## **Pastor’s Report** As I reflect on another year of ministry and service, I recognise how God has given us all opportunities to grow in our faith, as this year was different to those previous. We continued to worship and pray together, share Bible studies, and fellowship and food; but also, to talk and care, and share life together. Firstly, I want to thank the church for granting me a Sabbatical this year. In those six weeks, I managed to rest, retreat, and revive, physically, mentally and spiritually. And during that time, the church family stepped up to lead worship, engage in a Day of Prayer, and enjoy fellowship with a Quiz. They were also blessed by visiting speakers from Wycombe Youth for Christ, and Release International. I must prayerfully put the learnings from my Sabbatical into practice, and with anticipation that the church feels empowered to continue what they started. Our weekly Bible studies focused on the Parables of Jesus at the beginning of the year. August saw us invited to ‘Come and Share,’ and our Advent motivation was ‘The Words of Advent.’ Thank you to all who helped me lead those sessions. Pastoral visiting continues to be a major part of my time both responding to those who are in care or hospital, and being invited into your homes; as well as meeting new friends and being involved in organisations beyond our congregation. Our numerical attendance remains consistent, and my focus remains on spiritual growth and being disciples, as we share God’s love and hope to our community. During the year it was a privilege to lead the funeral services for two of our friends. It is always a pleasure to be asked to speak at various activities within our church. I always enjoy being invited to speak to our Pre-school children and their adults at Easter, Harvest, and Christmas; and our prayers continue for them all. It was lovely to meet with friends at Wednesday Fellowship and talk about my passion for the ‘London Underground’ in March. Also explore how ‘Life is a Puzzle’ in July; concluding with another passion ‘To Do Lists!’ But faithfully and practically ‘Living God’s To Do List.’ It was awesome for some of us to join with Christian friends from all over as we celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Wycombe Youth for Christ in September, and realising how many lives have been, and continue to be impacted by their ministry. I was thoroughly blessed to be asked to conduct the Wedding of Paul and Jordanna, son and daughter-in-law of two of our church members in October; what a wonderful joyous occasion. And continued prayer for them in their married life together. We concluded our year by leading Carol services at Hanover and Hughenden Courts and Trinity Place. What a blessing and thank you to all for your welcome. Our own Advent, Carol, Midnight Communion and Christmas Day services were well attended as we celebrated the birth of our Saviour together. We go into the New Year encouraged by the year just gone, knowing in a new way perhaps that our God goes with us whatever the future holds. I pray that as a fellowship we would put God at the centre of all we do, seek His vision and wisdom first, and be confident as we step out in faith together. God bless, Pastor Sharon ## **Charity Trustees Report** Maintaining the Church and the manse is a continual process This year it included several unbudgeted items within the church i.e. replacing the main church heater, repairs to the dish washer, hall central heating system etc. The minister’s laptop also needed to be replaced. ## Nigel Carpenter ||**Treasurers Report for Financial Year 1st January to 31st December 2025**|**Treasurers Report for Financial Year 1st January to 31st December 2025**|**Treasurers Report for Financial Year 1st January to 31st December 2025**|**Treasurers Report for Financial Year 1st January to 31st December 2025**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||**For AGM 20th May 2026**|||| |||||| |||**2024**|**2025**|**Inc / Dec**| ||**Bank Balances 31st Dec**|||| ||CommunityAccount(Current)|5,787.45|5,835.54|48.09| ||Business Premium(Deposit)|12,588.34|5,206.07|-7,382.27| ||Nationwide Business Savings|41,862.94|43,402.76|1,539.82| ||Total|60,238.73|54,444.37|-5,794.36| |||||| ||**Surplus / Deficit**|**2024**|**2025**|**Inc / Dec**| ||Income|69,345.12|68,944.99|-400.13| ||Expenditure|65,141.69|74,917.24|9,775.55| ||**Surplus / Deficit**|**4,203**|**-5,972.25**|**-10,175.68**| |||||| ||Nationwide and Bank Interest|2,021.00|1,657.55|-363.45| |||||| ||**Main sources of income**|||| |||**2024**|**2025**|**Inc / Dec**| ||Offeringwithout Gift Aid|18,112|15,255|-2,857| ||Offeringwith Gift Aid|23,956|24,098|142| ||Hall Use|13,183|13,194|11| ||Gift Aid Return from HMRC|8,181|8,047|-134| ||Donations received|205|3,252|3,047| ||WRU Manse Repair %|1,452|0|-1,452| ||WednesdayFellowshipOffering|514|350|-164| |||||| ||**Examples of Expenditure**|||| |||||| ||**Donations Church Lunch Surplus**|**2024**|**2025**|| ||Wycombe Homeless Connection|200|222|22| ||Wycombe women's Aid|200|222|22| ||Wycombe Food Hub|100||-100| ||Total|500|444|-56| |||||| ||**Donations**|**2024**|**2025**|| ||Hope for Children||710|| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Missions Sunday- Wycombe Youth for|||| ||Christ||500|| ||Release International||500|| ||Total||1,710|| |||||| ||**Tithe Church Income**|**2024**|**2025**|| ||Income to tithe|64,400|63,480|| ||10%|6,440|6,348|| ||Donations from Church Income|1,100|1,000|| ||Amount to allocate at MayAGM|5,300|5,348|| |||||| ||**Manse Expenses**|**2024**|**2025**|**Inc / Dec**| ||IncludingCouncil Tax,Water Rate|||| ||Broadband and Telephone|||| ||Repairs and Renewals|7,073|3,977|-3,096| ||60/40 WRU Refund on Repairs|1,452|0|| ||Actual Increase|5,621||-3,096| |||||| ||**Staff Costs**|**2024**|**2025**|**Inc / Dec**| ||Stipend|22,865|28,548|5,683| ||Ministers Expenses|207|833|626| ||VisitingPreachers|300|155|-145| |||||| |||||| ||**Church Repairs and Renewals**|4,161|6,014|1,853| |||||| ||**Energy**|2,219|3,335|1,116| As you can see from the above, the total income for 2025 was similar to 2024, however offering has reduced, which is a concern going forward with the rising cost of everyday essentials i.e. energy, minister’s stipend etc. This year the main church heater also had to be replaced. I thank everyone for their financial contribution towards the running of the church. We continue to thank our Lord for his guidance and support in all aspects of the church’s finances. ## Nigel Carpenter ## **Wednesday Fellowship Report** The Wednesday Fellowship continues to meet twice a month, as you would expect on a Wednesday afternoon in the Church Hall and the local Good Neighbours bus provides transport for these afternoon sessions. We have a short, informal service with hymns, prayers, a Bible reading and a thought. We usually have an interactive activity, so everyone can join in and share their thoughts and experiences. We have a varied programme, with topics like “Treasure”, “Music in the Bible” and “The Harvest of the Sea”. We have a few outside speakers that come periodically throughout the year, but mostly our team of Sallie, Gill, Bryan and Debbie come up with themes for our afternoons and contribute poems, readings and activities to share God’s love with our community. We usually have about 20 people attending and what is so important is the time to sit and chat over a cup of tea and a biscuit, as we get to know each other better and share each other’s stories. This year we had a speaker from “Water Aid” who gave us a most informative talk about water, and how the projects for supplying water to villages in remote parts of our world, also include training the women to maintain and mend the water supply if there is a problem with the tap that has been installed. The result in sanitation from clean water makes such a difference to each community, and then this improves the children’s health chances dramatically. We were thrilled to give a donation to this charity this year. Debbie Carpenter ## **Roast Dinner Report** This year the team served Roast Dinner on 9 occasions throughout the year, enabling the Church Family and their invited friends to share a meal together on the first Sunday of the month. On a Saturday afternoon we have a great team of vegetable peelers, that come and prepare the vegetables. We have a good chat while we are doing the task, and then always finish up with a cup of tea afterwards! Another team come in to prepare the tables, and serve the food as well as wash up after the meal. Many thanks to everyone who helps to make this happen. It is such a time of fellowship to share together over a meal, and for so many that eat alone for most of the time, it is a chance for us to share God’s love by our actions for our community. We have a donation box for the meal and any surplus is sent to local charities: Wycombe Women’s Aid and The Homeless Connection in Wycombe. Debbie Carpenter ## **Tea and Cake in the Afternoon Report** We hold our Tea Party on the second Wednesday of the month, meeting in the Church Hall, usually from February until the summer, and then from September until Christmas. We serve tea and coffee, and an array of cakes, tea breads and scones, always making sure we cater for anyone who is gluten free. We averaged 31 during the year and there’s always a lovely atmosphere and a buzz of conversation throughout the afternoon. It’s lovely to see our regulars, plus new friends who come to join us. Some of our ladies and gentlemen are picked up and taken home again by the Hazlemere Good Neighbours Bus – this makes a huge difference to them and we are grateful both to Debbie for arranging this every year, and to the lovely couple who operate the bus, helping them on and off and looking after them so well. We have an amazing team. As well as me and Michael, we have Michelle, Antoine, Dot, Sallie, Gill, Diana, Susan and John. And of course, Sharon! We have cake makers, tea and coffee servers – as well as everyone who arrives to help set up and move the chairs and tables before we start and of course, put everything away at the end! We are grateful to everyone who comes and lends a hand. In May our tea party had a patriotic theme as we celebrated VE Day with red, white and blue bunting, flags and fairy cakes in Union Jack cake cases topped with raspberries and blueberries! We held our usual MacMillan Tea Party in September. Thirty-eight guests came on the day and after late donations had been collected in, we were able to send off £332. This is always an amazing amount and we are so grateful to everyone who donated – it’s such a privilege to be able to take part in the MacMillan Coffee Morning each year. Even though ours is a Tea Party in the afternoon. So, as ever, if you like cake and would like to meet up with old friends or make new ones, please join us. We’d love to see you! Pippa Wood ## **Men’s Breakfast Report** Men’s Breakfast is a monthly event where we always enjoy mouth-watering bacon rolls, (prepared by Master Chefs Bryan and Steve) washed down with tea, coffee and orange juice. After breakfast (and lots of light-hearted banter!) we then settle down to the serious business of watching and then discussing interesting and topical DVDs. We have just completed the DVD by Patrick Regan – ‘When Faith Gets Shaken'. This reflects on the times when our faith becomes questioned and doubtful. We are currently viewing another DVD compiled by Patrick Regan – ‘No Ceiling to Hope ‘. There are 5 sessions looking at poverty and how we can deal with this very concerning world problem. We extend a very warm welcome to any gentleman to ‘give us a try’. Why not come along and join us at 8.30am on the last Saturday morning of each month (dates will be advised). ## Tony Child ## **Art and Craft Report** We meet once a month and between six to twelve people attend. We have a time of exchanging craft ideas and catching up with each other. Refreshments are provided. Kathy Dawkings ## **Hazlemere Free Methodist Church** ## **Profit and Loss Report** _01 January, 2025 - 31 December, 2025_ |**Sales**||| |---|---|---| |Book Purchases (10063)|28.00|| |Cash offerings no gift aid (10002)|15,255.30|| |Christmas Donations to OpChChild (10041)|35.00|| |Church Lunches (10020)|2,385.45|| |Donations (10023)|3,252.00|| |Funeral Fees (10042)|306.09|| |HMRC Gift Aid (4011)|8,046.75|| |Hall rental (10004)|13,194.25|| |Licence April Cottage (10034)|388.74|| |Monitory Gifts to Minister (10069)|60.00|| |Offerings with Gift Aid (10000)|24,098.00|| |Other income (4900)|656.41|| |WRU Pension Contribution (10026)|889.00|| |Wednesday Fellowship (10021)|350.00|| ||**Total Sales**|**£68,944.99**| |**Direct Expenses**||| |Church Charity Meals (10065)|102.82|| |Church Presentation Costs (10007)|157.47|| |Donations (10005)|8,114.90|| |Funeral Lunches / Teas (10067)|272.09|| |Men's Breakfast (10047)|89.96|| |Sabatical Expenses (10066)|1,000.00|| |WRU Assessment (10030)|962.00|| |||| 07 Jan 2026 15:20 Page 1 of 3 |WRU Pension Contribution to NEST (10039)
910.00|| |---|---| |Wednesday Fellowship (10033)
340.00|| |**Total Direct Expenses**|**£11,949.24**| |**GROSS PROFIT / LOSS**|**£56,995.75**| |**Overheads**|| |Accountancy Fees (7611)
1,262.00|| |Bank charges & interest (7900)
-1,657.55|| |Catering (10027)
331.40|| |Church Lunches (10017)
1,630.66|| |Cleaning (7810)
812.00|| |Cleaning Materials (10024)
387.40|| |Computer & Software (7550)
4.99|| |Employer's Pension (7007)
856.44|| |Energy (7200)
3,334.70|| |Insurance (7610)
1,373.33|| |Manse Expenses (10019)
3,976.87|| |Marketing (6200)
20.00|| |Ministers Expenses (10025)
833.21|| |Motor (7300)
240.00|| |Office costs (7500)
2,268.58|| |Professional fees (7600)
646.40|| |Quiet Day (10038)
70.03|| |Repairs and renewals (7800)
6,013.98|| |Staff (7000)
28,548.04|| |Visiting Preachers Expenses (10028)
155.00|| |WRU Rent (10049)
11,520.00|| |Water Rates (7110)
340.52|| |**Total Overheads**|**£62,968.00**| |**NET PROFIT / LOSS**|**-£5,972.25**| 07 Jan 2026 15:20 Page 2 of 3 07Jan 2tr26 1520 Pag83013 RE95TEREDCTr14fJTYIIUMHER'. 11324J5 rtoltheTI naud Atsf£*th•Y4arEnded3tst FREEhrr TaxasSlstAtC￿nt3nts 13 The Hwhway Statlon Road Beacor&fidd iwharnshlre HP91QCt FREE CatrtentsoftheFknaKkl Stat IwtheYeaiEnded31st 8•laKesheet N¢ttQStoth•flnandal$131ernents IiWMERE FREE Thetru5tee5 preseTrtthwr reptrt ￿1th thefinancial siatemems of the chartyforthe yearended 3tstrJecemi￿r202s ThetruStÈes ha dDPtedthÈ prtibi￿onS of Actounlwand ReportSns byCharftie5'. SlatemEnt of ReCvMrnt￿1Cd Ptbttict mlitabltto tharftlts theii accounts in accordance v•th rhe Finan¢ial Reptstin8 Standard appllcable In the W and Republic OF Ireland IFRS L021 leIfeLti￿ I J?nuary20Ig1. fjoverrtrydocunb2nt Thecharityi5cwtr&lcdbvilS&tytmiWddDcU￿*nt,adeedoftrUSÈJndc￿S￿tlrteS?n￿i￿￿OrWr9tedch¥ty. ThetNStseS ha* a dutyto identlfyand reY￿wthen5k5towhkhthP￿&￿ty￿* ￿pDle￿ and toensure approprfate contrdsare In to providÈ ￿asOnable assuran￿ 4aln5tfraud ￿derrOr. ReelstLYed Choritywmber 11324C6 67 Ashfield Way HalÉmÈro Hl£hWycombe HPIS 7RL W.6. Carpenter MlchdleY.RowerGullet steP￿n P. Cossln5 joanna K. Morton Kathryn l Da%thng5 Deborah C. Carpenter IndEpendErtÉwnlnBr TaNa5515tAccountints 13ThE Hi8hway Stat1¢￿ Road Beacor6field Httyioo Approved bytsrderofthetr￿rdOftrUsteeS￿............. -.and51￿ed0Trrtsb?h8Kby. P*1 Ihde ndentEM￿lner,sR I repOrt￿the1￿0uDtSfortheye0reThde￿31 DÈtember2025,whlchèresetouton w8e$threetDe4ht Re5pon4bIl￿e5¥￿￿b15I&thtry Asthe chèrttystrusteesyouarerespon5Tt4eforthE tyepat•tlph tsfthÈaccfJunts In accordarKewith*he requirerrerf5of tk Charide$ Art 2011llheAtt'I. I have examlned your chafftvs accounts a5 reouir@d undei sett￿￿ 145 01 the Chartties Act 2011 I'l￿ A¢t?. Ih out my er&mination I habtfollo¥%pd the Diredion5 gwen bythecharty Comm55￿OnUnderSectlr￿ k45ISllbl of the 2011A(t. Myrolelstosratewheiheranyrnateri4 rnattelSha¥*cometomyatrentionTrvmgmecau5etoLYl*¥Y.' i. th4txcountlll8retordswerÈ ￿tke￿a5 requlied by5ectiDn 130oftheprt.or 2. t￿lthe3ccoUnt$don￿accord withthoseretards,'or 3. th3ttheacEountsdontstc¢thp￿￿Iththe ècc¢unvn8requirefnEnt5ofthE Act,. ur 4.thatlhereisfurtheijnfotrn3titsn nè4d*dfora properunder5tandlrrfofthe*¢ountL Independerte￿nIn*S ststernErt I have rpm￿et¢d tny exanmnation and ha￿ no 124.9621 TOTIIFUF￿5 la2￿6 1157.7 Page7 ¢ty￿￿Ued... HAZLE R•￿tedP￿ty*¢Iotslrts Therewefenorei*edpartytrdnsactlmsfwtheyearenJ¢d 31st ts¢¢wnbef 2Q2S. Post balAKesheet event On 12 January 2026, the charty wa5 forrna11y notthEd Ihot Comt and Plty Pve-school wlll (ease operatSons at the end ol JLdy 2026. pre-sc￿01 is asignifiwt Nrer of th￿ tharivg hall fas1￿1&$, Its dosure Isexpectedto reSL￿8 Sn a maierl4 ieductyon In future rental In£ome. This event occurr•1 after the reporting datt but beftsye the linandal sr3temems Y￿re authorized for Issue A5 it rew tts ccnditirms aiisini after the balance sheet dète, It i% treated as a non-adiusting evem. A¢CordIn￿Vi no 3dju#ments made to the figure5 reported ID these flnantial statement¥ but dwbsuie ￿ prowthd due to its ￿t￿tIo[ irnpact on the tharStWs fvture Income streams. PaBe B DtsnatiD￿&￿at1È5 H411 Aentsl $1,336 13,195 51,443 13,183 64.626 Inrfmpntlncome 1,658 Z,02Z 66,188 66,648 Runnin8£0￿ Df the churth Minbtterand￿￿￿nIVrÈ3rhÈr Churchserv￿eS Dw*ion paid Gty2maniÈ Cost GÈnernl admlnistraiion costs 11,535 31,354 11,680 23,987 327 7,59J 50￿74 1337 8,365 28.F4J5 2.201 82.303 75,495 Tcial rQ￿r￿Sexpended 82.303 75.495 116,1151 1&847) Th15 pagedoesDLtform￿rtQfthÈstèfUt0ry*n￿CiaI$t1teM?Thts Pa8e 9 Signatures Date.. Signalure.. Nigel Cl4iw, eL.