_Scottish charity number: SC004487 Congregation number: 010102_ ## **St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh** Annual Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 December 2025 seine= St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh **Contents of the Financial Statements** for the year ended 31 December 2025 ||Page| |---|---| |Report of the Trustees|1 - 3| |Report of the Independent Examiner|4| |Receipts and Payments Account|5| |Statement of Balances|6| |Notes to the Financial Statements|7 - 10| St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh ## **Report of the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2025 The Trustees present the annual report and accounts for St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh (SSCB) for the year ended 31 December 2025. **Reference and administrative information** Charity name: St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh Charity registration number: SC004487 Congregation number: 010102 Contact address: Church Office 10 Comely Bank Road Edinburgh EH4 1DW Website: www.comelybankchurch.com Bankers: Bank of Scotland, 43 Comely Bank, Edinburgh, EH4 1AF ## **Constitution and governance** SSCB is a Church of Scotland congregation established under the unitary form of constitution. The Elders serving on the Kirk Session are the trustees of the charity and have been chosen from those members of the church who are considered to have the appropriate gifts and skills. The minister, who is a member of the Kirk Session, is elected by the congregation and inducted by Presbytery. The Kirk Session is responsible for the recruitment, appointment, induction and training of new trustees, when required. The Kirk Session met eleven times during the year, with meetings considering both the practical and spiritual matters of the church. Routine business is dealt with by circulation of papers. The Trustees who served during the year were as follows: Rev George Vidits Minister and Moderator Rev Daniel Carmichael Interim Moderator (1 January 2025 - 29 March 2025) Alison Franks Session Clerk/Finance Convenor John Baggaley Veronique Chittleburgh Douglas Reid (appointed 10 August 2025) Jacqueline Young Day to day oversight for financial matters is delegated to the Session Clerk and Sarah Robertson, a member of the congregation who carries out the bookkeeping. The Minister and Session Clerk hold title to both the church and the manse on behalf of the members. ## **Objectives and activities** SSCB is an evangelical congregation of the Church of Scotland, with one objective: to make God’s ways known to all. This is done through our worship together each Sunday; meetings for prayer, encouragement and teaching; offering homegroups for small group ministry and discipleship; ministry to the older members of our community through our lunch club; youth ministry in our local schools and community; the provision of meeting space for Guides, Scouts and other community groups; and special events. Page 1 St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh **Report of the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2025 ## **Achievements and performance** Thanks be to God that we experienced His faithfulness in the year gone. We are thankful for many things this year: - We are filled with gratitude that the Lord healed and restored our minister, George, after major heart surgery. He and Emma shared with the congregation that they were grateful for the many prayers and for the many people surrounding them with their loving care. - We are thankful to the Lord for His goodness to us as a church family. For the faithful ministry of Martin Pearce as our locum during George’s absence, then as our Families Pastor later in the year; for Douglas Reid who joined our ministry team in the second half of the year; for our staff team - Kenny, Pamela and Moira - and for the many volunteers who minister to our church family and community. - We are thankful for our ministry and outreach in all its guises – to children and families through our new monthly Family Services, our weekly Babies and Toddlers Group and our monthly Comely Play events which have been so successful this year. For schools ministry at both Broughton High School and Flora Stevenson Primary School, for Rock Solid and for Inspire; and this year especially, for the level of access we are gratefully offered by the schools who value our input. For Lunch Club for our older community which continues to be a blessing to all who attend. For our homegroups which continue to be a place for discipleship and care for one another. For those who serve on a Sunday morning – both upfront and behind the scenes – able to serve using their gifts and talents be it in praying or cooking or making music or technology. For the administration that goes on unseen by most of us – managing the hall users, maintaining the buildings and garden and keeping the monthly rotas and the finances up to date. - We are blessed with so many gifted people who love the Lord and delight in serving Him - their service is such a great encouragement to us all. We are thankful too that our relationships with our Parish Grouping family continue to strengthen and grow. The next 12 months will be focussed on pushing forward with a framework for us to effectively work together to minister to our combined parishes. By God's grace and the generous legacies of John Ballantine and Cathy Powell, we were able to repair and revarnish the floors of our halls and began the renewal of our Audio-Visual systems in the church. We finished the year with 115 members (2024: 111 members). 3 new members were welcomed to the family by transference of certificate and a further 4 were welcomed by giving their profession of faith in church. We had one baptism – baby Kimberly – and George carried out 3 funerals. We have around 20 children and young people who are part of our Inspire, Sunday Club and creche communities. None of what we do at Church would be possible without the commitment of our faithful community of members who volunteer in so many ways to serve. Our sincere thanks to you all. ## **Financial review** ## _**Principal sources of funding**_ The Church is primarily funded by church members through their offerings and the Gift Aid thereon. It should however be noted that we have an emerging trend of a decreasing number of high value givers as those members either move on elsewhere or reduce their giving due to changes in circumstances. The Accounts for the year are set out on pages 5 to 10. They have been restated this year back to the simpler Receipts and Payments Basis of accounting which is available to all charities with annual income of under £250k. This means that our figures for 2024 have also been restated on the same basis to provide comparability. Page 2 St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh **Report of the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2025 ## **Financial review (continued)** ## _**Results for the year (continued)**_ The Accounts for the year are set out on pages 5 to 10. The Receipts and Payments Account on page 5 shows a deficit of £34,330 (2024: surplus of £126,039), comprising a deficit on unrestricted funds after transfers of £34,724 (2024: surplus of £134,007) and a surplus on restricted funds after transfers of £394 (2024: deficit of £7,968). ## _**Reserves**_ It is the policy of the church to maintain unrestricted funds of approximately three months of unrestricted expenditure. This allows sufficient funds to enable the ongoing work of the Church to be maintained. Per the Unrestricted funds note 6, the general fund at 31 December 2025 amounted to £41,378 (2024: £16,675) which meets this level. Restricted funds amounted to £19,789 (2024: £19,395). ## **Signed on behalf of the Trustees on 12 March 2026.** ## Alison Franks ## **Alison Franks Session Clerk** Page 3 St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh **Report of the Independent Examiner to the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2025 I report on the accounts of the church for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 5 to 10. ## **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’s 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 statement** 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 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 (as amended), and - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations (as amended) 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. ## Helen White ## **Helen White CA** ## _Director_ Cornerstone Accounting Ltd 11 Erngath Road Chartered Accountants Bo’ness EH51 9DP Date: 31 March 2026 Page 4 ## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church ## Receipts and Payments Account For the year ended 31 December 2025 |**Notes**
**Receipts**
Offerings and donations
Gift aid recovered
Grants
**2**
Legacies
Youthwork activity income
Hall letting income
Key deposits
Deposit interest
**Total receipts**
**Payments**
Giving to Grow contribution
Presbytery dues
Staff salaries
Minister's expenses
General ministry expenses
Ministry group expenses
Other mission costs
Church repairs and maintenance
AV and website costs
Manse repairs and maintenance
Manse council tax
Other building costs
Church utility and water costs
Insurance
Church office and IT costs
Catering, hygiene and cleaning costs
Charitable donations
**3**
Independent examination
Bank charges
Card machine costs
Other expenses
**Total payments**
**Surplus/(deficit) for the year before transfers**
**Transfers**
**Surplus/(deficit) for the year after transfers**
**Total funds brought forward**
**Total funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**fund**
**£**
**64,072**
**14,616**
**278**
**5,000**
**-**
**16,443**
**40**
**784**
**101,233**
**62,886**
**1,323**
**8,325**
**640**
**1,946**
**-**
**78**
**6,091**
**11,912**
**1,025**
**4,032**
**-**
**8,797**
**7,537**
**1,653**
**1,327**
**8,000**
**180**
**15**
**9**
**-**
**125,776**
**(24,543)**
**(10,181)**
**(34,724)**
**151,942**
**117,218**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**33,833**
**5,947**
**3,350**
**-**
**490**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**43,620**
**-**
**-**
**40,643**
**-**
**-**
**5,153**
**739**
**6,857**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**15**
**-**
**53,407**
**(9,787)**
**10,181**
**394**
**19,395**
**19,789**|**2025**
**Total**
**£**
**97,905**
**20,563**
**3,628**
**5,000**
**490**
**16,443**
**40**
**784**
**144,853**
**62,886**
**1,323**
**48,968**
**640**
**1,946**
**5,153**
**817**
**12,948**
**11,912**
**1,025**
**4,032**
**-**
**8,797**
**7,537**
**1,653**
**1,327**
**8,000**
**180**
**15**
**24**
**-**
**179,183**
**(34,330)**
**-**
**(34,330)**
**171,337**
**137,007**|Unrestricted
fund
£
67,525
13,523
-
135,267
151
20,344
-
-
236,810
60,735
1,102
7,818
1,306
518
-
-
2,836
-
864
3,738
270
9,723
6,888
4,656
895
-
144
-
98
256
101,847
134,963
(956)
134,007
17,935
151,942|Restricted
funds
£
32,881
6,668
1,500
-
170
-
-
-
41,219
-
-
36,624
-
-
5,992
-
4,834
-
2,376
-
-
-
-
301
-
-
-
-
16
-
50,143
(8,924)
956
(7,968)
27,363
19,395
Restated|2024
Total
£
100,406
20,191
1,500
135,267
321
20,344
-
-
278,029
60,735
1,102
44,442
1,306
518
5,992
-
7,670
-
3,240
3,738
270
9,723
6,888
4,957
895
-
144
-
114
256
151,990
126,039
-
126,039
45,298
171,337| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| The notes on pages 7 to 10 form part of these financial statements. Page 5 ## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church ## Statement of Balances As at 31 December 2025 |**Opening**
**Deficit**
**Closing**
**balance**
**for year**
**balance**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**Bank and cash**
**171,337**
**(34,330)**
**137,007**
**Total assets**
**171,337**
**(34,330)**
**137,007**
**Represented by:**
Unrestricted fund
**6**
**117,218**
Restricted funds
**7**
**19,789**
**137,007**
**Statement of assets**
Church
**No value provided**
Manse (at cost)
**520,000**
Gift aid due
**4,669**
Listed Places of Worship grant
**3,280**
Overpayment of Giving to Grow
**533**
Other debtors
**154**
Merchiston Funds due
**-**
**528,636**
**Statement of liabilities**
Church utility costs
**1,500**
Bills due
**-**
Key deposits
**340**
Minister's travel costs
**320**
Pensions due
**222**
Independent examination fee
**180**
**2,562**
**2025**|Opening
Surplus
Closing
balance
for year
balance
£
£
£
45,298
126,039
171,337
45,298
126,039
171,337
151,942
19,395
171,337
No value provided
520,000
5,286
-
-
749
1,850
527,885
1,734
1,774
300
240
172
144
4,364
2024| |---|---| The financial statements on pages 5 to 10 were approved by the Trustees on 12 March 2026 and signed on their behalf by the undernoted: ## Alison Franks ## **Alison Franks Session Clerk** Page 6 St Stephen's Comely Bank Church ## Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025 ## **1. Accounting policies** ## _**Accounting convention**_ The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and the Regulations anent Congregational Finance approved by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2007. ## _**Basis of financial statements**_ The financial statements have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis. All voluntary income, income from tax recoveries on Gift Aid and bank interest is accounted for when received. Expenditure is recognised when paid. ## _**Receipts and payments account**_ For the purpose of the receipts and payments account as shown on page 5, funds are defined as follows: **Unrestricted** funds comprise grants and other income received for the objects of the church without further specified purpose and are available as general funds. **Restricted** funds comprise income which has been received for the objects of the church and specified for a restricted purpose within these objects by the donor. ## **2. Grant income** During the year, we received the following grants: |**North Merchiston Mission fund**
Edinburgh Presbytery mission grant
**Families Outreach fund**
Church of Scotland grant for summer intern
**Youthwork fund**
Church of Scotland mission grant
**General fund**
Listed Places of Worship Scheme - VAT recovery fund|**2025**
**£**
**1,850**
**1,000**
**500**
**278**
**3,628**|2024
£
-
500
1,000
-
1,500| |---|---|---| We extend our sincere thanks to all those who have granted us funding for our outreach. ## **3. Charitable donations** The Trustees have agreed that all income received as legacies will be tithed with 10% of these receipts being ringfenced to donate to charity. This year, the following donations were made: |Crossreach
International Justice Mission
Scripture Union Hungary
Scripture Union Scotland|**2025**
**£**
**2,000**
**2,000**
**2,000**
**2,000**
**8,000**| |---|---| Page 7 ## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church ## Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025 ## **4. Transactions with Trustees and related parties** During the year, one Trustee (the Minister) received reimbursement of travel expenses totalling £720 (2024: £1,546) and benefitted from the payment of Council Tax on the manse of £4,031 (2024: £3,738). No other Trustees received remuneration or expenses, other than the direct reimbursement of items purchased on behalf of the church (2024: nil). All Church of Scotland congregations contribute to the National Stipend Fund which bears the costs of ministers' stipends and employer's contributions for national insurance, pensions and housing and loan funds. Ministers' stipends are paid in accordance with the national stipend scale which is related to years of service. For the year under review, the minimum stipend was £32,433 and the maximum stipend (in the fifth and subsequent years) was £39,856. There were no transactions with related parties in the year. Total donations received from Trustees in the year amounted to £30,811 (2024: £25,740). ## **5. Volunteer time** The Church relies heavily on the contribution of significant volunteer time for the delivery of its programme of activities. This has not been quantified for the purposes of these accounts. ## **6. Unrestricted funds** |**Balance at**
**01.01.25**
**£**
General fund
16,675
Designated legacy fund
121,740
Designated tithe fund
13,527
Total unrestricted funds
**151,942**|**Receipts**
**£**
100,733
-
500
**101,233**|**Payments**
**£**
(105,849)
(11,912)
(8,015)
**(125,776)**|**Transfers**
**£**
29,819
(40,000)
-
**(10,181)**|**Balance at**
**31.12.25**
**£**
41,378
69,828
6,012
**117,218**| |---|---|---|---|---| ## _**Explanation of funds**_ _The General Fund_ represents all income and expenditure relating to the primary focus activities of the charity, other than those for which funding is restricted. _The Designated legacy fund_ represents a ring-fenced legacy received in the year to be used at the Kirk Session's discretion. _The Designated tithe fund_ represents 10% of the value of a legacy received in the year which the Kirk Session use to contribute to charitable causes. Page 8 ## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church ## Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025 ## **7. Restricted funds** |**Balance at**
**01.01.25**
**£**
Youthwork fund
-
Families Outreach fund
8,752
Lunch Club fund
812
Baby and toddler fund
261
Eco fund
1,561
Fabric fund
8,009
AV replacement fund
-
Church lunch fund
-
Hungary youth mission trip
-
North Merchiston mission fund
-
Total restricted funds
**19,395**|**Receipts**
**£**
22,007
3,500
2,037
1,343
-
-
12,500
383
-
1,850
**43,620**|**Payments**
**£**
(33,813)
(9,643)
(1,563)
(409)
-
(4,572)
(2,285)
(458)
(579)
(85)
**(53,407)**|**Transfers**
**£**
11,806
-
(700)
(1,000)
-
-
-
75
-
-
**10,181**|**Balance at**
**31.12.25**
**£**
-
2,609
586
195
1,561
3,437
10,215
-
(579)
1,765
**19,789**| |---|---|---|---|---| ## _**Explanation of funds**_ The _Youthwork fund_ represents donations received to fund youth work in the church, including the salary of the Youth Worker. The _Families Outreach fund_ holds grants and donations received to fund a Families Outreach worker. The _Lunch club fund_ represents donations received and payments made for the provision of the monthly lunch club. The transfer out in the year was a donation made from the Club to the Church. The _Baby and Toddler fund_ represents the income and expenses managed by our Baby and Toddler group. The transfer out in the year was a donation made from the Group to the Church. The _Eco fund_ represents donations received and payments made by the church Eco group. The _Fabric fund_ holds grants and donations received in relation to the upkeep of the church building. The _AV replacement fund_ represents a donation received this year specifically for the replacement of our audio visual equipment in the Sanctuary. The _Church lunch fund_ represents funds donated and costs incurred in providing our monthly church family lunch. The _Hungary youth mission fund_ represents funds raised and spent on our youth group mission trip to Budapest in July 2026. The _North Merchiston mission fund_ represents funds received this year from Presbytery to be used to promote the church's activities in the area and in mission work. Page 9 ## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church ## Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2025 ## **8. Restatement of comparatives** The accounts have been restated this year from the Accruals method back to the Receipts and Payments basis . This has resulted in the following adjustments to the comparatives this year: ## **2023 brought forward reserves** |2023 reserves, as previously stated
Deduct:
Fixed assets - church manse
Income due but not received
Add:
Bills due but not paid
**2023 reserves, restated**
**2024 surplus**
2024 surplus, as previously stated
Deduct:
Income due but not received
Bills from 2022 paid
Add:
Bills due but not paid
Income due from 2022 received
**2024 surplus, restated**
**Restated 2024 reserves carried forward**|849,534
(800,000)
(5,180)
944
**45,298**
125,796
(7,885)
(944)
3,892
5,180
**126,039**
**171,337**| |---|---| Page 10