2024-08-31-accounts - Westminster Methodist Circuit

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Circuit Accruals Accounts 2023/24

THE METHODIST CHURCH

STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS

ACCRUALS BASIS

For the year ended 31 August 2024

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER

Registered Charity No 1145076

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit No. 35 / 03

SUPERINTENDENT MINISTER

Revd Tony Miles

CIRCUIT STEWARDS

Joseph Adjei (Senior until June 2024)

Helen Tudor (Senior – July 2024 to date)

Ama Ackah-Yensu (Treasurer)

Grace Sangmuah (June 2024 to date)

John Bernasko (June 2024 to date)

Genevieve Patnelli (June 2024 to date)

Ekoh West (June 2024 to date)

LONDON MISSION (WESTMINSTER) CIRCUIT 35 / 03 TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

Introduction

This Annual Report gives an account of the mission and ministry of The London Mission (Westminster) Methodist Circuit, through its single society Methodist Central Hall Westminster. It represents considerable commitment on the part of its members, who both gather for worship and learning, and disperse in witness, being involved in a variety of means of service.

Aims and Organisation

Our vision statement declared on the order of worship each week is: “Methodist Central Hall Westminster – a global Christian family following Jesus at the heart of London.”

Our mission:

We have established two foci for our work as a Church - NURTURE & OUTREACH

To achieve our vision, we aim to focus on what we need to NURTURE in our church.

This includes:

Church Family Life and Pastoral Care
Discipleship
Spirituality, Prayer, and Healing
Work with Children & Young People
Worship & Music
Greater participation and the sharing of gifts (finance/Talents)

How we need to extend MCHW’s work and influence through OUTREACH - locally and globally.

A. Locally:

1) Evangelism

2) Church In Society – social action

B. Globally:

1) Online, Live Stream, & Broadcast Ministry
2) Nurture our International Family
3) Connexional & Global Issues – Social Justice

We want the Central Hall building to be used not only by the worshipping community at its heart, but also to engage with the beating ‘heart’ and life of London, and especially Westminster. We aim to deepen our existing relationships with Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, Church Together in Westminster, the Houses of Parliament, Scotland Yard, etc.

We are seeking to:

Engage local issues and support local charities: The Saint Vincent Family Project (which we host on site), The Westminster Food Bank, The

Westminster Severe Weather Emergency Protocols (SWEP) Night shelter, The Passage (helping homeless people), the London Prison’s Mission, and working at establishing and developing Methodist presence and offering pastoral care in Parliament.

Build links with the Church worldwide as a ‘cathedral for Methodism’.
Grow MCHW’s social media presence and developing a respected and popular online ministry, including livestreaming regular bespoke services, serving our housebound members, and Methodists around the connexion and globally. New initiatives include online Lent, Advent, Alpha, and Bible study courses online.
Develop MCHW’s respected and balanced healing ministry (including our annual Healing Conference) and developing our pastoral care.
Provide Visitor Services – with hosts offering giving tours of the building, and maintaining Archives for Mission, helping us to tell the story of methodism and especially the Froward Movement.
Host MCHW’s own special events (Including Daffodil Day, the Parliamentary Covenant Service, Traditional Carols service, Jazz Carols, Jazz Vespers, and other gatherings) sometimes partnering with other organisations, like Premier Radio and the BBC, and helping to facilitate other Christian and charity events.
Establish new initiatives, including developing as an Eco Church, implementing our Neighbourhood Evangelism Team, seeking to launch Restored Lives (for those who have been through a divorce) and this year we have launched 3 new house groups, and a group called Interim, a group for university aged young people.
Grow MCHW’s wide-ranging worship on Sundays and mid-week, including MCHW’s renowned choir, and the hosting of organ recitals.
Maintain and grow our work with children, teenagers, and Young Adults (Sanctuary).

REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2023-2024

Circuit Staffing

During what many of us consider to be the greatest financial challenges that MCHW circuit has ever experienced, the circuit also had a year of positive news, enabling our mission of nurture and outreach, and for which we are eternally thankful to God. Firstly, we completed the reinvitation process for Superintendent Revd Tony Miles and Deacon Ali McMillan, whose current stationing periods come to an end in 2024. In accordance with Methodist conference guidelines, the circuit invitation committee (CIC) presented the Church/ Circuit Council meeting on 13/9/2023, with a reasoned proposal to extend the appointments of Revd Tony and Deacon Ali. The meeting, chaired by the Chair of the District Revd Nigel Cowgill, unanimously accepted the proposal, which was approved by the Methodist Conference, Revd Tony has

been invited to stay for a further 5 years, and Deacon Ali for a further 4 years from 1/9/2024.

Our Probationer Minister, Revd Dr Joyce Popoola joined the staff team - stationed with us for 5 years as a non-stipendiary minister. We expect her probation period to last 3 years and, we pray, will lead to her ordination. In February this year, Revd Dr. Joyce Popoola was assessed by the District Probationers' Committee and passed with flying colours. As a result, the Connexional Committee has recommended Joyce continue her probation at MCHW.

Some sad news for us, is that Revd Lansford Penn-Timity will not be seeking an extension in our Circuit beyond August 2025. This hasn’t been an easy decision but what he believes God is saying. We look forward to the year ahead with Lansford and Grace but will be so sorry to lose them when the time comes.

Annual Review – for our 111[th] Year 2023-2024

Our published annual review can be found using this link https://sway.cloud.microsoft/C4GcZCYGVrXsi1i4?ref=Link

111th Church Anniversary

Our 111th Church Anniversary service was a wonderful occasion, and we were delighted that Revd IeSinga Vunipola, Chaplain to the Tongan Fellowship (England) was able to join us as our guest preacher. We were also delighted to celebrate with our Nigerian fellowship group who welcomed, Right Reverend Nkechi Nwosu, as they celebrated the 63rd anniversary of Nigerian independence. 290 people were booked in for our Church Anniversary lunch and a greater number attended the service.

Lunch-time Services

Our midweek lunchtime services on Wednesdays continue to be valued by a wide range of people, some from our own congregation along with frequent visitors from around the globe. During the last year the number of local office workers attending has gone back to pre-Covid levels. Bible passages, at the heart of our services, have included Ruth and Jonah, Psalms of Ascent and Characters of the Passion. During this summer we are completing a readthrough of the Acts of the Apostles, covered over a three-year period, and finding stories from the Early Church relevant to our own mission.

Online Services and AV

Our live-streamed services continue to average 700 – 1,000 views each week, with about 200 watching live every Sunday morning at 9.30am and the rest tuning in later. We continue to provide a vital lifeline to those Methodists in London and beyond who can’t always attend services. 60% of those viewers are over 65, embracing the less tech savvy with an easily accessible platform. We have viewers from around the UK, and countries like France, Spain, Italy, Barbados, Ghana, Angola, Australia, Thailand, and the USA. We continue to look at improving our broadcasts and extending our reach to those who would benefit from them most. We should be receiving a grant from the Connexion to help us serve churches with Local Arrangements on a Sunday. White Light

Limited has installed a fabulous new sound system (at their expense c.£250K) and this is now operational. We have also successfully received a significant grant to upgrade our AV and online broadcast facilities in the Chapel and for a new installation in the Great Hall next year.

Visit of the President and Vice-President of Conference

On the First Sunday of the new Methodist year, we had a visit from the President, Revd Gill Newton and Vice-President, Deacon Kerry Scarlett, for our 6pm Healing Service with Holy Communion.

Harvest Festival

Our Harvest Festival featured speakers from Christian Aid: Revd Mohammad Eghtedarian and Nick Georgiadis. A significant number of gifts were brought for Harvest, with helpful assistance from Mfantsiman Old Girls’ Association (MOGA UK) and were given to the Westminster Foodbank and The Passage – helping homeless people in Westminster. We also had retiring offerings for Christian Aid.

Saying Goodbye Service

In November we hosted another service with the Mariposa Trust for those who have lost children in infancy – before birth, during birth, or soon after birth. This was a highly charged and emotional service, which was well-received by many of whom would rarely enter a church.

Traditional Carol Service and Jazz Carols

We estimate that we had about 1,700 people at our Traditional Carol service with orchestra and choir. The service was broadcast on Premier Christian Radio on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Our Jazz Carols service was advertised amongst the jazz community and we had many people attending who don’t normally attend a church. This was well-attended, with over 500 people present.

Parliamentary Covenant Service 2024

On Tuesday 16th January 2024, we had our Methodist Parliamentary Covenant Service at the St. Mary Undercroft Chapel at the Palace of Westminster. We had about 110 people in attendance, including a record number of members: 11 MPs and 5 from the Lords. Sadly, the division bell sounded due to the Rwanda bill, which meant that many of the MPs had to leave very early on. Revd Tony Miles preached, and Revd Dr Leslie Griffiths, (Lord Griffths of Burry Port) presided at Holy Communion.

Methodist Parliamentary Fellowship

Our Superintendent Minister has become an assistant to Lord Griffiths of Burry Port, which will mean he will have a pass to enter the Houses of Parliament, which will be of help in developing our presence and pastoral care in Parliament.

Ash Wednesday & Lent

We had two well attended Ash Wednesday services and had an online Lent Bible Study running during lent, based on the London District’s Woven Lent Course, with a weekly attendance reaching 27.

Ecumenical Events

Our Superintendent Minister was privileged to lead a prayer at Westminster Abbey’s Commonwealth service, which was broadcast on BBC1. We continue to work alongside the Abbey and Westminster Cathedral. Sadly, our ecumenical Good Friday procession didn’t take place, but we are exploring a possible new event. A good number from MCHW did process to Trafalgar Square and then watched the Wintershall Passion Play.

Daffodil Day 2024

Daffodil Day (spring festival for encouragement and Christian Renewal) was successful and greatly appreciated by those attending. Numbers are building post-Covid - this year c.600. Special guests included Pam Rhodes, the London Community Gospel Choir, soloist Anando Mukerjee, folk from MHA, the President of Conference, Youth president, the Lord Mayor of Westminster, and our Chair of District.

Wesley Day Songs of Praise

For the second year, Wednesday@Westminster organised this event on 24[th] May. David Amoss played a selection of Wesley hymns sung with gusto by a sizeable congregation. Visitors included those who had attended Wesley Day events earlier during the day at Wesley’s Chapel and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Prayer and Healing Ministry

We have had a Call to Prayer in the chapel between 1-2 pm on one Sunday afternoon each month, since 2022. We pray in small groups for two themes connected to the life of MCHW, taking time to listen to and share what the Spirit may be saying to us as a church. This is then shared with the ministry team.

Our Healing Prayer Team continue to offer personal prayer ministry at Healing Services. This year we have sensed an increasing awareness of the power of God in these times, particularly through the anointing with oil. The Healing Prayer Team also continue to pray for the weekly requests coming into our email, many from our online congregation. The feedback of how valued this ministry is spurs us on!

The Healing Ministry is thriving. We are seeing a small but steady increase in attendance at the monthly services. Many testify to a tangible sense of the presence and power of God through all that has been offered. Some have returned several times.

Healing Conference

Our Healing Conference, “Time To Heal”, drew c.250 attendees, a number of whom were first timers. The event was led by Alison Bryan, together with Revd Wes Sutton from the Acorn Christian Healing Foundation and Revd Lansford Penn-Timity. Teaching focussed on the healing nature of God through to equipping and releasing people into the healing ministry. Worship was led by Pat and Dave Bilbrough.

Fun and Fellowship Weekend

Our church away weekend was a great success. 60 people, including some children and young people went to High Leigh Conference Centre and former Superintendent Minister Revd Dr Martyn Atkins led us on the theme of Evangelism.

Future Isaac Watts Event with BBC Radio 4

On Sunday July 14th at 6.00p.m. hosted a Big Sing-style event to mark the 350th anniversary of the hymnwriter Isaac Watt’s birth. This was recorded by the BBC for future broadcast on BBC Radio 4’s “Sunday Worship”. Our Superintendent minister preached, members of ministerial team, the congregation, an augmented choir and actor, Tony Jasper, took part.

SWEP Night Shelter with our ecumenical partners

The Severe Weather Emergency Protocols (SWEP) Night Shelter was activated on our watch and Deacon Ali did a splendid job coordinating volunteers from MCHW to enable many homeless people to find shelter during a bitterly cold period.

Music

Music at MCHW, alongside the Word, illuminates our worship. The choir, though a little smaller this year, continues to provide an excellent and varied musical diet, and there is a strong sense of fellowship within the group. A new initiative this year has been the monthly Informal Evening Choir, currently taking place on the last Sunday of the month in the chapel. This is an opportunity for anyone in the congregation to help lead the singing at an evening service. The choir gave a welcome performance of Stainer’s Crucifixion at Easter and, together with our musicians, made a significant contribution to many events during the year. The organ matinée concerts continue to be well-supported by a regular following, and there has been an increase in the number of visitors dropping in on the third Sunday in the month to see the Great Hall and hear the organ played.

Alpha

Revd Lansford Penn-Timity has been leading Alpha online with a church member. Ten people engaged with the course and there have been positive signs of spiritual growth and development.

Confirmation and Reception into Church Membership

Our membership has fluctuated during the year and the highest it reached was 427 but currently stands at c.416. This is a little lower than last year (424), due to families relocating, along with some deaths of many of our muchloved church members. Many at MCHW were also deeply saddened by the deaths of Revd Dr Peter Graves (a former MCHW Superintendent), Peter Kerridge (Premier’s Chief Executive) and event manager from CHW Ltd, Anne Masson. We had 19 new members by way of Confirmation and Transfer into membership services in November and June: 12 new members and 7 received by way of transfer too. As always, the heart of MCHW is our pastoral care for one another. We are extremely blessed to have a team of over 40 pastoral leaders who play a vital role in our pastoral care for one another in the life of the church. Congregations have been erratic and have varied in attendance, but we have had Holy Communion services where we have had about 200

communicants. We had our largest congregation post-covid on Easter Day, with c.275 in attendance. This is encouraging and we are not far off pre-covid levels of attendance. Special events with road closures in London do affect our numbers.

Safeguarding

The protection of children and vulnerable adults is important to us. We seek to ensure that the services and space we provide are safe. We have a Safeguarding Officer working with the Leadership Team to check everyone who has a role with children and adults has the necessary checks and that they receive the necessary training, thereby ensuring that everyone is able to identify concerns and knows how best to respond. We work closely with the London District Safeguarding Team.

Leadership Team Away Day

In November we held our Church Council & Leadership Team away day to work on our priorities and to start fleshing out a Mission Statement to go alongside our Vision Statement. In future we will be developing our Mission statement around the two foci of ‘Nurture’ and ‘Outreach’.

Work With Children, Young People and Young Adults

Crèche: We have not had as many babies coming through as in previous years. This is due to several factors, including distance, with families living far from the church and not being able to worship on a regular basis. We do have quite a few attendees when we have a baptism, and every encouragement is made to make the babies and parents feel welcome and we have plenty of toys to keep them occupied.

JC Live is a welcoming place for all children, providing a safe and nurturing environment in which to grow confidently. Our dedicated and wonderful volunteers teach about God, Jesus, and the Bible through engaging activities. Sunday School is filled with excitement, featuring favourite songs, Biblethemed games, and arts and crafts. The children have been learning about the Old and New Testaments and the 12 Disciples in fun ways. Craft time included making cards for parents and ministers, creating flames for Pentecost, and illustrating Bible stories, allowing creative faith expression. JC Live's summer picnic is another highlight.

YPF: One of the highlights of the past year was witnessing four members of YPF confirming their faith. We are also encouraged by the new group named the ‘Interim’ which was founded and is led by past YPF members. Each member's dedication has been inspiring, whether in worship, all age services, or supporting one another through their journey of faith.

Interim is a group for university aged young people that gives an opportunity for its members to meet with their peers to talk openly in a place of security and vulnerability. It is helping young people to walk in faith, and work through the challenges we encounter, in part, because of our common stage of life. They meet on the first and last Sunday of each month.

Sanctuary is our young adult congregation - a community of people in their 20s & 30s following Jesus by exploring spirituality, justice and leadership.

Highlights included a teaching series on Spiritual Disciplines; refining the Rhythm of Life; Revising their Prayer Quintets; and visiting The Big Church Day Out.

Visitor Hosts and Archives

Post pandemic, we have only been able to offer limited Visitor Services, due to a reduction in staffing levels. However, we are still able to offer some tours of the building, and resource our Archives for Mission, helping us to tell the story of Methodism and especially the Forward Movement.

St. Vincent’s Family Project

St. Vincent’s Family Project has continued to provide help to vulnerable young families in Westminster, this year the numbers increasing to pre Covid-19 levels (180), fuelled by the continuing cost-of-living crisis. A major theme has therefore been to support families struggling economically. Overall demand for support continues to rise, costs and income have been challenging resulting in us closing services in early July, but re-opening by September thanks to support from our community, including the Methodist Central Hall Church. Deacon Ali McMillan acts as a Chaplain and as Trustee.

New and Future Initiatives

New Initiatives:

We have launched several new projects, including three new house groups, a Men’s Fellowship which is developing gradually, Interim (a group for university aged young people), and a Neighbourhood Evangelism Team to reach out to our local community. We await the arrival of bespoke materials, including leaflets, T-shirts, banners, pins, and other resources for our community engagement efforts.

Here are some selected new projects we are working on:

The installation of new AV and online broadcast facilities in the Chapel and in the Great Hall next year.
The Circuit Meeting, with the approval if the Connexional Trustees, has given the Circuit Stewards permission to sell our Battersea manse which is owned 51% by the Westminster Circuit and 49% by the Connexional Trustees. This will help the Circuit to buy its own manse and release capital for the Trustees.
We are continuing to work on becoming an Eco Church, in partnership with CHW Ltd.
We are building links with the London Prison’s Mission.

Plans for 2024/25

Our financial plans have been prepared assuming that we will continue to have three full-time ordained staff, with an expected rise in circuit expenditure of 6%. This reflects inflationary increases in costs as well including a contribution of £20k to the Manse Maintenance and Removals (designated) funds.

Financial Review

The Circuit’s statement of accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 is attached and shows an overall deficit of £15,681, comprising the Designated Fund deficit is £33,708 offset by the General Fund surplus of £18,027. In addition, £20,200 was transferred from the General Funds to Designated Funds. The deficit in Designated Funds was due to £36.1k of Manse Maintenance and Repairs, mainly for Shirley Avenue manse, professional fees of £3.1k incurred in connection with a lease extension on the Exbury House manse and a building survey on the Cotton Row manse.

Income

Circuit income has been drawn primarily from the assessment paid by the church (there being only one church within the Circuit). Income of £21,101 was generated from the temporary renting of a manse. There was an increase in income of £34,526 (from £225,621 in 2022/23 to £260,147 in 2023/24).

Investment income decreased by £2,205 due to a significant drop in the funds invested.
The assessment paid by the church increased by £35,870.

Expenditure

Circuit expenditure increased by £31,557, (from £244,271 in 2022/23 to £275,828 in 2023/24), which was mainly due to:

Stipends and Associated costs increasing by £8.2k in line with Connexional direction
District Assessment increasing by £1.3k
Manse Insurance and Utilities increasing by £6k mainly due to prior
year service charges for Exbury House being billed in 2023/24
An increase in Maintenance of £12.5k, with significant works on Shirley
Avenue.
The recharge of costs from the Church to the Circuit for services provided increased by £1.1k due inflationary increases in Church costs.

The District Assessment of £44,646 accounted for 16.1% of expenditure. There was a small increase in the Assessment from 2022/23 to 2023/24. A significant part of this is passed on to the Connexion to fund the work of the wider Methodist Church.

Fund Balances

The balance on the Circuit General Fund is £1,932,585, which represents the book value of the manses. The Circuit General Fund has no cash funds.

Circuit Restricted and Designated Funds have decreased by £13,508 to £303,521 in 2023/24 (£317,028 in 2022/23). The decrease is due to expenditure on manse maintenance and legal fees for a lease extension on Exbury House and a building survey on Cotton Row. There were transfers from General Funds into Designated Funds in 2023/24 (£5,000 into Removals Fund and £15,200 into Manse Repair and Maintenance Fund). The advance made in 2022/23 to the Trustees of Central Hall of £230,000 for major building works has not yet been repaid, although the work has been carried

out in 2023/24. This advance has been made from Designated Funds and will be repaid with interest on the sale of a manse, which is jointly owned by the Circuit and the Trust. The Trust will pay the Circuit £230,000 plus interest in addition to the proportion of the surplus that is due to the Circuit.

Trustee’s Annual Report on Finance and Governance

The Charity’s annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard in the UK and Republic of Ireland issued in July 2014.

Full Name of Church : London Mission (Westminster) Circuit

Charity Registration Number: 1145076 Date of registration: 15 December 2011

Main communication address: Methodist Central Hall, Storey’s Gate, Westminster, London SW1H 9NH

The members of the London Mission (Westminster) Circuit Meeting are the Charity Trustees, membership being made up of circuit office holders, ministers and representatives appointed by the church at the Annual Church Meeting. A full list of members is shown in the notes to this report.

Helen Tudor (Senior – July 2024 to date) Joseph Adjei (Senior until June 2024) Ama Ackah-Yensu (2014 to date) Grace Sangmuah (June 2024 to date) John Bernasko (June 2024 to date) Genevieve Patnelli (June 2024 to date) Ekoh West (June 2024 to date)

Circuit Stewards: Helen Tudor Joseph Adjei Ama Ackah-Yensu Grace Sangmuah John Bernasko Genevieve Patnelli Ekoh West Treasurer: Ama Ackah-Yensu Independent Examiner: Buzzacott LLP 130 Wood Street London EC2V 6DL

Bank: HSBC The Peak 333 Vauxhall Bridge Road Victoria London SW1V 1EJ

Investment Bankers: Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes

Aims and Objectives

The charity’s objective is to act as a resource provider within the area around Westminster for the Methodist Church:

Our vision is to be a global Christian family following Jesus in the heart of London.

The purposes of the Methodist Church are, and shall be deemed to have been, since the Date of Union, the advancement of:

The Christian faith in accordance with the doctrinal standards and discipline of The Methodist Church;
Any charitable purpose for the time being of any Connexional, District, Circuit, local or other organisation of The Methodist Church;
Any charitable purpose for the time being of any society or institution subsidiary or ancillary to The Methodist Church; and
Any purpose for the time being of any charity being a charity subsidiary or ancillary to The Methodist Church.

Public Benefit

We confirm that the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Structure, Governance and Management

The governing document for the Methodist Church of Great Britain is the Deed of Union (1932) and Methodist Church Act (1976).

Detailed governance arrangements are outlined within the Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church by order of the annual Conference (CPD).

Day to day management of the Circuit is undertaken by the Circuit Stewards and Ministerial Team with input from the Circuit Leadership team. Trusteeship is exercised by the elected members of the Circuit Meeting.

Trustee Training

Trustees are pointed to a range of guidance produced by The Methodist Connexion to support the effective running of the church and the role of Trustees.

Related Parties

The Circuit is part of the Methodist Church of Great Britain. It consequently locates itself in both its polity and structure. In structural terms the Westminster Circuit is one of some 35 circuits (groupings of local churches) making up the London Methodist District. In terms of Polity and Constitution it, like all Methodist circuits, is accountable to the annual Methodist Conference.

Somewhat unusually, the Westminster Circuit consists of only one local society (church): Methodist Central Hall Westminster, which consequently is constituted so that wherever possible, local church and local circuit matters share the same constitution (by applying annually Methodist Standing Order 511).

Another unusual aspect of the Circuit/Church is the fact that its Trustees of the Building are appointed annually by the annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Great Britain, rather than, more commonly, the circuit meeting. A third related party, in addition to the Circuit and the Trustees is Central Hall Westminster Ltd, a not-for-profit company formed in 1999 to run an events and conference business using the large and prestigious premises in central London.

Regular meetings of each of these three entities take place, with the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent ministers being members of each of the three, thereby having a strategic overview of the total ministry of the Circuit and its related parties.

Risk Management

The major risks associated with the life and ministry of the Circuit, located in Methodist Central Hall Westminster, are identified and recorded by the Trustees, with professional advice taken as required. An annual review process is undertaken and recorded. In terms of financial governance, income and expenditure are regularly and routinely monitored and are compared with the approved annual budget on at least a quarterly basis to detect trends as part of the risk management process to avoid unforeseen calls on reserves.

We note the following items, all of which are noted on the Risk Register.

An annual grant to the Church, which is one of the main sources of funding for the Circuit is given by the Trustees. This is made possible by profits made by Central Hall Westminster Ltd. Any ‘lean years’ – and particularly several lean years – would affect the ability of the Trustees to award the grant.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operations of Central Hall Westminster Ltd was immense. The building’s closure and consequent hibernation of the business has meant that profits which would have been tithed to the Trustees have dried up, thus impacting their ability to provide the same level of grant to the Church, as with previous years.
The as yet unknown plan relating to the ‘decanting’ of the House of Commons and House of Lords from the Palace of Westminster. Methodist Central Hall Westminster is, because of its proximity, was one of a handful of buildings that was considered.
The ever-present risk of terror attacks and security breaches, given the location of the church. For the past four years the Metropolitan Police have estimated the risk of such as ‘severe’ and give regular security briefings to Circuit officials as to office holders of other large buildings in and around Parliament Square.
The damage to reputation, given the high usage of the premises by very many clients.
Safeguarding risks, exacerbated by the very high numbers of people using the building each week. In line with Methodist rulings,

safeguarding procedures have and continue to be improved and overhauled.

Safeguarding

Every person has a value and dignity which comes directly from the creation of male and female in God’s own image and likeness. Christians see this potential as fulfilled by God’s re-creation of us in Christ. Among other things this implies a duty to value all people as bearing the image of God and therefore to protect them from harm.

Methodist Connexional practice outlines commitment to the following principles:

The care and nurture of, and respectful pastoral ministry with all children, young people and adults.
The safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and adults when they are vulnerable.
The establishing of safe, caring communities which provide a loving environment where there is informed vigilance as to the dangers of abuse.
We will carefully select and train all those with any responsibility within the Church, in line with Safer Recruitment principles, including the use of criminal records disclosures and registration with the relevant vetting and barring schemes.
We will respond without delay to every complaint made which suggests that an adult, child or young person may have been harmed, cooperating with the police and local authority in any investigation.
We will seek to work with anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with
them an appropriate ministry of informed pastoral care.
We will seek to challenge any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust.
We will seek to offer pastoral care and support, including supervision and referral to the proper authorities, to any member of our church community known to have offended against a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
In all these principles we will follow legislation, guidance and recognised good practice.

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit commits itself to: -

Ensuring the implementation of Connexional Safeguarding Policy; government legislation, guidance and safe practice in the circuit and in the churches.
The provision of support, advice and training for lay and ordained people that will ensure people are clear and confident about their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults who may be vulnerable.

The Safeguarding Policy is approved annually by the Circuit Meeting and revised in line with guidelines and directives from the Methodist Church of Great Britain.

Reserves Policy

The policy is for the Circuit itself to hold minimal free reserves, as it is able to rely on the reserves held within its one church. The aim, therefore, is for the Church to hold a designated contingency fund at a level, which can sustain six months’ worth of average expenditure for both Church and Circuit. The Contingency Fund was decreased in 2023/24 and is now £62.8k, which represents less than three months’ average expenditure.

It is expected that the Church will have a significant deficit for 2024/25, which will reduce the level of contingency to zero. However, there is approximately £65k in other Church Designated Funds. The Church Council will continue to monitor this and endeavour to take measures to build up reserves to a healthy level.

Signed: _______ Revd Tony Miles (Chair of Trustees)

Date: 30 March 2025

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit 35/03

Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) for the Year Ended 31 August 2024

	Notes	General Fund (Unrestricted)	Designated Funds	Restricted Funds	Endowment (Restricted)	2023/24 Totals	2022/23 Totals
Income and Endowments from:		£	£	£		£	£
Bank Interest		502	5,610	0	0	6,112	8,317
CircuitAssessment		232,934	0	0	0	232,934	197,064
Lettings (ManseRental Income)	10	21,101	0	0	0	21,101	20,240
Total Income		254,537	5,610	0	0	260,147	225,621
Expenditure
Stipends, Salaries andAssociated Costs		132,407	0	0	0	132,407	124,219
DistrictAssessment		44,464	0	0	0	44,464	43,168
Travel Expenses		5,266	0	0	0	5,266	4,555
Ministerial Training		591	0	0	0	591	484
Insurance, Utilities, etc.	11	27,217	0	0	0	27,217	21,222
Maintenance on Manses	12	2,716	36,171	0	0	38,887	26,395
Other Expenditure
Administration, Staff& Copying etc.	13	899	0	0	0	899	0
IndependentExaminer Fee		1,950	0	0	0	1,950	1,680
Professional fees		0	3,147	0	0	3,147	2,628
Payment to Church for Services Provided		21,000	0	0	0	21,000	19,920
Total Expenditure		236,510	39,318	0	0	275,828	244,271

Net Income / (Expenditure)		18,028	(33,708)	0	0	(15,680)	(18,650)
Transferbetween Funds & General Account		(20,200)	20,200	0	0	0	0
Total Funds broughtforward		1,934,756	317,028	0	0	2,251,784	2,270,434
Correction for Prior Year			0			0
Total funds carried forward at end ofyear		1,932,585	303,521	0	0	2,236,104	2,251,784

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit 35/03 Balance Sheet as at 31 August 2024

	Notes	General Fund (Unrestricted)	Designated Funds	Funds Restricted Funds ~~GO~~	Funds Endowment (Restricted) ~~GO~~	2023/24 Totals		2022/23 Totals
Fixed Assets ~~GG~~	~~GG~~	£ ~~GG~~	£ ~~GG~~	£ ~~GG~~ ~~GO~~	£ ~~GG~~ ~~GO~~	£ ~~GG~~	~~GG~~	£ ~~GG~~
Manses etc. ~~OGG~~	14 ~~OGG~~	1,932,713 ~~OGG~~	230,000 ~~OGG~~	0 ~~GO~~ ~~OGG~~	0 ~~GO~~ ~~OGG~~	2,162,713 ~~OGG~~	~~OGG~~	2,162,713 ~~OGG~~
*Total Fixed Assets* ~~a~~ ~~a~~	~~GGG~~	1,932,713 ~~GGG~~	230,000 ~~GGG~~	0 ~~GGG~~ ~~CG~~	0 ~~GGG~~ ~~CG~~	2,162,713 ~~GGG~~ ~~CG~~	~~GGG~~ ~~OO~~	2,162,713 ~~GGG~~
Current Assets ~~DG~~ ~~a~~ ~~GG~~	~~DG~~ ~~GG~~	~~DG~~ ~~GG~~	~~DG~~ ~~GG~~	~~DG~~ ~~CG~~	~~DG~~ ~~CG~~	~~DG~~ ~~CG~~	~~DG~~ ~~OO~~ ~~OO~~	~~DG~~
Debtors andprepayments ~~a~~ ~~GG~~	15 ~~OO~~ ~~GG~~	17,002 ~~OO~~ ~~GG~~	0 ~~OO~~ ~~GG~~	0 ~~CG~~ ~~OO~~	0 ~~CG~~ ~~OO~~	17,002 ~~CG~~ ~~OO~~	~~OO~~ ~~OO~~ ~~OO~~	17,555 ~~OO~~
TMCP DepositAccount ~~GG~~	16 ~~GG~~	0 ~~GG~~	28,991 ~~GG ~~	0 ~~GO~~	0 ~~GO~~	28,991 ~~GO~~	~~OO~~ ~~GO~~	27,379
CFB Deposit ~~OO~~ ~~a~~	16 ~~OO~~ ~~ee~~	0 ~~OO~~ ~~ee~~	14,751 ~~OO~~ ~~Gs~~	0 ~~OO~~ ~~rs~~	0 ~~OO~~	14,751 ~~OO~~	~~OO~~	16,714 ~~OO~~
Cash at bank and in hand (HSCB & Barclaycard) ~~a~~	17 ~~ee~~	(12,243) ~~ee~~	29,778 ~~Gs~~	~~rs~~	0	17,535		29,105
*Total current assets* ~~a~~ ~~GGG~~	~~ee~~ ~~GGG~~	4,759 ~~ee~~ ~~GGG~~	73,521 ~~Gs ~~ ~~GGG~~ ~~Gs~~	0 ~~rs~~ ~~GGG~~ ~~Gs~~	0 ~~GGG~~	78,279 ~~GGG~~	~~GGG~~	90,753 ~~GGG~~
Creditors (due in under 1 year) & unused funds ~~ee~~	18 ~~ee~~	(4,887) ~~ee~~	0 ~~ee~~ ~~Gs~~	0 ~~ee~~ ~~Gs~~	0 ~~ee~~	(4,887) ~~ee~~	~~ee~~	(1,680) ~~ee~~
Net current assets ~~GGG~~	~~GGG~~	(128) ~~GGG~~	73,521 ~~Gs~~ ~~GGG~~	0 ~~Gs~~ ~~GGG~~	0 ~~GGG~~	73,393 ~~GGG~~	~~GGG~~	89,073 ~~GGG~~
*Total assets less current liabilities* ~~GG~~	~~GG~~	1,932,585 ~~GG~~	303,521 ~~GG~~	0 ~~GG~~	0 ~~GG~~	2,236,106 ~~GG~~		2,251,786
~~GG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GG~~ ~~OO~~	~~OO~~	~~OO~~
*Net assets* ~~OO~~ ~~GGG~~	~~OO~~ ~~GGG~~	1,932,585 ~~OO~~ ~~GGG~~	303,521 ~~OO~~ ~~GGG~~	0 ~~OO~~ ~~GGG~~	0 ~~OO~~ ~~GGG~~	2,236,106 ~~OO~~ ~~GGG~~	~~OO~~ ~~GGG~~	2,251,786 ~~OO~~ ~~GGG~~
Funds of the Circuit ~~GGG~~ ~~a~~	~~GGG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GGG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GGG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GGG~~ ~~OO~~ ~~GO~~	~~GGG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GGG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GGG~~ ~~OO~~	~~GGG~~ ~~OO~~
General Fund (Unrestricted) ~~a~~ ~~GG~~	~~OO~~ ~~GG~~	1,932,585 ~~OO~~ ~~GG~~	0 ~~OO~~ ~~GG~~	0 ~~OO~~ ~~GG~~ ~~GO~~ ~~GO~~	0 ~~OO~~ ~~GG~~	1,932,585 ~~OO~~ ~~GG~~ ~~OO~~	~~OO~~ ~~GG~~ ~~OO~~	2,183,407 ~~OO~~ ~~GG~~
Other Funds (Restricted) ~~OG~~	~~OG~~	0 ~~OG~~	303,521 ~~OG~~ ~~GQ~~	0 ~~GO~~ ~~OG~~ ~~GO~~ ~~GQ~~	0 ~~OG~~	303,521 ~~OG~~ ~~OO~~	~~OG~~ ~~OO~~	68,379 ~~OG~~
*Totalfunds* ~~ff~~	~~ff~~	1,932,585 ~~ff~~	303,521 ~~ff~~ ~~GQ~~	0 ~~GO~~ ~~ff~~ ~~GQ~~	0 ~~ff~~	2,236,106 ~~OO~~ ~~ff~~	~~OO~~ ~~ff~~	2,251,786 ~~ff~~

Signed: Ama Ackah-Yensu (Treasurer)

_____________

Date: 30 March 2025

I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 were presented to the Circuit Meeting at its meeting on 30 March 2025 and were approved.

Signed: ____________ Revd Tony Miles (Chair of the Circuit Meeting)

Date: 30 March 2025

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit 35/03 Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) for the Year Ended 31 August 2023

	Notes	General Fund (Unrestricted)	Designated Funds	Restricted Funds	Endowment (Restricted)	2022/23 Totals
Income and Endowments from:		£	£	£		£
Bank Interest		344	7,973	0	0	8,317
CircuitAssessment		197,064	0	0	0	197,064
Lettings (ManseRental Income)	10	20,240	0	0	0	20,240
Total Income		217,648	7,973	0	0	225,621
Expenditure
Stipends, Salaries andAssociated Costs		124,219	0	0	0	124,219
DistrictAssessment		43,168	0	0	0	43,168
Travel Expenses		4,555	0	0	0	4,555
Ministerial Training		484	0	0	0	484
Insurance, Utilities, etc.	11	21,222	0	0	0	21,222
Maintenance on Manses	12	2,400	23,995	0	0	26,395
Other Expenditure
IndependentExaminer Fee		1,680	0	0	0	1,680
Professional fees		0	2,628	0	0	2,628
Payment to Church for Services Provided		19,920	0	0	0	19,920
Total Expenditure		217,648	26,623	0	0	244,271

NetIncome / (Expenditure)		0	(18,650)	0	0	(18,650)
Transferbetween Funds & General Account		0	0	0	0	0
Total Funds brought forward Total funds carried forward at end of year		1,934,756 1,934,756	335,678 317,028	0 0	0 0	2,270,436 2,251,786

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit 35/03 Balance Sheet as at 31 August 2023

	Notes	General Fund (Unrestricted)	Designated Funds	Restricted Funds	Endowment (Restricted)	2022/23 Totals
Fixed Assets		£	£	£	£	£
Manses etc.	14	1,932,713	230,000	0	0	2,162,713
*Total Fixed Assets*		1,932,713	230,000	0	0	2,162,713
Current Assets
Debtors andprepayments	15	17,555	0	0	0	17,555
TMCP DepositAccount	16	0	27,379	0	0	27,379
CFB Deposit	16	0	16,714	0	0	16,714
Cash at bank and in hand (HSCB & Barclaycard)	17	(13,831)	42,936		0	29,105
*Total current assets*		3,724	87,029	0	0	90,753
Creditors (due in under 1 year) & unused funds	18	(1,680)	0	0	0	(1,680)
Net current assets		2,044	87,029	0	0	89,073
*Total assets less current liabilities*		1,934,757	317,029	0	0	2,251,786

*Net assets*		1,934,757	317,029	0	0	2,251,786
Funds of the Circuit
General Fund (Unrestricted)		1,934,757	0	0	0	1,934,757
Other Funds (Restricted)		0	317,029	0	0	317,029
*Totalfunds*		1,934,757	317,029	0	0	2,251,786

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit 35 / 03 Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2024

Basis of accounting

These financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis, under the historical cost Convention.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). The Charity is a public benefit entity for the purposes of FRS 102 and therefore the Charity also prepared its financial statements in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (The FRS 102 Charities SORP) and the Charities Act 2011.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.

1. Going Concern

After making reasonable enquiries the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and do not consider there to be any threat to the going concern status. Therefore, the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements and confirm there are no material uncertainties at the date of the approval of these financial statements.

2. Funds

The funds held constitute: General Funds held for any purpose of the Circuit, which are unrestricted, and restricted funds, which are held for a narrower purpose including those for internal organisations. Details of each material fund are disclosed in the notes to the Accounts.

3. Accounting Policies

Basis

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention, except that investments are shown at their market value at the end of the year, on the accruals basis to show a true and fair view of the Circuit’s financial position and activities.

Income

Income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the Circuit becomes entitled to the funds, the receipt is probable and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

This is recognised when a liability is incurred, or a constructive obligation arises, that results in the payment being unavoidable. Liabilities are recognised as soon as an

outflow of economic benefit is considered more likely than not under the legal or constructive obligation committing the Circuit to pay out resources.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

Grants

Grants made by the Circuit from its own funds are recognised in full at the time of agreement or when the Circuit accepts that there is a legal or operational obligation to make the payment. When the grant is recurrent over more than one year the balance payable in future years is treated as a provision for future commitments in the Balance Sheet against the appropriate fund, the provision being released in future years as instalments are paid in accordance with the originally agreed terms.

VAT

Since the Circuit is not VAT registered, all input VAT is charged with the expenses to which it refers.

Tangible fixed assets for use by the Circuit

These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and individually cost at least £1,000.

The freehold property comprises the Circuit’s manses and is shown in the accounts at 2014 deemed values, with the exception of the Shirley manse, which is shown at the purchase value in 2016.

At the time of valuation, purchase and disposal, the value of the properties was not spilt between land and buildings. However, based on an estimate of 25% land and 75% buildings, the total land value at 31 August 2023 would be £483,179 and the total building value would be £1,449,534. No depreciation is provided on the buildings because the trustees consider the current residual fair value of the manse buildings (on the assumption that it had reached the end of its useful economic life by the year-end) to be not less than its current value.

Investment Properties

Investment properties - no property is currently deemed not to be held for the long-term purposes of the charity.

Investments

Investments are valued in the balance sheet at market value at the year-end. Investment income is included in the accounts when receivable and any gains or losses on revaluation at the year-end are shown in the SOFA.

Financial instruments

Basic financial instruments are measured at amortised cost.

Debtors and creditors

Debtors and creditors receivable or payable within one year of the reporting date are carried at their transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost less any impairment.

Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

In preparing financial statements it is necessary to make certain judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts recognised in the financial statements. There are no judgements and estimates considered by the Trustees to have a significant effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements.

4.Donations and legacies	Unrestricted	Restricted	2024 Total	2023 Total
	£	£	£	£
Legacies	-	-	-	-
Total	-	-	-	-

5. Investment income	Unrestricted	Restricted	2024 Total	2023 Total
	£	£	£	£
Central FinanceBoard /TMCP	502	5,610	6,112	8,317
Total	502	5,610	6,112	8,317

6. Payment to Trustees

None of the Trustees, or persons connected with them, received any remuneration or other benefits from the Church or any connected organisation as a result of their office during the year ended 31 August 2024.

	2023/24	2022/23
Number of trustees who were paid expenses	5	5
	£	£
Total amount paid	5,932	5,028

Nature of expenses claimed: Car mileage, public transport, hospitality and miscellaneous. These expenses have been incurred by the trustees in the course of fulfilling their pastoral responsibilities.

7. Independent Examiner’s Fees

	2023/24	2022/23
	£	£
Fees for reporting on the accounts	1,950	1,680
Other fees (for advice, accountancy services etc)	0	0
Total	1,950	1,680

8. Paid Employees

The Circuit has no paid employees. A fixed monthly fee is charged to the Circuit by the Church each month for services provided including services provided by Church employees and contractors.

The charity considers that the key management personnel comprise the Trustees. Other than Stipends paid to Ministers, there was no remuneration paid to the Trustees during 2023/24.

9 Fixed Assets

Cost or valuation	Residential Land	Manses	Total
	£	£	£
Balance broughtforward	483,179	1,449,534	1,932,713

Balance carriedforward	483,179	1,679,534	2,162,713

Accumulated depreciation	0	0	0
NetBook Value broughtforward	483,179	1,239,534	2,162,713
NetBook Value carriedforward	483,179	1,679,534	2,162,713

The value of Manses includes £230,000, which is the cash advance of £230,000 made in 2022/3 by the Circuit to the Property Trustees of Central Hall to enable significant building work in 2023/24. The advance (plus interest) will be repaid upon the sale of a manse jointly by the Trustees and the Circuit. The value of manse properties reflects this arrangement and includes both the repayment that will be received and the proportion of the property value that would be due to the Circuit from the joint ownership.

9a Investments

No other investments are held by the Circuit.

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit 35 / 03 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CIRCUIT - NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

2023/24 £ £ 21,101 21,101 £ £ 2,224 1,129 1,708 12,529 6,019 3,608 27,217 2,716 2,716 899 899	2022/23 £ £ 20,240	2022/23 £ £ 20,240
£ 2,224 1,129 1,708 12,529 6,019 3,608	£ 1,879 1,220 1,118 8,059 5,568 3,378	20,240
		£
2,716	2,400	21,222

899	0	2,400

		0

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit 35 / 03

2023/24 £ £ Property Value Circuit Value £ £ 550,000 137,500 1,485,000 746,213 400,000 400,000 649,000 649,000 230,000 2,162,713 1,142,685 1,020,028 11,239 5,690 0 73 17,002 14,751 0 14,751 22,467 6,524 28,991 (11,891) (352) 29,778 17,535 1,950 2,222 4,172 4,172 715 715 715	2022/23 £ £ Circuit Value £ 137,500 746,213 400,000 649,000 230,000 2,162,713 1,142,685 1,020,028 10,217 5,450 376 1,512	2022/23 £ £ Circuit Value £ 137,500 746,213 400,000 649,000 230,000 2,162,713 1,142,685 1,020,028 10,217 5,450 376 1,512
		2,162,713
		1,142,685
		1,020,028

	16,714 0	17,555

22,467 6,524	23,924 3,455	16,714

(11,891) (352) 29,778	(9,470) (4,361) 42,936	27,379

1,950 2,222 715	1,680 0 0	29,105
		1,680
		1,680
		0

		0

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit 35 / 03

		2023/24
CIRCUIT FUNDS	Balance B/Fwd 01/09/23	Income	Expenditure	Transfer Between Funds	Balance C/Fwd 31/08/24
FUNDS	£	£	£	£	£

TOTAL RESTRICTED FUNDS	0	0	0	0	0

Designated
RemovalsFund	6,674	0	0	5,000	11,674
ManseMaintenanceFund	56,430	3,920	(36,171)	15,200	39,380
ManseReplacementFund	23,924	1,690	(3,147)	0	22,467
ManseReplacementFundFixedAsset	230,000	0	0	0	230,000
Total Designated Funds	317,028	5,610	(39,318)	20,200	303,521

TOTAL RESTRICTED & DESIGNATED FUNDS	317,028	5,610	(39,318)	20,200	303,521

GENERAL FUND	1,934,758	254,537	(236,510)	(20,200)	1,932,585

TOTAL	2,251,786	260,147	(275,827)	0	2,236,106

The Cash Balance for Restricted Designated Funds has decreased to £73,521 in 2023/24 from £87,028 in 2022/23, due to expenditure on manse repairs and professional fees, as well as a transfer of £20,200 from General Funds. Included within the Designated Fund is £230,000, being the funds that will be paid by the Trust to the Circuit upon the sale of a shared ownership manse.

London Mission (Westminster) Circuit 35 / 03

Circuit Trustees as at 31 August 2024

The following served as trustees during the year and/or were trustees at the date of signing the accounts.

Revd Tony Miles Ollie McEwen Revd Lansford Penn-Timity Joe Awotwi Deacon Alison McMillan Tony Ackah-Yensu Revd Gordon Newton Alison Bryan Revd Dr Joyce Popoola Judith Mitchell Joseph Adjei Philippa Muir Helen Tudor Omotayo Roberts Grace Sangmuah Charlotte Rankin Genevieve Patnelli Sarita Lightfoot-Taylor John Bernasko Esther Thomas Ekoh West Mark Williamson Ama Ackah-Yensu Kate Jones Esther Buckman Seth Kofi Otoo Abdul Bah Chika Unaka Regina Boye Aretha Solanke Comfort Golightly Charles Bushell Shirley Bernisto Claudia Milton-Cole Grace Kermah Felicity Arkhurst Jocelyn Boafo Ynes Lightfoot-Taylor Stafford Thomas Cecilia Achila Nana Ama Larbi-Amoah Angela Stafford-Sampson Doreen Aidoo John Philips Maame Doku Djan-Krofa Liz Gosling Denzil Cummings-John Norman Guerzon Lisa Barrett Claudia Cummings Helen Onilado Daniel Larbi Kim Myoung Soon Rose Senny

Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of Methodist Central Hall Westminster – London Mission (Westminster) Circuit No. 35/03

I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the Trustees of the Charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with my examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Katharine Patel ACA Buzzacott LLP Chartered Accountants 130 Wood Street London EC2V 6DL

30 March 2025

Church Accruals Accounts 2023/24

THE METHODIST CHURCH

STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS

ACCRUALS BASIS

For the year ended 31 August 2024

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER

Registered Charity No 1145076

SUPERINTENDENT MINISTER

Revd Tony Miles

CHURCH STEWARDS

Esther Buckman Abdul Bah Regina Boye Comfort Golightly Shirley Bernisto Grace Kermah Jocelyn Boafo Stafford Thomas Doreen Aidoo Maame Doku Djan-Krofa Nana Ama Larbi-Amoah Denzil Cummings-John

CHURCH TREASURER

Ama Ackah-Yensu

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER CHURCH TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

Introduction

This Annual Report gives an account of the mission and ministry of Methodist Church Central Hall Westminster. It represents considerable commitment on the part of its members, who both gather for worship and learning, and disperse in witness, being involved in a variety of means of service.

Aims and Organisation

Our vision statement declared on the order of worship each week states: “Methodist Central Hall Westminster is a global Christian family following Jesus at the heart of London.”

Our mission:

The worship, mission, and witness of MCHW is healthy and our work is focussed upon ‘nurture’ and ‘outreach’, maintaining, and growing our existing work but also adding new initiatives during the year.

The knock-on effect of the financial challenges that the Conference Property Trust and Central Hall Westminster Ltd are facing, presents the church with a huge challenge. Nevertheless, with God’s help, MCHW is determined to do all we can to maintain and extend our work.

To achieve our vision, we aim to focus on what we need to NURTURE in our church.

This includes:

Church Family Life and Pastoral Care
Discipleship
Spirituality, Prayer, and Healing
Work with Children & Young People
Worship & Music
Greater participation and the sharing of gifts (finance/Talents)

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How we need to extend MCHW’s work and influence through OUTREACH - locally and globally.

A. Locally:
1) Evangelism
2) Church In Society – social action

B. Globally:

1) Online, Live Stream, & Broadcast Ministry
2) Nurture our International Family
3) Connexional & Global Issues – Social Justice

We are seeking to:

Engage local issues and support local charities: The Saint Vincent Family Project (which we host on site), The Westminster Food Bank, The Westminster Severe Weather Emergency Protocols (SWEP) Night shelter, The Passage (helping homeless people), the London Prison’s Mission, and working at establishing and developing Methodist presence and offering pastoral care in Parliament.
Build links with the Church worldwide as a ‘cathedral for Methodism’.
Grow MCHW’s social media presence and developing a respected and popular online ministry, including livestreaming regular bespoke services, serving our housebound members, and Methodists around the connexion and globally. New initiatives include online Lent, Advent, Alpha, and Bible study courses online.
Develop MCHW’s respected and balanced healing ministry (including our annual Healing Conference) and developing our pastoral care.
Provide Visitor Services – with hosts offering giving tours of the building, and maintaining Archives for Mission, helping us to tell the story of methodism and especially the Froward Movement.
Host MCHW’s own special events (Including Daffodil Day, the Parliamentary Covenant Service, Traditional Carols service, Jazz Carols, Jazz Vespers, and other gatherings) sometimes partnering with other organisations, like Premier Radio and the BBC, and helping to facilitate other Christian and charity events.
Establish new initiatives, including developing as an Eco Church, implementing our Neighbourhood Evangelism Team, seeking to launch Restored Lives (for those who have been through a divorce) and this year we have launched 3 new house groups, and a group called Interim, a group for university aged young people.
Grow MCHW’s wide-ranging worship on Sundays and mid-week, including MCHW’s renowned choir, and the hosting of organ recitals.
Maintain and grow our work with children, teenagers, and Young Adults (Sanctuary).

REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2023-2024

Church Staff

We said farewell to our Church Secretary, Catherine Rouse, who served us splendidly for 15 years and will be missed by the staff team and the whole church. We are delighted, though, to have appointed a successor in Liwia Kaszewska on a one-year contract. We hope to be offering her either a full-time role, or a further fixed contract, depending on our financial situation. We are delighted that since joining us, Liv has been confirmed and received into Church Membership. We still aim to address the wider needs of the Church Staff team going forward and need to supplement the team when funds are available.

Annual Review – for our 111[th] Year 2023-2024

Our published annual review can be found using this link https://sway.cloud.microsoft/C4GcZCYGVrXsi1i4?ref=Link

111th Church Anniversary

Lunch-time Services

Our midweek lunchtime services on Wednesdays continue to be valued by a wide range of people, some from our own congregation along with frequent visitors from around the globe. During the last year the number of local office workers attending has gone back to pre-Covid levels. Bible passages, at the heart of our services, have included Ruth and Jonah, Psalms of Ascent and Characters of the Passion. During this summer we are completing a read-through of the Acts of the Apostles, covered over a three-year period, and finding stories from the Early Church relevant to our own mission.

Online Services and AV

Visit of the President and Vice-President of Conference

On the First Sunday of the new Methodist year, we had a visit from the President, Revd Gill Newton and Vice-President, Deacon Kerry Scarlett, for our 6pm Healing Service with Holy Communion.

Harvest Festival

Saying Goodbye Service

Traditional Carol Service and Jazz Carols

We estimate that we had about 1,700 people at our Traditional Carol service with orchestra and choir. The service was broadcast on Premier Christian Radio on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Our Jazz Carols service was advertised amongst the jazz community and we had many people attending who don’t normally attend a church. This was well-attended, with over 500 people present.

Parliamentary Covenant Service 2024

Methodist Parliamentary Fellowship

Ash Wednesday & Lent

We had two well attended Ash Wednesday services and had an online Lent Bible Study running during lent, based on the London District’s Woven Lent Course, with a weekly attendance reaching 27.

Ecumenical Events

Daffodil Day 2024

Wesley Day Songs of Praise

Prayer and Healing Ministry

Healing Conference

Fun and Fellowship Weekend

Future Isaac Watts Event with BBC Radio 4

SWEP Night Shelter with our ecumenical partners

Music

Music at MCHW, alongside the Word, illuminates our worship. The choir, though a little smaller this year, continues to provide an excellent and varied musical diet, and there is a strong sense of fellowship within the group. A new initiative this year has been the monthly Informal Evening Choir, currently taking place on the last Sunday of the month in the chapel. This is an opportunity for anyone in the congregation to help lead the singing at an evening service. The choir gave a welcome performance of Stainer’s Crucifixion at Easter and, together with our musicians, made a significant contribution to many events during the year. The organ matinée concerts continue to be wellsupported by a regular following, and there has been an increase in the number of visitors dropping in on the third Sunday in the month to see the Great Hall and hear the organ played.

Alpha

Revd Lansford Penn-Timity has been leading Alpha online with a church member. Ten people engaged with the course and there have been positive signs of spiritual growth and development.

Confirmation and Reception into Church Membership

Our membership has fluctuated during the year and the highest it reached was 427 but currently stands at c.416. This is a little lower than last year (424), due to families relocating, along with some deaths of many of our much-loved church members. Many at MCHW were also deeply saddened by the deaths of Revd Dr Peter Graves (a former MCHW Superintendent), Peter Kerridge (Premier’s Chief Executive) and event manager from CHW Ltd, Anne Masson. We had 19 new members by way of Confirmation and Transfer into membership services in November and June: 12 new members and 7 received by way of transfer too. As always, the heart of MCHW is our pastoral care for one another. We are extremely blessed to have a team of over 40 pastoral leaders who play a vital role in our pastoral care for one another in the life of the church. Congregations have been erratic and have varied in attendance, but we have had Holy Communion services where we have had about 200 communicants. We had our largest congregation post-covid on Easter Day, with c.275 in attendance. This is encouraging and we are not far off pre-covid levels of attendance. Special events with road closures in London do affect our numbers.

Safeguarding

Leadership Team Away Day

Work With Children, Young People and Young Adults

JC Live is a welcoming place for all children, providing a safe and nurturing environment in which to grow confidently. Our dedicated and wonderful volunteers teach about God, Jesus, and the Bible through engaging activities. Sunday School is filled with excitement, featuring favourite songs, Bible-themed games, and arts and crafts. The children have been learning about the Old and New Testaments and the 12 Disciples in fun ways. Craft time included making cards for parents and ministers, creating flames for Pentecost, and illustrating Bible stories, allowing creative faith expression. JC Live's summer picnic is another highlight.

Sanctuary is our young adult congregation - a community of people in their 20s & 30s following Jesus by exploring spirituality, justice and leadership. Highlights included a teaching series on Spiritual Disciplines; refining the Rhythm of Life; Revising their Prayer Quintets; and visiting The Big Church Day Out.

Visitor Hosts and Archives

St. Vincent’s Family Project

New and Future Initiatives

New Initiatives:

We have launched several new projects, including three new house groups, a Men’s Fellowship which is developing gradually, Interim (a group for university aged young people), and a Neighbourhood Evangelism Team to reach out to our local community. We await the arrival of bespoke materials, including leaflets, T- shirts, banners, pins, and other resources for our community engagement efforts.

Here are some selected new projects we are working on:

The installation of new AV and online broadcast facilities in the Chapel and in the Great Hall next year.
The Circuit Meeting, with the approval if the Connexional Trustees, has given the Circuit Stewards permission to sell our Battersea manse which is owned 51% by the Westminster Circuit and 49% by the Connexional Trustees. This will help the Circuit to buy its own manse and release capital for the Trustees.
We are continuing to work on becoming an Eco Church, in partnership with CHW Ltd.
We are building links with the London Prison’s Mission.

Financial Plans for 2024/25

We have prepared for the year on the basis that staff levels within the Church will remain the same as 2023/24. In 2024/25 there will be no grant from the Conference Property Trustees and in order to compensate for this, a Mission Investment Anniversary Appeal (MIA150) has been launched, with the intention of raising £150k per annum for the next five years, incorporating what previously would have been anniversary giving. We are initially budgeting for a deficit of £70k in 2024/25, which will result in there being no Contingency at the end of 2024/25. There will however be approximately £65k in other Designated Funds that could be used as Contingency if needed. The Church Trustees continue to explore other sources of funding and grants.

The membership is also considering prayerfully how to increase their giving in order to move forward with the Kingdom Agenda. We continue to trust in God, who has faithfully brought us thus far!

Financial Review

The Church finished the year with an overall surplus of £32,769 (£65,189 surplus in 2022/23) and therefore increased its funds from £366,573, in 2022/23, to £399,341 in 2023/24. However, there was a decrease of £39,612 in the General Fund, resulting in a zero balance despite a transfer in from Contingency of £85,190.

The decrease in the General Fund was offset by a surplus of £72,382 in Restricted and Designated Funds, giving an overall positive balance of £399,341 across all funds. There was a net transfer of £54,907 from Designated to General Funds, (£85,190 from Contingency and £30,283 to the designated Tithe Fund).

The statement of accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 is attached.

Income

Church income in total was £612,583.

General Fund income decreased to £419,486 from £523,145 in 2022/23. The main movements are shown below:

Increase in Giving of £24.5k from Offerings, Donations and the Anniversary Appeal.
There was no Special Appeal in 2023/4, which had raised £76.4k in the previous year.
The Trustees Grant decreased by £105k.
Bank Interest increased by £8k due to a rise in interest rates.
Legacy Income increased by £2k.
Income from Special Events increased by £16.7k, but this was largely offset by a commensurate increase in expenditure.
A grant of £26.3k was received in 2023/24 from the London Methodist District Advance Fund.

Income received in Restricted and Designated Funds was £193.1k compared to £40.4k in 2022/23. The main movements were a £50k grant from the Methodist Connexion for Live Streaming of Services and a £96.4k donation for the Great Hall Broadcasting Project.

Expenditure

General Fund spending has increased by £72.4k to £514.1k (2022/23 £441.7k). There were some key variances within these total figures:

Admin Salaries increased by £32.6k due to Finance Staff being in post for the whole year compared to only from December in 2022/23 and Church Administrator costs being paid by the church from March 2024. These costs had previously been borne by the Connexional Property Trustees as part of their support for the church.
Circuit Assessment increased by £35.9k due to an allocation of £20.2k into the Manse Maintenance Fund and Removals Fund and an increase in Circuit costs.
Special Events increased by £17.6k with £12.4k being spent on the Church Fellowship Retreat and increases in the cost of the Traditional Christmas Carol Service and Christmas and Anniversary Lunches. These additional costs were largely offset by an increase in income.
Advertising costs decreased by £9.1k due to the cessation of Methodist Recorder advertisements.

Designated and Restricted Fund expenditure increased by £9.1k to £65.7k (2022/23 £56.6k). The key movements are detailed below:

Tithe Grants increased by £7.9k, due to increased giving in 2022/23, resulting from increased church attendance post Covid. (The grants are made in the financial year following the year of giving.)

Total Funds for the Church have increased to £399,341 (2022/23 £366,573) with £0 (2022/23 £39,612) in the General Fund and £399,341 in Restricted and Designated Funds (2022/23 £326,961).

In 2023/24, £30.3k has been transferred from Church General Funds to Designated and Restricted Funds, comprising:

the allocation to the Tithe Fund, (an increase from 2022/23 due to increased levels of giving) and

the transfer of £85,190 from the Contingency Fund to General Funds to meet the deficit. As a result, the Contingency at the end of 2023/24 is £62.8k, which represents less than three months’ worth of average essential expenditure (including payments to the Circuit).

The Budget for 2024/25, however, has a significant deficit, which will result in there being no Contingency at the end of the year. There will however be approximately £65k in other Designated Funds.

We are truly thankful for God’s grace and favour, which has sustained the Church, for the Connexional Property Trustees and the Connexion, the London District, the staff of Central Hall Westminster Ltd, our members and regular worshippers (new and not so new) and supporters from all over, whose prayers, generosity and support have kept us throughout this most unusual year. To God be the glory! We look forward to exciting times ahead.

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER CHURCH

Trustee’s Annual Report on Finance and Governance

The Charity’s annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and the Statement of Recommended Practice 2015 applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard in the UK and Republic of Ireland issued in July 2014.

Full Name of Church :

Methodist Central Hall Westminster

Charity Registration Number: 1145076

Date of registration: 15 December 2011

Main communication address: Methodist Central Hall, Storey’s Gate, Westminster, London SW1H 9NH

The members of the Methodist Central Hall Westminster Church Council are the Charity Trustees, membership being made up of circuit and church office holders, ministers and representatives appointed by the church at the Annual Church Meeting. A full list of Council membership is shown in the notes to this report.

Circuit Stewards: Helen Tudor (Senior – July 2024 to date) Joseph Adjei (Senior until June 2024) Ama Ackah-Yensu (2014 to date) Grace Sangmuah (June 2024 to date) John Bernasko (June 2024 to date) Genevieve Patnelli (June 2024 to date) Ekoh West (June 2024 to date) Treasurer: Ama Ackah-Yensu Independent Examiner: Buzzacott LLP 130 Wood St London EC2V 6DL

Bank: HSBC The Peak 333 Vauxhall Bridge Road Victoria London SW1V 1EJ

Investment Bankers: Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church

Aims and Objectives

The charity’s objective is to act as a resource provider within the area around Westminster for the Methodist Church:

Our vision is to be a global Christian family following Jesus in the heart of London.

The purposes of the Methodist Church are, and shall be deemed to have been, since the Date of Union, the advancement of:

The Christian faith in accordance with the doctrinal standards and discipline of The Methodist Church;
Any charitable purpose for the time being of any Connexional, District, Circuit, local or other organisation of The Methodist Church;
Any charitable purpose for the time being of any society or institution subsidiary or ancillary to The Methodist Church; and
Any purpose for the time being of any charity being a charity subsidiary or ancillary to The Methodist Church.

Public Benefit

We confirm that the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Structure, Governance and Management

The governing document for the Methodist Church of Great Britain is the Deed of Union (1932) and Methodist Church Act (1976).

Detailed governance arrangements are outlined within the Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church by order of the annual Conference (CPD).

Trustee Training

Trustees are pointed to a range of guidance produced by The Methodist Connexion to support the effective running of the church and the role of Trustees.

Related Parties

A third related party, in addition to the Circuit and the Trustees is Central Hall Westminster Ltd, a not-for-profit company formed in 1999 to run an events and conference business using the large and prestigious premises in central London.

Risk Management

We note the following items, all of which are on the Risk Register.

An annual grant to the Church, which is one of the main sources of funding for the Circuit is given by the Trustees. This is made possible by profits made by Central Hall Westminster Ltd. Any ‘lean years’ – and particularly several lean years – would affect the ability of the Trustees to award the grant.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operations of Central Hall Westminster Ltd was immense. The building’s closure and consequent hibernation of the business has meant that profits which would have been tithed to the Trustees have dried up, thus impacting their ability to provide the same level of grant to the Church, as with previous years.
The as yet unknown plan relating to the ‘decanting’ of the House of Commons and House of Lords from the Palace of Westminster. Methodist Central Hall Westminster is, because of its proximity, was one of a handful of buildings that was considered.
The ever-present risk of terror attacks and security breaches, given the location of the church. For the past four years the Metropolitan Police have estimated the risk of such as ‘severe’ and give regular security briefings to Circuit officials as to office holders of other large buildings in and around Parliament Square.
The damage to reputation, given the high usage of the premises by very many clients.
Safeguarding risks, exacerbated by the very high numbers of people using the building each week. In line with Methodist rulings, safeguarding procedures have, and continue to be, improved and overhauled.

Safeguarding

Methodist Connexional practice outlines commitment to the following principles:

The care and nurture of, and respectful pastoral ministry with, all children, young people and adults.

The safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and adults when they are vulnerable.
The establishing of safe, caring communities which provide a loving environment where there is informed vigilance as to the dangers of abuse.
We will carefully select and train all those with any responsibility within the Church, in line with Safer Recruitment principles, including the use of criminal records disclosures and registration with the relevant vetting and barring schemes.
We will respond without delay to every complaint made which suggests that an adult, child or young person may have been harmed, cooperating with the police and local authority in any investigation.
We will seek to work with anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with them an appropriate ministry of informed pastoral care.
We will seek to challenge any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust.
We will seek to offer pastoral care and support, including supervision and referral to the proper authorities, to any member of our church community known to have offended against a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
In all these principles we will follow legislation, guidance and recognised good practice.

The Methodist Central Hall Westminster Church commits itself to: -

Ensuring the implementation of the Connexional Safeguarding Policy; government legislation, guidance and safe practice in the circuit and in the churches.
The provision of support, advice and training for lay and ordained people that will ensure people are clear and confident about their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults who may be vulnerable.

The Safeguarding Policy is approved annually by the Church Council and revised in line with guidelines and directives from the Methodist Church of Great Britain.

Reserves Policy

The Reserves Policy for the Church is to aim to hold a contingency sum equivalent to a minimum of three months’, and ideally six months’, average expenditure. This is deemed to be sufficient to meet any unforeseen item of major expenditure and/or to be able to continue, in the short term, funding planned activities in the event of any inability to raise funds to cover the Church’s full expenses, including the assessment payable to the Circuit.

The Contingency Fund as at 31 August 2024 was £62.8k, which is equivalent to less than three months’ average expenditure. The budgeted deficit for 2024/5 will use up the entire Contingency. The Church Council will continue to monitor this and endeavour to take measures to restore and maintain reserves at a healthy level.

Revd Anthony Miles (Chair of Trustees)

Signed: _______

Date: 30 March 2025

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER - CHURCH ACCOUNTS

	Activities (SOFA) for the Year Ended 31 August 2024	Activities (SOFA) for the Year Ended 31 August 2024	Activities (SOFA) for the Year Ended 31 August 2024	Activities (SOFA) for the Year Ended 31 August 2024
	Notes	Unrestricted Fund (General)	Designated Funds	Restricted Funds	2023/24 Totals	2022/23 Totals
		£	£	£	£	£
Income and Endowments From:
Donations and Legacies
Offerings andTax recoverable	10	184,507	0	0	184,507	170,151
Donations	10	52,128	0	0	52,128	42,115
Anniversary Giving		20,776	0	0	20,776	20,651
Special Appeal		385	0	0	385	76,449
Grant (Trustees)	11	75,000	0	0	75,000	180,000
DonationsforUse of Rooms		3,160	0	0	3,160	3,088
Visitors Services & Catering	12	1,058	0	0	1,058	1,414
Legacies		7,000	0	0	7,000	5,000
Interest and Investment Income	13	17,507	0	0	17,507	9,501
Other
Special Events	14	31,364	0	0	31,364	14,664
ChurchGroups	15	310	0	0	310	112
DistrictAdvancementFund Grant		26,291	0	0	26,291	0
DesignatedFunds (SeeNotesFundDetails)	9	0	2,445	0	2,445	3,190
Restricted Funds(See Notes Fund Details)		0	0	190,652	190,652	37,204
Total Income and Endowments		419,486	2,445	190,652	612,583	563,539

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER - CHURCH ACCOUNTS

Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) for the Year Ended 31 August 2024

			Notes	Unrestricted Fund (General)	Designated Funds	Restricted Funds	2023/24 Totals	2022/23 Totals
Expenditure				£	£	£	£ £
Office &Ministry Staff				123,617	0	0	123,617	91,043
Travel Expenses (HealingMinistry)				1,099	0	0	1,099	0
	Circ	uit Assessment		232,934	0	0	232,934	197,064
	Offic	e Supplies	16	22,289	0	0	22,289	26,794
Internal Organisations and Events
Sanctuary				1,306	0	0	1,306	1,084
ChurchGroups			17	3,705	0	0	3,705	2,072
Special Events			18	50,504	0	0	50,504	32,852
Other Expenditure
MusicAccount			19	55,349	0	0	55,349	54,449
Otherexpenditure			20	25,023	0	0	25,023	26,427
Advertising				0	0	0	0	9,113
Grants &Donations			21	19,280	0	0	19,280	20,730
Designated Funds (See Notes Fund Details)			9	0	30,166	0	30,166	22,243
Restricted Funds(See Notes Fund Details)				0	0	35,542	35,542	34,399
Circuit Payment for Services Provided				(21,000)	0	0	(21,000)	(19,920)
Total Expenditure				514,106	30,166	35,542	579,814	498,350
Net Income / (Expenditure)				(94,620)	(27,721)	155,110	32,769	65,189
Transfers Between Restricted Funds and General Funds				55,008	(54,907)	(101)	0	0
Net Income after transfers				(39,612)	(82,628)	155,010	32,769	65,189
Total funds brought forward				39,612	241,200 85,761		366,573	301,384
Total funds carried forward				0	158,572	240,770	399,341	366,573

For information only Money received and passed on to External Organisations

Balance brought forward from last year Correction to balance brought forward Offerings/Gifts - received for External Organisations Offerings/Gifts - passed to External Organisations Balance carried forward*	2023/24 £	2022/23 £
	0	2,082
	0	(2,082)
	11,003	9,289
	(8,414)	(9,289)
	2,589	0

*These amounts relate to activities carried out within the organisation of Methodist Central Hall Church and are not external organisations and so correction has been made to reflect this.

The balance of £2,589 represents monies donated at funeral and memorial services. As at the year-end, the church was awaiting information from families on how they were to be allocated.

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER - CHURCH ACCOUNTS

==> picture [756 x 311] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
||||||||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||CHURCH BALANCE SHEET for the Year Ended 31 August 2024| |Unrestricted| |Designated|Restricted|2023/24|2022/23| |Notes|Fund| |Funds|Funds|Totals|Totals| |eeOG|Current Assets|(Ge|es|n£eral)|ee|£|OO|£|£|£| |es|Debtors|and|prepayments|25|es|36,187|0|32,468|68,654|44,823| |ee|Cash at|bank and in hand|26|(24,183)|43,607|0|19,424|37,936| |Central Finance Board|deposit|27|0|114,964|208,302|323,266|303,622| |rs|ds| |I|Total|current|assets|GD|12,003|GOO|158,571|240,770|411,344|386,380| |es|Creditors|(due in under 1 year)|&|unused funds|28|(12,003)|0|(12,003)|(19,807)| |OOOO|Net|current|assets|0|158,571|240,770|399,341|366,573| |GD|Total|assets|less|current|liabilities|GO|0|158,5|DG|71|240,770|399,341|366,573| |OO|Net|assets|0|158,571|240,770|GO|399,341|366,573| |GG|Funds|of the|Church|OO| |GG|Unrestricted Fund|(General)|0|0|OO|0|0|39,612| |GG|Other Funds|(restricted|&|designated)|0|1|DG|58,571|240,770|399,341|326,961| |GD|Total funds|0|GF|158,571|240,770|399,342|366,573| |I confirm that these accrual-based accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 have been prepared from the records of the Church and that they include| |all funds under the control of the Church Council.|

----- End of picture text -----

Signed: __________ Date: 30 March 2025 Ama Ackah-Yensu (Treasurer)

I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 were presented to the Church Council at its meeting on 30 March 2025 and were approved.

Signed: __________ Revd Tony Miles (Chair of the Church Council)

Date: 30 March 2025

		METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS	METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS	METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS	METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS
	Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) for the Year Ended 31 August				2023
		Notes	Unrestricted Fund (General)	Designated Funds	Restricted Funds	2022/23 Totals
			£	£	£	£
Income and Endowments From:
Donations and Legacies
Offerings andTax recoverable		13	170,151	0	0	170,151
Donations		13	42,115	0	0	42,115
Anniversary Giving			20,651	0	0	20,651
Special Appeal			76,449	0	0	76,449
Grant (Trustees)		14	180,000	0	0	180,000
DonationsforUse of Rooms			3,088	0	0	3,088
Visitors Services & Catering		15	1,414	0	0	1,414
Legacies			5,000	0	0	5,000
Interest and Investment Income		16	9,501	0	0	9,501
Other
Special Events		17	14,664	0	0	14,664
ChurchGroups		18	112	0	0	112
DesignatedFunds (SeeNotesFundDetails)		12	0	3,190	0	3,190
Restricted Funds(See Notes Fund Details)			0		37,204	37,204
Total Income and Endowments			523,145	3,190	37,204	563,539

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER - CHURCH ACCOUNTS

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS	METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS	METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS	METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS	METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS	METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS	METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER- CHURCH ACCOUNTS
	Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) for the Year Ended 31 August 2023
Expenditure		Notes	Unrestricted Fund (General)	Designated Funds	Restricted Funds	2022/23 Totals
			£	£	£	£
Office &Ministry Staff			91,043	0	0	91,043
CircuitAssessment			197,064	0	0	197,064
Office Supplies		19	26,794	0	0	26,794
Internal Organisations and Events
Sanctuary			1,084	0	0	1,084
ChurchGroups		20	2,072	0	0	2,072
Special Events		21	32,852	0	0	32,852
Other Expenditure
MusicAccount		22	54,449	0	0	54,449
Otherexpenditure		23	26,427	0	0	26,427
Advertising			9,113	0	0	9,113
Grants &Donations		24	20,730	0	0	20,730
DesignatedFunds (SeeNotesFundDetails)		12	0	22,243	0	22,243
Restricted Funds(See Notes Fund Details)			0	0	34,399	34,399
Circuit Payment for Services Provided			(19,920)	0	0	(19,920)
Total Expenditure			441,708	22,243	34,399	498,350
NetIncome / (Expenditure)			81,437	(19,053)	2,805	65,189
Transfers Between Restricted Funds and General Funds			(27,694)	27,694	0	0
Net Income after transfers			53,743	8,641 2,805		65,189
Total funds brought forward			(14,131)	232,559	82,956	301,384
Total funds carried forward			39,612 241,200 85,761 366,573

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER - CHURCH ACCOUNTS

CHURCH BALANCE SHEET for the Year Ended 31 August 2023

	Notes	Unrestricted Fund (General)	Designated Funds	Restricted Funds	2022/23 Totals
Current Assets		£	£	£	£
Debtors and prepayments	25	44,823	0	0	44,823
Cashat bankandin hand	26	14,293	0	23,642	37,935
Central FinanceBoard deposit	27	0	241,200	62,422	303,622
*Total current assets*		59,116	241,200	86,064	386,380
Creditors (dueinunder 1year) & unusedfunds	28	(19,504)		(303)	(19,807)
Net current assets		39,612	241,200	85,761	366,573
Total assets less current liabilities		39,612	241,200	85,761	366,573
*Net assets*		39,612	241,200	85,761	366,573
Funds of the Church
UnrestrictedFund (General)		39,612	0	0	39,612
Other Funds (restricted & designated)		0	241,200	85,761	326,961
*Total funds*		39,612	241,200	85,761	366,573

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL Westminster Church

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2024

1. Basis of accounting

These financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis, under the historical cost Convention.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest pound.

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.

Going Concern

Following the suspension of the grant from the Connexional Property Trustees, the Church Trustees have put in place the Mission Investment Anniversary Appeal to raise extra funds for the next five years to plug the gap in the finances. Grant funding has been secured for subsequent years and further sources are being pursued. These measures, along with existing contingency funds for the next twelve months, will ensure the operational existence of the Church. A review of the Church’s mission plan and ways of working for the medium term is also being undertaken. Overall, therefore, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Church has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and do not consider there to be any threat to the going concern status. Therefore, the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements and confirm there are no material uncertainties at the date of the approval of these financial statements.

2. Funds

The funds held constitute: General Funds for any purpose of the Church which are Unrestricted. Restricted funds, which are held for a narrower purpose including those for internal organisations. Details of each material fund are disclosed in the notes to the Accounts.

3. Accounting Policies Basis

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention except that investments are shown at their market value at the end of the year, on the accruals basis to show a true and fair view of the Church’s financial position and activities.

Income

Income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the Church becomes entitled to the funds, the receipt is probable and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

This is recognised when a liability is incurred, or a constructive obligation arises, that results in the payment being unavoidable. Liabilities are recognised as soon as an outflow of economic benefit is considered more likely than not under the legal or constructive obligation committing the Church to pay out resources.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other shortterm liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

Grants

Grants made by the Church from its own funds are recognised in full at the time of agreement or when the Church accepts that there is a legal or operational obligation to make the payment. When the grant is recurrent over more than one year the balance payable in future years is treated as a provision for future commitments in the Balance Sheet against the appropriate fund, the provision being released in future years as instalments are paid in accordance with the originally agreed terms.

VAT

Since the Church is not VAT registered, all input VAT is charged with the expenses to which it refers.

Tangible fixed assets for use by the Church

These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and individually cost at least £5,000. There is no freehold property owned by the Church.

Financial instruments

Basic financial instruments are measured at amortised cost.

Debtors and creditors

Debtors and creditors receivable or payable within one year of the reporting date are carried at their transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost less any impairment.

Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

In preparing financial statements it is necessary to make certain judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts recognised in the financial statements. There are no judgements and estimates are considered by the Trustees to have a significant effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements.

4. Trustees

2023/24 2022/23 Number of trustees who were paid expenses 5 5 £ £ Total amount paid 5,932 5,028	2023/24 2022/23 Number of trustees who were paid expenses 5 5 £ £ Total amount paid 5,932 5,028	2023/24 2022/23 Number of trustees who were paid expenses 5 5 £ £ Total amount paid 5,932 5,028
	Number of trustees who were paid expenses Total amount paid	2023/24 2022/23 5 5
		£ £ 5,932 5,028

5. Independent Examiners Fees

	2023/24	2022/23
	£	£
Fees for reporting the accounts	1,950	1,680

6. Paid Employees

Staff costs (excluding stipends) during the year were as below: -

Gross wages, salaries and benefits in kind Employer's National Insurance Pension costs Total Staff Costs Average number of full-time equivalent employees in the year were	2023/24 2022/23 £ £ 134,288 103,266 9,449 6,073 5,392 5,728
	149,129 115,068
	4.2 4.9

7. Reserves Policy

Reserves Policy
	2023/24	2022/23
	£	£
General Funds held	62,810	148,000

The current level of reserves is equivalent to less than 3 months of average expenditure including payments made to the Circuit.

Policy for Restricted Funds

No policy as such except that such funds may only be used for the purpose for which they have been given / donated.

Terms relating to Endowment Funds

No such funds are held by the church.

This Reserves Policy has been approved by the Church Council.

8. Related Parties

Name of related party	Description of transaction	Income from related party during the year	Payments to related party during the year	Loans to related party during the year	Amounts owed by related party as on 31 Aug 2024
		£	£	£	£
Fund for Support of Presbyters &Deacons	Gift made by Church	0	200	0	0
Fundfor Property	Gift made by Church	0	330	0	0
Total		0	530	0	0

9. Details of Designated and Restricted Funds

9.Details of Designated and R	estricted F	unds
CHURCH FUNDS	Balance B/Fwd 01/09/23	Income	Expenditure	Transfer Between Funds	Balance C'Fwd 31/08/24
FUNDS	£	£	£	£	£
Designated
Sunday Catering	401	2,445	(2,281)	0	565
Tithe	27,902	0	(27,885)	30,283	30,300
TitheReserve	3,400	0	0	0	3,400
CD Project	14,517	0	0	0	14,517
AVA& Server Replacement	10,122	0	0	0	10,122
Church Space Refurbishment & Maintenance	23,858	0	0	0	23,858
Digital Outreach and Engagement	12,000	0	0	0	12,000
ParliamentaryFellowship	1,000	0	0	0	1,000
Contingency	148,000	0	0	(85,190)	62,810
TOTAL DESIGNATED	241,200	2,445	(30,166)	(54,907)	158,572

Restricted
Flower&HymnSheetFund	4,306	4,140	(3,403)	(10)	5,033
SpecialOfferings to beDonated	0	4,805	(1,529)	(865)	2,411
Fees to Be Paid Away for Special Services	0	2,540	(3,627)	1,265	178
Night Shelter	1,488	0	(185)	0	1,303
WelcomeBox Project	593	0	0	(593)	0
Christian Aid	0	2,015	(2,015)	0	0
Action forChildren	0	94	(94)	0	0
WorldMission EasterOffering	0	1,149	(1,149)	0	0
Benevolent Fund	5,544	8,951	(6,527)	193	8,161
Music & WorshipLegacy	45,650	50	0	0	45,700
Organ Recital Fund	30	2,284	(2,374)	0	(59)
Friends of Westminster	150	50	0	0	200
Ghana Fellowship	2,550	2,004	(2,406)	0	2,148
Sierra Leone & Gambia Fellowship	193	306	0	10	509
Live streaming-Online Services	25,256	65,837	(12,233)	(23,101)	55,760
Great Hall Broadcasting	0	96,427	0	23,000	119,427
Total Restricted Funds	85,760	190,652	(35,542)	(101)	240,771

TOTAL RESTRICTED & DESIGNATED FUNDS	326,960	193,097	(65,707)	(55,008)	399,342

General Fund	39,612	419,486	(514,106)	55,008	0

TOTAL FUNDS	366,572	612,583	(579,813)	0	399,342

The balance of Designated and Restricted Funds has increased by £72,381. There has been a net transfer to Church General Funds of £55,008, being £30,283 to the Tithe Fund for distribution to other charitable organisations nominated by church members and £85,190 being the transfer from Contingency to General Funds

CHURCH - NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

2023/24 £ £ 49,540 57,041 39,389 34,524 1,048 2,965 0 184,507 52,128 236,635 5,250 7,500 62,250 75,000 1,058 1,058 19 17,488 17,507 3,154 3,422 3,044 2,325 4,755 2,894 9,658 160 1,659 293 31,364 182 128 0 310	2022/23 £ £ 59,746 41,779 39,370 25,934 1,446 1,675 201	2022/23 £ £ 59,746 41,779 39,370 25,934 1,446 1,675 201
5,250 7,500 62,250	12,600 18,000 149,400	170,151 42,115
		212,266

1,058	1,414	180,000

19 17,488	15 9,486	1,414

3,154 3,422 3,044 2,325 4,755 2,894 9,658 160 1,659 293	2,198 2,224 1,860 489 4,792 1,600 400 0 1,101 0	9,501

182 128 0	12 0 100	14,664

		112

CHURCH - NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

2023/24 £ £ 2,914 2,411 2,873 241 310 1,435 3,043 7,742 1,222 98 22,289 530 59 24 48 3,044 3,705 6,163 4,739 3,086 5,399 12,460 1,862 10,651 5,644 500 50,504 24,146 30,651 552 55,349	2022/23 £ £ 3,248 3,517 3,018 1,786 1,186 1,569 11,956 0 0 514	2022/23 £ £ 3,248 3,517 3,018 1,786 1,186 1,569 11,956 0 0 514
530 59 24 48 3,044	1,282 718 0 0 72	26,794

6,163 4,739 3,086 5,399 12,460 1,862 10,651 5,644 500 24,146 30,651 552	5,778 5,633 2,738 3,125 31 0 8,442 4,020 3,085 23,905 30,146 398	2,072

		32,852

		54,449

==> picture [514 x 128] intentionally omitted <==

CHURCH - NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

STATEMENTS
RESOURCES EXPENDED *Note 23 - Other expenditure* Pulpit supply Lay training Website development & maintenance In-house hospitality / Volunteers Dinner Ministers Hospitality Church Members Hospitality Bank charges Miscellaneous Church Insurance Materials and Items for Services Professional Subscriptions Bookstall Expenditure Independent Examiners Fees *Note 24 Grants & Donations* The Fund for the Support of Presbyters and Deacons Property Fund London Mission Fund St Vincent's Family Project	2023/24 £ £ 2,705 1,830 4,823 0 666 301 3,221 6,134 286 2,384 322 401 1,950 25,023 200 330 0 530 18,750 19,280	2022/23 £ £ 2,471 2,464 1,212 499 473 0 2,239 9,794 47 2,180 563 2,805 1,680
	200 330 0	200 330 200	26,427

			730 20,000
			20,730

CHURCH - NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

2023/24 £ £ 29,768 5,000 34,768 250 0 453 715 32,468 33,886 68,654 (23,771) 309 (746) 25 43,607 19,424 114,964 208,302 323,266 323,266 1,950 7,053 0 2,433 73 0 164 0 0 330 0 0 0 12,003 0 0 12,003	2022/23 £ £ 27,000 15,412	2022/23 £ £ 27,000 15,412
250 0 453 715 32,468	236 2,176 0 0 0	42,412 2,412
114,964 208,302	241,200 62,422
		44,824
		14,123 309 (176) 37 23,642
		37,935
		303,622
1,950 7,053 0 2,433 73 0 164 0 0 330 0 0 0	1,680 4,514 334 2,278 114 3 0 8,813 185 841 283 376 303
		303,622
		19,724 83
0	83

		19,807

METHODIST CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER

Church Trustees as at 31 August 2024

The following served as trustees during the year and/or were trustees at the date of signing the accounts.

Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of Methodist Central Hall Westminster

I report to the charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the Trustees of the Charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with my examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

Katharine Patel ACA Buzzacott LLP Chartered Accountants 130 Wood Street London EC2V 6DL

30 March 2025