Epworth Baptist Church
TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 Registered Charity No: 1060523
Principal Address: Station Road Epworth North Lincolnshire DN91JZ
Trustees: C. Todd (Treasurer) Lesley Wilson Ann Lane Jeremy Cole Jill Tonge (elected October 2024)
Independent Examiner: Joyce Gail Priestley Coverdale, King Edward Street, Belton, Doncaster DN9 1QN Principal bankers: HSBC Bank Scunthorpe North Lincolnshire
The Trustees present their report with the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024
The Trustees are appointed through an open and public process by the church members meeting to be responsible for the governance of the church. Trustees, except for the Minister, are appointed for an initial three-year term and serve so long as they have the support of the church members' meeting. They have the opportunity to be nominated for reappointment at the end of each three-year term.
The Trustees, who form the Leadership Team, control, manage and administer the church, subject to any specific or general directions from the church members' meeting. The Minister (when in post), who is also a Trustee, takes responsibility for the implementation of direction set by the Leadership Team and in addition, each member of the Leadership Team has responsibility for a particular area of the church's work. There are also other volunteers involved in the activities of the church.
The trustees during the year were those listed above.
The Epworth Baptist Church operates under clauses 4 to 22 of a scheme of the Charity Commissioners for the regulation of Wolverhampton Baptist Church, this being imposed by the Charity Commission by an order sealed 31/05/1 935.
It is affiliated to the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the East Midlands Baptist Association is trustee of the Church.
Objectives : The Church exists for the worship of God, the proclamation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and for the deepening of the spiritual life of Christians; the doctrinal position is based on a belief in the inspiration and authority of the bible. Baptism is of believers and by immersion. It has a congregational form of government, to whom the trustees are directly responsible and meetings are on a quarterly basis for the conducting of business. The Annual General Meeting is held in January each year
The principal purpose is to advance the Christian faith as well as to advance education and to carry out other charitable activities. The church's vision is to extend the kingdom of God through its members loving God, loving one another and loving the community of the Isle of Axholme.
Grants are made as directed by the donor or where the Leadership Team considers the payment would further the objectives of the church.
Review of activities and future developments in the context of the objectives, the following achievements show how the vision to extend the kingdom of God has come to life.
- Congregations Looking out into the communities around us - to make church more relevant and accessible to the wider community. We have recently started to have joint services and meetings with a local House Church, which has included a Prophesy Meeting and a full emersion baptism.
Alongside regular weekly Sunday services, we continue with Prayer and Bible study meetings, Thursday coffee group, Friday sewing group, an Easter and a Christmas Craft Evening with demonstrations and kits so participants could try each craft. To support the charity Tear Fund we held a quiz evening and our Christmas services included a Nativity and a Carols by Candlelight Service.
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Celebrations Worshipping God in a way that is culturally relevant holding special services including Good Friday service and Walk of Witness, Easter Sunday Service, Family Services, Carol service, Christmas morning service and special celebrations including Baptisms and services to share the work of Christian charities supported by the church.
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Community Reaching out into the community, we continue to work with St Andrews and Wesley Memorial church as Christians Together in Epworth at our annual events, Service of Christian unity, Lent groups, Easter Walk of Witness, Carols in the Market place and sending out Christmas cards to every house in Epworth town.
Care The Pastoral Team ensures the welfare of EBC members/friends and regularly contacts those who are missing from church and makes home visits.
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Children Continuing to provide activities for young people from 0 to 15 provided through children’s groups during the Sunday Service as needed and through Pre-School Praise, a Carer and Toddler group which runs once a week during term times.
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Compassion Working alongside Scunthorpe Foodbank, under the Trussell Trust, the EBC Foodbank supports families on the Isle sharing food parcels to those in the community in a time of crisis. We have seen an increase in the number of food parcels requested by couples and single people alongside families in need this year. At Christmas, the foodbank donated Christmas Hampers to these households including a supply of meat vouchers, fresh vegetables and fruit. We continue to support Compassion UK - currently sponsoring children in various countries. We are involved in local outreach to meet the needs of the local community by our involvement in Epworth Christians Together with other local churches.
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Teaching Alongside a message on Sunday mornings, weekly bible study groups have been meeting on a Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon. We held a Ladies teaching day in April and all Church services, we continue to hold prayer meetings and bible studies in the church building.
Minister:
Without a Minister there are now five trustees that continue to manage church life including inviting visiting speakers for each Sunday Service or having in house services, arranging other activities, maintaining the church buildings and ensuring the members are involved in all decision making.
Financial Review 2024
Available cash reserves (general fund) totalled £10,000 at the year-end with the bank savings account at £4180; the trust account run by EMB Trust was closed in March 2023 and the church funds transferred to Baptist Union Corporation Savings accounts, which across all accounts had an end of year balance of £59,200. This is an increase on previous years because of income exceeding expenditure, partly due to the church having no ministerial costs. It was agreed that the excess in the General bank account should be invested if not required for the day-to-day running costs of the church.
Investment strategy
The church continues to invest in the Baptist Union Corporation Savings accounts. Last year’s fixed term account matured and £39,900 was transferred into one of the savings accounts. This remains a designated fund specifically for ministry and church premises costs. The church will continue to review its financial situation and if agreed by members, more money may be transferred into this designated account to allow the church to build up funds to sustain a future project or for a minster.
A second BU savings account holds a reserve of £9000 which is kept aside in order to
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meet church running costs/responsibilities in the event of a sudden drop in income
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meet an unforeseen emergency eg unexpected large repair bill
Receipts
Church giving in the weekly Offertory and Monthly Standing Order Donations totalled £23,850, an increase of over £2000 compared to 2023. This increase was due to an increase in members paying by monthly standing order, rather than through the cash offertory which gives a more stable and regular income for the church. Gift Aid reclaimed from HMRC was £6220, due to additional claims from the previous year. The church continues to receive regular donations for the foodbank from members of the public and the local Foodshare project.
Expenditure in 2024
Costs have increased during the year with a new fuel contract reflecting energy price rises. The majority of this year’s expenditure covers the cost of running the church building and operating costs for the activities of the church. There have been ongoing minor repair costs this year, increased running costs and the purchase of a new projection system in the main church. With no employed minister, the church invites visiting speakers on a regular basis who are given a small financial donation towards expenses. Following on from 2023, the changes to the Baptist Union Pension scheme ownership means we are no longer liable to contribute to any deficit. This year’s foodbank expenditure covered costs for additional items for Christmas hampers distributed to families in need.
Trustee payments: The church continued without a paid minister this year. The church employs a part time administration assistant (as reported in 2023) to help and support the Trustees with the weekly running of the church. This person is a church member but not a trustee and is employed for 40 hours per month. No payments have been made to any trustee.
Charity Giving:
The church has given £3880 to other causes and charities. This is similar to last year’s giving. These charities include Baptist Home Mission, BMS World Mission, other local and national Christian charities and two couples on mission working in South Africa and Zambia – these are well known to the church as they were previous attendees at EBC and keep in regular contact.
Across all church accounts there was a surplus of £4640 reported at the year-end which is down on last year’s surplus, due to the church improvements outlined above and the employment of the admin assistant.
For 2025 the expected income is around £36,000, a slight increase on 2024 as regular attendees continue to support the church. Forecast expenditure is around £30,000 based on last year’s costs. The resulting surplus is forecast to be around £6000 plus interest from the savings accounts for the year to December 2025.
At this time the church acknowledges the regular monthly giving by Standing Order by the majority of its members, for which it is very grateful. Alongside these and the weekly service offertory, other church run activities receive small donations adding to church funds. All these provide for a more profitable position for the church and allows money to be put aside for the possibility of a new minister in the future.
Public Benefit
The Trustees have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit and complied with section 17 (6) of the 2011 Charities Act when reviewing the aims and objectives prior to planning and developing activities.
Statement of Trustees' responsibilities:
Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charily and of the surplus or deficit of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, they are required to:
Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011 and governing document of the charity. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
(On behalf of the Trustees)
Dated: 05/04/2025
Deacon/Trustee
Independent Examiner’s
report to the Trustees of The Epworth Baptist Church Trust
| report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31% December 2024, which are set out on Pages 1 to 2.
Respective responsibilities 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 as Independent Examiner to:
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e examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
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e 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
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e 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:
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e to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
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e 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.
Name: Joyce Gail Priestley
Address: Coverdale, King Edward Street, Belton, Nr Doncaster. DN9 10QN
Dates OS. OB. 0S
EPWORTH BAPTIST CHURCH
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
Final Accounts
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|GENERAL|RECEIPTS AND|PAYMENTS ACCOUNT|
|Note|2024|(£)|2023|(£)|
|Receipts:|
|Offertory|3,728.00|3,686.17|
|Monthly|Standing|Order Giving|inc|Gift Aid|Offertory|20,130.00|17,710.00|
|Income|tax|recovered|as|Gift Aid|6,222.00|3,322.50|
|Patchwork &|Sewing|group,|Orchestra|Donations|4|1,338.00|1,490.00|
|Donations|and|other income|inc PSP|etc|4|407.50|1,136.50|
|Gifts|for other causes|-|non|foodbank|1,226.00|1,278.10|
|Gifts|for other causes|-|Foodbank|Financial|donations|3,613.00|2,939.50|
|Miscellaneous|Receipts|400.00|-|
|Total|Receipts|37,064.50|31,562.77|
|Payments:|
|Ministry|inc|Preacher Expenses/Admin|Assist &|Pen|5|7511.50|4,247.00|
|Upkeep|of church|premises|6|9,417.50|7,965.39|
|Mission|-|inc Charity|giving|but|not|including|Foodba 7|8,318.90|6,081.33|
|Mission|-|Foodbank expenses|7|2,196.20|3,773.91|
|Administration|inc|IT|and AV|8|3,966.00|2,109.96|
|Miscellaneous-|inc Training,|lunches & sharing|events|1,013.00|1,083.98|
|Total|Payments|32,423.10|25,261.57|
|Total|Surplus|or|Deficit for the year|4,641.40|6,301.20|
|Taking|into account|unspent donations from foodbank|4,059.01|6,131.08|
|HSBC|Current Account|
|Transfers|(from|Savings to|Current|Acct)|1,000.00|-|15,000.00|
|Balance|brought forward|4,439.98|13,138.78|
|Balance|in|Current Account carried|forward|10,081.38|4,439.98|
|HSBC|Savings|Account|
|Receipts|-|Interest for the year|@|1.95%|84.12|75.05|
|Transfers|in/out from|or|to|Bank|Current Account|-1,000.00|
|Balance|Brought Forward from|previous|year|5,101.68|5,026.63|
|Balance|in HSBC Savings Account carried|forward|4,185.80|5,101.68|
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PAGE 2
2024 (£)
2023 (£)
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|EMB|Trust Account|(restricted)|
|Receipts:|Interest|at|closure|7,117.00|
|Payment|of|Dividend|at|closure|169.61|
|Transfers|
|Balance|brought forward|33,921.10|
|Balance|transferred|to BU|Corporation|Savings accounts & closed|41,207.71|
|Church Savings/Contingency Accounts|2024|(£)|2023|(£)|
|Interest|Rate|
|BAPTIST|UNION|CORPORATION|Accounts|(from|2023)|
|One Year|Fixed Term Account|(1/11/2023|-|31/10/24)|NIL|38,000.00|
|to|1|Month|Notice Acct|Interest|accrued|to|31/10/24|5%|1,905.21|
|3|Month|Notice|Account|9,067.44|9,000.00|
|Interest|accrued|to|31/12/24|375%|392.95|67.44|
|1|Month|Notice|Account|44,028.15|6,000.00|
|Interest|accrued|to|31/12/24|399%|416.28|28.15|
|7|Day|Notice Account|3,322.81|3,207.71|
|Interest|accrued|to|31/12/24|4.75%|75.71|115.10|
|Balance|in|BU|Corporation|Savings|carried|forward|59,208.55|56,418.40|
|STATEMENT|OF|ASSETS|AND|LIABILITIES|AT|31|DECEMBER|2024|
|Note|2024|(£)|2023|(£)|
|MONETARY|ASSETS:|
|General|Account|10,081.38|4,439.98|
|HSBC|Business|Savings Account|4,185.80|5,101.68|
|Accounts|administered|by|BU|Corporation|(Savings)|59,208.55|18,418.40|
|Accounts|administered|by|BU|Corporation|(Fixed|Term|to|31/|NIL|38,000.00|
|Cash|in|hand|35.20|18.75|
|Total|Cash|Balances|73,510.93|65,978.81|
|NON-MONETARY|ASSETS:|Held|for|church's|own|use|
|Church|Premises|including|the|Burial|Ground|(insure 3|1,008,278.00|1,005,270.00|
|Includes|Public|Liability|on|all|Church|Property|and|Employer|Liability|Insurance|
|Fixtures,|Furniture &|Equipment|(insurance|value)|57,276.00|52,908.00|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|The|accounts|and|statement|of assets|and|liabilities|set out on|pages|1|&|2|relating|to the year ending|31|
|December 2024|are|as|approved|by the|Deacons|
|p|AD|
|Signed:|‘ones te|||Date:|yes /3/|26 os|
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NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
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These accounts have been prepared on a receipts & payments basis and accord with Charities Act 2011.
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Trustee payments: No payments for a Pastor in 2024. Continue to employ P/T Admin Assistant (40 hrs per mnth)
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Non-monetary assets held for the church's own use: The church is the beneficial owner (subject to the relevant trusts) of the following assets:- Church premises and burial ground - legal title held by the church's custodian trustee (East Midlands Baptist Association). Values for Insurance increased by 8%, year to Sept 2024
| 2024 (£) | 2023 (£) | 2024 (£) | 2023 (£) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. Donations & other income | 7. Mission | |||||
| Pre School Praise | 407.50 | 536.50 | Youth work | 165.90 | 391.13 | |
| Donations forbuilding use | 600.00 | Foodbank purchases | *** | 2,196.20 | 3,773.91 | |
| Patchwork & Sewing Don | 760.00 | 895.00 | Donations from fund raising even | 1,153.00 | 1,525.00 | |
| Orchestra Donation | 578.00 | 595.00 | 2023Giving paid in 2024 | 3,120.00 | 2,550.00 | |
| 1,745.50 | 2,626.50 | 2024 Gifts to charities in full | 3,880.00 | 1,615.20 | ||
| 10,515.10 | 9,855.24 | |||||
| 5. Ministry | 8. Administration | |||||
| Pension (Deficitonly) * | 10.00 | 12.00 | Printing/stationery/sundries | 344.75 | 400.66 | |
| Expenses | NIL | NIL __ Telephone/internet | 413.50 | 402.85 | ||
| Manse expenses | NIL | NIL | Subscriptions &fees (BUGB) | 165.00 | 164.80 | |
| Preacherexpenses | 2425.00 | 2350.00 | Books, publications | 149.60 | 447.62 | |
| Admin Assistant Costs | 5076.50 | 1885.00 | iT | 2363.00 | 325:75 | |
| 7,511.50 | 4,247.00 | Music, AV (CCLI Licences) | 437.00 | 263.00 | ||
| Bank Charges (HSBC) | 93.15 | 105.28 | ||||
| 3,966.00 | 2,109.96 | |||||
| 6. Upkeep ofChurch Premises | ||||||
| Electricity &Gas |
2267.30 | 905.93 | ||||
| Water& Drainage | 247.20 | 228.30 | ||||
| Insurance | 1278.00 | 1245.08 | ||||
| Church cleaning & supplies | 1272.00 | 1275.40 | ||||
| Maintenance & Renewals ** | 4,353.00 | 4310.68 | ||||
| 9,417.50 | 7,965.39 |
- Ministry Expenses - BU Pension Deficit removed as debt bought out - zero payment to be made in future
** Maintenance & Renewals: includes repair to Foyer Floor, replacement of Paving Slabs, garden &
Burial Ground pruning, Fire System service and repairs, Boiler service and Plumbing repairs
*** Foodbank Purchases: - Donations used to top up Foodbank supplies to ensure it can meet demand. £1600 of this sum was spent on the 40 Christmas Hampers including Meat vouchers, Fresh Fruit & eggs
Gifts to Charities (Mission)
The Annual Giving includes monthly donations to Compassion child sponsorship programme,
Church Mission payments to lan & Alison Richardson in Zambia and Dawn & Fraser Jackson in South Africa
All charity giving for 2024 was paid in the year.
**** IT Costs - New Overhead Projector at start of year as approved in January 2024