2021-22 LMC Annual Report for The Charity Commission
The highlight of the year was that the Church Council voted to welcome same-sex marriages in both of our buildings, with great delight and enthusiasm. The necessary documentation for registration with the General Registry Office has been completed and our registration has been confirmed.
Our Sunday morning Worship, and also our midweek Reflect in the City worship, have both continued to operate in a‘ hybrid’ manner throughout the year - enabling those who cannot attend the building to participate fully in worship - this has been very much appreciated. Our Sunday evening worship is continuing to develop in an informal and interactive style - regularly welcoming reflections and contributions from the congregation.
A number of new folk have become part of our congregations at both Scotforth Road and at The Cornerstone and we have welcomed some of them into membership.
We are seeking ways to build the relationship between the morning congregation at Scotforth Road and the evening congregation at The Cornerstone, we are planning ahead for joint services in an afternoon during the autumn - Harvest and Christmas.
Our Little Pebbles toddler group has grown, regularly welcoming over 25 families / child minders. Our work on Sundays with children and young people continues and, though we have relatively small numbers, the involvement with the youngsters is very much valued.
We completed the Church Development Plan - not as a ‘finalised’ document, but as a continuous ‘work in progress’. Our finances have remained in a healthy position and we managed to secure a grant of £36,000 (over the next three years) towards the salary of The Cornerstone Chaplain, from the Lancashire District.
Through the work of our Centre Manager, we have continued to build relationships with the wider community and discover the needs of the community - particularly at the Scotforth Road building.
The Cornerstone continues to be a hive of activity throughout the week with hundreds of people visiting each week for a wide variety of activities. We provide a variety of different events for the community: Grief Group, Dementia Cafe, Drop-in events, Bereavement Group for those with Learning Disabilities, Moving to Freedom. We are delighted that other community organisations provide additional events and activities in the building which are very much valued by the wider community - Lancaster & District Community & Voluntary Solutions (LDCVS), Lancashire Youth Challenge, Let's Befriends, City of Sanctuary, Lancashire Adult Learning, The Making Place, Food Club, Lancaster Men’s Hub, Socialease, Refugee & Asylum Immigration Support, Poverty Truth Commission. Our Chaplain has continued to offer a very valuable and effective ministry in the city centre - offering a ministry of presence through pastoral care, various support groups (eg.grief, addiction, emotions), teaching, awareness raising and events which draw-in and connect with the wider community. We made some physical alterations to the central section of The Cornerstone - to make the space more usable for ourselves and for our partners / hirers.
The Justice, Peace and Environment Group have continued to raise awareness of campaigns and also identify appropriate charities / focusses for our fundraising activities. The monthly popup Foodbank Collection Point has continued to be well supported by folk from within the church and also by the wider community. This was especially the case in December for the Christmas collection. We also held a very successful pop-up Toy Collection Point to collect gifts for children who are receiving support from the County Council Social Services.
Our greatest challenge through the year has been that we have struggled to recruit people to various roles and responsibilities - this seems to be a more significant issue post-lockdown - we are aware that other churches and voluntary organisations are experiencing a similar difficulty.
CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Lancaster Methodist Church FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2022 North Lancashire Circuit Circuit no. 2116 Registered Charity- Charity Registration number 1170840 If not a registered charity Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs Gift Aid number (The HMRC number is equivalent to a registered charity number in terms of evidence of charitabl8 status and may be used lo give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidenGe of the organisalion's charitable status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered charities are excepted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242) Minister.. Revd Ste hen J Charman Church Stewards: Paul Bowden Lesley Brookbanks Treasurer.. Dr lan Love church R 8nd P 2021.8 l of6
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 Lancaster Methodist Church Unrestricl8d R8slrl¢tod Totals thls Funds Funds year Totals last year SECTION A a1 RECEIPTS Note Offerings and Tax recovered Bank an¢ CFB interest and Investment income 50,459 50.459 49,306 a3 214 214 149 Lettirkgs Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 45,206 14,334 110,213 45,206 89,059 184,938 25,084 276.618 351,157 a5 74,725 74,725 a6 la71 SECTION B bq PAYMENTS b2 Circuit Assessment or Share 36,000 36,000 1,389 36,000 b3 Donations 1,389 12,834 1,548 8.794 b4 Repairs and Maintenance Utilities Ilnsurances, water charges, heating & lighlingl Capital works Other payrnents TOTAL PAYMENTS 12,834 b5 18,086 18,086 52,848 124,984 246.141 10.436 b6 45,848 43,071 157,228 7,000 81,913 88,913 3,154 126,558 186,490 b7 b8 Ib91 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE Y&qR c1 a64)8 47.0151 14,1881 61,203 164,667 Total funds brought forward from last year ¢2 277.450 16,251 293,701 c6 129,035 c3 Sub total c1+c2 230,435 2,063 232,498 293.702 ¢4 Transfers and ad'ustrnenls 50 50 ¢5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR {c3+c4} 230,385 2,063 232,448 Ic81 293,701 {c6 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY.. MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS (these amounts are not to lje included in total receiptslpayments figurès aboval d1 Balance brought fonward from last ar 297 d2 Offerin sIGlfts - received for external org8nisalions 5.729 4,246 d3 OfferingslGifts passed lo external organlsalions 5,894 3,949 d4 BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID Id1+d2431 132 297 eliu1] R and P 2021.xls 2of6
Lancaster Methodist Church su MARY OF CHVRCH ACCOUNTS AND INTERNAL ORGANISAYIONS REPO TING OTHE CHURCH COUNCIL SECTIOFI E Please follow the ¢uidoncé Notas to co 16tè Ihts Summary ollhe Church aeawnls far Ihe yearended 31 jgu512022 and Inlfmal OrganlsaUoll5 reportlng lotho Churth thJndUChtsrch meeng. Ndelh8t the funds of an Intetnal Organisatlon noymallybe Resirfcted funds unles5 il IXJuld becleartysthwn that Ihey cwld beused IIw8ny Mstmls1pUrPOYts. Thi$ ¥e¢tion rnust becolnpléied loarrive al tha gtoss inciTh8 and gxpondltur8 lotslgtsf th&Churth. Ilgross IncoMe&edS Ih&knruals threshold, then IheAccru815 m81hod of accouniing ANDADIFFEfiENT FORM musl be useé lo reportthe a¢<¥yJnts (see M8th(yJistwebs11È1. Plea58 ref8rlothe guIdce noleE rfjgardhg Irgnslets bthen Ihe OlslYlelsn¢J connecw DislriGt OrganiSaOn$. INTERNAL ORGANISATiONS NÈI Rettp1s PayffléD Openlng balarKe8 Pa menls ustMlS croslno balgnce9 ¢2 ¢3 e7 Sub total of Inlemal Organis2UoThs funds B11 gq2 Church 4¢coun15 IlotalÈ broughtfarnard from p&ge 2.totals column) ¢9 184,938 246,141 161,2031 501 293,701 232,448 BY CHURCFI 184,938 246,141 16fj,2tl31 Iso) 293,701 232.448 lyl Conlinue on a separal&8heBt if nerRsSzryand brlny tfitsls fora[d TOTAL PAYMEIITS TOTAL RECEIPTS SECTION F STATEMENT OF ASS D LIABILITIES OPENING BALANCES CLOSING ALAWCES CHURCH-CA8H FUNDS HELD al 31 August 2022 Cash In h£nd 86 381 BEMkCurr8nl AwAAlnl 140W2 105,529 BgnkD osIIAcooiinl f4 2403 24.907 TriJ%lp.e.% fdr Meihodlsl Churth PUrpoS 128,510 101,631 f6 h¢r rn$ SUM TOTAL- Church accounts 293,701 Ic81 232,448 Tota funds held by InletTrs1 OrganisaUonB Ithè cbslno b91anc& i(Aal frfi le121 TOTAL CASH FUNDS MY ¢HURCH 293,701 232,448 SECTION G 1 Sept8mbei2021 11 August 2022 OTHER A8SEfs and LIABILITIES Invesim8nis Includg EndoWtneD15 Land & Bulldlngg (seè notgB re hsLif8nce Value Iplea$8 réfw to note 11 4 441,014 4.803 319 OlherAs80ts Losn -thowatnwnloul&i8ndln ar end zerts Other LlabUIII8s f4 Includ&thly Funds held alth& Cenir81 Flnance board 15 Includ&fflly Funds11gld al Ttusieesftt kleihodlsl Church Purp0585 gl Indde anyoth8r InveBlrnenls Inol ih8c¥sh @bmellldTMCP trusts accounts ihls Is indudod sn Ckn4rknhA*rtdP 2Q21.xls 3oT6
Name of ChurGh . .Lancaster Methodist......... No. .211622 Declarations and Scrutiny I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2022 have been prepared from the records of the ChurGh and that they include all funds under Ihe control of the Church trustees. Signature of treasurer . Date.. 26.6.2023 Name and address of treasurer -Dr lan Love............................ 10 Johnson Close, Lancaster............................ Posl Code LAI SEU Presentation to the Church trustees I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2022 weFe/will be. presented to the meeting of the Church trustees held on 29.6.23 Signature of the Chair of the meeting Name of the Chair of the meeting .Revd Stephen J Charman... Date 26.6.23 Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Lancaster Methodist Church Charity Number 1170840 Responsibilities and basis of report I report to the Irustees on my examination of the accounts of the Lancasler Methodist Church for the year ended 31 August 2022 set out on pages %. to . As the Church's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordanGe with Ihe requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {'the Acl'}- I report in respect of my examination of the Church's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and, in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515){b) of the Act. delete or circle as approprSate Church R and P 2021As 4of6
Name of Church . .Lancaster Methodist......... No. .211622 Independent Examiner's Statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination {atheptSètrblyWhich give me cause to believe that in, any material respect- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act. or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. I havellwkrt., obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balances and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) at the balanGe sheet date. Signature of independent examiner Name of independent examiner Relevant professional qualification of independent examiner trcch. Name of firm {where appropriate) Address Post Code Date delete or Gircle as appropriate Sep-22 Church R 8rA P 2021.9 5of6
Name of Church . .Lancaster Methodist......... No...211622 Notes to the Accounts Note 1.. The Church buildings are enlered at their insured value, as is standard Methodist practice. However, they are not realisable by the local church (by sale or mortgage, for example) and so the church does not have the right to dispose of the buildings, or to gain from their disposal. The two properties for which we are responsible enable the charity to cary out its objectives, and to generate income by hiring faGilities to outside bodies. TMCP {Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes) is the custodian trustee. Church R and P 2021.S page6of6