March 2021 # **Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2020** March 2021 ## **The Church of the Epiphany, Gipton** ## **Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council for the Year Ended 31[st] December 2020** ## **Administrative Information** The Epiphany Church is situated in Beech Lane, Gipton, Leeds 9. It is in the Allerton Deanery of the Diocese of Leeds within the Church of England. The correspondence address is 227 Beech Lane, Leeds, LS9 6SW. The church has a website at www.epiphanyleeds.wordpress.com PCC members who have served from October 2020 until this report was approved are: Vicar: The Reverend Canon Kathryn Fitzsimons Wardens: Philip Simpson Ex-Officio Members: Heather Goodison - Elected Deanery Synod Representative (Until APCM 2023) Wendy Smith - Elected Deanery Synod Representative (Until APCM 2023) Rev Debbie Nouwen Elected Members () = aspects of responsibility NB: All serve for 3 years with one third retiring each year (retirees are eligible for re-election) |Mandy Ruddiman|(Until APCM 2021)| |---|---| |Margaret Poulter|(resigned June 2020)| |Mary Fagan|(resigned October 2020)| |*******************************************************************|| |Jill Cavasi|(Until APCM 2022)| |Janet Thorpe|(Until APCM 2022)| |*****************************************************************|| |Jan Ali (Reader)|(until APCM 2023)| |Chris Muir|(Until APCM 2023)| |Anna Thomas|(Until APCM 2023)| Christine Brett was appointed treasurer and attends PCC in a non-voting capacity. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is a corporate body established by the Church of England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure as amended and Church representation rules that came into force on 2 January 1957 and is registered with the Charity Commission (No.1157658). PCC members are Trustees. The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. All Church attendees are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC. 2 March 2021 As well as the **Standing Committee** (the only committee required by law, having powers to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any direction given by the Council) the PCC has appointed the following committees: Finance Committee Property Committee Worship Committee Other groups meet as appropriate to carry out the mission and ministry of the Church ## **Objectives and Activities** The Epiphany PCC has a responsibility of co-operating with the Vicar, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelical, social and ecumenical. The mission focus of the church of the Epiphany is captured in the **Vision for Mission Statement** and in the **Mission Action Plan** **We aspire to be a welcoming, inclusive and open church that is focused on following in the Way of Jesus and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, supporting God’s mission in Gipton through being a Worshipping Community, a Learning Community and a Serving Community.** **Worship –** Sunday Worship 10am every week The Covid 19 pandemic has made 2020 a strange year. The introduction of on line worship has accompanied services in the building when that has been permitted. **Community –** Members of the congregation are involved in many community activities such as Uniformed Organisations, Pantomime Group, GIPSIL, Schools, Youth Groups, Leeds Citizens, Local Community Forums, The Mustard Seed Community Café, Leeds (South and East) Foodbank ## **Church Attendance** The Electoral Roll figure is 35 The AWC (Adult Worshipping Community) figures for 2020 is 44 ## **Occasional Offices** Baptisms 1 Funerals = 16 Weddings 0 3 March 2021 ## **From the Vicar.** 2020 will go down in history as the year of the Pandemic. We started the year in good spirits and welcomed Debbie Nouwen as a curate. All our usual activities were continuing amidst growing concern about a new virus and then came the instructions to close. The PCC meeting on 19[th] March looked at how we were going to manage to be church without meeting together as church. Since then it has been an everchanging scene of how we worship together, care for each other look out for the community in which we are placed and pay our bills. I am grateful to each and every person who considers themselves part of Epiphany Church for what you have done over the last year. Highlights include all sorts of people learning to use Zoom, visitors from across the world occasionally joining for us Zoom services, refiguring how we delivered food to those who needed it in a Covid secure way, offering our hall for a period of time so the young people of Gipton Together could meet in spite of so many buildings being closed. There have been sadnesses. We have said the last goodbyes to four members of the congregation and the time when were not able to offer funerals was particularly distressing. We have missed meeting together for worship and fellowship; some of our more vulnerable congregation members have not been able to get out much. The pantomime preparations, the gardening project, Mustardseed as well as the activities of other organisations using our building have had to stop. But we have continued in relationship with God and each other. We bade farewell to Caroline Brown, our ordinand who began her curacy in June. Ordination for both Caroline and Debbie was much delayed due to restrictions. The services were very different from the usually packed ordination services but significant nevertheless for those ordained. Our first Zoom worship was on Easter Sunday and it was lovely to see so many gathered apart but together. As well as worship on Zoom, we have sent out sermons, readings, prayers and activities for people of all ages (including palm crosses and christingles!) throughout the year. We were permitted to worship with limited numbers at various times in 2020 and I am grateful to all those who worked hard to make it safe for us to meet. Governance arrangements were difficult, we were not able to have our annual meeting at the usual time. It happened in October. Thanks to Philip Simpson for stepping up unofficially from April and to Chris Muir and Anna Thomas for continuing to hold office for a further 6 months. We are currently still in lockdown but looking to the government’s roadmap for meeting together again. Kathryn ## **Deanery Synod** 2020 started with a Deanery service in February- Puddings and Green Issues at St Edmunds. There was advice on how to change things to make the churches ‘greener’. Each parish shared how they were addressing green issues. During the year there were two Joint Deanery Synods: March which was held at St George’s Church. After Lockdown, the next meeting was held via Zoom. Presentations included Green Issues and Health and Wellbeing, as well as initial discussions on the shape of the future Deanery (ies) 4 March 2021 The Deanery Service due to be held at All Souls was cancelled due to Covid19.The Joint Deanery Synod due to be held in November was postponed.. Heather Goodison and Wendy Smith ## **From the PCC secretary** The PCC had 5 meetings planned for 2020. In March, the PCC meeting became a Covid-19 planning meeting, with lockdown being imminent. All further meetings were held via Zoom, and those PCC members unable to access this were consulted and kept informed by Kathryn. The Zoom meetings were well attended. Agenda items regularly included engaging everyone with worship, pastoral care and when the time came risk assessments before opening up both the church and the hall. The ongoing financial position was also scrutinised. The various committees met with varying frequency between PCC meetings and reported back to the council when necessary again via Zoom. The chosen charity for 2020 nominated by the PCC was Space2. Wendy Smith ## **Safeguarding** There have been no safeguarding incidents during the year. The safeguarding policy was updated according to the diocesan guidelines. Chris Muir ## **Churches Together** Our usual Churches Together work offering a nightshelter for destitute asylum seekers took place in Oakwood Church in February with volunteers from Epiphany participating. Lockdown meant the guests were housed in hotels and WYDAN shelter is looking at how best it can continue to work with those seeking asylum. There has been no other Churches Together activity. ## **Mustard Seed Café** Caroline Brown worked with volunteers and customers and the PCC to think about reframing the café as a Place of Welcome. Plans to bring this about were put on hold because of COVID19 ## **Foodbank** Although volunteers wanted to keep Epiphany Foodbank open, sadly many of our volunteers were vulnerable themselves and Leeds South and East decided a delivery service was best. This was offered from St Wilfrid’s Halton and we got some new volunteers from Epiphany. We were able to re-open in the Summer having made appropriate Covid secure arrangements. The volunteers wear masks and use the hand sanitisers. Clients are asked to wear face coverings and to use the handwash provided. There are masks available for those not bringing one. Clients cannot enter unless agreeing to use a face covering. Clients are responsible for their children. On Monday afternoons the food bags are made up, with fresh food being packed when delivered. Pre-packing the bags ensures that clients can be in and out of the building quickly. We have mainly full deliveries by the Trussell Trust, and that has helped, but occasionally we have bought shortfalls by donations of cash. We also continue to receive donations from the public. 5 March 2021 All the help from the volunteers and donations has helped to increase stock, and shows that the community cares for others in that community. We are all in it together. ## Chris Muir ## **Girl Guiding** Like everyone else Girlguiding had to close when the first lockdown was announced in March, whilst there was a brief opportunity to meet outdoors during the summer, the health concerns of our leaders meant that the risk was too high. Rainbows and Guides have not undertaken any activities so far but are looking at options for 2021. The Brownies set up a private Facebook group on to which activities have been posted each week during term time and in the autumn they started meeting on zoom. Currently we have a small number who attend the zoom meetings, some accessing Facebook and others receiving an email with details of the activities. In September Girlguiding joined with Children in Need and we were challenged to raise funds for both charities by acting our age. The Brownies undertook an owl hunt and whilst the Brownies couldn’t go out and about they did give suggested locations for the 80 owls we set as our target (our unit is 80 years old) and Jan and Margaret went out and about taking pictures to post on a Facebook page. We reached our target, thanks to members of the congregation who helped find some of our owls. We would like to thank the PCC for suspending our rents during the lockdown, this has been a tremendous help as we still have other fees to pay and no income. Jan Ali Brownie Leader ## **From the Property Committee** There was a major incident when part of the ceiling near the north porch at the rear of the church collapsed. There was nobody in the building at the time. It was found that the fixings holding the boards in place had corroded. The surrounding areas were checked and the area underneath cordoned off for safety. Estimates for repairs to the damaged area have been received with the work planned for 2021. There was a reoccurrence of damp appearing on the east wall of St Nicholas Chapel. As before the cause was found to be the outside fall pipe being blocked by pigeons nesting. Although there is an annual contract in place with a contractor to check and clean the gullies the large number of pigeons continue to be an issue which is difficult to resolve. Further work by contractors was carried out on the drains at the east end of Church following water ingress through the sink and disused toilet on the north side following heavy rain. Damage to the drains was found to be down to tree roots . The three wall heaters in the small hall have been replaced. Andrew Wyles, the appointed architect completed the quinquennial report. Copies are available for inspection. The PCC will attend to the issues raised over the coming years Richard Naylor 6 March 2021 ## **From the Treasurer** In my final year as Treasurer, I would firstly like to acknowledge the team that help our finances run smoothly; Jan Ali and Kathryn Fitzsimons meet with me as a Finance team, joined later this year by Christine Brett who will be our new Treasurer. Thank you for your continued wisdom, support and patience. Mandy and Jan who co-ordinate the invoices and bookings for the Church Hall. Kathryn who administrates for the Charity Commission. The PCC members who ensure that I am accountable. I do very much appreciate your work. Thank you for sharing the load! This year has been particularly challenging with regard to the impact of the pandemic on our finances and I can’t thank the Finance team enough for their work and joint careful consideration to get us through this last year, financially sound. ## **Financial Reports** The Statement of Assets and Liabilities report shows the four places where our money is stored; the Current Account; the savings account (CCLA account); cash-in-hand or as cash-in-hand for Mustard Seed. Cash-in-hand is the money that I keep back in order to create floats for things like the Christmas Fair. I also try to keep as much as I can in the savings account where it gains a little interest. This report also shows our Liabilities. Our Liabilities are money which we are holding, or money that we collect, that belongs to other people (we are Agents for them). For example we hold the money for Gipton Churches Together. Occasionally we will have collections for specific purposes such as Christian Aid Week, or a collection for the Children’s Society. This money will go through our Agency collections account and appears as a liability on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. At this time, all of the money in this account belongs to Gipton Churches Together. This report also gives a breakdown of the money that we hold. This year you can see that we have £18,716 unrestricted funding (money that we can use for our day-to-day work), at the end of the financial year. The Receipts and Payments account provides a breakdown of the money that we have received and paid out in 2020. It shows that we have received £38,641.54 this year and spent £34,987.82. It also shows transfer of fund between accounts. This year we have transferred £5100 from the unrestricted funds to the Designated funds for Church/Hall maintenance costs. Analysis of the Receipts and Payments Account - which breaks the report down into more detail - will be available on request at any time. ## **Income for 2020:** Thank you for your extra hard work this year in maintaining your Planned Giving. This year you raised £13,709 (compared to £15,215 in 2019), which I think is amazing considering the year we have had. Thank you for continuing your commitment to Stewardship and keeping us running as a Church! In addition to this we received just over £3000 in voluntary donations, which included a £2000 gift from Oakwood Church which was gifted to help us pay our Parish Share in full. We received £7000 from people who have kindly donated to the Church through leaving a gift to us in their Will. We also raised £4737 from Church Hall rents (in the months that we are allowed to open), and just over £1000 from Fees for weddings and funerals. This amounted to just less than half of the income we received in this area last year. We received a payment of £7665 which was Gift-Aid claim covering 18 months. 7 March 2021 Thank you to those who organise and support events that raise funds for the Church. Despite the pandemic you raised over £1317. (compared to £1730 last year) This was from the Metro Goldwyn Gipton Panto, held in February 2020, Mustard Seed Café and your Sunday Coffee contributions! For 2021: We expect to be similarly affected by the pandemic in 2021 and the PCC and Finance Team will be keeping a close eye on our finances. ## **Expenditure for 2020:** We have paid our Parish Share in full!! What an amazing achievement! Thank you all! Church and Hall running expenses have been £3637 for Gas and Electricity. These were larger than usual, as expected, due to the problems we had with our energy supplier in 2019. We have now moved to Octopus Energy. Church and Hall maintenance costs have been approx. £5000 this year, which includes the hedge and grass cutting. We continued our maintenance contracts with various companies in order to ensure that we continue to look after our premises. Our giving to Mission/Charity was: our Charity of the year – Space 2 (£115) and the National Churches Trust (£100) who have supplied us with significant grants in the past. Despite running our Church Services both online and/or in Church - depending on the pandemic restrictions at the time - our cost of services has stayed about the same (£649 in 2019, £642 in 2020). These costs include items such our Licences, Zoom fees, candles, altar breads and service sheets. Our cleaning costs reduce from £936 in 2019 to £374 in 2020 due to the Hall being closed and cleaning not being required. ## For 2021: We will be moving ahead with our renovation project to repair the Church ceiling and decorate the Church. This will be using our currently allocated Restricted funding plus additional grants and it is not expected to impact our unrestricted funds. Our Parish Share will be £19,006 for 2021. We will pay 25% of our monthly amount during 2021, but will review this and if possible, pay additional amounts every quarter in discussion with the PCC. ## **Accounting Policy:** Our accounts have been prepared on a ‘Receipts and Payments’ basis, which means that we account for our transactions as we receive or spend the money, rather than accruals accounting. Funds: The accounts are separated into various pots of money, for general, designated or restricted use; General funds are for the day-to-day running of the Church and Hall. Designated funds are those pots of money that we have chosen to set aside from our general funds, to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are those which must be used for a very specific purpose, for example grants, or donations for specific things. 8 March 2021 The table below explains what our various funds are: **----- Start of picture text -----**
Type of Name of fund Purpose
fund
Unrestricted General Our day-to-day running
Designated BF-Des Where we save £200 each month to put towards Maintenance.
Sometimes we need to top this up if we have additional
expenditure on Church or Hall maintenance.
Designated BSA-Des Buildings Special Appeal, where we saved donations from the
congregation towards the new boiler. Remaining funds will be
used for other Special Building projects.
Designated Dynamo Money held for a local football team.
Designated Legacy Money left in legacy. For the replacement of the items used in
Communion. Necessary purchases were made, and the balance
will remain.
Restricted Arts This is a grant that we received that can be spent on anything to
do with Arts based projects.
Restricted BF – Res This is where we hold the Grant money for our large building
works.
Restricted Healing This money is specifically towards the cost of Healing services.
Restricted MU This is the money that we received towards the Mothers Union
holiday that we ran for local families some years ago.
Restricted MYP We keep some money aside for Mission with Young People and
we transfer £300 in to this fund every year.
Restricted One-off A place where we can keep small one-off grants that we have
grants received during the year.
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Reserves Policy:** We aim to keep between 3 and 6 months running costs in the bank at all times. This is a minimum of £9,000 and a maximum of £18,000, in our general funds. This ensures that we are able to meet our running costs for 3 months. At the end of 2020 we have £18,716.30 in our General fund. This is slightly over our reserve, but we felt it was appropriate given the ongoing fluctuations in income and expenditure due to the impact of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. ## **Movement of funds** : This table shows the movement of money between the funds. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Fund Fund balances
Fund and type balances Incoming Outgoing Transfers carried forward to
brought resources resources 2021
forward from
2019
Unrestricted – General 15,115.90 38,641.54 29,941.14 (5100.00) 18,716.30
Fund
Designated – Building 205.44 - 5046.68 5100.00 258.76
Fund
Designated – Building 3516.00 - - - 3,516.00
Special Appeal Fund
Designated – Dynamo 63.12 - - - 63.12
Designated – Legacy 69.20 - - - 69.20
**----- End of picture text -----**
9 March 2021 **----- Start of picture text -----**
Restricted – Arts 1107.07 - - - 1,107.07
Restricted – Building 23,451.45 - - - 23,451.45
Fund
Restricted – Healing 31.69 - - - 31.69
Restricted – Mothers 30.00 - - - 30.00
Union
Restricted – Mission 218.18 - - - 218.18
with young people
Restricted – One-off 0.00 - - - 0.00
grants
TOTALS 43,808.05 38,641.54 34,987.82 0.00 47,461.77
**----- End of picture text -----**
Following the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, which has included the closure of the church buildings at various times during 2020 and 2021, the level of income received by the PCC reduced. This due to a reduction in cash collections, parochial fees and income from hall lettings. To compensate for this the PCC has reduced its standing order for share during the year. In 2020 it was paid in full. Whilst the PCC remains committed to paying what Parish Share it can, this is not a legal obligation and therefore, the trustees are confident they can flex the amount of Parish Share paid over the next 12 months to ensure the charity remains a Going Concern. This report and the accounts was approved by the PCC at its meeting of 18[th] March 2021 Vicar and Chair of the PCC 18 3 2021 Appendix 1 Receipts and Payment Account for the period 01January 2020 to 31 December 2020 Appendix 2 Statement of Assets and Liabilities as 31 December 2020 Appendix 3 Independent examiners Report 10 March 2021 Appendix 1 Church Of The Epiphany Reeeipts and Payment* Aecount For the period from 01 J•nu•ry 2020 to 31 December 2020 122￿.5$ IA7B.iNI 10J)36 7W.19 112X.S5 1.476.t• lJ.117.f 7A93.66 281.73 7.W.19 I J17Af lJ2.91 S.T79AO .317AI 13191 1.731.72 iin6.fjj 31S41J4 XG41 94 215.ro 215.D2 19Mf6. 22 524723 4.110.73 907X •J6.93 *597.71 1559.70 1.486.96 10120.62 6JJ6326 H¥1 252A) 29J41.14 4.7Q•.4• Tr0*. 3.S5J.n I.1￿.>B Icffj. 9.fj641 19.E64WI 15.10)JJD) J.¢ty)A• J2 J.ÈSJ.72 l.11S.X 115J• JJS*7¢ X•J•J• 14.716JO JJOT.tM 24*38. 47.4M.77 43.•M.OS March 2021 Appendix 2 ChuTch Of The Epiphany St•temeni (trf A•$et¥ •nd Li•bililie• (by ¢odel AS aL' 31 DeC￿•be[ 2020 To¢al Last yw 10.WJ8.rJ 7.924.97 78.10 1S.(KJ 3.757.C 16.180 47 31.433 41 228 10 15 12.875 79 10.. CCLA ICBFltlwA 23.9)844 150. 198.(rfJ 1471U• 47MISX 442172¢ 38421 384 21 39921 Tot*s 21421 1&716.&1 18.711.Xl 259 70 35to t 8312 15.115.WJ 258 70 1518.cll e3.12 4J920 3.5te.oJ 63.12 1.107n7 Z3.45145 1.107 07 23.45145 1.107.07 23.451.45 31.C•J 3109 31. 218.18 218 18 218.18 701 *>Pi.(4 4?￿I.n 12 March 2021 Appendix 3 The Parochial Church Council Of The Ecclesiastical Parish Of The Epiphany Gipton, Leeds Independent examlner's report to the trustees of The Parochlal Church Councll Of The Eccleslastlcal Parlsh Of The Eplphany Glpton, Leeds I report to the charity Irustees on my examinatt'on of the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31 December 2020. which are set out on pages 11 to 12. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees 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 examinalion of the Trusl's accounls as camed oul under seclion 145 01 the 2011 Act. In carrwng out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the Act. Indepondent examlnels statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention In connection with the èxamination glving mè causé to beli8Vè that in any material respect= 1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act- or 2 the accounts do nol accord Mlth Ihose records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters In connectlon with the examinatlon lo whlch attention should be drawn in this report In order to enable a pr¢Jper understanding of the accounts lo be reached. Slgned.. Name.. E J Beverley Relevant professional qualtncation or boty= FCCA Dale= 1310412021 West Yorkshlre Communlty Accounting Servlce stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW 13