## **Stewards Report – AGM June 2025** Good morning, Brothers and Sisters We are here again to reflect on our Ministry here at St Mark’s and to re-focus on our mission of worship, discipleship and evangelism. It also provides us with a window of opportunity to recognise and celebrate the selfless dedication of some members and ministries in our church family. God has been working in His usual amazing way to look over us, and it remains my greatest joy to be part of it all, serving alongside such a dedicated leadership team. I am humbled to continue to serve as your senior steward. We welcomed Rev Christopher Haines and his wife Linda to St Mark’s in September 2024. As is usually the case, the appointment of a new minister is both exciting and challenging. Exciting because it’s a new beginning for both the congregation and the minister, but challenging, because we both have to learn new ways of working together. We continue to pray for Rev Chris and Linda for God to grant that the leadership he provides here at St Mark’s is Spirit led, and Mission focused. ## **We give God thanks for His goodness.** Our Congregation numbers are down compared to the previous years. However, there are encouraging signs of growth with several new members submitting completed forms for transfer to join St Mark’s. Rev. Chris will soon commence membership classes with them, and we look forward to celebrating their membership in a short while. Every Monday evening, Brother Eric invites us all to prayer meetings to pray together to intercede for all the church family and friends and above all to experience the power of collective prayer. Thank you, Brother Eric, for your commitment and Love for spiritual needs of the congregation. We are grateful to our Sunday morning hosts who welcome us into the church every Sunday. We thank you as a group for your commitment, dedication and welcoming smile. God richly bless you. To our financial stewards who work quietly behind the scenes every Sunday after service, counting and recording all the offerings and making sure the figures balance. We say thank you. To the congregation we say thank you for giving so generously from your hearts for the work of the Lord. We recognise the commitment of our communion stewards. They work tirelessly behind the scenes preparing for our sacrament on the first Sunday of ever month. May God richly Bless you. To our Sunday School and RISE leaders and teachers, we appreciate your dedication and pray that God will continue to bless and empower you with your work with the children. The church is in a better place because of you. Our fledging Boys Brigade Company for Boys and Girls from ages 5-11 is up and running. They meet on Tuesday evenings at 6pm. This is an opportunity for the children to learn, grow and discover in a safe, fun and caring environment which is rooted in Christian faith. Currently the numbers are low but growing. We therefore plead for more volunteers to come forward to assist in the running of the sessions. To Felicity and her team, we say thank you. We are blessed to have Emmanuel, Gerome and the rest of the team in the media room every Sunday. They make sure the hymns, messages, and videos are seamlessly projected on the screen for our use during the service. From the church family we say thank you and may the Lord continue to bless you. We thank God for the Gifts and talents of David’s Harp. You uniquely minister to us every Sunday. You bring so much energy and emotions to the congregation every Sunday. You make our Sunday services complete. First, you prepare us to receive the word and then you send us home with joy in our hearts. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. God richly bless you. I have to mention the **rise and rise of the Youth Band** . We are very proud of you, and I can safely say the Church is in a very good place because of you. Thank you to Richard and Mildred for your dedication and commitment in nurturing this talent which our young people possess. We are grateful to members of our Church Choir who fill our worship and our hearts with music every Sunday. You set the scene for us at the start of the service, lead us with hymns during the service and send us home having been filled with the joy of God’s presence. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us. As a church family we say thank you to Brother Joe for offering to play for us on selected Sundays because of his pre-engagement elsewhere. We continue to pray that one day we can have you all to ourselves. On our outreach front, our provision of Soup Kitchen during the winter months has been a great success. This year, the service was extended to April. Thank you to Alfred, Francesca, Grace, Emelia, Marsha, Denys and the rest of the team for your commitment, God richly Bless you. Refreshments continue to be provided by Pastoral Link Groups on Communion Sundays. This has been a huge success and a good opportunity for members to come together over teas and coffee after service. If your Pastoral Link Group is not on the Rota and you would like to help, please see me or any of the stewards after service. As a church, we are indeed blessed to have **Mr Wendel Forde** amongst us. This man is always here to open the church doors, to receive deliveries, attend to builders working on the church premises and of late identifying illegal parking in the car park. We say Thank you Mr Forde and God richly bless you. We give God thanks for all volunteers whose commitments enables the church to fulfil its role in providing active Christian witness in the community. We have all got gifts and talents which can be used for the glory of God. Please ask yourself in your own quiet time: ## **‘What can I do to help my church’** Thank you CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS st Mark'fb M•thodl8t Church FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2024 New Rlvar Circult Circuit no. 36122 R*glst•r8d Charity- Charity Registration nurnber If not a regtst8red charty Hi8 Majesty's Revenue and Cu$tom$ Gift Aid numb8r IThe HMRC nUM￿r 1$ equival8nt to a register8d charity number in terms of evMlenc8 of charitab18 Statu5 may ￿ used to give lo donors or grant fvnders wishing to see e¥￿ence of the organisation's eharrtable status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are Thx ￿gistered ¢harit¢$ are exceptsd frotn registration under Slalutory Instru￿ont 2014 No.2421 1128035 Minister. Rev Chris HainÈ$ Church Stewards.. CharfesAgyernang.Duah Alex Pusuo Ja(x>b Berko Leona 8on8U Barbara Fenning Ja(4U81i#e Vanhome Ros8dta L88 Atou-Lu Brou Tr8asur8r'. Daniel Dongsieri FCCA Sl Markg Churth.SOFA 2024 1of6 ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024 st MarWs Methodlst Church Unrestiictsd R•strthd Tots￿t￿ Fvndo Funda Totsts SECTION A a1 RECEIPTS Offerings and Tax Bank and CF8 interest and Investment in¢om 127.469 128.457 87,874 11.099 43.911 11.348 193,827 11,099 43,911 141,504 324,971 4,412 42,452 28,994 163,732 Letti 35 Other re￿iptS TOTAL RECEIPTS 130.156 131,144 a6 {an SECTION b1 PAYMENTS b2 Circuil Assessn*ni or Share 73.942 73,942 75.942 1.450 99.038 b3 Donation6 1,426 46,070 Repairs and Maintsnance utilities Ilnsurances, water ch¥ 21,361 67,4L31 b5 14,655 14.6SS 16.393 b7 Olher payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 3B.569 148,527 38,569 t96,023 21,017 213,840 b8 47,496 Ib9} SE¢mON C NET RECEIPTSTrAYME14TS c1 45.300 83.648 12B,948 ,1( Total funds broughtforward from lastyear 90.gjg 8.882 149.899 ¢3 Sub totsi e1+c2 136.209 92.530 228,739 99.791 TfansfeTs and ad'usimtrnts c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR Ic3+c41 136.209 91S30 228,739 99,791 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY.. MONEY RECEIVEO AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS Ihos• •mounts 0¥0 nolto In¢lud£d In tolal r•c•l mBnts n ur•s abo d1 8akdnce brou htfowdrd from Last d2 Offerin sIGrfts- r￿1Ved for external o an￿allOnS 550 699 d3 Offerlng￿Gfft¥ - pas88d lo extrmal (KganisatiDnS 312 699 BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID 141￿43) 238 2of5 Sl Pjark's MÈtrthL8t ￿cT￿mE M&rydihBChuthar￿untsIVr1h￿¥ear￿dvd31 lrtliw1tro¥rt¢¥Wgf•p￿*W¢¢hwJ24 219m9 8UaT0T￿-¢hUr￿h9wllUnts 228.739 29.740 30￿57 TOTALCASMFUND¥ HELDBYfHL￿E 259.296 SECT￿NG OTHER￿sE7￿R￿du￿LrIEs Oth&r L4llblh Name of Church ...............St Mark'$ Plethodi5t...................................................... ￿). .1128035........ Declarations and Scrutiny I confim that these Receipt and Payment based acrount5 forthe yearto 31 August 2024 have been prepared from the reu)rds of Ihe ChurGh and they indude all funds und8r the control ofthe Church tru$tee$. Signature of treasurer Name and addres$ of treasurer. Post Ccxle.. Pr88•ntation to tho Church tru8te88 I wnfirm that the annual report and atc(xJnts forlhe yearend U5t 2024 werel%*ill be" Signature of tha Chair of the maeting Name of the Chair of the meets.ng J.. C!+£.IS....k)A.l.￿k..... Date...ii.If/?r In(tependent Examinor's Report to th• Trusto95 of the Stmath's Methodi* ..Church 112W Charity NurnbBr.............. Responsrbillti88 and basls of report I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the......St . Churth for the year ended 31 August 2024 Set out on pag88. .2 to ..3. A$ the Ghur¢h'$ trustees, you are responsble fixthe preparation of the accujnts in a¢¢wed all the appliGab* L)l￿tiOnS given by the Charty CL¥nmis%￿ under section 14515Xbl of the ACL delete ￿C1[de a5 appropriate StklwknChwdth)FA2024 4015 St MaFk'3 1 f28035 Nameofchurch.................................................................................... No............. Ind8pendent Examln•r's Stat•m•nt I have cornplet￿ my examination. I cx)nfirni that no material matters have come to my 8ttention in connection wrth the examination (other than that discSosed beloVI which give rne cause to believe tt)at In, any material ￿Spect-. the accounting records were not kept in ac(x)rdance wrth seetion 130 of the Aet., or Ihe acctsunts do not accord with the accounting records. I have no cortcems and have come acr055 no other matters in connection wth the examination to whi¢h 8ttenbon should be dravm in this report in order to enable a proper understsnding of the accounts to be re8ched I I￿￿ave nor obtained independent verification of all investments with Ihe Trustees for Methodist ChL4rch PuFP05es or held in other trusts, bank balan￿$ and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in exctss of £10,000 ltsn thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date. Signature of independent examiner Namè of independent examiner .Tin8 N8rtey Relevant professional qualnlcalion of indeperKlent examiner ..FCCA Name offimi (where appropriatel Address 17 Ul*swater Roa N14 7BL Post Code Date . 18t May 2025 delete or circle as appropriatè Sl Marts Church-SOFA 2024 5of5