Annual Meetings 2015 - S. John's HighamFI… · Annual Meetings 2015 Document Set: «Number»...

PPaarroocchhiiaall CChhuurrcchh CCoouunnccii ll ooff HHiigghhaamm wwii tthh MMeerrssttoonn

Annual

Meetings

2015

Document Set: «Number»


2222

Contents Page

Agenda Page 3 Minutes of the 2014 Annual Vestry Meeting Page 4 William Rolfe’s Charity report Page 5 William Rolfe’s Charity Accounts Page 7 Minutes of the 2014 Annual Parish Meeting Page 8 The Electoral Roll Report Page 11 Churchwarden’s Report Page 12 Annual Report on the proceedings of the Council P age 14 The Treasurer’s Report Page 19 The Deanery Synod Report Page 20 2014 Examined Accounts Appendix i


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Agenda

Notice is hereby given, that the Annual General Meeting of The Parochial Church Council of Higham with Merston

will take place on Sunday 19 th April 2015 in S.John’s Church, Higham at 11:00 a.m .

Annual Vestry Meeting:

• To approve the minutes of the meeting of 6th April 2014 • To elect Churchwardens • To receive a report on Rolfe’s Charity

Annual Parochial Church Meeting:

• To approve the minutes of the meeting of 6th April 2014. • To receive a report on the Electoral Roll • Elections:

o 10 Parochial Church Council Members o Sidesmen

• To receive a report from the Churchwardens • To receive the Annual Report on the proceedings of the Council • To receive the examined accounts for 2014 and a report from the Treasurer • To appoint an examiner for the 2015 accounts • To receive a report on the proceedings of the Deanery Synod • Ordination of Women as Priests and Bishops:

o An update on the present situation o Resolution : In the light of the ordination of women now as bishops, as well as priests, the APCM requests the PCC to resolve to ask the Bishop for arrangements to be made in accordance with the House of Bishop’s Declaration* on the ministry of Bishops and Priests.

*Explanatory Note: the House of Bishop's Declaration replaces what used to be referred to as Resolutions A, B and ‘C’

• To consider a proposal from the PCC regarding the alteration of the formula for Away-Giving • Any Other Business

An extraordinary meeting of the PCC to elect office rs will follow.

NOTES:

• Only those whose names are on the Electoral Roll of the Church are entitled to vote: o at the APCM o for PCC Members

• A person may be elected to the PCC if: o their name is on the Church Electoral Roll and has been so for at least 6 months o they are actual communicants, which means they have received Holy Communion three

times in the Church of England in the last 12 months o they are 16 years or older.

• Any person whose name is on the Electoral Roll may be appointed as a sidesman.


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Minutes of

The Annual Vestry Meeting Held on Sunday 6 th April 2014

in S.John’s Church at 11:00 following Parish Mass.

Chair: The Reverend Canon James Southward Clerk: Mr. S-M Trevithick JP 1. To approve the minutes of the Annual Vestry Meeting 21st April 2013

The Chair asked if there were any alterations or corrections to be made. There being none, it was proposed by K. Wood and seconded by P. Baker that these be accepted as a true and accurate record. The motion was carried and they were signed by the Chair.

2. To elect the Churchwardens Fr. James thanked both Mrs. Kate Haselden and Mrs. Val. Laurens for their services as Churchwarden and for their invaluable contributions to the service of S. John's and its community. Fr. James said he couldn't do his job without them. They represent us in a highly visible way, at both local, parish and wider events. There were two nominations for the post of Churchwarden – Mrs. Val Laurens and Mrs. Kate Haselden. With two vacant seats, no election was necessary ; accordingly Mrs. Laurens and Mrs. Haselden were duly elected to serve as Churchwarden for a further year.

3. To receive a report on Rolfe's charity There were no questions or comments on the report, which had been circulated previously. Fr. James thanked the trustees – (The Vicar and Churchwardens) for all their efforts in the administration of the charity. It was proposed by E. Hance and seconded by N. Newman that this report be accepted. Motion carried.

The Meeting closed at 11:12

Signed ………………………………..........................................Chair ………………...........Dated


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William Rolfe’s Charity Annual Report for the year

To 31st December 2014

William Rolfe’s Charity, c/o The Vicarage, Hermitage Road, Higham, Nr Rochester, Kent, ME3 7NE, is registered with the Charity Commissioners (No 211689) and founded by will dated 5 January 1485, and comprised in Schemes of the Charity Commissioners of 23 October 1936 and 23 November 1989. The Charity is administered by three trustees, who are the Vicar and Churchwardens of the Parish of Higham for the time being. The trustees are currently the Revd. Canon J F Southward, Mrs K A Haselden and Mrs V S Laurens. The object of the charity is to provide income towards defraying the cost of services formerly provided by the Parish Clerk in the Ecclesiastical Parish of Saint Mary and Saint John, Higham. If the income is not required for this purpose in any year, then the Trustees shall apply it for the religious and other charitable work of the Church of England in the Ecclesiastical Parish. The endowment of the Trust is currently invested in No. 18 Norah Lane, Higham – a three-bedroom, semi-detached house, which continues to be let at a market rent. At their meeting in June 2002, it was agreed by the Trustees that it should be the policy of the Trust to maintain its financial reserves at a sum of £2,650. This equates to the returnable security deposit of £650 paid by the current tenant of No 18 Norah Lane, plus £2,000 to cover maintenance and any emergency repairs. This level of reserves was maintained during 2014. The Trust’s current and deposit accounts are held with the Charities Aid Foundation. During 2014 CAF took the decision to stop paying interest on current accounts. However, funds in the Trust’s current account are kept at a level of £500, with any surplus being automatically transferred to the deposit account, on which interest continues to be paid. No major work has been carried out at No. 18 Norah Lane during 2014. However, a quotation of £3,832.50 has been accepted from Mpave for block-paving the drive and improving the rainwater drainage. This work will be carried out early in 2015. The faulty gas oven has been replaced. As the endowment of the Trust is invested in the property at No. 18 Norah Lane, it is the Trustees’ responsibility to keep this in good repair, so that a regular income can be provided to assist the Church in its efforts to benefit the Parish. The Trust supports the standard of worship offered at St. John’s by funding the purchase of various resources. The Trustees had agreed previously to fund the purchase on an annual basis of Church Copyright and Music Reproduction Licences for St John’s. In addition, it was agreed that, from 2014, the Trust would also support the annual cost of the PRS for Music Church Licence and PPL Church licence, which had previously been funded by the Parochial Church Council. These licences enable St John’s to legally reproduce the words of hymns, to photocopy from music publications, and to give public performances of musical works and sound recordings. This means that a far larger range of material is available for use in the church’s work. It had also been reported to the Trustees that the keyboard that was used by St John’s Singing Group for practising music for worship was nearing the end of its useful life. The Trustees expressed their willingness to support the cost of a new keyboard, should the need arise. As is previous years, the Trustees funded the attendance of Father James Southward


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at a priests’ conference/pilgrimage, organised by the Federation of Catholic Priests, at Walsingham in October 2014. Attendance at such events is a very helpful resource for the clergy in supporting their work in the parish. As part of the Trust’s commitment to supporting church-related training in the parish, the Trustees have also funded the fee for attendance at the Foundation in Christian Ministry course by Mr S-M. Trevithick. Although the ancient church of St Mary is now maintained by the Churches Conservation Trust, the graveyard remains in the care of Higham PCC. The churchyard had become very overgrown in some parts but the PCC did not have funds or manpower to maintain it regularly. The Trustees had therefore offered, as a service to the parish in keeping the burial ground safe and accessible, to fund a programme of clearance of overgrown vegetation. The first two stages of this work took place in February 2012 and January 2013. The third stage took place in January 2014, with clearance in the south-western corner and southern boundary of the churchyard. The Trustees are willing to make funding available for further maintenance, if requested by the PCC. In 2013, the Trust funded the setting up of a telephone line to the church office, the installation of Broadband on the office computer and the design and set-up of the church website itself. The Trustees also agreed to pay for the on-going costs of the website, i.e. telephone, Broadband and site-hosting charges. The website went live at Easter 2014. Both the PCC and the Trustees see the website as an important development in St John’s service to and contact with the wider community. However, since the installation of the Broadband package on the church office computer, it has become apparent that the current computer is no longer sufficiently powerful. As this is a vital tool in the outreach work of St John’s Church, the Trustees have agreed to assist the PCC by funding the cost of a new computer. In addition, it had been suggested that the purchase of a laptop would be very useful for the PCC’s work and in work with children. The Trust has therefore also agreed to fund this. It is hoped that both the new computer and the laptop will be purchased early in 2015. In addition, the Trust also sponsored the emergency purchase of a new printer/scanner for the church office, when the previous model broke down. During 2014, a monthly study group for adults, ‘M4’, was established at St John’s Church, as part of outreach work in the parish. The Trust was approached for help in funding resources for this group. The Trustees agreed to cover the purchase cost of 18 copies of the first book in stage one of the course, ‘Turning to Christ’, and to fund the cost of further books in the course, if required. A donation of £120 was also made to the PCC to assist with the cost of heat, light and refreshments in order to help with setting up the group during its first six months. Another new outreach venture at St John’s, on the last Sunday of Advent, was a carol service. The Trustees agreed to fund the production of a full-colour flyer to advertise not only this new service but also the usual Christmas services. The Trust also covered the organist’s fees for the new carol service and the preceding practice session. This publicity was felt to have been helpful in that the majority of those attending the carol service were not regular members of the congregation. The trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers or duties.

Valerie S Laurens On behalf of the Trustees of William Rolfe’s Charity


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Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting

Held on Sunday 6 th April 2014 in S.John’s Church at 11:15 following Parish Mass

Chair: The Reverend Canon James Southward Clerk: Mr. S-M Trevithick JP 1. To approve the minutes of the meeting of 21 st April 2013

The Chair asked if there were any alterations or corrections to be made. There being none, it was proposed by A. Taylor and seconded by R. Hill that these be accepted as a true and accurate record. The motion was carried and they were signed by the Chair.

2. To receive a report on the Electoral Roll Mrs. Utton had prepared the Roll and this was present for inspection at the meeting. Those present were advised that following the revision there were 95 persons on the Electoral Roll. Mrs. Utton was thanked from the Chair for all her time and hard work in the organisation, preparation and generation of the Roll. It was proposed from the Chair that the report be accepted. Agreed.

3. Elections

a) 2 Deanery Synod Members The Chair thanked those who had served on the Synod for their time and dedication. There were 2 nominations received by the Secretary. With 2 vacant seats, no election was necessary . Accordingly it was declared from the Chair that all nominees were duly elected - Mr. Shaun-Michael Trevithick & Mrs. Kim Wood. Each to serve a 3 year term.

b) 10 Parochial Church Council Members The Chair thanked all those who had served on PCC for their time and dedication. There were 9 nominations received by the Secretary. With 10 vacant seats, no election was necessary , accordingly it was declared from the Chair that all nominees were duly elected - Mrs. Ann Utton Mr. Edward Hance Mrs. Pamela Ford Mr. Nigel Newman Mrs. Tricia Baker Mrs. Tessa Packer Mr. Roger Hill Mrs. Helen Walker Mrs. Teresa Joblin

c) Sidesmen V. Laurens advised that there had been 1 resignation, that of Mrs. P. Ford, since the last meeting. The Chair thanked her and all those who have served for their time and dedication. Those remaining on the rota were proposed as a group to serve for a further term. This was approved. Mr. L. Baker Mrs. L. Peterson Mrs. J. Leah Mr. D. Peterson Mrs. T. Packer Mrs. A. Utton Miss. L. Chesterton Mrs. P. Kent Mr. K. Utton Mrs. T. Joblin Mrs. E. Southward Mrs. H. Walker Mr. K. Joblin

4 To receive a report from the Churchwardens

Fr. James thanked Mrs V Laurens for producing the report, which had been circulated previously, and both Churchwardens for all their hard work during the year, particularly with the sanctuary floor refurbishment project. There were no queries or questions raised, and the author had no additional comments. It was therefore proposed by P. Baker and seconded by W. Hance and unanimously agreed that the report be accepted.


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5 To receive the Annual report on the proceedings of the Council The Chair thanked Mr. Shaun-Michael Trevithick for producing the report, and commented it was a full and detailed report. There were no queries or questions raised, the author had no additional comments, It was therefore proposed by V. Laurens and seconded by A. Utton and unanimously agreed that the report be accepted.

6 To receive the Examined Accounts for 2013 & Report from the Treasurer Thanks were expressed to Mr. Edward Hance for preparing the report as Treasurer. There being no questions or queries, it was proposed from the Chair that the Report be accepted. It was further proposed by R. Hill and seconded by N. Newman that the Examined Accounts be accepted. Unanimously agreed.

7 To appoint the examiner for the 2014 accounts Mr. John Kemmenoe, is willing to continue to examine our accounts. It was proposed by K. Haselden and seconded by T. Packer and carried unanimously that he should be appointed Examiner for the 2014 accounts.

8 To receive a report on the proceedings of the Deane ry Synod The Chair thanked both Mrs. Kim Wood and Mr. Shaun-Michael Trevithick for their time as our representatives. Additional thanks were extended to Mrs. Kim Wood for the preparation of the report which had been previously circulated. It was proposed by R. Hill and seconded by P. Ford and agreed unanimously that the report should be duly received.

9 Ordination of Women Priests and Consecration of women Bishops

a) An update on the present situation Fr. James explained the situation since the 1994 legislation and explained that 'Priestly Ministry' specifically means the presidency of Holy Communion and the administration of absolution . All other ministries may be administered, by a Deacon, or a licensed Lay Minister. Fr. James reiterated that we here in the parish of Higham with Merston, are not anti-women, but rather, we have demurred against women's priestly ministry. Women are invited to participate in all other areas of ministry including, but not restricted to, the administration of Holy Communion, Lector, Cantor and Server. Those present were told that where numbers permit, rotas of Eucharistic ministers are always one of each gender.

Fr. James spoke of the variety of opinions on women's priestly ministry held in S. John's and the wider church community, including within the PCC. The PCC of this parish has always sought to set aside personal opinions and feelings and work as a body corporate, for the benefit of the entire ecclesial community.

b) Reaffirmation of the Parish stance on Resolutions A, B & C Although, the PCC, has the legal right to make such a request, Fr. James felt it more appropriate and held more gravitas if this Annual Parochial Church Meeting, made such a request. It was proposed by A. Utton and seconded by D. Clark that the APCM request that the new PCC re-affirm our church community's desire to continue receiving priestly ministry and episcopal care under the present arrangements (i.e. under what is commonly referred to as Resolutions A, B and C) The Chair, advised that, a vote would be necessary for such a resolution, and asked the whole assembly, if they would like to vote by show of hands or in a written ballot. The assembly elected for the former. Accordingly a vote was undertaken and 24 persons vo ted in favour, none against with 1 abstention. With numbers being checked by both the Chair


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and the Clerk. As a result of the vote, this matter will be sent to the next PCC for further action in their meeting on May 20th, 2014.

10 Any Other Business

a) Fr. James thanked all those who help in many different and practical ways with parish life and commented that, without all working together, we would not be in the situation that we are. Formal note of thanks is to be recorded to Douglas McIlwraith for playing the organ and working with the Singing Group. Action – The Chair is to extend the sincere thanks of this assembly to Douglas.

JFS

b) Mrs. Val Laurens spoke on behalf of the congregation and thanked Fr. James for all the work he does for Higham Parish. These thanks extended to his wife, Elspeth, for all her help, support and patience with parish life.

The Meeting closed with Prayers at 11;44 a.m.

Signed ………………………………..........................................Chair ………………...........Dated

** The APCM was immediately followed by

an Extraordinary Meeting of the newly elected PCC to elect Officers.**


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Electoral Roll Officer’s Report

There was a revision of the Electoral Roll from 22nd February to 22nd March 2015. Following the revision, four (4) names were removed and four (4) names were added. The total number of persons on the Roll is Ninety-Five (95). This remains unchanged from the previous year.

Mrs. A. Utton

Electoral Roll Officer


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The Churchwarden’s Report

At the 2014 Annual Vestry Meeting, Mrs Kate Haselden and Mrs Val Laurens were elected to serve for a further year as Churchwardens. The Churchwardens would like to thank everyone who has helped with the running of our parish church during the past year. It would not be possible to achieve so much without our many willing volunteers. New volunteers are always welcome, so, if you think you could help, please speak to one of the Wardens. One of the major achievements at St John’s during 2014, after many delays and much frustration, was the refurbishment of the Sanctuary and Chancel floor by B W May & Son. The original Victorian tiled areas have been cleaned and restored, and the areas which once housed the choir pews and the high altar have been tiled in a matching and complementary style. The platform under the Chancel arch has also been extended and tiled. Following a generous bequest from the estate of the late Father David Barnes, it has been possible to include in the Chancel platform a black slate, carved with the eagle of St John, as a memorial to the 150th anniversary, in 2012, of the dedication of St John’s Church. This memorial was created for us by the sculptor, Paul Wehrle. Father David’s bequest also paid for the creation of a new oak dais, which was made by Martin Shurmer. The eagle slate and the dais are also a memorial to Father David, who had long-standing connections with Higham. To accommodate the work on the Sanctuary floor, it was also necessary to make changes and updates to the sound and electrical systems. All this work was completed by the end of July 2014 at a total cost of £40,000 plus. This project would not have been possible without the generosity of parishioners, friends, local organisations and national charities. Additional work to the interior of the church has included the replacement of the wired-glass panels to the internal porch doors with clear glass at a cost of £195. One of the original panels was smashed as a result of a strong gust of wind. As it had already been suggested that changing the wired-glass panels to clear ones might give the church a more open aspect, the opportunity was taken to do this. The security floodlight at the rear of the church has also been replaced and a new water heater installed in the Sacristy. With the exciting prospect of, once again, having a team of bell-ringers at St John’s, particular consideration was given this year to the condition and safety of the bell tower. We are very grateful to the Kent County Association of Change Ringers – in particular Mr Alan Driver and his team – for the hours of free help and advice that they have given us. Some safety equipment has been improved and it is planned to introduce further safety items next year. The bells are now well-maintained and in good working condition, ready for regular practices to start with the new team in early 2015. As noted in our last two Quinquennial Inspections, the protective wire grilles to the north and east windows of the Sanctuary had come to the end of their useful life. These were replaced with new stainless steel grilles by Fabco Sanctuary Ltd at a cost of £5,891 in June 2014. Other remedial work to the exterior of the church building has included repairs to the Lady Chapel roof and the gutter to the north of the tower. Work has been done to improve the rainwater drainage on the south wall of the church, following the discovery of serious damp in the south-west corner of the Lady Chapel. Repairs have also been made to the gutter of north aisle roof. However, it is recognised that considerable work is needed in this area to combat the on-going problem of rainwater leaks during bad weather, and our architects will be looking at this in 2015. We were very grateful to the small group of volunteers who redecorated the Vestry Hall in August. It now looks very much more welcoming. We were also grateful to receive a donation to cover the cost of installing new, more efficient wall heaters and guards in the Hall and the Church Office, which took place in September.


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In addition to the usual annual checks of the heating system, electrical equipment and fire extinguishers, 2014 saw the statutory, five-yearly electrical circuit test take place. Fortunately, everything was in order and there were no nasty surprises! The launch at Easter 2014 of St John’s website has encouraged us to look at the fitness for purpose of our associated IT equipment. Rolfe’s Charity has funded the purchase of a new printer/scanner for the Church Office and has offered to cover the cost of a new computer, as the current model is no longer powerful enough. It is hoped to purchase this early in 2015. The PCC has purchased a flat screen television and DVD player for use by the Junior Church, study groups, etc. and these have proved very useful. Once again, St John’s has been the recipient of some generous gifts during the year. Mrs Eileen Rice has donated 2 white chasubles with an IHS host and chalice design in memory of her late husband ‘Kit’. 2 high altar frontals in Lent/Advent purple, St. Aidan design were donated in memory of Mrs Joyce Conway by family and friends. 2 semi-gothic, white chasubles and stoles and 1 gold ‘fiddle back’ chasuble were purchased from the late Father David Barnes’ bequest. The overgrown condition of St Mary’s Churchyard had been a source of concern to the wardens and PCC for some time, but there had been a lack of funds to tackle the problem. When an offer was received from William Rolfe’s Charity to fund a programme of clearance/maintenance of overgrown trees and shrubs in St Mary’s Churchyard, the services of Garden Solutions were engaged. The first and second stages of this work took place in February 2012 and January 2013 respectively. The third and final stage of the clearance programme took place in February 2014 and covered the area of the south-west, south and south-east boundaries at a cost of £1,080. As a result of a generous bequest from the late Mr J Meldrum, funds became available to carry out further work in St Mary’s Churchyard. In June 2014, Garden Solutions carried out the pruning of the huge yew tree and also of the group of holly trees on the opposite side of the main path. In addition, H Bailey Memorials carried out repairs to the Lasbrey and Burrows memorial crosses, which had broken over time. This was done at the PCC’s expense as these were memorials to previous incumbents of Higham. Sadly, we finally had to say farewell to the lovely yew tree in St John’s Churchyard. Despite many years of careful pruning and re-pointing of the churchyard wall, it became evident that the growth of the tree was dislodging the listed wall, and there was no practical option other than to remove the tree. This was done for us by Garden Solutions in March 2014 and was followed by the rebuilding, by B W May & Son, of the curved section of wall by the main gate. In September 2014, Garden Solutions carried out further general tidying and clearance of shrubs in the south-west corner of the churchyard, which included the removal of 2 dead cherry trees. This left sufficient space for the planting of a replacement yew tree, kindly donated by Mr & Mrs K Utton, in memory of Mrs Utton’s late parents, John and Joan Shulver. As is customary, St John’s terrier and logbook will be available for inspection following the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Kate A Haselden Valerie S Laurens Churchwardens


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Report on the proceedings of the Council

Aim and Purpose S. John’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, the Reverend Canon James F. Southward, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. Objectives and Activities

The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to use and worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at S. John's. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the year and makes suggestions on how services can involve the groups and organisations that operate within our parish. Our pattern of worship is hinged on the daily celebration of Mass and Morning and Evening Prayer. Our worship puts faith into practice through prayer, scripture and Sacrament.

When planning our activities for the year, the incumbent and PCC have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:

• Worship and prayer; learning about the Gospel • Provision of pastoral care for both those who live within the parish and non-resident worshippers • Leading our Church into Growth – Missionary and outreach work

To facilitate this work it is important that we maintain the fabric of the Church of S. John and its churchyard and the churchyard of S. Mary's, Higham.

Administrative Information

S. John's Church is situated in Higham, Kent. It is in the Deanery of Strood: part of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester, and under the Episcopal care of the Bishop of Fulham.

The PCC is a body corporate (PCC Powers and Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2006) and a charity excepted from registration with the Charity Commission.

PCC members who have served from the APCM 6th April 2014 are:

Ex Officio

Incumbent The Reverend Canon James Southward Chair Churchwardens Mrs Valerie Laurens Vice-Chair Mrs Kate Haselden

Representatives on the Deanery Synod :

Mrs Kim Wood Disclosure and Barring Service Officer Mr Shaun-Michael Trevithick Secretary and Clerk to the APCM

Elected Members:

Mrs Tricia Baker Mrs Pamela Ford Mr Edward Hance Hon. Treasurer Mr Roger Hill Representative to the Cathedral Mrs Teresa Joblin Elected April 2014 Mr Nigel Newman Mrs Tessa Packer Vulnerable Adults Representative Mrs Ann Utton Electoral Roll Officer & Stewardship Recorder Mrs Helen Walker Assistant Treasurer

Co-opted Members

Mr. Dudley Clark Children’s Representative


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Committees

To manage its time in an effective way, the PCC operates several sub-committees, which meet as appropriate throughout the year. The Incumbent is an ex officio member of all committees and one or both Churchwardens sit on most committees. Committees have the power to co-opt non-PCC members for a specified period of time as appropriate.

Standing Committee: is the only committee required by law. It has power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by the Council. The Churchwardens are ex officio members and usually the Secretary, Treasurer and one other PCC member. This should equate to about one third of the PCC.

Finance Committee: oversees the general financial dimension of the work of S. John's by monitoring income and expenditure and preparing budgets for future expenditure. The committee usually comprises the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Stewardship Recorder and both Churchwardens.

Planned Giving Committee: is responsible for the co-ordination of the annual review of Planned Giving, which takes place during February and discusses matters relating to charitable and missionary giving.

Social Committee: is responsible for the organisation of various fund raising events throughout the year, refreshments after special services and any other social aspects of life at S. John's to bring together our Church and our community.

Working Party to discuss Policy Issues: was established to ensure that matters which require a standard response to any possible enquiries are agreed by the Vicar and the PCC, i.e. baptism, burial, S. Mary’s Church and churchyard, marriage, blessings, S. George’s School, etc. It has responsibility for and oversight of the church website, meeting in person or communicating via email to discuss and agree content.

Working Party for Focus on Spiritual Renewal and Gr owth: Was established in late 2013 by the Incumbent. It reports to the PCC as the supervising body of the Church but has a remit to focus on non-financial or administrative matters. As a group it considers new or different ideas for worship, outreach and care both in our Church and the wider community.

Church Attendance

At the Annual Parochial Church Meeting held on 6th April 2014 it was reported that 95 names were on the Electoral Roll. This is an addition of 8 persons since the APCM of 2013.

Sunday attendance of adults and children, together with the number of communicants, has been mostly maintained over the year. The previous noticeable decline in the number of children seems to be in a slow reverse. Daily Mass continues to be offered. Some Masses are also supported by those who live OUTSIDE the village and do not attend on Sundays! All- age services on Mothering Sunday, Harvest Thanksgiving and Remembrance Sunday have received a mixed response from the uniformed organisations who actually attended. Achievements and Performance

A total of 6 PCC meetings took place between January and December 2014 on a bi-monthly basis with an average of 10 members in attendance. There have been five Extraordinary Meetings at which the Council Officers were chosen; additional plans for the refurbishment of the sanctuary floor were discussed and finalised; approval to the accounts given; urgent repairs agreed. The Standing Committee met twice during the year to agree work on the Chancel floor and to discuss the 2013 Away Giving. Both such meetings were in accordance with the delegated functions of this committee.

Worship and Prayer: The daily celebration of Mass continues to form our main act of worship at S. John's. However during the year the PCC has been interested to follow suggestions from the Working Party for Renewal and Growth and introduce a range of services that our community might find beneficial and spiritually fulfilling. For example the introduction of weekly intercession and thanksgiving prayer requests, a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament. During Advent Holy Hours were held following a daily Mass on different days and times, which it was hoped would facilitate a greater and wider attendance. These were attended by a core few, but did not receive the anticipated support.

As well as our regular services, we enable the wider community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones of life's journey. Through Baptism we thank God for the gift of life and faith; in marriage public vows are exchanged with God's blessing; and through funeral services friends and family express their grief and give thanks for the departed and commend the


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person to God's mercy. We have celebrated 9 Baptisms and 7 Marriages and 1 service of prayer and dedication of a civil marriage in our Church and have led 16 funerals for the Community.

Following on from the review of the 2014 arrangements for the celebration of Holy Baptism, while the PCC still feels Baptism is an event at which the whole Church should be present and should continue to be celebrated during the Sunday Parish Mass, candidates will again be offered the option of group Baptism at 11:00 on specific Sundays during the course of 2015. These new arrangements will be reviewed by the PCC after a further 12 months.

Music: We do not have a contracted Organist. However, S. John’s remains very fortunate indeed in having the services of Mr Douglas McIlwraith, Head of Music at the King’s School, who plays the organ and works with the Singing Group whenever other commitments permit. We are also thankful to others; including Mr. Scott Farrell, Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral, who have played the organ at services.

Mission and Evangelism: Has continued to be at the forefront of the PCC’s discussions, aided and lead by the Working Party for Renewal and Growth. Since the last APCM a Monthly Prayer Cycle has been produced, ensuring that every road within the village is prayed for along with village organisations. Further to this, a monthly Coffee and Conversation session was established to provide a meeting place on a Saturday morning for the lonely and isolated within the village, not just the elderly. This developed out of a successful series of Lent Lunches which ran for the duration of Lent 2014 raising money to support Christian Aid. A Christmas Lunch was held in the Vestry Hall on Christmas Day to provide a place for lonely and isolated members of the church and the wider village to gather for friendship, and food at this most festive of times.

There continue to be those among the wider congregation who serve the village community on the Parish Council, in the Women’s Institute, cooking at and driving for the weekly Age UK Lunch Club; where over half the volunteers are members of S.John’s. This illustrates that the people of God and the church of Christ are working for the benefit of the entire community. As a result of a successful Lent study group, and at the request of those who participated, the M4 group was founded. M4 meets on the first Monday of the month, for Mass, Munch and Muse. As part of his Foundation Certificate in Ministry training Mr. Shaun-Michael Trevithick organised and arranged a Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. Publicity was arranged and distributed, not just via the Bridge, but handed out on a person-to-person basis, at the school, shops, and train station. It was felt that the publicity worked well as a majority of the 120 people who attended were not regular church attenders. Thanks are offered to the William Rolfe’s Trust for their sponsorship of this publicity. Parish Representative to the Cathedral: Mr Roger Hill continued as our Parish Representative, regularly attending the meetings at Rochester Cathedral and reporting back to the Parochial Church Council. Last year we reported that the Dean and Chapter of Rochester were having works undertaken to refurbish the library and to digitise the archived books and documents to make them more accessible. These works have been placed on hold, as during the excavations a Norman arch was found. Mr. Hill continued to give regular reports to the cathedral on our refurbishment works and the Dean was invited to attend the re-dedication ceremony presided over by the Bishop of Tonbridge.

Children and Youth work : All activities for the children and young people throughout the year are approved by the PCC and subject to the usual ‘permission’ being granted. All volunteers working with children require the approval of the PCC and are DBS checked, if necessary.

Junior Church has continued on a weekly basis during Sunday Mass thanks to its small loyal team of leaders. Some of the long standing teachers, after many years’ service decided to stand down. Mrs. Nancy Hughes and Mrs. Elspeth Southward reviewed the teaching resources and have constructed a new syllabus. There have been a small number of regular children attending, but unfortunately there have been times with just leaders in attendance.

It is encouraging to report that Higham Primary School has been making use of our church for Christmas and Easter events and as an instrument in the teaching of Christianity during Religious Education.

Social Committee: has continued to organise food following major feasts and solemnities, along with 'coffee in church' to facilitate, encourage and foster a greater ministry of welcome and hospitality. In addition to this, events were organised for Harvest Thanksgiving which proved successful and was enjoyed by all. A quiz and 'English Supper' was organised to mark


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S. George's Day and a children's activity afternoon in August. Mrs. Baker produced mince pies and mulled wine as refreshments for after the Carol Service. As the refurbished Sanctuary Floor was re-dedicated this year by the Bishop of Tonbridge, the Social Committee worked exceptionally hard to produce canapés and amuse-bouche, and ‘fizz’ was served to mark the occasion. Planned Giving Committee: The Planned Giving Committee continued to produce its annual appeal in the same format as previous in years by distributing envelopes on a personal basis to regular members of the Congregation. Because of the substantial amount of tax rebate received from the Gift Aid scheme, it has proved vital that parishioners complete the Gift Aid form when returning the Planned Giving pledge. The Working Party on Policies: The Working Party on Policies met to discuss and update parish policies. Following the launch of St John’s website at Easter 2014, a Social Media Policy was formulated and agreed. The Vestry Hall: continues to be used by the wider community for family celebratory events, for outreach groups, and others such as W.I. and Friends of S.Mary’s for special meetings. Some groups have had use of the Hall for charitable fundraising. We have regular craft groups, the Rainbow Brownies and an Icon group who use the facilities, as well as the hall being used for study groups and church events which the wider community are encouraged to attend, such as Harvest Lunch, S. George’s Day supper and an August Family Fun Day. The refurbishment of the Sanctuary floor: The refurbishment of the Sanctuary floor was finally completed during 2014, with a service of dedication being held on Ascension Day. The PCC was pleased to welcome the Bishop of Tonbridge, plus representatives of the Borough and Parish Councils, local groups and those organisations who had made donations to the project to this service and the following celebrations. The PCC feel that these works will enhance the experience of all those local groups using S. John’s especially for music, and has received many compliments on the wonderful appearance of the Sanctuary.

No.17 Hermitage Road: The PCC are grateful to (the Revd.) Canon Allan Buik. The presence of an Honorary Assistant Priest in Higham is essential in assisting Father James with daily services and hopefully further and continued outreach to the Parish. Since our last report, there have been no extensive refurbishments undertaken to No. 17, apart from running repairs.

S. Mary’s Church and Churchyard: Once again, 4 services were held at S. Mary’s Church during the year. The continued programme of vegetation clearance has continued. As reported last year a legacy of £3006.44 was received on the death of Mr. Meldrum with the instruction 'for the maintenance of S. Mary's churchyard'. The PCC decided to use one third of this money for the making safe of the Wade Tomb, with the remainder to be used for future maintenance projects in S. Mary’s churchyard. The Wade Tomb has now been made safe and rebuilt, the trees pruned and made tidy and, in partnership with The Churches Conservation Trust, a new double-fronted notice board is to be erected to replace the one by the Lych-gate that was displaced by a storm.

The Financial Review

Finance remains a major item on the PCC’s agenda. For several years now the PCC had to agree a budget deficit. In 2014 this was an amount of -£21,568, an increase on the previous year. By the end of 2014, although the situation was not as bad as forecast, there was still a deficit of approximately £3,546 of income against expenditure in the PCC’s day-to-day accounts. It is the policy of the PCC to maintain unrestricted funds, which are the free reserves of the PCC, at a level which equates to approximately three months’ unrestricted expenditure. This provides sufficient funds to cover administration, maintenance and support costs and to respond to emergency situations. Unrestricted funds were maintained at this level. Away-Giving: It is the policy of the PCC to work towards being able to give away to charitable causes a sum equal to 10% of our disposable income, less expenses beyond our control, e.g. Parish Share, Stipend, Church Repair Fund and Restricted Funds. The four Charities nominated for 2013 are listed below. Each was allotted the sum of £770 during 2014:


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1. Rochester Poverty and Hope Appeal 2. College of S. Barnabas 3. Barnabas Fund 4. St John’s, Ainsdale – Restructuring and re-roofing fund

Over the Christmas period £121.70 was raised from the 'Big Christmas Card’. It was agreed by the PCC to round this up to £125 to be sent to the Church Army. In addition to this, monies from the Christmas Craft stall and the sale of Christian Christmas cards raised £313.98 for depleted church funds.

Risk Management

It is the PCC’s intention to identify the major risks which impact on the work of the Church in the Parish. We already have in place a Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy, a set of financial procedures, a grievance procedure for employees and a Health & Safety Policy. Health and safety risks are also monitored on an on-going basis and are dealt with as they are identified.

The PCC has appointed Officers to deal with the requirements of the Disclosure and Barring Service, Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection.

The Diocesan Child Protection Policy: Mr Dudley Clark continued in his role as the Parish Children’s Representative.

The Diocesan Vulnerable Persons Policy: Mrs. T. Packer undertook the duties and responsibilities as Parish Vulnerable Person’s Representative Disclosure and Barring Service: Mrs Kim Wood agreed to continue to act as Parish Disclosure Officer to deal with procedure relating to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (formerly CRB). During the year the Diocese provided refresher training and regular updates to policies and procedures which Mrs. Kim Wood, Mrs. Val Laurens, Mrs. Kate Haselden and Fr. James attended. There is a standing DBS item on the PCC agenda, and the PCC receives regular updates from Mrs. Wood. The PCC can happily report, we are compliant with our own and Diocesan policies and all those deemed necessary in law by the PCC have been checked and certified by the DBS – there are no issues.

Health and safety: We have a CCTV system to help minimise the risk of leaving the Church building unlocked during the day. An asbestos check and a fire risk analysis on the church buildings have been completed and recorded. Fire evacuation procedure is outlined on occasion to the congregation and large groups, and there are signs and notices on display. Full details of this procedure are also given to organisations using the church building for events. All Sidesmen are aware of the procedure. Maintenance of fire extinguishers and PAT testing of electrical items is carried out on an annual basis. A full electrical inspection takes place every five years.

Policies: The PCC has agreed and recorded local policies regarding burials, baptisms and marriages, the use of St Mary’s Church and Churchyard and St John’s Churchyard, which are additional to the Diocesan Regulations. Local policies have also been agreed regarding the signature by the Incumbent of application forms for entrance to and free travel to St George’s school, and the use of social media. Local policies are in development regarding personal safety for lone workers and legacies.

Shaun-Michael Trevithick Rev. Cano n James F Southward Secretary to the Parochial Church Council Vicar of Higham and Rector of Merston


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Treasurer’s Report

Year Ending 31 December 2014 The drop in income from planned giving reported in 2013 was reversed in 2014. The figure, including the tax refund, was up 9% on 2013. However, although the cost of gas and electricity was lower, expenditure overall was higher, resulting in a further reduction in our reserves. St John's is indebted for the generous donations and gifts received throughout the course of 2014. These have enabled projects and essential church works to be undertaken without further drain on church resources. Edward Hance


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Deanery Synod 2014-2015

Strood Deanery is a group of parishes working in collaboration with the Bishop. Diocesan officers, Rural Dean and other members of the Deanery to forward the mission of the Church. This year we have held meetings at All Saints, Findsbury, and St. Nicholas, Strood. The agendas at the meetings covered a diverse range of subjects, from Reverend Sue Vallente-Kerr discussing her role as a Pioneer Curate to pilot studies that have been set up looking at Baptism and what families want and expect from the Church. Another issue that has followed on from this, is the changing culture of funerals. The clergy invited twelve local Funeral Directors to a meeting to discuss the issue. Whilst eight accept the invitation, only the came to the meeting! Baptisms and funerals are often the only contact many people have with the Church. The parishes on the Hoo Peninsula continue to have ongoing discussions regarding setting up a pattern of ministry to meet their specific needs. We had a talk from Canon Paul Hackwood on the work of the Church Urban Fund. Bishop James, The Bishop of Rochester came to visit and discuss the perilous state of the Diocesan finances, particularly in the deployment of clergy, and suggested various options to assist in this. One of the ideas that we are exploring at S.John’s is that of ‘legacies.’ That is, leaving a financial offering to the church upon you death and making your specific wishes known in a Last Will and Testament. The next meeting will be held at Hoo St Werburgh on Monday 23rd March 2015.

Mrs. K. Wood

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