Great Baddow Team Ministry Chelmsford Parish of Great Baddow Annual Report & Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council for the year ended 31 December 2013 Team Rector: Auditors: Revd. Canon Philip Ritchie Peyton Tyler Mears The Rectory 16 Middleborough Church Street Colchester Great Baddow CM2 7HZ CO1 1QT Team Vicar: Principal Banker: Revd. Mones Farah National Westminster Bank 42 Riffhams Drive The Vineyards Great Baddow CM2 7DD Great Baddow CM2 7QR Team Vicar: (to January 2014) Principal Insurer: Revd. Annabel Copeland Ecclesiastical Ins. Group 124 Beehive Lane Brunswick Road, Great Baddow CM2 9SH Gloucester GL1 1JZ Assistant Minister: Principal Legal Advisor: Revd. Katie de Bourcier Winckworth Sherwood 3 Westbourne Grove 5 Montagu Close Great Baddow CM2 9RT Southwark SE1 9BB Associate Minister: St Mary’s Architect: Revd. Canon Dr Graham Hamborg Simon Marks The Rectory, Colam Lane Rawston Road Little Baddow Colchester Chelmsford CM3 4SY CO3 3JH Associate Minister: Other church’s Architect: Revd. Canon Dr Roger Matthews David Ferguson 62 Longmead Avenue 124 New London Road Great Baddow CM2 7EY Chelmsford CM2 ORG Address: Church Office, Church Path, High Street, Great Baddow CM2 7HN Registered Charity: No. 1127835 Background: The parish of Great Baddow is a Team Ministry, embracing the parish church of St Mary in Church Street, St Paul’s Church in Loftin Way and Meadgate Church in Meadgate Avenue. The Parochial Church Council (PCC) has a responsibility to co- operate with the Team Rector and the Team Vicars in promoting within the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church; pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. Its primary object is the promotion of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the doctrines and practices of the Church of England. In addition to the three churches it has maintenance responsibilities for St Mary’s Church Centre (near The Chase), Bell Street Hall in Bell Street and the Church Office in Church Path. The PCC is registered with the Charity Commission at reference 1127835. PCC Membership: Most members are elected by the Annual Church Meetings (Parish or District) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules and the Team constitution; some hold ex-officio status and others may be co-opted. During the year and at the date of signature the following served on the PCC: Team Rector: Revd. Canon Philip Ritchie Chairman Team Vicar: Revd. Mones Farah Team Vicar: Revd. Annabel Copeland (to January 2014) Associate Minister: Revd. Canon Dr Roger Matthews Associate Minister: Revd. Canon Dr Graham Hamborg Assistant Minister: Revd. Katie de Bourcier (from July 2012) Parish Churchwardens: Elaine Fisher Helen Willis (to May 2013) Les Worley Other Churchwardens: David Brett * Graham Heath (from April 2013) Matt Johnson (from April 2013) Duncan McKenzie Vice-Chairman Alison Mead Steven Roberts Christine Smith (to April 2013) Lay representative on Diocesan Synod: Canon Harry Marsh Hon Secretary & Hon Treasurer Lay representatives on Deanery Synod: David Brett * (now also a Churchwarden) Rosalind Coleridge Glenn Finch Sue Jordan Jim Marshall Dave Pye Eileen Saunders Philip Smith Jackie Thornton (from February 2013) Elected Lay members: Margaret Brett Jo Brown Sarah Dixon (from April 2013) Mary Kersys (to April 2013) Neil McLean (from April 2013) Rose Marshall (from April 2013) Roy Parker David Pearce (to April 2013) Wendy Roberts (to April 2013) Melvyn Sach Steve Scott Christopher Smith (from February 2013) PCC and District Church Councils (DCC): The PCC has delegated wide-ranging powers to the three DCCs, which have separate memberships and themselves operate a series of sub-committees at each church. The PCC Standing Committee did not need to meet during the year. The Churchwardens have also delegated powers to the respective District Churchwardens at St Paul and Meadgate Churches to sign any relevant documents relating to their Church. Church membership and attendance: At April 2013 there were 456 members on the Church Electoral Roll - made up of 263 at St Mary’s, 59 at St Paul’s and 134 at Meadgate – a decrease of 70 over the 2012 total following preparation of a new Roll. The normal weekly attendance during 2013 was approx 327 adults and 75 children - made up of 160/35 at St Mary’s, 40/14 at St Paul’s and 127/26 at Meadgate - but this number is substantially increased at all three churches at Easter, Harvest and Christmas festivals. Additional Ministry across the parish: As well as the Team clergy the parish was fortunate during the year to continue to benefit from the ministry of other clergy, particularly Revd. Sandy Southee and Revd. Tim Pigrem, both retired clergy; an Authorised Pastoral Assistant and our many Authorised Local Preachers. Other visiting preachers were welcomed during the year, including the Bishop of Bradwell, the Archdeacon of Chelmsford and representatives of various mission societies. Emma Smith was Youth Minister at Meadgate throughout the year. The wider church: During the year the parish supported the work of the diocese by paying in full its Parish Share of £194,778, [NB. The 2014 figure of £199,372 is an increase of £4,594 or 2.4%.] In turn the Diocese supported the Team Ministry through provision of stipends & housing for four stipendiary clergy and two part-time stipendiary Associate Ministers together with a range of parish support services. Church members play a full part in the life of the diocese; Roger Matthews as the Dean of Mission and Ministry; Graham Hamborg as the Ordained Ministry Development Adviser; Mary Kersys as PA to the Diocesan Bishop; Steve Kersys as the Children’s Work Adviser; Helen Willis as Secretary to the Archdeacon of Chelmsford; and Canon Harry Marsh as a member of Bishop’s Council & Cathedral Council and as Deanery Synod Treasurer. We are also glad to host in our churches from time to time seminars and other meetings of various diocesan groups. Review of the year Parish: Staffing: There was no change during the year when the full-time Team Clergy consisted of Team Rector, two Team Vicars and Curate. However Revd. Annabel Copeland left at the end of January 2014 to go to the parish of Tidworth in Salisbury diocese, also becoming Chaplain to the Wellington Academy. After serving in the Team for five years she will be missed, but prayers of the three congregations went with her as she started her new spheres of service. Parochial Church Council: There were four PCC meetings with an average attendance of 23(72%). A standard agenda item is a report from each of the three districts on their recent activities and future plans. Over the year Council members considered a range of matters, including the ongoing implementation of Transforming Presence; Chancel Repairs Liability legislation, leading to the decision not to register any CRL, such decision being accepted by the Charity Commission as reasonable; mission opportunity at Beaulieu Park in Springfield; possibility of leasing the infant school site at Meadgate to enable growth there; vacancy for a governor at St Michael’s Junior School, created by the resignation of Eleanor Coupland; vacancy for a Team Vicar at St Paul. A five yearly Team Review was undertaken by Bishop John and the report was initially discussed in September, opening up three areas – relationship amongst clergy; how we relate to each other as Churches; structures/constitutions. Work on these is still being undertaken. The programme of annual review of the various parish policies was followed as planned. Council members have had regard to the public guidance published by the Charity Commission in determining the range of activities undertaken during the year. Architect: This is an opportunity to record grateful thanks to the long-serving Architect at St Mary’s church. Gerald Barrett was appointed sometime prior to 1980 – even he does not know when that was – and has faithfully made an unknown total of Quinquennial (five yearly) Inspections of the church’s fabric. Gerald, formerly a Reader at St Michael’s Galleywood, has also given guidance on many projects, including the 1999 refurbishment of St Mary’s. Due to his retirement from practice he stood down in 2013 and his successor is Simon Marks of Colchester. Parish Finances: We continue to praise the Lord for all His goodness. The three churches financed their outgoings primarily by offertories and regular giving by members. The principles of stewardship and commitment to giving continue to be promoted across the congregations and the levels of giving achieved by members of the respective churches reflect a degree of sacrificial giving by many individuals. There is no definite policy in the parish on reserves, as it is felt that weekly/monthly offerings are received on an even flow, such that expenditure can be met as it arises, but it is recognised that a move towards having some level of reserve in each of the three churches would be prudent. St Mary’s: Throughout 2013 we continued to explore the implications of Transforming Presence, the Diocese of Chelmsford strategy for the local church. There was a particular focus on ‘Living Distinctively’ and on prayer and this was reflected in a variety of activities, events and services both at St Mary’s and across the Team Ministry. A particular highlight was Time To Pray during Lent; a booklet of forty reflections on prayer written by members of our three churches was produced and this was accompanied by a family resource on prayer. The preaching series through Lent explored different aspects of prayer and included pulpit exchanges across the Team. A prayer labyrinth with a 24 hours/3 days prayer weekend was resourced by members of the churches and based at St Paul’s and Home Group study materials were developed by the clergy and used across the parish.