## **West Preston Methodist Church Minister’s report 2026 for the Annual General Church Meeting** ## Minister’s Report 2026- West Preston Methodist Church This last year has yet again been challenging for various reasons, yet we still have many highlights as we journey together. I want to begin by expressing my appreciation as to how many of you volunteer and support the wide range of activities across West Preston Methodist Church with little fuss each week. Where would we be without you? Sometimes our individual conversations, care, serving, prayers and work done in the background may seem insignificant, but without them where would we be? It is when we see all these together we discover how we play our part in God’s mission together. Special thanks to Sheila Sheldon who is stepping down as a Worship Steward after more than 20 years in the role. We are aware that many of our volunteer teams seem stretched at times, whether it is for our preparations for Sunday worship or mid-week activities if you would like to support or know someone suitable to ask then please do talk with Jennie, one of the secretaries or stewards or myself. Last summer we engaged the church in a time of reflection following last year’s AGCM where we were challenged about how many were tired in their roles and how we can better worship and pray together to draw us closer to God. Over 50 of you came along to our away day and based on our reflections and feedback we decided to take undertake a **Season of Prayer and Discernment** in the Autumn - during which we worshipped and prayed together each Sunday as West Preston Methodist Church. We shared stories and came before God in prayer to better understand what God is calling us to be as West Preston (rather than just do). The feedback which we collected in various ways was very useful. Many thanks to the worship stewards and secretaries who helped with this. See separate summary from our **Season of Prayer and Discernment** which we will be reflecting on during our service / meeting. Our the year our Sunday worship continues to develop, with the Connenxional worship themes for Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter being much appreciated. Our ecumenical links are building up – with the Walks of Witness in Ashton in the run up to Christmas and on Good Friday attracting a good attendance. Also the continued work of Share It! in Ingol, which had a first joint ecumenical service for a few years at Ingol on Palm Sunday. Many thanks to Jennie for her good work on these projects (we will here more in the service). With new incumbents; Father Andrew at Holy Family and Vicar Kate at St. Margaret’s, we are looking forward to building on these ecumenical links in Ingol as well. Looking back, if I am honest, the stresses were building up before last Autumn, then by December I realised I needed to stop. I was off ill for 6 weeks till the end of January. I wasn’t expecting to have to stop for so long but the advice has been good. I have appreciated people’s prayers, and to those stepping up to cover things I have had to lay aside awhile – including Jennie Lockett, Deacon Rebecca-Joy, and Rev. Linda for covering services over Christmas and into the new year. Just as I was preparing to come back the circuit had the news that Rev Jane has stepped down as Superintendent and Denise Johnson has been off as well. We continue to pray for them and for the Circuit Leadership team as they set in place provision until a replacement is found for Jane hopefully in September 2027. We give thanks for her ministry and leadership, praying God guides her for the way forward. It is important as a church that we have a clear sense of direction which will help us in the coming months and year for the ways forward and how we deal with difficult decisions. We will be looking for your responses again as we evaluate our mission statement / purpose / vision at our meeting, hoping to update and better communicate our mission. I commend the attached reports and look forward to meeting you on Sunday at our Annual General Church Meeting. Grace and Peace to you all in the name of Christ, Rev Mike Grimsley ## Pastoral report It has been a quiet year, especially with Rev. Mike having been ill. We appreciate the on going work of our Pastoral Visitors and will be looking to add to the team. Those who have gone to glory in the last year - Margaret Farrow, Margaret Clayton and June Hodge. We have had 2 Baptisms and no Weddings We are currently updating our pastoral lists, thanks to those who work on this. CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Wmt Pmton Church FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2025 Preston R**blo Ctycult Clrcuft no. 1128 Regknter￿ Charlty - Charlty Reghtratlon numb•r If not a registered charlty Hh Ma1￿￿* Rovenu¢ and Custom• Glft Ald number ho HMRC number Is aqL￿¥S18Trt to a re9lstefed charity nwnber In terrr¢6 of ￿ldeTr¢e of ¢hartt8ble Btatu6 and may be used to gbve lo donors or grant fu￿18￿8 wishry to see Wbdence of the organL8atlon'8 aritable slatus. Mothodlst charities In Eryland and Walos that are not reglstered cheritles are excepted from regb8tralion under Statuithy IrAlrumwrt 2014 No.242) 1178663 Minister. Rw Mlke Grim Chw¢h Stewards.. Peter Taylor, Gillian Mason, Rebecca Ainsworth. Zoe A"nsworth, Kawn M•rtin, Pam Eaton, Steve Gregory Trèasurer: V4108t Preston SFA 24-25 updatad 2W6 1ofS AccouTrrrs FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 West Preston Church Unre5tr1ct¢d RMtrf¢tsd T•tal• th1¥ Funds y•ar Totsls last year SECTION A a1 RECEIPTS 8 Tax recovered Bank and CFB bnI&r￿t and Investrnenl incc¥ne 54.389 54.389 73,475 a3 19.277 25.996 15.635 11S,297 19,277 22,895 Letti 21.671 Other re¢apl8 TOTAL RECEIPTS 8212 6.212 21.847 121.509 30.752 148.793 SECTION 8 b1 PAYMENTS b2 Cii¢uil Agsèssmefil or Share 34.714 12,794 29,733 34,Y14 59,487 4.581 b3 Donali¢)n¥ ir8 and Mainlenanc• Ulililies Ilnsur2neès. water Cha es, heatin ,733 b5 23,C(11 23,001 1,186 4fj.386 146,794 17,927 1,364 43.029 142,748 Rènt 1,166 31,839 133,247 b7 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 13,547 13.547 b8 Ib91 SECTION C NET RECÉIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 17,950 335 25286 6,047 T¢Aal fund8 brought forward fTOm lo•1 ￿ar ¢2 395.111 8,514 403,625 c6 397,578 ¢3 Sub total cl4¢2 377,161 1.179 Translero and ad"uslmerI8 c7 ¢5 TOTAL FUNOS AT END OF YEAR 1¢3+¢4) 377.161 1.179 378,340 Ic8 403.625 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY REC￿ED AND PASSED ON TO EThERNAL ORGANISATIONS thM• •mounts arn not to b• InGludvd In l¢¢al r•c•l d1 88Lgnce bro hl forward ITOM l•sl 401 d2 Offeri sIGifts- recèiv&l for ektsrn31 or anisatvJn# 3,292 3.233 d3 Off•ringslGifts - pa5$ed lo extemal or￿1$al￿)n$ 3,097 3,634 d4 BALANCE STFLL TO 8E PAID (d1 +d2431 196 2of5 Wt81 PrtswmSFA 2*25 wthted2Sg26 West Prest Church SÉCMN E AWD A fiFFERENT FORM fWJStbe (Me F1e*>e tr•n¥vibet*wn tha •hd eohf*cthd DiStr￿t0￿an￿￿)nI INTERWAL OfttsAWISATKY4S 177 17T e5 177 171 ln Ch￿th i¢¢•Jrt• Izi. 40&826 ay CMURGH I￿1> do3,￿2 378.310 Contmu•on• TOTAL CLOSIIG 6#r& Currmtknthil (4 1•5> IAITom *t*MI1•12> 17T T07ILC•AH FUXDJ HELDJY¢HIJIt¢N 403.*)2 ¥EC7KJN ri At 31 +W•l 202 18•s*Y*w2D24 OTNÈRASVJÈTAaThd Li•XIrn$ 110618 OlherA%•• 141r￿￿ety￿ Fuod5 C**al IS Funds held n¥pJ 3¢Jf5 Name of Church . Declarations and Scrutiny I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2025 have been prepared from the records of the Church and thal they include all funds under the control of the Church trustees. Signature of treasurer Name and address of treasurer . LJh¢ 77ty￿ Post C(hJe.. .k.3.. IAL Presentatlon to the Church trustees I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 werelwill be. presented to the meeting of the Church trustees held on Slgnature of the Chair of the meeting Name of Ihe Chair ofihe meeting E¢ 6Jisl Charlty Number . 1178863 Responslbllltles and basls of report I report to the Iruslees on my examination of the accounts of the West Preston Methodist Church for the year ended 31 August 2025 set out on pages 2 to 3 As the Church's trustees, you are responsible for thé preparation of the accounts in accordane* with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {Ihe Act.). I report in respeGI of my examination of the Church's accounts carried out under seclion 145 of Ihe Act and, in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515)(bl of Ihe Acl. delete or circle as appropriate Wesl Pre51Jn SFA24.25 uplated 2￿28 4of5 Name of Church ... Indopandont Examlneys Statofflont I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection the examination *•th••¥￿which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with s¢ction 130 of the Act., or the accounts do not accord with the accounts'ng records. I have no concern¥ and have come across no other matter8 in connedion with the examinatlon to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reach￿. I havelkn•*' obtained independenl ¥errfulion of all investments with the Trustees for Methodl8t Church Purposes or held In olhef tnAts. bank balances arKI fund8 at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church whlch are individually in exr*ss of £10,1)00 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance 6hoet date. Slgnature of independent examlner Name of independent examiner Relevanl professional qualificatK)n of independent Oxaminer Name of firm (where appropriate) . ..To.H.Aj A. Po R TEQ L CO. Address ..l.*....D. IL￿.￿￿￿0￿1 (ROA) , Post Code MILk 5hf Date delete or circle os appropriale W6st Pregtm SFA 2*25 2￿26 5of5 CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Wmt Pmton Church FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2025 Preston R**blo Ctycult Clrcuft no. 1128 Regknter￿ Charlty - Charlty Reghtratlon numb•r If not a registered charlty Hh Ma1￿￿* Rovenu¢ and Custom• Glft Ald number ho HMRC number Is aqL￿¥S18Trt to a re9lstefed charity nwnber In terrr¢6 of ￿ldeTr¢e of ¢hartt8ble Btatu6 and may be used to gbve lo donors or grant fu￿18￿8 wishry to see Wbdence of the organL8atlon'8 aritable slatus. Mothodlst charities In Eryland and Walos that are not reglstered cheritles are excepted from regb8tralion under Statuithy IrAlrumwrt 2014 No.242) 1178663 Minister. Rw Mlke Grim Chw¢h Stewards.. Peter Taylor, Gillian Mason, Rebecca Ainsworth. Zoe A"nsworth, Kawn M•rtin, Pam Eaton, Steve Gregory Trèasurer: V4108t Preston SFA 24-25 updatad 2W6 1ofS AccouTrrrs FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 West Preston Church Unre5tr1ct¢d RMtrf¢tsd T•tal• th1¥ Funds y•ar Totsls last year SECTION A a1 RECEIPTS 8 Tax recovered Bank and CFB bnI&r￿t and Investrnenl incc¥ne 54.389 54.389 73,475 a3 19.277 25.996 15.635 11S,297 19,277 22,895 Letti 21.671 Other re¢apl8 TOTAL RECEIPTS 8212 6.212 21.847 121.509 30.752 148.793 SECTION 8 b1 PAYMENTS b2 Cii¢uil Agsèssmefil or Share 34.714 12,794 29,733 34,Y14 59,487 4.581 b3 Donali¢)n¥ ir8 and Mainlenanc• Ulililies Ilnsur2neès. water Cha es, heatin ,733 b5 23,C(11 23,001 1,186 4fj.386 146,794 17,927 1,364 43.029 142,748 Rènt 1,166 31,839 133,247 b7 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 13,547 13.547 b8 Ib91 SECTION C NET RECÉIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 17,950 335 25286 6,047 T¢Aal fund8 brought forward fTOm lo•1 ￿ar ¢2 395.111 8,514 403,625 c6 397,578 ¢3 Sub total cl4¢2 377,161 1.179 Translero and ad"uslmerI8 c7 ¢5 TOTAL FUNOS AT END OF YEAR 1¢3+¢4) 377.161 1.179 378,340 Ic8 403.625 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY REC￿ED AND PASSED ON TO EThERNAL ORGANISATIONS thM• •mounts arn not to b• InGludvd In l¢¢al r•c•l d1 88Lgnce bro hl forward ITOM l•sl 401 d2 Offeri sIGifts- recèiv&l for ektsrn31 or anisatvJn# 3,292 3.233 d3 Off•ringslGifts - pa5$ed lo extemal or￿1$al￿)n$ 3,097 3,634 d4 BALANCE STFLL TO 8E PAID (d1 +d2431 196 2of5 Wt81 PrtswmSFA 2*25 wthted2Sg26 West Prest Church SÉCMN E AWD A fiFFERENT FORM fWJStbe (Me F1e*>e tr•n¥vibet*wn tha •hd eohf*cthd DiStr￿t0￿an￿￿)nI INTERWAL OfttsAWISATKY4S 177 17T e5 177 171 ln Ch￿th i¢¢•Jrt• Izi. 40&826 ay CMURGH I￿1> do3,￿2 378.310 Contmu•on• TOTAL CLOSIIG 6#r& Currmtknthil (4 1•5> IAITom *t*MI1•12> 17T T07ILC•AH FUXDJ HELDJY¢HIJIt¢N 403.*)2 ¥EC7KJN ri At 31 +W•l 202 18•s*Y*w2D24 OTNÈRASVJÈTAaThd Li•XIrn$ 110618 OlherA%•• 141r￿￿ety￿ Fuod5 C**al IS Funds held n¥pJ 3¢Jf5 Name of Church . Declarations and Scrutiny I confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2025 have been prepared from the records of the Church and thal they include all funds under the control of the Church trustees. Signature of treasurer Name and address of treasurer . LJh¢ 77ty￿ Post C(hJe.. .k.3.. IAL Presentatlon to the Church trustees I confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025 werelwill be. presented to the meeting of the Church trustees held on Slgnature of the Chair of the meeting Name of Ihe Chair ofihe meeting E¢ 6Jisl Charlty Number . 1178863 Responslbllltles and basls of report I report to the Iruslees on my examination of the accounts of the West Preston Methodist Church for the year ended 31 August 2025 set out on pages 2 to 3 As the Church's trustees, you are responsible for thé preparation of the accounts in accordane* with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {Ihe Act.). I report in respeGI of my examination of the Church's accounts carried out under seclion 145 of Ihe Act and, in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515)(bl of Ihe Acl. delete or circle as appropriate Wesl Pre51Jn SFA24.25 uplated 2￿28 4of5 Name of Church ... Indopandont Examlneys Statofflont I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection the examination *•th••¥￿which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with s¢ction 130 of the Act., or the accounts do not accord with the accounts'ng records. I have no concern¥ and have come across no other matter8 in connedion with the examinatlon to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reach￿. I havelkn•*' obtained independenl ¥errfulion of all investments with the Trustees for Methodl8t Church Purposes or held In olhef tnAts. bank balances arKI fund8 at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church whlch are individually in exr*ss of £10,1)00 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance 6hoet date. Slgnature of independent examlner Name of independent examiner Relevanl professional qualificatK)n of independent Oxaminer Name of firm (where appropriate) . ..To.H.Aj A. Po R TEQ L CO. Address ..l.*....D. IL￿.￿￿￿0￿1 (ROA) , Post Code MILk 5hf Date delete or circle os appropriale W6st Pregtm SFA 2*25 2￿26 5of5