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2023-03-31-accounts

Annual Report 'P4 2022-2023 xpkESSIONS

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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Who We Are

A MOVEMENT OF MISSION-SHAPED COMMUNITIES

Calling ordinary

Equipping people for the

Connecting contextual

Networking mission of the extraordinary

God

Fresh Expressions is a movement of everyday people from all denominations and none, starting new Christian communities in all the nooks and crannies of our everyday lives. From new housing to rural, urban to suburban, messy church and third age to forests, coffee shops, beaches, pubs, barns, online and even church buildings! Fresh Expressions of church can increasingly be found across the UK and around the world, helping those who would never approach a traditional church service to encounter the reality of Jesus.

With over 30 years’ experience of pioneering in creative and contextual ways, accompanied by robust theological research, reflections and reports on how Fresh Expressions have gathered

and discipled people who weren’t connecting with traditional forms of church, we know all about the challenges and joys of pioneering, but more importantly we know this approach to mission works.

We’re not a denomination. We’re not a pathway to ordination. We’re a grassroots movement filled with people who can’t stop thinking about who isn’t in church and want to do something about it. We’re a band of misfits, visionaries, prophets, evangelists and creative entrepreneurs who can see what isn’t there and have the grit and faith to go out, listen, love, serve, tell people about Jesus and work with their new communities to create a new and authentic expression of church that makes sense to them.

info@freshexpressions.org.uk www.freshexpressions.org.uk

Photo by Ioana Cristiana on Unsplash

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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ANON FX PRACTITIONER

TAKEN FROM A FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE IN NOV 23

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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the fx Prayer

GRACIOUS GOD,

KEEP US EVER MINDFUL OF YOUR PRESENCE THANKFUL FOR WHAT HAS BEEN

AND EXCITED FOR WHAT IS TO COME.

MAY WE WALK IN HUMILITY

ALWAYS HUNGRY FOR MORE OF YOU.

OPEN OUR EARS THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS HEAR YOU.

BREAK OUR HEARTS FOR WHAT HURTS YOU.

HOLY SPIRIT, LEAD US ALWAYS TO WHERE YOU NEED US TO BE. EQUIP US TO BE A COURAGEOUS MOVEMENT TELLING STORIES OF HOPE AND PROCLAIMING, IN FRESH WAYS,

THE GOOD NEWS TO THIS GENERATION;

TO THE GLORY OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST

AMEN

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How we work

How do we structure a charity so it supports a genuine move of the Holy Spirit? How to support a movement that is led by God and not by any one individual?

That’s a question the FX team has continuously wrestled with over the years, and has led to a structure including a board, a leadership community and the operations team.

We’ve been running this structure successfully for a couple of years which has been a positive change.

The purpose of the charity is “to serve the fresh expressions movement and help it flourish”.

The relationships within and between the charity, the movement, the operations team and the leadership community can be illustrated as follows:

The fx movement is served by the charity and the leadership community through:

The purpose of the fx leadership community is to respond to and for the fx movement by ‘fanning the flames’ of the networks and holding a common vision for the movement. It also provides strategic guidance as to how the charity can best deploy the FX Operations Team.

The FX board provides governance and finance that enables the charity to offer...

...the FX operations team who serve the movement and help the individuals and networks within it to flourish through effective connecting, resourcing and communicating.

OUR PURPOSE

“to serve the fresh expressions movement and help it flourish”

PUBLIC BENEFIT

Fresh Expressions Limited’s purpose has always been and will continue to encourage innovative ways of making church available to all members of the public. The Trustees have had regard to The Charities Commission guidance on public benefit. The Trustees believe that the activities of the Charity encourage faith and moral values across all communities and are available to all. The principle of embedding actually encourages even greater local community engagement and therefore benefit for all.

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How We Work

CHARITY NUMBER: 1080103

COMPANY NUMBER: 03598030

OFFICE ADDRESS

Fresh Expressions, 236 Ashby Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 1SW

ACCOUNTANTS:

DNG Dove Naish LLP, Eagle House, 28 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AJ

BANK:

The Co-Op Bank, PO Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester M60 4EP

SOLICITORS:

Anthony Collins Solicitors, 134 Edmund Street, Birmingham B3 2ES

freshexpressions.org.uk IN - @freshexpressionsuk YT - @freshexpressionsuk TK - @freshexpressionsuk TW - @freshexpression FB - @freshexpression

DIRECTORS & TRUSTEES

OPERATIONS TEAM

LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY

This group is made of a number of experienced practitioners from our movement with different denominations and experiences which aim to reflect the depth and breadth of the movement. They offer a key perspective that helps us to keep connected to our grass-roots. This group grows and contracts as new people join and others relinquish the responsibility.

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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ANON FX PRACTITIONER

TAKEN FROM A FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE IN NOV 23

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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Chair’s Report

Thank you for accessing the Fresh Expressions Annual Report.

We’re delighted to share with you a sample of the work that has been done, and the fruit that has grown, through the efforts of the team and our volunteers.

Over the year the team has resourced hundreds of pioneers through our conferences, resources, articles, videos and various other media.

The board and team discerned the priorities for the next phase of Fresh Expressions as Networking, Resourcing, Communications and Partnerships, so we continue to focus on these as we support church pioneers and empower a movement of mission shaped communities.

In the area of Communications we said goodbye to Lizzie Lowrie, who left to devote more time to the StoryHouse café she leads with her husband, and to her freelance writing. We welcomed Mark Robinson as our new Communications Lead, who has become a great asset to the team, and put together the excellent Mission Shaped Podcast, whose first episodes went out in early 2023.

The charity continues to deliver great value to the wider fresh expressions movement across the UK, to the established denominations (who are fully engaged with releasing church pioneers, missional communities and mission shaped churches as part of their evangelism strategies), and even to church pioneers across the wider world who use these methodologies as they seek to reach the unchurched with the good news of Jesus.

It’s exciting to see ordinary people forming new Christian communities with our extraordinary God!

MARK WILLIAMSON

Chair of Fresh Expressions Board

fx Annual Fieport 2022123 +20% 860 37% 2023 the mission shaped podcast len ie Coodwin Fthast po¢ktss IAI¢HAÉL MOYNAGH & kll¢HAEI ADAAI BECK THE 21st CENTURY CHRISTIAN FOLIOWING Eryl Parry JESUS WHERE HAPPEN5 EpSEtyPvry

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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ANON FX PRACTITIONER

TAKEN FROM A FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE IN NOV 23

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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some EMAILS SUBSCRIBER LIST APPROX: stats 9000 AVERAGE OPEN RATE 39%

WEBSITE PAGE VIEWS 610K

SOCIALS

VISITORS 137K

HOURS OF VIDEO WATCHED

530

FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM PROFILE VIEWS UP

280%

EVENTS

EVENTBRITE TICKETS ZOOM GUESTS FOR ON & OFFLINE APPROX 276 1K+

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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It is not how we do it, it’s about our relationship with Christ and one another

ANON FX PRACTITIONER

TAKEN FROM A FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE IN NOV 23

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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Networking Report

Coaching emerged as an essential focus area. We expanded our coaching team through comprehensive training and held two evening events to boost coaches’ confidence and skills. The launch of our Coaching Hub further reinforced our commitment to coaching excellence.

These endeavors exemplify our dedication to growth, learning, and strengthening our impact in fresh expressions and community-building. As we move forward, we eagerly anticipate another year of transformative progress.

In 2022/23, we marked significant milestones and hosted a variety of events that enriched our mission. Our bi-annual gatherings played a pivotal role in our journey. The March event, a hybrid gathering held at the Hayes in Swannick, explored the theme “More than,” encouraging us to seek what more God has in store for us. In September, our online gathering, themed “For such a time as this,” celebrated a significant birthday and set the stage for discerning our charity’s future direction.

Our event calendar also featured diverse offerings. “The E Word” delved into modern evangelism, addressing its relevance today. We conducted “Who Me” sessions for practitioners, providing an introduction to fresh expressions methods and practices. “Sharing Jesus” workshops equipped attendees with insights on effective utilization of the Sharing Jesus resource. The “Rural & Wild” workshops focused on uncovering opportunities in rural contexts, while “Explore Sabbath” events offered leaders an informal space to rediscover the value of rest and Sabbath.

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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ANON FX PRACTITIONER

TAKEN FROM A FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE IN NOV 23

fx Annual Report 2022/23 15

Resourcing Report

During 2022/23, our commitment to resourcing fresh expressions of church remained unwavering. We continued to promote the “21st Century Christian” book through bulk purchase incentives and collaborated with authors to promote the Mindfulness book while working on the second volume, “Mindful Devotions.”

----- Start of picture text -----
Mindful
Devotions
a 40-day journey through the Bible
by Karen Openshaw and
Bishop Chris Edmondson
----- End of picture text -----

Digital content on the fx resourcing site, including videos, was prepared for purchase and download. Engagement with the Church of England continued as we explored ways to support fresh expressions amid personnel changes and the Fruitfulness Framework’s development.

We actively engaged with the Methodist Church to support their “New Places for New People” agenda through webinars and podcasts with Methodist fx enablers in the West Midlands. Collaborations extended globally, including resource translation into Dutch with the Protestant Church of the Netherlands and into German with the Reiss Institute.

We contributed to the New Housing Summit, facilitated practitioner connections, and remained involved in various gatherings and events. The revision of the Godsend resource, along with the promotion, delivery, and follow-up of the Sharing Jesus resource, was a focal point of our efforts.

We also explored the possibility of a US publication of the new Godsend book and provided teaching for St. Augustine’s College on the Sharing Jesus resource. Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipated the launch of the godsend.cloud resource and continued to partner with CPO in resource sales and dispatch.

In summary, during 2022/23, we extended our reach and impact, supporting fresh expressions through various initiatives and partnerships, both nationally and internationally, staying committed to resourcing the future of the church.

fx Annual Report 2022/23

16

ANON FX PRACTITIONER

TAKEN FROM A FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE IN NOV 23

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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Financial Review

FINANCIAL POSITION

The balance of the charity’s funds now stands at £188,117 including a restricted fund balance of £7,333.

Induction and training of new directors

Prospective directors undergo a formal briefing by the Chairman of the Board and other directors as appropriate. Relevant documents, procedures and policies are supplied in connection with the day- to- day running of the organisation as part of an induction plan. Any training or personal development needs in line with the roles and responsibilities of Board Directors are arranged as required.

Key management remuneration

The charity has no paid staff. The Operations Team are paid monthly and reviewed annually.

Risk management

RESERVES POLICY

The trustees have a policy of holding six months of operational expenditure in reserves. The charity does not have any employees but has a flexible Operations Team, enabling a light touch strategy that can deliver the charitable objectives and also respond quickly to changes in need or circumstances.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

Recruitment and appointment of new directors

Directors are appointed by The Board of Directors.

Organisational structure

The Board of Directors meets three to four times a year and receives reports on finance and projects from Operations Team and specialist advisors. Interim board meetings are occasionally arranged between meetings.

Individual Directors have light touch operational responsibilities for specific areas of expertise and activity and contracts will be negotiated to both facilitate a light touch and ensure strategic focus.

The Directors review the activities of the charity on a regular basis for exposure to a range of risks and are satisfied that arrangements are in place to mitigate these.

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STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees (who are also the directors of Fresh Expressions Limited for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company 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 charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the trustees are aware:

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

The independent examiner, Sue Monckton-Rickett FACCA, will be proposed for re-appointment at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 22 December 2023 and signed on its behalf by:

M P Williamson - Trustee

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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It’s much more than new structures and methods, it’s about rethinking what church is.

ANON FX PRACTITIONER TAKEN FROM A FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE IN NOV 23

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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Statement of Financial Activities

(INCORPORATING AN INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)

Donations and legacies
Income And Endowments From
Governance
Raising funds
Expenditure On
Core/Running Costs
Resourcing
Networking
Charitable activities
Charitable activities
Resourcing
Networking
Investment income
Total
Other trading activities		 136,036
Unrestricted
Funds £
3,354
-
22,207
11,574
77,758
1299
19,404
69
161,350
4,542		 8,500
Restricted
Funds £
-
-
-
18,591
83
-
-
-
8,500
-		 144,536
2022 Total
Funds £
3,354
-
22,207
30,165
77,841
1299
19,404
69
169,850
4,542		 2021 Total
Funds £
115,198
-
877
22,919
40,874
85,559
-
-
29
124,950
9,723
Total 132,754 17,475 150,229 115,978
Reconciliation Of Funds
Total funds brought forward
Transfer between funds
Net Income/(Expenditure)
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
Prior Year Adjustment		 117,529
16,751
46,495
180,785
38		 34,268
-16,751
-10,174
7,333
-		 151,797
0
36,321
188,117
38		 177,076
0
-25,279
151,796
-

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION 31 MARCH 2023


Net Current Assets
Net Assets
Total Assets Less Current Liabilities
Stocks
Unrestricted funds
Tangible Assets
Debtors
Restricted funds
Prepayments and accrued income
Cash at bank
Fixed Assets
Current Assets
Funds
Creditors falling due within one year
Current liabilities
TOTAL FUNDS		 1,958
0
180,785
180,785
180,785
53,449
9,027
141,594
206,028
Unrestricted
Funds £
-25,243		 -
-
7,333
7,333
7,333
-
-
7,333
7,333
Restricted
Funds £
-		 1,958
0
188,117
188,117
188,117
53,449
9,027
148,926
213,360
2022 Total
Funds £
-25,243		 2021 Total
Funds £
420
1,231
7,701
8,860
154,332
172,124
-20,747
151,377
151,377
151,797
180,785
7,333
188,117

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 December 2023. In accordance with Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011, the accounts have been examined by an independent examiner and their report has been included in these Financial Statements.

The Directors (who are the charitable company’s Trustees for the purposes of charity law) acknowledge their responsibilities for:

The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies and were approved by the Board of Trustees on 17 May 2023 and were signed on its behalf by:

M P Williamson - Trustee

fx Annual Report 2022/23

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ANON FX PRACTITIONER

TAKEN FROM A FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE IN NOV 23

FRESH EXPRESSIONS