Parish of St Agnes Birch in Rusholme w St John w St Cyprian Longsight
ANNUAL REPORT 2004
ANNUAL REPORT 2004
Diocese of Manchester
Deanery of Ardwick
The Parish of St Agnes Birch-in-Rusholme
w St John w St Cyprian Longsight
Parish Church St Agnes’, Slade Lane, Longsight
Contact Address St Agnes’ Rectory, Slade Lane, Manchester. M13 0GN
Telephone 0161 224 2596
Website www.stagneslongsight.org
Priest-in-Charge The Rev Stephen Edwards MA BSc
Wardens (2004) Joyce Green, Joyce Royle
Asst Wardens Colin Best, Leah Lutley
Deanery Synod Karen Flowers, Leah Lutley,
Lewis Njoku
Hon Secretary Jennifer Newton
Hon Treasurer Richard Lee
Electoral Roll Vivien Morris
Bankers CAF Cash Ltd
Insurers The Ecclesiastical Insurance Group,
Gloucester
1 from the parish priest
Once again from the Annual Report you can see that it has been another busy year for our parish with much going
on and some signs of growth and renewal. I would like firstly to thank
everyone involved: those holding official posts, those who serve on committees and those who work tirelessly behind
the scenes to ensure that the parish continues to be first and foremost a place where God’s love in Jesus Christ is
worked out, and worked through, day by day in each of our lives. Thank you so much to you all.
I would like to add a particular thank you to those standing down as Officers this year: Joyce Green and Joyce Royle
have been Wardens for a number of years and have served the parish loyally, faithfully and with a dedication which
has often been beyond the call of duty. We thank them sincerely for all their work during the period from the
interregnum through to this APCM. Also thank you to Richard for his work as treasurer over the past years. Often a
thankless and unrewarding task, he has served us well and worked hard to keep us aware of the financial situation.
Once again my thanks – all our thanks – to you all.
But! and there is nearly always a but! The Church faces many pressures and I wish to draw your attention to the
article I wrote in the Parish Magazine for April this year. Although the situation here at St Agnes’ is certainly
comfortable we are not brilliantly placed for the future. We need more money each week. We need to raise up to
£150,000 in grant finding for the building. The next PCC will have some serious and challenging decisions to make
about how we see ourselves in the local community, in the wider church and the use and future of the building.
The Church is YOU. And I want to ask you all to consider becoming more involved in the working of the church. We
can no longer rely on the hard work of just a few. In the next year as part of the review of what we do as a parish I
want to encourage EVERY SINGLE MEMBER of St Agnes to be involved in at least ONE committee or project. Some
things are committee based, some are practical, some involve constant prayer. But all of them need you.
The traditional Anglican parish structures are unlikely to continue as they are. In the next 10-20 years major changes
may lead to, for example, alternative ministries (you may not always have a parish priest) the nave and not just the
hall used for community projects in the week, the urgent need to reach out to people who have no faith background
and whose lives and cultures may require us to think again about what we are doing.
This is an exciting time – not a frightening time. Things will change – drastically. But we are Christians and we know
that behind this amazing change is faith in the God who never changes and who always remains faithful. He will not
leave us. We must not leave him. God is moving us on…
With my love, prayers and thankfulness for you all, Stephen
2 from the churchwardens
CHURCH BUILDING
The annual maintenance and servicing of the heating system has been carried out and everything appeared to be in
good order. The carpet in the Chancel has also been cleaned this year and the sound system renewed. The
architect Colin Fox came to the PCC meeting on 10th January and discussed with us the prioritizing of the work to be
undertaken as identified in the last Quinquennial inspection. This was very helpful as he divided the work into three
categories: 1) general housekeeping, 2) general maintenance and 3) major maintenance and also outlined a
timescale for completion of each job. He discussed possible funding/ grants available for major work which will need
to be carried out over the next 10 – 20 years at an estimated cost of £150,000 - £200,000. This has been followed
up with a detailed Quinquennial Report Summary which is being considered by the Fabric Committee.
CHURCH GROUNDS
The church grounds have looked much better this year thanks to all those who have helped with the garden
maintenance and kept them tidy and free from litter. The notices forbidding ball games also seem to be working. We
thank everyone who participated in the church cleaning and gardening days, their efforts and hard work have been
much appreciated.
CONCLUSION
Once again, we would like to thank the sidespersons and everyone who has served on any of the rotas during the
year. We couldn’t manage without you and our work is facilitated by your continued commitment, support, reliability
and fellowship. We thank Dorothy and Vicki for all their help and support with the choir and for enhancing our
worship with music. We also thank Fr Stephen for his ministry, spiritual guidance and friendship and for helping us
move forward together in our worship.
Joyce Green, Joyce Royle, Colin Best & Leah Lutley
Churchwardens
3 from the pcc secretary
During the past year there have been 9 meetings of St Agnes’ PCC. Attendance has fluctuated from a low of 52% to
a high of 90% with an average of 67%.
Major items covered during the year have included:
Longsight Parishes – possibility of team ministry in the future
PCC Membership – electing 1/3 of the PCC each year.
Sexuality – a discussion following a request from Bishop Nigel
Mission Month – planning for the event in October/November
Fund Raising/Social Events – ways forward in appointing a Fundraising Team. Events planned Sponsored
Hymn Sing, Summer Teas, Church Barbecue, Parish trip to Colwyn Bay, Gift Day, Concert by the Dorothy Vernon
Singers, Parish Festival, Autumn Fair, Junior Church Disco and visit to the Pantomime, Retiring Collections.
Child Protection – update
Community Hall - the committee has met several times during the year and much progress has been made.
Health & Safety – policy agreed
Quinquennial Report - this has been addressed at several meetings – set up a Fabric Committee. Meeting
with the new architect, Mr Colin Fox, who advised us on ways we should approach the work which needs to be done
on the building over the next few years.
Mission Giving
Worship – looking at the Eucharist
The lively debate has continued during the past year being ably chaired by Fr Stephen.
I would like to thank those people who have regularly attended the PCC meetings during the year and to also thank
them for their valuable contributions.
Jennifer Newton
PCC Secretary
4 from the pcc treasurer
During the year 2004 our expenditure exceeded our income by approximately £1750. Although it is never good to
report a loss, this should not be looked at in isolation. Over the past few years our funds have increased by some
£8000 so a loss this year does not spell disaster. But if the church is to sustain itself in the long term we need to
break even or make a profit every year.
GIVING
Giving has remained the same as last year. The main reason why we made a loss this year is that we did not receive
any extra sources of income apart from out regular giving. In past years we have been fortunate to receive generous
legacies or been able to transfer money from other funds. However, these extra sources of income cannot be relied
upon in the future and so we really need to try and raise more money.
EXPENSES
Expenses have risen by £1200 this year. This is mainly due to the increase in Parish Share. Hopefully this will come
down over the next few years as a result of the Diocesan review of parish shares which showed that we are paying
too much given the income of the parish. In all other respects expenses have remained more or less the same.
GENERAL NOTES
Some good news is that I have identified some extra payments that we have made that we can claim back. I expect to
be able to seek refunds totalling nearly £2000.
COMMENTS
Overall 2004 has been an average year for our church financially.
Richard Lee
PCC Treasurer
5 from the deanery synod representatives
With the changes of parish boundaries we have had to join the Ardwick deanery. However Fr Stephen wrote a warm
letter to Heaton Deanery Synod thanking them for our long participation with them. Since we joined Ardwick we’ve
had fewer meetings and dealt with issues such as asking for faculties on various changes of work to be done –
especially on fabric. We had a discussion on child protection which involved filling forms from various parochial
concerns. We had a Eucharist at St Agnes’ at which Fr Stephen spoke on our parochial parish boundary and the way
forward.
The last meeting we had before this APCM was focused on the environment and recycling and how it involves the
church. Finally I am impressed with the idea of starting deanery business with a Eucharist led by the Area Dean to
inspire members to share the agenda with reverence according to the Scriptures.
May God bless St Agnes, St John and St Cyprian parish for their support as we represent them from the voice of
their entire family in Longsight. Amen.
Lewis Njoku, Karen Flowers, Leah Lutley
Deanery Synod Representatives
6 from the electoral roll officer
People included on the Electoral Roll have the right to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Since the last
APC meeting two names have been removed from the Roll and there have been two additions, leaving a total of 108
names on the Electoral Roll for the Parish.
Vivien Morris.
ER Officer
7 from the worship sub-committee
8 from junior church
During the past year Junior Church has been doing reasonably well and maintained a healthy class attendance. We
have recently had a meeting and are now trying a new rota of teaching. Instead of a different leader each week we
are having a leader for four weeks at a time, which at present is going successfully due to the fact that children are
completing a task and the tasks for the children are better constructed and more stimulating. We hope that Junior
Church will have another successful twelve months.
Joan Anthony, Gwen Sherratt
on behalf of junior church leaders
9 from the child protection officer
In October 2004, the process of handing out the Criminal Record Bureau forms was started.
All Junior Church Leaders and Assistants, Church Wardens, Altar Servers and people involved in chorister work with
children, completed the form and provided the documentation. Most forms have been processed by the CRB and
hopefully by the date of the APCM, all will have been completed.
The CRB and Diocese face a mammoth task to check and assess all the information. It is a task that has to be
completed if we want to protect our children and young people and those who work with them.
I have been sent the latest edition of “Children First” The basic difference in the edition is that it contains guidelines
for using the CRB. It also gives child protection co-ordinators, the Clergy and all those who work with children and
young people within the Parish, an opportunity to refresh and add to their knowledge.
It is important to know that before a volunteer is accepted by the church to work with children and young people, s/he
must complete a declaration (CP2). They have to provide names and addresses of two people for references and
complete a CRB disclosure form.
Not until all the information has been processed and assessed and the volunteer notified of his/her suitability, can
they start their work within the church or parish.
Many thanks to you all, for willingly filling in the forms and providing documentation and making my job easier.
Doreen Healey
Child Protection Co-ordinator
10 from the health & safety officers
In the past year a Health & Safety audit was carried out outlining the work needed to help the building comply with
H&S ruling. Sticky plastic has been added to the glass in the porch doors to prevent shattering in the case of an
accident. The glass windows separating the hall and nave have been checked and they comply with safety
regulations. Paint is currently being obtained to add stripes to the steps leading from the hall to the door on St Agnes
Road and this should be completed within a month of the APCM.
Linda Mellis & Karen Flowers,
H&S Co-ordinators
11 from the disability officer
Following the introduction of the Disability Act in 2004 the following items have been implemented:
1. The amplification system has been overhauled and updated
2. An induction loop system now works so that hearing aid users can switch their aid to the T position for better
reception.
3. The service booklets have been produced in large format for those who need them
4. The website now includes a text only version for the visually impaired.
5. All existing equipment has been checked (toilet, ramps, handles etc).
Margaret Taylor
Disability Co-ordinator
12 from churches together in longsight
Mark Haughton was ordained in November – he is to be the Chaplain at ASDA here in Longsight. There are
chaplains in over 130 stores in the UK.
Carol Singing at ASDA on December 11th raised approximately £115 for the Bangladeshi Flood Relief Appeal.
The outing to Worcester was enjoyed by everyone. Some felt it was a bit too far – especially those with children.
BRUNSWICK: Rev Richard Taylor has applied as Team Vicar in the Diocese of Lichfield and he was wished every
success. Simon Gatenby is working part-time – he is now also tutor to the Westcott House project at St John’s
Rectory.
ST JOSEPH’S : There is a re-organization programme where they have churches working in clusters. St Josephs’, St
Edward’s and St Augustine’s are a cluster. They are more involved with each other than in the past.
NORTHMOOR ROAD METHODIST: They have had a number of baptisms and there are many new people attending.
The church building is being used by the African Church every Sunday afternoon.
Gwen Sherratt, Joan Anthony
Churches Together representatives
13 from the community hall management committee
Since the last APCM I am pleased to report that our Community Hall in Longsight is serving the purpose for which our
patrons will be proud. Up to date the hall is well used and the booking is yielding revenue for its upkeep.
However we have had letters and complaints from a local resident about children running unsupervised on St Agnes’
Road. Fr Stephen dealt with the reply amicably. The constitution on the use of the Hall, insurance and child
protection policy has been revised. We are trying to apply for funds to change the tables, chairs and cooker in the
kitchen.
As you know we lost Archie Lewis – one of our church representatives. The Hall Chair and members paid tribute for
his contribution and services.
Finally we do express our thanks to the Hall Chair and members for their continued good work on behalf of our
church family in Longsight. Let’s keep praying for progress in the years ahead.
Lewis Njoku
Church representative, Community Hall Management Committee
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