PORTSMOUTH METHODIST CHURCH
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT for the year ending
31 AUGUST 2022
PORTSMOUTH METHODIST CHURCH Year ended 31 August 2022
1 Objectives and activities
In setting our objectives and planning our activities, the Church Council meets at least three times in each year and ensures that careful consideration is given to the Charity Commissioners’ general guidance on public benefit and, in particular, to its supplementary public benefit guidance on advancing our objectives and conforms to the Charities Act 2011.
Our Mission is to follow the calling of the Methodist Church, to respond to the gospel of God’s love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission. We do this by pursuing the mission of God through worship, learning and caring, service and evangelism.
This is done for as many people as possible within the geographical area the Church serves by providing Christian worship, spiritual development, and pastoral care both to church members and to the wider communities in which they are located.
The Church supports the advancement of the Christian Faith through ecumenical liaison with other Christian groups.
2 Achievements and performance
This year has been another huge challenge for the church. The effect of the Covid pandemic and the regulations which had to be followed, including the cessation of public worship seriously affected normal activities. Now that Covid restrictions have been lifted the church has resumed its focus on Mission and Outreach with regular Christian Sunday Worship as well as Bible Study Groups and Fellowship Groups including a Toddler Group, Coffee Mornings, a Lunch Club, Social Groups and a Zimbabwe Fellowship. The Church also sponsors a lively Boys and Girls Brigade.
The Church also encourages the use of its premises by other faiths and the wider community. Users include Phoenix Players, The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Lithuanian Community of the South Coast, Brownies and Guides, Choirs, the Women’s Institute and other occasional users.
We have explored other ways to expand our Christian Witness using social media and online platforms.
It became necessary to re-evaluate what premises we needed and Trustees decided that the Copnor building was uneconomic to maintain and it was handed over to the Methodist Church Circuit to dispose of. It was also decided to concentrate Worship at Albert Road and utilise Eastney in Highland Road temporarily for Community activities with the view to building up our congregation in one place.
2.1 Plans for future years
To continue to focus on mission activity that will lead new people into faith and so grow the number of Christians and to work with the Methodist Church on its evangelical programme. To continue to make the best use of our buildings and support local initiatives.
3 Financial position
During the year, the Church received total income of £77,748 and dispersed £92,248. Total assets carried forward were £147,952.
The trustees of the Church have every reason to believe that the Church is a going concern. There are no subsidiary undertakings. Trustees acknowledge that recovery from the Covid pandemic continues to impact the financial position and that there are challenges to reduce the use of reserves next year.
The Church has the following sources of funds: Regular donations from members and adherents, interest on investments and income from lettings which are improving.
This income is used to fulfil the mission of the Church to bring more people to Christ and by providing facilities to enable this to happen.
3.1 Staff.
The church does not employ any staff directly. Presbyters, Deacons and Lay workers are employed by the East Solent and Downs Circuit and allocated to specific churches. Portsmouth Methodist Church pays an assessment to cover the Circuit cost.
3.2 Investment Policy and Performance
To comply with Methodist Standing Orders, monies for long term investment are lodged with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes (TMCP). TMCP acts as custodian trustee for all large (over £20,000) bequests. These sums are invested in unitised investments or held on deposit. The investment returns are close to tracking the movements in the FTSE100 index. The deposit income mirrors the deposit rates available elsewhere. Portsmouth Methodist Church trustees’ investment policy is aligned with that of the CFB and TMCP because these organisations take into consideration the social, environmental and ethical considerations, both negatively and positively, that make investments suitable for the Methodist Church.
Short term deposits are lodged directly with the Central Finance Board (CFB).
It is the Church’s policy to manage the cash and investment resources of the Church so that a rate of return on investment – both by way of dividend and capital appreciation – is obtained at least as good as market rate considering the Church’s low appetite for risk.
3.3 Reserves level and policy
The unrestricted funds readily available to the Trustees are over £70,000.
The Church has a reserves policy covering all its unrestricted funds which is reviewed annually. Our Reserves Policy is to hold at least six month’s expenditure in hand; this would amount to £40,000. Some of the restricted funds can be re-allocated to make up any shortfall.
4 Trustees’ responsibilities
For each financial year ending on 31st August the Trustees are required to prepare financial statements that give a true and fair view of the Church’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees must: • select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently • make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent • follow applicable accounting standards • prepare accounts to comply with the Charities SORP
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Church and enables them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the law. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Church and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
4.1 Risk
The Church is largely risk averse. Risks are managed by being aware of them, quantifying their impact not only in cost terms but in possible reputational or structural damage, minimising them by not taking them or by setting up control systems that report any significant change in the risk. The three significant risks that have been identified are: 1. Failure to meet the Circuit Assessment. This is managed by giving careful attention to balancing income and expenditure. 2. The Church ‘s main source of funding is from donations and lettings and there is a risk that either or both might fall. This risk is managed by holding sufficient reserves and continually monitoring expenditure against budget. 3. Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. The Church’s policy is to adhere to the Methodist Church’s policy on Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults and to require all centres to comply with the Methodist Church’s
Safeguarding policy. Regular safeguarding training is accessed from the Circuit to support the Church in complying with the policy.
5 Structure, governance, and management
The Church is an unincorporated association and is governed by the Methodist Church Act 1976, the Deed of Union and the Model Trust Deeds of the Methodist Church and was registered with the Charity Commissioners on 11 June 2018.
5.1 Structure
The Church is the co-ordinating charity for the three local centres based in Copnor, Eastney and Southsea. The Church is part of the East Downs and Solent Circuit which is the co-ordinating charity for local groups of churches, some of which are registered as independent charities and the balance of which are excepted charities. The Circuit is part of the Southampton District which is the co-ordinating charity for a group of contiguous Circuits. District decisions are made at the half yearly synod to which the Circuit appoints both lay and ordained representatives. The Methodist Conference meets once each year as the supreme denominational body for all Methodist Churches.
- Overall regulatory authority rests with the Methodist Conference. 2. The Connexional Office implements decisions made by Conference and is also responsible for the stationing of presbyters and deacons (collectively known as ministers) in individual Circuits. 3. Connexional decisions are passed via Districts to Circuits for local implementation by the Superintendent Minister, ministerial staff and Circuit Stewards, and authority is delegated to the Circuit Meeting for certain matters. 5. The Circuit Meeting passes regulatory control down to Church Councils for local implementation by the presbyter, the Church Stewards, and other officers, and this regulatory authority is then exercised by Church Councils as Managing Trustees of their charity.
5.2 Purpose of the Church
The Church is an expression within Portsea Island, Portsmouth of the Connexional character of the Methodist Church.
The purposes of the Methodist Church are and shall be deemed to have been since the date of the union the advancement of:
a. the Christian faith in accordance with the doctrinal standards and the discipline of the Methodist Church, b . any charitable purposes for the time being of any Connexional, District, Circuit, local or other organisation of the Methodist Church, c . any charitable purpose for the time being of any society or institution subsidiary or ancillary to the Methodist Church and d. any purpose for the time being of any charity being a charity subsidiary or ancillary of the Methodist Church.
The primary purpose of this Church is to advance the mission of the Church in Portsmouth
5.3 Governance
The Church operates within a statutory framework of regulation and seeks to ensure that it follows Methodist Standing Orders. It relies on the Connexional Office at 25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR to provide guidance on changes that could affect the Circuit.
The Church Council meets at least three times each year and is the decision-making body for the Church. Membership of the Church Council is made up of Presbyters Supernumerary Ministers and Deacons who are allocated to the Church by the Circuit, representatives from each Centre and Forum Groups chosen annually by each church, Circuit Stewards who are appointed annually to ensure that all areas of the Church’s work is appropriately represented.
There are specific groups within the Church that focus on Mission and Outreach, Worship and Spirituality, Pastoral and Property and Finance who report to and are accountable to the Church Council. They also formulate policies and proposals that will advance the Mission of the Church and bring to the Church Council for approval.
6 Reference and Administrative Details
6.1 Name of the charity
Portsmouth Methodist Church.
6.2 Charity registration number
1178715, registered in England and Wales
6.3 Principal Office
c/o Trinity Methodist Church, Albert Road, Southsea. PO4 0LX. Telephone 023-92 85-1900
6.4 Church Presbyter
Reverend Ray Goddess
6.5 Church Treasurer
Mr Alan Haynes
6.6 Names of Trustees
The following served as trustees throughout part or all of the year 20212022 or were trustees at the time of this report being approved:
Mrs L Adamson, Mrs R Ashman, Mr M Barton, Mr T De-Graft Estun, Mrs D Foster, Mr A Haynes, Mrs S Haynes, Mrs B Hayward, Mrs F Jenkins, Miss J Mason, Mrs C Matthews, Reverend R Goddess, Mrs B Noakes, Mr S Pomeroy, Mr A Riley.and Mrs Diane Williamson
No trustee claims exemption from disclosure of his or her name here.
Name of Church PORTSMOUTH METHODIST CHURCH No 1178715 Declarations and Scrutiny I confirm that these Receipt and Paymenl based accounts for the year to 31 August 2022 have been prepared from Ihe records of the Church and that they indude all funds under the control of the Church trustees. Signature of treasurer ....... Name and addre&8 of trea8ur8r ... . . .L4.1.lk.Ik(1c0d0.... .. ... .. Presentatlon to th• Church trustees confirni that the annual report and accounts for th pre8ented to the meetlna of Ihe Church trus year ended 31 August 2022 reA¥s11 be. on.. Slgnature of the Chair of the meetlng Nm• of th• Cha5r of th• m••tlno LR Indop•ndant ExamIne$ Report to tho TrustO08 of tho Portsmouth Methodlst Church Charlty Number 1178715 R•8ponglbllltlM and of report I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of tho Port8mouth Methodi8t Church for the year ended 31 August 2022 set out on pages 110 5 As the Church's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the a¢)Unts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Aet 2011 ('the Act,). I report in respect of my examination of the Church's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and, In eArying out my examination. I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commis8ion under section 145{5){b) of the Acl. ' delete or circle as appropriate 2016 dxwth R %1 PA 4015
Name of Church PORTSMOUTH METHODIST CHURCH No 1178715 Independent ExamIn•8 Statsm•nt I have completed my examinati¢)n. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in nneGtion with the examination (other than that di8cloGed belo) vthich give me cause to believe that in, any material respecL the accounting records pre not kept in accordance th seCn 130 of the Act; or the accounts do not accord th the accounting records. I have no concems and have come across no other mattor8 in conneclk)n with the examination to which attention 8hould be drawn in this report in order to en8bl& a proper underntsnding of the accounts to be reached. I have not obtained irKleperKlent Vorfficati of all inve8knents wlth the Tru8te88 for Methodist Church Purposes or hekl in other trusts, bank balance8 and fvrKls at the Central Flnance Board of the Methodist Church whlch are Indlvklually in exce88 of £10,000 (tsn thousand pounds) at tho balance sheet date. Signature of independent examiner Name of independent examirnr Mrn Joanne Gregory Relevant prof888ional qualfflcation of independent examiner Name of fimi (where appr(rIAle) East Sol8nt and Downs Methodist Circuit Addre88 19-21 Hbgh Slreet, Em8Y>rth. Hants. P010 7AQ Date str rij * delete or circle as appropriate 2015 PJ Sofs