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2022-12-31-accounts

St. Thomas’ Church, Crosscrake

Annual Report for Year Ending 31 December 2022

Aim and purposes

St. Thomas’ Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of cooperating with the Associate Vicar, the Reverend Terry Wilcock, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical.

Objectives and Activities The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at Crosscrake. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament. When planning our activities for the year, the incumbent and the PCC have considered the Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through: worship and prayer, ‘learning about the Gospel’ and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus. Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish; Missionary and outreach work. To facilitate this work it is important that we maintain the fabric of Crosscrake Church. We are currently pursuing a project to build a hall in the grounds of the church as a hub for the community in the absence of any hall in the village of Crosscrake.

Achievements and Performance

Worship and Prayer

Each Sunday the main service is Holy Communion which is adapted on the first Sunday of the month to be combined with an All Age Worship service which also gives the opportunity of including a baptism. Usually on the third Sunday of the month, for children aged tots to teens a Sunday Club Discovering Jesus is held simultaneously with the main service of Holy Communion. Other groups meet monthly in church including Teddy Thomas’ Tots and the Mother’s Union. All are welcome to attend our regular services. At present there are 78 parishioners on the Church Electoral Roll, 7 of whom are not resident within the parish. When we could not meet in church because of Covid a service was recorded each week which was vital to help people to keep in touch at home. Now that we are back to worshipping in church numbers are slowly increasing to where they were pre-Covid. The average weekly attendance is around 40-50 with much higher numbers attending on special occasions such as Easter and Christmas and for Harvest Festival. As well as our regular services, we enable our community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones of the journey through life. Through baptism we thank God for the gift of life, in marriage public vows are exchanged with God’s blessing and through funeral services friends and family express their grief and give thanks for the life which is now complete in this world and to commend the person into God’s keeping.

Deanery Synod

One member of the PCC sits on the deanery synod. This provides the PCC with an important link between the parish and the wider structure of the Church. A key issue for parishes in the deanery is the most effective deployment of stipendiary and non-stipendiary clergy.

The Church Building We keep our church open to our community for private prayer and the main door operates on a timer allowing the building to remain open during the daylight hours. A major refurbishment including a kitchen was completed twelve years ago and the building remains in a good state. There are minor maintenance issues e.g., guttering which needs repairing and some pointing to the south wall which we will need to address in the near future.

Pastoral Care The kitchen allows us to serve coffee after service and also to hold coffee mornings for charitable causes. During Lent, we hold weekly lunches in the parish hall in Sedgwick, a mile away. To celebrate the New Year or the Harvest Festival a meal has been arranged in the local pub. From time to time members of the parish may be unable to attend church due to sickness or age. Rev. Terry Wilcock has visited all church members who have requested it, to celebrate communion with them either at their homes or in hospital.

Mission and Evangelism

Helping those in need is a demonstration of our faith. Funds are raised and distributed to support a variety of good causes the Children’s Society, Christian Aid and the Bishop’s Appeal and locally Manna House.

Our parish magazine is produced monthly and is available in the Church as well as being distributed to subscribers. In addition Christmas and Easter cards are distributed to every household in the parish giving details of the special services around each festival.

Safeguarding

Introduction

Safeguarding has been a standing agenda item at each PCC meeting. All actions are in line with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy and Practice Guidance.

Formal Obligation

The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the safeguarding measure 2016 and follows the House of Bishops guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

Safeguarding Roles

Parish safeguarding officer; Mrs Kathryn Pym

DBS Recruiter and Verifiers Rev Canon Angela Whittaker and Mrs Kathryn Pym

Safeguarding Policy, Guidance and Information

The Parish safeguarding Policy was adopted by the PCC in November 2022. The Church of England

Policy for Domestic Abuse was also adopted at the same time.

The Parish follows the guidance set out in the following documents:

Safeguarding Learning and Development

The PSO is a safeguarding Trainer for Carlisle Diocese.

12 members of the PCC and children work leaders have completed basic and foundation level

training in January 2023.

Domestic Abuse Training will be completed when a place becomes available.

Further safeguarding training is available to members of the church community as and when

required.

Safer Recruitment and People Management.

The parish is aware of the guidance available and will be working towards the targets over the next 12 months.

Concerns Raised

No safeguarding concerns have been shared with the safeguarding officer.

No referrals have been made to the Diocesan safeguarding team

Additional Information

There is a culture of safeguarding across the church family – everyone prioritises safety and the

wellbeing of everyone. It is a welcoming and open parish. The nature of events and the layout of the

building promotes inclusive and shared activity.

Next Steps

The next priority is to agree the draft risk assessments for the following activities:

The action plan is shared an updated with the PCC during PCC meetings.

Community Hub Steering Group

The future of our church depends on making it relevant to a supportive community. This continues to be one of the driving forces behind this project. Post Covid restrictions, it has become increasingly evident that there is a need for a warm, welcoming place in the middle of the 2 parishes of Sedgwick and Stainton with easy access and on-site parking. We have a detailed business plan which includes essential services such as counselling, educational and advice workshops, practical support and social activities, delivered in collaboration with community groups and volunteers, voluntary agencies and charities e.g., Age UK, Mind and CAP. One of its main selling points will be the emphasis on it being a warm, energy efficient, accessible space, open to everyone. It will not operate in competition with either Sedgwick Village Hall, or Stainton Institute which offer very different facilities .We have been given amazing local support which has generated in excess of £65,000. This now means we`re eligible to apply for external grant funding. Some applications have already been submitted and others are ready to go. We do however need to continue with our fundraising to ensure we meet all our objectives and complete the building to a high specification, as soon as possible.

Financial Review

Total receipts on unrestricted funds were £48 889.99 in 2022. An increase in income of almost £18,133.71 compared with 2021 was mainly due to the lifting of Covid restrictions. £20 817.94 was spent to provide the Christian ministry from St. Thomas’ Church, including the contribution to the diocesan parish share. The net result for the year was an excess of receipts over payments of £6,344.88. The balances of unrestricted funds carried forward at 31 December 2022 is £28,122.80. In addition there is a separate account, the Hub account, which is designated for the money raised towards the Crosscrake Community Hub project.

Reserves Policy

It is PCC policy to try and give 10% of our income from planned giving and collections in grants or charitable giving. The Virgin Money account was opened following a generous legacy which provides unrestricted funds for use for any unexpected expenditure particularly in connection with maintenance of the church building.

Volunteers

We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our Church the lively and caring community it is. In particular we want to mention our churchwardens, Mike Critchlow and Marlene Little, who work so tirelessly on our behalf.

Structure, governance and management At Crosscrake Church the membership of the PCC consists of our Associate Vicar, churchwardens and members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the church. All those who attend our services / members of the congregation are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC. The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent.

Administrative information

St. Thomas Church is situated in Crosscrake, near Kendal. It is part of the Diocese of Carlisle within the Church of England. The correspondence address is: 4 Abbey Drive, Natland, Kendal, LA9 7QN PCC members who have served from 8th May 2021 until the date this report was approved are:

Ex Officio members Associate Priest: The Reverend TerryWilcock, Wardens: Mr Michael Critchlow Mrs Marlene Little, Elected members: Mr Alan Frostick Treasurer - 2024 Mrs Gill Frostick Representative on Deanery Synod until 2023, Mr John Fisher Secretary until 2023, Mr Robert Cowley until 2024,Mrs Brenda Richardson until 2024 Mrs Michelle O’Hara until 2023, Mrs Julie Blackburn until 2023, Mrs Kathryn Pym until 2025, Mrs Elizabeth Ward until 2025, Mr Daniel Mason until 2025.

St Thomas’ Church Crosscrake

CROSSCRAKE COMMUNITY HUB PROJECT Taking action – Changing lives

AUDITED ACCOUNTS

Year Ending 31 December 2022

Charitable Status:

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF SAINT THOMAS, CROSSCRAKE (Working Name for the project: St Thomas Crosscrake Community Hub)

Registered Charity in England and Wales 1190687

WEBSITE: www.crosscrake.church DATE: February 2023

1. St Thomas’ PCC Crosscrake – Audited & Signed Accounts

2021 Blwn¢¢oA Jgmury I" Blianre on Dettmber31" SDryIn￿l)¢fjClt overymr 1552.09 1852.25 3(4).16 185225 2 15424 301.99 IZ mollthly @ £25 l]tteTest 0.16 Surp]￿Iden¢￿t ofrts over 3(KI.16 1.99 VIr￿¥ MwJ¢y 10 884.09 10 947.40 63.31 10947AO 10 984.02 Blaneeott DÈ¢e•ber31. SurylwwD¢fi¢iÈ Tra￿tsr 62 PaymeDts Styryiwldefidt of refts over PAymellts 63.31 36ffj2 ststejnent ofAJ And Ll•bllllles 131° Detembtr 202L Total 2021 8 639.66 1852.25 '•. 10 947.40 £2143931 Totsi 20n 14 984.54 2 IS4.24 Current A¢¢outtt Vlryhn Mrthry 28122￿. Hub £25 549.68 539 98 Ht)L TreMrer Holl. Audltor '

2. Crosscrake Community Hub Project – Audited & Signed

Accounts

St Thomas’ Church Crosscrake

CROSSCRAKE COMMUNITY HUB PROJECT Taking action – Changing lives

AUDITED ACCOUNTS

Year Ending 31 December 2022

Charitable Status:

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF SAINT THOMAS, CROSSCRAKE (Working Name for the project: St Thomas Crosscrake Community Hub)

Registered Charity in England and Wales 1190687

WEBSITE: www.crosscrake.church DATE: February 2023

1. St Thomas’ PCC Crosscrake – Audited & Signed Accounts

2021 Blwn¢¢oA Jgmury I" Blianre on Dettmber31" SDryIn￿l)¢fjClt overymr 1552.09 1852.25 3(4).16 185225 2 15424 301.99 IZ mollthly @ £25 l]tteTest 0.16 Surp]￿Iden¢￿t ofrts over 3(KI.16 1.99 VIr￿¥ MwJ¢y 10 884.09 10 947.40 63.31 10947AO 10 984.02 Blaneeott DÈ¢e•ber31. SurylwwD¢fi¢iÈ Tra￿tsr 62 PaymeDts Styryiwldefidt of refts over PAymellts 63.31 36ffj2 ststejnent ofAJ And Ll•bllllles 131° Detembtr 202L Total 2021 8 639.66 1852.25 '•. 10 947.40 £2143931 Totsi 20n 14 984.54 2 IS4.24 Current A¢¢outtt Vlryhn Mrthry 28122￿. Hub £25 549.68 539 98 Ht)L TreMrer Holl. Audltor '

2. Crosscrake Community Hub Project – Audited & Signed

Accounts