The Parish of St Andrew with Holy Cross

Annual Church Meeting

Year Ending April 2018

ContentsContents:::: Page No.

Agenda 3

Minutes of the previous Annual Parochial Church Meeting 4

Clergy Report 2017 7 . Electoral Roll 9

Summary of PCC Business 9

Pastoral Group 10

Children and Youth 11  Children’s report Holy Cross  11  Worship Zone  11  Youth at St Andrew’s  12

Discipleship, Worship and Outreach 14  House Groups  14  Music at St Andrew’s  14  Messy Church  15

Food Ministry 16  Community Lunch  16 o Outline of organisation, activity and aims 16 o Attendance 16 o Organisation 16 o Funding for Community Lunch 16 o How other van help and get involved 17  MakeLunch  17  Re-Store  18 o Our purpose 18 o Sources of incoming food 18 o Distribution of food 19 o Going forward 19

Churchwarden Reports 19  Overview  19  Worship  20  Buildings  21  Churchyard  21  In Conclusion  22

Annual Financial Statement 22  Administrative information  22  Structure, governance and management  24  Objectives and activities  24  Summary of main activities  24  Financial review  24  Reserves policy  26  Detailed Financial Statement  -

Page 2  - Agenda

1.1.1. Meeting of Parishioners I.I.I. Election of Churchwardens II.II.II. AOB

2.2.2. Annual Parochial Church meeting

3.3.3. Apologies for absence

4.4.4. Minutes of the meeting of 23 rd April 2017

5.5.5. Matters arising from minutes

6.6.6. Elections and Appointments I.I.I. Members for Parochial Church Council II.II.II. Members of Deanery Synod III.III.III. Appointments of Deputy Churchwardens IV.IV.IV. Appointments of Welcomers

7.7.7. Presentation /Discussion of the Annual Reports

8.8.8. Open Discussion

9.9.9. Any other business  Date of next APCM (Sunday 21 st April 2019  Use of non-recyclable plastics in church activities

10. Date for the next PCC meeting  Tuesday 15 th May 2018

Page 3 Minutes of the of the Annual Parochial Church MeetingMeeting --- Sunday 23rd April 2017

1.1.1. Meeting of Parishioners I.I.I. The following were appointed as Churchwardens:-

St Andrews: David Lambert proposed: Jenny Lovell seconded: Peter White Peter White proposed: Nicola Firth seconded: Richard Pitt

Holy Cross: Bernard Turnbull proposed: Richard Sanders seconded: David Lambert

Appointments agreed Proposed: Ada Pile seconded: Tracey Bain

II.II.II. No other business was raised

2.2.2. Annual Parochial Church Meeting

3.3.3. Apologies for absence There were no apologies for absence. 4.4.4. Minutes of the meeting of 24 ththth April 2016 The minutes were signed as a true copy. 5.5.5. Matters arising There were no matters arising. 6.6.6. Elections and Appointments Members of the Parochial Church Council: Stephen Harris, Steve Bowen, Marion Marshall, Nicola Firth were nominated and seconded, Appointments agreed proposed: Paul Gidley seconded: Alice Smith I.I.I. No members of the Deanery Synod were appointed, appointment deferred until the PCC meeting of 16 th May 2017

II.II.II. No Deputy Wardens were elected. III.III.III. Appointments of Welcomers: it was agreed to continue with the same welcomers.

Page 4 7.7.7. Presentation of Reports Finance report: Mark Stubberfield advised Geoff Webber is standing down as Independent Examiner, a note of thanks to Mr Webber for looking after our finance for the past 11 years, a gift will be sent. A note of thanks went also to Tracey, Joan, Eileen and Emma who help at St Andrews, and Elaine and Len who help at Holy Cross. A mention was made that since the Giving in Grace program, giving has increased to £109 per week which almost meets target of £111. Mark wish to thank all those who have been able to increase their giving and to those who have prayerfully given consideration to the subject, a thanks also to the giving of time in service to the church. Mark thanked the finance team for all the hard work put into the Giving in Grace program, Steve, Cate, Chris and Jenny. Ended with a request to consider gift aid for those who pay tax. Churchwardens report: St Andrews - David Lambert wish to say thank you for the privilege of being Churchwarden and a privilege of us all to serve God. David asked that the church to look after, care, love and protect our new Revd. Jane Richards. Holy Cross - Bernard Turnbull said hoping to see improvement of the building and pleased about the work being carried out in the grounds by community workers on a regular basis, also the opportunity to relate to these people. Bernard wished to thank all the church members who have supported him over the years. Thanks and gifts given to David and Bernard. Thanks and gifts went also to Tracey Bain for her five years of faithful service as Churchwarden and to Stephen Harris for the last year and all his input and experience put into the parish profile. Thanks and gift also to Jenny Lovell for stepping up to be PCC secretary and for helping in parish office. Revd. Andy spoke about how the foundations that Margaret and John Shaw had laid down which has allowed the parish to thrive and how we have grown as a church. Andy thanked the congregation for all their efforts to help make the church thrive and gave thanks for all the support he and Alice have received. Andy cautioned not to be too super busy, and to always underpin what we do with prayer and worship, we must always allow God to be our centre. Electoral RRolloll report: David Marshall advised of the prayer diary for anyone who wishes to pray for people in the parish.

Page 5 Youth rreport:eport: Lesley Beckinsale advised 18 youth going to Solid, and Falcon camp running. The kitchen is being used to teach cooking skills for older group. The younger group praying for each other in sanctuary. Thanked all helpers for their support. Messy Church report: Jim Rowell advised numbers are increasing, now have approximately 40 children. Becoming less messy and more church, Introducing prayer and bible to families, parents now becoming more involved, thanked everyone who are involved and helps. Andy thanked Kathy and Jim and that Messy church in now clergy free. Food MMinistryinistry report: Peter White advised now receiving chicken twice weekly from Nando’s. 80 children were fed at Make Lunch. Two churchwardens came from St Chads and St Margaret’s to Make Lunch with the desire to run the same at their churches. Home GGrouproup report: Karen White advised home groups are flourishing and thanked Alice for the prayer group. Karen is coming to the end of the LLM training and will be licensed in October, thanked everyone for their support, particularly Peter. Andy said thank you to Karen for her faithful service. Pastoral GGrouproup report: Richard Sanders reminded congregation the pastoral group are here for people when in need, all pastoral team members are approachable. Noted prayer box underused, please use if needed, pastoral and prayer go together. Richard will be putting up prayer boards at both churches for more general prayer. Marion, David, Francis and Jenny attended foundation pastoral training and Jenny is training as Pastoral assistant. 8.8.8. Open discussion A note of thanks was given to the young people group for their hard work and who serve so faithfully. Joyce Hancock thanked Andy, David and Marion for the large print service books and hymn sheets. Stephen Harris thanked Andy for his leadership and how he has risen to the call as our , not our Minister. Barbara Marsh thanked all who volunteer at community lunch. 9.9.9. Any other business Next APCM – Sunday 22nd April 2018. 10. Date of next PCC meeting Tuesday 16th May 2017. Meeting ended with prayer.

Page 6 Clergy Report 2017 ––– Revd Jane Richards

It gives me immense pleasure to be writing my first report as Vicar of this amazing parish! Thinking back to this time last year when I was preparing to leave my curacy and chaplaincy positions in order to join you here I could not have imagined what lay ahead - I knew this was a place where the Holy Spirit was certainly working but I have been overwhelmed by the extent that we have been blessed by God’s goodness! As a parish I know it has been a time of significant change as you said goodbye to Andy as he moved on to become Priest in Charge in Hutton, having served his Title post so ably, particularly during the period of vacancy. The welcome I received on moving to the parish was wonderful and I can’t believe how quickly I settled in and felt as though I had indeed come home. It was wonderful to see so many people sharing fellowship at my Licensing Service and very special to have Bishop Stephen and Archdeacon Mike alongside, both of whom have been very significant in my ministry journey. Life in the parish is certainly never dull that is for sure and it is a blessing to be part of a parish family who are so active in both their discipleship and engagement in taking the Good News of Jesus’s love out into the community. The food ministry for which our parish is so well known was publicly acknowledged and celebrated when we received the Pride of Volunteer Group of the Year award. The significance of this cannot be understated as for a faith group to be given such an award by a secular organisation is rare and is a clear indication of the value that is placed on what is being achieved through this work. I have continued the links with local schools that were already in place and sit on the Governing Bodies of Fairhouse Primary and Greensted Infants. It is has been a pleasure to have been welcomed into the school communities, as well as to lead assemblies both in school and at St Andrew’s. All our local schools continue to support the Make Lunch initiative, through which we have been able to provide hospitality to local families. I was also delighted to lead prayers at the sea cadets’ annual inspection parade. Our links with this very committed and dedicated group of young people have developed through their very efficient contribution to my licensing service and their presence at the Nine Lessons and Carols Service at St Andrew’s. Worship on Sundays is well attended, and it is encouraging to witness so many people, young and old, actively participating in services through reading, intercessions and music. The number of people exploring what faith and a relationship with God means to their lives has steadily grown. In September, Richard Sanders and I co-led a small nurture group using the Pilgrim materials and in November two of our congregation took their next step in faith and were confirmed at Cathedral.

Page 7 As well as the regular home groups it was good to host an additional gap of those who wished to participate in this year’s Advent course when we studied Bishop Stephen’s book “Walking Backwards to Christmas” Our Lent course “Nothing More Nothing Less” was very well supported. Based on the film “I, Daniel Blake” the course challenged us all to reflect on themes of oppression in society and I am grateful for the openness and honesty of those who shared their own experiences of dealing with the reality of the benefits system in this country. Given the call that God is clearly placing on our parish to minister to those on the fringes of our community I feel that our discussions have enriched both our understanding and our desire to continue to pursue this. In October we celebrated Karen White’s licensing as a Licensed Lay Minister, again in . Karen contribution to the life of the parish continues apace as she leads and preaches at services on a regular basis, as well as teaches on the Course on Christian Studies plus of course many other activities. The Advent season and Christmas were times of great blessing as we welcomed so many into both churches for services, including the Advent Carol Service, Nine Lessons and Carols and Midnight Mass. It was particularly good to see Holy Cross packed with families attending the Christingle /Crib Services on Christmas Eve. In January the PCC spent the day together considering how we progress our mission and I am grateful for their energy and commitment to this occasion and indeed subsequently as we work together to take forward the plan into a vibrant way of living out the Gospel in which the whole church family is fully engaged. It has been a joy to welcome 24 babies, children and adults into God’s family through the sacrament of baptism at both churches as well as our first at Messy Church Funerals and the first full immersion at St Andrew’s - a new experience for me as well! Having conducted one wedding and a renewal of vows at Holy Cross last year I am looking forward to further weddings this year as well as some already booked in for 2019! It is encouraging to observe the number of couples who still choose to make these solemn vows before God, continuing the tradition of hundreds of years in such a beautiful and holy place. It has also been a privilege to be alongside a number of families as they have said goodbye to loved one through funeral ministry. The East Basildon Anglican Churches (EBAC) Mission and Ministry Unit continues to develop. It has been good to get to know both my clergy colleagues and members of the neighbouring parishes and I have particularly enjoyed leading evening services at St Gabriel’s, during Rev. Simon’s extended study leave. And so we enter into the next phase of our journey together as followers of Jesus in this community. I am certain that the Holy Spirit is moving powerfully through our parish and that we are called to look outwards and take the love of Jesus to those who are yet to know the joy of this in their lives.

Page 8 When I stand before you each Sunday and indeed at many other times I see a parish family who are alive to God’s call on their lives. I see people who are hungry for God’s word, who have a dynamic faith, who wait expectantly for the Holy Spirit to fall upon them, who are joyful in their worship and who most importantly truly care for each other and for their community. I see people who welcome all comers regardless of who they are. I see people who seek to draw others to Jesus. I see people who are living embodiments of the Gospel message. There is much to look forward to and I am so excited and privileged to have been called by God to serve this family at whose heart there is such love for Jesus and for each other as well as the community as a whole. My heartfelt thanks go to you all for the generosity of your welcome to me, to the PCC and church wardens for their patience as I learned the ropes of the parish and to everyone who has poured teas and coffees, made cakes, compiled rotas and newssheets, arranged flowers, made music, attended meetings, cleaned buildings, put out chairs and carried out the countless tasks that make this parish such a real and living reflection of Gospel values. “All the believers were together and had everything in common………..And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:44, 47) With my love and prayers Jane+

Electoral Roll ––– David MarshallMarshall,,,, Electoral Roll Officer

During the recent revision in March/April 2018 8 names were deleted, 13 names have been added, so the total is now 116, of whom 34 live outside the parish. Copies of the new roll are on display at both churches. People on the roll are entitled to vote at the Annual meeting. Names can be added at any time during the year. There will be a new Electoral Roll in 2019.

Summary of PCC BusinessBusiness–––– JenJennyny Lovell

Following the Annual Parochial Church Meeting in April 2017, the PCC met eight times, the meeting of January 2018 was cancelled in favour of a PCC discernment away day to pray and discuss forward planning for the Parish. The PCC meetings opened and closed with prayer and regular items for discussion were Vicars report, Churchwardens, fabric, and finance reports, children’s and youth report, food ministry report and pastoral report.

Page 9 The main topics of discussion through the year were:

 Preparations for New Incumbent, Revd. Jane’s Licensing and decoration of Vicarage  Make Lunch  Upgrade of heating and lighting at Holy Cross, now completed  Food Ministry – continuing to support CAP clients and wider community  Refurbishment and upgrade at St Andrews – reworking of stage area and refurbishment of Sanctuary. Furniture in process of being made.  Mission Opportunity Fund Application with a view to appoint Children’s and Family Worker

A motion was passed for the PCC to increase meetings from bi-monthly to monthly.

Pastoral GGGroupGroup report ––– Richard Sanders

The pastoral group has undergone a dramatic change following last year’s report. We are still firmly established in prayer, but the group now meets every fortnight to pray on the issues facing the church family and, increasingly for the needs of those outside the church. Pastoral group members are all involved in various outreach activities but, principally, CAP and the Church food ministry present numerous opportunities for pastoral care and listening. The pastoral visitors group is always ready to help you as a church member should you be struggling with any personal issue. We act in total privacy and with discretion to provide a "listening ear" when you may most need it. A group member is ready to pray with you at home, hospital or in church and will be pleased to visit you if illness or difficulty prevent your church attendance. We can also bring Holy Communion to you in your own home. Please approach any member of the pastoral team for prayer or to off load a problem during any service. You are encouraged to use the prayer cards by each prayer box or the prayer book in St. Andrews for prayers to be said for your situation at morning daily prayer services. In an emergency when a visit, prayer or listening is needed, contact any member of the pastoral team directly. All contact is treated in total confidence. Please get to know your pastoral team: Revd. Jane Richards; Richard Sanders; Jenny Lovell; David and Marion Marshall; Cate Lambert; Frances Graham.

NNNBNBBB.... Do you feel God may be calling you to a pastoral miministry?nistry? If this is the case, please contact Richard Sanders-Sanders ---0126801268 520688 for further information.

Page 10 Children and Youth Ministry

Children’s report Holy Cross ––– Elaine Morrison and Steve Harris

Activities for children are on offer at Holy Cross every Sunday. Our numbers vary from week to week but we always have activities ready for any children who attend the Sunday Service at 11:15. Our group take part in the first hymn and the welcome with the whole congregation, we then gather at the back of the Church to learn about God’s Word. We do this through discussion, sharing prayers and completing different craft activities. We return to the service after the peace when we share our work and our creations with the congregation. This year we have had more adult leaders join our rota including those who lead the Worship Zone at St Andrews. We would like to thank everyone who has helped us lead our activities this year. All children are welcome to join us – we are always ready to explore God’s Word as a children’s group every Sunday at 11:15.

Worship Zone 2016 ---17-171717 ––– Jackie Stubberfield

Worship zone is the children's time of fellowship together. We are not there to teach them, but to walk alongside them in their faith journey, as we seek to meet with and experience Jesus, grow in faith and learn together. Worship zone meets in the back room and on the stage at St Andrew’s during the Sunday morning service, we meet as one or two groups depending on numbers. During the past year we have met on most Sunday mornings throughout the year, although we had a break during the summer in August. Our leaders have been Josie Carless, Nicola Firth, Kath Gidley, Frances Graham, Emma Lamb, Christine Pitt and Jackie Stubberfield. Frances and Kath are planning a break from St Andrew’s children’s work in 2018. Most Sundays we work from the Gospel reading, using as many different learning styles as we can, to enable the children to explore and understand their journey with Jesus and their own spirituality. Our children come to church with family members. The number of children attending each Sunday ranges from as low as 5 to as high as 20. We have the potential if all our children were to turn up on the same Sunday to have over 30 children. The age range extends from around 3 to 11 years old. When we have two groups meeting on a Sunday, the age range within the two groups will vary due to numbers of children attending, their wishes and their abilities. The younger group stay in the back room and the older group will have their time together on the stage.

Page 11 We use the “ Roots - Children and Young People” material for our sessions as this normally follows the Church lectionary readings. This year we have been exploring Matthew’s Gospel amongst other readings, including Chapter 4. “who do we listen to”; Chapter 18. “forgiveness”; Chapter 22. “getting it right”; and Chapter 25. “settling accounts”. We are financed by the generous giving of our church family church. Our leaders are all DBS checked and have all completed the Diocesan child safeguarding training. During 2017 we have met together with the team at Holy Cross to support and encourage one another. We are now a joint team of 12. At Christmas we enjoyed our second joint Christmas party, 35 children attended, and from the feedback we received they enjoyed themselves. Are you being called to help with children’s work? Please speak to Karen White or Rev. Jane if you’re interested and need more information, or speak to one of the team, or sit in on a Sunday morning session and see what we do. We believe our children are a precious gift from God, so talk to them, ask them what they have been doing, what they like, and don’t like about church. (please feedback to us if they tell you something you think we should know about ! ) You may find you can learn a lot from them. Please give thanks for our children and continue to pray for them and for us as we lead and guide them.

Youth at St Andrews ––– Lesley Beckinsale

St Andrew's and Holy Cross Youth Club continues to successfully run Monday nights during term time. The sessions start at 6:30pm and finishes at 9pm. The youth club is aimed at between year 6 and year 11. Youth from year 6 have recently been invited to attend prior the start of secondary school. This seems to help the transition and help the youth get to know some of their future peers at schools locality.

Youth club has seen an increase of years 5 and 6 this term, bringing up the number to a maximum of 24 youth with a range of different ages.

The tuck shop offers sweets and drinks for the youth to purchase from 7:30pm to 8pm.

Following the refurbishment of the kitchen, the youth club now have a dedicated cupboard on the stage for storage. The youth receive a free of charge meal every week, and help choose and prepare the meal, and clear away. All the youth sit together to eat around the tables. Before the meal, the youth are encouraged to say grace. Meals have included chips and chicken nuggets, pasta, pizza, chicken wraps and cooking brownies and cookies.

Page 12 The youth all eat together and this has developed into productive conversation and development of respect for each other. This has developed from the previous structure to include Highs and Lows of week, peer support and discussions about the bible. The seated area on the stage means some really meaningful discussions can be held towards the end of the session, resulting in a more chilled and relaxed time.

Rock Solid material continues to be used to promote open discussions and group work covering topics such as social media, relationships and family. Towards the end of the session the youth have use the TVs and Xbox, tennis nets and goals.

Whole hall games are played with all youth willing to join in, amongst the favourites are Sardines, Splat, Protect the President, and Capture the Flag, Ladders and team building games.

At the end of session, youth have the use of the Sanctuary to light candles and say individual prayers should they wish. The group also say the Lord’s Prayer together, read passages from the bible and have their own special St Andrews Prayer book. Before Easter the Youth all wrote prayers on the prayer tree.

St Andrews has started a Saturday Youth and Children’s Music Group which runs most Saturdays from 11am to 1pm at St Andrews. This has developed from both the youth club where there has been expressions of interest in music during theme nights, and from the Worship group with more children and youth wanting to be involved. We provide refreshments during this session.

The children have been choosing several worship songs to practice and the group is open to anyone who wants to sing of play. There is a mixture of piano, guitar, drums and singing during this session. On average there are about 8 – 9 children and youth that attend.

We currently have six youth leaders. The youth work would not be able to run successfully without the support and help of all the leaders who all have worked really hard and been fantastic.

Page 13 Discipleship, Worship and Outreach

Home Groups ––– Karen White

Our Bible Study groups have continued to flourish once again this year, with 4 groups meeting at various stages during the week and an extra group being formed during Advent. We have grown together in our faith by studying the Scriptures which have inspired us to seek and know God more deeply as Christians. In depth studies of how God works in the world in terms of Good and Evil, the characters associated with the Christmas story using Stephen Cottrell’s book Walking Backwards to Christmas, Discipleship and 40 Acts of Stewardship have helped us to see how alive God is and how He speaks to us with grace, love and mercy. As we have grown together to know and love God, we have received a greater understanding of healing and friendship, of restoration, of growth and perseverance, of joy in the face of adversity, and of triumph. Discovering God has been, and will continue to be, an adventure where friendships have been forged and where we have built each other up in Christ. All are welcome to our groups, so if you are looking for somewhere to be fed and renewed by God’s Word come and join us as we pray and study together and deepen our relationship with God. See the weekly newssheet for times and venues or one of the leaders of a group – Karen, Peter, Marion, Cyril.

Music at St Andrew’s ––– Mark Stubberfield

Our prayer for the music each week is that all those who come to worship at St Andrew’s will be able to draw nearer to God and be more aware of His presence (and less aware of us!). Thanks first to all those who sang – Tracey and Angel Bain, Elizabeth and Lesley Beckinsale, Cathy Crook, Eileen Hall and Cyril Phillips. Over the last year we’ve also enjoyed some of the younger members of our congregation, Hannah, Hayden and Josie, and most recently Eden, joining with us for some services. On the instrumental side we continued to enjoy the various talents of Michael Beckinsale, Matt and Sarah Clements, Grace Gidley, and Bruce and Val Rossiter playing in various combinations – not forgetting Angel’s and Elizabeth’s contributions with the tambourine. The children of the Worship Zone also bring their own percussive enthusiasm to the music while they are in the service. Of special note were Jane’s Licensing Service, and the Churches Together in Basildon Celebrations, with full congregations raising the roof with praise! A new initiative at the end of the year and into 2018 is a young people’s music session happening after practice on a Saturday morning. This is an opportunity for any young people to come and worship with singing and instruments. No experience necessary! Contact Lesley for more information. As well as all those who sing and play we also benefit greatly from the skills and experience of Richard at the sound desk, together with “apprentices” Hayden and Boaz.

Page 14 Another key part of any music group these days is the projection of words for the congregation. Jim Rowell has taken on the mantle of the regular ‘driver’. Thanks to others, who have taken their turn in front of the SongPro console. As well as Sunday services, the group has also provided a choir for some of the weddings at Holy Cross and the occasional funeral. Thanks to all who have helped out in this way, including Frances Graham, Marion Marshall, Richard Sanders, Karen White, Katie Catterall and Geoff Wright. The music group is supported financially by the church though the Music Reproduction Licence, which allows us to copy music from hymn books etc. for use in Services. In terms of the music, we hope to provide a mixture of well-known and loved hymns and songs, together with the steady, but gentle (!) introduction of some of the latest music being written to aid our worship. If you hear music that you particularly like and think would fit into our services do mention it to Mark or any of the Music group. We can’t promise to meet everyone’s likes all the time, but we’ll try! Anyone who would like to sing or play is very welcome to join us at our practices on Saturday mornings at 9:30am in St Andrew’s, whether or not you feel you want to be ‘up the front’ on a Sunday morning. On the other hand, looking after the song projection, or maybe even the sound desk, may be more your thing – and just as valuable.

Messy Church ––– Jim Rowell

Messy church meets once a month at Fryerns Community Centre, Whitmore Way, on a Saturday afternoon. We study Jesus and God at work in our lives though lay, bible readings, related craft activities, worship and a shared meal. The numbers of children attending have increased each month resulting in 43 children attending the March meeting. A large percentage of these children do not attend either St. Andrew’s or Holy Cross, which means that through Messy Church we are reaching people who might not otherwise come into contact with the Word of God and providing opportunities for them to grow in discipleship. Please continue to pray for Messy Church and the families that attend.

Page 15 Food Ministry

Community Lunch ––– Richard Pitt

Outline of organisationorganisation,,,, activity and aims: The Community Lunch team, aim to provide a two-course meal followed by tea or coffee, this is open to all residents with in our parish and surrounding area. From after Easter we have provided lunch on a weekly basis with the exception of August. The development of the Food Ministry Team has allowed a more integrated approach to the catering operation within the Church. It has become a multi-disciplinary operation with each team being able to draw on a greater range of experiences. Utilizing the enthusiasm: the feeling, and greater support: from all members of the team. Attendance: The attendance at Community Lunch this year has increased again: with an average of around 42-48 meals served being weekly. The service is able to provide meals for people who find themselves in need of support and companionship as well as providing a takeaway option for those who are unable to attend for any number of different reasons. Again this year Christmas lunch was well attended with about 75 people enjoying a traditional lunch with all the trimmings. Organisation: The organisation of the Community Lunch has developed with the addition of the Kitchen Annex, the extra storage and a dishwasher, Fridge and a Freezer. Together with additional equipment in the main kitchen has enabled us to provide a better and consistent quality of food, this has led to an increase the number and frequency of meals produced. Phil and Janet have come on board along with other people and this is constantly easing the load. The addition of the volunteers on the Community Lunch team are much appreciated as their enthusiasm ensures a successful outcome Funding for Community Lunch: The finance of the Community Lunch is secured from the participants and from the P.P.C. when there is a shortfall the donation for the meal has risen to £5, from Easter. Providing they have the financial resources to pay. With this practice we have between 4 and 8 people some weeks that have difficulty finding funds and they pay what they can afford. With this support we are able to keep the Community Lunch to continue. We hold a raffle at each Community Lunch which creates about £15 to £18 and during lent there is no raffle but a collection is held to support the Bishops Lent Appeal this year we approximately raised £45. We provided 886 meals plus 149 subsidised meals last year we received nearly £96 in donations which was paid into church funds.

Page 16 How oothersthers can help and get involved: People can volunteer to help by approaching any of the team members mentioned above, or talk to any of the church officials. Finally, I would like to thank everyone who provides valuable support to the lunch club. Although a team effort special thanks and recognition should be given to David Lambert who has supported, guided and cajoled us forward.

Marion Marshall

MakeLunch Supports free school meal children and their families and other families on low incomes who may lack the necessary nutrition during their school holidays. We provide MakeLunch sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each school holiday (except for bank holidays) starting at mid-day and ending at 13.45. A typical session comprises an hour of games and crafts followed by a healthy two-course meal. Four of the team attended the MakeLunch National Conference held at Kings Church, Aylesbury. This was a good event at which we met and exchanged ideas and experiences with people from other kitchens across the country. During the Christmas break we held a very successful Christmas party for the children and their families. This half term has shown a significant increase in the numbers of children/families attending. This is due to our becoming established, heading towards our second year, and improvement in the way we communicate and publicise the sessions. Over the three days 133 meals were provided, 80 of these received by children. Feedback has been very positive, and we anticipate a busy Easter. Through our relationship with MakeLunch we receive currently £50 from Brakes (food distribution organisation) for every day the kitchen is open. This is circa £850 each year. Following a successful application to Co-op Community Funding, we have received £2000+. Phoenix Striders have had MakeLunch as their 2017 designated charity and some of our team members attended Laindon Community Centre and were presented with a cheque for £1,400+ on Thursday 22nd February. Regular contributions to MakeLunch are made by members of our church family. This funding means we can fund volunteer training, craft and games resources and kitchen equipment and upgrading where appropriate which will benefit the wider church family. As well as our good fortune with funding we have a super group of volunteers who we would like to thank. We could always have more and if you feel called to help please let Marion, Nicola or David know. It could be as little as a couple of hours on each day we are open. We need people to help with food, games, craft, helping to fill in registration forms, chatting to parents over a cup of coffee, so something for everyone.

Page 17 This year the MakeLunch organisation is merging with TLG a charity which works with schools to help children who are struggling with their education. It is believed these two organisations with their strong Christian bases will complement each other. A launch of the combined charities took place on 20th March at City Hall, London and MakeLunch Basildon was represented there.

ReReRe-Re ---StoreStore --- SHARING FOOD DICOVERING GRACE ––– David Lambert

Our ppurposeurpose – Helping to restore peoples’ lives. In Jesus name we provide parcels of food to families and individuals in need of support and contribute in the reduction of commercial food waste.

Jesus Matthew 25.25 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Sources of incoming foodfood:::: Groceries – From our congregation, plus donations from various other churches Fresh foods – From Tesco, Mayflower Est, via our formal agreement with Fare Share Meat – From Nandos Restaurant, Festival Leisure  We are averaging 420 grocery products each month  Collections of fresh foods are made from Tesco on Sunday and Wednesday of each week  Collections of frozen meat are made from Nandos on Monday and Friday of each week

Page 18 Distribution of foodfood:::: Food parcels are made up to include as wide a range of foods as possible and are distributed to CAP clients, church family and the wider community. We are not a conventional foodbank our motivation is to share the love of God, as lived and taught by our Saviour, Jesus Christ. We try to include a Christian message in our food parcels, where appropriate, witness to the love of Jesus and offer pastoral support.

Average weekly food parcels:  3 x CAP clients  3 x church family  6 x wider community

Total of 40 people

Other initiatives benefitting from the food we receive: Community Lunch, MakeLunch, Youth Club and Messy Church. The food we collect from Tesco and Nandos and redistribute in our parcels saves many £000 of waste each year. Going forwardforward:::: The need for support in our community will continue to grow, which provides us with the opportunity to reach out and share more of God’s love. This will happen through our food ministry as whole, and this work in particular. If you currently contribute grocery items to this ministry, please continue with your generosity. If you have not contributed so far, and are in a position to do so, please consider purchasing the odd additional item when you shop and bring it with you to the weekly Sunday service. There is a donations box in each church. There are seven members of the church family directly involved in the Re-Store operation, if you feel this is something you would like to help with, please speak to a churchwarden. Peter, Bernard or David.

Churchwarden Reports --- Bernard Turnbull, Peter White, David Lambert

Overview - This church year has seen lots of positive change. Following his last service with us on May 21 st Andy took up his role as Priest in Charge in the parish of Hutton and a number of us were able to attend his licencing and installation at St Peter’s Church. Andy and Alice contributed much to our church life over their time with us and we are grateful to them. With the support of Revd’s Nihal and Barry we were able to maintain our regular services, following Andy’s departure and Revd Jane’s arrival. On the back of a very successful interregnum, July 19th saw the most significant event of the year with Revd Jane’s induction and collated as the Vicar of St Andrew with Holy Cross, Basildon. The welcome lunch, we held following Revd Jane’s first services with us, initiated something new and joyful.

Page 19 We consider that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Revd Jane’s leadership is taking us to the next level, in terms of worship, witness and spiritual growth. This is seen in re- energised laity, who voice their recognition of New Life in the parish. Is evidenced by the number of new people attending functions and joining our church family, in response to the welcome and love they find in attending our two churches. John 13:35 “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” As the church family our calling is to continue to make available an environment where people can come, be loved, accepted regardless their circumstances and encouraged to become the people God would have them be. We are called to be generous and share what God’s Grace has given us. Our Food Ministry, Young Work, MakeLunch and Messy Church are all examples of our outreach with love and care to our community. In October, many of us attended Chelmsford Cathedral to witness Karen being commissioned by Bishop Stephen as a Licence Lay Minister. The parish now benefits as she leads services and preaches the Gospel to us. In addition to Keren’s ministry, under Revd Jane’s direction, we will be receiving another curate into the parish. The fact that we are receiving a curate speaks much about our standing as a parish, a place of challenge, opportunity and most importantly a parish where The Holy Spirit is at work in its people. Worship --- A major benefit of having two places of worship in one parish is the breadth this offers. Holy Cross, with its centuries of service as a place of devotion and prayer. St Andrew’s, which offers a different style of worship and great flexibility, accommodating community activities, outreach initiatives and a place for other denominations to hold their worship services. Our Sunday Services at both churches, the peaceful mid-week service at Holy Cross and daily Morning Prayer at St Andrew’s are all seeing increased numbers in attendance. Again, much of this is down to the welcoming, loving environment that is offered to all. We see Revd Jane’s ministry developing a growing depth of spirituality in our worship which will equip us to grow closer to God and each other over the coming years.

Page 20 Buildings --- As identified in our Quinquennial Inspections (QI) there are a number of items to address in both church buildings. Holy Cross requires substantial repairs to the external masonry and water facilities. These works have been identified by our architect and quoted for by Bakers of Danbury. The quotation for this work is circa £30k and the PCC has made an application for funding to Friends of Essex Churches for half of this figure. The remainder can be met from church funds. We await this funder’s response and our hope is that this work can be completed during the church year ahead. Once the external works are completed it’s the PCC’s intention to focus on the internal redecoration. As you will no doubt be aware, the upgrading of the lighting, heating and Sanctuary carpeting has been completed. The cost of these improvements was met from church funds. St Andrew’s kitchen facilities were finally completed in early July. Some of the issues raised in the QI have started i.e. guttering and flat roof repairs. The intention is to complete the remaining repairs during the church year ahead. A faculty to replace the Sanctuary furniture has been granted to the PCC and work has begun to manufacture an altar table, lectern, prayer desk and a credence table. We anticipate this furniture being completed by September in readiness for the Deanery Confirmation Service which will be led by our new , The Right Revered John Perumbalath. We can also report that the PCC has agreed to begin a process of reworking the stage area to create improved storage and an activities room. This will be a fairly long-term project. Curate’s house – Following the departure of Andy and Alice the house has been rented out on a short-term agreement. This letting is due to complete in the spring so that necessary works can be completed in time for our new curate to move in later this year. Churchyard --- The Community Payback Service is in its third year of maintaining the grounds around Holy Cross. This is of great help to us and adds to the ambiance of this beautiful, ancient building.

Page 21 InInIn Conclusion --- The progress we have made and will continue to make as a parish, comes from the strength in depth that we have with in the whole church family. All kinds of activates are organised and take place regularly in our buildings and the wider community, acts of worship are prepared and run smoothly, people are visited and supported, buildings are cleaned, people play instruments and sing, people are fed, people read, pray, welcome, rotas are organised. By His Grace God has made us all equal parts of this wonderful Christian Family! As the churchwardens of this Parish we have enjoyed working together over what has been a very productive year. We give thanks for the opportunity to serve in this place. For those who are unaware, the following briefly sets out the role of the Churchwarden. Their first responsibility is to the Bishop, usually via the Archdeacon. They, with the parish priest, are generally responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the parish. The Canons of the [Canons E1.4 and E1.5] state that churchwardens shall be foremost in representing the laity and in cooperating with the incumbent; they shall use their best endeavours by example and precept to encourage the parishioners in the practice of true religion and to promote unity and peace among them. They shall also maintain order and decency in the church and churchyard, especially during the time of divine service. The property, in the plate, ornaments and other moveable goods of the church, is vested in them, and they should keep an up-to-date inventory of these items and deliver them to their successors.

Annual Report and Financial Statement of the PCC (for the year ended 31 st December 2017.)

Administrative InformationInformation:::: The Parish of St Andrew with Holy Cross has two centres of worship providing ministry to a parish of mixed housing in the New Town of Basildon. Holy Cross church is a 13 th Century building set in a churchyard in the North of the parish. St Andrew’s is a 1950’s dual purpose building in the South of the parish. The parish is part of the within the Church of England. The address for correspondence is: St Andrew’s Church, 1 The Fremnells, Basildon.

Page 22 PCC members who have served from 1 st January 2017 until the date of the report are:

Incumbent: Jane Richards (from July 2017)

Curate The Reverend Andrew Smith (until May 2017)

Holy Cross Wardens: Mr S Harris (until APCM 2017) Mr B Turnbull

St Andrew’s Wardens: Mrs T Bain (until APCM 2017) Mr D Lambert Mr P White (from APCM 2017)

Representatives on Deanery Synod: Mr K Fisher (until APCM 2017) Mrs K White Mrs S Barnfield

Deputy Church Wardens: Mr P White (until APCM 2017)

Elected members: Mrs L Beckinsale Mr S Bowen (from APCM 2017) Mrs N Firth (from APCM 2017) Mrs F Graham Mr S Harris (from APCM 2017) Mrs C Lambert Mrs J Lovell Mrs Marion Marshall (from APCM 2017) Mr I Messer (until APCM 2017) Mrs V Rossiter Mr J Rowell Mr R Sanders Mr M Stubberfield

Page 23 Structure, governance and managementmanagement:::: The Parochial Church Council is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure (1956). The PCC is excepted by order from registering with the Charity Commission.

The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules (1969). All Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC. PCC members are elected for a three year term after which they may stand for re-election.

Objectives and activitiesactivities:::: The PCC has the responsibility of cooperating with the incumbent, Rev Jane Richards, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical.

SummaSummaryry of main activitiesactivities::::  acts of public worship open to all  provision of sacred space for personal reflection and contemplation  pastoral work, including visiting the sick and bereaved  teaching Christianity through sermons, courses and small groups.  provision of facilities for local community use Financial reviewreview:::: Financially the core of the PCC’s ongoing income is the planned giving via Gift Aid and the free-will offering envelope scheme. Without tax refunds received during the year, giving from these sources and general collections was £ 30,875, representing an increase of 10% on 2016. This increase partly resulted from a stewardship programme held during Lent. Members of the congregation are encouraged to plan their giving, either with the envelope scheme, or by the use of a bank standing order. For those who are tax payers, the GiftAid scheme also allows the PCC to reclaim tax on donations, whether regular or one-off. Payments of £7,596 were gratefully received from the Inland Revenue under the GiftAid scheme. This income from included £1,871 from the GASDS (GiftAid Small donations scheme) allows tax refunds to be claimed on certain loose offerings to the church. The PCC receives fees for weddings and funerals at Holy Cross. This totalled £4,123 during 2017.

Page 24 The PCC also receives some income from groups using St Andrew’s. This totalled £10,184 during 2017. Regular users include the Fryerns branch of the WI, the Course in Christian Studies, Dance and Art groups, Basildon Gamblers Anonymous and church groups from the Asian and African communities. As ever the major expenditure through the year has been the parish share contribution to the diocese. The contribution in 2017, £27,873 was again paid in full. The parish share will increase in 2018 by 9% partly because of the way that the parochial fees discount is calculated year on year. The underlying increase is 2%. As well as £1,106 given by members of the congregation to various charities through collecting boxes and various special events, services and activities, including Christmas collections raising £251 for the Children’s Society, the PCC made gifts of £566 to the Leprosy Mission, specifically for the Premananda Hospital in ; to the Schools Team Ministry supported by Churches Together in Basildon, and to the work of the CAP (Christians Against Poverty) Debt Centre.

Page 25 Refurbishment work at Holy Cross began during the year with replacement of the heating and updates to the lighting. The work is to continue in 2018 with repairs to the exterior pointing and interior redecoration. A separate fund is used to manage the fund- raising for this work, into which funds were transferred during the year from a number of fund-raising events. At the end of the year £4,000 was also transferred from the general fund towards this project. At the end of 2017 this fund stood at £13,201. Grant assistance is to be sought to assist with the cost of the exterior work. Early in 2017 a successful grant application of £9,000 to the Essex County Council Community Initiatives Fund allowed a substantial update to the Kitchen facilities at St Andrew’s. The enhanced facilities have seen good use as the weekly Community Lunch has grown in numbers and a new initiative, partnering with the Make Lunch organisation, has also flourished, providing meals during school holidays to those who would normally receive free school meals during term time. Make Lunch has also received funding from Brakes and from the Co-Op Local Community Fund totalling £4,332. A dedicated fund is shown in the receipts and payments account to track this part of the parish’s food ministry. The PCC accounts also show a restricted fund entitled “CAP Debt Centre”, which documents the financial records of the Christians Against Poverty Debt Centre. The debt centre is funded by grants and specific donations, with payments relating both to the day-day running of the centre and regular payments to the central CAP organisation. Honoraria were paid directly from wedding and funeral fees received to members of the choir in respect of singing at weddings, and to various members of the congregation for verger’s duties at weddings and funerals. Reserves PolicyPolicy:::: The PCC has two funds set aside as reserve funds. The Buildings Fund is specifically for major works on either building, and the Development Fund for activities related to growth within the parish. These funds are seen as first steps towards planning financially for the future of the parish. During 2017 the PCC transferred £5,500 into the Buildings fund in anticipation of work to be carried out at St Andrew’s. At the end of 2017 the buildings fund stood at £9,449. The PCC also transferred £1500 into the Development fund. Specific giving for Messy Church meant that there was no need to use funds from this reserve during the year. At the end of 2017 this fund stood at £8,839.

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