## **Chairman’s Report on 2022** During 2022, we had a change of Chairman when Rev Peter Williamson stepped down at the end of August (although he remains a Trustee) and Rev Jeff Short arrived. In February and March, we journeyed through Lent together for the first time since 2019 following the Covid pandemic and appreciated what we had missed during the various lockdowns. Also in March, our Church Secretary, who is also a Local Preacher, was presented with a Certificate for having preached the Gospel for 25 years. This should have been presented a year or so earlier but was delayed because of the pandemic. In the Spring, work started on some of our worst roofs and this has reduced the amount of water ingress into the building. In May, Rev Peter wanted to tackle the sometimes contentious issue of same-sex marriage so that it was not an issue that would greet our new incoming Minister at the outset of his time with us. A full Church Meeting was arranged on a May evening so that everyone could attend and we were given presentations from the Methodist Church on the background to the decisions we were now being asked to make. We were asked to consider our response and whether holding such weddings on our premises was biblically sound and in line with the “God in Love Unites Us” paper produced by the Methodist Church. The meeting took place in a very respectful manner with those of differing views expressing them kindly and in love. A vote was taken at the end of the evening which, although not binding on the Trustees, gave a good indication of the wishes of the Congregation as a majority voted in favour of same-sex weddings and blessings being held in our Church. In the middle of August, the Trustees debated the issue and comments were once again expressed in a respectful and considerate manner. The vote, which does represent the final decision of Central Church, followed that of the Church Meeting and a majority voted “for”. Our new wedding licence was applied for in September and issued by the Local Authority in November 2022. Also in August we received into membership by transfer from other Churches two members and we were also thrilled that one of our young people made a public proclamation of her faith by becoming a member before going off to University in the September. At the end of August, we said a big thank you to our three supernumerary ministers who had been looking after us for the previous 3 years or so despite having only being co-opted originally for a period of 3 months. The congregation was very generous as they showed their appreciation to Rev Peter Williamson, Rev Jerry Cook and Rev Valerie Price and a presentation was made to them over a lunch after Worship. Rev Jeff Short and his wife Julia arrived in the September and we held a welcome lunch after Worship to settle them in. Rev Jeff brings different qualities to Central which compliments those of Peter and Val who are still very much part of the spiritual leadership of the Church. In the autumn the Trustees made the decision that a new kitchen was needed if we wished to continue offering refreshments to our Congregations and the various groups using our premises. This was fitted in October and is being enjoyed by the Catering Committee. Usual Advent and Christmas celebrations took us up to the end of the year. CENTRAL CHURCH RECEIPTS AJ4D PAYIAENTS ACCOUNTS THE METhODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS C•ntral Church To FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 Decernber 2022 ZINM927 Mts> J* Centr•l ChU￿h u• eanh ￿cFB ffjlw•MW 1349 10 73D 21822 L•tt •5 1.314 SE¢TTh bl 35.921 bj ?.Iso 12.274 bs 24J•• b7 288SS ?54 18.642 TOT•L PAYIIEIIT• i*.J •e¢TKW C NET RECEWT*PAYIIEW4 13nJ 147A17 gub th¥ l•c 147A17 70TAL VIJID• AT EK) ￿ YWI 124.3 cTroN ¢1 enL TOIEPWI al+d2￿5 2rf5 147A1V TOT• *1 ¢*Jllll Declaratlons and Scrutlny ialaCAa . P(*1 C(*J•... ...... , TQ> 100 ..3.7lbtrl 1023 . Ind•p•nd•nt Examln•rf• R•port to th• TnwlM• ol th• C•ntrai Chuv¢h Chvxy lknilw 1144910 t>e¢xlrt￿ 2(122 Mt 1.3 AS tr* CIKvth'• •rn lor lh• Ch•rty Cty)yri￿ thlor 14q5Mb) of Ihe A(*. l gf&• lo beheve tro Metr￿t Chwrh w• hJlvkW ￿ •xcw of ¢10.1)tKI Ilon kW)uThtsl ai th• P4.41. .. S4eirj.rt.......................................... Do* 10_03-Qo23 CENTRAL CHURCH RECEIPTS AJ4D PAYIAENTS ACCOUNTS THE METhODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS C•ntral Church To FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 Decernber 2022 ZINM927 Mts> J* Centr•l ChU￿h u• eanh ￿cFB ffjlw•MW 1349 10 73D 21822 L•tt •5 1.314 SE¢TTh bl 35.921 bj ?.Iso 12.274 bs 24J•• b7 288SS ?54 18.642 TOT•L PAYIIEIIT• i*.J •e¢TKW C NET RECEWT*PAYIIEW4 13nJ 147A17 gub th¥ l•c 147A17 70TAL VIJID• AT EK) ￿ YWI 124.3 cTroN ¢1 enL TOIEPWI al+d2￿5 2rf5 147A1V TOT• *1 ¢*Jllll Declaratlons and Scrutlny ialaCAa . P(*1 C(*J•... ...... , TQ> 100 ..3.7lbtrl 1023 . Ind•p•nd•nt Examln•rf• R•port to th• TnwlM• ol th• C•ntrai Chuv¢h Chvxy lknilw 1144910 t>e¢xlrt￿ 2(122 Mt 1.3 AS tr* CIKvth'• •rn lor lh• Ch•rty Cty)yri￿ thlor 14q5Mb) of Ihe A(*. l gf&• lo beheve tro Metr￿t Chwrh w• hJlvkW ￿ •xcw of ¢10.1)tKI Ilon kW)uThtsl ai th• P4.41. .. S4eirj.rt.......................................... Do* 10_03-Qo23