## Penarth Methodist Church Annual Report ## **1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023** ## **Charity Number 1133512** ## **Aim and Purpose** The calling of the Methodist Church of Great Britain is to respond to the gospel of God's love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission. It does this through worship (increasing awareness of God’s presence and celebrating God’s love), Learning and Caring (enabling people to grow and learn as Christians through mutual support and care), service (being a good neighbour to those in need and challenging injustice) and evangelism (making more followers of Jesus Christ). Penarth Methodist Church makes local the outworking of this calling in Penarth and the surrounding area. Included in this is the upkeep and maintenance of the Trinity buildings on the corner of Stanwell Road and Woodlands Place which are Grade II listed. ## _**The Principal Officer of the Charity during this period was Rev. Catherine Lewis Number of employees during the year was 1. All volunteers are either Trustees of the church or other members**_ ## _**Date report approved: 04 April 2024**_ The Trustees, responsible for all decisions made including appointments, were as follows at 31 August 2022:- Rev Catherine Lewis Tony Farmer Angela Davison Judith Lanning Ceri-Lou Newman David Young Ruth Young Ian Severn Carl Brace Alison Norris Rachel Burge Jenny Corbett Mary Farmer John Hines John Jevons Sheila James Margaret Pryde David Pedwell Janet Pedwell Charles Twining Chris Arnold Ro Newman John Young Graham Illingwortth ## **Governance** The church is committed to enabling worship and service and to wider pastoral care of those within its membership and beyond in Penarth and the surrounding area. An overview of these activities is undertaken by the Church Council that meets 2/3 times a year and delegates the day to day responsibilities for running the church to its Stewards who are elected annually by the General Church Meeting. The Church Council comprises members of the local church and a rep from the Circuit. All are elected annually by the General Church Meeting, some by virtue of their office others to ensure that the Council is as representative of the congregation as possible. Being a Methodist Church we function under the “Constitution, Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church” revised and published annually by our national governing body, the Conference. Throughout the year the guidance on public benefit and the advancement of religion have been observed. ## **Review of the year** Appointments There have been no new appointments during the reporting period. ## Activities This year showed the return to more normal ways of meeting and worship, without the need for and restrictions related to Covid, such as mask wearing and a more interactivity between members and visitors. We began the connexional year with an art exhibition, by the Welsh artist, Jeremy Thomas, which saw members of the church and local community spend time in the main church with art work depicting the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. A Bible study class is also being planned. Church membership was 129 at 31 Aug 2023 During the year the church continued to operate and grow its own mother and toddler group called Trinity Tots which had started the previous year. Run by church members, this group had an average attendance of 35 children accompanied by parents/carers. A Messy church event was also held once per academic term and saw between 40 and 50 attendees. The church continued to operate a community café one morning per week which had started the previous year. Called The Meeting Place and run by a group of 14 volunteers offering refreshments and fellowship both to church members and others in the community it served on average 24 individuals each week. During the winter months, we opened as a ‘warm space’ to assist those struggling with the cost of living crisis, with soup and a roll introduced, along with extended opening times. Junior Church, Boys Brigade and other uniformed organisations continued to operate from within the premises providing support, care and activities for children and young people. Pastoral visitors continued to maintain a valuable link with members and others linked to the church, particularly to those who are unable to worship regularly due to health conditions. The church continues to provide meeting space for a variety of local community groups through the provision of large and small meeting rooms available for hire . During the year Safeguarding policy has continued to be implemented, GDPR regulations followed and appropriate Health and Safety observed. ## **Property** Trustees continued to exercise their responsibilities for the proper upkeep of the church as a Grade II listed building. Regular planned maintenance was carried out and works identified in the previous Quinquennial Inspection of the property was undertaken. Continuation of work was undertaken for the future improvement of the thermal efficiency of the premises, with the aim of becoming recognized as an ecochurch. Works allowing easier access to and within the property for people with mobility difficulties was also undertaken. ## **Finance and Reserves** The reserves policy was reviewed by Trustees to ensure that monies were spent appropriately yet prudently on mission and property maintenance and improvements. Falling membership numbers through deaths and pressures on personal finances due to the overall economic situation both impacted negatively on giving resulting in larger than anticipated financial losses during the year. Throughout the year staff and the volunteers of the church have given of time energy and money unstintingly. ## **Rev Catherine Lewis - Chair of Trustees** CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Penarth Methodist Church Church FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2023 VALE OF GLAMORGAN Clrcult Clrcult no. 02127 Reglstered Charity - Charity Registration numbor 1133512 If not a registered charity Hèr Majestys Revenue and Customs Gift Aid number (The HMRC number is equivalent to a registered charity number in terms of evtdence of Gharitable status and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence of the organisation's charitable status. Meth¢Jdist charities in England and Wales that are nol registered charities are excepted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242) Minister. Rev catt￿rine Lewis Church Stewards: Angela Davison Anthony Fanner Judith Lanning CerFLou Newman David Young Ruth Young Treasurer.. lan D. Sevem chur(*es-receipts4nd-payments-2023 1of5 Accoup¥fs FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 Penarth Methodlst Church Church UnrMtrlet•d R•#trtet•d Totsl8 thi Fund8 Fund8 Tot•l$ la•t ygar SECTION A 81 RECEIPTS Offerin s and Tax recovered Bank and CFB interest and Investment income 48.918 a3 1,978 1,978 49.126 75,800 175.822 267 Lettin a5 Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 75.800 175.822 42,866 137,758 la7) SECTION B b1 PAYMENTS b2 Circuit Assessment or Sha b3 Donations 872 872 173 airs and Maintenan Ulililies Ilnsurances. water charges. healing & lighting) 49811 91,197 18.773 b7 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 21.747 148,828 21.747 148,828 25,537 180.442 b8 (b9) SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMEKf8 FOR THE YEAR c1 a6-b8 26.994 42.684 Total funds brought foThYafd from last year 118,594 ¢3 Sub total c1+c2 26,994 26.994 Transfers and ad'ustmenls ¢7 c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR (c3+c4) 75,910 (¢6) SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: IAONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS these amounts are not to bo included In lotal recel tsl ents fl urns abovo d1 Balance brou ht forward from last ear d2 Offerin sIGifts- ￿CeIved for extemal o anisatrons d3 OfferingslGifts - passed to extemal organisations d4 BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID (d1+d243} 2of5 Penarth Melhc*Jist Church Chur¢h AKI IpllERN SECTION E suMr￿ty ofthe ChurL* acuyjnts foi iht trparended 31 AUg￿t20¥a ano Intemal organ￿ tOlheCbLYth CL¥jn￿￿Chureh ￿teth81 thefL￿5 or an tyni5alwJn Resth(aed r*c*ar5y thotthtycoJbJ ￿ uaed f¢ra[ryMEV￿dMl￿rW. Tth$s*bon mL& etwJtOa￿￿y al the groBS bnctjm?￿dexpe￿itUrelQ￿LIc￿thts ChLrth. Kgross MO)￿￿X($8dsthe￿ru￿sthresI￿hj. thBn theAeuu818 methNjofXco￿Vng NDA ThFFEREpif FORPA rn¢J* U￿tOre￿the ACcWntsl￿fv￿￿dL3tTA*ite). P*•8e ￿left0the guwjlln￿ ￿te&re￿r$ transf¥s betyA*en the 0￿1Ct Opening ORIY414SATh)N8 orgwlg8o￿sfL￿ 2) Church ac¢ourlsltd 137.189 {a71 Ib91 74910 84.771 elo BYCHIRCH 137.ug 148.820 111,1J91 74910 64.771 co￿nUe￿i aseF•wesheei nece￿ryand t￿n9th8 TOTALRECO YOTAL PAYIIEM SE¢TION F OPE141NG BWINCES CHURCH.CA8H F￿108 FELDat Ji Cash in hand 29 Bank Central Fknartr B￿rd e8.858 TnJs*e$knNtstt￿sI Chjrth Pu 0th6rfund8 SUB TOTAL.Chur¢h anEetolal ftom •tthé) le12) e11 e12 To7￿cAsH FUN￿ I*LDBY 118.773 8ECmONG Al 18eptgrntwa)22 31 AWJLUI 2Q23 Lan¢ &￿J1 rerK# 141nclude OW FtthJ$ eMtr81 Rnan¢6 8ow only FuThJ$ heidatTrLs*Ms ftyNthist Churr* PthTt40S theoxsh eknBnldTMCP trusts•xwtsthb 15 Wil￿15 3015 Penarth Methodist Church No.. 2r27 Declarations and Scrutiny I confimi thal these R￿lpt and Payment based acc￿nts for Ihe year to 31 August 2023 have been prepared from the records of the Church and that they indude all funds under the control ofthe Church trustees. SignatyreoftTe8surer................................... Date 3rd October 2023 Name and address of treasurer.. Dr. lan David Severn 3 LarkWO￿ Avenue, PENARTH. CF64 3JJ Pr•sentation to the Church trustses I confirm that the annual report and accounts for ar ded 31 August 2023 ￿ere1￿￿￿re$enIed Signature of the Chair of the meeting Name ofthe Chair ofthe meeting Qe%T.1M.Gry.y.£tfrt￿l.f£.: qj..:f...... Date .l.i....o&.12L.".%£% Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees of the Penarth Methodist Church Charlty Number 1133512 Responslbllltlos and bash of report fkNbp44 I reF()rttothetrustees on myexamination ofthe accounts of the........................................ Church for Ihe year ended 31 August 2023 sel out on pages ... to As the Church's trustees, you are responsible for th8 preparation of the accounts in accordance wth the requirements of the Charitie$ Act 2011 {'the Act,). I reFL>rt in respect of my exarninat￿n of the chu￿h,8 wA)unts carried out under Secti￿ 145 of the A¢i and, in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Di￿¢t10nS given ty the Charity Comrnlssi￿ under section 14515)(b) of the Act. . de￿te or arcle as appropriate 4of5 Penarth Methodist Church No 2127 Independent Examiner's Statement I have completed my examination. I confinn that no material matters have come to ry attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below.) which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or the accounts do not accord with Ihe accounting records. I have no cOn￿mS and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attenlion should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. I havelhave not" obtained independent verification of all investments WFth the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balances and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in eX￿sS 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 firm (where appropriate) Address Postcode .................. Date delete or cirde as appropriate chur￿eS-￿1Pts-and-payrnents-2O23 5of5