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The accounts for 2001 are completed and examined and will have been formally approved (or amended) by the time you read this article by the PCC at the meeting scheduled for March 21st. Just a reminder that the accounts will be for discussion only at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Sunday April 21st. I have again produced a summary sheet of the accounts for general circulation but a full copy of the annual report and financial statements is displayed on the church noticeboard for inspection. There are no secrets contained therein but there is no point in producing large numbers of these documents if people are not going to read them, and mindful also of the photocopying costs full copies are available on request from me. So please do ask if you would like your own individual copy and make me feel all my hard work has been worthwhile! Moving on to cash book entries for 2002 the appeal for rose trees, compost etc for the Churchyard proved very popular and the £90 donated grew to £115 thanks to gift aid contributions (excuse the pun!) Sale of votive candles reached £82.20 and our insurance company paid £118.55 towards the church window repairs. Foreign coin redemption only yielded a further £12.68 bringing the total to £51.75 and this idea did not turn out to be as big a fund raiser as was first thought and was very time consuming. Currency we could not exchange has been distributed to other appropriate charities although there are still some very old obsolete coins, both British and foreign, which any numismatists (coin collectors) amongst you may wish to inspect and could enhance your collections. Contributions are also being received from local businesses towards the Jubilee Fun Day / Stepping Out event in June. £35 to date, for which we are most grateful. Further to Tony Rice-Oxley's article about Payroll Giving in the Christmas / New Year issue of St George's News, the Church is now registered with the Charities Aid Foundation for the purposes of the Give as you Earn Scheme. However disadvantages of delayed crediting and hidden administration costs may outweigh the advantages of extra tax benefits and the PCC will need to reconsider the position. [Please note Payroll Giving is entirely separate from our green and pink envelope schemes and all current bankers standing orders.] The new vestry door has been fitted at a cost of £861 and additional security measures cost a further £113. Finally the retiring collection in February for St Mary Axim Ghana raised £117.97 and the special collection for the Christian Aid Goma Volcano Appeal including a donation of £25 from the Wednesday coffee morning charity funds reached £144.37, excluding gift aid which the charity will claim in this case. Christian Aid tell us our money will be used both for the urgent work of providing food aid assistance to the homeless and for the longer term work of rebuilding lives. I conclude by reprinting a prayer included with the Christian Aid correspondence: "When lives are lost and families split, Lord, comfort those who mourn. Where homes are crushed and dreams destroyed, give shelter to the vulnerable. When people flee and hope departs, bring calm amid the fear. Where panic rules and courage fails restore strength to all who carry on. And when the people cry out, Lord, open our ears to hear, our minds to comprehend, and our hearts to respond, with all compassion." Amen. LINDA WAINWRIGHT |
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page last updated 31 MARCH 2002 |
