THE HOSPITAL OF ST CROSS WITH THE PARISH OF ST FAITH, WINCHESTER
PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2017 for the Annual Meeting of Parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting in the church at 11a.m on Sunday 29th April 2018
www.parishofstfaith.org
PCC registered charity no 1130671
CONTENTS CONTENTS ...... 2 INTRODUCTION ...... 3 AGENDA - ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS ...... 5 AGENDA - ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING ...... 5 MANDATORY REPORT ON THE ELECTORAL ROLL ...... 7 MANDATORY REPORT ON PCC ACTIVITIES ...... 7 MANDATORY WINCHESTER DEANERY SYNOD REPORT ...... 8 CHURCHWARDENS’ REPORT ...... 9 MISSION ACTION PLANNING GROUP (MAP Group) ...... 11 TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT ...... 11 PASTORAL ASSISTANTS ...... 14 TOTS AND SUNDAY CLUB ...... 15 ST CROSS YOUTH GROUP ...... 16 HOUSE GROUP REPORT ...... 19 LAZY COOKS ...... 19 MEN’S GROUP ...... 20 SILENT PRAYER GROUP ...... 21 CHAPEL FLOWER GUILD ...... 21 MUSIC REPORT ...... 22 ST CROSS FÊTE ...... 24 AFTER CHURCH COFFEE TEAM ...... 25 ST FAITH’S PARISH HALL ...... 26 ST FAITH’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND VOLUNTARY AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL ...... 29 Page 2
OPEN THE BOOK...... 31 GOOD CAUSES SUPPORTED DURING 2017 ...... 33 LIST OF SIDESMEN ...... 34 PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS ...... 35 ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS 2017 - MINUTES ...... 36 ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING FOR 2017- MINUTES ...... 38
INTRODUCTION It is a great joy to introduce our 2017 Report which records another year of faithful and flourishing ministry and mission in St Faith’s parish, offered to the glory of God and in love for our neighbours.
During the year we said farewell to Revd. Paul Kennedy as he left Winchester after his dedicated service in the East Winchester parishes, as Area Dean and latterly with us at St Faith’s. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Reg and Hilary for all their faithful ministry, and especially their work during the interregnum. In the autumn we said hello to Lauren Cheshire and her family, as she joined us as Youth Leader to work alongside our existing youth team, whose activities are described later in this Report.
Other elements of our 2015-18 Mission Action Plan continued to be skilfully steered by John Pringle and the MAP Group. The Report describes the enhanced Pastoral programme to which Hilary has contributed so much, and the continued success of the Parish Hall under Peter Sawbridge’s valued leadership. Our link with St Faith’s School continues to
Page 3 grow, as does our parish children’s ministry in Sunday Club and Tots.
You will read also below of our important small group programme, including our House Groups, Men’s Group and Silent Prayer Group along with our as important but often- not-so-small and wonderfully social Lazy Cooks group.
Our musical tradition has been ably continued during the year, as has our tradition of decorating St Cross church with floral arrangements of often quite extraordinary beauty, together with our traditions of after-service hospitality and generous charitable giving.
In Advent we supplemented our after-service coffee and biscuits with cake, as we discussed a series of sermons on Hope, given by Roger Healey, whose teaching ministry has been much valued throughout the year, and by Hilary and myself.
During the year the Hospital of St Cross provided a splendid office in the newly renovated block in the Outer Quad for use by myself, other ministers and our Administrator Wendy Jones. We are most grateful to the Hospital for this and for their continued generous collaboration with us in so many areas.
On a personal note, I was very grateful to you all for your warm welcome, as I took up my ministry as Priest in Charge in September, and especially for the support of Reg and Hilary, and of Murray, Michele, Magdalen, Marilyn and the other PCC members.
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With thanks to Magdalen for her hard work in collating this report, I commend it to you as an informative summary of all that has been done here over the last year.
Revd. Dr. Philip Krinks, Priest-in-Charge
AGENDA - ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS Sunday 29th April at 11a.m.
AGENDA
Opening prayers.
1. Welcome and Apologies for absence.
2. To receive the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Parishioners, held on 30th April 2017
3. The Election of Churchwardens for 2018.
4. Close of meeting.
AGENDA - ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING Sunday 29th April, to commence immediately after the close of the Annual Meeting of Parishioners
AGENDA
1. To receive the Minutes of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting held on 30th April 2017 (See page 29)
2. Matters arising.
3. The Mandatory Reports (for discussion, and any recommendations to the PCC): Page 5 a. Electoral Roll. Report on changes in membership of the Electoral Roll since the last APCM. b. PCC Activities. Report on what the PCC has done in 2017, and the activities of the parish. c. Deanery Synod. Report on the proceedings of the Deanery Synod in 2017.
4. Reporting of Financial Statements of the PCC for 2017, including the independent examiner’s report.
5. The Elections: a. Members of the Deanery Synod. b. Members of the PCC.
6. The Appointments (to approve those made by the Priest-in-Charge and by the PCC): a. Sidesmen. b. Independent Examiner of the accounts.
7. Any Other Business (relating to the PCC or Parish).
Closing Prayers.
Note: All residents of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Faith, together with the non-residents on the Church Electoral Roll, may vote on item 3 at the Annual Meeting of Parishioners.
Voting on all items at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting is restricted to those whose names are on the Church Electoral Roll.
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MANDATORY REPORT ON THE ELECTORAL ROLL On 31st December 2016, there were 262 names on the electoral roll of which 100 were resident and 162 non- residents.
On 31st December 2017 there were 281 names on the electoral roll of which 99 were residents and 182 non- residents.
Valerie Carver
Electoral Roll Officer
MANDATORY REPORT ON PCC ACTIVITIES 2017 was a busy year for PCC members, particularly in the spring as we worked through extra meetings and tasks in preparation for appointing a new Priest in Charge.
After the APCM, I will be standing down from my Parish Secretary Role. It has been an interesting and enjoyable responsibility and it is a role, I can sincerely recommend (particularly If you enjoy accuracy and detail!) In the meantime, here are the headlines of PCC activities in 2017:
• A trial of Evensong instead of Matins during summer months. • A Parish Tea for the whole congregation. • Approved appointment of a part time youth worker following the success of Serena (temporary youth worker). • Developed a robust safeguarding plan.
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• Held a section 11 meeting and agreed to interview the Bishop’s Candidate for the vacancy. • Compiled the Parish Profile and decided on the parish representatives for the interview process. • Co-ordinated Christian Aid Collections. • Agreed good causes for fundraising; Muhabura, Simon Says and Winchester Churches Christmas Project. • Recommended Gill Beck as the parish representative to sit on the Board of Trustees of the Hospital of St Cross. • Elected Roger Healey LLM to the PCC. • Welcomed the Revd. Dr Philip Krinks as Priest in Charge. • Appointed Lauren Cheshire as part time youth worker. • Approved the move to Online banking. Magdalen Rees
Secretary to the PCC
MANDATORY WINCHESTER DEANERY SYNOD REPORT The Parish Representatives of the Winchester Deanery were re-elected at the 2016 APCM. They are Murray Dixon, Jo Gordon-Watson and John Pringle. The Priest-in-Charge is ex- officio a member. There is one vacancy.
The Synod met three times during 2017
In April there was a presentation by the Archdeacons on the Archdeaconry Mapping Process and how that relates to each Page 8
Deanery as it reviews and updates its Deanery Mission Action Plan.
In June, the first meeting of the new Synod, Karen Kousseff was commissioned as the new Area Dean and Philip Krinks as Assistant Area Dean. Philip led a discussion of priorities for the future.
In September the revised Deanery Mission Action Plan was presented and approved by Synod. Subscriptions for 2018 were set at £95 per member, compared with £90 at present
Focus in 2018 will be on the revision of Parish Mission Action Plans
John Pringle
CHURCHWARDENS’ REPORT Interregna are always busy times for Churchwardens, and though shorter than normal, last year’s Interregnum was no different. So, it’s timely to start by thanking everyone who helped during that time and eased the Churchwardens’ load. We shall start with The Master who, as ever, continued to support the Parish through his wise guidance and steadying hand. And thanks also to Hilary and Roger who had only joined the Parish a few months before and suddenly found themselves in an Interregnum. And then thank you to those who helped in the selection process for a new priest-in- charge, working with the Diocese to make sure the process could be completed more quickly than in the past. We shall add a word of thanks here to the Archdeacon, Ven Richard Brand. None of us knew exactly what a Bishop’s candidate meant, but he led us though the process with great care and Page 9 patience. And thank you also to everyone on the PCC and in the congregation (and a number not in the congregation) who work so hard to keep the Parish running – Interregnum or not. Thank you to you all.
It’s worth adding that there are always ‘jobs’ to do, be it administration, cleaning or helping at services. If you are interested in joining in, please talk to one of the clergy or churchwardens.
So, having said thank you, it’s time to say welcome to Philip and Claudia and their family. Of course, the arrival of a new priest-in-charge brings a whole new set of ‘tasks’ for churchwardens, and Philip is no exception, but we greatly welcome his energy, drive and determination. He does so much that it’s hard (though important) to remember that he is only filling a half-time post and he is also assistant area dean.
We shall finish with a thank you to the Hospital staff and Trustees. Interregnum or not, they bear the brunt of the work of looking after the church and save the churchwardens countless hours and much worry. As ever, we are particularly grateful to Catriona Morley, as Clerk to the Trustees, to Julie Winks as her chief assistant, to Catherine Secker, as Porter, and to Bro Clive McCleester, as Sacristan. And a thank you to William Corbett, who stepped down in the Summer as Chairman of Trustees; he has always been very supportive of the Parish. We welcome Dr David Firebrace in his place.
Murray Dixon Michele Brannigan
Churchwardens
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MISSION ACTION PLANNING GROUP (MAP Group) The MAP Group was formed in 2014 to prepare the Parish Mission Action Plan (pMAP). In 2017 the Group had 8 members, 6 of whom are also members of the PCC. The pMAP was approved by the PCC in November 2015. The Group’s function now is to monitor progress on the pMAP priority areas and make recommendations to the PCC to facilitate its implementation.
The group met four times in 2017. Key areas of focus were:
- Employment of a Youth Worker
- Development of the Pastoral Assistants group.
- Giving in Grace campaign
John Pringle
Chair of the MAP Group
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT The Brothers: We were pleased to welcome three new Brothers during the year; Peter Hawes (14 August 2017), Michael Fontes (17 August 2017) and Chris Pyke (28 September 2017). Unfortunately, Brother James Abson had to leave St Cross in 2017 and is now residing in a local nursing home.
All at St Cross were very sorry to say goodbye to Brother Ian Hardman who died in the Flowerdown Care Home, Winchester on 1 February 2017; he was 69 years old. Ian took up residence at St Cross in February 2012 and was warmly regarded by all. The high attendance at his funeral Page 11 on 20 February 2017 showed just how well thought of he was. Ian is missed by all at St Cross and the Street Pastors, where he was a regular volunteer.
The formation of the Brothers Social Committee, consisting of the Porter, Warden and two Brothers, has seen an increase in social events and outings for the Brothers. This included visits to the Mary-Rose, Bentworth Lodge and attending the Winchester Cathedral Remembrance Day service, to lay a wreath.
Trustees: William Corbett formally handed over to Dr David Firebrace as the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Hospital of St Cross. William’s 6 years as Chairman saw many major building repair and refurbishment projects completed, including work on the Church Tower, Choirstalls, Organ, The Brothers’ Common Room and Library, the Beaufort Tower/Tower Room, the Church Heating and the conversation of the old stable block (see overleaf). William had also spearheaded successful fundraising campaigns to support the projects. All the Trustees are very thankful for William’s hard work and commitment.
After many years of service, sadly Dr Cled Jenkins retired as the PCC Trustee at Easter and Mrs Gill Beck was appointed by the Parish. The Mayor of Winchester, Cllr David McClean is currently in post as Ex-officio Trustee and has been very generous with his time in 2017 and attended numerous events. The Board of Trustees welcomed a new Nominative Trustee from Winchester City Council; Cllr Fiona Mather, who was appointed in December 2017 and replaced Cllr Ian Tait.
Staff: St Cross were very pleased to welcome Mrs Avril Steele as the Brothers’ Warden on 3 July 2017. Avril has
Page 12 previously worked as a Social Worker and has settled in well and is hugely popular with the Brothers.
Hundred Men’s Hall: The HMH had another good year, raising valuable funds for St Cross. Janet Rowland-White was appointed as HMH Co-ordinator in April to manage the volunteers and running of the tearooms and settled in well. The Trustees are very thankful for the help from Doreen and her team of volunteers who continued to provide refreshments for Events which includes Brothers Clive McCleester and John Switzer, Brother Emeritus Andrew Crowther-Walker and of course not forgetting Cled.
The Michaelmas Fair: Held on Saturday, 23 September this event was again a huge success co-ordinated and arranged by Catherine Secker. After a huge amount of preparation and marketing, on the day of the Fair, Winchester was gridlocked all day due the closure of the M3. Despite this, amazingly nearly 600 visitors attended the fair and were entertained by a re-enactment group of Medieval Knights and a Falconry display team who brought 13 beautiful birds of prey. The event raised over £2,000 (after costs). An additional £1,600 was made by the HMH tea room and Lorraine Cross, a friend and Avril Steele who provided hot savoury food.
Filming: The BBC filmed the Third Advent programme for Songs of Praise at St Cross on Sunday 8 October. The programme aired on 17 December 2017.
Building Projects: Listed Building Consent had been granted in 2016 to create new visitor toilets within the old stable block (formerly the grounds staff workshop) along with 4 rooms at first floor level. The rooms were to provide a
Page 13 meeting room for the Friends of St Cross, a mess room for the grounds staff, a Study for the Priest in Charge and a storage space. This project was completed in December 2017 and St Cross had a pledge for a grant of £25,000 from Hampshire County Council.
Dr David Firebrace
Chairman of Board of Trustees
PASTORAL ASSISTANTS The Pastoral Assistants Group has met monthly during 2017 with 8 core members attending most meetings and a group of volunteers which now includes the Welcome Team members act as associate PAs providing valuable support and information.
A different aspect of Pastoral Care has been focused on at each meeting; Lauren Cheshire, Parish Youth Leader joined us for one of the meetings.
Three PAs were Commissioned in the cathedral in November following completion of the Bishops Commission for Mission, Pastoral course; and were affirmed in their roles in the parish at a Sunday Eucharist. All members have engaged with the new safeguarding regulations.
The PAs have continued to offer help and support throughout the parish, both on Sundays and at home and other centres of care.
In 2018 we are looking to expand the group and the support and care we can offer, covering areas such as marriage, baptism, and nursing home visiting. Page 14
The group welcomes all enquiries about its services and about joining its membership.
Revd. Hilary Healey
TOTS AND SUNDAY CLUB Tots and Sunday Club meet during the 9:30am Parish Eucharist each Sunday, aside from the second Sunday every month when the children stay in church for an all age Eucharist.
Tots is for babies and toddlers, age 0-3 or until they are ready for Sunday Club. The tots explore a different bible story each week using the children’s bible, prayers, craft and songs.
Sunday Club is for children age 3 and over, following the Gospel reading in church through stories, prayers, craft and colouring.
There are typically 12- 20 children attending each week and sometimes we join forces. We are a team of ten leaders and we couldn’t run these groups without the creativity and commitment of all the leaders.
Interested in getting involved with the children’s groups? New leaders and helpers are most welcome to bring new ideas and join in the fun!
Valerie Carver Magdalen Rees
Sunday Club Leader Tots Leader
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ST CROSS YOUTH GROUP 2017 started once again with rehearsals for the annual show – the theme this year was the fete, and some familiar characters were included within the script! Once again, the show was an incredible success thanks to the hard work of the youngsters, the support of parents and the youth leadership team, and of course, all of the community coming together to watch! In total £626.44 was raised, and the money was split between The George Pantziarka TP53 Trust and Winchester Young Carers.
As if putting on the show was not enough, during this period we also took on the organisation of the family service in March with the support of the clergy who guided the young people and helped them to identify appropriate hymns and offered advice in relation to the carpet talk. The young people also supported the Spring afternoon tea later that day. A few weeks later, this was followed by the Good Friday Service which was once again run by the young people.
After Easter the older group doubled in size, and for them, focus turned towards supporting the recruitment process for a new youth worker. As well as Serena and I leading sessions, the young people also had two sessions run by potential candidates for the post, and got to provide their feedback. It was great to have the young people involved in this process and get their feedback before making a decision in relation to the role.
In May we were very privileged to have Bishop Cranmer and Mama Hope visit the youth to thank them for the money which they had raised at a previous pantomime for Muhabura, Uganda. Also in May, our thoughts started to turn towards the fete, with the young people being asked to paint Page 16 new signs for the sideshows, and in June the some of the older youth helped out at the Friends of St Cross Summer Party. At the fete, the young people selected Noah's Ark as the theme for the outreach stall, and the youth supported across the fete, running the sweet stall, outreach stand and face painting stall, but also helping out on the sideshows.
In July, we sadly had to say farewell to Serena, who had been supporting youth group whilst we were trying to find a youth worker. Serena had been such an amazing support to me, as well as the young people. We held a BBQ to celebrate the end of term, and to wish Serena well in her future mission work.
Alison Carver
2017 – Part 2 – Welcome Lauren!
Since starting in my post as Youth Leader at the Parish of St Faith, I have had the privilege to witness the incredible existing youth ministry and the great foundation already put in place by Alison Carver and the team of volunteers.
My role as Youth Leader started in September 2017 and for the first couple of months, took the form of reviewing procedures and safeguards along with the wider team within this Church leadership. Youth Groups continued to happen as before, which allowed us all time to get to know each other.
We have been working hard to increase youth group, parent/guardian communications and communications with the wider Church family. This includes weekly updates and a video blog for parents and young people, updates in the Parish Newsletter, updates to PCC and Meet the Youth Leader evenings/mornings.
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We also have started to explore mentoring and supporting some young people in becoming young leaders. This has started slowly and, in many ways, we are still adapting it to fit and bless this context and these young people. We provide mentoring around self-worth and faith and sometimes this leads onto support around what it means to be a leader. Parents are made aware before mentoring and support begins and are kept up to date with the journey, which is informed mainly by the young person themselves.
In November we started a Drop In Youth Group on Tuesday after schools. This was very popular with 8-12 young people attending to do homework together and catch up in the week.
Last year we had two socials. We went Ice Skating in Winchester in December and have a trip to the cinema during the Christmas Holidays. With many young people going away during all school holidays we are still exploring ways to have residentials they can attend. Potentially we will look to have a weekend away in the Summer Term on a weekend. Watch this space!
The most encouraging outcome so far for me has been watch this group of young people growing in their faith. There have been moments when they have been so eager to hear what the Bible has to say. They have even started reading the Bible in their own time.
Lauren Cheshire
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HOUSE GROUP REPORT Our Thursday afternoon House Group is now well established, our numbers range between eight and twelve and we get together on the 1st & 3rd Thursday each month from 3.00pm to 4.30pm. We hope that we are a caring and friendly group, new members are very welcome indeed.
The material that we use has been varied, we completed our study of Mark’s Gospel and then moved on to Acts – using the Max Lucado booklet – ‘Life Lessons on Acts’
The Tuesday evening Group met weekly during Lent, as did our Thursday afternoon Group. Both Groups used the Pilgrim booklet on The Eucharist. The Tuesday evening Group meets monthly and looked at the Pilgrim booklet on The Bible.
Peter Fletcher & Roger Healey
LAZY COOKS Once again, we have had a very pleasant year with huge camaraderie all round the table. We had meals in Prezzo, Manow, Rick Stein, Holiday Inn Brasserie, The Willow Tree, Tom's Deli, The Queen Inn, and The Wykeham Arms. These are in addition to our annual Sunday lunch at the Chesil Rectory in January, our Chinese New Year banquet in Mr. So in February, and our summer fund-raiser in August - Singapore Buffet at my house. We raised £517 for the Youth group. I would like to thank everyone for their support. In total, we had 7 lunches and 4 dinners; preferring to do lunches during the winter months when it gets dark quite early. We take a break during December. Evelyn Pringle Page 19
MEN’S GROUP A full diary for the year!
January A drink to celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary with a quiz and bingo. February Richard Costard spoke about Archbishop Tutu. March An open meeting when Fr Paul Kennedy talked about his trip to Muhabura. May Chris Attewell spoke about his local chocolate making business, The Winchester Cocoa Company, with samples! June A BBQ and boules against the Brothers. September Murray Dixon was ‘Looking into Space’. October Christopher Balfour talked on ‘Bristol Cars: An Approach to Life’. November Paul Maxlow-Tomlinson reflected on his varied and interesting life. December Our usual Christmas meal at the Cart and Horses.
John Casson and James Harris
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SILENT PRAYER GROUP We are still a small group which meets every 4th Thursday of each month, including August, throughout the year. We changed the time to 11.00 am in order that we will not be interrupted by the clock. Silence is so important to our contemplation and prayer, and we were very fortunate to have Philip and Hilary joining us in November. We are happy to receive prayer requests; all of which will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Evelyn Pringle
CHAPEL FLOWER GUILD “O Worship The Lord in the Beauty of Holiness”, a hymn that often goes through my head as I do flowers in our glorious Chapel. We consider ourselves very privileged to be able to enhance our many services with flowers for our congregation and visitors, and therefore happy to give of our service freely. The flowers are another point of meditation and worship, and their return much celebrated after our contemplative weeks of Lent and Advent. So, on behalf of the Guild may I thank our donors who donate via the basket to supplement our income for these services.
We have arranged flowers for thirteen weddings (+ three parties who did not want any flowers, which we respect), several funerals and Memorials last year. The weddings do exempt the PCC from having to pay for flowers for between two and three weeks following a wedding, which is an enormous financial help, as long as we ensure to care for them.
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We still need more people to join us, talented flower arranger or not. We are a friendly group who will appreciate your company and will be happy to guide you if you are a beginner. We all started as beginners, but would also be happy if all you wish to do is just help in any other way and be one of the team. Speak to one of the members, whose names are on the Porch Notice Board.
We do also need a companion for our “Lifter & Shifter”, John Spiers and thus become an integral part of our team.
Our Cutting Garden continues to thrive and provides the greater amount of foliage that we use, even to provide enough variety for an all Foliage Arrangement! However, there is still space for more people to join as Donors to the garden and in return we inscribe your name and reason for donating in our Memorial Book.
We have not been able to have an evening to enjoy a drink or two in the garden the last couple of years, but it is very much on the agenda for this year. So, do join and swell our numbers and share in our motto of “Friendship Through Flowers”
Trish Spiers
Head of Chapel Flower Guild
MUSIC REPORT The 30th anniversary of Derek’s arrival as organist at St. Cross was marked by the dismantling of our 150-year-old organ and the substitution of the piano for services. We were without the organ from mid-January until the end of March
Page 22 and restoration work was successfully completed by Easter. Everyone seemed pleased with the care taken by the organ’s makers, Walkers, and by its lusty return to full health. This was celebrated after the morning service on 2 April when we also said farewell to Father Paul Kennedy.
The musicians were all delighted by the choice of Revd. Paul’s successor. Dr Krinks not only has an impressive professional background but is a former choral scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford. He greatly encourages our music and leads by example!
From April until October Choral Evensong was instituted for the fourth Sunday of each month replacing sung Matins. The congregations were small - though up to twenty people – but the choir loyally took responsibility for a range of music appropriate to this most Anglican of services and it is proposed to continue this pattern for the Spring/Summer months in 2018.
In early October we found ourselves joining an augmented congregation to record Christmas hymns for the BBC’s ‘Songs of Praise’ programme. Beautiful images of St. Cross have thus appeared on TV screens since. Our own Christmas celebrations included another cheerful ‘Wassail’ evening in the Parish Hall bringing together a variety of parishioners, young and old, for carol singing, seasonal refreshments and jovial conversations. It also supplements parish funds.
Huge thanks are due to our regular choristers and some welcome part-time ‘extras’ for their weekly singing on Sundays and for their diligent preparation of anthems and service settings. New voices are always welcome and will
Page 23 assuredly receive the same warm support of the clergy, the congregation, the Brothers and the Hospital staff.
O praise ye the Lord, all things that give sound; each jubilant chord re-echo around…
Derek Beck
Organist & Choirmaster
ST CROSS FÊTE The 2017 fete was held on Saturday 24th June and was opened by Reg, the Master of St Cross. The weather was warm, and the afternoon was enjoyed by all. A good number of visitors of all ages came through the gates which meant it was a lovely community event and also financially very successful.
We raised £12,524.76, and after deducting £2,138.27 for expenses there was a profit of £10,386.49.
75% (£7,774.11) was given to the PCC for Parish funds
25% was divided thus-
£50 to the ukulele band to give to their chosen charity
£1,281.19 to Winchester Street Pastors, in memory of Brother Ian Hardman
£1,281.19 to Prisoners’ Education Trust
Huge thanks go to the Fete Committee, stallholders and all who helped make the fete such a success.
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We look forward to this year’s fete which will be our 150th, and will be held on Saturday 30th June, 2—5pm. Can you help and be part of this lovely occasion?
See you there!
Gill Beck
Secretary to St Cross Fete Committee
AFTER CHURCH COFFEE TEAM Once again it has been a busy year for the team providing refreshments in the Hundred Men’s Hall, following the 9.30 Eucharist Service. Judging by the number of participants and the level of conversation, this gathering has become embedded in the life of the Church at St Cross.
Outgoings were slightly up on the previous year: £92.81 in 2016 to £122.78 in 2017: the cost of provisions has increased, aided by the number of chocolate biscuits purchased, as these seem to fly off the plate! In addition, the liquid refreshment for Revd. Dr. Philip Krinks’s reception in September was purchased with coffee funds. The amount collected in voluntary contributions increased slightly from £763.19 in 2016 to £794.42 in 2017. Donations to Church funds reduced from £800 in 2016, to £700 in 2017. But at the end of the year, following the collection and banking of all contributions, the balance of the account stood at £195.03.
Each pair of volunteers turns up according to their agreed slot; there have been one or two cries for help but the team has just about coped. Gill Beck has won the award yet again
Page 25 for the most stints, plus regularly putting out the cups and saucers etc for whoever is on duty. Three additional people volunteered following last year’s request and Gill now has a partner for her 2nd and 5th Sunday slot (when it occurs).
Serving refreshments in the Church necessitates drafting in occasional helpers, including our part-time sommeliers. We do have a few ‘extras’ to call upon but the team is still fairly thin on the ground. We are always seeking additional volunteers who would be willing to help on a regular or casual basis. This would allow for some flexibility in the rotation of helpers, act as additional cover for absences and augment the team on special occasions.
Having finally conquered the mysteries of the HMH dishwasher, my tour of duty is much less arduous, and I hope that the rest of the team will be able to undergo the training required, thus reducing their time at the sink and the incidence of dish-pan hands!
I’m sure that all those who have partaken of our endeavours will join me in thanking all the volunteers, the regular team members but also fill-the-gap individuals, casual washer- uppers, and not least, the part-time sommeliers.
Celia Harris
ST FAITH’S PARISH HALL On 31 December 2017 the hall committee comprised Lisa Bone, Catherine D’Arcy, Sophie Firth, Peter Fletcher, Janet Honigmann, Andrew Mardle and myself. As always, the hall committee is grateful to the hall’s chief keyholders Rob and Evelyn Parker, who unlock and lock the building between Page 26 bookings, assisted in their absence by Harriet Sawbridge and Lisa Bone. Sara Arnold continues to carry out the paid role of Bookings Secretary very efficiently. Sophie Firth resigned as Treasurer after several years of sterling work in the role but remains on the committee. She has been succeeded by Catherine D’Arcy.
The year was busier than last. The committee undertook a thoroughgoing review of its governance, and introduced a new set of rules and responsibilities, and a conflict-of- interest form to be signed by all committee members with regard to decision-making. A new and more favourable agreement was negotiated with Chubb for maintenance of the fire extinguishers and fire alarm. The kitchen suffered a water leak, which presented an opportunity to replace the tired kitchen units. This project was masterminded by Lisa Bone and Sophie Firth; an insurance claim for the water damage made a contribution, as did a bequest from Miss Nancy Harper, whose generosity was recorded in a plaque in the new kitchen, and a kind gift from Mrs Isabel Mack, in memory of her grandfather. The five-yearly E.I.C.R. (Electrical Installation Condition Report) was carried out, and the building’s external woodwork was entirely redecorated. After all these improvements, it was especially dismaying to discover the theft of half the lead roof covering of the former entrance hall in October, followed by the theft of the remainder a few weeks later. A replacement fibreglass roof that closely resembles the original lead roof was installed, without help from the committee’s insurance company, which refused to accept the claim. A new tenancy agreement was negotiated with the Nancy Harper Nursery. Following a request from the PCC’s auditor, all regular hall users were advised that payment of their hire fees would henceforth be Page 27 required in advance, not in arrears. The committee engaged with various members of the PCC concerning provision of surplus hall funds to further the PCC’s ministry; £5,000 was transferred to the PCC at the end of December.
St Faith’s Parish Hall continues to provide a focus for a wide range of community activities, among them an art group, art- history lectures, the Beavers, the Brownies, the Cubs, the Discarded Nut Theatre, the Encore Youth Theatre, the Girl Guides, the Nancy Harper Nursery, a pilates group, the Platform School of Dance, a Rainbow group, the St Cross Garden Society, the St Cross Youth Group, a tai chi group, Winchester Floral Design and two yoga groups.
The hall committee warmly encourages parishioners to make use of their hall and its excellent facilities for regular bookings or for one-off parties and receptions. From 1 January 2018 all-inclusive rates are a reasonable £16.50 per hour in the Front Hall and £14.50 per hour in the Back Hall; these hire rates are considerably lower than those for comparable parish halls in and around Winchester. Further details can be found on the PCC’s website: http://parishofstfaith.org/parish-hall-and-book-our-facilities. Please contact Sara Arnold via this website, on 07850 231497 or at [email protected] if you wish to make a booking.
Peter Sawbridge
Chairman, St Faith’s Parish Hall Committee
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ST FAITH’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND VOLUNTARY AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL The school continues to go from strength to strength. 2017 was yet again a brilliant year for our children in terms of academic attainment and enriched curriculum. We were all absolutely thrilled to receive a letter of thanks and congratulation from the Minister of State for School Standards which confirmed our school was in the top 2% of schools in England in terms of the progress our pupils make between leaving Key Stage 1 (infants) and Key Stage 2 (juniors). A fabulous testament to the hard work of our staff and children. This is in addition to achieving fantastic results in four other key measures of attainment, where we significantly exceeded both County and National results. Well done and thank you, everyone.
In autumn term we were delighted when Philip, the new Priest in Charge, joined the Governing Body as our “ex officio” foundation governor. Since then he has made very significant contributions to both the governance and the learning activities of the school. The children very much appreciate him leading acts of worship and we all look forward to working with him to further develop active links between the church and school and enriching our RE curriculum. Cheryl and her team continue to enchant the children with their “open the book” assembly performances.
In December we welcomed two new governors – Nicky Hodgkinson (Foundation) and Tricia Glen (Local Authority). We also said cheerio to Chris Brannigan, after a six- year term of governance.
We continue to enrich our curriculum. As well as the core subjects of Literacy and Numeracy, our focus subjects have Page 29 been Art and Science. In all subjects, children are encouraged to work towards a deeper understanding and an ability to relate learnings to “real-life” situations.
In September, we opened our ARK club which offers after school supervised activities. So, effectively, with our established breakfast club, the school day for children could be from 07:30 through to 17:45. Initial signs are that this will be a very successful “win-win” venture for the school, parents and children.
In addition to a number of out of school trips, like – Greenwich (explorers); Highclere (Egyptians); Sea City (Titanic), we have had many visitors to the school – Steve Brine followed up the school’s visit to Parliament; Mr Britton brought in many artefacts from WW1 and 2 and led our remembrance worship. Our outdoor learning area – Lockburn has been very well used. All our children enjoy their time there. Thanks to our site manager – Phil – for his dedication and sheer hard work.
Our parent voice group has met regularly and is having a very effective impact in a few key areas. In the summer term the group produced a leaflet for parents to support homework. This was very well received, and the suggestions made clearly acted on. Currently the group is looking at the issue of parking around the school at drop off and pick-up times. With the involvement of the school’s Junior Road Safety Officers, they have conducted a “Travel to school” survey and are now considering a “Parkwise” programme.
We have expanded our Pupil Voice group to include an ECO team who have focused on energy usage and year group digital leaders who conducted an e-safety assembly. Also, our
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Junior Road Safety Officers have been busy on an assembly and the pupil survey mentioned above.
Outside of school, Mrs James continues her excellent work with Winchester Teaching Alliance and the Executive Head Teacher committee. Also, she and I were invited to work with the Diocesan Education Board, and other C of E schools on potential leadership organisational options for the future.
So, another great year for the school and our children.
Ed Francis
Chair of Governors
OPEN THE BOOK This past year has seen the regular group of Parishioners, parents, a Brother and latterly a priest venture into St Faith’s Primary School weekly to take a whole school worship session. I am indebted to Kate de Bono for managing the first two terms last year as family illness meant I was not available. September saw us embarking on our fourth year of Open the Book assemblies. The syllabus this year has been based on stories that reflect the School’s theme for each half-term. Since September we have used stories to illustrate Thankfulness, Trust, and Perseverance. We have used a mixture of Old and New Testament stories and as usual always try to use child participation wherever possible. With the limitations of space in the school hall, armies manage to tramp long distances by only moving on the third step; battles are won with little exertion and conjuring up chariots stuck in mud is no problem. Sometimes more emotion is
Page 31 needed and the children were quite taken with David’s proposal to Abigail.
We are also grateful to the Hospital for the continuing use the Brothers’ Library for our run through practice which allows us an opportunity to focus on the teaching of the story, what props we will need and ask for God’s direction in the presentation. Our props include costumes for adults and children, a fire, boat, tree, chariots, masks for sheep, pigs, camels and donkeys as well as cups, dishes etc for feasts! To ensure a fair distribution of the participation of the children, we draw up a list of the numbers we require each week and the school choose the children accordingly. The children all know that they will get an opportunity and so we are not pestered and they willingly give up their play time to come and rehearse their own part!
Cheryl Irons
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GOOD CAUSES SUPPORTED DURING 2017
Good Causes Amount Remarks Muhabura £1,000
Mission Aviation Fellowship £550 Retiring Collection Mission to Seafarers £163 Retiring Collection The Royal British Legion £150
The Children's Society £125 Retiring Collection Winchester Basics Bank £130 Retiring Collection Winchester Churches £500 Christmas Project Simon Says’ Child £500 Bereavement Support Street Pastors £1,281 Fete Charity
Prisoners’ Education Trust £1,281 Fete Charity
Winchester & District Young £313 Youth Group Carers Collection The George Pantziarka TP53 £313 Youth Group Trust Collection Bishop’s Ordination Fund £58
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LIST OF SIDESMEN Tony Carver James Harris
John Casson Cled Jenkins
Mavis Casson Michael King
John Barmby John Lunt
Margaret Barmby Grace Martin
Anne Dolan John Martin
Henry Dolan Christina Mathews
Daphne Field Julia Maxlow-Tomlinson
Marilyn Fletcher Paul Maxlow-Tomlinson
Peter Fletcher Dodie Mowat
Tim Goble Harry Mowat
Kate Goble Evelyn Pringle
Rosalind Hall Sandra Showell
Sarah Harlow Carol Wade
Martin Harlow Chloe Wheywell
A huge thank you to all who read the Lessons and write
Intercessions for the weekly services
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PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS (from 30th April 2017– 29th April 2018)
Chairman Revd. Dr. Philip Krinks Ex Officio Revd. Reg Sweet (Master of St Cross) Revd. Hilary Healey Murray Dixon (Churchwarden, Vice-Chair and Deanery Synod member) Michele Brannigan (Churchwarden) Jo Gordon-Watson (Deanery Synod Member) John Pringle (Deanery Synod Member) Elected Until
Gill Beck 2018 Cheryl Irons 2018 Peter Fletcher 2019 Marilyn Fletcher 2019 (Hon Treasurer) Emily Cocker 2020 Anna-Maria Holt 2020 Carol Wade 2020 Dodie Mowat 2020 Magdalen Rees 2020 (PCC Secretary) Roger Healey Co-opted
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ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS 2017 - MINUTES Meeting held at 11a.m. on Sunday 30th April 2017 in the Brethren’s Hall
Item Subject Remarks
1. Welcome and Apologies
Murray Dixon (as Vice Chair of the PCC) opened the meeting and explained the Annual Meeting of Parishioners would elect Churchwardens followed by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting to talk about the business of the Parish and carry out several elections.
Murray thanked the Master and Hospital for use of the Brethren’s Hall due to christenings in the church. Hilary opened the meeting with a prayer.
Apologies
The Master, Freda Wright, Peter and Jane Parsons, Tony and Val Carver, Robert and Elizabeth Wheatley, Cheryl Irons, John Lunt, John and Margaret Barmby, Emily Cocker.
A reminder that anyone on the Electrical Roll or resident in the Parish can vote.
2. Minutes of the Meeting held on Sunday 10th April 2016
The Minutes of the previous meeting had previously been circulated in the Annual Report.
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Proposed by Carol Wade and seconded by Paul Maxwell-Tomlinson. The minutes were unanimously approved for signature.
3. Election of Churchwardens for 2017
Magdalen Rees (Secretary) chaired this section of the meeting and explained that Murray and Michele have been nominated. Magdalen conveyed enormous thanks to both Murray and Michele for all they do.
Magdalen explained that Murray has completed 7 terms. In accordance with Section 3 of the Churchwardens Measure 2001, (see page 64) he must step down for at least one year, unless the Annual Meeting of Parishioner agrees that he may stand again. Therefore, before accepting the nomination, there needs to be a vote to allow Murray to stand.
All members unanimously approved Murray could stand.
As there are only two nominations for two posts, Murray and Michele were appointed as Churchwardens for a further 12 months without a vote.
Murray added that Michele is planning on not seeking re-election next year and that he was planning to not be seeking election in Spring 2019. Murray explained that neither he or Michele were proposing to disappear, and both would remain committed and involved and help Page 37
in every way they can, but for all sorts of reasons it’s right and healthy that there is a change of Churchwarden every so often. Murray asked everyone to give some thought about how we might fill the posts of Churchwarden.
Murray Dixon closed the meeting at 11:17a.m.
Minutes Agreed and Approved
…………………. Date
ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING FOR 2017- MINUTES
Meeting held on Sunday 30th April 2017 in the Brethren’s Hall, St Cross Church
The Meeting began at 11:18am, immediately following the closure of the Annual Meeting of Parishioners.
Apologies had been received from The Master, Freda Wright, Peter and Jane Parsons, Tony and Val Carver, Robert and Elizabeth Wheatley, Cheryl Irons, John Lunt, John and Margaret Barmby, Emily Cocker.
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Item Subject Remarks
/Actions
1. Minutes of the Meeting held on 30th April 2017
The Minutes of the previous meeting had previously been circulated in the Annual Report booklet; there being no comments, they were approved for signature.
Proposed by Peter Fletcher and Seconded by John Spiers. All voted in favour.
2. Matters Arising
To ensure Hundred Men’s Hall activity is reported in the Annual report. This has been done by the Trustees at page 12 of the report.
To ensure Good Causes that have been supported are included. This has been done as per page 25 of the report. There is also a display in church.
3. Interregnum
Murray conveyed thanks on behalf of the congregation to The Master, Hilary Healey, Philip Krinks and Roger Healey. Murray reiterated that Hilary and Philip are Self Supporting Ministers and Roger is a Licenced Lay Reader; all are volunteers
Murray recapped that Bishop David had visited the Parish the previous Sunday and reported two forthcoming visits from the Archdeacon to Page 39
further discuss the interregnum. Murray explained the Archdeacon will ask the PCC to produce a Parish Profile, which tells a prospective candidate something about the Parish and something about what sort of priest we are looking for. The Archdeacon is due to ask if we would like to consider a Bishop’s candidate or advertise. There is no requirement to accept the Bishop’s candidate.
Murray felt that it is encouraging that the Diocese thinks we are a Parish worth supporting and we won’t be left without a Stipendiary Minister and noted the Diocese is moving much more quickly than usual. The meeting with the Archdeacon will take place before Fr Paul formally resigns on 7th May.
4. Mandatory Reports
Electoral Roll
Electoral Roll numbers: On 31st December 2016, there were 262 names on the electoral roll of which 100 were residents and 162 non-residents. As of 30th April 2017, there were 262 on the Electoral Roll, 100residents and 162 non- residents.
Murray thanked Valerie Carver who has taken on the role of Electoral Roll Officer.
PCC Activities
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Murray Dixon thanked Magdalen for producing the booklet and the summary of PCC activities. Murray noted the new parish website was a new addition to activities in 2016 (not listed in the report) and commented that the new look website is a good advertisement for all that takes place in the parish.
Magdalen thanked Clare Dixon for the weekly editing and updating of the website.
Deanery Synod
Murray thanked John Pringle for Deanery Synod report on page 9.
5. Financial Statement
Marilyn began by thanking Yvonne Goddard for again undertaking the Independent Examination,
all those who help with collecting, counting and banking cash, the Parish Hall team and to everyone who contributes financially to the work and mission of the Church. Marilyn added a special thank you to those who prayerfully considered and responded to the Giving in Grace Campaign.
Marilyn explained how the first paragraph on page 2 of the Report really sums it up – the Parish Hall has a surplus of £16,178 and the Church a deficit of £15,183. The Parish Hall becomes a vital income stream for the Parish and
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Marilyn read some comments by the Independent Examiner:
“I really think this dominance of the Parish Hall income should be pointed out to people because many of them won’t notice it in the balance sheet, lest they rest on their laurels. They need to be aware that the Hall is a great asset and its income generation needs to be championed and that they must keep up efforts on the donations and fund raising.”
Marilyn reiterated that Giving in Grace was both timely and necessary. However, it was about more than just money; it’s all about a personal response to a generous God. The accounts showed the Hall surplus covered the Parish deficit but with Parish Share increasing effectively by 19% in 2017 because of the £5,000 credit the previous year, ongoing clergy admin support and our intention to employ a part-time youth worker, Parish income needs to increase.
The increase in expenditure of just over £12,000 in 2016 is largely accounted for by just under £8,000 for the increased administrative expenses which includes the new website and a full year of clergy admin support. The inclusion of flowers in church activities along with increased Parish Share mostly accounts for the just over £4,000 increase there.
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The decrease in income is almost wholly accounted for by the fall in fete income and lower fees for services.
Marilyn referred to the Balance Sheet and highlighted that since total funds have increased, the undesignated church fund has decreased by £10,000 and the Parish Hall has increased by £16,000 and the restricted Heating amount was paid to the Hospital so that has gone altogether. The net movement in funds, that’s the increase in the bottom line of £1,854 is more than accounted for by the unrealised gain on investments.
Marilyn reminded us that we are here to do much more than just pay the bills, paying the gas bill is not very exciting but spreading the good news in this place, performing acts of Christian kindness, sharing our plenty with those who have much less really is! Marilyn asked us to prayerfully consider our response to a generous God to enable the exciting things to be done in His name by this church. From a financial point of view, the bottom line is that we need more money and that is our challenge.
Murray added the importance of continuing efforts to increase income and that it will be a priority for a new priest in charge. Murray explained that clearly, it’s for the PCC to take the lead, and it will be important to think about how to engage with the whole congregation;
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something that involves all of us and that’s the message to get across.
Questions:
John Spiers asked if the Parish Hall – given their healthy reserves – could benefit from being updated. John said he felt the Hall is untidy and the kitchen could benefit from an overhaul, particularly when compared to other halls in the area. John suggested a drop-down screen and projector would be beneficial.
In answer to a question, Murray agreed to discuss with Trish Spiers the tradition whereby the Flower Guild donate to the British Legion.
6. Elections
i. Deanery Synod. There were no new nominations to represent the Parish in
the Deanery Synod. Therefore, Jo Gordon-Watson, John Pringle and Murray Dixon would continue to be the Parish Representatives.
ii. PCC Members. Five people were at the end of their three-year term; Cled Jenkins, Peter Sawbridge, Dodie Mowat, Carol Wade and Magdalen Rees.
Cled and Peter did not stand for further election and Murray offered thanks to both.
Cled has been on the PCC for many years but also has sat, as a PCC member, as Hospital Trustee. Page 44
As such, he has been a vital link between Parish and Hospital and has helped ensure that Parish and Hospital retain confidence in each other. An incredibly important role. We are grateful to Gill Beck for having agreed to be nominated by the PCC to replace him.
Murray explained that Peter, though not standing as a member of the PCC, will continue to be Chair of the Parish Hall committee. Building on Tim Steven’s work, he has done so much in terms of refurbishment and increasing usage and as explained in finance, the Hall is a major source of income.
There were five nominations: Anna Holt and Emily Cocker standing for the first time, and Magdalen Rees, Dodie Mowat and Carol Wade who were standing for re-election. As there were more places than nominations they were appointed without a vote.
7. Appointments.
i. Sidesmen. The appointment of sidesmen as listed in the Annual Report booklet was approved. Proposed by John Pringle and Seconded by Trish Spiers with unanimous approval.
ii. Independent Examiner. The appointment of Yvonne Goddard as Independent Examiner of the accounts.
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Proposed by John Casson and seconded by John Spiers with unanimous approval.
8. AOB
Youth Worker. Magdalen gave an update on plans to recruit a part time but hopefully minimum two-year term youth worker. Magdalen explained that recruiting a youth worker does not necessarily correlate with seeing an increase of the young people at the Sunday morning services. The investment in youth is to allow them to feel a sense of belonging with the church and the Christian faith, to plant roots that may lead to the young people having a long-term connection with the church going forward. Who will fill the pews in the future?
The largest age demographics in the parish are the 30-44 year olds, closely followed by the 15- 29 year olds. The 0-14 year olds in particular are at a higher level than the Diocesan average. The key demographics, therefore, as a parish are young families, with parents in the 30-44 age range.
Magdalen invited questions on the youth worker and asked that at any time, she could be contacted should anyone wish to find out further information.
Alison Carver (current voluntary youth worker) reiterated all that the 25 members of the youth group are currently involved in; serving as
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Acolytes, running the Good Friday service, leading an All Age Service, running a stall at the fete, putting on a pantomime, raising money for charity and serving tea at the community teas.
Murray thanked to Alison Carver, Peter Fletcher and Magdalen Rees for their efforts to recruit the new youth worker.
Parish Magazine. Mavis Casson spoke to thank Clare Dixon for all the hard work and efforts she puts into compiling the Parish Magazine. Also, thanks to Jo Gordon-Watson for delivering.
Linen. Murray thanked Dodie Mowat and Sue Fairbrother for all their efforts managing the cleaning of the linen.
Ride and Stride. John Spiers explained the Ride and Stride event will take place on 9th September 2017 and that we benefit from Riders and striders, a group to meet and greet at the Hundred Men’s Hall and of course sponsorship. The monies collected go to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight historic churches trust but half of what we raise comes back to the Parish.
Christian Aid week. Marilyn Fletcher asked for volunteers to sign up for collections.
The meeting was closed at 11:55am. Rev Hilary led the congregation in saying the Grace.
Minutes Agreed and Approved
………………… Date: 2018 Page 47
Giving
can put a smile on your face
Planned Giving is a way of giving regularly to help fund the work of our Parish. It aims to help you give generously within your means and makes it easier for the Parish to fund God’s work in St Cross. We all share the responsibility to make sure our ministry and mission here in St Cross continues, Jesus instructs us to go out and tell the good news to everyone. There are numerous ways you can give regularly – Parish Giving Scheme and Standing Order (forms at back of church), and weekly envelope scheme (please see Marilyn Fletcher). We are hugely grateful for the generosity of those already enrolled in Planned Giving and if you’re not please consider joining.
…. God loves a cheerful giver …
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