St. Thomas of Canterbury Dodbrooke Parish Church Annual Report
and
Financial Statement
of the
Parochial Church Council Year ending 31st December 2022
Charity Number 800215
Rector
Revd. Prebendary J Taylor The Rectory Church Street, Kingsbridge Devon TQ7 INW (Until 30[th] September 2022)
Asst. Curate
Reverend M Gorton The Vicarage Townsend Close West Alvington TQ7 3QA
Reader
Mrs A Sarjeant
Bank
Lloyds Bank PLC Fore Street Kingsbridge Devon
PCC Hon Secretary
Mrs S Morgan
Independent Examiner
Mrs H Hack Helen Solomon Ltd Unit 4G, South Hams Business Park Churchstow Devon TQ7 3QH
2022 Report and Accounts for the Parochial Church Council of St Thomas of Canterbury, Dodbrooke
Aims and Purposes
The Incumbent retired on 30[th] September 2022 and the Parish is now in vacancy going into 2023. Dodbrooke PCC has the responsibility for co-operating, with the Incumbent, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It also has the responsibility for maintenance of the church, the churchyard and the church hall.
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 St. Thomas. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and actively engages in 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.
Together with the Mission Community churches of St Edmund King and Martyr, Kingsbridge and All Saints West Alvington, our church offers pastoral care to those who are unable to attend church due to illness or age. The Incumbent, Curate and Reader have continued to take Home Communion to members of the Mission Community unable to attend church due to frailty.
The Rector and Curate have continued to offer a well-attended monthly service for residents at Kahala Court , a local residential home for the elderly which has been encouraged and supported by the staff.
Worship and Prayer
The Diocesan priorities: Growing in prayer, Making Disciples and Serving the people of Devon with joy have continued to be our aim across the Mission Community and therefore in the life of St Thomas’. The PCC is keen to enter into opportunities for a breadth of services and has embraced the pattern of Mission Community worship each Sunday in one of our three churches. In worshipping together each week as a Mission Community, the sense of unity has greatly increased, this being an area identified as a priority in our Mission Action Plan.
The PCC fully support the church being regularly open for the community for Private Prayer and Reflection throughout the week. Services are now offered as streamed services in real time on two Sundays in the month.
St Thomas’ church building continues to be offered to the neighbouring Community Primary School for educational visits and as a space to explore about the Christian Faith. As a Mission Community we also draw on the richness of worship and prayer of other denominations when we join together in Churches Gathering Kingsbridge services and events.
The PCC is keen to encourage the creativity of lay ministry. Within our services, members from St Thomas’ participate along with those from the other Mission Community churches in regularly offering the readings and intercessions. We are the one church in the Mission Community to have an organist whose skills and gifts greatly enhance our worship. Our worship at St Thomas’ is also enhanced through the belltower captain overseeing a team of keen ringers.
Eucharistic ministry was offered by our Rector and by our Curate. Prayer and worship have also continued in the context of the Homegroup which has continued throughout the year.
We seek to serve the people of Devon with joy, supporting our local community and that means being there for our local community in times of joy and sorrow. As well as our regular services, we have sought to serve the communities of which we are a part in the ministry of Occasional Offices, at the milestones of the journey through life
Deanery Synod
Two members of the Parochial Church Council sit on the Deanery Synod and one member regularly offers reports to the P.C.C. In 2202 Synod met three times. In February Peter Barker stepped down from the post of Lay Chair and Ken Ball was elected to the post. During the year presentations were received concerning General Synod updates from Venerable D Dettmer and Next Steps from Bishop James Grier.
Church Fabric
The Quinquennial Inspection of the church took place on 24[th] March 2022. The subsequent Inspection report contained various recommendations for improvement or repair, listed according to urgency. West Access come on a regular 6 monthly basis to check the gutters, downpipes and roof. They replace or repair broken and slipped tiles where necessary. They point out any areas of concern in their reports. Annual PAT testing and FFS servicing took place. The gas heating system has been of concern during the year requiring several visits by the engineer. It is an unsatisfactory heating system and yet it is difficult to find an economical and environmentally alternative.
The Church Terrier and Inventory and Church Log book are up to date.
The Church architect concluded that “The Church is generally well maintained and in good condition”
Mission and Outreach work
Mission is a priority on our PCC Agenda and an integral area of discussion. During the year we have been seeking how to engage with our communities. Our “A Church Near You” web page links to this. These initiatives seek to maximise opportunities to engage in outreach and mission through the internet and social media.
Volunteers from St Thomas have been integral in enabling the church to be open for the community during the week for stillness, prayer and reflection.
Members have been involved in the organisation and offering of meals for school children in the holidays through the local ecumenical initiative ‘Soul Food,’ and supporting the Foodbank through deliveries out into the community and the church and members supporting this by financial giving. Wordwise, the Christian bookshop and Community Café is also supported in various ways by volunteers.
Our own Community Café and outreach for the parent/carer/ under 5’s through ‘Chatterbox’ has not yet restarted . However, the strengthening of links and relationship with the large neighbouring Community Primary Academy has continued, our Curate offering regular assemblies and participating in opportunities for class and whole school engagement.
The two benefice house groups which meet weekly and have an ecumenical dynamic, have continued to flourish.. They are led by gifted and committed members from the Mission Community. The nurturing of disciples in these groups is integral to the development of a mission mindset within the churches.
Grants totalling £1645.00 have supported various charities both abroad and at home. Our Sea Sunday service, supported the work of the Mission to Sea Farers and members also contributed to Christian Aid week. Although not overtly mission focussed, the church continued to be involved with the other Mission Community churches in the Samaritans purse Shoe Box initiative for children. St Thomas’ also supports Kingsbridge Youth for Christ.
All are welcome to attend our regular services either in-church or via Zoom. At the end of 2022 there were 65 people on the Electoral Roll .
We have paid our Common Fund request in full, contributing to the mission and ministry of our Mission Community and the diocese.
Ecumenical Engagement
At St Thomas, we also draw on the richness of worship and prayer of other denominations through opportunities to join together in Kingsbridge Churches Gathering services and events. A member of the congregation is on the Planning Group which meets quarterly. On Good Friday an ecumenical walk of Witness took place and in October there was a well-attended Bible Weekend, held in the churches in Kingsbridge.. The church continues to support ecumenical outreach through volunteer support for the town’s Christian Bookshop ‘Word wise” At Christmas, our Roman Catholic sisters and brothers were warmly invited to participate in the Christmas Carol service.
Financial Review
Planned giving of £19,981.95 through envelopes, Bankers Orders and Direct Debits, was gratefully received. Many people now pay their giving directly through the Parish Giving Scheme, administered by the Gloucester Diocese. The advantage of this Scheme to the Church is that the Gift Aid tax is reclaimed immediately and deposited into the Church bank account the same month.
Total receipts to the General Fund amounted to £58,897.67 This includes income generated from lettings at the Parish Hall. The amount received from the Dodbrooke Feoffees was £10,620.05 and interest payments from the Long-Term Investment fund and the Churchyard fund amounted to £8,006.34 and £1,196.11 respectively.
£58,862.80. was spent to provide the Christian ministry from Dodbrooke Church and includes our contribution of £33,360.00 to the Common Fund. The amount spent, deducted from the income received and bank and deposit balances brought forward at the beginning of the year, shows a total of £33,022.26 in the General Fund on 31[st] December 2022 Included in this amount is £2777.85 put aside for particular purposes. Deducting this amount shows a net balance of £30,246.41 in the General Fund on 31[st] December 2022
Safeguarding
The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016. (Duty to have regard to House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults) The Parochial Church Council for St Thomas of Canterbury Dodbrooke fully recognises and accepts the House of Bishops’ Safeguarding Policy Statement “Making a Safer Church 2017”, and commits to complying with the current Church of England and Diocesan safeguarding policies and practice guidance. Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibilities related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the Church is in accordance with the House of Bishops’ Safer Recruitment: Practice Guidance 2016 . 2022 has been a quiet year with no safeguarding concerns. Some PCC members have completed their DBS renewal which now needs to be done every three years.
Some members have also undertaken the required online safety training The Dodbrooke Parish Dashboard keeps everyone up to date with safeguarding needs and requirements.
Volunteers
The members of the PCC would like to thank all the volunteers who work so tirelessly to ensure that our church is a welcoming and open community. Our special thanks go to our Churchwarden. The team of volunteers who are committed to maintaining the church and its grounds are invaluable and we would like to express our thanks to them. There are volunteers who are involved in so many different areas of church life and make possible our outreach initiatives, fundraising initiatives and social gatherings and make so many areas of church life possible. We would like to express our thanks to them all
Structure and Management
The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance in the parish, and for all financial matters. The full PCC met several times during the year The Annual Meeting of Parishioners and APCM took place on 28th April 2022. One Churchwarden was elected. Given its wide responsibilities, the PCC has a number of sub committees each dealing with a particular aspect of parish life. These include Worship, Fabric, Social and Fundraising and Mission and Outreach.
Members of the PCC are either ex officio or elected by the annual parochial church meeting in accordance with the Church Representational rules.
All those who are regular attendees at church services are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and to stand for election to the PCC.
Administrative Information
The Church is situated in Church Street, Kingsbridge, TQ7 1NW and is part of the Deanery of Woodleigh in the Diocese of Exeter. The correspondence address is The Rectory, Church Street, Kingsbridge. Devon TQ7 INW.
PCC members who have served in the current year:
Rector
Reverend Prebendary J Taylor (until 30[th] September 2022)
Curate in Training
Reverend M Gorton (From Sept 2020)
Reader
Mrs. A Sarjeant
Churchwarden
Mrs. F.P. Beauchamp
Assistant Churchwarden s
Mr. B Greenhill (co-opted)
Deanery Synod Representatives
Mrs. A Cowling Ms. S Morgan
Elected Members
Mr. R Brett (Lay Chair) (resigned APCM 2022) Mrs. B Gidley (Safeguarding Officer) (to April 2024) Mrs. Davidson (to April 2025) Mrs. J Greenhill (to April 2023) Mrs. M Brett (Treasurer ) (to April 2023 (Lay Chair from APCM 2022) Mrs. F.P. Beauchamp (to April 2023)