## ANNUAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 2023 TO AUGUST 2024 BARTON, BRIGG and WOLDS CIRCUIT ## **Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] August 2024** ## **Objectives and Activities** Barton and Brigg Methodist Circuit (Circuit) merged with a portion of the Wolds and Trent Methodist Circuit on 1[st] September 2023 to become the Barton, Brigg and Wolds Circuit. It exists to advance the mission of the Methodist Church throughout the Circuit by providing support for the sixteen churches in line with the Connexional priorities. The Circuit comprises of 16 local Methodist churches served by a ministerial team of 2 ordained ministers plus a number of part time active retired ministers, administrator and volunteers. The Circuit is led by a Superintendent Minister assisted by a Second Minister, Supernumerary Ministers and a part time administrator. The Circuit Meeting, which met 4 times during the year, sets the policy for the Circuit, serving as a link between the Lincolnshire Methodist District, the Methodist Conference and the Connexional team on the one hand and the local churches on the other. It has oversight of all Circuit affairs, formulating and promoting policies, through its various officers and committees to assist the mission of the Church, to give inspiration to the leaders in the churches and to ensure the interrelation of all aspects of the Church’s life throughout the Circuit. The members of the Circuit meeting are the trustees of the charity registered with the Charity Commission. As a registered charity, the Circuit takes seriously its responsibilities to the Charity Commissioners and adheres to their guidance concerning public benefit in relation to charitable objectives. The day to day work of the Circuit is carried out by the Circuit Leadership Team, which consists of the Superintendent Minister, the second Minister and three Supernumerary Presbyters, seven volunteer Circuit Stewards and the Circuit Safeguarding Officer, with the additional assistance of a Circuit Bookkeeper, a Circuit Administrator and Circuit Minute Secretary. ## **OUR MISSION STATEMENT** The Barton, Brigg and Wolds Methodist Circuit follows ‘Our Calling’ priorities for mission. The Circuit and Circuit Leadership Team aimed to support each church in their community and encourage them to be a vibrant place of worship, service, learning and fellowship, and take risks for the gospel outreach. With the encouragement of two God For All Enablers, Rachel and Jonathan Oatridge, whom are contracted by the circuit for two years from September 2022 to August 2024, we have encouraged churches to discover the needs of their communities and prayerfully consider how God calls them to respond, both inside and outside the church building, working ecumenically wherever possible. ## We encouraged churches to - explore new forms of worship - work with children and young people in schools, messy church, school assemblies, creative crafts - to be a ‘presence’ at community events and mark major events in the nation and locally with invitational acts of worship - support and raise awareness of the world church through justice and peace – support for mission e.g. All We Can, Christian Aid, Action for Children, Methodist Homes for the Aged, Methodist Ministers’ Housing Society, Food Banks, and the Homelessness Project. We did this by - Jonathan and Rachel meeting regularly with each church group to encourage and challenge thinking outside the box - strengthening and supporting our Local Preachers and Worship Leaders - finding resources that are accessible and interesting for congregations - encouraging Mission Audits, and Healthy Church Audits - enabling congregations to have a rich prayer life and spirituality, with ’Space to Be’ - Be Still, Be Silent, Be Creative; Bible Study; Local Preacher groups and monthly Circuit Prayer groups - providing opportunities for discipleship including abundant hospitality and generous giving; costly service and radical grace: e.g. OIKOS-BRIGG: a Charitable Incorporated Organisation; through Foodbanks in Brigg. Barton and Caistor; and a Homelessness Project in Barton. We do none of this in our own strength; we rely upon the grace of God, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and the example of Christ who is with each one of us in this pilgrimage of faith. ## **Achievements and Performance** We advertised and safer recruited a Lay Pastoral worker for 25 hours per week to focus on pastoral visiting and officiating at funerals. Dr. Richard Atkinson took up the role in October 2023 and has been of considerable help to the Ministerial team since his appointment. Allowing them to concentrate on their ministries within the circuit. Grants were obtained to employ a Youth Worker to work with: Young People, Schools and Families. Following her Safer recruitment Miss Grace Smith began this role in March 2024. Her report to the June Circuit meeting was very encouraging as she highlighted some of the work that has already been achieved, and plans for future work: Report on Young People, Schools and Family Work, Grace Smith’s first report to the meeting. So far, she has worked with Barton’s Messy Church, something she hopes to do again in the future, held some outdoor activities at Oikos-Brigg over the Easter holidays, held a Cheeky Panda Club during Thy Kingdom Come fortnight, a May half-term Holiday Club and has just started a Brigg Youth Club for 11 to 15 year olds and another club for 16 to 18 year olds, all in Brigg. She has distributed leaflets at the Vale Academy in Brigg and goes into Sir John Nelthorpe School in Brigg twice a week to work with a young enterprise group. She will be helping Broughton school with their Prayer Spaces and hopes to help at Kirton Lindsey with their Holiday Club and also at Market Rasen’s. She will also be working with Year 6 pupils at New Holland School. We now have a role outline for all roles in the churches and circuit with safer recruitment a priority. Safeguarding oversight for the Circuit safeguarding officers is now in place ## **Staffing** from September 2024 Following stationing we were in the position of not having a Superintendent Minister although a second Minister was stationed for September 2024. The Chair of District agreed to cover the Superintendency, however, after prayerful consideration, Rev Robert Roberts, the appointed second Minister, took on the role of Superintendent Minister from September 2024. ## **Plans for the Future** To put together a stationing profile for a second Minister for September 2025. To assist the Superintendent Minister, the Lay Pastoral Workers hours to be increased to 35 hours per week for one year. We are also continuing to review the following: - Property - overseeing schemes - Property - helping churches review their buildings - Finance - a team to help chapels do their accounts - Finance - a team who can look over cash-flow/trends/budgets etc - What other admin areas could we streamline? - Is there newsletter/website we could streamline? Co-ordinating Connexional or local news? - GDPR - Digital church - Work with young people - Work with Third Age groups - Eco-church matters All of the above, we will continue to discuss and develop through 2024-25. ## **Financial review** The Circuit is in a good financial position. The accounts show a total income of £274,315, with the following principal sources:- - Assessment on Churches in Circuit £174,953 - Grants (youth work) £ 64,056 - Other income was derived from the letting of the manses not occupied by presbyters together with bank and Central Finance Board interest payments - The Circuit had a corresponding expenditure of £259,599 with the following principal sources: Stipends, salaries, NIC, pension and travel £115,474 - Manse costs £40,620  Administrative costs £52,417 - District Assessment £44,724 The Circuit had nett receipts of £14,716 for the 2023/24 financial year. The total cash funds held as at 31st August 2024 was £83,511 and the total investments was £303,738. The Circuit has a Reserves Policy which prioritises mission for the use of these financial reserves. It also has also set up a loan scheme which, though repayable, is available for any church experiencing unforeseen expenditure that cannot be covered by its own reserves. CIRCUIT RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Barton, Brigg & Wolds Circuit FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2024 Circuit no 17111 Registered Charity - Charity Registration number 1132257 If not a registered charity His Majesty's Revenue and Customs Gift Aid number (The HMRC number is equivalent to a registered charity number in terms of evidence of charitable status and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence of the organisation's charitable status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered charities are excepted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242) Ministers: Rev Sally Long Circuit Stewards: Mr Malcolm Bailey (Treasurer) Mr Brian Cook Mrs Kate Marr Glenda Taylor Mrs Anne Morgan Mr lan Short Mrs Joyce Harris Book Keeper Mr John Mccartney BBW SFA 310824.xlsx 1of5 ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2024 Barton, Brigg & Wolds Circuit Un- Circuit restricted Model Trust Funds Fund Restricted Funds Totals this year Totals last year SECTION A RECEIPTS a1 Note a2 Assessmentlshare 174,953 174,953 132,825 Capital receipts Bank and CFB interest and Investment income 50,000 a4 5,967 5,967 3,967 Grants 64.056 64,056 29,339 9.500 a6 Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 29.339 9,140 205,432 a7 210,259 64,056 274,315 la8) SECTION B b1 PAYMENTS Stipends, salaries, NIC, Pension and travel costs b2 115,474 115,474 92,420 b3 Manse Costs 40,620 40,620 52,417 28,564 b4 Administration etc 52,417 44,724 12,143 b5 District Assessment 44,724 39,507 4,528 b6 Grants & donations 1,000 1,000 b7 b8 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 5,364 5,364 587 b9 259,599 259,599 (b9) 177,749 SECTION C NE I RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR la7-b9) (49,340) 64,056 14,716 27,683 c2 Total funds brought forward from last year 68.795 68,795 (c6) 41,112 Sub total (c1+¢21 19,455 64,056 83,511 68,795 Transfers and adjustments Ic71 c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR (c3+c4) 19,455 64,056 83,511 Ic8) 68,795 {c61 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS these amounts should not be included in total recei tslpayments above) Balance brought forward from last year OfferingslGifts received for external organisations OfferingslGifts - passed to external organisations BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID {d1 + d2- d3) d1 d2 d3 d4 BBW SFA 310824.xlsx 2of5 Barton. Brlgg & Wold3 Circuit MARY rrA INTERNAL ISATION RE UITMEETI SECTION E Summary of the CSrcuit axounls for the par ended 31 AugU812024 and Int¢mal Oryanisations re￿rtIng lo the Circuit Meèting. Note that the funds of an Intemal Organisation Would norrnally be Restricted funds unle55 it could be cleady shown that they could be used for any Methodist purposè. This section rnu5t be completed to arriv8 at thè gross recelpts and payments totsls of th8 CircuiL Kgross Incorna axceeds the AccDJals threshokl of £250.000, then the Accruals method of accounting AND A DIFFERENT FORM must be used lo report the accounts Ists Velhodlst websit81. Plgage refèr to th8 guidance notes regarding transfers between the Clrcutt and eonnected Circuit Organisations. INTER14JL ORGANISAnoNS Receipts Paym*ts Net Receip Poymeots OpenSryJ balances Ck>5iny balarKes Sub total oflntefflal Or9anls8tions fvnds Clrcutt a£eounts Itolats tsrought foNard froth pagE2. lola1¥ column) TOThL CASH FUNDS HELD BY CIRCUIT Cortynue on a s8patat8 &￿et Ifr*¢85sary ark4 brfn9 totsls fo￿301 18111 18121 274315 1481 25PA99 Ib91 14.716 Ic71 68.795 le61 83,511 le81 clo 274.315 2$9.590 14716 68.79S Ixl 83,S11 TOTAL RECEIPTS TOTAL PAYIIÈNTS SECTION F STATEMe OF BILITI CIRCUIT. CASH FUNDS HELD at 31 AuBuBt 2024 OPENING 8ALANCES CLOSING BAUANCES Cash In eank Gurnnt Acco￿lt 40.312 75,371 Bank Dep￿rt Ac¢5iny balarKes Sub total oflntefflal Or9anls8tions fvnds Clrcutt a£eounts Itolats tsrought foNard froth pagE2. lola1¥ column) TOThL CASH FUNDS HELD BY CIRCUIT Cortynue on a s8patat8 &￿et Ifr*¢85sary ark4 brfn9 totsls fo￿301 18111 18121 274315 1481 25PA99 Ib91 14.716 Ic71 68.795 le61 83,511 le81 clo 274.315 2$9.590 14716 68.79S Ixl 83,S11 TOTAL RECEIPTS TOTAL PAYIIÈNTS SECTION F STATEMe OF BILITI CIRCUIT. CASH FUNDS HELD at 31 AuBuBt 2024 OPENING 8ALANCES CLOSING BAUANCES Cash In eank Gurnnt Acco￿lt 40.312 75,371 Bank Dep￿rt Ac¢