CHRIST CHURCH, SOUTHGATE

ANNUAL REPORT for 2016

CONTENT Page

BACKGROUND 1

ELECTORAL ROLL 1

PCC 1

VICAR’S REPORT 2

FINANCIAL REVIEW OF THE YEAR 4

DETAILED COMMITTEE REPORTS FINANCE & STANDING 4PLANT & FABRIC 4PASTORAL 6PARISH CENTRE MANAGEMENT 7COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH 8RESOURCES 12SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES 12

APPENDICES1 HEAD SIDESMAN’S REPORT 142 CHILDREN’S & YOUTH ACTIVITIES 143 THE CHURCHES TOGETHER IN SOUTHGATE, OAKWOOD & COCKFOSTERS 154 DEANERY SYNOD 165 CHRISTCHURCH ASSOCIATION 17 6 HONORARY SURVERYOR’S REPORT 187 PROPERTY REPORT 188 DIRECTOR OF MUSIC’S REPORT 18

BACKGROUND

Christ Church’s Parochial Church Council has the responsibility of supporting the clergy in promoting within the parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, ecumenical and social. It also has maintenance responsibilities for the Parish Centre and Walker Halls, 6/7 The Green and 62 Oakfield Road.

The Parish population is circa 8,500.

ELECTORAL ROLL Patricia Ashby, Electoral Roll Officer

2013/14’s Electoral Roll was 2312014/15’s Electoral Roll was 2342015/16’s Electoral Roll was 221

Compared with 2015, 2016 saw less movement on the Electoral Roll. Based on information gathered in our recent review, the number of names on the Electoral Roll for Christ Church, Southgate, has fallen slightly. Although five people have joined the roll, ten names have been removed. Five roll members have died since the last report, four have left (either asking to be removed or have been established as having permanently left the area) and one person has been licensed to the church, The Revd Hazel Miall.

In conclusion, the roll has fallen by 5, from 221 in 2016 to 216 in 2017. This continues a downward trend noted over recent years.

THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL

MEMBERSHIPMembers 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:

Incumbent: The Revd Dr Chrichton Limbert (Chair)

Associate Priest: The Revd Hazel Miall

Lay Readers: Cathy Dallman Jackie Anderson

Church Wardens: Phillip DawsonJohn Marriott (Vice Chairman)

Deanery Synod Representatives: Sandra AndersonPeter HolidayRonald Lo

Elected Members: Patricia Ashby (Secretary)Briony HadjidanielChristopher Howell (Hon. Surveyor)Hilary MeurAngela ParkerSenaka Setunge (Hon. Treasurer)Teresa Walden

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The PCC operates through a number of committees (see below), which meet between full meetings of the PCC.

COMMITTEESFINANCE & STANDING COMMITTEE, Chair: The Revd Dr Chrichton LimbertThis is the only committee required by law. It oversees the general financial dimension of the work of Christ Church by monitoring income and expenditure, and budgeting.  It has power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by the Council.

PLANT & FABRIC COMMITTEE, Chair: Phillip Dawson

PASTORAL COMMITTEE, Chair: Cathy DallmanThe Pastoral Committee addresses the pastoral needs of members of the parish – the needs of parishioners during church services, at home, and in the community.

PARISH CENTRE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, Chair: Philip MiallThe Parish parish Centre Committee manages the Parish Centre and Church Hall of Christ Church Southgate, including any annexes and estates thereof.

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE, Chair: Philip DawsonThe Communications Committee oversees the internal and external communications of Christ Church and reports to the Parochial Church Council (PCC).

RESOURCES COMMITTEE, Chair: Ronald Lo The Resources Committee reviews and identifies the resources of Christ Church and parish in the furtherance of the mission of the Church in the community. It seeks to enhance the ability of Christ Church to meet its demands, both financially and in terms of the talents and time required to achieve its aims.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES COMMITTEE, Chair: Jackie AndersonThe Social Responsibilities Committee oversees the support of the Christ Church Southgate parish to charitable organizations with aims and missions commensurate with the mission of the Anglican Church (worthwhile organizations). It looks after regular and special activities in the parish to support such worthwhile organizations.

VICAR’S REPORT The Revd Dr Chrichton Limbert, VicarAs I write this, we have just celebrated Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, so are on our journey with Christ to the passion and triumph of Easter – the very reason we are Christians and part of the and community of Christ Church Southgate. We have also recently welcomed Bishop Rob, who, in a liturgical marathon, baptised, confirmed, welcomed and commissioned people of all ages to be confident in their faith. In his message to us we were charged to be “radically inclusive” while looking outwards to share the good news of Jesus Christ with all in our community. The theme of our Lent course for this year is “Finding a Voice”, to help us to have faith in what we are saying and sharing, so that we can effectively fulfil our call to be Christ’s Ambassadors.

However, throughout the last year there have been many exceptional events and trends that show that as a parish community we are already getting stuck in to developing our ministry of being welcoming and inclusive to all.

The most practical and visible sign of welcoming has been the Winter Night Shelter, which took up to 12 women and men (and a dog) off the streets of Enfield every Wednesday for the coldest three months of the year. It has not been without its

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moments, but so many individuals have been exceptionally generous with their time and resources to serve others. It has been really well coordinated by Sandra Anderson, who kept it all running smoothly and helped everyone involved to gain so much. Thanks must also be given to Fr Edd from St Andrews who individually slept over in church the largest number of times! The time taken to inflate and make up 15 beds every week was greatly reduced by children from Walker School coming over during their lunch hour to do their bit for the community. The children that came over to help with the Head teacher Frances Warhurst were different every week – there was even a waiting list – so the mysteries of putting on a duvet cover were explained rather a lot.

The engagement with many schools in the area has also been a really encouraging sign this year. Rev Hazel and I are both regular visitors to St Andrews School, and I lead assembly once each half term, which meant that the whole school came to visit us for their Harvest Festival. During Harvest week we had over 1000 visitors to the church including the whole of Walker School and the Little Oaks Montessori playgroup.

In September a new primary school opened in the parish on the Ashmole Academy site, who all came to us for a Christmas celebration, and we had art and history visits from pupils of West Grove primary – which led to me being asked to be one of the judges for their poetry competition.

We have also been able to welcome more families at the pivotal times of their lives as the numbers of Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals have also increased across the year.

The building was also open for the first Christmas Tree festival, with over 30 trees from different organisations and charities showing huge creativity, while the inaugural carol singing on the green around the new tree organised by the Southgate Green Residents association attracted over 80 people with 2 days’ notice! That will undoubtedly grow and develop into a wonderful community event. Christmas itself was great, with Christingle growing strongly, while Midnight Mass attracted over 100 more worshippers than last year.

We have also grown social events during the year, including the monthly Wednesday lunches, the Saturday Charity Lunches, the Jazz evening and the Quiz, not forgetting the Royal Garden Party, which all means that the ever enthusiastic Social Responsibility committee have been able to be extremely generous to a wide range of charitable causes. The May Fair continues to be a highlight in the local community.

The theme of welcoming continues for our services. We have completed the revision of all service booklets to make them easier to read and clearer to follow. Large print copies are available, as are sound boosting amplifiers. The design process to revise the lighting is progressing well and we are continuing to improve the sound in the church. The music is flourishing under Richard Brain and we are drawing choir members and congregation to be part of our worship from far and wide, including those who came to meet Pam Rhodes and sing hymns. Our services that are warm and high quality, using the best of the church’s traditions, are increasingly popular with our weekly attendance figure on a Sunday up by 10% on 2015.

The word of what we are doing is being spread by our exceptional use of social media – almost exclusively down to the skill and talent of churchwarden Phillip Dawson – we have followers across the globe, many of which use us as their link with “church” and the source of their pattern of prayer. Early this year we hit the milestone of sending out our 10,000th Tweet!

So many individuals have stepped up to join in the work of being welcoming. The

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number of sideman has increased (under the enthusiastic leadership of Judith Lo), the flower team has grown in number, as has the number of servers, chalice assistants and readers. So many people help quietly, keeping the whole organisation going, from cleaning and gardening, to Adam in the office.

In November we welcomed Archdeacon John Hawkins for his visitation. According to his report he thoroughly enjoyed the experience, “I found a church that was truly energised and excited about the opportunities and possibilities of ministry in this parish.” He concluded, “May God continue to bless this congregation and bless the considerable gifts that this congregation has for the sake of the kingdom.”

It is so difficult to single out individuals for thanks but so much is done behind the scenes by the Wardens Philip Dawson (who has just done a magnificent redesign of the Spire Magazine) and John Marriott (who ends his term of office at this APCM) – so many thanks to them for all that they have done towards the flourishing of Christ Church. The PCC Secretary Patricia Ashby is also coming to the end of her term of office, so many thanks also to her for keep us all in order. I must also add my personal thanks to the PCC for being so open and receptive to new ideas and directions.

I am really privileged to be your Vicar, supported by Rev Hazel, Cathy and Jackie, at a time where so much is growing and developing to make the church a beacon in the community for the expression of the love of God. Thank you all for all that you do and will feel called to do this coming year. It will be a very exciting one, not least because we will have the joy of helping one of the next generation of ministers, Liz, to grow and develop her ministry as our curate, in partnership with St Andrews.

I am looking forward to continuing to find Christ Church’s authentic voice here in Southgate, Creatively, Confidently and with Compassion for everyone.

PCC FINANCIAL REVIEW OF THE YEAR Senaka Setunge, Hon. Treasurer

Christ Church Southgate is now registered as a separate unincorporated charity, under the Charities Act 2006, and all members of the Parochial Church Council are now the registered Trustees of the Charity.

The overall sums received and spent by the Parochial Fund in providing the mission of the Church at Christ Church Southgate over the last few years is summarised (£’s) in the table on the following page.

The surplus for 2016 has been struck after providing the following amounts of funding we have sent the London Diocese during the year:-

LDF Common Fund 2016 £76,000No contribution to Enfield Deanery this year £ 0

Total £76,000

For the record, that figure was again, as in previous years, greatly in excess of the total gift aid received from our parishioners during the year. (See figures in schedule below).

During 2016 we continued to pay the agreed Common Fund contribution of £76,000 in full by more or less equal monthly and quarterly top-ups so that each quarter the Diocese received exactly twenty-five percent of the total agreed figure, and by this means is very helpful to the LDF so as to ensure they meet their own regular spending levels and cash

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flow demands. It should be noted that not all churches in the Diocese are able to fulfil their Common Fund figure in total as we are able to do, in spite of our large capital refurbishment and major repair costs to the fabric of our own Church over the last few years.

Total Gift Aid Income

Total Income Total Expenditure

Surplus (Deficit)

2002 50,826 99,943 120,293 (20,350)

2003 58,481 110,459 111,336 (877)

2004 65,286 126,028 120,691 5,337

2005 66,073 129,903 127,497 2,406

2006 67,860 138,660 127,269 11,391

2007 65,830 135,443 131,610 3,833

2008 64,333 145,608 138,898 6,710

2009 62,634 141,108 145,906 (4,798)

2010 64,206 145,421 144,200 1,221

2011 66,897 148,714 148,810 (96)

2012 65,115 147,332 144,462 2,870

2013 64,473 147,907 147,654 253

2014 62,927 150,316 153,994 (3,678)

2015 66,845 148,785 144,179 4,606

2016 67,714 150,453 146,232 4,221

One of the major highlights of the year were generous legacies totalling £52,000 from two individuals, which was treated as restricted income, to fund repairs and refurbishment to the fabric of the church during the year and in future years.

Following detailed negotiations with the Diocese, the Common Fund payment for 2017 is to be increased to £80,000. That amount covers the stipend and pension of our own Vicar at Christ Church and gives strong support towards the cost of maintaining the Vicarage at 1, The Green, Southgate as well as providing a contribution towards other costs of the London Diocese, which is of course part of Christ Church’s policy of ‘Funding the Mission of the Church in London’.

The stewardship campaign has continued to help the church, most notably in the first six months of year, and we have seen an increase of nearly £1,000 in Gift Aid income compared to last year. It has been suggested that a new campaign for 2017 would be useful to reinvigorate interest and maintain Gift Aid funding going forward.

The rental contributions from the lettings of the two flats on the Parish Centre and the house at 62 Oakfield Road for the year, have increased over £3,500 compared to last year as a result of a rise in rental charges which are more reflective of the current market price. However the gain has been offset by necessary maintenance expenditure to ensure the lettings meet the required standards.

The estimated level of fixed costs for the Church for the year to 31st December 2017 is

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forecast at:(£’s)

Common Fund 80,000

Administrative Costs 13,000 (including Parish Administrator)

Director of Music and organist expenses 19,000

Running costs of the Church 30,000

(including £7,100 insurance)

Total 142,000

2016 cost (forecast) £2,730.77 per week

From these above figures you will see how absolutely necessary it is to continue having regular increasing monthly income from parishioners to help offset the high level of fixed costs, and without which we would be unable to carry through the Church’s work, particularly as there is no doubt that without dividends received from the investments made by previous generations of the Church and the income received from our flats on The Green and the house in Oakfield Road, the Church would not be able to pay its way each year.

During the year to 31st December 2016 there was a considerable increase in the value of our investment shares we hold by way of a trust in the CBF Church of England funds (approx £34,000), which is encouraging given the backdrop of increasingly volatile financial markets during 2016, although investment income has fallen slightly year on year. This trend is expected to continue into 2017 especially given the uncertainty of Brexit negotiations, and the aftermath of the Trump presidential election on US and UK/European relations. We are hopeful, however, that the share value will remain strong for the rest of the year. The comparisons with the investment values since 2004 are shown below;

Values at 31 st December (£’s)

2004 228,984

2005 264,557

2006 293,310

2007 279,665

2008 208,101

2009 227,445

2010 243,748

2011 229,710

2012 252,447

2013 281,843

2014 296,808

2015 300,838

2016 334,141

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It should be noted that there has been no change in the number of type of investment shares held in our portfolio during the thirteen year period shown above.

It should be noted that as in previous years the Parish Centre Accounts, the Fabric Appeal Accounts, the Social Responsibilities Accounts and the Church Magazine Accounts have all been audited by the previous Church Treasurer as he has no responsibility or control over them. All those figures are included in the detailed Christ Church Consolidated Accounts, required for submission to the Charities Commission and the Diocese, and as such are all subject to a further independent examination. A signed copy of those Consolidated Church Accounts for the year to 31st December 2016 will be available in Church at the APCM.

As last year, note should be made that there are a number of members of the Church whose individual support with regard to the preparation of the financial information is given without any thought of how much time they are giving; and it should be recognized that the very tight timetables each year for the preparation of all the separate Church Accounts could not be met without their substantial behind the scenes input. We therefore publicly thank them for all their efforts in this report.

DETAILED COMMITTEE REPORTS

FINANCE & STANDING COMMITTEE The Revd Dr Chrichton Limbert, ChairAs the only committee required by law, the Finance and Standing Committee has oversight of the financial health of Christ Church by monitoring income and expenditure, and budgeting.  It has the power to continue the business of the PCC between meetings if a mandate is in place. It has met bi-monthly in advance of the full PCC meeting, mainly to discuss the issues that need to be raised to set the agenda of the PCC.

PLANT AND FABRIC COMMITTEE Phillip Dawson, ChairIncorporating the Statutory Report on the Fabric of Christ Church

BackgroundThe Committee was formed after the Annual General Meeting in 2016 to provide support to the Hon Surveyor in delivering the premises and fabric related targets set out in our Mission Action Plan.

Introduction The Hon. Surveyor to the Fabric of Christ Church, Chris Howell, is a member of the Plant and Fabric Committee, and verifies their annual report (following here) on the works carried during last year, and that it becomes together with this introduction the Statutory Report on the Fabric of Christ Church.

Thanks The Hon.Surveyor comments that the good Quinquennial report on the Church fabric could not have been achieved: firstly, without the wise decisions of the PCC to make appropriate funds available over the years not only for its maintenance but improvement; secondly the large number of parishioners listed beow, who contribute to the fine condition of the Church and to whom thanks are recorded here:

Colin Kerr, our diocese architect, for his expert advice; Phillip Dawson, Chairman of the Buildings and Plant Committee; Shaun Rigg, for guidance on tree works; Peter Holiday who looks after the Clergy House in Oakfield Road and the Parish

Centre flats;

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Michael Meur and his team for looking after the maintenance and care of Parish Centre;

Martin Sutcliffe, unseen in the tower, working hard to keep the bells/belfry in good order;

The churchyard gardeners led by Nancye Piper and Patricia Hawkins; The unseen team of Church polishers.

Our thanks are also due to: Teresa Walden and Sandra Anderson for heading up the cleaning team and rota

– more helpers are needed for only a few hours once a month; Lynda Rigg for organizing the Church flowers, and being the registrar of a large

number of Church keys.

ReportQuinquennial Inspection and Visitation Colin Kerr undertook the QI in December 2016 and a report was submitted in January 2017. There were no urgent items or items of major concern. Actions have been prioritised and will be built into the forward work plan. The committee co-ordinated all premises and fabric related information requested by the Archdeacon prior to his visitation in the Autumn of 2016. The Archdeacon reported excellent record keeping and statutory compliance.

Since the formation of the committee the following has been achieved;

LED Bulbs We switched the 55 bulbs in our nave from 100w Halogen Bulbs with 8w LED bulbs. The total installation cost (including labour and materials) was around £25 per bulb but the saving in running costs has been significant – around £90 per month. Added to this is a considerable saving on maintenance costs, because the lifespan of the LED bulbs is much greater than Halogen (50,000 hours compared to 2,000 hours). We used to spend around £300 per year on changing the halogen bulbs – each bulb needing to be replaced by someone with ‘working at height’ certification. The cost of replacing the four bulbs in the chancel was in excess of £1000 due to the hire of the cherry picker. The installation of the new LED bulbs will be paid back through savings in running cost savings in just over a year.

Relighting Scheme Lighting in the nave and Lady Chapel is of a poor quality, hindering accessibility to worship. The PCC approved expenditure on fees for design work relating to the relighting of the nave and Lady Chapel and upgrade of the LED system in the chancel. Lighting designer Graham Festenstein prepared an initial concept design and attended site in January 2017 to test sample fittings. A scheme design will be presented to the PCC later in 2017. It is hoped to fund this project through bequests and donations.

Energy Efficiency We have registered with the EcoChurch certification scheme and hope to apply for accreditation within the next 18 months.

Minor Works Thanks to a generous donation we oversaw the installation of replacement oak benches and gates and new noticeboards at the front of the church, to improve the spatial quality of and access to the churchyard. An application for DAC approval to widen the garden gate has been submitted. This will allow a cherry picker to access the garden and assist with future maintenance. Minor repairs have been carried out to the parish residential property. Works to the trees in the churchyard are programmed for 2017.

Accessibility Improvements Improving access to the church for all, as part of our commitment as an Inclusive Church, is the driver behind several MAP priorities including:

i) Minor works Following an audit by the Pastoral Committee, pipeline projects for

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2017/18 include improvements to the lectern step, handrails and non-slip treatment to the steps at the West Door and a ramp to allow level access to the west end. ii) Sound System Upgrade We have engaged a specialist advisor, Matthew Dilley, to prepare a specification for an improved sound system to improve accessibility and flexibility – the specification will cover both speakers and microphones and look at wireless technology. During 2017/18 we will test new speakers in church. We will obtain budget costs for the system upgrade. In the meantime we have purchased new T Loop Boosters for use by members of the congregation who require additional support. The boosters are kept charged by the Sidesmen.

iii) Accessible seating Whilst we have a wheelchair ramp the only wheelchair accessible aisle is in the centre of the church. Non-ambulant disabled visitors must sit at the back of the church and find it awkward to access the nave during a service (the central aisle being the only accessible route). We have appealed for ideas from other churches (via the Inclusive Church network) to see how they have addressed the desire to provide a choice of seating locations within a church with fixed pews. We will review these options during 2017/18.

iv) Accessible WC During 2017 an accessible WC will be provided on site and WC capacity increased.

Asset Valuation The PCC commissioned an external team to provide a valuation of the Parish’s property assets as part of a strategic review of suitability to meet the future needs of the parish. As a result the PCC approved a business case for major reconfiguration of our buildings. Support has been given by the Parish Property Support Team and during 2017 more detailed work will be undertaken, involving the whole parish and external stakeholders. This will be a major project which will require considerable investment of time and talent over the next five years.

PASTORAL COMMITTEE Sandra Anderson, SecretaryThe Pastoral Committee has continued to meet bi monthly. Cathy Dallman continues as chair person.

It has continued to monitor those who can no longer get to church or who can only come occasionally usually due to their physical/mental circumstances. Holy communion is taken to those who wish to receive it. Committee members regularly stay in touch with the home communicants and/or their families and carers.

The youth group has, for the time being ceased to exist. It was hoped that a junior youth group would be established but this wasn't a popular idea with the potential group members. In the absence of a formal Sunday school the Remembrance Chapel is still being used as a Children’s Corner during services. It is now very well equipped and we thank Judith Limbert for all her efforts in providing craft materials and displays.Baptismal cards continue to be sent on the anniversary of baptism with a reminder of our children’s provision on the third anniversary. This is kindly managed and maintained by Jean Thomas and we thank her for all her efforts.During this year the terms of reference for the Pastoral care committee have slightly changed as a result of Father Chrichton's improved committee structure. This now includes safeguarding and help for all coming to church, including disabled. Cathy is in dialogue with the Fabric Committee with the points that have been raised to date, all ofwhich either have been or are being addressed.

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Cathy is in touch with the organisation 'Psalm' and is hoping to organise a day course for those who minister to congregations in which many are retired. It is hoped that members of other churches will be interested in attending.

PARISH CENTRE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Philip Miall, ChairBuildings and groundsThe Management Committee (PCMC) is dedicated to ensuring that the Parish Centre buildings remain in good structural condition and are well maintained.During 2016 the following upgrades and improvements were made to the Parish Centre buildings:

Completed the refurbishment of the upstairs reception room with the hanging of new curtains, new hatch doors between kitchen and reception room, installation of a fold-down table, creation of a cloakroom and the installation of extra lighting switches. This was jointly organised with the Christ Church Association.

Continuing upgrading of lights when required and, where possible, replacing with LED units.

Extra exterior lighting with sensor controls has been installed in the Church House kitchen area.

Tree surgery to some of the trees to ensure that they are safe and healthy. There was significant delay to performing this work while we awaited local authority approval following the tree survey.

New racking has been installed in the basement for storage of May Fayre stock.

Routine maintenance issues to highlight during 2016: We continue to have a contract with E J Cleaning who fit in cleaning of the Parish

Centre complex around the busy letting schedule. We highlight issues to the company to ensure that routine cleaning and household maintenance are to a good standard.

The flat roofs of the two buildings, together with the downpipe drains require regular attention to prevent leaks and blockages. E J Cleaning have cleared the roofs of tree and leaf debris.

Old, unused and unusable furniture has been disposed of, including the large round tables.

New round tables have been purchased from Gopack. However the committee is, at present, disappointed with the quality, and some of the tables were delivered damaged. We are in negotiations with Gopack concerning replacements.

The gas boiler in the Walker Hall has been maintained and a plan to replace the boiler has been temporally shelved.

The wooden hall floors were stripped and resealed during the summer holiday period.

New cups and saucers have been purchased for Church house.

LettingsBob Hagon-Torkington has taken on the role of booking secretary. He has worked incredibly hard in this role and is an invaluable member of the Parish Centre team.

Both the Church House and Walker Halls are virtually fully utilised on weekdays and weekday evenings. The PCMC does not accept bookings for adult parties except for known Christ Church Parishioners. We have a number of lettings for children’s parties on Saturdays.

A meeting has been held with the three nursery school owners to attempt to iron out differences and problems that the nurseries encounter. We have some future plans drafted with the aim of achieving a “clear hall” policy.

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After a long period of negotiation, we have a new licence agreement signed with Start Right Montessori nursery school.

Parish Centre information for potential casual hirers is now available on the Christ Church website and an information sheet is sent to potential casual hirers.

FinanceThe Parish Centre continues to be self-financing under the overall supervision of Christ Church PCC. Letting fees were revised at the beginning of 2017.The Parish Centre donated and installed a hot air hand dryer in the Church toilet.

ThanksThe members of the Parish Centre Management committee all work incredibly hard to ensure that the Halls are run efficiently and thanks are due to them for all their efforts. My special thanks go to Mick Meur as PCMC Treasurer, Clare Boulton as PCMC Secretary and Bob Hagon-Torkington as Booking Secretary. I am also indebted to John Macrory who has help enormously in the legal aspects of issuing the new licence to the Nursery owners.

COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH COMMITTEE REPORT Phillip Dawson, ChairDuring 2016 we have continued to build on the success of our 400th Anniversary in 2015 through communications and outreach – driven by Bishop Richard’s challenge that we should “fan the rumour of God in Southgate” and Bishop Rob’s request for us to “break down the walls of the church”. During 2016 Fr Chrichton and Phillip Dawson were consulted by the Diocese of London and Church of England Communications Teams to share our ideas and experience in communicating the Good News using new media.

Communications : We have met this challenge using traditional and social media to reach thousands of people in our parish and around the world, every week, giving a positive and welcoming impression of our parish to those who do not know us in person yet.

WebsiteOur website is updated regularly, including the front page and news pages. We introduced a new ‘Parish Life’ section incorporating Children’s Corner, Charity Lunches, May Fair, Lunch Fellowship, Flower Arranging, The CCA/Bar, Winter Night Shelter etc – to better reflect Parish Life. http://www.christchurch-southgate.org/community/parish-life/

We updated our entry on "A Church Near You" with current service times and photographs showing the exterior and interior of the church, parish events and photos of occasional offices (marriages and baptisms). https://www.achurchnearyou.com/christ-church-southgate/

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We updated the church entry on Wikipedia to make reference to our fine collection of windows, our musical tradition and Inclusive ethos. Uploaded new photos to Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Church,_Southgate

Parish MagazineIn February 2017 we relaunched our Parish Magazine “The Spire” with more pictures, more parishioner-led content and less (or no) reliance on paid-for articles.

FacebookOur facebook page has 196 subscribers. Posts are made every day except Monday, linking to daily bible readings and prayers with a relevant photograph of part of the church. Average weekly reach is 234 views. We have begun to experiment with targeted Facebook Adverts for events as a supplement to leafletting. Expenditure of £70 on 11 campaigns has reached 23,475 people’s ‘feed’ and had an active engagement with 489 individuals (through liking or commenting on posts) and helped to raise attendance at special services and events.

TwitterDuring 2016 we posted our 10,000 tweet! We have over 1,330 followers. Tweets are scheduled every hour from 7am to 8pm Tuesday-Sunday. We actively tag and engage with other organisations to generate awareness. We average 2,800 impressions (feed views) per day, 144 link clicks (through to our website or facebook page) per month (5 per day) and 219 retweets per month (7 per day). We tweet prayers, links to bible readings and information about forthcoming and past church events. We seek to showcase the hard work of the members of our parish to a wide audience.

Weekly email bulletins We reach approximately 250 people each week using graphic-rich Mail Chimp bulletins.

Parish newslettersWe have distributed 14,000 leaflets and newsletters during the past twelve months advertising events, concerts and special services

Print mediaWe have had significant presence in local and Diocesan publications. The May Fair and Winter Night Shelter all generated news coverage. Our WW1 Lives Remembered Exhibition was featured in an article and photo shoot in the Enfield Advertiser http://www.enfield-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=114802&headline=%27Silent%20soldiers%27%20on%20patrol%20to%20honour%20Enfield%27s%20war%20dead&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2016 Fr Chrichton’s photo of the choir rehearsing in St Paul’s Cathedral was Picture of the Day in the Enfield Advertiser on 26th

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October 2016 http://www.enfield-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=114640&headline=Picture+of+the+Day

Future plansBefore the AGM we hope to have completed work on our new Welcome Leaflet.

We will continue to attempt to do all we can, with limited resources, to fan the rumour of God throughout our parish, projecting a positive and welcoming image of our wonderful, inclusive church.

Outreach:We aim to be an outward facing community. Over the past year we have maintained strong links with local community organisations and formed new partnerships.

School VisitsA significant increase in school visits over the past twelve months. New partnerships formed with West Grove School Southgate and Ashmole Free School (a new primary school in the parish) as well as local nursery classes. Visits made at Easter and Christmas and in-between times, focussing on local history and art and design, capitalising on our beautiful church building. Special “Leavers” and “Harvest” services designed with Walker Primary School, a community school. Children from Walker Primary School support the night shelter by coming across at lunchtimes and helping to prepare the beds.

Musical OutreachProgramme of concerts as well as choral services and a ‘Be A Chorister’ Open Day and visits to cathedrals in London and the South/East. See Director of Music’s report.

EventsIn addition to the May Fair (below) we have a thriving and active social life as a parish.

Events over the past year have included a Jazz Evening, Quiz, Barn Dance, Lectures, Talks, Silent Film night (with live organ improvisation) and a special “Royal Garden Party” in June, held in the Vicarage garden. We worked with the Southgate Green Association to open the church as part of Open House Weekend. We organised a special carol singing evening around the new Christmas tree on Southgate Green.

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Our first Christmas Tree Festival raised £1300 for Coram. A Gift Tree proved extremely popular with both members of the congregation and others who found out about the tree via social media.

Special ServicesIn addition to services at Christmas and Easter, popular special services have included our Epiphanytide Carol Service, which took place during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The Christingle Service on Sunday 4th December was well attended. Pam Rhodes hosted a special “Songs of Praise” style event at the end of Open House Weekend, with the choir leading the singing of some of our favourite hymns.

The May FairThe May Fair (the 38th in its present form) took place on Monday 2nd May 2016. The event is our largest outreach opportunity outside of our liturgical events and civic services and attracts hundreds of visitors. This year we selected as our main beneficiary All People All Places, who co-ordinate the Enfield Churches Winter Night Shelter. We allocated the Christ Church Southgate share of the surplus to seed fund the set-up costs of the Winter Night Shelter. This year we were required to pay £1,450 in fees and equipment hire to close The Green to traffic. An anonymous donor contributed £1,000 towards these costs and we are most grateful to them. This generous donation meant that the surplus raised was similar to 2015. Total income was £12,956 with expenditure of £5,805, resulting in a surplus of £7,151 which was distributed as follows: All People All Places (main beneficiary)£4,000 Highlands & Southgate ATC £250 Hatters Explorer Scouts £750 Christ Church Southgate Night Shelter £2,151

For the second year running, the fair took place alongside the opening of the Walker Ground - the extra activities and "taster sessions" offered by clubs providing an extra destination for visitors and helping to draw pedestrian flows beyond The Green and towards the church, resulting in increased visitor numbers.

In honour of HM The Queen’s 90th Birthday, the fair was officially opened by Ann Cable MBE DL, the Queen’s representative in Enfield and David Burrowes MP for Enfield Southgate. Assisted by outgoing May Queen Chloe Marriott, Mrs Cable crowned the 2016 May Queen, Katerina White, who was attended in her duties by Lucy Tobin and Isabella King (Attendants) and Scott Stockham and Anand Roy (Page Boys).

We are indebted to all who helped run stalls, donated goods and took part in the set up and clear up. Special thanks are due to our organising committee; John Marriott, Nicole Cross, Kathy Dickson and Ronald Lo, to the Reverend Dr Chrichton Limbert for opening the fair, to Clive Woodhouse for acting as Town Crier and to Deputy Lieutenant of Enfield Ann Cable for performing so many official duties on the day.

Thank you to Fr Chrichton and to all who have been involved in supporting our outreach over the past year.

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RESOURCES COMMITTEE Ronald Lo, ChairMembers of the Committee were Ronald Lo (Chair), Fr. Chrichton Limbert (Vicar), Sen Setunge (Parish Treasurer), Mick Meur (Stewardship Recorder), John Marriott & Phillip Dawson (Churchwardens), and Hilary Meur. The Committee had not met formally during the year as the Committee structure of the parish is being reviewed and re-organized by the Vicar, and the role of the Resources Committee is being re-examined.

Ongoing activities include annual review of stewardship, facilitating and encouraging stewardship, promoting Legacy Donation. A Record of Gifts to the Parish is to be re-established. Gift Aided donation has now been made possible on the parish website.

The new role of the Resources Committee is being reviewed in relation to parish assets as well as stewardship matters. It is likely that the responsibilities of the Committee will evolve with the plans for resource management of the parish in the coming year.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES COMMITTEE Jackie Anderson, ChairEvents and activities

Charity lunches . Six lunches were held during the year, with an average of 22 people attending. Income raised by the meal was supplemented by a raffle and gift stall which resulted in an average donation of £200 from each lunch.

May Fair . SRC ran the cake stall and a tombola at the May Fair as well as serving cream teas.

Coffee money . The money from the coffee served in Church was split between the purchase of equipment and materials for the Children’s Corner and KLASP. The money taken during Lent sent to the Bishop of London’s Lent Appeal.

Parish Walks . SRC organised two walks for parishioners. Pilgrimage . Plans are well underway for a pilgrimage walk in May 2017 from Ilam

to Eyam in the Peak District. Operation Christmas Child . SRC member Hilary Meur organised the collection of

68 filled shoe boxes, together funds to cover the postage. Tree Festival and Christmas stalls SRC decorated a tree representing ‘The First

Nowell’ as well as helping to organise the stalls and raffle in church which raised £1,500 for Coram.

Donation of Christmas presents to Southgate Homebound . SRC organised the collection and wrapping of presents for those who attended the Southgate Homebound Christmas Event.

Food Bank . SRC organised a collection point for food items for Enfield Food Bank Royal Garden Party SRC assisted with catering Lunch Fellowship SRC co-ordinates the lunches on the second Wednesday of the

month

Donations made since April 2016 (from SRC events and other fundraising activities in Church)

Bishop of London’s Lent Appeal £1000Christian Aid.                         £360Church Urban Fund             £700Noah's Ark           £170North London Hospice             £125Children's corner.                 £300Save the Children £210Christian Aid Haiti             £300Kenyan student nurse.       £300

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St. Peter's Trust             £1000Coram                                £1500KLASP           £300Children’s Society             £705Christian Aid Syria               £250Homeless Action Barnet £200Distributed through the Lunch Fellowship £615

Total donations since April 2016: £8,035 (£7,378 last year)

ThanksThe members of the Social Responsibility Committee all work very hard to make the events run smoothly and thanks are due to them for all their efforts. Thanks are also due to all the other people who assist us on a regular basis at the lunches - their support is very much appreciated.

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1 HEAD SIDESMAN’S REPORT Judith Lo Mrs. Jean Thomas stepped down as Head Sidesman since the 2016 APCM but continues to serve as a Reserve. The total number of Sidesmen on the rota as at 31st January 2017 is 21.

We welcome Mrs. Margaret Gourd, Mrs. Caroline Robertson, Mrs. Judith Limbert and Mr John Marriott to join the team. Their names will be put forward for election at the APCM 2017.

CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH ACTIVITIES Judith LimbertDuring the last 12 months there have been encouraging signs of growth in the variety of opportunities available at Christ Church for children and young people to take a more active role in our parish life and to learn more about their Christian faith.

Children’s Corner: This has been developed into a ‘self-help’ area for parents and children to use during services whilst still being able to take part in the services. Fresh furniture and resources, all designed to be welcoming and linked to the liturgical year, have made the area more colourful and appealing. Many thanks go to the Social Responsibility Committee for funding much of this. We also now have emergency nappy supplies, a child’s toilet seat and toddler step available thanks to Angela Parker. Whilst the number using children’s corner each week is small, the feedback has been positive. It is also used by baptism and wedding guests, and parents and toddlers attending schools events.

Schools Work: Father Chrichton and Revd Hazel have continued to increase their liaison with local schools and we now have regular contact with St. Andrew’s CofE Primary, Walker Primary, West Grove Primary, Ashmole Primary and Little Oaks Montessori Nursery School. It has been a great pleasure to have all them visit the church for services, heritage and community visits. Father Chrichton and Rev Hazel both go to St Andrew’s regularly and Father Chrichton helped judge the West Grove poetry recitation competition. Walker school children have made up the night shelter beds every Wednesday. They, along with Little Oaks, took part in the Christmas tree festival too.

Family Friendly Services: It was good to see an increase in numbers at our second Christingle, up from 70 in 2015 to over 100 in 2016. The activity based service proved to be very popular, especially the photo booth! The ‘Pop Up’ Nativity play also provided its usual share of cute and hilarious moments. Thanks to Kate Carroll and her production team once again. The church was full again for the Crib service on Christmas Eve. It is very encouraging to see more of our young people willing to take an active part in our worship by reading, serving and of course singing.

Music: There will be a report elsewhere about the musical life of the parish but it is also appropriate to mention under this section. The number of junior choristers and youth members of the adult choir continues to grow. They are all receiving a musical and Christian education whilst adding enormously to the liturgy and life of our parish community. They all enjoy the social life that comes with membership of the choir. They are all drawn from a variety of schools and backgrounds but become a close knit group through the shared love of church choral music and the experiences of singing in cathedrals, putting on concerts and social occasions. It is good to see those on vacation from university keen to be back in the choir stalls too. The team skills, ability to socialise with a wide range of people, professional musical expectations and the Christian

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learning is the backbone of our current youth work thanks to the commitment of Richard Brain and his fellow musicians.

Confirmation and Baptism: On February 19th Bishop Rob Wickham confirmed 5 young people, 4 of which are choristers, after Father Chrichton’s lively preparation classes in the vicarage. We were thrilled that they all became part of the Diocese of London Ambassadors for Christ scheme. During 2016 there were 18 baptisms, this is an increase of 11 on 2015. Offering afternoon family baptisms around the font has proved popular. The Pastoral committee continue to ensure that cards are sent on the anniversary of baptism and all the baptism families are on our weekly email list to keep them in touch with parish life.

Aims for 2017: To encourage our young people to ask all of us questions about our faith and to

support them as they develop their relationship with God. To develop further family friendly services , including encouraging more young

people to read, lead intercessions and serve at services, starting with Mothering Sunday.

To develop and grow our schools links particularly looking at ensuring our educational offering meets curriculum needs.

To continue to improve the resources available in Children’s Corner to include book bags for children to take to the pews too.

Finally, thanks to Kate Carroll who continues to be our parish ‘Children’s Champion’ for the PCC and to Jackie Anderson who is the parish safeguarding officer.

APPENDIX 2 THE CHURCHES TOGETHER IN SOUTHGATE, OAKWOOD & COCKFOSTERS Phillip Dawson, Parish Representative

The committee provides the opportunity for Christian churches and denominations in Southgate, Oakwood and Cockfosters to work together. Christ Church Southgate is represented by Fr Chrichton Limbert and Phillip Dawson. Over the past year our church has taken an increasing role in supporting the group. The current Chairman, Fr Christopher Hobbs, is due to step down at the AGM in April. Currently nobody has volunteered take over.

Collective Acts of WorshipThe group participated in acts of worship at Easter and during the week of prayer for Christian unity. The Good Friday Walk of Witness on 25th March 2016 started at Christ Church Southgate and finished at St Andrew’s Southgate and ended with a short service. The walk was well attended. Our church prepared and printed the order of service.

The Unity Service on 22nd

January 2017 had been due to take place at Southgate Methodist Church it was agreed to incorporate it into the planned Epiphany Carol Service at Christ Church Southgate. Fr Chrichton was able to incorporate the liturgy from the Churches Together Unity Service into the sequence of readings and prayers, with a representative of each of the churches in the group taking a turn to read. We made a poster to advertise the event. The service was

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well attended and much praise was received for the choir. A collection was taken for the Enfield Churches Winter Night Shelter.

Social ActionThe Committee receives regular reports from the Enfield Churches Winter Night Shelter and the Enfield Street Pastors. Each of the member churches participate in at least one of these projects throughout the year. The Street Pastors have expanded to also provide ‘School Pastors’ at certain schools.

Christmas and Easter AdvertisingOur church co-ordinated the design and production of the Christmas advert in the Enfield Advertiser. The advert was redesigned to make the church names and service times clearer. An Easter advert is in the process of being prepared advertising Holy Week Service times for all the churches in the group.

Agape MealChrist Church Southgate was well represented at the Agape Meal which took place at Christ The King RC Church Cockfosters on 28th April. This year the parish celebrated its 80th anniversary. The Agape Meal is a chance for members of different churches who form part of the group to meet socially.

Autumn LectureWe suggested the theme and speaker for this year’s Autumn Lecture which took place at Southgate Methodist Church. Reverend Dr James Walters, the LSE Chaplain and a specialist in interfaith matters, talked to a good-sized audience on “Global trends in religion and how they affect London”. You can read a report on the lecture on our website: http://www.christchurch-southgate.org/thursday-20th-october-how-might-global-trends-in-religion-affect-our-parish/

APPENDIX 3 DEANERY SYNOD REPORT Ronald Lo, Parish RepresentativeDeanery Representatives from Christ Church Southgate were Lynda Rigg, Peter Holiday, Ronald Lo and Sandra Anderson. The Synod met three times during the year.

The June 2016 meeting was the last one for Fr. Richard James as Area Dean and Fr. Stuart Owen was congratulated for his appointment as the new Area Dean. The meeting reviewed the development of Grace Church, Highlands as a Mission Church at the time of their 10th anniversary. This was followed by a session on church planting: with a talk by the Rt. Rev. Ric Thorpe, the Bishop of Islington, and a hands-on session with Deanery members – noting the lack of churches in Enfield Island Village and Turkey Street areas as potential areas for church development.

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The highlight of the October 2016 meeting was the session with Bishop Rob, re-visiting the listening exercise he conducted in 2015-2016. The Vision 2020 Ambassadors for Christ campaign and the support for joining the Vocation were very much part of his responses to the listening exercise. [See http://www.london.anglican.org/articles/listening-response-edmonton-revisited/]

Announcement was made on the appointment of Sub-Area Deans – Rev. Nigel Asbridge (regeneration and renewal); Rev. Andy Wadsworth (Ambassadors for Christ); and Rev. Stephen Gallagher (children, young people and schools).

The meeting in February 2017 focused on the Vision 2020 Ambassadors for Christ campaign with the Rev. Jon March, Chairman of the Steering Group on Discipleship and Ambassadors, addressing the subject. The summary of parish comments for the Vacancy in See Committee to select the next Bishop of London was tabled.

Deanery news can be followed on https://www.facebook.com/CofEEnfieldDeanery/and https://twitter.com/EnfieldDeanery

APPENDIX 4 CHRISTCHURCH ASSOCIATION Clive Woodhouse, Chair

The Committee’s on-going target of opening the bar regularly on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sunday evenings has been very good this last year; however the Committee is always on the lookout for more help with staffing the bar. In general Friday evenings continue to be the best attended which is why the Association decided to provide free cheese and biscuits on the first Friday in every month to encourage more regular attendance.

The newly refurbished Reception Room, sporting new decoration, lighting, curtains and furniture undertaken by the CCA in conjunction with the Parish Centre Management Committee had its formal opening ceremony on 17 April 2016. The Reception Room is now a clean, modern and comfortable space to enjoy drinks in good company.

To further enhance the Reception Room facilities in February 2017, the CCA installed a new 55” smart TV in the Reception Room in order to provide a facility for members to watch sporting and other major events such as the 6 nations Rugby. For this event the bar was opened on Saturday afternoons in addition to the normal Sunday, Wednesday and Friday evenings.

With the new Reception Room facilities the CCA have and are planning their Top Step Talks. These are designed to be a set of interesting talks held in the Reception Room on Sunday evenings throughout the year. Dr Helen Fry visited us on 19 February 2017 to talk about how Trent Park was used to gain vital intelligence during WW2, and we are planning a date for Lindy Hunt of the Haven House Children’s Hospice to visit, hopefully before May Day. Further talks are planned for later in the year.

The Association continued to organise its regular events including: Burns’ Night, Wine Tastings HM’s birthday fish and chip supper Chinese New Year Take-Away Evening St David’s Day; Cheese & Wine Evening St Patrick’s Day Takeaway St George’s Day Take-Away Evening First Sunday of Advent Service mulled wine evening

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9 Lessons and Carol Service mulled wine evening May Day Fair indoor and outdoor bars Midsummer Cocktail Evening Top Step Talks

The Association also supported other Christ Church Events by providing full bar facilities for the following Church events:

Vicar’s Quiz Night in Church House Dixieland Jazz Evening in Church House in aid of the Night Shelter Charity Pam Rhodes Songs of Praise evening at Christ Church Barn Dance in Church House Talkies Movie at Christ Church

The above events allowed the CCA to make sizeable donations to the Church Organ Fund and Winter Shelter Project.

The paid-up Membership currently stands at some 46 people. The Association continues to struggle to maintain the level of paid up members and the Associations events have had varying levels of attendance. General attendance remains low such that the long term success of the CCA and its bar facilities is not guaranteed. The bar is quite a unique feature of the Parish and it would be a shame that the facility did not survive through lack of patronage.

The Christchurch Association bar is a private members club and its rules require membership if one uses the bar facilities. If anyone is interested in either joining the Association (Membership is £2 per year) or the Committee or assisting with the bar rota please contact Steve Smith (Membership) or a member of the Committee (see list below).

The CCA AGM was held on 2 November 2016 at which the following Committee members were elected: Clive Woodhouse (Chairman); Steve Wyatt (Hon. Secretary); Pat Collins (Hon. Treasurer); Steve Smith (Membership); Angie Smith; Philip Miall; Sandra Anderson; Teresa Walden; Barry Rodway; Kathy Dickson; Ronald Lo.

Finally, a thank you to everyone who has helped during the past year and to all who support the Association’s activities.

APPENDIX 5 HON. SURVEYOR’S REPORT Chris Howell, Hon. Surveyor to the Fabric of Christ Church

Following the reorganization and restructuring of committees which has taken place during 2016, there will no longer be a separate Honorary Surveyor's Report. Instead, this will appear as part of the newly instituted Plant and Fabric Committee Report. This Appendix to the Christ Church Southgate Annual Report will be discontinued.

APPENDIX 6 PROPERTY REPORT Peter HolidayChristchurch, Southgate, owns three properties: two flats, 6 and 7 The Green, and one house, 62 Oakfield Road. 

Flat 6 - The present tenant has been given notice effective from the end of April when Christ Church will take back possession of the flat. Modifications to the bathroom and entrance will then be undertaken. From July, Flat 6 will accommodate the new Curate. The present tenant is seeking sheltered housing in Enfield, and I have written in support of his application.  

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Flat 7 - New tenants moved into the flat in June 2016, at a rent of £1100 per month. There has been some minor expenditure on repairs over the year. 62 Oakfield Road - Considerable work has been carried out in the garden during the 2016-17 period, cutting down dead and wild trees. This has now been completed. Complaints from the neighbour that a dead branch has ruined her daughter's trampoline, and that the fence also needs repairing are being addressed. Some work is also needed to the roof. The roof-work is pending, however, whilst a new builder is found (following the recent death of our usual builder). The rent for 62 Oakfield was £1600.

APPENDIX 7 DIRECTOR OF MUSIC’S REPORT Richard Brain, Director of MusicThe choir continues to flourish as major asset of the church, supporting weekly worship, attracting new visitors to the church, and acting as the church's principal youth group activity with 18 choristers aged between 9 and 18 currently on the register.

1. Equipment and Resourcesi) OrganDespite the emergency repairs of two years ago, the organ continues to experience problems due to its age. A rebuilding of the organ, including the purchase of new Soundboards, is the best long-term option to ensure the long term survival of the current organ. The rebuilding of the organ was part of the original plan agreed by the music department and then Vicar in 2015 when emergency repairs were initiated. Momentum for phase 2 appears to have slowed, but can easily be recaptured and I would be happy to present further plans to the PCC at their convenience. The consistent position of both myself and the Assistant DoM is that only a rebuild of the instrument will guarantee the Walker Organ for future generations at Christ Church

ii) Music Library and RobesDue to the large size of the choir and its repertoire, space in the choir vestry is now insufficient to accommodate, robes, music storage and 43 choir members. Our music library is also running to capacity. These are nice problems to have as they are sign of a healthy organisation, but the issue of space does need resolving.

iii) PianoI shall present quotes for the purchase of a new, smaller piano for the church, and for the sale of our current two instruments.

2. Peoplei) Director of MusicI am delighted with the Choir's achievements over the past year. Our record speaks for itself with an enviable reputation for beautiful music making, variety of repertoire, cathedral visits and concert opportunities. This is matched by high levels of commitment from choir members working in a happy and formal musical environment. I remain deeply grateful to all the choir members for the devotion they show the choir and the church. It is particularly delightful that the choir has so many members.Our record of Cathedral visits over the last two years is of particular note. Highlights have included a wonderful tour to St David's Cathedral, where the choir was given an extremely warm reception, and a trip to sing Evensong at St Paul's Cathedral, which was supported by about 100 parishioners.

ii) Assistant Director of MusicI would like to thank David Hinitt for the loyal service he gives the church, both as an outstanding organist, and also for the technical expertise he brings to the upkeep of the Church's sound system. I would also like to thank him for bringing his industry-leading

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skills to bear, engineering and producing a beautiful new CD for the choir. Thank you also to Kat Gourd for compiling the CD booklet artwork.

iii) Choir CommitteeMy thanks to Ian Winton as Choir Treasurer who oversees the regular payment of choristers in addition to acting as custodian of the Choir Fund, and to Ali St Dennis who undertakes a lot of the sheet music repairs and orders new choir robes. I would also like to thank Liz Hill for her assistance in maintaining the music library. Finally, thanks to Kat Gourd who provides a lot of extra support to me and the Music Department as Choir Social Secretary, and Phillip Dawson for all his efforts in Choir publicity.

iv) MembershipChoir numbers include a staggering 43 singers: 9 sopranos, 6 altos, 3 tenors and 5 basses, 3 senior choristers, 12 junior choristers and 3 probationary choristers.

A Chorister recruitment event was held in September 2016, and three children, including two boys, subsequently joined.

I would also like to thank chorister parents for all of their support bringing their children to choir.

3. Training and Developmenti) RSCM Voice-For-Life SchemeI would like again to thank Liz Hill for all her help in the training of the Choristers for the RSCM Voice-For-Life Scheme, and to Dave Hinitt for administering the tests.

ii) Choral ScholarshipsThis academic year two Choral Scholars have been appointed as Choral Scholars, Jordan Wilson and Romi Sharp.

iii) Away Trips2016 Trips:

Ely Cathedral St David's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral which included a parish pilgrimage “behind the scenes” tour

led by Canon James Milne, Sacrist of the Cathedral.2017 Trips:

St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Jan 2017 St Alban’s Abbey, 27th and 28th May 2017 Westminster Abbey, 26th and 27th August 2017 Southwark Cathedral, 16th September 2017

2018 trips: St George's Chapel Windsor, 17th-18th February 2018 Winchester Cathedral (date tbc) St Paul's Cathedral (date tbc) St David's Cathedral (end of August, 2018)

4. Outreachi) ConcertsThe 2016 Patronal Festival Concert was a performance of Haydn's Creation, with the church's "in-house" orchestra, the Bach Sinfonia led by Liz Partridge, and professional soloists.

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The Patronal Festival Concert continues to prove an extremely successful Outreach tool for drawing new people into the church. This year was a complete box office success and I am sure with the new concert budget, has a secure long-term future.

ii) Special ServicesThe Choir has taken part in a number of special services in the last year which have been extremely well attended, including the Hymn Celebration evening with Pam Rhodes in September of 2016. A similar seasonal event is planned for December 2017.

iii) New Choir CDThe Choir have now released their new CD, The Heavenly Architect: Choral Classics from Christ Church Southgate.

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