## **MARKET HARBOROUGH METHODIST CHURCH** ## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** **31 AUGUST 2024** **Charity Number 1178813** **MARKET HARBOROUGH METHODIST CHURCH** # **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** # **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024** The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the independently examined financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2024. ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** **Registered Charity Name:** Market Harborough Methodist Church **Charity Registration Number:** 1178813 ## **THE TRUSTEES (Church Council)** The Trustees who served the charity during the period were as follows: Revd Andrew Farrington (Superintendent Minister) (To 31 August 2024) Rev’d Nathan Falla (Superintendent Minister) (From 1 September 2024) Revd Andrew T Murphy (Chair) Neil Hadkiss (Secretary) Richard Huntington (Treasurer) Church Stewards Catherine Clarke Paul Colliss Emma Ferreri Helen Green David Haddow (to 31 August 2024) Maggie Hadkiss Rachel Hounsfield Emily Murphy (from 1 September 2024) Kate Upcraft (to 22 September 2024) Other members of the Church Council Anita Beer Gill Billington Susie Colliss Alan Cox Margaret Cox Brenda Davies (to 31 August 2024) David Haddow (from 1 September 2024) Peter Hales Shirley Hales Christine Hodgson Audrey Huntington (to 31 August 2024) Sue Nixon Caroline Osborne John Pearce Susan Routley Hannah Russell Ruth Thomas-Twinn 2 **MARKET HARBOROUGH METHODIST CHURCH** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024** ## **THE TRUSTEES (Church Council) (continued)** In attendance from the East Mercia Methodist Circuit: Marilyn Calvert In attendance as an observer, the Circuit Growth and Nurture support worker: Melissa Wheeler (to 31 August 2024) Independent Examiner Sarah Atwell-King ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** Market Harborough Methodist Church is part of the East Mercia Methodist Circuit, which in turn is a component of the Northampton District of the Methodist Church of Great Britain. With effect from 1[st] September 2022, the Market Harborough Methodist Circuit merged with the Kettering and Corby and the Rugby and Daventry Methodist Circuits to form the East Mercia Methodist Circuit, a component of the Northampton District of the Methodist Church of Great Britain. The Superintendent Minister oversees the whole Circuit, with a Circuit Leadership Team of lay and ordained people. The Superintendent Minister delegates responsibility for the church to the Minister in pastoral charge, who is supported by internal groups and committees as follows: ## Church Council The Superintendent Minister, the Minister appointed to the Church, Church Stewards, Treasurer, Church Council Secretary, up to 21 representative Church Members (elected annually by the General Church Meeting). In attendance is the Circuit Growth and Nurture worker. All appointments are made annually, although there is an expectation that members will serve for a number of years. All the Committees listed below report to the Church Council, which meets at least twice annually. ## Church Stewards 8 stewards are elected by the General Church Meeting, for a maximum of six years. Responsible, with the Minister, for leadership over a whole range of the church’s life and for acting on decisions and policies of the Church Council. ## Church Leadership Team Regular meetings of Church Stewards and all other Church officers to ensure a forward-vision in the life of the Church and bring bringing proposals to the Church Council. ## Pastoral Committee Minister and Pastoral Visitors. Concerned with the pastoral care of Church members and attenders, maintenance of membership roll and promotion of fellowship through church groups. 3 **MARKET HARBOROUGH METHODIST CHURCH** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024** ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (continued)** ## Safeguarding Officer The Church Council appoints a Safeguarding Officer who is appropriately trained and qualified, and this officer is supported by the Circuit Safeguarding Officers, and those at a District level. ## Children and Youth Work Activities Leaders of the various groups of children’s activities are accountable to the Church Council, and to the Church and Circuit Safeguarding Officers, and their activities are reviewed regularly. ## Prayer Ministry Team This team of volunteers is active on a Sunday morning to provide prayer support when requested. ## Worship and Music Team Worship services are led by our Minister and other Preachers appointed by the Circuit. Musicians are co-ordinated by our music co-ordinator, and the wider church is occasionally consulted by the Minister in reviewing our provision of worship services. ## Governance Our statutes of governance and procedures such as the appointment of Trustees and other officers follows ‘ _The Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church’_ ( **CPD** ), which is revised annually by the Methodist Conference and published annually by Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes (TMCP). The primary governing body of Market Harborough Methodist Church, in accordance with CPD, is the Church Council. Members of the Council are the Managing Trustees, and the Council is chaired by the Minister. Church Council representatives and Church Stewards are elected at the General Church Meeting which is held annually. All church members can attend this meeting and are entitled to vote and raise any issues for discussion. The Trustees actively seek nominations for new Trustees who can represent all aspects of the church community and its activities. At the first Church Council meeting of each year, new members receive documentation explaining their role as Trustees, which includes information provided by the Charity Commission. The Trustees receive no remuneration or other financial benefits from their work. All decisions taken at the Church Council meetings are minuted, and a summary is made available to church members and others by newsletters and in the weekly church service notices. A full copy of the Council minutes is displayed on a church noticeboard. 4 **MARKET HARBOROUGH METHODIST CHURCH** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024** ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (continued)** ## Management The Trustees have maintained financial management arrangements requiring dual signatures on all cheques and other payment methods, and prior approval for all except minor items of expenditure. The Trustees have maintained a Safeguarding policy with appropriate DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks for all aspects of the work of the Church with children and vulnerable adults. The Trustees have maintained a system of formal risk assessment and a risk register. This includes mitigation strategies and is reviewed annually by the Trustees and by relevant sub-committees. Day to Day management of the premises of the Church and the caretaking staff is delegated to the Minister, with support from members of the Church Leadership Team, some members of which are members of the Church Council. ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES** Market Harborough Methodist Church seeks to achieve its purpose of advancing the Christian Faith by holding public worship on Sundays and on occasional weekdays, and by encouraging its members to live up to the priorities of the Methodist calling: evangelism, worship, service, learning and caring. The Methodist Church is called to be a growing, inclusive, evangelistic and justice-seeking church. Every effort is made to ensure that the services are excellent in quality and accessible and inviting to all. As part of the ‘Inclusive Church’ network and as an ‘Eco-Church’ (silver award), the church endeavours to be both inclusive to all and ecologically sound. The church buildings are open during the week both as a resource for local community groups to utilise and to provide a space for prayer, reflection and rest. Facilities are offered for baptisms, weddings and funerals, together with accompanying pastoral care. The Church is an active member of ‘Churches Together in Harborough’ which promotes ecumenical dialogue, services and inter-denominational activities within Market Harborough and the surrounding area. ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** ## Worship The pattern of Sunday worship has been sustained with weekly services at 10.15am every Sunday, and occasional other services for special days and festivals. The church has a willingness to innovate as well as maintaining a tradition of excellence, and continues to welcome visitors and new members. Our congregation is regularly around 80 people. The ‘live streaming’ system to the church’s YouTube internet site continues to allow housebound and other members to experience worship in their own homes alongside the congregation in the Church or at a later date. Our Sunday services regularly gain 50-100 views online. 5 **MARKET HARBOROUGH METHODIST CHURCH** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024** ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (continued)** ## Property & Finance A steady programme of maintenance has continued through the year to ensure that the buildings provide a safe and welcoming space and to reduce their carbon footprint. £23,409 (2023 £16,049) of funds has been donated during the year to support a number of local and overseas projects which help people in need. ## Growth in Membership / Loss of Members Market Harborough Methodist Church encourages people to express their Christian commitment in terms of baptism, confirmation and church membership, and to continue to grow, learn and serve, in fellowship, worship and service in the community. In the year 2023-24, we received five new members and conducted one baptism. Sadly, three members died during this period, while a further two funerals were conducted by our minister on behalf of the church. There were no weddings conducted during the year. The current membership is just over 100. ## Community Service The premises remain available to a wide range of community groups and activities, including youth and community organisations, various charities, musical groups, and mutual interest groups such as the U3A. Church members engage as volunteers with a number of these organisations and others outside of church premises. In particular, members support the Jubilee Food Bank, the Bower House counselling service, and are involved in collecting for Christian Aid. We have continued our regular café for Ukrainian people, established in 2022 as a safe meeting place and a source of information for Ukrainian families living within the area. It has been well supported. ## Work with Children & Young People - ‘Fishes’ is our regular Sunday School which meets 2 or 3 times per month, with currently around 7 children regularly attending. - ‘Pizza Club’ is a fortnightly gathering for young people in school years 4-9, who meet for 2 hours with a group of leaders to socialise, eat together, play games and grow in Christian discipleship. Over the year we had 21 sessions, and one youth residential weekend at a national Methodist event, and the young people presented our Christmas Nativity Service. In total, 39 young people attended (with 26 of them attending 10 sessions or more). We also started an after-school ‘Homework Club’ for young people aged 11 and above. This was attended regularly by 4 young people. - ‘Stay, Play and Weigh’ is a fortnightly group for parents with babies, run by volunteers from the Church. This has continued to grow in popularity, and is always very busy, with 30-40 families regularly attending. - The Minister also regularly leads assemblies or classroom sessions in two Market Harborough primary schools, and Welland Park Academy (secondary school), as well as two other village schools in the area. In 2023-24, the minister was involved in 32 live assemblies, two visits from GCSE classes to the church, one school carol service, and 5 classroom talks. - Our Methodist Circuit employed a Growth and Nurture Support Worker (up until 31[st] August 2024), to work in Market Harborough Methodist Church and others, whose job included pastoral work, children’s work, outreach and nurture, organising a network of small groups for Christian fellowship and education including helping to prepare study material. 6 **MARKET HARBOROUGH METHODIST CHURCH** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024** ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (continued)** ## Ecumenical Links The Church has participated actively in Churches Together in Harborough (CTH) and supported the ecumenical events organised. Our premises also hosted a ‘Holiday at Home’ event for older citizens during the summer holidays, organised by CTH. ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** The Church achieved a small surplus for the year ended 31 August 2024 as expenditure on maintenance of the buildings returned to more normal levels. Offerings from members were maintained at their previous levels although Gift Aid reduced in the year. All other costs were minimised wherever possible. Energy costs have reduced from the highs of 2023 and the benefits are being felt throughout the Church. ## Reserves Policy The Trustees aim to maintain free reserves in the unrestricted General Fund at a level which equates to approximately six months of unrestricted expenditure. The Trustees consider that at this level, the reserves will provide sufficient working capital to cover the normal fluctuations in income and expenditure and to meet emergency calls on cash, for example for unexpected repairs. At the end of the year, General Funds equated to 40.7% of annual General Fund expenditure. (2023 = 37.6%). 7 CHURCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Market Harborough Church FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2024 East Mercia Circuit Clrcult no. 23114 Registered Charity - Charity Registration number 1178813 If not a registered charity His Majestys Revenue and Customs Gift Aid number (The HMRC number is equtvalent to a registered charity number in terms of e￿den￿ of charitsble status and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see eVFden￿ of the organisation'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. Rev Andrew T Murphy Church Stewards: Mrs Maggie Hadkiss Joint Senior Steward Mrs Helen Green Joint Senior Steward Miss Catherine Clarke Mrs Emma Ferreri Mr Paul Colliss Mrs Kate Utmft to 22 September 2024 Mrs Rachel Hounsfiekl Mr David Haddow to 31 August 2024 Mrs Emily Murphy from 1 September 2024 Treasurer. Mr Richard Huntington Market Harborough R and P- 2024 1of5 ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024 Market Harborough Church Unrestriet•d Rèstricted Totals this FurK15 Funds year Totals last year SECTION A a1 RECEIPTS Note a2 Offerin s and Tax recovered Bank and CFB interest and Investment income 65.707 12,518 78.225 79.515 a3 2.738 26.047 673 2,704 5,442 26.047 11,563 121,277 3.245 23,987 9.241 115.988 Lettin a5 Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 10.890 26.112 95.165 (a7) SECTION B b1 PAYMENTS b2 C1￿Ult Assessment or Share 45.39) 45.390 23.409 27,802 46,920 16,049 25,939 b3 Donations 23.409 b4 Repairs and MaiTrtenan Utilities {Insurances, water charges, heating & lighting} Capital Projects 27.802 b5 10,766 3.090 4,766 91.814 10,766 3.090 7.095 117.552 12,634 10,850 b7 Other payments TOTAL PAYMENTS 2,329 25,738 8,377 120,769 b8 (b91 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR (a64J8) 3,351 374 3,725 4.781 Tot81 funds brougm fonKard fTom last year 41.347 71,536 112.883 113.577 c3 Sub total c1+c2 44.698 71.910 116,608 108,796 Transfers and ad"ustments 1,866 4.087 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR (c3+c4) 71,910 118.474 (c8) 112.883 Ic6) SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EKfERNAL ORGANISATIONS (these amounts are not to be included in total receiptsjpayments figures d1 Balance brou ht foThtsrd from last ar d2 Offerin sIGifts - recewed for exiemd o anÈsations d3 OfferingslGtfts - passed to extemal organisats.ons d4 BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID {d1+d2-d3) MatketFIart￿lO￿Eh R alld P. 2024 Market Harborou ChLYch SUMMARYOF CHURCH ACCOUNT5NTr4D wfERNAL ORGNj4￿1￿s REPC￿ToTNEcMURCH COLINCIL SEcnoN E Please lollowthtr Guidantè N•toSto com e this sumN￿ry Church atcounts lorthEyear 8nded 31 Augwt 2024 and In￿r￿1 (hganE•tiw￿ tEpytrotOtheCtrA￿th CcAzrtiVChurdTr K*ebng. Note that l￿fL￿NJs of an Internal Or9ani5abon W￿J]d nDrrn*tybe Restrthjfill￿ unw it¢tyJkJ be C￿ t* uwJfoYanyMelhothst pur¥￿e. secton must be AND A DIFFERENT FORM mustbe ￿ ts) a¢iwnts PleoyeYef¥ivtsgL*4m rewdEwtra¥*r5 bèts¥een thè Distrira INTERNAL ORGM15ATKJNS Ck) balances 2240 Bowts Club 201 201 Lad[•8 Cont•ctGwpu r Lunch•¥ Tuosd Coffeo Mornth 1.511 401 616 1.428 e7 Sub total of Internal Organisaliw￿ fundg 7.134 1.131 411 3.130 e12 Church accourbts [tota15 brou9htforward frompA 2-t￿￿$ columnl c9 121,277 (an 117552 Ic7> 112,883 118.474 ¢10 BYCHURCFE 128.411 116.748 121.604 Con￿n￿ on a sep3r& YJ If llece5sary and trfftrvJ the totsls forward TOTALRE¢ETrTS TOTAL SECTrON F STATEMENTOFA8SEfsAJiD UAB￿rrES CLOSING CHURCH-CASH FLINDS HELD at 31 U5t2024 Cash in har*J Bank Cutr¢rt A¢¢¢urtt 1015 Bank De itAccount f4 Central Finants B¢Ja 45.194 51497 Trust￿$ for Methodislchurch 61.6Y Olherfunds SUBTOTAL. Church accounts tf1883 1(61 118A74 le81 Totsl funds hdd by Intginal 0r9anrat￿S (the d baL4nce lolal from abo¥el le121 1130 TOTAL CASH FUND5 HELD BY CHURCH 116.748 121.604 SECTION G Al 31 Awust 2024 OTHER ASSEfsand LFABILITES Inve&tmenis Land & FAMldi 2,975,591 3.400.374 OtherAsstts 8ThJ Other ￿abI￿lES 14 Indthle orty Fu￿8 hekl althtrcentrd Finan￿ PA)atd f5 Indude ￿Y Funds hekJ ai TTUStee5 SorMplI￿￿1cIY￿th 91 ￿clUdeSnyOtherIftvos￿￿)ts Inoi ¢asth thi415 kn15 3of5 Name of Church: Market Harborough Methodist Church No: 1178813 Declarations and Scrutiny I confirm that these Re￿Ipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2024 have been prepared from the records ot the Church and that they include all funds under the control of the Church trustees. Signature of Treasurer . Name and address of Treasurer. Richard Huntington. 16 Horsefair Close. Market Harborough. Leicestershire, LE16 9QP Presentation to the Church trustees I confimi that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 were1V￿lI be. presented to the rneeting of the Church trustees held on ..io Signature of the Chair of the meeting Name of the Chair of the meeting: Rev Andrew T Murphy Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees of the Market Harborough Methodist Church Charity Number: 1178813 Responsibilities and basis of report I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Market HartK)rough Methodist Church for the year ended 31 August 2024 set out on pages 1 to 3. As the Church's truslees. 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 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 gtven by the Charity Commission under section 145{5){b) of the Act. delete or cirde as appropriate 4ofS Name of Church: Market Hart)orough Methodist Church No: 1178813 Independent Examinerfs Statement I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed belo￿) which give me cause to believe that in. any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Act; or the accounts do not accord V4llth the accounting records. I have no concems 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 have114a¥&*ietr" obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts. bank balan￿S and fvnds at the Central Finan￿ Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in eX￿sS of £10.000 (ten thousand w)unds) at the balan￿ sheet date. Signature of Independent Examiner Name of Independent Examiner Mrs Sarah Atwell-King Relevant professional qualification of Independent Examiner Name of firm (where appropriate) Address: 8 Ancaster Way, North LLrffenham. LE15 8LH Date delete or cirde as appropriate Market Harb￿Ugh R and P- 2024 5of5 RESERVES POLICY of Market Harborou h Church Council General Funds held at YIE 3110812024 £46,563 2023 = £41,347 Restricted Funds hdd £37,075 (2023 = £37,014 Endowment Funds held £¥836 2023 - £34.522 Reserves policy for General Funds The Trustees aim to maintain free reserves in the General Fund (unrestricted) at a level which equates to approximately six months of unrestricted expenditure. The Trustees consider that at this level. the reserves wlll provide sufficlent working capital to cover the normal fluctuations in income and expenditure and to meet emergency calls on Cash. for example for unexpected repairs. At the end of the year. General Funds equated to 40.7% of annual General Fund Expenditure. (2023 - 37.6° 5. Poli¢ for Restri¢ted Funds The principal Restricted Funds held are for the support of children's and youth work in the Church. At the end of the year they amounted to £ 21949. (2023 - E24.842). The index4inked portion of the Ivy Peach Bequest which is available for major repairs amounted to £9.760 (2023 - £7.910)- Tems relating to Endowment Funds held The principal Endowment Fund is the Ivy Peach Beques( which is invested with TMCP, ManchesteT. This pernianent endowment amounts to £28,240. The interest on this bequest can be used for the maintenance of the Church buildings and the oryan. The Church Council has designated that the capital in this tTUSt should be index4inked each year to provide a fund for major repairs. Any surplus funds over and above the index4inked amount are freely available for general Church maintenance. At the end of the year, the index4inked amount was £9,760 and is shown as a restricted fund above. The freely available amount at the year-end was £nil {2023 - £nill, and is included in General Funds above. This Reserves Policy has been approved by Market Harborough Church Council Treasurer Trustee Full name Richard Huntington Full Name Rev Andrew T Murphy Signature Signature