PRESENT

INTRODUCTION
At the start of this year there were twenty elected and ex-officio members of the Parochial Church Council. Upon his arrival, the vicar was elected as chairman of the PCC and took his first meeting in March, which he hosted at the vicarage. The PCC meets regularly and has met seven times during this Church year to discuss the regular business of the church. In addition the PCC met in an extraordinary meeting to approve a resolution with regard to approving certain exploratory building work in connection with the church restoration work. The Standing Committee continues to meet regularly between the full meetings and has met on six occasions to plan agendas for the full meetings and to discuss matters of urgency that cannot wait until the full meeting.

MEMBERSHIP
The members of the Council are as follows;

V. Webster as Deputy Chairman chaired the meetings of the Council and the Standing Committee until March.

DEANERY SYNOD
On appointment our vicar automatically became a member of the Deanery Synod. Our lay representatives at the beginning of the year were J.Tucker and I. Murray. At the annual meeting in April, they were joined by A. Clare.

A YEAR AT ST. MICHAEL'S

From the Registers

Average attendance on a ‘normal’ Sunday was 125 adults and 12 children (aged under 16), but this was greatly increased for major Festivals i.e. Easter – 378 and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – 602

THE P.C.C.
Once again this has been an extremely busy year for the members of the Council. The first quarter of the year was devoted to ensuring that our new vicar’s arrival and induction went well. This not only involved planning meetings but also drawing up guest lists, sending invitations and settling on seating plans, as well as with the Friends of St. Michael’s arranging refreshments at the service. Members of the council along with friends also got their hands dirty in more mundane but very important practical work such as clearing up the vestry and the vicarage garden in anticipation of our new vicar’s arrival

Inevitably our major concern during the year has been the work required for the restoration of the church and the task of raising money to pay for it. Both of these are the subjects of separate reports.

One of the council’s first acts in this year was to vote to give a small gift and a big vote of thanks to Revd. John Copping, who had conducted most of the services during the interregnum.

The council discussed a number of changes to the format of the 10 am service. Its members embraced the idea of the laity taking the intercessions. Six members of the congregation volunteered and attended a ‘training session’ with the vicar. This seems to have been generally well received by the congregation. In its May meeting your council discussed the idea of a ‘Revised Parish Communion’. The chairman suggested that this would give more scope for variety in the service format, which was not available in the more traditional service. After comments both for and against, the council voted to adopt the service for a six month trial period. During this discussion the subject of physically ‘exchanging the peace’ was also raised. The chairman explained that there were good theological reasons for this practice. Some members of the council felt that this was an important part of the service, while some were uneasy. It was acknowledged that nobody was forced to exchange the peace unless they wished to and their thoughts and actions would be respected. In November the feedback on the services was received and considered and many of the responses covered far more than the format of the new services. The council agreed to adopt the ‘Revised Parish Communion’ as the usual format for the 10 am service.

One of the suggestions that was taken forward from the feedback was that of being able to identify the members of the PCC. The members agreed that it would be a good idea if a notice board with the photographs of the PCC members was placed somewhere in church. This idea will be taken further in 2009.

St Michael’s is a popular place for weddings and the council agreed to raise the cost of a wedding to £800. It also agreed that within strict guidelines video recording of weddings would be allowed, for an additional £100.

As well as meetings PCC members and members of the congregation have been involved in other activities. The lighting in the church has been improved and has also resulted in a saving in costs. A church diary is now being kept of all events – services, concerts and fund raising held in church and in the hall. Others have continued to organise the visiting of the sick and giving home communions.

The St Michael’s website continues to attract a great deal of interest not only from this country but from all over the world from people trying to trace their ancestors in Bray as well as the more usual enquiries concerning births, marriages and deaths.

On the social scene a harvest lunch was prepared after the harvest festival service, with the profits going to the Restoration Appeal. After the carol service mince pies and mulled wine were served in St Michael’s Hall. In October, parishioners and friends also visited northern France and Belgium.

R. Cowles

Chairman

Treasurer's Report

Year Ended 31 December 2008

1. Once again, and for the ninth year, I have the pleasure of presenting to the Parochial Church Council the financial statements for the year just ended. As you will see, it has been a remarkable year in many ways, quite unlike any other year in which I have had financial responsibilities. The outcome Is a mixture of encouraging and rewarding success on the one hand, and clear danger signals on the other; all against the background of a catastrophic global banking crisis.

2. General funds again show a reduction over the year. Whilst the size of that loss is bearable, that outcome has been achieved only because of financial reorganisation following on from the foundation of the Emergency Appeal. The sort of trading deficit that would have occurred but for the generosity of the churchwardens in allocating, in part, accumulated income from the Pickford Trust, cannot be sustained in the future.

3. Although giving showed a slight increase, most other types of income were down, whereas expenditure on routine items went up. Payment of parish share was, as always, a priority of the PCC, and our 2008 pledge to the Deanery of £47,800 was met in full. The relative level of our share remains a concern.

4. The supplementary funds have come through the year in reasonable shape, although in the case of the Church and Church Hall Repair Fund, that is again largely due to a sizeable injection of funds from the Pickford Trust. All these funds are now suffering from greatly reduced income as a result of collapsing interest rates, and those which are invested, rather than on deposit, have suffered from reduction in capital value. We have been assured by the Diocese that money placed through the Church of England Central Board of Finance, and through Charities Official Investment Fund, is safe.

5. Reflecting the wider scene in the parish, one of the main financial events was the creation of the Emergency Appeal account in January 2008. This has grown steadily throughout the year with events and direct giving, as reported separately, boosted by interest – which will now be less so, of course – and Gift Aid. Early in 2009 £50,000 was transferred to another new account, the Organ Fund, reflecting the intention expressed when those amounts were given.

6. It became clear towards the end of 2008 that our failure to be supported, this year at least, by the Heritage Lottery Fund meant that existing funds would need to be accessed if repairs to the tower, and later the walls, were to be undertaken in the short term. This has led to two decisions.

7. The Vicar and Churchwardens, as trustees of the Pickford Trust, have transferred the capital of £67,230, to the Emergency Appeal, with previously accrued income distributed as indicated above. At its meeting in January 2009 the PCC voted to have the capital of the St Michael’s House (Sale Proceeds) Trust, amounting to £73,354, transferred from the control of Oxford Diocesan Trustees to the PCC, so that it can be accessed easily and quickly if and when needed. This move has the full support of the Diocese. Interest will continue to pass to general funds for the time being.

8. Once again the results you see in front of you reflect the efforts of many people, not just your Treasurer. The help I have received from the Vicar, from Ian Murray and John Seymour, from Trevor Jones, and of course from Tony Ellison and his team of counters, is very much appreciated.

9. I would like to propose that the Council approve the financial statements

Jim Tucker

February 2009

Report on the Emergency Appeal 2008 by Jim Tucker

The Emergency Appeal was started late in 2007, when it became clear that urgent work to the north wall, the tower, and some of the stained glass, together with the desirability of taking action about the deteriorating organ, would cost far more than the parish could currently afford. The Friends of St Michael’s under John Blaxland readily agreed to act as a channel the funds being collected, taking advantage of their charitable status; Phil Nunn put his professional expertise to the task of coming up with potential income streams; not one but two members of the congregation designed logos; and suddenly, just before that Christmas, we were off!

The very first Appeal event was a Christmas concert in church organised by members of the choir. It was a tremendous success, and set an example which was followed by the many and varied fund-raising activities that followed. Events have included, among many others, family pancake races, an open morning at historic Ockwells Manor, a sumptuous Summer Ball at Oakley Court, a dazzling picnic and concert at Stubbings House, the eagerly-awaited revival of Bray Fete, a Golf Day, Summer Teas every Sunday in that season (rain notwithstanding), Lesley Burch’s astonishing Hymnathon, a Harvest Lunch, and an Advent Fair.

We have been humbled to receive a number of extremely generous bequests from former members of the congregation. We would much rather they had been spared and we could still enjoy their company, but the sums involved are appreciated almost as much as the thoughtful support of their loved ones.

The celebrated restaurateurs of Bray threw a glittering private dinner and auction which raised an amazing sum, and individual donations have flooded in from within the congregation, and outside it. We are extremely grateful to all.

“Little things mean a lot” the saying goes, and so it has been for the Appeal. Collecting boxes in shops and pubs, carol singing, coffee mornings, bell-ringing dedications, tea towels, greetings cards and bookmarks, a recipe book, collections from school services, “tin shakes” in Holyport and Maidenhead, a collecting box in church, whist drives; the list goes on, and on, and on.

Report of the Fabric, Goods and Ornaments of the Church March 2009

RESTORATION AND QUINQUENNIAL WORK
Fundraising has undoubtedly taken centre stage over the past year; however, as far as ‘getting the work done’ is concerned, this year has been one of information gathering, consolidation and prioritising in preparation for a start to the work in 2009.

Two major investigations have been carried out this year to facilitate this process; one to the structure of the walls in the north- west area and the other to the tower. As a result of these we now know that the tower must be our first priority with the north-west wall area possibly having to wait until 2010/11. We also know that, when work takes place in this area, the organ will have to be removed from its present position in order to accommodate the necessary work. The advice from the Diocesan Organ Advisor (Revd. Roy Woodhams visited us in October) is similar to that of most builders and repairers that have seen our instrument. All seem to agree that the condition of the organ is so poor that once removed it should not be replaced either in its present position or anywhere else in the church. A ‘new build’ at the east end of the church (behind the existing console) would be ideal but the cost could prove prohibitive. So far we do have £50,000 of the appeal fund dedicated to the organ but the cost of a new pipe organ would be something between £150-250,000. Not impossible but we have a long way to go yet.

Most importantly we do have sufficient funds, thanks to a wonderfully successful fund raising year, to complete the work on the tower and work will commence as soon as possible.

Church Log Entries and Maintenance:

3/4/08 Investigation of the north-west walls. Report received from Stress UK together with the Cliveden Conservationists. Problems with verticality, slumping of core material, bulging and spalling.
Requires relining of the external face, a new buttress and internal bracing from the outer wall to the nave wall. DAC approved.

11/4/08 The last of the scaffolding removed from the Four Evangelists window at the north-east end of the church. This marked the end of the urgent work on the windows.

15/5/08 The lock on the outer vestry door was repaired.

10/6/08 THEFT of LEAD from the north-east clerestory dormer roof and the adjacent main valley. Area made temporarily weather proof with tarpaulins.

Crime number LC3109235 (08/10) EIG Claim 110539. DAC advised.

18/6/08 CHURCH INSPECTION. The Area Dean And the Deanery Lay Chair carried out the inspection. The silverware (re-photographed) collection was complete. The log book and terrier were checked and found satisfactory.

24/6/08 BREAK IN to the church through the south porch in daylight. The beading around one of the glass panels in the porch was removed to facilitate entry. The triplex glass panel had suffered impact damage but was still intact when removed. Cash was stolen from the appeal collection box and a forced entry was made to the organ electrics cabinet in the choir vestry.

Porch repaired in house.

Crime number URN 1132 24/6

DAC and EIG informed but no claim made.

26/6/08 Repair work started on the clerestory window and north valley lead replacement; this was completed by Sovereign Builders within two weeks.

26/6/08 A stone finial on one of the south aisle gable tops was loosened in strong winds and fell to the ground damaging a large number of clay tiles on the way. Fortunately it fell on a grassy area next to the All Saint’s Chapel without threat of injury to anyone using the path.The opportunity of having professional roofers on site at this time was taken to commission the necessary repair work on the south aisle roof. They were also asked to make a visual check of all remaining finials for cracks and decay.
Work was also carried out to repair flashing and a water damaged lintel over a dormer window in the church hall office. The work was completed within a week.
The DAC were informed of all of the above and concluded that a faculty was not required for these works.

26/8/08 Full boiler servicing carried out on both the church and hall boilers.

6/10/08 Nu- Swift issued a new CERTIFICATE OF FIRE EQUIPMENT (Church and Hall). Additional extinguishers were purchased to meet the new regulations regarding the proximity of extinguishers to electrical installations.

12-13/11/08 Investigative work carried out on the TOWER by Stress UK and Cliveden conservation. A provisional report has been received. The full report is still pending. Aug-Oct/08 The progressive replacement of all the LIGHTING in the church and hall with low energy lamps and bulbs was carried out, in house, by Mike and Vicky Henley to whom we are extremely grateful.

10/12/08 A memorial PLAQUE to Jennifer Muriel Boulton was erected under the centre window on the south wall of the church. The plaque was produced in English oak by the Lillyfee Wood Carving Studio at the request of Mr Noel Hobbs who paid for the plaque.

This installation was approved by faculty on 6/11/08.

Additional work:

Work was carried out on the railings at the LYCH GATE COTTAGE and the re-carpeting of the cottage should be complete by the middle of April.
GRASS CUTTING up at TOUCHEN END Churchyard by Geoff Sharp continues and he has agreed to take on similar duties at BRAYWOOD Churchyard. My thanks to Robin Bullet who is retiring from this role up at Braywood after many years of service.

Report of the Activites of the Deanery Synod

The Deanery Synod has met 3 times this year all meetings were attended by representatives from St Michaels.

1. The first meeting was at All Saints Dedworth and the group was addressed by
2. Bishop Stephen - developing a "Vision of Evangelism" - this was followed at St Michael’s at the PCC with a DVD "Living Faith".
3. The Synod met at St Mary’s Maidenhead, topic for discussion was "Celebrating Children's Ministry".
4. St Peter’s Maidenhead was the next venue for a discussion "Developing the Deanery Plan", which had no immediate implication for St Michael’s. At this meeting it was announced that Jim Tucker - St Michael’s Treasurer had been elected to the role of Deanery Treasurer.

Next meeting, Tuesday 7th April 2009 at Altwood School 7:30 for 8:00PM

the Bishop of Oxford will be speaking any member of the Deanery is welcome.

Anne Clare

4th March 2009 

Report on the "Young Church"

Since last year the number of children who regularly attend has increased we now have a core of 7 - 8 (with only half being mine!) The numbers still vary a lot from a low of 4 (yes, all mine!) to 20. The age range has decreased, which makes live easier for me! It now varies from 20 months (yes Percy is still the youngest) to 10 and he’s still mine!!! (Monty)

During the last year we have covered many topics, some lessons are based on the reading you’ll hear in church others on the basic principles of Christianity such as Prayer, when we made a Prayer request board and how wide God’s love is, which we matched to Valentines Day. We do hope you liked our cheerful display?! We’ve also studied the major festivals - Easter, Harvest and Christmas.

So if the sermons are too much do come and join us! Also if you have something you’d like to see the children learn about just see me or you are welcome to come and teach the children yourself!!! We’d love to see you!

See you soon, with love and prayers.

Natasha