Annual Parochial Church Meeting

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This year's Annual Parochial church meeting was held on Sunday 23rd May in Church.

Vicar’s Welcome 

A very warm welcome to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting(APCM) for this year. During this meeting we will look back on 2020,look forward to 2022, as well as fulfilling our legal duties to this parishthat has been entrusted to our care. 
Our meeting this year will focus on the question “How do we tellthe story of 2020?” What follows is a number of answers to thatquestion from many parts of the Church community and wider parish. 
As I read through these reports, there is undoubtedly evidence of thepain that the pandemic has caused – 2020 has been a year totallyunexpected and wide-reaching in its impact on our lives. At the sametime, I am also profoundly moved by the creativity and determinationon show here from everyone at St James who have found new andinnovative ways to be a valued part of the Bulkington community andto keep on meeting together. Whether it is the Café Church teamputting together video services to the Bell ringers continuing to meet,and everything in between. I shall present a fuller spoken report to theAnnual Meeting on 23rd May 2021, which will explore 2020 using threekey words: lament, celebrate, hope.
For all the twists and turns of this past year, we have journeyedtogether, for which I am so grateful. I would like to thank Sue andRachel, Ken, the PCC, and each and every member of St James who serve God, noticed and unnoticed. As ever, I am especially grateful to Vicky Buckley and May Davis for preparing the electoral roll, and toMay for her tireless efforts drawing up the paperwork for the APCMand preparing this report. 
With every blessing, Charles

Churchwardens’ Report 

Being very new to the role of Churchwarden, I am finding everything alearning curve at the moment. Thankfully Sue is always on hand and stillshouldering the majority of the responsibility. 
Having my contact details on the website and access to thechurchwardens’ email were some of the first steps and this began toopen up some of the queries to be dealt with which range fromfunerals, baptisms, graves, replacement certificates, bins, churchservices and food parcels to name but a few.
This last year has been a learning curve for us all and we have had toadapt the in–person worship to satisfy the Covid 19 guidelines whichinvolved reviewing risk assessments and cleaning rotas etc. At timesthe only services we could hold have been online services and thesafety of all the Church family has been paramount when making thesedecisions. 
We have enjoyed trying out different types of worship, such as theCarol Service in the church grounds and involving the church in thecommunity with The Wreath Festival, prayer walk and Easter Trail.We have opened the church for Bulkington Volunteers to pack anddistribute their food parcels to help families in need across the village.We have delivered daffodils to some of the Church family for Mother’sday and an Easter Message too.
Supporting Charles to enable his paternity leave to spend precious timewelcoming baby Rowan and supporting Emma was important, and wewere able to continue with the day to day running of the churchwithout too many hiccups. The support of other clergy was welcomedin taking the services for us.As someone who likes an instruction book, I find this role doesn’treally come with one but I see the job of Churchwarden as supportingCharles and the church congregation, and sometimes liaising between the two.    5 The biggest benefit to this role is the massive amount of support wereceive from everyone at St James and we would like to thank you all.It really is a team effort and everyone is willing to take a part. There isa small army of volunteers who work behind the scenes to keep thechurch going on both a day-to-day basis and long term. I am not goingto list everyone for fear of missing someone out but please be awarethat your support is very much appreciated. One thing is very clear:that without these people the church would struggle to function. So‘Go team St James!!!!’ you are awesome!!As we now begin to take the first tentative steps out of the pandemicrestrictions it gives us an opportunity to not only welcome morepeople back into the church building but also to build on the onlinelinks we have made within Bulkington Community as a whole.Last but not least, we thank Charles for his tireless support and guidance. 
Rachel Partridge (on behalf of wardens Rachel Partridge and SueTurner

The full booklet that was issued at the meeting is available for you to download and read at your leisure

Attachments:

File	Description
APCM Booklet

PCC Minutes for the meeting 2nd March 2021

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MINUTES OF PCC MEETING ST JAMES CHURCH BULKINGTON

Tuesday 2^nd March 2021

 Present:

 Rev Charles  (Chair),Vicki Buckley:  Chris Catlin: Rachel Cooper: Ian Corden: May  Davis:   John May:  Graham Nuttall: Sybil Randle: Rachel Partridge: Sue Turner

1. Opening prayers

2, Apologies

 Ken Sleeman,

3, Declarations of interest

Graham Nuttall declared his interest in the item commemorative bench

4.Minutes of meeting held on  19 01  2021

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 01  2921 were unanimously accepted as a true record.

5.Matters arising

There were no matters arising which were not itemised for  discussion later in the meeting.

6. Vicar’s report:

Please see attached

In the light of recent advice and after  consideration of the  risk assessment document which had been provided by the Diocese, there was a discussion on the re opening of  attended Worship and the consensus of opinion was that St James  open on Sunday 21^st March 2021. Prior to that an updated risk assessment will be undertaken and sent to the PCC.

7. Reports from Sub-Committees:

(a) Buildings Sub-Committee:

There had been no formal meeting since the last PCC.

Commemorative plaque vestry wall – this item it still outstanding and Graham will

look into a faculty.

Extension  to Remembrance Garden – The options for the extension were discussed and it was agreed that a quote be obtained from Hackett’s in the first instance.

Commemorative bench for Jean Nuttall – this was unanimously approved in

principal and Graham will prepare  a proposal.

(b) Worship Committee:

There was nothing to report.

©  Finance Sub-Committee:

The Annual Accounts  for 2020 had been circulated.  Chris expanded on the information and pointed out that whilst income was down by only 5% expenses were down by more than 50%...  It was acknowledged that the Parish Giving Scheme had undoubtedly assisted with this.

The Parish Share for 2021 is £52, 642.00 of which £6,000 has been paid. It was unanimously agreed that an application is submitted for a reduction  in  the 2021 year offering to pay £40,000 of the total amount.

Retained Funds:

There is  £350.00 currently held in the “flower fund”. It was unanimously agreed that this be transferred to the general fund, a small float being retained.

There is £500 from a Silver Band Concert which had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. The consensus of  opinion was that this should be held by Sue until the concert takes  place later in the year and the distribution  of any  residual funds could  be discussed after the event.

As the Remembrance Garden account had now been closed and the balance transferred to the General Account  it was unanimously agreed that all future accounts/expenditure  in respect of the churchyard would be processed  by the Treasurer.

8..Internet Access:

The proposal prepared by David Cooper had been circulated. It was unanimously agreed that internet access in Church is a necessary facility. There is no provison for this in the budget forecast. . However, further costings  on the installation and monthly costs  needs to be  obtained, and Graham has agreed to do this through the Parish Buying scheme.

The PCC thanked David for the work he had carried out preparing this document.

9. New Committee Proposals:

Pastoral Care Group and Neighbourhood Group:

Rev Charles gave  his thoughts on the purpose of these Groups.

Following  discussion Sue,Rachel P, Rachel C   and May volunteered to meet with Rev Charles to explore the, Pastoral Care Group and Ian Corden volunteered to meet with Rev Charles to explore the Neighborhood Group.

10. Quinquennial Inspection:

Recent documentation received from the Diocese was noted.  Graham will

ascertain when the next Inspection is due.

11.Safeguarding:

Sue detailed the following documents which required consideration and approval by  the PCC:

• Safeguarding Action Plan level 3
• Responding to a Safeguarding Concern or allegation
• Church Activities on the Dashboard

Post meeting note – the above documents accompany these minutes and will require

discussion at the next PCC meeting

 12.APCM

Guidance has been received from the Diocese regarding the format and conditions for

this year’s APCM  and  the date by which this meeting  needs  to be held  has been postponed until the end of May.   A revised date for St James will be circulated shortly.

13.Archived Documents:

Information had been received from Michael Whitehead regarding documents which he

had  from previous projects and it was noted that these are now held in Church.

14. Any other Business:

Vicki informed the meeting that as the Deanery Synod meetings were to be held on a Wednesday she would be unable to attend – this was noted.

15. Date and time of next meeting:

20^th April 2021 at 7.00 p.m.

16. Closing Prayers

Attachments:

File	Description
Vicar's Report March (PDF)
Vicar's Report March 2021 (MS Word)
PCC Minutes 2nd March (PDF)
PCC Minutes 2nd March (MS Word)

MD/4 03 2021

Holy Week and Easter

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