South West Cumbria United Area Trustees’ Annual Report (Sept 2023 – Aug 2024)
2023/24 got off to a great start when we welcomed Hayley back as a probationary minister in a lovely service at Ulverston Methodist Church, reflecting her role across the United Area and South Lakes Circuit. She is now well into the second phase of her probationary period, and we wish her well with her work and studies, as she looks forward to her ordination next summer. Hayley’s stationing has facilitated closer working between the two circuits, and our Trustees and their Circuit Stewards shared an away day in November. This change in relationship also offered different options for Kirkby when they were considering with whom to merge.
It feels as though we have been through a few years of changes, with more of the same to come. Should we be anxious about this? If we think of changes as ‘new beginnings’, possibly not. The new beginnings above have certainly been positive; and another example of change being for the better is the new re:new . Although the extended period of waiting for it to happen was sometimes stressful, it was worth it in the end. Not only do we now have a large, bright and airy space which is wheelchair and buggy-friendly, with more room for our pre-loved items and an extended range of Christian books and products, we also have a community / café space where people can sit, have a drink and a chat – and find a friendly face to talk to if they are on their own. There is always a ‘prayer of the week’ on the tables and a prayer gathering takes place every Wednesday at 9.00am. All are welcome. The next step – another positive change! – will be to employ an experienced Pioneer to work alongside Tim in developing mission and outreach and ultimately building a new worshipping community there. re:new will continue to be a joint Methodist and URC project, so please continue to support us in prayer, by donating items, by popping in for a chat … and possibly by volunteering in some capacity if you can spare an hour or two.
Some of us experienced another big change when we attended the first Methodist Synod of the new North West England District (NWED) a few weeks ago. A new beginning means that something else has come to an end; but that did not make the last Cumbria District Synod, which took place at Beacon Hill in April, any less joyful. Worshipping with a large congregation is always uplifting, but there was a real buzz about the whole day, too, possibly fuelled by the wonderful spread of cakes kindly baked by people from many of our churches. We were watched over by an impressive display of sourdough figures representing the Feeding of the 5,000, which subsequently made its way to Millom via Hawkshead; and we were inspired by the visit of the Vice-President of Conference, Deacon Kerry Scarlett, who spoke about the importance of discovering ‘hidden treasures’ in ourselves, our congregations and our communities. The final phase of voting for the single Cumbria Circuit also took place, meaning that, by this time next year, the United Area, South Lakes and the other Cumbrian circuits will be no more. For some people, this has caused a degree of anxiety, and it is true that there is a lot of preparation to be done during this year to be ready for September 2025. However, if we remember that the aim behind these two big mergers is to lift some of the current burdens from churches and allow them to focus on mission in their localities, this will hopefully be a change for the better, too.
Our churches have also experienced some changes, not all of them happy ones. We have lost some much-loved members; and some congregations have had to consider whether their church building has become more of a burden than a blessing. At the same time, new people have joined us, and we know that we will always find a welcome in all of the other churches in our Area. That close relationship at church and personal level will not disappear just because the circuit structure changes, and we will continue to work together, URC, Methodist and LEPs, along with our close ecumenical partners. The other thing that will not change, no matter what happens elsewhere, is our relationship with God. We know that we can always turn to him for guidance and reassurance, that we can put our trust in him to support and lead us when we are anxious or unsure.
Let’s reflect on some of the good things that have taken place in 2023/24 in our own churches, when we have come together for worship and fellowship or when we have reached out to our communities - and look forward to doing more things like this together in the future.
The Anna Chaplaincy and the Dementia Tea Services have continued to provide valuable and much appreciated ministry to a vulnerable group of people. It is a loving ecumenical enterprise.
The Lent Pilgrimage Walks visited and prayed for every church in Barrow over six weeks.
We shared good news from our all churches at the Maundy Thursday service at Beacon Hill, displayed our coloured-in Stations of the Cross and afterwards shared a meal and a time of fellowship. We also had the opportunity to contribute to the Salvation Army’s Stations of the Cross display and come together for the Walk of Witness and Good Friday service – then come together again for the sunrise service at the Cenotaph. (These joint services and celebrations are always a great joy. We should aim to have more!)
The visit of the National Methodist Youth Brass Band was a definite highlight. Their church crawl through Cumbria started at 7am, but they were still on great form when they reached the UA in the late afternoon … and they even managed to arrive at Millom ahead of schedule! Their visit culminated in a wonderful concert and celebration at Hartington Street.
The good work on Eco Church has continued, with a number of our churches having achieved the Bronze or Silver awards this year through A Rocha UK. In the process, they have made their buildings and grounds as sustainable and ‘green’ as possible, using eco-friendly and Fairtrade products where they can and sharing good practices with their congregations and communities.
All our churches have worked through Renewed Beginnings and reflected on what they wish to continue in the future and how they might do some things differently. In June and July, some members from Dalton, Beacon Hill, Trinity, Hartington Street, Askam and Kirkby had weekly sessions with Emma Richardson from New Places for New People under the banner of ‘Looking Beyond’, where we explored different ways of being missional and reaching out to our communities. Millom plan to run their own Looking Beyond course with Emma soon.
We have supported each other spiritually through regular prayer groups and Bible studies and offer fellowship to our members and friends in the community through a multitude of activities and groups, including: the regular coffee mornings, soup lunches, the Community Lunch, Food and Fellowship, Coffee and Company, Sisterhood and Friends, MY group, Monday Magic, Cuppa, Chat and Company and the various knitting and craft groups. We also welcome a large number of outside groups who use our premises.
Our ministry to children has included Sunday School, Messy Church, Toddlers groups, Flashbacks, holiday clubs, our ministers’ visits to schools and schoolchildren visiting our churches to read, sing and enjoy Christmas activities. Our uniformed organisations have also been involved in some of our Eco Church work. We have continued to raise funds for charities like Christian Aid, All We Can, the Leprosy Mission, Fairtrade, the Foodbank, the Fund for World Mission, the Christian Blind Mission, Tearfund, Toilet Twinning and others. Our ministers, retired ministers and local preachers have led our worship on Sundays and during the week, in our churches and local care homes, as well as contributing to the weekly Worship at Home sheets and Pause and Pray, both of which we know reach people beyond our own congregations. We are very grateful for all their hard work. We are especially thankful for all that Helen, Kate and Hayley do to support us spiritually and pastorally - and for all the tedious but necessary admin work that most of us never see, but which they do quietly and conscientiously on our behalf.
Please continue to pray for the life and work of our churches, those in them and those in leadership roles; and have faith in God’s wisdom and his plan for our United Area, in this year and beyond.
South West Cumbria United Area Profit & Loss
| Income Broughton Income (includes balance transfer) Interest Misc Income Assessment Payments Charity Shop Income Total Income Total Expenditures Clergy Salaries, NIC & Pension Clergy Travel Clergy Other Expenditure All Clergy Costs Insurance Manse Council Tax, Gas Service & Water Manse General Repairs Manse Quinquennials All Manse Costs Administrator Wages Area Photocopier Costs Broughton Expenditure Church Literature Church Quinquennials District Assessment District Levies Flashbacks Misc Costs Payroll & Bookkeeping Costs Service Expenses Staff Training Trust Admin Fees URC M & M All Other Costs Bank Charges Charity Shop Costs Expenditure on Churches Total Expenditures Net Operating Income Net Income/(Expenditure) |
31/08/2024 31/08/2023 3,762 627 21,405 13,052 30 0 119,845 124,445 31,806 29,511 176,848 167,635 176,848 167,635 62,099 45,552 4,476 2,082 2,022 922 68,597 48,556 844 763 2,912 2,751 379 2,740 0 360 4,135 6,614 5,083 4,841 705 382 3,766 1,371 699 1,680 420 2,640 16,860 27,500 23,551 19,633 290 150 225 54 470 418 90 492 0 475 1,227 852 35,692 25,168 89,078 85,656 74 65 58,531 43,309 13,594 1,975 234,009 186,175 -57,161 -18,540 -57,161 -18,540 |
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DECLARATIONS Treasurer I confimi that I have prepared the accounts from the records of ts Cirvjit and that they indude all funds under the control of the Cwcuit Signature of Treasur 30109f2024 Name Lynne Pearce MAAT Address 30109r2024 Signature of the Cllair ofts rneeti Name of the Chair of the rneeli Datè Independent Examinerfs Report to th• Trustees of the South West Cumbria Unitsd Area Circult Thls Rewt is on the Circuft A(xounts for the year ded 31° Aj1 2024 Respectlve rnsponslbllllles of Trustoes and Examln•r is not required for thi% year under Sec1K 144 of the CharitEs kt 2011 (tr* Chwitras Act) and that an Ir examination ts needed. It is rny responsiknlty to: Examine th? %counts under Secti)n 145 of the Charitres P£t to follow the proc&Jures laid dtrwn in the geTre DlreCtKX given by the Clwity Commissron (undw secti 145(5Xb) ofth8 Charili kl). and 2015 R aml P.>Js