2020-12-31-accounts

Trustees Annual Report – 2020

Events post year end

As in the past there is often an overlap from the end of the financial year of 31[st] December in making this report, but with the continued onslaught of Covid-19 throughout 2020 and more lockdowns in December 2020 and January and February 202 1 w e have had to adapt our reaching out to broadcast God’s message on-line.

We took the opportunity to continue our worship via on-line conferencing software, throughout the year. This has continued to bring new challenges to the Church but with prayer and the technical abilities of Church Members we have now improved the quality of the broadcasts to not only the regular Church attendees, but also to folk located in other areas of the UK.

We have twice had to postpone our anticipated 2020 weekend away at Northiam Oasts, due to social distancing challenges and hope that we will have the opportunity to meet as a fellowship for reflection in 2021 if conditions allow.

Looking forward to the remaining months of 2021, it is impossible, with a second wave of the virus already upon us, to predict what the future holds, but with the roll out of the vaccines and the announcements to easing of day to day restrictions, all we can do is continue with our prayer lives and trust and obey , for as the hymn goes on to state “ for there is no other way ”.

Regular public worship, prayer, Bible study, preaching and teaching

Following the arrival of Rev Freddy Farias Palacios as our newly appointed Minister we are blessed that he has settled in and that his teaching has encouraged and directed the fellowship to the extent that we are exploring more in depth what God is wanting from us. In 2020, the Church was open every Sunday throughout the year as and when Government restrictions allowed to hold its Sunday morning worship service, typically but not exclusively led by the Pastor. The Elders have met together regularly with our m inister to pray and plan the way forward. We have a full team of Deacons. They all work together with the Elders and Minister in leading the Church forward on a day to day basis.

The Church awaits confirmation that it may hold its fourth Weekend Retreat at Northiam Oasts in 2021, with the majority of the Churc h i ndicating their willingness to attend.

We continued to be supported during our worship services by a talented group of musicians. The Music Group has blessed us week after week with their songs of praise and worship and for responding to the call to lead us in prayer and preaching when asked. The Church and Music Group could not function without the support of the small team of computer operators who control the PA system and overhead projector , who of recent months have engaged themselves in the continued presentation of Sunday services, prayer and administrative meetings by means of Zoom conferencing. Attendance at Sunday Zoom Church registers in the order of 35 logins indicating an attendance in the region of 60 to 70 people.

A number of Home Groups exist and meet throughout the week currently via Zoom to provide attenders with a Bible Study and fellowship opportunity. There is a new Monthly Prayer meeting for corporate prayer to complement the existing opportunities at various times during the week.

Baptism, as defined in the Union's Declaration of Principle

There have been no baptisms or weddings during 2020, although we have had 5 Baptisms in 2021 . The Communion of the Lord's Supper , which continues to be observed at least once a month Throughout the year, Communion was held on every 1st and 3[rd] Sunday s during public worship. Communion was also held for specific reasons such as Maundy Thursday and Christmas Eve.

Evangelism and mission , locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Mission has always remained a priority in Zion as we continue to look beyond our building at the mission opportunities presented to us. The preaching series on various themes has helped to focus the church on our mission responsibilities.

Internationally we continue to support our Baptist Missionary Society link missionaries working overseas , and we also support and engage with Christian charities such as Mission Aviation Fellowship, Cry in the Dark. Fundraising for this work has been and is still ongoing.

Closer to home we continue to hold an informal Friday Coffee Morning meeting previously in the Church and now by Zoom which successfully engages with the local community. We have found this invaluable in identifying social needs in non-church members and has resulted in us being able to offer advice and practical help where needed. The toddler group called Rainbow Tots , regrettably due to lockdown , only met right at the beginning of the year until the onslaught of Covid 19 under the leadership of Suzanne Martin and Christine Hendry, both of whom have been instrumental in the application of hardship fund support to mothers within the group during the period of lockdown. There is also a regular evangelistic presence in the High Street by two members of the church. In 2020 we were not able to have our “ Christmas Tree Festival”, but instead we had a “tree of hope” allowing folk to write and place on the tree prayers and messages of hope. Hopefully in 2021, we will again be able to revisit the event.

Regionally we are proactive with the South Eastern Baptist Association, the body that represents Baptist Churches throughout the South East region. More locally, we are encouraged to network with other Baptist Churches and we do this through the South Kent Network that consists of 17 Churches across Kent. Nationally, we are a member of the Baptist Union of Great Britain. We will seek to support, certainly by prayer, all current mission initiatives that they are engaging with across the UK.

Nurture and growth of Christian disciples

The Church through its elders and leadership team has concentrated on ensuring that those Christians attending Church are cared for and nurtured in their faith and growth. A preaching/teaching address is always available on a Sunday morning, all of which is intended to enable attenders to move on in the faith walk. Mid-week, at various times, home group meetings provide for the same.

Education and training for Christian and community service

There have been DBS checks made on all the trustees, and those engaged in work with children and the community.

Giving and encouraging pastoral care.

During the year our pastoral team have continued to assist the Pastor in offering much needed help and prayer to those within our fellowship and outside. There have as always been some intense needs over this last year due to illness, hospitalisation and bereavement and the team have dealt with them all with love and compassion dealing with spiritual and practical needs. We have been really blessed at Zion with the willingness of the fellowship to volunteer to help wherever needed which has meant that any new initiatives can move forward and existing ones to function fully.

Supporting and encouraging charitable social action in the United Kingdom and abroad. The use of the accommodation by the community continues. Local groups from the community use the building . We support debt counselling and other initiatives run by CTIT.

Communication

Throughout the year the church produces a regular monthly newsletter listing activities and containing a monthly message from the pastor. This is in print form available in the church and is sent to the membership in electronic form. A further weekly sheet was introduced prior to the lockdown giving details of upcoming events and a summary of that week’s preaching and will be reintroduced once we can meet normally. As nearly all the membership is now online, communication can be achieved quickly and economically by e-mail. The upgraded Church Web Site communicates general information to the wider world. We introduced a Church Management system early in 2020 which, due to the requirements of Data Protection, means that we are being compliant with the administration.

Refurbishment & fundraising

The building has disabled facilities to Building Regulations Part M so allowing the church to meaningfully engage with the needs of the disabled community in a new and contemporary way.

The Church continues to pay off its rebuilding loans and has made good head way, significantly reducing the outstanding amount. The Church has been able to maintain its regular anticipated day to day income and expenditure and in doing so we have continued wherever possible to donate funds to help support other charitable groups.

Zion Baptist Church (Tenterden) 1149069 Receipts and payments accounts For the period Period start date Period end date To from 1/1/2020 12/31/2020

CC16a

Section A Receipts and payments

----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
Gift Aid 36,671 4,596 - 41,266 67,902
Hire of hall/equipment 420 - - 420 3,563
Gifts 8,621 243 - 8,864 10,038
Donations 672 250 - 922 13,602
Fundraising for other causes - - - - 291
Other revenue - - - - 956
Tax rebate 21,476 1,107 - 22,583 12,189
Interest 2 2 -
67,862 6,196 - 74,058 108,541
Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 67,862 6,196 - 74,058 108,541
A3 Payments
Premises running costs 20,669 335 - 21,004 39,951
Grants & donations paid 1,891 500 - 2,391 2,672
Operating & admin. Costs 5,513 50 - 5,563 16,287
Missional expenses 1,292 - 1,292 6,249
Subscriptions 1,591 - - 1,591 1,452
Employment salaries, NIC & pension 33,038 - - 33,038 27,017
Loan repayments 6,000 - - 6,000 2,000
Pastor's removal expenses - - - - 2,820
COVID 19 Hardship expenses - 3,020 - 3,020 -
Sub total [ 69,995 ] 3,904 - 73,899 98,447
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
Epson 3LCD Full HD Projector - - - - 1,059
Computers - - - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - 1,059
Total payments 69,995 3,904 - 73,899 99,506
Net of receipts/(payments) [- 2,133 ] 2,291 - 159 9,035
A5 Transfers between funds - 7,500 7,500 - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 20,904 325 - 21,229 12,194
Cash funds this year end [ 11,271 ] 10,116 - 21,388 21,229
----- End of picture text -----

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

		Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment
Categories	Details	funds	funds	funds
B1 Cash funds	General Deposit	to nearest £ 11,271 - 11,271 Total cash funds Unrestricted	to nearest £ 2,616 7,500 - 10,116 Restricted	to nearest £ - - - - Endowment
		funds	funds	funds
B2 Other monetary assets	Details	to nearest £ - - - - - -	to nearest £ - - - - - -	to nearest £ - - - - - -
B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the	Details 71 High Street, Tenterden General Chapel - 69 High Street, Tenterden General Details Equipment General Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs		Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) 5,309	650,000 1,250,000 - - - - Current value (optional) Current value (optional)
B5 Liabilities charity’s own use	Details Loans	General Fund Fund to which liability relates	- - - - - - - - 10,333 Amount due (optional)	- - - - - - - - 30 June 2023 When due (optional)
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees		Signature Print	- - - - Name	Date of approval
		Iain Bottrill
		Freddy Farias Palaciou