OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

← The Peterborough Circuit Of The Methodist Church

2023-08-31-accounts

==> picture [164 x 28] intentionally omitted <==

The Peterborough Circuit of Churches

Annual Report of the Trustees of the Peterborough Methodist Circuit for the church year 1st Sept 2022 to 31st August 2023

(Registered Charity No 1135613)

==> picture [235 x 313] intentionally omitted <==

Produced by the Peterborough Circuit of the Methodist Church Circuit Office, Brookside Methodist Church, Gunthorpe Road, Peterborough PE4 7TG Email: pborocircuitoffice@gmail.com Tel: (01733) 328192

Our Mission Statement

We seek to discover the needs of contemporary society and respond to it; working with our ecumenical partners towards creating relationships within the communities and sharing the word of God with those around us.

We seek to utilise and ensure the abilities and skills of lay people fully in the Circuit and encourage others to explore and offer themselves for service at all levels as equal partners in our work.

As a Methodist Circuit, we put into action the different elements of our Methodist Calling in our Worship, our Learning and Caring, our Service and our Evangelism, always striving to put Jesus first.

We have a heart for nurturing and shaping disciples. We are deeply committed to evangelism and social outreach. We have seen great things by working in partnership with other denominations.

Our vision statement for our children’s and young people’s ministry

‘Providing loving and caring ministries that children and young people may come to know Jesus Christ’

1

Trustees during the year
Revd Langley Mackrell-Hey (Chair) Jo Marshall-Sully
Giles Armstrong Valerie Octon
George Barber Sylvia Parker
Sarah Bereznyckyj Revd David Parkes
Heather Black Cathy Ruffles
Anne Brown Margaret Smith
Margaret Brown Revd Douglas Stevens
Stephen Brown Simon Stewart
Sue Gage Monica Sturgess
Michael Goodman Revd Janet Titterton
Revd Sarah Gower Revd Graham Tooth
John Hewitson Denise Watson
Sue Holmes Elizabeth White
Trevor Howlett David Whiting
Sue Keeney Nicky Ward
Christine Kell Peter Williams
Sarah Kelly Wendy Willis
Nigel Lightfoot

1 Our Circuit

1.2 Trustees of the Circuit Meeting met four times during the year: In October 2022 and in January, March and August 2023. Our inspiring Circuit Meeting Devotions were led by: Revd Janet Titterton on the theme of "Treasures", based on Matthew 13:44-53; Nigel Lightfoot (Local Preacher) on the theme of "Where to now?" , based on John 14: 1-6; Zoe Drury (Preacher On Note) on the theme of "Follow Me…Follow the Leader: A journey with Jesus reflecting on the leadership I received … what kind of superpowers does Jesus ask of you as a leader?’; and Tim Wong (our Children, Family and Community Worker) on his new role and about being willing servants for God; In addition, at our March meeting, we welcomed Lynne Booker from the Refugee Council, who explained the situation in Peterborough with refugees and asylum seekers and the number of ways in which we can reach out to them and support them locally, as individuals and as churches.

1.3 Different Ways of working

Some of the new and different services and activities we put on in a variety of creative ways as a result of Covid continued, particularly midweek worship and live daily online Morning Prayers and online recorded Sunday worship. Morning Prayers continue to be a helpful discipline to many.

2

Some churches showed the livestream whilst they gathered, accessing YouTube or Facebook and the monthly podcasts which Revd Janet Titterton produced, with people able to comment on them with someone in the background. These options have proved helpful to smaller gatherings.

We are still providing Circuit online worship every Sunday morning and online ‘Morning Prayers’ four times a week, having built up a thriving online community, many of whom contribute to the services via live chat, sharing prayer concerns and supporting one another. The Morning Prayers are live and the Sunday worship is pre-recorded as we now need our preachers in the churches on Sunday mornings. The advantage of livestreams is that we can put prayers on straightaway, and this is a comfort and strength to people. Sharing live means people build in community together and feel able to share in this way. We have been blessed also with people in the background who have been able to respond to posts and prayer requests through their natural discipleship - thanks go to Helen and Simon Stewart for their continued work with this.

1.4 Circuit Strategy

Revd Langley reminded everyone that reviewing our Circuit Strategy had been a standing item in the agenda, but now we needed to develop a new strategy rather than a review. With impetus from the churches, in the light of our financial situation, meaning we have been having to delve into our reserves, we started to have discussions about our situation and start developing a new strategy for our future, a future that will be sustainable.

With our Circuit Mission policy already in place, we have a track record of recognising where the shortfalls are in terms of oversight, where the opportunities might be for roles, and responding by shaping new appointments. For example, we realised the need for lay pastoral support, BoB at Westgate New Church needing to press forward and find a co-ordinator (delayed three years), and Whittlesey drawing from its bequest to appoint a Children, Family and Community Worker.

Also, in terms of circuit policy, we had introduced a rolling five-year financial projection (in operation for some years now). We are quite unique as a circuit in having this.

Our Circuit Mission Policy is on our web site. We humbly recognise that we have emerged from Covid, and we have supported the churches as best we could through the most challenging times. Our web site also shows the work we have done in the past to review our mission in the past.

The Circuit staff have been thinking continually about strategy at staff meetings. We agreed to look at one model – the Circuit as a Single Church. Staff had some deep reservations about this but Langley talked us all through it, the pros and the cons.

As a circuit, we began work on developing a strategy that looks forward one, three and five years - and for this not just to look at finance, but also resourcing in terms of people, and what the picture looks like and how we plan for the future even though it is difficult. We have reached the point where we need to confer more and understand where the future takes us. As we can only do this well if we have everyone involved so, he encouraged people to offer to serve as circuit stewards, and someone to offer as Circuit Treasurer, as Giles signalled he would be standing down, so we can review finances across the churches, and then we can look to develop a far richer strategy as we look towards the future.

3

Waterville, Southside and Yaxley. In this section of churches, there are a lot of different activities and needs and Revd Viv had already expressed that it was probably too much for one person, as it is difficult to work on a regular basis with the many and varied organisations that meet in the premises, and suggested we realise this when looking at our restructuring.

Revd Viv had said she could do with an assistant to help her so the thought of a Lay Pastoral Assistant (LPA) came to mind. This person will not take over the pastoral leader responsibilities, but will be an assistant to the presbyter. The LPA will have an involvement in the life of the Church and take on roles specific to a church’s needs, i.e. regularly attend parent and toddler groups, visit families being baptised. It is about having someone to directly assist the minister and to follow up on baptisms and funerals and looking at groups which can be offered something more. The March Circuit Meeting agreed to recruit for a two-year fixed position with the possibility to extend, and we started the recruitment process.

The congregation at Queen Street, Whittlesey has been an invaluable source of kindness, enabling Tim to fulfil his new role. This is a fresh role to Queen Street Church. He is able to be creative and come up with new ideas. From the outset, Tim got involved in the church's activities. One of these is 'Friends of God', which is like Sunday school for children during the Sunday service. The children have their time to learn during the sessions, and then they come back to tell the congregation what they have learned. He arranged a meeting with all the leaders of this group to let them have a space to share their ideas. They have lots of experience and really work hard to teach the children well. We are working towards having enough helpers in the future, and trying to work out how to handle the changing number of people who come and the different ages they are.

Tim noticed there was something missing in how we connect with the young people, so he started "Come Talk with Us”, which is a group where teenagers come together to cook, eat, and talk. For each session, he asks a church member to share their life stories, career or faith, which helps the teenagers learn important things about life. But, not all the teenagers come every time, which can be tricky to deal with.

He has brought back Messy Church. This was an event in the past involving a lot of people and families in the community. Now, it is a joint project with the other churches in Whittlesey. It needs a lot of people to help and resources too, and it is not something one church can do alone. It is to show what a church looks like to our community. We want to show that it can be fun, interesting, and sometimes a bit messy. It is an outreach work that we can connect with families and children in our community. It helps us build relationships that show how much Jesus loves everyone.

2 Mission and Outreach

This section includes different mission activities happening in the Circuit, and some examples of specific mission in individual churches.

2.1 Mission in our Circuit

4

Several church members sit on the Light Project Peterborough Steering group (‘Peterborough Christians for Social Action’), attending meetings and highlighting and contributing to local needs. Some Circuit members volunteer for the “The Garden House”, which is a drop-in day centre for the project.

2.2.4 As ever, the churches responded generously to Connexional Funds. £6470 was sent to the charities involved, allocated as follows: Property £1600; Presbyters and Deacons £589; LWPT £852; MHA £1142; All We Can £1344; and Ministers’ Housing £943. We are grateful to Sue Keeney, Our Connexional Funds Officer for organising and administering this. Sue stood down as Connexional Funds Officer in August 2023. Thanks go to Sue for her service and support, which has been much appreciated.

2.3.1 A wide range of regular groups met in our churches, and these included:

At Orton Waterville ,‘Orton Friends’ (a drop-in for the retired) continued on Monday afternoons. The Stitches Group made things to help numerous charities (see item 2.2.3 above). Orton Waterville had their first book group. Twelve people came. It was well received. They are doing particular themes, rather than titles, and the theme for November, for example, was war and remembrance. It could be anything from fiction to biography or history, and they try and make the theme appropriate to the month. The group meets on the first Thursday of every month from 10 until 11.30am. Orton Waterville had a successful Bible Month in June, and we prayed for them as they continued to reach out into the local community. They have games evenings (Scrabble) and other games planned). They have Occasional coffee mornings on Friday mornings.

At Brookside numerous activities have taken place: Brookside Pre-school, which meets each weekday during school terms; ‘Ladies’ Evening’, which meets on the first Monday of the month at 7.30pm; Men's Club, which meets on the third Monday of the month at 7.30pm; Crossways Bible study group, which meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 10am; The Craft and Chat group meet on first and third Tuesdays of each month at 2pm; Tuesday Fellowship meets on second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 2.30pm; A Communion service is held at 1.45pm on the fourth Tuesday of each month; Coffee & Conversation (their ‘well-being’ coffee mornings) are fortnightly on Wednesdays between 10.00am & noon; Rainbows, Brownies and Guides meet every week on Wednesdays in term-time from 4.15pm onwards; Film Night is on the third Wednesday of each month at 7pm; The ‘New Direction’ Bible study group meets via Zoom on Thurs at 10.30am; Boys’ Brigade meetings are on Thursday every week during term-time from 6pm; Brookside Community Hub is open every Friday during the winter months, providing a warm space and friendship, hot drinks and snacks, from 9.30am to 3pm. This started in October; Lend-a-Hand days are held on the 1st Saturday of each month from 10am (The Property Team invites volunteers to give two hours for doing essential maintenance and improvements). Refreshments are served after each morning service to enable the congregation to meet informally. Groups meet together to enjoy a variety of activities and build friendships and support networks.

Brookside also held a Lent course where they showed 'The Chosen' videos. It was a very interesting

5

way of learning about the life of Jesus.

Since March 2020, a weekly Church Newsletter has been circulated to members and friends online, or by post for those without computer access. Grateful thanks again to Chris Hardman who puts this brilliant newsletter together. And thanks to Joanna Parkin for setting up their Well-being Coffee Mornings, (‘Coffee and Conversation’). These are a drop-in for coffee, chat and prayer and are once a fortnight. Church members and people from the local community come along.

The Boys’ Brigade did a Great Big Brekky in March, raising money for the Unite Camp. Revd Janet continued in her role as the Boys’ Brigade Chaplain here. We give thanks for that and for all the BB leaders.

Brookside has also held other events, such as concerts, and The Brekky in May raised money for Christian Aid Week. Cathy Ruffles said Claire Holden from Brookside again organised the shoeboxes (Operation Christmas Child - a project of Samaritan's Purse) and liaised with other churches.

At Oundle , they continued with their bi-monthly “Gatherings” (times of fellowship, teaching and prayer), with eight local preachers and ministers invited to give reflections on a rota basis). Oundle continue to meet on the first and third Sundays of the month, and are really feeling very fulfilled by having their weekday gathering. The Trussel Trust Food Bank continues to operate every week on the premises. An advisor from Citizens’ Advice now attends each session, offering advice to clients.

At Crowland : They have Explorers; Toddlers group, Saturday morning coffee sessions with book stalls; Small fellowship / study groups: Wesley`s Wayfarers; Stepping Stones (A study group for young people). They have regular Messy Church. Their ‘Who Let the Dads Out’, project, which started last year, has been successful. It focuses on trying to improve the relationships between children and their fathers/lads/dads/father figures); they have Community Larder, Family Eats, and there are ongoing explorations around starting a men's shed project. They held a railway exhibition in October for their roof fund.

Five new people committed themselves to do a six-week course of faith discussion in May and became new members. They all came into the church purely and simply through their Coffee Mornings. The course enabled them to ask questions and get to know one another, but the lovely thing is that they naturally just wanted to become members of this loving, Christian community.

Revd Langley updated the 'Finding Faith Course' that he wrote originally in 2018, and used this at Crowland. The course ran for six or seven weeks and is aimed at helping people discover faith for the first time, or refresh their faith. It is equally helpful for people who have journeyed in faith for some time - it takes a different look at some of the challenges of living by faith in a modern world - and destroys a few myths on the way. The really good news is that people are being attracted back to church. Whilst we are not talking about people with no prior experience of faith, some are returning to church after a long time and the issue is to discern their needs. Often people have already received a welcome from the church and feel part of things before he even gets there. Some would appreciate a refresher in faith. Others are well settled in their faith and need a 'welcome to planet Methodism (or Methodism/United Reformed Church)' conversation. Some simply transfer from other Methodist Churches.

Revd Charles, the Priest at Crowland Abbey, left, and we prayed for his successor who will serve as part of his ministry within a neighbouring parish, and for the work of MAP (Methodists and Anglicans in Partnership), which is growing.

At Westgate New Church , they continued to alternate on the Preaching plan with having a C4 service, which is an own arrangement café-style service, and then a service led by a preacher on the alternate week. People continue to feel really uplifted by this pattern.

6

Langley continued to attend Churches Together in Central Peterborough meetings as Westgate is now under his oversight. Our Churches Together groups in Yaxley, the Ortons, and Central Peterborough focused on that material for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU), focusing on racial justice as 2023 was the thirtieth anniversary of Stephen Lawrence’s death. Churches were also invited to engage with the material as part of Racial Justice Sunday on 23rd April.

At Whittlesey , there are lots of new families coming and families from diverse ethnic backgrounds, which is amazing for a market town. Some have no Christian background at all, some have a background nominally or otherwise from a different Christian denomination and some are Methodists who have come to us from other places. The challenge is how we meet their needs, but it is a good challenge to have.

Zoe and Nick Drury ran a Lent course on ‘Les Misérables’. People came along who do not normally attend their Bible group. It was very encouraging. Church reps heard at Circuit Meeting about the different Lent courses churches were running and arranged to share information, notes and resources.

We are always seeking to engage with others outside of ourselves, and amazing work has been done by Churches Together in Whittlesey and District, which emerged from the Covid pandemic, determined to look afresh at how as churches we can support each other. Revd Langley shared with us two online articles: 'Churches Together, What's the Point?', and ‘We Believe: Churches Together in Whittlesey and District - for God's sake’. In the latter, there is a statement of faith and values, and he offered the below to us as a reflection of the good things that are happening and the joy that people are experiencing in meeting together.

During Lockdown, Whittlesey set up a WhatsApp group to provide connection and pastoral care across a variety of age groups. Members have continued to use this forum as a means to support one another and to request and provide prayers for one another. at this time.

Their church magazine – ‘Fresh Horizons’ - started during Lockdown as a means to maintain contact with the church family and this is still going strong. Their Film showings with refreshments served continue to be popular. Voluntary donations provide income for the church.

At Elton , there is good and bad news: The Chapel building is Grade 11 Listed, in a Conservation Area. They are great in faith but small in numbers, with a declining congregation through age, ill health or members moving away. Therefore, to comply with both Methodist requirements and Charity Commission rules, they have realised that they may have to apply to ‘cease to meet’ and form a Fellowship instead. They continued to meet for worship on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, whether or not a preacher was able to be appointed to lead the service.

A successful Quiz for villagers took place in October 2022 and an equally successful indoor Boot Sale to raise funds for the Chapel and for defibrillators in the village took place in March 2023.

In addition to the existing 'Knit and Natter' group, mid-week activities for villagers and wider afield have expanded tremendously raising the profile and income of the Chapel with: Ukulele lessons, weekly Wednesday morning Cuppa & Chat @ the Chapel Hub, Wednesday Welcome afternoons with singing, cuppa & cake on the first and third Wednesdays of each month (also attended by folk from around the Circuit), and an Art Group alternate weeks. A podiatrist gives professional foot-care on Wednesday mornings, donating the consultation fees to the Chapel. The Chapel is registered as a 'Warm Hub' for the activities on a Wednesday. The Chapel benefitted from a Missional Grant of £1,000 from the Northampton District of the Methodist Church for the purchase of audio-visual equipment which has been used successfully for Wednesday Welcome. During the summer, a villager gave canoeing lessons on the adjacent River Nene, donating the income to the Chapel. From June to September, the Chapel was open to provide tea & cake to villagers and casual passers-by, especially walkers and cyclists. Three 'Walks & Talks' were held focussed on the chapel where local expert speakers took participants around the village and enlightened attendees about

7

the archaeology, history and old buildings of the village. Once again, there was a very successful 'Cod and Carols' held in Elton Village Hall with Barnhill Band. These activities are planned to continue in 2023-24: The organ has been played for some 'Wednesday Welcomes' and has received expert remedial attention from Brookside's organist. No major repairs have been undertaken; minor repairs have been undertaken by villagers.

Sadly, as the year went on, Elton chapel struggled to fill its church vacancies and is considering options that will enable it to continue a worshipping presence in the village. An open meeting, which those living in the village were invited to attend, was held in December with Rev Langley, Rev Janet, Matt Forsyth, Rev David Parkes and two Circuit Stewards in attendance. While there have been some offers of help from the village, particularly to help with some aspects of property, decisions still need to be made that will enable worship to continue.

At our Circuit Meeting we highlighted how we need to provide further support for Elton and Revd David Parkes has been doing an excellent job in journeying with a group of people from the village, where Simon Stewart has been present as our lead Circuit Steward. Revd Janet continued to discern the best way to come alongside the members and support them, and Revd Langley, as superintendent, is discerning the best way for us to move forward as a circuit with oversight. Services at Elton continue, although we are reflecting continually on what the members need.

A focus group was formed and this met on 4[th] January to look at how the building could be utilised. They also met on 1[st] February. There was a good core of people from the community at the focus groups, and they came up with a raft of ideas regarding how the building can be used and perhaps for some sort of mission. At the January Circuit Meeting, the CLT proposed that Elton cease to meet and the meeting voted unanimously in favour, but with much reluctance. Property Matters now come under the oversight of the new church council and the Circuit agreed to take on the responsibility for key areas, i.e. finance, property, safeguarding and legal matters.

A newly formed Church Council meeting was held at the chapel. The chapel building was being used by a number of groups and funds were starting to come in from these. One of the groups is ‘Wednesday Welcomes’ that seeks to meet the needs of those suffering with Dementia. Playing music is a key part of the activities and we are grateful for the awarding of a start-up grant from the District that has enabled the large screen TV to be purchased and set up for use of this group and others.

There are some future activities planned such as an art group starting in September and Walk and Talk within the village, culminating with refreshments at the chapel (the first of these was held in July and was oversubscribed).

At Southside, they continued their outreach for children: Suzanne Delegate has been the Children Ministry Worker there for four years. She runs three groups: The ‘Church 4 All’ group meets on Tuesday afternoons – this is alternative worship for all age groups. They have Christian festival services along with regular socials where they all enjoy a meal together. This group is aimed for families with school age children, although they do have families come with younger children, and sometimes they have people come from their Sunday congregation, so this is a Church for all, and all are welcome.

Her vision has always been to bring all age groups together as one family and, whilst they still have a Sunday congregation and a Tuesday congregation, both do come together more often than they used to. She is keen to get families from the Circuit involved in this group. Although we are many churches, we are still brothers and sisters in Christ. ‘Footprints’ is a mum and under one’s group and ‘Footsteps’ is a toddler group. Both are growing and there is definitely a community feel with both groups.

Yarwell continued to meet as part of what feels like a 'small group church' that energises everyone. We give thanks for our gentle and easy work in partnership with the parish.

At Dogsthorpe, they have Mums and Tots group on a Monday morning and this is continuing to prove successful. A link has been formed with the school next door. Being aware of the cost-of-living

8

crisis, both at the church and the school, they worked closely together so that now the school supports the Breakfast Club that the church runs to try and give some of their more vulnerable families some extra support. A member of the school staff goes across to support the church so that means the Breakfast Club gets an extra volunteer and the families have somewhere else warm to go on a day when we are already heating the church for a long-term let. It makes sense all round to do that joined up thinking to be able to support some quite vulnerable families within the community.

There is continued outreach through the Food Bank two mornings a week. Citizens Advice and Care Zone attend on a Friday Morning. They have the U3A ‘Sing Something Simple’ choir which meets on a Monday Afternoon. U3A ‘Rhythmaires Choir’ meets on Tuesday Mornings. ‘Rhapsody Choir’ meets on a Tuesday Evening. The U3A ‘Singing Songs of Praise’ meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month in the mornings. A Big Band meet on a Thursday Evening. The church holds a "Family Night" on a Friday Evening. There is also a Craft Meeting which meets one evening a week. A very successful Pre-School meets every week day. The Thursday House group continued to meet weekly from 7.30 to 9pm. All of these events contain outreach contacts and engage with the community. They seek to minister across all ages.

Dogsthorpe had a really good Covenant Service followed by a meal. This was the first time they had met together as a church family since Covid. They catered for fifty people and welcomed two new people who they know through the Food Bank.

At Christ Church , they went back to having quizzes face to face, having had them online during Covid. Each person prepared a round each to make it less work for just one person. They had excellent pizzas from the local fish and chip shop. It was really good to be together in person again. Before Christmas, they had a Messy Church which was bursting at the seams with people and massively successful. They have lots of new families. They had another successful one on the Friday of the February half-term and they had a Good Friday Messy Church. They continue to learn and have fun together.

At Yaxley, in March, they held their first Coffee Morning for three years. It was packed with old and new faces. About thirty people were there at one point, including two mums from their Busy Bees group. People really enjoyed being together again. These happen every other month on the second Saturday of the month at 10am.

The very successful baby support group (the ‘Busy Bees Baby Group’) continued and was oversubscribed. This group had started just after the first Lockdown and it has altered as it has gone on. They had tiny babies to start with and they are now starting to get the second ones that have been born. It has been very well supported and they have kept the numbers small as that was what they wanted. Some mums and dads are helping, and Yaxley are really pleased that it means so much to them that they want to do that, and they want it to continue. Yaxley received outstanding support from the other groups that operate in the church – the singers and the Busy Bees, for projects that have run over the last two Christmas periods: In 2021, they received warm clothing to send to the Garden House and in 2022 they received food parcels for the Food Bank at St Peter’s. They had tremendous support for both ventures from the village.

9

2023, What do we need to let go of so we can take other stuff on?; by 2024, focus on more of the things that are intentional, encouraging people in their faith; and by 2025. We need to think where’s our journey and where are we heading? He continued to work on these areas and focus in that direction. He shared with the Circuit that, however it is done, we need to focus on our invitation, as that is the way the local church grows. We can yearn for a programme but ultimately, we need to build our churches by inviting people to new things. Churches have since been doing this. A successful example of this is at Yaxley with their ‘Busy Bees Baby Group’ – please see item 2.3.4 above.

We are always seeking to improve our communication and to ensure those who are not on email are informed and included our thanks to all who have provided up to date information and assistance to those in their churches, including those who have produced paper copies, church newsletters and written reflections from preachers to those not on email.

2.4 Worship, Services and Prayer

Thanks also go to Anne Yeoman from Brookside who did a lot of work in identifying those groups primarily based in our ‘Circuit Directory’. Anne and Dale identified forty-five different ways of gathering initiatives across the Circuit. Because of the pandemic, we did not know how accurate those details were and Dale asked the churches to look at information about their gatherings and whether they are still up to date and accurate.

Dale started his report with ‘CPD - 500 Nature and Purposes’ because it explains something about

10

the remit we are engaged in. The Circuit is the primary unit in which local churches express and experience their interconnection in the Body of Christ for purposes of mission, mutual encouragement and help. The purposes of the Circuit include the effective deployment of the resources of ministry, which include people, property and finance, as they relate to the Methodist churches in the Circuit, churches of other denominations and to participation in the life of the communities served by the Circuit, including local schools and colleges, and in ecumenical work in the area. So, our remit is to be able to offer as the Circuit to the local churches, be they single denomination or local ecumenical partnerships, to develop a hybrid network, connecting groups and teams that are already gathering, and using a variety of places and online platforms, in order to better resource and support all. (Hybrid means what we are doing face to face and what we are doing online). So, we will grow networks where we encourage and support and resource one another, rather than just having one little group trying to do all these things.

The impetus comes out of recognising the changes in attitudes to gathering and to ways of gathering, resulting in people perhaps not physically gathering at all, but happy to gather online, and a whole variety in between, and that is how we live now. It also comes out of conversations with many people who do not want to continue in one particular way or group setting. This is not a matter of timing – this is a conscious decision because they have actually discovered that in meeting in other ways, they are better able to worship and to serve God and to live out their discipleship. So, they identified these groups and teams, and they then identified those leaders of those different ways of gathering and those who facilitate and they got a picture of the differing ways in which we gather, the purposes of our gathering and the frequency of our gathering. With the initial scan of the data which showed there are forty-five ways in which churches are engaged in groups outside of Sunday worship, some had been running for a while, others were quite new.

Perhaps one of the most interesting and positive findings from Anne’s research is that some small groups or teams have become ‘Crossing Places’ where people have joined groups or teams from other churches within the Circuit, because they share the same desires, needs or focus, and some of that is happening because of the online or just through conversations. So, what we have is a lovely blend of people gathering from different churches on a regular basis and finding fellowship in that new way.

The reason we are doing this is because we want to uncover new initiatives or hoped for initiatives, and there are those we do not yet know about, and we have two goals in mind: One is that we want to develop a diversity of small groups and teams to involve new people in new places, but we also want to develop a diversity of small groups and teams that are already established but that we can perhaps help to invite and reach new people.

It is important that what we do, we are together, and we are all given the same chance, the same resources and the same support. So, all the information that we can gather will help us as Circuit to do that.

We are also blessed enormously by the fact that we are a circuit that is deeply connected to three major denominations – Anglican, Methodist and URC. On top of that we are regularly resourced from all the materials that organisations like Churches Together in Britain and Ireland produce. There are so many resources out there and there are so many ways we can find support and we can offer it, but we need the information as our first platform. Small groups are so important because they can become praying places. They are the key to growth. Investment in small groups is significant and it was our major area of growth during Covid. As well as showcasing the many small groups and teams in our Circuit at our Circuit Service, the groups were also the subject of our Prayer Themes at the top of our Preaching Plans throughout the year.

11

A faithful number of people value being part of our online livestream community, supporting and being supported by others every day through our live ‘Morning Prayers’. As these are also recorded, people can also catch-up later if this works better for them. Meanwhile, if people want to know more about where they can find their closest Methodist Church in the Peterborough area, they are directed to our Circuit website.

Our purpose on a Sunday for livestream prayers is to offer something for those who cannot make it to church because they are unwell, caring for others, working shifts or 'juggling family commitments'. We are not looking for large numbers, but some people do view these in addition to morning worship. Thanks again to those local preachers who offer to record their Sunday message for us so that we can achieve this and, of course, those who present the worship, and read for us.

Here are our Livestream Statistics, put together in March 2023: These stats are for the Peterborough Methodist Circuit's livestream, rather than its linked channels, such as Revd Langley's profile, MAP (Methodist and Anglicans in Partnership, Crowland or Churches Together in Whittlesey - worship is often relayed to these sites as well).

Facebook

As a circuit, 334 likes, 395 follows (front page)

Last three months - reached 4,724 people (plus 1,904 though advertising), 33 new followers, 804 page visits, 29 new interactions with people 'liking' the page

Audience - gender breakdown - low views for under 45s, roughly equal genders, more views 45+, with more male viewers than female. Highest proportion of viewers is at 65+ with more men than women.

Most engaging broadcast - morning prayers, 22nd December, 16 viewers throughout (others pop in and pop out), 55 comments/prayers, we know of 20 others who watched for at least a minute, and 36 who will have seen Morning Prayers are happening, and moved on. Audience retention for live broadcasts is high - around 30% - if you consider these are morning prayers and people often have to leave.

YouTube

The YouTube stats are not as reliable (because we use YouTube as a back-up), but it does provide another way for people to engage.

So, we celebrated that as a Circuit. We celebrated our Local Preachers and Worship Leaders, and we renewed the relationship and promises that our Local Preachers and Worship Leaders make. We reflected on our ecumenical nature, our mission together and our hope for the future. We heard people’s stories in this service, stories from groups, from the churches in word, in picture and in other creative ways. Churches did displays about their small groups and people shared their initiatives and talked about them.

Circuit services have become a regular fixture on the Plan, taking place on the last Sunday of the Plan. As well as helping reduce the pressure on preachers, they are much valued as a time to come together and worship en masse as a circuit. With thanks to Brookside, Christ Church and Dogsthorpe for hosting. As so many people attend, they need to be held in the bigger churches. We will soon be looking at somewhere even bigger if we continue to grow! People are really benefiting from coming together.

12

In terms of special services, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Ascension Day services were held at Christ Church, to which all were welcome.

Although the Plan is a challenge, we rejoice in that that we have new worship leaders and preachers in training. Matt Forsyth has been drawing together his prior learning and will soon complete his Local Preacher training. And, we continue to celebrate Judy Robinson who has started training as a Worship Leader and Maddie Whiting from Brookside who is still training as a Worship Leader). Zoe Drury continues to journey as a Preacher On Note and Paul Watkins from Southside also started as a Preacher On Note. We always welcome anyone who senses a call to lead worship or preach and, on 20th November, we held our first fellowship meal for Local Preachers and Worship Leaders, which was also an opportunity to bring in anyone new who was interested in preaching or worship leading. It is hoped to hold further gatherings in the future at various venues. The object of these gatherings is to have a time of fellowship and sharing around a light lunch.

Thanks go to our mentors of those in training – Steven and Susan Halford, Nicky Ward and Nick Drury.

We were pleased to welcome to our Plan, from Equipping the Saints/Good News for Everyone, Tim and Tope Pearson and, from CROPS (Christian Options in Peterborough Schools), Nigel Taylor. In recent years, of course, we have seen huge benefits from supporting and working in partnership with organisations where we share a common interest and aim. We are blessed to have three visiting preachers from other circuits who regularly do appointments on our Plan.

We continue to include ‘Prayer Themes’ within the Plan document; this year we have prayed daily in this way for our small groups in the Circuit, our local preachers and worship leaders, our ministers and supernumerary ministers and our church stewards.

3 Staffing and Appointments, Stewards and Ministries

13

living scheme, The Maples. The residents are also supported by visits from two of our ministers and several Circuit members.

Nigel Lightfoot continued in the role of Local Preachers’ Secretary.

3.2 We advertised for a Back of Beyond (BoB) Project Co-ordinator for Westgate New Church in September. This role was initially termed as a Friendship Club, but we decided on a Project Co-ordinator, helping those in need. The interviews were held on 12[th] November and Suzanne Delegate was appointed. She started work on 4[th] January. Suzanne reports to Revd Langley as Line Manager with support from the Westgate New Church trustees. The position has been funded by generous grants from the East Midlands URC Synod, the Northampton Methodist District and Westgate New Church. The BoB project is open to anyone including those at risk of isolation. Thanks go to all involved in the recruitment process from the updated Job Description, advertising the vacancy, receiving the applications, assessing who should be called for interview, being part of the interview assessment event and decision on who to appoint, preparing contract documentation and the induction process.

BoB had a really good start. Suzanne introduced a structure for the morning which works well. When people arrive they sit in the ‘Refreshments’ area, connecting with each other. Suzanne has introduced a ‘Pause for Thought’, which gently introduces some Christian content. Everyone engages with this and are very happy for her to read from her Bible, which then often encourages further conversations when we are all sharing a meal. We have had one member clearly inquisitive about our faith (and theirs), and we are now in talks about starting a separate group where we can offer a space for questions to be answered around the Bible, spirituality and what it looks like to be a Christian. We are hoping to offer this out within the circuit to other outreach groups!

Suzanne serves a two-course cooked meal and this seems to be gratefully received. On average, at the start of the project, there were between six to twelve people coming. On the whole, the group has become a great space, and we hope that they all feel love, warmth and welcome.

As the year went on, the project grew and continued to grow. From the outset, none of us really knew what the group might look like and we continued to pray and let God have His way. We soon had twenty-seven people on our roll. Each one of these have sat at our table and have eaten with us; About 95% of these people live on their own, and a small number live on the fringe of society - Back of Beyond (or BoB) as we like to call it. We have welcomed people of all walks of life into our space. Suzanne’s ‘Pause for Thought’ soon became a Christian based link to the Bible and very intentional, and was well accepted by all; it has raised conversations and questions about what it means ‘to be a Christian’ and to ‘walk on a faith journey’. This group is definitely ‘Church done differently’.

During our first year, we have had regular attendance of around twenty-five people. This is the core group with many others coming intermittently. After a successful Maundy Thursday service, where we shared Holy Communion, which was very special, it was agreed that we would hold a monthly service at BoB before lunch. This has been well received.

We now have someone come in once a month to do crafts with the group, we also play board games once a month and we are going to be introducing speakers too. It was recognised that that it was time to move the group forward by changing things. It is refreshing that the group is not just about the food anymore, but about being together as a church family. Relationships have formed, friendships have developed and there is a sense of community.

We now have thirty-three active members of this church family and, it is definitely a church community. There is one regular volunteer but, during the session, people who are able love to help with table setting, clearing away and serving hot drinks. This gives people a sense of purpose, and some would say ‘a reason to get up on a Thursday morning’. We had a wonderful Christmas meal, where Suzanne served a three course Christmas Lunch. Everyone had a wonderful time; it was lovely to provide this space as, or some of them, Christmas Day was going to be spent alone. The last Thursday before Christmas we held a Christmas Party, and a Christmas buffet, we played appropriate games for the mobility of the group and everyone was very happy when they received

14

prizes too!

During the last few months, we have had people hospitalised, through ill-health or operations. We have also experienced bereavement. As a church family we have been able to send cards and flowers, and Suzanne has done several pastoral visits, either because she felt the need to or because she had been asked.

Suzanne’s vision for this group is to continue to grow and nurture it. She hopes everyone feels loved and welcomed. It would be great to set up a space for those who are questioning their faith and want to learn more, and to have regular services would be an actual blessing.

3.3 Suzanne Delegate was appointed to the new as Lay Pastoral Assistant role and started her job on 19[th] June. Suzanne has slotted easily into her role as LPA to Revd Janet. They meet on a regular basis, and their understanding of each other’s needs are good.

She has tried to identify where she is best placed, and one thing that all churches seem to require is provision for children. She has built a relationship with local schools and schoolwork is quite prominent within her role. She regularly ministers Collective Worship in three different schools around the Circuit, recognising the importance of building relationships with staff and children.

Rev Janet has allowed me to shape my role, using my strengths. One of my focuses has always been around children and young people. School work is quite prominent within my role, and she now regularly ministers Collective Worship in three different schools around the Circuit, recognising the importance of building relationships with staff and children.

She has created a Bible Craft club in one of the schools as a lunchtime activity and has a cohort of twenty children that consistently attend. They set themselves a Lent challenge, talking about God’s Creation. She set a Poster competition, for children to express the importance of water, how we can save it and protect our planet. Following on from this, she was invited by the school to spend an afternoon with a class of children during their Religious Education studies, and she took groups of children on a Nature Trail to talk about God’s Creation.

She visits another school on a weekly basis to read the ‘End of school’ story. This school has had a visit to one of our local circuit churches. Relationships with schools grow stronger. With fifteen children attending a lunchtime group that she runs.

She has also supported Revd Janet with school educational visits. They talked about different elements within the Church; the children were very engaged and asked a lot of questions. She taught the children an ‘action’ worship song and read a Bible story. At the end of March, she went to Dogsthorpe Methodist Church to welcome a local nursery to talk about Easter.

She organised a ‘Youth Gathering’ for all young people in December. This was advertised around the Circuit. Many of the churches highlighted that there was a need for this provision around our circuit. She would love to bring the young people in the Circuit together on a monthly basis. She is investigating this in more in-depth and maybe this will be a space where we can encourage our young people to bring along friends. This is something she and Tim Wong can work closely together with. These young people are the future of the Methodist Church. We need to nurture them and give them space for them to grow in faith.

She tries to attend as many outreach and community groups around the Circuit as possible - mainly the Dogsthorpe Breakfast group, Brookside Chat and Coffee group and, on occasions, the Community Hub. She has started a Bible lunch time group in Yaxley. She is helping Dogsthorpe to develop a Toddler Group, supporting them during the school holidays with their Breakfast Club. She been able to do some networking around the Circuit and it is great to see familiar faces that now also attend BoB.

The ‘Pause for Thought’ that she writes for BoB, now serves multiple church newsletters. She has been asked for pastoral visits, which she feels very humbled by. We have lots of people in our community who are feeling overwhelmed, lonely and just need a listening ear and someone to pray for them. It is great to be able to network around the Circuit, identifying people that could use groups at local churches, as is supporting group leaders in their work.

15

4 Safeguarding

5 Finance

16

not-too-distant future, and looking further ahead in terms of being able to sustain a minister.

6 Property

In conclusion

One of the significant highlights this year are the challenges that have emerged and the positive ways being discussed in which our Circuit Life can change, develop and become more relevant in serving the opportunities coming out of those changes. The Circuit Leadership Team is grateful to everyone for their support, prayers and contributions throughout this busy and challenging year. As we give thanks for this year, and look ahead to a new one, we close with some prayers, starting with this one from Revd Janet Titterton:

Father,

We come to the end of our year with a note of thankfulness. We thank you for Your Holy Spirit. We thank You that, through Your Spirit, You call so many people to serve You so faithfully in so many different ways, large and small, seen and unseen in our churches and in our circuit and in our community beyond our walls. We pray Your Holy Spirit will continue to call and to challenge that others might respond, that others might say yes to what it is You are asking them to do, so that we can continue to serve, to grow and to reveal Your kingdom in our lives and in our churches. As we go forward, help us to praise You for all that is past and to trust You for all that is to come. In Jesus’ name, Amen

17

We continue to give thanks for many blessings:

We celebrate how small groups across the Circuit are helping people find a new depth of fellowship and support, and we pray their faith in Jesus will grow.

That our aim to have our three lay worker appointments filled by the end of this year has been fulfilled.

The continued service of some of our churches by way of Warm Hub and Foodbank facilities.

The good news that we now have a new Circuit Property Steward together with an additional Circuit Steward.

That in times of challenge and austerity, new and innovative ideas are realised.

Seeing new people come to church (in person and online), and witnessing existing members growing in their faith and learning new skills.

New groups and new initiatives being set up in our churches.

Our District and the wider Connexion in all their resourcing of us.

We continue to pray:

For those who have been baptised and confirmed.

That our faith in Jesus will grow.

For those who attend our small groups – that they will invite others.

For us to notice and maximise people’s talent and guide people into the right roles, and for guidance on how we bring them into leadership roles in our churches and in our circuit.

For our thoughts on how we can make the best use of our resources.

We end with the following prayer – a challenge to think about what we should do as a community of faith:

What do you ask of us Lord? You know our possibilities, you know our frailties, our weaknesses, our prejudices. Yet, You still call us to Your work. You challenge us to stand against injustice; to overcome our fears; to act as Your hands; to be Your voice; to be Your ambassadors on earth, emulating your preference for those living in poverty and the marginalised. With You in us and beside us we can fulfil what You ask of us. Amen.

(Hilary Evans, ex-President of Methodist Women in Britain, 2021-2022)

Signed: L Mackrell-Hey

Revd Dr Langley Mackrell-Hey Chair and Superintendent of the Methodist Circuit: The Peterborough Methodist Circuit of Churches

Date: 28[th] June, 2024

18

CIRCUIT RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS PETERBQROUGH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 District Cireult no 23121 Reglster•d Charlly- Charity R89i5tration number 1135613 If not a ragistered charity Her Male$W$ R•v&nuo and Customs Gift Aid number (The HMRC number is equivalent lo a regks18ied d)arity number in lerrns of evidence of charitable status and may be used lo give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence of the organisation's charitable slalus. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not wigtèrèd charthes are excepted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.2421 Ministers.. REVD DR LANGL￿ MACKRELL-HEY REVD JANET T[￿ERToN REVD SARAH GOWER Circuit stewdrds.. MRS SUE KEENEY MRS CHRISTINE KELL MR SIMON STEWART MRS S HOLMES Treasurer.. MR GILES A STRONG

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 PETERBOROUGH Clrcuit ie5trictèd CirC￿lt MO￿•1 Restrscled Funds Trust Fund FundE Totals this yèar SECTIOhl A TotsLs last ye81 RECEIPTS Note Assessmenushare 128,243 128,243 0,574 135,595 110.943 Ca ikal receipts Bank and CF8 inter&gt and Investment income 6.874 2.727 5.011 7.738 6,432 a5 Grants 3,DOO 18,295 3,000 18,295 150,402 Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 62,988 aT 152,26S 1,863 la81 194.072 SECTION B b1 b2 PAYMENTS Stipends, salaries, NIC, Pension and travel ¢DsIs 100,349.80 15,485.97 6,087.17 30,169.76 12,500.25 100,350 15,406 6,087 30,170 12.500 90,930 9,114 4,300 17.556 b3 Mans8 Costs b4 Administration etc b5 DislriGI As5es8rnenl b6 b7 Grants & donations b8 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 11,110.81 175.704 6,039 6,039 17,150 181,743 19.841 141.741 b9 Ib91 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ¢1 a7-b9 23,439 7,902 31.341 52,331 Total fvnds brought forward from last year 136,571 166,991 303,562 251,231 Sub total cl+¢2 113,132 159,089 272,221 303,562 Trsnsfers and ad'ustments TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR Ic3+c4 113,132 159,089 272,221 Ic81 303,562 Ic61 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY.. MONEY RECEtVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS these amounts should not be included in total re¢el Isl ayments above) Balance brou hl forward from last d1 £r d2 Offerin sIGifts received for external or anisations OfferingslGifts- passed to external oiganisstions BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID dl +d2-d31 d3 d4 20%5 Clrcuil Rand P.xl8 2of5

PETERBOROUGH Cty¢ult 5ECTIQPI E Gu da CÈ NotÈs to ets Sutnmaryof rhe cirtuitBceoUn￿ lor yèar Ènded 31 August 2023 ard Iniemal OrganisAlions reporting io Ihe Circuit mee11￿. Noie that funds of lThtstnal Oruanisabon nottn81fy bg RoslriclEd Un￿$S il coulo bp dearty Sho￿ Ihal th9y rDuld bfj used lor8ny Melhodisl purpose. Th15 se¢11￿ mu¥l be ￿Mplet￿d ID affive ak the gross ￿ceIptS and paymen15 tOl413 ol Ihe Cltwii. If gmss intome exceeds the Accruals thie8hDbJ ol 5Q,DOQ, then th& AcrJual¥ [nEth￿ Df aGcounlinE AND A DIFFERENT FORNI must be u8ed lo repDrt Ihe acGDulll¥15ee Methodi31 web8itel. Please reler Io Ihe guidanGe notes ￿gardiN Iransfers belween Cirouil and COr￿￿cied Cwcvit Organi5alions. INTERNAL ORGPNISATIONS NEIRareptsl PayMenL Oppminp ents u$tmenL% cID￿ll cl Subtoi31 of Inlomal Oraank$a￿or¢ fvn(ts Clrculg accounts (tota br(iughtfgMard pzge 2- totsls GolumTrl 150.4UZ 161,743 131,3411 l¢n 303,562 272,221 HELD BYCIRCUIT 150.402 31.341 303.562 272,221 (yl Conbllue on a tepyrgte sh8Ét il n&¢&ssaryand iat3ts TOTAL RECÉIPTS TOTIL PAYh1ENT5 SECTION F TATe NTOF ASSET5 AND U￿BILl[S OPENING BALANCES CLOSING BALANCÉS CIRCUIT-CASH FUNDS HELD at 31 Au ust 2023 Cash in hAnd 9￿k CurrantAccount 120 600 101 120 Bank DE il Acctstsni lol Fkn?n￿ 8oaTd 12.972 Ttustqes furklethO(N$icThutth PuiP09eg 169,990 162,087 Olher tund5 su6 roYAL 303,562 272.221 Tota5 funds ho￿ by Ini•m41 orga￿SAI￿n$ Ilhg CIDSIW bsleTrce ioièl$ above) le121 TOTAL CASH FUNDS HELD BY CIRCU 303.562 272,221 ly) SECTION G OTHeRAS5ETS and LNBILlllE8 31A UStw)23 512022 Lar￿ ar•J Bui 5eB nDiE$ re In5UtdnG&¥alve 1049,317 878 620 OihBT AE511 OihEF L&iblU19 f4 Indudeunly F￿d5 hekJAlthe Fhvn¢g Board Indu¢ponly CFB FutKJg hehl 81 Trnsiees tr M8lhodisl¢hurch Pu￿￿se5 91 I￿V¢¢ ¥nyothEritNosthènis In￿ trecash8fflcnl DITMCP Iwst aG￿vni5 Ihls isin10rt￿ ￿ Ine151 2DIsC￿k& 3￿5

DECLARATIONS Treasurer I confi'rm that I have prepared the accounts from tha records ol thè Circuit and that they in¢lude all ftjnds under the control of the Circuit SignatUTe of Treasui8r Da18 Name MR. GILES ARMSTRONG Addrèss 1, EATHWAITE GREEN, PETERBOROUGH PE4 6SZ Presentation to the 'CirGuit Meeting for approval. I confimi that the Accounts have been presented to the Circuit Mèèllng on and were approved. 13111123 Signature of the Chair of the m8ating Name of the Chair ofthe meeting k h f NlhLkQÉlL-k-. I Dalo Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the PzCfgL4i£J tt(-H Circult This Report is on the Circuit Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2023 Respectlve responsibllltles of Trustees and Examiner The charitys trustees are responsible for the pr8paralion of the accounts. The charitvs trustees considi budit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities A¢t 2011 Ilhe Charities Act) and th,. independent examinalh)n is needed. 11 is my responslbilty to-. Examine the accounts under Section 145 of the Charities Act to follow the procedures laid down in thè general Directions givan by the Charity Commission (under Section 14515llbl of the Charities Act), and to stste whether particular matters have come to my attention. 2015 Crcuil R ar* P.xL8 4of5

CIRCUIT RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS PETERBOROUGH FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 Olstrlct Clrcult no 23121 Reglstered Charlty- Charity Reglstratlon number 1135613 If not a registered charity Her Majèstys Revenue and Customs Gift Aid number (The HMRC number is equivalent to a r￿IStered charity number in terms of evidence of charitable status and may be used to give lo donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence of the organisalion's charitable status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered charities are excepted from registr8tion under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.2421 Mini$t&rs.' REVD OR LANGLEY MACKRELL-HEY REVD JANET TIThERTON REVD SARAH GOWER Circuit Stewards.. MRS SUE KEENEY MRS CHR5STINE KELL MR SIMON STEWART MRS S HOLMES Treasurer.. MR GILES A MSTRONG

ACCOUNT5 FOR THE YEAR ENDELI 31 AUGUST 2023 PETERBOROUGH Circuit restricted Circuit Modtl Restricted Funds Trust Fund Funds Totals this year Totals last SECTION A year RECEIPTS Note a2 Assessmenvshère 128,243 128,243 6.874 135,595 Ca itsl receipts Bank and CF8 interest and Investment income 6.874 110,9431 a4 2.727 5,011 7,738 6,432 Grants 3,000 18,295 3,000 18,295 150,402 86 Other ￿Ceipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 62,988 a7 152,265 1,863 la81 194,072 SECTION b1 b2 PAYMENTS stipends. salaries. NIC, Pension and travel costs 100,349.60 15,485.97 6,087.17 30,169.76 12,500.25 100,350 90,930 9,114 4,300 17,556 b3 Manse Costs 15,486 6,087 b4 Administration elc b5 District Assessment 30,170 12,500 b6 b7 Grants & donations b8 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 11,110.81 175,704 6.039 17.150 19.841 141,741 b9 6,039 181.743 Ib91 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR a7-b9 23.439 7,902 31,341 52,331 c2 Total funds brought fon￿ard from last year 136,571 166.991 303,562 c6 251,231 c3 Sub total c1+c2 113,132 159,089 272,221 303,562 c4 Transfers and ad'uslment5 c71 c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR Ic3+c41 113,132 159,089 272,221 303,562 Ic61 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY.. MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS these amounts should not be included in total recei Isl ayments above Balance brou hl forward from last ye8r reTrived lor external or d1 d2 Offerin sIGifts anisatlOn5 d3 OfferingslGifts- passed lo external organisations BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID Id1 + d2 - d31 d4 2015 Cilcuil R and P￿L% Zof5

PETERBOROUGH Circuit SUMMARY OF CIRCUIT ACCO NT AND INTERNAL ORGANISAT NGT THE SECTION e follovl th8 Guidance Ntstès t Summary ol the ClrcuSt a¢¢ounls lor the year ended 31 Auyus12023 and Internal orYan￿￿110nS r8porting lo Ihe Circult MoBling. Note that the fund$ of an Inlgmal Organ￿3110￿ normalty be R6slrKled fu￿5 urnks$ il ¢ould be clearly Ihsi ihey wuld be Used lor any Melthdisi purpose. This setlion rnusl be Gompkled lo arrNe al Ihe gross receipts aTKJ payments loials of th8 Circuit. 11 gr05s IncDmÈ Èxctsds the A￿￿al5 1hresho￿j ol É250.OM. Ihen ihe AE¢ru81s method of accounting AND A DIFFERENT FORM must b used lo rewrl the a(XX)Un￿1ts￿$ Meih)disl web9itel. Please refer lo Ihe guidance rpgarding Iran51ers beiween Ihe Cifcuil 8nd connecled Circurt OrganEalions. INTERNAL oRGANIsAT￿Ns OpBning b¥lances Pa rnents tmen15 alances Sub IDtal ol Intemsl Organ￿al￿nS funds Ciitull a¢￿U￿1$ Itotsls brought forknvard from 150,402 131,3411 Ic7) 303,562 272,221 HELD BY CIRCUIT 150,402 31.341 303.562 272,221 Continue on a 5epsiaie 5heEt il necessary and bnna the tolalsfoThvard TOTAL RECEIPTS TOT PAYMENf5 SECTION F rATEM AND LI￿ElL￿lEs OPENING 8ALANCES CLOSING BALANCES CIRCUIT. CASH FUNDS HELD at 31 A ust2023 Cash in ha Cuii8ntAccount 120.600 101.120 Bank Deposll A¢￿V￿1 Central Floante Boaid 12,972 9.014 Tw51ee5 for meth￿￿t Church PLwses 189,990 162,087 Olher lunds SUB TOTAL 303,562 272,221 rol funds he￿ by Iniemèl Ooani55ti0Tr5 (the osing baance ￿1218 Bbtsvel le121 TOTAL CASH FUNDS HELD BY CIRCU 303,562 272.221 SECTION G OTHER ASSU5 and LIABILITI st2￿3 31A I2022 V8slmenlS Include Enaowments Lar￿ and Buildin See mtes re Insura￿ValUe) 1.049317 878.820 OlhBT Asso18 sl- show amouni outs18￿1 8t year e her Lia￿￿lieS 14 Indude Funds h￿d ai the Cert￿1 Finanre Board f5 Indudg only CFB Funds held Èt Tr￿slee￿19r1￿￿1hOd￿t Church PuipoSeS g1 Include anyoiherinvesiments InDi Ihecash 91gmnl OITMCP Iwsl accoun15 th￿ 1$ In$eneO in rnne 151 2015Q￿Ul1R￿￿P￿

DECLARATIONS Treasurer I confirm that I have prepared thè accounts from the records Df the Circuit and that they include all funds under the control of the Circuit Signature of Treasurer Date Name MR. GILES ARMSTRONG Address 1, EATHWAITE GREEN, PETERBOROUGH PE4 6SZ Presentation to the 'Circuit Meeting for approval. I confirm that the Accounts have been presented to the Circult Meeting on tnd were opproved. Signature of the Chair of the meeb'ng Narne of the Chair of the meeting Date Independent Examlner's Report to the Trustees of the PCzlgL4J£kn? LLQ4 Cir¢uit This Report is on the Circuit Accounts for the year ended 31. August 2023 Respective responsibilities of Trustees and ExaminBr The charitys trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. Th6 charills trustees consid( audit 15 not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 Ithe Charities Acll and th,- independent examination is needed. 11 is my responsibility to.. Examine the aeeounts under Section 145 of the Charities Act to follow the pro¢edures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission lunder Section 14515llbl of the Charities Act), and lo slate whether particular matters have come lo my altenlion. 2016 Circuit R and P.￿5 4of5

Basls of Independent Examiner's Report My examination was Carried out in accordance with g8neral Directions glven by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review ol the accounting records kept by the charity and 8 comparison of the accounts presented with those records.11 also includes consideration of any unusual iletns or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees eoncerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all thè èvidence that would be required in an audit. and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the aecounts present a'lrue and lair, view and the rgport is limited to those matt9rs sel out in the statement below. Indepondgnt Examlner's Statement In connection with rny examination, no matter has ctsme to my attention lother than th8t discbsed below'l.. which gives me Teasonable cause to believe that in any rnaterial Tespect the requlrem&nts= to keep aecounting records in accordance with sèction 130 of the Charities Aet.. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting reoords and comply with thè aeeounting requirements of the Charities Act hav8 not been met," or to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a prop6r und8rstsnding ol the accounts to be reached. ' P188s8 delete the words the brèck81s if Ih8y rlo nol apply appmpriat8 131 I havelhave not. obtained independent verificab'on of all investments with th8 Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes I'TMCP") 01 held in other Trusts. Bank balance5 and Funds at the Central Finance B08rd of the Methodist Church I'CFB'I, which are individually in exc888 of £10,000 Iten thousand pounds) at tfve balance sheet dat8. ' Please cirtle as èpproprist8 Name Signature Relevant Prof8ssional qualification or body ECA Address 7& Q£)eD ?zg Dale ia 75 2015 tircuil R P.x 5015