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2022-12-31-accounts

Annual Report & Accounts Annual Report and Accounts 2022 2021

Annual Report 2022

Contents

3. Annual Report for the year ending 31[st] December 2022 4. Structure, Governance and Management 5. Objectives and Activities 7. Achievements and Performance 8. Trustee's Report

10. Treasurer's Report 12. Financial Reserves Policy 13. Financial Accounts for 2022 18. Sunday School 18. Enfold 18. Shed Project 19. Girls' Brigade 21. Street Pastors 21. Tiny Treasures 22. Worship Team 22. Hall Usage

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Annual Report 2022

Annual Report for the year ending 31[st] December 2022

The Trustees are pleased to present their report together with the independently examined financial statements of the charity for 2022.

Pier Avenue Baptist Church registered as an independent charity with the Charity Commission on 4[th] May, 2010. Our Charity Registration number is 1135764.

The church is administered by the Diaconate who are the Managing Trustees of the Charity and comprise:

Minister and Chairman: Rev. Sean Fountain (until 31[st] July 2022) Church Secretary: Mrs Karen Rai Church Treasurer: Mrs Heather Baines Deacons: Mr David Baines Mr Antony Meloy Mr Richard Geddes Rev. Pauline Bailey Mr Ian Day Miss Elaine Hoadley

The Charity’s bankers are Lloyds plc of 1 West Avenue, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO15 1QP.

The Independent Examiner engaged by the Charity is Karen Payne.

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Annual Report 2022

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

The Church’s governing document is the Constitution for Pier Avenue Baptist Church, Clacton-on-Sea which sets out the objects of the charity. The revised Constitution was approved by the Church meeting on 24[th] March 2010.

Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees

Deacons who are the Managing Trustees of the charity are chosen from among existing church members who show the reality of their faith by the consistency of their Christian character and by their loyalty to the cause of Christ. The Diaconate consists of two Church Officers, Secretary and Treasurer, together with up to ten elected Deacons, making a possible twelve in all. Annual elections are held at the Church Members’ meeting by ballot. Nominees must secure a vote of at least 66% of those voting (eligibility is specified in the constitution). The Minister is also a Trustee.

Organisational Structure

The Church is governed and regulated by its own members where all aspects of the work of the Church are subject to the approval of the Church Meeting which is normally held bi-monthly. The Minister of the Church is a paid Managing Trustee and together with the Deacons gives leadership to the Church. The Minister and Secretary are responsible for preparing the business for the Church meeting.

The Baptist Union of Great Britain and Eastern Baptist Association

The Church is part of the wider Baptist family and is therefore a member church of the Eastern Baptist Association (EBA) and also of the national body, The Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB). Both organisations are registered charities. The Church pays an annual subscription to BUGB based upon its membership numbers and also makes a donation to the EBA for the Baptist family in the UK (Home Mission).

Relationships between the Charity and related parties

Churches Together in Clacton (CITC) – the Church is a member of the ecumenical partnership of churches in the Clacton-on-Sea area. The Church continues to take part in community activities co-ordinated by CITC through involvement in the Clacton’s Street Pastors. The church has joined with other denominations for a short Christmas and Easter service outside a local supermarket. No other joint activities have been possible this year as CITC is struggling at present. However, CTIC are relaunching early in the New Year, so we look forward to the possibility of a greater range of collaborative Church events taking place in 2023.

We have always appreciated our good links and friendship with the Baptist Churches at Holland-on-Sea and Thorpe-le-Soken but sadly our joint activities had to stop during 2020/21. We were very pleased to be able to reinstate these again in 2022 and have enjoyed meeting up with them regularly once more.

The Church also supports a number of connected organisations including the Girls’ Brigade. These connected organisations of the Church exist as part of the work and mission of the Church and are open to the community. Each organisation has its own committee, officers and members but they still fall within the scope of the Church Meeting and the Minister/Trustee is entitled to be Chair of all meetings.

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Annual Report 2022

Objectives and Activities

Objectives of the Charity

Established for the purposes of advancement of religion through the spiritual work of the Church, these purposes include the provision and upkeep of the place of worship, the carrying on of religious services and the payment, housing and pensioning of a minister of religion employed for the purposes of a place of worship.

Charity’s aims

As a member of the Baptist Union, the Church subscribes to the Union’s Declaration of its Christian responsibilities beyond the local community and seeks to engage in both national and international situations.

Principle:

The basis of this Union is:

  1. That our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, is the sole and absolute authority in all matters pertaining to faith and practice, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and that each Church has liberty, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to interpret and administer His laws.

  2. That Christian Baptism is the immersion in water into the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, of those who have professed repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ who “died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and rose again on the third day.”

  3. That it is the duty of every disciple to bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to take part in the evangelisation of the world.

Charity’s main objectives for the year

The Church premises are situated in an ideal location in Pier Avenue in Clacton-on-Sea which makes the use of our premises attractive for a wide range of community groups, organisations and other charities.

Where able and appropriate, the Church aims to discern the needs of the community and organise activities and support groups to meet these. After the disruption of 2020/21, in 2022 we returned to being open all year allowing us to be more active again, especially through our Enfold project, which was able to provide a full service again.

One of the ways in which the Church seeks to engage with others is not only the use of our premises by many varied groups but to use our kitchen facility for the benefit of the community in as many ways as possible. This facility is used weekly by FoodCycle who obtain excess food from supermarkets in the area and cook a meal for anyone in the community who needs it, one day a week.

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Annual Report 2022

Our Coffee Morning and Tiny Treasures Parent and Toddler Group, are regular opportunities for us to bring our objectives to life. The community initiative which commenced in 2012, the Enfold Project (to provide breakfast, an opportunity for a shower and access to support services, one morning a week, for the homeless and disadvantaged people of Clacton) is now a well established part of our church. We were pleased to have the Parish Nurse and the local support agencies fully involved and attending Enfold regularly again.

The Church continued to offer public worship on Sundays at 10.30a.m. whether in person or on line through our Livestream facility. See the Minister’s/Trustees report for further details.

Conversations continue, where possible, with those who are interested in discussing their faith and the possibility of baptism and Church Membership.

The Church aims also to develop and grow as a fellowship through both study and social activities:

Charity’s Strategies

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Annual Report 2022

Achievements and Performance

Easter, Harvest and Christmas

Our Easter service was held in the church building again this year, as were our Harvest and Christmas services.

AGM and Membership

The Annual General Meeting of the church could finally take place in the usual way again this year. The Annual Report and Accounts were accepted and passed there.

Our membership stood at 52 on 1[st] January 2022 and had decreased to 45 by 31[st] December due to the passing of some of our members.

Our Sunday school continues and all activities have returned to normal in 2022.

Housekeeping, Hall Hire and Fabric

Looking after pre-war buildings remains a challenge so we are especially grateful to those church members and friends who oversee and help to maintain the building in good order.

Our premises are now fully open to community groups again and during 2022 hall hires slowly returned to pre-pandemic levels.

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Annual Report 2022

Trustees Report

At the time of writing, there is no Minister at Pier Avenue Baptist Church because we are in a Pastoral vacancy. Our previous Minister felt led to a new Ministry at the end of July 2022 after almost 15 years service here. As a church we are searching for a new Minister, which in the Baptist system is known as ‘Settlement’ and this can take some time. I am writing this report on Trustees/Deacons behalf in the absence of a Minister.

The Church Profile has been written and the process has begun and in the meantime, our services are being led by various visiting speakers and by some of our own members, to whom we are very grateful. Tony Crawford has taken the role of moderator for our church during the Settlement process and we are very grateful for his support too.

We are encouraged by the sermons each week and also by the words of Jeremiah 29:11:

‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, Plans to give you hope and a future.’

As we approached our time of ‘Pastoral vacancy’ we decided to adopt an approach of ‘Patience, Prayer and Positivity’ and so far things are going well for us and there are many signs of encouragement.

Our Minister was with us for the first 7 months of 2022 although he did take a 6 week period of Sabbatical leave as this had been delayed by the Pandemic and we really wanted him to have this time to study and reflect. Many of us travelled to his induction service in September. We will miss Sean and Paula and their family very much as they start their new ministry and we thank them for everything they did while they were with us.

After a much disrupted 2 years, due to Covid, many things have started to function as they used to. Our Housegroups returned, after two years on-line, with people meeting in homes and one group meeting at the church during the day so that people can study the Bible together.

We continue to hold a monthly prayer meeting and have also started to meet together every two months when Housegroup members attend a joint prayer meeting at church. The ladies ‘Pudding and Prayer’ event has also returned and was able to happen twice during 2022.

Our Enfold project is running well again with as many as 35 visitors coming in for breakfast on a Thursday morning where they not only find food, but a caring environment and listening ears. Our Parish Nurse is working hard to respond to the needs of all our visitors. We also have Peabody (supporting people in the community) coming each week to help our visitors fill in forms, find places to live etc. Along with this we have started a Warm Hub one afternoon a week, to provide a warm place for whoever wants it, in these difficult, and expensive, times! It had been hoped that our Shed project would finally be able to begin but unfortunately, this has not been able to happen.

Our toddler group, Tiny Treasures, is continuing to meet each week with as many as 25 babies and toddlers coming along with a parent, grandparent or child minder, to take part in the activities, learn how to play together (most of the time!), do craft, sing songs and generally have a good time together.

Our Girls’ Brigade continues to be strong. We must pay tribute to the hard work undertaken by the leaders. The Girls’ Brigade offer an excellent range of activities for different age groups and the dedication of the leaders is evident in all they do.

Our Sunday School activities for children and some slightly older young people with special needs has continued throughout the year providing a variety of activities on Sundays during the morning service.

We have held some special services during the year. Easter services had not really fully taken place for two years and it was good to be able to hold a service on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday this year.

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Annual Report 2022

Christmas was also a special time. We had a Family Nativity service, ably led by our Sunday School leaders and members and a Carols by Candlelight service. Along with this we held a Christingle service, a Quiet reflection and Remembrance service and we held a small Christmas Tree festival where 10 different church and community groups decorated a tree to represent what they do. Our Saturday coffee morning also held an enjoyable sing-a-long event on Christmas Eve and we held a Christmas morning service.

We have begun to meet up again for meals together such as a Platinum Jubilee lunch, joining in with the rest of the nation, and a Harvest lunch following the Harvest festival service. These things had been badly missed during the time of the Pandemic. We have also moved our church member’s meetings, which are bi-monthly, to a Sunday afternoons so they can be followed by a bring and share tea.

Looking after church buildings when funding is tight is always a challenge. However, we were able to refurbish our Quiet room during this year. The work was mainly done by Tony and Lee to whom we are grateful. The costs involved were met by bequests from three people who passed away. For this we are also very grateful. Sean was able to formally open this room on his last Sunday with us.

We are still a part of Churches Together in Clacton. This organisation has struggled a bit over the last few years but is now back on track so that the people of the churches in Clacton can take part in more joint activities in the future.

One of the good things to come out of the Pandemic was the fact that we now livestream our services each week. We started this during that time and have continued so that many watch each Sunday. This means that those who can no longer get to church are able to join with us. We still put the service on DVD and deliver to a few members who do not have the internet. This facility has also meant that we can livestream funerals if requested, so that family members who live a long distance away, even overseas, can join in with the service.

With all the encouragements, there has been the sadness of Church family life too. We have said goodbye to Charles Boyton and Ron Tibbs during the year. Both of these gentleman had played a large part in our church life and will be sadly missed. We continue to pray for their families.

There are many people who should be thanked as a Church cannot function without many volunteers. Thanks to all those who serve in any way including those who operate the PowerPoint, livestreaming and sound, as well as the stewards, Bible readers, flower arrangers, coffee and tea makers, musicians and prayer team for all they do each Sunday. Thanks also to all those who serve in all the organisations mentioned in this Annual Report and those whose work is largely unseen such as who tidy up, tend the garden and those who make pastoral and social visits.

At the end of his report last year Sean wrote that he was confident that Pier Avenue Baptist church will continue to bless our community and we are pleased to say that it has certainly done that and will continue to do so in 2023.

Karen Rai, Church Secretary, on behalf of the Deacons/Trustees

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Annual Report 2022

Treasurer’s Report

2022 has been another financially difficult year for most of us personally and for the Church it has been no different. With inflation spiralling, we will all experience personal worries and concerns on how our family and home will be affected financially as the newscasts bombard us with an almost daily diet of financial negativity and gloom. The Church and Trustees, Deacons, Fellowship & Membership have not been blind to these issues either. It has been a tough year.

As Christians we believe that God will uphold us – indeed we know He will uphold us – but we are human too. We know that we have faith in Him (“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified … for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6) but as Members & Friends of this Church for which we all care deeply, on a human level it would be unsurprising if we didn’t sometimes find ourselves questioning how we can find the balance between answering God’s call on us and our resources fully, while also being concerned about how that might be possible for us. The one and only way to get the right and best answer is to consider your gifting prayerfully.

If you study the financial pages of this Report, it will appear that Pier Avenue Baptist Church is really quite rich with a £44,251 carry forward to take into 2023. But please do not be misled; this carry forward is split between two types of fund, the ‘General Fund’ and the ‘Designated Funds’ (also known as ‘Restricted Funds’). I will explain:-

The General Fund can be used to pay for the Church’s Ministry at Pier Avenue. It can be spent in ways that the Trustees, Deacons and Church together responsibly decide. It finances the stipend (or salary) of our Minister, the upkeep of the Church premises and Church House (known as ‘the Manse’) together with the many other administrative, legal and necessary obligations that we must fund to allow our Worship and Ministry to take place in our Spiritual home at PABC. In addition, we are called to support Christian ministry in the UK (through the BU’s Home Mission) and Overseas (through the Baptist Missionary Society). The General Fund carry forward going into 2023 stands at a very modest £13,013.

The Designated/Restricted Funds are those which have been given or entrusted for a set purpose, and so cannot be utilised except for that which it was given, unless the donor(s) of those funds say otherwise. The greater of the Designated/Restricted Funds are held for Enfold and the Parish Nurse. The Tudor Trust donated the third part of a three-year grant in 2022 and we greatly value their support and encouragement for our work in the community and would be hard placed to continue this work without it. Two smaller funds are also ‘Designated’. One is our Tiny Treasures Parent/Carer Toddler group, and the other is our Premises Project, which as a Church we committed to in 2019 so that essential premises works & repairs to the Church could be funded. The Designated/Restricted Funds to be carrying forward into 2023 stand at £31,238.

It may feel like an excuse now, but we do acknowledge that like many churches, charities, and businesses across the UK and worldwide, PABC has struggled in its attempts to recover from the financial impact of the pandemic. However, we must now start looking forward, praying earnestly and actively seeking God’s will for PABC, so that He can lead and guide us in the months and years to come.

Despite all the difficulty of the year, we remain grateful and humbled by the financial and volunteer support of our many Members and Friends. God can only provide for His work at PABC through the willingness of His people, and they have not let us down.

Where income is concerned, we are grateful for the Offerings & Donations we regularly receive. Additionally, we would give thanks to the Inland Revenue who gave us £7,000 on behalf of our tax-paying donors – Gift Aid provides an extremely valuable ‘added extra’! We are glad our Hall hires are once again providing a good level of income for us, confirming the investment we made to improve our premises is worthwhile. We are also grateful for donations received from a legacy, from gifts in memory of Members called Home and from our Saturday Coffee mornings and other smaller activities that generate funds.

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Annual Report 2022

Sean left us at the end of July, having felt God’s call to move to a new ministry at Brentwood Baptist Church, Essex. He and Paula are now settled in and are enjoying getting to know the people and the new work to which they were called. Some savings on expenditure were made by Sean leaving, but with costs in other areas going steadily higher, and premises issues that we have no option but to address, savings on 2022 expenditure were quite modest. Looking forward into 2023, any savings we make on a Minister’s salary, will be offset by necessary Church roof repairs and to refurbish the Manse. The house looks very ‘1970s’ and requires modernisation. We have made a low level of investment in the house since the 1980’s, and consequently we must do this now, not just to modernise it, but also to bring it up to modern energy saving levels where we possibly can. Our financial situation remains very tight as 2022 draws to a close and the Deacons/Trustees will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Looking forward to 2023 and beyond

The budget is such that we know we will need financial support through this year. In respect of the designated/restricted funds, for Enfold & Parish Nurse, The Tudor Trust have invited us to reapply for continuation funding. We should also receive small grants from Essex County Council and CVST Tendring. The designated Premises Fund to pay off our BBF loan is entirely given by the Fellowship; many people committed to this project at its start, and the continuing support of this is given purely by Members, Friends and through Fundraising.

The General Fund will also need significant support this year. As Members and Friends we will do all we can to finance the work of the Church, its Ministry and Mission, but funds are such that we will need additional support. To this end, the Church is making a Baptist Union Home Mission grant application that, if approved, would help us finance part of a new Minister’s stipend whenever one may be appointed. PABC has supported Home Mission loyally and generously for many years, but the time has now come where we need its support to help us go forward. We pray that a grant to support us in the medium term will help PABC build up its reserves thus enabling the Church to become financially independent again in the longer term.

My financial report must end expressing gratitude to so many who belong to or are associated with the Fellowship at PABC. On behalf of the Fellowship and Trustees/Deacons to all our prayer warriors, volunteers, donors, friends and members, I say a very big ‘Thank You’. The Fellowship needs you because God can only do His work through us together. Please keep up the good work. Our collective effort makes a very positive & huge impact on everything we do.

2 Corinthians 9 vs 6-8 (NIV):

“Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

May God richly bless and reward your faithfulness to Him, to our spiritual home at PABC, to our community here in Clacton and to His work further afield.

Heather Baines, Church Treasurer.

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Annual Report 2022

Financial Reserves Policy

Background to the Policy

The Charity Commission are anxious that charities would have sufficient reserves to allow their affairs to wind down in an orderly manner or to consider how long it would take to reduce its expenditure or raise its income to allow it to cope with a significant financial challenge.

All the reserves PABC possessed were fully used and more in the two years of the pandemic (when the Church and all our premises had to be closed) and post-pandemic (when the Church was partially open, but hall hirers could not safely return). God upheld us through this exceptionally difficult two-year period, and although we did not fall or fail, we no longer have the reserves ‘safety net’ that we should have in place.

A financial challenge can come at any time and, aside of a pandemic, can be due to any number of things. On expenditure, it could be due to the need for a significant property repair; on income it could be due to losing a significant premises hirer or donor(s), or it could be caused by a failure to secure grant that had been expected or was successfully received in the past. The Charity Commission though are concerned that charities do not hold excessive reserves, which would amount to holding money back that should more properly be used for furthering the charitable/mission objects of the charity/church.

The Policy for Pier Avenue Baptist Church

The reserves policy of Pier Avenue Baptist Church is to hold three months of all expenditure plus a further three months staff costs to allow the church to adapt to any changes in the income or expenditure of the Church. The Trustees currently believe this amount to be £30,000.

The Trustees felt they should responsibly set a very prudent budget for 2023, which has a modest negative deficit. The aim of the Trustees is to limit spending wherever it can possibly do so and encourage one and all to prayerfully consider how a greater level of income might be raised or gifted. Their aim is to turn the budgeted deficit into a positive cash position at the conclusion of 2023, in line with what was successfully achieved at the end of 2022. The 2024 financial forecast suggests by that year end we may hold >£5,130 cash reserves, a trend that we must aim to continue, until PABC is able to meet, or perhaps more realistically to arrive much closer to the reserves expectations outlined in the policy.

Recovery from the loss of reserves that supported us during the pandemic may take six years or more, but we must move forward in a prayerful way. We firmly believe that God will uphold us and to that end, He does not want His work to fall or fail in Pier Avenue Baptist Church or for the community it serves.

Heather Baines, Church Treasurer, on behalf of the Deacons/Trustees

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Annual Report 2022 Pier Avenue Baptist Church Genèral Fund & Deslgnated Funds Financial Statement For thg ye* ondad: 31yt Decerntser, 2022 Noto 20221£ 2021 (£) Recelpts Weekl Offerin Gift aid - Other Grft AidlGASDS Income Tax Reclaim.. Genefal Fund Gift Income Tax Reclaim_" Des naled Funds Church Premises Pro eGI Desi naled Fund aGies and rneTTTrorial rfts Grants General Fund- EBA Grants Desi nated Funds - Tuth)r Twst Cha es for Hire of remFses Minibu5 Hire Income Coffee Mornin roceeds Funds Taised fof other cau5e5 Other Recei Transfer from Desi 21.827 11.681 7,025 295 22.537 9.358 10.133 244 2.434 3.368 500 27.000 17.247 358 1.895 646 3.667 909 98.828 4.860 9.025 540 327 16.725 nat8d Fund to General Fu￿1 Totals 86,414 ments Min15 Min15tenal Ex Manse M55siw & ¢haftlable causes of church rerriises dministralion O efational ex nses Church Premises Pro ecl Communit Actsvilies & Oiher Desi Other ents en5es Incl sli end. travel, visitors 24,305 3.503 9.576 21.245 33,619 4.803 9.585 19.478 10 1.371 3.300 25.930 5.022 £ 106,242 naled Funds 10.840 846 78,300 14 Totals SURPLUS FOR THE YEAR OEFICIT FOR THE YEAR BALANCE BROUGHT FORWARD BALANCE CARRIED FORWARD 20.528 19,828 43.551 23.723 23.723 44,251 . Comprlslng:. £13,013 Genernl Funds and £31.238 RestrlctedlDe81gnated Funds eotherj HJ. Balnes. Church Treasurer 1510112023 The accounts arKI statement ol assets and liabilities relatiTrJ to the year 1st January 2022 10 31 st December 2022 as approved by Ihe Church Meeting held c 15th January 2023 13

Annual Report 2022 Pier Avenue Baptist Church NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS Z0221£1 2021 ¢£} 1. Ba811 ol ACCI￿nts T￿5• accoun16 havv wpar•d on a Rwts & PaY￿ts Iyasi5 & acajnl wrth 130 of lh• Chanbtr5 2011 2. Non •¥•• ￿ld fw th• ¢hwch'• The churth bonthal aning exp￿5•5 Insurarce fl In m•f￿￿¥m￿L￿jaC1ts5. I￿10￿Pray￿ RLvn R￿j￿IlcT Professional F8ts IPrnmiw ielal•dl alr5 & Malntence ol Prenw5es 4.(PJ8 1.834 3.866 4.773 4.027 2.011 3.528 2t.245 4.134 19.471 14

Annual Report 2022 Pier Avenue Baptist Church continued 10. AdmlnlsIr￿1O￿ Pa￿Ul1 A9Bncy ICT 50ftware irrl webslo Tele crn. slatson Photoco r ano co 107 1.211 1,0 6(FJ 2.933 147 1.199 1.217 571 3.134 11. Exp•fis crwrcth co hl h¢en￿$ nL%%. must. S(￿nd and MlnibLkS hlt Ros(NJrc0515ub5Cn Tralni ur5e Fees 829 182 113 370 sundfl•S 380 1.752 1.371 11 PTvm18•s Prol•ei Fund Loan RtpayTrYnts 33 3.300 3.3L¥J 11 Communlty ActlYtts ICurr•nti Enlold & Pansh Nu Tln Treawres Parenirtcmldler Z022 s￿d, ICT & Jokn Club Funtys ctQsed a lunds kn Gonef81 2Q2 1. Tudor Trtssl. Enfoky Funds ro Gon•r 9.1 751 9.492 438 16.￿0 25.SJQ 10.810 1& Oth•r Pym•rrts 8ookslEquipmènLFUrrlbJrnl￿F41eS IPurch8 & Reparl Refr8shrnwlG & 5Lmdrs ￿￿• iehjnd 2021. G•n•rnl Flmd. part mp•￿￿#nI ollLfnds back lo Enfal 378 4.￿]0 5.022 1& Granls rK•l¥•d Is". Tudw Twsl EnlokVPwlsh lkns• {D•W4dl E27K EBA Sjbbabcal Gfani £5 32.0 Statement of Consolidated Assets and Liabilities as at 31st December. 2022 Note 2022 (£1 2021 (£) Assets Bank and other cash balances Representlng balances on the followlng accounts:. General Fund & Destgnated Funds Church auxilla funds 55,337 36,317 44,251 11.086 55,337 23.723 12,594 36,317 Non-moneta assetg Held for church's own use Llabllltles Loans outstandin 5,580,869 5,055,183 26.400 29,700 15

Annual Report 2022 Pier Avenue Baptist Church Auxlllary Accounts Financial Statsment at 31•t D9¢9ml￿r, 2022 Expendlturn Incorng Boys. Brigade: Trgasurer- lan Srnith (Note: 88 did not mwt & had no activlty in 2022} Bal brfwd 2,985 itat￿n Subsc olls Uniforni etc Other Income Battalion & s ecial events fflenl & Activ stal￿fie Ilnk-els Refreshments & other ex 821 cjfv enses 2985 2,985 2,985 Girls. 8rigadg: Trga5urer- Lorraino Adams Bal blfwd ' 6.150 Subscn ons UniforrnlGB sh DonatsonslFundraisin Outin sThuck ActNitseslSlee Cam IDofE AdminlTrainin Statki Trainin UnrformlGB Sho Fundraisin Ca IDO Actsvit￿91sIee OtherThransfers Bal clfv Cuiren IAdmin GBHQ 1.599 307 1.538 157 363 3246 30 15,560 371 3.183 2.321 overs vers Ilnterest sit Cash 8083 15,560 'Reach Vp. Puppet Mlnlsty has not been actlve In 2022. Trustees are aware that the independenl'Reach Up Puppety furKls have been retained by Ihe Pilp￿t Ministry and are not fofmally part ol the Church's accnunts. Since the lounders have left Clacton. the puppet ministy is no longei affdiated lo nor opewales from Pi2r Avenue Bapts51 Church and (%￿$equenty th￿r accounts will no longer be recorded in the PABC Annual Report. PA8C Flowgr Fund: Trgasurgr- Victoria Oyokunle & Heathgr Baines Bal blfwd 18 Flowersloasislmaterials Donatsons received Bal clfv 18 18 18 Auxlllary Accounts Summary ents 8alances blfvid Recei Is 9.410 18,563 Balances c 11.086 18,563 All Auxiliary Accounts have been audited by the Church Treasurer 1510112023 16

Annual Report 2022 Pier Avenue Baptist Church CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts section A Indeperident Examiner S Report R•port to tho trusts081 m•mbers of Pi8r Avenue 8t Chwth. Cl•cton on S•a, E58•x, C015 1W On •¢¢ounts lor the year •nded Charlty no Ilf anyl 3fj￿ De(tmber 2022 1135764 5¢t on paggs 13to 16 I report to the tn)stees M my ex8rnination of the accoun18 oflhe at)ve charity Ilhe Tntst") forthv year ended 31112r20￿. R•spon8lbS11ts• •nd As the charity InJ5tees. yw we ￿8pOnSIbl￿ for tho preparation of b••l• of fvport accounts in th• Charitie8 Act 2011 Ilhg A¢l. I rtrwrt in reSFeCt of my •x•mln•tion Ort￿ TruBt's accounts come0 •Jt under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examwb'¢)n, I have followed all the p￿ICat￿e Directions given by the Chaffjy Comm¢88ion under $eGlion 145(5llbl of the Ad. Independent I hav8 Comp￿ted my exwnination. I confinn that no mertal ffjalter5 hav8 èxaminerfs statement come to my atter¥tion in conaectron with the e¥amination which grves me ¢ause to believe that in. atsy Mate￿al respect:_ the aCcoUntr￿ reLY)rd5 were not kept in accordaThx with section 130 of the Act.. the ac¢ount5 dhl not ac￿rd with the a¢¢ounting r8cord5'. the aecounts did not CoM￿Y with the apicabfe requirements tonceming the fom and content of accounts set out in the Chariti• (Accounts Roputsl Regulation$ 200e olhar th8n any reqUireM￿t that th• accounts gNg a Iru¢ ond fair. view whith ig not a matt?r niidered aB part of an intspendenl examinathX. I have no C0￿M8 •xJ havo Como across no oth8r matters in connartion with the examination lowhith attention should be dra￿ in Ihvs report (derto ena￿e a proFer ￿￿1￿￿tanding ofthe accounts to be read. Signed: Name: K8￿n Payne Relevant prol•••lcn•l quallltc*tlonl•l or btsdy 111 •nyl: AAT 25 Patchirrfj Hall Larw. Cwmsford. E8sex, CM14BT. 17

Annual Report 2022

Sunday School

We have a mixed age group of children with some young people with special needs joining us too. Although our group is small, the children continue to take an interest in and take part in the lessons. Clare, Emma and Becky with helpers Janet, Lee and Bill (at the start of the year) and Emily (at the end of the year) have aimed to show the children God’s love and plans for our lives. Sadly, Bill has stood down and we thank him for all his help over the years.

Some special events were enjoyed. We took approximately nine children to Hasteys Farm for an outing, and all had a wonderful time. During the summer we took the children to the beach for their Sunday School lesson one Sunday and later, some members of the church joined us for lunch. We also went bowling and the children enjoyed competitive play.

Finally, at Christmas, we led the service with a Nativity play produced by Becky named ‘The twelve days of the Nativity’. A recognised song but with new words, sung by members of the Girls’ Brigade via a recording and the church members joined in valiantly. Sadly, Clare is now also standing down due to health problems and whilst she will miss her role, she needs a rest. Thank you to all leaders and helpers for their continued commitment to the group.

Clare Read

Enfold

In 2022 we saw a return to running 'ENFOLD' in the Atrium and the Welcome Hall with the easing of Covid restrictions due to mass vaccination programmes. On average there were around thirty visitors each week. We offered baked beans, scrambled egg, toast, jam, marmite etc. and cereals.

Peabody continued to work alongside us offering benefit and housing advice. We were also joined by the NHS social prescribers on occasion. As Parish Nurse I offered medical help if and when required. Over the last year, we have been able to offer, coats if required, warm clothing, toiletries and food. Around Christmas time we also made bacon rolls and sausage rolls for our visitors. We have gained great links with other charities who can also offer our clients support and advice.

I personally attend 'The Community Forum' quarterly which is attended by many other organisations; such as Peabody, Salvation Army, Family Solutions, probation service, Tendring Community voluntary services etc. This gives us strong 'links' with other organisations and is a great source of information. I also attend the 'Cost of living crisis group' to discuss the issues the people of Tendring are coping with. We discuss how we are helping/ can help them. Again, a fantastic place to make contacts and work together.

In the Autumn I was approached by Tending Community Voluntary Services and asked if PABC would consider opening a 'Warm Hub' for our clients specifically, who wouldn't necessarily 'fit the mould' of the other Warm Hubs. Our 'Warm Hub' started initially on a Monday afternoon in November and following a change of day request by the clients, now runs on Friday afternoons. We offer hots drinks, cuppa soup, cake and biscuits. It also offers a warm, safe, easy going, non-judgemental space to be. We also have the most wonderful team of friendly, easy going, very hard-working volunteers. Thank you so very much 'guys'.

Amanda Day, Parish Nurse

The Shed Project

The Shed project has been in the background for some time now. With the completion of the building, we began to prepare to open in early 2020. Unfortunately, owing to the pandemic we were unable to take this project forward at that time. However, we have now formed a link with Tendring Tool Refurb who are willing to provide the equipment needed for tool refurbishment projects. The thing we lack is a person who has the necessary skills and who is willing to lead this project. We are hopeful that we will be able to begin in 2023.

Amanda Day, Parish Nurse

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Annual Report 2022

Girls’ Brigade

2022 was our first full year with no restrictions since the COVID-19 Pandemic, so it was back to normal with our usual activities taking place. It was also a major milestone in the life of the Company as we celebrated the Centenary of 1[st] Clacton Girls’ Brigade. It’s amazing to think that this work amongst children and young people has been going on for 100 years at Pier Avenue (with only a short break during second world war years). We are so thankful for the vision of those early pioneers who founded this work to provide activities for the youth of the members of the Sunday School. It is of course now open to those outside the church and a great means of witness to many who would otherwise have no church connection. We received a certificate and letter of congratulations from our GB head office which we have had on display throughout the year. A mention in our local paper was however unsuccessful.

Our numbers fluctuate around 35 with most attending on a regular basis to enjoy a wide range of activities. We are blessed with a loyal team of 11 Leaders who run the 4 sections of the Company. Much has to be planned to organise badge work and events to suit a wide range of abilities, bearing on mind those with special needs, including them in all we do.

For our badge work the following subjects were covered in each group (Sept 21 – July 22):

Explorers – Our Favourite Things; Our Homes; Spring; Our Planet
Juniors – Christmas Countdown; Generosity; Self Control; Friendship.
Seniors – My Family; Coping with Change; Entertaining; Global Citizen
Brigaders – Domestic Goddess; Adventure (both double awards).

Our Duke of Edinburgh work continues with 6 girls currently working at Bronze level. The Expedition was completed during the summer and each candidate is at various stages in the other 3 sections, namely – Skills; Volunteering; Physical. One of our younger adult Leaders has now completed her Gold Award.

Two sleepovers were held during the year. Our first in March when the girls went on a treasure hunt around the town, decorated pots and planted them with pansies to give out at the Mothers’ Day Parade service the following Day, played games and made various craft items. Our second was in November when we took the girls bowling and again played games and did craft activities. This led into our Enrolment Parade where new members were enrolled and existing members recommitting themselves to the Company. Lorraine Adams was also presented with her 20 year Leaders badge and certificate.

We continue to hold Church Parades bi-monthly and they are fairly well attended. It is good to see some of the parents joining with us on these occasions. The service in June was led by us as it was our reunion weekend and those in September and November, due to our Minister Sean having moved to his new pastorate in Brentwood. The theme for the September parade was Creation to tie in with the harvest display, leading on to thinking about the Fruits of the Spirit. In November our theme was Journeys, how road signs can remind us of how God works in our lives, moving on to the story of Jonah’s journey. At each service the girls took part in singing and giving our bookmarks to the congregation.

Our Reunion event held over the weekend of 11[th] –12[th] June was attended by members past and present, who enjoyed looking at old photos, uniforms over the years, band instruments sharing memories, reacquainting old friendships and enjoying a buffet tea. A celebration cake, which had been beautifully made by one of our Church members, Ann Skeggs, was cut by a former Captain Pat Jewell. During the afternoon we also held our awards presentations, when the girls received the badges they had worked for throughout the year. These were presented by Pat Jewell. Each section performed an item they had been practicing to the guests who attended:- Explorers – Skipping; Juniors – A song and line dance; Seniors – Cooking Demonstration; Brigaders – Putting up a Tent. The Parade service the following day took the theme of ‘Sowing Seeds’ and included an overview of the history of the Company. After the service we invited girls and their families to join us for a picnic on the beach.

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Annual Report 2022

We were able to organise a summer camp – our first since 2018 – when we took around 20 girls to Thorrington Scout Camo Site. They enjoyed a wide range of activities including – pedal karts, assault course, human table football, bouldering, 3D maze, craft and games. Our Explorers joined us on the Wednesday to experience something of the camping life. Unfortunately, we were unable to have camp fires due to the extremely dry weather conditions over the summer. Our devotional theme was ‘Creation’. We took part in the Remembrance Parade organised by the Clacton branch of the Royal British Legion, marching down to the War Memorial where a service was held to remember those lives lost in various wars. A good number attended.

In December it was good to be able to hold our Carol and nativity service, when girls from all sections told the Christmas story with the younger ones dressing up as the main characters.. Reading were given by the girls and Carols were sung by all. The Brigaders then served refreshments with mince pies, and biscuits.

The year concluded with our Christmas parties when girls from all sections enjoyed an evening of games and food. Our Brigaders organised the party for Explorers and Juniors as part of their badge work which involved them preparing the food and planning the games, including pass the parcel. They also asked the girls to come in a Christmas outfit for which a prize was given to the one judged the best. Several girls brought a friend and it was good to see them joining in with the others. A present was given to each girl including a framed photo of the Company for our Centenary year.

During the year we held various fund raising events, including our ever popular Pancake evening (after a two year break) when parents and friends enjoyed pancakes with a selection of fillings and home made cakes. We also held some coffee mornings, table top sales and a car wash which proved highly successful. We continue to be grateful for those who regularly donate to the work of Brigade.

We continue to send Birthday cards to the girls together with a Christian bookmark and the ‘Thought for the Week’ still goes on to our Facebook page.

We took the girls to a Pantomime at the Westcliff theatre at the beginning of the year which was enjoyed by all. Later in the year we spent a Tuesday evening at the Clacton Lifeboat Station when we were all given an informative talk followed by a tour of the station. We all learnt a great deal of their work and how we should stay safe when being in the sea. As a result we gave a small donation to this valuable work of saving lives at sea.

Sadly our good friend Ron Tibbs passed away and we were asked to take an active part in the funeral service as well as preparing the food for the wake afterwards. A few leaders also attended the funeral of a former member, Davina, who passed away at the age of 37. Our hearts go out to both families as they move on without their loved ones by their side.

Although another successful year we are always looking at ways to recruit new members as we feel it is such a great opportunity to provide meaningful activities, life skills, fun, friendship and above all to bring the gospel to children and young people in a relevant way. As the leaders relate to the girls each week we pray we will see lives changed, confidence boosted and families supported in our ever changing world. As we move into our 101[st] year we seek God’s guidance in fulfilling our motto to ‘Seek, Serve and Follow Christ.

Gill Stennings – Captain

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Annual Report 2022

Clacton Street Pastors

Clacton Street Pastors has now been running for over eleven years. Street Pastors aim initially, is to help those in trouble on the streets on a Saturday night. Night time venues gradually opened up during 2022 but not all did and by the end of the year, only one real Night time venue remained. This meant less people on the streets as there was no movement between venues as in previous years. During the summer we went out onto the streets at the earlier time of 8.30 p.m. and were able to interact with families who were still out during the evenings, especially during Clacton Pier firework displays held each Saturday during the school holidays. At night time we have seen that there are far less people about than there were before the pandemic started but still some who want to talk and a few who need support. As 2022 ends we are looking at doing more day time work in support of the local community as there are always people who want a listening ear.

Karen Rai

Tiny Treasures

Tiny Treasures has had a very good year despite the fact that our leader of many years, Paula, moved on in July. The team have really pulled together since then and we have managed to continue in the same way although Paula is greatly missed. Numbers dropped after July as some left for school or nursery or moved away but built up slowly from September and there were 25 names on our register by Christmas.

Before the sessions, the volunteers have fellowship and pray for the group. This is the most important part of the morning. We continue to follow the same routine of play, story & craft followed by snack and then singing. Activities are planned to cover all areas of learning and are changed each week. The snack is pre-prepared by Karen, Richard and Maureen, who follow food hygiene practices.

In July, we ended the term with a slightly longer session and had a Teddy Bear’s picnic. This included a Bible story and prayer in the Church.

In August, we held a ‘Picnic past and present’ on the Greensward near the park for the second year running. This was for anyone who had been involved in Tiny Treasures previously, as well as for the current families. It was a good time for the adults to chat. We had parachute games and then the children played on the park. It was a success and it will be something that we will continue to do.

We restarted the term in September and finished the year with our Christmas party. The Nativity story was told in the church, followed by prayer and ‘Away in a Manger.’ After some ring games, Santa arrived, and all received a present. We ended with party food.

We thank the team for their commitment. Our thanks go to Georgina, Miriam and Richard for putting out all the tables and chairs and toys each week. Karen, Lynn, Georgina, Maureen, Richard, Sylvia and Trudi make up our usual team with Miriam joining us when able. Thank you to those volunteers for all they are doing. Without them, we would not be able to run this group or have such a friendly and welcoming reputation.

We pray each week that God will give us opportunities to offer prayer, or a listening ear, to share the love of Jesus with all who come along to Tiny Treasures and we ask that you join us in that prayer. It would be great to build a greater link between families and the church.

We appreciate your prayers

Karen, Lynn & the Tiny Treasures Team

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Annual Report 2022

Worship Group

Thanks and appreciation to the Worship Team for their continued commitment this past year. The Worship Team meet for rehearsal before each Sunday service at 09:45 and twice a month during the week. The Worship Team consists of:

Piano - Tracey & Nic Guitar & Vocals - Karen & Tony Vocals - Dawn

Since Sean left for his new church the Worship Team have been liaising with different speakers during this time of having no Minister.

The Christmas services involve a lot of work for the team with extra services as well as the carol service. At the Carol Service the team along with other singers sang ‘Adore’ by Graham Kendrick which was well received. Our thanks go to the singers, musicians, powerpoint, sound and livestream operators, as well as those who decorated the church so beautifully with the candles, lights, tree and flowers.

Our prayer for the coming year is that we will grow closer together with each other, but more importantly, grow closer to God as we follow his leading and serve him by serving our fellowship.

Tony Meloy

Hall Usage

Church Organisations

Community Users

(Churches Together in Clacton)

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