George Road Baptist church annual report 2020
This was the year a global pandemic transformed the world. The impending storm was barely noticeable when our year began with a focus on The Humble Servant, which included a memorable act of foot washing as a symbol of humble service. The second week of January was a 'Mark the Spot' service where a newly appointed Pastoral Care Team was commissioned to serve the church. This team proved to be a blessing to the church in reaching out to scattered and isolated members when the national lock down was implemented in March.
At the end of January Pastor Daniel travelled to the USA for two weeks to fulfil a preaching invitation from USA-based Romanian churches. In a busy schedule Daniel sought to develop connections and bring encouragement to the churches there. During Daniel's brief absence the church was well served by visiting preachers; the HEBA Regional Minister and a local Baptist pastor.
The established activities of the church continued until the lock down in March:
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Morning services for the GRBC congregation and evening services for the Emmaus congregation
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Prayer meetings, including prayer breakfast and prayer teaMerger meetings for the proposed merging of the GRBC and Emmaus congregationsChurch Business meeting
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Super Kitchen
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Work Party for routine maintenance
Meetings in the church building came to an abrupt halt in March, but the church was able to continue to come together on Sunday mornings through zoom technology on computers and phones. We are thankful to God for the provision of technology and technology support from members of the GRBC and Emmaus congregations. Sunday services also included YouTube for sermons by both our Pastor and international contacts. One activity that continued on the church premises was Food bank, which expanded in response to greatly increased needs.
With the enforced isolation, which resulted from the national response to the readily transmissible coronavirus, the church strove to stay connected by various means, such as zoom technology, email, letters and phone calls. The newly formed Pastoral Care Team proved to be a divinely timed blessing for the church. Care Group leaders and Trustees also worked hard to serve the members of the church.
The church congregation continued to receive support and bible teaching through services, sermons and Care group meetings, and prayer meetings were resumed via zoom. The Gospel Lighthouse Choir managed to meet together on zoom and were able to edit together a splendid recorded performance, which was shared during a Sunday service as an act of worship to God and an encouragement to the Church. The combination of HomeSchooling and Essential Workers workload put immense pressure on our Pastor's time,
which was partly relieved by sharing of the sermon load for a while.
Churches were allowed to reopen in July, but we were not emotionally ready to open until September. The Trustees of GRBC and Emmaus worked hard to make the building safe and compliant for those returning to the building for Sunday services. We continued to broadcast on zoom for the benefit of those who were not able to attend in person.
The church was obliged to close its doors during November owing to another national lock-down, but was able to reopen in December. We were thankful to be able to celebrate Christmas Day in the church building, and on the Sunday before Christmas, in addition to the morning service in the building, we also met in the evening on zoom for carols and an online production of 'Hark' – a nativity drama produced by Saltmine Theatre.
During this most challenging of years we are thankful that there were no deaths in the congregation, not least because funeral arrangements were severely restricted during the year. There were no new members and no members left; the number of members remaining at 130. There were no baptisms. Although some numbers are unchanged, our lives have all been changed. At the end of the year our Pastor led us in a devotion on the scripture 1 Corinthians 1:8,9 [‘] He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.’
We are a church, the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we acknowledge that we only remain standing because the Lord is our strength and our portion forever.
GE0RGE ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH FINANCIAL STATEMENT 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020
| General Account | 2020 |
2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Receipts |
£ | £ |
| Weekly Offering | 75590 | 76535 |
| Other Income (inc donations) | 4994 | 11285 |
| Gift Aid rebate | 14365 |
12673 |
| Choir | 0 | 491 |
| Totals | 94949 | 100983 |
| Payments | ||
| Ministry | 44810 | 44678 |
| Upkeep of Church Premises | 19672 | 12723 |
| Administration | 4450 | 5729 |
| Missionary giving & transfer to special proj | 14365 | 12817 |
| Youth work | 15 | 291 |
| Totals | 83312 | 76437 |
| Surplus | 11638 | 24546 |
| Bank Balance as at | 1st | January 2020 | 52538 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Balance as at | 31 | December 2020 | 64175 |
Special Projects Account
Bank Balance as at 31 December 2020
25575
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of George Road Baptist Church
On accounts for the year 31 December 2020 Charity no 1139836 ended (if any)
Set out on pages
(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/12/2020M.
- Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: Greta Ogar Date: 29/10/2021 Name: Greta Ogar Relevant professional AAT qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 25 Berkswell road Birmingham B24 9EE
October 2018
1
IER
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
October 2018
2
IER