## **St Leonards Baptist Church** ## **Annual Report for the year 2023** Church membership has remained stable throughout the year with around 38 members. We have on average between 20 and 30 people - both members and visitors - in attendance on Sunday mornings. The joint evening meetings with Wellington Square Baptist Church has proved very popular and regularly attracts between 30 and 40 people. Excellent figures for two small churches with a combined membership of less than 50. At the end of May 2023 our minister Janet retired from ministry. Janet has been in ministry for the past ten years. We are very grateful for the years of ministry she has given us and wish her well for a happy retirement. Janet will remain in membership with us and preaches regularly. In October 2023 we lost a prominent member of our church family, Derek who served us as church treasurer for many years. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Also in October 2023 we held a baptismal service for two people. This event attracted a larger number than usual as we were joined by people from Wellington Square along with the family of those being baptised. It was good to see the church so busy and to have the baptistry in use once again. Although we are small church with limited resources, there are many individuals who participate regularly, making contributions in every area of church life. There is a core team of around six people who preach regularly and the music team continues to serve effectively with members regularly leading at Wellington Square. We are also very grateful to David for his continued work as maintenance coordinator helping to keep the building in good order. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, members took part in the annual shoebox appeal for ‘Samaritans Purse,’ a charity the church has supported 1 of 2 for many years. We are also in regular contact with Marc and Andrea Hotchkin who are working as missionary doctors in Chad Central Africa. The formal process of amalgamating with Wellington Square Baptist Church to form a new church continues at steady pace and it is hoped that this will be completed sometime in 2024. We have also begun to put together a church profile in preparation for calling a minister to serve the new amalgamated church. Although these are challenging times, the leadership and members continue to look to the future with hope in our hearts. It is our belief that God has not finished with us yet! As our verse for 2024 reads ‘For I have plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.’ Jeremiah 29:11.’ God has a plan a plan for us as part of the glorious bride of Christ. We continue to pray and seek God’s will for the future both as individuals and as a new amalgamated church. Graham Hodge Church Secretary St Leonards Baptist Church. April 2024 2 of 2 ST LEONARDS BAFfisT CHURCH UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 ST LEONARDS BAFfisT CHURCH LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Trusttts Mr G H￿ge Mrs N Cudrnore M5 M C Mascord Mr M Fldcher Mr l Russell Charity number 1150270 Addre&s Chapel Park Road St Leonards on sea E&st Sussex rN37 6HR Independent Examiner Holland Harper LLP 26 High Stre¢t Battle East Sussex TN33 OEA ST LEOYARDS BAPTIST CHURCH BAL.414CE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER2O23 2023 2022 ASSETS Lloyds Bank- Busine&8 Extrd Account Lloyds Bank- 30 Day Noii¢e Account JJ51 15859 £19.410 3.045 9.800 £12.905 NERAL F lunTestrid¢dl As at l January 2023 surp]u￿{[krI¢Ii) for the year 12.905 6JOS £19.4lO 27.975 -15.Q7D £12,905 The above accounts and the notes and other inforn)ation thown on pages 2 10 3 for the year ¢nd¢d 31 D￿¢t￿ber 2023 are approved by the TrLLsiees. Signed by No trustees on behalf of the trK>ard on 14 April 2024. lan Ru55ell Gr*hxm Hodge ST LEONARDS BAPTIST CHURCH GE￿ERAL Fiil%D RECEIPTS AND P.4I'ME%TS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 2023 2022 Tithes and offertngs To refu[￿ r¢cov¢r¢d Donations received refvr Bank interest teteived renis from Manse Grnnts Church venue hire lirteluding hnerals} Pensions Sundry 23A4J 9211 21.608 1.721 75 12.IMI 12.411 4863 280 266 250 43.420 £47.495 LESS.. PAYMENT Stipen4Lp¢D$ion ¢oDtributions aDd Mini#¢rf$ ¢xp¢tWS Ministrv gifts Utilitie5 and [r￿n$t cxpcr In5uranees Repairs and main¢¢nancc Mi55ion Inol¢ 31 Bank serviee charges Donations Admin and telephone Legal fees Mi￿¢113￿¢0us 24.041 160 4.036 2.849 20.986 4.176 &943 3J04 JO.081 4.774 575 500 720 lJ99 £40.990 914 SURPLUSI DEFICI FOR THE YEAR -£15.070 ST LEONARDS BAPTIST CHURCH NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 Thes¢ accounts have been prepared on a-receipts and payments" b&si& in accordance with Section 133 of the Charities 201 The church is the beneficial ommer * a combined insurdnce value of £3 ?78.503 (2022 £3.027242) of premises at Chapel Park Road. Si Leonards-on-sea and at 97 Clinton Cresceni. St i£onards-on-Se the legal title to which is held bj the Bapiisi Union Corporntion Litnited as CUSt(Klian twstee. The church also fJxture& furniture and equipment with an insured value of £62.986 (20L?) £62.986). Pa ments- Mi 2023 2022 S.E.B.A. Baptist Mission Baptist Union 2JOI 2.496 1.080 593 £4.774 £4,J70 It 15 Still the intention of the Church ts) merge with Wellin8ton Squar¢ chU￿h although this had not happ¢ned by 31st December 2023. At 3151 December 2023 ihe church w&$ ￿111 owed £1.41M) from a builder who had incorrectly charged th¢m VAT. An agreement is now in place for this to be paid io the Chwch on a monthly basis. REPORT OF THE IJ'DEPEI%DENT EXAMINER TO THE TRLSTEES OF ST LEO￿ARDs BAPTIST CHURCH This report on the financial statements of the ch￿ir). for the vear ended 31 D￿ember ?023 which are set out on pages I to 3. is in respect of an examination carried out under section 145 of the Chariiies Act 2011. RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES AND THE EXAMtNER As Iruslees you are responsible for the prepardtion of the financial staieTnents; you consid¢r that the audit requirement of section 144(2) of the Charities Aci 2011 (the 2011 Act) d￿$ tKJi apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the b￿15 of the procedures sFttified in the General Dir￿tionS given by the Charity Commissioner under section 145(5Kb) of the 201 I ACL whaher particular matters have Come io my attention. BASIS OF tNDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT My examination was wried in accordance with the Genernl DiTe¢iions given by the Charity Commission. That examination includes a ffview of the accounling records kepi by the church and a comparison of the financial ststements with those records. It also include5 considering any unusual items or disclosEwes in the financial statements and se¢king explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertsken do noi provide all the evidence that would be required in an audiL and consequently I do nol express an audit opinion on the view given by the financial statements. INDEPENDENT EXAMtNERS STATEMENT In connection with my examination, no matt¢T has come to my attention: which give5 me reasonable cause io believe that in any material respe¢1 the requirements to keep accounting records in ￿cordanCe with section 130 of the 2011 Act: and io prepare financial ststements which ac¢ord with the accounting records aThJ io comply with the requirements of the 2011 ACL have not b¢¢n mei; or to which. in my opinion, affeniion should ￿ drawn in order ￿ enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached. Roy M Holland BSclEcon), FCA Holland Harper LLP Chartered Accountants 26 High Sireet Battle East Sussex TN33 OEA 14 April 2024 ## **PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL** Mr R Friday Camellia 17A Rock Mead Road Fairlight East Sussex 35 4BJ ## RMH/DJS/TJ 3rd April 2024 Dear Roland ## **ST LEONARDS BAPTIST CHURCH** I have now completed my examination of the church records and have pleasure in enclosing a draft copy of the unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31st December 2023 for consideration by the trustees. You will appreciate, as in the previous year, I have not undertaken an audit. Instead, I am reporting as an independent examiner under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. My work has involved examining the financial records in sufficient detail to provide me with a reasonable basis to decide whether the summaries you have prepared agree with the records. This involves comparing on a test basis the cash transactions with the bank statements, verifying the existence of invoices and receipts for expenses and income and making a brief examination of the records generally. Although I have not found any major discrepancies, my examination is not to be taken to guarantee that everything is absolutely correct as there could be errors I have not noticed. Turning to page 2, you will see a surplus for the year of £6,505 compared with a deficit in the previous year of £15,070. There are the following points I wish to bring to your attention:- 1. Most of the figures on the receipts and payments account you should be able to reconcile to the totals you supplied but I enclose a schedule of five of the expense headings for clarity. Please let me know if you wish any of these amounts to be adjusted for under a different heading. …. Cont/d - 2 - 3rd April 2024 Mr R Friday 2. I have taken the trustees as listed on the Charity Commission website. 3. For note 2 in the accounts, I need the combined insurance values of the premises at Chapel Park Road and 27 Clinton Crescent and also the insurance value of the church furniture, fixtures and fittings etc. 4. I have added brief notes on page 3 concerning the potential amalgamation with Wellington Square Church and the VAT owed to the Church. There are no further points I wish to make concerning the accounts but I would be grateful if the trustees would look through the figures carefully and let me know if they have any queries and I will do my best to assist. If, on the other hand, the trustees are able to approve the accounts, I would be grateful if two could sign page 1 between the pencil crosses on the dotted line and then clearly print their names below the line. Please also let me know the date the accounts were approved. I will then be able to send you a signed copy to keep and one from which you will be able to photocopy as many copies as you require for your AGM. As we have now finished with the accounting records, please collect these from the office when convenient. Finally, I enclose a note of charges for your kind attention. Kind regards Yours sincerely R M Holland BSc (Econ), FCA For and on behalf of Holland Harper LLP