Great Hollands Free Church
because Jesus sets us free
Annual Report
&
Accounts for 2021
Message from the Pastor
Mark Wigston
Praise the name of the Lord
Do you love to come to Church, to praise the name of the Lord?
David, the Psalmist, wrote: I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
He knew how to pray to his God, to worship him and to rely on him wherever he was, even when he was looking after the sheep, facing a giant, in a cave, or on the run.
David had a very portable faith. He knew how to take his faith with him, wherever he was, and yet for him it was a particular joy to actually go to the house of the Lord, to praise the name of the Lord, together with others.
After recent events, I think that many of us can relate to David’s sentiments expressed in Psalm 122.
During the Covid lockdown we learnt again the importance of worshipping our God, on our own or with our family, because restrictions meant that we could not meet face to face. We had to have a portable faith, trusting in God wherever we were. We embraced technology and were able to meet “together” when we were “apart”, in our separate homes.
However, whilst meeting together on-line, via Google Meet, was a great blessing during lockdown, it was an even greater blessing when, in July, it was finally decided that we could start meeting again in the school hall.
I am sure that many of you, like me, rejoiced with those who said to us, “Let us go to the house of the Lord” – that is to say the school hall, where we could meet together at last, face to face, as brothers and sisters in the Lord.
The joy was not so much in the building itself, but in the fact that we could meet to worship, pray, encourage each other and learn from the Word of God together.
For me personally, after months of preaching and leading services staring at a laptop screen, it was wonderful to be facing real people!
Thank you all for your patience during the ups and downs that Covid brought to 2021.
Thank you for serving in so many ways.
Praise the name of the Lord.
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
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Helping others to praise the name of the Lord
Life has been very different for many of us, during the Covid era. However, we are also aware that God has blessed us with so much too - and blessings are for sharing. With this in mind we sought to share the blessings, and to encourage others to praise the name of the Lord.
Locally
We have supported a number of people within Bracknell who have been struggling financially over the last year, and some of our members have been supporting the Bracknell Foodbank in various ways.
We have also been supporting Yeldall Manor drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, which offers healing, hope and practical support to those struggling with substance abuse. Some of us also took part in their supporter events, which moved on-line for obvious reasons.
We also make the recommended donation to FIEC every year. This is the group of about 650 churches in the UK, to which we belong. They are committed to seeing healthy, independent, evangelical churches sharing the good news of Jesus across our land.
Around the world
We have continued to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering for their faith. Much of our information on this comes from Open Doors and we were very pleased to welcome our dear friends, John & Liz, who came to speak to us in November about the dangers that people face today, around our world, because they love Jesus. We have sent them a further gift to help them in their work on the ground.
We also continued to support Eyerusalem, a student living in Ethiopia, through Compassion UK for her final year of education. We wish her God’s richest blessings as she moves on to independence.
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
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One 2 Free
Sarah Burch
One 2 Free currently meets on alternate Sunday mornings in the Community Centre during the Sunday Celebration and it is open to all school aged children and young people. During the first part of the year, meetings took place online as we looked together at the armour of God, based on Ephesians chapter 6. In September we resumed face to face meetings and used a study guide called Peer Pressure which looked specifically at issues that our young people face and what the Bible says about living out our faith in the world. On average 8 – 10 young people attend the meetings and several church members are willing to lead (although we are always keen to welcome new leaders). At the end of 2021 the young people wrote a Bracknell-based version of the nativity play, filmed scenes at different locations and they made a video which was shown at the Christmas service, together with a live scene.
One 2 Free Extra
Sarah Burch
One 2 Free Extra meets once a month in various people’s homes and is open to all children of secondary school age. The aim of the group is to give the youth a chance to socialise together as well as talking about faith and the Bible. The group meets on a Sunday evening and normally around 8 children attend.
Belovèd (including Bitesize)
Fiona Marston
Belovèd is a Bible study, prayer and fellowship group for ladies who usually meet on Fridays at 10am (in term time and in various homes when possible), to study God’s word and to build our faith and relationship with Him.
In the first half of 2021 we continued to meet online for our Bible study, due to the ongoing Covid restrictions. We studied ‘The Armour of God’ and ‘The Twelve Disciples’ during the Spring and Summer terms. I also continued ‘Bitesize’ devotionals for those who were unable to meet with us. The ease of restrictions in the Autumn meant that we could finally meet in person. We continued in our study of ‘The Twelve Disciples’, followed by a series of studies on ‘The Names of God’.
We continue to encourage one another as we meet together for prayer, study and fellowship. We pray for God’s continued blessings and protection.
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Page 3
Mums in Prayer
Various
Clare's group has continued to meet online, on Wednesday mornings, to accommodate mums from outside the area who joined or moved house during the pandemic. These mums are happy to pray online until they can find or set up groups nearer to where they live. The technology has been a blessing to be able facilitate this and we have enjoyed praying for a variety of schools including those represented locally. As always, we have seen many answers to prayer over the past year and are thankful for God's faithfulness.
Clare Bumpass
Our Tuesday morning (term time only) Wokingham group started the year meeting online, due to the pandemic, but since the Autumn have met in person. There are 5 of us in the group (one of whom continues to join us online, due to travel restrictions), and we have seen many answers to prayer throughout the year. We focus on an attribute of God each week and follow the MiP 4 steps of prayer – praise, confession, thanksgiving and request – focussing on our children and their schools.
Fiona Marston
Our Mums in Prayer Bracknell group has been meeting for almost a year for 1 hour on Tuesday evenings with 4 members. We still meet on zoom as we live in different locations and this makes it easier for everyone to join. Over the year we have focused on different attributes of God’s character and there is a related Bible verse we pray over each child. We have been encouraged to see many answers to prayer and how God has worked for good in the lives of our families and schools.
Karen Rogers
On-line prayer meeting
Mark Wigston
We continued meeting for prayer on-line on Wednesday evenings during the year. We had a Bible focus and then prayed for a whole variety of situations and needs, both close to home and overseas too. Being on-line meant that people could come, just for one hour, without any additional travelling time. Numbers of people attending fluctuated and by the end of the year, I think many of us were weary of meeting on-line. Moving forward, we are hoping to hold a face to face home group on Wednesday evenings instead.
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
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Men’s Bible Study – in the garden
Mark Wigston
During the summer, it became apparent that a number of men wanted to study the Bible together, and were available on Friday mornings. So, we held a limited edition series of Bible studies in the garden, looking closely at Paul’s first letter to Timothy. We had some really great times together in the Word of God, accompanied by hot drinks and plenty of food.
Off-Road Walking Group
Gareth Jenkins
We were able to restart our monthly walks in June 2021 when the Covid rules made it appropriate to do so. Unfortunately, poor weather meant that we had to cancel some walks in the autumn. We are a fairly small group, but would welcome anybody else to join us, and it is not restricted to attendees of GHFC.
If anybody would like details of potential walking routes, then please get in touch and I can share some with you.
I hope to organise further walks each month – normally on the last Saturday of the month, in 2022.
Lunch Club
Mark and Gabi Wigston
Garden Peas or Mushy?
Which would you prefer, with your fish and chips – Garden Peas or Mushy? That is a question that we started asking again, in September, when we restarted our Lunch Club after a pause of over 18 months due to Covid.
Why do folk love our Lunch Club so much? Is it the fact that you can choose anything you want from the menu? Maybe it is the amazing deal we offer – a hot meal and tea or coffee, all for just £5 or £6. Or, perhaps it is the fun and friendly atmosphere combining a good natter with great grub.
We meet on a Thursday, at 12.30pm, once a month, at the Silver Birch Restaurant in Birch Hill, next to Aldi. We are in a great location, easy to get to, on foot, bike or bus, with plenty of parking nearby too. If you have never joined us: what are you waiting for?
Lunch Club is a great opportunity for our Church to serve the community, here in Bracknell.
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Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Gareth Jenkins
Quiz Nights
During the winter and spring, we continued with online quizzes roughly once a month and were pleased to welcome a number of people from outside the church (mainly from the Lunch Club) to join us. We were especially pleased that some of the non-GHFC people also volunteered to act as quizmasters.
Once the restrictions were lifted, Great Hollands Community Association restarted their quiz nights in the Community Centre in October and some people from GHFC participated. This is a good opportunity to meet the local community as well as having an enjoyable evening.
We are planning to hold some further online quizzes during the early part of 2022 and hope to be able to join in with those organised by the Community Association when they happen.
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Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Membership on 30[th] November 2021
Chris Bateman Jean McCandless Clare Bumpass Rob Mead Peter Burch Gill Mead Sarah Burch Paul Michael Nikolay Dachev Mei Michael Radoslava Nestorova Lawrence Millwood David Goodall Kyoko Millwood Sandy Goodall Jolame Nalumisa Peter Goodson Asena Nalumisa Richard Greenidge Karen Rogers Sheila Hopkins Kelly Scott Gareth Jenkins Pam Simmonds Anne Jenkins David Warrilow Robert Little Sheena Warrilow *Faith Little Dave Weston Chris Malunguza Dawn Weston Elizabeth Malunguza Mark Wigston Fiona Marston Gabi Wigston John Marston Beth Marston
Total membership: 38
* Indicates a new member in 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
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Treasurer’s Report: Year ending 30[th] November 2021
| Notes Budget 2022 1 £25,476.57 £54,200.00 -£52,670.00 ----------------- £27,006.57 £45,600.00 2 £8,500.00 3 £50.00 4 £50.00 5 ----------------- £54,200.00 £41,000.00 7 £3,850.00 6 £3,620.00 8 £4,200.00 9 ----------------- £52,670.00 £1,530.00 |
Notes Budget 2022 1 £25,476.57 £54,200.00 -£52,670.00 ----------------- £27,006.57 £45,600.00 2 £8,500.00 3 £50.00 4 £50.00 5 ----------------- £54,200.00 £41,000.00 7 £3,850.00 6 £3,620.00 8 £4,200.00 9 ----------------- £52,670.00 £1,530.00 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | 2021 | 2020 | Budget 2022 |
|
| 1 | ||||
| Opening Balance 1/12 | £23,388.06 | £23,647.58 | £25,476.57 | |
| Income | £49,237.39 | £46,852.95 | £54,200.00 | |
| Expenditure | -£47,148.88 | -£47,112.47 | -£52,670.00 | |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- | ||
| Closing balance 30/11 | £25,476.57 | £23,388.06 | £27,006.57 | |
| Income | ||||
| Freewill Gifts | £40,258.52 | £45,600.00 | 2 | |
| Refund from Inland Revenue |
£8,692.83 | £8,500.00 | 3 | |
| Miscellaneous | £99.41 | £50.00 | 4 | |
| Bank Interest | £186.63 | £50.00 | 5 | |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | |||
| Total | £49,237.39 | £54,200.00 | ||
| Expenditure | ||||
| Employment Costs | £40,538.24 | £41,000.00 | 7 | |
| Gifts | £3,556.50 | £3,850.00 | 6 | |
| Miscellaneous | £1,992.14 | £3,620.00 | 8 | |
| Hire Fees | £1,062.00 | £4,200.00 | 9 | |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | |||
| Total | £47,148.88 | £52,670.00 | ||
| Change in Funds | £2,088.51 | £1,530.00 |
| Notes | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Balance | 2021 | 2020 | |||
| Various Floats | £0.00 | -£243.84 | 10 | ||
| Cash in hand | £33.70 | £19.83 | 11 | ||
| Current Account | £965.85 | £141.22 | 12 | ||
| Deposit Account | £3,289.88 | £4,460.76 | |||
| 60 Day Account | £21,187.14 | £19,010.09 | |||
| Total | £25,476.57 | £23,388.06 | |||
| Liabilities | -£512.38 | -£217.08 | 13 |
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Page 8
Notes on the Accounts
-
The 3 columns of figures represent the following:
-
a) The first column shows the amounts for the year ending 30th November 2021
-
b) The second column shows the amounts for the previous year (ending 30th November 2020) for comparison
-
c) The third column represents my estimate for the current year (ending 30th November 2022) for budgetary purposes
-
This represents all freewill offerings made to the Church. They can be further broken down as follows:
| 2021 | 2020 | Budget 2022 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designated (External) | £802.68 | £535.48 | £400.00 | a) | ||
| Designated (Internal) | £562.68 | £306.27 | £200.00 | b) | ||
| Regular Gifts | £17,700.00 | £20,305.00 | £30,000.00 | c) | ||
| Collection | £2,388.00 | £2,601.20 | £8,000.00 | d) | ||
| Other Donations | £18,805.16 | £14,993.00 | £7,000.00 | e) | ||
| ----------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- | ||||
| Total | £40,258.52 | £38,740.95 | £45,600.00 |
-
a) ‘Designated (External)’ represents gifts that were received specifically for the support of other Christian organisations (see note 6 for details). In some cases, these gifts were also received such that the tax is reclaimable by the Church and passed on to the relevant organisation.
-
Also included in this category is the ‘small change’ collection, which was designated as being a contribution towards the support of Eyerusalem in Ethiopia.
-
b) ‘Designated (Internal)’ represents gifts that were made for the support of specific activities within the Church. This year it was mainly gifts raised for people in need and to purchase study books and songs for iSing.
-
c) ‘Regular Gifts’ represent those gifts that are made by regular donations. The majority of these are subject to reclaims from the Inland Revenue. Since April 2000, any gifts made by a taxpayer can be ‘Tax Efficient’ provided that they are not made anonymously.
-
d) ‘Collection’ covers the money in the collecting box each Sunday. Since April 2013, any loose cash in the collection box
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
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(which means any amount less than £30) can be assumed to be subject to Gift Aid. However, if the amount is greater than £30 (for example a bundle of notes that have been put in together), then Gift Aid cannot be reclaimed. During this year, £1,600 has been put in the box for which Gift Aid is not claimable. If this had money been given Tax Efficiently, then a further £400 could have been reclaimed from the Inland Revenue. The collection was significantly less than previous years due to the fact we were unable to put out the collecting box until September due to Covid. However, this was more than made up for by an increase in One-off gifts.
-
e) ‘Other Donations’ covers other one-off gifts. Several people have made such gifts during the year as they were unable to use the Collection box. I do not expect all such gifts to be repeated next year as some have become regular donations and others will be replaced by cash in the collection box. Gift Aid is reclaimable on most of these.
-
This represents the money that the Church has been able to reclaim from the Inland Revenue and corresponds to the tax paid on gifts made to the Church using the Gift Aid Scheme. This year I have made a reclaim for Gifts received during the 2019 - 20 Financial Year, and so we are up to date on our Gift Aid reclaims. If anyone would like to know more about how to make their giving ‘Tax Efficient’, then please speak to me about it. Note that higher rate taxpayers should ensure that they declare any Gift Aid donations on their Income Tax returns, since they will receive tax relief on such gifts.
-
This represents payments received by the Church for a specific purpose. This year it represented money received for Bible Notes used by Belovèd and payments for Evangelicals Now.
-
This represents the interest we receive on our bank accounts.
-
This represents gifts made to other individuals or organisations. The following table gives details of all the gifts made and indicates where part of the gift had been given to the Church specifically for that purpose. Note that if money is given specifically for a cause, then at least that amount of money is always passed on. In most cases, Gift Aid is claimable on such gifts and the anticipated Gift
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
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Aid claim is also passed on to the intended organisation. Note that a donation for Foodbank was received at the end of November 2020 so it was passed on in the 2020-21 Financial year. Similarly, money was received in November 2021 for the sale of Christmas Cards which will be passed on to Yeldall Manor in 2021-22.
The ‘Collection for Eyerusalem’ has been used towards our payments to Compassion for the support of Eyerusalem in Ethiopia. This year there was a shortfall of about £250 between the money collected (and the Gift Aid reclaimable on that) and the money we are committed to giving in support of Eyerusalem, (£28 per month) since the collection box hasn’t been on display. As Eyerusalem has now graduated from the Compassion Programme, there will be no further collection (or payments to Compassion) on her behalf.
| Gifts For / To | Totals | Totals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Received | Given | ||
| Collection for Eyerusalem | £83.28 | £336.00 | |
| Yeldall Manor | £619.40 | £820.00 | |
| Open Doors | £100.00 | £600.00 | |
| Foodbank | £62.50 | ||
| Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches |
£1,258.00 | ||
| External Speakers | £50.00 | ||
| Other | £430.00 | ||
| ---------------- | ---------------- | ||
| Totals | £802.68 | £3,556.50 |
The total amount given during the year represents about 7.2% of our income.
The payment to FIEC, is recommended by them, based on our Church Membership.
- This represents the Employment costs of the Church, namely the Salary and Pension contributions we pay to Mark and Gabi Wigston including Tax and National Insurance. From April 2016, there has been a special dispensation for most organisations such that the first £3,000 (increased to £4,000 in 2020) of Employers’ National Insurance Contribution each year doesn’t need to be paid. In our case, that covers all our Employers’ National Insurance, and this saving should apply in future years.
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Church Report 2021
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8. This covers all the other expenditure. The following provides a more detailed breakdown:
| detailed breakdown: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | Budget 2022 | ||||
| Annual | £871.65 | £834.14 | £900.00 | a) | ||
| Banking | £93.00 | £60.00 | £100.00 | b) | ||
| Printing | £0.15 | £63.24 | £50.00 | c) | ||
| Magazines,Books etc. | £57.00 | £46.25 | £60.00 | d) | ||
| Allowances | £236.50 | £199.00 | £820.00 | e) | ||
| Belovèd | £86.57 | £32.32 | £50.00 | f) | ||
| Publicity | £100.00 | £0.00 | £150.00 | g) | ||
| Youth Work | £191.20 | £40.86 | £450.00 | h) | ||
| DBS Checks | £145.80 | £137.40 | £200.00 | i) | ||
| Capital Fund | £0.00 | £155.06 | £300.00 | j) | ||
| Internal Gifts | £52.32 | £0.00 | £100.00 | k) | ||
| Refreshments | £27.06 | £86.94 | £200.00 | l) | ||
| Stationeryand Stamps | £12.60 | £29.34 | £40.00 | m) | ||
| Other | £118.29 | £577.47 | £200.00 | n) | ||
| --------------- | ---------------- | ----------------- | ||||
| Total | £1,992.14 | £2,262.02 |
£3,620.00 |
-
a) ‘Annual’ represents one-off annual charges such as Insurance, our PO Box and our Copyright Licence.
-
b) ‘Banking’ represents our monthly bank charges.
-
c) ‘Printing’ represents the costs for Bulk Printing and consumables for the Church Printer.
-
d) ‘Magazines, Books etc.’ represents the costs of purchasing Evangelicals Now.
-
e) ‘Allowances’ represents mileage payments made to Mark plus costs of books and an allowance for his phone.
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f) ‘Belovèd’ represents the cost of Bible Notes bought for Belovèd.
-
g) ‘Publicity’ covers the cost of publicity for the Church. The main cost now is for our ongoing advert in Great Hollands Matters which wasn’t invoiced for during 2020 due to Covid.
-
h) ‘Youth Work’ represents the cost of materials for the children's and youth work on Sundays and gifts made at Christmas 2020. The budget for 2022 includes an allowance for the cost of the Children’s parties, which we hope to be able to re-start.
-
i) ‘DBS Checks’ represents the cost carrying out DBS checks on youth workers.
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
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-
j) ‘Capital Fund’ represents one-off capital expenditure. There were no such costs during 2021.
-
k) ‘Internal Gifts’ represents gifts to members of the fellowship to mark special occasions. During the lockdown at Christmas 2020, Mark and Gabi put together and distributed a number of Christmas parcels for the elderly.
-
l) ‘Refreshments’ represents the cost of refreshments on Sundays and for special events. In many cases, the costs have been donated to the Church.
-
m) ‘Stationery and Stamps’ also includes payments made to people for printing on their own printers.
-
n) ‘Other’ covers anything that doesn’t fall into any other category. The main costs were for renewal of our website domain, the purchase of songs from iSing and for anti-virus software on the Church’s PC.
-
This represents the costs of hiring the school, and the Community Centre each Sunday and on other occasions. This was much lower than usual due to Covid.
-
Some people who regularly spend small amounts of money are given cash floats which are topped up when necessary and accounted for at an appropriate time. This sum represents the money that is held in these floats, but which has not yet been spent. The fact that it was negative in 2020 indicates that people were then owed money by the Church.
-
This represents cash that I have received, but not banked yet.
-
This represents the amount nominally in the bank.
-
This represents payments that are due, but which have not yet been made. The outstanding payments were: the Tax and NI deducted in October and November but not yet paid to IR; and money received for Yeldal Manor that has not yet been passed on and Hire fees for the School and Community Centre in November 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
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Financial Outlook for 2022: As can be seen from the summary on page 8 the projected income for 2022 is expected to be about the same as the expenditure. This means we are finally breaking even as a Church. This means we will hopefully be able to look at how we can do more towards spreading the Word through the community of Great Hollands.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Peter Goodson and Elizabeth Malunguza for carrying out an independent examination of the accounts.
Gareth I Jenkins
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Page 14
WHAT WE BELIEVE - THE FIEC BASIS OF FAITH
1. GOD
There is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable in his holiness, justice, wisdom and love. He is the almighty Creator, Saviour and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to his sovereign will for his own glory.
2. THE BIBLE
God has revealed himself in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors, so that the Bible as originally given is in its entirety the Word of God, without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with final authority and is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice.
3. THE HUMAN RACE
All men and women, being created in the image of God, have inherent and equal dignity and worth. Their greatest purpose is to obey, worship and love God. As a result of the fall of our first parents, every aspect of human nature has been corrupted and all men and women are without spiritual life, guilty sinners and hostile to God. Every person is therefore under the just condemnation of God and needs to be born again, forgiven and reconciled to God in order to know and please him.
4. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught with authority and all his words are true. On the cross he died in the place of sinners, bearing God’s punishment for their sin, redeeming them by his blood. He rose from the dead and in his resurrection body ascended into heaven where he is exalted as Lord of all. He intercedes for his people in the presence of the Father.
5. SALVATION
Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace and cannot be earned or deserved. It has been accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ and is
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Church Report 2021
offered to all in the gospel. God in his love forgives sinners whom he calls, granting them repentance and faith. All who believe in Christ are justified by faith alone, adopted into the family of God and receive eternal life.
6. THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven to glorify Christ and to apply his work of salvation. He convicts sinners, imparts spiritual life and gives a true understanding of the Scriptures. He indwells all believers, brings assurance of salvation and produces increasing likeness to Christ. He builds up the Church and empowers its members for worship, service and mission.
7. THE CHURCH
The universal Church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all who are saved belong. It is made visible in local Churches, which are congregations of believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God, the preaching of the Word, the administering of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, for pastoral care and discipline, and for evangelism. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between Churches by mutual love, care and encouragement. True fellowship between Churches exists only where they are faithful to the gospel.
8. BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper have been given to the Churches by Christ as visible signs of the gospel. Baptism is a symbol of union with Christ and entry into his Church but does not impart spiritual life. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of Christ’s sacrifice offered once for all and involves no change in the bread and wine. All its blessings are received by faith.
9. THE FUTURE
The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness. The wicked will be sent to eternal punishment and the righteous will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God. God will make all things new and will be glorified forever.
Page 16 Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Church Officers as at 30[th] November 2021
Elders
Mark Wigston (Pastor)
Deacons
Fiona Marston (Church Secretary) Gareth Jenkins (Church Treasurer) Gill Mead Rob Mead
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Page 17
Church Contacts Details:
Postal Address:
P O Box 3975 BRACKNELL Berkshire RG12 8ZE
Meeting Place:
Great Hollands Primary School Wordsworth Great Hollands BRACKNELL RG12 8YR
Tel: 01344 286359
- E mail: Info@ghfc.org.uk Website: www.ghfc.org.uk Charity Number: 1053868
Editor: Fiona Marston
Published March 2022
Great Hollands Free Church
because Jesus sets us free
Annual Report
&
Accounts for 2021
Message from the Pastor
Mark Wigston
Praise the name of the Lord
Do you love to come to Church, to praise the name of the Lord?
David, the Psalmist, wrote: I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
He knew how to pray to his God, to worship him and to rely on him wherever he was, even when he was looking after the sheep, facing a giant, in a cave, or on the run.
David had a very portable faith. He knew how to take his faith with him, wherever he was, and yet for him it was a particular joy to actually go to the house of the Lord, to praise the name of the Lord, together with others.
After recent events, I think that many of us can relate to David’s sentiments expressed in Psalm 122.
During the Covid lockdown we learnt again the importance of worshipping our God, on our own or with our family, because restrictions meant that we could not meet face to face. We had to have a portable faith, trusting in God wherever we were. We embraced technology and were able to meet “together” when we were “apart”, in our separate homes.
However, whilst meeting together on-line, via Google Meet, was a great blessing during lockdown, it was an even greater blessing when, in July, it was finally decided that we could start meeting again in the school hall.
I am sure that many of you, like me, rejoiced with those who said to us, “Let us go to the house of the Lord” – that is to say the school hall, where we could meet together at last, face to face, as brothers and sisters in the Lord.
The joy was not so much in the building itself, but in the fact that we could meet to worship, pray, encourage each other and learn from the Word of God together.
For me personally, after months of preaching and leading services staring at a laptop screen, it was wonderful to be facing real people!
Thank you all for your patience during the ups and downs that Covid brought to 2021.
Thank you for serving in so many ways.
Praise the name of the Lord.
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Page 1
Helping others to praise the name of the Lord
Life has been very different for many of us, during the Covid era. However, we are also aware that God has blessed us with so much too - and blessings are for sharing. With this in mind we sought to share the blessings, and to encourage others to praise the name of the Lord.
Locally
We have supported a number of people within Bracknell who have been struggling financially over the last year, and some of our members have been supporting the Bracknell Foodbank in various ways.
We have also been supporting Yeldall Manor drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, which offers healing, hope and practical support to those struggling with substance abuse. Some of us also took part in their supporter events, which moved on-line for obvious reasons.
We also make the recommended donation to FIEC every year. This is the group of about 650 churches in the UK, to which we belong. They are committed to seeing healthy, independent, evangelical churches sharing the good news of Jesus across our land.
Around the world
We have continued to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering for their faith. Much of our information on this comes from Open Doors and we were very pleased to welcome our dear friends, John & Liz, who came to speak to us in November about the dangers that people face today, around our world, because they love Jesus. We have sent them a further gift to help them in their work on the ground.
We also continued to support Eyerusalem, a student living in Ethiopia, through Compassion UK for her final year of education. We wish her God’s richest blessings as she moves on to independence.
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Page 2
One 2 Free
Sarah Burch
One 2 Free currently meets on alternate Sunday mornings in the Community Centre during the Sunday Celebration and it is open to all school aged children and young people. During the first part of the year, meetings took place online as we looked together at the armour of God, based on Ephesians chapter 6. In September we resumed face to face meetings and used a study guide called Peer Pressure which looked specifically at issues that our young people face and what the Bible says about living out our faith in the world. On average 8 – 10 young people attend the meetings and several church members are willing to lead (although we are always keen to welcome new leaders). At the end of 2021 the young people wrote a Bracknell-based version of the nativity play, filmed scenes at different locations and they made a video which was shown at the Christmas service, together with a live scene.
One 2 Free Extra
Sarah Burch
One 2 Free Extra meets once a month in various people’s homes and is open to all children of secondary school age. The aim of the group is to give the youth a chance to socialise together as well as talking about faith and the Bible. The group meets on a Sunday evening and normally around 8 children attend.
Belovèd (including Bitesize)
Fiona Marston
Belovèd is a Bible study, prayer and fellowship group for ladies who usually meet on Fridays at 10am (in term time and in various homes when possible), to study God’s word and to build our faith and relationship with Him.
In the first half of 2021 we continued to meet online for our Bible study, due to the ongoing Covid restrictions. We studied ‘The Armour of God’ and ‘The Twelve Disciples’ during the Spring and Summer terms. I also continued ‘Bitesize’ devotionals for those who were unable to meet with us. The ease of restrictions in the Autumn meant that we could finally meet in person. We continued in our study of ‘The Twelve Disciples’, followed by a series of studies on ‘The Names of God’.
We continue to encourage one another as we meet together for prayer, study and fellowship. We pray for God’s continued blessings and protection.
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Page 3
Mums in Prayer
Various
Clare's group has continued to meet online, on Wednesday mornings, to accommodate mums from outside the area who joined or moved house during the pandemic. These mums are happy to pray online until they can find or set up groups nearer to where they live. The technology has been a blessing to be able facilitate this and we have enjoyed praying for a variety of schools including those represented locally. As always, we have seen many answers to prayer over the past year and are thankful for God's faithfulness.
Clare Bumpass
Our Tuesday morning (term time only) Wokingham group started the year meeting online, due to the pandemic, but since the Autumn have met in person. There are 5 of us in the group (one of whom continues to join us online, due to travel restrictions), and we have seen many answers to prayer throughout the year. We focus on an attribute of God each week and follow the MiP 4 steps of prayer – praise, confession, thanksgiving and request – focussing on our children and their schools.
Fiona Marston
Our Mums in Prayer Bracknell group has been meeting for almost a year for 1 hour on Tuesday evenings with 4 members. We still meet on zoom as we live in different locations and this makes it easier for everyone to join. Over the year we have focused on different attributes of God’s character and there is a related Bible verse we pray over each child. We have been encouraged to see many answers to prayer and how God has worked for good in the lives of our families and schools.
Karen Rogers
On-line prayer meeting
Mark Wigston
We continued meeting for prayer on-line on Wednesday evenings during the year. We had a Bible focus and then prayed for a whole variety of situations and needs, both close to home and overseas too. Being on-line meant that people could come, just for one hour, without any additional travelling time. Numbers of people attending fluctuated and by the end of the year, I think many of us were weary of meeting on-line. Moving forward, we are hoping to hold a face to face home group on Wednesday evenings instead.
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Page 4
Men’s Bible Study – in the garden
Mark Wigston
During the summer, it became apparent that a number of men wanted to study the Bible together, and were available on Friday mornings. So, we held a limited edition series of Bible studies in the garden, looking closely at Paul’s first letter to Timothy. We had some really great times together in the Word of God, accompanied by hot drinks and plenty of food.
Off-Road Walking Group
Gareth Jenkins
We were able to restart our monthly walks in June 2021 when the Covid rules made it appropriate to do so. Unfortunately, poor weather meant that we had to cancel some walks in the autumn. We are a fairly small group, but would welcome anybody else to join us, and it is not restricted to attendees of GHFC.
If anybody would like details of potential walking routes, then please get in touch and I can share some with you.
I hope to organise further walks each month – normally on the last Saturday of the month, in 2022.
Lunch Club
Mark and Gabi Wigston
Garden Peas or Mushy?
Which would you prefer, with your fish and chips – Garden Peas or Mushy? That is a question that we started asking again, in September, when we restarted our Lunch Club after a pause of over 18 months due to Covid.
Why do folk love our Lunch Club so much? Is it the fact that you can choose anything you want from the menu? Maybe it is the amazing deal we offer – a hot meal and tea or coffee, all for just £5 or £6. Or, perhaps it is the fun and friendly atmosphere combining a good natter with great grub.
We meet on a Thursday, at 12.30pm, once a month, at the Silver Birch Restaurant in Birch Hill, next to Aldi. We are in a great location, easy to get to, on foot, bike or bus, with plenty of parking nearby too. If you have never joined us: what are you waiting for?
Lunch Club is a great opportunity for our Church to serve the community, here in Bracknell.
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Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Gareth Jenkins
Quiz Nights
During the winter and spring, we continued with online quizzes roughly once a month and were pleased to welcome a number of people from outside the church (mainly from the Lunch Club) to join us. We were especially pleased that some of the non-GHFC people also volunteered to act as quizmasters.
Once the restrictions were lifted, Great Hollands Community Association restarted their quiz nights in the Community Centre in October and some people from GHFC participated. This is a good opportunity to meet the local community as well as having an enjoyable evening.
We are planning to hold some further online quizzes during the early part of 2022 and hope to be able to join in with those organised by the Community Association when they happen.
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Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Membership on 30[th] November 2021
Chris Bateman Jean McCandless Clare Bumpass Rob Mead Peter Burch Gill Mead Sarah Burch Paul Michael Nikolay Dachev Mei Michael Radoslava Nestorova Lawrence Millwood David Goodall Kyoko Millwood Sandy Goodall Jolame Nalumisa Peter Goodson Asena Nalumisa Richard Greenidge Karen Rogers Sheila Hopkins Kelly Scott Gareth Jenkins Pam Simmonds Anne Jenkins David Warrilow Robert Little Sheena Warrilow *Faith Little Dave Weston Chris Malunguza Dawn Weston Elizabeth Malunguza Mark Wigston Fiona Marston Gabi Wigston John Marston Beth Marston
Total membership: 38
* Indicates a new member in 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Page 7
Treasurer’s Report: Year ending 30[th] November 2021
| Notes Budget 2022 1 £25,476.57 £54,200.00 -£52,670.00 ----------------- £27,006.57 £45,600.00 2 £8,500.00 3 £50.00 4 £50.00 5 ----------------- £54,200.00 £41,000.00 7 £3,850.00 6 £3,620.00 8 £4,200.00 9 ----------------- £52,670.00 £1,530.00 |
Notes Budget 2022 1 £25,476.57 £54,200.00 -£52,670.00 ----------------- £27,006.57 £45,600.00 2 £8,500.00 3 £50.00 4 £50.00 5 ----------------- £54,200.00 £41,000.00 7 £3,850.00 6 £3,620.00 8 £4,200.00 9 ----------------- £52,670.00 £1,530.00 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | 2021 | 2020 | Budget 2022 |
|
| 1 | ||||
| Opening Balance 1/12 | £23,388.06 | £23,647.58 | £25,476.57 | |
| Income | £49,237.39 | £46,852.95 | £54,200.00 | |
| Expenditure | -£47,148.88 | -£47,112.47 | -£52,670.00 | |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- | ||
| Closing balance 30/11 | £25,476.57 | £23,388.06 | £27,006.57 | |
| Income | ||||
| Freewill Gifts | £40,258.52 | £45,600.00 | 2 | |
| Refund from Inland Revenue |
£8,692.83 | £8,500.00 | 3 | |
| Miscellaneous | £99.41 | £50.00 | 4 | |
| Bank Interest | £186.63 | £50.00 | 5 | |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | |||
| Total | £49,237.39 | £54,200.00 | ||
| Expenditure | ||||
| Employment Costs | £40,538.24 | £41,000.00 | 7 | |
| Gifts | £3,556.50 | £3,850.00 | 6 | |
| Miscellaneous | £1,992.14 | £3,620.00 | 8 | |
| Hire Fees | £1,062.00 | £4,200.00 | 9 | |
| ----------------- | ----------------- | |||
| Total | £47,148.88 | £52,670.00 | ||
| Change in Funds | £2,088.51 | £1,530.00 |
| Notes | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Balance | 2021 | 2020 | |||
| Various Floats | £0.00 | -£243.84 | 10 | ||
| Cash in hand | £33.70 | £19.83 | 11 | ||
| Current Account | £965.85 | £141.22 | 12 | ||
| Deposit Account | £3,289.88 | £4,460.76 | |||
| 60 Day Account | £21,187.14 | £19,010.09 | |||
| Total | £25,476.57 | £23,388.06 | |||
| Liabilities | -£512.38 | -£217.08 | 13 |
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Page 8
Notes on the Accounts
-
The 3 columns of figures represent the following:
-
a) The first column shows the amounts for the year ending 30th November 2021
-
b) The second column shows the amounts for the previous year (ending 30th November 2020) for comparison
-
c) The third column represents my estimate for the current year (ending 30th November 2022) for budgetary purposes
-
This represents all freewill offerings made to the Church. They can be further broken down as follows:
| 2021 | 2020 | Budget 2022 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designated (External) | £802.68 | £535.48 | £400.00 | a) | ||
| Designated (Internal) | £562.68 | £306.27 | £200.00 | b) | ||
| Regular Gifts | £17,700.00 | £20,305.00 | £30,000.00 | c) | ||
| Collection | £2,388.00 | £2,601.20 | £8,000.00 | d) | ||
| Other Donations | £18,805.16 | £14,993.00 | £7,000.00 | e) | ||
| ----------------- | ----------------- | ----------------- | ||||
| Total | £40,258.52 | £38,740.95 | £45,600.00 |
-
a) ‘Designated (External)’ represents gifts that were received specifically for the support of other Christian organisations (see note 6 for details). In some cases, these gifts were also received such that the tax is reclaimable by the Church and passed on to the relevant organisation.
-
Also included in this category is the ‘small change’ collection, which was designated as being a contribution towards the support of Eyerusalem in Ethiopia.
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b) ‘Designated (Internal)’ represents gifts that were made for the support of specific activities within the Church. This year it was mainly gifts raised for people in need and to purchase study books and songs for iSing.
-
c) ‘Regular Gifts’ represent those gifts that are made by regular donations. The majority of these are subject to reclaims from the Inland Revenue. Since April 2000, any gifts made by a taxpayer can be ‘Tax Efficient’ provided that they are not made anonymously.
-
d) ‘Collection’ covers the money in the collecting box each Sunday. Since April 2013, any loose cash in the collection box
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Page 9
(which means any amount less than £30) can be assumed to be subject to Gift Aid. However, if the amount is greater than £30 (for example a bundle of notes that have been put in together), then Gift Aid cannot be reclaimed. During this year, £1,600 has been put in the box for which Gift Aid is not claimable. If this had money been given Tax Efficiently, then a further £400 could have been reclaimed from the Inland Revenue. The collection was significantly less than previous years due to the fact we were unable to put out the collecting box until September due to Covid. However, this was more than made up for by an increase in One-off gifts.
-
e) ‘Other Donations’ covers other one-off gifts. Several people have made such gifts during the year as they were unable to use the Collection box. I do not expect all such gifts to be repeated next year as some have become regular donations and others will be replaced by cash in the collection box. Gift Aid is reclaimable on most of these.
-
This represents the money that the Church has been able to reclaim from the Inland Revenue and corresponds to the tax paid on gifts made to the Church using the Gift Aid Scheme. This year I have made a reclaim for Gifts received during the 2019 - 20 Financial Year, and so we are up to date on our Gift Aid reclaims. If anyone would like to know more about how to make their giving ‘Tax Efficient’, then please speak to me about it. Note that higher rate taxpayers should ensure that they declare any Gift Aid donations on their Income Tax returns, since they will receive tax relief on such gifts.
-
This represents payments received by the Church for a specific purpose. This year it represented money received for Bible Notes used by Belovèd and payments for Evangelicals Now.
-
This represents the interest we receive on our bank accounts.
-
This represents gifts made to other individuals or organisations. The following table gives details of all the gifts made and indicates where part of the gift had been given to the Church specifically for that purpose. Note that if money is given specifically for a cause, then at least that amount of money is always passed on. In most cases, Gift Aid is claimable on such gifts and the anticipated Gift
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Page 10
Aid claim is also passed on to the intended organisation. Note that a donation for Foodbank was received at the end of November 2020 so it was passed on in the 2020-21 Financial year. Similarly, money was received in November 2021 for the sale of Christmas Cards which will be passed on to Yeldall Manor in 2021-22.
The ‘Collection for Eyerusalem’ has been used towards our payments to Compassion for the support of Eyerusalem in Ethiopia. This year there was a shortfall of about £250 between the money collected (and the Gift Aid reclaimable on that) and the money we are committed to giving in support of Eyerusalem, (£28 per month) since the collection box hasn’t been on display. As Eyerusalem has now graduated from the Compassion Programme, there will be no further collection (or payments to Compassion) on her behalf.
| Gifts For / To | Totals | Totals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Received | Given | ||
| Collection for Eyerusalem | £83.28 | £336.00 | |
| Yeldall Manor | £619.40 | £820.00 | |
| Open Doors | £100.00 | £600.00 | |
| Foodbank | £62.50 | ||
| Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches |
£1,258.00 | ||
| External Speakers | £50.00 | ||
| Other | £430.00 | ||
| ---------------- | ---------------- | ||
| Totals | £802.68 | £3,556.50 |
The total amount given during the year represents about 7.2% of our income.
The payment to FIEC, is recommended by them, based on our Church Membership.
- This represents the Employment costs of the Church, namely the Salary and Pension contributions we pay to Mark and Gabi Wigston including Tax and National Insurance. From April 2016, there has been a special dispensation for most organisations such that the first £3,000 (increased to £4,000 in 2020) of Employers’ National Insurance Contribution each year doesn’t need to be paid. In our case, that covers all our Employers’ National Insurance, and this saving should apply in future years.
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Page 11
8. This covers all the other expenditure. The following provides a more detailed breakdown:
| detailed breakdown: | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2020 | Budget 2022 | ||||
| Annual | £871.65 | £834.14 | £900.00 | a) | ||
| Banking | £93.00 | £60.00 | £100.00 | b) | ||
| Printing | £0.15 | £63.24 | £50.00 | c) | ||
| Magazines,Books etc. | £57.00 | £46.25 | £60.00 | d) | ||
| Allowances | £236.50 | £199.00 | £820.00 | e) | ||
| Belovèd | £86.57 | £32.32 | £50.00 | f) | ||
| Publicity | £100.00 | £0.00 | £150.00 | g) | ||
| Youth Work | £191.20 | £40.86 | £450.00 | h) | ||
| DBS Checks | £145.80 | £137.40 | £200.00 | i) | ||
| Capital Fund | £0.00 | £155.06 | £300.00 | j) | ||
| Internal Gifts | £52.32 | £0.00 | £100.00 | k) | ||
| Refreshments | £27.06 | £86.94 | £200.00 | l) | ||
| Stationeryand Stamps | £12.60 | £29.34 | £40.00 | m) | ||
| Other | £118.29 | £577.47 | £200.00 | n) | ||
| --------------- | ---------------- | ----------------- | ||||
| Total | £1,992.14 | £2,262.02 |
£3,620.00 |
-
a) ‘Annual’ represents one-off annual charges such as Insurance, our PO Box and our Copyright Licence.
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b) ‘Banking’ represents our monthly bank charges.
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c) ‘Printing’ represents the costs for Bulk Printing and consumables for the Church Printer.
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d) ‘Magazines, Books etc.’ represents the costs of purchasing Evangelicals Now.
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e) ‘Allowances’ represents mileage payments made to Mark plus costs of books and an allowance for his phone.
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f) ‘Belovèd’ represents the cost of Bible Notes bought for Belovèd.
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g) ‘Publicity’ covers the cost of publicity for the Church. The main cost now is for our ongoing advert in Great Hollands Matters which wasn’t invoiced for during 2020 due to Covid.
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h) ‘Youth Work’ represents the cost of materials for the children's and youth work on Sundays and gifts made at Christmas 2020. The budget for 2022 includes an allowance for the cost of the Children’s parties, which we hope to be able to re-start.
-
i) ‘DBS Checks’ represents the cost carrying out DBS checks on youth workers.
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Page 12
-
j) ‘Capital Fund’ represents one-off capital expenditure. There were no such costs during 2021.
-
k) ‘Internal Gifts’ represents gifts to members of the fellowship to mark special occasions. During the lockdown at Christmas 2020, Mark and Gabi put together and distributed a number of Christmas parcels for the elderly.
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l) ‘Refreshments’ represents the cost of refreshments on Sundays and for special events. In many cases, the costs have been donated to the Church.
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m) ‘Stationery and Stamps’ also includes payments made to people for printing on their own printers.
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n) ‘Other’ covers anything that doesn’t fall into any other category. The main costs were for renewal of our website domain, the purchase of songs from iSing and for anti-virus software on the Church’s PC.
-
This represents the costs of hiring the school, and the Community Centre each Sunday and on other occasions. This was much lower than usual due to Covid.
-
Some people who regularly spend small amounts of money are given cash floats which are topped up when necessary and accounted for at an appropriate time. This sum represents the money that is held in these floats, but which has not yet been spent. The fact that it was negative in 2020 indicates that people were then owed money by the Church.
-
This represents cash that I have received, but not banked yet.
-
This represents the amount nominally in the bank.
-
This represents payments that are due, but which have not yet been made. The outstanding payments were: the Tax and NI deducted in October and November but not yet paid to IR; and money received for Yeldal Manor that has not yet been passed on and Hire fees for the School and Community Centre in November 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Page 13
Financial Outlook for 2022: As can be seen from the summary on page 8 the projected income for 2022 is expected to be about the same as the expenditure. This means we are finally breaking even as a Church. This means we will hopefully be able to look at how we can do more towards spreading the Word through the community of Great Hollands.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Peter Goodson and Elizabeth Malunguza for carrying out an independent examination of the accounts.
Gareth I Jenkins
Church Report 2021
Great Hollands Free Church
Page 14
WHAT WE BELIEVE - THE FIEC BASIS OF FAITH
1. GOD
There is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable in his holiness, justice, wisdom and love. He is the almighty Creator, Saviour and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to his sovereign will for his own glory.
2. THE BIBLE
God has revealed himself in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors, so that the Bible as originally given is in its entirety the Word of God, without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with final authority and is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice.
3. THE HUMAN RACE
All men and women, being created in the image of God, have inherent and equal dignity and worth. Their greatest purpose is to obey, worship and love God. As a result of the fall of our first parents, every aspect of human nature has been corrupted and all men and women are without spiritual life, guilty sinners and hostile to God. Every person is therefore under the just condemnation of God and needs to be born again, forgiven and reconciled to God in order to know and please him.
4. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught with authority and all his words are true. On the cross he died in the place of sinners, bearing God’s punishment for their sin, redeeming them by his blood. He rose from the dead and in his resurrection body ascended into heaven where he is exalted as Lord of all. He intercedes for his people in the presence of the Father.
5. SALVATION
Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace and cannot be earned or deserved. It has been accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ and is
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Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
offered to all in the gospel. God in his love forgives sinners whom he calls, granting them repentance and faith. All who believe in Christ are justified by faith alone, adopted into the family of God and receive eternal life.
6. THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven to glorify Christ and to apply his work of salvation. He convicts sinners, imparts spiritual life and gives a true understanding of the Scriptures. He indwells all believers, brings assurance of salvation and produces increasing likeness to Christ. He builds up the Church and empowers its members for worship, service and mission.
7. THE CHURCH
The universal Church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all who are saved belong. It is made visible in local Churches, which are congregations of believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God, the preaching of the Word, the administering of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, for pastoral care and discipline, and for evangelism. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between Churches by mutual love, care and encouragement. True fellowship between Churches exists only where they are faithful to the gospel.
8. BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper have been given to the Churches by Christ as visible signs of the gospel. Baptism is a symbol of union with Christ and entry into his Church but does not impart spiritual life. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of Christ’s sacrifice offered once for all and involves no change in the bread and wine. All its blessings are received by faith.
9. THE FUTURE
The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness. The wicked will be sent to eternal punishment and the righteous will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God. God will make all things new and will be glorified forever.
Page 16 Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Church Officers as at 30[th] November 2021
Elders
Mark Wigston (Pastor)
Deacons
Fiona Marston (Church Secretary) Gareth Jenkins (Church Treasurer) Gill Mead Rob Mead
Great Hollands Free Church
Church Report 2021
Page 17
Church Contacts Details:
Postal Address:
P O Box 3975 BRACKNELL Berkshire RG12 8ZE
Meeting Place:
Great Hollands Primary School Wordsworth Great Hollands BRACKNELL RG12 8YR
Tel: 01344 286359
- E mail: Info@ghfc.org.uk Website: www.ghfc.org.uk Charity Number: 1053868
Editor: Fiona Marston
Published March 2022
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees1 member8 of Great Hollands Free Church On accounts for the year endèd 30 November 2021 Charfty no (if any) 1053868 Set out on pages 8t014 I report to the trustees on my examinalion of the accounts of the abov8 ¢harity ('the Trust.) for the year ended 3011112021. Respon$ibllltles and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 Iyhe Act.). I repct in respect of my examination of the Trust's accolints carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5){b) of the Act. Independent . I have completed my examination. I corfimi that no material matters have examinerfs Statement come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below ') which gives m8 caus8 to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act.. or the accounts th'd not accord with the accounting records,. or the accounts did not ¢omply wilh the applicable requirements conceming the fom and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter nsidered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no oth8r matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not 8ppIy. Slgned: Date: Namè: Elizalth Hluyo-malunguza Rolovant professional quallflcatlon(s) or body South African Institute of Chartered Accountanls - 04859452 g Mahler Close Basingstoke RG22 4 Addross: IER Oct 2018