UPMINSTER BAPTIST CHURCH
Registered Address
Springfield Gardens, Upminster, Essex, RM14 3EH
Charity Registration Number
1141721
Trustees
The Rev M Davison (Senior Minister) The Rev R Shorter (Minister) Mr R Chipperfield (Treasurer) Mrs M Connor (trustee) Mr A Lyall (trustee) (retired 31/12/2023) Mr C Brockelsby (trustee) Mr R Burgin (trustee)
Property Trustees
London Baptist Property Board Ltd 235 Shaftesbury Avenue London WC2H 8EP
Bankers
CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ. Barclays Bank Plc, Leicester, LE87 2BB.
Independent Examiner
Mr C Woodberry
Annual Report for the Year 2023
The trustees present their Annual Report and financial statements for 2023.
Charitable Object
The Charity is governed by an Approved Governing Document which states that the principal purpose of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination to include the advancement of education, community service and such other general charitable purposes in such parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the Church shall determine.
The Church occupies premises which are held by the London Baptist Property Board Ltd, on Trusts which are entirely compatible with the above object.
Organisational Structure and Decision making processes
Members of the Church are accepted in accordance with the Constitution which requires them to be or to have been publicly baptised or made other public profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
The members Meeting takes place at least four times per year and has responsibility for the overall policy of the church. In accordance with the Constitution, the members appoint up to 12 Trustees, who together with the Minister(s), Church Secretary and
Treasurer (who are also appointed by the Members), and collectively known as the Diaconate, are responsible for the day to day running of the church's work and witness, and the financial and legal aspects of the charity. All members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objective.
Relevant matters may be submitted to the Church meeting by the Trustees for guidance or may be raised by members in Church meeting for further consideration by the Trustees. Though the Constitution permits decisions to be made at Church meetings by appropriate majorities, the Church seeks to work by consensus wherever possible.
Objectives and Activities
In order to achieve the principal objective, which is set out above, the Church provides a variety of activities both to its membership and to the community generally. The aim is to show the love of Jesus Christ in both word and deed and to bring people into a closer relationship with Him as living Lord.
The church seeks to be a friendly and welcoming community, and anybody is free to attend any of these services.
Central to the work and witness of the Church is the provision of regular public services of Christian worship. These services take place each Sunday at 10.30 a.m. There are also occasional services at other times which are advertised on Sundays, in the weekly newsletter sent out via email, and the website at www.upminsterbaptists.co.uk. There is a full children's and youth programme during the morning services, and youth group for teenagers meets fortnightly on Sunday evening. The youth group occasionally attend youth services in other churches, or Christian youth/music festivals.
The Church runs a series of house groups for the growth of faith and discipleship in the homes of some members, and further details of these can be obtained from the Trustees on request, or at the Sunday service.
A playgroup runs each weekday the morning on the premises, and a Toddler Group meets on the Church premises on Tuesday mornings, with the purpose of assisting the community and demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ.
We run a social / lunch club for older people on Mondays.
The Wellbeing group meets weekly and continues to help members gain confidence and a sense of purpose. The Springfield Flower Arrangers continue to meet weekly in term time, as does the Lymphoma group monthly.
We run a Men's Shed project, a community space for men to connect, converse and create, and help reduce loneliness and isolation. Alongside this is a Men’s café in the church foyer for those unable to work in the shed.
Rooms and halls are regularly hired out, including to Scouts and Cubs who meet on the premises two evenings per week, and majorettes and an AA group once a week.
From time to time the Church runs courses for people interested in discovering more about Christianity.
The church usually issues a booklet giving details of all affiliated organisations at the AGM.
The Church operates systems to ensure that all people working with children are appropriately vetted with regard to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
The trustees have read the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and is satisfied that the activities outlined above clearly demonstrates that the charity is providing a benefit to the public.
Achievements and Performance
The Church does not measure the success of its programmes only in numbers, including financial numbers, but also in less tangible areas like fellowship and encouragement. The Trustees recognise that these are difficult to measure, but believe all organisations worked towards the objectives of the church.
On 31 December 2023 the membership stood at 91.
We have continued to live stream services on You Tube. When combining the numbers present and those online, our attendance numbers have increased.
Financial Review
The Church continues to raise the funds which it needs to carry on its activities from within its own membership and congregation. No wider public appeal was made for funds during the year.
The most significant expense relates to the appointment of Ministers to the Church, to lead and co-ordinate the church's activities including the Sunday Services, to provide pastoral care for the congregation and other people, and to equip and encourage the membership in their life, Christian witness and service.
The Church expressed its part in the life of the wider church by making grants to national and international Christian organisations and societies with Christian aims and objectives compatible with the church's own charitable purpose.
The Church is heavily dependent on its membership working as volunteers in all aspects of the church's activities, many of which run with little or no impact on the church's expenditure, but nevertheless contribute substantially to the achievement of the church's objectives.
The financial results for the year, together with a summary of the accounting policies adopted are set out in the accompanying financial statements.
The Trustees are satisfied that they have sufficient reserves at the Balance Sheet date, together with ongoing income anticipated, to enable the church to function effectively in the coming year. The church has a reserves policy which was approved
at the Members meeting on 29[th] November 2023.
Risk Assessment
The Trustees have made an assessment of the major risks facing the church and are satisfied that there are policies in place to minimise these risks.
UPMINSTER BAPTIST CHURCH
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 - FINAL v1.0
| GENERAL RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT | GENERAL RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Note on 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Receipts | |||
| Weekly offerings and banking orders | £66,743 | £66,413 | |
| Donations and other income | 2 | £14,170 | £20,328 |
| Income tax recovered on gifts | 3 | £18,522 | -£524 |
| Investment income | 4 | £5,834 | £1,570 |
| Rents and contributions for use of premises | 5 | £30,201 | £26,264 |
| Raised for other causes (specific appeals) | 6 | £1,097 | £2,280 |
| Total Receipts | £136,566 | £116,331 | |
| Payments | |||
| Ministry | 7 | £76,214 | £73,807 |
| Mission (givings that aren't specific appeals) | 8 | £11,512 | £10,065 |
| Upkeep of church premises | 9 | £37,017 | £30,602 |
| Administration | 10 | £9,224 | £8,926 |
| Amounts passed to other causes (specific appeals) | 11 | £1,097 | £2,280 |
| One-off payments | £1,220 | £3,220 | |
| Total Payments | £136,283 | £128,900 | |
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | £282.76 | -£12,569 | |
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | Transfer surplus to Reserve Fund from General Fund | £282.76 | -£12,569 |
| Cash balance at previous year end | General Fund starts and ends at zero, enabled by | £0 | £0 |
| Cash balance at currentyear end | transfers in and out of Reserve Fund. | £0 | £0 |
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| RESERVE FUND RECEIPTS & PAYMENT | ACCOUNT | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note on 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | ||
| Total Receipts | £0 | £32,000 | ||
| Total Payments | £0 | £0 | ||
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | £0 | £32,000 | ||
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | Transfer surplus to Reserve Fund from General Fund | -£283 | £15,332 | |
| Cash balance at previous year end | £169,060 | £152,392 | ||
| Cash balance at current year end | £169,342 | £169,060 | ||
| MENS SHED RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT | ||||
| Note on 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | ||
| Total Receipts | £2,475 | £10,330 | ||
| Total Payments | Mostly | salary of part-time administrator | £7,258 | £3,879 |
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | -£4,783 | £6,451 | ||
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | £0 | £0 | ||
| Cash balance at previous year end | £10,765 | £4,314 | ||
| Cash balance at current year end | £5,982 | £10,765 | ||
| SECOND WORKER RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT | ||||
| Note on 2023 | 2022 | |||
| Total Receipts | £0 | |||
| Total Payments | £0 | |||
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | £0 | |||
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | £6,659 | |||
| Cash balance at previous year end | £6,659 | |||
| Cash balance at current year end | This fund closed in 2022 | £0 | ||
| CAFÉ-WITH-A-PURPOSE RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT | ||||
| Note on 2023 | 2023 | |||
| Total Receipts | £310 | |||
| Total Payments | £3,483 | |||
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | -£3,173 | |||
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | Transfer of £10k from Other Causes | -£10,000 | ||
| Cash balance at previous year end | £0 | |||
| Cash balance at current year end | £6,827 | |||
| OTHER CAUSES RECEIPTS & PAYMENT | ACCOUNT | |||
| Note on 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | ||
| Total Receipts | £0 | £0 | ||
| Total Payments | £0 | £0 | ||
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | £0 | £0 | ||
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | Transfer of £10k to Café-With-A-Purpose | £10,000 | -£10,000 | |
| Cash balance at previous year end | £10,000 | £0 | ||
| Cash balance at current year end | This fund is now considered closed | £0 | £10,000 | |
| FRONT OF CHURCH FUND RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT | ||||
| Note on 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | ||
| Total Receipts | £0 | £1,000 | ||
| Total Payments | £800 | £0 | ||
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | -£800 | £1,000 | ||
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | £0 | £0 | ||
| Cash balance at previous year end | £8,500 | £7,500 | ||
| Cash balance at current year end | £7,700 | £8,500 | ||
| KINTSUGI RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT | ||||
| Note on 2023 | 2023 | |||
| Total Receipts | £100 | |||
| Total Payments | £0 | |||
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | £100 | |||
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | £0 | |||
| Cash balance at previous year end | £0 | |||
| Cash balance at current year end | £100 |
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FUTURE MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT
| Note on 2023 | 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Receipts | Balance of 2023 | maintenance budget allocated here | £411 | |
| Total Payments | £0 | |||
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | £411 | |||
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | £0 | |||
| Cash balance at previous year end | £0 | |||
| Cash balance at current year end | £411 | |||
| YOUTH FUND RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT | ||||
| Note on 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | ||
| Total Receipts | £0 | £291 | ||
| Total Payments | £264 | £0 | ||
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | -£264 | £291 | ||
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | £0 | £578 | ||
| Cash balance at previous year end | £291 | £578 | ||
| Cash balance at current year end | £27 | £291 | ||
| LIFEPATH FUND RECEIPTS & PAYMENT ACCOUNT | ||||
| Note on 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | ||
| Total Receipts | £0 | £0 | ||
| Total Payments | £0 | £0 | ||
| Net receipts / (payments) for the year | £0 | £0 | ||
| Transfers (to) / from this fund | £0 | £0 | ||
| Cash balance at previous year end | £127 | £127 | ||
| Cash balance at current year end | £127 | £127 | ||
| Total of all above Cash Balances at previous year end | £198,743 | £171,570 | ||
| Total of all above Cash Balances at currentyear end | £190,516 | £198,743 |
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| STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITES AT 31 DECEMBER 2023 | STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITES AT 31 DECEMBER 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Assets | Note on 2023 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Barclays Current Account | £24,340 | £24,040 | |
| CAF Cash Current Account | £9,957 | £473 | |
| CAF Gold Savings Account | £24,567 | £61,730 | |
| Santander Savings Account | £800 | £800 | |
| Baptist Union Investment Accounts | £133,271 | £113,289 | |
| Paypal | £59 | £668 | |
| Petty Cash | £2,303 | £137 | |
| Debtors | Card transactions awaiting reimbursement. Temporary loan. |
£1,910 | £0 |
| Total Cash Assets | £197,208 | £201,137 | |
| Cash Liabilities | Note on 2023 | 2023 | £2,022 |
| Current liabilities | 12 | £6,691 | £2,394 |
| Total Cash Liabilities | £6,691 | £2,394 | |
| Net Total of all above Cash Assets minus Liabilities at current year end | £190,516 | £198,743 | |
| Other Non-Cash Assets | Note on 2023 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Investment property (69 Argyle Gdns) | Based on insured value | £220,380 | £204,812 |
| Fixtures, furniture and equipment | Based on insured value | £157,200 | £131,890 |
| Total Other Assets | £377,580 | £336,702 | |
| Other Non-Cash Liabilities | Note on 2023 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Pension Scheme liability | 13 | £0 | £0 |
| Total Other Liabilities | £0 | £0 |
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NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
1. Basis of accounts
These accounts have been prepared on a ‘receipts and payments’ basis and in accordance with Section 133 Charities Act 2011.
2. Donations and other income
| 2. Donations and other income | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| One-off Donations | £12,345 | £17,621 |
| Legacies & Bequests | £0 | £1,000 |
| Donations for Thanksgiving Services and Funerals | £1,825 | £1,707 |
| Total Donations and Other Income | £14,170 | £20,328 |
3. Income tax recovered on gifts
The 2022 figure (-£524) is negative because the amount claimed in 2021 was not fully realised in 2022. This figure represents the shortfall, incurred in 2022. In 2023 onwards, we retrospectively claimed for the previous year - to avoid the above shortfall potential. The 2023 figure is Gift Aid recovered in 2023 from 2022 donations.
4. Investment income
| 4. Investment income | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Bank interest | £851 | £263 | |
| Trust income | £4,983 | £1,308 | |
| Total Investment Income | £5,834 | £1,570 | |
| 5. Rents and contributions for use of premises | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Rental income from Investment Property 69 Argyle | Gardens | £12,649 | £12,446 |
| Rental income from Investment Property 29 Parkland Avenue | £0 | £4,648 | |
| Church Hire: Playgroup | £5,000 | £3,590 | |
| Church Hire: Scouts | £2,250 | £1,230 | |
| Church Hire: Other regular groups | £8,708 | £3,616 | |
| Church Hire: Ad-hoc parties / events | £1,594 | £734 | |
| Total Rents and contributions for use of premises | £30,201 | £26,264 | |
| 6. Raised for other causes (specific appeals) | 2023 | 2022 | |
| BMS Birthday Scheme | £340 | £285 | |
| Appeal for Stand by Me | £557 | £0 | |
| Donation received for Lymphoma Group | £200 | £0 | |
| Appeal for Food Bank Fridge | £0 | £967 | |
| Appeal for Wennington Fire Response | £0 | £678 | |
| Appeal for Love Purfleet | £0 | £350 | |
| Total Raised for other causes | £1,097 | £2,280 | |
| 7. Ministry | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Minister’s stipend including National Insurance | £47,689 | £40,671 | |
| Pension contribution | Members contribution incorrectly allocated against this line for 2022; corrected for 2023. |
£6,844 | £9,062 |
| Minister’s expenses | £1,882 | £2,283 | |
| Preaching contributions to external speakers | |||
| Manse costs | £16,338 | £16,293 | |
| Youth ministry | £1,391 | £758 | |
| Evangelism and Fellowship | £1,723 | £1,859 | |
| Pastoral | £335 | £523 | |
| Contribution to BU Pension Deficit | £12 | £2,358 | |
| Total Ministry | £76,214 | £73,807 | |
| 8. Mission | 2023 | 2022 | |
| BU Home Mission | £4,750 | £4,350 | |
| BMS World Mission | £5,512 | £4,965 | |
| Turkic Belt Ministries and Arab World Ministries | £750 | £750 | |
| Other mission | £500 | ||
| Total Mission | £11,512 | £10,065 |
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9. Upkeep of church premises
| 9. Upkeep of church premises | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Church: Gas, electricity, water, telephone, alarm, insurance | £16,589 | £13,031 | |
| Church: Cleaning | £2,640 | £1,316 | |
| Church: Repairs and maintenance | £6,072 | £1,383 | |
| Parkland manse: Council tax, water, telephone, insurance | £6,293 | £4,629 | |
| Parkland manse: Repairs and maintenance | £5,000 | £9,851 | |
| Argyle manse: Insurance | £422 | £392 | |
| Argyle manse: Repairs and maintenance | Small deductions at source from rent. | £0 | £0 |
| Total Upkeep of church premises | £37,017 | £30,602 | |
| 10. Administration | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Administrators | £3,728 | £3,338 | |
| Photocopying and printing | £1,435 | £1,490 | |
| Stationery and supplies | Viking & Kerr&Noble | £1,483 | £1,432 |
| Tech equipment and subscriptions | CCLI, BUGB Subscriptions, Zoom, EvanAlliance, ICO | £1,361 | £295 |
| Other | Adhoc spend, Bank charges, Payroll charges | £1,218 | £2,371 |
| Total Administration | £9,224 | £8,926 | |
| 11. Amounts passed to other causes (specific appeals) | 2023 | 2022 | |
| BMS Birthday Scheme | £340 | £285 | |
| Stand By Me | £557 | ||
| Donation received for Lymphoma Group | £200 | £0 | |
| Trussel Trust Food Bank Fridge | £0 | £967 | |
| Wennington Fire Response | £0 | £678 | |
| Love Purfleet | £0 | £350 | |
| Total Amounts passed to other causes | £1,097 | £2,280 | |
| 12. Current Liabilities | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Cheques written but not cashed | £5,185 | £1,591 | |
| Owed to minister's expenses (incurred, included in above figures, but not paid) | £145 | £407 | |
| Owed to minister's pension fund (included in above figures but not paid) | £1,361 | £279 | |
| Owed to Trussel Trust Food Bank (included in above figures but not paid) | £0 | £117 | |
| Total Current liabilities | £6,691 | £2,394 |
13. Pension Scheme Liabilities
The Church is a participating employer the Baptist Pension Scheme (“the Scheme”), which is a separate legal entity administered by the Pension Trustee (Baptist Pension Trust Limited). The assets of the Scheme are held separately from those of the Employer and the other participating employers.
The Scheme, previously known as the Baptist Ministers’ Pension Fund, started in 1925, but was closed to future accrual of defined benefits on 31 December 2011. Prior to this date the main benefit provided through the Defined Benefit (DB) Plan was a pension of one eightieth of final minimum pensionable income for each year of pensionable service together with additional pension in respect of premiums paid on Pensionable Income in excess of Minimum Pensionable Income. Since 1 January 2012, benefits have been provided through a Defined Contribution (DC) Plan.
A formal valuation of the DB Plan as at 31 December 2019 by a professionally qualified Actuary using the Projected Unit Method. At the valuation date the market value of the DB Plan assets was £298 million, whilst the level of assets needed to pay benefits was £316m, giving a deficit of £18m (equivalent to a past service funding level of 94%). The Church and the other participating employers in the DB Plan are collectively responsible for funding this deficit. The next actuarial valuation of the DB Plan within the Scheme is due to take place not later than as at 31 December 2022.
On 30th June 2022 the Baptist Pension Scheme signed an agreement with the insurance company Just Group (“Just”) to secure DB Plan members’ pension benefits. Just are now providing financial backing for all pensions provided through the Scheme’s DB Plan and following this transaction, the Scheme no longer has a shortfall. An updated Recovery plan was then signed in August 2022 under which recovery contributions from each participating employer in the DB Plan reduced to £1 per month from August 2022.
Page 6 of 7
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