## Church in the Barn Report and Accounts For Year ended 31 August 2025 ## **CHURCH IN THE BARN** ## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025** ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE Faith Barn Newton Road PENRITH CA11 0FP GOVERNING DOCUMENT Declaration of Trust dated 3 March 2004 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1103157 TRUSTEES Martin Hall Graham Emerson Clare Emerson Brian Littleproud Rona Littleproud BANKERS Barclays Bank plc INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Matthew Brown MAAT Grassgill Southfield Road SEDBERGH LA10 5DR **INDEX** Page 2 Legal and Administrative Details Pages 3-4 Trustees' Report Page 5 Independent Examiner's Report Page 6 Receipts and Payments Account Page 7 Balance Sheet Page 8 Notes to the Accounts Page 2 ## **CHURCH IN THE BARN** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025** The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2025. ## **Objects of the charity** The charity is governed by a trust deed and is constituted as a trust. The charity's principal objects, as set out in its governing document, are: 1) The advancement of the Christian religion 2) to help and assist young people through their leisure time activities so to develop their physical, mental and spiritual capacties, so that they may grow to full maturity as individuals and members of society and that their conditions of live may be improved ## **Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements** Church in the Barn is a Bible-believing independent church. We have been active in Penrith for 30 years, with a big youth and children’s ministry and host a wide variety of speakers in addition to our regular church activities. We have seen a significant increase in attendance over the past year, with around 200-230 at the morning service and 60-70 at the evening service. Our expanding children’s ministry enjoys activities during the morning service and the evening service if needed. Overseen by DBS checked members of the church, we tailor sessions in a creative manner to an age range from 0 to 11 with older ones free to join the service when they feel ready. Babies are welcome to stay in church, but we have a creche facility available. We encourage all children to engage in worship and hear from God for themselves. Through the week we have various House Group/Bible Study options, including Soul Disciple – our mid-week youth group, in addition we run an evangelistic football league in Penrith on Friday nights. We are led by our pastor Graham and lots of volunteers; trustees, elders, support group, children’s workers, youth leaders, worship team and welcome team, to help make church happen. We have links with other churches in Penrith, running evangelistic events, Christmas and Lent activities and generally supporting each other. Our services are relaxed and informal, we take communion together most Sunday mornings. Being in the Penrith and the Lake District we are an ideal central point for visitors passing through on their holidays and are often blessed to meet people from around the country. If you are passing through, we would love to meet you and invite you to join us! Services usually start with a time of worship, which tends towards the modern, but does not exclude the old! Our services usually last about an hour and a half and may include communion, testimonies, a message, worship and ministry. We do not believe that ministry is exclusive to the leadership team, encouraging the whole church to exercise spiritual gifts under their supervision and discernment. Further information about our activities can be found on our website: https://www.churchinthebarn.org.uk/ In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission. Page 3 ## **CHURCH IN THE BARN** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025** ## **Financial review** During the year income from tithes and offerings increased from £91,833 to £101,719, which reflects the increased size of the congregation. Building fund donations reduced from £31,155 to £11,754. Total income remained static at £147,635 (2024 - £146,569). The running costs of the church increased from £73,744 to £86,016, mainly as a result of increased salary costs, and donations to other organisations increased from £3,500 to £9,000. The surplus for the year of £52,619 (2024 - £69,326) is being invested into the new church building, with a futher £36,161 spent in the year. ## **Reserves policy** The charity's aims to maintain bank balances at around the level of one month's running costs, which is around £7,000. ## **Governance** Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rests with a support group comprising 20 established members of the church including its trustees who meet monthly to monitor the activities of the charity. New trustees can be recruited and appointed by the existing trustees. ## **Responsibilities of trustees** Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year. We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities. ## **Approval** This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by: ## M J Hall ____________________________ Martin Hall - Trustee/Treasurer Date: 27th February 2026 Page 4 ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT** ## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF** ## **CHURCH IN THE BARN** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Church in the Barn ('the charity') for the period ended 31 August 2025 on pages 6 to 8 following. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts 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 2011 Act. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Matthew Brown MAAT Grassgill Southfield Road SEDBERGH LA10 5DR Date: 15/05/2026 Page 5 ## **CHURCH IN THE BARN** ## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025** |Notes
**_Income receipts_**
Tithes & Offerings
Building fund donations
Building fund grants
Gift Aid receipts
Schools and other income
Renewable Heat Incentive
**_Total receipts_**
**_Payments_**
2
3
**_Total payments_**
Transfers between funds
5
**Net movement in reserves**
Reserves as at last year end
**Reserves at this year end**
Net of receipts / (payments) before transfers
Grants paid in relation to charitable activities
undertaken by others
Payments in relation to charitable activities
undertaken directly|Unrestricted
Funds
£
101,719
-
-
20,910
4,471
1,681
128,781
86,016
9,000
95,016
33,765
18,854
52,619
479,986
532,605|Restricted
Funds
£
-
11,754
7,100
-
-
-
18,854
-
18,854
(18,854)
-
-
-|Year ended
31 August 2025
£
101,719
11,754
7,100
20,910
4,471
1,681
147,635
86,016
9,000
95,016
52,619
-
52,619
479,986
532,605|Year ended
31 August 2024
£| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||91,833
31,155
-
17,087
4,893
1,601| |||||146,569| |||||73,744
3,500| |||||77,244| |||||69,326
-| |||||69,326
410,660| |||||479,986| The notes on page 8 form part of these accounts. Page 6 ## **CHURCH IN THE BARN** ## **BALANCE SHEET** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025** |**Fixed assets**
Buildings (Faith Barn)
Equipment
**Current assets**
Bank balances
Accounts receivable
Gift aid receivable
**Liabilities**
**Falling due within one year:**
Taxes due
Accrued expenses
**Falling due after one year:**
Loans
**Net assets**|Unrestricted
Funds
£
514,861
20,046
**534,907**
45,336
270
-
**45,606**
1,265
293
1,557
46,350
46,350
**47,907**
**532,605**|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
**-**
-
-
-
**-**
-
-
-
-
-
**-**
**-**|Total
31 August 2025
£
514,861
20,046
**534,907**
45,336
270
-
**45,606**
1,265
293
1,557
46,350
46,350
**47,907**
**532,605**|Total
31 August 2024
£| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||485,874
12,872| |||||**498,746**| |||||16,710
870
17,087| |||||**34,667**| |||||1,177
500| |||||1,677
51,750| |||||51,750| |||||**53,427**| |||||| |||||**479,986**| The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by: M J Hall date 27th February 2026 _____________________________ _________________ Martin Hall - Trustee/Treasurer The notes on page 8 form part of these accounts. Page 7 ## **CHURCH IN THE BARN** ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025** ## **1 Accounting policies** The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs. Unrestricted funds are funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects. |**2**
**Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly**
Salaries
Payments to visiting speakers
Electricity
Water
Motor expenses
Resources and materials
Repairs, maintenance and cleaning
Refreshments and meals
Insurance
Administrative expenses
**3**
**Grants and gifts paid to others**
Mission Guatemala
Jenny - missionary in Nigeria
Porsche Dobinson - missionary in Uganda
Malcolm Macpherson - missionary in the UK
Kays Farm Fellowship|Unrestricted
Funds
£
56,632
3,855
6,601
1,499
3,679
2,225
2,847
2,264
2,104
4,309
86,016
3,900
1,100
1,500
1,500
1,000
9,000|Restricted
Funds 3
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Total
1 August 2025
3
£
56,632
3,855
6,601
1,499
3,679
2,225
2,847
2,264
2,104
4,309
86,016
3,900
1,100
1,500
1,500
1,000
9,000|Total
1 August 2024
£| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||46,047
2,555
9,118
73
3,355
3,156
1,525
1,236
1,803
4,876| |||||73,744| |||||1,500
-
900
600
500| |||||3,500| ## **4 Transactions with related parties** Graham Emerson was paid a salary of £30,376 in the year (2024 - £25,000) in his capacity as Pastor. No trustees received any remuneration in their capacity as trustees. Graham and Clare Emerson have provided a loan to the charity as start up funding for the new church building. This loan is interest free and is being repaid over ten years. The balance outstanding at 31 August 2025 was £46,350 (2024 - £51,750). ## **5 Movement on restricted funds** |Balance at
1 September 2024
£
Building Fund
-
-|Receipts
£
18,854
18,854|Payments
£
0
0|Transfers
3
£
(18,854)
(18,854)|Balance at
1 August 2025
£
-| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||-| The Building Fund was created from income received to support completion of the new church building. All donations to the Building Fund have been spent on the new building during the year. Page 8