YORK UNITARIANS Charitable Incorporated Organisation No. 1181531 Trustees, Report and Financial Statements of York Unitarians CIO for the year ended 31"December 2022
YORK UNITARIANS CIO Chartty re8lstration number 1181531 Trustees, 2021-2022 Chalrperson: 5e¢reta Treasurer: Members.. Davld Zucker Jenny Jacobs Rlchard Brown Barbara 8arne5 l)ee Boyle Ellzabeth Faiers Andrew Hlll Joan Slnanan John Issltt Laura Cox lan Nykarn to 11912022 Constitutlon and Objects York Unitarlans Cio is a Charitable incorporated Organisation governed by tts Constitution passed on 18" March 2018. The Object of York Unitarians CIO I'the Congregation" } is the advancement of religion In accordance with the usages and practices of Unitarian and Free Christian Churche5, and for other charitable purposes that the Trustees may from time to time determine. Address York Unitarians St Saviourgate Unitarian Chapel 31 St Saviourgate York YOI 8NQ Bankers CAF Bank Independent Examlner Madeleine Klrk
Chair's Report
In my report last year I noted the abatement of Covid but also the then new concern over the war that had just erupted in Ukraine. I suggested that by the time you read the report in March 2022, the war in Ukraine might have moved on, yet here we are another year on with no sign of peace. Another year of misery, needless loss of life, pain, suffering and displacement, yet now compounded by the misery inflicted by nature on the people of Syria and Turkey, with the people of Syria hardly needing any more challenges than those they were already facing. These are not the only people who deserve our thoughts and prayers. Let us not forget the Uyghurs, the peoples of the Holy Land, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen all of whom have faced conflict one way or another in the past year. Nor should we forget the Russians whose youth are being sent needlessly into battle. I am sure there must be others. With climate change and failing harvests conflict will become more and more manifest. Peoples will continue to migrate. Yet somehow we must continue to do our bit to make the world a better place.
Prayers make us feel better but action is what is required. I am pleased in this report to acknowledge the work done by so many in our congregation in the areas of social action, refugees, interfaith, climate change and more. Before moving on to more pleasant matters, whether you are a monarchist or republican, I am sure you would want me to acknowledge the death of her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. For many of us, even of mature years she was the only British monarch we have known. Whilst many in her family may be cause for pause, I am sure that you will agree that she was an exemplar of dignity, even if not infallible.
Lastly whilst dealing with sad events, this year marked the passing of our much loved Anneliese Emmans Dean who was taken from us far too soon. Her poems brightened our days especially with all that buzzing! She is missed.
So, onto brighter and more cheerful things. Though Covid is still about, life is pretty much back to normal. I am pleased to note the small but steady increase in attenders at our services whilst at the same time acknowledging that we have now, I think, just about got the balance right between our offering to those in chapel and those at home via Zoom during our services.
On the subject of services, I would like to thank not only Stephanie but all those wonderful (I shall exclude myself at this point) people who have stepped forward to lead services on the more or less alternative Sundays when Stephanie is elsewhere. I also want to thank those who provide flowers, cakes, biscuits and all the other goodies which make our gatherings after our services so enjoyable, not to mention those who boil water, make tea and coffee and those who wash up!!
This year we have enjoyed a number of meals out together, giving members the opportunity to meet outside the usual forum. Thank you to those who organised the various evenings. Thank you also to Dee, in particular, for organising regular meditation groups on Thursdays. It is pleasing to note that as a community we have become so much more active lately with
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not just the gatherings to which I have just referred but also pry groups and other ltterary adventures not too far from Stephanie's heart. As wlth every year that passes the Annual General Meetln8 brln8s new members to the committee, but others move on. I want to thank everyone who has served on the committee over the last year, especially Jennyjacobs and Rlchard Brown for thelr help, support and commitment. There will be those who for constitutional reasons have to stand down for at least one year, notably Dee Boyle, Barbara Barnes and Elizabeth Faiers. Their contributsons to the 7 thapel are incalculable. I have no doubt that even thou8h not on the commlttee they will continue to make significant contrlbution5 to what we do. I hope sol Finally, I want to thank our brllllant musicians. We are so very lucky to have such wonderful muslc to accompany our services. Here you wlll forglve me If I sln8le out David Hammond for organizing his concert for Ukraine. To anyone I have left out or who does not appear between the lines. l apologlse. Davld Zucker Chalrperson Mlnlsterfs Report Once again it has been an eventful year, both In the world and withln our own communlty. I was disappolnted to mlss one of the hi8hli8hts of 2022-23, the celebration of the ngregation's 350th anniversary. due to illness. but by all account5 it was a joyful festlvlty- We have welcomed vlsitors for a number of other occasions including the closing service of Interfaith Week, a special service for refugee week, and the first ever York Unlocked weekend. One significant event this year which was both a privilege and a 8reat sadne55 for me was conductin8 the funeral for one of the newer members of the Chapel communty, Anneliese Emmans Dean. at York Cemetery. Anneliese's wamith and brllliance continue to be much mlssed. We have settled into a pattem of Sunday seThlces wlth me leadlng worshlp for York Unitarians twlce a month, usually on the flrst and thlrd Sundays, and I now also arran8e worshlp leaders for the other Sundays. I was particularly pleased to secure a vlsit from the GA President in February, and have had especially positive feedback about her service. I have a150 reIVed positive comments about the occasions when we've done somethin8 a little out of the ordlnary (the cafe Style servlce for the Week of Prayer for World Peace, the new year ritual and in particular the recent v¢sit of the aerkes of All Saints Choir). Please do continue to feed back any thoughts about future tnvitations, and let me or a committee member know if you would like to take a service, or be involved in other ways. In particular we are keen for support with social media and the newsletter. Thanks to everyone who has led and been involved in Sunday servlces, to our hugely efflclent committee. and to all who contrlbute to the life of the Chapel In so many ways. We have been fortunate to benefit from two excellent technical support people, wbth Asad now
managing the Zoom every Sunday, and I know many people are grateful that the optlon to Zoom into services still exists for those occasions when physical attendance isn't practical. Our monthly new51etter also receives positive feedback. The meditation and poetry groups continue to thrive, alon8 With the quarterly book group, and there have been some enjoyable'cuppa and Chat. afternoons at the Hungate Readin8 Cafe. The pastoral care team continue to provide support to our chapel community. ably led by Janet Eldred, who also arts as volunteer chaplain to Coltons. Almshouses. Chapel members also continue to be active in York Interfaith, a connection which has brought us some excellent opportunities for outreach and publicity, including recently offering houghts for the Dal on Radio Jorvik as part ofthe'Love in the mornin show. Moving further afield, this year l am acting as Sectary for the Yorkshire Vnitarian Union, Laura Cox is Vice-President and Davld Zucker is on the executive committee, 50 York is well represented In our area despite Elizabeth Faiers stepplng down as treasurer after 30 years. Nationally, a number of York members are attending the upcoming General Assembly annual meetings. both as Chapel delegates and In varlous other capacities, and l am lookln8 forward to being involved with both worship and workshops at the meetings. Despite the last few years being extremely challenging ones for many people. York Unitarians continues to be a lively and positive community which l am proud to serve. Rev. Stephanle Blsby Secretarfs Report The past year has been an especially busy one at the chapel, 35 we have come out from under the shadow of COVID19, learning to live with it, rather than letting It dictate our lives with stringent lockdowns and the curtailing of most of our activities. Of course, we are still very con5CiOU5 that it hasn't 8one away and some of our community have now suffered it not once, not twice but even three timesl For the first time, the chapel took a stall at York Pride in June, as well as marching in the parade. It was a gloriously sunny day and very enjoyable. but we've decided not to have a stall in 2024. Instead we're going to invest in a new York Unltarians banner. The YUU banner we have been usin8 is very heavy and we thought tt was high time we invested in a banner of our own. The main event of 2022 was the 350th annNersary of our chapel communlty, and we had a wonderful weekend in early July with talks from Andrew Hill and Stephanie Blsby (although Stephanie was not able to deliver her talk in per50n} about the past and the ftjture of the chapel, and a particularly exciting and varied programme of free concerts, including a ukulele band, a wind quartet and a recorder quartet. There was a wonderful cake and we welcomed many visitors. During the yearwe sald farewell to Rich McGeary, who'd been invaluable helpin8 US to Zoom our services but who got a much better job offer from a firm in London, and we said
hello to IT support from Ayo Olawuyi and A5ad Qureshi, who took over Sharing the Sundays between them. We've since said goodbye to Ayo, who is now ti)0 busy with his own church, and Asad has taken over the Zoom setvice every week. Other comings and 80ings,' we bade farewell to Oylan Nykamp, who has moved to Leeds, and a final farewell to longtlme friend and more recently, member, of the chapel, Annellese Emmans Dean, who dled far too young last May. We are very grateful that Annellese left us legacy In her will. The new Soclal Actlon Group has been busy or8anising events and the past year has generally seen an increase In 9 activities. with meals out, a book group and the tea and chat 8atherings at the Hun8ate Reading Café. We haven't been $0 successful on actual social action, with fundraislng for the chapel charities down this year. However, we were proud to host David Hammond's Concert for Ukralne, which was very successful and raised over £IOCM) for the DEC Red Cross emergency appeal. And we are now collecting weekly for our local food bank (please keep bringing In those contributionsll. The new Building Group Is looking at how we can provide a prSvate, pleasant , SUStalnable space for Stephanle to discuss weddings and similar events wlth clients, as well as ways in which we can make our chapel more energy efflclent overall. The Commlttee would Ilke to put on the record our thank5 to the very many people who are 5ervln8 the Chapel, whether as Committee members, worshlp leaders, member5 of the Pastoral Care team, Social Action Group, Ministerial Support Group, 8ullding Group, muslcians, flower-arrangers, welcomers and all who offer financial support. I would Ilke to offer a partlcular vote of thanks to the three very lon8-servin8 members of the Committee who, by virtue of the requlrements of our Constltutlon, are standing down this year: Barbara Barnes, Dee Boyle and Elizabeth Falers. All three have made tremendous contributions to our chapel over very many years. But In many different ways we all contribute to the continuing health and well-beln8 of our Chapel communlty-and long may we continue to do so. Jenny Jacobs Secretary Treasurer's Report for Flnanclal Year to 31 December 2022 Income Total income on the cash account was only £1,0 short of the fi8ure for 2021. Llve 8ivln8 decreased year on year. Offertory Income was around the same as the previous year, although in real terms it was less as there were fewer collections than normal In 2021 due to the Covid pandemic. Collectlons were suspended as a trial from the end of August but were relnstated after offertorles in chapel dropped by around 70% during thls perlod. Regular standlng order contributions from members decreased, partly due to a fall in membership but also people decldln8 to glve less. Other than a le8acrf of £1,000, donatlons
of all kinds were down on the previous year. It seems fair to assume that cost of living concerns are at least partly responsible for the decrease in live giving. Receipts from lettings showed a big increase. mainly due to the number of musical groups hirin8 the chapel and greater frequency of usage. Receipts from weddings, etc, were minimal compared with 2021. Fundraising income was up by around 20%. This was largely due to a big fundraising drive for the Red Cross Ukraine appeal early in the year. Income from concerts/performances was almost exactly the same as in 2021 (around £1,700). Takings from the St Crux fundraising day were well down on previous years- only about £150 net after costs for hire and caterin8were deducted. Receipts Expenditure was over £2,700 more than in 2021. A decrease of £5,000 in expenditure on the chapel premises was more than cancelled out by increases in every other category. Costs associated with worship increased by 15%. This was mainly due to there being almost twice the number of services as in 2021, the first half of which was imparted by the Covid pandemic. We also spent much more on IT and technical support as our live streaming of services became established. We spent only £1,600 on chapel premises in 2022, compared with £7,800 in 2021 when we purchased a lot of new technical equipment and had various maintenance work done. Charitable donations and grants increased considerably due to fundraising for the Red Cross Ukraine appeal. Other charitable giving was somewhat less than the previous year. We spent £1,692 on publicity around the 350th anniversary, and the creation of our new website. Miscellaneous costs were over £500 mainly because of pastoral and gift expenses. Assets Despite a £5,000 surplus on the cash account, our total assets decreased over the year by £ll.000 to £172,000 as a consequence of a f311 in the value of our investments, This was due to a significant global decline in the financial markets in 2022, a situation which should improve in 2023. Richard Brown Treasurer Declaratlon The Trustee5 declare that the above Tru5tees' Report was approved by them on 26" March 2023 Signed on behalf of the Trustees Davld Zucker {Chairper50n)
Receipts and Payments Account for th• yaar •nded 31•t December 2022 2022 2021 RECEIPTS Llve gfvln8 Offertories Donatlons 12,516 1.715 12,110 4.677 14231 16,n7 Grants Chapel charlty Yorkshlre Unltarfan Unlon 19,349 19,066 62 19,349 19,128 Inqulrer subscrlptlo 165 165 165 165 Use of Premlses Lettings Weddings & blesslngs 6,475 250 3,638 1,025 6,725 4,663 Fundralsln8 St Crux Sales Charlties/8lfts Concerts 362 295 1.845 1,699 794 272 720 1,702 4201 Dlvldends & interest Gift ald reclaimed 1,728 1,640 1,671 1.728 3,311 TOTAL RECEIPTS 46399. 47542.1)0
2022 20ZI PAYMENTS Wor5hlp Mlnister's Stipend Minister'5 Expenses Minister's Pensron Incorne Tax & Nl IT sUPPOrt Pulpit supply Inc expenses Piznists 13,179 12,985 4.014 3.274 1.104 1.730 949 2.140 3.752 2.057 1.051 496 IS90 Preml Electricity & Water Internet Insurance Cleanin8 Maintenance & Harth*4a 2.511 355 1.572 1.278 1.629 2,087 402 1.588 551 12A76 Don•tlons. 8rnnts. ftts Chosen charity Charitsble donatioTrs Inc GA GA quots Other grants Inc YUU 503 3.391 1.246 AdmlTrlstratlon & Publklty AdminiStratn Publicity Fundraising expenses Inquirer 1.692 220 165 165 1.150 Miscellaneous expenses Refunds 514 53 TOTAL PAYMENTS 42M3 39071 EXCESS RECEIPT5 OVER PAYMEKfs FOR YEAR 5,015 7,671 unreali5ed galn on value of investrnents {7,3591 7,942 Add: transferred from Chapel Charlty account {8.7771 8.413
General Fund Balano brought forward General Fund Balance carrled forward 183,121 In,0 159.095 183,121 Congregational Balance Sh•at for tho year ended 311t December 2022 2022 2021 Investments at market valuation (see note) Bank and cash 118,238 54,274 134,424 49,640 Plus: debtors Less.. creditors 74 -586 192 -1.135 172,rxM) 183,121 Represented by: Genernl Fund Note Investmerrts at market valuatlon at 1st January Purchased duringyear Increase in market value during year at 31st December 134.424 118.018 50 16.356 134,424 116,1861 118,238 io
Chapel Charlty Fund• Statement of Flnanclal ActlvltO•4 for the y•ar ended 31•t Docembor 2022 Income and Expendlture Account 2022 2021 Recelpts from Investments Donatlons recelved 19.349 19,(166 51Kl SC Grants to chapel Transferred to York UnarIanS CIO CAF Bank charges Transfer to Investment Fund 27.980 500 19,349 -8,913 2022 2021 COIF Ethkal Investment Fund units Purchased durln8 year Market value at 31 December 558.245 636,877 Fund balance brought forward Plus: net income I lexpenditurel for the year Plus: unrealSsed gains on investments In year Plus: cost of new unlts 637,377 561,076 19,349 -8,913 198,4811 84.714 558245 637377 li
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES | Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinef s Report Report to the trusts•sl members of On accounts for tha year ended Sil- DLCÉrKQi411011 Charity no (if any) Sot out on pago• I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {Ihe Trust") for tpt year ended Responslbllltles and As the charity trustees of the Trusl, you are responsible for the preparation basi$ of report of the accounts in accordance wrth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Act arKI in carrying OLrt my examination. I have followed the applicab Direcb'ons given by the Charty Commission under section 145(5)Ib) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed b81ow ") in connection wth the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accountsng records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the aUnts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examinerfs statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection wrth the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understarKJing of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delele the words in Ihe brketS rf they do not apply. Slgned: Dats: lo Name: D&L Relevant professlonal qualification(s) or b¢xly {If any): Address.. LL Axj D3a s6Pr IER Octob•r 2018
Section B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose.
IER
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October 2018