## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period**
Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year **From** 1st January 2021 **To** 31st December 2021
## Section A Reference and administration details
**Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any)** 1168358
Risley Independent Methodist Church
**Charity's principal address** Risley Independent Methodist Church Fearnhead Lane Fearnhead **Postcode WA2 0BY**
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Ronald Percival|||Church members|
||Alison Speakman|Treasurer||Church members|
||James Tobiasen|Vice President||Church members|
||Suzanne Walker|||Church members|
||Kathleen Tobiasen|||Church members|
||Judie Leah|||Church members|
||Barbara Ellam|||Church members|
||Leslie Hughes|||Church members|
||Christopher Mayes|President||Church members|
||David McDonald|||Church members|
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
## **Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)**
**Name Dates acted if not for whole year**
**TAR**
March **2012**
1
|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
**Type of adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
**Type of adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
**Type of adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|
|---|---|---|
||||
||||
||||
||||
|**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**|||
||||
## **Section B Structure, governance and management**
## **Description of the charity’s trusts**
Constitution dated July 2016
Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Trustees are appointed by the church members. Trustee selection methods
(eg. appointed by, elected by)
## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)**
All member Churches constitute the Connexion of Independent Methodist You **may choose** to include Churches. Groups of Churches are associated in Circuits for mutual additional information, where benefit. relevant, about: • The trustees are legally responsible for the management and policies and procedures adopted for the induction and administration of the church. Trustees give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits. Trustees are also members of training of trustees. the church and regular attenders at services, church meetings and • the charity’s organisational the charity’s organisational functions. Trustees’ meetings are called as necessary and chaired by the structure and any wider President. We do not have formal policies and procedures for the network with which the charity induction and training of trustees.
- the charity’s organisational the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
- relationship with any related The day to day running of the church, including the allocation of resources, is the responsibility of the church members who will give due
- parties; regard to the Statements of Faith and Practice of the Independent
- • trustees’ consideration of Methodist Connexion and our own Church rules. Our church is affiliated to major risks and the system the Independent Methodist Connexion, cooperating with like churches for and procedures to manage the spread of our faith, but in points of Government, Discipline and them. Finances the church is independent and its decisions final. Our church pays £35 per member each year to the Connexion. The church members meetings are held once every two months and are chaired by the President.
The trustees are satisfied that strategies are in place to assess and manage risks: Comprehensive insurance cover is in place. Appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are carried out for all those working with children in the church. We have a Child Protection policy prepared following guidelines from the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS) and Warrington Social Services Department. This policy is readily available at church. The parent/guardian of all children who attend Boomerang will be asked to fill
**TAR**
March **2012**
2
in a registration form. Risk assessments are carried out as and when necessary.
## **Section C Objectives and activities**
The principal object of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Statements of Faith and Practice of the Independent Methodist Connexion. The charity may also carry out **Summary of the objects of the** other charitable purposes in the United Kingdom and/or other parts of the **charity set out in its** world. **governing document**
||**Objectives and activities**|**Objectives and activities**|
|---|---|---|
||The principal object of the charity is the advancement of the
Christian faith in accordance with the Statements of Faith and Practice of
the Independent Methodist Connexion. The charity may also carry out
other charitable purposes in the United Kingdom and/or other parts of the
world.||
|**Summary of the main**
**activities undertaken for the**
**public benefit in relation to**
**these objects (include within**
**this section the statutory**
**declaration that trustees have**
**had regard to the guidance**
**issued by the Charity**
**Commission on public**
**benefit)**||Risley I.M. Church has been registered as a charity since July 2016.
In pursuit of our objectives undertaken for the public benefit the trustees
have considered the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public
benefit and its supplementary public guidance on the advancement of
religion. Church activities are summarised below.
Services
Our church services are held each Sunday, alternating between 10:45am
and 6pm. The services are for the praise and worship of God, prayers,
and the preaching and teaching of God’s word (The Bible). A free-will
offering and gift aid donations are collected during the service.
Services to commemorate the Lord’s Supper (Sacramental services) take
place on the first Sunday in each month after the evening service and on
the third Sunday in each month after the morning service. All are
welcome to all our services. In normal circumstances, children leave the
morning service part way through and take part in their own bible learning
and activities in the Sunday school (called Boomerang).
Special Services
We have services in commemoration of important dates in the Christian
calendar: Easter, Harvest and Christmas.
Prayer meeting
Each Wednesday evening, there is a prayer meeting to which all are
welcome. Prayer requests (for individuals, groups, situations) are
brought by those in attendance and everyone is welcome to pray out loud
or inwardly as they see fit.
Walking day
This annual event takes place on a Saturday at the end of June. Local
churches (of all denominations), schools, scout and guide groups join in a
procession through the local streets accompanied by marching bands.
Hundreds of people show their support by lining the streets to watch the
parade. After the walk we have tea together at church. After tea, the
children are presented with an envelope containing a small amount of
money to spend as they wish (traditionally at the funfair).|
**TAR**
March **2012**
3
## Overseas missions
The Overseas Missions section of the Connexion is concerned with the spreading of the gospel to people of other lands. There is no Independent Methodist missionary society, but missionaries from Independent Methodist churches work with other missionary societies and receive support from the Connexion.
Christenings, marriages and funerals
These ordinances shall take place by mutual agreement between those concerned and the Minister or President. Marriage is intended to be a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman; our church rules do not permit same-sex marriages or blessings.
Prayer support and financial contribution to other charities
Our church has links to other charities which we support in prayer, practically and financially:
Warrington Food Bank, a project run by the Trussell Trust, working to provide three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people in crisis who are referred by professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers and police.
Barnabus, a Christian charity based in Manchester dealing with the homeless and socially deprived.
North East Helplink, which provides support, care, comfort and temporary accommodation for people in greatest need within the Northeast of England. Sadly, this charity has closed due to difficulties encountered during the pandemic.
Room at the Inn, which provides daytime services to homeless and vulnerable people and a 22-bed emergency accommodation unit in Museum Street, Warrington.
Warrington Youth for Christ, part of an international organisation which takes the Gospel to young people through schools’ work, youth groups, academies and mission trips.
Open Doors works in over 60 countries, supplying Bibles, training church leaders, providing practical support and emergency relief, and supporting Christians who suffer for their faith. In the UK and Ireland Open Doors works to raise awareness of global persecution, mobilising prayer, support and action among Christians.
We support worldwide charities and disaster funds as needs arise.
## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)**
**TAR**
March **2012**
4
All those who are trustees and members of the church perform their duties on a voluntary basis. There are those who regularly attend church services and mid-week meetings and who perform vital jobs in our fellowship, but who do not wish to become church members. Such members of the congregation are valued by the church and welcome to attend member’s meetings though they are not permitted to vote or move proposals.
You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about:
- policy on grant making.
- policy programme related investment.
- contribution made by volunteers.
Our ministers render their services without financial reward, in accordance with the apostolic practise of an unpaid ministry. We do offer expenses to ministers, as some of them travel from outside the area to preach in our church. If a minister has come as a representative of another charitable organisation, then a separate contribution to that organisation may be made.
The church would also like to recognise the contribution made by those who voluntarily maintain our building and grounds, put out our bins, weed the garden, prune trees and replace broken fences. We also appreciate those who spend time baking and making sandwiches etc. for the occasions when we have refreshments after the service or at social events.
In normal circumstances once a month we serve tea, coffee and biscuits after the morning service, provided by members of the congregation on a voluntary rota. There is a coffee morning each Thursday to which everyone is welcome, again provided by volunteers.
## Section D Achievements and performance
**TAR**
March **2012**
5
## **Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year**
A morning service was held on the first Sunday morning of the year. The government’s decision to put us in tier 4 led us to close our church again and there were no Sunday services until the 14 March, when we recommenced our worship with social distancing, hand sanitisers and masks. Recorded hymns and bible readings were displayed on the projector. We continued to support our usual charities, Warrington Youth for Christ and Open Doors, financially. On Easter Sunday morning we held a service to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church was decorated with flowers. The Annual General Meeting was held in May following independent examination of our accounts. At the AGM, the election of church officers took place, and the Balance Sheet was presented and accepted by the members. Our Walking Day, normally at the end of June, did not take place. Our church now has a new website https://risleyimc.com. This provides useful information: service times, visiting preachers, links to our partner charities, photo galleries and much more. In September, we held a coffee morning in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support. This included a sale of goods and £240 was raised for the support of people, and their families, affected by cancer. Our Harvest festival thanksgiving service took place on the first Sunday of October in the evening. There was a display of flowers, fruit, vegetables and non-perishable food items, distributed to the sick and elderly after the service. Non-perishable goods were donated to Warrington food bank. The church windows were decorated, and refreshments were served following the service. A box for donations to Room at the Inn raised £131.30 for this local charity. Our church carol service was held on 19th December in the morning, which included a recording of the Nativity events retold by two of our Boomerang children at home. A Christmas Praise service was held on Christmas Day morning, but there was no service on Sunday 26th December. One christening service and four funeral services were held in our church this year.
## **Section E Financial review**
**TAR**
March **2012**
6
We have no policy on reserves.
**Brief statement of the**
**charity’s policy on reserves**
**Details of any funds materially in deficit**
We have no funds in deficit.
## **Further financial review details (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant about:
- the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
- how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
- investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
At most of our services there is a collection of free will offerings, including those made by Gift Aid. These offerings constitute the principal source of the church’s funds.
From time to time, we have fundraising events, such as the Christmas Shop, to raise funds but also to encourage social interaction with those from church and the wider community.
- The church also receives funds through bequests and donations in memory of loved ones. The church has no set fee for Christenings, Marriages and Funerals, but will often receive a donation.
- Bag2School collections of used clothing and textiles also raise funds for church.
Our expenditure enables the maintenance of the church building for the worship of God and the advancement of the Christian faith. We are also able to support other charities, as previously described.
## **Section F Other optional information**
**TAR**
March **2012**
7