Repairs to All Saints Church All Saints Church, Banstead - Reports for APCM 2018

Transcription

1 Repairs to All Saints Church 2018 All Saints Church, Banstead - Reports for APCM 2018 AGENDA & REPORTS FOR THE ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING 15th April 2018

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3 P a g e 2 THE OPEN MEETING FOR PARISHIONERS TO ELECT CHURCHWARDENS & THE ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING Sunday 15th April 2018 in ALL SAINTS CHURCH at 11.00am THE OPEN MEETING AGENDA 1. Welcome & Prayers 2. Apologies for Absence 3. Convening Notice 4. Minutes of the previous Open Meeting on 26th March 2017 (as placed on the table in the church for the previous two Sundays) 5. The Election of Churchwardens THE ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING AGENDA 1. Convening Notice 2. Apologies for Absence 3. Minutes of the previous Annual Meeting on 26th March Election of 2 three-year Representatives to the PCC 5. Election of 2 three-year Representatives to Deanery Synod 6. Appointment of Sidespeople 7. Appointment of Independent Examiner 8. Report on Changes in the Electoral Roll since the previous APCM 9. Report on the proceedings of the PCC and the activities of the parish generally in Annual Report on the Financial Statements of the PCC for the year 2017 independently examined 11. Report on the Fabric, Goods and Ornaments of the church 12. Report on the proceedings of Deanery Synod 13. Report on the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults in The Vicar s Remarks 15. The proposed date of the next APCM, 14th April 2019 Closing Prayer

4 P a g e 3 Minutes of the OPEN MEETING FOR PARISHIONERS TO ELECT CHURCHWARDENS of ALL SAINTS, BANSTEAD Held on Sunday 26th March 2017 at All Saints Church at am Present 1.17 Welcome & Prayers 2.17 Apologies for absence 3.17 Convening Notice 4.17 Minutes of the last Vestry Meeting Election of Churchwardens The Reverend Maria Pallis (Vicar) and 40 parishioners whose names are recorded in the Attendance Book were present. The meeting opened at am. The Vicar took the Chair and thanked those who had stayed after the Service for the meeting. She then led prayers for the Church and people of Banstead. Apologies were received from Mrs Jenni Batten, Mr Phil Batten, Mrs Margaret McFarlane, Mrs Vail Sale, Mrs Susan Hassanein, Mr Barry Duggan, Mr Michael Taylor, Mrs Donna Taylor, Mrs Diana Bowes, Mrs Liz Grover. The Vicar reminded the meeting that the Convening Notice had been posted on the church door for the past two weeks for all to read. The purpose of the meeting was to elect Churchwardens. Draft Minutes of the previous Open Meeting on 24th April 2016 had been available in the church for two weeks previous to this meeting. Mrs Rosemary Whipp proposed and Mr George Harcourt-Vernon seconded the acceptance of these, which was approved by a show of hands, and the Minutes were signed as a true record by the Vicar. The Vicar had received two nominations for the two posts of Churchwarden. She said she gave both candidates her wholehearted support. The nominations were: 1. Mr Alan Clarke, proposed by Mr Dennis Fox and seconded by Mr Richard Hagon; 2. Mrs Susan Major, proposed by Mrs Joanne Aram and seconded by Mrs Trish Clarke. There being no further nominations, and no objections, the Vicar declared Mr Clarke and Mrs Major duly elected to serve as Churchwardens for the year May 2017 to May There was no further business and the meeting was declared closed at am.

5 P a g e 4 MINUTES of the ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING for All Saints, Banstead Held on Sunday 26th March 2017 in All Saints Church at am Present 1.17 Convening Notice 2.17 Apologies for absence 3.17 Minutes of the last Annual Meeting on Election of five 3-year representatives to the PCC 5.17 Appointment of Sidespeople The Reverend Maria Pallis (Vicar) and 40 parishioners whose names are recorded in the Attendance Book were present. As Chairman, the Vicar called the meeting to order and welcomed all to attend. She reminded the meeting that the Convening Notice had been publicly available on the church door for the previous two weeks. The purpose of the meeting was to elect PCC members, appoint sidespeople and receive reports on certain aspects of church life. Apologies for absence were received from Mrs Jenni Batten, Mr Phil Batten, Mrs Margaret McFarlane, Mrs Vail Sale, Mrs Susan Hassanein, Mr Barry Duggan, Mr Michael Taylor, Mrs Donna Taylor, Mrs Diana Bowes, Mrs Liz Grover. Draft minutes of the previous Annual Meeting had been available in church for the previous two weeks. Mrs Susan Major proposed and Mr Alan Clarke seconded the acceptance of these and the Minutes were approved by a show of hands and signed as a true record by the Vicar. The Vicar reported that five nominations of persons to serve as Councillors for the years had been received, as follows: 1. Mr Richard Hagon (prop. Rosemary Whipp; sec. Susan Hassanein.) 2. Miss Emma Jobson (prop. Alan Clarke; sec. Susan Major) 3. Mr Laurence Mascarenhas (prop. Susan Hassanein; sec. Lin Dunford) 4. Miss Natalie Thomas (prop. Trish Clarke; sec. Jennifer Batten) 5. Mrs Rosemary Whipp (prop. Richard Hagon; sec. Vail Sale) There being five vacancies and no further nominations the above were declared duly elected. The Vicar thanked them for their willingness to serve. Mrs Susan Major began with thanks, saying it would be impossible to provide the practical support needed for the running of services without the contribution of the deputy wardens, before, during and after services. The willing and friendly help of the sidespeople to all who attend services is also invaluable, and since mid-2016 the names of wardens and sidespeople have been inscribed on badges. She remembered with gratitude the years of cheerful and reliable service given by Shirley Tickett, who died recently, and thanked too those who retired this year Phil Crewdson, because work pressed, and Ron and Rosie Wilks for health

6 P a g e Appointment of Independent Examiner 7.17 Report on the Church Electoral Roll 8.17 Report on the Proceedings of the PCC and the activities of the parish generally in 2016 reasons. Happily, though, some new recruits were welcomed: Michelle Goode, Helen Poulton and Susan Levy. The following had agreed to be appointed for the following year; (a) As Deputy Wardens: Mr Neil Allison, Mr Michael Cartwright, Mr Robert Collier, Mr Roger Fairhead, Mr Dennis Fox, Mrs Elizabeth Grover and Mr Michael Taylor. (b) For the 8.00am and some evening services: Mr Malcolm Clarke, Mrs Liz Collier, Mr Peter Crowley, Mr David Goldsack and Mr Laurence Mascarenhas. (c) For the 9.30am service, which requires 4 sidespeople every week: Mrs Joanne Aram, Miss Judith Bliss, Mrs Diana Bowes, Mrs Trish Clarke, Mrs Tina Douglas, Mrs Lin Dunford, Mr Graham Gibbs, Mrs Michelle Goode, Mrs Gill Gordon, Mrs Vi Green, Mrs Elaine Hopkinson, Mr Patrick Hopkinson, Mrs Susan Levy, Mrs Betty Pedlar, Mrs Claire Petrie, Mrs Helen Poulton, Mr David Robson, Mrs Willemina Robson, Mrs Liz Samuels, Mr Peter Staddon, Mrs Donna Taylor, Miss Natalie Thomas and Mrs Ros Young. Mrs Susan Major proposed and Mr Alan Clarke seconded that all the above-named be appointed to serve for the coming year. No objections were made and they were duly appointed. Mr Richard Hagon, Treasurer, explained that the Accounts for 2016 had required an Examiner with special qualifications, who received a fee. He did not expect this to be the case in 2017 and was in discussions with a possible Examiner who would not charge. Mrs Ros Young, Electoral Roll Officer, reported that the Church Electoral Roll, which stood at 117 names at the previous APCM, had now increased to 119. During the year there had been deletions due to deaths or people moving away from the Parish but also several new people have enrolled. The Vicar thanked her for her work on this essential task. Mrs Susan Major, Churchwarden, noted that the full Annual Report had been available in church for the previous two Sundays, and her intention now was to summarise it with more focus on the PCC s work. The PCC met six times in 2016, and at that year s APCM acquired three new members in Sally Clarke, Roy Gordon and Terry Lewis. One member was lost when Revd Mandy MacVean left to take up her incumbency at Effingham & Little Bookham in February: an entire coachload went from Banstead to wish her well at her installation in March. Following the Vision Day in 2015 three working groups were created to develop our prayer life, our welcome in church, and the integration of newcomers into the church community the latter soon coalesced into one. The Prayer group, ably led by Phil Batten, developed a timetable of events (visit to St Edward s shrine, Quiet Day, rosary-making) along with

7 P a g e 6 promoting simple Evening Prayer booklets for people to share in the Church s prayers through use at home. The Welcome group provided several ideas for encouraging newcomers, and so badges were obtained for sidespeople and others to help recognition; four bench-fronts were removed to storage and three pews relocated to make more space along the north-south corridor and in the south-west corner. Of newer regular events in church Sunday T Time is developing as a monthly afternoon service for young families and Sing For Joy has matured into a popular community event strong enough to survive Revd Vivien s absence in Chessington for the last two months of the year. The year began and ended with no permanent organist but some temporary musicians proved very supportive to the choir, and the long advertising & interview process resulted in the appointment of Jan Pringle, who started at New Year Safeguarding is always a high priority and in 2016 the PCC approved two new Policy & Practice booklets (for Children and Vulnerable Adults) which include guidelines on use of social media. A well-attended Fire Training session was held in November and new Health & Safety Risk Assessments carried out on many church activities. Our Foodbank continues to operate, with the support of people from our sister churches; and in addition to our normal overseas giving to St James Hospital, Lesotho, and grants to various local charities, we tried to help refugees, in Calais and in camps further east, with money, clothing and sleeping-bags. We are improving our communications, by developing a series of banners for the stands facing the High Street, while photographs in the church porch identify people with significant roles. Our new website slowly began to take shape, though too slowly to go online in 2016, and should prove a fuller and more flexible means of communication. In September we held a successful Heritage Open Day, with talks and music and exhibitions, attracting many visitors, thanks to Diana Bowes energy and efficiency. The Architect s Quinquennial Inspection at the end of 2015 reported that a number of high-level repairs are needed to our Grade ll* listed structure, especially to parts of the North Chapel and nave roof and walls, and to the Tower and Steeple shingling. The PCC therefore appointed the architect John Bailey to act on our behalf; he drew up detailed specifications and put them out to tender, as well as liaising with the Diocesan Advisory Committee. Specialist bat conservation consultants spent a night at the church surveying and found no bats in our belfry (or anywhere else) just occasional visitors. In the churchyard we undertook an extensive programme of tree surgery in 2016, with the objective of maintaining safety for the numerous users. The Orchard Pre-School returned an area of

8 P a g e Report on the Financial Statements of the PCC for the year 2016 independently examined Report on the Fabric, Goods and Ornaments of the Church the Orchard to general use, and a new bench was added to the New Memorial Garden, thanks to Mr Peter Rivett. We applied for and obtained a grant to improve the energy efficiency of the Institute through improved insulation and a shift to LED lighting. The Curate s house is undergoing some refurbishment as we look forward to a new Curate in Happily, the Archdeacon and Rural Dean seemed generally satisfied by our stewardship on their six-yearly inspection (Visitation) in December. Mr Richard Hagon, the Treasurer, presented the Annual Financial Statements of All Saints, of which he circulated a brief summary. Copies of the full accounts, which were approved by the PCC at their meeting earlier in March, were available on request. He thanked Dennis Fox and Michael Dunford for their help with day-to-day work on the finances, and Michael Dunford for dealing with Gift Aid claims. Richard noted that the figures showed a surplus for the year of 355,342, but this was primarily due to legacies amounting to 379,455. Without these there would have been a loss for the year. Regular giving and fee income had both fallen. Expenses had risen from 174,753 to 201,244, mainly because running costs rose with inflation, churchyard work was costly and the Parish Share rose by 4 per cent. Richard outlined the assets noted on the sheet, and that total funds (thanks to the legacies) were currently 713,155. He remarked that (as he had noted on the Financial Statement) the PCC has now entered into a contract for repairs to the church fabric, and expects soon to authorise some new work, which together will amount to about 240,000. As the church is an old building we must expect an ongoing need for repairs. There were no questions, and the Vicar thanked Richard for all his work throughout the year on the church finances. Mr Alan Clarke, Churchwarden, reported that as usual the church has been maintained to a very good standard throughout the year and he thanked George Harcourt Vernon, Sandra our regular cleaner and the premises team for their continuing efforts. He pointed out that we are also indebted to the considerable work undertaken by the army of volunteers who quietly and often go unnoticed, shine the brass, polish the silverware, wash and iron the linens and many other housekeeping matters which keep the church in good order. Following our Quinquennial Inspection in 2015 it has been a year of meetings and discussions to prioritise the works. In conjunction with John Bailey, our architect, they were identified, schedules of work were produced and sent out for tender in December. Throughout the year, the design proposals for the glass tower screen and small kitchenette have been under discussion with the architects, the diocesan advisory committee

9 P a g e Report on Deanery Synod Report on the Safeguarding of Children & Vulnerable Adults and ourselves with a view to finalising them and submitting a faculty in In the churchyard, two further trees were found to have dangerous splits in their trunks and major cutting back was recommended. The Archdeacon s approval was given and these works were undertaken in June. In August, the Archdeacon granted a licence for us to remove 4 bench-fronts and 3 small pendant bookcases temporarily, as an experimental measure to reduce congestion in the area near the north door. This seems to be working well and we hope to make it permanent. Mrs Trish Clarke reported on the work of Deanery Synod in The Deanery Synod met three times in At the first meeting members discussed the development of networks of clergy, churchwardens, music directors, etc. to share ideas and resources and heard about good practice in these areas. At the second meeting Canon Mark Oakley of St Paul s Cathedral talked about how the church can capture the public imagination and develop liturgy that allows individual faith development. At the third meeting the DVD of Transforming Churches, Transforming Lives was used as a basis for discussion, and a Messy Eucharist was devised and shared. Mrs Margaret McFarlane, Safeguarding Officer, could not attend but had given her report to Mrs Susan Major to read. She noted that we are committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of the children, young people and vulnerable adults within our church community. We work to ensure an environment where all people and especially those who may be vulnerable are able to worship and pursue their faith journey with encouragement and in safety. We are committed to the implementation of the Diocese of Guildford Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, and the relevant statutory legislation set out in the Safeguarding Policy Statement of the Church of England and the guidance for the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. The Parish Safeguarding Policy was reviewed at the PCC meeting on 24 th May 2016 and all the relevant paperwork sent to the Diocese. Members of the parish attend training courses, organised by the Diocese, on a regular basis. During the year we have continued to organise new and renew existing DBS checks for many of our volunteers, all with successful outcomes. There are 35 people cleared to work with children and young people and 11 to work with vulnerable adults. Margaret thanked Janice Povey for her work as Assistant Safeguarding Officer. She asked that doubts or concerns regarding issues related to the welfare of children or vulnerable adults in the church

10 P a g e The Vicar s Remarks Date of the APCM in 2018 environment please should be discussed with either Janice or herself. The Vicar, Revd Maria Pallis, said that her thoughts had been given as her sermon to the 8.00am and 9.30am congregations and were also now published in the April issue of the Steeple. She thanked everyone involved in supporting and carrying forward the work of the church, pointing out that much was done so quietly it was only apparent when the person responsible was unable to carry on. As she had mentioned in her sermon, she was looking forward to some changes to the church layout and to some developments in aspects of church work. She believed the welcome offered to all-comers was a big factor in making people feel at home, and supported efforts to improve this, as well as on a broader front to do our best to share our faith in ways relevant and appropriate to each individual, recognising that one shape of liturgy does not suit all. She thought 2016 had been generally a year of positive development, and though we mourned some deaths we should give thanks for their lives. She welcomed new people who were becoming regular members of the congregation. Mr George Harcourt Vernon proposed thanks to the Vicar, and all present enthusiastically agreed, and also supported the best wishes offered to Revd Maria as she embarks on 3 months of Extended Ministerial Development Leave (once called a sabbatical). The Vicar enquired about any other business. Mrs Susan Major reported that, as a Licensed Lay Reader, Miss Jill Priest was qualified to sit on the PCC, and would like to do so. All present signified their welcome and support for Jill in joining the PCC. Mrs Sylvia Cartwright asked about grass cutting and gardening in the churchyard. The Vicar said that the contracted helpers strimmed the grass five times a year at a cost of 5000 (we receive a council grant of 4500 for this); and the rest had to be done by volunteers. A number of people help as and when they can. In 2017 we have been grateful for the help of a community payback team. The Vicar suggested that the next Vestry Meeting and Annual Parochial Church Meeting be held in church on Sunday 15 th April 2018 at 11.00am, following the 9.30am service. She asked for comments on this format of meeting to be given to her or to the Churchwardens. The Vicar then led prayers for the church in the year to come and the meeting closed with the Grace at 11.55am.

11 P a g e 10 ANNUAL REPORT on the WORK of the PCC, and the ACTIVITIES of the parish generally - for 2017 ALL SAINTS CHURCH is situated in the High Street, Banstead, and is part of the Diocese of Guildford within the Church of England. It is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission under registration number , and has the care of a Grade II* listed building. Our Electoral Roll stood at 117 at the end of AIMS AND PURPOSES All Saints Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, the Reverend Maria Pallis, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish of Banstead 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 worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at All Saints. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament. When planning our activities for the year, the incumbent and the PCC have considered the 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; and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus. Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish. Missionary and outreach work. To facilitate this work it is important that we maintain the fabric of the Church Complex, that is All Saints Church, the Churchyard and Orchard, the Church Institute, and the house at 14 Glenfield Road (used by curates). ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE WORSHIP AND PRAYER Everyone is welcome to attend the wide range of services on offer at All Saints. On Sunday mornings we celebrate together at 8.00am and 9.30am using the modern Common Worship Communion services, with Book of Common Prayer Communion used at 8.00am once a month. Visitors and newcomers are always made welcome and at festivals we are pleased to welcome many more worshippers, especially at Easter and Christmas services, when the Crib Service and Carol Service draw a wide congregation. In addition we welcome several schools to hold their own Carol and Harvest services.

12 P a g e 11 Sunday T Time, an afternoon service for young families, which takes place monthly, has settled down and steadily becomes more popular - learning to play steel pans has been a hit with some older children. Also monthly, in a different style, our Choir demonstrate their talents at the beautiful traditional Choral Evensong, which attracts interest from visitors as well as our own congregation, as do our occasional Celtic Evening Services, now an established tradition here. In 2017 we continued the practice established in 2014 of commemorating each man with Banstead connections who was killed in World War I, and this has engaged the wider community and prompted historical research. The aim as always is to provide a wide range of services and opportunities at which people can worship, understanding that one style cannot fulfil every one s needs. Our prayer space, with a votive stand and prayer tree, is well used out of service times, and a regular pattern of prayer for the intentions offered on the tree has developed. There are a number of groups which meet regularly including a Celtic Spirituality Group, an Exploring Faith Group, two Bible Study groups, and Meditation. These are organised and led by dedicated individuals and attended regularly by members of All Saints and other local churches. As well as our regular services All Saints enables our community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones through life. Through baptism we thank God for the gift of life, in marriage public vows are exchanged with God s blessing and through funeral services family and friends express their grief, give thanks, and commend the person into God s keeping. In 2017 we celebrated 22 baptisms and 9 weddings. We also supported families with 12 funerals in church and in addition 22 crematoria funerals, as well as numerous burials of ashes conducted by All Saints ministry team: we are very grateful that former members chose to remember All Saints by legacies in their wills. DEVELOPMENTS IN 2017 Our Mission Action Plan responds to the Bishop of Guildford s Vision Transforming Church, Transforming Lives, and ongoing work on our prayer life, our welcome and the integration of newcomers has effected some developments. New materials on prayer are available, and highlight events have included an Advent Quiet Day lasting from 6.00am to 9.30pm. Our welcome has been improved by some minor re-ordering, and a Faculty was granted for the removal of some pew fronts and pendant bookcases, enabling a space to be created near the south door without the loss of actual seats. Here displays can be set up and tea and coffee can be served on occasion. We hope next year to install a discreet kitchenette which will be useful also for community groups who hold musical and other functions. Thus in the autumn we decided to shift the focus of our MAP and consider how baptism could be better understood and families who come for baptism better supported, and are currently experimenting with this. However, from the start of May to the end of August, the most visible developments took place to the exterior structure. Then a number of high-level repairs were carried out to the Grade II* listed structure, especially to parts of the North Chapel and nave roof and walls, and to the Tower and Steeple shingling. The need for these had been identified in the recent Quinquennial Inspection and under our Architect s guiding hand the work went very smoothly and successfully. To pay the cost of 107,000 we launched an Appeal with the catchy name

13 P a g e 12 SOS-Save Our Steeple - and one fund-raiser which took the public imagination was the opportunity to write their names on a shingle for the Steeple. Through events, grants and especially personal donations the Appeal raised 98,900, and we were moved and delighted with how supportive were many local people who do not attend but clearly value the presence of the church here. In 2018 it will be necessary to tackle the complete re-wiring identified as necessary by the Electrical Inspection. The advantage is that it will be an opportunity to improve and modernise the light and power of the building; the drawback is the cost. We have, however, been fortunate in the last two years to receive some substantial legacies which will be a vital support here. We are improving our communications, and in 2017 launched a new-look website ( kept up to date with ever-changing posts and a calendar, as well as providing details of groups and church activities, and a digital home for essential policy documents. The website is our shop-window for the world; our long-established magazine The Steeple works to inform and entertain the local community. Banners on the stands facing the High Street are increasing in number and variety to advertise church events and services, and the use of name-badges and photographs identifying people with significant roles has proved its usefulness. Safeguarding is always a high priority and all personnel in relevant roles undergo DBS checks and training as required. In 2017 the Safeguarding Officer and a Churchwarden attended a useful session on Lay Leadership & Safer Recruitment, which has informed some current practice in this area. We continue to carry out Health & Safety Risk Assessments on many church activities, helping to raise awareness of our guidelines, and at the end of the year we began to appraise how best to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation when it comes into force in MISSION AND OUTREACH We continue to support the local community as well as the church congregation. In particular we seek to find additional ways of engaging those who are on the fringes of church. At Big Teds children from Banstead Infant School are encouraged to learn more about Jesus, in a free after-school club through story, craft and song. Twice a term they have a pilgrimage to church. We have also developed in the School a Quiet Space which has proved invaluable in supporting the children. Visits to all the local schools are undertaken by Clergy and the Children s Worker to lead Collective Worship. Groups of schoolchildren come to church as part of their RE lessons. Sing for Joy has been held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month since At this a selection of songs designed to stir the memories are sung by all-comers, with linking talk and refreshments; it appeals particularly to people developing dementia and their friends, but has developed a wide and loyal following of people who do not come to services. Knit & Natter provides a different and productive way of joining together for adults. Monthly walks are also part of our fellowship but the band of walkers who enjoy fresh air and Surrey scenery is sadly shrinking.

14 P a g e 13 A new initiative, Cage Cricket, was trialled at the end of the year. It is designed to encourage people over 50 to be active and provide opportunities for people on their own to meet socially. Every week through 2017 we operated a Foodbank, a branch of the Epsom & Ewell Foodbank under the Trussell Trust umbrella, and we shall continue this as long as there is a need in the local area; the number of users suggests the need may be increasing. Our Foodbank operates in the Church institute, and is manned by volunteers from All Saints and other churches. We continue to provide regular financial and knitwear support for a hospital in Lesotho, and in addition to our normal charitable fund-raising (Christian Aid, Seafarers charities, the Royal Marsden Hospital, etc.) held collections of clothing and money to help refugees, especially in the Calais camp. PASTORAL CARE We are very fortunate to have an active Mothers Union, which was honoured by a visit from their Worldwide President in MU members plan and deliver the Marriage Preparation Course, support families and provide refreshments at the pre-school group every Wednesday, as well as providing comfort bags for hospital patients and caring for the bereaved. A team from All Saints visits the seven local Care Homes regularly, taking time to get to know residents and staff. We continue to visit the housebound and support in any way we can. Holy Communion is taken to any who are unable to attend church services for whatever reason. The PCC continues to look at our provision for children, families and teenagers at All Saints, where we seek to build on the positive and encouraging work already taking place. At the 9.30 services the Children s Worker facilitates teaching through craftwork for children, gathered in the Tower where they remain in touch with the service. For pre-schoolers Teddies 10 Minutes is a weekly session of story and song on Wednesdays, and now Sunday T Time (see above) feeds slightly older minds. ASY (All Saints Youth) meets twice a month with a greater focus on faith and daily life. Children are active members of the Choir which also functions as a pastoral and social support for them. We continue to look at how to encourage more young families to join our supportive community. THE CHURCH COMPLEX The Church Complex provides a valuable resource for the community, both inside the buildings and in the surrounding grounds. We are pleased that the church is open every day for private prayer, and to enable visitors to enjoy the heritage it represents. The Institute provides facilities for a Pre-School, many community groups and meetings in addition to church activities. It is also the venue for the Foodbank and other agencies serving demonstrable local need - no charge is made for these. Between the church building and the High Street lies a green area called the Church Orchard, belonging to the church and treated as a village green by local people. Here are held the May Fair (the biggest event of Banstead s year), the Village Fair for local charities in July, and the Community Christmas Event run by the local Business Guild, to which we contributed a Prayer Stall and were gratified by the response. The church itself is also used as a venue for some

15 P a g e 14 events organised by Banstead Arts Festival, and in September we took part in the national Heritage Open Days scheme, offering talks, exhibitions and an exploration of the historic churchyard, which attracted over 100 visitors. Maintenance of the extensive churchyard, criss-crossed by well used public footpaths, falls largely on a few loyal volunteers, but extra manpower was provided in 2017 by a Payback team supplied by the Probation Service for whose help we are grateful. DEANERY SYNOD Two members of the PCC sit on the Deanery Synod. This provides the PCC with an important link between the parish and the activities and wider structures of the Church. ECUMENICAL RELATIONSHIPS There are many ways in which All Saints members support the wider community. We are fully committed to the joint services and events organised by the Banstead Five Churches (our Local Ecumenical Partnership). The Open Door Café is a friendly place where everyone is made welcome and there is an opportunity to sit and chat with volunteers. We join with our sister churches for Lent courses and worship, and for a united Procession of Witness on Good Friday, as a public sign of our commitment. We also support Praise in the Park, an established outdoor ecumenical event including many schoolchildren, which also attracts some from the wider community. Easter and Christmas cards are delivered to homes in Banstead and Nork. Together with the Banstead Five Churches, All Saints participated in this year s Holiday Fun Week. This event was, once again, a great success, reaching children who are not closely connected to any of the local churches. The Gospel message was shared in appropriate and enjoyable ways. This is only possible when local Christians work closely together, and people are fully committed to outreach. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS We would like to thank all those who have worked so hard in our ministry and to keep the church running. Our Vicar, Revd Maria, was granted a well-earned three months of Extended Ministerial Development Leave in late spring, and we are very grateful to the Revd John Baxter who visited to take most of the services where a priest was needed, and was also a source of wise advice and guidance. In July we were happy to welcome a new curate, Revd Ian Whitley who is working towards Pioneer Ministry and already making his mark in Banstead. Also in July 2017 our long-serving Deacon, Revd Vivien Turner, took the plunge into priestly ministry and has been exploring this role. Our new Director of Music, Mr Jan Pringle, began work in the New Year, and under his guidance the Choir have developed further their technical skills, particularly noticeable in some lovely Choral Evensongs and Carol Services, which have attracted some from beyond our normal congregation. A great strength of the Choir is its inclusion of several children who benefit greatly from this disciplined and thoughtful work in cooperation with adults.

16 P a g e 15 The support of voluntary lay ministers and pastoral assistants has been crucial, and the exertions of the financial and administrative team, and indeed all the work we do within the church and for the benefit of the wider community is only possible through the commitment and dedication of great numbers of volunteers, a lot of hard work and God s grace. FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS All Saints is a busy parish where many and varied activities are undertaken. This does not mean that we have stopped looking at additional ways to extend the range, enabling more individuals to become involved. Our church membership is made up mainly of the older generations, but we are steadily developing ways to grow the church younger so that it may better reflect the wider community, and to find more ways to engage with and support that wider community. We hope in 2018 to install a glass screen so that the Tower can be used by more groups in more varied ways, and a modest kitchenette to improve the welcome offered in the church. These will be done in conjunction with the essential rewiring mentioned above. We very much hope that in the coming year we will continue to provide support to our local community in many and varied ways, being open and flexible to needs as they arise. INVESTMENT POLICY Funds are deposited with the CBF Church of England Deposit Fund and various deposit takers. Endowment and other longer-term funds are invested with the CBF Church of England Investment fund. RESERVES POLICY The PCC aims to hold in reserves sufficient funds for the ongoing maintenance on the Church, to cover the cyclical highs and lows historically experienced in planned giving levels and to undertake improvements in the Church buildings that are considered desirable FINANCIAL REVIEW The results for the year are set out in the Statement of Financial Activities on page 16. Total income amounted to 287,684 (2016: 550,218) with less legacies received. Total resources expended amounted to 314,986 (2016: 210,244) due to higher costs on fabric repairs, maintenance and Parish Share. Net outgoing resources amounted to 27,302 (2016 incoming 348,974). It should be noted that the PCC is considering further expenditure and improvements, which could amount in total to 150,000. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT The powers and duties of PCCs are laid down by the Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure Members of the PCC are either ex-officio or elected at the Annual Parochial

17 P a g e 16 Church Meeting (APCM) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. Members can be co-opted to the Council when occasional vacancies arise. The PCC operates through a number of committees, which convene between full meetings of the PCC. These committees which include worship, premises, outreach and finance, are all responsible to the PCC and report back to it regularly. The PCC has a programme of identifying major risks to which it is exposed. The PCC has a safeguarding policy in place that follows the Diocesan safeguarding procedures. Financial procedures, mainly comprising segregation of duties and budgetary controls, have been reviewed and are considered sufficient. MEMBERS of the PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL Incumbent Reverend Maria Pallis Chairman Church Wardens Alan Clarke Vice-Chairman Susan Major Elected Members Joanne Aram (until ) Sally Clarke Lin Dunford Dennis Fox Roy Gordon Richard Hagon Susan Hassanein Emma Jobson (from ) Terrence Lewis Laurence Mascarenhas Vail Sale Natalie Thomas Rosemary Whipp Ex-Officio Members Patricia Clarke Deanery Synod Elizabeth Samuels Deanery Synod Revd Vivien Turner Revd Ian Whitley (from ) Curate Curate Jill Priest (from ) Licensed Lay Minister PCC Secretary Jennifer Batten

18 P a g e 17 The full FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS are displayed separately in the Church porch and are available on request from Richard Hagon, Treasurer, who will report on them and take questions at the APCM

19 P a g e 18 The following REPORTS are LISTED ON THE AGENDA for the APCM and will be read at the meeting, and included in the Minutes. They may be added to this booklet subsequently. REPORT on CHANGES to the ELECTORAL ROLL in 2107 REPORT on the FABRIC, GOODS and ORNAMENTS for 2017 REPORT on the WORK of DEANERY SYNOD 2017 ALL SAINTS CHURCH PARISH SAFEGUARDING REPORT 2017 The VICAR S REMARKS will be given as her Sermon at both services on 15th April and will be published in the May issue of the church magazine, The Steeple ADDITIONAL REPORTS on CHURCH ACTIVITIES LIST OF CONTENTS PAGE PAGE Outreach Committee 19 Community Engagement Team 20 Worship Committee 21 Sunday T Time 22 Sing for Joy 22 Church Music 23 Servers 24 Bellringers 24 Church Flowers 25 Church Institute & Churchyard 26 Church Website 27 Church Magazine 28 Mothers Union 28 Drama Group 30 All Saints History Group 31 Parish Walks Group 31 Bible Study Group 32 Exploring the Faith Group 32

20 P a g e 19 OUTREACH COMMITTEE - Report of 2017 As in previous years Soup and Puds was provided on the 1st January 2017 attended by over 40 people with the choice of nine soups (with roll and butter) and nine puddings (most home made with others pre-packaged). The event raised which was donated to the LeatherHEAD START (Night Shelter) to help with their activities. Your committee supported and provided food and other refreshments for Sunday T Time in February, April, May, June, July, September, October, November and December Each occasion was well attended by children and adults, has been enjoyed by them and was a success. Whilst coffee in the Orchard Room has continued to be provided after the 9.30am service, we also provided coffee in church in February, May, September and October, Your committee also provided Hot Cross buns on Good Friday, 14th April, with the proceeds being donated to the SOS fund. We also provided breakfast in the Orchard Room after the 6.30am service on Easter Day, 16th April. All who attended enjoyed their early breakfast. Sandwiches and other refreshments were provided by us for the Memorial Service on the 25th June was cake year with cake and coffee provided for this year and also as a thank you to John Baxter for all the work he did for All Saints during Maria s sabbatical. So as to keep the cake theme going, we also had cake and coffee on the 1st July to celebrate Vivien s ordination and again on the 9th July to celebrate Ian s appointment as a Deacon and his first Sunday Service. On the 9th July your committee also provided sandwiches and other refreshments for a cream tea to celebrate Sing for Joy. Revd Ian s Welcome Cake Harvest Lunch for 60 people was held on the 24th September in the Church Institute with roast chicken/beef with roast potatoes, carrots, peas and gravy (with a vegetarian option) followed by apple crumble and custard. A profit of was made on the lunch and on the raffle. The profit on the lunch was donated to Water Aid and the to St James Hospital, Lesotho. We have continued to support St James Hospital during the year and we have donated 3, in total (in two tranches of 2, and 1,000.00) towards medical supplies and running costs of the hospital. Despite these donations, we have accumulated 1, currently towards the 2018 donations to St James Hospital. Lin Dunford, Chair of the Outreach Committee

21 P a g e 20 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM - Report of 2017 Community Cricket Our main initiative so far is Cage Cricket which we recently renamed locally as Community Cricket as Cage Cricket seems to get a negative response. Cage Cricket is described as a Street to Elite game that is played as an individual and can be played across all levels, abilities and ages. It has been used in several different groups across the UK such as children with disabilities, adults with learning difficulties and for older people who have become inactive and socially isolated. Our plan is to initially offer cage cricket for over 50s throughout the year. During the spring and summer this will be in the basketball courts at Lady Neville Park and in the autumn and winter we will run indoors at the 3rd Banstead Scout Hall in Banstead Road. The objective is twofold - firstly to get inactive over 50 years old out and active and secondly to provide opportunities for those who maybe isolated and living alone to meet up with others. For this we will not only be providing the cage cricket sessions but also encouraging those who come along to go for coffee/lunch together afterwards. The longer-term plan is to explore other opportunities to use Community Cricket to support others who find themselves socially excluded e.g. those with mental health issues, the disabled, young people with self-confidence issues to name just a few. By the time the report is read we will have assisted Cage Cricket UK in running a taster session for Parkinson s UK and hopefully managed to encourage some of those who come along to this to join us on a Wednesday morning QEF Chaplaincy Over the last couple of months, I have been renewing our connection with the QEF Centre and from the 19th March I will be in the centre most Monday mornings providing a chaplaincy service for the residents and staff. How exactly this will develop it is too early to say but I look forward to reporting in more detail this time next year. The Eden People - The Eden People are a Guildford based group who encourage people towards a life of wellbeing through spirituality, creativity and therapies; meeting people where they are at geographically or events. At the May Queen Fayre, we will be partnering with them to provide readings using the Jesus Deck and hand massages. The Jesus Deck is a set of (the Jokers) cards based around the Four Gospels. They were originally designed as a Christian education tool in the 1970s. However, with the increase in those who describe themselves as spiritual but not religious and also in Mind, Body and Spirit fairs where tarot cards are very popular, the Jesus Deck has proved especially useful as starting with conversations with people about Jesus Christ in a flexible and accessible way in one to one situation. If the cards/massages prove popular I hope to arrange some training by the Eden People, so we can use these tools to be present at other events in Banstead throughout the rest of the year.

22 Beer and Banter P a g e 21 Beer and Banter is our new monthly pub-based discussion group which meets on the last Thursday of each month at 8.00pm at the Woolpack Inn in Banstead. It is group which we hope will be a safe space where people can come along and discuss faith and spiritual matters and where all views and beliefs are listened to without judgement. The vision is that it will be a space where those who come along can invite friends who would not normally come through the doors of the church or in fact attend anything of a religious nature. The meetings are held in the main bar where other punters can see us, so the other hope is that maybe we might draw people in just by being present in the pub. We held our first one on the 22nd February 2018 which was titled I believe God is just a word. Twelve people came along and we had a lively discussion about what we all meant when we talked about God. It was also decided that as well beer and banter there should be food involved as well. Anyone is welcome to join us at future meetings, to talk or just listen and enjoy the company. Revd Ian Whitley WORSHIP COMMITTEE - Report of 2017 The Worship Committee met twice in 2017, in February and September. The role of this committee is to enable lay people with specific fields of experience in the serving team, choir, sidespeople and as regular congregation to listen, consider and mediate to the Vicar views what has or has not been found helpful to our worship and suggest ways to go forward. We had to consider two factors that potentially affected our worship in The first was that this year the Vicar was granted Extended Ministerial Development Leave from April to June, and we were therefore without a priest for three months. However, the impact on worship was minimal as the Revd John Baxter kindly and generously stepped into the breach, even for the early service on Easter Day. We were even able again to hold a Corpus Christi Service, after a two-year gap, though the congregation was small. Soon after Maria s return, Vivien was ordained to the priesthood so was able to share responsibility for eucharistic services. The second factor was the repair work to the tower and steeple, the roof and stonework at the east end. Though the church was veiled in scaffolding and hoarding from May to August, the men were very obliging about downing tools for Wednesday services and funerals, and for weddings Alan Clarke hung a mock-leafy camouflage disguise over some of the hoarding to soften it for photographs. We welcomed the arrival of Jan Pringle as Director of Music, and he has made his mark with an insistence on clear enunciation in the Psalms, some lovely choral evensongs and carol services, and a performance of Stainer s Crucifixion on Palm Sunday The Committee also tried to formulate a timetable of non-standard services for the coming year, so that these can planned when the quarterly timetables are drawn up, and last-minute scrambles avoided. Susan Major

23 P a g e 22 SUNDAY T TIME Sunday T Time, our afternoon service for families on the first Sunday of the month at 3.00pm, continues to thrive and its development is full of lovely surprises. The T in T time represents Time Out for Jesus (as well as tea for the children afterwards). It is supported by a team of people with varied responsibilities ensuring that all runs smoothly on the day. Rosemary, Penny and Liz thoroughly enjoy greeting children and families as they come in, who work on craft together prepared by lovely Jen to suit each month s theme. When the bell rings, everyone assembles for our act of worship introduced by Dan the puppet thank you, Humphrey! Music is provided by an ever-expanding eclectic music group. Thank you to Helen on keyboard, Janine and Jess on clarinet and flute, and Daniel and Humphrey on steel pans. A BIG thank you to Elspeth and Bronia who have taught and provided for the extended loan of the steel pans, and to all who donated to our musical instrument appeal, through which the steel pan stands were purchased (notably Sing for Joy participants). Thank you to Phillip for managing our power point slides. We have birthday cakes for birthday children. We sing grace and wish each other Shalom. Our latest initiative is inviting our newly baptised children and their families to be welcomed by us, their new church family, in our worship. We serve tea for the children and coffee and cake for parents afterwards. Thank you, Lin and Mike and Vail and all who provide our yummy food. The biggest thank you though, goes to the children and their families, mums, dads and grandparents, who come along and share in worship and fellowship that is bringing our faith to life at All Saints in an inspiring way. Do tell families about this service and encourage them to try. Revd Vivien Turner SING FOR JOY - Report of 2017 Good Morning (from Singing in the Rain) we sing at the beginning and Thank you for the music (by Abba) and Be back soon (from Oliver) we sing at the end. In between, Sing for Joy continues to provide opportunity for Banstead community members to lift our spirits and revive our memories through a wide selection of memorable seasonal songs and hymns. We meet in church on the third Wednesday of every month from 11.00am to 12.15pm, with refreshments served in the interval. Many continue its fellowship in the Open Door afterwards for lunch. We enjoy the accompaniment of our pianist Maureen and appreciate our supporters Graham, Judith, Anne, Veronica, Donna and Anna. Our annual Sunday Sing for Joy with cream tea took place last July, accompanied once again by the Quaker Steel Band and plenty of sunshine. Sing for Joy is free with a retiring collection, often for the Alzheimer s Society. Everyone is welcome and we all feel better for it. Do try. Revd Vivien Turner

24 P a g e 23 CHURCH MUSIC - Report of 2017 During this last year the Choir have encountered much new music; some completely new and other material that has not been sung in recent memory. I am delighted to report that all the choristers have approached those challenges that new music presents with both great enthusiasm and success. Awards for two of the juniors Week by week the choir prepare an anthem, rehearse the psalm and lead the congregation in the singing of hymns and the Ordinary of the Mass. All this requires tremendous concentration and commitment. I am very lucky to have such singers to work with, and to have choir members who are happy to provide much of the logistic support necessary to ensure the smooth running of a choir. In major services such as the Advent Carol Service, Nine Lessons & Carols and the Epiphany Service the achievements have been terrific and the very recent singing of the Fauré Requiem, on Passion Sunday (2018), was yet another wonderful example of the our singers offering their gifts to the glory of God. That so many ventured out on what must have been one of the most inclement evenings of the year to hear the choir indicates the value placed on our endeavours by the congregation. I have been pleased to introduce some new hymns to the congregation through occasional rehearsals before Mass. I am also aware, always after the event, that I have sometimes used a tune that nobody knows ; for this I can but apologize. In my defence I must say that all hymn suggestions are always examined by others, people with long association with what has been sung at All Saints, and changes to my initial suggestions are made in the light of what I learn. The church is very fortunate to have such a loyal group of choristers. Singers willing to turn up on Friday evenings for an hour, two hours for juniors, at the end of a busy and tiring week at work or school. But it is not just the expertise and willingness of our choristers that allows the choral tradition to continue in this place. In far too many churches choirs have disbanded not because there is no one to sing, but because incumbents, those with ultimate control of music in church, have decided that the choral tradition is no longer needed. All Saints is incredibly fortunate in having a Vicar who identifies the value in maintaining something that is worthy and is so supportive of all we aim to do. What I have, so far, failed to achieve is much success in encouraging more men to supply the tenor and bass lines. To any men who have got this far through my report, might I repeat my invitation to come and join us; we need your help. Jan Pringle, Director of Music

25 P a g e 24 SERVERS - Report of 2017 As usual, I would like to thank all the members of the serving team for their continuing support during the past year. It is greatly appreciated not only by me as head server but also by the whole of the Worship Team and the congregation. As usual we are always on the look out for new recruits so if you would like to join us please do not hesitate to contact me. We have provided a serving team for all the appropriate services during the year. We welcomed Phillip Turner back to the team in November. He had been on the team for some years and has now re-joined us to serve at the 8.00am Sunday Service. Leading the May Fayre procession Some of the team also joined the All Saints procession through Banstead for the May Queen event and led the annual procession to the War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday. We held our annual Servers Summer Buffet in August and enjoyed a jolly afternoon. Continuing in the tradition we ended the year with a pre-christmas evening with mulled wine & mince pies. Owing to the ever-increasing demands of her schoolwork, Janine Flohr decided to leave the Serving Team. We would like to express our thanks to her for her time with us and send our best wishes to her for her future studies. The Serving Team continues to support our worship with enthusiasm and dedication. Alan Clarke The BELLRINGERS - Report of 2017 The bell ringers are holding their own (and their bell ropes!) and have managed to ring for all main services throughout the year, as well as for the Festivals and the weddings as requested. Our numbers are still low but we were pleased to welcome Rob Fisher as a full member at our AGM. He has been learning for almost two years and is now able to ring for Sunday services. We socialise after practice night about once a month and also enjoy an evening meal together when partners are invited. We have hosted several bands of ringers during the year - our bells are well liked and are some of the finest in the area. Listen out for a special peal (over three hours long) which is being planned to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Queen's coronation. Our own Anne and Richard Anthony will be included in the band - we consider

26 P a g e 25 ourselves extremely fortunate to have them both in our own band as they are very competent ringers and very patient teachers! There is always an open invitation to visit us on a Wednesday evening practice night and see if you would like to have a go. Liz Grover CHURCH FLOWERS - Report of 2017 It gives the flower arrangers great pleasure to provide the weekly pedestal arrangements and create the displays for the church s major festivals. Eastertide is always a very special time when we work with flowers, including 80 lilies, generously donated by so many parishioners in memory of their loved ones. We also enjoyed arranging the flowers for several of the weddings during the course of the year. It is always a great pleasure to arrange for these joyful occasions. Thanks go to all the arrangers, a team of about 15, for their hard work and enthusiasm. Along with the fun and fellowship there is also a wonderful sense of peace and tranquillity whilst we arrange in our beautiful building. I would like to express enormous thanks to all who give so generously to the flower fund and express your appreciation of what we do. Margaret McFarlane

27 P a g e 26 CHURCH INSTITUTE & CHURCHYARD - Report of 2017 The CHURCH INSTITUTE continues to extend its booking activities and the result of the year s activities is satisfying on both counts as far as our purpose is concerned. These are to function as a vital centre for the church and village community and to support the work and mission of All Saints church by its financial contribution. The Institute is a single building and the vast majority of its visitors come for a single purpose. Very few of them appreciate that it consists of more than one room and a café and few are aware of the tremendous dedication of the volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the show on the road. From the endless minor repairs, cleaning and essential refurbishment to the practical aspects of invoicing, collecting and counting money, plus moving bins and dealing with hirers and keys, the volunteers perform their essential tasks. Unfortunately, pressure of space means that Janice s office is often taken over by people doing practical tasks at the same time that she deals with bereaved relatives, undertakers and other church business, and we do appreciate her calm efficiency and good humour through some very testing circumstances. A new Orchard Pre-School started last September. It functions on four days each week and this has allowed us to expand our other hirings into Fridays. The friendly Pre-School staff have established good relations with the hirers who follow them which has proved extremely helpful. Curzon Country Cinema has become an essential part of village life, as have the Organ and Keyboard Society concerts. Janice has worked hard to accommodate new groups seeking a home. In addition to the regular Saturday markets we now have a Mayfair-based jeweller each quarter and occasional hirers on the remaining dates. The May Fair and Village Day take over the entire premises on two Saturdays when hundreds of people flock to join in community events and the hall hosts the ever-popular Banstead Five Churches Pilgrim Pantomime. Children s dance classes are followed by Wing Chun, and Karate is also firmly established, whilst the two stage schools continue to be popular. This year has also seen theatre workshops in half terms for teenagers, parents and baby exercise classes, an art club for juniors and an adult complementary therapy group. We are now the established home for a music appreciation group, all classes run by the local National Childbirth Trust and the Banstead Village Residents Association committee. We have accommodated many more gatherings following baptisms and funerals occurring in the church as part of a deliberate policy to welcome all who come. We hope that the Institute activities will come to be seen as a part of the church in action. We have been pleased to cooperate with the Arts Festival and some of the hirers performances now form part of the festival programme. The snooker club has been refurbished with huge support from its members and has attracted more of the congregation, and we have offered a home to a weekly mental health charity and to the Rotary Club s blood testing day without cost. The Banstead Five Churches Open Door café continues to provide inexpensive food and a listening ear to a wide range of people. Again, it flourishes only because of the number of volunteers who create such a warm and welcoming environment. This means that the Foodbank which operates here each Thursday benefits from a welcoming and nonstigmatising venue. The CHURCHYARD saw the Community Payback offenders return in the growing season, largely thanks to the helpful intervention of the secretary of the local horticultural society with whom we cooperated in the Banstead in Bloom competition. This partnership also

28 P a g e 27 resulted in the formation of a wildlife group which has taken over a grassy bank in the south of the churchyard with the aim of encouraging native wild flowers. Two of the horticultural society members now clear litter for us each month. It is good to report positive developments else this report would be dominated by activities around litter, dog waste, fly tipping and an irreverent use of the space set aside for those who are no longer with us. A new notice explaining what the Garden of Remembrance actually is and how it should be treated was a sad necessity. Most people who walk through the churchyard really appreciate its quiet beauty, an oasis of calm, like the church itself. Few bother to think about the cost of maintaining the enormous trees or cutting and clearing the grass, and have no idea that the maintenance of the grassy acres is a constant drain on church resources. Those who pay their fees to have ashes deposited in the New Memorial Garden often assume that the money goes to the vicar. They are pleased to learn of the rules necessary to keep this area properly but often fail to understand that these same rules actually apply to them, and assume that someone will clear their dead flowers, cellophane and empty pots. Still, if they did, what would we find to write about!? Sue Hassanein, Institute Coordinator The CHURCH WEBSITE - Report of 2017 At the end of March 2017 the website was relaunched with a new design, the product of some months discussion, and with the aid of David Fernando (website designer) and Matthew Hart Dyke, to whom we are also grateful for his pioneering work in establishing our first website. The new one has the - perhaps ambiguous - advantage of enabling posts and updates to be added in-house, which gives speed and flexibility though our technical skills are decidedly limited; happily, when need be, David is always willing to help out, for which we thank him warmly. Analysis of the first year shows that 5161 unique users visited the website some 7943 times and looked at a total of 18,860 pages. Traffic is gently on the increase, it seems, with a spike on Christmas Eve. The pages most visited were the Home page, by a long margin, then the Event Calendar, followed by Services, Contact and News. The website is All Saints most public face. Our task is to keep it fresh, to keep it a true reflection of our faith, and to keep it accurate: only thus can it be useful. Susan Major

29 P a g e 28 The CHURCH MAGAZINE - Report of 2017 Yet again we produced 12 issues of The Steeple, one every month, and still the price remains at 40p. But mid-year the decision was taken to reduce the number printed to 400. It is sadly true that the number of our subscribers is diminishing, and the main reason is death. Happily those still with us are generally loyal. In response to a request under the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 we have deposited the twelve issues of The Steeple for 2017 at the British Library (Serials Division), and will continue to do so annually. The magazine is designed for the family of All Saints - to keep people in touch, whether or not they come to services, to provide something to think about, perhaps something to pray about, and to raise a smile now and then. Advertising holds up, and the magazine not only pays for itself but provides a modest profit for the church. For this we are as ever grateful to those who enable this - to Phillip Turner, our magazine treasurer who keeps track of it advertisers and income, to Veronica and Alan Lansdown who organise distribution (and deliver a great many themselves), and to all the individuals who take their bundles from the church to people s houses, month after month with quiet faithfulness. And we re grateful to our contributors and readers, for what use would a magazine be without you? Thank you! Susan Major, editor MOTHERS UNION - Report of 2017 The Mothers Union theme for 2017 was Faith in Action and we hope that this is what we managed to achieve here in our branch at All Saints through our many and varied activities. Currently we have 40 members plus 3 indoor and 3 twilight members. We are sad to report that four very dear members have died in the last year. Shirley Tickett died in February after being unwell for some time. Shirley was a very approachable and caring person. She organised the Refreshment Rota for Teddies 10 Minutes and would be there regularly herself. Lucy Barrett, a member of the branch for 53 years, died in June aged 93 years. Lucy was a talented flower arranger and skilled cake maker. Lucy chocolate cakes were much appreciated by those in the Open Door café as well as members of the Prison MU. She very much enjoyed learning about branch activities whilst in Roselands, using paper and pencil to communicate. Jean Hosken died on 27th December 2017 in Epsom Hospital aged 90. She adored flowers and was a very talented arranger of both large displays and small intricate arrangements. She had organised the Lady Chapel flower vase rota for many years. She always had time to spare for everyone she met and shared in their joys and sorrows. Joy Ottey died on 10th January 2018 after nine years of illness. Her positive approach to life was a wonderful example to us all. She was always ready to hear news of others rather than talk about herself. She was another very talented flower arranger and had served on the MU committee. They will all be greatly missed.

30 Doreen Jones celebrating her Diamond Wedding Anniversary with the branch in October. P a g e 29 Our afternoon meetings have been diverse and interesting. In January Donna Taylor gave a talk on Where the Bible Comes From. We enjoyed a light lunch before the AGM in February. In April Margaret McFarlane understudied for Janet Eyet, introducing some music and readings on the theme of Spring. In May we enjoyed tea, chat and quizzes and we thank Claire Petrie for her inventive ideas. Elisabeth Rogers opened her beautiful garden twice in In May she raised over 600 for the SOS Steeple Fund and in June 166 for MU funds. (Also in June, Donna and Michael Taylor hosted a Champagne and Strawberry afternoon, raising 800 for SOS.) At our July meeting Carol Hagon gave us a fascinating talk about her visit to Indonesia which was followed by a Strawberry Tea. In September we had a talk about the local help offered for those Living at Home which proved particularly useful to one of our members. Also in September Perpetua Fox organised a celebratory afternoon tea in honour of Revd Vivien s Ordination, and the branch gave Vivien a standing cross to commemorate this special occasion. Doreen and Tony Jones celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary in October, a real joy for them, their family, and church friends. Doreen wanted to celebrate with MU friends at that month s meeting. We enjoyed Anniversary cake, and drank their health with a glass of champagne. We were fortunate also to have our new curate, Ian, at this meeting when members were treated to an insight into how he changed from Copper to Curate. It was a real privilege for us to welcome Lynne Tembey, our World Wide President, to our November meeting, and to hear about some of the MU work being done overseas. We have met on four occasions in the evening. In March there was a Cheese and Wine evening, (hopefully to attract young mums from Teddies and Sunday T Time). In May the theme was Hobbies, in Lynne Tembey (MU Worldwide President), Margaret Needham & Antonia Wilson (Diocesan President) at the November meeting. November we created Christmas flower arrangements with Margaret and in December we shared food and fellowship at our Bring and Share supper. Apart from the latter unfortunately numbers have been very small at these meetings. The summer outing took place in July to Canterbury with a guided tour of the Cathedral by Andrea and David Chance. Enormous thanks are due to Elisabeth Rogers and Diana Bowes for their meticulous planning.

31 P a g e 30 Our Lent and Advent services were led by Revd Maria, both were most thought provoking and a welcome opportunity for quiet reflection. In February it was Banstead s turn to prepare the Pilgrimage of Prayer at Guildford Cathedral. The theme for MU this year is Faith in Action, so we used Love in Action for the Service. This was well received, and we are grateful to Rosemary Whipp, Kevin Shears (who played the organ) and all those who contributed. The Lady Day Service at Guildford Cathedral fell on a Saturday, and Donna Taylor was able to represent us. Corporate Communion was celebrated on the fourth Wednesday of every month. It gave us great pleasure to construct the Garden of Gethsemane. It was inspirational and much appreciated by the parish. Members continue to help with Teddies 10 Minutes, Sing for Joy, the Pre-school and Junior School Christmas services. Donna Taylor and Elisabeth Rogers deliver Baptism Anniversary cards, members organise Bereavement Befrienders each month and the annual Marriage Preparation Course. Members place flowers in the Lady Chapel each week and we are delighted that Trish Clarke has kindly agreed to take over from Jean Hosken organising this rota. As part of our outreach to the wider community we were delighted to be able to offer our support to the Banstead May Queen committee. Our Mothers Market stall on Village Day raised 156 for the MU. The branch was well represented at the Deanery Summer Lunch at All Saints, West Ewell in August. In October Banstead hosted a Deanery Family morning of Fun and Reflection, run by Donna Taylor the theme was The Prodigal. Nine children enjoyed crafts, games, stories and prayers in church, with 23 of us enjoying lunch. Thanks go to Donna for her imaginative ideas and energy. Members have represented the branch at the twice yearly Diocesan Members Meetings (Forum). We regularly contribute articles to the MU diocesan magazine, The Angel. We have contributed items for the Women s Refuge and have assembled 30 Comfort Bags for use at Epsom Hospital. All Saints Banstead Mothers Union Branch Committee DRAMA GROUP This very small group of ladies who used to share dramatic times on the stage of the Institute now continues to meet every Monday to share a couple of hours of friendship and fellowship. Time is passed with the inevitable chat on the week s events but also playing board games, quizzes, spelling bees, some play reading, watching the occasional DVD in a member s home and going out for a meal! This group saves weekly for charity, giving as a need arises, and also raises money with a stall on Village Day. We were saddened to lose a founder member (spanning around 50 years) when Joy Ottey recently lost her battle with cancer, but we were assured that our time spent together over the years gave her and her family comfort. This was borne out when her husband recently gave us all a piece of Joy s costume jewellery as a memento of our time together. This group has something quite unique and hopes to continue meeting for many more years to come. Liz Grover

32 ALL SAINTS HISTORY GROUP - Report of 2017 P a g e 31 The History Group, consisting of Susan Major, Revd Vivien Turner, Elisabeth Rogers, Donna Taylor and myself, meet as and when we have matters to discuss. Our big event of 2017 was the Heritage Open Day on Saturday, 9th September when about 150 visited the church. The larger numbers reflected that there was a commemoration at noon of a soldier from Banstead who was killed 100 years ago in World War I. There had been an excellent spirit of co-operation from all the volunteers who worked together to make the day such a success. Apart from the pictorial displays, the exhibition of books, the historical talk and tours of the inside of the church, as well as children s craft activity, the churchyard tours in the afternoon had proved to be popular. Plans are in hand already for the Heritage Open Day this year on 8th September. Early in the year a specialist in medieval graffiti visited the church and identified several ancient carvings, especially around the north porch. These were reported in the February and March issues of The Steeple. We have been asked to help to compile a Banstead Scrap Book with information about church events which we will undertake. An archive of Pentangle on north door-frame materials has been compiled by us and is in addition to the files about All Saints at the Local History Centre at Banstead Library. Diana Bowes, Church Historian PARISH WALKS GROUP - Report of 2017 During 2017, the group undertook seven single walks (Saturday), with the planned exceptions of the months of January, November and December and with two cancellations due to combinations of bad weather and no demand. Walks were organised, planned and led by Bill Mills and Graham Gibbs. Generally, the routes selected were circular and started and ended at a local pub where lunch was available for walkers and any other friends. A forward schedule of dates for the year (beginning in February) was advertised in the form of a poster displayed on the High Street notice board and in the church porch. Details of each individual walk (distance, start and finish point [pub!] and degree of difficulty) were included in the pew sheets for the week immediately prior to the walk and a sign-up sheet was placed in church. An list of interested people is maintained and they receive prior notice of each walk. The length of routes this year varied between approximately 3.5 miles and 7 miles and, largely because of the proximity of the North Downs, sometimes included steep climbs. As for last year, the numbers have been disappointing, sometimes with no or only one participant(s) joining the leaders. Bill Mills and Graham Gibbs are continuing to plan and organise the Parish Walks for 2018 and dates have already been advertised with the first walk due to take place in March. The intention is to provide a mix of length and difficulty over the 10 walks in the year so that we continue to attract people with a wide range of expectations and abilities. Anyone interested is welcome to contact me directly or through the sign-up sheet; advance warning one way or