## of the Episcopal Church
## **Good Shepherd, Murrayfield**
## **Report and Financial Statements**
for the year ended **30 September 2024**
_The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield: charity number SC000357_
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
## **Reference and administrative information**
|**Charity Name**|Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield|
|---|---|
|**Principal address**|13a Murrayfield Avenue, Edinburgh
Edinburgh EH12 6AU|
|**Website**|https://www.goodshepherdmurrayfield.org.uk|
|**Registered Charity number**|SC000357|
|**Trustees as at the date of**
**this report.**
(See page 3 under ‘Vestry
membership’ for changes in
trustees during the year.)||
|**Independent Examiner**||
|**Bankers**|Bank of Scotland
Virgin Bank|
2
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
## **REPORT OF THE VESTRY (TRUSTEES’ REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2024**
The trustees are pleased to present their report together with the financial statements and independent examiner’s report for the year to 30 September 2024.
## **1. Structure, governance and management**
The Church is an unincorporated association governed by a Constitution and managed by the Vestry. As a member congregation of the Diocese of Edinburgh in the Scottish Episcopal Church, it is also governed by Canon law of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The Church is a registered charity and, for the purposes of Charity Law, the members of the Vestry are its Trustees.
## _**Vestry membership**_
Ex officio members of the Vestry include the Rector, appointed by the Vestry (in consultation with the Bishop of the Diocese), and the Rector's Churchwarden, appointed by the Rector. Other Vestry members are elected by the congregation in annual meeting, or failing that may be co-opted by the Vestry. The Lay Representative and People's Churchwarden are annual appointments; two other ordinary members retire each year, but may be reelected. There is no formal induction programme, but ongoing guidance is given to ensure that Vestry members are familiar with the Church’s values and aims; and with their responsibilities as the trustees of a charity.
The Rector and the Lay Representative represent the Congregation at Diocesan Synod.
The current members of the Vestry are listed on page 2. There were no changes to vestry membership during the year ended 30 September 2024 or to date.
## _**Administrative structure**_
The Vestry is responsible for managing and safeguarding the assets of the Church and assisting the Rector in matters affecting the spiritual welfare of the congregation. It is also responsible for looking after the finances of the church, for keeping proper accounting records and ensuring that the annual accounts are prepared in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. New members are elected to the Vestry at Annual General Meetings via a nomination procedure that is well advertised to the congregation.
The Vestry conducts its business through regular advertised meetings and through the Finance, Property and Social Committees that report to it. The Vestry, at its regular meetings, considers any risks facing the Church, particularly in connection with potential changes in operations, and establishes procedures to mitigate risks that are identified. Quinquennial property reviews are carried out to give assurance in relation to property risks.
## **2. Reference and administrative information**
Reference and administrative details are presented on page 2.
## **3. Objectives and activities**
The primary charitable purpose of the Church is the advancement of religion and to provide public benefit. The Vestry’s objectives are to advance the mission of the Christian Church, through worship, service, and fellowship. These objectives are met through mission and pastoral activities.
The principal activities of the church are public worship in word, sacrament and prayer; Christian education; charitable work and fund-raising for local, national and international needs; and social meetings.
## **4. Achievements and performance**
Please see the Rector’s Report on pages 5 and 6.
3
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
Trustees, Report (continued)
5. Financial review
The year to 30 Saptamber 2024 saw significant expanditure on property- double glazing the rectory at a
¢ost of £48,01. In a yèar without lègaciès, thè Church would havè rÈcordÈd a drop in funds of £23,c as
re5uIt. However, a rise in investment value5 reduced this to just £3,01)O. The redurtion in cash balance5
was only £700, thanks to getting fully up to date with gift aid claims.
Income
Adjusting for tirning differences on gift aid receipt5 and hall rentals. the underlying income trend over the
past four years is shown in the chart below. Regular giving rose by IOOA. helped by a generous response to
renewal of giving appeal in May 2024, and by the addition of new standing orders. Hall income benefited
from inflation linking, but also from a doubling of income from one-off events. Royalty income, from
literary rights bequeathed to thè church by thè author Lucilla Andrews, eontinues to fall off now all her
work ha5 been published in e-book format. but at a much slower rate than expected.
Income comparison 2021- 2024
Expenditure comparison 2021- 2024
Donations
ersv
Le6acies
Property
Hall
External
Royalties
2024
2023 £
•2024£
2023 £
Interest
2022 £
2021 £
Other
•2022£
2021 £
2( 41KX)0 60(KK) 80000
201MK) 4(XXM) 60(m 800(M) I(0
Expenditure
Inflation-linked incréasès in stipènd over two years havè had a biggèr èffèct on 2024 as thè SEUS
transitional stipend support came to an end in December 2023. The new Rectory window5 were the
biggest contributor to high property costs. Utility costs also remain high, though a new three-year contract
signed in March 2024 has brought the unit cost down from four times rf(s pr8-March-202318vel to a mer8
2.8 times. The 'External' category comprises quota payable to the Diocese plus any charitable donations
made from church funds lie not from collÈctionsl- The 'other' Category eombinès worship, pastoral,
outreach, and administration costs.
Investment5
Long term funds ale invested in the Unit Trust Pool I"iJtW'I of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The investment
objective of the UTP, which accords with that of the Vestry, is to earn a return on the assets, over the lonB term,
sufficient at least to maintain the real value of the distribution to unit holders. The Provincial Investment
Committee who manage the UTP have determined an ethical investment policy which stresse5 certain 'p051tive'
ethical criteria, as well as certain strict'ne8ative' criteria that include no direct investment in companies whose
main business is in restrirted categories such as armaments. gambling or tobacco.
Reserves policy
The Vestry aim5 to maintain an amount in general reserves equ31 to the net book v31ue of tangible fixed assets
plus at least one year's anticipated future expenditure. Currently this target is well exceeded, but the vestry is
conscious of the need to spend on significant projerts in the short-to-medium term so as to secure a sustainable
future for the activities and presence of the Good Shepherd in Murrayfield in the decades to corne.
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
6. Future plans
The Vestry aim5 to continue the present level of service provision in teims of worship. pastoral care and
community support.
A major area of focus in 2024125 will be the completion of the project begun last year to make the church more
welcomin8 and to increase its use by community groups. Following the reinstallation of a sink in the choir vestry
in 2023. a skilled craftsman has now been commissioned to build new oak storage units for the back of the
church. These have been sensitively desi8ned to match existin8 furnishings 2nd to be sympathetic to the
church's architectural heritage.
Having completed work in 2023124 on improving the Rectorvs enerey efficiency, the vestry will turn its
attention over the coming yeai to putting into effect othei artions recommended in the recent quinquennial
property review for the repair and maintenance of the church and hall, and to make further moves towards
carbon neutrality.
7. Conclusion
The vestry is hugely grateful to Rev'd Canon Dean F05tekew. our Rector. foi hi5 hard work and comwnitment to
the Good Shepherd. to Rewd Russell Duncan and Red David Warnes for supporting him in his ministry,. and to
all our members for theii continued and continual support and prayers.
Approved by the Vestry on 11 November 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Rectorfs Report on the year to 30 September 2024
It was good to celebrate 125 years of use of the building we love back on Good Shepherd Sunday. I have always
thought the fact that the building was never completed las to the original Loriwner design) is quite important a5 It
speaks of the provisionality of human plans. As it is, our building is welcoming to all who come throu8h its doors,
a place of prayer and sanctuary in which to worship God. We have been delighted that a number of new
members have joined us this year, all of whom have spoken of the genuinely warm welcome they received.
We have also seen the addition of two extra AA groups using the church building. which has become as much
loved by their members as ours. The Congregation sponsors these groups as part of our community outreach.
AA groups now meet four times a week and sometimes the meeting is shared on zoom around the world too,
thank5 to our new and improved WiFi facilitie5. Our church building has also been used for other meetings.
or8an recitals, a concert, and as a pollin8 Station, all increasing the community usa8e. New oak cupboards, now
being built by a skilled craftsman to be in keeping wtth the church interior, will provide extra storage and easier
iefre5hment Serving to cater for thi5 increasing usage. Meanwhile. our hall has been well used by a Monte550ri
Nursery, by Murr3yfield Memori31 Table Tennis Club and by others for dance classes and private parties.
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
## **Rector’s Report (continued)**
We also have a beautiful, much loved and well-used garden, greatly enjoyed by neighbours and local residents. The Porch Chapel continues to be a source of sanctuary and prayer for many outside church opening hours, as evidenced by comments and prayer requests left on the pin-board. I believe we can honestly say that we are a community church. Not everyone attends services, but more people than we realise come in and pray, or just breathe more easily in the peacefulness of the garden.
Care of the buildings and grounds is always an on-going concern. This year saw the Quinquennial Report published, listing various things we will need to do in the coming months and years to keep the fabric in good order, both in terms of general maintenance and reducing carbon emissions. New double-glazed windows were put into the Rectory earlier this year, and the difference was immediate.
We are blessed by those who minister amongst us, especially the and the . They have also been ably joined by Lay Reader) and the . It is an invaluable gift that we have such able preachers who give us a variety of different ways in which to hear the Word of God. Our worship has also been enhanced beyond measure by our dedicated Choir and Director of Music. What a wonderful variety of music we enjoy!
## _**Murrayfield Churches Together**_
We have continued to contribute to the wider community at home and overseas in partnership with Murrayfield Parish Church and Saughtonhall URC, through Murrayfield Churches Together. MCT continues to support Ecudare and in August we were delighted to welcome back Esther Wonjoni, its founder, when she was in Europe for a conference. The Murrayfield Club for dementia sufferers and their carers has run without hindrance for most of the past year and is usually full to capacity. Its weekly Memory Lane Café, held at Saughtonhall URC on Friday mornings, continues to be very popular. The Café enables the Club to fulfil its brief in raising awareness of dementia and combatting social isolation of the elderly in the local community.
Worship at Murrayfield House Nursing Home, led by members of the Good Shepherd, offers Evensong twice a month on the first and third Wednesdays at 2pm. For younger ages, our partner churches in MCT facilitate Messy Church each month. The MCT Faith Study Group continues to meet and grow as it explores a wide variety of theological topics. Over the year we have worshipped jointly with our partner churches for Advent Sunday Carols, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Christian Aid Week, the World Day of Prayer, and on the Sunday in August when Esther came to visit.
## _**Conclusion**_
How good it is that we continue witnessing to Christ in this bit of the Kingdom we call Murrayfield, and I thank all who do so many things, often behind the scenes, to ensure that the Good Shepherd remains the caring community it is. It shows that our forebears were right to ask for a church presence here, and that God wants us to be here as well. Long may that be the reality!
## **Rector**
6
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees of The Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 30 September 2024 which are set out on pages 8 to 12.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner’s report**
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations have not been met, or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed
## Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
12 November 2024
7
## Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
## **Statement of Receipts and Payments**
## **for the year ended 30 September 2024**
The notes on pages 10 to 12 form an integral part of these financial statements
8
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
## **Statement of Balances**
## **As at 30 September 2024**
## Approved by the Vestry and signed on their behalf:
## 11 November 2024
The notes on pages 10 to 12 form an integral part of these financial statements
9
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
## **Notes to the accounts for the year ended 30 September 2024**
## **1. Basis of preparation of accounts**
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
## **2. Funds**
Unrestricted funds are those that may be used at the discretion of the Vestry in furtherance of the Church’s objectives. The General Fund is unrestricted and maintained for the day-to-day running of the Church.
Designated Funds are also unrestricted but have been set aside by the Vestry for particular purposes. In recent years, the Vestry has credited legacy receipts to a designated fund for improving the amenity and energy efficiency of our buildings.
Restricted funds may only be used for specific purposes. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or in fundraising appeal literature. The purposes of current restricted funds are shown in note 13.
## **3. Property and fixed assets**
All the heritable property of the church, comprising the church building, the hall and the rectory, are vested in the Bishop of Edinburgh, together with the Dean, Chancellor and Registrar of the Diocese ( _ex_ officio), who hold the properties in trust for the congregation. During the year, the three properties had to be registered under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 which came into effect in April 2024. They are separately listed in the new Register of Controlled Interests in Land in the names of the four Diocesan trustees as legal owners and three representative members of the vestry as ‘associate owners’, because the Vestry has effective control of the properties.
Given the nature of the property ownership, the Vestry believes it highly unlikely that the proceeds of any future sale would flow to the Good Shepherd and they have accordingly been excluded from the Statement of Balances. The original cost of heritable property is unknown, and no market valuation has been sought as, in the opinion of the vestry, the cost of doing so would outweigh any benefit.
The church also owns a small triptych by Phoebe Traquair, which has been on loan to the National Museum of Scotland for many years. It was valued at £25,000 in 2003, but the Church has no intention to sell and its current value is unknown, so no value has been placed upon it in the Statement of Balances.
Fixed assets that are shown in the Statement of Balances comprise hall improvements made in 2014, and are carried at cost less depreciation at 10% per annum. They are now fully depreciated.
## **4. Quota**
Quota is the amount paid to the Diocese of Edinburgh to help meet the costs of the Diocese and the Scottish Episcopal Church. These costs include the provision of pastoral support by the Bishop and Dean, and grants to support the ministry of less well funded congregations.
## **5. Payments to charities**
Payments to charities (see also note 12) represent (a) restricted donations to the church in response to collections or appeals for specific charities, including related gift aid; and (b) any sums authorised by the vestry to be paid from church funds. They exclude cash collections for charities where the cash donated is passed directly to the charity concerned. These amounts, which are often not counted before being passed on, cannot be quantified and are excluded from the accounts.
## **6. Trustee remuneration, benefits and expenses**
The Rector, , is _ex officio_ a member of the Vestry and therefore a trustee. He receives remuneration, benefits, and reimbursement of expenses in respect of services as a stipendiary cleric in line with scales determined by General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Payment of remuneration is authorised under article 22 of the Constitution.
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Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
## **Notes to the accounts (continued)**
## **6 Trustee remuneration, benefits and expenses (continued)**
Amounts paid to the Rector during the year comprised stipend of £32,391 (2023 – £29,835) and pension contributions of £10,430 (2023 – £9,607). Travel, training and subsistence expenses refunded amounted to £754 (2022 – £1,161). A temporary stipend support grant of £480 (2023 – £1,440) was received from the Diocese of Edinburgh to help compensate for the effect of high inflation upon the level of standard stipend fixed for the calendar year 2023.
, Director of Music, is a member of the Vestry. During the year, he received organist’s fees totalling £1,381 (2023 - £1,970), with a further £440 due but unpaid at 30 September 2024.
No other member of the vestry received any remuneration or reimbursement of expenses during the year or previous year, other than reimbursement of purchases made on behalf of the church.
## **7. Analysis of property management costs**
|||**Church and**|**Church and**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**garden**||**Hall**|**Rectory**||**TOTAL**|**2023**|
||||**£**|**£**|**£**||**£**|**£**|
|Heat and light|||4,469|4,494|-|-|8,963|9,310|
|Insurance|||2,100|1,250||1,231|4,581|3,993|
|Council tax|||-
-|-||3,710|3,710|3,582|
|Cleaning and consumables|||2,164|3,452||-|5,616|4,992|
|Welcoming project|||-|-||-
|-|6,287|
|Maintenance||~~—_~~|2,790
11,523
~~>~~|1,580
10,776
~~um~~|50,330
54,700
55,271
77,570
~~—- ao, —~~|||5,745
33,909|
|Allocated to hall rental costs|||-
|10,776||-|10,776|10,343|
||||11,523|-|55,271||66,794|23,566|
||_2023_||_16,815_
|_-_
||_6,751_|_23,566_||
## **8. Cash balances**
|||**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**£**|**£**|
|Bank of Scotland|current account|1,401|28,718|
|Bank of Scotland|instant access savings|23,453||
|Bank of Scotland|32 day notice account|124,967|121,818|
|Virgin||4|4|
|Cash floats||298|298|
|||150,123|150,838|
## **9. Investments**
Investments consist of units in the Scottish Episcopal Church Unit Trust Pool.
||**Number of**||**Value/cost**|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Scottish Episcopal Church Unit Trust Pool|**units**|**Cost**|**per unit**|**2024**|**2023**|
|||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|At 1 October 2022|4988|109,749|26.4722|132,043|125,224|
|Valuation change||-||20,119|6,819|
|At 30 September 2023|4988|109,749|30.5057|152,162|132,043|
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Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Murrayfield
## **10. Debtors**
|Gift aid recoverable
Hall rentals due
Prepayments (insurance)
Royalty income due (estimated)
Utilities paid in advance|**General**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**2024**
**2023**
**Fund**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Total**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
886
-
-
886
21,277
2,766
-
-
2,766
2,093
3,703
-
-
3,703
3,228
900
-
-
900
900
2,411
-
-
2,411
3,548
10,666
-
-
10,666
31,046|
|---|---|
Gift aid recovered in the year comprised £21,277 recognised as recoverable at 30 September 2023, a further £2,251 relating to earlier years and £13,193 in relation to 2023/24 (total £36,721), leaving only £886 still receivable at the end of the year.
## **11. Creditors**
The only creditor at the year-end was a quarterly organist’s fee of £440 plus expenses of £85. There were no creditors as at 30 September 2023.
## **12. Designated Funds**
The vestry has decided to designate recent legacies towards the cost of building improvements and refurbishment. The transfer from General Funds to Designated Funds at 30 September 2024 represents a legacy of £10,000 received in 2020/21 net of costs of £6,287 incurred in 2022/23 on installing kitchen facilities in the choir vestry. These items were originally dealt with in the General Fund.
## **13. Restricted Funds**
|**_Accumulated net receipts_**
Music Fund
Charities Fund
Retreats Fund
Furnishings Fund
Garden fund
**_Total receipts_**
Gift aid receivable
**_Total Funds_**|**Start of year**
**Receipts**
**Payments**
**Transfers**
**End of year**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
4,884
1,167
740
-
5,311
715
3,521
3,471
-
765
39
-
-
-
39
250
-
-
-
250
272
1,048
167
-
1,153|
|---|---|
||6,160
5,736
4,378
-
7,517
502
(502)
-
-
-|
||6,662
5,234
4,378
-
7,517|
12