## **Tilehouse Street Baptist Church Annual Report 2021** Charity Registration Number: 1135132 The charity is governed by an Approved Governing Document which states that the Church engages in a range of activities for the purpose of the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination. The Church may also advance education and carry out other charitable purposes in the United Kingdom and/or other parts of the world. Trustees (Deacons) Revd. Jane Robson (Minister) Mrs Joyce Bleasby Mr Paul Chamberlain (Designated Person for Safeguarding) Mrs Margaret Granger (Safeguarding Trustee) Mrs Sheila Hallas (Secretary) Mr John Maguire Mr Malcolm Mallett Revd. Ian Stears-Handscomb Mr Andrew Turner (Treasurer) ## **Motto Text Proverbs 3 verses 5-6** Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. ## Aims The Church’s primary aim is to worship God, make known his love and to share the good news of the gospel with local people and the wider world. ## Governance The deacons have met at least monthly to consider prayerfully and discuss the life of the Church. All the meetings this year have been held electronically. The church members and regular worshippers have also gathered monthly on ten months out of the twelve. During the first half of the year the meetings were held via Zoom. From July onwards they have been conducted in hybrid form i.e. some persons present in the building and others participating virtually. In line with the requirement of the Charity Commission, the decision was taken at a special church meeting that a vote taken electronically would be valid, with the proviso that more church members were present in person and voting than were taking part remotely. ## Safeguarding The Safeguarding team has continued to ensure that Disclosure and Barring Service checks and policies and procedures are all up to date. The Level 1 training video was screened during a service and also at the Annual General Meeting. Some of the trustees undertook online training aimed at Levels 2 and 3. Others attended a face to face Level 3 session. ## Membership There were 51 members at Tilehouse Street at the start of the year. Sadly, one lady died in early January and the membership has remained constant at 50 since then. In September, we had the joy of sharing in the baptisms of two ladies from our daughter chapel in Lower Stondon. They were subsequently received into membership, bringing their total to 11. Stondon’s pastor, Michael Campbell, retired from ministry there at the end of September. ## Worship Sunday morning services were held online for the first half of the year. In July, we returned to worshipping in the sanctuary whilst adhering to the Covid 19 regulations. The services were live - streamed to the Church’s YouTube channel and they have been watched by a number of friends unable or unwilling to return in person. The Minister has covered various themes in her sermons including an in depth and ongoing look at Mark’s Gospel. During Advent and Christmas we thought about journeys, both physical and spiritual. Jane was absent on sabbatical leave throughout August and September. The Church was admirably served during this period by a number of visiting preachers from a range of backgrounds and traditions. A Communion service is held on one Sunday afternoon a month. Although the congregation is small in number this opportunity for peaceful reflection is greatly valued. ## Prayer Meetings The fellowship has continued to pray together in homes and also more formally at the monthly Saturday morning meeting in the church and every Wednesday morning on Zoom. ## Bible Studies Two groups meet regularly to study God’s Word, one on the Church premises and the other in a member’s home. ## Open Church On Thursday mornings the Church opens its doors to offer a welcome, chat and refreshments to all. It is good to meet people, some who come regularly and others only occasionally, who would be reluctant to attend a service or more formal event. ## Pastoral Care Despite the difficulties imposed by the pandemic, Jane, the pastoral care team and others have done their best to keep in touch with every member of the fellowship and to help those in need, whether they are within or outside the Church family. In November, the annual memorial service took place, giving anyone who has been bereaved an opportunity to remember their loved ones. ## Use of the Buildings More than fifty years ago the Church set up a playgroup which grew into a Pre-school and then a Nursery too. This year a lease was signed, severing the formal links between the Church and the Pre-school and Nursery but it continues to occupy the premises. The children’s art work and other decorations are a great improvement to the otherwise dreary decor. A wide range of groups and societies hire rooms bringing in some much needed income. The Father’s House gathers for worship in the Church but, sadly, The International First Born Church of the Living God is no longer able to meet. It has been a year of two distinct halves. Until June everything took place online and then in July, the decision was taken to re-open the buildings and rebuild our community life in changed circumstances whilst also keeping everyone safe. We have begun to consider how we face a future with an ageing and diminishing congregation and a declining income but we have always trusted God to show us the way forward and we will continue to do so as a company of his people in Tilehouse Street Baptist Church. Sheila Hallas Church Secretary January 2022 ## Minister’s Reflection 2021 was another year of uncertainty, change and a need to constantly monitor and update Covid risk assessments. Those involved in that work are to be commended for their vigilance and thoroughness. As many of our in-person gatherings for worship and other activities did not resume until the summer we took the opportunity to repair and refresh many of the windows of the church building and the facade. Again, those involved in supervising that work are to be commended for their efforts. Just two areas typical of the commitment and hard work of so many of the church community. Whether it be in pastoral work, governance, preparing for worship, prayer and bible study, financial giving or serving coffee etc. there continues to be a community, at the heart of Tilehouse Street Baptist Church, who love God and love their neighbour. And as we move into the more settled (hopefully) year of 2022 our focus will be on how we continue to practise that in the new living-with-Covid era. Revd. Jane Robson Minister February 2022 ## **Tilehouse Street Baptist Church** Registered Charity no. 1135132 Income and Expenditure Account for the year 1st January to 31st December 2021 Page 1 Tilehouse Street Baptist Church ## **Trustees** Rev J Robson Minister Mrs S Hallas Secretary Mr A Turner Treasurer Mrs M Granger Deacon Mr M Mallett Deacon Rev I Stears-Handscomb Deacon Mr J Maguire Deacon Mr P Chamberlain Deacon ## **Address** Tilehouse Street Baptist Church Upper Tilehouse Street Hitchin, Herts SG5 2EE ## **Property Trustees** Baptist Union Corporation Limited Baptist House 129 Broadway Didcot Oxfordshire OX11 8RT ## **Main Bankers** CAF Bank Ltd PO Box 289 West Malling, Kent ME19 4TA Baptist Union Corporation Limited Baptist House 129 Broadway Didcot Oxfordshire OX11 8RT Santander Uk Plc 2 Triton Square Regents Place London NW1 3AN Page 2 Tilehouse Street Baptist Church ## Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st December 2021 |INCOME
Voluntary income
Fundraising activities
Interest
Charitable activities
Total Receipts
EXPENDITURE
Charitable expenses
Governance costs
Total Payments
Deficit/Surplus of income over expenditure
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward|2021
Unrestricted
Funds
£
85,002.20
-
298.78
14,586.86
99,887.84
17,686.78
93,880.91
111,567.69
(11,679.85)
189,653.03
177,973.18|2020
Unrestricted
Funds
£
85,519.67
-
521.14
10,255.13| |---|---|---| |||96,295.94| |||19,015.83
82,666.51| |||101,682.34| |||| |||(5,386.40)| |||195,039.43| |||189,653.03| Page 3 ## Tilehouse Street Baptist Church FUND ACTIVITIES for the year ending 31st December 2021 |FUND ACTIVITIES for the year ending 31st December 2021||| |---|---|---| |**GENERAL FUND**
2021
£
Offerings
37,066.44
Donations and fees
10,326.69
Gift Aid - Income tax recovered
10,769.26
HMRC JRS payments
2,149.91
Lettings
14,114.86
Outlook contributions
140.00
Holiday at Home contributions
-
Interest received
33.02
74,600.18
Expenditure
Ministerial (including stipend, expenses
pension & pulpit supply)
31,139.53
Manse expenses
3,457.03
BU pension deficit payment
4,060.68
Standing charges -
Heat & light
5,565.38
Water
313.98
Insurance
4,785.59
10,664.95
Domestic -
Cleaning
8,625.76
Grounds
5,258.63
Refreshments
-
13,884.39
Organist, licences & piano tuning
428.33
Outreach & publicity - General
152.12
Outlook
-
Holiday at Home
-
152.12
Office -
Administrator
5,720.04
Stationery & stamps
178.84
Computer supplies
444.56
Telephone & broadban
400.21
Photocopier
527.15
7,270.80
Equipment
-
Subcriptions & gifts
954.20
Professional fees
1,506.00
Conferences & Training
95.00
Donations
2,200.00
Sundries
62.50
(1,275.35)
75,875.53
Less transfer to Pastoral Care fund
100.00
Less transfer to Building maintenance fund
10,500.00
not used
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR YEAR
(11,875.35)
BALANCE 1st JANUARY
25,177.74
Reserve policy transfer (from Legacies fund)
12,000.00
BALANCE 31st DECEMBER
25,302.39
Income|4,996.05
405.57
4,701.22|2020
£
36,095.83
7,093.24
9,318.39
4,545.31
9,645.13
259.00
154.45
66.80| |||67,178.15
30,026.07
3,023.28
2,992.86
10,102.84
13,419.49
677.98
1,228.75
7,096.29
-
1,091.87
2,524.32
15.00
2,200.00
128.50| ||8,270.82
5,076.00
72.67|| ||234.50
808.00
186.25|| ||5,460.00
102.04
420.41
430.05
683.79|| |||| |||74,527.25
300.00
3,000.00| |||(10,649.10)| |||26,826.84
9,000.00| |||25,177.74| Page 4 ## Tilehouse Street Baptist Church FUND ACTIVITIES for year ending 31st December 2021 |2021
£
**PASTORAL CARE FUND**
Balance 1st January
1,004.18
Income
-
Transfer from General fund
100.00
Interest
1.75
1,105.93
Gifts & Loans
70.00
Balance 31st December
1,035.93
**BUILDING MAINTENANCE FUND**
Balance 1st January
1,534.39
Transfer from General fund
10,500.00
Interest
-
12,034.39
Expenditure - general
873.28
church & halls boiler maintenance
2,965.60
exterior painting
5,511.00
sash window repair
1,930.34
Balance 31st December
754.17
**ORGAN FUND**
Balance 1st January
13,651.80
Donations
-
Interest
22.92
13,674.72
Expenditure - tuning
310.00
blower maintenance
301.85
Balance 31st December
13,062.87
**LEGACIES FUND**
Balance 1st January
80,184.28
Estate of Peter Bleasby
-
Estate of Stan Smith
-
Interest
137.73
80,322.01
Reserves (transfer to General fund)
12,000.00
Balance 31st December
68,322.01|2020
£
1,013.62
-
300.00
2.46| |---|---| ||1,316.08
311.90| ||1,004.18| ||1,998.37
3,000.00
-| ||4,998.37
1,463.98
1,000.00
1,000.00
-| ||1,534.39| ||13,612.70
-
39.10| ||13,651.80
-
-| ||13,651.80| ||82,937.47
1,000.00
5,000.00
246.81| ||89,184.28
9,000.00| ||80,184.28| Page 5 ## Tilehouse Street Baptist Church ## FUND ACTIVITIES for the year ending 31st December 2021 |**BADMINTON CLUB**
Balance 1st January
Income - Subscriptions
Expenditure - shuttles & sundries
Donation to General fund
Balance 31st December
**DONATIONS FUND** (see notes on page 8)
Balance 1st January
Donations received
Gift Aid claimed
General fund donations
Church donations paid
Balance 31st December
**OUTREACH & MINISTRY FUND**
Balance 1st January
Interest
350th anniversary expenses
Balance 31st December
**FLOWER FUND**
Balance 1st January
Contributions
Expenditure
Balance 31st December
**FRIDAY GROUP FUND**
Balance 1st January
Income - charity donations
Donation to Stand By Me
Balance 31st December|2021
£
357.06
229.00
586.06
28.00
300.00
258.06
100.00
9,456.00
1,791.25
2,200.00
13,547.25
11,728.83
1,818.42
14,236.07
24.45
14,260.52
-
14,260.52
263.07
505.00
768.07
428.20
339.87
-
-
-
-
-|2020
£
740.05
340.00| |---|---|---| |||1,080.05
22.99
700.00| |||357.06| |||20.00
7,101.50
1,583.75
2,200.00| |||10,905.25
10,805.25| |||100.00| |||14,267.20
40.87| |||14,308.07
72.00| |||14,236.07| |||401.82
140.00| |||541.82
278.75| |||263.07| |||63.58
36.42| |||100.00
100.00| |||-| Page 6 ## Tilehouse Street Baptist Church ## FUND ACTIVITIES for the year ending 31st December 2021 |**STONDON CHAPEL FUND**
Income
Offerings
Income tax recovered
Furlough payments
Donations
Grants
Little Treasures
Coffee mornings & fund raising
Lettings
Other income (Harvest & Christmas appeals)
Interest
Expenditure
Pastorate
Preaching fees
Standing charges - Heat & light
368.33
Water
339.37
Building - Maintenance
467.48
Cleaning
704.04
Projects
1,450.00
Insurance, fire extinguishers
1,179.08
Music licence
Outreach & publicity
Trailblazers/Junior church
Little Treasures
Training
Equipment
Donations -
Home Mission
600.00
BMS
600.00
Baptist Twinning
800.00
Appeals
1,099.75
Other
-
Sundries
DEFICIT/SURPLUS FOR YEAR
BALANCE 1st JANUARY
BALANCE 31st DECEMBER|2021
£
9,543.00
1,824.25
134.40
400.00
-
-
-
243.00
896.00
78.91
13,119.56
5,184.00
237.80
707.70
3,800.60
271.33
-
-
-
-
143.88
3,099.75
-
13,445.06
(325.50)
53,144.44
52,818.94|595.71
236.47|2020
£
9,676.64
1,717.50
322.94
240.00
-
205.70
17.00
270.00
1,012.00
125.10| |---|---|---|---| ||||13,586.88
6,768.00
120.00
832.18
2,005.14
270.78
46.45
-
-
-
52.47
3,487.50
17.70| |||420.09
672.00
-
913.05|| |||600.00
600.00
800.00
1,257.50
230.00|| ||||| ||||13,600.22| ||||(13.34)| ||||53,157.78| ||||53144.44| Page 7 Tilehouse Street Baptist Church |**DONATIONS FUND NOTES**
Home Mission
BMS
Birthday Scheme
Operation Agri
CTiH Phase
Regents Park Baptist College
Foodbank
Garden House Hospice
Garden House Hospice
Foodbank
Foodbank
Christian Aid
Christian Aid
Stand by Me
Garden House Hospice
CTiH PHASE
Garden House Hospice
Parkinsons
Christian Aid
Spurgeons Child Care
Total:|2021
£
2,421.87
2,271.88
201.25
944.00
1,600.00
300.00
300.00
1,818.75
944.00
166.67
807.91
435.00
686.25
1,053.67
13,951.25|2020
£
3,283.13
3,346.62
191.25
697.50
1,600.00
300.00
300.00
165.00
603.75
100.00
130.50
52.50
15.00
see note 4
see note 4| |---|---|---| |||10,785.25| Notes (for 2021) see note 1 see note 2 (and following) see note 3 Harvest offerings donation from General Fund donation from General Fund donation from General Fund donation from General Fund Church Anniversary Harvest offerings Individual donations Christian Aid Week DEC Appeal Friday Group donation Coffee morning Individual donations Individual donations Christmas Card sorting Christmas Day Service Spurgeons Update Service Notes 5,6 Notes (for 2021): 1. includes £120.00 HM envelopes; £1,835.00 Gift Day; £466.87 gift aid 2. includes £1,835.00 Gift Day; £436.88 gift aid 3. gift aid is claimed wherever possible; total claimed on donations £2,175.25 4. members were invited to donate directly (2020) 5. the total includes £404.00 received in 2022 6. the total donations are equivalent to 18.7% of the church income Other notes: - i) 2020 Mission Gift Day total was £6,306.25 (including £1,226.25 gift aid) - ii) 2021 Mission Gift Day total was £4,573.75 (including £873.75 gift aid) Page 8 Tilehouse Street Baptist Church ## **Statement of Assets & Liabilities as at 31st December 2021** |2021
£
Current assets
CAF bank -
Cash account
11,294.52
CAF bank -
Gold account
12,556.47
Baptist Union -
Deposit account
96,440.66
Nat West bank -
Badminton Club
258.06
Cash in hand -
Sunshine committee
-
Stondon Chapel -
Santander UK Plc
14,834.03
Baptist Unions deposit account
37,984.91
Total at bank and in hand
173,368.65
Prepaid insurance
3,974.53
Lettings
630.00
Total assets
177,973.18
Current liabilities
None
-
Net assets over liabilities
177,973.18
Unrestricted Funds
General fund
25,302.39
Pastoral care fund
1,035.93
Flower fund
339.87
Building maintenance fund
754.17
Organ maintenance fund
13,062.87
Badminton Club
258.06
Donations fund
1,818.42
Legacies fund
68,322.01
Outreach & Ministry fund
14,260.52
Stondon chapel fund
52,818.94
Total funds
177,973.18
Sundry debtors|2020
£
8,541.24
7,555.34
116,221.92
357.06
2.59
15,238.44
37,906.00| |---|---| ||185,822.59
3,830.44
-| ||189,653.03
-| ||189,653.03| ||25,177.74
1,004.18
263.07
1,534.39
13,651.80
357.06
100.00
80,184.28
14,236.07
53,144.44| ||189,653.03| - Page 9 rilehouse Str￿t Baptist Church Notes to the Accounts TIthI ouse Street Baptst thurch has a res￿Ve$ vA)Kth is lo retsin a ￿nImuM of Basi with knKJn 133 Charities kt 2011 Value of for Chu Propety. The Churth is the i￿)￿Lia1 oww (sub]￿t to ￿ TEleryant trusts) rf the folknryrrfji title to vthich is hekl ty the Baw un￿ Ctypwtvjn: Churth pranises Man 4,560,444 248,799 479,924 5,289,167 Other. Organ, PIar￿￿, fixtures, Ftttirgs a￿1 Equilwt Manse fthjres & fftting5 134,612 25,139 79,988 5 528 906 The Accryjnts and StatenEnt rf Assets a￿1 Liabllilie5 5& out on Page5 1 to 10 relatiThJ to the year erKI1￿j 31 D&ember 2021 are as lry the Truslees PagE 10 Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees of ritehouse Street Baptist Church. Hitchin On accounts for the year ended 31° December 2021 Charity no (rfany) 1135132 Set out on pages 1 to10 Respectfve The charivs trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. responsibilities of The charitls trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year trustees and •xwniner urxler sec*ion 144 of the Charities Ad 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independerrt examination is needed. It is my responsibilty to. examine the accounts urthr section 145 of the Charities Act, to follow the procedures laid d(Ybvn in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of independent My examination was carried out in accordan￿ with general Directions given examinerfs ststement by the Charity Commrssion. An examinatron includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a ry)mparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also indudes consKleration of any unusual items or disdosures in the accounts. and seeking explanations from the trustees conceming any such matters. The Fxocedures undertaken do not provide all the evKlence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true arKI fairf wew and the re[￿ is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent In connecaion with my examination. no matter has come to my attention oxamlnerfs Statement (other than that disdosed below") 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in. any material respect, the requirements: to keep accounting records in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Charities Act" and to prepare accounts vthith accord ￿th the accounting records arKI comply with the accounting requirements of the Charrties Act have not t￿en 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. . Please delete Ihe wortls in the brackets rfthey do not appty. Signed: Name: Relevant professional qualificationls) or body (if any): Address: ITC"WibJ IER February 2022 Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight material problems. Give here brief detalls of any items that the examinerwishes to disclose. IER February 2022 TllelK)use Street Ba "st Church Accounts for the Year 1° Janua TSBC Inde ndent Examination of 2021 to 31. December 2021 The examination followed the directions as per the Charity Commission's recommendations for ￿)Unts maintained on a "re￿￿t and paymenf basis. Direction 1 Eli ibilit for In ndent examination. I checked the www.gov.uk websrte section on chanty accounts independent eXaMinat￿n to ensure that l am eligible to cary out an examinats"on. Accounts show total re￿[ptS for the year of £99,888, and net assets of £177,973. This puts TSBC atx)ve the £25,0(X) threshold where examinatN)n is required, but bebw the £250,0(K) incomel £3,260,(KK) assets threshold where an examinatton by a professionally qualified person, orfvll audit is reqU￿ed. Receipt amount includes Stondon Chapel re(xipts. a subsidiary of TSBC. Direction 2 - Documentation I have a letter of appointment from Janet Impey (fonner treaSu￿r) dated 17 September 2009 stating that I have been unanimously appointed by the members of TSBC. I have confimed that the minutes of the AGM on 18 March 2021 show that rt was agreed that I be appointed for year 2021. I have copied and will keep for 6 years the financial statement, balan￿ sheet and general account P&L. I will keep a copy of both this workng report and the summary report. DI￿110n 3 - Understsndin TSBC I have a copy of the COnst[￿tIon for TSBC dated November 2(K19. 1 have look8d throLKJh this and in partujlar sethon 26 wh￿h related to Record Keeping and Accounting. I have not seen an￿Ing that goes against the direcb.ons in the constitutson. I have talked generally with the current and fonner treasurer arrfj one of the Church Deacons. ThÉs is now thirteenth year I have been doing the independent examination. and I feel I have an urKlerstanding of the organisation and finan￿ of TSBC. Direction 4 - Accountin Records The accounts are kept in a dear, organised and detailed Manner. The f￿anCIal statement is presented in summary fonn witrt supporbng docurrentation showng indivKlual transaction details. Procedures in Direction 5 will verify wtsther or not the accounts are reasonably comp]ete. DirectÈon 5- Com arison of Acccmjnts with Accountin Records first checked the statement of assets arKI llabilrties in the financial reFrfJrt with the 31" December baiance sheet these are in agreement. I looked for independent supporting documentatton of the major assets in the balan￿ sheet. End of year bank statements show these figures to be accurate. The smaller funds (Friday dub, badminton csub and sunshine committee) were accepted without detaI￿d verificats'on. I checked that the opening balances for all accounts are the same as the dosing balances of the same accounts in the copy for the 2020 financ4al report that I retained for my records. I checked the movement of funds during the year, and that the balance sheet value for the end of 2020 plus receipts for 2021 less payments and cuwent liabilities for 2021 equalled the balance sheet value for end of 2021. Direction 6- Anal ical Procedures Initial examination shows an increase of about £7,5CK) in general receipts for 2021 against 2020. This is Lqrgely made up of an increase of about £3,500 in rental income plus an increase of about £3.0(J) in donab'ons. General expenditure in 2021 of £75,875 was broadly similar to the amount of £74,527 spent in 2020. Buildingslmaintenance expendrture in 2021 was about £7,5CK) higher than in 2020, mainly due to exierior decoration and boiler maintenan￿. l also checked random payments to ensure there were invoices to support them. DirEction 10 - Examinerfs Re I have signed a copy of the summary examinef s re ort as I believe the accounting requirements have been met. Dated 13 February 2022. Matters of Material S. nifican I have not found any matters of matertal Significan￿ that need to have attention drawn to them.