2010 REPORTS FOR PRESENTATION
AT THE
ANNUAL CHURCH MEETING
SUNDAY 27th MARCH
2011
CHURCH SECRETARY REPORT
In 2009 Kathryn prepared us for the fact that she wished to retire in December 2010. Under Kathryn’s guidance the church continued to move forward in a positive manner.
During this last year, the monthly “Healing Service” continued, with Arthur Kent filling the void when Kathryn was not available and the “Emmaus Course” ran fortnightly, with Arthur leading the afternoon session and Kathryn the evening. It is planned that this course will continue on a fortnightly basis under Arthur’s leadership on a Thursday evening. Sunday Worship has been diverse with input provided by Kathryn, Arthur, visiting Ministers, Lay Preachers and our own congregation. There have been times when we have worshipped jointly with our Methodist friends.
Kathryn has been diligent with her “Pastoral Visiting”, not just the sick and housebound, but quietly being aware of and visiting those in our congregation who were in need of support.
Church and Society have kept us in tune with what is going on in the world.
“Open the Book” continues to flourish and the team visit both Broadway First School and St Mary’s Catholic School on a weekly basis. As in the past, Children’s Bibles were presented to the leavers of Broadway 1st School.
Work with the young people who attend Pilots and the Activities days and week continue to be an important part of the life of the Church. A number of our young people have attended leadership courses and one is on the Synod Youth Council.
We have had fun during the year with thanks to the “Fun and Fundraising” team and this year we were able to have a “Strawberry Tea” in the Manse garden.
You will see from the reports how hard our congregation has worked during 2010/2011. Some of our men literally spending hours in church during the vestry alterations and carrying out tasks such as fitting a new boiler. I also know some ladies have also put in many hours as well. We are blessed with a congregation who have many talents and are prepared to use their talents, carrying out tasks which, if we had had to pay a contractor, would have sorely stretched the church finances, thus maintaining the fabric of our buildings.
This past year there has been one death in our congregation, a faithful member, George Pennington. No baptisms have taken place and there have been no new members.
In November 2010 a service celebrating Kathryn’s ministry was held in our Church. Much to the surprise of invited guests, Kathryn led the service. The service presented a kaleidoscope of Kathryn’s ministry during her time at Broadway, including some surprises from Mark’s magic box. Kathryn will be remembers for the spiritual and pastoral support she gave us, her work with “Open the Book” and Pilots and her willingness to roll up her sleeves and help where needed, including running the hot dog stall at the fete. In fact, full retirement has been put on hold by Kathryn, as Synod has asked her to promote “Open the Book” in Scotland. I feel that Kathryn’s nudging left the congregation with a positive and confident attitude and a willingness to move forward.
I would like to thank all in our congregation for the hard work that has been carried out throughout the year ensuring that the spiritual needs as well as the functional needs of the Church are met. I am not going to try to list individuals because I will surely forget someone. So many people are involved with the life of the church, as team leaders, as part of a team or as individuals, who quietly beaver away un-noticed. However, it would be noticed if it stopped.
I would though like to thank Joanne for all the clerical support and the “ear” she has provided me with and also the elders, serving and non-serving, throughout the year.
Kathryn left us in good heart, may we move into 2011 with renewed zest and spread the word of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
Christine Waller
FUN
AND FUNDRAISING
As usual we have had two aims in view.
First we try to encourage the social life of the church, providing occasions when members and friends can get together to enjoy themselves. We also like it when people from outside the church join us for social gatherings.
Second we aim to raise money for the church funds.
Some of our events are free, others we charge only cost price and for others we try to provide entertainment that will be worth paying for.
We held two quiz nights, both organised by Frank and Christine Waller, to whom our grateful thanks are due. These were, as always, very popular and brought in teams from outside the church.
Katherine held her usual garden party, which everyone always enjoyed and we shall miss it this year.
The fete was hard work for everyone, but most successful. As usual, we shall be asking for help from everyone this year. Numbers of able bodied helpers are growing
less every year, so it is important that as many as possible do as much as they can, no matter how little that may be.
There was the usual "Poems, puddings and prose" evening in the autumn. There is a small loyal group of participants in this, who enjoy it immensely and would miss it greatly if it did not take place. Anyone who is in two minds about this should make an effort to attend in 2011 if only for the puddings!
The Beetle Drive was a new event and some people had never been to one before, but that was something that has been specifically nominated for repetition.
The Christmas Tree Festival, as always was popular. More and more people are coming from outside the area especially to see it or to combine it with the late night shopping and there was a steady stream of delighted visitors.
Thanks are due to all those who helped at this and the other events during the year. The committee appreciates that time and physical restraints limit the amount that any one person can do, but the more people choose to become involved, the less pressure there is on any one person.
Shirley Caddy
VISION
GROUP / FINANCE & PREMISES
The work of the Vision Group and the Finance & Premises Committee inevitably overlaps to some extent, making it difficult to know in which section to report. In essence, exploration of new possibilities tends to fall within the remit of the Vision Group whilst ongoing maintenance of the premises falls to the F & P Committee.
Buildings
The main item under discussion for most of the year has been the proposal to demolish the Wash House, which was becoming more and more decrepit as the months go by and is now posing a potential safety hazard. With Church Meeting approval, a pre-planning application was made to Wychavon to carry out this work and replace the Wash House with a low-profile timber building measuring 8m x 4m. This building would be divided into two sections, 3m x 4m for storage and 5m x 4m for a meeting room which would be fully insulated and have double-glazed windows. This facility would be invaluable for our youth work and would also be available for community meetings/events, since many potential Hall bookings have to be turned away at present due to current bookings.
The Planning Department wanted us to preserve the Wash House but, in the Conservation Area, there is a threshold volume of 115m³, under which no permission is required. The Wash House is well under that limit. Despite that, we are under pressure from the Planners to preserve the building.
The timber building was not acceptable to the Planners, despite the fact that it would be of extremely low profile and have a roof pitch that was the same as the existing Hall and the Church.
We engaged a local architect to help us with this situation and we have offered to label the proposed building as temporary, in the hopes that, at some point in the future, our full expansion plans can be embarked upon.
A Bat Survey has been carried out at the Planning Department’s request. To no one’s surprise, there was no sign of bat activity.
An alternative plan put forward by the Planners would preserve the Wash House and allow us to build an extension to the Church, costing over twice as much and giving us less space – not very helpful, since it doesn’t alter the safety hazard aspect of the Wash House, either.
By the end of the year, no progress had been made.
Vestry
The Vestry has been totally stripped and a new ‘block and beam’ floor has been installed. The dreadful damp smell, which has pervaded the Vestry and that end of the Church, has disappeared at long last (after 20 years or so?). The cause was damp rotting timber flooring beams and a tiny leak from a water pipe.
The whole area will be re-plastered with damp-proof plaster and a small meeting room will be created in part of the space.
Lighting and power arrangements have been moved and updated and the sound system cabling has been relocated.
A huge vote of thanks to Les Griffin for Project Managing the whole thing.
Vestibule
An amplifier has been installed so that the ‘welcomer/s’ can hear what is going on in the Service.
The cost of installing glass external doors is being investigated.
Premises
Report for 2010
Main tasks completed in 2010 are as follows:
·
Church
Lighting re-wired and new efficient bulbs and glass faces installed
·
Vestry
guttering replaced
·
Grass
matting at front completed
·
Fire
extinguishers replaced to current standards
·
New
boiler installed in Hall
·
Hall
floor re-sealed
·
Hall
exterior painted
·
Ongoing
work in 2011 includes the details of the Vestry completion
·
Many
other minor tasks have been completed during the year
Grateful thanks are due to the members of both committees for their dedication, their ideas and their energy.
Bill Nelson
BROADWAY YOUTH ACTIVITIES
As usual, we had three events this year for the 5 – 17 year-olds. The Good Friday morning one had 24 children, the August Week had 24 Leaders and Helpers and 58 children and the one at the beginning of December for Christmas had some 20 children. All of these were very successful and enjoyable for all concerned. The August Week used the Scripture Union Holiday Club material, ‘Rocky’s Plaice’ (a fish and chip shop!) as a basis. On the Thursday, we all went to Weston-super-mare for the day and had a great time, despite the spasmodic rain. About 20 of the 7/8 and 9/10 groups went for a swim in the Marine Lake! Two of our senior Pilots volunteered to be Helpers for the week and their contributions were really valuable.
For 2011, we’ve decided to change the format for the August week (1st to 5th) and use our own material; we hope this will address some of the problems which we perceived over the last year or two, where the oldest age group really need to do their own thing, rather than be linked in so much with the younger ones.
If anyone would like to be a Helper, please ask me what’s involved. We’d love to have you on board.
Bill
Nelson
THE
FLOWER GUILD
To everyone who helped to maintain the “Ministry of Flowers” within the church during 2010 a big “Thank you”. Sharing the flowers with others, either within or outside our congregation is all part of Gods ministry and the healing process both spiritual and physical. For those who donate the flowers it is a tangible way of marking a birthday, anniversary or a special date in life’s path. On most occasions flowers are placed in church for a special reason. If Christine is made aware of the occasion in plenty of time, this can be recorded in the Church News Letter or Sunday Link, and thus enable the congregation to hold that reason on their hearts and in their prayers. It is understood that not everybody likes to say why flowers have been placed in church
The Flower Guild is open to any member of the congregation to join, male or female. It is a very informal group who enjoy arranging their own flowers, and for others who are unable to do so. Offers of help are most welcome.
Not all the dates for 2011 have been taken so that there is still time to add your name to the list. All you need to do is speak to Christine Waller or Sue Jones. As we always say, at this time of year, the flowers do not have to be in the form of a formal arrangement, a vase of flowers is very acceptable and easy to distribute at the close of worship. We have quite a selection of vases in the flower room just waiting to be used. Be brave and put your own flowers in church.
Thank you all, once again, for your help and generosity during 2011.
From
the Flower Guild.
During the year we purchased a laser colour printer to produce the Broadsheet and other items of literature for the church. Towards the end of the year I produced a draft outline paper of the activities and life of the church with the intention of producing a pamphlet or small booklet that could be circulated throughout the village. In view of other developments it has been put hold for the moment. Problems with advertising in the village are still causing concern as we are very restricted as to where we can place posters, and advertisements in the Broadway Newsletter are quite expensive with very little result. A leaflet distribution for both Easter and Christmas was carried out in the top end of the village and two estates, with no response at Easter and unknown response at Christmas because of the snow. Our thanks must go to Val. Williams for all the time she spends distributing posters around the village.
Michael Eden
TREASURER’S REPORT
This year has seen a high demand on resources as we have spent about £11,000 on repairing and modernising our vestry for the use of members, together with other repairs to the building in accordance with our 10 year premises rolling maintenance programme.
We have also had to purchase two new central heating boilers as both were 20 years old and become obsolete as far as any major spares were concerned.
We have managed to continually pay additional funds to the MOM over and above the request from Synod.
We have changed our bank from Lloyds to HSBC, so as to avoid bank charges. We adjusted our savings with COIF, closing our Project fund as this was duplicated in other accounts. Both our New Buildings and Robson accounts we split into large investment accounts paying good returns in the present market and leaving small deposit accounts with capital available to take the interest made to help stabilise the cash flow problem which seems to be a modern day problem which is not improving.
The squeezing of funds which we are all experiencing obviously affects the way we operate and together with the fact that during the year we became a charity in our own right has meant many different considerations that the Elders have had to discuss and resolve. Considering all these problems our members have continued to respond and give generously to the following charities: Christian Aid, Commitment for Life, Alzheimers Society, Shelter Box, Signpost, Leprosy Mission, Mercy Ships, Open the Book, Chenobyl 2000, Disasters Emergency Committee and Corrymeela Community, making a total of £3610 charitable gifts.
The general outlook indicates a lowering of our offerings, hall rents and tax rebate, whilst our expenditure for fuel and other general expenses are all on the rise.
Finally, my thanks for the help during my first year as treasurer go to the support teams in the Premises & Finance committee, Margaret & Roger (the Hall letting and rent collection dept), Sue & Robin (the past experience team), Michael Payne (deputy Treasurer & Covenant Secretary) and Chris Roberts for examining our accounts. My apologies to Michael who all year has tried to convert a Chartered Engineer into an Accountant – FAILED?
Leslie Griffin
CHURCH
IN SOCIETY
Our committee identifies social issues of local, national and global concerns which are appropriate for our Church to support and brings them to the attention of our Church members.
Our first event of the year, in February, was a tea party to publicise Fair Trade Tea.
During Christian Aid Week, in May, the door to door collection for the whole of Broadway raised £2854. This was an increase on the previous year. Grateful thanks to all who helped in any way. The service for the commissioning of collectors, taken by Kathryn and Jo Williamson, focused of a project in the slums of Nairobi.
Our Harvest collection and Quiz Aid with ploughman’s supper raised a further £282.
Later in May, Mo and Mike Worton spoke to us about their latest trip to a new area of Belarus. Valerie has continued to organize the collection of goods for Belarus.
At our service for One World Week in October, Julie Boynton spoke about her interest in Israel and the Occupied Territories of Palestine and her hopes of volunteering to go as an Ecumenical Accompanier. The church has a special interest in this region through Commitment for Life; donations for this were £617.81.
We decorated a tree at the Christmas Tree Festival with flags representing all the countries in which we have an interest.
The Emergency Fund jar at the back of the church has now taken off as a means of enabling us to respond quickly to disaster appeals. The sum raised this year was £644.90 and the following sums were sent in response to urgent situations: Haiti Earthquake - £225; Pakistan Floods - £375; Africa Famine appeal - £225.
Thank you all for your generosity and “thank you, Les” for dealing with the money.
Special collections: After Church Meeting has decided on these and allocated suitable dates, Church in Society has agreed to publicise these and obtain information leaflets and donation envelopes beforehand.
Committee:
in the autumn Edna Hodges indicated that she wished to retire from
chairing the committee, after many years on this and similar committees.
With her
Ann Walters and Sheila Payne will jointly try to fill Edna’s shoes and would be glad of the support and prayers of the church. Edna is staying on the committee so will, no doubt, keep them on the right path! Other committee members are Margaret Harrington (Secretary), Margaret Strange, Valerie Williams, Chris Walters, Julie Boynton and Judy Aiton who helps at special events.
Ann and Sheila
BROADWAY
PILOTS
Key notes from 2010:
* Attendance figures were between 20 and 30 PILOTS each week, with all four age groups active and 7 PILOTS travelled to receive formal training in leadership
* Our new officers and leaders have settled in really well and, combined with our existing dedicated team of officers, have enabled us to continue our rich and varied programme of weekly activities and special events
* This included a coach full of 48 PILOTS and their parents travelling to Warwick Castle to spend the day with around 2,000 other PILOTS from around the country
* 7 PILOTS attended Christian summer camps and 2 went to the Greenbelt Christian festival
* Our worship themes have followed the lexionary, and Roots for Children and Young People has proved to be a rich resource for all age groups
* We were particularly pleased with the success of our 4 family evenings because between 4 and 7 parents joined us for some good fun and food
* We received the Child Friendly Church Award and all of the officers and leaders received formal first aid training
* Mark Pickering has been appointed Regional PILOTS Officer for the West Midlands and is a member of the WM Synod Youth and Children’s Committee. This gives us wonderful access to some great ideas and resources and it turns out that we are now one of the two largest of the eleven PILOTS companies in the West Midlands
Key plans for 2011:
* This the 75th Year of PILOTS so we will be following themes and attending events to celebrate this fantastic achievement
* Our young leader team will be developed
* We will take advantage of opportunities for officer training.
* We hope to increase the number of PILOTS who attend camps in the 11-18 age group
* We intend to find suitable ways to enable our 5-11 year olds to enjoy fellowship with other people of their age in a Christian setting on days out and events
* We would like to enlist a few more officers now that Kathryn has left for Scotland and Sarah has taken her place at University
* This year fundraising effort was successful and will be increased to enable access for more young folk to these planned events
We really appreciate how blessed we are as a PILOTS company to receive the support, patience, prayers and funding that we receive from our friends in Broadway URC.
Mark Pickering, Captain, Broadway PILOTS