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2022-08-31-accounts

Trinity Methodist Church Leighton Buzzard

Annual Report for the year ended 31 August 2022

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

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 Margaret Dover Sue Horsefield Catherine Roots Peter Baker Elaine Green Kathy Keeley Alison Stokes Richard Bates Ann Guy Chris Lowe Sue Stokes Nigel Bibbings* Noreen Henshaw Tony Oldroyd Cilla Wagner Jan Cornfoot Tim Hitchcock Patience Owers Judy Whyman-Bates David Dawes Charles Horsefield Roger Owers

*Minister in the South Bedfordshire Circuit.

The following were also members during the year to 31 August 2022: Jo Baker

Committees

The implementation of Church Council decisions is delegated to the Minister, Leadership Team, Treasurer and these Committees.  Worship  Property  Pastoral  Resources

Review of progress and achievements

Following lifting of COVID restrictions, face to face church services have resumed with some precautions in place to limit spread of any possible infection. By the date of this report most precautions are no longer mandatory and, while masks and hand sanitiser are still available, their use is down to personal choice. In recognition of the fact that some of our congregation are no longer able to attend in person we have retained one virtual service each Sunday evening to ensure as many as possible of our congregation can attend a service each week. Our bi-weekly bible studies by zoom have proved popular and will also continue.

Our mid-week services, held on Tuesday mornings, resumed in March 2022 after a two-year break as a result of the pandemic. They continue to be appreciated by those who attend, particularly those who are unable to attend the services on Sunday.

Also after a two-year break because of the pandemic, in March 2022 we were able to start serving refreshments after the Sunday morning services to provide an opportunity for fellowship and conversation.

During the year we were also able to restart our in-person Messy Church events and we were pleased to find that these were wellattended in spite of the enforced break caused by the pandemic.

Although our Scouts Groups were able to resume their normal activities during the year, unfortunately two other groups decided to close. These were the Trinity Fellowship Circle and the Girls Brigade both of which, before the pandemic, had met on our premises weekly.

The Pastoral Leaders continue to work to ensure that all members are supported through regular contact from a member of the congregation and provide help as required. All members receive a fortnightly newsletter either by email or in print.

In August 2022, our part-time employee who carried out our church administration and also organised our Messy Church events, moved away from the area. In view of the Church’s financial position we made a decision not to recruit a new employee. At the time of writing this report these roles are being carried out by volunteers from within the Church.

Plans for Future Periods

In view of the Church’s financial position at the end of the financial year, it was agreed to hold a Gift Day to ask for an ongoing financial commitment from our members. This was successfully held on 15 October 2022 and this has enabled us to make sound financial plans for the next two years.

Now that we have emerged from the disruption caused by the pandemic, we are hoping to carry out a review of our mission during the coming year.

In view of the increasing cost of living we plan to support members of our congregation and the wider public by opening our church premises once per week during the winter months as a “warm space” for activities and refreshments.

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 2021/22

General statement

Overall the financial performance for 2021/2 was very poor with losses in both our General Fund and our Community Links Funs, as well as having to spend the entirety of our Painting and Refurbishment Fund, which normally acts as a reserve fund for expenditure on our property. During the year we successfully moved our current account banking arrangements from HSBC to the Co-operative Bank.

General Fund

The balance in the General Fund declined by £9,328 during the year. This was despite a return to more normal levels of lettings income following the Coronavirus pandemic. The main contributory factor to the loss was the greater amount spent on repairs and maintenance on the property than in previous years, particularly roof repairs at a cost of around £12,000, which was taken partly from the General Fund but also from the Painting and Refurbishment Fund.

Community Links

The deficit in the Community Links Fund was £2,455 which was higher than the deficit of £1,278 in the previous year. This was largely due to the cessation of the Government’s Job Retention Scheme payments, which were claimed during the pandemic. In view of the low amount remaining in the Fund at the end of the financial year (£1,599), a decision was taken not to recruit a replacement Church Administrator when our existing employee moved away from the area in August 2022.

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 £19,140 at the year end.

Other Restricted Funds

These funds, which have been donated for particular purposes, stood at £6,310 at the year end.

Painting and Refurbishment Fund

As mentioned earlier, this Fund was used in its entirety during the year to help pay for the cost of roof repairs. It is our intention to build up this Fund again, when circumstances permit.

Donations

Trinity donated £200 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 25 October 2022 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 2022

INCOM
E		 General
Fund		 Communi
ty Links
2021/2		 General
Fund
2020/1		 Communi
ty Links
2020/1
2021/2
Ofertories 59,263 1,830 61,163 2,606
Gift Aid 11,875 436 13,498 339
Use of Premises 12,602 5,069
Feed in Tarif 1,282 1,475
1,56
Job Retention 48 8 1,247
Other 619 653 671 369
85,641 2,967 83,444 4,015
EXPENDITURE
Circuit Assessment 57,956 61,837
Property 30,135 22,553
Printing, Copying and
Ofce 2,039 926 1,662 862
Church Life 1,903 745 1,714 414
Donations 200 400
2,
Employment 2,686 3,751 522 4,017
Bank Charges 50
94,969 5,422 90,688 5,293
surplus/(defcit) (9,328) (2,455) (7,244) (1,278)
BALANCE SHEET
Summary of Funds 2021/2 2020/1
General Fund 16,252 25,579
Community Links Fund
(Restricted) 1,599 4,054
Legacies and Memorials 19,140 18,627
Other Funds (Restricted) 6,310 6,098
Painting and
Refurbishment 8,137
Total Funds 43,301 62,495
Represented by
Current Account 7,775 6,686
CFB Deposit account 19,213 39,437
TMCP 16,385 16,372
Cash in Hand 32
Adjustment (104)
Total Funds 43,301 62,495
Donations from Retiring
Collections 2,128
Reserves Lower Limit 21,600
Reserves Limit 24,000
Reserves Upper Limit 36,000

Present reserves are £5,348 below our Reserves Lower Limit

Approval

This report was approved by Church Council on 6 February 2023.

Rev Seung-Wook Jung, Minister