2020-08-31-accounts

ANNUAL REPORT 2019 – 2020

Church Address : Elvet Methodist Church

Old Elvet Durham DH1 3HL

Correspondence Address: Mr. Paul Harrison 28 Kira Drive Rosemount Durham DH1 5GU (Church Council Secretary)

Church Council (Managing Trustees) as at 1[st] September 2019

Mrs J. Ball	Mr P. Harrison	Mrs D. Slater
Mrs P. Bissell	Mrs S. Harrison	Mr K. Slater
Mrs A. Bradbrook	Mrs C. Higham	Mr D. Ramsden
Mrs J. Bygate	Mr M Higham	Rev J. Squares
Mr J Chamberlayne	Miss M. Hogg	Mr R. Smith
Ms M. Conway	Mrs P. Johnson	Mr B. Thompson
Mr T. Coburn	Deacon R. Lackenby	Mrs M. Thompson
Mrs J. Dundee	Mrs D. Lawson	Mrs K. Turner
Miss J. Fielding	Mrs S. Mein	Mrs L. Underwood
Mr J. Gibson	Mr M. Phillips	Dr P. Watson
Mr C. Harder	Mrs A. Scott
Dr M Harris	Mr J. Scott

Revd. C. Jackson, Revd N. Johnson, Revd A. Longe, Revd. L. Law, Deacon Esther Longe

Aims and Organisation

The aims of Elvet Methodist Church are to:

• Inform people about the love of God manifested in the giving of his Son, Jesus Christ

• Bear witness to that love by showing care to those in need

• To provide opportunities to worship God, through Jesus Christ

• To explore and demonstrate ways to follow Christ and promote Gods rule in contemporary society by the power of the Holy Spirit

The Church attempts to fulfil these aims by:

• Having well organised and meaningful services of worship each Sunday and on other special dates in the Christian calendar

• Providing services of Baptism, marriage and funeral

• Helping those in need, by providing a Foodbank and fundraising for charitable purposes

• Maintaining an orderly and welcoming building which can be used by other organisations

• Giving young people the opportunity to learn about the Christian faith in a safe and supportive environment, through Junior Church, and by giving adults the chance to explore their faith through house groups and meetings on church premises e.g. midweek prayer group, café-style/ discussion/reflective worship.

Organisation

The managing trustees of the church are the members of the Church Council, who are responsible for the activities of the church and the up-keep of the premises. They appoint the following committees to ensure the efficient running of the Church:

• Finance Committee

• Property Committee

• Pastoral Committee

• Church Growth & Mission Group

Activities in 2019– 2020

During the 2019 – 2020 year, Elvet Methodist Church has maintained its life of worship and of service in the community and beyond. Most of its activities are of an on-going nature. In its remit of worship, these consist of

• Sunday morning and evening worship services

• Regular celebration of Holy Communion

• Junior Church, meeting each Sunday during school term times

• Prayer groups

• House groups

• Baptism, wedding ceremonies and funerals.

All of these activities are open to the public.

Its service to the community is manifested in many ways before the pandemic prevented these activities;

• The church is both a collection and distribution point for Foodbank which could continue during the pandemic

• Each year, a charity (alternating between a UK-based and an overseas mission) is chosen as a special project.

• It supports a number of charities (e.g. special collections in aid of Action for Children, Methodist Homes for the Aged and in response to world disasters and areas of developing humanitarian need). In addition, offerings at communion services are donated to nominated charities each month.

• Marriage Preparation classes are run as appropriate

• Funerals are conducted in church, at the crematorium and cemeteries.

• It has a Thursday Club meeting held monthly

• A creche is provided during Sunday morning services

• The church has a Uniformed Organisation Group

• It has an associated Art and Crafts Group

• Open the Book – a team goes into St Oswald’s, local Church of England School

• Its members visit the sick and elderly. Birthday cards are sent to those over 80 years of age.

• Every Wednesday (except for the holiday periods) a lunch is prepared and provided, attended by people from the local community

• It is the focal church for the Durham University Methodist Society which is now incorporated in JAM (Joint Anglican Methodist Society) and also welcomes students from many countries.

• • It incorporates a Traidcraft stall

• It is a popular venue for concerts and other public events

Of special note in the 2019 – 2020 year were the following :

Services, events and meetings were held in the building until the UK went into ‘lockdown’; in March. Although we have been unable to meet in our building we have continued as a church without walls as best we could, virtually, by phone, by post etc.

• In excess of £15,000 was raised for the church annual project – work with ‘Mary’s Meals’. This fulfils the target for the year.

• Fundraising activities for the above project included A Film Evening, Autumn Fayre, Indian Meal, a Facebook/email raffle, Carols and Canapés, coordinated by the project committee

• In February we held a joint service and meal with the Chinese Church to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Using interpreters, this was delivered in English, Mandarin and Cantonese and very well attended. Also a Lunar Bazaar was organised that weekend by Rev Law to help with fundraising.

• A Christmas Tree Festival was organised for all of December and the community groups known to the church members were invited to take part

• Over the past year a number of charities have received donations from our communion and other special collections.

• The Chinese church under the pastoral charge of Revd. Lawrence Law, continues to meet and grow. This is now a class of Elvet.

• Several members holding identified relevant positions within the church (staff, preachers, stewards, worship leaders, pastoral visitors and anyone working with or having contact with

young people or vulnerable adults) have refreshed their safeguarding training with an updated module, in accordance with guidelines from The Methodist Church.

• We have updated Elvet’s action plan for future growth and events, under the heading of ‘every church growing’.

• We created a small prayer area available for private prayer in the church, when the church is open.

• We will investigate the idea that our Lunch Stop could also be an opportunity for the possibility of holding an open meeting with a speaker or having short informal reflective style worship before or after the meal, eg during Lent.

Objectives for 2020 – 2021;

• The Elvet Trustees will be working with our sister church in North Road, Durham, to see how we can work together to grow God’s kingdom as we all emerge from lockdown and face the challenges before us and become one church on two sites.

• We will continue our ongoing commitments, implement relevant aspects of the circuit plan and support areas of activity arising from Growth & Mission meetings both virtual and face to face when possible.

• We intend to make Elvet more visible in the community. We are considering installing artistic structures in the front garden to highlight church seasons e.g. Easter, Pentecost, a Nativity scene for Christmas etc.

• As the largest church building in our circuit we seek to offer alternatives for congregations of other churches, as well as students and visitors to the city.

• We continue to provide variety of worship, offering occasional café-style, Iona and Taizé style services, introducing new hymns and hosting joint services with other Methodists, Anglican and Chinese churches. We will explore expanding mid-week services and developing ‘Messy Church’ worship for young families.

• Our Methodist Students have amalgamated with students from the Church of England to form JAM (Joint Anglicans & Methodists) meeting regularly at both Elvet and St Oswald’s C of E as well as virtually and are open to those with or without any faith to come and explore.

• We hope we can hold Open Church evenings for refreshment when the Lumiere returns to Durham in 2021.

• The Chinese Church congregation continue to meet on Sundays and during the week – worship being offered in Mandarin, Cantonese and English when appropriate.

					..,......,..._	...._____	...._____	. ___ _ _		Notes
	SECTION A				Funds	Funds		year	year
al	RECEIPTS		Note		£	e		E	E
a2	Offerings and Tax recovered				59,375.04	508.66		59,883.70	58,428.87
	Bank and CFB interest and
a3	Investment income				359.10		0.00	359.10	514.82
a4	Lettings, Wayleave & Other Property				9,395.50		0.00	9,395.50	10,615.00
a5	Bequests, Donations & Other Receipts				20,896.54	7,983.48		28,880.02	29.422.34	2
a6	Traidcraft				0.00		0.00	0.00	0.00
al
a8	TOTAL RECEIPTS				90,026.18	8,492.14		98,518.32(al)	98,981.03
		SECTION B
bl		PAYMENTS
b2		Circuit Assessment			56,052.00		0.00	56,052.00	58,516.00
b3		Donations			130.00		0.00	130.00	12,450.43	4
ba		Repairs, Maintenance & Improvements			5.612.47		0.00	5,612.47	16,161.49
b5		Utilities (Insces, water rates, heating & lighting)			23,202,41		0.00	23,202.41	21,961.45
b6		Traidcraft			0.00		0.00	0.00	524.83	3
b7		Other items			12,211.17		882.72	13,093.89	4,937.13
b8
bg		TOTAL PAYMENTS		_	97,208.05		882.72	98,090.77(129)	114,551.33
		NET RECEIPTS/ PAYMENTS
ci		FOR THE YEAR	(a8-b9)		-7,181.87	7,609.42		427.55	-15,570.30
		Total funds brought forward
c2		from last year			64,265.73	20,658.78		84,924.61(a)	78,369.00
c3		Sub total	(ci+c2)		57,083.86	28,268.20		86,362.06	62,798.70
c4		Transfers and adjustments						0.00(c8)	0.00
c5		TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR	(c3+c4)		57,083.86	28,268.20		85,362.06	62,798.70	(c6)
		SECTION D
		FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS
		(these amounts are not Included In total recelptsMartents figures above)
dl		Balance brought forward from last	year					0.00	13,599.53
d2		Offerings/Gifts - received for external organisations						15,281.70	0.00
d3		Offerings/Gifts - passed to external organisations						15,281.70	13,599.53
d4		BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID		(dl+d2-d3)				0.00	0.00	5

	INTERNAL				Net Receipts/
	ORGANISATIONS	Receipts		Payments	Payments	Adjustments	Opening balances	Closing balances
el	Arts & Crafts	88.00		0.00	88.00	0.00	159.00	247 00
e2Choir		0.00		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
e3	Flower Club	0.00		0_00	0,00	0,00	519.85	519.85
e4	JMA	0.00			0.00	0.00	136.47	136.47
e5	Lunch Stop	0.00		0.00	0.00	0.00	6,014.64	6,014 64
e6	Thursday Club	362.14		205.00	157.14	0.00	505.84	662.98
e7	Women's Fellowship	0.00		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.09
	Sub total of Internal
ea	Organisations funds	450.14		205.00	245.14	0.00	7,335.80(ell)	7,580.94	(012)
	Church accounts(totals
e9	brought torward from page 2 - totals column)	98,518.32	(al)	98,090.77(b9)	427.55	0.00(c8)	86,565.93(06)	79,706.16	(C7)
	TOTAL CASH FUNDS
010	HELD BY CHURCH	98,968.46		98,295.77	672.69	0.00	93,891.73(x)	87,287.10
	Conurnie on a senarita sheet necessary and bring he totals	TOTAL RECEIPTS		TOTAL PAYMENTS
	Powys!

	SECTION F
		OPENING	CLOSING
	STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES	BALANCES	BALANCES
	CHURCH CASH FUNDS HELD	At 01/09/2019	At 31/0812020
11	Cash in hand	0.00	0.00
12	Bank Current Account	51,273.48	40,561.20
f3	Bank Deposit Account	2,746.58	1,607 58
r4	Central Finance Board	7,569.36	23,915.46
f5	Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes
to	Other funds
a	SUB TOTAL - Church accounts	61,689.42	66,084.24	(c7)
	Total funds held by Internal Organisations (the
fe	closing balance total from above) (e12)	7,335.80	7,680.94,	(e12),
ts	TOTAL CASH FUNDS HELD BY CHURCH	68,925.22	73,665.18	(y)
	SECTION G	At	Al
	OTHER ASSETS and LIABILITIES	1 September 2019	31 August 2020	Note
gl	Investments (include Endowments)	31,029,50	31,804.33
	Land & Buildings (see notes re
g2	Insurance value)	4,244,630.00	4,244,630.00	6
g3	Other Assets	0.00	0.00
24	Loan(s) - show amount outstanding at year end	0.00	0.00
g5	Other Liabilities	0.00	0.00