The Diocese of Southwark Review of 2017 Walking with Jesus and getting to know Jesus better as we journey on Welcoming all, embracing our diversity and seeking new ways of being church Growing in numbers, generosity, faith and discipleship as we grow God s Kingdom Hearts on Fire with a Vision for growth Company registration number 236594 Registered charity number 249678
Index Introduction About the Diocese A Fruitful Future Legal objects Strategic report Southwark Vision 2017-25 (including specific Strategic Objectives) Activities and achievements in the year The work of the Diocese in 2017 Financial review 3 5 6 7 7 8 10 11 18 Cover Pictures Top left: The Bishops of the Diocese at Bishop Karowei s Consecration Bottom left: WALKING rehallowing Borough Market in the wake of the London Bridge terror attack Top right: WELCOMING volunteers at the Croydon Refugee Day Centre Bottom right: GROWING the birth of the Wellspring Community, a new monastic community in the Diocese 2 Walking Welcoming Growing
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I am pleased to commend to you the Annual Review of the work of the Diocese of Southwark in 2017. This is a summary companion volume to our Annual Report and is designed to focus on the work of some of our Diocesan Departments, showing how they are working with our parishes to deliver our Vision and work on our Diocesan objectives. I want to thank all those who have worked tirelessly to ensure that their parishes are a focus of mission and ministry in their local area. As we seek to encourage the vocation and ministry of our lay people across the Diocese, I want to acknowledge the work of the Lay Leadership and Lay Ministry Advisory Group in developing our thinking here. Many are involved in working hard in our parishes our Churchwardens, Treasurers, PCC Secretaries and all those who help in countless small but significant ways and I want to say thank you to everyone involved in this work. However, it is not just in our churches where volunteering is important. There are those who are also involved, day by day, in the frontline of mission in our communities: helping with food banks and shelters for the homeless, working as nurses, doctors and carers, or simply living out their Christian faith in daily witness. This is our calling and I would like to thank you all for the way in which you share your faith with gladness and joy. The Parish Support Fund, inaugurated in 2017, is enabling us to resource mission and ministry across the Diocese. It yielded 99.3% of the money pledged, which is a testimony to the commitment of our parishes to furthering God s work. Thank you to all our parishes which have given generously to the PSF. It has been an exciting year in the Diocese and in March we welcomed the Rt Revd Dr Karowei and his wife Dr Mosun Dorgu into our midst, following his consecration, as the new Bishop of Woolwich. The work of the Deaneries Advisory Group has drawn to a conclusion as its report was presented to Synod in March 2018 and brought forward for final approval at the July 2018 Synod. This will bring a significant change to the way in which our Deaneries work, helping them to develop in encouraging ways. This work, ably chaired by Adrian Greenwood, has helped our Diocese achieve our aims for growth in numbers in our churches and in enabling deeper faith. Finally, thanks are due to Gerald Allison and Carl Hughes, Chair and Vice Chair of the Diocesan Board of Finance who remained in office throughout 2017, for their work with our Diocesan Secretary, Ruth Martin, and her team to ensure that our finances are on a firm footing for the years ahead. With my gratitude for all that we do together in the Gospel, the Lord being our helper. Walking Welcoming Growing 3
The Diocesan Secretary, Ruth Martin I am delighted to share with parishes, deaneries and schools the results of another successful year serving and supporting ministry and mission across the Diocese. This review explains the work of different parts of the Diocesan administration paid for mostly by the contribution from parishes through the Parish Support Fund. During the year, the Southwark Vision 2017-25 was shaped and the Peer Review of the Diocese confirmed the strong foundations on which we are building a vision of growth. Highlights during the year included the huge increase in safeguarding training, the completion of two new vicarages and the continued building of financial resilience as we look ahead. It is a privilege to serve our local communities in this way. Adrian Greenwood, acting interim chair Over the past year I have continued to see the fruits of the changes we have implemented in governance and management, with sustainable finances and robust processes, and the confidence this brings to Diocesan Synod, deaneries and PCCs. I am particularly pleased that the Diocesan Board of Finance has invested (with funding assistance from the Archbishops' Council Mission Fund) in the mission opportunities opened up by the major regeneration of Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea and in developing Fresh Expressions of Church. We are committed to working closely with the national Church in programmes aimed at Renewal and Reform, including the implementation of Setting God s People Free, which aims to release lay people for fruitful discipleship and evangelism in every aspect of their lives. 4 Walking Welcoming Growing
The Diocese of Southwark serves... The Diocese of Southwark covers most of Greater London south of the River Thames and part of East Surrey. Within the Diocesan boundaries are the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the London Boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and Wandsworth, plus part of the London Boroughs of Richmond upon Thames, Bromley and Bexley and the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames. In Surrey, it also includes parts of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead, Tandridge District Council and Mole Valley District Council. Walking Welcoming Growing 5
A fruitful future We share a vision for the future in which we will see: growing churches, new worshipping communities and new Christians deepening discipleship: engaged, prayerful and informed Christians growth in vocations to existing and new ministries generous giving and prayer supporting all we do justice and peace built up, and violence challenged, in our local and global community a shared commitment to the integrity of creation a church for all which reflects our diverse community in membership and leadership, including growth in black and minority ethnic (BAME) vocations and appointments. Our Vision is founded on mutual commitment from all who make up the Diocesan family to walk together in the pilgrimage of faith, supporting, encouraging and resourcing each other in our common task. 6 Walking Welcoming Growing
Legal objects The objects are for the public benefit to assist, promote and further the religious and other charitable work (including but not limited to the educational work) of the South London Church Fund & Southwark Diocesan Board of Finance within the Diocese. Its function is to serve as the financial governance body of the Church of England in the Diocese, to perform, work and transact business in connection with the Church and Diocese, and to act as the Parsonages Board for the Diocese within the meaning of the Repair and Benefices Buildings Measure 1972. Strategic report The main role of the Board is to identify and manage the resources, particularly the financial aspects of the provision of ministry, within the Diocese so as to lead, enable and serve the deaneries, parishes, schools and communities of the Diocese in furthering mission and ministry and fulfilling the vision of the Diocese, while also ensuring full compliance with statutory responsibilities. The overriding objectives of the Board are: to provide sufficient ministerial resources to ensure a Christian presence in every parish, including appropriate housing; also including support for communities across the Diocese through school, university, hospital and prison chaplaincies to provide resources for people of all ages and at all stages of their spiritual journey to grow in understanding of the Christian faith to support and enable the work of the Southwark Diocesan Board of Education (SDBE), establishing and maintaining contacts with universities, colleges and schools to engage actively in local debate and ensure that Christian voices are heard in all areas of public life, to support and strengthen the Church s work for the common good, including resources and support for God s bias for the poor, through care for creation and through interfaith dialogue. This includes direct financial support for Welcare, a charity aimed at families needing support, and Together Southwark, which is sponsored with and through the Church Urban Fund to alleviate poverty through developmental projects. Walking Welcoming Growing 7
Southwark Vision 2017-25 From the Archbishop of Canterbury s Charge given to Bishop Christopher in 2011, the Diocese of Southwark has been on a journey of discernment towards a shared vision, Southwark Vision, which has been brought together from the themes and agreed outcomes described in the Strategy for Ministry final report adopted by Synod in November 2015, and Hearts on Fire Vision for Mission, with its commitment to the Five Marks of Mission and the strategic goals, adopted by Synod in March 2016. These two documents together explain the detailed thinking behind the summary of our Diocesan Vision. Hearts on Fire Hearts on Fire restates our commitment to mission, grounded in prayer that the growth of the kingdom of God may be at the heart of all we do. In particular we will: serve our communities share our faith with great joy and gladness be the Church; a people with hearts on fire, loving God, walking with Jesus and led by the Spirit. Strategy for Ministry Strategy for Ministry sets out how we remain focused on that Vision and mission, through ongoing cultural change as a Diocese. We are committed to becoming a Diocese which is: adaptive seeing a culture of risk-taking, permission giving and experimentation becoming embedded in the life of the Diocese diverse with visibly increased diversity in every part of Diocesan life accountable with communication demonstrated through an increased sense of engagement from parishes with Diocesan central structures devolved especially in building up deaneries and encouraging them to become viable centres for mission and ministry, but also in encouraging collaboration, teamwork and leaders who can enable and form individuals and communities strategic looking ahead, discerning new opportunities which align with our Vision and mission realistic aligning resources to serve Vision and mission. The activities of the SDBF come in the context of the Southwark Vision. Diocesan structures and programmes seek to serve the whole people of God. Lead, enable, serve Those who work across the Diocese as a whole are committed to working in accordance with the following aim: To serve, support, lead, and enable the mission of God as it is worked out in the parishes, deaneries, schools and communities of the Diocese of Southwark. This keeps the focus of Diocesan-wide bodies and officers clearly on the mission as it is worked out across the whole Diocese. 8 Walking Welcoming Growing
Mission Action Planning The Mission Action Planning (MAP) process is a key means of ensuring that the Diocese as a whole is working towards our Vision and mission. Parishes and other communities which produce Mission Action Plans are asked to do so in the light of this, and specifically to reference how their MAP will reflect all five Marks of Mission. MAPs in turn resource those working across the Diocese as a whole with a richer vision of the potential areas for support and outreach. Parish Support Fund The Parish Support Fund (PSF) exemplifies our mutual support in the Diocese most obviously through the sharing across the Diocese of the financial responsibility for our life and mission. Through its principles of generosity and accountability it enables all members of the Diocese to have confidence that resources are being generously given and effectively used. Specific strategic objectives linked to Southwark Vision 2017-2025 There are five strategic objectives: to grow our average weekly attendance by 5% by 2025, partly through having each church develop a high-quality MAP which includes a course for evangelism and discipleship by 2025, to increase the number of worshipping communities with a primary focus on areas of population growth, through investment in Fresh Expressions of Church (fxc) in the areas where the data suggests that existing congregations are increasingly unrepresentative of the resident community and therefore unlikely to be successful in reaching them without intentional intervention to grow a financial resource base that allows investment in growth for the future. Key measurable objectives include maintaining an annual financial surplus, building working financial reserves equivalent to six months operating costs by 2020, and 1% of Diocesan turnover annually being dedicated to major Diocesan mission and ministry projects beginning in 2016, rising to 2% by 2020 to grow the number of ordained and lay vocations by 50% by 2020 by enabling and discerning ordained ministers; by expanding opportunities for licensed and commissioned lay leadership; by affirming and growing other forms of lay ministry (for example, worship leaders, families and youth leaders, and spiritual directors); to offer relevant, enriching training, and to create networks of support and celebration which reflect the diversity of the Diocese and our commitment to evangelism and discipleship; and to deliver fully integrated and pioneering church growth and fxcs by 2025, to grow leadership and representation that reflects the rich diversity of our Diocese, especially focusing where the data suggests that groups are currently under-represented through ethnicity, age (especially 18-40s), educational opportunities, material well-being and tradition. Walking Welcoming Growing 9
Activities and achievements in the year Progress made on 2017's Annual Objectives Achieved a balanced budget by the end of December 2017. Completed the necessary changes in the property department, its resourcing, systems, maintenance planning and priorities, ready to submit property strategy for approval by Synod, via the DCT. Prepared for vocational expansion including lay ministry, learning resources, curates housing and Wychcroft, and in numbers of BAME candidates. Supported the establishment of the SDBE Multi-Academy Trust. Undertook information technology audit, update and refurbishment. Completed Progress made, continues throughout 2018 Completed Completed Progress made, completion due 2018 Concluded the Communications review. Postponed until 2018 Reviewed and developed investment strategy including property fund. Launched the data integration and data-mapping projects and resources ready to use for parish-centred strategic planning tools for the Diocese by 2018. Developed capacity for growth opportunities in development areas. Progress made, completion due 2018 Completed Progress made (in Nine Elms, Battersea), continues throughout 2018 Waiting to speak at Diocesan Synod 10 Walking Welcoming Growing
The work of the Diocese in 2017 Communications & Resources Metropolitan Police Commmissioner, Cressida Dick, with the Dean of Southwark at the National Service of Hope following the London Bridge terror attack 2017 was a year in which the world was touched by terror attacks in many cities and London was no exception. The biggest events which the Communications & Resources (C&R) Team dealt with during 2017 could not have been more different the joy and delight in the consecration of Dr Karowei Dorgu as the new Bishop of Woolwich and the sadness and horror of the London Bridge terror attack, as well as the funeral of PC Keith Palmer, killed in the Westminster terror attack of 22 March. The consecration in March of Bishop Karowei saw him become only the third black bishop to be appointed to a Church of England See and the first in more than 20 years. There was much press interest in the event and the team was at full stretch in the run-up to the service as well as on the day itself. During April the Cathedral was filled with police officers from forces around the country for the funeral of PC Keith Palmer. June saw the terror attack on London Bridge and Borough Market, which led to the closure of Southwark Cathedral for more than a week as it fell inside the police cordon. The area again became a focal point for the world s media and C&R was kept busy dealing with the many requests for interviews with the Dean and Bishop Christopher as well as managing the media around the reopening of the Cathedral and the subsequent National Service of Hope and the community service shortly afterwards. As well as these major events, the department continued to produce the Diocesan newspaper, The Bridge, as well as resources used across the Diocese during the year including the materials for the Parish Support Fund and for the Bishop s Lent Call as well as the Diocesan Directory and the Annual Review. New resources which C&R produced in 2017 included the posters, postcards and prayer cards communicating the Southwark Vision to parishes under the slogan Walking, Welcoming, Growing. Walking Welcoming Growing 11
During the year C&R produced press releases on a wide range of issues and events from a Messy Celebration in Southwark Cathedral to Bishops visiting prisons in the Diocese on Christmas Day. In 2017 C&R developed the publicity resources for the Parish Support Fund (PSF) and helped staff the PSF roadshows. The department worked with the parishes of the Diocese to assist them with their pledges and to check progress, coordinating with Financial Services to ensure that all was well with the pledges coming in. In addition, the department was involved in workshops to help new Treasurers, once again working with Financial Services. During the year C&R helped more than 80 parishes from across the Diocese to think about stewardship matters, focusing on how they use the resources that God has given them and how they can encourage members of their congregations to give to God s mission and ministry in the Diocese. C&R also worked on Giving is God s Way, a new compilation of stewardship material which was published on the web in 2018. Discipleship and Ministry The Discipleship and Ministry Department is led by the Revd Canon Dr Mandy Ford. It seeks to enable lay people to live out their calling as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, to foster collaborative ministry and to develop authorised and ordained ministers as leaders for a church in mission. During 2017 the Department moved ahead with the Bishop s Certificate course Growing in Faith and Life, as 70 people continued on the journey begun at the end of 2016. In 2016-2017 the Department identified three lead measures towards ensuring greater take-up of the training offer. These were: contact with Area Deans, provision of training for Deanery Synods and Chapters, and increasing the number of contacts with individuals through targeted emailing. Some 75% of deaneries had support or training from the Department and contact was made with more than 1,000 lay people to explore their discipleship and training needs. The Department continues to provide ongoing training for our 60 curates across the Diocese, professional development for the clergy, and training for more than 600 lay people through Area Days, the Spirituality Day at the Cathedral and Bishop s Certificate presentation the Bishop s Certificate. Dr Nick Shepherd, the Asst Director, left the Department during 2017 to lead the National Church s new lay leadership initiative Setting God s People Free, in which Southwark Diocese will be participating. His successor, Peter Graystone, started at the beginning of 2018. 12 Walking Welcoming Growing
Education The Southwark Diocesan Board of Education (SDBE) oversees the development of its 106 schools across the Diocese. We are delighted that, owing to the hard work of our headteachers, governors, staff, pupils and associated professionals, 94% of our schools are Good or better as judged by Ofsted and that 97% of our schools are Good or better as judged by the Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS). During 2017 we continued to expand several schools to meet population growth in our communities. We have been successful in securing funding to build a new Church of England Secondary School in Lewisham and are in the process of securing a site. The Board s offices in Union Street are a real hive of activity with various meetings, training events and conferences taking place. It is also the base for a dedicated staff team who do a superb job for the Diocese s schools and colleges. The Board has developed closer links with the Department for Education and Ofsted and is working with them to secure additional resources for the school effectiveness team. Bishop s Lent Call Service Two schools took part in the new SIAMS framework pilot inspection this year and the Board worked closely with the National Society in supporting the development of these new materials. The Board s Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) has eight schools within it and closes the year in financial surplus. The MAT was created as an additional offer for Diocesan schools should they wish to opt out of local authority control. Human Resources The Human Resources team provided an advisory service to parishes, taking at least 105 separate enquiries, ranging from the provision of templates and information to advice on more complex parish employment situations. Information Technology During 2017 there was considerable investment in the Diocese s IT systems with the start of a full IT review. The process of upgrading hardware began across the Diocesan offices. Other matters under consideration included investigating the possibility of moving to cloud-based storage, upgrading the hosting of the Diocesan website and taking forward plans for an IT audit, update and refurbishment. Walking Welcoming Growing 13
Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation The activities of the Department of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC) included programmes on alleviating Holiday Hunger for children and young people; raising awareness of mental health issues, especially for young adults; developing a strategic approach to issues of social cohesion and social integration with a pan-london agency; expanding Diocesan-wide work on diversity and inclusion; and delivering an excellent Black History Month programme at the Cathedral. In Plain Sight, the Clewer Initiative on modern-day slavery In addition, Southwark Diocese was one of the first dioceses to participate in the Clewer Initiative to raise awareness of modern-day slavery and human trafficking. The Diocese also responded cogently to the needs of refugees and asylum-seekers by supporting Syrian refugee social integration and housing a Syrian refugee family and asylumseekers (eight adults and six children) and the Diocesan Christian-Muslim twinning interfaith programme began to be rolled out at national level. Mission During 2017 the Diocesan Missioner, the Revd Canon Dr Stephen Hance, left the Diocese to become Dean of Derby and a new Missioner, the Revd Canon Jay Colwill, was appointed, starting in May 2018. The Revd Canon Will Cookson was appointed Dean of Fresh Expressions thanks to funding by the Archbishops Council to enable further strategic work in this area. The Diocese currently has more than 60 Fresh Expressions of Church with new ones being formed every year. The Diocese also continued to deploy Strategic Development Funding from the Archbishops Council to develop the Christian presence in the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea Area; a new Minister of the Arts was appointed as part of this project who started in early 2018. The Mission Team produced materials to help promote Thy Kingdom Come, the annual global call to prayer between Ascension and Pentecost, encouraging parishes to take part and share their activities via social media. Some 3,000 was distributed in grants to help parishes mark the event, with roughly a third going to each Area. The Home Community Café at St Andrew, Earlsfield 14 Walking Welcoming Growing
Mission Support Officer Vanessa Elston continued to provide Mission Action Planning assistance to parishes in the form of workshops and personal training sessions. The children and youth team organised a number of courses and events over the year, including Messy Celebration in February. More than 300 people turned up to Southwark Cathedral for this morning of child-friendly activities culminating in an inclusive Eucharist led by Bishop Jonathan. Aike Kennett-Brown was also appointed Mission Support Officer (Children and Youth). Timperley Church is a Fresh Expression of Church on the Timperley Gardens estate in Redhill Pastoral Department During the year the Diocesan Advisory Council (DAC) considered 115 cases which went on to receive Faculty approval. These covered a wide range of proposals, from churchyard improvements for sheep grazing and solar panels to a new sculpture and new external noticeboards. This was the first full year during which the Online Faculty System was used and this has helped to streamline the process for both the parishes and the Diocese. A recent innovation has been List B items, which can be approved by the Archdeacons after consultation with the DAC without the need for a Faculty. This has been introduced to speed up applications and reduce unnecessary administration. Eighty-nine such items were approved. As the result of an initiative with Historic England open to dioceses, a Historic Churches Support Officer funded jointly by the Diocese and Historic England has joined the Team. There are 190 listed churches in the Diocese. The primary work of the Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee (DMPC) is to make better provision for the cure of souls in the Diocese and to consider proposals for pastoral reorganisation, for example new Benefices, Team Ministries and boundary changes. In 2017 the DMPC considered proposals for: new benefices Sanderstead, St Mary; and Purley, St Mark and St Swithun the transfer of an area of one parish to another from Banstead (Guildford Diocese) to Woodmansterne (Southwark Diocese) Bishop s Mission Orders a Ugandanspeaking congregation meeting at St John, Waterloo; and Springfield Church. Grade 1 listed St Nicholas, Charlwood one of the 190 listed churches in the Diocese Walking Welcoming Growing 15
Property In 2017, the Diocesan Property Department managed, maintained and improved approximately 395 residential properties for ministry and mission across the Diocese, principally for clergy in parishes. During the year the building of two new parsonages was completed. In addition, as the first part of the strategy to offer subsidised housing to chaplains in areas of high market rent, the Department completed the refurbishment of a parsonage into two units of accommodation and started to develop Deanery-based curate housing. Last year also saw the beginning of major investment in databases though a property management system to help to streamline management of our extensive property portfolio. A new head of Property Services, Dave Norris, was appointed in January 2018 and will oversee the ongoing work of the team. In 2017 new parsonages were completed for St Faith, North Dulwich and St Andrew, Coulsdon Safeguarding During 2017 there was a 66% increase in new matters referred to the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. The team dealt with 360 new matters, compared with a total of 216 in 2016. This work ranged from complex procedural enquiries to investigation of allegations relating to church officers. More than 3,100 individuals across the Diocese attended one of the 116 safeguarding courses delivered from September 2016 to December 2017, an increase of 250% on numbers attending in 2015-16. These courses were delivered in line with the national safeguarding learning and development framework. All Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are now undertaken online with improved effectiveness and efficiency and more than 2,100 applications were submitted. A new full-time departmental administrator has been appointed as the Diocesan Board of Finance has ensured that there is adequate safeguarding resourcing in the Diocese in accordance with the instructions of Diocesan Synod. 16 Walking Welcoming Growing
Vocations 2017 saw continued development in terms of the Diocesan core objective of vocational renewal. There was a further increase in the number of ordinands entering training in September 2017 and it is pleasing to see that there will be a significant growth in the number of BAME candidates to be ordained, and in those offering for non-stipendiary ministry. These are encouraging signs of growth in two of the key areas identified for particular vocational renewal. The Curates newly ordained in 2017 Vocations Deparment is looking forward to the recommendations of the Lay Leadership and Lay Ministry Advisory Group in July 2018, which will enable the expansion of the lay ministries available within the Diocese. As the Department moves forward, efforts are being particularly focused on raising access to vocations initiatives. A primary contact point for people thinking about vocation is through visits to parishes by Vocations Team members (not always on Sunday mornings). The Team is also a regular guest at Deanery Synods and Chapters, enjoying the opportunity to speak in depth about the vocations process and how people can think more intentionally about discerning their call. This work has been considerably enhanced by the arrival of the new Discipleship and Vocations Missioner, the Revd Dr Raewynne Whiteley, in January 2018. Looking forward, the number of Vocations Fairs in 2018-19 will double, with one being held in each archdeaconry. The number of Vocations Quiet Days will also increase to four: two on weekdays at Wychcroft with childcare provided, and two on Saturdays. There are three Vocations Conferences planned, two in November 2018 focusing on ordained and lay ministry respectively, and one in March 2019 for BAME participants to explore ordained ministry. A four-week course on vocation is Nine new Readers were licensed in 2017 as part of under development, initially to be delivered at the Diocese s ongoing committment to lay ministry Trinity House by the Core Vocations Team, with the expectation that it will become available for local use in parishes and deaneries. Looking further ahead, the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the ordination of women to the priesthood in Southwark offers the chance to encourage women to explore vocation with a one-day conference planned for Autumn 2019 and other initiatives to be confirmed. Over the next 12 months, we will develop a team of people to work on young vocations, not only providing opportunities for older teenagers and young adults to explore vocation, but thinking about how questions of vocation can be integrated into the work we do with younger children in our parishes. Walking Welcoming Growing 17
Financial review Financial performance A net income of 5.42m (2016: 5.13m) on the Statement of Financial Accounts (SoFA), before gains on revaluation, was generated for the year. 2017 Income vs Budget Parish contributions 16.2m ( 16.4m) Funding from outside Diocese 1.9m ( 1.7m) Sale proceeds 3.9m ( 0.0m) Funding from Diocesan Assets 3.3m ( 3.2m) Parochial Fees 0.5m ( 0.5m) The bedrock of our income is parish share and the generosity of our parishes to the Parish Support Fund (PSF) continues, for which we give thanks. Income from PSF was 16.23m (2016: 16.17m). The collection rate on PSF was 99.3% (2016: 99.9%) of the budgeted amount, which is testament to the commitment of our parishes to the pledges made. Changes in the way in which the Church Commissioners provide grants resulted in a fall in income from that source to 0.47m (2016: 0.59m). The increase in other donations to 1.38m (2016: 1.22m) is principally owing to an increase in the grant received from the Trust for London, for which we are most thankful. The fall in income from charitable activities to 1.21m (2016: 1.32m) was owing to a decline in parochial fees and a reduction in chaplaincy and other posts funded by third parties. Investment income fell to 2.35m (2016: 2.54m) owing to greater use of our rental housing stock for mission and ministry purposes. The increase in costs is principally the result of budgeted increases in spending on vocations, training, mission and safeguarding. Administration costs were 1.90m (2016: 1.70m). The increase is owing to a number of one-off restructuring costs and Diocesan initiatives that take place when new mission and ministry funds are available. The amount spent on administration as a proportion of the total expenditure of the SDBF rose to 8.6% (2016: 8.0%). This is in line with other dioceses in particular, and other charities in general, of a comparable size. 18 Walking Welcoming Growing
2017 Expenditure vs Budget Ministry stipends 11.0m ( 11.5m) Ministry housing, training & support 5.3m ( 4.4m) Area mission teams & groups 0.8m ( 0.8m) Board of Education & Welcare 0.5m ( 0.5m) Governance, admin, C&R 2.9m ( 2.9m) National Church 1.5m ( 1.6m) Significant progress was made on reviewing the property maintenance costs during the year, resulting in a move towards proactive rather than reactive maintenance. In the short term this has resulted in higher costs but will mean savings over the medium to long term as well as improving our clergy s quality of life. The capital value of properties increased by 0.88m (2016: 6.96m), reflecting the weaker London property market and impairment reviews undertaken on capital projects completed during the year. Following the decision taken by the Trustees in 2016 whereby properties, other than benefice houses, will be valued on a five-yearly cycle, one fifth (20%) of the portfolio was revalued during the year by the SDBF s appointed firm of Chartered Surveyors and the average increase in the value of the properties revalued has been applied to the remainder of the portfolio, rather than all properties being revalued annually. The Capital Plan makes provision for projects of several years duration. The surplus reflects the considerable movement each year in relation to housing, where we will not purchase or refurbish unless funds are available as often these straddle the year. The value of investments rose by 1.96m (2016: 1.95m decrease) owing to the strong performance of the portfolio. Net sales of investments during the year of 0.20m (2016: 3.39m) were realised to fund the final tranche of 1m commitment approved by Diocesan Synod in 2016 for the Multi- Academy Trust discretionary fund. Further analysis of investments can be found in the investment policy section below. Overall, the increase in funds on the balance sheet was 6.2m (2016: 12.1m). Walking Welcoming Growing 19
Hearts on Fire prayer Stay with us Lord, open our eyes and set our hearts on fire, as you open your word, as you break your bread, as we live your life. Enrich us with your grace, empower us by your Spirit, enfold us in your love, as we walk the journey of faith with you. Amen