CHURCH REPORT for 2025
I want to open by expressing much gratitude that our church has run smoothly over this past year and members have rallied to cover all the duties that were required. Also we are very grateful that all the Board invitations to help with church duties for the coming year have been filled due to the willingness of members to support our church.
Although there was a week when it was not possible to hold a Sunday Service and a Wednesday Testimony meeting in the church building due to the absence of sufficient members to carry out the necessary jobs, we were fortunately able to resort to Zoom and were able to go forward with our services. Otherwise all our Sunday Services and Wednesday Testimony Meetings have taken place in the auditorium allowing us to continue embracing all those who join our services with love.
During the year a member had to step down from the Board and it was necessary to consider the number of members eligible to fill the position. It was agreed to bring a Proposition to the membership to reduce the required number of Board members from four to three in the future. This was passed unanimously by the membership and the By-law has been altered accordingly.
At the beginning of the year The Westminster Fund kindly offered £5,000 to churches for outreach to the community and this was a huge bonus to help with the costs of our Lecture this year. The lecture was given in April by Nikki O’Hagan and was extremely uplifting and inspiring both to church members and visitors.
There has been a fair amount of building maintenance and repairs this past year: The water heater in the kitchen has been replaced Extractor fan replaced in Men’s WC Gutters cleaned Stench pipe on roof replaced after the water was dripping into the auditorium Radiator in auditorium replaced New lock on the front door
Oak tree was inspected and we are waiting for the Council to come and check it as there is concern there may be internal rot.
With regard to the Car park – Woking Community Hospital paid for several spaces for the year in advance and, together with our regular parkers, there has been a good income from this asset of the church.
As a result of the amount of rain we have had this winter water was beginning to accumulate on the surface of the car park, and we are very grateful to our First Reader who could be seen clearing out the drains with a ‘fishing’ rod. Thankfully the water now runs away freely.
We changed our utility company and broadband provider this year and this has proved to be much more economical as a result of the favourable rates they were able to offer.
With regard to our membership, sadly Keith Rawlings passed on this year. He was a wellloved member of our church and we are so pleased that two of our members were able to attend the celebration of his life.
It seemed right that one of our members should move out of her house and into a care environment and two of our members gave a great deal of their time and support to help ensure this was successfully carried out.
Another member was also in need of support to help her through a situation she was facing and members made visits to ensure she knew she was surrounded by the love of the membership.
We continue to have coffee and cake the first Sunday in the month after the service which members take it in turns to organise. It is a perfect time to be sociable together and gives us all the opportunity to celebrate and appreciate our church family.
Finally, on Page 77 of the Church Manual, Mary Baker Eddy says:
God requires wisdom, economy, and brotherly love to characterize all the proceedings of the members of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist.
and this is reflected by the First Church of Christ Scientist, Woking.
Tricia Cullimore Chairman of The Board
First Church of Christ, Scientist, Woking
Statement of Receipts and Payments and Balance Sheet for the Year to 31st December 2025
| Unrestricted Fund | 2025 | 2025 | 2024 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts | ||||
| Collections and Donations | 1325.86 | 1476.18 | ||
| Gift Aid | 10960.62 | 11767.19 | ||
| Car Park Rental | 19231 | 15744 | ||
| Church Hire | 100 | 0 | ||
| Interest and grants | 5671.04 | 11925.57 | ||
| Total | 37288.52 | 40912.94 | ||
| Reading Room a/c - increase/decrease | 201.42 | 923.08 | ||
| Total Receipts | 37489.94 | 41836.02 | ||
| Payment: Church Expenses | ||||
| Music | 3446.6 | 3979.3 | ||
| Payment for Services | 3160.5 | 2782 | ||
| Electricity and Water | 12277.42 | 6965.78 | ||
| House, Garden, Insurance | 8417.84 | 6568.55 | ||
| Telephone and Advertising | 963.88 | 1673.79 | ||
| Lectures, Reading Room, Web maintenance | 4837.71 | 17501.22 | ||
| Donations*, Building Work | 1123.38 | 300 | ||
| Total | 34227.33 | 39770.64 | ||
| Total Payments | 34227.33 | 39666.64 | ||
| Net Receipts for the Year | 3262.61 | 2065.38 | ||
| Bank Balances brought forward | 30980.52 | 28915.14 | ||
| Bank balances Carried forward | 34243.13 | 30980.52 | ||
| Monetary Assets | ||||
| Bank Balance Current | 22590.79 | 29529.6 | ||
| Transfers from C/A | -10632.77 | -10000 | ||
| Transfers to C/A | 10133.14 | 22091.16 | 0 | 19529.6 |
| Interest earning Account | 10000 | 0 | ||
| Transfers from D/A | -10133.14 | 0 | ||
| Transfers to D/A | 10632.77 | 10499.63 | 10000 | 10000 |
| Bank Balance Reading Room | 1652.34 | 1450.92 | ||
| Closing Reserves | 34243.13 | 30980.52 | ||
| Liability to The Christian Science Publishing Society | $256.06 | $99.71 |
Page 1 of 2 - signed - R Newth…......................................P Woolston…..................................................
| Asset and Donations statement | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Room Stock | £1,236.25 | £1,180.95 | |
| Value of Buildings | £1,324,085.00 | £1,249,136.00 | |
| Contents | £75,557.00 | £71,280.00 | |
| Organ | £50,000.00 | £98,648.00 | |
| Sound and Computer Systems | £12,098.00 | £11,413.00 | |
| Other Details | |||
| Donations* | |||
| Joint CSRR UK donation | |||
| Auxilliary Committee Donation | |||
| Mini Focus | |||
| Pension Trust CS nurses donation | |||
| Visiting Nurse Service donation | |||
| Aid Fund CS need nursing donation | |||
| Hawthorne Trust donation | |||
| Whitehaven Trust donation | |||
| Mountlands Trust donation | £500.00 | ||
| Prison Chaplains Committee | |||
| The Mother Church | £133.00 | ||
| FCCS Reading | |||
| Easter Camp | |||
| Focus | £250.00 | ||
| Total | |||
| Insurance | £1,660.68 | £1,661.57 | |
| Lecture | £2,629.52 | £1,693.06 | |
| Legacy | £5,000.00 |
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees: As trustees of the Charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts and you consider that the audit requirement of Section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act) does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of the procedures specified in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under Section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention.
I have examined the books and records of 1st Church of Christ, Scientist, Woking together with the information, documents and explanations provided. I hereby certify that the above Balance Sheet & Income & Expenditure Account, and the attached Asset & Donations statement present a fair representation of the financial activities of the Church for the year ended 31 December 2025 and of its financial position as of 31 December 2025. Signed:
____ ____ Roger Newth - Independent Examiner Pete Woolston - Treasurer Date_______
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