2024-09-30-accounts

Brixington Community Church

Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees’ Report and Accounts 1[st] October 2023 to 30[th] September 2024

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

Our Vision: ‘To be a Christ centred people demonstrating the love of God in the community’

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Trustees’ Report for the Year 1stOctober 2023 to 30thSeptember 2024	3
Reference and Administratve details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisers		3
Charity Status	3
Managing Trustees		3
Principal Advisers		3
Structure, Governance and Management		3
Governing Document		3
Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees		3
Inducton and Training of Trustees		3
Organisatonal Structure		3
Baptst Union of Great Britain and South West Baptst Associaton		4
Relatonships between the Charity and Related Partes		4
Risk Management		4
Objectves and Actvites		4
Objects of the Charity		4
Charity’s Aims		4
Declaraton of Principal		4
Charity’s Main Objectves for the Year		5
Charity’s Vision and Purposes		5
Mission Statements		6
Achievements and Performance		6
Pastor’s Annual Report		6
Administraton Annual Report		7
Servanthood Annual Report		8
Youth and Children’s Worker Annual Report		8
Growth Groups Annual Report		10
Safeguarding and Pastoral Care Annual Report		10
Health and Safety Annual Report		11
Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club Chaplaincy Annual Report		11
Hospitality Annual Report		11
Worship Annual Report		12
Community Engagement Annual Report		12
Premises Annual Report		13
Stewardship - Treasurer’s Annual Report	13
Trustees Responsibilites in Relaton to the Financial Statements		15
Signature and Declaraton		15
Independent Examiner’s Report		16
Financial Accounts for the period 1stOctober 2023 to 30thSeptember 2024		17

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

Annual Report for the Year to 30[th] September 2024

The Trustees are pleased to present their report for the year 1[st] October 2023 to 30[th] September 2024. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements of the Charities Act 2011.

Reference and Administrative Details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisers:

Charity Status

Brixington Community Church (Baptist) is a registered charity under the Charities Act 2011, Registered Charity Number 1139968.

Managing Trustees

The church is administered by the Managing Trustees of the Charity comprising: -

Minister and Chair of Trustees Reverend S Atkinson Administrator Miss P Hill (Until 13 November 2024) Treasurer Mr G Hughes (Until 13 November 2024) Elder Mr N Fryer-Saxby Trustees/Deacons Mrs M Carvalho Mrs J Clark Mrs D Goodwin Mr M Greaves Mr R Smith (From 22 November 2023)

Principal Advisers

Bankers CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ. Independent Examiner Streets Bush Chartered Accountants, 2 Barnfield Crescent, Exeter, EX1 1QT.

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

The church’s governing document is a declaration of model trust deed dated 17[th] June 1974 which sets out the objects of the charity. The current land site has been occupied since 1972 when the first building was erected.

Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees

The Administrator, Treasurer, Elders and Charity Trustees (Deacons) are the Managing Trustees of the charity and 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. Annual elections are held at the church Annual General Meeting by ballot. Nominees must secure a vote of at least 60% of those present and eligible to vote.

Induction and Training of Trustees

New Trustees appointed during the reporting period receive one-to-one briefings with the Chair of Trustees on operational policy, the Charity Trust Deed and Constitution. They are also briefed on the responsibilities of a Trustee based on the Charity Commission guidance booklet CC3 - ‘The Essential Trustee’ and in line with our Induction Policy.

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 church meetings which are normally held bi-monthly. The Minister of the church is a paid Managing Trustee and with the Administrator, Treasurer, Elders and Charity Trustees (Deacons) gives leadership to the church. The Administrator, Treasurer, Elders and Trustees (Deacons) assist the Minister in his role and are also responsible for preparing the business for the church meetings.

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

The Baptist Union of Great Britain and the South West Baptist Association

The church is part of the wider Baptist family and is therefore a member church of the South West Baptist Association (SWBA) and 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 donates to the BUGB Home Mission Fund for the Baptist Family in the UK.

Relationships between the Charity and Related Parties

Churches in Exmouth - the church is an active member of the ecumenical partnership of churches in the Exmouth area.

The church supports Open Door in Exmouth .

These connected organisations of the church exist as part of the work and mission of the church which are open to the community.

The church also allocates some of the Minister’s time to fulfil the role of Chaplain to Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club .

Exmouth Foodbank - the church works in partnership with Exmouth Foodbank and supports people in the local area.

Evangelical Alliance - The church is a member of The Evangelical Alliance which is an umbrella grouping for Evangelical Christians in the UK. Formed in 1846, the Alliance aims to bring Christians together and help them listen to, and be heard by, the government, media and society.

Risk Management

The Trustees examine on a rolling basis all major strategic business and operational risks that the charity faces. Controls and action plans are developed to address any additional risks that are identified during this process.

Risk Assessments are carried out for each event held in the church to identify any risks posed, and these continue to be monitored on a regular basis.

Objectives and Activities

Objects of the Charity

The Charity is established for the purposes of the advancement of religion through the spiritual work of the church. These purposes include the provision and upkeep of a place of worship, carrying out religious services, the payment, housing and pensioning of a Minister of Religion and other persons employed for the purposes of a place of worship.

Charity’s Aims

Under the Baptist Union Declaration of Principle (below), Brixington Community Church seeks to be an active Christian community/fellowship bringing Christian witness and care to the area known as Brixington within the town of Exmouth. The church also acknowledges its Christian responsibilities beyond the local community and seeks to engage in both national and international situations.

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

Charity’s Main Objectives for the Year

The church continues to offer public worship on Sunday mornings together with a selection of Mid-week activities. We continue to stream our Sunday morning worship services through our YouTube page.

Conversations continued with those who are interested in discussing their faith and the possibility of baptism and church Membership.

The church continues to be involved in Mission activities locally, nationally and internationally.

1. Locally – Exmouth Food Bank; the Open Door project, including Haven; Seniors’ Lunches; Coffee Mornings; Messy Church; Brixington Family Support; Parent Pop In; Exeter Chiefs and Street Pastors.

2. Nationally - As part of Home Mission within the Baptist Union, New Wine and Sports Chaplaincy.

3. Internationally - Supports two individuals on long term overseas mission in Mozambique and Romania, as well as supporting the Baptist Missionary Society.

The church continues to develop and grow through Fellowship, Worship, Discipleship, Servanthood and Evangelism.

The church premises are situated in an ideal location within Brixington which makes the premises attractive for a wide range of community groups, organisations and other charities. Where possible and appropriate, the church aims to recognise the needs of the community and organise activities and support groups to meet these needs.

Work has continued throughout the year to develop the church buildings into a hub serving the growing needs of both church and community. This year £13, 226 has been raised towards this goal.

The Charity’s Vision and Purposes

Vision

The Charity’s vision is ‘To be a Christ centred people demonstrating the love of God in the community’.

Purposes

Fellowship:

We believe we are called by God to be part of His family (the body of Christ) in Exmouth expressing our faith through love for others.

(John 13:35, Romans 12:10 & Hebrews 10:25)

Worship:

We seek to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, thus surrendering (offering) our lives as an act of worship.

(Psalm 95:6-7 & Romans 12:1)

Discipleship:

We seek to make disciples of all ages, encouraging people to grow and mature in faith by the study and application of the living Word of God through the power and the joy of prayer, which is at the heart of all we do and by the equipping (empowering) of the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us. (Acts 2:42, Hebrews 5:13-14 & 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Servanthood:

We believe that each person has been given gifts and talents to use to fulfil the plans and purposes of God in this and future generations by being fruitful and serving others. (John 13:14-15, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 2:10 & 1 Peter 4:10)

Mission/Outreach:

We aim to actively seek the lost and be a door of hope in the community by demonstrating and declaring the good news of Jesus Christ because we are convinced that He is able to save all who believe in Him. (Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 19:10 & Acts 20:24)

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

Mission Statements

Fellowship

Church Family: We aim to encourage all people to live Christ centred lives. To:

• Value people of all ages and abilities.

• Encourage all members of the church family to have a role to play in the life of the church.

• Evaluate and empower people to use their skills.

• Offer support and training.

• Provide opportunities to know each other better by meeting together socially.

Youth and Children’s Work : Young people are important to the life of the church. We aim to:

• Recognise that they are individuals, having different backgrounds and different needs.

• Provide teaching and a variety of activities to serve the needs of all young people.

Worship:

Services: Worship is important to the life of the church and includes the study and application of the Word of God. We aim to:

• Develop services under the leading of the Holy Spirit.

• Offer different styles of services to reflect the diversity of our community.

Prayer: Prayer is important in everything we do. Therefore, we seek to:

• Promote the importance of prayer and provide the environment, support and resources for participation.

Discipleship:

Church growth: We believe that God desires this church to grow numerically and spiritually. We:

• Encourage personal spiritual growth at every stage of the Christian journey.

• Train, equip and release disciples.

Growth Groups: Growth Groups are necessary for the spiritual growth of the church. We seek to:

• Encourage all members to become part of a Growth Group.

• Provide pastoral care within each Growth Group.

Servanthood:

Serving the community: Our aim is to demonstrate the love of God in the community by:

• Developing Brixington Community Church to be the hub of the community.

• Providing a place of sanctuary and support for the community.

• Facilitating a range of activities to support the needs of the community.

• Encouraging individuals to serve in the community.

Buildings: Our aim is for the building to be an asset valued by both church and community by:

• Developing an attractive building to cater for a wide range of activities and to accommodate growth.

Mission/Outreach: We believe everyone has a role to play in mission and outreach. Therefore we:

• Encourage people to make the most of mission opportunities in the community, and in their daily lives.

• Support those who are called to undertake local, national or international mission.

• Provide training opportunities.

• Provide opportunities to share relevant testimonies to encourage others.

Achievements and Performance

Pastor's Annual Report

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

This year has been another busy one in the life of Brixington Community Church as the church continues to develop its outreach into the local community. Our work with children and families continues to be a key focus for us alongside other areas of ministry.

Our ongoing work within our local community continues to play a central role in seeing our vision fulfilled ‘To be a Christ centred people demonstrating the love of God in the community’. We have continued to deliver food to local families in need and as part of this we have teamed up with the Exmouth Food Bank. I would like to thank our army of volunteers that help with this important ministry especially as we continue to see the cost-of-living increases having a bigger negative affect on local families. Also to thank those who generously donate food or cash to this project.

It has been encouraging to see our regular Wednesday coffee morning continue to attract new local people. We have also seen a number of outside speakers come and share about the work that they are involved in. Our Seniors’ Lunches have continued, but due to staffing constraints, the team are now trialling a slightly different format.

Our Youth and Children’s Leader, Bradley Goodwin, continues to lead our children’s and youth department. Alongside him this year we have had an overseas student from America placed with us from South West Youth Ministries (SWYM) and INVEST, which has been interesting. We have continued with Shine, our afterschool club, for Primary children, Messy Church, Who Let The Dads Out and our school’s work. Bradley ran a successful holiday club at February half term, a bright lights party and a Christmas party. I would like to thank the team, who support Bradley and this important work.

During the Christmas season we were invited to have a stand and run a form of Messy Church in a very large marquee located in the Strand as part of the Christian witness called ‘Christmas Encounters’. A large number of Churches were involved in the day with the event seeing many visitors pass through, including several families we have been working with. It was great to share the good news of Christmas with so many people.

We started 2024 off with a week of prayer and it was good to see various people getting involved in this. During the year we have run a successful Alpha Course and seen the launch of a new Growth Group, hence we now have 8 groups meeting regularly. This means we have an average of 100 people meeting to worship, study the Word of God, pray and fellowship together. I would like to thank our Growth Group leaders for the time they invest each week in preparing to lead their groups and for the care they provide.

During the year we have seen a number of people start to worship with us regularly and this has been encouraging. We pray that God will continue to draw new people to us.

I would like to thank Norman for his work as an Elder at the church for his time and wisdom and friendship over this last year. We generally meet weekly to pray, to discuss any issues and develop the vision for the church. Thank you to those who continue to hold us both in prayer.

I would also like to thank our team of Deacons for their time, commitment and the energy they invest in helping organise the practical aspects of leading a church. A special vote of thanks to our Administrator and Treasurer who are both stepping down this year. They have both served the church for many years in their current roles and we appreciate the work they have undertaken and honour them for their commitment to serve God and his church.

As we look forward to this next year, there are many opportunities that lie ahead of us as we seek to work together in order to see God’s kingdom come. It is going to take a whole team effort, and no matter how small your part is, it will help us to fulfil God’s vision for Brixington Community Church and the local community.

Thank you for being part of the Journey.

Reverend Simon Atkinson

Pastor

Administration Annual Report

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give hope and a future”.

The Church membership currently stands at 78 in number and we have been delighted to welcome Becky Brooks, Mandi Condliffe, Jane Margaret Nesbitt and Sue Wright formally into membership this year. We have also shared fellowship with quite a number of new faces this year, which we praise God for.

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

We have said goodbye to four of our church family during the year, namely – Eric Hitchings in October 2023, Andy Kidson in June, Helen Sussex and Stella Wood both in August 2024. All four will be sadly missed, but fondly remembered.

The Pastor and Elder meet on a weekly basis to evaluate church matters, with the Trustees and Deacons meeting each month to carry out the church business. This includes reviewing and assessing all the necessary procedures to achieve a safe and viable environment for people who visit the church.

This year has seen a renewed emphasis on the commitment to prayer within the life of the fellowship, and we know that with God’s help, we can achieve all that He wants us to accomplish. The church Prayer Meetings continue on the first Wednesday of the month and they enrich the church life immensely.

I end this report on a sad note as this will be my last report as your Administrator. It has been my honour and privilege to have served you for the last 10 years and I want to thank you all for putting up with me and making the job such a joy. When I think of my journey with you, here at Brixington Community Church, I thank God for all the support you lovely people have given me. I cannot think of a better place that I could have “retired” to! You have been a great part of my life for all that time, so thank you all.

Vaya con Dios – Go with God.

Tricia Hill Administrator

Servanthood Annual Report

There are two parts to this key activity in BCC - the giving of financial support and the offering of practical ministry.

Financial support:

We continue to tithe our general income at 10%. This enables us to bless others, in addition to other designated giving. This year, our servanthood fund was divided between two supported missionary workers - Andrew in Romania and Elena in Mozambique; our food distribution ministry and the Bible Society.

Practical ministry

We provide a wide range of activities to support the needs of the community and offer support, friendship and advice. It is encouraging to see many members of the congregation, involved in this valuable ministry. Our current Draft Development Plan asks that all our community work has an outward looking focus. Also, that we ensure all our activities are engaging with the community and effective in promoting the gospel. Our aim is to develop a bridge to those linked to BCC via these activities.

Norman Fryer-Saxby Elder

Youth and Children’s Annual Report

Shine: Our weekly children's club, Shine, has lots of fun games and crafts for the children to do. We are seeing between 6-8 Children on a weekly basis, with the highest point being 12 Children plus six parents/guardians who stayed while the club was going on. These numbers continue to grow as we step into September 2024 and a new academic year.

Messy Church: Is a great opportunity to share and to grow our children’s and young people’s ministries. This has been a successful year, seeing lots of growth since the last year. Messy Church caters to the needs of both children, young people and their families. The attendance records show an average of 21-22 children and 14-15 parents/guardians each month. It is worth mentioning that Messy Church continues to bring new families into the church where we can get to know them and build great relationships with them.

Who Let The Dads’ Out?: This year we organized seven, 1½ hour sessions, of "Who Let the Dads Out?". Attendance for this club has fluctuated throughout the year. The highlight was a session that welcomed twelve new dads and male carers, along with fifteen children, many of whom had never participated in church events before. Conversely, we faced a significant drop in attendance in May when no children attended a session. This negatively impacted our average

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

numbers. Overall, the average attendance for children this year was between 5 and 6, while for dads and caregivers, it ranged from 3 to 4.

‘One off’ Children's and Youth Events: Over the past year, we have successfully hosted several prominent events to commemorate significant occasions in the Christian calendar, including Easter, Christmas, and a Bright Lights party for Halloween. These gatherings have been highly successful, drawing numerous families, children, and youth to our church.

The first event was the Light Party on Saturday 28 October 2023, when we welcomed fortyNativity Play four children, along with their parents and caregivers, resulting in a total of ninety-eight attendees, which included a dedicated team of volunteers. Participants enjoyed the festivities while learning about Jesus as the light of the world.

Later in 2023, on Saturday 16 December, we organized a Christmas party that garnered a strong turnout from the community. This event attracted forty-eight children and teenagers under the age of eighteen, along with forty-five parents and caregivers, in addition to a team of twelve volunteers. In total one hundred and five individuals came together to celebrate Christmas at the church.

Our final and most well-attended event was the Easter Egg-stravaganza, which drew participants of all ages. We were delighted to host a total of two hundred and six individuals on the church premises. This celebration included one hundred and sixteen children and youth under eighteen, seventy-four adults, and a team of helpers. Attendees enjoyed various activities, such as a bouncy castle, games, an Easter egg hunt, a barbecue, and learned about the significance of Easter.

Holiday Club Summary: In our planning for this past year, we decided to host another Holiday Club, building on the success of previous events. This year's Holiday Club took place over three days - Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 August - from 10am to 12 pm. The theme for this event was "Time Travel", allowing participants to experience various biblical time periods as time agents. The event proved to be a great success, as evidenced by the attendance, which averaged 29 to 30 children each day.

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Time Travel
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Sunday School: This year, we have experienced an increase in the number of families with children attending our Sunday services, which prompted us to re-establish a Sunday school program. We launched a new initiative called Focus Junior Church. Throughout the year, attendance in this group has fluctuated significantly; at times, we have had no children present, while on other occasions, attendance has reached as high as eight or nine participants. However, we have recognized the value of this program, particularly as it has facilitated discussions about baptism among some of the older siblings, around the age of 16.

Schools Work: Over the past year, we have had the opportunity to visit two primary schools in the Brixington area. At Brixington Primary Academy, we conducted weekly assemblies for children aged 5 to 7, centred around themes selected by the school in alignment with the Personal, Social, Health, and Economic (PSHE) education framework. This approach ensured that the assemblies were both relevant and engaging for the students. Additionally, we organized three whole-school assemblies at Brixington Primary, one of which took place at our church building during the Easter season.

At Bassetts Farm Primary School, we implemented similar assemblies, but tailored them to suit an older audience, specifically targeting Key Stage 2 students aged 8 to 10. Furthermore, our collaboration with Exmouth Community College continued, where I supported the Haven team from Open Doors Exmouth in facilitating a lunchtime hub. This initiative provided a space for students to engage in games, discuss their activities, and receive one-on-one mentoring for those facing various challenges.

Team changes: We are delighted to announce that Brandon Sweat has had an exceptional year with us at Brixington Community Church. Throughout his time here, he has gained invaluable experience working alongside various volunteer teams, including our youth and children’s ministries, as well as with South West Youth Ministries (SWYM). Since the beginning of his journey, Brandon has demonstrated remarkable personal growth and maturity, and as a church, we are proud to have played a role in his development. At the end of August, he returned to his home town in the United States, where he is currently residing with a family from his home church. He appears to be thriving and effectively applying what he has learned during his stay with us.

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

In September 2024, we were pleased to welcome Ben Culshaw to our team as our new SWYM trainee. He will be commencing a Level 3 qualification in Applied Theology and will be actively involved in various church services, including the establishment of a new youth club for teenagers and pre-teens. We look forward to witnessing Ben's journey this year and the growth of his faith in God.

Bradley Goodwin

Youth and Children’s Leader

Growth Groups Annual Report

We are dedicated to supporting individuals on their faith journeys, and our Growth Groups play a vital role in this mission. These groups offer a space for discussing faith-related topics, studying scripture, praying, encouraging and uplifting one another.

Currently, we have eight Growth Groups that meet regularly, including one that connects online. Over 75% of our fellowship participates in these groups consistently.

During the year we have been able to run an Alpha course which was well attended.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our Growth Group leaders for their commitment to preparing, leading, and nurturing their groups each week.

Reverend Simon Atkinson Trustee responsible

Safeguarding and Pastoral Care Annual Report

Safeguarding: Brixington Community Church (BCC) aims to provide a safe and creative place for children, young people and adults in a vulnerable situation, to be safe, valued and nurtured.

The church has a robust safeguarding policy structure in place and a reporting procedure for issues of concern. This is updated annually in line with the South West Baptists safeguarding recommendations.

Our policy demonstrates that every member of the fellowship has a part to play in creating and valuing a safer community. Within the policy there are also guidelines for 'best practice' for all who work alongside the vulnerable, along with an efficient and prompt system to respond to any safeguarding issues surrounding children, young people or adults. Significant updated information on digital communication with young people, abuse of trust, live streaming and working with alleged and known offenders, has been expanded and incorporated into the policy this year.

The policy statement is read annually to the fellowship at the AGM, who are reminded of our collective responsibility for the well-being of all and the reporting procedure in the event of any concern.

The safeguarding team meet every 6-8 weeks with an agenda of overview and support. Our relationship with the Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS) workers and the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) team, ensures that the Lead Trustee can process any urgent reported concerns within 24 hours to the appropriate authorities or support services.

All who work alongside the vulnerable groups are Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked and have received 'Safe to Grow' and 'Safe to Belong' training. In addition, our existing policy for 'Working Alone' is also implemented into our working practice. A risk assessment is prepared and carried out before any activities, both on and off-site, can take place. These risk assessments also include activities such as seniors’ activities, youth work and any home visits.

The Lead Deacon reports to the church Deacons at their monthly meetings.

Pastoral Care: The primary purpose of Pastoral Care at BCC is to care, support and nurture people so that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is a resource for every situation.

Although the primary responsibility for Pastoral Care lies with the Pastor, he is assisted by the Elder, Deacons, Growth

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

group leaders and the newly formed Pastoral Care team. Any pastoral needs of the congregation are reviewed on a regular basis.

Pastoral Care is also exercised through the prayerful and practical support through smaller Growth Groups. The WhatsApp prayer chain exists for members of the fellowship facing immediate crisis to request prompt prayer support, from a significant number of fellowship members who are part of the chain.

During the winter months the church will continue to offer a 'Safe and Warm place' for fellowship, a warm drink and warm space to anyone experiencing problems of loneliness and heating poverty.

The church office and growth group leaders have remained a point of contact for anyone experiencing difficulties with shopping, medication collections, hospital appointments, or needing a re-assuring chat or visit during these difficult times, whilst exercising all the required precautions during this year. The Pastoral Care team will respond to these needs accordingly.

It has been heartening to see how caring and supportive all fellowship members have been for one another during this year.

Jill Clark

Trustee Responsible

Health and Safety Annual Report

Our Health and Safety record continues to be of a high standard.

Earlier in the year, we were inspected by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and I am pleased to announce that our fire safety standards passed muster.

Equally, considering the many activities held at the church, we continue to maintain an excellent record in terms of accidents requiring first aid or emergency treatment. There have only been a few minor injuries which required the odd plaster to fix. This is largely due in part to everyone being aware and playing their role in ensuring a safe

environment, keeping pace with risk assessments, combining a good standard of housekeeping and repair of the fabric.

A Fire Exercise was carried out on a Wednesday morning when the church was busy, and I can report that this went well.

Michael Greaves

Trustee Responsible

Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club Chaplaincy Annual Report

Serving as the Chaplain for Exeter Chiefs offers a unique opportunity to connect with both players and staff. It's a ministry rooted in presence, allowing me to build relationships so that when life’s challenges arise, I’m a familiar face. While I don’t initiate conversations about faith, I’m open to sharing my beliefs when prompted. My role involves providing pastoral and spiritual care by listening, encouraging, and supporting everyone - regardless of their faith background.

This year has brought significant changes to the playing squad, with many veteran players moving on and a fresh influx of younger talent. There is a number players with a Christian faith and I have been able to encourage them in their personal journey.

As I enter my fourteenth year as the club's Chaplain. I’d like to express my gratitude to the church for allowing me three hours each week to serve the Exeter Chiefs in this role.

Reverend Simon Atkinson Chaplain to Exeter Chiefs

Hospitality Annual Report

We are deeply grateful to God for the blessings and sense of unity that have defined our events and activities this year.

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

The Environmental Health Inspector visited for the annual inspection of the kitchen in November 2023 and I am pleased to report that the church retained the 5 rating gained last year. Given the constraints of our incredibly small kitchen this bears testament to the various Catering Teams capability.

Coffee Mornings:

Our weekly Coffee Mornings continue to be a joyful space for fellowship, with an average attendance of 17. The Shoebox Workshops have been a meaningful addition, allowing us to send essential items to children in Romania.

Seniors' Lunches:

These lunches have provided a warm and celebratory environment for our seniors. We thank Jean Honey and her team for ensuring high-quality meals and experiences, with birthdays and guest speakers making each event special.

Parent Pop-In:

This continues to be a welcoming event for children and caregivers, fostering community through light snacks, coffee, and enjoyable interaction. It is a veritable hive of activity on a Thursday afternoon.

Messy Church:

Still a popular event, Messy Church offers both spiritual growth and fellowship for all who attend, benefiting participants and volunteers alike.

Prayers and Future Hopes:

We pray for better attendance at events like Coffee Mornings and Seniors' Lunches, and for more volunteers to support our growing mission.

Acknowledgments:

We thank Pastor Simon Atkinson, Mrs. K Atkinson, Mr. Bradley Goodwin, Mrs. Debby Goodwin, Miss Tricia Hill, our Trustees, and all volunteers for their invaluable contributions.

In closing, we look forward to continued growth and community engagement and sharing God's love through our efforts.

Maria Carvalho

Trustee Responsible

Worship Annual Report

With Out Reservation Serve Him In Praise. This statement is one that describes what we seek to do, it is important to the life of Brixington Community Church. Not just on a Sunday, but seven days a week, and in every part of our individual lives and together as community of God’s people. Our Draft Development plan for 2023/24 details some of what we are seeking to achieve, including:

• Help develop people’s prayer life

• Encourage everyone to have a time of daily devotion

• Help and encourage people to encounter the Holy Spirit

We are praying that in future, our style of worship will:

• reflect these aims and the needs of individual people that attend

• include appropriate biblical teaching and application

• encourage people to have an expectation that the Spirit of God is at work

Norman Fryer-Saxby

Trustee Responsible

Community Engagement Annual Report

In this role I work alongside some of the other deacons and staff and reach out to the community, advertising events and helping in clubs and weekly events, trying to engage with people new and old as they visit us here at Brixington and as we attend other events away from church.

During the past year as Community Engagement Deacon, I have continued to reach out to the community making contacts and organising events. In December, I joined Bradley and volunteers from BCC along with other Exmouth churches at the Christmas Fayre in the Strand, where we were able to meet lots of people and give out leaflets for our events over the Christmas period and put our church on the map. This was very successful, and we had great outreach.

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

As the year started, we undertook a few car boot and table sales, the first one being in February. This was very successful in that we saw a lot of new faces and had new conversations with people who had never been to our church before. We have managed to raise some much-needed funds for the church doing this too, although not a lot in the grand scheme of things, it all helps and great fun has been had whilst doing it. In March I helped Bradley with the Easter ‘Eggstavaganza’ and again some great community contacts were made, as literally hundreds of people came through the church doors. My main event this year has been the annual Brix Fayre which is always very well attended and again this year it did not fail us. In total, around £800 was made for the building fund, and great relationships have been made with small companies who wish to support us in future events.

In the summer I attended the Brixington Schools summer Fayre with our gazebo and a few craft things for sale. I also handed out flyers promoting the various church events and spent time chatting to parents and children about what we do.

I have been standing in for Kay and helping run Parent Pop In on Thursdays during term time. Our weekly numbers range from anything between 8 and 40 and it offers a warm safe space for people to come and engage with others with their children. There is a small affordable café each week, offering light refreshments. It has been lovely to see the children grow and move on to nursery and later return to other church events such as Messy Church. It is great to see relationships and friendships being forged.

Debby Goodwin Trustee Responsible

Premises Annual Report

The work to maintain the premises has continued with jobs being carried out in-house, by a band of volunteers to whom I am very grateful, and by external contractors.

The largest task carried out by volunteers was painting the church office. Also the church foyer carpet was replaced with carpet tiles this year. I would like to record my thanks to Chris Wright who undertook this mammoth task.

An outside contractor was employed to replace the tired office flat roof, which was in danger of leaking.

Among the plethora of other tasks undertaken were:

Replacing taps – gents toilet Replacing toilet seats Repainting lines in the car park PAT testing – Thank you to Stuart Sutton for undertaking this task Routine grass cutting.

I am grateful to people for flagging up things that need attention and to Chris who just gets on with all sorts of jobs large and small.

My aim is to expand the number of volunteers to spread the load.

Bob Smith

Trustee Responsible

Stewardship - Treasurer’s Annual Report

As part of the Church’s vision and values, the role of the Stewardship team is to provide good stewardship of the church’s financial resources by:

• ensuring the church’s Trustees are accountable to the church members for the church's finances, and meet the legal and financial requirements of the Charity Commission, HMRC and the Baptist Pension Scheme

• ensuring sustainable budget planning for the church by monitoring and advising on expenditure, and maximising income including Gift Aid

• enabling and supporting teams and individuals in their ministries by managing church funds to provide "tools for the job" as needed to further the church's spiritual and community goals

• promoting generous giving as people feel led, as a reflection of their Christian life

• supporting the progress of the Building Development project (BDF)

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

Each year at the AGM the Treasurer presents a draft budget on behalf of the Trustees for the new church financial year. Once approved by members, this is then monitored monthly throughout the year and circulated to the Trustees with an analysis by the Treasurer of income and expenditure issues, projections and trends.

The Trustees would like to express their sincere thanks to members and friends for consistent and generous giving in 2023/24 in what has proved a challenging year for many people's personal finances. God's timely provision, both for the ministries of the church and its fixed and running costs, is testament again to meeting the needs within the fellowship and wider in the local community.

INCOME

Sources of income included regular giving, donations, legacies, Gift Aid, property letting, premises hire, small grants funding, some staffing support costs and a grant from South West Baptist Association towards our SWYM student placement.

This was the second year of setting a "deficit" budget insofar as the respective budget targets for income and expenditure were different, reflecting a faithful but realistic approach to the levels of anticipated giving set against likely expenditure, with any shortfall being covered by church general funds/reserves. Part of the expenditure, it should be noted, is in fact the church's corporate giving/tithing to other ministries (see below).

The overall income target of £122,700 (excluding Building Fund donations and staffing support award) was exceeded at £129,383. While church members have felt led to give generously (including legacy donations) and consistently as in the previous year's giving, changes in people's personal circumstances/finances impacted the year target of £70,000 for regular giving and weekly offerings, which came in 8% below at £64,396. These gifts provided nearly half of the annual income target achieved. Maximising Gift Aid refunds from HMRC resulted in £13,310 which contributed nearly 9% of total income.

Alongside its regular Coffee Mornings and Seniors’ Lunch activities for local people and church members, as a Community Church Brixington also hires its premises to link with local community groups, hosting activities including craft sessions, a model gaming club and a carers group, as well as private hire and being a regular polling station. This hire of premises contributed over £8,000 (5% of the church’s income) towards meeting running costs.

The Building Development Fund (BDF) set up to Build the Church as a fellowship and as a Community Hub is a major and ambitious vision for the church. With the impact of rising inflationary building costs and charges, the re-valued project cost is now estimated at over £5 million, and the church has committed to fundraising locally and at a national level from grant-funders to move the project forward. In the meantime, a total of £13,226 was raised in 2023/24 from members' ongoing giving and donations (excluding Gift Aid) to take the total BDF to £337k.

Savings investments - primarily BDF funds - have achieved positive results through higher interest rates being applied throughout the year, and this brought a welcome return of £12,790 from a mix of Charity Bond investments and bank interest.

EXPENDITURE

The expenditure budget represents the various areas of ministry and church activity covering Fellowship (Community, Children and Families outreach), Worship, Discipleship (including training and development of staff and volunteers) and the committed/ fixed costs under Ministry support (i.e. staffing, payroll and pensions), Administration and Finance and Property-related spending.

The overall expenditure budget of £135,525 (excluding BDF) was exceeded by £15,529 to total £151,054, partly arising from significant property-related spending on the church premises and to meet safety and maintenance requirements at the let property, but also some increases to annual running costs. Staffing-related costs comprised over 46% of total spend but were offset by payments awarded from the BU Pension scheme to cover long-term sickness. Coverage of SWYM training costs for the intern placement were met by a South-West Baptist Association grant and two generous church member donations, but food and accommodation costs were met from church general funds.

On a positive note Expenditure also included spending from grants, legacies and donations for Family Support, Food Distribution etc. It also reflected the church’s corporate tithe giving to other Christian organisations working locally, nationally and internationally. This included the Baptist Home Mission Fund (HMF), Baptist Missionary Society

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

(BMS), Bible Society, Exmouth Open Door's community support, the Persecuted Church and to church members working on mission in Romania and Mozambique. This year's total giving of £11,533 equated to around 10% of total income.

Church members also agreed to invest £1400 in development work to improve and update the church's website, which is an important part of connecting with our community and welcoming new friends and visitors.

Reserves Policy : It is important to note that as part of its total reserves and in line with the annual assessment of financial risks under the church's Stewardship (Finance) Policy, the Trustees have stipulated that unrestricted "emergency" reserves of £52,000 are maintained within the church's working reserves. This is made up of £25,000 to ensure salaries and related costs can be met in the event of extenuating or extraordinary circumstances e.g. impending church closure, staff reductions, and £27,000 to cover regular operating costs for a 3-month period if the church cannot maintain an adequate level of net income for any unforeseen reason. Incorporating the above, the Church's general reserves are £90,020, and along with restricted and designated funds for specific purposes totalling £349,062, these make up the total of all funds and reserves at £439,082 (2023: £437,504) for the end of the year.

My thanks as always to Katie Hughes and Sally Vince for their highly valued support and continuing commitment every week throughout the year toward ensuring that stewardship of the church’s finances does what it should.

Most of all, a heartfelt Thank You again to all members and friends - particularly on a personal note from myself as Treasurer - as you have each felt led to celebrate God's generosity by being generous yourselves.

Geraint Hughes Treasurer

Trustees Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements

The law applicable to Charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the Charity's financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing those 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

• state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements

• prepare the financial statements on a regular basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business

The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Signature and Declaration

I declare in my capacity as Chair of Charity Trustees that:

• The Trustees have approved the report above and

• Have authorised me to sign the report on their behalf.

Signed: Dated: 13 November 2024

Reverend Simon Atkinson

Pastor

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF BRIXINGTON COMMUNITY CHURCH (BAPTIST)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 30 September 2024.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144() of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

• examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;

• to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner's Report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and the seeking of explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner's Statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:

2. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and

3. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act. have not been met; or

4. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

S Truran FCCA FCA

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

Streets Bush Limited

2 Barnfield Crescent Exeter

EXI IQT Date:

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

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Brixington Community Church (Baptist) Trustees Report 1[st] October 2023 – 30[th] September 2024

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