The Parish of Boston a Place of Hospitality

The Parish of Boston A Place of Hospitality

Strategic Development Plan June 2015

Advent 2015 - Advent 2020

The Revd Alyson Buxton

1 The long view It helps, now and then, to step back and Take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work: Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that can be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No programme accomplishes the church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about: We plant the seeds that will one day grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realising that. This enables us to do something. and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is the beginning, a step along the way, and opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the results, But that is the difference between the master builder and the worker We are workers, not master builders, Ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.

Archbishop Oscar Romero, martyred March 1980

2 Contents

Section 1

Context Introduction 4 St Thomas’ Church 4 St Christopher’s Church 4 St Botolph’s Church 5 The Parish of Boston 7 The Role of the Parish Church 7 The Changing Role of St Botolph’s Church 8

Section 2

Our Vision 11 Our Challenges and Strengths 11 Our Purpose 12 Development Plan 13 Action Pan 14 Conclusion 19

Appendix 1 The Church of St Botolph’s: Financial Plan Appendix 2 Parish Conference Feedback Appendix 3 Leadership Structure

Section 1 Context

Introduction

‘The offering of an open building, and an outward looking worshipping community, remain dominant signs on the cultural landscape, pointing to nothing less than the deep generosity and openness of God, who promises his people that ‘there are many rooms in my Father’s House1’

Through a period of prayer and consultations the congregations of The Parish of Boston have expressed hopes that the Parish will be known for its hospitality and that our overarching vision statement will be The Parish of Boston: A Place of Hospitality. A place where the hospitality of God can be encountered by all; for people who visit every day, people who may visit once in their lives, for the young and old, worshippers and pilgrims, historians and tourists. We are a united parish which includes St Botolph’s, St Thomas’ and St Christopher’s.

St Thomas’ Church

In the year 1089 and following the Norman invasion, the Hundred of Skirbeck was divided into two parishes, Skirbeck and Boston, each with its own church. This left an area of land (or quarter) on the West bank of the River Haven. In the 19th century and following the expansion of Boston town, the parishes of Skirbeck Quarter and Wyberton were created and elected their first parish Councils.

Following the building of an original St Thomas’ school, opened in November 1866 and licensed for use as a chapel in 1877, a new corrugated iron church was built. Opened on April 23rd 1885 by Bishop Edward Trollope, “The Tin Tabernacle," as it was affectionately known, lasted 25 years.

The present church of St Thomas’ Skirbeck Quarter opened in 1912 and is in what is now a mostly residential area of the town of Boston. Designed by the Gothic Revival architect, Lushington Temple Moore, it is a Grade 2 listed building, in the Arts and Crafts style. St Thomas’ Church has a Church Hall that is used by the church and community. St Thomas’ is a place of prayer and worship and has a very committed congregation.

St Christopher’s Church

The present St Christopher’s church was opened in June 2001; it is an excellent facility for the community. St Christopher’s has developed its identity as both a church and a community resource for the Fenside estate, an area of significant poverty and deprivation. The church is now principally used by the local community, the Food Bank and Sure Start. St Christopher’s is a place of prayer and worship and has a small and committed congregation.

1 Martyn Percy: Many Rooms in My Father’s House - the changing identity of the English Parish Church in Stephen Croft (Ed) The Future of the Parish System - Shaping the Church of England for the 21st Century (Church House Publishing: London 2006) page 3ff page 14 4 St Botolph’s Church

The building of St Botolph’s Church is truly iconic and impressive. The tower itself is over 272ft (83 m) high. It is the widest parish church in England, the tallest to the roof and also one of the largest by floor area; views from the top of the tower reach 32 miles. The interior space is 20,070 square feet (1,865 square metres); the nave length being 242ft (74 m) and width 104ft (32 m). It is known as a ‘Calendar Church’ which means many dimensions of the church correspond with periods in the calendar; for instance the roof is supported by 12 pillars, the church has 52 windows, 7 doors and there are 365 steps to the tip of the tower. There are also 24 steps to the library and 60 steps to the roof. It has the 14th highest church tower in England and has been described as ‘A Calendar in Stone’.

Like all churches, St Botolph’s Church carries a range of expectations related to its various roles in the lives of those who use it. This is further enhanced and focused because of the ‘Minster’ nature of ministry it offers to the Town of Boston and surrounding area.

It is a place of worship and prayer and a centre of Christian mission It is a place of pilgrimage and historical interest for those visiting the area and town. It has a key role in being a place of integration within a town experiencing significant demographic change through European migration. It is a place of refuge for the homeless and vulnerable. It is a centre of cultural activity It is a building whose fabric and monuments tell something of the story of the town and region.

Churches have been described as the most visible proclamation of the gospel we have and a ‘permanent antenna to the good news’2: For St Botolph’s with a tower rising 83 metres and visible for 32 miles this truth is ever present.

Church buildings root people in their sacred past as well as telling the story of the community in which they are set. St Botolph’s Church is no exception to this. It could be best understood as an ar- chitectural journey telling the story of the town of Boston. The building of the present church began in the first half of the 14th Century on the foundations of a Norman church whose foundations lie three feet under the South aisle. It is thought that the present church (without tower) was completed in 1390. The Chancel was lengthened in the early 15th Century to stabilise the building. The Tower was thought to have been started in 1450 and the Architect is believed to be Reginald of Ely (who worked on King’s College Chapel, Cambridge): the Tower took 70 years to build. The building has been a work in progress since the early fourteenth century and significant additions, alterations and interven- tions to its fabric have been made in every subsequent century. This has created a space that has

2 The Shrine: memorial, presence, prophecy of the living God’ (Pontifical Council of the Pastoral Care of Immigrants; 1999) page 13.

5 been described by Leland as ...... ‘For a parish church the best and fairest of all Lincolnshire, and served so with singing, and that of cunning (skilful) men, as no parish in all England.3

Sir Nikolaus Pevsner in The Buildings of England describes St Botolph’s as ‘a giant among English parish churches’ and its tower as ‘the most prodigious of English parochial steeples’. In 1851, The Revd George Blenkin reported that he had three services on the 30th March; 870 had attended morning service, 424 came to the afternoon service and 903 to the evening service. In the Sunday School there was 477 children. The reality of a Sunday morning in 2015 is very different. The morning service co4ngregations range from 65-85 people with 1-5 children in the congregation. In 2014 the 10 services that were held in the two weeks up to Christmas Day 2014 St Botolph’s total congregational numbers were 1027: only 46 of these were children.

Regardless of congregational numbers St Botolph’s worship and its music have always played a very central part in the life of the Church. In previous years the congregation would have described itself as quite central in its musical tastes but recently it has expressed itself in a more anglo-catholic style. Most celebrations of the Eucharist in St Botolph’s Church, including the Sunday Sung Eucharist, are celebrated in the Nave using the Nave altar. The other Chapels are used for midweek Eucharists and Morning Prayer and the Chancel is used for Evensong on a Sunday evening.

The vastness of the space in the Nave has its challenges. The congregation, having the choice of so many pews, spread themselves out to such an extent that the feeling of community can be lost. Moreover, this scattered placement of worshippers results in muted singing as people experience singing as a soloist. This can be an embarrassment for the less confident worshipper and so they reduce their volume to such an extent that the worshipper can become a spectator of the worship ra- ther than an integral part of it. People (regular worshippers and those who come for funeral, wedding or baptismal service) have expressed this to be the case.

This experience of the worship in St Botolph’s is not a new thing in 1973 the then Vicar David Scott produced a booklet to present to the PCC entitled ‘Boston Parish Church , Making a Building Serve the People’. In it he says this:

‘ At the present it is difficult for St Botolph’s to be the House of the Church. Congregations are not normally so large that they can comfortably inhabit so great a space with so many seats waiting for them. A way must be found for creating a space within the much great space in such a way that a congregation can comfortably inhabit it, and yet remain aware of the greater space around them, but not be oppressed by it...... This defining of a space within a space is not necessarily done, or even best done, by the use of screens or changes of level, but by the arrangement of people and by the focussing of their attention...... Put more crudely the defining of a space in this instance is done

3 Full Leland Quote in Pishey Thompson: The History and Antiquities of Boston and the Hundred of Skirbeck (Heritage Lincolnshire: 1997 - reprint from 1856) page 62. 4 Richard Gurnham: The Story of Boston (The History Press: Stroud, 2014) page 208

6 by the arrangement of the seating around the object of attention, be it altar, pulpit or dramatic performance.5

At the Parish Conference in November 2014 and further consultations have highlighted that the congregations of the parish wish to continue to honour our eucharistic and choral tradition as well as to develop within the Rota opportunities for more flexible, accessible, creative and all age worship style. As a community one of our challenges is to work with the space of our building/s as well as ho- nouring the results of our consultations and desire to be more contextual to the community.

The Parish of Boston

Boston was a wealthy wool exporting port and in some years participating in more trade than London. The rich merchants’ guilds provided much of the money for the building from the proceeds of the commercial wool trade. Today Boston is a continental agricultural town with a known population of 64 thousand. St Botolph’s has been developed continually to the present day in relation to, and a reflec- tion on, the community in which it is set. The iconic building and the town in which it is set continues to elicit a response from its community of people of love and pride in equal measure. As one of the largest parish churches in England set within this large, vibrant and growing town it has the opportunity for a unique relationship with its community and congregation.

In recent years there has been significant demographic and sociographic changes that Boston. In a national newspaper Peter Hitching describes visiting Boston 30 years ago

‘I had a sense of penetrating a sleeping, utterly undisturbed part of the country. The Sixties had not really happened. There were no motorways. Life was slow, a little shabby, but untroubled by the fake urgency of more modern places. I half-expected to meet Lord Peter Wimsey, Dorothy L. Sayers’ aris- tocratic detective, on his way to solve the mystery of The Nine Tailors, set in this haunting country- side of fens, dykes, floods and bell towers.’6

The experience from this picture of a sleepy market town set within prime agricultural land has signifi- cantly changed since the accession of the A8 states into the European Union in 2004; there has been an unprecedented change in the population profile. The 2001 Census figures showed Boston as having a population of 55,750 ten years later, the 2011 Census showed that our official population had risen to 64,600 with clear evidence that the increase has come from the migrant community.7 These demographic and sociographic changes have altered the parish and context in which we minister.

5 David Scott, ‘Making the Building Serve its People’ (Boston 1973) page 5 6 Peter Hitchen Daily Mail (18 September 2011) 7 Social Impact of Population Change (Task Force and Finish Group Boston Borough Council. 19th November 2012) 7

The Role of the Parish Church

Until the late Nineteenth Century churches were the basic territorial unit in the organisation of the Country.8 The word parishes is not found in the New Testament but still has its origins in the Greek word meaning those outside of the house. Therefore, a parish church is very different from a congregational church (i.e., for the congregation); the parish church is for the parish. The parish church (in an ideal world) is not an exclusive place but an inclusive place for everyone,9whether people visit every week, once a year, or for the first time; thus the Church belongs as much to the stranger as to the regular.

The journey from the philosophical reality of our church buildings being for everyone and the day to day reality of those ‘inside’ or ‘outside’ believing this, is a big leap in mindset: this reality is not just challenging for the Parish of Boston. The doors of any church are notoriously difficult to step through for the first time. It is not enough for St Botolph’s to be situated right in the middle of the town for people to decide to visit: It needs to be known as a place of ‘everyday’ Hospitality. To put it another way ‘too easily the sense of the sacred can evaporate from every day awareness.’10The Parish therefore needs to do all it can to encourage people to come through the doors with an almost ‘reverse mission’ approach. It is widely recognised that churches in the West cannot daily function as if nothing has happened outside their doors. There has been a cultural blizzard that has changed the landscape in a way that the church needs to engage with the world as it is - not as it wished it was. With a multiplicity of varied ethnic groups, ever widening ranges of age (as people live longer), increased consumer choice, more fluid identities and better communications, considered and contextual en- gagement is complex. Yet if we are to proclaim the gospel afresh for every generation, all segments of society need attention. Thus, as the Parish Church of Boston, it is vital for us to ask ‘Who are we not serving?’ as well as ‘How can we serve the whole Parish better?’

Mike Moynagh expresses it this way

Church no longer has the option, if it ever had, of relating to people as if they were the same. It has to engage with them appropriately, a task that has been described as contextualisation. Contextualising the church is the attempt to be ‘church’ in ways that are both faithful to Jesus and appropriate to the people the church serves.....Churches will look different because they are engaging with different people.11

8 N.J.G Pounds, The History of the Parish Church (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 2000) page 3 9Martyn Percy: Many Rooms in My Fathers House - the changing identity of the English Parish Church in Stephen Croft (Ed) The Fu- ture of the Parish System - Shaping the Church of England for the 21st Century (Church House Publishing: London 2006) page 3ff 10 Philip Sheldrake: Spaces for the Sacred - Place Memory and Identity (SCM Press: London 2001) page 119 11 Michael Moynagh: Church for Every Context, An introduction to Theology and Practice (SCM Canterbury Press: London 2012) page 150

Peter Sheldrake expresses it succinctly when he says Each generation will use its Sacred Space in a different way.12

The Parish Church is often the only place in the community where everyone has a place. The building itself is often the only space in the community where people can come in any state of need. Whether grief, joy, celebration, the worship of God or simply a place to come and ‘be’.

In addition to St Botolph’s role in the town the Church is part of the Church of England and the Diocese of Lincoln. The Diocese of Lincoln has designated St Botolph’s to be a ‘Key Mission Church’. One of the priorities of a key mission church is to be ‘equipped for varied liturgy, learning and activities, and large enough for collaborative events’. This shows not only our parochial responsibility as a parish church but also the need for us to use what we have for more varied community activities.13

The Changing role of St Botolph’s Church

As highlighted earlier, the community which St Botolph’s Church serves has changed considerably in the last 10 years. The cultural, ethnic, and religious mix has changed and there is greater percentage of younger people. The recent Diocesan Publication ‘Getting to know your Parish’ highlights a number of things, two of which are that 25% of the population of Boston are between the ages of 15 and 25. 11% of which do not have English as their first language. If our role is to proclaim the message of the Gospel afresh for each generation (which I believe it is) then this changing parochial landscape needs to be embraced in our plans for the future. The community of Boston is culturally and spiritually diverse and this brings a richness to the quality of all our lives. The Churches of St Thomas, St Chris- topher and St Botolph all have roles in creating places of Hospitality within our changing community: a place where a variety of needs can be met by our theological geography and liturgical practice. To be the place that manifests spiritual as well as practical hospitality where people can belong before they believe,14 yet to be a place that belief can be found for those who seek it.

The journey for us as a parish continues and the principals of being a parish church stand, but our context has changed. It is imperative to not only plan but to act upon our plans. This Strategic Devel- opment Plan is a tool for this to happen. This document is intended as a five year working document that will be reviewed annually. If agreed, we will begin in earnest in Advent 2015.

12 Philip Sheldrake: page 35 13 Diocese of Lincoln, Mission Communities (Lincoln 2013) page 9 Getting to Know your Parish Diocese of Lincoln page 6 14 Paraphrasing Grace Davie 9 Section 2

Vision without action is merely a dream, action without vision just passes the time, vision with action can change the world.

Anonymous15

Our Vision To be a Place of Hospitality

As we think and plan for the future we have challenges to overcome as well as strengths to cele- brate.

Our Challenges

1. Lack of Money 2. Changing Town 3. We are stewards of 3 churches one of which is a very large iconic and historic building 4. We are a Tourist attraction as well as a worshipping church 5. Lack of volunteers 6. Falling congregational numbers

Our Strengths 1. We are developing a strong and committed team of people who are united in the same vision 2. We have an active and committed PCC 3. We have a large iconic and historic building an Arts and Crafts Church and a Chapel of Ease 4. Will be submitting a potentially transforming Heritage Lottery Bid 5. We are known for our musical tradition 6. We have God on our side!

15 John Adair, Creative Church Leadership (Canterbury Press, Norwich, 2004) page7 10

Why we are here……..?

Regardless of our challenging context

We need to ensure the continuation of Christian Worship and develop an inclusive Church that is inspired to reach out into the community with the Gospel message.

We need to ensure that we take our role as custodians of our Church buildings seri- ously so that the church is available for everyone and that each community has its own sacred space.

We need to ensure that we about God’s purpose in the world, we want to promote the Gospel, draw people to Christ and be an influence for good in our communities.

How do we fulfil our purpose?

The Parish of Boston exists to serve the Kingdom of God by

1) Being a church for the community 2) Communicating our vision of being A Place of Hospitality with the congregation and Town and for all areas of our common life to reflect our vision 3) Building inclusive worshipping communities that honour our tradition and also developing for our context 4) Maintaining enthusiastic hearts for Christian learning and discipleship 5) Becoming a financially stable and thriving Church 6) Encouraging and empowering the vocation and ministry of all 7) Having a strong focus on children and young people 8) Reviving our missionary focus and making in the most of the missionary nature of our buildings

The Parish of Boston’s Development Plans

1) With God’s help we aim to be a place of hospitality, love and pastoral care 2) With God’s help we aim to be a place of inclusive worship 3) With God’s help we aim to be a place known for its love of young people and children 4) With God’s help we aim to be a place of intentional discipleship and where all our gifts are encouraged and nurtured. 5) With God’s help we aim to be a place that is known for its transparency of communication 6) With God’s help we aim to develop our financial resources in a way that is self sustaining. 7) With God’s help we hope that His buildings will be used as a resource and a sacred spiritual place for the Town.

Strategic Action Plan.

Area of Ministry Specific Plans Who is Short Medium Long of Mission responsible Term Term Term Within Within Within 1 year 3 years 5 years

A Place of Employment of a Hospitality Sue Watsham Yes Yes Yes Hospitality and Manager pastoral care Training of Volunteers Sue W Yes Good Shop Offering Sue/Ann S Yes Good Coffee Shop Offering Sue Yes Home Visits/Communions Min T Yes Welcome Packs Yes Heritage Lottery Funding Peter C Yes Bid Keep the Doors Open Vicars and Yes Church wardens To offer quality Occasional Steve/Aly/Chris Yes Offices Parish Social Events Social Yes

Keeping the Church clean Angie Yes Training of Guides Sue W Yes Welcome Packs Peter/Sue Yes Pastoral Visiting Team Min T Yes Welcomers on a Sunday Sue W Yes and midweek.

Strategic Action Plan.

Area of Ministry Specific Plans Who is Short Medium Long of Mission responsible Term Term Term Within Within Within 1 year 3 years 5 years

A Place of Member of the Ministry Aly Inclusive Team Worship Employ a FT Music Projects Director Aly Yes New Service Booklets Aly Yes New Worship Rota Aly Yes Intercessory Prayer Training Yes Regular Guest Preaching Aly Slots Aly Yes Develop Different Worship Services Music D Yes Yes Develop a Network of Music D Yes Choirs Develop a range of instru- Music D Yes mental worship expressions Developing a Parish of Bos- Music D Yes ton Continental Community Choir Training of Worship Leaders Min Team Yes

Strategic Action Plan.

Area of Ministry Specific Plans Who is Short Medium Long of Mission responsible Term Term Term Within Within Within 1 year 3 years 5 years

A Place for Member of the Ministry Steve Children and Team Young People Employ a FT Music Director Yes Develop Young Pilgrims Steve Yes Develop an Integrated Steve Yes Programme from Bap- tism/Young Pilgrims/All Age Service Combine Children’s Ministry Music D with Yes with Music Min T Setting up a continental Music D Yes Yes community choir Heritage Lottery Funding Peter C Yes Bid Working in Schools Steve Yes

Intentional Member of the Ministry Chris Discipleship and Team every member Discipleship Programme Chris Yes ministry Book Club Aly/Steve Yes Lay Ministry Training Min Team Yes

Prayer and Nurture Group Parish Pilgrimage Mike H Yes Parish Day Out Mike H Yes

Strategic Action Plan.

Area of Ministry Specific Plans Who is Short Medium Long of Mission responsible Term Term Term Within Within Within 1 year 3 years 5 years

Transparency of Employment of a Peter H Yes Yes Yes Communication Communication manager New interactive Website Peter/Sue Yes Facebook Page Sue/Peter Yes Clear and regularly updated Peter Yes notice boards Peter 2 monthly Parish Magazine Peter Yes Welcome Packs Peter/Sue Yes Pew Sheets Peter/Mike Yes Set meetings with different Aly/Steve Yes groups Media Liaison Peter Yes

Strategic Action Plan.

Area of Ministry Specific Plans Who is Short Medium Long of Mission responsible Term Term Term Within Within Within 1 year 3 years 5 years

Financially Employment of a Certified Sue Kitchen Yes Self-Sufficient Accountant Reduction of costs and increase

revenue across the whole Parish

Fabric Restoration Trust Aly/Peter (endless) Friends of St Botolph’s Aly/Alison Yes Legacies Rest Trust Yes Yes

Open Door Project Procurement Policy Sue K (the money that is Micro Accounting Sue K Yes needed to keep the Events Sue W Yes 17.000 doors of our churches Guided Tours Karen/Peter D Yes 1.000 open) Coffee Shop Profit Sue W Yes 10.000 (200K to be raised Stump Souvenirs Profit Sue W Yes 25.000 annually) Tower Sue W Yes 10.000 Boxes Sue W Yes 20.000 Votive Stands Sue E Yes 10.000 Increase regular giving Aly/Sue K Yes Collections Aly/ Sue K 15.000 Gift Aid Envelopes Aly/Sue K 62.500 BACS Aly/Sue K Venue Hire Floodlights 5.000 Bells 5.000 Occasional Offices Yes 1.000 Worship Resources 15.000 Coffee Mornings 3.000 Parish Magazine 3.000 3.000

Music and Children Selling of the Conway School and Graham Yes Fund create an endowment to start the Yes (193.000 needed for Trust Yes the post and 500 to Legacies Aly/Sue K Yes be raised for endow- Bid Writing to funders Aly/Sue K Yes ment fund) Letters to private funders Aly/Sue K Baptism Collections Min Team Special Events Sue W Choir Fundraising Choir

Strategic Action Plan.

Area of Ministry Specific Plans Who is Short Medium Long of Mission responsible Term Term Term Within Within Within 1 year 3 years 5 years

Our buildings to Employment of a Head Angie be a resource for Verger the Town Fabric Team Angie/Graham Yes Heritage Lottery Funding Peter/Aly Yes Bid Aly Yes Multi Lingual Worship Space Sue W Yes Community Groups Sue W Yes Corporate Events Sue W Yes Concert Venue Aly Yes A space for other Churches Steve/Sue W Yes Catering for Occasional Of- fices Aly/Steve/Sue Yes To be involved in community groups and charities Aly/Steve Yes Educational Venue Yes Community Choir Yes Library MPD Library Com- mittee

NB - It will be the responsibility of the designated responsible person to work with the team (Ministry and Staff) as to how each action, with a time-scale will be achieved.

NB - Specific community outreach has not been mentioned. This is not through lack of motivation or acknowledging the need. As a team we are involved in a number of community endeavours as well as attending and being part of community groups. However, presently we do not have the human ca- pacity to have this as a strategic action.

Conclusion

To conclude, The Parish of Boston longs to be known to all as A Place of Hospitality. Boston is experiencing a time of significant change. Our churches have the opportunity to be places of integration for all people, regardless of background, culture, age or religious affiliation: to be a group of inclusive churches for the community.

This Strategic Development Plan is intended to be a working document and will be reviewed annually. The Ac- tions will be the bases of discussions at staff and ministry team meetings and each member of clergy and staff will be responsible for overseeing their agreed actions and ensuring they are fulfilled within the highlighted time-scales.

It is our hope that the tower of St Botolph’s Church will not only be seen as a ‘permanent antenna to the good news’ but for it to be a beacon of God’s hospitality for all.

Finally, as we continue and grow as disciples of Christ, individually and as a community, let it be our prayer that our vision may be realised, so that we know, we have been faithful to His call to proclaim the Gospel afresh in this generation.

With love in Him

Alyson

Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report Historic Total income and expenditure for the last 3 years is as detailed below:

Total Income Total Expenditure 2012 183,378 172,439 2013 139,256 177,960 2014 242,736 191,782

Total income and expenses 300,000

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

0 2012 2013 2014

Total Income Total Expenditure

The increase in income in 2014 is attributable to the £110k legacy received in the year. Expenditure is increased to the increased salary costs for the Director of operations.

1 Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report

The last 3 years regular income and expenditure is detailed below:

Regular In- Regular Expenditure come 2012 126,542 172,439 2013 120,076 164,640 2014 119,711 187,576

Regular income and expenditure

200,000 180,000 160,000 140,000 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 2012 2013 2014

Regular Income Regular Expenditure

2 Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report

The regular income for 2014 is categorised as follows:

2014 Regular Income Split Gift Aid 29,461 Income tax recovered on Gift Aid 7,688 Uncovenanted Planned Giving 7,366 Collections including church boxes 20,724 Shop Profit 6,958 Coffee Shop Loss (5,780) Sundry Donation and Voluntary In- 15,684 come Fees paid to the PCC 17,317 Investment Income 15,143 Hall Lettings 940 PCC Property Income including 4,210 tower

2014 Regular Income Split Gift Aid 1 % 3 % Income tax recovered on Gift 12 % Aid 22 %

Uncovenanted Planned Giving

Collections including church boxes 13 % Shop Profit 6 % Coffee shop loss

Sundry Donation and Voluntary 6 % Income 12 % Fees paid to the PCC

Investment Income

- 4 % 16 % 5% Hall Lettings

PCC Property Income including tower

3 Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report

The regular expenditure for 2014 is categorised as follow:

2014 Regular Expenditure Split Clergy Expenses 2,039 Heating and Lighting 18,263 Cleaning Materials 848 Insurance 34,653 Minor Repairs 2,733 Upkeep of services 13,935 Salaries and wages 37,766 Church and Blenkin Memorial Hire 4,829 Sundry Expenses 4,935 Administration, printing, stationery and postage 9,010 Diocesan quota 58,000 Mission 565

2014 Regular Expenditure Split

Clergy Expenses

0% 1% Heating,Lighting,Cleaning and Insurance 10%

0% Cleaning Materials

31% Insurance

19% Minor Repairs

Upkeep of services

Salaries and wages 1% Church and Blenkin Memorial Hire 5% 7% Sundry Expenses 3% 3% Administration, printing, stationery and 20% postage Diocesan quota

Mission

4 Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report

The balance sheet is split as follows:

2012 2013 2014 Fixed Assets 116,893 116,893 131,012 Current Assets 175,076 132,951 198,967 Current Liabilities (11,646) (8,225) (14,084) Fixed assets are assets which are purchased for long-term use and are not likely to be converted quickly into cash, such as land, buildings, and equipment Current assets are cash and other assets that are expected to be converted to cash within a year Current liabilities amounts to be paid to people who are owed money within twelve months

Split of items in the balance sheet 250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

0 Fixed Assets Current Assets Current Liabilities -50,000 2012 2013 2014

2014 Balance sheet split

-4 %

38%

58%

Fixed Assets Current Assets Current Liabilities

5 Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report CONWAY TRUST The results for the last 3 years for the Conway Trust are as follows:

2012 2013 2014 Income 0 7,253 2,899 Expenditure 22,176 26,093 18,272

Excess of expenditure over income (22,176) (18,840) (15,373) Deficit of funds at the end of the year (3,328) (22,168) (37,541)

Income and expenditure 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0 2012 2013 2014

Income Expenditure

The expenditure for 2014 is categorised as follows:

2014 Expenditure split

2 % 3 % 3 % Books 9 % 13 %

Repairs

Salaries

Insurance

Sundries 70 %

Professional Fees

The salary of the music director equates to 70% of the total cost. The Conway school is currently on the market for sale as no income can be generated from rental of the property.

6 Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report

Stump Souvenirs The last 3 years results for the Stump shop are as follows:

Income Expenditure 2012 35,999 34,228 2013 39,100 38,904 2014 27,711 28,226

Shop income and expenditure 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 2012 2013 2014

Income Expenditure

The expenditure (excluding purchase of goods for resale) for 2014 is categorised as follows:

Cost of using equipment 40 Salaries 14,316 Printing stationery and advertising 85 Sundry Expenses 474 Accountancy 930

Split of expenditure for 2014

6 % 0 %3 %

91 %

Salaries Printing stationery and advertising Sundry Expenses Accountancy

Salary costs equate to 91% of the total costs. The paid staff have been made redundant and the shop is to be run by volunteers. The profit from the shop each year is donated to the PCC

7 Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report 2015 Short term strategy Unfortunately no income is guaranteed as it is dependent upon attendance at church services, people visiting and funeral and wedding fees. Gift Aid needs to be promoted as a source of income as this enables at 25% contribution from HMRC Wages costs have been reviewed and with the loss of the cost of the Director of Operations and Lincoln helping with a £28k contribution for the next 18 months expenditure is indicating a good reduction for 2015. The new staffing structure indicates that there will be a reduction in staff costs and tight controls are being maintained to ensure staff only work their contracted hours. The same is true of purchasing. Tight controls have been implemented to ensure all expenditure is author- ised and that the best prices are obtained for similar goods. Monthly figures are to be produced and monthly finance meetings to be held so that the situation is regularly monitored. The Future Looking at an overall increase in income and reduction in expenditure the following scenarios are considered below: Scenario 1 - 10% increase in income and 10% reduction in expenditure each year the figures are as below:

Adjusted figures 2014 2015 2016 2017

Income 119,711 131,682 144,850 159,335 Expenditure 187,576 140,818 137,936 124,142

Excess for the year (67,865) (9,136) 6,914 35,193

Adjusted figures Income Expenditure 2015 131,682 140,818 2016 144,850 137,936 2017 159,335 124,142

This means the turnaround period from losses to excess of income would be two years (the calculations are based on a 10% reduction of expenditure each year together with the 28K agreed in 2015 and 14K in 2016 from Lincoln for wages costs)

8 Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report

10 % increase in income and 10% reduction in costs 180,000

160,000

140,000

120,000

100,000

80,000

60,000

40,000

20,000

0 2015 2016 2017

Income Expenditure

3 YEAR PLAN 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 2015 2016 2017 -5,000 -10,000 -15,000

Loss/profit

9 Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report

Scenario 2: - 5% increase in income and a 5% reduction in expenditure

Adjusted 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 figures

Income 119,711 125,696 131,981 138,580 145,509 152,784 Expenditure 187,576 150,197 155,287 147,523 140,147 133,139

Excess for the (67,865) (24,501) (23,306) (8.943) 5,362 19,645 year

Adjusted figures Income Expenditure 2015 125,696 150,197 2016 131,981 155,287 2017 138,580 147,523 2018 145,509 140,147 2019 152,784 133,139

This indicates that the turnaround period would be 4 years.(the calculations are based on a 5% reduction of expenditure each year together with the 28K agreed in 2015 and 14K in 2016 from Lincoln for wages costs)

5% increase in income and 5% reduction in expenditure 180,000

160,000

140,000

120,000

100,000

80,000

60,000

40,000

20,000

0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Income Expenditure

10 Appendix 1

St Botolphs Financial Report

5 Year Plan

25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 - 5,000 - 10,000 - 15,000 - 20,000 - 25,000 - 30,000 Loss/Profit

Conclusion With the procedures already implemented, a plan in place for the future and continued regular monitoring St Botolph’s will continue to be self-sufficient.

Appendix 2 Appendix 2 Parish Conference Feedback

1. Youth and Children's Work in all areas of our ministry and mission

2. To deepen our understanding as to what it means to be a disciple of Christ 3. Honour our tradition for Choral music but develop a more holistic and creative worship experience appropriate for

the congregation and town

4. A much higher focus on communication — particularly by re-establishing a parish magazine or newsletter

5. To become a multi-lingual church

6. To be known as a place of HOSPITALITY

What Worship Services would you like to have Services in the week formatted Celebration of holy days during Regular - not necessarily every Flexible service times on flexible differently the week week — family orientated days services

More BCP Integrated baptisms Some services without a Development of some different Eucharist services e.g. taize/celtic

Doing services with the Latvian Matins Service of the word with hymns Service in the mkt place with and other european churches food

Baptism’s in the Eucharist A young family service Choral matins Midweek evening service

Occasional Matins Regular wider parish services Children's service Evensong

Pram service with play group Family service once a month children’s service Eucharistic settings for congregational singing

Midweek evening eucharist Family friendly service Parish service Family service

Appendix 2

1 Thing I would like to see start weekday creche, parent and involvement of wider arts com- free tea and coffee daily in greet and meet people child group munity church

Sunday lunch for students and a social group willing to cover all to make more use of the Cotton a special chapel set aside for links with the College social events Chapel multi-lingual prayer

youth club, children in church a stall in the market invite school choirs to sing in our MUST reduce age profile church

copies of sermons use the chancel — use the High allow people to sit anywhere parish newspaper Altar

prayers to be relevant service books in different lan- Sunday School, youth clubs more social activities guages

How can we be more hospitable? Regular training for sides people be-frienders social events for all more fun activities

worship services that relate to creche/toddler group mid-week children’s group actively make the church family the community orientated

talk to visitors mentor meet and greet talk to people you don’t know not just be friendly - develop really just to those you do good ‘customer service’

sides-people to stand not sit be open to all a stranger is just about to be- free soup come a friend

have a warm cafe no barriers - don’t be pious Sunday school and youth in- no cliques volvement

smile - friendly faces ask the people what they want friendly, cheerful, positive don’t talk the church down

Appendix 2

Why do we come to church? spend time with friends worship God, give thanks for thanksgiving, to feel God’s love to cope with bereavement blessings

to meet new people seek forgiveness, to worship and thank God comfort in difficult times

to find peace worship together - singing to connect with other people to join in music where I can

worship, prayer, reflect atmosphere, companionship, to realise how small I am to communicate with God and peace give me a vision for my week

to get support a support others tradition, music, contemplation to have a good sing a second home

to worship and give thanks pray for others remove myself from day to day worship and reflect demands

How can we communicate better? internet and computer in the newsletter, newsletter, parish parish magazine, parish maga- ministry team need to dissemi- cafe for parishioners who are magazine zine, parish magazine, parish nate information more clearly not on email magazine

more notices in Latvian, Lithua- information in different lan- church signage plain English Campaign nian and Russian guages

Appendix 2

1 Thing I would like to stop? Unaccountable committees perceived favouritism chosen few syndrome rumour mongering

over enthusiastic peace stop long winded communion parishioners power status pos- divisive negativity settings turing

talking to each other before the music too loud music can feel ignoring visitors bickering service like a performance

What Do You Dislike? Lack of communication between the cafe — it trivialises the latin Gloria and Agnus Dei - it lack of congregational participa- clergy and congregation Tower and was a mistake should be sung in English so tion people can join in

baptism outside the Eucharist assumptions where people jump chatter before the service — Midnight Mass has become too to conclusions meet God first and then your long friends

poor communication — mobile letters should have been sent extended communion settings find new ways to welcome new phones in church out when the new electoral roll and no vestry prayers people without alienating the cur- was was formed rent members

lack of heating - too much the clique and hierarchical struc- until the conference the laity had everything on a Saturday money goes to ‘Lincoln’ — too ture never been asked what they cold want

Appendix 2

Comments written on the flip chart Notice boards more visible, up to Get out there and ask the Parish Ecumenical Services variety of series on different days date and ATTRACTIVE what it needs/wants and times

advertise our services, outreach make our services meaningful pram service/playgroup,/children what connects us to God? music, programme, singing inside and and understood sitting up near the altar and not shared liturgy, companionship, outside at the back peace, quiet

Christmas socials, uniformed or- welcome children into church family orientated service, family choral services, healing services, ganisations, children’s work, chil- with a more multi-sensory experi- orientated service, family orien- blessings, integrate services with dren’s work, children’s work ence, play and learn tated service the community

coffee mornings, drop in ses- focus on bringing people in from Team Rector to write about multi-lingual information and ser- sions, home visits our Occasional Services - New Christmas in the press vice cards liturgy expressed in a way that people understand