2024-08-31-accounts - Nottingham North East Circuit of the Methodist Church

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Trustee’s Annual Report September 1[st] 2023 – 31[st] August 2024

Introduction

We present our financial statements and annual report for the Connexional Year 1st September 2023 – 31st August 2024

Our Objectives and Activities

The activities covered in these financial statements fall within the work of The Methodist Church in Great Britain (‘The Methodist Church’ or ‘The Church’).

The aim of The Methodist Church in Great Britain is to fulfil its calling, which is to respond to the gospel of God's love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission.

The purposes of the Methodist Church are and shall be deemed to have been since the Date of Union the advancement of:

a) The Christian faith in accordance with the doctrinal standards and 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 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 organisation and resourcing of regular public acts of worship open to members of the church and non-members alike
The teaching of Christianity through sermons, courses and small groups.
The resourcing of pastoral work including visiting the sick and bereaved.
Taking religious assemblies in local schools.
Promotion of Christianity through the staging of events and services.
Provision of chaplaincy services to the local university and other institution

In September 2024

We will have …

11 churches (14 worshipping congregations) Arnold, Bestwood Park (LEP), Calverton, Gedling Road, Hucknall Central with Hucknall Eastside, Nuthall with Aspley and Awsworth Phoenix Farm, Ravensworth Road, Rise Park (LEP), Sherwood, St Johns

7 Paid Staff:

3 Presbyters – Rev R Byass, Rev Jason McMahon-Riley, Rev J Wiseman
2 Deacons – Deacon J Morton, Deacon H Snowball
1 Youth Worker / Vision Co-ordinator – Mr M Williamson
1 Administrator / Finance Officer – Mrs C Smith

5 Volunteer Circuit Stewards:

Mr D Blount, Ms J Compton, Mrs L Johnson, Mr I Pickering,

Mr Ben McMahon-Riley

3 Volunteer Safeguarding Officers:

Mrs M Carter, Mrs L Johnson, Miss G Surgay

Our Circuit Vision Statement

Following the formation of the Nottingham North East Circuit in September 2020, we continue with our vision statement:

(Equipping) TRANSFORMATION (through God's Love)

We do this through …

Prayer and Worship
Discernment and Calling
Discipleship and Evangelism
Service and Caring
Communication and Resources

Our Achievements 2023 - 2024

1. Development of circuit vision

As a circuit we continue to be mindful of

Being responsible for our churches as well as being accountable to the District and, in turn, the Connexion
Being sure of who it is we serve, both in terms of God and the churches and congregations we have locally
Assessing what we have and what we need by way of resources and where our strengths and weaknesses are
Acknowledging that we are part of a bigger picture in the Kingdom of God
How we honour the fact that our churches are part of both our Circuit family, and their local communities, each seeking to be a unique and beautiful expression of a faith-filled Christian presence where they are

Our Circuit Vision remains the starting point for how we work as a circuit

2. Prayer and Worship

We continue to support our Preachers, Worship Leaders and those in training through quarterly meetings and provision of resources
We undertook a series of themed preaching across the circuit looking at the remaining 6 Discipleship Pathways from the Methodist Way of Life

Filling the circuit plan continues to be a challenge due to the number of Local Preachers and Supernumerary ministers no longer being able to take appointments. In addition, increasing numbers of local preachers have positions of responsibility in their own churches, thereby limiting the number of appointments they can offer to the circuit. We have instigated some ‘sectional services’ encouraging churches to worship together. In the first quarter of the new connexional year we will be delivering a service to each church exploring how we resource worship, with the hope that we can then have a workshop early in 2025 to help resource local churches. We continue to provide a weekly written service which churches can use for Local Arrangements

3. Discernment and Calling

We seek to be a circuit where churches and individuals can consider their calling by providing appropriate support.

Our Deacon working in the City Centre has continued to network and build relationships within the City Centre. Despite some difficulties with premises the weekly drop in continues and develops.

We are actively seeking to recruit more circuit stewards and are supporting one of our churches in employing a Youth Missioner.

As begin to plan for our resourcing worship services we pray that this will encourage people to consider how they might help to resource worship, e.g. as Worship Leaders, Local Preachers, Stewards etc.

4. Discipleship and evangelism

We continue to use the “Our Calling” framework and the “Discipleship Pathways” to underpin all that we do. We have held 2 Circuit Vision Days to allow churches to meet together, learn and share. Our Vision Co-ordinator continues to work with several churches as they seek to discern what their calling is as a congregation and in their local community.

5. Service and caring

We celebrate the various ways in which our churches serve their communities through

Mental Health Cafes
Coffee Mornings
Providing lunches
Supporting foodbanks
Toddler groups
Work amongst young people
Fellowship Groups
Supporting the work of uniformed organisations
Generosity in hiring buildings out
‘Open the book’ programmes in schools
Partnerships with other organisations e.g. Pulp Friction at Bestwood Park and The Ark at Phoenix Farm, Food Cycle at Hucknall
Choirs
And many others, about which we probably don’t know!

6. Communication and Resources

We …

Have weekly staff meetings
Have continued to support churches with GDPR
Have helped churches with their Trusteeship obligations
Have met with church treasurers and safeguarding officers
Have produced study booklets for Advent and Lent
Provide weekly written services
Have a website which is regularly updated
Have an active social media presence
Offer to pay for worship resources for Local Preachers
Assign a circuit steward to each church council
Circulate notices / information via senior church stewards

We aim to…

Continue to improve our communication with churches
• Provide resources for Worship where we can

Meet annually with significant church office holders e.g. treasurers / safe guarding officers / church stewards / property stewards
Produce Lent and Advent Study books
Offer a printing service
Support local churches in their mission and ministry

7. Legal / Church Requirements

Safeguarding – we …

Review the Circuit Safeguarding Policy annually
Maintain a database of all safeguarding requirements
Have held 3 training sessions of the Methodist Church Foundation course
Liaise with district regarding Methodist Church Advanced Module training
Have met with church safeguarding officers to give advice and support

EDI Training – we …

Held an in person training course attended by over 30 people and this was well received. A resource pack was provided for each church and we aim to make this an annual training
We also give advice as to how this training can be accessed on line

GDPR – we …

Continue to help churches with GDPR
As an extension of our GDPR work we have appointed a Volunteer Circuit Archivist who is supported by two further volunteers

Annual Returns – we …

Have ensured that all churches complete their Methodist Church annual returns and provided help when needed

Property – we …

Have ensured that all property inspections have been completed
Maintained all circuit held properties in good order
Our circuit property steward is always ready to give advice

Finances – we …

Have successfully appointed a circuit steward with financial oversight
Have kept a watchful eye on balances and sought to transfer funds from reserves as and when needed using the correct mandates
Have opened a new bank account with CAF bank and put in place all the necessary procedures to comply with the Charity Commission recommendations for managing finances
Have had two meetings with church treasurers which has been very well received and we aim to do this at regular intervals

Finances

Our financial statements accounts and reserves policy are attached to this report. We are aware that we have been running at a significant deficit over the past year. We have consciously used our unrestricted reserves funds to address this deficit.

We continue to be aware of the likelihood of there being a deficit in the coming financial year and will be seeking to address this while continuing to use reserves to enable us to support local churches with staff and other resources.

Bankers

Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church

CAF Bank

Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes

Independent Auditor Mr Benjamin McMahon-Riley

Structure, Governance and Management

The governing document for the Circuit is the Deed of Union (1932) and Methodist Church Act (1976) Detailed governance arrangements are outlined within the Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church by order of the annual conference (CPD). Day to day management of the Circuit is undertaken by the Circuit Leadership Team.

Trustee Body

All ministers, presbyteral and diaconal, stationed in the Circuit by the Conference or who are residing for the purposes of the stations of the Methodist Church in the Circuit and who are in the active work (that is not retired), are ex-officio members of the Circuit Meeting (the Trustee Body).

Other ministers who reside in the Circuit in accordance with the standing orders of the Church (including those who are retired) may choose to be members of the Circuit Meeting, and if they do so they are shown in the list of trustees.

Each church is represented by a Church Steward and the Church Treasurer

The Circuit Meeting has the power to co-opt other members

Statement of Trustees Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales, the Charities Act 2011, Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provision of the Trust Deed require the

Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure of the Charity for the financial year. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
• Observe the methods and principles in the appropriate charities SORP;

Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in operation State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures that must be disclosed and explained in the financial statements. The Trustees are responsible for maintaining the proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity's website in accordance with legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements. This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice; Accounting and Reporting by Charities. Declaratlons Th• trust••$ d•clar• that th•y hav• approv•d th• trust••s' r•port abov•. Slgn•d on b•half of th• charlty's trust••8 Slgnatur•(8) Full nam•(s) Posltlon (•.9. S•cr•tsry. Chalr, •tc) crffHce i Sth ITH cIRG4Ji riN)AVknloi_ QFF I Ci Q Dat• 21- 21rtS 10

Statements of Accounts and Financial Activity September 1[st] 2023 – 31[st] August 2024

Financial Statements for Nottingham North East For the Year 2023 - 2024

For the Year 2023 - 2024
	As at 31/08/2024	As at

		31/08/2023
INCOME Church Assessment Donation Grants Other Income Interest Layworker Recharge Property Rental Sale of Property Transfer From TMCP TMCP Interest/Dividends Total Income Total Income Less Exceptionals STAFF COSTS Payroll - Ordained Payroll - Lay W orkers Payroll - Charges Payroll - Other Stipends Eden Project W ages Total Staff Costs OTHER EXPENDITURE District Assessment CPF Levy CMTF Contribution Manse Costs - Maintenance Manse Costs - Council Tax Manse Costs - Water Rates Manse Costs - Insurance Purchase of Property Admin Admin Office Building Phone/Broadband External Organisations City Centre Bank Charges TMCP Charges Other Costs Grants For Projects Unclassified Total Costs Total Costs Less Exceptionals Surplus/(Deficit) Surplus/(Deficit) Less Exceptionals	£305,836 £0 £0 £39,633 £4,018 £70,051 £24,005 £0 £149,527 £52,057 £645,127 £495,599 (£220,979) (£128,008) (£1,891) £0 (£15,845) £0 (£366,723) (£109,780) £0 (£75,462) (£21,021) (£12,459) (£1,333) (£5,177) £0 (£7,801) (£14,734) (£4,818) £0 (£120,513) (£157) (£3,200) (£16,212) (£12,498) (£33,349) (£438,515) (£805,238) (£669,991) (£160,111) (£174,391)	£261,308 £0 £52,297 £54,552 £584 £14,393 £19,014 £572,636 £0 £29,576 £1,004,360 £431,724 (£172,807) (£110,600) (£1,265) (£1,562) (£5,883) (£480) (£292,597) (£100,660) (£181,014) (£59,942) (£11,018) (£9,461) (£2,260) (£7,951) £0 (£5,750) (£18,846) (£3,981) (£1,262) (£109,928) (£158) (£2,610) (£27,082) (£17,500) (£34,349) (£593,774) (£886,371) (£576,582) £117,989 (£144,858)

Financial Statements for Nottingham North East For the Year 2023 - 2024

	Aug-24
Total Reserves Fixed Assets Property Total Fixed Assets Current Assets Nottingham East HSBC CAF Bank Central Finance Board Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes City Centre Total Current Assets Net Assets Reserves Current Excess/(deficit) to date Reserves	£1,761,872.00
	£1,761,872.00 £0.00 £62,571.79 £80,095.19 £963,469.46 £753,139.43
	£1,859,275.87
	£3,621,147.87
	(£160,111.15) £3,781,259.02
	£3,621,147.87 £0.00

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the

Nottingham North East Circuit

Charity Number 1134223

Responsibilities and basis of report

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Nottingham North East Circuit for the year ended 31 August 2024 set out on pages 11 to 13. As the Circuit’s trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Circuit’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and, in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2023 have been prepared from the records of the Circuit and that they include all funds under the control of the Circuit meeting.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

I have not obtained independent verification of all investments with 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 excess of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date.

uro of Independent examlner Name of Independent examlner Relevant professional qualification of independent examiner Name of firni (where approprlate) Address . Post Code ..bi.fp )6.. .1.&.H Date.>'.....J4•w..2gAS..................... 15