## **CHRISTCHURCH METHODIST CHURCH** ## **Trustees Report and Financial Report** ## **1[st] September 2024 – 31[st] August 2025.** ## **Charity Number 1129001** Aims and Purposes Christchurch Methodist Church Council (CMCC) has the responsibility of working with the Loughborough Circuit Ministry Team; the Reverends Karen Beecham, Martin Swan, Sandra Marshall and 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 and works with Christchurch and another church for pastoral and ecumenical work at the church. Katy Brookes-Duncan is employed by the Circuit, working from Christchurch, part time as a Lay Worker on outreach projects within Shepshed. 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. **2** ## 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 a Tuesday morning a Singing Café provides an opportunity for vulnerable adults, including those with dementia, to sing and remember past experiences in a comfortable supportive environment. On a Wednesday a community outreach project called Chat and Chomp is provided to offer a warm space, coffee, and a free meal to the community. During the colder months this group helps people to stay warm and fed. 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. In addition the following community groups use the premises: - 6[th] Shepshed Guides - 5[th] Shepshed Brownies - Christchurch Gilbert and Sullivan Group - Knit and Natter - ACT 1 Youth Theatre Group - Chera Voce - Slimming World - Shepshed Dance classes - Serenade Ladies Choir - Senior Choir - Shepshed Craft Group - Christchurch Writers Group - Shepshed Seniors Club Church members can also use the premises for celebrations with family and friends, for Birthdays, Wedding Anniversaries, and personal celebrations. The building is in use every single day by members of the wider community of Shepshed and the worshiping community of Christchurch. **3** ## Pastoral Care Many our Church members are no longer actively able to attend church due to ill health or advancing years. We maintain a weekly electronic service sheet to keep members in touch with the church community and avoid them feeling isolated and lonely and this has been a help to members who have moved away or moved into supported accommodation. Our members have felt that it was helpful for people to keep in touch with friends within the church. In addition, church members in need of visiting, in either times of distress or loss are visited by the Minister as required. Our minister Rev. Martin Swan also has a pastoral role in the town and is active in engaging with our community on pastoral matters. Pastoral lay visitors visit those in need and a prayer chain is in place to support those within the Church family to pray for those in need. Even when members are isolated, the prayer chain helps them to remain in touch and care for the pastoral needs of others. The Church also regularly collects food to support the food bank in the town and members volunteer there. ## Worship Worship normally takes place on a Sunday morning at 10.45 am, these services are led by either the Ministers from within the circuit or Lay Preachers, and Local Arrangement services occur once a month led by the Stewards. On the third Sunday of the month a ‘Something Different’ service is held in the morning, with an evening service held later in the day. 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 and the Remembrance Parade and Service. 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. Members from Christchurch regularly attend circuit services where Methodists from around the circuit can gather and worship together, these are hosted by different churches within the circuit. Members who are not able to attend church are able to follow worship online with the Circuit every Sunday. Once a month Connected Worship takes place at Christchurch on a Saturday evening with preachers, worship leaders, and worshipers coming from different denominations within Shepshed. **4** ## A building fit for the Community A quinquennial inspection of the property took place in 2021 and recommendations for repairs and work to be carried out over the next 5 years have been received. The trustees have undertaken some key work identified and are working through the list for other items. In this financial period ongoing maintenance has been undertaken to ensure that the property remains fit for purpose and safe for all users. Due to the aging congregation and the number of users now of the building it has been necessary to have a second cleaner to do an additional 2 hours of cleaning every fortnight for the sanctuary space. **5** ## Financial Review and Reserves For the period covered by this report the income on our unrestricted fund was £58100. Of this income £30600 was from members giving and £14100 was from letting the premises to other organisations. During this period, we paid £34400 to the Loughborough Circuit as our proportion of the circuit share for ministerial costs, £5350 on building maintenance and other church expenditure amounted to £11400. This expenditure includes donations to other charities or organisations of £1470. Full details are given in the financial statements that were approved and signed by Church council in October 2025. N.B. All accounts figures rounded to the nearest £100 or £50 in this report. These figures show a small increase in giving from regular members but also show a 23% rise in costs for electricity and gas. The Church Council is aware of a risk to our income from loss of regular contributors and income from church donors has steadily reduced as church members have passed away. Christchurch has always endeavored to hold a reasonable of level of reserves, ideally at a year’s operating costs, although this has not often been possible. Thanks to a legacy the levels of reserves held at present mean that the trustees have confidence that whilst we anticipate a negative budget for next year, we will have sufficient reserves to cover this. However, the long-term future of the church will rely on either additional income being generated, or expenditure being reduced. The potential for income being generated from additional lettings, is not high given that the Church is let every evening of the week. The only potential lettings would be during the daytime which is far less popular. Our Gas and Electricity costs will rise next year dramatically when we get to the end of two very advantageous fixed rate deals, and this will mean a considerable increase in energy costs. One issue facing us is the aging congregation are no longer able to maintain the level of cleaning of the premises that once took place, and therefore our cleaning contract costs will increase as this work needs to be paid for in the future, and a second tender for cleaning has been completed and started during this year. **6** ## 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: |hurch Council members and|trustees for the peri| |---|---| |Circuit Superintendent Minister|Rev Karen Beecham| |Circuit Minister|Rev Martin Swan| |Steward|Lorraine Cutts| |Steward|Jane Dobson| |Steward|Steve Price| |Steward|Gladys Watret| |Steward|Rosemary Grimley| |Church Treasurer|Dawn Scott| |Assistant Treasurer|Lorraine Cutts| |Church Secretary|Ian Scott| |Safeguarding representative|Christine Hibbard| |Elected from ACM|Katy Brookes-Duncan| ||Alan Hobson| ||Lynn Hobson| |Circuit Steward|Bryan Harrison| 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 or June. 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 **7** CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Christchurch Methodist Church, Shepshed FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2025 Loughborough Clrcuit Circuil no. 21110 Registered Charlty - Charity Reglstration number If not a registered charity His Majesty's Revenue and Customs Glft Ald number (The HMRC number is equivalent to a registered charity number tn terms of evidence of charitable status and may be used to give to donors or grant fund8rs wishing to see evidence of the organisation's charitable status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered chartties are excepted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242) 1129001 Minister. Rev. Martin Swan Church Stewards: Mrs LO￿aIne Cutts Mrs Jane Dobson Mrs Rosemary Grimley Mr Steve Pri Mrs Gladys Watret Treasurer. Mrs Dawn Scott Christchurch Accounts R and P 2025 1of5 ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 Christchurch Methodist Church, Shepshed UnrÈ5tricted R•stri¢ted Totals this Funds Funds SECTION A Totals last year a1 RECEIPTS Not• a2 Offerin s and Tax recovered Bank and CF8 interest and Investment income 30.560 30.560 32,739 1,950 1,950 14,123 11.399 58,032 2,180 12,340 6.037 53,297 a4 Lellin 14,123 11.399 $8,032 as Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS {a71 SECTION 8 b1 PAYMENTS b2 Circuit Assessment or Share 34.350 34,350 34,025 b3 Donations 1,200 Re airs and Maintenan Ulillties (Insurances, water charges. heallng & lightlngl 5.347 5.347 15.734 b5 6,847 6,847 6,903 b6 b7 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 3.952 51,962 3,952 51,962 3.744 61,606 {b91 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 a64>8 6.070 6,070 8,309 Total funds brought forward from last year c2 36.262 4.834 41.096 c6 49,405 c3 Sub total c1+c2 42,332 41.096 Transfers and ad'ustments c7 c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR {¢3+c4) 42,332 4.834 47,166 Ic81 41,096 (¢61 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVEO AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS {these amounts are not to be Included In total recelptslpayments figures above) d1 Balance brou ht lo￿ard from last d2 Offedn sIGifts - received for extemal o nBations 1.892 1.612 d3 OffeTingslGifts - passed lo extemal organisations 1.892 1,612 d4 BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID Id1+d2-d31 2of5 Cbristchurch A￿c￿J￿1£ k artd P 20?5 Christchurch Methodist Church. She TI(Y48 AEPORrn TO THE CHiIRCH CCIJNC shed HURCH P£ TS AJID IN SECmlY4 E Il¢iw Ihe G ote5 to INTERNK ORGW4k8AIK*48 Sub tc& d Iniwn alkns fwds 52 e12 Church accot¥rfs Itotats brotyht fonY•rd from paoe 2 - to¢als ¢olLYnn 51.962 ¢10 {cn 41,096 47.166 BY CHURCH 58,032 51.962 41.148 47.218 TOTPL RECEM TOTPL PAYMENTS l¢YvMd SECTION F TEMENT OF TJE8 CLOSING &4LW4CES CHURCH.￿￿ FUNDS IIELO at 31 202B Cash w hqntt 1C¥J 45 3.191 4).805 ntT4 Brwd TTuslees fc¢ ChL¥ SV8 TOTAL. ChL*th 47.166 Ic8 Tcl4 lunds hek# by Iniwn* {th81*%i b￿tt￿ tr￿ ab￿)1¥121 52 TOT￿ FUND$ HELD BY CHUR¢H 41.148 47,218 YECllC*4 G 31 2025 & BL4bJ f4 Ir￿￿￿Y Furrfjs Bc*d fs Ir￿￿e(￿ty FuNJ¥ TDJslees ftr K4dfKWJ￿1 Ctvjrth PwrAx6B 3trfS Name of Church . Chflstchur¢h Methodist Church. Shepsh•d Charity No. 1129001 Declarations and Scrutiny I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based ac￿Unts for the year to 31 August 2025 have b88n prepared from the records of the Church and that they indude all funds uThJer the control of the Church trustees. Signature of treasurer ........ Name and address of treasurer Dawn So)tt 21 Field Avenue, Shepshed. Loughborough, Leicestershire. LE12 9SH Prèsentatlon to the Church trustees I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year end8d 31 August 2025 were presented to tha meeting of the Church trustees held on 1 5th October 2025. Signature of the Chair of th8 meeting Date l£_ cjtrtr Lo Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Christchurch Methodist Church Charlty Number 1129001 Rasponslbllftles and basls of report I r8POrt to the trustees on my examination of the actsjunts of Christchurth Met￿liSt Church, Shepshed for the year ended 31 August 2025 set out on pages 2 to 3. As the Church's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation ol the accounts in accordance ￿1th the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act.). I report in resped of my examination of the Church's accounts carr78d out under Section 145 of the Act and, in carrying out my examination. I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Chanty Commission under section 145{5)(b) of the Act. 4of5 Name of Church .. Christ(*urch Methodist Churth. Shopshed Charlty No. 1129001 Independent Examinerfs Statement I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect- tho accounting records were not kept in accordance wtth 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 connedion 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 not obtained independent verTfication 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: Andrew Thorpe Relevant professional qualification of independent examiner: Chartered Accountant Name of firm (where appropriate) Address.. 52 Priory Road. Loughborough. Leicestershire, LE113PP Date.. 13 October 2025 Christchurch Accounts R and P 2025 5of5