**2021 Annual Report for the Charity Commission Neath Port Talbot Methodist Circuit Registered 23[rd] September 2009 Registered Number: 1131776** ## **Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document** a) The Christian Faith in accordance with the doctrinal standards and the discipline of the Methodist Church. b) Any charitable purpose for the time being of any connexional, district, circuit, local or other organisation of the Methodist Church. c) Any charitable purpose for the time being of any society or institution being a society or institution subsidiary or ancillary to the Methodist Church. d) Any purpose for the time being of any charity being a charity subsidiary or ancillary to the Methodist Church. The Neath Port Talbot Methodist Circuit acts as an umbrella body and resource provider for the nine Methodist Churches and their people of which it is comprised. ## **Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)** The adopted mission statement is in line with the Methodist Church’s statement of ‘Our Calling’ and ‘Priorities for the Methodist Church’. ## **Mission Statement** The Calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the Gospel of God’s love in Christ and to work out its discipleship in worship and mission. The Circuit exists, therefore, to enable the local churches to: - Increase awareness of the presence of God – Father, Son & Holy Spirit – and to celebrate God’s love. - Help people to learn and grow as Christians, through teaching and mutual support / care. - Become good neighbours and to challenge injustice and need. - Make more followers of Jesus Christ. ## **Aims and Strategy Objectives** ## **Aim 1) To ensure worship takes place through the communities of the Circuit.** - To ensure regular worship in the churches of the Circuit. - To make worship effective and relevant through the best use of the resources available, adapted to the local needs and context. ## **Aim 2) To expand fellowship within each church, its community and the circuit.** - To pursue within the churches the means to grow as Christians. - To take initiatives to support and care for the community. ## **Aim 3) To encourage and nurture caring relationships with each other within the churches and people in the local and world community.** - Develop pastoral communication links between each church and its members. - Develop pastoral links with other care agencies in the local community. - Widen and encourage involvement in local ecumenical activities. - Learn, pray about and respond, in whatever way we can, to the needs of the unjust world we share. ## **Aim 4) To bring people to an awareness of Christ through word and example.** - To invite and encourage people to discover and relate to Christ. - To encourage church members to share their faith with others through word and deed. - To raise awareness of Christ outside the church. - To encourage greater prayer ministry. - Sharing good ideas of outreach and ministry between the churches. ## **Principles** In implementing the Policy we shall: - Make effective use of resources. - Work with other Circuits and ecumenical partners wherever possible. The Trustees have had due regard to the Charities Act 2006 in relation to public benefit guidance. ## **Review of activities : 1[st] September 2020- 31[st] August 2021** ## **1) Circuit Staffing** In September 2020 our staffing continued as from last year. Revd Rosemary Davies serves as Superintendent Minister and now has support from one part-time Circuit Pastoral Worker, Robin Sherwood as Emma Ryan stood down in November 2020 because of pressing family commitments. Revd Gordon Sollis, a supernumerary minister residing in the circuit has pastoral charge of North Cornelly Church and also takes services in the Circuit. All the Circuit staff work together to provide pastoral care in partnership with the pastoral visitors in individual churches. Mr. Clem Raymond continues in a voluntary capacity as a Circuit Support Worker organising the prayer chain and helping with plan-making. Clem also has lay authorisation to preside at Holy Communion throughout the Circuit. Rachel Freeman continues in her contract of three hours per week to provide any administrative help when needed by the Circuit Superintendent. The staff team meet regularly and every two months they are joined by members of the Circuit Leadership Team which includes the Circuit Stewards, Secretary, Treasurer and Property Officer. ## **2) Circuit services and events** A number of Circuit Services and other events were held during the year, enhancing our sense of fellowship together. Due to the pandemic, some were held on-line via Zoom: ## _**Service of Remembering**_ The annual service to remember those who have died over the last year was held on 6[th] November 2020 via Zoom as we were in a ‘firebreak lockdown in Wales. This service was well supported by friends from around the circuit, as well as by families who were particularly invited because funerals for relatives had been taken by members of the circuit staff team during the year. This has proved to be a worthwhile initiative, indicating our continuing pastoral care for those who have been bereaved. ## _**Advent & Christmas**_ To provide a united focus during Advent, a liturgy was produced as in recent years for use in all the churches on each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas and on Christmas Day itself. For each week there was a Bible passage, prayer and song, together with the traditional lighting of a candle on the Advent ring. Christmas carol services which were arranged for churches were cancelled due to another lockdown being imposed from 19[th] December. However, we were able to arrange an online carol service, plus worship for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. ## _**Lovefeast service**_ As we were still in a national lockdown, we held a Zoom Lovefeast service online on 3[rd] January 2021 instead of a Covenant service as Methodist Conference guidelines do not currently permit Holy Communion to be celebrated online. ## _**New Year Party and worship**_ A thoroughly enjoyable Circuit New Year Party was held online on 8[th] January 2021. It was good to see people ‘on screen’. We are very grateful to Gwyn Aubrey for coordinating the event for us. The evening concluded with an act of worship led by Revd Rosemary Davies. ## _**Ash Wednesday**_ Due to the pandemic, the annual Ash Wednesday service took place online led by Rev Gordon Sollis. ## _**Lent and Easter**_ A liturgy to help us focus on Christ’s journey to the cross was used during Lent but as it turned out we had to do this online as we were still in lockdown and didn’t re-open the churches until Easter Day.The early morning Easter service took place online with Revd Rosemary Davies leading it from the Manse garden. ## **3. Mission & outreach** Despite the pandemic we were able to support local care homes with the provision of lap blankets made by knitters from various churches in the Circuit. Churches continued to support the Foodbanks in Neath and Port Talbot by giving food and money to support hungry people in these communities. Because of the lockdown, the Night shelter scheme with which we were involved last year came to an end. ## _**Website / social media**_ Our website (www.neathporttalbotmethodist.org.uk) contains pages about each church in the circuit and wider circuit information, including forthcoming events and contact details. We see this as an important tool for mission and we include website details on circuit publications, such as the preaching plan. We are very grateful to Gwyn Aubrey for maintaining the website for us. Some churches have started facebook pages during the year and a number of church Whatsapp groups are in operation. ## _**Work with children, young people and families**_ Sadly, this aspect of our work has been hit by the pandemic and we’ll need to re-think our mission. ## **4. Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults** The Methodist Church requires a number of different office holders at church and circuit level to attend appropriate training. A record is also kept and updated of all those who need to have DBS disclosures. ## **5. Property** The Sandfields & Taibach manses have continued to be let on a short-term lease in order to provide income for the Circuit. Quinquennials for several of the churches are now overdue due to the pandemic. Very little maintenance has taken place in churches during the pandemic and no community groups have been using the premises. ## **6. Finance** We have been fortunate in receiving regular income from the letting of two former Manses in the circuit. The Circuit Treasurer has been keeping an eye on the finances and we have been able to help individual churches by keeping the assessment at a manageable level. More people have taken out standing orders to support their churches and this has helped with preparing budgets. ## **7. Christian discipleship & fellowship** _**Bible Studies and Prayer Meetings**_ Weekly studies and prayer meetings have been taking place online and have provided opportunities for people to meet ‘on screen’ and share in discussion and prayer. This has brought the Circuit churches closer together. ## _**Circuit Men’s group**_ This group has not met during the pandemic and there is a question over whether it will recommence again as people have become older and more frail. ## _**Oasis group**_ Face-to face meetings of women on the periphery of the church ceased during the pandemic although some contact was made via Zoom and a facebook page. ## **8. Worship** The circuit remains incredibly grateful to all our Local Preachers and Worship Leaders. Worship Leaders and Local Preachers meet together on a regular basis for mutual support, fellowship and training. Kira Hughes and Sian Way ceased being worship leaders in training but may re-start when personal circumstances permit. Sadly we lost one preacher as a result of the Methodist Conference 2021 decision to allow same-sex marriages to take place on Methodist premises. We expect there may be more resignations to follow. Small groups for continuing development made up of both preachers and worship leaders have continued to meet to discuss a range of topics in between formal meetings and these have been done online. We focussed on Mark’s gospel for a preaching series in June 2021. Our Local Preachers’ Secretary, Mr Walter Holder sadly resigned from the Methodist Church in July 2020 and Mr Laurence Pearce took over from him. ## **9. Local Church news** ## _**Cymmer**_ During the pandemic, the Charity Shop run by a small band of volunteers did not open. ## _**Glyncorrwg**_ The arrangement of meeting with the Nebo congregation at the Centre on Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m. continues to be successful. The attendances have not been as good as the previous year as some people are still nervous about catching Covid-19. The Nebo congregation organise the last Sunday in each month when all the hymns are sung in Welsh. On other Sundays, it is customary to sing one Welsh hymn per week. ## _**Glynneath**_ The church Bible study led by Mr Clem Raymond was disbanded during the year due to the pandemic. Numbers attending worship continue to be small. ## _**Jersey Marine**_ The Remembrance service in November 2020 was not held as we were still in the ‘firebreak’ lockdown. We were delighted to use the church for a wedding on 1[st] March 2021. It was a small affair due to Covid -19 regulations but it was such a lovely occasion. The premises were used as a polling station for the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in May 2021. ## _**Neath**_ All social and fund-raising events were stopped during the pandemic. Similarly, Llansawel Art Group and Alcoholics Anonymous were unable to meet on the premises. It was a joy to hold worship again on Easter Day after the national lockdown and to decorate the Easter cross as a sign of new life. The Cross was on public display outside the front of church. The display of flowers outside the entrances to the church have been much appreciated by the community. Robert Davies, Jean and Trevor Bond continue to work hard to provide these colourful displays. ## _**North Cornelly**_ Community groups were unable to use the premises during the pandemic. ## _**Sandfields**_ There were no community groups meeting on the premises. Some of the members of the weekly Bible study group joined the online Circuit study group. The weekly prayer meeting at the church had to stop and some members joined the online weekly prayer group. The Craft group started to run their meetings online and this has been much appreciated. ## _**Skewen**_ All the regular groups and activities came to a stop over the pandemic. One of the founding members of the Toddler Group stood down after thirty years of service. As some of the volunteer helpers are now older, there was no one to take the group on and so, the group had to close - its mission fulfilled. ## _**Taibach**_ The pandemic meant that the community groups and church groups were not able to meet on the premises. ## **Living with the pandemic** All church activities and community group meetings have been unable to take place for most of this year and this has had a huge effect financially as well as socially. We have been able to worship in our churches for some of the year but the Covid-19 restrictions have meant we have kept worship to 40 minutes and the bread and wine of Holy Communion has been distributed to people in their seats by the presiding minister. The Circuit churches have adapted to the changing situation of Covid-19 regulations very well but this has been a difficult time for a lot of people. The Superintendent Minister continued to produce a weekly circuit bulletin. In addition the weekly ‘Vine at Home’ worship resource published by ‘Twelve Baskets organisation’ was sent out. We have continued to run online meetings and church services where possible. God has been faithful in the joys and struggles of the past year and we trust Him to lead and guide us as we journey on in faith. Neath PortTalbot Methodist CirculL tst September 2020 - 3tst August 2021. balance blf CFB Uoyds Coed Darcy- LI0￿1$ Lloyd5 Bond IIL926.56 11595.62 25.(KQ. Stipends SuperAnn 28.103. 6￿72.65 1685.99 IS3.03 169.1 Apprerrticeshw CoMputer￿￿)Wan Cwnmer GlyncorrbV8 ynneath Jer5ry Marine Neath North Corne SandfiekFs Skewen Taibach 1,584.68 2.729.29 2.750.th) Assessment.Jersty Marine 3.425.04 Assessment- Pleath 13.098A4 Assessmem-sandfields 3.744.( Assessmeni Skewen 18.528.98 21.246.36 11.419.76 lo￿07 1609.54 4.463.98 6,174.74 Pastoral Work 3?05A9 Travd 10.C(I Postage TelephonelBroadband s￿0d Fund Connex A55e55 Supernumaries Local Preachers Manse Expenses MaTrse Insurance NPTCOC 670.49 1.499.07 512.18 513.39 119)9.12 965.50 Donation- Postage Staff Tetephone Rent I Sandfietds Man5el Rent l Talbach Manse) 5.658.83 6.919.32 280.24 1.720.49 L979.08 20100 ble Materrdl Prayer B￿kS 8250 I69￿0 359.07 580.88 227.17 222.69 545.68 680.Th) 780.(KI 75.¢XI 295.70 I￿.C Don8tion- Printin6 PrtTrtin8 M.P.H. stat￿Trery Resources Auxillary Fund Property Fund Audrt Fee Prayer Handbc VwEe at Horne DOn￿h)n- Paypal EasyFundRalsln8 Zoom 65. 53.05 127.72 kn[￿51ng One Llcense NPT Web55Èe 694.44 87.50 4114 Route 16 Donation- Lap Blankets Skewen Flood 1,230. Route 16 220.(X) Outwth 1.720.(Kl Skewen Fkx L230.CiI 231.9) 1,720.C SUB TOTAL 85,054.92 CFB Interest Uoyds Bor￿ Interest 15141 27S.75 CFB 113.745.34 2L115.31 Coed Darcy. iknyds Uoyds E￿nd 25.(KM).ThI TOTAL 244,992. TOTAL 244.99177 Noteiothe A¢¢ourt5: Route 16-£ I.230.C￿￿a5 banked asa donaticth and E 20.00 was recelved as a cash donation-total ralsed bythe (inwit £ L250.LM). chri￿m85 Alpha thurthes. a charityorganisalion, matthed the am(NJrrt ratsed bythe orcur( so a total of £ 2￿￿).C¥) was recognlsed by Rr#Jte 16 from the Ctr¢ulL CIRCUIT RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Noath Port Talbot Methodist Circuit FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021 Wales Dlstri Circult no 02118 R¢giStered Charlty. Chatlty Registratlofi number 1131776 If not a registered thanty Her MaiestyS Revenue and C4tstom Gdt Aid number (The HMRC numbor Os equivalent to a regi3teT8d chavity number in terms of eviden￿ of charitsble stths and may be used to give to donors or gr¥nt fundérs wtsling to see evidence of the owanisation's charitable status. MethI￿list charities in Er>gland and Wales tr￿t are r•)t rogistered t*arities are excepted from registrgts.on undef Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242) Ministers: Rov Gordon SoThs. Su Clem RaLmond. Su Worker Emma R -￿efi . Pastora workerL￿mber. November2020 Ro￿n SheNThwJ. Pastryaj Worker -G￿._Aubr￿￿. SenKK & P MK*eNe Amesbu Brian Curtis Claire Roberts Peter Davie5 De￿mber 2020 Jan Griffiths- Treasurer. 2015CIKul R P.th 1cl1 20ACCOUMTS FOR THE YEAR EMDED 31 AUGUST 2021 Neath Port Talbot Mèthodist Circuit Circuit r•stiic￿ Alodel R•strl¢tsd Totsl8 th FuNIs F￿lld Funds Totals la8t SECTION A a1 RECEIPTS 82 Assessmenushare 78.527 78.527 93.925 a3 Capital r￿lpt$ Bank and CF6 interest and nvestment income 428 113 541 1,271 a5 Grants Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 13,488 13.488 11,631 a7 92,443 92.557 1•81 106.826 SECTION B b1 b2 PAYMENTS Stipends, salaries, NIC, p￿S1On aThJ travel costs 41,639 41.$39 46,440 b3 Manse Costs 4.182 4.182 3.764 Administration etc 3.174 69 3,355 b5 District Assessment 13.423 858 14.280 16,099 Grants & donations b7 b8 other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 19,008 19.008 35,506 b9 81.425 927 82.352 Ib9) 105.165 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 {a7-b9) 11.018 {8131 10.205 1,661 Totsl funds brought forward from last year 149.599 34.318 183,918 {c61 182,257 c3 Sub total Ic1rf21 160.618 33.505 194.123 183,918 TransfeTS and adjustments Ic71 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR {c3+c4) 160.618 33.505 194.123 {c81 183,918 Ic6) SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY". MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS th08* amounts sh¢)uld not be Sncluded in total recei d1 Balance brought forward from last year Offer*ngslGifts - frfeived for extemal Organi&￿i0nS OfferingslGifts . passed to extem￿ organisations BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID Id1 + d2 - d3) d2 2,950 511 d3 2,950 511 d4 2015 Cir￿* R aThJ P.k1s lof1 Neath PortTalt*)t su SECTrON E Summary ofthe circurt￿o￿nts for the year￿ded 31 Wsl 2021 Int￿n￿ to the Kleebn9. Noieth81 th¢ of I[rteM￿ cluarisatt￿ w[WJ￿ rL￿[r￿lLY be REsttKted unW rt ￿<**[ty o)Jd ￿ used brany met￿&51 purw>se Thi% sectw m￿t be CoM￿et￿l lo am¥e at the gross r￿15 aTrJ pawtst&26 clthe CKcuit ff grc6s ir￿eXceedS the AcUual$thres￿o￿l of £250.000, Ihw tywkntuals f￿311￿)￿ ofa(xwts¥AWDA DIFFERENT FORkl uwj MethL%JI5tv￿￿te}. P*ase r7 Subtrxal dirts) {•12) 92,$57 10305 (¢7) 184918 194.123 èlELD8Y CIRcurr 92.￿7 10,20S 184918 194.123 y*¢ TOTALRECEJPT TOTAL thg totalslorwd SECMON F ANDu￿￿￿Es ENING CLOSING BALANCES eiReiyT.eASH FUNOS HEL04tJ1 AlWt20tI 12.596 21.115 25,(K 25.0 f4 113.745 34,318 33.505 SUB TOTAL 181841 193,366 TrtaIfu￿S Irrt￿ cbslry bIL￿￿e￿￿54L￿*>1eI2j •12 TOTAL ¢A3M FUNDS HELD Bycrtutr 184841 193.366 SECTnt4G Al Al OTrERASSETS4nd L14WLmES 31 A￿￿1120?1 M Indud2 hebl atthe Cthwal Bo¥d 15 IndudÈ th CFB Fula$￿￿ AtTrt%tee51ty Name of Circuit . .Neath Port Talbot Methodist ......... No...02118........ Declarations and Scrutiny I confimi that these R￿lpt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2021 have been prepared from the records of the C1￿1t and that they indude all funds under the contK)l of the Circuit meeting. Signature of treasurer ... h c .LJ. Date.. !PJ:(!g ai: Name and addr￿￿ of treasurer ...... Karen Sherwo(M 14 Parkfield, Tonna, Neath, Neath Port TalbDC . Post Code...SA113JN Presentatlon to the Circuit meetlng I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2021 werelwin be. presented to the Circuit meets'ng held on 22 September 2021. Signature ￿ the Chair of the meeting Name ofthe Chair ofthe meeting ...Rev Rosemary Davies... Date........................ J9.09..91 Indopendent ExamineVs Report to the Trustees of the Neath Port Talbot Methodist Circuit Charity Numbèr 1131T16 Re8ponslblliti"es and basis of report I report to the trustees on my examination of the accxiunts of the Neath Port Talbot Methodist Circuit for the year ended 31 August 2021 set oui on pages ... As the Circuit's tnjstees, you are responsible for the preparats'on of the accounts in accordan￿ with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act,). I report in respect of my examination of the Circurys accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and, in carrylng out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. delete or cirde as approprlate 2015 Clrcuk R w)dP.>ts 1(rf1 ilame of Circuit . . Neath Port Talbot Methodist Circuit No . . 02118 Independent Examine￿8 Ststement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have o)me to my attention in connection with the examination ( in, any material respect ) which give me cause to believe that the accounting records ￿re not kept in accordance ￿ryth section 130 of the Act: or the accounts do not accord with the a￿￿Unting records. I have no Ixjncems and have come across no other matters in wnnection with the examination to which attention shoukl be drawn in this report in orrler to enable a proper understsnding of the accounts to be reached. I havelhaym￿. obtained independent veiification of all invesknents with the Trnstees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts. bank balances and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church vthich are indNidualty in excess of £10.000 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date. Signature of independent examiner Name of independent examiner Relevant professional qualification of independent examiner Name of firni (where appropriate) Address Date dlj delete or circle as appropriate Sep21 2015 Clr¢uft R Ènd P.>ls