{"id":1643,"date":"2025-12-03T15:47:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T15:47:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/overtonbenefice.org.uk\/st-marys\/?page_id=1643"},"modified":"2026-05-19T10:30:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T09:30:52","slug":"pcc-jottings","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/overtonbenefice.org.uk\/st-marys\/pcc-jottings\/","title":{"rendered":"PCC Jottings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Mary\u2019s PCC Jottings \u2013 April 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Annual Parochial Church Meeting of St Mary\u2019s, Overton<\/strong>, was held on 29th April 2026, bringing together members of the congregation to reflect on the past year and look ahead to future plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting began with the election of Churchwardens, with Stuart Williams and Mike Smith<\/strong> both unanimously re\u2011elected. Warm thanks were expressed for their continued dedication and service to the parish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several updates were shared on church governance and participation. New members Cathy Owen, Clare Albert and Helen Francis were welcomed onto the PCC, alongside the continued service of existing officers and volunteers. Thanks were also given to Peter Silverwood<\/strong> on his retirement as a Licensed Lay Minister, recognising his valuable contribution to church life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Electoral Roll<\/strong> was reviewed, noting a total of 117 members following the 2025 revision. Appreciation was expressed to Ruth Williams for the ongoing work behind the scenes to maintain church records and administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Treasurer Chris Cates reported that financially, the church remains active and committed to its mission. Income increased slightly over the past year, supported by regular giving and fundraising, while expenditure was higher due to significant building works, particularly on the south side windows. The Mary Taylor Fund continues to provide important support, with funds allocated towards both the planned Families Minister role and future building projects. The 2026 budget was approved by all present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good progress continues on the bell restoration project<\/strong>, with over \u00a362,000 raised through grants and community fundraising. The project has generated strong interest and support from across the village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sustainability and future planning were also highlighted, with an energy audit underway to help shape a longer-term strategy for heating and achieving the Church of England\u2019s Net Zero ambitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his annual address, Revd James Russell reflected on a positive and encouraging year for the parish, with strong attendance at services, particularly over Christmas, and growing engagement through home groups, children\u2019s ministries, and community initiatives such as EcoChurch. The church\u2019s involvement in the wider Growing Rural Parishes benefice was also noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safeguarding remains a key priority, with thanks expressed to Julia Hodgson the Parish Safeguarding<\/strong> Officer for her ongoing work in this vital area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting closed with gratitude and applause to Rev James and Annabel Russell for their outstanding leadership and dedication over the course of the year. They were given a wholehearted round of applause in thanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

St. Mary\u2019s PCC Jottings \u2013 March 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary\u2019s, Overton met on 16th March 2026<\/strong> to review ongoing projects, priorities, and essential church business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Progress continues on the bell installation work<\/strong>, with Whites on site completing the final stages. Completion is expected by 26th March<\/strong>, and the PCC noted the efficient management of the project and the strong support behind it. Updates were also received on the church building and pathway plans<\/strong>. The pathway designs are now ready for submission, and the recent Energy Audit<\/strong> has provided a clearer understanding of both immediate improvements and significant longer\u2011term requirements. A replacement for the existing boiler will be needed, and the PCC began considering sustainable heating solutions in line with the Church of England\u2019s 2030 net\u2011zero objective<\/strong>. Grant opportunities are being explored, and a five\u2011year plan will be developed to guide decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PCC approved several Safeguarding policy documents<\/strong> and reviewed the Trustees\u2019 Report and Financial Statement<\/strong>. The search for a new Treasurer<\/strong> is still ongoing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PCC also received updates on wider church life, including local ministry activities and partnerships within the benefice, as well as operational matters such as preparations for seasonal services and ongoing youth and families work. The advertisement for the role of Children\u2019s and <\/strong>Families Minister <\/strong>is now live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The arrival of a new headteacher at Overton Primary School<\/strong> offers a welcome opportunity to continue strengthening church\u2013school links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Support for the charity Open Doors<\/strong> will continue as part of St Mary\u2019s overseas mission focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The APCM will take place on Wednesday 29th April 2026 at 7.30pm<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Mary\u2019s PCC Jottings \u2013 <\/strong>January 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Parochial Church Council of St Mary\u2019s, Overton, met on 19th January 2026<\/strong> to review current projects, parish life, and plans for the year ahead.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Significant progress was reported on the bell restoration project<\/strong>, with welding completed and the louvres due for replacement later in January. Fundraising continues as well as preparations for a dedication service<\/strong>, with the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane Cllr Colin Phillimore invited to attend once the bells are rehung.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PCC also received updates on wider church buildings and sustainability plans<\/strong>. A planning application for improvements to the pathway is nearly ready for submission, and the recently completed energy audit<\/strong> has highlighted major long\u2011term considerations and prompted a 10\u2011year plan for the church\u2019s energy strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safeguarding remained a central focus of the meeting. Updated documents including the Safeguarding Responsibilities of Churchwardens<\/strong>, the Social Media Policy Statement<\/strong>, and the Safeguarding Action Plan <\/strong>were reviewed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christmas services were warmly received across the parish, with an especially strong turnout for the Christingle Service<\/strong>. Overton Churches Together also enjoyed excellent community engagement at the Christmas Market Carols<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other areas of church life, recruitment for a Families Minister<\/strong> is moving forward, with plans to advertise the role shortly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next PCC meeting will take place on 16th March 2026<\/strong>, with the APCM scheduled for 29th April 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

St. Mary\u2019s PCC Jottings \u2013 April 2026 The Annual Parochial Church Meeting of St Mary\u2019s, Overton, was held on 29th April 2026, bringing together members of the congregation to reflect on the past year and look ahead to future plans. The meeting began with the election of Churchwardens, with Stuart Williams and Mike Smith both […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1643","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPCC Jottings - St Mary's, Overton<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Notes and jottings from PCC Meetings, with information for the community on what is discussed at PCC meetings.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/overtonbenefice.org.uk\/st-marys\/pcc-jottings\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"PCC Jottings - St Mary's, Overton\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Notes and jottings from PCC Meetings, with information for the community on what is discussed at PCC meetings.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/overtonbenefice.org.uk\/st-marys\/pcc-jottings\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"St Mary's, Overton\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-19T09:30:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/overtonbenefice.org.uk\/st-marys\/pcc-jottings\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/overtonbenefice.org.uk\/st-marys\/pcc-jottings\/\",\"name\":\"PCC Jottings - 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