2022-03-31-accounts - Sketty Community Church

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Sketty Community Church

May 2021-May 2022

Covid Years

Over the past two years it had not been possible to formally meet as a Church to hold Ordinary or Special Church Members meetings as outlined in the current Constitution. This Report formally acknowledges that whilst meetings have not been held, “interim” reports have been sent out to Church members to keep them informed of ongoing church life.

Deacons meetings were similarly severely curtailed, and so decision making was limited to phone calls, emails and WhatsApp messages.

Membership

Sadly, in January 2022 we paid our final respects to dear BM.

EP moved to Penarth on April 14[th ] 2022. We formerly acknowledge her faithfulness to the church over the past 89 years! A former deacon and responsible for claiming Gift Aid (see below).

New members to be announced.

Finance

The deficit between income and expenditure is solely down to the cost of laying down the play area (£27201) which members had previously agreed to.

Many thanks to G for keeping finances and records up to date in such a challenging time.

Thanks are also forwarded to SG for auditing the accounts prior to being sent to the Charity Commission.

MJ will be taking on responsibility for Gift Aid and assorted banking and tax duties.

Thank you all for your financial contributions…

You will notice that there is a healthy balance but costs are rising, and any works undertaken are going to cost more than in previous times.

Offerings: Bank transfers would continue to be very much appreciated (cheques and cash will obviously be still accepted!)

Streamlined “single” offerings have proved to be much more helpful. We will always notify you of contributions to BMS, Home Mission etc.

*Offertory envelopes: should they still be required, they will be recycled in the coming year to save the expense of buying new ones. Dates will be amended.

You can see from the accounts that there are currently 6 groups that receive regular (annual) funding. Perhaps:

we need to consider the relevance/appropriateness to continue to support these groups.
we need to consider including other missions that reflect our local community, country and international needs and are integral to our fellowship. For example, we support the work at Zacs Place. Not only is it a shining beacon for work amongst the underprivileged in Swansea, many in our fellowship have personal contact with its work and organisation, and we can also ask SS to come and give us updates.
there are other groups/missions that could be adopted.
we perhaps should consider adopting the practice of setting aside at least 10% of our income for the purposes of supporting others.

Please convey your thoughts to Church Officers.

Church Officers/Leadership Team.

As you have been notified, JM has stepped down from a leadership position within the church. For you wisdom and care for the “flock” over many years, we convey our deepest gratitude.

We also wish to inform the church that JH has stepped down from holding a deaconing role. Our warmest appreciation Jean for all that you have contributed to the life of this church over many years. You cannot stop coming either for we know where you live!

Please join us in our prayers to recognise God’s gifting and blessing of leadership in the church. We are not looking for lovely people (you all qualify); we are not looking for savvy people (you nearly all qualify for that); we are not looking for purely wise and mature and saintly Christians (well…); we are not looking for perfection (none of us!!!). We need to ask God to highlight those amongst us who, as well as displaying the characteristics of Jesus, have the gift of serving and the gift of leadership; gifts which perhaps are not yet fully formed, but certainly showing evidence. Churches can function without these roles, but churches cannot function well without them.

The Church Constitution requires that Deacons be officially recognised every 3 years, which means that all remaining Deacons require recognition as well as KJ, whose addition to the Deacons team has previously been raised.

Recognition slips are enclosed with this report. Please indicate your recognition and return to me (M) by Thursday May 5[th] at the latest. The envelopes will be opened and scrutinised by 2 members (tbc).

Please post your voting slips in the church letterbox, or post to the church (Sketty Community Church, Carnglas Road, Sketty, SA2 9BN) or M (21 Hendrefoilan Road, Sketty SA2 9LS).

Mission

Traditionally this has been thought to be opportunities to welcome folk to the church for an event to present the gospel in some form or another, or just to put something on “for the spiritual and social needs of young families in the area”.

In an attempt to engage with the community, and show that the church is open, the display of small crosses for Remembrance Day, the Christmas Tree, Easter Cross, Ukraine and regular railing posters have been noticed and favourably commented upon. The church is open for reflective prayer on a Wednesday morning.

Via contact with a primary school, we continue to provide a fantastic supply of Christmas food and gifts to families with very little (materially).

Internationally, we are linked to Louise and Peter Lynch in Bangladesh via the BMS, and we had the privilege – and great pleasure – of meeting them in person in February.

Question: where do you think that God is at work in the community?

Activities

The Church buildings slowly opened up from August 2021.

Currently (weekly): Tycoch Toddlers, Man Shed, Friendship Group, Pilates, Excelsior Choir, Forget Me Not

Currently (monthly or intermittently): acapella group, adoption group.

Building

A significant investment was made, last Summer, when we resurfaced the grassy area on the south side of the church.

Thanks must again be noted for the work PD does in keeping the lawns neat and tidy.

Remedial work in the Bosuns Locker completed.

Kitchen needs attention.

Concrete area at front of Hall needs attention.

External appearance of both buildings requires consideration.

We now employ a cleaner for the Hall for 2 hours per week.

Manse

In light of meeting the demands of the practical day to day responsibilities of running a Manse, as well as new legislation for landlords that will be coming into force in Wales in the Summer, the decision has been taken to hand over the management of the property to Belvoir Lettings. They will:

charge 14.4% of the monthly rent (currently £630 pcm)
manage the property by finding trades people to attend to “issues”. The Church will pay only for the work; there is no administrative duty to pay on top of the “work”.
maintain the building in line with the legal requirements of a landlord.

Prior to Belvoir taking over, certain electrical work requires attention to bring the building up to a required standard.

Should the existing tenant move out, the Manse will require an overhaul of the kitchen and bathroom.

Belvoir believe that the existing rent is nearly 30% below the current market rate for such a property in the area.

Administrative matters

Churches must always be open to transparency and scrutiny by its members/attender, and we should “render unto Caesar” and be compliant with current legislation in all areas of our operations and activities.

As a result, as well as the existing Health and Safety, the following have also been developed and presented to the Church Officers for review prior to being implemented:

Data Policy
Lone Working Policy
Safeguarding Policy
Pastoral Care Policy
Complaints Policy and Procedures
Equal Opportunities

If you wish to read any of these Policies, please contact one of us.

New Covid procedures were regularly implemented and updated and amended and implemented and…!

Safeguarding

There are no Safeguarding issues to report.

JR remains our Safeguarding Officer.

Pastoral

A number of members/attenders are yet to return to meeting with us on Sunday mornings. Communion is shared on a regular basis with them, and additional ideas on how best to keep in touch and include as much as possible in the life of the church would be appreciated.

Prayer

As we venture into a new world at this time, we need to be in prayer to know where we fit in, how we function, how we open our doors to the community.

We can brainstorm/indulge in blue sky thinking/daydream…but what does God say? Where is He already at work waiting for us to follow?

The church is open to any in the community as well as members/attenders for personal reflective prayer on Wednesday mornings. There is a need to restart more “formal” times of corporate prayer, preferably on a weekly basis.

AoB

What is the appetite for additional housegroups or weekly Bible studies in the church? It is good and healthy to ponder over passages/messages that are brought to the church each Sunday.

Please read and consider this report prayerfully. There is a good “spirit” in the church family as we meet for worship and teaching, and yet wouldn’t it be great to share that love and fellowship with an even wider group of folks in the community? After all, that is our mission: “… go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you…”

Report compiled by:

Paul D Mort

Pastor

May 2022

SKETfY COMMUNITY CHURCH um un 021- RECEIPTS Brought Forward 20 £1 io. ax Recoveries Standing orders & B.A.C.S Tax Recoveries Co-op Community Fund Coop/mothers & toddlers SWALEC refund Special Christmas gift5 G.P.Janes Fund Beouests DonatÉons 27.748. 2.594.50 25,321.00 4.606.50 306.52 5.358.68 263.62 .00 75.64 5.CKJO.00 loo.00 40.00 nil Hire of Hall Hall Attivities Swansea Constiuencies Brownies 1.550.00 75.(XJ 50.00 ecial Artivitie5 Mother & toddler Forget-me-not club Thursday club Friendship club ecial Contributions Sundries Rent from Manse Housing Justice Sx. Night Shelter 7,5fQ.C(J 7.560.LM) TOTA 67

SKErrY COMMUNITY CHURCH Ex endlture Tota Church Overheads Caretaking/Cleaning HeatinLIghtIng Renovations & Repair5 Water Rateslchurch insuran Advertising & web site Postage & Stationery Piano & Music Licence Special Giftsl Subscriptions Sundries Memory gardenlplay area Covid protection slipplies Chairs & shifter Ministerial Ex enditure Net Salary Expenses Ministers mileage allow3nce B.U.Pension Fund Manse Expenses Song PtJrcha5es 2.486.63 1.207.88 5,971.41 1,221.77 95.(Kl 81.02 374.17 I,(K)5.01 1.187.91 3,419.00 1,046.94 122.40 258.51 359.58 3.231.49 2.074.96 1.463.70 27.201.18 71.98 154.76 375.12 £42 249.70 14.379.96 1,663.78 14,379.96 1,969.41 3.708 99 2.684.46 64.43 2,739.57 2,703.95 B.M.S. World Mission Home Mission World Vision SAT7 Christian5 Against Poverty Exou5ia Trust Izacsplacel 1,200.00 I,wo.(x) 720. 852.00 750.IKI 720.(K) 3(K).IK) 1,350.IX) TOTAL EXPENDITURE TOTAL RECEIPTS £16 BALA RRIED FORWA