## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** ## **From 01/04/2022 to 31/03/2023** ## **Charity name: River of Life Church** ## **Charity registration number: 1050435** The trustees present their annual report and financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. The financial statements comply with the Assemblies of God Trust Deed, the Charities Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities published in 2013. ## **Structure, governance and management** The Trust Deed approved by the Charity Commission provides for a minimum of 3 management trustees, and three holding trustees. The following people fulfil this requirement. All the management trustees are DBS checked. ## **Current Trustees** J Bingham Chair of Trustees and Secretary A Bingley Trustee and Treasurer A Bingham Trustee M Crofts Trustee J Drodge Holding Trustee J Ingle Holding Trustee P Finn Holding Trustee Auditor H van der Vyver M/HAC Christchurch At periodic leaders’ meetings, the trustees agree the broad strategy and areas of activity for the church within the definition of the Charity Commission’s aims and guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. ROL aims to encourage and enable local people to come to faith and live out their faith as part of our church community through: 1. Worship, Bible teaching and prayer; learning about the Gospel; and developing knowledge and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 2. Provision of pastoral support. ## 3. Mission and outreach. This includes consideration of grant making, expenditure on maintenance and development of the Life Centre, reserves and risk management, functions of the church hall, day to day administration, policies, values and outcomes. The church does not actively fundraise from the public. Finances are voluntarily donated by members and friends who regularly attend the church. An AGM is held in July each year when reports are received, reviews are undertaken and future developments discussed with church members. ## **General leadership** The River of Life church was led by Joy and Tony Bingham with the support of a leadership team comprising three voluntary team members (two trustees), covering finance, safeguarding, outreach, administration and worship. Encouragement was given throughout the year to all of its members to engage in service within the church and to the local community (whole life discipleship). The Life Centre comprises a chapel, a detached large hall, car park, barbecue patio and grounds. Arrangements are in place for servicing of utilities and equipment, and public liability insurance is established. ## **Premises** The maintenance and development of the Life Centre this year incurred some minor expenditure to the electrics, and maintenance and redecoration to the hall. The Local New Forest District Council has agreed with ROL to offer: 1. The Life Centre as a Safe Place in the event of a local/national emergency, caused by such as floods, terrorism, plane crash etc. This is now in place. 2. The positioning of a community defibrillator, usable in an emergency by the public, on an external wall. This is also in place. Training was organised for the use of it. ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|To advance the Christian faith in accordance
with the Statement in such ways and in such
parts of the United Kingdom or the world as
the Church Council from time to time may
think fit; to relieve sickness and financial
hardship and to promote and preserve good
health by the provision of funds, goods or
services of any kind including through the
provision of counselling and support in such
parts of the United Kingdom or the world as
the Church Council from time to time think| |||fit; and to advance education in such ways
and in such parts of the United Kingdom or
the world as the Church Council from time to
time may think fit.| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or services
identified in the accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|River of Life Church is made up of
approximately 30 members who consider the
church their ‘home’ and regularly attend the
Sunday services, as well as mid-week
ministries and monthly bring and share
lunches, all of which are well attended and
enjoyed by all.
River of Life Church currently provides
weekly Sunday church services, weekly
prayer meetings, community groups, and
special ministry events, as well as serving
the local community in various ways, such
as help with gardening, volunteering in the
local primary school, and offering pastoral
support to locals.| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|We confirm that we have had regard to the
Charity Commission’s guidance on public
benefit.| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|Volunteers are involved in all activities
provided by the church and play a crucial
role in the organisation carrying out its
intended purposes. River of Life is
committed to encouraging all members to
serve in some way, as we believe it is by
serving that one can best grow and develop.
This is, however, by no means compulsory,
and all members are encouraged to serve
only when they do so willingly, and have a
personal desire to do so, rather than out of a
sense of obligation.| ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|River of Life has continued its charity work in
and around the local community of Tiptoe.
The church hosts regular ministry events
open to the public that are well attended,
and the church has been able to continue to
build upon these connections. These include
weekly Arts and Crafts groups, weekly
coffee mornings, seasonal events e.g.| Christmas carol services and Easter services, bring and share lunches and an annual quiz to raise money for local charities. River of Life continues to have a positive presence in the area and continues to build on the growing reputation the church has in the local area. Many church members are involved in serving the community, whether through providing Open the Book assemblies at the local primary school, driving people to medical appointments, or hosting community events in the church building. The church has also provided financial aid to a number of overseas ministries with similar goals which have functioned to greatly benefit those beneficiaries who live and work in deprived conditions. In total £12,000 has been donated by the church to various charities and organisations this year. In terms of the church’s achievements for the congregation, River of Life has continued to provide a church environment that is safe, welcoming and inviting to all. The church has a tremendous impact on the lives of the church members, through providing pastoral care, weekly church services, prayer meetings, social events, assistance with medical appointments, aiding those with mobility issues by giving lifts, and regular pastoral contact. The church’s goal to advance the Christian faith continues to be met as the church emphasises its role in sharing the Christian Gospel and providing an environment in which Christians can grow and develop in their faith, as well as serve the church themselves. Opportunities are consistently given to all who attend the church who desire to develop in their gifts and skills, and River of Life is committed to facilitating an environment in which all feel safe to step out and grow, both as individuals and as a corporate Christian community. This past year has seen church members try new things as well as continuing to grow in all areas of Christian living. We continue to welcome and encourage all to attend River of Life church, and continue to ensure the church’s existence, and the services it offers, are well known in the area, through our website, social media, and occasional hand-delivered correspondence such as flyers and newsletters. In this past year our membership has continued to increase in number, and our weekly attendance at our Sunday services has also increased. As well as this, our relationships with other organisations has also improved, and we are enjoying increased opportunities to serve the village, who are more open to us based on the reputation we have worked so hard to gain. The church has also continued to build and develop links with other local churches in the area. River of Life hosts a monthly ministers breakfast, which sees between 10 and 20 church ministers from around the New Forest. River of Life also continues to partner with local churches for various ministry events. ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end of
the period|Para 1.21|River of Life church received a total of
£42,488.91 from gifts, donations, and a small
amount of bank interest. The church’s total
expenditure was £34,376.49, which is
predominantly made up of charitable
donations (£12,612.37), pastor’s salary
(£5,712.00), utilities (£2,016.03), and building
maintenance and administrative expenses
(£2,534.01).
This results in a surplus of £8,112.00, which
does not include accruals.| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|The policy agreed by the trustees is to aim to
hold unrestricted reserves not committed or
invested in tangible fixed assets (the ‘free’
reserves) sufficient cash reserves to cover
the following areas: buildings upkeep for six
months, office running costs for one month.
The resulting requirement amounts to £5,000
At financial year end, free reserves amount to
£5,000.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£5,000| |Missionary giving/charitable
donations||Missionary giving is evidenced from the
annual accounts already submitted. Every
donation abroad is accounted for. Mission
giving has included:
1. Monthly support of £170 to an accredited
AOG church in northern Spain involved in
church planting and a prison and radio
ministry.
2. Monthly support of £300 linked to a
purpose-built school for children who live on
the dumpsite and in the cemetery in Tondo,
Manila. It aims to take children off the
dumpsite during the day, provide them with| education, a nutritious meal each day and basic health care for them and their families. A church (Kalaayan) has been established in the same location, which has grown out of the school work. This has been visited on two occasions by ROL’s leadership since the church began supporting the ministry. These visits were privately financed. Regular monthly support is provided to sustain mature leadership and contribute to the physical needs of the members. |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|where relevant about:| |---|---|---| |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|River of Life’s principal source of funds is
through gifts and donations from church
members. A small amount of income is
generated from the hiring out of the church
hall.| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Model constitution with trust deed.| |---|---|---| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Unincorporated association constituted by
the Church Council (trustees).| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Responsibility for the recruitment of new
trustees rests firmly with the existing
trustees, of which the Chair is the senior
Pastor of the church. They oversee the
management of an open and efficient
process and always act in the best interests
of the charity.| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements||where relevant about:| |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction and
training of trustees|Para 1.51|A new member of the Church Council
(Trustee) shall receive an induction and, as
a minimum requirement, shall receive the
Commission’s guidance on trusteeship in
any media now known or developed in the
future and a copy of the most up to date
version of this Constitution and such new
member shall be reasonably familiar with its
provisions| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|River of Life Church is affiliated with the
Assemblies of God, though it retains its
autonomy as a separate entity and is
governed by the church council, namely, the
trustees.
River of Life Church relates well to other
churches in the area and hosts a monthly
prayer breakfast with church leaders across
several Christian denominations. The
purpose of this is to help with the
transformation of society and culture in the
New Forest through evangelical Christians
uniting together in prayer, worship,
evangelistic activity, social action and
speaking with a common voice to local
government and media, and to facilitate
cooperation between churches and Christian
organisations in the area.| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|River of Life Church| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|| |Registered charity number|1050435| |Charity’s principal address|The Life Centre,
Wootton Road
Tiptoe
Hampshire
SO41 6FT| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||JoyBingham|Pastor||| ||TonyBingham|||| ||Michael Crofts|||| ||Andrew Bingley|||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity |**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**|| |---|---|---| |Joy Bingham||| |Tony Bingham||| |Paul Finn||| |John Drodge||| |John Ingle||| |Andrew Bingley||| ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Signature(s) 12/01/2024
X
Joshua White
Pastor and Chair of Trustees
Signed by: 18a624cc-af59-4b36-b08a-4b7d809138e0
Full name(s) Joshua Thomas White
Position (eg Secretary, Chair and Pastor Pastor (as of
Chair, etc) 17/09/2023)
Date
12/01/2024
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH, LYMINGTON** Receipts and Payments Accounts for 2022/23 Unaudited |**Opening Balances:**
**Receipts**
General Offerings and Gifts
Hall Income
Interest Received
Income Tax Refund|**2022/23**
**£**
**£**|**2022/23**
**£**
**£**|**2021/22**
**£**
**£**|**2021/22**
**£**
**£**| |---|---|---|---|---| |||**20485**||**13546**| ||36733
2606
12
3138||32275
670
1
3800|| |**Subtotal:**
**Expenses:**
Staff Costs
Guest Speaker
Phones + Admin + Subs
Missions
Buildings Maintenance
Equipment
Conferences and Courses
L.D. Chaplaincy
Gifts
Safeguarding
Audit Fee 2022
Miscellaneous
Energy & Water||**42489**||**36746**| |||||| |||**62974**||**50292**| ||5712
900
2181
12612
2758
92
898
259
150
153
200
666
2016||5712
1630
2849
12300
3553
628
56
0
61
129
0
680
2209|| |**Balances carried forward:**||**28597**|29807|**29807**| |||**34377**||**20485**| |Current Account||**25362**||**10820**| |Savings Accounts||**6078**||**6066**| |Tax Refund-Audit Fees||**2937**||**3599**| |Sum||**34377**||**20485**| **Asset retained for Church use** Life Centre (Church & Hall) **88309** Revision 0, 12/04/23 by A.D.Bingley Revision 0. 12104123 by A.D.Bingley RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH Abbrevlated Recelpts and Payments Accoun18 for Ihe Year ended 31 March 2023 3110312023 31/0312022 Balan¢• brought forward 20,486 13,546 Rècèlpts General Offering5 and Gifts Hall Income Olher Income Tax Refund 36,733 2,606 12 3,138 32,275 670 42,489 4,002 36,947 Payments Leadership & Training utilities Guest Speaker Missions l Love Gifts Gifts Equipment Building Maintenance Conferences & Courses LD Chaplaincy Admin expenses Subscriptions Sundry Safeguarding Independenl Review 5,712 2,016 900 12,612 150 92 2,758 898 259 1,278 903 668 152 200 5, 712 2,209 1,630 12.367 61 628 3, 553 185 1,770 1,080 489 129 200 28,598 30,007 Balance Carried forward Represented by.. Current Account Savings Accounts ruals (Tax Refund & Audit Fee) 25,362 6,078 2,937 10,820 6, 066 3, 600 RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH Statement of Assets & LiabS1ities as at 31 March 2023 3110312023 31/03/2022 Cash Funds CUr￿n1 Account Savings Accounts 25.362 6,078 10,820 6,066 Other Monetary Assets Inland Revenue - Tax Refund 3,137 3,800 Assets retained for the Charlty's own use Life Centre 88,309 88.309 TOTAL ASSETS 122,886 108,995 Liabillties Independent Review 200 200 Independent examiner's report to the trustees of RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH'(1050435) I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31 March 2023. Respective responsibllltle3 of trustees and examiner The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act; to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act, and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of independent examiner's report My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. 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 seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such Matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view, and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent examiner's statement In connection with 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 130 of the 2011 Act: and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act 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. H van der Vyver Christchurch October 2023