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2024-12-31-accounts

CHRIST CHURCH LEYTON

Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Parochial Church Council

for the year ended 31[st] December 2024

Incumbent: Rev P Brentford Vicarage at 52 Elm Road Leytonstone London E11 4DW

Bankers: Santander Customer Service Centre Bootle Merseyside L30 4GB

Independent Examiner:

Jason Foxwell, Independent-examiner.net

PO Box 9846 Poole BH15 9JZ

Page 1 of 13

CHRIST CHURCH LEYTON

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL FOR YEAR ENDED 31[st] DECEMBER 2024

Administrative Information

Christ Church is situated in Francis Road, Leyton, London, E10 6PL. It is part of the Diocese of Chelmsford within the Church of England. The correspondence address is The Vicarage, 52 Elm Road, Leyton, London, E11 4DW.

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Christ Church Leyton has been registered with the Charity Commission. The charity registration no is 1127622.

PCC members who have served from 1[st] January 2024 until the date this report was approved are:-

Incumbent & Chair: Rev P Brentford*
Clergy: Rev D Webb Minister with Permission to Officiate
& Deputy Warden
Wardens: Mr Rob Pilling*
Mr Josh Field * to 22/09/2024
Deanery Synod Reps: Mrs Sylvia Clovey
Ms Caz Rawlinson
Elected members: Miss Ann Anosike Secretary
Mrs Joan Ede* Treasurer
Miss Carol Harrison
Mrs Marion Knowles
Mrs Janice Mancktelow
Mrs Clare Parker
Mr Rob Plutte to 18/03/2024
Mr Daniele Scaramuzza to 18/03/2024
Mrs Barbara Sweeting* Women’s Ministry Coordinator
Co-opted members: Gregory Pye Assistant Pastor from 14/10/2024
Electoral Roll Officer: Mr R Ede

*Standing Committee Members (J Field until 22/09/24)

Page 2 of 13

Structure, government and management

The method of appointment of Parochial Church Council members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.

Objectives and activities

Christ Church’s PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It also has maintenance responsibilities for the Church building of Christ Church Leyton, London E10 6PL.

Our Vision is to be a church that is true to our name, as Christ Church Leyton. We are Christ’s Church with Jesus Christ and his words at the centre and heart of our church, we are passionate about Church and so we are a church family who seek to love each other like Jesus loved us, and we are passionate about Leyton (and Leytonstone) as we seek to reach out with the life-giving gospel of Jesus. We therefore want to know Christ and make him known wherever the Lord has placed us and our mission partners. This Vision underlies all our activities.

Achievements and performance Church Attendance

At the heart of what we do lies our Morning Service each Sunday at 10.30am and our Evening Service at 6.30pm on the 2[nd] Sunday of each month, where we gather expectantly to hear God’s voice through the Bible.

The AGM was held on 17/03/2024 following the morning service. All the reports had been circulated to the congregation before the meeting giving the opportunity to raise any questions either in person or beforehand via e-mail, etc. The regular congregation has remained fairly stable over the last year, with some newcomers joining and a few coming off our Electoral Roll following the covid pandemic. Of the current 102 people on the roll, most of the church family live locally or in the surrounding area. The average weekly attendance (in person), counted during October 2024 was 73 adults and 10 children for the morning service and 5 adults for the monthly evening service who had not also attended in the morning. We have continued to stream our Weekly Services on YouTube for those unable to get to the Church building.

The many ministries of the Church have also continued and developed during 2023. We thank all those who have worked so hard to provide these ministries – Spotlight (under 11s); Youth on Sundays for the 11-16s; Growth Groups; Women’s & Men’s Breakfasts; Toddlers (midweek); English Conversation Club; pastoral care; and in so many other different ways.

Review of the Year - Reaching Out & Building Up

Our particular focus for the year has been on our Outreach with the gospel. With this in mind, particular encouragements to give thanks for are:

Page 3 of 13

Engagement with the congregation and local community has been maintained throughout the year with door-to-door visiting, invitations delivered to homes for Christmas and Easter, publicity and carols outside the building, weekly news updates, live-streaming of services, our website and social media. We are grateful to members of our congregation who serve in all these different areas.

We have also continued to build one another up as church family through our Sunday services, youth and children’s activities, men’s and women’s breakfasts, one-to-one and other areas of ministry. Growth groups continue to be central to our church life, as we have sought to be strengthened for the obedience of faith for the sake of the Lord’s name among the nations and stand firm in the true grace of God (Romans 1:5; 1 Peter 5:12). Our Away Day on God’s sovereignty linked in with our growth groups studies in Romans.

Our music, welcome and coffee teams have also been a key part of our outreach as we welcome visitors and our building up as we sing and speak the truth in love to one another. Training has remained an ongoing priority, including a training day and sessions for growth group leaders, a training session in using puppets to teach younger children, a session for Spotlight families on how to read the Bible with children, a new training plan for our Spotlight team, and music training/practice sessions.

We were delighted to be able to appoint an Assistant Pastor and part-time Women’s Ministry Coordinator this year. As ever, we feel stretched as a church family, and so there is an ongoing need to pray for workers for the harvest field alongside identifying and training one another to serve in different ways (Matthew 9:38).

PCC

The full PCC met in person on 6 occasions during 2024 with an average attendance of 86%. This includes a meeting following the AGM on 17/03/2024, at which all the necessary PCC officer elections were made. The names of our PCC members was made public at our AGM and is available on request. Following one of the Church Wardens moving away from the area in September 2024, the Standing Committee has gone down to 4 members and is currently made up made up of our Incumbent, 1 warden, Treasurer and Women’s Ministry Co-ordinator. The appointment of a new Warden is due to take place at the 2025 AGM. Alongside discussing our weekly ministries, major issues discussed by the PCC include our Outreach, Cultural Review, Staff recruitment and our response to the Prayers of Love & Faith . Practical issues discussed in more depth include our finances, fabric and a safeguarding review, all of which make our ministry possible.

Mission Partner Support

During 2024 a Mission Partner Support Group was re-established, made up of one link person for each of our main Mission Partners. PCC members have been encouraged to bring to the PCC meetings any causes that they feel are in need of support from the discretionary Mission Partner Support fund and it is open to any member of the congregation to suggest causes as well. The mission giving for one year is based on 10% of the giving to CCL from the previous year. On top of this, the Josiah Trust independently made a grant of 10% of the previous year’s giving to the Trust for CCL to use to support mission. The list of mission partners recommended for support is approved by PCC. The Josiah Trust are advised of the causes that CCL support. The areas our Mission Partners for 2024 focus on are Southern Europe (through AWM), Eastern Europe (through Crosslinks), and the UK (in London through Shepherds Purse and in Oxford at St Ebbe’s Headington). There was no Gift Day held in 2024.

A breakdown of all the 2024 Mission Partner Support payments can be found in the financial breakdown at Item 8 on page 12 of this report.

Fabric

There has been considerable work done to the Church building and outside areas during 2024. We are very grateful to our PCC member who has volunteered and worked diligently to oversee this area.

Page 4 of 13

Due to anti-social behaviour, security fencing at the South end of the Church, was erected during 2024 to prevent access to the side alley. It was also discovered that the flooring in the Elm Room kitchen had sustained damage (probably due to a water leak over many years) and needed to be replaced.

On inspection it was discovered that there was asbestos in the glue used to fix the tiles which were among the many layers of flooring which needed to be removed. The flooring was removed by qualified contractors. All necessary precautions were taken to ensure that the area was not used until the work had been completed. The leaking pipe was removed and sealed off before the new flooring laid.

Following the Quinquennial Inspection in October 2022, concern was raised as the boundary ‘garden’ wall at the rear of the building appeared to be moving forward from its footings. It was recommended by a structural surveyor that the wall should be monitored for 12 months to see the extent of any movement. The wall has therefore been monitoring during 2024 and we await the Structural Surveyor’s report.

Regular annual maintenance carried out in 2024 are as follows:-

Financial Review

A copy of the accounts for year end 31/12/2024 are at the end of this report. We continue to be grateful for the on-going support for the ministry at Christ Church from the Josiah Trust, an independent charity that supports Christian ministry in Leyton and partners with us in supporting a range of Christian biblical mission causes both in the UK and overseas. The financial situation is regularly reviewed with giving and expenditure figures being monitored monthly.

During 2024 we have seen a full year of members of the congregation changing the way they give to ministry at Christ Church Leyton. Many have switched their giving to the work to the Josiah Trust which is an independent charity who supports ministry in Leyton and supports Christ Church. The 2024 direct giving to Christ Church has changed as follows:-

Overall this change represents a 37% drop in giving to Christ Church. This of course has a knock on effect and the amount of gift aid claimed in 2024 is 36% down on 2023.

The FTG has monitored the financial situation throughout the year and the PCC receive copies of the monthly giving/expenditure report. Notes from FTG meetings are circulated prior to PCC meetings with details of any proposals which need approval.

We thank the Lord for the faithfulness of our congregation in continuing to support the Ministry at Christ Church in their service, prayers and giving. Prior to the AGM held on 17/03/24, the simplified 2023 Church accounts were circulated. The congregation was advised that the full 2024 AR&FS were available on request.

Following the PCC decision to pause paying the voluntary Parish Share from March 2023, the PCC agreed on 22/04/2024 to use £30,000 of this money to support a lay Assistant Minister at St George’s Dagenham.

Page 5 of 13

This former member of the CCL congregation, completed his training at Oak Hill and started at St George’s in September. The support will be paid on a monthly basis to the Dagenham Gospel Trust over 3 years. This money is being held in a designated fund to make it clear that it is being used to support biblical ministry and not just put into general funds to cover the costs at Christ Church.

The PCC also requested that the paused 2023 Parish Share money held within the EELGST (Essex & East London Good Stewards Trust) be re-designated to support ministry at Christ Church Leyton. The EELGST were in agreement. The EELGST are therefore supporting the Assistant Pastor post filled at Christ Church Leyton from July 2024.

The PCC discussed the paused Parish Share 2024 payments on 11/11/2024. It was agreed that contributions should remain paused until such time as it is known what arrangements for alternative oversight will be provided.

The PCC has committed to putting the following amounts into the Fabric Funds of the Church each year:• Fabric Fund £5500 • Vicarage Fund £ 500 • Fabric Maintenance Fund £2000.

It was not possible this year to meet the commitment for the Vicarage fund due to the amount of spending in the Fabric and Fabric Maintenance Funds.

The 2024 Fabric Fund spend totalled £12165.16 which includes:-

The 2024 Fabric Maintenance works totalled £2152.

The Vicarage Fund did not receive any part of the PCC commitment.

The Mission Partner Support giving for 2024 of £16322 was based on 10% of the 2023 giving income to both Christ Church Leyton and a grant from the Josiah Trust. This amount was fully paid out in 2024 and details of the payments made are shown on Page 13 at Item 8.

The General Fund at 31/12/2024 is showing a deficit of £21255.56. This increase reflects a complete year of the changes made from May 2023 in the way people give to the ministry at CCL. This deficit is being covered by monies held within the designated Staff Salary fund. However this is not an ideal situation and the PCC will be discussing this matter early in 2025 to consider requesting grants from the Josiah Trust to support the ministry at CCL.

We shall continue to praise God for His provision in 2024 and for the continued financial support we have received from the Josiah Trust and the congregation to enable the ministry at Christ Church to continue and we pray keep growing. We continue to update and encourage the congregation to regularly consider and review their giving, whilst being mindful of the cost of living crisis.

Overall the percentages for 2024 expenditure are as follows:-

A breakdown of the 2024 expenditure is shown on Pages 12 &13 of this report.

Page 6 of 13

Reserves Policy and Funds

The PCC’s primary source of income is from donations made by the Church congregation and its aim is to use all of those funds furthering the objectives and activities of the Church. Therefore the aim is not to hold reserves. Where the cost of ministry and running the Church are more than the income from giving, the PCC is eligible to apply for grants to support their work from The Josiah Trust, providing it continues to provide orthodox gospel ministry in Leyton, as defined in the objects of the Trust. The Josiah Trust has its own reserves Policy. The Christ Church Reserves Policy was agreed by the PCC on 14/10/2024.

Where money is donated to the Church for specific items, these amounts are accounted for separately in Restricted Funds. Any money unspent is carried forward into the next year’s accounts. Details of all the funds active in 2024 are shown on Page 10 of this Annual Report & Financial Report 2024.

Approved by the PCC on 28[th] April 2025 and signed on their behalf by Rev P Brentford (PCC Chairman & Incumbent).

Signed: Sigmed: Date: Date: - ~~LP ‘alprall dg~~

Page 7 of 13

Independent Examiner’s report to the Parochial Church Council of Christ Church, Leyton

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the PCC for the year ended 31 December 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the PCC you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the PCC as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Jason Foxwell FCCA FCIE independent-examiner.net PO Box 9846 Poole BH15 9JZ

Date: 30 April 2025

Page 8 of 13

Financial Statement for the year ended 31[st] December 2024

Receipts and Payments Account

Note
RECEIPTS
Regular Giving
Envs & Cheques
Open Cash
Planned Giving (SOs)
Gift Aid recovered
Total
Staff Salaries & Costs
1
Ministry Costs
2
Goods & Services
3
Church Activities
4
Other receipts
5
Total Receipts
PAYMENTS
Parish Share
Staff Salaries & Costs
6
Ministry Costs
7
Mission Giving
8
Total
Church Utilities
9
Goods & Services
10
Church Activities
11
Governance Costs
12
Other payments
13


Excess of receipts over payments
Deficit of payments over receipts
Transfer between funds

Cash at bank and in hand at 1stJan
End or previous year adjustment
re unreconciled amounts
Cash at bank and in hand at 31stDec		 General
Fund
£
5484
2221
32264
9187
49156
750
30
1340
6951
2468
60695
0
-7949
-2252
-9022
-19223
-9374
-19674
-13470
-415
-62156
-1461
0
-1461
-19824
-21255.86		 Other
Funds
£
0
0
0
0
0
28113
0
0
7300
4081
39494
0
-30855
-7300
-38155
-49
-7325
-45529
-6035
0
-6035
45915
39849.96		 Total 2024
£
5484
2221
32264
9187
49156
28863
30
1340
14251
6549
100189
0
-38804
-2252
-16322
-57378
-9374
-19674
-13519
-415
-7325
-107685
-7496
0
-7496
26091
18594.10		 2023
£
5115
2815
55789
14502
78221
12000
221
1495
3676
4768
100381
-37938
-1689
-3403
-14725
-57755
-12915
-23336
-5891
-400
-3206
-103503
4579
-7701
0
-3122
29213
26091

Page 9 of 13

Funds held

Balance
1st Jan
2024
£
General Fund
-19793.89
Staff Salary Fund
15000.00
Hardship Loan Fund
1589.75
Help Fund(Prev Needy)
2583.07
R & B Plutte Support
-10.00
EELGST Grant Salaries
0
Parish Share 2023
26622.50
Following funds closed at 31/12/2024
Donations Shoeboxes 23
-5.00
Donations Shoeboxes 24
0
Donations – CB
0
Donations - Ch family
0
Donations – Oxford Min
55.00
Gift Collection (WW)
0
Josiah Trust MPS Grant
0
Ladies BookGroup
49.15		 Receipts
£
60684.72
113.36
50.00
130.00
1695.00
28000.00
0
5.00
475.50
375.00
125.00
225.00
1000.00
7300.00
0		 Payments
£
-62156.69
-5894.36
0
-30.00
-1695.00
-24960.36
-3344.00
0
-475.50
-375.00
-125.00
-280.00
-1000.00
-7300.00
-49.15		 Transfers
between
funds
£
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0		 Balance
31st Dec
2024
£		 Balance
31st Dec
2024
£
-21255.86
9219.00
1639.75
2683.07
-10.00
3039.64
23278.50
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fund balances at 31/12/2024 Total
General Fund -21255.86
Designated Funds
Parish Share 2023 23278.50
Staff Salary Fund 9219.00
Restricted Funds
HardshipLoan Fund 1639.75
Help (previously Needy) Fund 2683.07
R & B Plutte Support -10.00
EELGST Staffing Grant 3039.64
TOTAL MONIES HELD AT 31/12/2024 18594.10

Page 10 of 13

Notes on receipts in accounts

Note
1
Staff salary & costs income
EELGST
NEST Pension Refund
Josiah Trust
Rent Contribution
2
Ministry Costs Income
Adult Ministry
Mother & Toddlers
Youth Ministry
3
Goods & Services
LoB Grant – new heaters 2022
Fabric Fund
Telephone rebate(change of provider)
4
Church Activities
Away Day 2023
Away Weekend 2025
Bible Notes
Church Funds
Church Meals
Consumables
Evangelicals Now
Gift Day 2023
Mission Partner Support
5
Other income
Donations – New Bibles
Donations – AWM
Donations – Shepherds Staff
Donations – Oxford Ministry
Donations – Shoeboxes
Energy Grant 2023
Fees
G&S donations
Gift Collection
Hardship Loan Fund
Interest
Help Fund (prev Needy Fund)		 General
Fund
£
0
750
750
0
20
10
30
1340
0
1340
0
5270
80
176
1319
7
99
0
0
6951
1855
0
0
0
0
0
108
497
0
0
8
0		 Other
Funds
£
28000
113
0
0
28113
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7300
7300
125
375
1695
225
481
0
0
0
1000
50
0
130		 Total
2024
£
28000
113
0
750
28863
0
20
10
30
0
1340
0
1340
0
5270
80
176
1319
7
99
0
7300
14251
1980
375
1695
225
481
0
108
497
1000
50
8
130		 2023
£
0
0
12000
0
65350
49
127
145
221
1470
0
25
1495
90
0
61
0
773
0
209
2542
0
3675
1274
0
1220
-95
542
950
495
0
0
225
7
478

Page 11 of 13

Notes on expenditure in accounts
Note
6
Staff salaries & costs exp
Staff Expenses
Staff Salaries
Payroll costs
7
Ministry costs
Adult Ministry
Mothers & Toddlers
Services
Spotlight
Youth Ministry
8
Mission Giving
AWM
Mission Partner in Europe
Barnabas Fund
CEF Britain
Crosslinks (GI)
LGP
Oakhill Student (BM)
Open Doors
ReNew
Shepherds Staff (RP)
UCCF (BP)
9
Church Utilities
Electricity
Gas
Insurance
Telephones
Water
10
Goods & Services
Fabric Fund
Fabric Fund – Maintenance
G&S
Management Software
Photocopier rental
Print		 Notes on expenditure in accounts
Note
6
Staff salaries & costs exp
Staff Expenses
Staff Salaries
Payroll costs
7
Ministry costs
Adult Ministry
Mothers & Toddlers
Services
Spotlight
Youth Ministry
8
Mission Giving
AWM
Mission Partner in Europe
Barnabas Fund
CEF Britain
Crosslinks (GI)
LGP
Oakhill Student (BM)
Open Doors
ReNew
Shepherds Staff (RP)
UCCF (BP)
9
Church Utilities
Electricity
Gas
Insurance
Telephones
Water
10
Goods & Services
Fabric Fund
Fabric Fund – Maintenance
G&S
Management Software
Photocopier rental
Print		 2468
General
Fund
£
-7610
-339
-7949
-638
-510
-116
-944
-44
-2252
-4500
-22
-1000
-3500
-9022
-1513
-4853
-2498
-485
-25
-9374
£
-12165
-2152
-2843
-574
-498
-1442
-19674		 4081
Other
Funds
£
-12000
-18855
-30855
-250
-4600
-250
-1100
-500
-600
-7300
£
0		 6549
4799
Total
2024
£
-19610
-18855
-339
-38804
-638
-510
-116
-944
-44
-2252
-4500
-250
-4622
-250
-1100
-1000
-500
-3500
-600
-16322
-1513
-4853
-2498
-485
-25
-9374
£
-12165
-2152
-2843
-574
-498
-1442
-19674

Page 12 of 13

Note General
Fund		 Other
Funds		 Total
2024		 2023
£ £ £ £
11 Church Activities
Away Day 2023 -263
Away Day 2024 -520 -520
Away Weekend 2025 -8075 -8075 0
Bibles – new NIV -1855 -1855 0
Bible Notes -60 -60
Church Meals -1376 -1376 -848
Consumables -1415 -1415 -2058
Evangelicals Now -169 -169 -180
Gift Day 2023 -2542
Ladies Books Club -49 -49
-13470 -49 -13519 -5891
12 Governance Costs
Examiner’s Fee -415 -415 -400
13 Other payments
Donation – AWM -375 -375
Donations - CCL family member -125 -125
Donations – Dagenham Gospel Trust -3344 -3344
Donations– Oxford Ministry -280 -280
Donations – Samaritans Purse -476 -476 -542
Donations – Shepherds Staff -1695 -1695
Fees -459
Gift Collection (WW) -1000 -1000
Hardship Loan Fund -200
Help Fund (prev Needy Fund) -30 -30 -50
0 -7325 -7325 1194
Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31stDecember 2024
General
Fund		 Other
Funds		 Total
2024		 2023
£ £ £ £
Santander Current Account -21255.86 39769.51 18513.65 25760
Cash 0 80.45 80.45 331
-21255.86 39849.96 18594.10 26091

Page 13 of 13