Trustee Report to the Charity Commission. Year 2024 - 2025 Elburton Methodist Church Charity No: 1128726
During 2024 - 2025, Elburton Methodist Church have continued to offer ministry for a wide range of ages in the local community, from Messy Church to our monthly lunch club and Methodist Women in Britain. There continues to be an ongoing rise in the number of families and young people attending Messy Church and our associated Brownie company who use our premises. The church also welcomed a Guide company and who, along with the Brownies and Rainbows attended our Remembrance service and participated in the Christmas Shoebox Appeal.
Christmas 2025 saw the church launching its inaugural Christmas Tree festival which was a great success, financially, but also in enabling us to make significant links with the local community. The opening weekend, which coincided with Elburton’s Christmas Lights switch on saw nearly 500 people of all ages, come through our doors. Visitors were given flyers adverIsing our Christmas services and as a result, the church was packed out for our carol service and our Christmas Eve ChrisIngle. It is important, however, that the trustees and leadership teams begin to plan to build on this momentum, particularly as Elburton is now the only Methodist Church in the PL9 area. Links with the church community continue to grow, including our ecumenical partnership with Plymstock Churches Together and which has seen us hosIng a joint Refresh service and parIcipaIng in events at Christmas and Easter on the Broadway Shopping Centre.
Elburton also started to work as a hub with Woodford Methodist Church in Plympton, in response to the Plymouth and Devonport circuit’s new way of working, following a period of upheaval. This has continued to be developed by the Reverend Rebecca Marshall, a probationer minister, who took up her position with both churches in September 2024. The churches join together for leadership and pastoral meetings with representatives attending each other’s Church Council meetings. There is also a greater sense of cooperation between post-holders as well as occasions when the church join together for worship and socialising. A recent example of this would be the Christmas tree festival when over 50 members from Woodford attended the opening weekend.
The trustees continue to be very hopeful for the future of the Church with an emphasis on community engagement and, having put together a five year plan to ensure our continued financial solvency, are also participating in a circuit wide buildings strategy review to ensure our church is fit for the future.
Rev'd Rebecca Marshall - Chair of the Trustees
CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS
THE METHODIST CHURCH
STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS
ELBURTON METHODIST COMMUNITY CHURCH
Church
FOR THE YEAR ENDED Sunday, August 31, 2025
PLYMOUTH AND DEVONPORT Circuit Circuit no. 1128726
Registered Charity - Charity Registration number
If not a registered charity His Majesty's Revenue and Customs Gift Aid number
(The HMRC number is equivalent to a registered charity number in terms of evidence of charitable status and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence of the organisation's charitable status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered charities are excepted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242)
Minister:
| Minister: | Minister: | Minister: | Minister: |
|---|---|---|---|
| REV REBECCA MARSHALL | |||
| Church Stewards: | |||
| MARGARET RIDLEY JEAN DAVIES VALERIE RICHARDS VICTORIA JANE MOSSFORD RACHEL HILLS |
|||
| Treasurer: | |||
| MARTHA WRIGHT |
ELBURTON METHODIST COMMUNITY CHURCH
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025
| SECTION A | Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds |
£ 32366 1155 6861 16831 Totals this year |
£ 32366 1155 6861 16831 Totals this year |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | ||||||
| a1 | RECEIPTS | Note | ||||||
| a2 | Offerings and Tax recovered | 32366 | 32366 | |||||
| a3 | Bank and CFB interest and Investment income |
1155 | 0 | 1155 | ||||
| a4 | Lettings | 6861 | 0 | 6861 | ||||
| a5 | Other receipts | 1863 | 14968 | 16831 | ||||
| a6 | TOTAL RECEIPTS | 42245 | 14968 | **57213 ** | (a7) | |||
| SECTION B | 29758 0 7986 10069 0 3911 |
|||||||
| b1 | PAYMENTS | |||||||
| b2 | Circuit Assessment or Share | 29758 | 0 | 29758 | ||||
| b3 | Donations | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| b4 | Repairs and Maintenance | 7986 | 0 | 7986 | ||||
| b5 | Utilities (Insurances, water charges, heating & lighting) |
10069 | 0 | 10069 | ||||
| b6 | 0 | |||||||
| b7 | Otherpayments | 3870 | 41 | 3911 | ||||
| b8 | TOTAL PAYMENTS | 51683 | 41 | **51724 ** | (b9) | |||
| 5489 | ||||||||
| SECTION C | ||||||||
| c1 | (a6-b8) NET RECEIPTS/PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR |
-9438 | 14927 | 5489 | ||||
| c2 | Total funds brought forward from last year |
59113 | 0 | **59113 ** | (c6) | |||
| 64602 | ||||||||
| c3 | Sub total (c1+c2) |
49675 | 14927 | 64602 | ||||
| c4 | Transfers and adjustments | 0 | (c7) | |||||
| c5 | TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR (c3+c4) |
49675 | 14927 | **64602 ** | (c8) |
SECTION D
FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS
| SECTION D | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS | |||
| d | (these amounts are not to be included in total receipts/payments figures above) | £ 214 1,931 1,696 449 |
|
| d1 | Balance brought forward from lastyear | 214 | |
| d2 | Offerings/Gifts - received for external organisations | 1,931 | |
| d3 | Offerings/Gifts -passed to external organisations | 1,696 | |
| d4 | BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID (d1+d2-d3) | 449 |
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P3 Summ of Org
ELBURTON M
SUMMARY OF CHURCH ACCOUNTS AND INTERNAL ORGANISATIONS REPORTING TO THE
SECTION E Please follow the Guidance Notes to complete this page
Summary of the Church accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 and Internal Organisations rep an Internal Organisation would normally be Restricted funds unless it could be clearly shown that the completed to arrive at the gross income and expenditure totals of the Church. If gross income excee AND A DIFFERENT FORM must be used to report the accounts (see Methodist website). Please re and connected District Organisations.
| Receipts | Payments | Net Receipts/ Payments |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 265 | 367 | (102) | ||
| 204 | 0 | 204 | ||
| 59 | 59 | |||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 528 | 367 | 161 | ||
| **57213 ** | (a7) | 51724 | (b9) | 5489 |
| 57741 | 52091 | 5650 | ||
| TOTAL RECEIPTS | TOTAL PAYMENTS |
SECTION F STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
| CHURCH - CASH FUNDS HELD at 31 August 2025 | CHURCH - CASH FUNDS HELD at 31 August 2025 |
|---|---|
| f1 | Cash in hand |
| f2 | Bank Current Account |
| f3 | Bank Deposit Account |
| f4 | Central Finance Board |
|---|---|
| f5 | Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes |
| f6 | Other funds |
| f7 | SUB TOTAL - Church accounts |
| f8 | Total funds held by Internal Organisations (the closing balance total from above) (e12) |
| f9 | TOTAL CASH FUNDS HELD BY CHURCH |
| SECTION G OTHER ASSETS and LIABILITIES Investments(include Endowments) Land & Buildings(see notes re Insurance value) Other Assets Loan(s)- show amount outstandingatyear end Other Liabilities |
|
| g1 | Investments(include Endowments) |
| g2 | Land & Buildings(see notes re Insurance value) |
| g3 | Other Assets |
| g4 | Loan(s)- show amount outstandingatyear end |
| g5 | Other Liabilities |
f4 Include only Funds held at the Central Finance Board f5 Include only Funds held at Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes g1 Include any other investments (not the cash element of TMCP trusts accounts this is included in
METHODIST COMMUNITY CHURCH Church Page 3 CHURCH COUNCIL
----- Start of picture text -----
porting to the Church Council/Church Meeting. Note that the funds of
ey could be used for any Methodist purpose. This section must be
eds the Accruals threshold, then the Accruals method of accounting
efer to the guidance notes regarding transfers between the District
Opening
Adjustments balances Closing balances
102 0
(204) 0
(59) 0
0 .
0
0
0
(161) 0 (e11) 0 (e12) Check 1
0 (c7) 59113 (c6) 64602 (c8) Check 1
-161 59113 (x) 64602 (y) Check 1
OPENING CLOSING
BALANCES BALANCES
0
32,183 36,581
----- End of picture text -----
| 0 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20,633 | |||||
| 7,388 | |||||
| 64,602 | (c8) | ||||
| 0 | (e12) | Opening | Closing | ||
| 64,602 | (y) | Check bals | 1 | 1 | |
| At 1 September 2024 0 2,085,928 119,869 line f5 |
At 31 August 2025 0 2,085,928 119,869 |
Name of Church …………………………………………………………… No………..
Declarations and Scrutiny
I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2024 have been prepared from the records of the Church and that they include all funds under the control of the Church trustees.
Signature of treasurer ……………………………………………………… Date……………………..
Name and address of treasurer ………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………. Post Code………………
Presentation to the Church trustees
I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 were/will be* presented to the meeting of the Church trustees held on ……………..
Signature of the Chair of the meeting ……………………………………………………………………
Name of the Chair of the meeting …………………………………………… Date ……………………
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the
……………………..……………………..Church
Charity Number …………..
Responsibilities and basis of report
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the …………………………………. Church for the year ended 31 August 2024 set out on pages … to …. As the Church’s trustees, 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 Church’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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.
- delete or circle as appropriate
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Name of Church ………………………………………………………………………… No ………….
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 (other than that disclosed below*) which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting 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.
I have/have not* obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balances and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date.
Signature of independent examiner ………………………………………………………………….
Name of independent examiner ……………………………………………………………………….
Relevant professional qualification of independent examiner ………………………………………
Name of firm (where appropriate) ………………………………………………………………………
Address …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………….. Post Code ………………
Date …………………………………………
- delete or circle as appropriate
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COMPLETE THIS PAGE ONLY WHERE THERE ARE OTHER INTERNAL ORGANISATIONS REPORTING TO THE CHURCH COUNCIL
Summary of the Church accounts for the year ended 31 August 20…. & Internal Organisations reporting to the Church Meeting. Note that the funds of an Internal Organisation would normally be Restricted funds unless it could be clearly shown that they could be used for any Methodist purpose.
This section must be completed to arrive at the total receipts and payments of the Church. If income exceeds £100,000, then the Accruals method of accounting AND A DIFFERENT FORM must be used to report the accounts. Contact Resourcing Mission Office, Manchester tel: 0161 236 5194. Please remember that the Charity Commission allows transfers between the Church and its internal organisations to be deducted from gross receipts/payments.
| OTHER CHURCH ORGANISATIONS: |
Openingbalance 0 y the totals forward |
Receipts | Payments | Adjustments | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUB TOTAL - OTHER CHURCH ORGANISATIONS |
0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Church accounts (totals brought forward frompage 2) |
||||||
| TOTAL FUNDS HELD BY CHURCH |
0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Continue on a separate sheet if necessary and bring | TOTAL RECEIPTS |
TOTAL PAYMENTS |
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES (completion of this section is optional)
| Bank current account Bank Deposit Account Central Finance Board SUB TOTAL Endowment Funds Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes Other:(specify) TOTAL FUNDS HELD BY CHURCH |
Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted Funds | Endowment Funds |
x TOTALS THIS YEAR This total to agree with the Closing balance total above |
x TOTALS THIS YEAR This total to agree with the Closing balance total above |
TOTALS LAST YEAR |
TOTALS LAST YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x | y | ||||||
| This total to agree with the Closing balance total above |
This total to agree with the Opening balance total above |
Note here the Insurance value of Church and ancillary buildings/land and any other assets/liabilities
Note here the value of any other assets of the Church
Page 3
Name of Ch Elburton Methodist Community
Independent Examiner’s Statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my atte connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below*) which give me cause to that in, any material respect:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examina which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of accounts to be reached.
I have/have not* obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balances and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,000 (ten tho pounds) at the balance sheet date.
Signature of independent
Name of independent ex Michael Richard Sowden
Relevant professional qualification of independent examiner …………………………………
Name of firm (where appropriate) …………………………………………………………………
Address ………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………….. Post Code …………
Date 3rd November 2025
- delete or circle as appropriate
ention in o believe
the Act; or
ation to the
ousand
……
………
………
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