Parish of Mickleham - Report of Church Meeting 2006
from July/Aug 2006 magazine
Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2006 – Treasurer’s
Report: At the last APCM, I reported that we had made a
£7,571 loss in 2004. I am delighted to report that 2005 has seen
a major turnaround in our financial fortunes: the Accounts show
an excess of receipts over expenditure of £20,622! The main
reasons for this improvement are as follows:
The very positive and encouraging response of the Parish to the stewardship appeal: planned giving increased by about 45%, from £9,310 to £13,559 – and this increase does not reflect the full year-on-year benefit of the new and increased commitments made by parishioners by way of standing order;
An even greater proportionate increase in collections at services, from £8,530 to £15,585 – due in part, no doubt, to the generosity of congregations at the large number of weddings celebrated at St Michael’s in 2005, but equally encouraging. What is more, this figure does not include the substantial tax refund due for 2005, but not yet received, following the introduction of the gift-aid envelope scheme, which is proving very worthwhile;
The success of our fund-raising events, notably Moonlight Serenade at Juniper Hill on 1 August, which raised £8,366, but not forgetting the substantial contributions made by teas and plant sale chez Curran when the Quinneys garden was open in May, the Harvest Supper, Tim Mathieson’s sponsored run, and the Surrey Churches Preservation Trust sponsored cycle ride;
An increase of over 50% in net parochial fees received, due largely to the increasing popularity of St Michael’s as a wedding venue;
Some very generous donations (including a legacy), totalling £23,270, of which £16,200 comprises restricted funds for use in maintaining and improving the fabric of the church and chapel (and the sound system!), and for all of which we are extremely grateful.
I think we can all congratulate ourselves that we have more than succeeded in achieving the objective I mentioned in my Report last year– namely that of ensuring that at least the Parish Share (£26,810 for 2005) was covered by planned giving and collections at services (combined total for 2005, including tax recovered so far, £31,913). As an unexpected (and at least in my experience unprecedented) bonus, the Parish Share for 2006 has gone down – to just below its level for 2004!
All this has enabled the PCC to develop and implement a mission policy whereby we have agreed to commit about 5% of our income from planned giving and collections to outward giving (in addition to special appeals such as the Christian Aid Tsunami Appeal, for which a Sunday collection raised £770). Our giving last year included £500 to the Churches Housing Trust, and a contribution of £200 to the expenses of the Leatherhead Festival of Faith, and also donations to USPG (one of the charities we regularly support). Suggestions for worthy causes, local, national or global, that we might support this year will be gratefully received.