2022-08-31-accounts - Morpeth Methodist Church

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Annual Report of Morpeth Methodist Church and Centre for the Community,

Registration no: 1128303, for the year to 31[st] August 2022

Administrative Information and Structure

The Church’s mission statement is “To make Christ visible in the world”. This report will discuss the means in which this is discharged.

The Church comprises the Sanctuary and 5 rooms of various sizes. The address is: Howard Terrace, Morpeth. NE61 1HU. Tel no: 01670 511078.

The Church was opened in 1905, extended in 1986 and reconfigured and further extended in 2005. The Church has 100confirmed members and approximately an additional 50 adherents.

The Church is a member of the South-East Northumberland Ecumenical Area (SENEA), a federation of Methodist and United Reformed Churches, Newcastle Methodist District and the Northern Synod of the United Reformed Church.

Our presbyter is Rev Antony Oakley. Darleen Turner is our Office Manager.

The Governing Board is the Church Council, whose members, the trustees, during the year were:

the minister (Antony Oakley), the Leadership Team (Paul Crook, Pam Oakley, Vivien Scott, David Simpson, Bridget Rowbottom, John Carss, Jane Greaves, and elected and ex-officio members ( Neil Robinson, Maureen Baker, Stephen Carmichael, Clive Kemp, Dorothy Potts, Sheila Clinton, Judith Quenet, Wendy Garvey, Pat Folkard and Catherine Wakefield).

The trustees understand their responsibilities described in the document “Managing Trustees and their responsibilities” published by the Methodist Church Property Department resource division.

Church Committees and groups report to the Church Council. Church Council’s function and terms of reference are described in pages 516-522 of The Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church, volume 2 (Methodist Publishing House 2016).

Church Council met three times during the year. The Council’s members discussed the management of the Church’s activities and made decisions regarding based on their discussions.

The Annual Church Meeting postponed from last year was held on 5[th] September. This year’s Annual Church Meeting was held on 22[nd] May

Aims, Objectives and Delivery

The aims of the Church, as seen on the Charities Commission website, are:

“The provision of regular public acts of worship open to members of the Church and nonmembers alike. The provision of sacred space (a building) for prayer and contemplation. The teaching of Christianity through sermons, courses and small groups, pastoral work, including visiting the sick”

Morpeth Methodist Church and Centre for the Community also offers facilities for regular meetings of clubs, societies, organisations and focus groups and for special events to the wider community. Use of the rooms and facilities provided within the Church increased as the Church and wider community recovered following the lockdowns due to Covid. Bookings have now returned to levels similar to those seen before the pandemic.

The accounts (see attached file) show that the payments for the use of the premises contain no element of profit nor general overheads (insurance, utilities, cleaning etc). Under normal circumstances, the fees received are approximately equal to the salaries of staff needed to service the use of the premises. During this year there was a significant increase in the offerings made by Church members, income from lettings showed a large increase approaching that seen before the pandemic, the appointment of the Children and Families Development Worker came to an end, contributing to the lower expenditure on staff salaries, there was an increase in expenditure on energy and as the 1986 Church redevelopments age the cost of repairs and maintenance increased.

The Church seeks to pursue its mission statement by “Celebrating Christ, growing in His love, praying and acting for Him and being a Centre acting as a resource for the whole community.

The committees and groups that report to the Annual Church Meeting or Church Council are:

Leadership and Stewards Group, Future Faith Future Church Group, Finance Committee, Centre Management and Property Group, Pastoral Group, Worship Group, Mission Partnership and Social Events Group..

The Centre Management Working Group, on behalf of Church Council, manage the Church Centre for the Community. This group is currently inactive and requires reconfiguring.

The Office Manager acts as Safeguarding Officer and Health and Safety Officer. A Church member acts as Church Secretary.

The structural organisation of the Church seeks to cover three broad areas of influence:

1) The spiritual, pastoral and social needs of its members.
2) The mission of the Church within our community and Area
3) The care and development of the physical assets of the Church
4) The promotion of the facilities for the benefit of the wider community

The work of the Church has continued to emerge from the restrictions due to the Covid pandemic.

Services are held in the Church on Sunday mornings. Tuesday Communion Services are held weekly.

Womens Meeting Point and Men’s Breakfast have resumed meeting in the Church.

The Church’s activities in our local and wider communities continue These have been returning since the Covid lockdowns with increasing numbers of people using the Church. Bookings of the Church’s facilities are increasing towards prepandemic levels.

The Church office staff cover the Centre for the Community during working hours and weekday evenings. They provide a welcome and support to those using the centre. They organise lettings and manage the centre as well as supporting the minister and congregation. Currently we have the Centre Manager, one member of office staff and the janitor employed..

The Church runs groups on a Sunday for children and young people. Junior Church meet weekly in the Church and monthly jointly with St George’s Church Sunday School. The 6th Morpeth Beavers, Cubs and Scouts met in the Church meet during the week

Drop in lunches are usually held weekly on Tuesdays and the Memory Café meets fortnightly in the Church for those with cognitive impairment and their carers. Both of these activities have been well supported and appreciated by those attending.

The Church continues its Mission Partnership with Kamuzinda Victory Christian Church, Uganda. Morpeth and Kamuzinda Churches support each other with regular prayer, meetings and communication. Collections of donations for the benefit of KVCC are held after Sunday services 3 times a year.

The Church is used as a centre in Morpeth for musical events, including concerts, performances for Morpeth Music Society, organ recitals and performances by bands and choirs.

The Social Events Committee supports the Church with social gatherings and any surplus goes towards Church funds.

Comment on the Annual Accounts

The audited accounts for the year ended 31[st] August 2022 are set out in the attached file. These show that the payments for the use of the premises contain no element of profit nor general overheads (insurance, utilities, cleaning etc). Under normal circumstances, the fees

received are approximately equal to the salaries of staff needed to service the use of the premises. During this year there was a significant increase in the offerings made by Church members, income from lettings showed a large increase approaching that seen before the pandemic, the appointment of the Children and Families Development Worker came to an end, contributing to the lower expenditure on staff salaries, there was an increase in expenditure on energy and as the 1986 Church redevelopments age the cost of repairs and maintenance increased.

The accounts show a deficit of £4679. This is lower than the last financial year but the accounts did include a bequest of £8527. The Church continues to operate at a deficit and this will be addressed during this year and future years

The Church finances operate on the basis of a balanced annual budget, with outcomes monitored by the Finance Committee. Church Council approved a Reserves Policy holding reserves approximately equal to six months of normal expenditure, in accordance with the recommendation from the Methodist Connexion.

Most of the expenditure items are self explanatory. By far the largest expense is the Area Assessment which is set by the Area Executive and covers the Church’s central overheads, including stipends and other central expenses.

Responsibility for day to day receipts and payments and the presentation of final and interim accounts are the responsibility of the Church Treasurer, Neil Robinson. Neil is standing down as treasurer from 31[st] August 2022. He will be replaced on a temporary basis by David Simpson.

RPEfH METHODIST CHURCH Statement of Financil Aecounts for the period l September 21. 31 Au8USt 22 ia8t Yar Receipts Offerings Gift Aid Stsff Furlough 65.092 17,863 471 33 32.213 54,941 J . 17,683 1 16.084 67,9 6,153 9,6661 10.cw ?2 2tp 1.281 1.901 GTants Bequ¢st 8,527 6,331 Othtt Re¢¢ipts Tot1 Re¢eipts 117.T16 Payments Area assesstllent Donalions 64.356 1,533 10.318 3.622 7.331 41,694 58,993 1.417 5.587 2,880 4,372 43,214 1 692 G8SleCtriCty Staff Salaries Internet I wmput¢r5 Bank Charges Other P ents 1,793 143 3.979 236 3.294 Tol*l P#ym¢nts 123.089 Net ineomel (e4Jenditsrn) (4.679) (5313) BALANCE SHEET Asat Asa¢ 31ML02] Current R&8erves S1 .. Bank Current ACCt. Barclays S2 .. Legacie5 ThlCP 51X)3 '. Endowment 51K)4 . Central Fit)an¢¢ Board 5fy)5 . Cumt Account. CAF 16,776 5,005 6,682 21.157 16,746 6,654 25,899 Total Current Regtrve5 49,620 P4elofl NR 2610912022

MORPETH METHODIST CHURCH I have examined the financial records of the Morpeth Methodist Church for the year ended 31 August 2022, including the bank records and supporting documentation. I certify that the attached accounts correctly summarise these transactions including the current reserves in the bank at 31 August 2022. George Mccowie Chartered Accountant Mccowie & Co 2 Gosforth Park Avenue Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 8EG Dated- 27 September 2022