Barrow Baptist.
church
Church Report
Review of 2021

## **Contents:** 

|**1.**|**Charity Information**|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|p. 2|
|---|---|---|---|
|**2.**|**2021 Synopsis**|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|p. 3|
|**3.**|**Minister’s Report of 2021**|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|p. 3|
||Rev. Neil Jones|||
|**4.**|**Mission Support**|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|p. 5|
|**5.**|**Fabric of the Building**|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|p. 5|
|**6.**|**Finance**|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|p. 6|





community church.  The aim is to show the love of Jesus Christ in both word and deed and to bring people into a closer relationship with Him as living Lord. 

This report details the activities of Barrow Baptist Church during 2021 in fulfilment of its objectives; central to this is the provision of regular public services of Christian worship and times of prayer and also includes conducting Christian wedding services, funerals as well as running groups to support children and their parents / carers as well as seniors. 

## **2. 2021 Synopsis** 

**New Members 1 Baptisms 0 Deaths 2 Resignations 7 Removed from membership 1** (attending another church) **Transfer to other Baptist Churches 1** 

## **3. Minister’s Report of 2021** 

**Verse for 2021 – Romans 15:13, ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.’** 

The text for the year focussed on ‘hope’ which is something that we felt we needed given the context of a pandemic. In the midst of great pressures, challenges & uncertainties, we are promised hope, joy and peace from God when we trust in him. It is hope in him that gets us through life’s challenges and 2021 was no exception. 

2021 began with a new lockdown and the suspension of church services (not legislative, but recommended), so Neil and Ben began live-steaming of Sunday morning content from a small studio; during this time, we had participation from viewers who were encouraged to write in answers to a variety of questions that were posed. Pre-recorded videos of songs, readings, prayers and interviews were used to ensure that people felt connected to the church. In addition to this, we held some live, online evening worship events, where people were given space to reflect, worship and meet with God. 

Through these early months of 2021 Jen & Reuben continued to hold monthly quizzes, again, bringing the body of Christ together, despite not meeting. The only church group that continued to meet was Baby Buds, our support group for new parents, where limited numbers could attend and social distancing was maintained. 

During the spring we also held an online Alpha Course and Deeper ran again. These ministries reach out to those who are not familiar with faith and those who want to grow in their faith respectively. 

As winter turned to spring, the vaccines were roll out programme continued and cases came down. Which meant that at Easter, the restrictions were slightly eased. This meant that we were able to meet and sing worship together in our car park. It was such a blessing to be able to meet, have live music, sing and be together as a body – all outside in God’s great creation. 

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This pattern of weekly carpark services continued every week from beginning of April until end of August, with the exception of one rained off Sunday. This was a wonderful demonstration of God’s mercy and faithfulness. Over time, as we were permitted, we began coffee time with groups for conversation and on the late spring bank holiday we were able to have a BBQ and social gathering. 

With being able to meet outside, we were able to re-start Messy Church again in-person. This enabled us to reconnect with many families, most of whom have struggled to have any kind of Christian input to their children with the restrictions of the pandemic. 

The carpark services required a huge volunteer force to make them happen, and it is such a blessing that so many at Barrow Baptist Church pulled together and gave of themselves to ensure we could meet week-by-week. 

In the summer, Little Buds, our toddler group, started up again on a Monday. Though numbers were restricted as it was indoors, we were able to welcome so many from our community who have little children. 

Also in the summer, Tuesday Live restarted under new name of Restored. This is a mid-week gathering and service for predominantly retired folk where they sing songs of praise, hear a talk that is relevant to them and enjoy refreshments and time together. 

During this time, it was wonderful to see the church re-open, like a perennial flower opening in spring. Though at the time it seemed like baby-steps and a slow process, we can look back and realise that we were **s** eeing God move in many and varied ways, to lead us out of the darkness of the preceding year. 

With much enthusiasm, we were able to host the Big Week in August. This week is a week of reaching out into the community by putting on various events for all ages. This year’s Big Week included a senior’s entertainer and a fish & chip lunch; a Fayre in the car park and ‘champing’ (camping in the church). We were able to connect and reconnect with many people during this week. 

As we moved into the autumn months we didn’t slow down as a church. Earlier in the summer the church had voted to purchase a manse. This demonstrated the faith of the church, combined with faithfulness of God. Though there were mixed emotions, as the house was house from long-standing members moving on, it has proved a blessing to Neil and his family, and will ultimately serve the church and its ministry for years to come. The family moved in in mid-September. 

At this time, the Sunday morning church gathering and Messy Church moved back into building and we sadly said goodbye to Ben as he moved on to pastures new at Bilston Baptist Church. We are grateful for Ben’s ministry here in Barrow and pray that God will use him mightily in Bilston and that he would in turn be blessed there. 

From September we increased the frequency of church members’ meetings, to once per month. At these meetings we begin and end with sung worship and prayer and allow time for conversation and feedback on a variety of topics. During the last four months of 2021, we discussed a church mission statement and worked together to produce a budget for 2022, using a piece of computer software that enabled everyone to have a go at balancing the books. The church mission statement that was adopted is, ‘Developing relationships with God, one another and our community.’ This will be unpacked in the future. 

During the last few months of 2021, we continued to see God at work in our lives and in his church. We held a Christianity Explored course, in person, which introduces people to the Christian faith and helps people to learn how to read the Bible. We opened the Connect Café on a Monday and Tuesday lunchtime. Little Buds, Baby Buds and Restored were back in operation and in full swing. We also restarted Silver Sports, Who Let The Dads Out, held a Superhero party on October 31[st] and celebrated Neil’s ordination which had been postponed since 2020. Throughout this time, we were able to 

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welcome many new and returning people into the church premises and family. We could feel the presence of God moving among us and leading us to be bold and courageous. 

At Christmas we were very busy telling, remembering and celebrating the story of God’s salvation plan brought to us in the incarnation. We had stone painting (pictures of a baby to represent Jesus) to invite people to the Nativity service, there was a special Christmas Messy Church. We had two stalls at the Barrow upon Soar Christmas market – one with church materials and the Nativity display in the Round House and the other which was evangelistic in nature. We also ran Sing Christmas at the Conservative Club, did a Senior’s Christmas lunch and held a Nativity service, Carols by candlelight service and a Christmas Day service. 

Despite a very difficult year, we have seen God at work in, through and with us as a church. We have seen and experienced his blessings, even in the darkest of times and have plenty to look forward to, with great expectation, for 2022, during which we celebrate the bicentenary of this church and continued re-opening of various events throughout the year. 

Grace and peace in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, Neil 

## **4. Mission Support** 

We continued to support a variety of other mission groups and projects who are meeting needs and sharing the gospel in our area and around the world.  In 2021 we gave 15% of our total income to mission groups, this target was reached by making additional ‘top-up’ payments at the end of the year. 

## **Local** 

We contribute to ‘Home Mission’ which supports churches, projects and staff within the East Midlands Baptist Association and across the country.  We also continued our support of the church plant in Castle Donnington. 

## **Global** 

We support the work of the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS), and are linked with Alan & Megan Barker and their work in Nepal. We also support three mission organisations on a rolling three-year basis. Africa Inland Mission was our new mission partner and we continued with our support for Open Doors. The year concluded our support for Tearfund and we chose CBM to be our new partner for 2022. 

## **5. Fabric of the Building** 

The main work carried out in 2021 was to replace the lighting in the Gap, the old lighting would no longer pass the required checks and the new lighting is brighter and the configuration better covers the space. 

Lots of other smaller works were carried out, including the re-lining of the car park spaces, installing ethernet cabling to all offices, repairing a broken pane of glass in the sanctuary and roofing repairs. 

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## **6. Finance** 

The Trustees are responsible for managing the church’s finances.  A financial summary for 2021 is on the following page. 

The Church continues to raise the funds which it needs to carry on its activities from within its own membership and congregation.  During the year, the most significant event was the purchase of a manse, financed through gifts and loans from members and a loan from the Baptist Union Corporation. 

The Church expressed its part in the life of the wider church by making grants to national and international Christian organisations and societies with Christian aims and objectives compatible with the church’s own charitable purpose. 

The Church is heavily dependent on its membership working as volunteers in all aspects of the church’s activities, many of which run with little or no impact on the church’s expenditure, but nevertheless contribute substantially to the achievement of the church’s objectives. 

The financial results for the year, together with a summary of the accounting policies adopted are set out in the accompanying financial statements. 

The Trustees have reviewed and updated the Reserves Policy, and are satisfied that they have sufficient reserves at the Balance Sheet date, together with ongoing income anticipated, to enable the church to function effectively in the coming year. 

The Trustees have made an assessment of the major risks facing the church, and are satisfied that there are policies in place to minimise these risks. 

## **Reserves policy** 

The Trustees have reviewed and updated the reserves policy to maintain a separate balance on unrestricted funds which equates to 3 months staff costs and mortgage payments plus one month’s running costs, to cover emergency situations which may arise. 

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Barrow Baptist Church
Statement of Financial Activity
For the period 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021
2020
2021
2020
Arna of Mlnls
viry
115.W.78 £
?&94147 Z
11&f04 £
Chsch
Ctrwch Grr
1L¥.T)J.52 3
3.￿ryI 4
141.41
32T4 £
CF*isma5
Th&gWq
F¢)>)￿
3).CQ Z
ity(¢)
76
3.49153
.0) £
c*
.61 £
i).0) £
11441118 £
Mi5W
21.n4.Ql 5
13T.61￿n
1T2 £
21.927
Z9M.84 1
Tut
1519>) £
Mqt I k¥
1245*94
14INT
Cloth9 ¢abh kn hmd)
7JT
Balance Sheet
As at 31 December 2021
Flxed Assets
Tarybbt Ass•ts
Equipment
Tech & ComwterEwpment
20
7J87.21
5.978.57
U.36&70 J
6.857
14B55
Current Assels
Current ACc￿nt
67ffi8L39
1119.31
69.•JQ70
9)3.￿•
Cash in HaThl
249
Ta7
AcCr￿d inccme
Tot*1 urr*nt*ss•ts
70.703.70
91737
Accn*d e¥wises Ilablities
4m6.17 J•
C4)Ital Reserves
Current year eam¥
Retsi￿1 Earnings
Tot•1 C•p*•l •rnl A•s1ry
2554&96
£ 105592 27
1.043.31 u
18x116.59
87575.68
lQ5.592.27

Notes to the Accounts
1. Basls of accounts
These accounts ￿ve been prylared ￿ an accrual5 basi5 and in line wnh $130 (tslit￿ Art 2011.
Tht accounting used in 2021 ￿ drfluErrtthan tht OM used for2020; to betterserve the need5 d the dwrd¥
tlys has meanta (hange tosc¥ne Of￿ (ateKryies U5e4 as can be seen tr* notes bekMI.
2. Ar•a of Mlnlsty: Glvlng
2020
E￿￿4*U
.(xJ £
ry.Cqrryl¥
1570.￿ £
1.SXI.D) £
1.CO).LJ) £
Clamqxl
1&*2 E
fffj1 £
11UM £
11W£
3. Arna of Mlnlstry: Church -g•n•rnl
2020
Ewwd*u
1.*xe.fX) £
1rn5) £
D) £
Rran Hir•
Miiisty
Pro&*iry Ff
FLnra F•
1.423.D) £
751
Eryirynqrt
1&510
47B
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knin
Z5rI61
1ZXffj11
lo.￿{1?
1rn0¢ £
3).fX) £
8.OTJ
4%17ty03
14.757.
1(*1.CO
MirislBr5 Cr*ts
&thcriFlJ"(¥%l Mwntqsfripl
1019.18 £
1.818
19*32
1.6T8
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1.rn.3T £
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C¢￿￿1r￿ rqopmel
X314 £ 11WIJ
4. Ar•a ol Mlnlstry: Chwch Groupg
2020
EVd1￿r•
IOe&JJs
8$8y CP•Jch
WLTDO
181
114.co £
127 £
Yrthgrna
17&45
1KJ £
&hqr Sp3ts
711_(Q £
1 £
&B*
Skwks IXQOI
1.7ro E
Tot
1214 £
5. Ar•a of Ml*sl
2020
7Z¥)(Q
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C*ltr D￿r￿ComM￿ty Ctr•Jth
7Q(Q £
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TLrkn"c Pdtixrai
2DY
Tot•r
ln £
. Area ol Mlnlstry: M•ns•
2020
Expmd#ur•
44 £
&ftAdClaffl•J
827174 £
131.￿2
1YIW •
HutyrvJ C(
11441111 £

7. A¥••ts h•ld In Trust
Tr•thJthis a17DTlirfmweR(•18wrThw w Sw. LE12 a5a mrn tr
l•* tillebwlmch is hdd E* B￿tTr￿ll￿ TtrOva￿LI1Ts ki S*nb
3121 WdB£410.QJI
8. M•M• Loan
£283.n&gY.
9. TAnglble Assets
Balartt b(r*Jgh¢forward
A¢*liti￿al items
Less deprtciatKJn
T•t•l
2021
2020
19.791.0)
I.￿6? £
19M84 £
7.￿.{0
11. R•••rv••
10. Llabllllle$ l Accru•d •xp•M•
Agency cOleth￿
Owed t05UFvIw5
Mi551c￿ to be paKI
Tot•1
2021
2020
8x58 £
1644CQ £
40x17 £
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Barrow Baptist Church, Beveridge Street, Barrow Upon Soar, LE12 8PL 01509 416603 | www.barrowbaptist.org.uk Registered Charity Number: 1129860 

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