes through those church doors. But this is a weekly drop in with a difference! From the very beginning colleagues from Salford Health Improvement Team have used the Place Of Welcome as a base to start health walks combined with talks for those wishing to improve their English and those keen to help them. We are indebted to Robert Hincks, Health Development Officer, for being the catalyst that has seen these walks become an integral part of the Tuesday activity at church. Keith, who spent most of his time isolated at his home in Eccles said, "When I heard 'A Place of Welcome' announced during our monthly Open Table for LGBTIQ+ People and their supporting friends, l thought 'let me give it a try this Tuesday. And I've ever since attended almost every Tuesday, without regret. I've met international friends, like Andrew and his wife Miriam, from Hong Kong. We share our experiences as settlers in Salford, even after Tuesday, on social media, while improving our English as a second language." The year ended on the Tuesday before Christmas where regular attenders of both the Place Of Welcome and the Talk English Health Walks came together for a wonderful celebration party to underline the positive impact that opening church on a Tuesday is having on the health and wellbeing of so many lives. ## **Manchester Universities Guild of Change Ringers (MUGs)** Last year, the MUGs were very active with regard to ringing, especially bringing the community together for the annual barbecue, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and the proclamation of assession of Charles III and also . We have also rung for the annual Booth Charities service in July. Over the past year, we have also had many people leave due to completion of their studies, and also plenty of people join the MUGs. We have had a student from Germany who came to learn to ring and she has progressed at a brilliant rate with many quarter peals scored by her last year. We have also had two ringing freshers join us in September which was also brilliant. In the summer, the MUGs went on a summer weekend tour to Rugby, and in November, the MUGs successfully hosted the NUA ringing weekend which saw guilds/societies from universities in the North of England come to Manchester to compete for the trophies, and this was thoroughly enjoyed by those who attended. ## **Chapel Street Camera Club** Chapel Street Camera Club started as Chapel Street Community Arts Camera Club circa 2010, but changed its’ name in 2016. We are a group of friends who meet every Thursday, visiting interesting places usually round Manchester or Salford area to take photos and socialise. (We always try to finish our meeting in a Coffee Shop and are thinking of changing our name to “Cameras & Cake”!) We meet every 6-8 weeks at Sacred Trinity to plan our trips and are very grateful for the coffee/tea and biscuits provided. We have a Facebook page with 106 members who post all sorts of interesting photographs, with a weekly Challenge. The Challenge is set by the previous weeks’ winner. 6 photos allowed entry, winner is photo with most ‘likes’; and we have seen some amazing photographs, some taken on our trips, others from members own collection. Our weekly meetings are usually attended by about 8-10 of us, as not all members are always free on Thursday afternoon. We will be having an exhibition of a small selection of photos at Castlefield Viaduct in August (see our FB page nearer the time for details). If you would like more information or want to join us on our Thursday meet, check the FB page under our name. Mike Aspinall ## **Alcoholics Anonymous** During this last year we have welcomed 16 newcomers to our meetings this encompasses all race’s religions and sexuality. AA is a totally inclusive organisation the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. The church provides a spiritual haven for those in need, its location is ideal for attracting visitors to the city. We are grateful to have such a wonderful location for our meetings. ## **Manchester Migrant Solidarity** Without Sacred Trinity Church, members of Manchester Migrant Solidarity wouldn't have been able to find a space to regularly meet up for our self-help, empowerment and peer support. Thank You. ## **TREASURER’S REPORT – 2022** It is with pleasure that I again present the accounts to Sacred Trinity Church PCC, and all members of the church, for the year ended 31 December 2022. Following another challenging year in 2021, I am pleased to report the steady increase in receipts, again it would be appropriate to compare these accounts to those of 2019 rather than last year for a more accurate comparison. It will be noticeable that the Income is considerably higher than in previous years and this is due to grants & donations having been received especially for heating costs in the main & I would refer you to the notes on the General Fund page of the accounts, which explain this in more detail. In addition, a grant was received towards the costs of the community choir. Interest rates have of course been increasing and this has been reflected in the funds held on deposit. The electronic means of donating are becoming more familiar and well used, thank you. If you are able to gift aid donations please do so as this is an important additional source of income for us and if you need any assistance regarding this please speak to Peter who acts as our Gift Aid Secretary. As expected, heating costs have increased and again I wish to express sincere thanks to Neil Worthington who spent numerous hours discussing our options with both brokers and suppliers, resulting eventually in new gas & electricity contracts which will see us into 2024 when hopefully prices will have reduced. It should be noted that the utility costs for the winter periods of 2023 are still likely to be expensive given the way the suppliers purchase gas & their pricing structure. We are very grateful for all the additional assistance we have received towards these expenses. Again, I take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to church in 2022, which has enabled us to pay our parish share in full and maintain the running costs of the church. It is with sadness that we note the passing of Margaret Kott who as most of you may know was an avid supporter of Sacred Trinity over her lifetime, we give special thanks to Margaret & Les for their generous donations. Various groups and external rentals have continued to make use of the facilities at Sacred Trinity and we are always on the lookout for new opportunities to enhance this source of income. We were able to support both The Booth Centre and Christian Aid during the year. The introduction of electronic devices for receding donations is being widely used which is encouraging. We have been very fortunate for the support from Church House in Manchester in respect of the car parking which we provide to them, and they pay for, this represents half of our annual parish share. However, from March 2023 following the move to new offices in Bury these receipts will end. We hope to find alternative parties interested in paying for these car parking spaces. We were again able to support the work undertaken by both The Booth Centre & Christian Aid during the year and funds raised from the Beer & Carols & other events in December were passed to The Booth Centre in January 2023. Hopefully the figures in the accounts are self-explanatory however if anyone has any specific questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. David Martin has again independently examined our accounts and has signed them off and his note is available upon request. As we now look to the future your support remains crucial, and as Andy says most weeks your contributions are needed, to help not only maintain Sacred Trinity but help us improve and move forward & so costs such as those of the architects are necessary for us to plan for the future of the church, so again if you want to donate and need more details on how to do this, please just ask myself or Andy. My sincere thanks to everyone for their contributions to Sacred Trinity. 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É2.52202 I￿￿￿¥m¢h￿StOr0ts￿Sts asa £3,￿￿￿D hDmThe Booth B5B yranttsmy￿5 Wn9 fU515 DIE14.593 2Q sts, underX)W Approved by the PCC on 22nd March 2023 and signed on their behalf by An��Sal��� Lorn�Coo� The Revd Andy Salmon (PCC Chairperson) and Ms Lorna Cook (PCC Treasurer)