BETHESDA BAPTISTCHURCH STOWMARKET Charity No. 1136075 TRUSTEES, REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
BETHESDA BAPTIST CHURCH, STOWMARKET CONTENTS Legal and Administrative Information Trustees, Report Independent Examiner's Report Receipts and Payments Accounts Statement of Assets and Liabilities
BETHESDA BAPTIST CHURCH, STOWMARKET Legal and Administrative Informatlon Address Bury Street Stowmarket IP14 1HF Correspondence Address Mrj Reeve Stowmarket Baptist Church Bury Street Stowmarket IP141HF Trustees Mr J Reeve ITreasurer} MrT Cordle MrJWRPayne Mr B Levett Mr H Yousif Bankers Barclays 19-21 CornhiLI Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP33 1DY Independent Examlner MrSJWhayman 51 Cowper Street Ipswich IP4 5JA
BETHESDA BAPTIST CHURCH, STOWMARKET TRUSTEES, REPORT Forthe year ended 31 March 2024 Constitution The church was set up by trust in 1797 and is governed by Rules formulated in 1959 and amended on 15 November 1995, 5 April 2000 and 26 May 2004. The church was registered with the Charity Commission on 12 May 2010. There are no specific restrictions contained in the governing document that limit its activities or any specific investment powers given to the trustees. The trustees of our properties, forwhich we are the beneficial owner. is the Grace Baptist Trust Corporation (previous Trustees were the Association of Grace Baptist Churches (East Angiia) Ltd.) Aff iliatlons The church is a member of the Association of Grace Baptist Churches (East AngLia) Ltd and a participating church of Grace Baptist Mission. Objectives and activities for the pubLic benefit The purpose of the church is to provide a place of worship, instruction and fellowship for Christians and to carry out the command of Christ to go and make disciples of aLI nations baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is primarily but not exclusivelywithin Stowmarket and the surrounding neighbourhood and will include other such charitable purposes, as shall in the opinion of the church members in church meetings, further the work of the Church. To this end our regular Sunday services of worship are maintained with two services each Sunday open to members and all visitors. During school term times. various meetings are held to reach out to different age-groups. On Tuesday afternoons. the Ladies Meeting offered an afternoon service popular with ladies. On Thursday afternoons the junior youth group met. and on Thursday evening intermediate youth group met. On Friday mornings the mothers and toddLers' group met; and on Friday evenings senior youth group met. The youth meetings are designed to give opportunity for children to participate in organised activities. and to hear a talk from the Bible. This is intended to help the Ghildren gain a basic understanding of God's word.
Duringthe weekthe church regularly met for prayer, Bible study and fellowship. Apart from the 3 church members, business meetings and a few specific members meetings all our meetings for prayer and Bible study w8re freely open to the public to come and share in worship. prayer and the study of the word of God. From time to time visitors come and share in these seniices. The church has been able to respond financially in some measure to specific requests for help both in the UK and overseas as brought to the trustees, attention. We continued to provide ongoing prayerful and financial support forthe work of the Gospel and the relief of poverty and hardship. Our provision of public benefit in this way is not Limited to the UK as we support missionary organisations, e3peGially Grace Baptist Mission and with the administration of direct support into churches in Kenya and those workingwith the orphaned and needy children associated with those churches. All our staff and volunteers who work with children. young people or vulnerable adults have a cLeared CRB/DBS enhanced check. We operate with a child protection policy. vulnerable adults, policy, employment of ex- offenders policy, health and safety policy incLuding risk assessment and evacuation procedures. Achievements and performance We are very grateful and thankful to God for our full-time staff member, the Pastor. Through this. allwho attend have been enabLed to receive a message where the Bible or specific themes were expounded. This has proved to be a great help in many different ways: to some in furthering their bibLicaL understanding. some in increasing their love for the Saviour and others in providing help. encouragement and comfort in times of need. The interestwe have in overseas missionarywork has been maintained with reports on the work of various missionaries and whenever possible we take the opportunity for a missionary while at home in the UK to come and visit us. People from other churches or organisations who also have a keen interest in that work. will often come and support these occasions. Financial Review We are grateful to God that He continues to bLess His Church in Stowmarket in providing the financial resources for the ongoing work of the gospel. To maintain the financial equilibrium. any assistance given for Gospel work and the relief of poverty both in the UK and overseas is reviewed on a regular basis and help is given when resources enable. The work of maintaining all our premises both internally and externaLly continues. These accounts have been prepared on 8 non-accrual basis. The Trustees have reviewed the balances held at 31 March 2024 and they consider these to be sufficient to cover existing commitments and provide a sufficient level of resenies in line with our policies.
Reserve Policy The church rolies chiefly on its income from members from which it pays the running costs of the church. The Trustees have decided to not hold significant reserves as the Church is a member of the Association of Grace Baptist Churches (East Angiia). In the event of significant items of expenditure being incurred, the church would look to the Association for grants or loans to cover the expenditure. Statement of trustees, responsibillties in respect of the accounts The charity's trustees are responsible for preparing the financial statements for each financial year that give a true and fair view of the charity's incoming resources and application of resources duringthe period of its state of affairs at the end of theyear. In preparingthe financial statements. the trustees are required to- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitywill continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracyat anytime the financial position of the charityand enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993. They are aLso responsibLe for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the provision and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approval This report was approved by the trustees on 12 J uary 2025 and signed on their behalf by: J Reeve Cordle H Yousif JWRPayne B Levett
Independent examinerfs report to the trustees of Stowmarket Baptist Church I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Stowmarket Baptist Church (the Trust) for the year ended 31" March 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charitvs trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act,). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145{5)(b) of the Act. Independent examinerfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and contents of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Name: Mr S J Whayman Address: 51 Cowper Street Ipswich IP4 5JA Date: 21st May 2024
Stowmarket Baptist Church Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the poriod from 0110412023 3110312024 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds to the nearest £1 Restricted funds Endowment funds Totsl funds Last year to the noarest £1 to the neartst £1 to th¢ nearest £1 to the neat¥$t £1 A1 Receipts Offerings Gift Aid 66,729 9,092 3.500 767 20,850 87.579 9,092 3.500 767 77.038 6.317 Sale of Mini Bus Other income 520 Sub total(Gross inGome for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). 80.088 20,860 100,938 83,875 Sub total 80.088 20.8SO 100.938 83,875 A3 Payments Ministerial Expenses Support to other organisalions Premis6s Cost$ Manse Costs Minibus Costs Cost ofActivthes Sundries Loan repayment 35,856 7,150 ZO,163 370 2,795 1,533 3,558 5.120 35,856 27,834 20.163 370 2,795 1,533 3,S58 5.120 32.174 16.675 t8.012 1.574 3,821 T88 3.284 640 20,684 Sub total 76.545 20.684 97,229 76,968 A4 Asset and investment purchases, see table Sub total zzzz 76,545 20.684 97,229 76,968 Net of receipts/{payments) A5 Transfors between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash fvnds this year end 3,543 166 3.709 6.907 42,624 46,167 1,065 1,231 43,689 47.398 36,782 43,689 CCKK R1 acGounts ISSI 2110512024
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds to nearèst £ Restricted funds to nearost £ Endowment funds to noarest £ Categories Details B1 Cash funds Cash In Hand 179 Current Account 45,988 1.231 Total cash funds 46,167 1,231 (agree tsa5aJKesth r*pt5 and payments a[{$11 Unregtriet•d funds to nèarest £ Re¥tri¢tèd funds to ne8$t £ Endowment funds to n6arast £ Details B2 Other monetary assets Fund to whlch asset bglon Details Currentvalue lonal Cost loptionall B3 Investment assets Fund to whieh asset belon Detsils Cost loptronall Current value tional B4 Assets retalned for the charity's own use Fund to which relat Details Amount dug tional Whgn due tlonal B5 Liabilities Signed by one or trustees on behalf of all the trustees Signature Print Name Date of roval CCXX R2 accounts ISSI 2110512024