## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From :** 1[st] August 2020 to 31[st] July 2021 **Charity name:** The Mission Church Morriston ## **Charity registration number:** 1154691 ## **Aims and Purposes:** The Church's aim is to welcome as many people as possible into our Church community, in order for them to learn more about the Christian faith and take part in public worship of Jesus. ## **Objectives and Activities** The Mission Church is committed to the advancement of the Christian faith, firstly to our local community (Morriston) but also nationally and internationally. ## **Public benefit** When planning our activities for the year, the trustees considered the Commission's guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. Whilst also bearing in mind that we are operating during a pandemic. In particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith through: - Worship, prayer, learning about the Bible, and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus. - Provision for pastoral care for any person who attends the Church. - Mission including outreach. - Financial donations to other Christian charities, or individuals in need (regardless of their faith). We hire the Memorial Hall in Morriston. This means we do not need to spend money on maintaining a church building. Two of our trustees sit on the committee of the Memorial Hall, and help to maintain good relationships with them and the wider community. ## **Achievement and performance** ## Worship and prayer Our 10[th] year has been very different to the previous 9 years because of Covid as we have only met virtually through zoom! As a Church we have continued to preach through different Books of the Bible in a systematic way. Every time we preach, we supply notes and follow up the sermon during our midweek Connect Groups. We are continuing to work through the Book of Matthew and plan to complete it by August 2021. Along with this Book we have also preached through some of the Psalms and looked at eight topics within the Bible. **1 |** P a g e These have included: What is the Gospel? What is Sin? What is a Christian? What is Church? What is Church membership? What is Church Governance? What is Church discipline? When should it be used? Obviously because of the Covid 19 pandemic, the usual way in which we would meet has been temporarily stopped, so we have used “zoom” to deliver the sermons and to meet collectively for prayer every Sunday morning. As Elders and throughout the pandemic, we have met regularly. We have met every month to pray and to undertake our roles as Elders. We have also met monthly to work through training issues along with working on character, competence and chemistry issues using various literature. This has continued through the means of zoom. We have met through Zoom for the following services – - Sunday Morning worship/prayer and sermon time - Connect groups – Tuesday morning and evening - Kidz Connect – Thursday evening - 1:1 or group meetings - Trustee meetings and administration meetings - Study groups ## Prayer group and Connect groups and discipleship groups There are a number of ways that we encourage people to grow as Christians in their walk with God, 1-1, Connect Groups, Discipleship Groups, attending Conferences and getting involved in serving by using their gifts in God given Ministries. The Connect Groups have continued throughout the past year. We have consolidated what were our 4 Connect Groups that meet weekly, in line with the School Term, to a centralised zoom that meet in the day-time and evening on a Tuesday. The zooms consist of 4 weekly virtual meetings. The Connect Groups provide a great opportunity to connect with one another, have fellowship, pray together, look at the sermon, and undertake Bible Studies. The discipleship groups have been temporarily suspended because of the pandemic. ’ – Children s ministry currently the children attend with their parents should they wish to our main meeting on a Sunday on zoom. We do have a meeting specifically for children on a Thursday evening, called Kidz Connect, which is a **2 |** P a g e 40 minute Zoom meeting. There is a focus of the following themes - - Pray the bible - Sing the bible - Read the bible - Teach the bible - Buy bibles - Memorize the bible It is open to all children. Currently the children are learning through the book of Genesis. This is working really well and consistently we have had around six children attending with their parents. In July 2021 we had a three days of activity over Zoom, looking at the book of Jonah, doing related activities and games. ## Family Services Our family services have continued to take place every 6-8 weeks, usually in line with the school terms. This has continued online during the pandemic. We have been going through stories of the bible. The family services are a chance for all the family to be together at church for the whole time we are in the building. They are an excellent way for individuals to invite their family and friends who may be non-Christians. We sing songs with actions, usually have a fun interactive part usually based on the story we are about to hear from and then a Bible story. This year we have introduced a memory verse that the children can learn beforehand and then receive badges to place on a blanket to show they have remembered the verse. ## Memorial Hall Committee Two of our trustees continue to sit on the committee for the Memorial Hall (where the Church meets), there have been no meetings but the Elder who oversees this has been in regular contact with the chairman regarding updates and meeting back at the hall. ## Formal Complaints update In Feb 2021, The Mission Church instructed CSS (Christian Safeguarding Services) to undertake an Independent Safeguarding Culture Review looking at the complaints received on 2/5/2020 and the culture at The Mission Church. A review was started in March 2021, and is due to be completed in August 2021, as of July 2021, all information has been gathered and is being reviewed by CSS. We are awaiting the outcome. We continued to liaise with The Charity Commission during this time. ## **Mission and Evangelism** The Mission Church continues to look for ways to be involved in both the local and wider community. Some of the ways we do this are: **3 |** P a g e ## Partnerships with other Churches. The Mission Church has continued to seek and develop “informal partnerships” with other Churches and Pastors. We continue to pray for other Churches and periodically meet with Church leaders to encourage one another, share resources where we can, and provide preaching support. These partnerships have developed where joint ventures are now carried out throughout the year, from small conferences, both male and female ones, and “Family Fun Days”. In light of Covid 19, part of the year has severely disrupted this particular area of Church life. However, through zoom, phone calls and social distancing meeting up, key partnerships have been kept. ## Beginnings Our Baby and Toddler group continued to be suspended during this time of Covid – 19, with updates given on the facebook page. ## Involved Together Similarly, to Beginnings the group has been suspended during this time of Covid – 19, however leaders have kept in touch with those who are older and more isolated and provided practical support where needed. ## Love in Action As a Church we like to share the love of Jesus Christ with others. One of the ways we do this is through what we call 'Love in Action'. Which means when we are made aware of a need amongst our Church or wider community we try to meet that need, e.g. we have provided meals for a couple who had a baby. We also try to send flowers and cards to those who are going through a difficult time or need some encouragement. ## – Nepal We continued our relationship with the Dolpa Hope Children’s home in Kathmandu. The Elders continue to meet via Zoom with those who run the Dolpa Home to continue to connect and pray together. The Elders also meet with a Pastor and his Elders from another Church in Nepal, called Message of the Cross, to study, connect and pray together. The Mission Church have visited this Church during a visit. We offer financial support to both the Dolpa Hope Home and Message of the Cross Church. ## **Pastoral care** The Pastor meets regularly with people in the Church, who consider themselves to be in crisis. During the past year we have continued to meet either on a weekly/fortnightly/monthly basis with numerous families, listening to them, **4 |** P a g e praying with them and suggesting ways forward as we look at Scripture together. This has helped those families start to work through necessary issues in a constructive helpful way. Although Covid 19 has affected this ministry, the leaders have contacted people on a regular basis via the telephone, to see how they are doing, delivered food where necessary and taken some to both hospital and doctors appointments. ## Membership All are welcome to attend our regular services, connect groups and prayer group. For those wanting to make a deeper commitment to the body of Christ, membership is available. We currently have 22 members. We have two members meeting each year on of which is our AGM, agendas and minutes are provided and are available on the member’s section of our website. ## Website and social media A great way to promote the Church and inform people is through the internet. The Mission Church has its own website which is updated regularly and provides a wealth of information on the Church and its activities. There is also a member’s area in which to access meeting minutes and other relevant documentation. We also use Facebook, to inform people of upcoming events and to advertise what is going on in the Church. ## **Financial review** Independent examiner of accounts : Phillip Harris |Gordon Down and Co
144, Walters Road
Swansea
SA1 5RW|| |---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the
end of the period|The total income received during this period was :
£ 31,156
The total expenditure for this period was £36,708
Leaving an income over expenditure total of :
-£5,552| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding
reserves stating why
they are held|The reserves covers a month’s hall hire and
running costs for one month, one month’s salary
and one month’s remuneration which is £2158 (Oct
2020)| **5 |** P a g e ||This amount is held within the church savings
account.
£11,516| |---|---| |Amount of reserves held|We currently hold £2158| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|N/A| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a
going concern|The coronavirus to date has not affected any
income, however families have left the church
during this time which has affected income. We
are still able to operate within the governmental
guidelines and undertake all meetings virtually. We
do not currently need to pay for the hire of the hall
or the monthly costs of physically running the
church.| ## **Trustee remuneration, benefits and expenses.** The charity makes monthly payments to one of the trustees Pastor M Skinner for his services as a pastor. This is under an office holder’s agreement not an employee. There is also a monthly payment made to him for previous incurred expenses as part of ministry. Trustees are permitted within our financial procedures to claim for items such as travel costs, accommodation costs, conferences, hospitality and books. Our charity constitution makes provision for the remuneration of trustees. (point 10) ## **Financial donations and support** In this period, we have been able to support a number of other charities namely We also financially support a number of individuals involved in Christian ministry and make financial donations to individuals, known to the Church, who are in need (regardless of their faith) In this period, we have also spent £3,097 on our Nepal partnerships. CAP – we continued to support the work of CAP a Christian debt management organisation, with a monthly donation of £100 until July 2021, where this was reviewed and in agreement with CAP the support ended. ## **Church structure** The Mission Church is governed by the Church constitution and rules dated 1st November 2013. All Church Officers (Pastor, Elders and Deacons) become a **6 |** P a g e Trustee when they assume their position as a Church Officer. The Trustees meet twice a year. Decisions are made by a majority vote between the trustees. ## **Administrative details** |Charity name|The Mission Church Morriston| |---|---| |Other name the charity
uses|None| |Registered contact|Dawn Fearn| |Registered charity
number|1154691| |Charity’s principal
address|143, Vicarage Road
Morriston
Swansea
SA6 6DR| ||| ||**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year**| |---|---|---|---| |1|Mark Skinner|Pastor/Elder|| |2|Ian Fearn|Elder|| |3|Dawn Fearn|Deacon and secretary|| |4|Christine Skinner|Treasurer|| |5|David Stanton|Deacon|| |6|Sheress Griffiths|Deacon|Maternity leave for this
year| **7 |** P a g e I￿lIsS1ON CHLRCH NIOIUiISTON RECElVtS AND PAI'IIENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE I'E.4R EINDI.NG 31ST JLLY 20?1 www.missionchurchmorrislon.com Registered ehanty number.. 1154691 ion The Mission Church. Morriston J17{1 Orri