## **STRICKLANDGATE METHODIST CHURCH ANNUAL REPORT 1 SEPTEMBER 2024 TO 31 AUGUST 2025** The Aims and Objectives of our mission continue to be - to encourage a personal faith - to share a life of fellowship and mutual support - to reach out to the community in Christian service - to co-operate with other Christian churches These are in line with the Methodist Church nationally which seeks to respond to the Gospel of God’s love in Christ. Our Minister Rev. Melanie Greenall left her appointment in August 2025. A leaving service was held for Melanie to celebrate her 5 years of ministry in the Kendal Circuit. Kendal Circuit will merge with 7 other circuits to form the Cumbria Circuit on 1[st] September 2025. Stricklandgate Methodist Church is now part of a larger North West England District which came into being on 1[st] September 2024. These decisions reflect a huge amount of time and energy invested by lay and ordained members of the church in structural change in order to respond to pressures the church currently faces with decline in membership and an aging membership. During the year members have been encouraged to continue to follow the Methodist Way of Life which encompasses the following areas: ## **Worship & Prayer** Worship at Stricklandgate Methodist Church is open for anyone to attend and we seek to offer a warm welcome to everyone. The same applies to the teaching of Christianity through sermons, courses and small groups. A variety of preaching styles are offered by our minister, supernumeraries and local preachers. Increasing age and infirmity of members has affected attendance at Sunday worship – is now around 45. There continues to be a prayer space at the front of the church for people to use and a prayer chain that offers prayer on behalf of people in need. The Thursday afternoon meditation service, offering a quiet space, continues to attract a regular following of 15- 20. We have received our certification to conduct Same-Sex Marriages. Over the year we’ve continued to develop relationships with our sister church in Sandylands, sharing a joint newsletter and regular united services, plus a number of members have helped at Messy Church. Conversations have also been facilitated by Brec Seaton of the Methodist Learning Network, to explore how we could work more closely together. These conversations are continuing with the preferred option being one church on two sites. ## **Learning & Caring** Membership at the end of this year (Aug 2025) was 90 members plus 4 retired (supernumerary) ministers were part of our fellowship. Our pastoral worker has continued in role (until December 2026), and her ministry is greatly appreciated by those no longer able to get to church and those who have been bereaved. Three House groups continue to meet in private houses to share faith and support each other on a weekly/monthly basis. A Prayer Course was run in Lent. Other groups that meet are Friendship Group (fortnightly on a Thursday afternoon, with a variety of speakers and a regular attendance of over 40, both church and non-church members) Stitchers (a space where church and nonchurch members can meet to share their crafting skills). We continue to ensure good practice with training: safeguarding, unconscious bias, GDPR and EDI. ## **Service & Evangelism** Throughout the year, the church has continued to support various charities around the world e.g. Karibuni Trust (from Marmalade Sale), The church premises continue to be well used by community groups. There are active Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and the only Rangers group in town, plus several choirs, a singing group for mums and babies meet on a weekly basis. The Well Community meets each week supporting people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. Sadly the Child Contact Centre has moved to larger premises. Stricklandgate is one of six Kendal churches that help fund a CAP (Christians Against Poverty) debt centre to provide drop-in advice and support for families struggling to manage in these hard economic times. We’ve been pleased to have the debt centre manager update the congregation on progress and ongoing challenges ## **Stewardship & Giving** Each year the church raises funds for good causes in a variety of ways. At harvest we supported the King’s Church Foodbank. During Advent we supported Manna House who work with those who are homeless or vulnerably housed. In December 2024, church members and others made up, and sent over 100 shoeboxes to be distributed by the International Aid Trust to children and families who would otherwise not receive any gifts. Along with other Churches in Kendal we continued to support the local food bank, CAP (see above) and Christian Aid. ## **Ecumenical Relationships** We continued to work with other Churches in Kendal and District. Ministers met regularly to share good practice and discuss how we can work better together in the future, sharing gifts and skills. The Good Friday Walk of Witness and Easter Sunday Morning service at Kendal Castle were once more well supported. ## **Property & Finance** The property continues to be well maintained thanks to our volunteers – including the Brownies who look after the window boxes. New guttering has been installed. Redecoration of the outside of the building has been deferred to 25/26. The Methodist Church nationally is encouraging every church to reduce its Carbon Footprint and to be carbon neutral by 2030. This is part of the ongoing conversation on the future of the church building and something we need to plan for. There has been a change of tenants in our former caretakers’ cottage. We pay our caretaker and pastoral worker The Living Wage. Thank you to everyone who works so hard ensuring that the church is a warm and welcoming space for all. Rev Marie-Anne Kent Minister March 2025 CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Strickland ate IAethodlst Church FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2025 Kendal Clrcult ClrGult no. 0913 R8gl•t•r•d Charlty- Charlty Reghtratlon numbgr If not a registered charity HI• Majo•ty• R•venuo and Cu8tomg Glft Ald nUM￿r IThe HMRC number is equivalent to a regISte￿d charity number in tems of evidence of charitable slatU8 8nd may be used lo give lo donors or grant fiJnders wshing to see evidence of the org8nisalion'8 charitsble statu5. Methcdisl charib'es in England and Wales that are not registered charitses are excepted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No 242} 1126952 Minister. Rev Melanie Greenall Church Stew8rd8.' Christine Thom88 Anna Bennett Susanna Myeo¢k Janet Kitch Treasurar. David Brian Barnes SFA ChUith-recelpt￿nd-p?yMents-FInal PrEpavwJ by MB 31.o0.202>_.￿Sx 1of5 CCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 Stricklandgate Methodist Church Unrrttiictsd R•8trfct•d Totsls thls Fund$ fundB y•ar Totsks last y•ar SECTION A RECEIPTS Note Offerin s and Tax reeovered Bank and CFB interest and Investment income 57.680 57.680 56.009 33 8,283 24,436 8.283 24,436 9,446 8,445 28,383 31,919 124,766 Lettin a5 Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS a6 la71 SECTION B b1 PAYMENTS 02 Circuit Assessment or Share 82.728 62.728 b3 Don8tson8 1.980 1,780 Re irs and M8inlenance Utilities Iln8ur8nce$, water har es, healin htin irP s.{￿9 13,278 12,579 b5 11.237 9.798 327 24.659 110.498 b6 TMCP admin cha 478 478 b7 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS Pastoral wother 18.492 99.984 10.000 23,278 28.492 123.262 b8 Ib91 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 139 23.278 14,258 Total funds brought forward frem last year c2 373 ¢6 162 085 c3 Sub total 1+t2 192.575 169670 193,087 Tronsfers and ad'ustments from TMCP 25,000 25,0 ¢7 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR Ic3+c41 167.575 169,670 193,087 Ic6} SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO ExfERNAL ORGANISATION3 Ith•J• amounts arn not to be Included In total r•cdptslpa ments fi urm •bov•} d1 8alancg brou ht lorward from last d2 Offerin 51Grfts- rscèived for external anisations 1.331 2,132 d3 OfferingslGffts - passed to external organisat#)ns 1.331 2,132 d4 BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID (d1+d243) FA Cknl Firnl PrtmdbyHF1310* 202.5 xlA¥ Stnckl8nd ate Methodist Church YOFC oupirsMID INTE SECnON E l¢wth• GuldanEg ebth Summaryofthe Chuich attounts trth8￿eTwJ￿j 31 Awu* 2028 am Intem81 c*gamati￿ b)tsChwth CwKi¥Chuth MEetiro Notè th•t fvnts an Internal Organls¥bOll nrymaltybe Re$￿ed fvnds rt(xxAd t*¢JWiglv• thatb)tyDx*J be tsarrIK￿￿1StPu￿ Thls n￿￿t b8 AND A DIFFERENT FORM must bp Lwd a))￿n￿Fln￿ th￿red ty HB 31.08.2U25_.xlsx 5of5 r4 Wt ￿ Lry T ro r4 ty) c O r4 O 0 ¢0 e4 In¥%X th2- Vth¢4 r¥ j15jjl ,1, P4 Ln rn Its IO Stricklandgate Methodist Church, Kendal Balance Sheet at 31Aug-26 24125 23124 Assets HSBC Bank plc (cla & dep I Barclays Bank plc l FGI Lloyds Bank ISSI HSBC l U551 Charities Aid Foundation Central Finance Board Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes Total Assets 22472 401 30 2253 22356 46077 122181 215770 13271 742 72 1787 13892 62159 147101 239024 Represented by Unrestrlcted Funds General Fund Model Trust Fund No 1346: Interest Fund Endowment Investment 88810 88949 78765 43416 103765 43336 236050 122181 210991 Restrlcted Funds Benevolent Fund Project Repairs Fund Friendship Group Stricklandgate Stitchers Under 55 Group 373 1722 401 30 2253 4779 373 742 72 1787 2974 Total fund$ 215770 239024 Stricklandgats Methodist Church, Kendal Notes to the Accounts 24125 l. General Fund Balance 01109124 88949 Excess of income over Exp unrestricted from SFA -139 Balance 31108125 88810 2. TMCP Model Trust Bequests Trust No 1346 Twstee5 Irrtere5t Fund Balance 01109124 less payments for projects & minstry I restrirtedl Repairs project Gutterin8 and Letting property Pastoral worker No 8ain or Loss Balance 31108125 103765 78765 3.TMCP Model Trust Bequests Trust No 1346 Manazed Mlxed Fund Endowment Investments Balance 01109124 Investment Income Interest Dividends l Fixed Interest 43336 4551 914 5465 478 Less TMCP Admln Charge Net Income Received Paid out income Unrealised Gains and Losses Gain on Revaluation Loss on Revaluation 5968 net unrealised loss on TMCP Model Trust Balance 31108125 4987 4987 43416 TMCP Total funds 31108125 122181 Stricklandgate Methodist Church, Kendal Notes to the Accounts 24125 4. Church Organisations: Incorne Under 5s Group Friendship Group Stricklandgate Stitchers 500 11(Ml 5. Donatlons and Legacles Donations Legacy income: 19CKI 6. Sundry Income This includes a refund of £4885 by Connexional for Pension Fund t>onation5 given years a80, and now refunded as no longer required. 7. Spttlal External organlsatlons Collertlons World Mission Fund All We Can lex MRDFI Easter Offering Karibunl Trust Manna Housel extra presentl Boxes of Hope 50 252 363 179 437 50 1331 8. Donatlons to other oryanlsatlons Kendal Debt centre CAP: Disaster5 Emergencies Committee 600 380 9. Restrlrted funds Benelovent Fund Repairs/ Refurb project balance Internal or8anlsation5 373 1722 2684 4779 CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Stricklandgate Mothodi8t Church FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2025 Kondal Clrcult Clr¢uft no. 0913 Rogi•tored Charlty- Charlty R•gl•tratlon nurnb•r If not a registered charity Hh Male•ty• Rw•nu• and Cu#tom• Gfft Ald numb•r (The HMRC number is equivalent to a registered charty number in temis of evidence of charitable status gnd may be used lo give lo donors or grant funders wishing to see èvidence of the organisalion's charitable status. Melhodisl charibes in England and Wales that are not registered charib'es are excepted from registration under Statutory Inslrument 2014 No.242) 1126952 Ministér. Rev Melanie Greenall ChurGh Steward8.' Christs'ne Thomas Anna Bennett Sww)n8 Myc(Kk Janet Kttthing Treasurer". David BTian Barnes 8FA ChurGh-reGeiptrarKFpaymentWlnal Prepared by Mt5 3I.00.202J_.y]sX 1of5 CCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2026 Stricklandgate Methodist Church Unr85trietsd R•6tr1¢tsd Totah this FundB fvnd• Tot•l• l••t SECTION A 31 RECEIPTS Offerin s and Tox recovered Bank and CFB interest and Investment income S7.680 S7.680 ,009 33 8,283 24,436 8.283 8,445 28.383 31,919 124,756 34 Lettin a5 Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 9.446 a6 la71 8ECTION 8 b1 PAYMENTS b2 Circuit Assessment or Share 82.728 62.728 61.357 b3 Donation8 Re airs and Maintenance Ulililies Ilnsur8nces. water char ès, healin htin Res irP S,C69 13,278 12,579 b5 11.237 478 9,796 327 TMCP admin cha 478 b7 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS Res Pastoral wc*ker 18,492 10.000 23.278 28,492 123,262 24.659 110,498 b8 Ib9) SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 139 23,278 23,417 14,258 Total funds brought forward frc¥n last year 192,714 373 193,087 182,085 c3 Sub total c1+¢2 192,575 22.905 169,670 193,087 Transfers and ad'uslments from TMCP 25,¢X 25,000 e7 c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR {c3+c41 167.575 2.095 169.670 Ic81 193,087 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS thu• amountA ar• not to b• Includ•d In total recel flourn• abovo) d1 Balance brou hl f(￿rd frcm last d2 Offerin sIGffts - ro¢èived for extem nisatKJn8 1,331 2.132 d3 OffenngslGifts - passed to extemal organis*'ons 1.331 2,132 d4 BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID Id1+d243) of5 SFA ch￿•1￿¥•L*lPtr-￿l￿Fl￿91 Prwdtrty HBI1 012025 .xL Strickknd ate Methodist Church HURCH ACC SECTION E lolltywthe Guklanc• SL¥M￿ry ofthe Church ac02unts trthe ￿aren4*Y 31 A￿L￿t202$ *¥J reputy c￿￿re￿ Methng Note ittatth2fvnd8 of 8n In￿rnal O￿an￿￿On w1)u￿ nO￿al￿be Restrr*d frj￿ Un￿￿ r*c*8rtyyxw Iwirw(xyJhJ fvyany m8th￿l$t putfft. Thks gec*on must be and Dlstrld Oryanisauons. INTERNAL ORGAJIISAMONS 0￿1 Frknduhl Gr( 742 401 e2 S1￿Ck11 ei8 72 Und•r￿￿orOu ¢5 ¢6 47 ub total Iniema •11 •12 ¢hur¢h 4CC¢Ntth (tthl• brougMforw4rd troffl p•p• 2.Wt41s ¢olumTr •7 121262 P3.417) (¢7) 193.087 169 870 BY CHURCH 102.401 124736 23.3 195,688 on i 4ep8raw sheet rf n￿o￿•ryand Ihe li tor*Mrd TOT￿ RECEIPTS TOTAL PAYMEpifd SECTION F OPEP4W) ¢LO8*10 BALANCE8 CHURCH. CASH P￿40$ MeLD•t J* Cuh In fk9nd BBnk CuTh•ntA¢¢•Jni 8ank De A￿j￿1 Cwtral Fki•rKo BooTd Trust•ealDr Wthodi$l ¢hut¢h Pu Othol $U# TOTII-Chwch IC￿ Total IntetDai ltha t￿9￿nCe10th1 from srthel ie12) 169 670 2,601 •11 2,684 012 TOTAL CASH FUND8 HELD BYCHURI 19S,666 172.354 SECTION Q Al 31 Auwit 2025 OTHER A88ET8 Invejlmen LBnd & 8uihlln ett n(kn& rèlnwJrart*valL* 5276915 5414 133 Olher Lrdblth@s 14 Inc￿d@￿nIY FuThg8 the ter￿* Fharrn Boanl IS onlyFunds 8t Tru¥t¢￿tr Kkthrxths¢ PupxeJ 01 In￿￿￿8￿yClher1nwttbl￿15 (Mt the cash dunenl 0fThfPtr￿ts kn15 8clS Name of Church ...............strfckla￿lgato Church Declarations and Scrutiny I confim that thése Receipt and pa￿￿ent ba88d accounts for the year to 31 August 2025 hgvo been p￿pared from th? records of the Church and that they IndLKle 811 funds under the control of the Churc Iruslees. Signature of Ire88urer. Name and addres8 oflreasurer..................................................................................... Prn8•ntatlon to th• Church tru8tM• I confimi that the annual report and acc(yJnl8 for the year end*J 31 August 2025 werehvill be. pre8ent8d to the mgeting of the Church tru8t688 hakl on ................. Signature ol the Chair of tho mtoling Name of the Chair of the meeting . Idi.Iz6..... Indepondont Examlnerf8 Report to th• Trusto08 of tho Strlcklandgate Church Ch*rfty Numb•r 1126962 R•Bpon81bllltlo8 and bas1• of report I report to the Iru$tsos on my examination of the accounts of tho PJtrKklandgate chu￿ for the year ended 31 August 2025 s8t out on page8 .1. 10 .. As the Church's trustees, you a￿ resrM)n$ible for the pr¢paialion of the 8Gcounts in gGcordance wrth the requirements of the Charrtie8 2011 ('the Act,). I report in respect of my examination of the Church's accounts carried out under sacbon 145 of the Act and, in carrying out my examirsalion, I have foll0v￿d all the applicabb8 Direct￿n$ gFven by the Charity Commission urKler section 14515llbl of the Acl. ' delete or circle as appropriate 40fS Nam8 of chU￿h .. strtcalandgate Independent Examinevs Ststemont I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my att8nb.on in nnection with the examinakn'on (other than that disclosed belo￿) which give me cause to b81iev8 that in, any matenal respect.. the accountino re￿rdS were not kept in accordanc8 With section 130 of the Act,. or the accounts do not accord wth the accounting records. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in Connection with the examination to which attention should be dra￿￿ in this report in order to enabl8 8 proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. I hav81knrt obtained independent verification of all investments with tha Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts. bank balances and funds at tho Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individualty in exc888 of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date. Signature of independent examiner Name of Independent examinèr .. Heldi Boardman Relevant professional qualthcats'on of independent examiner . Retired ac£ountanl Name of firm (vthere appropriate) .. ABC A(XOLmting Addr888 ... ........ Heathe￿6a. Fi￿0nk. SedteTgh . Post Code .... L410 SEN Date 13.11.25 delete or circle as appropriate SFA Church.receOptS-an&p8yMe￿Fln￿ Prgp8red by HB 31.LW.2025_.xlsx 5of5