Scottish Charity No: SCO10577
St Serf's Episcopal Church, Burntisland
Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 30 September 2025
St Serf's Episcopal Church, Burntisland
Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 September 2025
Contents
| Page | |
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| Reference and Administrative Information | 1 |
| Vestry Report | 2-4 |
| Independent Examiner's report | 5 |
| Receipts and Payments Account | 6 |
| Statements of Balances | 7 |
| Notesoftheaccounts | 8-9 |
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St Serf's Episcopal Church, Burntisland
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Reference and Administrative Information
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Charity name and address St Serf's Episcopal Church
Scottish Charity Number §C010577
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Bankers
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Royal Bank of Scotland a
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St Serf's Episcopal Church, Burntisland Report of the Vestry (Trustees’ report) Year ended 30 September 2025
The members of the Vestry present their annual report together with the financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2025.
Structure and Governance
In terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006, the Vestry reports to the congregation as follows: 1. St Serf's Episcopal Church, Burntisland is a registered Scottish charity (SCO10577). 2. It is as member of the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane and is in full communion with the Anglican Church. 3. The superior authority is the Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane.
- All of its affairs are governed by the Vestry.
Appointment of Vestry Members Vestry members are elected or appointed by Annual General Meeting established by constitution and under Canon Law of the Scottish Episcopal Church. There is no formal induction programme, but ongoing guidance is given to ensure that Vestry members are familiar with the Church’s values, aims and responsibilities as the designated trustees of a charity. Vestry members are required to sign a Declaration as a charity Trustee to denote their awareness of their duties and responsibilities under current legislation.
Administrative Structure
It is the duty of the Vestry to manage the ongoing affairs of the congregation with responsibility, specifically to keep the fabric and property of the Church in good working order and to look after the finances of the Church.
Statement of Risk
The Vestry keeps under review the major risks to which the Church is exposed and has established procedures to mitigate any risks identified.
Charitable Objectives and Activities
The Church's principal activities include public worship in sacrament and prayer, Christian education, charitable work and fundraising for local, national and international needs and includes social meetings for the congregation and local community.
Volunteers
The Vestry is grateful for the time which is given freely by a large number of volunteers, without whom many of the Church's activities would not operate.
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St Serf's Episcopal Church, Burntisland Report of the Vestry
Year Ended 30 September 2025 Continued
Achievements and Performance The congregation of St Serf's has increased slightly in the course of the year and the activities associated with our worship and mission have continued throughout.
The Study Group and Prayer Group continue to meet on alternate Mondays, both maintaining encouraging attendance numbers.
Thursday afternoon worship and fellowship took place during Advent, Lent and the Season of Creation, offering a welcome to congregation members and casual visitors alike.
The congregation marked the 120th anniversary of the opening of St Serf’s church building with a number of celebratory activities, including a film evening, a series of presentations, an evening of public speaking by local primary school pupils, and a festival Eucharist celebrated by the diocesan bishop, the Rt Rev. lan Paton.
St Serf's also maintained its customary annual events celebrating the liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter.
The Christmas Eve and Easter Day Eucharists were well attended by the congregation and visitors, and several of the latter have continued to attend Sunday worship.
St Serf's continues to work ecumenically together with the other churches in Burntisland, and the links are strengthened by regular meetings with the other clergy in the town. The Taizé services, held on the first Sunday evening of the month are now well-established and are appreciated by members of all the Burntisland churches as well as by some people who are not normally church attenders. Othe ecumenical initiatives include participation in civic activities such as Games Day and the annual Service of Remembrance at the War memorial, as well as the World Day of Prayer service and the annual service celebrating Christian
Local residents and passers-by have expressed their appreciation of the displays in our garden, such as the poppy display each year and the garden itself which is very attractive due to excellent maintenance by members of the congregation.
The now well-established monthly service for residents of the Linksview Care Home is maintained by a small but dedicated team of clergy and volunteers. The environment group continues to lead the congregation in its efforts to face the urgent climate crisis and is working towards ‘greening’ our building by upgrading the electrical and heating systems (to be completed in November) and formulating a detailed plan for future actions.
The churches of St Serf, Burntisland and St Columba, Aberdour have advertised the vacant incumbency and are currently working together to provide continuity during the vacancy, while continuing to implement the 5- year plan already formulated.
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Report of the Vestry
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| Plans for Future Periods | The Vestry will continue its range of activities in the foreseeable future.
Year Ended 30 September 2025 Continued
Financial Review
A surplus of £6,677 (2024 - £6,318) of which £6,456 unrestricted (2024: £6,318 unrestricted) and £221 restricted (2024: £nil restricted) has been recorded during this financial year. The Surplus of £6,677 includes £2,146 Gift Aid overpaid by HMRC and will be repaid in the current year.
Reserves
The Vestry has adopted a policy for trying to maintain a level of unrestricted reserves such that in the event of a significant drop in income, the Church would be able to maintain its current level of activities for a reasonable period until replacement funding is obtained.
Statement of the Vestry Members’ Responsibilities
The members of the Vestry must prepare financial statements which give sufficient detail to enable an appreciation of the transactions of the Church during the financial year. The members of the Vestry are responsible for keeping Proper accounting records which, on request, must reflect the current financial position of the Church at that time. This must be done to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 {as amended). They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Church and must take reasonable steps for the prevention and/or detection of fraud and other irregularities.
On behalf of the- 7
Date Mil 2o2b
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Independent Examiner’s Report to the Vestry of St Serf’s Episcopal Church, Burntisland
| report on the financial statements of the Church for the year ended 30 September 2025 which are set out on pages 6 to 9.
Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The Church'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 Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The Church's Trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(a) to (c) 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 Church and comparisons of the Accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosure 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 | 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:
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which give me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect the requirements:
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e 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
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© 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
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the
Accounts to be reached.
14/01/2026
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St Serf's Episcopal Church, Burntisland Receipts and Payments Accounts for the Year Ended 30 September 2025
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|Unrestricted|Restricted|Total|2024|
|Notes|£|£|£|£|
|Receipts|
|Donations|2|26,785|221|27,006|24,232|
|Donations|- Gift Aid|overpaid|by HMRC|2|2,146|-|2,146|-|
|Receipts from fundraising|activities|3|-|-|-|58|
|Receipts from|investments|other than|land|and|buildings|4|148|-|148|126|
|Grants|5|560|=|560|1,077|
|Total Receipts|29,639|221|29,860|25,493|
|Payments|
|Payments|relating to|charitable|activities|6|22,805|-|22,805|17,738|
|-|1,077|
|Grant|expenses|=|
|Governance|costs|378|-|378|360|
|Total Payments|23,183|-|23,183|19,175|
|Surplus for the year|6456—————————————————220677|318|
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St Serf's Episcopal Church, Burntisland Statement of Balances as at 30 September 2025
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|Unrestricted|Restricted|Total Funds|2024|
|£|£|£|£|
|Cash|at bank &|in|hand|
|Balance|at|beginning|of year|13,027|~|13,027|6,716|
|Surplus|for the|year|6,456|221|6,677|6,318|
|Transfers|-|-|-|-|
|Total|Cash|Funds|at|end|of|year|19,483|221|19,704|13,034|
|Investments|
|Market|value|at|
|beginning|of year|3,081|-|3,081|2,674|
|Additions|at|cost|-|-|-|-|
|Disposal|proceeds|-|-|-|-|
|Unrealised|gains|in|year|283|~|283|407|
|Market value|at end of year|3,364|-|3,364|3,081|
|Fund Balances|(Cash &|Investments)|
|At|beginning|of year|16,115|-|16,115|$,390|
|Cash|Surplus for|year|6,456|221|6,677|6,318|
|Movement|in|investments|283|-|283|407|
|Transfers|~|-|-|-|
|At|end|of year|22,854|221|23,075|16,115|
|Other Assets|
|Gift|Aid|1,140|~|
|Liabilities|
|independent|examiner’s|fee|396|-|396|360|
|Gift|Aid|refund|of overpayment|2,146|-|2,146|-|
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Approved by the Vestry on wDi Geren 2226, and signed on their behalf by
en
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St Serf's Episcopal Church, Burntisland Year ended 30 September 2025
Notes to the Accounts
1. Accounting policies
Basis of Preparation
The Accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis. They consist of a summary of all monies received and paid via the bank and in cash by the Church during the financial year, along with a statement of balances. No adjustments have been made for any income due but not received, nor for any expenses incurred but not yet paid at the year end.
Fixed assets are not capitalised.
Restricted Funds
During the year funds were raised for the Bishop's Lent Appeal, the Burntisland and Kinghorn Foodbank, and Organ repair.
Joint Costs
St Serf's is a linked charge with St Columba's Episcopal Church, Aberdour. A previous formal agreement involving a third church remains valid between St Serf's and St Columba's. Each Church has been responsible 50/50 for meeting the travel and associated admin costs ofee .: the Rectory. These joint costs are administered under the ABI account to which St Serf's contributed £6,985 this year. This is lower than last year due to the stipendary priest vacancy and the Rectory being unoccupied resulting in reduced Council tax and utility bills.
Church Buildings
The church is not shown in the statement of balances. The Trustees believe that it is not possible to place a market value on it. The valuation of the buildings for insurance purposes is £6.65M .
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St Serf's Episcopal Church, Burntisland
Year ended 30 September 2025
Notes to the Accounts (continued)
| 2. Donations | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Unrestricted donations | £ | £ |
| Congregational giving | 21,831 | 19,049 |
| Gift Aid | 4,531 | 5,098 |
| GiftAid overpayment byHMRC | 2,146 | - |
| Otherdonations (Talks and Film Nights) | 423 | 85 |
| 28,931 | 24,232 |
The overpayment of Gift Aid by HMRC will be returned in the year ended 30 September 202€
| 2025 | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted donations | £ | £ | |
| Organ Fund | 221 | . | |
| 221 | - | ||
| Total Donation | 29,152 | ||
| 3. Receiptsfrom fundraising activities | |||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||
| Unrestricted Fundraising Receipts | £ | £ | |
| Summer/autumn series | . | 58 | |
| - | 58 | ||
| 4. Receiptsfrom investments otherthan land& buildings | |||
| These amountsM &G UnitTrustincome received and SEC Unit Trust Pool income, all | unrestricted | ||
| sources. | |||
| 5. Grant | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Restricted receipts | £ | £ | |
| Diocese Stipend support | 560 | 1,077 | |
| 560 | 1,077 | ||
| 6. Payments relatingto charitable activities | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Unrestricted ABIgroup (see note below) |
£ | 6,985 | £ 10,380 |
| Diocesan Quota | 4,114 | 3,435 | |
| Insurance (see note below) | 2,166 | 2,695 | |
| Utilities (oi! & electricity) | 1,847 | (832) | |
| Building and Grounds | 5,742 | 393 | |
| Admin/worship costs | 800 | 1,339 | |
| Advert for priest (50% costswith StColumba's) | 537 | - | |
| Music Licence | 244 | 194 | |
| Miscellaneous | 370 | 134 | |
| 22,805 | 17,738 |
Payments to the ABI Group are for the Rectory mortgage repayments, council tax, insurance and utilities, plus priest expenses, all shared 50:50 with St Columba's Aberdour.
The insurance sum for this accounting year covers just 10 months out of 12 payments. The annual premium is £2,516
None of the Vestry members received any remuneration or expenses relating to their position as Vestry members.
- Special Collections During the year the church made special collections. The funds received were paid directly to the charity and were not shown in the accounts.
| Bishop's LentAppeal | 550 | - |
|---|---|---|
| Foodbank | 114 | = |
| 664 | - |
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