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, offi￿rS 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 ServI￿S 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 balan￿5 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 RegIStra￿On 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 p￿pa￿ 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 p￿paration 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 p￿pa￿ 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 R￿eIpts 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￿$$￿n￿s andlhey meetthe
approprlate legal requlremems.
2 RECEIPTS
Funds
a) VoluntaryRecelpts
Offertngs and donations
Glft ald Incorne
50.819
50.819
15.$47
1&547
Le8acles
Otherlncome
1.500
14348
b) lfftstment Income
Bank Inlwest
4517
9m7
3 PAYMEfltS
a) Costs of CharltabieA¢ll
Mlnlstyand M6sion costs
Worshlpstudyand Pastoral
Church Run￿ngcOSts
Admlnlstratlon ￿$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 thtsflna￿IaIyeaI.
S PAYMEPITSTOTRUSTEES
No paymentswere madeto trustees oranypersons corfflecledwllhthem duTlngthlsllnanclalpÈrfod otherthan relmbursementfor small
Items p31d tor on behalfofthe Chartty. No othermaterkltransactton tookpiace betvRen theorg8￿￿on 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
Re￿IveS 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@orl￿d 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 cOver￿m 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 requI￿d 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 specifi￿11¥ to support indsvlduals at the Mlnisterfs dlscretlon.
To ￿ •ppro%Yd *the Trustse Meeilng 11 Febrnary 2025
14