## **CHRISTCHURCH METHODIST CHURCH** ## **Trustees Report and Financial Report** ## **1[st] September 2019 – 30[th] September 2020.** ## **Charity Number 1129001** Aims and Purposes Christchurch Methodist Church Council (CMCC) has the responsibility of working with the Loughborough Circuit Ministry Team; the Reverends Andrew Lomax, Martin Swan and John Pugh, and probationary minister Calvin Chung to promote the whole mission of the Church and manage the pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical work of the Church. Rev. Martin Swan has a part time appointment to work with Christchurch specifically for all pastoral and ecumenical work at the church. CMCC is specifically responsible for the maintenance of the Church buildings known as Christchurch Methodist Church, Field Street, Shepshed, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 9AL. ## Objectives and Activities The Church Council is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church, and to become part of our church community. The CMCC maintains an overview of worship in the church and ensures that this worship is relevant to all sections of our community. When planning our activities for the year the Minister and the CMCC have considered the Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our church community through: - Worship and prayer, learning about the Gospel, and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus - Provision of pastoral care for people living in Shepshed, who are members of our community - Missionary and outreach work. To ensure all of this can happen we need to maintain the fabric of the Church buildings. ## Achievements – Serving our community Based in the heart of the town the CMCC work to ensuring that our buildings are available to all community groups and we reach out to provide a welcoming space for the community to gather. On Friday mornings, Church members provide an open coffee morning at which residents of the town can pop in for a chat, a cup of coffee and a piece of home-made cake. These coffee mornings help to keep people in touch and offer a chance for meeting friends from the town. Transport can often be provided for those wishing to attend. **ii** Regrettably due to the Covid pandemic our coffee mornings have now not run since March 2020. Many of those who visit these social contact sessions are elderly and are isolating. The CMCC will endeavour to start these sessions up again once restrictions are lifted and the majority of attendees have been vaccinated. Our community use has continued to grow with the following groups all now meeting in the premises. - 6th Shepshed Guides - Christchurch Gilbert and Sullivan Group - Knit and Natter - Fellowship - ACT 1 Youth Theatre Group - Christchurch Senior and Junior Choirs - Chera Voce - Slimming World - Tuesday community lunch club - Shepshed Dance classes Again, regrettably nearly all of these activities ceased in March and have not restarted. In addition; one off use by different community groups continues to support our local engagement with the community. Church members once a month hold a breakfast before church to raise money for, and awareness of, other charities both in the UK and overseas. Church members can also use the premises for celebrations with family and friends, for Birthdays, Wedding Anniversaries and personal celebrations. ## Pastoral Care A number of our Church members are no longer actively able to attend church due to ill health or advancing years. Our pastoral team ensure that these members are visited regularly and that they are able to receive a copy of the Church magazine, which is published bi-monthly. This keeps members in touch with the church community and avoids them feeling isolated and lonely. In addition; church members in need of particular visiting in either times of distress or loss are visited by the Minister as required. Our new minister Rev. Martin Swan also has a pastoral role now in the town and is active in engaging with our community on pastoral matters. During Covid our weekly service sheet has been turned into a longer newsletter, keeping the Church community in touch with each other, addressing pastoral concerns and offering prayers for those in need. **iii** ## Worship Worship normally takes place on a Sunday morning at 10.45 am and a Sunday evening at 6 pm. Morning services are supported by our Junior Choir and the evening services are supported by our Senior Choir. On the first Sunday of every month an all-age worship service is held. This is open to all faiths and denominations within the town and we receive regular visitors to this service from other churches. Since Covid services ceased in the building in March but moved to an online platform through Facebook. This has been managed by the circuit with regular contributions from Christchurch members. In addition, the all-age worship has moved online and is a regular monthly occurrence. Our weekly newsletter also now contains a weekly service for following from home so that members can worship in private if they can’t join in online. Christchurch is a member of Churches Together In Shepshed (CTIS) and works with the other churches and denominations within the town on various ecumenical projects including Learning in Lent, the Easter Walk of Witness, the Remembrance Parade and Service and the Summer Bible School. Together we support the Passion youth drop-in Centre, which engages young people in the town and provides a safe place, keeping young people off the streets. Regrettably again as a result of Covid most of these activities have ceased for the time being. Christchurch normally hosts circuit services on a regular basis where Methodists from around the circuit are able to gather and worship together, again these will resume when possible. Our Junior Church continues to develop with a wonderful band of helpers and teachers, and now caters from small toddlers to teenagers, sharing the message of the love of God. This work has included extra activities for the senior members of the Junior Church, allowing them to explore their faith and their place in the wider world and within the Church. During lockdowns our Junior Church leaders have been working hard to keep in contact with these young people and to keep sharing the word of God with them. ## A building fit for the Community Since Lockdown any repair or maintenance work has been kept to a minimum to ensure the safety of workers and those enabling access to the building. It has regrettably been necessary to replace a number of windows following further vandalism and we continue to talk to the Police about securing the property. **iv** We have also undertaken a deep cleaning of the building on a number of occasions and have ensured the safety and security of the water systems by having a Leptospirosis survey completed. ## Financial Review and Reserves For the period covered by this report the income on our unrestricted fund was £56500 and on the restricted renovation fund was £4700. During this period, we paid £34700 to the Loughborough Circuit as our proportion of the circuit share for ministerial costs, and other church expenditure amounted to £12100. This expenditure includes donations to other charities or organisations of £1600. Full details are given in the financial statements that were approved and signed by Church council in February 2021. N.B. All accounts figures rounded to the nearest £100 in this report. Whilst these figures compare favourably to the previous year, it needs to be understood that this income figure was bolstered by three legacies received in the year amounting to £11000. Our assessment share to the circuit was reduced by £3200, thanks to a rebate that was given to all churches in the Circuit. General giving and letting income was considerably reduced due to the impact of Covid and is anticipated to remain low for much of the 20-21 financial year, which is likely to have a serious impact on our reserves. Christchurch has always endevoured to hold a reasonable of level of reserves, ideally at £25,000 although this has not often been possible. However, the three legacies and the levels of reserves held at present mean that the trustees have confidence that whilst we may have a negative budget in 20-21 we will have sufficient reserves to cover this. **v** ## Administrative Information Christchurch Methodist Church is in Shepshed, Leicestershire and is part of the Loughborough Methodist Circuit. This forms part of the Leicester and Northampton District. Church Council members and trustees for the period of this report were: |Circuit Superintendent Minister|Rev Andrew Lomax| |---|---| |Circuit Minister|Rev Martin Swan| |Senior Steward|Lynn Hobson| |Steward|Lorraine Cutts| |Steward|Jane Dobson| |Steward|Steve Price| |Steward|Alf Thompson| |Steward|Gladys Watret| |Church Treasurer|Dawn Scott| |Assistant Treasurer|Lynn Hobson| |Assistant Treasurer|Alf Thompson| |Church Secretary|Ian Scott| |Chairman of F&P|Cynthia Popley| |Secretary of F&P|Katie Brooks-Duncan| |Safeguarding representative|Michelle Price| |Junior Church representative|Nicole Jordan| |Elected from AGM|Frank Eyres| |Elected from AGM|Joan Eyres| |Elected from AGM|Alan Hobson| |Elected from AGM|Hannah Alderson| |Circuit Steward|Les Longmire| |Fellowship|Alf Thompson| |MHA|Lorraine Cutts| |Choir|Gladys Watret| The administrative address for the church is: Field Street, Shepshed, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 9AL The Church Council meets quarterly to discuss and approve church business and the trustees and members are elected yearly at the Church Annual General Meeting held in May. Authority may be delegated to subcommittees formed at the wish of the Church Council. Report produced by Dawn Scott on behalf of Christchurch Methodist Church Council **vi** CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS ChTiStchurch Meth¢xli•t Churrh Shepsh•d FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2020 Lou hborou Clrcuit Clrcuit fio 23110 R•gi8lered Charfty- Charity R•gl¥tratlon fftumber If not a registered charity H•r MAJesty's R•¥•nue and Custom3 Gift Akl numb•r IThe HMRC number is ewiVa￿nt to a rtyistered charity numbw in lerms of e¥Klence of ¢harrtable slatus and may be us*J to g￿ve to donors or grant funders wishw lo see evKlence of the organisation's chantabk status. Melh(Klist ch¥th"es in Engiqnd arKI Wales that are not rwstered charit￿$ are excepted from régistration under Stalulory InslNment 2014 No.2421 1129001 Minister. Rw. Martki Swan Church Siewards". Mrs L H¢knon MrAif ThompsLN) r Stevo Price Mrs Watrel Mrs Jane Oobson Mrs Lorraine Cutts Treasurer". (JNwcJbR a￿d P 2015.* 1015 4CCOV14TS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2020 Christchurch Methodist Church Shepshed SEcmoN A Unre•tri¢*d Rtstffttsd Totskn th Fund Funo y•ar RECEIPTS Ollerings and Tax recovered Bank and CFB irteresl and Invesiment incom& 34,197 34.197 39.053 13 133 Letb 8.679 8.679 18.119 61.191 10.793 15 Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 13.417 4.702 11.$94 86.490 4702 1•71 SECMON B PAYMENTS Circuit Assessment or Share Donalk)n$ 34.746 34.746 37.975 13 1.655 1.655 2.520 Repaits and Maintenance Ulrfilies Ilnsurances. water Cha￿&. heating & knghth I 2.376 3.409 5.784 8,505 4.488 4.980 )7 Other pa￿nentS TOTAL PAYTrIENTS 3.549 46.814 167 3.716 50.389 4.685 $8.66S 18 576 Ib91 SECT10N C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR {affj￿1 9.676 1.126 10,802 2.908 Total fvjnds brotyJht fryward frrrfn sl year 19,951 1.180 21.131 {c6} 18.223 Sub total Ic1+t21 29.627 31,933 21,131 Transfers and ad'Lthents Ic71 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR It3+c41 29.627 2.306 31,933 (¢81 21,131 {e61 ECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MOIIEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISAnoNS (th￿ amounts •rn not kn b• tsKlud•d tn totsl r•c•lpl*• Balance brou t fonw&rd from Last year 120 120 12 Olfen. slGffts. re¢•ived lor èxternat 1,236 2.688 13 éring￿GrfIS - passed 10 exlemal 0rganoatb￿S 1.236 2.686 14 BALANCE SnLL TO BE PAID Id1+d2-d31 120 120 2015 ChnsI¢￿jr¢h N*th¢Athst Church Slws SECT￿ E 1.012 351 Trn*r•ft 1495} 449 21.131 IL*} 31,93J JY CHURCH 51A1 i•.J07 21075 32,3B2 TOTAL PE¢ÉPTS TOTAL PAYIAEblfS l￿F TA CLO 30.230 21.1J1 31,933 449 1•12) TOTfvL CASH FUIIOS IIELO BYPIiIICII 22.075 32.382 8E¢Tk)ItG 1 $4wiber 2019 1.3XS.I 1.320.C(I) Name of Church . Chri$lchuTch MelhodFSt Chur¢h Shepsh Indop•nd•nl Examln•r's Statsm•nt I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matterj have como to my attention in connection with the examinatron vthich give me Cause to believe that in, any m8terial respect.. the accounting records were not k8Pt in accordance with sect￿n 130 of lh• Act," or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records. I have no ¢oncems and have come acros5 no olher matters in connediortr with the examination to which attention should be dravm in this ￿port in order to enable a proper understandin9 of the aecounls to be reached. I have not Obtain￿ independent venricat￿n of all investments VAth the Truslees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts. bank balances and furHls at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individuaNy in excess of £10,1)00 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date. Signature of independent examiner ame of independent examiner G J Rbjdell Relevant professional qualifiCat￿n of in¢Jependent examiner Name of fimi (where appropriate) -4ddress 23 kUII Rtse. Wothouse E8v•s .. Loughts)rou9h LE12 8QX Date .2SJan-21 Sep-20 2075ehurt* 5015 Name of Church". Christchurch Melhc#Sst Church Shepshed Declarations and Scrutiny conffirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the ye3r lo 31 August 2020 have been prepared Irom the recnrds of the Church and that tw include èll lund$ under the ¢ontroJ of the Church trvslees. s￿natUre of treasvrer....... Name and ajdress ol treasurer". 21 FielJ Avenue, Shepsh811. Loughtxwh. LE12 9SH V•8•ntstion to the Chutth tnMt••8 I confirm that the annu81 report ar¥J &counts for Ihe ended 31 Awjust 2020 wérehnl be- presenled lo the meeliro of Church trustees held on . ........ Signature of the Chair of the m•ebNJ Name of the Chair of the meeb.ng Rev. Mth"n Swan Independent Examlnerfs Report to the Trustaos of the Christchurch Methodist Church Shepshed Charfty Number 1129K11 R•BponsibllltlM and bul• of report report lo the trw&t••s on my exarnina1￿ of Iht accounts of the Christchurch meth￿Ist . Church lor the year ended 31 August 2020 set tyjl on pages . . 110 ... 3. As the Church's trustees. you are responsible lor the preparabon of the a￿(KInts in accordance Ythh thè cequiremenls of the Charit*s kl 2011 11he Acri. I lèF￿rt in respect ol rrty examinatN)n ol the c￿jrCh's aceounts cwned under sect￿• 145 of Ihe Act and, in ¢arrying out my examinab'on. I have foll<￿e￿ all thè appluble DifectK>n5 gNen by th Charity Commission under Sec1K￿ 145(5llb} of the kl. t5¢*v*thR PAI 4rf9