## HOUGHTON REGIS COMMUNITY CHURCH ## **Chairmans report** ## **– Summary of the year April 2021-March 2022 Houghton Regis Community Church** This year has seen significant change for the church/charity including serious consideration of whether we would continue to exist. April 2021 began with our Easter celebrations, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, being conducted over zoom as covid restrictions continued to impact the practicalities of physical meetings. We also utilised zoom for a joint celebration with the River Network churches. Our teaching series was continuing on Gifts of the Spirit with different church members leading and – sharing this continued through until July. In May the first major change occurred with David announcing his stepping down from being an Elder (and latterly from his role as trustee). This led to an expansion of the church leadership team to support Peter and Ruth in their roles as Elders. In June, HRCC was represented by Rachel Wilson at the Bible Society Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast followed by zoom with Andrew Selous. In July, at the AGM, Marylyn became a trustee to take over from David. Our Sunday gatherings continued on Zoom until the end of July when we began to meet in person again. Our first Sunday gathering was on 25[th] July back at Tithe Farm Primary School, we then met at Houghton Hall Park or Jewels (weather dependent) over the summer holidays. We used a different parable from Jesus each week as a focus for our time together. During the summer the Nolans announced their plans to move on from HRCC and prompted the leadership team and church to seek God ’ s guidance on the correct way forward for the church. September 2021 marked 10years of HRCC and it was agreed to mark that achievement with a celebration gathering at Tithe Farm School on 5[th] September – this turned out to be our final meeting at the school. HRCC took a three week ‘ break ’ as we responded to what we felt God had told us about having a death and rebirth. From 3[rd] October our church gatherings returned as in-person meetings at Jewels with a focus on ‘ gathering at Jesus ’ feet ’ , sharing and growing in relationship with one another, seeking God on what and where He wanted us to be as we moved forward. Jewels received a ‘ freshen up ’ as we further increased our presence and community outreach there. Jewels had re-opened in April, operating in line with government covid guidance and various events and activities had occurred over the months. We were able to continue to provide Food Bags to those in need following the impact of the pandemic, and this lasted until late July. Jewels housed an elephant for a few weeks whilst it was prepared for a local charity event and hosted a special NHS fundraising Cream Tea event. A number of ‘ Detash and Clearance ’ events helped to move on stock and, in March 2022, raise money for the crisis in Ukraine. Successful Craft Days were run in October and December with themes of ‘ No tricks only treats ’ and Christmas Craft. Working with the Bedfordshire Domestic Abuse Partnership, Jewels became an official "safe space". When the Russian invasion in to Ukraine began in February, Jewels was able to provide space for people to pray for the ## HOUGHTON REGIS COMMUNITY CHURCH situation and a ‘ Prayer for Ukraine ’ window evolved which engaged and supported many in the community. Further support to the community has been made through supporting the new local counselling service, ‘ Pathways and Perspectives ’ , that has been set up by Rachel H. We have continued to help fund the work of the community worker within Bidwell West and remain committed to working proactively with local churches and organisations for the benefit of our community. Throughout the year we have continued to be part of the River Network with plans in place for April 2022 to run the weekend away event that was initially scheduled for 2020. HRCC has remained part of the Evangelical Alliance and also Houghton Regis Churches Together. ## **HOUGHTON REGIS COMMUNITY CHURCH** ## **Accounts for the Year to 5 April 2022** ## **1. Receipts & Payments Account (General Purpose Fund)** |**1. Receipts & Payments Account (General Purpose Fund)**|| |---|---| |**Income Receipts**
**2022**
Covenanted Giving
10,780
£
General Offerings
1,390
£
Gift Aid
3,380
£
Sundry Donations
-
£
Jewels income *
10,350
£
River Network Weekend
480
£
Grants
-
£
Smile Amazon
54
£
Bank Interest
12
£
Specific Gifts
1,495
£
Worship Services
465
£
Childrens and Youth Work
-
£
Rent of Bedford Square
12,090
£
Rent of School
1,000
£
Church Equipment
-
£
Sundry Expenses
72
£
Office Stationery and equipment
-
£
General Insurances
319
£
Resources and Conferences
-
£
Advertising
-
£
Church Administration
261
£
Evangelism
3,552
£
River Network
300
£
Evangelical Alliance
90
£
CCPAS
129
£
River Network Weekend
-
£
Total G&P/NPOWER
755
£
**Total Payments**
Covenants and Donations
**Other Receipts**
**Direct Charitable Expenditure**
**Net receipts for the Year**
Cash and Bank Balances as at 5 April 2021
**Cash and Bank Balances as at 5 April 2022**
**Other Expenditure**|**2021**
13,126
£
-
£
3,804
£
-
£
13,358
£
-
£
-
£
-
£
8
£
**26,446**
**£**
**30,296**
**£**
1,335
£
259
£
-
£
12,924
£
2,400
£
-
£
72
£
15,121
£
-
£
309
£
-
£
-
£
720
£
1,702
£
300
£
90
£
129
£
400
£
872
£
5,405
£
**20,526**
**£**
**21,512**
**£**
**5,920**
**£**
**8,784**
**£**
23,184
£
14,400
£| ||**29,104**
**£**
**23,184**
**£**| Page 1 of 2 ## **HOUGHTON REGIS COMMUNITY CHURCH** ## **2. Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 5 April 2022** |**Monetary Assets**
Bank and Cash
Balances:
Bank Current Account - HRCC
Deposit Account - HRCC
Total for General Purpose Fund, as above|**2022**
**2021**
9,080
£
8,172
£
20,024
£
15,012
£| |---|---| ||**29,104**
**£**
**23,184**
**£**| ## **Non-Monetry Assets** ## **Permanent** **Endowement:** None |**Other Assets**|||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |**(non-endowed)**|- Held for functional use by the Charity|||£|| ||Office Equipment|value|£||100
| ||PA Equipment|value|£||2,000
| ||Worship Equipment|value|£||80
| ||Church Equipment (computers||||| ||etc)|value|£||300
| ## **Note:** * Jewels is our space in Bedford Square that acts as the official church office, the church meeting space, and also functions as our point of contact with the local community. The shop is officially run as a fund-raising venture of the church and transfers surplus funds to HRCC to cover the costs of the space - shown above as "Jewels Income". The receipts and payments for the Jewels shop do not form part of these accounts. Page 2 of 2 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Roport to the trusteesl members of Hought￿ Regis Communty Church On accounts for the year ended 5 April 2022 Charity no lif any) 1050853 Set out on pages 1 to 2 {which re￿rtS cash and bank balan￿ at 514122 of£29104. I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity Ilhe Trust.) for the year en¢Jed 05 104 12022. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees ol the Trust, yotj are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 fthe Acr). I report in respert of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examinalion, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charfy Commission Inaer section 145(5){bl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confimi thal no material matters have come to my attention in connectK)n wilh Ihe examination which gives me cause to beI￿ve Ihat in. any material respect". accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not ￿ with the accounting records Independent examinerfs statement I have no concern5 and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to wh￿h attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be ￿aChed. Signed: 16-07-2021 Name: John Magee Relevant professional qualrfication{s) or body (rf any): Address: 24 The Heath Leighton Buzzard Beds LU7 3HL IER October 2018