The Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Trustees of The Gate Church Prudhoe, Northumberland
For the year ended 31[st] March 2021
Pastors
Egbert and Margaret Boonstra
Bankers
Barclays Bank plc Hexham, Northumberland
Solicitors
Geldards LLP Derby
Independent Examiner
Robert Scott-Biggs M.A., A.C.I.S.
Web Site: www.thegatechurch.org.uk
The Gate Church is a Registered Charity No. 1052138
Aim & Purpose
The Gate Church, Prudhoe, is registered with the Charity Commission and affiliated with the Assemblies of God Churches in the U.K. The Assemblies of God is a Fellowship of Christian leaders and over 500 churches of various sizes operating autonomously, but sharing fellowship, training opportunities and resources.
The Gate Church continues to seek wholeheartedly to work alongside other local churches and community service providers to enhance the quality of life for as many people as possible. The charity recognises the generous financial support and giving of its members in reaching its objectives to:
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Advance Christian faith
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Relieve sickness and financial hardship
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Advance education
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in the UK and around the world.
Objectives and Activities
The Gate Church is multicultural and multigenerational, committed to see sustainable ministries emerging to serve current and future generations, where all are given opportunity to thrive and learn to relate responsibly with others; to explore avenues of gifting and be released to their God-given assignment. The church is made up of many people, each doing their share to bring life, love, laughter and hard work to get the many jobs that need doing done. We are grateful for the commitment shown during the past year and going forward it is our continued aim to bring hope and purpose for living to the communities of the Tyne Valley and beyond.
Achievements & Performance
Despite the challenges of Lockdown and the halting of some of the regular outreach programs, the work has continued using technology. Sunday and mid-week services continued via Zoom with guest speakers from around the world. In addition;
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“Heart to Heart” Scheduled broadcast on Sundays; also available on YouTube
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Website based activities for children and families through Zoom sessions
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Missions prayer and outreach on Zoom throughout the pandemic
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AoG Regional and National Training/Conference Days attended by members
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Newsletters sent out weekly by email or hand delivered
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“Open the Book” Zoom recording for schools circulated monthly
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Alpha Online and WhatsApp Prayer Team maintained.
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Foodbank contributions have continued through the Lockdown
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Continued support for our missionaries in Spain, Mozambique and Pakistan.
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Trustees’ meetings on Zoom to enable business continuity
COVID 19
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When a limited return to services in the building was possible strict measures were implemented to ensure safety following advice from our Safety Advisor. By the Grace of God, we can report no COVID 19 outbreaks resulting from meeting together in the building.
Planning Ahead
Whilst the virus is not yet under control, and we are being encouraged to “Stay Alert,” the Church is planning for the next year and beyond in the following ways:
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Funds permitting recruitment of a Children/Youth Worker
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Restarting Children’s Church extending its reach to the local community
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Increasing work in local schools
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Establishing new discipleship groups
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Promote FindGod.learnn.com
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Encouraging musicians within the church to lead worship.
Financial Review
Financially, the church has a great deal to be thankful to God for during the past financial year.
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Total income has increased by 12% to £61,663 (£55,085 2019/20) with Planned Giving (Tithes, Offerings, Gift Aid giving) increasing by 11% (or £4,672) to £48,828.
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Gift Aid recovered increased by 40% to £9,861.
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Total Expenditure fell by 18% to £50,406 resulting from the cost of building works being £10,918 lower than in the previous financial year.
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Support for ministries and missionaries was consistent with the previous year.
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Total Funds rose by £11,257 to £21,383.
Comparison with the previous year to 31[st] March 2020 are be shown as follows;
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Detailed Receipts
35,000.00
30,000.00
25,000.00
20,000.00
15,000.00
10,000.00
5,000.00
-
2020/2021 2019/20
Detailed Payments
30,000.00
25,000.00
20,000.00
15,000.00
10,000.00
5,000.00
-
2020/2021
TITHES/OFFERINGS GIFT AIDED GIFT AID TAX GIFTS APPEALSMISC RECEIPTSInterest Received
EMPLOYER PENSIONSALARIES AOG REGIONAL OFFERINGMINISTRY GIFTSMISSIONARY SUPPORTAPPEALS/GIFTSOUTREACHINSURANCEBUILDING WORKREPAIRS GASELECTRICWATERTELEPHONEMISC ADMINCOPYRIGHTMISC COSTS
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Trustees
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Trustees who served during the period are as follows:
Egbert Boonstra (Chair) Lucy Hall (Deputy Chair) Margaret Boonstra Ruth Bowler
Trainee Trustees
Derek Forster Annabel Wesley
Structure, Governance and Management
The church is governed overall by a Board of Trustees, chosen from the membership and agreed by the serving Trustees. In addition, a Management Team deal with day-to-day issues.
Administrative Information
The following are the Church Officers and their areas of responsibility
Joint Pastors Egbert & Margaret Boonstra Church Treasurer Shirley Hill Church Secretary Chris Blackburn Financial Administration Egbert Boonstra, Shirley Hill, Ruth Bowler Gift Aid Financial Officer Margaret Boonstra Safeguarding Coordinator Margaret Boonstra Deputy Safeguarding Coordinator Lucy Hall Health & Safety/Risk Management Simon Hobson Media/Data Protection Lead Ruth Bowler First Aiders Lucy Hall, Judith Gray
Training
Trustees and church officers receive appropriate training periodically throughout the year.
Volunteers
In addition to the named officers above, there is a dedicated team of church members who assist behind the scenes to ensure that the building is clean, well maintained and hospitable to all who use its facilities.
Financial Statements & Independent Examiners Report
What follows are the Financial Statements and Independent Examiners report.
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THE GATE CHURCH Receipts & Payments Account 12 months ended 31st March 2021
| 2021 | |
|---|---|
| Unrestricte d Designate d Restricted Total Total |
|
| Receipts | 2020/202 1 2019/20 |
| TITHES/OFFERINGS | 15,726.38 15,726.38 19,756.73 |
| GIFT AIDED | 33,102.50 33,102.50 24,400.00 |
| GIFT AID TAX | 9,860.87 9,860.87 7,003.00 |
| GIFTS | 1,250.00 1,250.00 1,000.00 |
| APPEALS | 380.76 380.76 225.00 |
| MISC RECEIPTS | 1,340.94 1,340.94 2,690.59 |
| Interest Received | 1.45 1.45 9.51 |
| Total Receipts | 60,032.14 - 1,630.76 61,662.90 55,084.83 |
| Payments | |
| MINISTRY | |
| SALARIES | 25,958.38 25,958.38 23,250.89 |
| EMPLOYER PENSION | 202.20 202.20 175.53 |
| EMPLOYER NI | - - |
| MINISTRY GIFTS | 1,655.00 1,655.00 2,798.00 |
| AOG REGIONAL OFFERING | 1,280.00 1,280.00 1,200.00 |
| MISSIONARY SUPPORT | 3,920.00 3,920.00 3,120.00 |
| APPEALS/GIFTS | 936.29 936.29 1,500.00 |
| OUTREACH | 717.50 717.50 1,231.70 |
| Total Ministry Payments | 33,733.08 - 936.29 34,669.37 33,276.12 |
| ESTABLISHMENT COSTS | |
| INSURANCE | 836.47 836.47 900.61 |
| REPAIRS | 4,030.00 382.00 4,412.00 1,768.00 |
| BUILDING WORK | 1,190.90 1,190.90 12,109.38 |
| MISC | - |
| Total Establishment Costs | 6,057.37 - 382.00 6,439.37 14,777.99 |
| ADMIN | |
| GAS | 700.97 700.97 2,379.84 |
| ELECTRIC | 1,269.42 |
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| 1,269.42 1,559.16 |
|
|---|---|
| WATER | 743.80 743.80 1,248.00 |
| TELEPHONE | 678.26 678.26 684.16 |
| MISC ADMIN | 2,979.48 2,979.48 2,870.35 |
| COPYRIGHT | 291.34 291.34 236.35 |
| Total Administration | 6,663.27 - - 6,663.27 8,977.86 |
| MISC COSTS | |
| MISC ITEMS | 2,150.24 2,150.24 2,665.82 |
| CHILDREN'S WORK | 90.19 90.19 582.55 |
| YOUTH WORK | - - |
| MUSIC | 393.88 393.88 1,087.60 |
| Total Miscellaneous Costs | 2,634.31 - - 2,634.31 4,335.97 |
| Total Payments | 49,088.03 - 1,318.29 50,406.32 61,367.94 |
| Transfer Between Funds | 1,074.83 (1,074.83) - |
| Net Receipts /- Payments | 12,018.94 (1,074.83) 312.47 11,256.58 (6,283.11) |
| Balance B/F 1st April 2020 | (3,398.69) 12,300.00 1,225.00 10,126.31 16,409.42 |
| Balance C/f 31st March 2021 | 8,620.25 11,225.17 1,537.47 21,382.89 10,126.31 |
| Statement of Assets & Liabilities at 31st March 2021 2020/21 2019/20 |
|
| Fixed Assets | |
| - Buildings 100,000.00 100,000. 00 100,000. 00 |
|
| - Plant & Equipment 2,815.00 2,815.00 2,815.00 |
|
| Total Fixed Assets 102,815.00 - 102,815. 00 102,815. 00 |
|
| Current Assets | |
| Bank Current Account 10,157.72 10,157.7 2 8,222.59 |
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| Bank Savings Account 11,225.17 11,225.1 7 1,903.72 |
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| Total Current Assets 21,382.89 - 21,382.8 9 10,126.3 1 |
|
| Liabilities - - |
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| Total Net Assets | 124,197.89 - 124,197. 89 112,941. 31 |
|---|---|
| Approved bythe Trustees of The Gate Church on 1stJune 2021 | |
| Signed | |
| Trustee |
Independent Examiner’s Report To the Trustees of The Gate Church, Prudhoe, Northumberland
I report on the accounts of the church for the year ended 31[st] March 2021
Responsibilities of the Trustees
The Charities Act 2011 establishes clearly that the trustees and are the 'persons having the general control and management of the administration of the (church) charity' (Charities Act 2011, s177).
The Trustees are responsible for all church finance, its management and control, including the appointment of a treasurer. While it may delegate some of its duties, this does not remove its legal responsibilities.
Responsibilities of the External Independent Examiner
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts, under section 145 of the 2011 Charities Act and to ensure that the (church) charity has in place sufficiently robust financial procedures as is required by the Assemblies of God fellowship of churches of which the (church) charity is a member.
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- state whether particular matters have become evident and to which the attention of the PCC should be drawn.
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:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
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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.
Robert Scott-Biggs M.A., A.C.I.S Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators 9[th] June 2021
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