AREP09

COGGES PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2009

Background
Cogges PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the vicar, the Rev Andrew
Sweeney, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church,
pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It also has maintenance
responsibilities for the parish church, St Mary's, and for the Cogges Church Centre.
The PCC is registered as the charity "The Parochial Church Council of the
Ecclesiastical Parish of St Mary Cogges" with charity number 1129824.
Membership
Members of the PCC are either ex-officio or elected by the Annual Parochial Church
Meeting (APCM) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. During the
year, the following served as members of the PCC:
Members ex-officio
Rev Andrew Sweeney (Incumbent & Chairman), Rev Andrew Pritchard1 (Curate),
Rev Miriam Keen (Associate Minister), Rev Penny Joyce2 (Associate Minister),
Rev Tim Edge (Non-stipendiary Minister); Mr Colin Johnson and Mr David
Lockwood (Churchwardens); Mr Nick Pike, Mr David Smith and Mr Richard Young
(Licensed Lay Ministers); Mrs Barbara Eaton, Mr Nathaniel Miles and Mrs Judy
Poole (Representatives on the Deanery Synod).
Elected members
Mrs Jenny Allen3, Miss Jackie Archer3, Mrs Tessa Cox, Mrs Gill Curwood,
Mr Malcolm Harper (PCC Secretary), Mr Keith Harwood (PCC Treasurer),
Mrs Valerie Hill3, Mrs Ali Laithwaite4, Mr Harvey Leach (PCC Vice Chairman),
Mrs Heather McCulloch4, Mr Allen Moxham, Mrs Libby Osborne, Mr Gareth
Regan4, Mr Anthony Sayles, Mr Stephen Smith, Mr Gordon Spankie, Mrs Hilary
Warner and Mr Nigel Williams.
1
From July 2009; 2 Until April 2009; 3 Until APCM (April 2009); 4 From APCM.

Church attendance
There were 218 people on the Church Electoral Roll at the 2009 APCM, including 99
who were not resident in the parish. The previous Roll contained 189 names. The
average Sunday attendance at St Mary's Church was 23 at the early communion
services, 180 at baptism and thanksgiving services, 148 at joint benefice services
and 133 at other main morning services, 138 at the confirmation service, 26 at the
monthly evening celebration services, 19 at the quarterly healing services, 77 at the
service to welcome the new curate and 12 at most other evening services. These
figures may include some people attending more than one service. Attendance at
festival services was 228 at the Easter Sunday family communion, 155 at the
Christingle service, 201 at the crib service, 83 at the carol service, 96 at the first
communion of Christmas and 200 at the Christmas Day family service.
Committees
The Standing Committee is required to exist by the Church Representation Rules. It
consisted of the vicar and curate, the churchwardens, the PCC vice-chairman, the
PCC secretary, the PCC treasurer and two elected members: Mrs Judy Poole and
Mrs Barbara Eaton. The Standing Committee has power to transact the business of
the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by Council. Its main
activity is to set the agenda for PCC meetings, and to ensure any necessary
preparation for the meetings is made.

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COGGES PCC: ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2009

The Ministry Group consists of those with the Bishop's license to minister in the
parish (the clergy and Licensed Lay Ministers) and others at the invitation of the
vicar, and shares with the vicar his pastoral responsibilities.
The Church Centre Management Committee was set up by the PCC to oversee
the management of the Cogges Church Centre.
The Benefice Child Protection Committee was set up by the PCC (with South
Leigh PCC) to oversee all aspects of child protection within the benefice.
The Missionary Team was set up by the PCC to advise it on support of those
engaged in mission at home and overseas.

Review of the year
There were five normal meetings of the PCC during the year, and there were also
five meetings of the Standing Committee. The average attendance by ex officio and
elected members at the PCC meetings was 55%.
The activities planned by the PCC complied with the Charity Commission's guidance
on public benefit, and were in general open to (and often were intended for) residents
of the parish and the wider area.
Strategy and Vision
There was a special meeting of the PCC in January with Rev Chris Neal (Director of
Mission and Community, CMS) to continue the work on "Growing as a missional
community" begun at the Parish Away Day in September 2008, followed by two joint
meetings of the PCC and Ministry Group in May. This led to a Parish Day, "Christ in
you", in St Mary's in September and further discussion at the September PCC
meeting.
Another theme discussed during the year is the vision inspired by Jane Holloway to
become a "House of Prayer" church. From this has come a weekly series of prayer
meetings (Open to God) during Lent, a monthly series (The Gathering) in the autumn
and was the key topic at the November 2009 and January 2010 PCC meetings.
Throughout the year, the PCC has been discussing whether to appoint a "youth
pastor" to lead the church's work with children and young people. An appeal within
the church for funds to support this appointment has been successful; the PCC has
agreed the job description and selection criteria, and the post has now been
advertised.
The PCC has also had brief discussions on national, diocesan and deanery papers
on vision and strategy.
Outreach and activities
Rev Penny Joyce told the PCC in January of her decision to leave Cogges on Easter
Sunday, and the PCC discussed at several meetings how to continue outreach to the
Madley Park estate. Although Jigsaw stopped meeting after Easter, it restarted
during the autumn and the PCC is still discussing the best way to continue this work.
The future of Bitesize has been discussed and the possibility of merging it with Alpha
is now being explored.
Aspects of outreach have been discussed at all the meetings of the PCC, with a
number of activities: Alpha, the Marriage Course, a summer holiday club, summer
church opening, participation in the Ride & Stride, the traditional Children's parties on
31st October, a Thanksgiving and memorial service, a various seasonal services and
activities.

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COGGES PCC: ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2009

Other outreach activities have continued during the year, including the monthly
meetings of the Cogges Seniors Group and the Time Travellers groups, the weekly
Toddler group and a related daytime toddler friendly home group, and the monthly or
fortnightly Pastorate meetings. Cogges church members are involved in Besom,
Fairtrade and Christian Aid.
Prayer support has continued throughout the year through home groups and prayer
triplets and with a prayer meeting most weeks for Blake School (which also covers
JAM club young people and the new Christian Union at Wood Green School). The
Church's activities and members' needs are faithfully remembered in prayer at the
Thursday morning prayer group throughout the year. The monthly prayer night
restarted.
Finance
The PCC is responsible for all parish finance, and its management and control, and
has appointed a treasurer to supervise this area. The PCC considers preliminary
statements of income and expenditure three times a year, as well as approving the
annual accounts for presentation at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting.
The financial statements for 2009 show a 2% decrease in voluntary unrestricted
income. Restricted income increased by 50%. This is due to the initial fundraising
for provision of a Youth Pastor, and the incorporation of the "Discovery Days" funds
into the balance sheet now that Rev Penny Joyce has left the project. The PCC
approved a budget for the Church Centre proposed by the management committee.
The other main financial item considered by the PCC was the distribution of grants to
charities and other causes working in mission and relief at home and overseas. The
PCC has an agreed policy to give away at least a tithe of its general fund income (in
addition to any earmarked donations). The PCC agreed to a distribution of the tithe
for 2009, with Ł2,690 allocated for overseas mission, Ł1,460 for overseas relief,
Ł4,100 for home mission (including Ł2,760 to Adventure Plus) and Ł2,750 for home
relief and funding. The PCC has for many years supported a minister in Burundi but
is now phasing this down and increasing funding for a medical student from Burundi.
The PCC also agreed to provide some support for two years for a member of the
church working with Operation Mobilisation. The total of earmarked donations in
2009 was Ł6,163 including receipts for the Parish Needs Fund and for the minister
and medical student in Burundi.
The PCC approved a revision to the local service fees and to the rents for hiring the
Church Centre. The PCC also agreed to make a voluntary contribution to the
diocese towards the rent of the curate's house.
Property
The PCC considered tenders for repairs to the church roof and lychgate and
appointed a contractor; this work has been completed. Work was also agreed on five
trees which were identified by the tree audit in autumn 2008 as priorities.
The floor in the Church Centre was stripped and revarnished.
The PCC agreed to renew for another three years the letting agreement for the use
of the Church Centre by the Cogges Under Fives Association.
The Blake Educational Trust had notified the PCC in 2008 about its plan to redevelop
the House at the church centre, which the church rents from the Trust, to provide for
a church office on the ground floor (at a commercial rent) and a separate flat on the
upper floors. The PCC decided to undertake a full review of options for the location
of the church office, and held a special meeting in May which decided to accept the
Trust's proposal. Another issue raised by the Trust concerned its plan to apply to the
Land Registry for formal title to the House, including the Church Centre garden and

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COGGES PCC: ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2009

the church car park outside the lychgate; subsequently the Trust has agreed that it
should not claim title to the garden and that it will offer to sell most of the car park to
the PCC.
Other activities
The PCC was pleased to hear that the request for a curate to be allocated was
successful, and to welcome Rev Andrew Pritchard and his wife Fenella to the parish
in July.
The scheme for the benefice of Cogges and South Leigh and the benefice of North
Leigh to be held in plurality came into effect on 1st May.
The PCC was registered as a charity with the Charity Commission.
The PCC had a long discussion on how to encourage more involvement by church
members in the various rotas for helpers, especially for helpers at Junior Church.
The Child Protection policy was reviewed and confirmed, and approval given for a
CYFA trip. The PCC appointed Mr James Benson as a governor of the Blake
School.
The PCC received regular reports on meetings of the Deanery Synod and of
Churches Together in Witney and District. The Vicar, Curate and Associate Minister
were able to report to each PCC meeting on matters of interest or concern.

Related Trusts and Charities
Charities in the names of Henry White, William Wright, Simon Holford, Sarah
Scott Pruce, and Edward Nourse were originally grouped together as the Cogges
Ecclesiastical Charities, now in process of being wound up, and as the Cogges Non-
Ecclesiastical Charities, now reformed as the Cogges Welfare Trust and no longer
administered by the Church.
The Blake Educational Trust owns the House at Cogges Church Centre for which it
currently receives a rent of Ł1200pa. Its Trust Deed is being modernised and once
this is completed, the site of the new Blake School will be transferred to it. The
Trustees are the Incumbent, a Churchwarden, 2 nominated members of the PCC and
3 independent members appointed by the Trust.

Rev Andrew Sweeney (Vicar)
31st January 2010 on behalf of the PCC