Trinity Methodist Church Leighton Buzzard
Annual Report for the year ended 31 August 2021
Registered Charity No: 1151861
Administrative information
Address
North Street, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 1ES http://www.trinitylb.org.uk
Aims and organisation
Our Mission statement
Trinity Methodist Church exists to create a community of disciples of Jesus who
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worship God
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share God’s love
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help others to follow Jesus
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encourage each other to grow in the Christian faith
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serve God in Leighton Buzzard and throughout the world
Public benefit
In making decisions about the activities of the church, the trustees have had due regard to the commission’s public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.
Management
The church is constituted under the Standing Orders of the Methodist Church in Britain. It is part of the South Bedfordshire Circuit.
The church is managed by the Church Council who are the Trustees of the Charity. Members of the Council are elected directly by Church members at the Annual Church Meeting, can be co-opted, or, as post holders in the church community, are members ex officio.
The Church Council is responsible for strategic decisions affecting the management, worship and spiritual life of the church.
Members of Church Council at the date of this report
Seung-Wook Jung (Chair & Minister)
Elizabeth Hitchcock (Secretary to Church Council)
Sheila Pollard (Treasurer)
Anne Gray (Senior Steward)
Jackie Roberts (Circuit Steward)
| Alison Arnold Jo Baker Peter Baker Richard Bates Nigel Bibbings* Jan Cornfoot |
David Dawes Margaret Dover Elaine Green Ann Guy Tim Hitchcock Charles Horsefield |
Sue Horsefield Kathy Keeley Chris Lowe Tony Oldroyd Patience Owers Roger Owers |
Catherine Roots Alison Stokes Sue Stokes Cilla Wagner Judy Whyman-Bates |
|---|---|---|---|
*Minister in the South Bedfordshire Circuit.
The following were also members during the year to 31 August 2021: Julie Bradshaw, Enid Dawson, Marilyn Powell and Jenny Webb
Committees
The implementation of Church Council decisions is delegated to the Minister, Leadership Team, Treasurer and these Committees.
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Worship
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Pastoral
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Property
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Resources
Review of progress and achievements
Throughout this year services and activities were interrupted due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
We maintained our worship throughout by holding services over zoom for those able to access the internet. Others were supported through material on the church website and circulation of written services for use at home.
We held fortnightly face to face services during the autumn of 2020 under tight Covid restrictions but then had to close completely until April 2021 when we restarted face to face services in the church with risk mitigation measures as required by legislation and the Methodist Church. We continued to hold zoom services to support those who cannot attend in person.
We have established biweekly zoom bible studies for all who wish to attend and held a 12 hour prayer vigil by zoom over Easter 2021.
Coronavirus pandemic
Some worship and regular activities as well as use of the building for local groups resumed in autumn 2020 but then had to close again when lockdown restrictions were reimposed. Services restarted in April 2021 as allowed by the lifting of COVID restrictions with appropriate social distancing, ventilation and hygiene measures in place to ensure the safety of all attendees.
The COVID-19 working group has continued to meet to review procedures to ensure that the building is COVID secure for anyone visiting the building.
Groups using the church premises resumed in summer 2021 on submission of an updated risk assessment to the COVID working group in light of changing COVID restrictions. Church groups intending to resume their activities (including social gatherings and young people’s activities) must also submit an updated risk assessment to the COVID working group .
Our cleaner was furloughed until while the church was closed restarting in April when activities in the Church resumed.
It was decided that it was not possible, under the COVID restrictions required, to reintroduce our Toddler group following its closure in March 2020, and therefore after furloughing the Toddler Leader for nine months, she was made redundant in December 2020.
The Church Administrator and Messy Church Co-ordinator continued to work from home until the lockdown was lifted but was partially furloughed for a while, as her workload was lower while restrictions were in force.
The Pastoral Leaders continue to work to ensure that all members were supported through regular contact from a member of the congregation and provide help as required. All members received a weekly newsletter and worship resource either by email or delivered by hand.
Plans for Future Periods
Future plans for worship and community activities are being made in light of changing coronavirus pandemic restrictions.
We aim to continue using Zoom for those not able to attend the church in person and to reduce our carbon footprint.
Financial Summary for 2020/21
General statement
The financial year was affected by the coronavirus pandemic in a number of ways. There were fewer church services than usual because of Covid rules and this reduced income from cash and envelope collections. However, many members of the congregation responded by making their giving by standing order instead, so overall income from giving was only slightly lower than the previous year. Income from those who use our premises fell significantly during the year because of the long period of Covid restrictions during which groups were unable to meet. Fortunately we were helped by the Circuit decision to hold our Circuit assessment at the level of the previous year and also by continued support from the Government furlough scheme to help pay our employees.
General Fund
The balance in the General Fund declined during the year from £32,823 to £25,579 for the reasons stated above. The balance was, however, still above our Reserves Limit of £24,000, thanks to the generosity of the Circuit in waiving a quarter of our Circuit Assessment in 2019/20.
Community Links
The deficit in the Community Links Fund at £ 1,278 was lower than the previous year, mainly due to a decision to move some of the expenditure previously taken from this Fund to the General Fund. The Jib Retention Scheme was also a significant help in maintaining this Fund for another year.
Legacies
During the year, we received a donation in memory of one of our members and this was included in the Legacies Fund, which stood at £18,627 at the year end.
Other Restricted Funds
These funds, which have been donated for particular purposes, stood at £6,098 at the year end.
Painting and Refurbishment Fund
This Fund was bolstered by a transfer of £4,000 from the General Fund during the year, in anticipation of works to be carried out on the property in future years.
Donations
Trinity donated £400 directly from the General Fund.
Financial Information
The independently examined annual accounts of the Church are produced in the Methodist Standard Format. A copy of those accounts is available on request. The information in this report is a summary of the accounts adopted by Church Council on 12 October 2021 and is consistent with the independently examined accounts but has not been subject to an independent examination.
Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 August 2021
| General Fund | Community | General Fund | Community | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INCOME | Links | Links | ||
| 2020/1 | 2020/1 | 2019/20 | 2019/20 | |
| Offertories | 61,163 | 2,060 | 61,391 | 2,020 |
| Gift Aid and interest | 13,498 | 339 | 14,054 | 277 |
| Use of Premises | 5,069 | 10,752 | ||
| Feed in Tariff | 1,475 | 1,984 | ||
| Grant | 1,210 | |||
| Job Retention | 1,568 | 1,247 | 2,126 | 1,277 |
| Other | 671 | 369 | 717 | 242 |
| 83,444 | 4,015 | 91,024 | 5,026 | |
| EXPENDITURE | ||||
| Circuit Assessment | 61,837 | 47,376 | ||
| Property | 22,553 | 26,063 | ||
| Printing, Copying and Office | 1,662 | 862 | 4,016 | 1,819 |
| Church Life | 1,714 | 414 | 2,100 | 473 |
| Donations | 400 | 400 | ||
| Employment | 2,522 | 4,017 | 6,802 | |
| 90,688 | 5,293 | 79,955 | 9,094 | |
| BALANCE BETWEEN INCOME AND EXPENDITURE | ||||
| surplus/(deficit) | (7,244) | (1,278) | 11,069 | (4,068) |
| BALANCE SHEET | ||||
| Summaryof Funds | 2020/1 | 2019/20 | ||
| General Fund | 25,579 | 32,823 | ||
| Community Links Fund | ||||
| (Restricted) | 4,054 | 5,333 | ||
| Legacies | 18,627 | 17,605 | ||
| Other Funds (Restricted) | 6,098 | 7,714 | ||
| Paintingand Refurbishment | 8,137 | 4,130 | ||
| Total Funds | 62,495 | 67,605 |
| Represented by | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Account | 6,686 | 6,388 | |
| CFB Deposit account | 39,437 | 44,866 | |
| TMCP | 16,372 | 16,350 | |
| Adjustment | 1 | ||
| Total Funds | 62,495 | 67,605 | |
| Donations from retiring Collections | 1,358 | ||
| Reserves Lower Limit | 21,600 | ||
| Reserves Upper Limit | 36,000 | ||
| Present reserves are above £21,600 |
Approval
This report was approved by Church Council on 9 February 2022.
Rev Seung-Wook Jung, Minister