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Annual Parochial Church Meeting.
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Sunday 24th May 2022 – 12 noon
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St. Anne’s, Highgate Annual Report 2021
The two highlights of the year were, undoubtedly, the Artisan Fair and the John Etheridge/Vimala Rowe concert.
Artisan Fair:
This was the first time we had done this, inspired and helped by St. Mary’s Primrose Hill, and it turned out to be a great success. I was impressed by the stalls and the number of people who came through the doors throughout the day. If I recall correctly, it raised around £2,000 which was a great result for a first attempt. Many of the stallholders are keen to return, and this can only grow. Our especial thanks go to Marion Rushbrook for all of her work behind the scenes to make this happen.
John Etheridge and Vimala Rowe Concert:
Another great evening with John and Vimala, and well-supported. Our thanks to Paul Maskell for organising this, and he has grander plans for 2022!
Overview of 2021:
2021 was another year over-shadowed by the Covid pandemic. As cases began to rise dramatically following Christmas, and out of concern for the safety of the congregation, the PCC voted to close the church after the Feast of the Epiphany. The church was re-opened on Easter Sunday. Continuing concern made it difficult to restart many church events as we might have hoped. However, it was possible to restore the cantors to the Sunday Mass and hold some events in the second half of the year, most notably the Artisan Fair and the Etheridge/Rowe concert.
Our new Reader – Carola Darwin:
We were delighted in 2021 to welcome our new Reader, Carola Darwin, who was licensed on 24th June, at St. John’s, West Ealing, by the Bishop of Willesden. I was delighted to be there and place her Reader’s scarf around her head, and equally delighted and amused to be asked, as I arrived at the church, to bless a young Sikh couple who had just got married!
Pop up Fair:
In the summer we held a ‘pop-up’ fair and were blessed with glorious weather, so we were, largely, able to be outside. Although it didn’t raise quite as much as previous fairs, the format of doing everything on the day made it much easier and, perhaps, more fun for all involved.
Children’s Christmas Video:
Our thanks to Carola Darwin for organising a second Children’s Christmas video. Once again, a joy to watch and our thanks too to the Fleet Singers for their participation.
Walsingham Pilgrimage:
Very sadly it was not possible to hold our Annual Pilgrimage to Walsingham during 2021.
Holy Week:
For the second year it was not possible to celebrate the usual Holy Week liturgies, but more things will return in 2022, but services were able to resume, appropriately, on Easter Sunday, with a new Missa Brevis written by our own Matthew Power.
Our Palm Sunday Mailing also included a setting of a poem by Marie Post, by Carola Darwin. You can hear it again here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/a0wor9aws86nlz9/Palm%20Sunday%20-%20Carola%20Darwin.mp4?dl=0
‘Greening St. Anne’s.’
We are all aware of the environmental imperative and the PCC has agreed to explore ways in which we can make St. Anne’s a ‘greener’ church and reduce our carbon-footprint. Carola Darwin, who had done some work on this as part of her training to become a Reader will lead us on this.
Church Shop:
The Church Shop on Swain’s Lane has now re-opened, although we have fewer volunteers than we had pre-pandemic. We need new people to step forward and offer a few hours a week.
Partnership with HNCP.
Despite the pandemic, we have continued our strong partnership with Highgate New Town Community Partnership, and been pleased to support the work of the CEO, Andrew Sanalitro who has continued to work from St. Anne’s in these difficult times.
HNCP is facing a challenging time as it seeks to raise funds to equip the new Community Centre on Bertram Street which is due to open in 2023. It is also hoped that, as things begin to ‘unlock,’ more Community activities will return to St. Anne’s.
Occasional Offices:
There were no weddings or baptisms in 2021.
We did, however, mark, host and celebrate the life of our brother Desmond Davies who died this year.
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Churchwardens’ Fabric Report 2021
During 2021 the following minor works were undertaken to the church and its curtilage.
The vestry outside door has been modified by the formation of ventilation holes with covering grilles. This is to show that the door provides adequate ventilation for the gas boiler in the vestry. This in turn is needed for the issue of a gas safety certificate and the building insurance.
The churchwardens have undertaken routine maintenance of the grounds (mowing of grass, shrub pruning, cutting back of brambles and removal of ivy from the north wall of the nave). In addition they renewed the felt roof of the garden shed and one of its windows that had been smashed. The shed is now waterproof
The only cost to the church arising from the above was payment to the handyman for works to the vestry outside door.
Other maintenance (lightning conductor, electrical testing etc) has been undertaken in the usual way, using the church’s usual contractors.
We received the architect’s report following his quinquennial review of the church fabric. The report listed numerous works that could be undertaken to bring the church into tip top condition. Most of the works (which together would probably cost several hundred thousand pounds) did not require immediate attention. A few of the works were essential, requiring immediate attention and these have been addressed; namely, the testing of the electrical systems in the church and carrying out of any works necessary to obtain a satisfactory electrical certificate. These works were undertaken in the first half of 2021 and an electrical certificate has been issued.
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Camden Deanery Synod Report 2021
Camden Deanery Synod met three times during 2021.
The first meeting on 25 February was via Zoom and included a separate meeting of the house of laity for the purpose of electing the Deanery Lay Chair for the current triennium. This meeting was chaired by Peter Ginnings, outgoing chair of the former North Camden Deanery Synod. Peter invited the two candidates who were standing to address the meeting: Bill Saunders** (St Mary’s, Brookfield) and Michael Royalton-Kisch (Christ Church, Hampstead). The election was then carried out by Zoom online polling and Michael Royalton-Kisch was duly elected as the first Lay Chair of the Camden Deanery Synod. Tribute was paid to Bill for his long-standing service of the former South Camden Deanery Synod over many years and to Peter Ginnings who was standing down after two terms chairing the North Camden Synod.
The main meeting commenced at 7.30 pm at which there were 65 participants. The Area Dean introduced the new Lay Chair who addressed the meeting briefly. The officers of the Synod and Standing Committee were elected:
Secretary: Harmen von den Hondel
Treasurer: Angela Gardner
The elected Standing Committee consists of the Area Dean (Jonathan Kester), Lay Chair (Michael Royalton-Kisch), Treasurer (Harmen von den Hondel), Treasurer (Angela Gardner). Additionally the elected members of the Standing Committee were: Clergy: Kristin Breuss (Lighthouse, Swiss Cottage), Michael Thomas (St Michael’s, Camden Town), Jamie Haith (St George’s, Holborn), Eddie Carr* (St Alban’s, Holborn). Laity: Bill Saunders** (St Mary’s Brookfield), Nancy Jrira (St Mary’s with All Soul’s, Kilburn), Joyce Florrell (Holy Cross, Cromer Street). The total Standing Committee, thus consists of five clergy and six laity, preserving the convention of the laity outnumbering the clergy by one:
(Since the meeting *Fr Eddie Carr has moved to the Diocese of Blackburn and very sadly **Bill Saunders died suddenly and unexpectedly at the end of the year).
The Bishop of Edmonton commissioned the new Synod and Standing Committee. Signatories for the new Synod bank account were authorised and the financial arrangements for the Synod were discussed. A video was shown of the Diocese of London Vision 2030, before the Bishop spoke further. Simon Jones (St Alban’s, Holborn) spoke of his time on General Synod and encouraged others to stand in the forthcoming elections. The meeting thanked Simon for his many years of Synodical service at each level.
Owing to the pandemic the second meeting of the Synod on 25 May was also held via Zoom. In addition to statutory business, there was a keynote address by the Revd Claire Carson, Senior Chaplain of the Royal Free Hospitals NHS Trust and Bishop of London’s adviser in healthcare chaplaincy. Claire reflected on the challenges to healthcare chaplaincy during the pandemic, the shape of chaplaincy going forward and how we in the parishes and other chaplaincies can best give support in these times, before answering questions. There was an introduction to the Living in Love and Faith Course (LLF) and the Pastoral Principles by the Area Dean, who is on the Diocesan LLF steering committee and plans were made for Deanery Zoom and in-person courses
The final meeting of the year was in person on Wednesday 03 November at Emmanuel Church, West Hampstead. In addition to statutory business, there was a keynote address by Sam Donoghue, Children’s and Young People’s Adviser for the Diocese (with special responsibility for the Edmonton Episcopal Area). Sam spoke about the Diocesan Vision 2030 and the priority of growing younger, before listening to experience from the parishes and chaplaincies and how the Diocese can better support us. Robert Thompson (Vicar of St Mary with All Souls, Kilburn and St James’, West Hampstead) was congratulated on his election to General Synod and he spoke about the new shape of the Synod. Financial arrangements for the new Deanery were finalised, with parishes invited to contribute £15 deanery subscription and £100 into a charity fund. The Synod would at the end of each year choose which charity to support.
The Revd Jonathan Kester
Area Dean
March 2022
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Financial Report for 2021
Many thanks to Vince Rodriguez for his tremendous work as Treasurer over the past few years.
This report has, however, been compiled by Mike Harris, our new Treasurer who we welcome and thank for an excellent assessment:
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