The Church of Scotland Alness Church of Scotland Receipts and Payments Accounts 2024 Congregation Number: 422329 Charity Number: SC 010093 Reference and Administrative Information Charity Name". Church Charity Registration Number. Congregation Reference Number.. Contact Address. Alness Church of Scotland SC010093 42£32CJ Trustees Principal Office-B Minister.. Session Clerk.. Church Tréasurer Independent Examiner Bankers Royal Bank of Scotland Alness Branch 53 High Street Alness IV17 OSH Trustees, Annual Report Year ended 31 December 2024 Structure, Governance and Management Governing Document The Church is administered in accordance with the terms of the Deed of Constttution lor Deed of Constitution (Unitary Form)) Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees Members of the Kirk Session are the charity trustees The Kirk Session members are the elders of the church and are chosen from those members of the church who are considered to have appropriate gifts and skills The minister, who is a member of the Kirk Session, is elected by the congregation and Inducted by Presbytery Alness is adminislered using the Unitary Constitution. Under this form of Constitution oversight of all mallers, tx)th spintual and temporal, are carned out by the Kirk Session. This is balanced by the decision-making FM)wers that have been passed to membars of Working Groups, which compnse bolh elders and church members Organisational Structure Certain responsibilities are delegated to the Finance Committee and the Prq)erty Committee as appropriate. The Kirk Session vthich meeis at least six times a year is responsible for spiritual affairs V￿thIn the church and also now oversees all m•tters conceming finances and fabnc of the estate. Objectives and Activities The Church of Scotland is Trinitarian in doctrine, Reformed In tradition and Presbyterian in polity. 11 exists to glorify God and to work for the advancern￿t of Christ's Kingdom throughout the world. As a national Church, It aCknowled￿S a distinctive call and duty lo bring the ordinances of religion to the people in every Ferish of Scotland through a temtonal ministry It Co-operates with other Churches in various ecumenical bodies in Scotland and beyond. Sunday Worship is at 11am every Sunday. followed by tea and fellowship. Youth Activities are a regular Sunday Club and a 'Messy Church. on the aftern¢)ons of the first Sunday of the month. Evening Bible Studiesrrime for Prayer is alternate weeks apart from a break for holidays, which runs in hybrid format. Mums and Toddlers meel every other week apart from a break for holidays. Guild meets on a Monday from Oclober to March. Ladies Bible study meets every other week apart for a break for holidays on a Tue$day morning. Warm Hub meets once a week over the winter months OPENGATE 2 Puppets groups meets weekly. engaging the youth in leaming to be puppeteers and teaching them about the message of Jesus. Once a monlh Fellowship teas a￿ held Once a month aftemoon worship seniice in local Care Home. on the fourth Sunday of the month Several Social Events w￿re held. including fellowship lunches Over the past year our engagement with llxal schools has continued and increased interaction with schools. This has included going to the Icral nursery as well. Trustees, Annual Report (ConL) Year ended 31 December 2024 Additional annual services have been held including, Blue Chnstmas Servi￿, Light party, Sunday School interchurch gathering, Easter Egg Hunt. Good Friday joint Service Joint services and other activities are held with other neighbouring church groups. We also provide facilities for local groups to carry out their activities. This includes Rainbows. Brownies. Guides, Beavers and Cubs We have made our pr￿iseS available to Care and Learning Alliance which provides support for families with young children. The church is also collecting items of food each week to support the Highland Fo(Klbank. The Church of Scotland has decided thal a union should tske pla￿ between Rosskeen Parish Church and Alness Parish Church and this came into effect on Sunday 23, June 2024 at which point the congregation became Alness Church of Scotland The new church still retains all the properties including sanctuarie6 and manses of the two previous panshes These properties are under review. The church continued to operate a system where the morning service was live- streamed to Facebook and then a recording uploaded to YouTube and a Iccal phone number for people to engage with. We have held regular meetings of the Session using Zoom where necessary Achievement and Performance The broadcast services have been remarkably successful and large numbers have viewed our services online The members of the congregation have continued to support the church and they are regularly contributing money to support the church. The Church has maintained its commitment to the Elderfy feeding program in Malawi. We have also conlinued to support the work of the Highland Foodbank both through donations of money and items of food handed in by the congregation. During the year one of the congregation underwent training to become a Worship Leader and passed the course Since September we have re-introduced an evening service which takes pla¢2 once a month which Ouf new worship leader leads. We have also started a youth group which meets ono a month. A lot of time has b￿n devoled to combining the finances of both congregations and bringing them into one set of accounts. Trustees Annual Report (cont.) Year ended 31 December 2024 Financial Review The union between Alness Parish and Rosskeen Parish Churches of Scotland to become Alness Church of Scotland occurred on 2310612024. The Bank Accounts of Alness Parish were closed on 3111012024 and all assets and liabilities were transferred to Alness Church of Scotland. Most, but not all. assets were transferred before 3111212024 and are recorded as'transf8rred income" from bank accounts and as extra investments with the Church of Scotland Investors Trust and General TruElees The outstanding transfers from bank accounts should take place early in 2025 and will be incorporated Into the financial report for 2025. This report shows accounts for Rosskeen Parish until 3111012024 and then Alness Church of Scotland from 0111112024. The Church of Scotland financial advisors suggested that any dormant funds In low interest accounts should be converted lo higher interest investments. We already have most available funds invested in Church of Scotland Investors Trust Bonds continuing to yield an annual return of about 40/0 wilh a potential for growth depending on financial market performance. The transfer of funds from Alness Parish has resulted in a considerable increase in the General and other Banking funds x) we considered it appropriate to invest about £100000 in Church of Scotland Investors Trust Income Fund bul relain enough equity 10 meet any unforeseen financial eventuality Details of transfers. purchases, Income return and valuation of Ihe trx)nds are in the financial report. The principal source of income is weekly or monthly Free Will Offering, a large pjrt of which is in Gift Aid form. resulting in £9412 being recovered from HMRC. The number of donors giving by monthly Bank Standing Order was 25, which will Increase in 2025, wilh a weekly average of about £16 and this is our main Sour￿ of income. 28 New weekly donalion envelopes for Alness Church of Scotland have been distributed. The fabric of the church policies continues to be maintained. The manse had been upgraded with consultation with the Gunn family before they moved in however any further non-essential improvements to church facilities and property has been delayed due to a Church of Scotland spending moratorium and the Union of churches Reserves Policy At present It is the Trustees, policy to hold readily available reserves of approximately six months expenditure. Al the year end the Church held unrestricted cash funds of £57690 and Ihus meets the trustees. policy. Our main Church of Scotland expenditure of Giving to Grow contributions is base¢l on one year's income from the year before thus having a one year delay in assessment. There Is a new fixed definite method of calculating each church's Giving to Grow contribution based on their annual income and our Giving to Grow contribution for 2025 will be £45413 determined from the combined income figures in 2023 for Al￿sS Parish and Rosskeen Parish The General Trustees arrange supply contracts for Gas, Electricity and Oil to the financial benefit of the participating churches The electr￿llY contract, which had run for several years and provided us wilh'cheap electricity when the price rockeled, will be re-negotiated in 2025. continues. The contract for oil purchase The Budget 2024 statement is based on Rosskeen Parish finances alone with the effect of union with Alness Parish into Alness Church of Scoiland at Ihe moment an unknown proposition. Thank you all On￿ again for your continuing generosity. Statement of Trustees, Responsibilities The members of the Kirk Session must prepare financial statements which give sufficient detail to enable an appreciation of the transactions of the Church durng the financial year. The members of the Kirk Session are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which. on request, must reflect the financial position of the Church at Ihal lime. This musl be done to ensure that the financial stalements compty with the Charitie5 and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. the Charities Ac¢ounts (Scotlandl Regulations 2006 and the Regulations Anent Congregational Finance approved by the General Assembly of Ihe ChLJrch of Scotland in 2007. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Church and must take reasonable steps for the prevention andlor detection of fraud and other irregularities. Approved bv the Trustees and sianed on their behalf Receipts and Payments Accounts Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees of Alness Church of Scolland. I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024 which are sel out on pages 7 to 13. Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner The charity's trustees are ￿SPonSible for the preparation of the accounts in accordan￿ with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment IScotland} Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts {Scotlandl Regulations 2006. The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (dl of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44111 Ic) of the Act and to state whether particular mtters have cDme lo my attention. Basis of independent examiner's statement My examination is carried out In accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts {Scolland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a companson of Ihe accounts presented with those records. 11 also includes consideration of any unusual items or disc106ures in the accounts, and seeks explanations from the trustees conceming any such matters The PrO￿dUreS undertaken do noi provide all the evidence that would be required in an 8udit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Independent examiner's ststement In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention (other than that disclosed below'l which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material resped the requirements. to keep accounting records in accordan￿ with Section 44{11 (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 nol been met, or to which. in my opinion, attention should be dravm in order to enable a proper Ljnderstanding of the accounts to be reached "Please delete the words In brackets Il Ihey do not apply If the words do apply set out those matters which have come to your atlention. Alness Church of Scotland Receipts and Payments Account Year ended 31 December 2024 Unrestricted Funds 2024 Restricted Funds 2024 Endowment Funds 2024 Totsl 2024 Totsl 2023 Recei ts Note3 Donations Legacies Activities for Generating Funds Bank & Deposit interest Transfer of Union Balance Investment income £539S6 £405 £54361 £52964 £140814 £10 £140824 £2215 £355 £2570 £2140 £196985 £415 £355 £197755 £55104 Sales of assets Sales of investments Grants Receipts from General Trustees Other receipts £0 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0 Total Recei £415 £355 £197755 55104 Pa ments Costs of generating funds Charitable activities Governance Costs Purchase of Investments Total Pa ments Note 4 £197 £62558 £197 £63504 £76 £46901 £636 £310 £99989 £0 £636 £0 £310 £99989 £163690 £0 £46977 Ex￿s$ of receipts over payments for the year before Iransfers Transfers +£34241 £0 -£221 £0 +£45 £0 +£34065 £0 +£8127 £0 Excess of recei over ments for +£34241 221 +£45 34065 +£8127 Alness Church of Scotland Statement of Balances at 31 December 2024 Unrestrictsd Restricted Endowment Funds Funds Funds 2024 2024 2024 Total 2024 Totsl 2023 Bank & De Balances Bank & Depostt Balances brought forward sit £23410 £1551 £19 £24980 £16853 Movement in ear: Excess of receipts over payments forthe year +£34241 221 +£45 +£34065 +£8127 Bank & De Balances Carried f0Th48rd sit £57651 £1330 £64 £59045 £24980 Investments at Market Value Icosl £141656) Nots7 £141004 £141004 £6503 £6503 £147507 £147507 £46908 £46908 Assets Gift Aid Receivable £4000 £4000 £4000 Total Assets Liabilities £401)0 None £4000 None £4000 None The accounts were approved by the Kirk Session and Financial Board on dale...... Alness Church of Scotland Notes to the Accounts 1 Trustee remuneration and related party transactions. Dunng the year one trustee re￿iVed reimbursemenl of expenses of £1492 2 Movement in Funds At 1 January 2024 at 31 D•cember Transfers 2024 Receipts Payments Unrestricted Funds Designated Fabric Fund £13458 £10954 £5378 E19034 Designated Capital Fund Designat￿ Sunday Club Youth Fund £3009 £942 £0 £3951 £441 £559 £691 £309 General Fund £6502 £184530 £156675 £34357 £23410 £196985 £162744 57651 Restricted Funds Guild £1192 £260 £420 £1032 Sunday Club Collection £359 £155 £216 £298 £1551 £415 £636 £1330 Endowment Funds Dr White Bequest General Bequest £11 £8 £245 £110 £220 £90 £36 £28 £19 £355 £310 £64 Totsl Funds £24980 £197755 £163690 9045 85 of Desi nated Funds Sunday Club Youth Fund: The Trustees have set aside funds for the purpose of any Youth Work carried out by Alness C of Monies from this fund are held in the Reserve (Youth) Current Acwunl and in Ihe Church of Scotland Investors Trust Fund Designated Sunday School. Fabric Fund: The Trustees have sel aside funds for the maintenance of church property. If any major repair or alteration ha5 to be made then a special fund has to be sel up for that purwse Monie$ from this fund are held in the Reserye (Fabncl Current Account and in the Church of Scotland Investors Trust Income Funds designated Congregational Purposes and Fabnc. Capitsl Fund: The Trustees have set aside funds from any excess annual income to be kept for any emergency, any shortfall In any other designated fund or purchase of major Items. Monies from thi$ fund are held in the Reserve Icapitall Current Account and in the Church of Scotland Investors TNSI Income Fund designated ReseNe Ar￿unt. General Fund: Under Trustees, guidance this fund is used for day to day running of Alness Church of Scotland. The fund also pays for regular maintenance le.g. seryicingl and an effort Is made lo tran9fer a sum annually lo the designated Fabric Fund at least equal to the sum required for annua average expenditure on church property They will also allocate funds lif available) to cover any ghortfall in Sunday School funds and Sunday School Collection funds. ses of Restrlctsd Funds Guild: The Guild are the Irustees of this fund which is raisèd and disbursed according to the National Guild regulations. They use a separate bank account. Sunday Club Collectlon Fund: The Iruslees have sel up this fund lo separately deal with the Sunday Club Collection re￿ip1S and payments. The monies from this fund are held in the Reserve Isunday School Collection) Current Account. This fund makes a monthly donation through Barnabas to support a Chrisliw child in the Pakistan. Periodically eX￿SS funds are dispersed to worthy causes agreed by the children. If required money is transferred from the General Fund lo make up any shortfall Pur oses of Endowment Funds Dr White Bequest- Scottish Charlty No SC008469: Income to be used for the poor of the area. trustees being the Kirk Session. This is reported separately to OSCR General Bequest: Combination of legacies, the interest of which, is distnbuted lo persons identified as neefjy in the Alness area, trustees being the Kirk Session 10. Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Funds Funds Funds 2024 2024 2024 Totsl 2024 Total 2023 3. Anal sis of Donations WFO Scheme Inon Gift Aid) £7749 WFO Scheme (Gift Aided) £21150 Tax recovered on Gift Aid £9412 Offenngs (Open Platel £8196 Gift Day £4370 Donations £1314 seof remises £1765 £53956 Transfer of Union Balance £140814 £194770 £7749 £21150 £9412 £8196 £4370 £1719 £1765 £54361 £140824 £195185 £5221 £22523 £8454 £7067 £4350 £1745 £3604 £52964 £405 £405 £10 £415 £52964 4.Anal sis of Pa monts Costs of generating funds Investments Managefs. fees Offering enveloFes £197 £197 £76 £197 £197 £76 Charltablo activitle$ Giving to Grow £33633 Presbytery dues £200 Travel expenses £1492 Pulpit Supply £112 Repairs and maintenance £7970 Counul Tax £3199 Heal and light £8658 Insurance £3464 Organ and music £50 Pnnting. stationery, postage £1037 Purchase of Equipment Copynght Outreach Others Sunday Clubtyouth Training £33633 £200 £1492 £112 £7970 £3199 £8658 £3464 £50 £1037 £22879 £872 £1579 £245 £4118 £3033 £5570 £3203 £292 £543 £289 £564 £1095 £1371 £1206 £42 £46901 £46977 £595 £1216 £122 £691 £119 £62558 £62755 £595 £1216 £1068 £691 £119 £63504 £63701 £636 £310 £636 £636 £310 £310 Governance costs Independent Examinef s fees her Pa ments Purchase of assels To COSIT Total Pa £0 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0 £99989 £162744 £0 £0 £636 £0 £0 £310 £0 £99989 £163690 £0 £0 £46977 monts 5. Minister's Sti All Church of Scotland congregations contribule lo the National Stipend Fund which beprs the costs of all ministers, stipends and employers, conlribLStions for national insuran￿, pension and housing and loan fund. Ministers, stipends are paid in accordan￿ with the national stipend scale, which is related to years of service. For the year under review the minimum stipend was £31642 and the maximum stiFend lin the fifth and subsequent years) £38884 6. Collections for Third Partiès 2024 £1845 £212 2023 £2060 £153 2022 £1677 £89 £1481 £3247 2021 £2198 £88 Malawi Viyele feeding pr￿raM Poppy Appeal Ukraine Total £2057 £2213 1 £2286 7. Investjnents Church of Scotland Investors Trust Deposit Funds Unrestricted New Church Hall Fund Fabnc Fund Total Church of Scotland Invèstors Trust Income Fund (Unit price at 31112124 £11.06 Unrestricted For Reserves 1570 units at cost £16309.80 Ilncome goes direct to Capital Fund sh¢MI in Unrts5tncted Funds) For Congregational Purposes 1749 units al cost Ilncome goes direcl lo Fabn¢ Fund shcvm in Unrestricted Funds) For Sunday Schools 373 units al cost {Income goes direct lo Sunday School Funds showm in Unrestncted Funds) Fabric Fund 9057 units at cost lincorne goes directty lo Fabric Fund shchvn in Unresincted Funds) Endowments Dr White's Bequest Ilncome g(>es diredly lo Dr While, bequesll Disbursement Account (Incorne goes d1￿Ctty lo Disbursement Account) Amount deposited Amount deposited £4686.97 3424.53 8111.50 now£17364.20 £17119.44 now £19343.94 £3146 65 now £4125.38 £99989.28 now £100170.42 407 units at cost £3517.64 now £4501.42 181 units at cost £1572.97 now £2001.86 Totsl 13337 units at cost £141655.78 now £147507.22 Total value of all investments with Investors Trust £15 618.72 12. APPENDIX Funds held on behalf of the congregation by the Church of Scotland General Trustees for the benefit of the congregation in the Revenue Account (this account deals with the management and lease of the Alness Parish Church of Scotland manse at 27 Darroch Brae, Alness IV17 OSD.) During 2024 over £8000 of improvements and repairs were carried out on the property which was financed from the Fabric Accounts of Alness Parish and Alness Church of Scotland which could if required be recovered from the General Trustees. Thè current monthly rent is £690 per month and the agent's monthly fees 1$ £82.80 per month Closing balance on 3111212024 £13153.19 13.