# **Reports for the Annual Church Life Meeting of Wesley Methodist church, Leigh-on-Sea 25th July 2021** 1 ## **’ – ACM MINISTER S REPORT WESLEY METHODIST 2021** This last year has been a tough year for all of us. Our church has been closed for great swathes of time which has affected each of us personally. Since the beginning of Covid I have engaged with technology to provide a weekly YouTube service which many have appreciated. Lettings have been minimal or non-existent, which has financially drained our church resources. But the good news is that on Easter Sunday morning we were allowed to re-open our church although under tight Covid restrictions. Some of our lettings have returned giving us much needed income. Sadly, our Parent and Toddler group closed as Marjorie Charnock and her team retired after many, many, years of service to the church and God’s Kingdom. Our grateful thanks to them. Fortunately, June Child’s daughter, Georgina, and a friend, have offered to restart the Parent and Toddler group as from September after the required checks etc. are completed. This group will run on Wednesday and Friday mornings. Another mission venture, which has been greatly delayed due to Covid, is the opening of the new Sanctuary Café. The opening Saturday was a great success, and we pray for many more to come. Particular thanks to Emma and John Hearn who undertook the vast majority of the setting up. The pastoral team has been busy staying in contact with us under the leadership of Eileen Simmons, and I am hoping to now resume my pastoral visitation. Although we have lost some saints in the past year, who will be sadly missed, we have also had some new faces in worship for which we give God the praise. ## _A prayer for this time…_ _Almighty God, we know that everything is in Your sovereign control. We ask that You keep this coronavirus from continuing to spread. Give government officials the ability to safely handle people arriving from other countries. Help people decide to stay home instead of travelling or going out needlessly. Holy Spirit, remind people to wash their hands properly. And while it may be heartbreaking, comfort families as they decide to keep their distance from elderly or other high-risk_ _family members._ God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea … ## Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV) May God richly bless you, ## **Pastor Steve Mayo** 2 ## **Some highlights by Eileen Simmons** 1. Wesley service on September 6th, 2020. This was our first service after lockdown. In preparing that service I had invited Isobel and Anna Wratislaw to record a song/ hymn. They chose: The Lord's my Shepherd by Stuart Townend. Tim Wratislaw did the recording and it came out as a full choir and was just wonderful. With their permission I play this at other churches and always get amazing feedback. 2 The team of stewards who prepare and follow up all the Covid requirements that allow us to worship safely at Wesley, when not in lockdown. Our church is welcoming and Covid compliant. 3. The team of Pastoral visitors who have kept in touch with our Wesley family all through these difficult times. 4. All the preparations for Christingle, and the instant responses to lockdown 2, which meant that Christingle in a kit could be distributed for home use. 5 The beauty of the service to celebrate the life of Marian Rumble led by Pastor Steve on May 28th at Wesley, with the cross superbly decorated. The best of technology was in use so that we saw and heard from Marian's daughter, Sue Fox in Capetown as well as the presence of her son Mike Rumble and some of his family. 3 ## **The Sanctuary Café Report by Emma Hearn** The Sanctuary Café opened for the first time on Saturday 22 May 2021. The morning was a great success with around 100 people coming through the doors of our Church to enjoy refreshments. The environment of the Sanctuary provides a relaxed open space for the whole community to enjoy; with a play area and buggy park for those with young children, a quiet space for private reflection and prayer, and a social space to meet up. The café is run by a group of volunteers and cakes baked by Church Members and Friends. Since opening the café, it has welcomed many new families and individuals who would never otherwise had stepped into our Church. It has given us as a Church to provide a listening ear to those in need, a chance to share the services and activities on offer at Wesley and provide moments of private prayer too. The Sanctuary Café is open Fridays 8.30am-12pm and Saturdays 9am-12pm, serving a selection of coffees, tea, hot chocolate, soft drinks and homemade cakes. 4 ## **Church Council Members as from 21[st] Jan 2021** |**Name:**|**Capacity**|**Elected to**
**role**|**Completed**
**6 years**| |---|---|---|---| |Rev. Peter
Moorhouse|Superintendent||| |Pastor Steve
Mayo|Minister in charge (Chair of
Council)||| |Judy Taylor|Church Secretary/ Safeguarding|**2014**|**2020**| |Gaye Greenway|Co-ordinating Steward
Circuit Rep
Outreach|**2014**|**2020**| |Ian Lowe|Serving, Inclusion and Justice in
the Circuit community.
Circuit rep for Wesley.|**2014**|**2020**| |Anna Wratislaw|Communication.
Deputy Rep for GG.|**2016**|**2022**| |Eileen Simmons|Pastoral Co-ordinator|**2015**|**2021**| |Sanya Strachan|Worship and Mission|**2021**|**2027**| |Emma Hearn|Youth||**2024**| |Geoff Hart|Property Link Officer||**2019**| |Geoff Hawkins|Church Rep||**2019**| |Helen Boyd|Church Rep||**2019**| |June Childs|Church Rep||**2021**| |Alex Childs|Church Rep|**2021**|**2027**| |Rupert Bertie|Church Rep||**2022**| |David Cox|Church Rep||**2024**| ## **Advisors to CC** Tina Gowers Alan Severne 5 ## **Worship and Mission and Outreach Report by Sanya Strachan** _The calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the gospel of_ _God's love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission_ ## **Worship** **Sunday worship** continues in line with both the Government and Methodist Church guidelines. There are plans for a bigger banner outside the church to show that we are reopen. **Memory worship** resumes on 21 June **Informal worship** will be left until September, unless it has already been advertised. **Inspire resumed in** May. The service on 27 June will have singing, if within the Government and Methodist Church guidelines. **Private Prayer** continues, particularly with the Sanctuary Café up and running on a Saturday. **Time for Healing** this is not happening at the moment. **Time for Prayer** this is not happening at the moment. **Fusion** there are hopes for a holiday club week commencing Monday 9 August. If not, it is hoped sessions can recommence in September. ## **Worship Survey** Please refer to the survey findings circulated with this paper. In order to produce a promotional postcard, the proposed copy is shared with this meeting for approval before going to print. Print run 2,000 copies with a letter drop within the community in August. The survey called for us to look at our music in worship and to think about families. ## **Mission and Outreach** We are working through the Mission Planning Workbook and Community Questionnaire. It is hoped that these tools will enable Wesley to develop a mission plan. **The Sanctuary Café** is going well but we desperately need more volunteers. 6 ## **Survey results from ‘Church Questionnaire’s at 1[st] Feb 2021 complied by Anna Wratislaw** - Total of 16 respondents, 15 online, 1 over the phone - Percentages given below are insights from the online survey, ‘+’ indicates phone respondent’s answers. Percentages are rounded up/down to nearest % - I’ve tried to amalgamate similar answers per question – denoted with a ‘/’ ## **Do you attend church?** 77% + Attend church and access online 15% Do not attend church, but do access online 8% Attend church but do not access online ## **What would make church more appealing?** Update the content Short talk for the children/young people at the start followed by a modern song that they would know Earlier start time e.g. 10.30am Shorter services – 30/40 mins Tea/Coffee in the church sanctuary after the service More informal and relaxed / Likes small groups and non-traditional services Midweek midday services / more times and days Expand Inspire & Contemporary worship Happy with the times of services / Offer a range of services which all appeal More hymns No time constraints To be fun **Most important things in regard to a church?** - This was multiple choice so it is % of respondents that chose this option as one of their choices Church community - 87% Inclusivity - 80% + 7 Involvement in community - 80% Service content & style - 60% + Youth provision - 60% Biblical teaching - 53% + Church culture - 40% Location - 27% Service length - 7% Other – to ensure that church politics and “cliques” do not become endemic; more community giving eg bereavement support, meals for older people, parent & toddler, need to attract younger people to achieve this; preachers from outside Methodist church occasionally; Good worship songs. **Type of worship most appealing?** - Multiple choice as above Contemporary – 87% Family focused – 80% + Informal – 67% Holy Communion – 67% Formal – 47% Youth-led – 47% Meditative – 40% + Contemplative – 40% Traditional morning worship – 40% Participatory – 33% Traditional Liturgy (eg from service book) – 27% Small group – 27% Discussion based – 20% Creative/Craft-based – 13% + Other – 7% - suggestion of occasional open air services to attract local community, appreciate visual aids in services 8 **Music** - Multiple choice as above Mixture of styles – 93% + Contemporary music & worship songs – 53% Traditional hymns – 47% Songs remembered from school – 27% Other – 13% - suggestions of Gospel music, and ratio of 40% trad to 60% modern/hillsong styles ## **Children & Youth** – Multiple choice as above Interested in family-focused services & events – 92% + Interested in services aimed at adults with childcare/youth provision – 33% Childcare/youth provision is important to me – 17% Interested in services aimed at adults with no childcare/youth provision – 0% Need a crèche – 0% Other comments – Feel it is good to offer childcare ## **Current view of Wesley** The church strives to be part of the community, has a village feel Doing a good job / Working hard to make the church relevant and meet needs, which is difficult when up against modern day lifestyle changes / Doing best at a difficult time Lost direction before covid Focused mainly on trad Sunday morning services to cater for existing congregation. Other styles are tolerated rather than embraced by some, as long as the trad service isn’t impacted / Leans to the traditional / Outdated Difficult to attract numbers, if don’t the numbers will go down faster / Need to attract and widen reach within community – adults, children and families / Love the church but it isn’t growing / Need to appeal to families / Need face to face image in the community / Continue to work with the local community Trying to please all the people all the time – need to accept that not every service is going to suit everyone / One size fits all has failed Online is important – need to continue this post-covid for those not able to attend Need to support those in decision-making positions 9 Very clicky, not everyone is welcoming / Could be more inclusive and encourage participation and involvement, sense of segregation Struggles with a shared minister – worship needs to vary to cater to different parts of community. Need consistent minister to aid delivery and continuity. Need more Sunday services – 2 a week, trad and non-trad Live worship bands would be good Sunday services can be boring Worship is good Strategic financial planning needed so as not to be dependent on lettings ## **Other comments** Continue to explore ways in which we can be seen as having a central role in the life of our community. Consider how to continue with online services post covid for those who have joined worship online but have not attended a physical church service. Need to appeal to more children and families Miss worshipping in person but get a lot from the various online options (including national Methodist offer) Online services at home can be interrupted by the phone/doorbell etc so it is good to come to church to remove yourself from distractions We offer quite a lot of styles which is good / Very pleased with what we do offer – a variety Sundays work fine but can see that this will not be good for other people 10 ## **Memory Worship Report by Julie Peek** Back in 2016 Rev Julia Monaghan and I set up a monthly church service for people living with dementia; we called it Memory Worship. Pre COVID 19 the afternoon would take a regular pattern of welcome; singing well known hymns, reading familiar passages of scripture, and saying the Lord's Prayer together the formal part of the service would last 30 minutes before leading into a craft activity and hospitality, providing an opportunity for conversation to reinforce the theme of the service. Our dedicated team of volunteers were always on hand with tea, lovely homemade cake and Methodist fellowship. This grew very quickly and was then replicated by our friends at Thorpe Bay Methodist Church. So, every month there were two local church services on the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. This all stopped in March 2020 when COVID 19 gripped the world. This devastating blow compelled me to put together a ‘Memory Worship at Home’ service to be viewed on YouTube, initially, for the people that had been attending monthly service at Wesley and Thorpe Bay. 15 months on and Memory Worship at home YouTube service is watched at home and in care homes every month locally at LWP Westerley and Admiral Court carehomes and all over the country. These monthly services have been viewed nearly 3,000 times. You can view here by pasting this link into your browser - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmdLC8_ZDnic6cCDsbtblVQ This is Margaret watching Memory Worship at home in Bedale, Yorkshire supported by her amazing carer daughter Heather. Pre COVID Bedale Methodist Church had set up their own monthly Memory Worship ‘Silver service’ that Margaret and Heather used to attend together. 11 The exit out of COVID 19 restrictions for the people that used to attend Memory Worship at any of the churches needs to be very slow and steady but is very much needed. We have all struggled mentally and physically with isolation. It would be wonderful to see as many Wesley church members on the date of our first Memory Worship service which is Monday 19[th] July at 2pm. The theme of our service is ‘In Gods name we pray’ and as Methodists we sing our prayers. Not being able to sing as part of worship for over a year has been very sad so this opportunity to raise the Wesley rafters is long overdue. In parallel to this return to physical church worship at Wesley I am undertaking as part of my older people worker role employed by Highlands Methodist Church to maintain a Memory Worship at home service on YouTube at least to the end of 2021 for all those people and care homes that are too far away to attend services in person. 12 ## **Mission and Outreach Report June 2021by Gaye Greenway** During 2020 Wesley’s Outreach efforts were directed towards developing an online presence of Worship via U Tube and Zoom, and through our website and social media platforms. As time went on, we resumed our Worship and Mission Consultation meetings on Zoom to which everyone was invited. As a result of these meetings, it was suggested that Wesley took part in the District Mission Planning Training which began after Easter. This training helps a church develop a planning strategy designed to increase the awareness of God in the Community and grow our church whilst identifying and then forming a plan to meet the needs of the Community. The training points out that the church in lockdown went from a church dealing with fear and feeling overwhelmed to one which found alternative ways to contact people, acquire new skills, experiment with new media and we had to recognise that everyone was doing their best in a bad situation. Our aims now are to discover new ways of connecting with the Community and finding a new rhythm of worship and service and ways to meet the needs of our neighbours. The Mission Planning Steps are. - 1 Decide on a Process - 2 Do a Community Audit ## 3. Conduct a Church Review 4. Dream Together ## 5. Choose Priorities - 6 Identify Actions - 7 Consider the Fruit 8 Set a Date for a Review I have gathered some information on the Community audit. At Wesley we have already conducted a survey regarding Worship and activities at the Church. This has provided useful information but I have reproduced a very short questionnaire for use with users of the Wesley building and members of the Community surrounding the Church building. In this way we hope to gain more information to make our plan more effective. 13 ## So, our Mission Plan is underway. At Leadership Team and at the Consultation meetings we felt that we could not wait for this process to be completed before beginning our long-held desire to open the church sanctuary to the community and so The Sanctuary Cafe for the Community was launched on 22[nd] May as soon as the Covid guidelines allowed. Details are covered elsewhere. From a Mission point of view, we now need to assess our priorities for addressing any needs we identify in our area. We are already looking at making an information point to direct people towards the relevant help they may require. Another area for discussion is that of improving our quiet area for individuals and groups to use whilst the cafe is open. If you have views on any of the above, please do attend the next Consultation on Worship and Mission on Monday 2[nd] August 7.30pm on Zoom (unless rules change) All are warmly welcomed to attend, please come, we cannot grow Wesley church without you! 14 ## **Our wonderful Youth Team** ## Report by _**Emma Hearn Fusion Youth Leader April 2021**_ ## FUSION Youth & Kids FUSION Youth & Kids AND Fusion Youth & Kids meet on a Thursday night at 6pm and have 50 to 80 children attend of primary school age. The children enter through the church and then go through to the back where there are a number of different activities set up – board games, sports, xbox, karaoke, hairdressing, lego, dressing up and lots more! The last half an hour we come into the Church space for our ‘worship’ where we sing songs, have a 10/15minute talk lead usually by me and then some group games and prayers from our prayer board to round the evening off. Fusion+ is for senior school children and runs from 7.30pm until 9pm straight after Fusion. Numbers vary from week to week but the most we have had is an incredible 30! The tone and vibe of Fusion+ is very different to Fusion but the principle is the same. It is an opportunity for us to share our love of Jesus, provide a safe and secure place for the children to hang out. The evenings at Fusion+ run similar to Fusion with games being left out for them to use such as the pool table, xbox, basketball but mostly they like eating, playing music and playing hide and seek! 15 minutes before the evening ends we come into the Church space for a time of reflection over the past week. I then call us to prayer and read out any prayers left on our cactus (can be seen at the side of Church under the clock!). Our Team When the weather is good, we are lucky to have the use of North Street School playground. The children love the sports activities run by John Hearn, Steve Hockett, Matthew Stanford and Hayden Stanford. In addition to our sports volunteers, we have another 11 made up of mums from North Street and Belfairs School, Church members and my family! My righthand ladies are a mum from Belfairs School, Sam Rogers and a mum from North Street, Clare Raker who work tirelessly for Fusion. Clare is a great link with the children and other parents at North Street and can generally be found sorting out the registration when the children come in. Sam, with her extension experience in catering, ensures the children are feed and watered each week and provides food for our large special events. She organises and collects the food donations from the Coop and Waitrose and has often been found cooking up a special meal for a young youth helper who has rushed to come set up without eating first! Rose a mum of children who have attend the clubs has a super watchful eye, beautiful singing voice and generally wonderful person to have around. Our very own Geoff Fulford is our fruit and snack man ensuring the kids have a delicious bowl of fruit once a month. Jane Fulford, with copious amounts of experience with children, provides a cool and calm 15 presence and offers, personally to me, much support and guidance. Rupert Bertie can be found playing a game of ping pong with the kids and Steve Hockett not only runs a sport once a month but takes the talk too (gives the kids a break from listening to me!). Lovely Gaye, Iso and Anna regularly help out – Anna after work getting to help clear up! Gaye spending time with the children whilst doing their crafts and Iso again providing much support and guidance. Geoff Nash and Alex Child come on later in the evening to help out with the older children at Fusion+ - Geoff registering the children in and Alex a calm eagle eye on proceedings. Alan and Judy clear all the chairs for us every week – this is such a massive help, and I am so grateful for the support they provide ensuring the safety of running both youth clubs. Our very own Steve Mayo who may not be able to attend regularly due to his many other commitments, has and continues to be, a massive support not only to me personally, but to the youth of our church and community. Last but by no means least, our wonderful Youth Team (around 20 of them) are of senior age and come each week to help set up and help run activities. What a team!! How blessed are we have these people working with us at Wesley. Sadly, both our youth clubs have been closed for a whole year due to the COVID19 pandemic however we are looking at opening a Holiday Club for the week of 9th August. Subject to Government go ahead, we will look to run from 10am to 12pm Fusion and then from 12pm to 2pm Fusion+. We are continually being asked when we are coming back and hopefully, we will be able to resume full Thursday evenings in September. On a positive note, I am pleased to confirm that, Fusion Youth & Kids and Fusion+, has recently received its first payment from the Co-op Local Community Fund of £1,358.63. This is an incredible amount and will go towards much needed new equipment and fund special projects for the youth of our church and community. We cannot wait to get back to our usual Thursday nights and have lots of new ideas and activities planned for our children. If anyone would like to volunteer to help out on a Thursday (doesn’t need to be every week) or would like to come and talk to the children, knows of anyone that would like to help out or run an activity then please get in contact with me as we are always looking for extra help and support. Emma Hearn Fusion Youth Leader Contact details: 0776 658 8877 fusionyouth@btinternet.com 16 ## **Service – a place in the community, a place for justice Report by Ian Lowe** ## **Circuit News** ## **Coronavirus** Obviously, the main topic for the last year in the Circuit has been how we adapt during and following the pandemic. Owing to the Coronavirus and Government advice on social distancing measures, as with other religions and denominations, all church services, meetings, groups and events were suspended from the first lockdown. This meant that Conference, Synods, Circuit Meetings and Church Councils were also suspended. As buildings were closed, only essential work could be carried out (provided workers could work while socially distancing) and the Circuit Treasurer advised that there should be limited expenditure at this time, which should come from reserves (hence, why churches should have a reserves policy). As time went on services, housegroups and social events have been provided on-line e.g. YouTube and Zoom, the pastoral network operated by phone, and business meetings moved to Zoom. The Circuit agreed a Circuit-wide co-ordinated approach to re-opening of churches following lifting of restrictions and then closure again during the second and third lockdowns. We continue to follow the Government’s roadmap as a Circuit and at each stage assess the gradual lifting of restrictions and look forward to when we can fully re-open. This pandemic has led to the topic of ‘Hybrid Church’ being discussed at Circuit Meetings (CM). Information had been circulated prior to the meeting identifying some background reading and noting that this topic raises two issues: ‘Church’ which for Methodists has four emphases: Worship, Learning and Caring, Service and Evangelism, and ‘Hybrid’ which takes for granted that on-line is already part of the equation and will remain so in future. Much has happened in churches as a result 17 of the pandemic and many new avenues have been explored and used to take forward the work via on-line tools and other activities whilst face to face has not been possible. CM completed two polls with results as follows:- Over the past year have you “attended worship” using your computer computer/iPad/phone/TV/radio/books/newsletters/bedroom/sofa? Very often 85% Monthly 5% Occasionally 8% Seldom 3% Over the past year have you engaged in Learning and Caring, Service and/or Evangelism using your computer/iPad/phone/TV/radio/books/newsletters/bedroom/sofa? Very often 41% Monthly 31% Occasionally 5% Seldom 23% CM moved into breakout groups to discuss: “Over the last year we’ve done very well in finding new ways of worshipping online, but for Methodists this is only one part of our calling, so what might we do to develop the other aspects of our calling – Learning & Caring, Service and Evangelism both online and in person?” After the sessions feedback was received from each group and these finding will be the basis of a series of discussions in the local churches. It is hoped that Church Councils, Church Leadership Teams and Annual Church Meetings begin to explore the possibilities and then feed the thinking back to the Circuit Leadership Team and CM. **Stationing –** A new presbyter will be joining the Circuit staff from 1[st] Sept 2021 - the Rev. Zena Smith. Her Circuit Welcome service is scheduled for Tuesday 31[st] August 2021 at 7.30pm – the preacher will be our District Chair, the Rev Dr David Chapman. The farewell service for the Rev. Chris Sandy is to be on 18[th] July at 4pm at Trinity. **The Experience Project at Whittingham Avenue Mission Centre.** Despite Covid impacts the project continues to proceed well along the six strands of work – e.g. Community Meals; Food parcel delivery; the work of 6 community champions; a summer village event is in planning stage; working with Ocado – for food distribution and with “BenQ” for the augmented reality video kit. The project now has 15 regular volunteers, Patrick Smith has joined the Management Committee, but Rev. Norman Hooks has stood down from the pastoral oversight role. The person who has been providing 18 the van for the food collections has decided to continue this provision, so there is no longer any urgency to purchase a van. CM noted that any funds already given for this have to be ring-fenced and not used for other purposes. Ocado has increased the food being provided to around £8K per week, which is being distributed on the estate. Funding for the project effectively ceases in August and a bid writer has been employed to seek further funding going forward. **Town Centre Ministry.** Deacon Sarah McDowall is now responsible for this work. She has gathered background and met with Mike Churchyard (Love Southend) and Clive Baguley (Retail stream) and made ecumenical contacts with the Salvation Army. Sarah has been working particularly with one of the young people at Adventure Island – the fun park is closed presently. **Winter Night shelter.** Covid advice from Government and Local Authorities meant dormitory style shelters, such as we usually run, were not acceptable in the pandemic, so it was confirmed that the Night shelter would not function this winter. “ **Meet the Minister”** This is an initiative to help people get to know the Circuit staff. It is an opportunity, initially quarterly, to meet together, share in music and light refreshments and to hear a staff member’s (minister, pastor) story and to question them. **Health & Well Being Ministry.** These meetings resumed in October via Zoom. They were being run internally, but returned to external, professional speakers from January. They will continue on each 4[th] Wednesday of the month. **Circuit Prayer Breakfast** . This resumed in September, seeing in the Methodist Year of Prayer. As people could not meet at The Elms, attendees have to make their own breakfast and then Zoom in to eat, have fellowship and pray together. All are welcome 1[st] Saturday every month, 8.30am. **Finance –** Circuit accounts are now being produced monthly. In the current climate a one-off 50% reduction in a quarter’s assessment has been offered to the churches. CM approved the draw-down from centrally held funds of £47.5K on 1[st] April to cover this. This comes from the Elm Road Manse fund. Going forward the Circuit would like to use this fund for ‘Mission Opportunities’ in churches as restrictions ease, rather than general maintenance. Wesley has applied to this fund for matched funding for the new coffee shop venture as this is a missional opportunity at Wesley. 19 ## **Conference 2020** Conference met virtually via Zoom, followed a shortened agenda, completed all essential business and deferred items needing face to face input, e.g. “God in Love unites us”, to next year. Conference did:- - Endorse the report from the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion group. - Identify the need to treat the Report “Oversight and Trusteeship of the Methodist Church” as a “Deferred Special Resolution” – so the proposed change to the Model Trust to revise how ecumenical partners may use our premises for worship will come to all Church Councils, Circuit Meetings and Synods for discussion, voting and report back to Conference. - Approve the Evangelism and Growth Strategy from Rev Trey Hall and team. It outlines a way to allow us to prioritise discipleship, our own and new disciples. - Declare Connexional Year 2020/2021 to be a “Year of Prayer” – reflections led by the Connexional Team on-line are every Tuesday at 12.45pm. - Conference Business Digest available on https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/the-methodist- - - - - conference/conference 2020/the conference business digest/ ## **Safeguarding Report by Judith Taylor** As always Safeguarding has remained high on the list of priorities over this difficult period. DBS checks are up to date which I thank everyone for, especially those who had to use zoom to carry out the document check. We have informed the circuit that we all need update Safeguarding training at Wesley. I am hoping to do my training to become a trainer asap as it can be arranged as the circuit is desperately short of trainers. The Safeguarding Policy was referred at Church Council and approved, a copy is displayed on the notice board by the Office in the foyer. Should anyone wish a copy I can print one off or email it out. Covid restrictions have been monitored and I would like to thank the Leadership Team and Alan Severne for their hard work in endeavouring to keep every safe during this trying time. If you wish any further information about Safeguarding at Wesley, please feel free to contact me via email or telephone. Judy Taylor: 01702-714581 email judy@wesleymethodist.org.uk 20 ## **Communications Report by Anna Wratislaw** Over the past year our communications have changed focus, and now have a greater emphasis on engaging with people at home, and ensuring we use a variety of means to provide information to our community and maintain connections. Over the Easter period this included posting out Palm Crosses where we were able, and my thanks to Jane for placing a cross outside the church building for the Easter weekend. We also shared the story of Holy Week with daily Bible passages on our Facebook page, detailing the events of that week and sharing the story of Easter, as these may not be familiar to everyone in our community. If you are able to share our posts on social media, please continue to do so as it can increase our reach greatly. Over Christmas, Christmas cards were designed and sent out along with membership cards and inserts with Christmas service information. The online booking system for the Christmas services was set up, banner made, website and social media pages updated with information and Wesley’s gmail account monitored for Christingle @ Home orders. We also updated our ‘Worship @ Wesley’ leaflet with specific information for Christmas, and my thanks to Gabrielle Greenway and Judith Taylor for sharing and posting our service flyers to schools and our local community. Following the decision to cancel the Christmas services in light of Southend’s move to Tier 4 restrictions, we had to move quickly to update our advertising and get in touch with all those who had booked to attend the services. My thanks to all those who assisted with the phone calls on a Saturday night and in the few days before Christmas to inform everyone of the cancellations – this was a team effort involving many emails cross-checking attendee lists, at short notice and at a difficult time for everyone, and I know it was appreciated by our community. Much of our Christmas and subsequent communications work has shown the extent to which communications and mission/outreach work hand in hand. This has been especially true since the cancellations at Christmas and the subsequent need to increase pastoral-based communications and messages. Having had to cancel the Christingle service, we converted these bookings to ‘Christingle @ Home’ packs which were given out on Christmas Eve. Nearly 60 Christingles were given out to 24 families and were very much welcomed. This initiative enabled us to offer something positive within our cancellation information and became an opportunity for outreach and to communicate our message. We’ve also taken this opportunity through our Christmas decorations, 21 which included a nativity scene and bible quote drawn onto the glass doors into the sanctuary. This quote from John 1 was left on the doors into the start of this year to remind people throughout the third lockdown that there is light in the darkness. In the long term, the pandemic has provided the opportunity to evaluate our provision, and I worked with Emma Hearn to produce a Community Survey that was available in a variety of formats for both attenders and non-attenders to answer, to ascertain any areas we could look to change/improve within our offering as a church. This covered everything from the types of services we offer to how the church is viewed. The answers were taken to a Worship Consultation and Mission & Outreach Meeting and will be used to inform plans going forward. Our website has been updated throughout the year to reflect the changing situation with regards to the opening and closing of the building and the impact on worship and activities. We currently have a page dedicated to information on reopening, and another for Worship at Home resources and information. We appreciate that not everyone is comfortable returning to worship at the moment, and that we need to use the website to signpost people to the variety of in-person and at home options available. Thank you to Judith Taylor for her work on the Clarion throughout the year, and especially for ensuring its continued distribution by email and post throughout the current situation. Thanks also to all who help create, proofread and distribute our communications in all their forms. Please continue to be mindful of GDPR regulations and our policies if you are ever in a position where you need to take, keep or use personal data of any kind, or share any photos or information in regards to our events when they are back up and running. Please speak to me or Judith Taylor if you have any questions on GPDR or data protection within the church context. Please do get in touch if you have any queries, suggestions, or ideas for ways we can continue to improve our communications. 22 ## **Pastoral Report by Eileen Simmons** In 2020 Wesley produced the annual Report, but as we were in lockdown, we were not able to hold the Annual Church Meeting. It is usual practice for us to stand as the names of those PROMOTED to GLORY since the last ACM are read out. The following were included in the 2020 report: Barbara Redman, Lenny Berwick, Marjorie Rockley and Percy Pritchard. Promoted to Glory since that report are: Dennis Tubby, Jim Mavin, and Marian Rumble. I need to pay tribute to the team of Pastoral Visitors, who have found innovative ways of keeping in touch in COVID times. Doorstep calls have been helpful and whilst telephone contact may not be particularly innovative it has been useful in keeping up to date with individuals. As Wesley, we thank them warmly for their commitment. Careful checks were made to ensure that all individuals and families had someone who would do food shopping if needed. We had volunteers willing to help, but on the whole that was not required. Whatever our role we continue to learn by experience, and I still learn from the way Pastor Steve plays his pastoral role. Within our community there were individuals, who needed to shield, but we were able to contact by telephone. Pastoral care is not only provided by the Pastoral Visitor team, but by informal contacts between each other. We each have our own story to tell and to have someone to show interest and to listen is helpful. Our Wesley Prayer chain underpins much pastoral work and people are asked if their names may be forwarded to that group. Miriam Gifford has been very unwell, but although her cancer treatment has left her very tired, she is making such good progress. When I spoke to her on 23[rd] . May she gave permission for her name to go in the Clarion Pastoral News to thank Wesley for all the cards sent and prayers made for her recovery. As a church community I am unaware of any COVID related deaths, which is different from other churches. It is really good that as I write this report, we are able to go into each other’s homes again and enjoy fellowship together. The need for pastoral care is unlimited so if anyone can help out in this vital work, please talk to me. People really appreciate phone calls, cards, emails, visits, prayers and other expressions of support and concern. Individuals who are fit, active and healthy also have their 23 own stories to tell and appreciate the personal contact pastoral work brings into their lives. We are fortunate at Wesley, one of my own Christian friends has been really hurt at the lack of contact from her own church and feels abandoned and disillusioned. ## : **Reports** from other church groups ## **Art Group Report – Annette Jarvis** Our last Art Group meeting was Monday 8th March 2020, well over a year ago. Unfortunately, the group will not meet again under my leadership. I cannot manage the responsibility. After the country being in and out of lockdown for so long, I prefer to take life calmly and quietly. There is some money, £38.03, to be handed over to the church together with our attendance records. I am so sorry that I have come to this decision but all the Art materials in the Art cupboards belong to the church as donated by Mr. Ken Brown so if someone else would like to take it on the materials are ready to go. ## **WESLEY CHARITY NEWS for ACM report 2021 By Eileen** ay **Simmons & Tina Gowers** During the pandemic we have not been able to fund raise for Charity in the traditional way and bank the funds via the Church account. During the year people have sent money directly to the charities and have given details via the Clarion. Tina has only received £25 for Action for Children and £40 for the Children’s society. We normally have a massive Jumble Sale for Christian Hope International, but Pam and family were determined to still raise money and did a combined 500-mile sponsored walk, which raised over £1350, which was quite amazing. The money raised went to provide medicines to prevent deaths from malaria. Currently Christian aid collections are being made and we will use the Envelopes for Action for Children before and after July 11th, which is AfC Sunday 24 ## **Clarion report by Judy Taylor** It has been a pleasure to be the editor of The Clarion for another year. Through this year I believe the Clarion has become a lifeline to some of our congregation and I would like to thank all those who have contributed to the issues, with wonderful stories/poems/ updates, they have truly madethe magazine a wonderful read each month. I would also like to thank Anna Wratislaw and Michael Wilson for hand delivering Clarions each month, your help is much appreciated. Moving forward if there is anything you would like to see added as a regular monthly item, please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate your request. ## B ## **Coffee Mornings Report by Jane Fulford** Over the years the coffee shop in the concourse has served hundreds of people from the local community. Over the last year COVID19 has meant we have not opened and now there is the exciting opportunity to offer something slightly different in the sanctuary. Many, many thanks to those who have served tea and coffee and acted as a listening ear. Special thanks go to Annette Jarvis and Joy Milner for all the years of serving, listening, and chatting. My thanks also go to Marjorie and the ladies of the Parent and Toddler Group who offered tea and coffee every Wednesday as well as attending to the children and their parents and grandparents. Others of you, Wendy, John and Brenda, Linda Forbes and Pam Broughton Smith, Peter and Linda Lister, Janet Whiddett, Geoff Fulford and Dave Cox and anyone else who served while I was chatting will be needed again but how and when is, at the time of writing, unknown. My last thank you goes to Pam Broughton Smith for spring cleaning the kitchen during the lockdown. So, it is a big THANK YOU and watch this space. Please be assured the tea and coffee was given away to those in need during the lockdown so it was not wasted, and that replenishment will not come out of church funds. 25 ## **Finance Advisory Group Report by Geoff Nash** The group has met virtually three times this church year. Members of the group are Ian Lowe, Tina Gowers, Alan Severne, Rupert Bertie, Heather Swain and Geoff Nash which is chaired by Pastor Steve. We meet in advance of Church Council meetings to whom we report. The current accounts are presented at each meeting, noted and the need for any action discussed. The group reviewed and increased some charges to hirers at the January 2020 meeting with the intention of implementing them in April 2020. However, they are only being charged now as hirers are able to return. We are seeking to increase the use of the Wesley buildings and would welcome enquiries. ## **Finance Report for Annual Church Meeting 2021 by Tina Gowers** At the 2020 ACM, life was very uncertain due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We’d had 6 months of running our church “normally” and we were in the midst of our first lockdown. Little did we know how long it would last, or what impact it would have on our lives and our finances. As everything was put on hold, this meant that our expenditure went down. Lower utility bills, a hold on repairs and maintenance and other general expenditure. Our congregation also rose to the challenge of making regular offertory giving via bank standing orders and bank transfers and therefore, despite no income from hiring our premises, we managed to have an income higher than our expenditure. The 2020/21 accounts are not looking as good. These accounts will see the whole financial year in lockdown or under restrictions and we also had to pay for the replacement boilers that had been installed in 2019/2020. By the end of this financial year, we will have lost approximately £60K in hirers revenue due to Covid-19. Unfortunately, we were not eligible for any council grants as we had not lost 25% of our TOTAL income which includes all the lovely donations that members have given to keep the church afloat. It didn’t help that the council required accounts from April to March whereas ours are September to August. Therefore, when comparing the 2019/2020 accounts to 2018/19, the reduction was only 16% and the income was higher than our expenditure. I am going 26 to re-apply at the end of this financial year, but the grant money may have run out by then and the criteria may have changed too. Currently (20[th] May 2020) we have a deficit of £37K but £27K is attributed to the boiler invoice. Obviously, a £10K deficit is still not ideal but we have a Gift Aid claim of just under £7,000 due and we will also be holding our annual Gift Month in July. Considering what the last year has bought us, our finances are not too bad. However, I welcome back all our hirers, as and when they are able to return, so that we can start to carry out some muchneeded repairs and maintenance again. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support, both financially and emotionally. Specifically, I would like to thank Alan, for helping me to count the money when we have been able to, and for carrying out minor repairs and maintenance himself. Also, to Geoff Nash who deals with the letting’s invoices, especially as we get back to contacting everyone for return dates, and to Eileen for her Pastoral cards and plants, it has been really nice to get cards of good wishes in the post. I would also like to thank all the money counters, for their past help, as I know that you will not be returning to the role. ## **PARENT AND TODDLER REPORT by** Marjorie Charnock. Parent and Toddler has been a part of the Wesley Church family for many years but, when lockdown happened in March 2020, it became apparent that we could not carry on. Looking to the future, with all the possible restrictions which may be necessary, I sensed the time had come for me to retire as Leader of Parent and Toddler. Sadly, a decision, which wasn't easy, was made that we would not continue. Sincere thanks must be given to Pam Caton who has also been a long serving member of the team, for her commitment and dedication to the group. In recent years Pam Woodhouse, Pauline Webber, Beryl Hart have given their support and help each week, and grateful thanks must be expressed to them. To have been such a successful organisation for so long must be entirely due to all those Wesley members and friends in the past, who willingly gave their time, love and devotion to the children and families. 27 A very happy time was spent on a Wednesday morning, in the canteen room, with the children, parents, grandparents and carers. Playtime for the toddlers to have fun with the toys, singing at the end of the morning, celebrating birthdays also. The adults enjoying refreshments, and an opportunity to socialise and make new friends. Once lockdown ends, and life returns to normal, I hope that Parent and Toddler will be able to continue under a new leadership. Thank you to the Wesley Church family for the support and prayers given to us all. ## **Talking Poetry Report by Joan Hawkins** What a difficult year it has been, but we have kept in touch with each other and are looking forward to restarting poetry in September after what we all hope will have been an enjoyable summer. The plan is to spend most of our first meeting chatting and catching up with our usual tea and cake enabling us to appreciate what we value most - relating together whilst enjoying poetry. ## **Property Report from Alan Severne** This year has been a rather odd one, with the Church and Halls being used much less than usual due to Covid-19. I am pleased to say that we’ve been able to support those activities that were permitted, and the new boilers have worked well throughout the winter. Members, especially those using the car park, will have seen that (for security reasons) we have removed the remaining fence sections surrounding the land transferred to us from the old Manse Garden. Although it is well-marked with hazard tape, please take extra care near the raised edges of the drive. Please also bear in mind police advice not to interact with any young people who are on-site without authorisation but to let them know. Please also tell me. We are now in that part of the buildings’ maintenance cycle where higher costs can be expected. Exterior decorating is due as is the electrical safety inspection, and some items which have been deferred will need to be addressed soon. Internally the Sanctuary is still in good order, with minor issues only. Externally some of the pointing should be replaced soon, minor works are required on lighting, and a couple of roof leaks have occurred under particular conditions. The organ, whilst playable, needs some repairs above and 28 beyond the normal tuning and options are being investigated. Damp in the porch is still to be permanently resolved. Internally some parts of the Halls are very overdue for decorating, though this does not seem to overly concern our Hirers. Lighting in the Concourse and Youth Hall is being considered for replacement with LED units. Externally coated areas are due for retreatment, and some window cills and cracks in render need to be addressed. Roofs are generally leak-free but due for inspection; it is known that one or two spots at least will need addressing, and all soffits and gutters require inspection; replacement of these has been considered but deferred several times due to cost. Alan Severne, Property and Lettings Co-Ordinator, June 2021 ## **Wesley Table Tennis Club 60’s+Report by K. & M. Charnock.** When the Prime Minister made his announcement on the 23[rd of] March 2020 the country went into lockdown. This was a “once in a lifetime” experience for everyone and many people have been badly affected. During this period, we have kept in contact with members who have electronic methods of communication, by providing a newsletter, birthday greetings etc. Once we receive the go ahead from the Church our intentions are to send an invitation out to all existing members, with a view to recommencing table tennis. ## **Time for Prayer by Jane Fulford** Pre Covid this was usually me or one other member of Wesley Church. We offer thanksgivings, pray for the needs of the individuals made known to us, the Church and the world using the Connexional yearly Prayer Book. The names are recorded and when permission is clear added to the Sunday morning Prayer book for Intercessions. Any one is welcome, but it is not open to the public. Come September 2021 I would hope to resume this prayer activity. ## **Time for Healing by Terry Harper and Jane Fulford** Prior to the Covid pandemic a group of us, usually numbering about 8 or 9 (occasionally more) used to meet monthly on a designated Saturday morning. We would offer our thanksgiving for situations that had been resolved and pray with, and for, individuals who needed prayer, as well as for the Church, and the wider world. The power of prayer, and praying with and 29 for others, is a privilege and one we would wish to continue doing. However, we have been unable to meet for over a year now leading us to consider how, and whether, the group could be taken forward in the future, given that the Sanctuary will now be in use every Saturday for the new Coffee outreach initiative. Any ideas would be welcome. We continue to feel that it is important to pray for the needs of others as they are made known to us, and for protection for NHS, healthcare and other key workers in the continuing health emergency. ## **Wesley Theatre Group report by Judith Taylor** WTG cannot wait to get back and start rehearsing for our Christmas Pantomime, Covid permitting of course. The group would really like to celebrate being back and provide an opportunity for everyone to have an evening of laughter and fun, after what has been such a bleak time. If you would be interested in joining our merry band of actors, or if you would like to be part of our muchappreciated backstage team, without them show would not go on, then please contact with myself or Isobel Wratislaw. We look forward to continuing the long tradition of providing you with entertainment, memories, and the opportunity to celebrate the talent of our group. We look forward to your company, dates for the Pantomime will be in The Clarion. ## **The Zone on Sunday Report by Anna Wratislaw** The Zone on Sunday has sadly not been able to meet due to the pandemic, however Zone staff have been keeping in touch with families over the past year, and we are looking forward to welcoming back our children and young people when possible. ## **House groups** ## **Cameo Report by Jane Fulford** This house group is a mixed group of members from Wesley, Rochford, and Belfair’s. We usually meet once a month on the third Wednesday in the evening. There is no set agenda for the year we decide each meeting the time before – so a mix of topics can be reviewed varying from Scripture to 30 current local and national concerns. We number about 7 and any newcomers are welcome. We have not met due to Covid19 but hope to resume when allowed and feel safe meeting again. ## **Thursday Call Report by Isobel Wratislaw** Thursday Call has continued to meet throughout the past year, with Zoom meetings led by different members. We moved from monthly to fortnightly sessions, to provide everyone with a regular means of keeping in touch over the pandemic. We alternate the style and theme for each session and have completed a study of the book of Ruth, discussed Christianity and racial justice, covered the Lent course on _The Greatest Showman_ and we are currently working through _A Methodist Way of Life._ We would always welcome anyone who feels this might be something they’d like to join. Please see Isobel Wratislaw for Zoom link details. ## **Appendix** ## • **Audited accounts** 31 Church Accruals Accounts 2020 - 2021 THE METHODIST CHURCH TEMPLATE REPORT AND ACCOUNTS (ACCRUALS BASIS) for the year ended 31 August 2021 Leigh Wesley Methodist Church R•gl•t•r¥d Ch•rity- R•gl•tr*Ow numb•r (If •pplI￿1•> 1130293 Clreult No 34-10 Mlnl•t•r Pa•tor stsRhon ma￿.- Chureh St￿•￿1* Gay• Gmnway lan Lo Ellwn Slmmon• Judy Taylor Anna Wratlslaw Church TrwBur•r Name of Church Leigh Wesley Methodist Church No 34110 statement of Financial Actlvities (SOFA) for the year ended 31 August 2021 Notss to Designatsd th• Ggn•ral Fund Funds Restrlctod Endowmont accounts (Unrestric￿) (unrgstrl¢tsd) Funds Funds Totsl 2020-21 Income and Endowments 1 Offerings and tax r&uverable 2 Donations & Grants 3 Interest and investrnent ino)m& 4 Income from investment prope￿e5 5 Other income 6 Internal organisations 7 Other charitable activili8S Total from charltsblo acllvlllo8 8 Lettings 9 Other income Total Income and ondowm•nts Expenditure 10 Circuit assessment or share 11 Grants and donations 12 Property maintenance 13 Insurance,uts'litses etc 14 Provisions 15 Depreciation 16 Office expenses 17 Other expendilure 18 Salaries & pensions 19 Internal organisations Total charltablo expèndlturn 20 Gainslllossesl on monetary investments 21 Gains11195ses) on investment propertie8 22 Net Incornelloxpondlturnl 23 Transfefs be￿￿n funds 24 Other gainslllosse51 25 Not mov•m•nt In fund£ 26 Total funds brought forward 27 Total funds carrfed forwa 26.088 25.299 87 26.088 25,299 1,523 1,583 1,677 1.677 52,997 22.910 1.737 54,735 22,910 75,906 1.737 27.346 27,346 30,810 20,352 30,810 20,352 240 240 5,226 15,803 300 99,876 337 15,603 31)) 637 99,239 43,332 5.937 1.100 4,933 -17,395 75,245 67,850 -1,002 1,IXI3 42,230 85,873 9,625 5.792 Name of Church Leigh Wesley Methodist Church No 34110 Statement of Financial Activlties (SOFA) for the year ended 31 August 2020 Notes to Designated the Generdl Fund Funds ¥¢counts {Unrestricted) (unrestricted Restricted Endowment Funds Funds Totsl 2019-20 Income and Endowments 1 Offerings and tax recoverable 2 Donations & Grants 3 Interest and investment income 4 In￿rne from investm￿t properties 5 Other income 6 Inlemal organisattons 7 Other charitable activrties Total from charitable a¢tivitlo8 8 Lettings 9 Other income Total Incom¢ and 0nd¢>￿n•nts Expenditure 10 Circuit assessment or share 11 Grants and donations 12 Propety maintenance 13 Insurance,utilities etc 14 Provisions 15 Deprecialion 16 Qffice expenses 17 Other expenditure 18 Salaries & pensions 19 Intemal organisations Total charltable expenditur• 20 Gainslllossesl on monelary inveslments 21 Gainslllosses) on investment properties 22 Net Incomèllexpenditure) 23 Transfers betsveen fvnds 24 Other gainsl{losses) 25 Net movemont in funds 26 Total funds brought forward 27 Total fvnds carried forward 24,380 8,859 477 24,380 9,359 13.852 1,718 2.805 15,570 2,805 47.567 45.783 5A123 52,598 45.783 93,351 5.023 98A81 41.101 41,101 3,547 20,519 3.$47 20,S19 307 4,528 15.366 307 5,292 15,366 2.491 88.622 764 2,491 3,255 85,367 1.768 1.768 7,857 9.625 9.759 76.114 85￿73 67,262 75,245 995 1,003 Name ofCI￿rth Balance Sheet as at 31 August 2021 ToiJk¥ 2W1 Tcalo 2DZO FuThts Fun& Churth bu1￿1 Invesbment InvE¥tyY*n and olknFMo i￿rEd 4.W23236 4.W23.236 4.9￿,230 24236 4fr23.236 CurrÈntA9ll•ts Dthtots and yepayThen¥5 Loan¥ thèchurches Invesknents ¥VEth TMCP C8ntr£l Finance 8oard D8rthts Ca$h at Bank and In 45.78B 12.052 45,798 17.844 60,438 17.4S5 85.8n 4792 Ctsrrent Ilabi15b*S Feditora (due in wdeF 1 ye8 Gr3Dts payable wthin 2(1I7-1B Totaic(Kyenf ItabUIVes 61642 &792 4,986An 6,￿￿,10• ion8 tewm Il*billtles due r more than Grants payatle after2017-1 Ltians tolhechurth 4792 986878 Funds ofthp Church G8n8r*l Fund IUnr8slriLa#dl DeB￿nth Fwas {UmlDct 57.89) 75,245 9.￿5 H870 1,003 63.642 Rg&knCted Funds drts¥mentFutKJs Tot•lFunds 63 84873 aosin9 Intoma10 Takl•TÈnni9 Fusbjn Wes anwkjns all In 812 612 412 Total External ChArld2ble O Bal Fwd 0110912020 Income Expenditure- Passed to Chariti Bal clfv4d 31108121 25 5S4 173 Church Treasurer Payment to Trustees Thls year Last year Payments made to trustees for additional seniices provided to the Church by agreement with the Church Council Meeting 764.47 1319 Number of trustees who were paid expenses Nature of the expenses If there are no payments to Trustees. please record no expenses were paid. General church expenses Total amount paid Fees for examinatlon or audlt of the accounts Independent examinerfs or auditors, fees for reporting on the accounts Other fees (eg: advice, accountancy services) paid to the independent examiner £ or auditor 764 1,319 Paid employees stsff Costs Dald durln& the vear were: Gross wages, salaries and benefrts in kind Employerfs National Insurance costs 15,603 15.366 Pension costs Total staff costs 15,603 15.366 Average number of staff employeed during the year were: Leigh Wesley Methodist Ba818 of Indep8ndont Examln•¢$ Report My ex8mination wa8 ($rri￿ out in a(￿rdance wilh the general dlrections given by the Charity Commiss￿)n. A examinalion includes a revivw of accounling rettrfd$ kapt by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented those rgCA)rds. It also indudg$ consideratB)n of any unusual items. in nature or scak, or disdosurés In the accounts, seeking explanations from the TTUSt8es concerning such matters. The prwlures uThJertaken do not provide all thg ovidence that would te required in an audit aTra, ¢yJnsequenty Wnlon is given as to whether th¢ a￿￿nts present a true fair view. My report is limited to th08e matters set OLrt in the stalemwt telcvw. Indopgndont Examlnerfs Statemont In connection wth my examination. ￿ matter has c(Mne to my attenb'on (other than as disclosed be￿￿} thich gNes me reasonabl8 cause to believe that in any matsrial resFect tre requirements.. . to keep accounllng records in ao))rdance with Section 130 of the Chariti88 Act 2011. . to prepare aco)unts which xcord with the xcounting records and compty ￿th the accounting requirements of the Ch*thes Act havo nol b88n met; or {21 to which, In my opin￿n. attent￿ should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of trte accounts to be reached. 131 I have Ihave nol. obtained inde￿ndent verifi¢alh)n of all inveslments wth the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts. bank balaft￿ and fvnds at the Central Finan Board of the Methc4Jist Church whbch are indNKlually in exc￿$ of £10,OW (ten thousand pounds) al the balan￿ sheet d*e. Name of independenl examln8r Mv• Heath•r Slm• Signature of independent examiner Relevant Professional ualffication or Name of firm {￿ere appropri*el Addres5 la Grove Road, Rayloigh. E88ox SS6 8PU Dale Dlgl ' Please delets orcith 88 8PPWi Leigh Wesley Methodist DECLARATIONS Treasurer I confirm th81 these aCLYual based accounts for the year ended 31 August 2021 have been prepared from thè fecords of the Church ar￿ that th&y indude all fvnds under the L))ntre4 ofthe Churc* Couwl l Members. Meeting l Le8dÈrship Gr<)up'. Sign8tUfe of Treasurer gILI Name of Treasufer MTS Tina Gthvers Addre8¥ 17 The Cfest. Eastwr￿. Lelgh-orth, Essex SS9 5NJ Prn•frntstlon to the Chur¢h Councll l Mofflb•rn' Ilgetlng l Leadernhlp Gr¢)up' for approval. I confirm that the ann￿1 reF¥>l and accounts for Ihe year eThJed 31 Aug 2021 will Lw. presented lo the chU￿h c￿n¢11 i LeQdw*Y￿ at its mgeting an and were approv811. Signature of the Chalr ofthe rneetlng Name ofthe Chalr ol the meeting P••tor st•Pl￿ IAayo Dale Ind•pondont Examln•e• R•port to the Trusté•8 of the L•lgh W•81•y Mothodht Church This Re￿rt 18 on thè Church AC￿￿ts for th• yw ended 31" Awjust 2021 RMpo¢tlv• Mpon•lbllttles ol Trust••• and Examlner Th• Church'8 tsu$l988 ar• r•wn6it40 fry er*￿11￿j that t￿ *nual And actOLKrts for year lo 31 August 2021 prèsènt a true and fair of the ChuTth'$ Inwna And eY￿￿lI￿re ts the year aTrJ of ils assets and liabilities al Ihg balanc* sheet dale. Th8 trustees a)n$ider that an audit is rnt nec*ssary for this year under Section 144 of the Charities Aci 2011 (the Chath￿ Ad) and that an indepwKknI eyami￿On is wled. It Is my Trsponsibillty to: examlne the a¢¢ounts under seL1k)n 145 ofthe Charrtw A4. lo follow th6 pr¢¢oduro6 laid in the gonv41 Direction# gi¥8n bytré Chanty Commissvjn und8r Section 14515Mb} of thg Chwilyes ac*, and to State vthether ￿t(￿lar m8ttws have to my a1ten1io￿. ' Please d818te orcinl& a8 opprwiate Church Accruals Accounts 2020 - 2021 THE METHODIST CHURCH TEMPLATE REPORT AND ACCOUNTS (ACCRUALS BASIS) for the year ended 31 August 2021 Leigh Wesley Methodist Church R•gl•t•r¥d Ch•rity- R•gl•tr*Ow numb•r (If •pplI￿1•> 1130293 Clreult No 34-10 Mlnl•t•r Pa•tor stsRhon ma￿.- Chureh St￿•￿1* Gay• Gmnway lan Lo Ellwn Slmmon• Judy Taylor Anna Wratlslaw Church TrwBur•r Name of Church Leigh Wesley Methodist Church No 34110 statement of Financial Actlvities (SOFA) for the year ended 31 August 2021 Notss to Designatsd th• Ggn•ral Fund Funds Restrlctod Endowmont accounts (Unrestric￿) (unrgstrl¢tsd) Funds Funds Totsl 2020-21 Income and Endowments 1 Offerings and tax r&uverable 2 Donations & Grants 3 Interest and investrnent ino)m& 4 Income from investment prope￿e5 5 Other income 6 Internal organisations 7 Other charitable activili8S Total from charltsblo acllvlllo8 8 Lettings 9 Other income Total Income and ondowm•nts Expenditure 10 Circuit assessment or share 11 Grants and donations 12 Property maintenance 13 Insurance,uts'litses etc 14 Provisions 15 Depreciation 16 Office expenses 17 Other expendilure 18 Salaries & pensions 19 Internal organisations Total charltablo expèndlturn 20 Gainslllossesl on monetary investments 21 Gains11195ses) on investment propertie8 22 Net Incornelloxpondlturnl 23 Transfefs be￿￿n funds 24 Other gainslllosse51 25 Not mov•m•nt In fund£ 26 Total funds brought forward 27 Total funds carrfed forwa 26.088 25.299 87 26.088 25,299 1,523 1,583 1,677 1.677 52,997 22.910 1.737 54,735 22,910 75,906 1.737 27.346 27,346 30,810 20,352 30,810 20,352 240 240 5,226 15,803 300 99,876 337 15,603 31)) 637 99,239 43,332 5.937 1.100 4,933 -17,395 75,245 67,850 -1,002 1,IXI3 42,230 85,873 9,625 5.792 Name of Church Leigh Wesley Methodist Church No 34110 Statement of Financial Activlties (SOFA) for the year ended 31 August 2020 Notes to Designated the Generdl Fund Funds ¥¢counts {Unrestricted) (unrestricted Restricted Endowment Funds Funds Totsl 2019-20 Income and Endowments 1 Offerings and tax recoverable 2 Donations & Grants 3 Interest and investment income 4 In￿rne from investm￿t properties 5 Other income 6 Inlemal organisattons 7 Other charitable activrties Total from charitable a¢tivitlo8 8 Lettings 9 Other income Total Incom¢ and 0nd¢>￿n•nts Expenditure 10 Circuit assessment or share 11 Grants and donations 12 Propety maintenance 13 Insurance,utilities etc 14 Provisions 15 Deprecialion 16 Qffice expenses 17 Other expenditure 18 Salaries & pensions 19 Intemal organisations Total charltable expenditur• 20 Gainslllossesl on monelary inveslments 21 Gainslllosses) on investment properties 22 Net Incomèllexpenditure) 23 Transfers betsveen fvnds 24 Other gainsl{losses) 25 Net movemont in funds 26 Total funds brought forward 27 Total fvnds carried forward 24,380 8,859 477 24,380 9,359 13.852 1,718 2.805 15,570 2,805 47.567 45.783 5A123 52,598 45.783 93,351 5.023 98A81 41.101 41,101 3,547 20,519 3.$47 20,S19 307 4,528 15.366 307 5,292 15,366 2.491 88.622 764 2,491 3,255 85,367 1.768 1.768 7,857 9.625 9.759 76.114 85￿73 67,262 75,245 995 1,003 Name ofCI￿rth Balance Sheet as at 31 August 2021 ToiJk¥ 2W1 Tcalo 2DZO FuThts Fun& Churth bu1￿1 Invesbment InvE¥tyY*n and olknFMo i￿rEd 4.W23236 4.W23.236 4.9￿,230 24236 4fr23.236 CurrÈntA9ll•ts Dthtots and yepayThen¥5 Loan¥ thèchurches Invesknents ¥VEth TMCP C8ntr£l Finance 8oard D8rthts Ca$h at Bank and In 45.78B 12.052 45,798 17.844 60,438 17.4S5 85.8n 4792 Ctsrrent Ilabi15b*S Feditora (due in wdeF 1 ye8 Gr3Dts payable wthin 2(1I7-1B Totaic(Kyenf ItabUIVes 61642 &792 4,986An 6,￿￿,10• ion8 tewm Il*billtles due r more than Grants payatle after2017-1 Ltians tolhechurth 4792 986878 Funds ofthp Church G8n8r*l Fund IUnr8slriLa#dl DeB￿nth Fwas {UmlDct 57.89) 75,245 9.￿5 H870 1,003 63.642 Rg&knCted Funds drts¥mentFutKJs Tot•lFunds 63 84873 aosin9 Intoma10 Takl•TÈnni9 Fusbjn Wes anwkjns all In 812 612 412 Total External ChArld2ble O Bal Fwd 0110912020 Income Expenditure- Passed to Chariti Bal clfv4d 31108121 25 5S4 173 Church Treasurer Payment to Trustees Thls year Last year Payments made to trustees for additional seniices provided to the Church by agreement with the Church Council Meeting 764.47 1319 Number of trustees who were paid expenses Nature of the expenses If there are no payments to Trustees. please record no expenses were paid. General church expenses Total amount paid Fees for examinatlon or audlt of the accounts Independent examinerfs or auditors, fees for reporting on the accounts Other fees (eg: advice, accountancy services) paid to the independent examiner £ or auditor 764 1,319 Paid employees stsff Costs Dald durln& the vear were: Gross wages, salaries and benefrts in kind Employerfs National Insurance costs 15,603 15.366 Pension costs Total staff costs 15,603 15.366 Average number of staff employeed during the year were: Leigh Wesley Methodist Ba818 of Indep8ndont Examln•¢$ Report My ex8mination wa8 ($rri￿ out in a(￿rdance wilh the general dlrections given by the Charity Commiss￿)n. A examinalion includes a revivw of accounling rettrfd$ kapt by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented those rgCA)rds. It also indudg$ consideratB)n of any unusual items. in nature or scak, or disdosurés In the accounts, seeking explanations from the TTUSt8es concerning such matters. The prwlures uThJertaken do not provide all thg ovidence that would te required in an audit aTra, ¢yJnsequenty Wnlon is given as to whether th¢ a￿￿nts present a true fair view. My report is limited to th08e matters set OLrt in the stalemwt telcvw. Indopgndont Examlnerfs Statemont In connection wth my examination. ￿ matter has c(Mne to my attenb'on (other than as disclosed be￿￿} thich gNes me reasonabl8 cause to believe that in any matsrial resFect tre requirements.. . to keep accounllng records in ao))rdance with Section 130 of the Chariti88 Act 2011. . to prepare aco)unts which xcord with the xcounting records and compty ￿th the accounting requirements of the Ch*thes Act havo nol b88n met; or {21 to which, In my opin￿n. attent￿ should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of trte accounts to be reached. 131 I have Ihave nol. obtained inde￿ndent verifi¢alh)n of all inveslments wth the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts. bank balaft￿ and fvnds at the Central Finan Board of the Methc4Jist Church whbch are indNKlually in exc￿$ of £10,OW (ten thousand pounds) al the balan￿ sheet d*e. Name of independenl examln8r Mv• Heath•r Slm• Signature of independent examiner Relevant Professional ualffication or Name of firm {￿ere appropri*el Addres5 la Grove Road, Rayloigh. E88ox SS6 8PU Dale Dlgl ' Please delets orcith 88 8PPWi Leigh Wesley Methodist DECLARATIONS Treasurer I confirm th81 these aCLYual based accounts for the year ended 31 August 2021 have been prepared from thè fecords of the Church ar￿ that th&y indude all fvnds under the L))ntre4 ofthe Churc* Couwl l Members. Meeting l Le8dÈrship Gr<)up'. Sign8tUfe of Treasurer gILI Name of Treasufer MTS Tina Gthvers Addre8¥ 17 The Cfest. Eastwr￿. Lelgh-orth, Essex SS9 5NJ Prn•frntstlon to the Chur¢h Councll l Mofflb•rn' Ilgetlng l Leadernhlp Gr¢)up' for approval. I confirm that the ann￿1 reF¥>l and accounts for Ihe year eThJed 31 Aug 2021 will Lw. presented lo the chU￿h c￿n¢11 i LeQdw*Y￿ at its mgeting an and were approv811. Signature of the Chalr ofthe rneetlng Name ofthe Chalr ol the meeting P••tor st•Pl￿ IAayo Dale Ind•pondont Examln•e• R•port to the Trusté•8 of the L•lgh W•81•y Mothodht Church This Re￿rt 18 on thè Church AC￿￿ts for th• yw ended 31" Awjust 2021 RMpo¢tlv• Mpon•lbllttles ol Trust••• and Examlner Th• Church'8 tsu$l988 ar• r•wn6it40 fry er*￿11￿j that t￿ *nual And actOLKrts for year lo 31 August 2021 prèsènt a true and fair of the ChuTth'$ Inwna And eY￿￿lI￿re ts the year aTrJ of ils assets and liabilities al Ihg balanc* sheet dale. Th8 trustees a)n$ider that an audit is rnt nec*ssary for this year under Section 144 of the Charities Aci 2011 (the Chath￿ Ad) and that an indepwKknI eyami￿On is wled. It Is my Trsponsibillty to: examlne the a¢¢ounts under seL1k)n 145 ofthe Charrtw A4. lo follow th6 pr¢¢oduro6 laid in the gonv41 Direction# gi¥8n bytré Chanty Commissvjn und8r Section 14515Mb} of thg Chwilyes ac*, and to State vthether ￿t(￿lar m8ttws have to my a1ten1io￿. ' Please d818te orcinl& a8 opprwiate