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APCM Report to Follow

Inkpen Accounts 2023

PARISH of KINTBURY with AVINGTON

ANNUAL VESTRT & PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING 2023

Monday 17th April 2023, 7:00 pm, Saint Mary’s Church/Room
Minutes

23 parishioners were present with the Rev’d Canon Annette Shannon (Rector) in the chair.
The Vestry meeting opened with prayer.

One nomination for Churchwarden had been received:
Gillian Guy: proposed by Olivia Whitworth and seconded by Bridin Warner

There being no other proposals, Gill Guy was duly elected as Churchwarden for the year.  She thanked the meeting for its confidence in her, and support during the previous year saying that she would continue to do her best to carry out the duties of churchwarden for the benefit of the church and parish, and adding that it would be good to have a second churchwarden to share the load.

The Vestry meeting closed at 7:08.

The Annual Parochial Church Meeting opened immediately following the preceding.

23 parishioners were present with the Rev’d Canon Annette Shannon (Rector) in the chair.
Elections & Appointments
 -             Deanery Synod (2 members of the laity for a 3-year period) 
The previous representatives having resigned, and with no new nominations, Jenny Veasey agreed to take the role for the forthcoming year.
 -             PCC (up to 11 members of the laity, elected annually; 2 members may be co-opted by PCC)
 The current PCC agreed to re-election en bloc.
 -             Independent Financial Examiner – Appointment deferred.
 -             Electoral Roll Officer – Post vacant. 
Minutes of the APCM held on 22/05/2022
-              These were accepted with no matters arising.
The Annual Report with final accounts for the year 2022 was presented.  
A comprehensive report from the Treasurer provided commentary and explanation.  
The accounts were accepted with especial thanks to Pauline for her work on keeping the finances in good order;
There were no queries; points raised and general comments from those present included: 
-              thanks and congratulations to Rev’d Annette for her first months in post;  Annette commented on the trials and joys of being in a new benefice, and the problems of trying to learn so many names, faces and country lanes in a very short time;
-              the appointment of the new WBB administrator;
-              thanks to the churchwarden, PCC and Sidespersons for their contributions to the life of the church and parish during the year;
-              the state of the church heating and the need for planning ahead for replacement in the fairly near future;
-              ongoing issues with the main sound system, hearing loop and malfunctions during services; 
-              grant for new portable system to be used for outside events and services;
-              updates on the forthcoming vesting of St Mary’s Church Hamstead Marshall, implications for parish and parishioners, and the planned merger of the parish with that of Kintbury with Avington; date, details currently dependent on procedures of Church Commissioners; name to be decided;
-              current Sunday service patterns to be retained with some possible reductions / festival amendments until the arrival of the new HfD priest;
-              a question about ministry with children and families similarly deferred until forthcoming ministry and pastoral changes had been absorbed.
There being no further matters for discussion the meeting closed with The Grace at 8:10 

Kintbury with avington annual report 2023

HM PCC Accounts 31st Dec 23

HM PCC Accounts 2nd April 24

2023 WW PCC Income Expenditure statement

2023 WW PCC Balance sheet

2023 Return of Parish Finance

How will you vote?

Dear Friends,

I wonder how you responded to the news of the general election announcement from the rather damp Rishi Sunak. When I was 18 it was an election year and I was awed at being able to vote for the first time. Six of us organized a sleepover so we could stay up through the night with drinks and nibbles, excited to watch the results as they were announced. Sadly I am no longer so interested.

Last Sunday, in this heightened political backdrop, we celebrated the Trinity in Church so I pondered how to relate the two things in my mind. Fortunately, a Facebook post from a former colleague, Joe Hawes, the Dean of Edmundsbury, gave me an idea as he linked The Trinity with the theory of political Interdependence.  This is when intensive transactions flow freely between individuals, communities, and countries.  The transactions can be money, goods, resources, and information that flow across borders, house to house, and through communities.  When the flow is stable with an equal dependence, sensitivity, and equity of vulnerability there is potential for mutual flourishing.  However, when there is an imbalance, and one is more dependent on the other, there is the risk of one party being substantially disadvantaged by the actions of another. This is when insensitivity, misuse of power, and manipulation can enter the relationship causing asymmetry, suffering, and toxicity.

In the Godhead of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a model of a perfect flow of mutuality, equity, and sensitivity, and also the foundation of all good and life-giving relationships. We can apply that model by asking which of our political parties best reflects equity, interdependence, mutuality, and vulnerability through their policies and their interactions with others. Neither will be perfect but it should help us to recognise the party which will draw us closer to God and help to build His kingdom.

If you are still struggling with how to approach the election and want some pointers, I encourage you to look at the new election preparation resources on the site below which aim to help Christian voters think, act, and pray before they vote. The material includes an interactive quiz to help you discover the policies that are most important to you as prepare to vote.

With love

Revd. Annette

election preparation resources  

On Sunday we have the last of the four APCMs for the parishes in the Benefice; it is after coffee at
the 9.45 am service in Kintbury. It will be particularly important as it will be the first for the newly
formed parish of Kintbury with Avington and Hamstead Marshall!
These annual meetings must be held in every parish before the end of May. Having always been a
Rector of a multi-parish benefice I must confess that this time of year I am rather envious of vicars in
single-parish churches.
When I first started my faith journey elections for places on the parochial Church Council, even in
small villages were competitive. Leaders would have to be very creative and diplomatic in the way
they gathered nominations. Sadly, in most churches the village and even the regular congregations
view being present at the meeting as an ‘optional’ part of ‘being church’.
The APCM consists of two to three meetings, one to elect the churchwardens who can be anybody
from the parish as long as if they are “actual communicants, baptised and aged at least 18 years (in
some areas 21 years). In my previous benefice, I had a churchwarden who stayed in his local church
in the position of churchwarden for over 55 years. He had proudly been welcoming and saying
goodbye (sometimes rather hastily) to too many vicars but at least he will have found it more
difficult to forget me; I was his first female vicar and stayed for 11 years in post! In case I frighten off
any potential Churchwardens you are be re-elected on an annual basis, so you have an opportunity
to escape!
The APCM is also the opportunity for the parish to say thank you for all the work that churchwardens
and other officeholders of the church have undertaken as volunteers (so much of their work is
unseen)! And to support those who have generously offered to stand for the following year.
The election of churchwardens is the only business of the first meeting, and anyone who lives in the
parish can vote, whether they come to church or not. This is formally called the ‘Vestry Meeting’.
We are very fortunate to have two churchwardens in Combe, West Woodhay, and now Inkpen.
Kintbury is the only church where we only have one churchwarden although she is fortunate to have
an assistant, who having been a churchwarden in the past knows the challenges.
The second meeting is the actual APCM when members of the PCC (Parochial Church Council) are
elected. The number of PCC members a church can elect depends on the size of the parish. These
people meet several times a year to discuss the business side of the church: repairs and
maintenance of church and grounds and any other buildings the church has responsibility for;
expenditure, planning the church fairs, and ensuring that the church complies with current Diocesan
guidelines. This infrastructure enables all things to happen – the mission and worship.
Accounts are scrutinised, and reports are heard including a report on goods and ornaments of the
church – to make sure nothing has surreptitiously been removed from the building and sold on!
Some appointments are also made at this meeting: The representatives of the Deanery Synod, the
examiner for the accounts for the next year, and any additional sides people.
Some churches follow these two meetings with a third, the first PCC meeting of the year when
‘offices’ are filled: treasurer, secretary, vice chair. Other churches like Kintbury delay the first PCC
meeting, so they have some time to consider the best way to respond to changes in membership.
The apostle St Paul described the church as a body with every part vital with an important role to
play. It is the same with the church: everybody has a role to play. The APCM should be a celebration

of the life of the church, but it often feels as if it is something to be dreaded. There may be a
contentious issue to be discussed alongside the business. However, usually the most stressful part of
both the meeting and the lead-up to it, is trying to find people willing to stand for election and fill
the appointments.
According to St Paul, we all have different gifts and abilities given to us by God to be used in his
service and in supporting others in the life of the church. I am always inspired by the number and
variety of gifts that are evident in the parishes (although some keep them hidden)! We were taken
aback at Notrees when one of the residents revealed that as a child she would be part of a
gymnastics team that entertained the crowd at a very famous cricket club! Sadly, she is not in a
position now to backflip down the aisle to receive communion - but it did conjurer up a wonderful
image. It should be as simple as matching the person and their gift with the task ahead. But people
also need to be willing, and there aren’t many people willing enough to take on the responsibilities.
I am just very grateful for those who are! Thank you.
Loving God, we pray for our Churchwardens and Parochial Church members. We give thanks for
their commitment to your church and their communities, and we ask for your blessing on their
ministry.
Amen.
Love and prayers,
Revd. Annette

‘Have leisure, and know that I am God’ a quotation from Psalm 46:10 The assistant Church Warden Liz and I visited Notrees this week to create coasters with the residents. We decorated felt-backed tiles using mandala stencils. Mandala images are tools for meditation, mindfulness, and healing. The repetitive circular designs focus attention and help to create a meditative and mindful state. The room was quiet as people focused on colouring intricate designs. I hope the residents found some sense of peace through the activity. I can testify that the placemats produced were all beautiful and unique and that we all seemed in good spirits after the activity. Sadly, we can often feel guilty taking time out for ourselves. It can feel rather self-indulgent. Even when we are part of a prayer group it does not always help us to find silence. It can be seen only as an opportunity to pray for others and rather selfish if we pray for ourselves. But it is important to stop driving yourself occasionally and to put yourself into the receiving position. It is essential if you want to be a gift to others. I think the ancients the Desert Fathers understood this much better than we do. As we head to Pentecost on Sunday when the apostles received the Holy Spirit, I would like to suggest some exercises that we could all practice to carve out a few minutes to be present. 1. Take a walk on your own somewhere quiet in the country. Walk slower than normal, and notice as much as you can of what is around you. The smells, the sounds, the sights. Take time to experience the details and the variety in the nature around you. When you have finished your walk, sit quietly, and let your inner silence take root. 2. Find a place where you will not be interrupted. Make sure you are comfortable. Hold your spine and head erect and your hands loosely on your lap. Let your mind become quiet and still. Be content just to be. If you find your attention wandering on to concerns, give them to God for a few minutes to hold. It may help to write these on a piece of paper and to physical place them to the side. Then use one of the following practices. • With your eyes closed, be aware of all the sounds you can hear; their quality, feel, variation, etc. Do not focus on what is making them; concentrate on the sounds and let them help you to focus in the present. • With eyes closed be aware of the sensation in the various parts of your body in turn, starting from your feet and moving up through your body. Then briefly be aware of your whole body as you sit quietly. Repeat this. The aim is to become more aware. • With eyes open, choose an object to look at as the focus of your attention. Become aware of its shape, colour, texture, and so on. Look at it as though you were going to draw it. • Find a small object to hold. Focus on the sensations of holding it. You may or may not be aware of God’s presence as you do these exercises. But be assured God is right here and when you are here you are always with Him, whether you are aware of God or not. The German Theologian Meiser Eckhart wrote, ‘The most beautiful thing which a person can say about God would be for that person to remain silent from the wisdom of an inner wealth. So be silent, and stop flapping your gums about God’. Please take ‘leisure’ time this week to prepare and notice the Holy Spirit all around and within you. And let me know how you got on! With love and prayer Revd. Annette

CHURCH LETTER

Having had a lifetime’s involvement in church music, one of the things the pandemic brought home to me, along with many others, was how important live music is to worship. Some people missed the opportunity of singing together as a community, others the opportunity of hearing or performing music in one form or another. Music can have a great impact on people’s experience in church, whether it is actively through the singing of hymns in a small parish church or more passively listening to choral evensong in one of our great cathedrals.

Whatever the context, musicians of all abilities have a vital role to play in the life of the church. Whilst most parish churches probably do not have the resources or expertise available at one of our cathedrals or choral institutions, that does not prevent music being performed in a sincere and reverent manner. Whatever the tradition, music is there to enhance the worship and is a wonderful vehicle for bringing people together.

I was lucky enough to be a chorister at the headquarters of the Royal School of Church Music when it was based at Addington Palace in Croydon and it was there that my interest in the organ was kindled. Later, teaching took me down to Devon where I was also organist at an Anglo-Catholic parish in Torquay for thirty years, with all the accompanying rituals and ceremonies. Consequently, over the years I have developed an interest in the liturgy and when Annette put out a call for more people to take an active role in leading services, I was open to the challenge.

It is a sign of the times that as a result of the shortage of clergy, lay people are becoming more and more involved in leading services where an ordained minister is not required to be present. This is particularly so in multi-church benefices like ours - even Annette cannot be in two places at once!

Becoming a commissioned worship leader has enabled me to utilise a lifetime of skills learnt in the classroom as well as in the choir stalls and on the organ bench. At Inkpen, I have the privilege of leading Compline every now and again, usually on the third Sunday of the month.

The ancient office of Compline in one form or another probably dates back to the 4th century and its place in the daily worship of Christian communities in the West can certainly be attributed to Saint Benedict in the 6th century. Derived from the Latin word completorium meaning completion, it is sometimes referred to as ‘Night Prayers’ and is a service of quietness and reflection at the end of the day. Much of Compline has stayed the same over the years, so when we come together to say it, we have the overwhelming sense of joining in with 1500 years of church history. Its poetry is beautiful and phrases such as ‘keep me as the apple of your eye’ have become firm favourites. Whilst most of the service is spoken, we sing the hymn Before the ending of the day to one of the old plainsong melodies, again establishing a link back to earlier times.

So if you feel on a Sunday evening you would like to step back from the hustle and bustle of life for 25 minutes or so, why not come along? Allow yourself some time for reflection and experience the tranquillity that our lovely church affords. Our next service of Compline will be on May 19th and you will be very welcome.

Christopher Sears

r@gmail.com

I love this period in the Church’s year.  Yes, I expect that has something to do with the longer hours of daylight and the lighter evenings, the warmer weather, daffodils and all the other images of Spring – but it is more than that. 

I share the disciples’ feelings of amazement, shock, surprise and delight at the unexpected appearances of Jesus following his Resurrection.  Once they had got their collective and individual heads round both the unbelievable concept and the indisputable fact of the Resurrection, their every day must have been full of anticipation and hope – “Shall we see him today – somewhere?” “Will he pop up just when we are busy doing something else, and surprise us?”  It must have been an extraordinary few weeks for them.

They would have been feeling triumphant, justified, smug perhaps, on Palm Sunday, when it seemed as though their friend and companion had suddenly come into his own, been recognised and acclaimed as Lord and Messiah – but as we know, that jubilation was short-lived and soon to be dashed. 

So this, surely, felt different.  They must have been more cautious about its meaning – and maybe more receptive to its significance.

For us, I think, it’s a time when we can relax – the turmoil of Holy Week is over, the challenge of Pentecost has not yet taken place – we can just enjoy the moment and the meetings.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Last week I spent two days at St Deiniol’s residential library in Hawarden Flintshire which
has a family link with Kintbury which I will explain. The library was founded by the four-time
(twice just briefly) Prime Minister William Gladstone shortly before he died. The basis of the
library was his own theological library which he ‘relaxed with’ at his wife’s family (the
Glynnes) home in Hawarden, Flintshire. Now, it has a common room or lounge where
someone had left out a jigsaw of the Rosetta Stone – not something I am afraid I
contributed to!
It was while Gladstone was chopping wood in the park at Hawarden that he was informed
that he had won the election of 1868, he responded to the news by saying, “My mission is
to pacify Ireland” – something he did not achieve! Queen Victoria did not like him, saying he
talked to her, “as if she were a public meeting!” Nor was he short of words, being able to
speak in the House of Commons for three hours at a stretch! She much preferred Disraeli
who buttered her up, and bunched her with primroses. But Gladstone was one of the four
or five political titans of the 19 th Century. And, as a minor aside, he appointed my great-
great Grandfather, Arthur Hervey (1807-1894) Bishop of Bath and Wells in 1869 while
staying at Balmoral (Roy Jenkins, Gladstone p305 MacMillan 1995.) Arthur had been
Archdeacon of Sudbury near the family home at Ickworth in Suffolk, a very good tennis
player and linguist (Hebrew and Greek) who wrote obscure books like The Genealogy of
Jesus! (MacMillan 1853). He is buried in the South aisle of Wells Cathedral which we often
used to see when visiting or me preaching at the cathedral.
Gladstone’s great nephew another Arthur bought Wallingtons in Kintbury from the Dunn
family (Piers’s forbears) in 1913 and became a great benefactor of the community, giving
the recreation ground to the village, now managed by the Parish Council. And for many
years Arthur was Vicar’s Warden at St Mary’s. But in 1940 Arthur died and by 1946, having
been with the family after Arthur’s death for a few years, Wallingtons was sold to the De
Salles Brothers, a teaching order from France; and so, the house became known locally as St
Cassians, named after a teaching monk of the fourth Century called John Cassian.
Meanwhile, up at St Deiniol’s Library I was working on a book on the 2 nd Century Bishop of
Lyons called Irenaeus who wrote the first major theological work after the Apostles in
c170AD. “Obscure, you might say?” To which I might reply, “You might think so, but I
couldn’t possibly comment. Let’s wait and see!”
Patrick Whitworth

Dear All
The knee surgery went well and I was discharged yesterday at noon.  I am now focusing on my recovery and making sure to keep to my physiotherapy regime. Thank you for all the well wishes and the sage advice.
I will be back soon!
 

Annette 

Dear All

Open the Book

I need help with establishing an Open the Book team to visit Kintbury school and possibly Inkpen School a couple of times a term to deliver a Bible story as part of a collective Worship (the equivalent of an assembly for those of us who are older and know that term). I have always been a member of an Open the Book team in the Benefices where I have ministered. I can genuinely say they are so much fun. The children would always be excited when they saw us arriving at school. I heard many stories from members of the team, of children pointing them out to their parents with delight as they were out shopping.

Some of the teams would use simple props and costumes to help tell the story, other teams chose to all wear black, and at least a couple came as they were relying on the richness of children’s imagination to transform the context. One team in my last post benefited from having a seam mistress who created costumes for a local drama group so they were able to arrange for a loan of costumes.

The OTB organisation encourages teams to invite the children to be involved by being one of the characters or through audience participation like making the noise of waves, of fire, or of thunder, or responding as a crowd.

You may say but I do not have a lot of time that I can offer so here are details of what it would involve.

The organisation has this year tightened up the membership to ensure that every team represents the material appropriately so you would need to take part in an Open the Book training session to be involved in any way in school as part of the team. This applies even if you are only a walk-on ‘spare’. The training takes 3 hours and is a one-off session. It covers issues such as safeguarding and the use of OTB materials. This training can be completed face-to-face or online. I have just completed the new training and found it extremely useful, the time went by very quickly.

You would also require a current DBS check which can be obtained by completing a form online. This is a free check as a volunteer. Then I am asked to check your identity by seeing your photo driving license, passport, and utility bill. Then you are ready to become part of the team.  The presentation itself takes 15 mins plus some preparation.  After the initial few we would chat it through in the few minutes before we presented it.  

Once we have built a team (three or more) we can register.  At the moment it is just me so it is not viable but I have a couple of people who have already pledged their support. Once we have a registered team, we can apply for all the resources. You can choose to be a full member which costs £20 or an associate member for £5 and we will cover the cost as a church. Bob Hartman has especially authored a book of scripts based on Bible stories. (He is the author of the popular Storyteller Bible). This was important to ensure the scripts were adapted to be inclusive and acceptable for use in both church and community schools. There is also support material that provides suggestions to help with the presentation including how to involve the children, a scripted introduction, reflection, and a prayer that the children are invited to make their own if they would like, by joining in with the Amen at the end. Full members receive a range of goodies which include an OTB hessian bag, an OTB lanyard, music to accompany the stories, stickers to give to the children who have helped, and lots more. The associate members get some of these items.

The whole of the presentation is scripted so there is limited preparation. It can be delivered as a simple dramatic reading with the members taking the different parts, or groups can bring along simple costumes and props like blue material to become a river, a couple of sticks with red, orange, and yellow tissue paper to become a fire….

I promise you it is great fun and would be a huge benefit to the young people in the school, they gain skills from participating. You do not need to be a budding theologian, or a confident actor, and you can be any age. My team members have ranged from young mums and dads to those who were in their nineties, - they all just enjoyed storytelling, being part of an enthusiastic and jolly team, and seeing the delight of the young people.  When we asked the children if we could have some volunteers to help it was usually the whole school who raised their hands.  

Could this be you? Please do consider that possibility. It is an uncomplicated way to engage with the children of today. I will not be able to do this without your help.  (email revannettes@aol.co.uk)

Rev Annette

Here is the website for more information:

get involved in open-the-book