CENTENARY OF DIOCESE AND CATHEDRAL

Director of communications Neil Pugmire is chairing a working group to plan events and activities for the centenary of our diocese and cathedral next year. Among the plans are:

• A special edition of @CofEPortsmouth magazine in Spring 2027, which will double as a souvenir centenary brochure. It will outline the history of the diocese and cathedral since 1927, and preview the celebrations.
• Three special services during 2027, including:
  • Saturday 1st May 2027, 2pm: A cathedral service to mark exactly 100 years since the creation of the diocese and cathedral. Neil was able to announce that the Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally will join us, not just for this service, but for the whole weekend. Details here.
  • Sunday 18th July 2027, 11am: An outdoor service on Governors’ Green, to bring together worshippers from churches across the diocese. This may involve cancelling churches’ main morning services. Details here.
  • October 2027: A cathedral service to mark 100 years since the enthronement of the first Bishop of Portsmouth, Neville Lovett, and the hallowing of our cathedral.
• An exhibition in our cathedral featuring historic artefacts, plus ‘100 Faces’, a snapshot of people in our churches and church schools now. Details here.
• A series of pilgrimages around our diocese on Bank Holidays in 2027.
• Archdeaconry/deanery mission events that aim to leave a legacy for the future.
• Any events that parishes organise that aim to celebrate our centenary, which they can brand with the logo.

There will also be a launch event on Sunday 11th October 2026, which will mark 99 years of our diocese and preview next year’s events. Details of all our centenary celebrations are on www.portsmouth.anglican.org/100

COMMISSARY BISHOP

Bishop Jonathan explained that synod members needed to pass a motion to allow a delegation of authority to Bishop Geoff Annas, to allow him to serve as commissary bishop – standing in for Bishop Jonathan while he is on his sabbatical. Diocesan Synod voted in favour of this.

BID TO THE STRATEGIC MINISTRY AND MISSION INVESTMENT BOARD (SMMIB)

Strategic programmes manager Vanda Leary and senior projects manager Tim Pike presented the details of our diocese’s proposed bid for funding to the Church of England’s SMMIB Board in the autumn. You can see their full presentation here.

They explained that previous strategic funding under SDF3 would end in September 2026, and that our first SMMIB funding bid, approved in November 2024, covers strategic projects from 2025-29. This second bid for funding from SMMIB would cover strategic projects from 2027-31, and would be for a maximum of £5m over five years, with a further £500,000 available in time-limited funding. If successful, the following areas would be funded:

• Revive:
  • the Lead for Revive role
  • expanding Cairns for all clergy/lay leaders
  • training and support for clergy and lay leaders
• Revitalise:
  • the Lead for Revitalise role
  • specific parish revitalisation projects
  • a package for ministry with children, young people and families (including more funding for Flourish projects, Choir Church projects, and deanery-based projects)
  • A Parish Revitalisation Fund, allowing parishes to bid for smaller grants to fund parish mission projects.
• Renew:
  • the Lead for Renew role (part of the brief of the Director of Ministry and Discipleship
  • Parish renewal projects
  • New church plants in Cosham, Forton, Berewood, Barn Church, Boorley Green, Welbourne and one more
• Support:
  • the strategic programmes team.

Among the outcomes they hope for are increases in metrics including attendance, parish health, baptisms, vocations, Alpha attendees, outreach activities, and thriving ministries for children and young people. The Bishop’s Council will approve the bid on July 8, the final bid will be submitted on October 22, and the SMMIB Board will meet to make their decision on December 9.

Diocesan Synod voted to support the approach outlined ahead of the bid. To see the full presentation, click here.

2025 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS

Head of Finance Elaine Coe presented the details of the 2025 accounts and annual report, which you can read in full here. She reported that the auditors had no concerns about key issues.

In her presentation, which you can download here, she reported that the overview of all funds for 2025 showed a deficit of £1.35m. That had changed from a deficit of £488k in 2024. The majority of the increase in both income and expenditure was restricted funding, such as money from the SMMIB Board.

The 2025 budget had assumed a 100 per cent collection rate of parish share, but in fact 84.5 per cent of total parish share had been received. Among the year-end one-off adjustments was an increase of £2.3m across all funds in investments and land valuations. Our current cash reserves equate to around 13 weeks expenditure – our policy is to have at least six weeks expenditure available.

Synod members voted to accept the annual report and accounts.

FINANCE UPDATE 2026

Head of Finance Elaine Coe also presented details of our finances in 2026, which you can see in full here. The budgeted deficit for the year to date in 2026 is £590k, which is based on an 88 per cent collection rate of parish share. The current operating deficit is £538k. There is a slight underspend on clergy stipends and an overspend on clergy housing. Parish share collection shows a consistent improvement on the same period in 2025.

Our forecasts are broadly in line with our budget (we budgeted for a £1.24m deficit and the current forecast is for £1.22m). But other restricted and designated fund transfers might improve the position. Bishop Jonathan thanked Elaine for the extraordinary level of detail and financial control being displayed.

CSR ANNUAL REPORT

Canon Nick Ralph, executive director of the Council for Social Responsibility (a separate charity run from our diocesan offices), gave synod members some details about the history and vision of the CSR and also of the associated Good Neighbours Network, which brings together 116 neighbourhood care groups performing tens of thousands of tasks each year.

Among recent developments was the focus on mental health, in adults and young people, which had seen the creation of Compass Counselling, now the only independently-staffed service in Portsmouth. The CSR has also employed Lydia Galloway to run sessions for students in Charter Academy who need support with their mental health, and create the ‘Wellbeing Club’ podcast, which allows young people themselves to interview experts about aspects of this issue.

The CSR has also been involved with Rapid Parish Development, social enterprises and creative leadership initiatives such as Kaos Pilots over the years. The CSR annual report is available here, and Nick’s presentation is here.