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2025-12-31-accounts

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING

Held on SUNDAY 26[th] April 2026 at 1.00pm

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

A Meeting of the Parishioners - Election of churchwardens

  1. Prayers

  2. Election of Wardens

B Annual General Meeting

  1. Opening Worship

  2. Apologies for Absence

  3. Minutes of last Annual General Meeting

  4. Matters Arising

  5. Safeguarding declaration

  6. Christ Church Reports

  7. Appointment of Auditor

  8. Report on Electoral Roll

  9. Elections:

  10. 9.1 PCC members

  11. 9.2 Deputy Wardens and Sides persons to be elected at PCC

  12. Rector’s Report

  13. Any other Business

  14. Date of next Annual General Meeting 25[th] April 2027

CHRIST CHURCH MORETON

Meeting of Parishioners

4[th] May 2025

The meeting was opened in prayer

The minutes from last year’s meeting were accepted as an accurate record and were agreed and signed

Elections of Church Wardens:

There were two nominations

i. Phil Jones Proposed by Barry Matthews, Seconded by Gina Ferrie.

ii. Jane Stocker Proposed by Steve Smith, Seconded Ken Ashford.

Phil and Jane were duly elected.

RI thanked Ian Stott for his service as both Warden, PCC member.

Deputy Churchwardens to be elected at the next scheduled PCC meeting

End of meeting of Parishioners.

CHRIST CHURCH MORETON

Annual Parochial Church Meeting Minutes

4[th] May 2025

1. The meeting was opened in Prayer

2. Apologies for absence

Debbi Stott, Ian Stott, Clair Culligan, Julie Harris

Attendees – R Iveson, G Lamb, P Jones, K Culligan, L Jones, J Matthews, B Matthews, S Smith, R Myatt, N Parton, N Alsop, K Alsop, J Stocker, J Anders, G Anders, H Anders,P Evans, K Ashford, R Samples, T Iveson, G Sharpe, R Gray, J Finnigan, G Stanford, E Hughes, C Allen, A Smith, Mandy Smith, L Lawrence, J Fisher, B Smith, L Evans, M Hindle, L Hindle, J Sloan.

3. Minutes of last APCM (2025)

The minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting – proposed K Culligan, seconded by J Stocker.

4. Matters Arising

K Alsop asked if a register of attendees present at the APCM was kept. K Culligan said a register would be taken at the end of the meeting, and thanked Karen for raising the point.

5. Safeguarding

R Iveson read out the Safeguarding Policy and confirmed that G Sharpe was the current designated Safeguarding Officer. RI conveyed his thanks to GS and also mentioned the work done previously by S Smith and D Stott in this important role. R Samples asked if DBS checks completed in other organisations eg schools / sports groups, were valid in the church setting – RI confirmed they were NOT transferrable between organisations.

P Hughes gave her thanks to the FAB team for highlighting the drop kerb at the front of the Parish Centre as this was a hazard previously for people using personal mobility scooters.

6. Christ Church Reports

The individual reports were reviewed and RI thanked everyone who had been involved in their preparation and dedication in their work in those groups throughout the year.

Matters arising from the reports:

Treasurers Report

Financially things are still very challenging, however we have managed to negotiate a reduced Parish Share and have started to make small savings against this new share. G Stanford asked if we need to pay off the outstanding amount – RI explained that Parish Share is handled as a donation and is considered as a ‘moral’ debt rather than a legal debt. B Smith commented that the Church of England has significant reserve of money and asked why they could not support parishes more – RI explained there was an ongoing discussion re funding at the general synod.

Church Wardens Report

G Stanford raised the issue of the heating systems in Church and Parish Centre and requested that we continue to seek funding to improve the systems to ensure we can minimise future problems.

PCC Secretary’s Report

No questions

Global Missions Report

R Samples said if anyone had any questions about xxxxxx then please ask him. MCYC also benefits from support in their important youth work locally.

FAB Report

G Stanford said that fund raising for building maintenance and improvements needs to be a priority and who asked would be responsible for leading this once I Stott steps down. K Alsop mentioned lighting above the pulpit needed repairing, this will be picked up by FAB work party.

Pastoral Care Report

J Fisher said that the team would miss D Stott’s input when she leaves in June and wanted to record her personal, and the Pastoral teams thanks for all the work she has done.

Prayer Ministry Report

RI confirmed the Monday morning prayer meeting was 0900 (not 0800!) The online zoom meetings are still running, and he thanked R Gray for running the afternoon sessions. RI said that prayer was very important, it is not a ‘thing,’ it is a relationship.

CCFC Report

JF said the group has been growing, with 53 attending last week’s event and it demonstrates God’s love in action. S Selby said that two new attendee’s at the event were really appreciative of the entire afternoon and had specifically commented on the gift bags and the gospel reference card that was included.

Toddlers Report

No questions

Sunday Club Report

Need extra volunteers to run this every week, without extra support it could only be held once or twice per month.

Youth Group Report

Group is held on the first Thursday of the month. The youth attending are all very enthusiastic, with the majority being of non-church attendees. MCYC is promoted at these sessions; the group cannot run any more frequently without extra volunteers.

Messy Church Report

Developing closer links with schools, particularly Christ Church. Established in October 2024 it is a well-established monthly event which benefits from a great volunteer group. TI suggested that other church events / notices should be part of the event. A few parents (non-church attendees) had attended the social disco night which had been a great success.

Home Group Report

No questions

Men’s Breakfast

Continues to be well attended, RI thanked those who had prepared the Easter morning breakfast which was very much appreciated at 0600!

Warm Hub Report

Suggestion that church events could be advertised more openly in the Centre

Christ Church School Report

We are blessed by having such close relationships with the school, which promotes the Christians ethos in every aspect of its daily life.

Deanery Synod Report

K Alsop asked about the Pentecost event – RI confirmed that there will be a Deanery Ascension Day breakfast on Thursday 29[th] May followed by a 10 o’clock service.

7. Appointment of Auditor

Anne Turner audited the 2024 accounts; it was proposed by J Stocker and seconded by R Myatt that AT should be reappointed – agreed unanimously.

8. Electoral Roll

A full review of the Electoral roll was completed in April 2025, and now stands at 87 (down from 113) There were 49 leavers, but encouragingly 23 new members added to the list.

9. Elections – PCC members

The following parishioners were elected to the PCC:

Anne Smith proposed by E Hughes, seconded by C Allen John Finnigan proposed by S Smith seconded by A Smith Sarah Bishton proposed by J Finnigan seconded by A Smith Gill Sharpe continuing after temporary membership (2 years) Tracey Iveson continuing after temporary membership (2 years)

10.Rectors Report

RI again thanked everyone for their involvement in all the various groups throughout the year. Particular thanks to Debbi and Ian Stott for their 12 years ministry and support at Christ Church in respective roles. Welcomed Graeme Lamb who has joined the ministry team after being relicensed last November and Karen Alsop as Reader. Encouraging any new people towards ministry is a very rewarding aspect of the leader’s role. Christ Church benefits from a great level of support throughout the church. RI considers himself a ‘drainpipe’ being an integral part of the connection between God and all of us.

T Iveson asked how RI saw the role of the PCC, was it to inspire and lead in the local community. RI referred to specific part of his report highlighting his vision and explained his overall thinking – how does this fit into the plan, who are we – the PCC is not just business it’s a celebration of our work at Christ Church. Christ Church is exhausting – there is so much going on; there are always things going on every day and it need to be organised – particular thanks to Jane Matthews our Administrator for keeping us (me) on course!

11.Any Other Business

Nothing received or raised – GL closed the meeting in prayer

12.Date of next APCM 26[th] April 2026

SAFEGUARDING DECLARATION

In accordance with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy our church is committed to:

Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the guidelines established by this church.

Annual Report

Members of the Parochial Church Council from 5[th] May 2025 to 26[th] April 2026

Rector Rev’d Ron Iveson (ex- officio)

Associate Minister Rev’d Graeme Lamb (ex-officio) Wardens Mr Phil Jones (appointed 6[th] June 2025) Ms Jane Stocker (appointed 6[th] June 2025) Secretary Mr Keith Culligan Treasurer Mrs Lynda Jones Other members :

Miss Jill Anders Miss Sarah Bishton Mr Keith Culligan Mr John Finnigan (resigned 25/11/25) Mrs Jane Fisher - Pastoral Worker Mr Martyn Hindle Mrs Tracey Iveson Mrs Lindsey Lawrence (Deanery Synod member) Mrs Anne Smith Mrs Sue Selby (resigned 25/11/25) Gill Sharpe - Safeguarding Ms Jane Stocker (Deanery Synod member)

Bankers : Santander

CAF Bank

Custodian Trustee: Chester Diocesan Board of Finance

CHRIST CHURCH AND PUBLIC BENEFIT

Christ Church Moreton PCC is a Christian charity which undertakes a variety of activities in Moreton with wide ranging public benefit. The individual sections of this report explain in some detail the activities that take place (with statistics where available) and these provide public benefit in one or more of the following areas:

Essentially everything that is done at Christ Church is open to anyone who wishes to partake. Some areas of work, for example the toddler group, are necessarily limited to certain groups of people, but anyone who falls into such a group (subject to space being available) is welcome. Some parts of church services (such as taking communion bread and wine) are restricted to members of faith, but all are welcome to attend and partake in all services. Although most of those who benefit from the PCC’s work live or work in the Moreton area, some beneficiaries are overseas (e.g. the recipients of mission donations) or in other parts of the UK (e.g. UK societies assisted).

Most of those carrying out the church’s activity are volunteers whose benefits from the activity are incidental to their work. The Rector receives stipends on a national scale and adequate housing for the work he does in the parish, but again the benefits are necessary for the proper running of the church and are incidental.

The PCC are aware of the general guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission and this is taken into account in planning and operating the churches activities.

RECTOR’S REPORT

“We are not a pleasure cruiser, but a hospital ship… we are not a hospital ship, but a battle cruiser.” So, someone once said—and it has been repeated many times since. Which of those images appeals to you? I suspect it depends on your temperament or your expectations. Each serves its own purpose. But do you have a favourite?

In biblical reflection, there is the idea of “models” or “images” of the Church. Whether we realise it or not, each of us carries a picture in our minds of what the Church is. That image shapes our expectations. If Church is where you go for comfort or healing, then it becomes a hospital. If you see it as part of God’s work in the world, it becomes a battleship. If you think of it as something leisurely or optional, then perhaps it resembles a pleasure cruiser. You get the point—and to some degree, all these images contain truth. However, they can also create competing expectations, because what we believe the Church is for will shape what we want from it.

I would like to suggest that the most helpful and deeply biblical image of the Church is that of family. Scripture describes us as brothers and sisters; God is our Father, tender even like a mother; Jesus is our elder brother; and we are bound together in love by the Spirit. In other words, what we think of Church in relation to our immediate needs does not ultimately define it. The Church is rooted in the character of God before we are even born. We belong to His family, and we are recreated to live within it.

This gives us profound comfort. We are part of something far greater than ourselves— greater than our wants, needs, or desires. We are bound into the very life of God.

This understanding also sustains us when life becomes difficult or relationships are strained. In any form of relationship counselling, it is often said that the relationship itself must be seen as bigger than the individuals within it. Once that is grasped, it fosters commitment and maturity. The same is true for us as a church family.

In a report such as this, we see many different aspects of church life—each with its own demands and stresses, each requiring passion, commitment, and often simply hard work. But these are not isolated activities. They are all part of a greater whole: the family of Christ here in this place.

There is so much to be thankful for, so much to pray for, and so much to keep working at—but that is the nature of any family. The whole is always greater than the sum of its parts.

I am deeply thankful for our church family. I give thanks to God daily for each of you, holding you in my prayers as individuals within this shared life. I am grateful for all the work—both seen and unseen—that sustains our life together week by week: from our officers and licensed ministers to the many quiet servants of God who care for our building, grounds, administration, and pastoral needs.

This year has brought both change and continuity. Debbi and Ian have moved on, yet remain very much in our hearts, and I know they still consider this their home in many ways. Jane has adjusted her working pattern, and we give thanks for her many years of faithful service. Sarah has taken on the office role—and I do promise to get her name right consistently one day.

We have also welcomed new people who have found us to be friendly and open. The ongoing calling of the Church is to invite others to find their home in God among us.

So, I want to leave us with some questions:

How do we strengthen our family bonds?

How do we enter more deeply and prayerfully into the life of God and into one another’s lives?

How do we live in such a way that the parish sees in us something of God’s life— something distinct from what the world offers?

Someone said to me recently, “The Church is not just an organisation, but an organism.” In other words, our structures, patterns, and procedures—important though they are— exist to serve the life and mission of the Church. They are not the Church itself.

The Church is not simply a building, nor a collection of expectations, nor even the sum of its ministries. It is participation in the life of God—the family of the Trinity, united in love.

Or, to put it more simply:

“See how these people love one another.”

Now that—that is family and for that we give thanks

Ron Iveson

TREASURER’S REPORT

The church accounts are included with this report.

Overall, the church accounts this year show a balanced position, this is due to an agreement with the diocese to pay a reduced parish share, we paid less than half the share that we should have done. Overall income decreased in 2025 by 8% YOY running costs remained static. The PCC continued to accrue money for church growth work to build the congregation.

As a church we need to be working towards a position where we can pay the full parish share, this will involve building the congregation, the congregation being prayerful in their giving, being creative in the way we use the parish centre and also spend our money. This will involve everyone in the church

General funds

We finished 2025 in a break even position

Income for the year was £83,960 (down by £7,487 on 2024,

Expense being £78,625 (excluding tithe) (down by £7,377, decrease in growth fund accrual)

Total excess for the year of £26.74

The PCC continue to tithe the income of the church and this is donated to missions around the world as well as our local community. The tithe for 2025 was £5,307

Restricted funds

These are funds which have been received for a specific purpose and can only be spent for that purpose.

This fund is made up of small funds of money donated for specific purposes, the main balances relate to Youth, parish centre repairs and church weekend.

Designated Funds

These are funds which the PCC have designated for a specific purpose, but can be used for another purpose with the permission of the PCC.

This fund increased in 2025; the balance is made up from money designated for mission, church growth, donations, our reserve as per policy and the annual Tithe.

I would like to thank everyone who contributed to and prayed for our finances during the year. I would also like to thank the members of the PCC for the careful and prayerful process they undertake with regards to financial decisions. As ever I could not undertake the role of treasurer without the support of Jane Matthews, Sarah Bishton and Roberta Gray who look after the fees, weekly banking and other admin tasks I throw at them. I would also like to thank everyone who gives their time and expertise in looking after our buildings.

Lynda Jones, Treasurer

CHURCHWARDEN’S REPORT

It has been a very exciting and enjoyable year being a churchwarden and I thank Phil for putting up with me! I have learned so much this year and I’m grateful to Ian Stott before he left, gave me a few books on Churchwarden duties. They have been a great help!

Christ Church is a very active church with so many activities taking place. We have so many people giving their time, expertise on keeping everything running smoothly. There are so many to name, but I thank you all for all your hard work! This year, Jane Matthews left her job in the office to take on a new job away from Christ Church and I, on behalf of everyone, thank her for all her work and advice she gave to Phil and me. Now we have Sarah Bishton working in the office and is doing an amazing job! Thank you, Sarah!

Also, Angel, who had been our cleaner, has gone onto a new phase in her life and we wish her well and thank you for keeping the centre clean! Mark Wilson has stepped in as our new cleaner, which we are grateful, thank you Mark!

The flagpole has been fixed by Anthony Bretland, and the Diocese flag is now flying proud! Thank you, Anthony!

The inner ramp in church has been taken away, and a new one has been made and fitted by Ken Ashford and Graham Stanford. Thank you, guys!

In January, the church boiler had a leak, which meant services had to be held in Parish Centre. The floor in the church kitchen had to be dug up around the boiler to find the leak. Once found, all pipes from boiler had to be removed and new ones fitted. Instead of pipes being under the floor, they are now above ground and have all been lagged. Now the heating is back on, and services are now back in church! Hopefully nothing else happens to the boiler!

We must also thank the assistant wardens and sides people who do a great job on Sunday mornings helping with the services.

On a positive note, it has been a good year for Christ Church, more people coming to church, Messy Church and the Community Hub on Wednesday and Thursday doing well. Thank you to all volunteers for making these events be successful. As we reflect on the year, we must pray for continued blessings and guidance for Christ Church in the year ahead.

Jane Stocker & Phil Jones

PCC SECRETARY’S REPORT

The PCC met on five occasions during the past twelve months (April 2025 to March 2026) to progress church business in a professional and collegiate manner. Standing Committee met on four occasions.

Three new members were welcomed onto the PCC committee and have all brought further skills and experience which has helped the continued development and effectiveness of the PCC at Christ Church at Moreton. Sadly, two members of the PCC resigned during the year due to personal circumstances; along with those retiring from the PCC this year, our heartfelt thanks go to them for their contribution to the PCC throughout their term of service.

Church finances are still challenging, and PCC considers carefully all expenditure requests before agreeing them. There are several committees that work consistently and tirelessly throughout the year to ensure that Christ Church continues to grow steadily in its mission to attract new people into an environment where they can see God's work in action.

The FAB (Facility and Buildings) committee work hard in keeping the church, parish centre and the grounds in good order; the Youth and Children's committee oversee our young people’s activities from Toddlers, Sunday Cub and Messy church to our Youth Group. The Pastoral team provides ministry to those requiring support at difficult times and ran a very well supported Bereavement course.

The Parish Centre continues to be well utilised throughout the year but there is still an opportunity to increase its usage. As well as the regular events (eg Warm hub, Messy Church, Christ Church Friendship Club and many others,) several other groups from within our church and from the wider community meet and use the Parish Centre throughout the year, - thanks to all those involved in supporting these groups and initiatives that all help to make Christ Church a caring and welcoming church. The Centre was also used to hold Sunday services for several weeks during the winter whilst essential maintenance work was completed in the church building; streaming of services was also maintained during this period – well done to the tech team!

Finally, during the year, our administrator, Jane Matthews, left to take up another role locally; I would like to thank Jane for all her hard work over the past several years. I also would like to formally welcome Sarah Bishton as our new administrator and look forward to working with her going forward.

Keith Culligan

SAFEGUARDING REPORT

‘Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless.’ Proverbs 31:8

Safeguarding is now a fundamental part of church life across the UK. Churches are open to everyone and that means that we need to have good systems in place to protect us all. The aim is to create a safe and healthy environment for everyone and especially for children, young people and anyone who is vulnerable.

Here at Christ Church, we work closely with the Diocese and the organisation Thirtyone:Eight who deal with our DBS checks. They are an independent Christian charity who take their name from the verse at the top of this report. In the past year, a large number of DBS checks have been processed, and a lot of people have also completed online training. The training is a really important part of safeguarding as it helps you think through possible situations that could arise specifically within a church and consider your response.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and can cover many areas within a church. Of course, we need to be vigilant about different kinds of abuse, but it also means looking out for each other and noticing if someone is struggling. If you have any concerns, you can always speak to me, Ron or other members of the leadership team.

Gill Sharp

GLOBAL MISSIONS TEAM

The Global Mission Team remains dedicated to inspiring and encouraging our Christ Church family to partner with Christian charities and mission agencies. We do this through a combination of prayer, financial contributions, and practical involvement wherever possible. Since our last meeting, we have continued to support several individuals and agencies as they carry out their vital work.

Our Mission Families

We are pleased to continue our partnership with our two mission families, supported through both our prayers and the church tithe:

To help us grow closer as a church family, we are now posting updates from both families on the Mission noticeboard in the parish centre. We encourage you to take a moment to read these, correspond with them when you can, and keep them in your daily prayers.

Expanding Our Reach

While our focus is global, we also recognize the need close to home. Alongside our overseas work, we support two vital local charities:

Because of a local connection with a volunteer, Emily Wilkinson, we are also happy this year to be taking on a new partner, MLD, a children’s charity based in Uganda. International Links & Prayer

Our connection with our link parish, All Saints in Bunia, Congo, remains a priority. Though the ongoing political situation makes receiving news difficult, we continue to uphold Reverend Japhet Ruhigwa and his congregation in prayer. Similarly, while we have lacked direct updates from the dioceses of Agu and Boga, they remain firmly in our thoughts.

Furthermore, during our morning prayers, we continue to intercede for countries where our brothers and sisters in Christ face persecution for their faith.

A Note of Gratitude

We are grateful for your ongoing generosity. Your faithful giving has allowed us to distribute funds from the tithe to support global missions throughout this past year. As we look ahead, please continue to pray for our partners overseas, the wider UK church, and our own Diocese of Chester.

Eileen Hughes

FABRICS AND BUILDINGS COMMITTEE REPORT

Since Ian Stott moved on at the end of June last year, the past ten months have seen some adjustments as to how we operate as a group and with the input and development of the way we propose to record, prioritise and monitor works going forward. Heartfelt thanks to Ian for his time leading the committee.

The group now consists of just four members, namely: Martyn Hindle Keith Culligan Jane Stocker

Graham Stanford

Ideally, we would like to see the group expand and would welcome anyone who feels that serving the Church in this way appeals to them. Age is not a barrier but given the average age of the team is 75 ish, younger Church members are particularly encouraged. Plenty of scope here then.

Whilst we endeavour to deal with minor issues on a day to day and as needs basis, we do need additional resources to help deal with our growing list of “works to do”. Closely linked to FAB, our “Work Party” events are a valuable way that anyone can get involved with essential tasks as their own circumstances permit.

So, whilst to a degree we have been treading water, we do have a number of projects that are a priority, such as the balance of the heating works in the Parish Centre (pipework/radiators/controls). A freshening up of the “Drop In” area. The heating works are subject to funding and an application has been prepared. As with all funding applications, success isn’t guaranteed, but we will continue to pursue such funds where they fall within the scope of our proposals. Decorations we propose to deal with “In House” for which we will require volunteers.

In addition to the above, we have an offer from a local business to paint the railings along the boundary wall to Upton Road, but these will require some preparation beforehand. This is most likely an imminent Work Party task. Volunteers welcome.

If you are reading this and feel that you would like to get involved, please speak to a team member and we will be happy to explain further the nature of our remit.

Finally, a big thank you to all those who have helped and those who continue to help with all of those tasks both seen and unseen that keep things ticking over. We are replacing the Church entrance ramps, we’ve cut down and cleared away trees in the rear car park, fitted a new external noticeboard to the Parish Centre, carried out alterations in the Youth room to facilitate more useable space. The list goes on.

Most notably a huge thank you to those of you who seamlessly transferred our Services to the Parish Centre, and back again following the unfortunate scenario of a burst pipe in the kitchen in the Church.

Martyn Hindle.

PASTORAL CARE MANAGEMENT TEAM

The overall work of the Pastoral Care Management Team is to provide prayerful support and remind people how much God loves them, to show care, compassion, and empathy to those in our church family and community who are in need of support. For those parishioners who are unable to attend church due to being housebound we will take home communion on a two monthly cycle.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God”

(2 Cor 1:3-4)

We ask the Family of Christ Church to please bring to our attention any church members they feel are in need of support, this will enable us to offer the appropriate pastoral care and support. All the work of the Pastoral Care Team is confidential and is carried out with the permission of the recipient.

The Christ Church Friendship Club provides entertainment and afternoon teas to the elderly in our community who live alone, and feel isolated. We provide a welcoming environment giving people the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends, which has been very much appreciated.

Our Pastoral Care has also been shown in our Bereavement Support. In November we held a joint Commemoration Service with Williams Bells, supporting the bereaved in our parish. We also supported our community with the running of ‘The Bereavement Journey’ which we ran in September/October we had 6 people attend, which is very encouraging, we have another course in the planning. The course enabled people to share their own experience of grief with each other, supporting each other and forming good relationships.

The Warm Hub Project allows the Pastoral Care to encourage people to visit for warmth and light refreshments.

In June we said Goodbye to Debbi and Ian, who both officially left Christ Church Moreton. Debbi is now licensed as Associate Minister at St Andrews Bebington and Ian has now retired. The Pastoral Care Management Team would like to thank Debbi for her faithful service, thanking God for her, for her loyal and compassionate service as part of the Pastoral Team. Debbi is faithful, kind and caring, serving faithfully in her role as Associate Minister and Sister in Christ. We also thank God for Ian who served faithfully as the chair of the FAB committee as well as other ministries, securing grants and planning and implementing many repairs improvements in our buildings. May God Bless them both.

Jane Fisher

PRAYER MINISTRY

Prayer remains central to the life and mission of Christ Church as we seek to be a community committed to making, growing, and being disciples. Across a number of established ministries, we continue to support both the church family and the wider community through faithful and regular prayer.

Prayer Ministry After Sunday Services

The prayer ministry team consists of seven members who serve those requesting prayer after the 10:45am service. Two members are scheduled each week, with additional team members supporting when there is increased demand.

This provision continues to be well received, offering a confidential and supportive environment for individuals seeking prayer.

Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer is held weekly in person at 8:00am in the Parish Centre. In addition, online Morning Prayer takes place via Zoom on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8:30am. Attendance remains consistent, with a core group of approximately 3 people. This ministry provides a faithful rhythm of regular prayer within the life of the church. Prayer Chain (Text-Based Ministry) The Prayer Chain comprises ten members who receive prayer requests via text message, coordinated by Carol Allen and Eileen Hughes. This enables timely and coordinated prayer support. The Prayer Chain remains an active and valued ministry, extending beyond the congregation to serve members of the wider community.

Monthly Prayer Meetings

Monthly prayer meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month. The afternoon meeting (2:00pm) continues to be well supported, with approximately five regular attendees. The evening meeting needs some encouragement with attendance with an average 3-4 attendance of people, including the leader. As we seek to fulfil our calling of making, growing, and being disciples, prayer must remain at the heart of all we do. We encourage every member of Christ Church to engage not only in personal prayer but also in praying together as a church family. There is no pressure to pray out loud—simply coming together in prayer is what matters.

Encouraging greater participation in corporate prayer remains an area for development as we seek to strengthen the spiritual life of the church. We are grateful for the dedication of all those involved in the various prayer ministries at Christ Church. Their faithful service underpins much of the church’s life and mission.

Prayer ministry team

CHRIST CHURCH FRIENDSHIP CLUB

We have held 2 afternoon teas over the last year for the senior members of our community in Moreton who live alone. We have received many referrals from various sources. We have also included our own church members who are on their own. We were unable to have one in the summer due to illness and bereavement in those who were organising.

We have been able to provide a free afternoon tea, bingo and raffle as well as musical entertainment at each event, with each person attending receiving a gift bag. We would like to thank our Rector who has helped us provide the musical entertainment.

We have been blessed to received support from Cargill and Premier Brands Moreton which for which we are very grateful. Cargill provided the wraps/shawls at the Christmas tea and Premier brands mince pies and cakes.

97 people have attended the afternoon teas over the year, and they have all very much appreciated being able to meet with others in similar circumstances. It has been good to see them all enjoying themselves and making new friends.

We received donations from the seniors attending and also from our church members towards the cost of providing the afternoon tea.

We have a great team of volunteers who help us with the preparation and serving of the tea on the day and we are very grateful to them for giving us their time and serving in this way. We would be unable to do it without them.

We would like to thank our church family for their continued support with the project, most importantly with prayer and financially.

We hope that by reaching out to our community in this way that they will be able to experience God’s love in action.

Clair Culligan & Jane Fisher

WORK WITH CHILDREN/FAMILIES

TODDLER GROUP

Our Toddlers group meet every Tuesday morning from 9.30am until 10.30am. It is organised and run by the Leasowe Early Years team for families in the Moreton area. An average of 10 to 15 families attend every week and they often provide themed events in the holidays for 0-5 year olds which are well attended.

We have a team of volunteers who provide the refreshments every week and we enjoy building relationships with the families who attend. At Easter and Christmas we provide small gifts and Christian books for the children who attend and these are much appreciated. We also have Christian books available for the toddlers in the coffee area. We have built a good relationship with the Early years team and they are very willing to advertise any of our church events which are relevant to the families. Some of the families are regular attenders at Messy Church.

I would like to thank all the church members who help with the refreshments and particularly Alison Entwistle for organising the rota and gifts for the children.

Clair Culligan

SUNDAY CLUB

Has a core group of children who attend regularly between 6 to 10 and it’s run by Jill, Roberta and myself with help, when possible, from Steph. The children love coming out to Sunday Club and the format we try to follow is a game related around the story followed by the bible story delivered using YouTube and finish with an activity.

If there is communion in church the Sunday club, we always come back into church for that as its important for the children to see themselves as part of the church family.

Sunday Club has continued for another year and has been fun for the children and leaders but we can only hold it on two Sunday mornings in a month because we only have three consistent leaders Jill, Roberta and myself this is to protect the leaders spiritual wellbeing and health.

For Sunday Club to return to three or four Sundays a month, we need four more CRB checked Sunday Club leaders who are prepared to lead the lessons and teach the children.

I would like to thank all the leaders of Sunday Club your efforts are very much valued, and your is faith is a much-needed witness to our younger members of church.

To all whom have read this report I ask you to please pray for Sunday Club that we gain the resources we need.

Thank you

Tracey Iveson.

YOUTH GROUP

The youth group at Christ Church runs for 3 Thursdays a month during term time from 6 to 7.30pm. There is a regular group of 12 children who come, only 2 of which are regular attenders of Christ Church. We have a great team of leaders and caterers who work on a rota to cover each week and I am very grateful for their loyalty and support for our youth group.

The group starts with football in the hall and the option of games or craft in the drop in, Food is provided each week, there is a short bible message, on a relevant teenage subject and then the young people go to the youth room to enjoy table tennis, pool, game consoles, chill out time and a tuck shop.

Its been great to see the children come back week after week and wonderful to see out numbers continue to grow, we have had up to 16 children attend, Youth group continues to give the young people a safe space to relax and enjoy each others company. We continue to receive very positive feedback from the children and parents. We would appreciate your prayers for the leaders and children as we continue this work showing Gods love to the children in our community.

Lynda Jones

MESSY CHURCH

Messy church has been supported by a consistent number of volunteers month on month, without their commitment, enthusiasm and service Messy Church would not be possible, I want to thank every one of them for their time and passion to make Messy Church a success. Of which I can say it has been successful we have seen a consistent number of families who have attended month on month, and we have maintained some core attendance through our continued relationship with all the congregation that help run this service. The children absolutely adore making crafts, and the adults and children alike engage in the talk.

However, in recent months some of the engagement has been a bit challenging do to the age of the children and perhaps we need to think about if we need to change how or when we do the talk.

Looking towards the future it would be good if we actively started sharing all our church events within this service, such the bereavement course, Sunday club and youth group etc and continue to grow Christ Church’s identity in the hearts of all who attend though witness of service, talents and kindness.

Well done!

Tracey Iveson

BUILDING THE CHURCH – OUTREACH & DISCIPLESHIP

HOME GROUPS

Our home groups are a special part of Christ Church ensuring we can meet up during the week as we don’t always see friends on a Sunday.

When we meet we look at and study the notes that Ron has prepared for us and discuss our views with each other. It is good to hear peoples different thoughts on the study.

We have one Monday afternoon group and two Tuesday evening groups which are well attended. Holding these groups allows us to pray for each other and share our needs knowing it is a safe and confidential environment.

Thank you to all who lead the groups and to those who attend each week.

May God guide us each moment of the day to love and serve one another.

Carol Allen

WARM HUB

Our Community Hub has continued to be an integral part of our service to the local community during the last 12 months, running on a Wednesday and a Thursday.

The Hub provides a warm welcome space for both members of the Church and the wider community. Attendance across both days is steady and the use of social media posts is proving a good way to grow our reach, to remind people that we are here and of the services we provide.

The Hubs are run entirely by volunteers, and we are grateful for their time and service in this ministry. Each week we serve tea, coffee, toast and a variety of snacks to those who attend, and our volunteers are always available to listen and offer support. It is wonderful to see both regular and new faces each week and to watch as people support each other and develop friendships.

Sarah Bishton

OTHER GROUPS CONNECTED WITH CHRIST CHURCH

FOODBANK

Wirral Foodbank is very much “Wirral people helping Wirral people.

We have over 200 volunteers, who support our ten foodbank centres, Warehouse, Office, supermarket collections, computer support and more. Without their tireless support, we could not continue with our work. For the last twelve months, we provided 14,481 emergency food parcels, 4,649 were for children. This is slightly higher than last year. For the same period, Christ Church provided 336 emergency food parcels, including 106 for children.

We provide emergency food support, sufficient for three to four days, available from our ten foodbank centres As a Christian based charity, we draw our inspiration from the New Testament in Matthew 25:35 36:

“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in, I needed clothes, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me.”

Treating people with dignity, is central to what we do. This includes the food we provide. A number of individuals and families find themselves in temporary accommodation, where they have no cooking facilities, other than a kettle – others are homeless, living in tents. We provide kettle packs, where food can be rehydrated, and cold packs, where the food can be eaten without any preparation. We continue to deliver more than food, through our partnership with Citizens Advice Wirral - we call this Foodbank Plus. Since April 2025, Foodbank Plus has supported 2,294 individuals and £782,255 in direct support that has helped local families and individuals relieve financial pressures, access much-needed benefits, and address debt. We are grateful to everyone who generously donates food and financial support.

Churches across Wirral play a vital role in the help we provide—through food donations, financial giving, and volunteering. Eight of our ten foodbank centres are hosted by local churches, including Christ Church. On behalf of Wirral Foodbank, I would like to record my thanks to Christ Church, who host a foodbank centre, and to the volunteers who offer their support.

In closing, we have launched a monthly newsletter to share the latest updates on our work, including the food items we are currently most in need of. If your church, or you

as an individual, would like to receive a copy, please email enquiries@wirralfoodbank.org.uk We would also welcome the opportunity to share more about our work, whether at a Sunday service or a midweek meeting. If you would like to hear more about our work, please email enquiries@wirralfoodbank.org.uk God bless.

Richard Roberts - General Manager, Wirral Foodbank

SCHOOL

CHRIST CHURCH SCHOOL REPORT

This last year has been eventful in the life of the school.

We have welcomed Mrs Holly Trentham and Mr Matthew Worthington to the senior leadership, and they have settled in well to the life of the school and worked very well with the church and rector in continuing our life together.

The governing body works very effectively and meeting regularly under the chairpersonship of Steve Singleton and we welcomed Ms Hayley Wilson to the board as a foundation governor.

We have been supporting the Headteacher, Amanda Donelan through her treatment for cancer, and Amanda gains strength from our prayers, her faith and the messages she has received from so many people, alongside watching the church services online.

Through this time the staff and governors have sought to maintain the high standards expected in delivering the curriculum and furthering the Christian ethos of the school and the children have a huge part in this through Vision Voyagers and Head boys and girls, and this has been noted and supported by CDAT and the diocese. The applications for new pupil places always outstrip the capacity of the school, precisely because of our ethos, standards and attainment.

The school continues to maintain its link with the local community most notably by visiting local business at Christmas to say thank you for their hard work, singing with Moreton in Bloom, and raising funds with ‘Millies Miles’ walk for cancer research. Coffee mornings for each year group along with specific ethos assemblies are gratefully received by parents and carers and well attended.

Please do continue to pray for the life of the school, for Mrs Donelan’s recovery and the work of the staff, senior leadership and governors as this year progresses.

WALLASEY DEANERY SYNOD REPORT

Deanery Synod meets three times each year, with meetings hosted in turn by different churches across the deanery. This provides a valuable opportunity to build relationships with clergy and lay representatives from other parishes.

I have served as a Deanery Synod representative for the past three years and have found the experience both informative and enriching. Participation in Deanery Synod offers helpful insight into the life and ministry of other churches, and there is much to be learned through the sharing of ideas and experiences.

Meetings typically begin with prayer, a hymn, and a Bible reading, followed by a presentation from a guest speaker. This is then followed by small group discussions, during which members share updates and pray for the mission and ministry of their respective churches. Topics discussed have included initiatives such as Messy Church, Warm Hubs, and key seasonal services including Christmas, Easter, and Ascension. The minutes of the previous meeting are then received and approved.

At the October 2025 meeting, Rebecca Holland (Diocese of Chester) spoke on “Relistening through a Parish Consultation Trial,” focusing on the themes of Disciples, Communities, Leaders, and Connections.

At the March 2026 meeting, Karen Alsop shared about her spiritual journey to Norway and the work she undertook there, supported by a presentation of her scrapbooks. Her testimony was both engaging and encouraging.

Deanery Synod continues to be a valuable forum for mutual support, shared learning, and prayer across our churches.

Jane Stocker

Annual Accounts

For the year ended 31[st] December 2025

Chrfsl Church Moreton Balancè Shèet Oec-24 hx•d AM•ls Dec.25 £3CQ.(th.00 Paiish centre £￿.000.cO £3C0.(￿.OO £￿.000.cO CvN•nl A51•ts L30.402.89 £794.68 £&.883.36 £3Q.523.57 £75.33 £5.335.34 £1.05).O) £2.433.61 £0.00 CAF Dep05il occounl Sanlond8r current accounl CAF Currenl occovnt CAF15htrArust 60 doy occount Petty cash r￿fI Ad recltim Funerol F&&5 Deblors Pfèpoym8nls Irnle￿e nume £30.990.99 I£C Ooi £14.193.99 £32.751.92 £75.33 £5.314.49 £1.494.CO £2.459.48 LO.CO ens8 to be reclaimed 179.4n.76 t87.2KIIO CuThenl UobllM•s £6AO.CQ £50.U) £455.(N) £1.935.46 £￿.2￿.85 £999.06 £6.71K>.92 £3.718.10 £￿.)85.73 £l.¢JJS.85 £1.373.37 Wedding fees rec'(J Fees owèd 'ocese fees owed 5hortFoll in Porlth Shore 2017 5hortroll in Parish Shore 2018 Shortrol Ir) P(with shore ￿1? 5hoTtfoll in Parish shore 2020 Parish share owed 2022 PcxSsh i)wéd 2023 £cruds &)s acctuol Elec Accruol £I.IID.CQ £475.(X) £411.CQ £1.935.46 £6.258. £999.06 £0.700.92 .718.10 .183.73 £1.109.34 £1.019.68 £224.67 £43.224.29 £44.145.81 l•rm UoblM•i ¢331.274.49 tslon¢• ol lurth Il*loln A¢¢twnl} £343.134.3? £273.36S.91 £6.804.02 £2.746.87 £19.16 £53.338.53 Bolonce ol unreslncted Ivnds Baltsncè ol funds IR6srrici6dl &olcJnce ol funds IFon¥ly pockl Boltsncé of funds (Dèan&iy tsccovntsl &ol¢Jnce ol funds Desi nated £273.392.65 £3.109.32 £2.466.10 £64.146.32 £336.274.49 TOTAL BALANCE OF FUNDS £343.134.39 i£o.wi check i£o.(xi i£o.thi (En.(￿

Chrlst Church Moreton Accounts YTD YTD INCOME £40.049.00 £13.870.73 £10.670.96 £14.146.78 £4.320.IX) Planned Giving Cash collections Income lax refunds Donolions Holl Hire £40.696.OJ £12.381.92 £10.877.99 £5,604.36 £3.390 00 £83.057.47 £72.950 27 £1.008.93 £2.775.60 £1,175.Q) £150. £8W.J) £296.Xl £702.40 £366.88 £1.055.IX> onk Inlerest Fvrneral Fees Wedding Fees DBF Unreslricled gronl Ihe Tea Bor Toddler5 Men5 Breokfost FarThly Breoklasl Events Hub £837.61 £3,223.00 £832.00 £709.37 £84.11 £353.25 £266.49 £2,258.OD £2.445.94 £91.447.88 £83,960.04 EXPENDIWRE 367. £30.(x)O.00 Polish Shore Recloi Expenses and Phone Recloi House costs Church Utilities Church InyJrance Church repairs and Moinl Service expense Childrenslyoulh wo flowers. publicity. Decorolion Copyright Licences Churchyord woler Gardening ond waste collection Parish centre Ulililies Parish centre water Parish centre cleaneflcleaning Parish centre fef)oirs ond moint C￿onI Food for centre oirice woges oirice slolTronery ond computer oirice telephone oirice pelly cosh and general expense Men5 breoklasl Ladies Lunch £X),(MXJ.CK) £2.960.67 £2,448.67 £5.739.58 £1,287.72 £744.56 £3.065.66 £2.262.20 £6,060.05 £2.456.65 £728.57 £49.98 £41.97 £724.99 £385.35 £1.716.35 £4.060.89 £801.56 L3.384.72 £887.75 £482.31 £813.24 £7,594.52 £1.620_67 £439.81) £696.89 £277.24 £1.254.31 £4.186.77 £528.13 £3.111.IX) £4.159_98 £538.&8 £486 86 £7.466.22 £1.620_27 £439. £13852 £318.41 £38.06 £205.96

Chrfst Church Mofeton Accovnts YrD £130.97 £172.05 £0.67 £98.20 £159.31 £0.37 £55.96 £945.06 £30.1 £16,271.84 Family Breakfast Bonk charges Costs Irom Reslricled fund5 occounl C￿.51 Chvrch School expenses Events Donations Desi nated lunds £1.388.63 £3O).00 £8.850.CO £69.731.14 £86.IX12.98 TOTAL EXPENDITURE £78.62S.51 £7.377.47 Accounl Tron51ers £5.391.97 rilhe £5.307.79 £52.93 £6.62 Balance lor monlh Weekly underl(Overspend) £26.74 £273.312.99 £91.447.88 £86.(X)2.98 £5,391.97 Opening Bolonce Income l(y the yecx Expenditure lor the yeor Account Ironslers £273.365.91 £83.960.04 £78.625.51 £5 307.79 £273.36S.91 Bolanc• al lunds Moln Account £273.392.65 £8.￿ Number of week5

Deslgnated Funds account YTD INCOME YTD £5.725.12 £6. ILXI.00 £I0.L￿.OO £171.84 £0.00 Mis￿on0￿ fund chvrch growlh donation overspend on Fire olaim £5,307.79 £8,850.LK) £5,CrfX). £o.c £2199a.96 TOTAL INCOME £19 157.79 EXPENDITURE £550.00 £2.088.00 £0.00 Missionory poymenls Fire alorm Ch￿Ch Growth £8,3S).(x) £2 038.(Kl TOTAL EXPENDITURE £8 350.00 £33.979.56 Opening bolonce £53.338 53 £21.996.96 Income lor the year £19.157_79 £2.638.00 enditufe Ihe eor £8.350.(X) £53 338.53 Balance of lunds £64 146.32

Resfrlcled fund account YTO INCOME YTD £0.00 £859.(X) £1.18065 £704.81 Rectc*y Decoroling Youth donations Worm Hub Fkjwefs Shine Porish cenlre wor Church works Chiislmos card Handrails Church weekend Ihrough income £942.79 £240.86 £8CQ. £11.116_(A) £214.22 £480. £2.343.60 £793.35 £3.209.11 £1.244.08 £7.386.93 TOTAL INCOME £16.811.34 EXPENDfiuRE £676.02 £491.04 £1 (￿.(M) £381.51 £2.304.29 £9.50 £6￿.69 Youth work Fk)wefs oirice food svpply Icrf community Sunday Clublchildrens wi)rk Church Weekend Cooker Hondroils church worts Polhs christmas card Securily Wc￿kS educolion gonl warm hub Through costs Training Holido ol home £959.70 £535.14 £332.92 £3.466.17 £10,449.07 £950.00 £￿1.22 2. £1.834.40 £1.157.44 £1.526.32 £1.158.00 £3Pn.00 £447.50 £8.442.49 TOTAL EXPENDITURE £20.SO6.04 £7.859.S8 Opening balance £6.804.02 £7,386.93 Income ILY Ihe yeor £16.811.34 £8.442.49 EKpendilvre lor Ihe yeor £20.506.04 £6.804.02 Bolonc• ol lunds £3.109.32

CCFC accounls YTD INCOME YTD £io.o) General donations Gronls Events Hampers £783.00 £354.77 £239.53 £364.77 TOTAL INCOME £1.022.53 EXPENDITURE Clolhes Events Food Hompers £1.206.40 £1,283. £1.237.40 TOTAL EXPENDITURE £1.283.30 £3.619.50 Opening balonce £2.746.87 £364.77 Income lor the year £1.022.53 £1.237.40 Expendiluie lor the ear £1.283.30 £2,746.87 btslonc• of funds £2,486.10

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WAIES Independent examlnerfs report on the accounts Sectlon A Independent Examin8r'5 Report Report lo th8 trusts•sl rnembers ol op c¥WST C$W￿￿ On accounts forthè y•ar •nd•d Charity no lff arby) S•t 4Xrt on pag I rèport to tho truste9$ on my 8yAmination ofthe a¢xounts of the abovè chaiity Trusi'l for ¢he ￿ar éThJ6d 3 1 114 1a¢gS. Responsibllltles and As the charity trustees Df the Trust, you are respmjnsibk for the prepara￿On basls ol report of ihe ac£ounts in a￿dance with the requirements of th¥ Charities Act 2011 nhe Aci'}. I r8POrt In résKd of myoxamination (rf th• Trust's ac¢￿Jnts Carn￿￿ out under serAlon 145 of thé 2011 A¢1 and Sn carrying Out my examination. I have followed the app1￿￿bI8 Directions gfven by the Chanly Commission undtsr section 14515Mbl of the Ad. I have comploleil my •xamlnation. l eonfrfm Ihai m•Wal matters have ¢ome to my atlèntion lother than thai disdosed below'l In eonn6ctTrtin wilh the exarninalion which gives me caus8 io ￿kn8ve Ihal In. any maierial respect.. accounting record¥ w¢re not kept in accordance with $¢ctbon 130 01 tho Act or Ihg atrwnts do not accord vAlh Ihè accounting racLyd$ Independent examinees $lat¢m¢nt I have no concems and have ¢yJrne atross no other matters in connection with thè èxamination lo %thi¢h attention shtyjld be drawn in order lo enabjo 8 propèr undèrstanding of the accounts to be reached. ' R&a$8 delelfr Ihè bvords in the brackels rfthey do not appty. Slgned: Date: a IDJ l Nam•: Relevant prolo$$lc*nal qualkficatlonl61 or body 111 any): Address: L¥l+ 6 OPA IER Octobor 2018