CHRIST CHURCH CHICHEsfER ANNUAL REPORT AND STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024 CHARITY REGISTRAnoN NUMBER 1139545 Rowdens Umited 2 Dukes Court Bognor Road Chichester West Sussex P019 8FX CCCTAR 318 2024
Christ Church Chichester Charty Number 1139545 Trustees Report for the year ending 31st August 2024 Index Page number Objectfves and activities Aims Achievemerts and perfornmn Plans for future years Financlal review Trustee responsibilities Structure• governance and management Reference and administrative details Approval and Signatory Independent Examinerfs Report ststement of Receipts and Payments Statement of Assets and Liabilities 10 11 Notes to the Accounts 12-13 Reserves Policy 14 CCC TAR 318 2024
Christ Church Chichester Charlty number 1139545 Trustees Report for the year ending 31st August 2024 l Objectives and activitses The church is led by the Minister, offirS and Elders and Trustees. The Trustees meet four tfmes a year, and our Minister Revd Helen Higgin-Botham is the Chair. The Trustees are charged by the Churth's Constitution with tsking declsions that affect the Ilfe of the Church, but in doing so they have regard to the wisdom and wishes of all members of the Church community: this is taken from feedback from Elders, meetingSi through formal reports from working groups and from discussions and decisions at our quarterly Church meetings. Our mission is to be a powerful spiritual influeno in the community and a visible expression of God's inclusive love. We aim to achieve this by developing our worship• social and outreach attivities that currently exis¢ in addition to seeking new ways to extend to others the fellowship of the Church famlly. 2 Aims To Worship God as revealed in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. To build the unity of our fellowship. To seek to grow spiritualty and numerically- To serve the needs of the local community. To work for justice and reconaliation in the world. 3 Achlevements and performance The Church seeks to athieve its aims through initiatives including: The weekly offering of Sunday worship at Various times and with various formats, with the lebration of the sacrament of Holy Communion. These have been led by our Minister Revd Helen Hig8in-8otham. and we are grntefvl to her for her spiritual leadership, teaching and encouragemenL Worship is enhanced by our gifted musiaans and our choir. A servi CCC TAR 318 2024
of Holy Communion is celebrated on two Sundays each month. Church ServIS are recorded and made available on our new Church website, we continue to improve and upgrade our audio-visual facilitles. There are some meetings using Zoom, and quarterly Church Magazines distributed to members by our Pastoral visitors. Our Mlnister also serves at Pagham URC Church for 25% of her time and we have Joined with them for significant services and olebrations. Christ Church has joined with the members of other churches in West Sussex {Coast and Downs) Circuit to welcome visiting ministers, and to celebrate other Christian festlvals. We also have support from the Southern Synod of the URC, where members of our congregation together with our Minister attend meetlngs and can access trainlng opportunities. We reach out to children and young people flrstly by the provlslon of groups for learnlng and participatlon In worshlp, and secondly through attivities organlsed by our Youth Worker with a view to expandlng the use of performlng arts to broaden Church outreach. Our Youth worker Is funded by the West Sussex (Coast and Downs) Clrcult. Our prayer mlnlstry comprlsing a prayer network for pastoral needs. and Invitstion5 to prayer both in the Church notlce sheet and through a 'Prayer Tree. located In the Church lounge. A weekly prayer meetlng on Zoom contlnues to be held. An effecilve network of pastoral care cons15tlng of mary pastoral vlsltors 8rouped under the leadershlp of a Pastoral Co-ordlnator. Our Church opens to the publlc some weekday mornings for coffee and chat, and any surplus income from the sale of refreshments Is Blven to Church funds. We continue the support of local, natfonal and International charities by regular collectlons. including partlcipation In the Unlted Reformed Church's Commitment for Llfe programme, rdlslng £1,272.00 durlng the October 23 campaign. We also ralsed a total of £1,004.45 for Stoneplllow whlch Is a local charlty provldln8 shelter and food for homeless and vulnerable people. The Mccabe Educational Trust also received a Chrlstmas donatlon from us, glvln8 £165.00 speclflcally to the Jeel El Amal Boys home In the Holy Land. In addltlon, Chrlst Church ha5 provlded financlal sUPPOrt totslllng £6,000 glvlng £1,000 each to the following charities.. Heart (for the Homeless), Home-start Chichester, Sage House, Children on the Ed8e. Chlchester District Foodbank and Action for Children. The policy of the Trustees is to ensure that all CIpIentS are thoroughly vetted, and that any donation given by Christ Church is approprlately allocated. Our Church provldes opportunities for Christfan fellowship, prayer, Blble study and educatlon through several House Groups which meet regularly. Through participatlon In ecumenical meetin8s In the city. The Church makes its premises avallable to the wider community, and community groups meet on the premlses on a frequent ba515. CCC TAR 318 2024
Considerable time and effort has gone Into revising our Constitution, there are two meeting5 scheduled to be held where our members will be given full information and explanation re8ardin8 the changes. This year has seen a continuaiion of maintenance of the building, Including monies spent on revitalising our Worship area floor. In line with requlrements, we have a Safeguarding policy and designated Safeguarding officer. 4 Plans for future years To continue to enhance and develop the splritual life of the Church. To encourage initiatives for mission in the community. To continue to support local charities. To ensure that all those required to do so have attended appropriate safeguarding and equality and diversity training. 5 Financial Review During the year ending 31 August 2024, Income received totslled £92,350 (2023 £82,370) and Expenditure totalled £96,688 {2023 £101,904). The cash held by the Charity at the end of the period was £126,798 {2023 £131,136). Please see the accompanying Accounts for details. The Trustees have every reason to believe that the Church is a going concern. The Trustees do not foresee any factors that will significantly affect the financial performance or position in the next year or two. The church holds no freehold property. The church's principal sources of funds are from the free-will glfts of the members of the congregation and from fundraising events. 5.1 Investment policy and performance To comply with Methodist Stsnding Orders, monies for long-term investrnent will be lodged with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes (TMCP). These sums will be invested in unitlsed investments or held on deposiL The deposit mirrors the deposit rates available elsewhere. The Trustees, investment policy is aligned with that of the Methodist Central Finance Board {CFB) and TMCP because these organisations take into consideration the social, environmentsl and ethical considerations, both negatively and positively. that make investments suitsble for the Methodist Church. Short term deposits a lodged directly with the Central Flnance Board (CFB}. CCC TAR 318 2024
5.2 Reserves level and policy Please see the accomparying Reserves Policy and current balan5 on reserves shown in Note 6 to the accounts. Reserves level and policy are agreed by the Trustees: the current Reserves Policy which is attached was reviewed and agreed by the Trustees at their meeting on 11 February 2025. 6 Trustee< responsibilities For each financial year ending on 31 August, the Trustees are required to prepare financial statements that give a true and fair view of the Church's financial attivities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing these financial statements the Trustees must: o Select suitsble accounting poliaes and apply them conslstently- o Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudenL o Follow applicable accounting stsndards. o Prepare accounts using The Methodist Church Stsndard Form of Accounts. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accountfing records which disdose with reasonable accurdcy at any time, the financial position of the thurch and enable them to ensure that financial ststements comply with the law. They are also responsible for safeguardlng the assets of the Church and hen tsking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The responsibilities of the Trustees and other committees a set out in Stsnding Orders 603-604 of the Constitutional practi and Discipline of the Methodist Church. 6.1 Risk The Church is largely risk averse. 7 Structurei governance and management 7.1 Structure Christ Church Chichester is a Local Ecumenical Partnership between the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. As such it fom)s part of the West Sussex (Coast and Downs) fjrcuit and the URC Southem Synod. It is represented at all appropriate rCuit and CCC TAR 318 2024
Synod Meettngs. For most administratlve. financial legal and property purposes. Christ Church Chichester is subject to the control, regulation and supervision of the Methodlst Church. The Methodist Conference meets once each year as the supreme denorninational body for all Methodlst Churches. Overall regulatory authority rests wlth the Methodist Conference. The Methodlst Connexlonal Office implements dec151ons made by the Confereno. The Dlstrlct passes down to clrcult level for Implementation by the Superlntendent Minister, ministerial stsff and circuit stewards, authority is delegated to the Circult Meeting for rtaIn matters. The Circult Meeting passes regulatory control down to Church Counclls, Trustees for local regulatory control Is then exerclsed by the Church Councils or Trustees as Mana8lng Trustees of thelr Charfty. 7.2 Purpose of the Church The purposes of the Methodlst Church and United Reformed Church (the Churches) are and shall be deemed to have been the advancement of the followlng: o The Chrlstfan falth In accordance wlth the doctrlnal standards and the disclpllne of the Churches. o Any charitable purposes for the ifme belng of any Connexlonal, Synod, Distrlrt, Clrcult. local or other organlsatlon of the Churches. o Any charitable purpose for the tlme belng of any sodety or Instltution, subsldlary or ancillary to the Churches. Any purpose for the tlme beln8 of any charlty belng a subsidlary or andllary of the Churches. The primary purpose of Christ Church Chichester Is to advance the Chrlstlan faith bv provlding opportunlties for worship, Chrlstfan nurture and fellowshlp wlthin the wider Chlchester Communlty. 7.3 Governance The Church operates wlthin a statutory framework of regulation and seeks to ensure that It follows Methodist Stsndin8 Orders. It relies on the Connexlonal Office at 25 Marylebone Road. London NWI 5JR to provlde guldance on changes that could affect the Church. Trustees are appointed under the terms of clauses 22 to 27 of the Constitutlon of Christ Church (Methodlst and United Reformedl Chichester. Trustees meet four times per year and deal wlth routine and exceptional matters. Trustees oversee the work of other groups withln the Ilfe of the Church. CCC TAR 318 2024
8 Reference and admlnistratsve details 8.1 Name ofthe Church Christ Church (Methodist and United Reformed) Chithester 8.2 Governing Document Christ Church (Methodist and United Reformed) Chichester Constitution adopted on 25 November 2010 8.3 Charlty RegIStraOn Number 1139545 8.4 Address Old Market Avenue Chichester West Sussex P019 ISW 8.5 Number of Membe 107 as at 31 August 2024 (102 at 31 August 2023) 8.6 Minister The Revd Helen Higgin-Botham &7 Names of Trustee5 Chair: Secretsry: Treasurer Helen Higgin-Botham Ed Martin Penny Ellison Deborah Mabbitt Margaret Martin Chris Monkton Stephen Palmer David Morrow Colin Higgin-Botham Mary Quinev Lindsay Marchant rina Twaites 8.8 Banknrs CAF Bank Ltd CCC TAR 318 2024
25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Mallin8 Kent ME19 4QI 8.9 Independent Examlner Penny Rowden Rowdens Limited 2 Dukes Court Bognor Road Chichester P019 8FX 9 Trustees Responsibilities. Approval and Signatory The Charities Act requires the Trustees to ppa financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the trust and of the surplus of the trust for that period. In preparing those financial ststements the trustees a qUired to: Select suitsble accounting pollcies and apply them consistently. Make Judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. Prepare financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the trust will continue In existence. The Trustee5 are responsible for keeplng proper accounting records. which dlsclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial positlon of the trust. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the trust and hence for tsking reasonable stsps for the prevention and detedion of fraud and other irregularities. Approved by the Tnstees at a Trustee MeeOn8 on _... Signed on behalf of the Trustees .A.. M 4-h- Revd. Helen Hlg8in-Botham CCC TAR 318 2024
INDEPENDENT EXAMINEWS REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS Report to the trustees of Christ Church Chichester (Charity Number 1139545) on accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 set out on pages 10 to 13. Respective responsibllities of Trustees and Examiner The charity's Trustees are responsible for the pparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the tharitles Act 2011. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination. I have followed the applicable Dlrectfons given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)(b) of the ACL Independent Examlnerfs Ststement I have completed my examinatfon. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that In, any materlal respect: accounting records were not kept in accordan 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 rnatters in connection with the examinatton to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understsnding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Date= I.1.2r Mrs PA Rowden FCA Rowdens Limited 2 Dukes Court Bognor Road Chichester West Sussex P019 8FX CCCTAR 318 2024
CHRISTCHURCH CHICHESTER STATEMEMfoFRECEIPTSAND PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED31AUGUST2024 Fun(ts Iunles¢tQd) RECEIPTS Voluntary Receipts 80,292 72.453 Investment Income 9,917 TOTAL RECEIPTS PAYMENTS Costs of CharitabieActEvitles 95.728 IOL304 Govemance Costs 3b 600 TOTAL PAYMENTS 96.688 101 NEf INCOMEI(OUTGOING) RESOURCES 143381 {AS341 Balances Brought Forntsrd 100,372 131.136 150.670 Transfer Between Funds BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD 4ts The notes on pages and 131orm part ofthese accounts All operatlons are contlnuing opei*ions io
CHRISTCHURCH CHICHESTER STATEMEKfoFASSETSAND LIABILMES ASAT31AUGUST2024 Funds Cash Funds CAF CurrentAccount 4685 8,437 Royal Bank of Scolland- Current Central Flnance Board- Deposlt 1,262 5.331 0.851 .851 117.368 14798 13L136 LIABILMES Independent Examlnefs Fee TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILMES IN RELATION TOTHE FINANCIALSTATEMENTS Charlty law requlres the Trustees to ppa financlal ststements foreach flnanclalYear[ch complywlth the regulatlons set out In the Charllles Act 2011. The Trusiees ha* elected to tske advantage of the pn)vlslons th8t applyto smau charlttes and have prepared a ReIpts and Payments Account and Statement ofAssets and Uabllftles whlch are set out on pages 10 and 11. Approved tytheTrustees on..... .... ............ .. signed on thelr behalf by........................... Trustee l C PrlntNarne.............. li
CHRISTCHURCH CHICHESTER FOftIHE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST2024 I BASIS OFAccoupinNG The accounts ha¥etwi wepared underthe'Receiosand basLsasprescrW bylheCharltyComrI$$ns andlhey meetthe approprlate legal requlremems. 2 RECEIPTS Funds a) VoluntaryRecelpts Offertngs and donations Glft ald Incorne 50.819 50.819 15.$47 1&547 Le8acles Otherlncome 1.500 14348 b) lfftstment Income Bank Inlwest 4517 9m7 3 PAYMEfltS a) Costs of CharltabieA¢ll Mlnlstyand M6sion costs Worshlpstudyand Pastoral Church RunngcOSts Admlnlstratlon $ts 6QO 59.786 L385 20.759 27AOO IlJ74 bl Govemancecosts Independent Examinationfre
CHRIST CHURCH CHICHESTER NOTESTOTHE ACCOUNTS (c6ntlnued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED31AUGUST2024 4 RESThICTED FUNDS Therewerenorestrthdlurtds In thtsflnaIaIyeaI. S PAYMEPITSTOTRUSTEES No paymentswere madeto trustees oranypersons corfflecledwllhthem duTlngthlsllnanclalpÈrfod otherthan relmbursementfor small Items p31d tor on behalfofthe Chartty. No othermaterkltransactton tookpiace betvRen theorg8on and atrusiee oranyperson connectedwlth them 6 RINDS MOVEMENTS Balance$ Brought For#ard 8alancos Carrfed Forward TTrnsle Funds Deslgnated FUM Bulldlng Reserye ShortTerm GlftslLegacyiErfc Brookes} ShortTeTm GSftslLegacy (Janet Biandl HardsNp Fwid 13.001} (2A461 15431 1976 IOOW2 149901 General Fund 30.784 350 I90.8) 32A16 Total Unrestricted Funds 7 PUBLIC BENEFIT TheCharltyacknowLedges Its reoulrementtodemonstratecleariythal Ft musthave charltable purposesor'alms. that arelorthe pubuc benefiL DetalLs hOWthe Charlty ha5achie¥eOthls are provlded IntheTrustees Report. TheTwstees conftrm thatlwh pald due regard to the Charltycommlsslonguldance on publlc benefll before deciaingwhatacimtlesihe Charltyshouid undertake.
Chrlst Chuvth Chlchester Charlty Number 1139545 Financial Reserves Policy 2024-25 ReIveS Held for Unspedfted Puryboses In the Genernl Fund. The Generdl Fund Is an Unrestrl¢ted Fund. It conslsts of the flucW3tln8 credlt balances of the Church's accounts at the Royal 8ank of Scotland, the Charltles Aid Foundation 8ank and the Methodist Central Flnance Board that are not cate@orld below as'De518nated Funds held for Speclfic Purposes,. Although these funds have been deslgnated for spectfic purposes as agreed by the Trnstees, it should be noted that these are also nrestrlcted funds and can be called upon, If requlred, to fund any shortfall In the Generdl Fund. The Fund fluctuate5 because It recelve5 Churth Income and meets Church expendlture dally. It Is also the contslner for our prlnclpal Resem, represented by the mlnlmum value that we alm to malntaln Sn the Fund. We alm to hold In reserve sufflcl¢nt money In our Genernl Fund to cOverm Month's necewry expendlture- currently approxlmately £45,000, There are four maln reasons for thls.. The Churd) needs slx months average expendllure In reserwe as workln8 capItsI to cover normal runnlng costs whlch are unevenly dlstrlbuted throu8h the fftnanclal year. o As one of the18r8er Churches In the Methodlst Church West SUSS (Coast and Downsl ClrculL Chrlst Church m•y be adversely Impacted by changes In the Clrcult bud8et to a greater extent than smaller Churches. Normally about 20% of the annual operatln¢ costs ofthe Church 4re funded by Income from lettln8S and premlses usage. Thls fvndln8 source Is exposed to dsks that are outslde the control of the Church and therefore reasonable flnanclal cover must be provlded that allows tlme for the Church to recover from any Interrupdon In lettln8s Income. A slx-month workln8 capltal reserve equates to current best accountlng prartl¢e and Church recommended reserve leve15 for an or8anlsatlon the slie of Chrlst Church. The Genernl Fund Reserve declared In the 2023-2024 accounls of Chrlst Church as at 31 August 2024 was £32,416. The shorrfall of approxlmately £12,500 can be met from unrestrlcted desl8nated funds If needed as noted abo¥e. Dosl8nated Funds Held for Spedfic Purposes The Bu41dln8 Fund Is a reser¥e to pr(Nlde future support for major wernises repalrs and fefvrbishment. Spedfically, the reservels needed to fijnd or partlally fund potential repalrs that may be requId to the flat roof of the Church bulldin. The reserye may also be called upon for major paIrS and expenditure whl¢h exceeds £5.0(M) that cannot be met from ctsrrent year workln8 capital andlor malntenance and repalrs resource The Short Tern) Gffts •nd Grnnts Fund Is a reserve fund whkh holds funds left to the church In memory of individuats and whlch the Trustees have deslgnated to be spent on a speciftc purpose. The Hard$hlp Fund Is a Serve fund specifi11¥ to support indsvlduals at the Mlnisterfs dlscretlon. To •ppro%Yd *the Trustse Meeilng 11 Febrnary 2025 14