StMarysParishChurchwiththeSeckfordChapel

Woodbridge

ANNUALREPORT20122013

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StMarysParochialChurchCouncil20122013Chairman TheRevdCanonKSMcCormackViceChairman MissVHowe(Churchwarden)Churchwarden MrSWWorkmanAssistantPriest TheRevdCanonPJBrownReader ExOfficio MrMSBooth DiocesanSynodRepresentative MrsMHarethroughtheDeanerySynodDeanerySynodRepresentatives MrsPBird

MrsMHareMrsLSheepshanks

ChurchesTogetherinWoodbridge MrsPBirdandMelton

HonoraryTreasurer MrDSharplesHonorarySecretary MrsCEadenElectedLayMembers To2013 MrAHester MrJWright To2014 MrsJGarfathCox

MrDSharplesMrGSpray

To2015 MrsCEadenMrsKPickthornMrsBStear

CooptedMember To2013 DrWMcKee __________________________________OFFICERSNOTONTHEPCCHonoraryAssistantTreasurer MrCBirkbeck(Covenants/GiftAid)

ChurchesTogetherinWoodbridge MrsBBownandMelton

WithPermissiontoOfficiate TheRevdDrJohnHareMrPeterPrior

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MinutesoftheAnnualVestryMeetingheldatSt.MarysChurchCentreonTuesday24April2012at7.30pm.

1. MinutesoftheVestryMeetingheldon5April2011ThesewereapprovedbythosepresentandsignedbytheRector.TheagreementthattheMinuteswerecorrectwasProposedbyMrsPennyBird SecondedbyMrsAnneWright

ALLINFAVOUR2. ChurchwardensAccounts

Copiesoftheaccounts,examinedbyMrAnthonyHubbard,werecirculatedtothosepresent.TheRectoraskedthepeoplepresenttosigntheAccountsBook,wheretheaccountshadbeenenteredfortheyear.TheRectorthankedtheChurchwardensfortheworkandcommitmentoverthepastyear, andMrHubbard for checking the accounts. The Rector asked everyone toinform theChurchwardensatChristmastimeof thosewhomightbenefit from theChurchwardenscharity.TheadoptionoftheaccountswasProposedbyMrsMargieStagg SecondedbyMrMichaelBooth ALLINFAVOUR 3.ElectionofChurchwardens.TheRector reported thatMrsBarbaraBownwas standingdownasChurchwardenafterthreeyears. HewishedtorecordtheheartfeltthanksofeveryonetoBarbaraforherservice,whichhasbeenoutstanding.MissVeronicaHowewasProposedbyMrsMargaretLoweSecondedbyMrsHeatherMarshallMrStanleyWorkmanwasproposedbyMrsMyrtleHoweSecondedbyMrRobertPegnallThere being no other nominations, the Rector proposed thatMissHowe andMrWorkmanshouldservefortheyear,andhethankedthemfortheirservicewhichismuchappreciated.Therebeingnofurtherbusiness,themeetingended.

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MinutesoftheAnnualParochialChurchMeetingheldatSt.MarysChurchCentreonTuesday24April2012at7.45pm.

TheRectoropenedthemeetingwithaprayer.

1. MinutesoftheAnnualParochialChurchCouncilheldon5April2011.ThesewereapprovedbythosepresentandsignedbytheRector.TheagreementthattheMinuteswerecorrectwas ProposedbyMrsPennyBird.SecondedbyMrsAnneWrightALLINFAVOUR.

2. PCCAccountsfortheyearended31stDecember2011.MrDavidSharplespresentedtheseaccountsandgavehisreport:What a difference a year makes! Our operating deficit has been reduced quitesignificantly,andourtowerroof,blockwork,andflushworkarenowrepaired.Thisreflectsjusthowmanypeoplehavefeltspirituallyinspiredandmovedbyourneed,tobecomesopassionateaboutgivingtheirtimeandmoneytosupportStMarysandforthisIwouldliketosayGodBlessYouandThankYou.Thekeynotesarethat: Ouroperatingorhousekeepingdeficitfortheyear2011is19,109.

Thisisasignificantstepchangefromourdeficitof65,568in2010. Wehaveexpendedover70,000onourbuilding,with66,000raised from

charitable donations and voluntary giving. We have 46,000 of ourdesignatedfundforfabricrepairsremainingtohelpfinancethenextphaseofquinquennial repairswhichwe stillhope tooffsetwith furtherdonationsandgrantapplications.

Reviewing the accounts inmoredetail, anumberof items standout.Our incomesituationhas improvedpredominantlydue toaneardoublingof thecollectionsatour services. Other income sources have also marginally improved; and peoplehaving now updated theirGiftAid forms are improving the Income Tax Recoveryposition,upby32%on last year.The return fromour shophasalso improvedby16%,andreflectsthehardworkandtimegivenbymanyinsupportingthisvaluableasset. Consideringourexpenditure,prudencewithwiderrepairs,maintenanceandtherefreshofessentialitems,reductions inourparishshare,thereducedexpensesofourclergy,anda39% reduction in thecostsofheatingand lighting thechurch,reflect the effort and encouragement, particularly by our Rector, in significantlyreducingourtotalexpenditurebynearly19%tounderpinourchallenge.OurFabricProjectManagerhasalsoguidedproactiverepairsandmaintenanceofitemsbothaspartoftheTowerworks,aswellasonSt.MarysHouse,whichwilldeliverlongtermsavings.Sadly, investmentperformancecontinuestobeextremelypoor,withapaltry326returnedonourgeneralfunds.Thisisfurtherreducedfromlastyearduetousnotasfrequentlyreceivingmonthlyinterestonourcreditbalance.

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Manypeoplehaveworkedsohard,andgivensomuchtoallowustoachievetheseresults.Manyothershavesupportedmebothinfrontofchurch,andbackofchurch,tocollectprocessandmanageourmonies,payourbills,andgenerallylookafterourbuildings,bookingsandassets.Pleaseacceptmysincerethanks.Looking forward to 2012, our challenge is to continue this positive trajectory,buildingonoureffortsandthesupportshownbyourcommunityin2011,andevenworktowardsfindingsomesomeadditionalfundstoallowtherepairorreplacementofsomeourmoveableandconsumablefabricsandassetsintheChurch,andperhapsaim athaving a small surplus thatwould enableus tomore strongly support keyprojectsinourlocalcommunity.Finally,Iwouldliketoformallythankmypredecessor,AndrewSleath,forbeingtheretosupportandmentormeintheearlydaysofmytakingonthisrole,forcontinuingtosignmostofourchequesonaweeklybasis,andforprovidingadviceandguidancewhenrequired.MrSharpleswasthankedforallhisworkduringtheyear.Theadoptionoftheseaccountswas ProposedbyDrJamesHarper SecondedbyMr.GregSpray ALLINFAVOUR.

3. AppointmentofAccountExaminersMr Sharples expressed his confidence in, and support for Ensors as AccountExaminers.TTheirappointmentwas ProposedbyMr.DavidSharples SecondedbyMrPeterPrior ALLINFAVOUR.

4. ElectionofthreelaymemberstotheParochialChurchCouncil.TheRectorreportedthatMrsBarbaraColewasretiringearlyfromthePCCandthatMrsPenelopeBird,MrDerekColeandMrNickCottamhadcometotheendoftheirterm on the PCC. He thanked all of them for their commitment, for attendingmeetings, and for their supportofhim and theChurchCouncil. Fourpeoplehadbeennominatedandtheywereelectedasfollows:For1year,replacingMrsBarbaraCole:MrAndrewHester ProposedbyMsRitaJames SecondedbyMissVeronicaHoweFor3years:MrsCatherineEaden ProposedbyMrsHeatherMarshall SecondedbyMrDerekBownMrsKatherinePickthorn ProposedbyMissVeronicaHowe SecondedbyMrsBarbaraBown

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MrsBarbaraStear ProposedbyMrsGillHawes SecondedbyMissVeronicaHowe.

5. Sidesmen&SideswomenTheRector reported thatMrGeoff Land,ourHeadSidesman,was retiring,havingbeen a sidesman for nearly 40 years. He hadwritten toMr Land, thanking himformallyonbehalfofeveryoneforhiscommitment,butwishedtorecordpublicallyour most grateful thanks to Geoff for making sure there are sidespeople at allservices,andwishedhimwell.TheChurchwardensarewritingtoallSidesmenandwomentoseeifanyonewishestotakeonthisjob.Thelistofsidespeoplewas ProposedbyMissVeronicaHowe SecondedbyMrMichaelStagg ALLINFAVOUR

6. ReportontheElectoralRoll.MrsSusanHubbardreportedthattherearenow243membersontheElectoralRoll13morethanlastyear.ShethankedMrsHeatherMarshallforherworkonthecomputer.Nextyearwearerequired tohavea totalRevisionof theElectoralRollwhennewapplication formshavetobecompletedbyeveryone.TheRectorthankedMrsHubbardforkeepingthelistuptodate.

7. ReportfromthePCCMrsColeswrittenreport:Theyearbeganwithsomeanxietyaboutthestateofourfinances,aswehadtofinda considerableamountofmoney to repair the tower,aswellasourParishShare.However,thingsbegantolookbetterastheyearprogressed.Phase1oftheworkonthetowerisnowcomplete;thenextphaseshouldstartwhentheweatherimproves.WehavereceivedseveralGrantsandsomegenerousgiftsTheRectorexplainedourfinancialposition to theCongregation,asa resultofwhichmanypeople reviewedtheirgiving.Theworkon the tower andotherbuildingworkshasexceeded theestimate, andtherewasmoredamagetothestoneworkthanpreviouslythought.Therehavebeen several fundraisingeventsduring theyear inaidof the towerThere was a hugely successful fundraising event on EasterMonday, which wasarrangedbyMaryParker,VeronicaHowe and their groupofhelpers. TheRectorheldaverysuccessfulcheese&wineparty,and JohnandMaryHarehosteda teapartyattheQTower,oneofour2011Bridesraised500bycompletingtheBrightonMarathonandDennisFinbowraisedover1,000bycompletingtheJerseymarathon,

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there isalsoamonthlyBring&Buy stallaftermorning service,and variousothereventsduringtheyear.InviewofourpresentfinancialsituationitwassuggestedthatweformaFriendsofStMarys to reachout to thewider community. Thanks toNickCottam andhisGroupthisisnowreadytobelaunched.There is tobe ahuge fundraising Flower Festival tobeheldover the Sea Sundayweekendof27th,28th,29th July2012. Itwasagreedby thePCC that theFlowerLadieshavemadesomestunningarrangementsthisyear,andwelookforwardtotheFestival.The400thanniversaryoftheKingJamesBiblewasmarkedbyatravellingexhibition,which came to St.Marys from 25thAugust to 6th September andwasmarkedbyreadingsandpeoplebringingspecialBiblestoshowothers.TherewasaParishPilgrimageon July9th to theChurchof StPeteronthewallatBradwell, Essex, the oldest church in the Country still in regular use the dayinvolvedawalk,Eucharistandapicnic,andwaswellattended.We now have an excellent Guide Book with help from Mr Roy Tricker andphotographsbyDrJamesHarper,thisissellingverywell.BishopNigelofficiatedatawonderful serviceon8th January2012 todedicate theEpiphany Chapel and the Rupert Corbould painting of the Epiphany,which is onpermanent loan from the Friends of Friendless Churches. There was a lunchafterwardsandaconcertintheafternoon.Ihavecompleted threeyearsasPCCSecretary,