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THE PAROCHIAL COUNCIL OF LLANSAMLET (Charity Reg. No. 1135372)

Llansamlet Group of Churches

ANNUAL REPORT and ACCOUNTS FOR 2024

The Diocesan Vision Prayer

Father, we hold before you our family, in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon, and we open our hearts and minds to your Spirit. Bless as we gather in your name. Guide us as we grow into the lightness of your Son. Lead us by your Spirit to go out and make disciples of others.

God of our journeying, be our way and our truth and our life,

Our beginning and our end.

We pray through Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Governance

The Llansamlet Group of Churches (St Samlet’s Church, St. Paul’s Church and St John’s Church) is now well entrenched within the Afon Tawe Ministry Area, which consists of the former Parishes of Morriston, Llangyfelach and Llansamlet. All are part of the Swansea and Brecon Diocese, with in the Church in Wales.

Officers and Trustees of Llansamlet Group of Churches

Revd Geraint Wathan – Vicar and MA Representative to Diocesan Council

Mrs Eira Mathewson

Mrs Marilyn Rees

Mrs Helen Moira Bibby

Mrs Jean Palmer – MA Representative

Mrs Cheryl Walters

Mrs Vivienne Usher

Mrs Jean Davies

Mr John Mathewson – MA Warden and Chair MA Council

Mrs Victoria Mann

Mr Jeffrey Jones

Mrs Alison Rees

Mr John Winchester – Treasurer

Regular Services

Worship is held in St Samlet’s every Sunday morning and Wednesday morning and on other occasions as required. Worship is also held at St John’s Church on the first and third Sundays in the month and at St Paul’s Church on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Once a month the Vicar arranges an afternoon Family Service, which is informal (held in the Church Hall) and encourages other young people and their parents to be involved. Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals are arranged by the Vicar as required.

' Rev d Geraint - Llansamlet Group of Churches

Another year has past and as we look at the churches in the Llansamlet group we see both challenges and opportunities. Over the year we have had a steady growth in attendance at St Samlet’s, as we welcome both new people into the congregation, also welcoming back some who have not been able to join us since the Covid restrictions. St Paul’s attendance has taken a drop in attendance for a number of reasons and St John’s has maintained it’s level.

St Samlet’s hosted the Ministry Area Confirmation service, and it was wonderful to see so many people making a commitment of faith, especially some of our young people who had been waiting a number of years for this to take place.

This year we have continued to hold Advent and Lent study groups, looking at the songs of Advent such as the Benediction and the Magnificat and then we studied some of God’s covenants from Noah to Christ. I am thankful for the Pastoral Visiting group who have reached out to many of those who are ill or housebound, taking them the love of God and the fellowship of the church.

The young people in our Sunday School and On Call youth group have continued to participate in the life of the church.

We have also looking to have an increased involvement of lay members in services through increased training. Over the year we have celebrated 90th birthdays, a 102nd birthday, along with the baptism Elis, our youngest regular in the congregation.

Sunday School Report

St Samlet’s Sunday school has had a successful year with an average attendance of seven children, with 12 regular attenders. The Sunday school team share the leadership support on each Sunday. The lessons follow the lectionary, and the children are learning the alongside the main congregation. The children, following a lesson on serving, decided that they would like to serve the church community and came up with the idea of serving teas, coffees, hot chocolate and biscuit following the monthly family service. They raised initial funds for biscuits by cleaning the church. This has been welcomed by the congregation who have supported and enjoyed their efforts. The Christmas nativity was spectacular with each of the children taking on their preferred role in a variety of sketches and scenes, with help from the On Call youth group and some other members of the congregation. Thanks go to all who help out, both leading and supporting, with particular thanks to Norma who provides for the Christmas and Easter treats for the children.

Ministry to Children and Young People

Sunday School meets on Sunday mornings at St Samlet’s Church. The children attend morning worship for the first part of the service, retire to the Church Hall for their lesson and then return to the service before the

Communion. The Vicar always gives the children the opportunity to tell the congregation what they have been learning. The Sunday School is staffed by a group of volunteer leaders who take turn on a rota basis.

“On Call” is a youth group that meets most Sundays from 4.30 to 7 pm at St Samlet’s Church. The members are secondary school age, and most attend church worship. Some are also Choir members. The programme of activities is agreed by the members themselves, with the guidance of the leaders.

Most weeks the young people manage to share a meal together!! All sessions begin or end with a short act of worship and prayer.

Several of the young people, together with Mrs Moira Bibby (leader) attended Spree Camp, and joined other young people from other Churches and denominations, where there were many exciting activities and new forms of worship and teaching.

After School Club provided links between St Samlet’s Church and Lon Las Primary School. Unfortunately this group had to stop during the current year.

Ministry to members

A Pastoral Group meets regularly to consider members of the Churches who are unwell or who may need help. A rota system is arranged so that people who need help can be visited. Members of the Church keep the group informed of those who are in need and visits and/or telephone calls are agreed. This can not only arrange help for people but means that those who are unable to attend Church because they are unwell are remembered and supported. Most visits to people’s homes are by two volunteers. Hospital visits are also arranged when needed, and if the person requires Communion this is arranged for the Vicar (or a member so licensed) to come along also.

Links with the Local Community

St Samlet’s Church have strong links with local schools. The Vicar is Chair of Governors of Trallwn Primary School and he often attends there to meet the pupils and staff at morning assemblies. The pupils

sometimes are brought to St Samlet’s Church for a concert or just to look around. Lon Las Primary School also visit St Samlet’s Church and participate in concerts there.

Short services at Primrose Park have also been held. Carol singing before Christmas and a short service there at the Cenotaph for Remembrance Day are regular features and support by Church members and others in the community.

Financial Matters

The Accounts for 2024 are attached to this report. These accounts also include the Churchyard Accounts, which are separate from the Parochial Accounts, but included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) and Statement of Assets.

For income the Planned Giving is from members who use the weekly envelope scheme together with those who give using the Church in Wales Gift Direct Scheme, where members donate monthly straight into the Churches’ Bank Account. Most of the Gift Aid has still to be collected. Investment income is rent from Church Hall lettings and rent from property. The investment sale was the sale of a house. The grants obtained were all in connection with the Restoration Project at St Samlet’s.

Likewise, the large items of expenditure were the costs of the Restoration work at St Samlet’s.

Registered Charity Number 1135372

Parish of Llansamlet

Statement of Financial Activities at 31 December

2024

General Funds £	Graveyar d accounts £	2024 Total £	Pre Year
33,667.41 2,865.79 1,927.35 1,770.52 3,188.96 0.00 0.00 20,003.97 13,149.02 5,925.00 5,374.92 22,884.44 292.83 16,243.00	0.00 2,710.00 1,157.00 8.67 5,881.00	33,667.41 2,865.79 4,637.35 1,770.52 3,188.96 0.00 0.00 20,003.97 13,149.02 7,082.00 5,383.59 22,884.44 292.83 5,881.00 16,243.00	33, 3, 5, 2, 13, 1, 22, 10, 13, 9, 9,
127,551.24	9,756.67	137,049.8 8	126,
20,000.00 0.00		20,000.00 0.00

30.00 5,174.34 16,294.93 35,433.24 291.94 45,050.63 1,515.00 952.05 0.00 50.00 350.00	10,355.00 2,160.00 414.40	30.00 5,174.34 16,294.93 45,788.24 291.94 47,210.63 1,515.00 952.05 0.00 464.40 350.00 0.00	2, 1, 5, 52, 12, 117,
125,142.13	12,929.40	138,071.5 3	193,
2,151.08 19,866.65	-3,172.73 14,281.07	-1,021.65 34,147.82	-67, 101,
22,017.73	11,108.34	33,126.17	34,

The Parish Of Llansamlet Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31 December 2024

			Total 2024	Total 2023
Cash Funds	Cash Balances
	Bank Current
	Accounts	Parochial	22,017.83	19,866.82
		Churchyard	11,108.34	14,281.00
			33,126.17	34,147.82
	Bank Deposit
	Accounts
Other Monetary
Assets	Late Receipts	Parochial	0.00	0.00
		Churchyard	0.00	0.00
Liabilities	Unpaid Items	Parochial	0.00	0.00
		Churchyard	0.00	0.00
			33,126.17	34,147.82
Represnted by
	Accumulated Fund at	1 January
		Parochial	19,866.75	77,690.22
		Churchyard	14,281.07	22,776.22
			34,147.82	100,466.44
	Surplus/ Deficit for
	year	Parochial	2,151.08	-57,823.47
		Churchyard	-3,172.73	-8,495.15
	Accumulated Fund at	31 December	33,126.17	34,147.82

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