## **Tilehouse Street Baptist Church Annual Report 2022** 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 Revd. Ian Stears-Handscomb Mr Andrew Turner (Treasurer) Motto Text Isaiah 43 verses 18 – 19 The Lord says, ”Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Do you not perceive it?” ## Aims The Church’s primary aim is to worship God, make known his love, share the good news of the gospel and to care for all people, locally and across the world. ## Governance The deacons have met regularly to consider and discuss both the life of the Church and issues of wider importance. Meetings have been held face to face and always begin and end with prayer. Church Meetings which, under God, have the ultimate authority over the Church’s activities have continued in hybrid form. The average attendance is excellent with around 15 – 20 persons present and another 4 – 6 joining remotely. ## Safeguarding The Safeguarding team has conscientiously worked to ensure that correct policies and procedures are in place and followed. The records have been updated and the Baptist Union Level 1 training video was screened during a morning service. ## Membership On January 1[st] there were 50 members on the Tilehouse Street roll. One lady died in May, a few months short of her 100[th] birthday. There are 10 members at our daughter church in Stondon, thus bringing the total to 59 at the end of the year. ## Worship It is a joy to gather for worship every week. A number of people, including residents in a local care home, watch the live streamed services either as they happen or later in the week. The services are imaginative and creative and the sermons are both thoughtful and thought provoking. This year we have completed our meander through Mark, jogged through Judges and lingered with Luke. During Advent, we considered the various ways in which God speaks. It was a pleasure to welcome visiting preachers from time to time and a delight to receive a visit from our link missionaries who were on home assignment from Nepal. In October the monthly services at Foxholes Care Home which were suspended during the Covid pandemic resumed and are appreciated by the residents. ## Prayer Prayer, both private and communal, is an essential part of Church life. The monthly Saturday meetings in the church have continued. The weekly prayer meetings held on Zoom each Wednesday were moved to the evening and the number participating in them has increased. ## Bible Study Groups There are two small groups which meet regularly. One group took part in the Churches Together in Hitchin Lent Groups and welcomed five or six people from other churches. This year we looked at the prayers of Jesus. ## Open Church This chance to chat and relax is enjoyed by those who come and is an opportunity to get to know those who seldom attend a Sunday service. In late autumn, the church meeting took the decision to open the church for longer on a Thursday morning and offer the facilities as a ‘Warm Welcome Space’ for those struggling with the current cost of living crisis. This began in December and will continue throughout the winter. ## Pastoral Care Jane, Val, the pastoral care co-ordinator, and others do their best to provide spiritual support and practical help to anyone in need. ## The Buildings These are used to almost their full capacity and a wide range of activities take place in them, from badminton to ballet and Pre-school to Pilates. Three other small churches also worship on the premises. A Quinquennial Inspection was carried out in the late summer. The report identified some problems needing attention but none requiring immediate action. Unfortunately, in February Storm Eunice blew down a section of the boundary wall on the east side of the car park and the rebuilding is still to be finished. ## Other Events In June, we shared in a lunch as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and with the rest of the country mourned her passing in September. As part of the Hitchin Festival in July, we held an open day entitled, ‘Now thank we all our God’ which gave many people the opportunity to display all sorts of creative talents such as photography, painting and floristry. One gentleman had spent much time lovingly hand crafting a violin which he cannot play but a young lady present played it for us. This success inspired us to hold an Advent Fair which raised money for the local Food Pantry. Another year has passed into history. We may not have the numbers and strength to be able to do all that we would like but we do not dwell in the past. We continue to look to the Holy Spirit for guidance and we care and pray for each other. With excitement and anticipation we look to see what new thing God is doing. Sheila Hallas February 2023 ## **Tilehouse Street Baptist Church** Registered Charity no. 1135132 Income and Expenditure Account for the year 1st January to 31st December 2022 Page 1 Tilehouse Street Baptist Church ## **Trustees** Rev J Robson Minister Mrs S Hallas Secretary Mr A Turner Treasurer Mrs M Granger Deacon Mrs J Bleasby 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 |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|2022
Unrestricted
Funds
£
89,148.19
-
2,152.97
30,681.51
121,982.67
14,625.95
89,859.73
104,485.68
17,496.99
177,973.18
195,470.17|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| Page 3 ## Tilehouse Street Baptist Church FUND ACTIVITIES for the year ending 31st December 2022 |**GENERAL FUND**
Offerings
Donations and fees
Gift Aid - Income tax recovered
HMRC JRS payments
Lettings
Outlook contributions
Interest received
Expenditure
Ministerial (including stipend, expenses
pension & pulpit supply)
Manse expenses
BU pension deficit payment
Standing charges -
Heat & light
5,306.79
Water
658.24
Insurance
5,067.48
Domestic -
Cleaning
9,170.50
Grounds
5,982.60
Refreshments
123.35
Organist, licences & piano tuning
Outreach & publicity - General
179.40
Office -
Administrator
5,980.08
Stationery & stamps
84.79
Computer supplies
573.97
Telephone & broadban
412.20
Photocopier
511.70
Equipment
Subcriptions & gifts
Professional fees
Conferences & Training
Donations
Sundries
Less transfer to Pastoral Care fund
Less transfer to Building maintenance fund
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR YEAR
BALANCE 1st JANUARY
Reserve policy transfer (from Legacies fund)
BALANCE 31st DECEMBER
Income|5,306.79
658.24
5,067.48|2022
£
38,931.10
14,847.40
12,085.67
-
28,879.51
55.00
378.73
95,177.41
31,336.27
3,012.67
2,828.52
11,032.51
15,276.45
793.89
179.40
7,562.74
366.92
1,119.40
-
50.00
2,000.00
63.38
75,622.15
-
8,000.00
11,555.26
25,302.39
-
36,857.65|5,565.38
313.98
4,785.59|2021
£
37,066.44
10,326.69
10,769.26
2,149.91
14,114.86
140.00
33.02| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||74,600.18
31,139.53
3,457.03
4,060.68
10,664.95
13,884.39
428.33
152.12
7,270.80
-
954.20
1,506.00
95.00
2,200.00
62.50| ||9,170.50
5,982.60
123.35||8,625.76
5,258.63
-|| ||179.40||152.12|| ||||5,720.04
178.84
444.56
400.21
527.15|| |||||| |||||75,875.53
100.00
10,500.00| |||||(11,875.35)| |||||25,177.74
12,000.00| |||||25,302.39| Page 4 ## Tilehouse Street Baptist Church FUND ACTIVITIES for year ending 31st December 2022 |2022
£
**PASTORAL CARE FUND**
Balance 1st January
1,035.93
Transfer from General fund
-
Interest
11.87
1,047.80
Gifts & Loans
149.00
Balance 31st December
898.80
**BUILDING MAINTENANCE FUND**
Balance 1st January
754.17
Transfer from General fund
8,000.00
Anniversary offering - windows/painting
2,280.00
Interest
-
11,034.17
Expenditure - general
1,368.14
church & halls boiler maintenance
1,447.60
windows & painting (2021)
-
quinquenial inspection
1,440.00
wall collapse
6,654.80
Balance 31st December
123.63
**ORGAN FUND**
Balance 1st January
13,062.87
Donations
-
Interest
154.87
13,217.74
Expenditure - tuning
-
blower maintenance
1,034.16
Balance 31st December
12,183.58
**LEGACIES FUND**
Balance 1st January
68,322.01
Legacies
-
Interest
843.39
69,165.40
Reserves (transfer to General fund)
-
Balance 31st December
69,165.40|2021
£
1,004.18
100.00
1.75| |---|---| ||1,105.93
70.00| ||1,035.93| ||1,534.39
10,500.00
-
-| ||12,034.39
873.28
2,965.60
7,441.34
-
-| ||754.17| ||13,651.80
-
22.92| ||13,674.72
310.00
301.85| ||13,062.87| ||80,184.28
-
137.73| ||80,322.01
12,000.00| ||68,322.01| Page 5 ## Tilehouse Street Baptist Church ## FUND ACTIVITIES for the year ending 31st December 2022 |**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
Pension deficit donation
General fund donations
Church donations paid
Anniversary offering (windows/painting)
Balance 31st December
**OUTREACH & MINISTRY FUND**
Balance 1st January
Interest
Transfer to General fund
Balance 31st December
**FLOWER FUND**
Balance 1st January
Contributions
Interest
Expenditure
Balance 31st December|2022
£
258.06
552.00
810.06
12.33
200.00
597.73
1,818.42
8,423.26
1,588.48
420.00
2,000.00
14,250.16
10,512.72
2,280.00
1,457.44
14,260.52
176.04
14,436.56
-
14,436.56
339.87
590.00
-
929.87
462.80
467.07|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| Page 6 ## Tilehouse Street Baptist Church ## FUND ACTIVITIES for the year ending 31st December 2022 |**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
304.79
Water
868.63
Building - Maintenance
411.00
Cleaning
736.08
Projects
-
Insurance, fire extinguishers
1,017.55
Music licence
Outreach & publicity
Trailblazers/Junior church
Little Treasures
Training
Equipment
Donations -
Home Mission
500.00
BMS
500.00
Baptist Twinning
800.00
Appeals
832.50
Sundries
DEFICIT/SURPLUS FOR YEAR
BALANCE 1st JANUARY
BALANCE 31st DECEMBER|2022
£
9,120.53
1,603.75
-
738.00
-
-
-
1,250.00
745.00
588.07
14,045.35
-
1,208.50
1,173.42
2,164.63
209.05
-
-
-
-
143.88
2,632.50
50.00
7,581.98
6,463.37
52,818.94
59,282.31|368.33
339.37|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
-| |||467.48
704.04
1,450.00
1,179.08|| |||600.00
600.00
800.00
1,099.75|| ||||13,445.06| ||||(325.50)| ||||53,144.44| ||||52818.94| Page 7 Tilehouse Street Baptist Church |**DONATIONS FUND NOTES**
Home Mission
BMS
Birthday Scheme
Operation Agri
CTiH Phase
Regents Park Baptist College
Foodbank
CTiH Phase
CTiH Phase
Knit for Peace
Food Pantry
Garden House Hospice
Foodbank
Foodbank
Christian Aid
Spurgeons Child Care
Spurgeons Child Care
Parkinsons
Garden House Hospice
Christian Aid
Total:|2022
£
2,624.38
2,284.63
217.50
1,148.56
1,700.00
300.00
-
36.25
50.00
50.00
598.61
-
-
-
-
-
619.41
-
86.40
138.25
9,853.99|2021
Notes (for 2022)
£
2,421.87
see note 1
2,271.88
see note 2
201.25
944.00
Harvest offerings
1,600.00
donation from G
300.00
donation from G
300.00
donation from G
-
Individual donati
-
Knit & Natter
-
Knit & Natter
-
Harvest and Adv
1,818.75
Church Annivers
944
Harvest offerings
166.67
Individual donati
807.91
Christian Aid We
1,053.67
Spurgeons Upda
-
Appeal and Card
435.00
Christmas Card s
-
Carol service
686.25
Christmas Day S
13,951.25
Notes 4,5| |---|---|---| Harvest offerings donation from General Fund donation from General Fund donation from General Fund Individual donations Knit & Natter Knit & Natter Harvest and Advent Fair Church Anniversary Harvest offerings Individual donations Christian Aid Week Spurgeons Update Service Appeal and Card sorting Christmas Card sorting Carol service Christmas Day Service Notes (for 2022): 1. includes £420.00 Pension Rebate; £1,775.00 Gift Day; £429.38 gift aid 2. includes £80.25 BMS Globes £1,775.00 Gift Day; £429.38 gift aid 3. gift aid is claimed wherever possible; Total claimed on donations £1,204.48 4. the total excludes £404.00 received in 2022 for 2021 and includes £102.50 gift aid for 2022 received in 2023 5. the total donations are equivalent to 10.4% of the church income Other notes: - i) 2022 Mission Gift Day total was £4,408.75 (including £858.75 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 2022** |2022
£
Current assets
CAF bank -
Cash account
19,705.44
CAF bank -
Gold account
12,604.46
Baptist Union -
Deposit account
97,933.73
Nat West bank -
Badminton Club
597.73
Stondon Chapel -
Santander UK Plc
20,709.33
Baptist Unions deposit account
38,572.98
Total at bank and in hand
190,123.67
Prepaid insurance
4,463.50
Lettings
883.00
Total assets
195,470.17
Current liabilities
None
-
Net assets over liabilities
195,470.17
Unrestricted Funds
General fund
36,857.65
Pastoral care fund
898.80
Flower fund
467.07
Building maintenance fund
123.63
Organ maintenance fund
12,183.58
Badminton Club
597.73
Donations fund
1,457.44
Legacies fund
69,165.40
Outreach & Ministry fund
14,436.56
Stondon chapel fund
59,282.31
Total funds
195,470.17
Sundry debtors|2021
£
11,294.52
12,556.47
96,440.66
258.06
14,834.03
37,984.91| |---|---| ||173,368.65
3,974.53
630.00| ||177,973.18
-| ||177,973.18| ||25,302.39
1,035.93
339.87
754.17
13,062.87
258.06
1,818.42
68,322.01
14,260.52
52,818.94| ||177,973.18| - Page 9 Tilehouse Street Baptist Church Notes to the Accounts Tilehouse Street Baptist Church has a resew FdlLy whKh Is to retsln a mlnimum of thr￿ months eXpe￿IltU￿ in the General fijnd. These aCc￿nts have been 9￿pared ￿ a'r￿pts arKI paymats. basis arml accord with Sethon 133 Charities Act 2011 Property- Th Churth is I￿ beneficia (swbRrt to the relevant trusts) of the following, the legal bue to whKh is held by the Bapts'st uri1￿ Corpmxats'on: thurth premtses Manse StorKk)n w￿niseS 5,130,5E 291,841 5,972,8n lknn, ￿arTh, Rxbjres, fittings arKI Equi￿ Manse flx￿reS & fittsr¥Js Stondon, Plarw)s, *G 151,440 28,256 6 244 314 The Accounts and Statement of Assets and Liabililies set on Pages I to 10 ￿latiF¥J to year endlng 31 Decemtm 2021 are as approbEd ty the Tnstees Date Page io Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees of Tilehouse Street Bapb'st Church. Hrtchin On accounts for the year ended 31st D￿mber 2022 Charity no (if any) 1135132 Set out on pages 1to10 Respective The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the acmunts. responsibilities of The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year trustees and examiner under sedion 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Chanties Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibiltty to- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, to follow the prO￿dureS laid down in the general Directions given by the Chanty Commission (under section 145{5)(b) of the Chanties Act, and to stste whether particuiar matters have come to my attention. Basis of independent My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given examinefs statement by the Charty Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented wtth those records. It also indudes consKleration of any unusual items or disclosures in the a￿ounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees con￿mIng any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the eviden￿ that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fairf view and the report is limtted to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention examinerfs statement (other than that disdosed below ") 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in. any material respect. the requirements.. to keep accounting re￿rdS in accordance wrth section 130 of the Charities Act". and to Prepare accounts which accord wrth the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Chartties Act have not been met," or 2. to which. in my opinion, attention should be drawm in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reathed. . Please delete the wonys in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Date: 14 Relevant professional qualifJcation(s) or body (if any): ( gr m¢efy*( S CH¥(rtL'H kl I Address: 11 £G-( IER February 2023 Section 8 Oisclosure Only com ￿ete rf the examiner needs to highlight material problems. Glve here brtef details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER February 2023 TSlehouse Street Ba tlst Church Accounts for the Year 1° Janua TSBC Inde ndent Examlnation of 2022 to 31° December 2022 The examination followed the directions as per the Charity Commission's recommendations for accounts maintained on a "receipt and payment. basis. Direction 1- Eli ibilrt for Inde ndent examinats"on. I checked the VAV*V.gov.uk website sectK)n on charty accounts independent eXaminat￿n to ensure that l am eligible to carry out an examinab'on. Accounts show total receipts for the year of £121,983, and net assets of £195,470. This puts TSBC above the £25,OlX) threshold where examination is required, but below the £250,000 incomel £3,260,C()O assets threshold where an examination by a professionalty qualified person, or full audit is required. Receipt amount includes Stondon Chapel receipts, a subsidiary of TSBC. Direction 2 - D(￿Umentation I have a letter of appointment from Janet Impey {forn￿r treasurer) dated 17 September 2009 stating that I have b*n unanimously appointed by the members of TSBC. I have confirmed that the minLrtes of the AGM on 17 March 2022 show that it was agreed that I be appointed for year 2022. 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 wort(ing report and the summary report. Direction 3- Understsndin TSBC I have a copy of the Constttution for TSBC dated November 2009. 1 have looked through this and in particular section 26 which related to Record Keeping and Accounting. I have not seen anything that goes against the directions in the constitution. I have talked generally with the current and forTner treasurer and one of the Church Deacons. This is now the thirteenth year I have been doing the independent examination, and I feel I have an understanding of the organisation and finances of TSBC. Direction 4 - Accountin Records The accounts are kept in a dear, organised and detailed manner. The financial statement is presented in summary fom with supportwig documentation showing individual transact'on deta￿s. Procedures in Direction 5 will verify whether or not the accounts are reasonably complete. Direction 5- Com arison of Acccmjnts wth Accountin Records I first checked the ststement of assets liabilities in the finan￿81 report wrth the 31" De￿rnber balan￿ sheet, these are in agreement. I looked for independent supporting documentation of the major assets in the balance sheet. End of year bank statements show these figures to be aC￿]rate. The smaller funds (Fnday dub, badminton club and sunshine committee) were accepted vrithout detailed verrfication. I checked that the opening balances for all accounts are the same as the closing balan￿S of the same accounts in the copy for the 2021 financial report that I retained for my records. I checked the movement of furKls during the year, and that the balan￿ sheet value for the end of 2021 plus receipts for 2022 less payments and current liabilities for 2022 equalled the balance sheet value for end of 2022. Direction 6- Anal ical Procedures Examination of the income shows a substantial increase in general receipts of over £20k against 2021. This is made up of small increases in offerings. donations and gtft aid plus a large (£14.7k) increase in rental income. The amount of rental for 2022 was just slightly higher than the last pre-covid year 2019, so nothing unexpected. Expenditure was £7k less than 2021 made up of some small drfterences plus £5.9k less pastorate spending at Stondon Chapel. l also checked random payments to ensure there were invol￿S to support them. C)irection 10 - Examinerfs Re I have signed a copy of the summary examinerfs report as I believe the accounting requirements have been met. Dated 14 February 2023. Matters of Material Si nrfican I have not found any matters of material signrficance that need to have attention drawn to them.