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← The Beacon Church

2023-12-31-accounts

Registered Charity No. 1150685

Expanding God's Kingdom by loving & serving Jesus, each other & our community

Trustees’ Annual Report for 2023

Trustees holding office during the year

Mr D J Carson, Mr J R Pollard (Chairman), Mr P S Standish & Mr G Tither

Bankers: The Co-operative Bank plc, Delf House, Southway, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 6NY

Registered Address: 2 Coralin Way, Bryn, Wigan, Lancashire WN4 0ET

The Beacon Church celebrated its eleventh anniversary in 2023, the first Sunday Morning service having been held on 21 October 2012. The church is centred in the town of Ashton-in-Makerfield near Wigan, Lancashire and during 2023 its Sunday worship services have been held at Stubshaw Cross Independent Methodist Church on Bolton Road in the town.

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

The full name of the charity is The Beacon Church.

The charity was registered in England on 4 February 2013 with registered number 1150685.

It is an unincorporated association and its governing document is its constitution which was adopted on 3 December 2012 (as amended on 5 July 2015 and 22 August 2018).

Church Leadership

In March 2018 the church invited Antony Billington to be its next Senior Pastor starting in September 2018. As a former lecturer at the London School of Theology and later Head of Theology at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC) Antony has brought with him to the role a wealth of experience in teaching the Word of God.

In 2023, Antony has covered the majority of the regular teaching ministry of the church along with providing pastoral support for all those attending.

Alongside his role as Senior Pastor, Antony dedicates the equivalent of one day per week to his other roles, including serving as an associate lecturer for Union School of Theology and the Irish Bible Institute, as a regional tutor for Crosslands, and as an occasional consultant and speaker for the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity.

In October 2022 the church’s former Associate Pastor James Lycett made the decision to stand down from his role in order to take up a senior leadership position with United Beach Missions. A decision was made not to immediately replace James but instead to keep the church’s staffing requirements under review for the time being.

The Leadership Team continued to operate as Elders and Deacons in 2023 with Antony as Senior Pastor meeting with both groups as appropriate. In November 2023, having taken a year’s break in order to settle into his new employment and adjust to his change of role within the church, James re-joined the Leadership Team in the position of Elder.

The other members of the Leadership Team each have membership of one of these two groups as follows: -

Senior Pastor: Antony Billington Elders: Glyn Tither David Case James Lycett – from November 2023 Deacons: Daniel Carson Craig Galloway Chris Gaskell Joseph Heyes Phillip Standish

Although these groups meet separately to discuss their respective areas of responsibility the Leadership Team as a whole still continues to meet on a regular basis as necessary and most of the time meets once every month.

Location

The church is based in the town of Ashton-in-Makerfield near Wigan, Lancashire. and during 2023 made use of a number of hired premises for the purposes of the various meetings which were held and the numerous ministries which were in operation as follows:

Building/Venue Usage/Meeting
Stubshaw Cross Independent Methodist Church Sunday Morning Service
Kids’ Church
Sunday Evening Service
Fellowship/Church Meetings
Beacon Beebies
Youth Club
Lighthouse
Ignite
Connect
Beacon Women
MOACA

For greater detail concerning the various meetings and ministries see later on in this report.

Risk Management

The Church's finances are subject to independent examination. The Trustees comply with Charity Commission advice and directives in the running of the church. The Trustees are satisfied that major risks are being assessed and systems put in place for their mitigation. Financially, the church continues to be well supported by those who attend and remains able to meet all commitments.

Following the cessation of the weekly cash collection in 2020, members who previously gave to the church in that way continued to contribute instead by way of monthly standing order. In June 2022, the church purchased a ‘giving station’ which has enabled the receipt of gifts by way of chip and PIN or contactless card payment.

The church is committed to protecting children and any vulnerable adults with whom we come into contact. As part of this we have developed a policy for the protection of children and vulnerable adults produced with the support of Thirtyone:eight (formerly the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS)). We have Designated Officers and comply with the Code of Practice set out by Thirtyone:eight in matters of confidentiality and safe keeping of records. All paid workers and volunteers working with children and vulnerable adults receive specialist safeguarding training periodically as well as attending sessions annually which are aimed at refreshing their knowledge, awareness and understanding..

We comply with the Equality Act 2010 in relation to those with disabilities and make every effort to be inclusive of anyone, whatever their disability. Access to all of the premises which we hire for our various meetings and other ministries is at ground level and accessible for wheelchairs.

The Trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.

Objectives and Activities

Charitable Objects

The charity's principal objective and activity continues to be the promotion of Christianity and the teachings of the Bible. This objective is met through the operation of a church and its associated activities such as Sunday services (both morning and evening), house groups and other Bible study groups for adults, a Sunday school (‘Kids’ Church’), missionary trips and support of missionary organisations, community evangelism, weekly clubs and activities for children of all ages and a monthly club for those with disabilities.

Further charitable objects of the church are the relief of sickness and financial hardship and the promotion and preservation of good health and also the advancement of education. One way in which the first is met is through a ministry which the church operates which provides meals to those who have just come out of hospital or are otherwise recuperating from illness and their families, including new parents following the birth of their children.

Several members of the church congregation continue to be involved the work of Pantry Parcels which is based at St Thomas’s Church of England church in Ashton-in-Makerfield and delivers emergency food parcels to local people in financial crisis.

The church is part of the Welcome Network of churches co-ordinated by the charity Welcome Churches which is designed to identify churches around the UK who are committed to welcoming refugees. This commitment is put into action in many ways including access to live translation of our Sunday services via the mobile phone application Microsoft Translator, support via our Compass ministry detailed below and the provision of a meal and Christmas party following the Christmas Day morning service which is in fact open to anyone who might otherwise might be alone that day.

The church also enables a weekly meeting of the local Narcotics Anonymous (UKNA) group to be held in the church building who provide support to those recovering from drug addiction.

The second further charitable object of advancing education is met principally through the provision of a Sunday School (‘Kids’ Church’), the Lighthouse, Youth Club and Ignite groups and the studies which take place during the week in the house groups, including the Beacon Women and MOACA Bible study groups.

Public Benefit

The church Trustees can confirm that they have given due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission in accordance with Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006. Significant activities that the church undertook during the year that demonstrate public benefit are set out on the pages that follow.

The church seeks at all times to ensure public benefit and accordingly: -

Significant Activities

The church runs a range of activities for all ages at The Beacon Church.

During 2023 the church continued to meet in person on Sunday morning in the way that it had prior to the COVID-19 pandemic of recent years and also continued to stream services via the Zoom video conferencing platform for those who chose to stay away due to health concerns or who were unable to attend for other reasons.

• Sunday Morning Services

In 2023 the Sunday morning services ran from 9:45am to roughly 11:00am every week. Typically, the music group led the congregation in songs appropriate for all ages, announcements regarding the church’s activities were shared, the congregation were led in corporate prayer and a portion of the Bible was read and expounded upon by the speaker for that day. Before and after the service there was an opportunity for people to meet together to talk and encourage one another. Antony Billington was the primary speaker at the morning services.

• Sunday Evening Services

Since September 2015 (apart from at certain times during the COVID-19 pandemic) the church has held Sunday evening services running from 7pm to around 8pm. The evening services are primarily aimed at adults with a greater focus on prayer and praise and expounding the teachings of the Bible. The third Sunday evening service of the month is normally a Breaking of Bread service which, along with the Breaking of Bread element of the morning service which would usually take place on the first Sunday of the month, allows people the opportunity to break bread together in this way on roughly a fortnightly basis.

•

Kids’ Church

‘Kids’ Church’ is the name given to the Sunday school through which the church offers a programme on a Sunday morning catering for children from age 2 upwards. The classes are run

by regular volunteers from the congregation and seek to teach the children the truths of the Bible in a fun and interactive way.

Kids’ Church meets in person during the Sunday morning service.

A crèche area is provided for parents of children under the age of 2 to take their children and play along with other babies and toddlers whilst listening to the meeting via live link.

•

House Groups

These groups are held at various times throughout the week and all who attend the church are encouraged wherever possible to attend one. They represent an opportunity to meet with other Christians in a relaxed setting for discussion based upon the teaching which was given in the Sunday morning service and also for prayer and to allow time for those attending to get to know one another better.

House group meetings run on three nights a week: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. leaving Thursday night free to accommodate any other meetings within the church.

•

MOACA

This is a group where older men from within the church congregation can meet together twice weekly to discuss the Bible and pray in a relaxed setting.

In 2023, the group met in person, with the option to join the meetings on Zoom for those who chose to stay away due to health concerns or who were unable to attend for other reasons.

•

Beacon Women

A women’s group which meets once a month or on other occasions either for Bible study or for social events.

• Beacon Beebies

The toddler group ‘Beacon Beebies’ has been running since January 2013. Since that time numbers have grown from between 18 and 20 children attending to between 20 and 30 children each week, plus their parents/careers. Those attending this group are regularly invited to other events and activities taking place within The Beacon Church including all age services, carol services, Easter services and clubs for older siblings and their wider family. One way in which this group is used is to get to know people within the local community in a relaxed environment. There is no cost to attend Beebies, although a donations pot is put out by the coffee hatch to cover the cost of the drinks, toast and other resources used.

• Lighthouse

Lighthouse has been running since September 2018, replacing the previous club which was called Beacon Kids. It has the aim of teaching children the truths of the Bible and the Christian faith in a relaxed environment with ample opportunity for fun and games along the way.

The club is open to all children in the area, is organised and run wholly by volunteers from the church and is provided free of charge.

• Youth Club

This is a club for young people of secondary age which again is co-ordinated and organised by regular volunteers from the congregation. A typical week includes games followed by a short talk designed to explain the truths of the Bible and what Christians believe.

• Ignite

Ignite is a club which is run for young people from the age of 14+ (year 9+ at school). The club provides an opportunity to socialise and for those attending to get to know one another better and also a teaching and discussion time through which the truths of the Bible and the Christian faith and their practical application are taught in a way which is most relevant to the issues concerning young people of that age.

• Connect

This is a group for those with additional needs and their families or carers which normally meets once a month on a Saturday evening. The group have a range of disabilities and/or additional needs and the aim is to make sure that all feel welcome and included in the programme.

Over the course of the year there are a range of activities on offer, and it is intended that the programme be varied each month. Sometimes the meeting is a games night with suitable activities, there are also craft, musical and photographic evenings.

The aim of the group is to present the Christian message in a way that is understandable for those who might not find church teaching accessible and so wherever possible a speaker is invited who is able to do a short talk for this purpose.

• ‘Mobile Meals’ (Meals for the families of those recuperating from illness or the birth of a child)

This is a ministry whereby a team made up mostly of members of the church congregation prepare and deliver meals to those who are suffering with or are recovering from the effects of illness, or an operation or following the birth of a child, and their families. Amongst the recipients of these meals some have been families who regularly attend the church; however many have been those from outside the church whose need has been identified to the team and in this way the church has been able to show compassion to many who are not themselves Christians as a practical outworking of our Christian faith.

• Compass

Compass operates a weekly drop in “surgery” at the home of the church’s Senior Pastor for asylum seekers in the local area to seek help with various things which, being new to the UK, they might encounter difficulty dealing with on their own e.g. completion of forms etc. Those involved seek to provide help in whatever ways they can whilst forming lasting connections with those who attend.

Volunteers

The charity's different activities are run almost exclusively by volunteers from the church. Almost all of the activities run at The Beacon Church would not be possible without the input of volunteers on a weekly basis.

Staff

During 2023 the church had one staff member, Antony Billington, our Senior Pastor.

Financial Review

The church Trustees have been encouraged that the level of giving over this year has increased from 2022, despite the expected impact following the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall giving totalled £62,923 which when added to tax/top-up payments of £13,386 reclaimable/claimable under the Gift Aid scheme and Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS), £226 interest on those payments and deposit interest receivable of £2,341 gives total income for 2023 of £78,876. Giving to the church under the Gift Aid scheme, excluding special collections for specific purposes, totalled £52,008 before tax reclaims, gifts qualifying for a top-up payment under the GASDS totalled £1,533 and ordinary offerings (those not made under the Gift Aid scheme) totalled £8,982. These amounts include £1,817 which was collected during the year via the new ‘giving station’ which the church purchased in order to enable gifts to be received by way of chip and PIN or contactless card payment.

These figures represent a 9% increase in income compared with 2022 and the church continued to meet all of its financial commitments for the year and ended the year having generated a surplus of £21,077. Giving for 2023 included one-off gifts from families within the church totalling £5,600 (2022: £7,610). Excluding these particular gifts, regular giving increased by almost 10% compared to 2022.

Regular giving under the Gift Aid scheme increased by 18% in 2023 as compared to 2022. At 31 December 2023 Trustees’ funds stood at £125,038 (2022: £103,961). The Trustees are satisfied that the funds held should be sufficient to meet any immediate contingencies that may arise. The Trustees consider it prudent to retain a certain level of funds in reserve at all times and that this should be at least sufficient to cover running 6 months’ costs i.e. around £35,000 (based on current commitments to staff salaries/stipends).

With regard to the additional reserves which are being held the Trustees will in due course consider the best use of these funds. However, at the current time it remains a possibility that the church may seek to purchase premises of its own should the opportunity arise or undertake improvements or alterations to hired, leased or shared premises and this impacts upon the amount of reserves which may reasonably be required to be held going forward. In particular the church’s relationship with Stubshaw Cross Independent Methodist Church is such that it seems only a matter of time until it may be appropriate to spend some of these funds in helping develop their premises for the better use of the church and the advancement of its charitable purposes.

The church increased its missionary support in 2023, committing to spend around 11% of its regular annual income supporting missionaries, missionary organisations and projects.

Donations were made to the following charitable organisations / missionary work during the year:

. . The Trustees have resolved to accept the accounts of the church for 2023 as a true record and approve their submission to the Charity Commission in due course.

The Trustees consider the financial position to be satisfactory.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law.

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales, the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the charity’s constitution require the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice); make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent and prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the charity’s constitution. 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.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

................................................ J R Pollard – Chairman

................................................ D J Carson – Treasurer

Registered Charity No. 1150685

Accounts for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

INCOME 2023
2022
Balance brought forward at 1 January 2023
Ordinary Offerings - Regular
- Exceptional
Gift Aid Offerings - Regular
- Exceptional
GASDS Offerings
Tax reclaimable under Gift Aid scheme
Tax reclaimable under GASDS
Interest on tax reclaimed
Special Collections - Ordinary
Special Collections - Gift Aid
Bank Interest Received
TOTAL AVAILABLE INCOME
EXPENDITURE		 £
8,382
600
47,008
5,000
1,533
13,002
384
226		 £
£
£
103,961
99,761
10,625
1,610
39,901
6,000
1,745
11,480
436
20
71,817
270
20
78,876
137
72,244
182,837
172,005
2023
2022
76,135
400
-
2,341
Venue hire and shared premises costs
Salary costs, including pension provision
Insurance
Equipment
Website hosting and online streaming costs
Copyright and software licensing
Refreshments
Kids' Church
Clubs for children, youth and adults with additional needs
Beacon Women
Compass - support for those seeking asylum
Safeguarding costs for children and vulnerable adults
Support for missionary work
Advertising and evangelistic literature and materials
Fellowship teaching materials and books
Payroll services
Cashless giving platform and transaction fees
Other sundry expenditure
TOTAL PAYMENTS
Balance carried forward at 31 December 2023
Financial Position at End of Year		 4,093
3,233
33,366
49,584
592
378
4,368
2,754
274
658
341
448
638
554
1,309
769
721
159
342
83
186
-
695
240
9,040
7,600
903
519
152
359
260
248
139
85
380
373
57,799
68,044
125,038
103,961
2023
2022
Debtors / Accrued Income
Prepayments / (Accruals)
Cash at Bank
Cash at Building Society
Total Trustees' Funds
Total Income for the Year
Less: Total Expenditure for the Year
Net Surplus/(Deficit) for the Year		 14,836
11,916
(1,694)
(5,452)
28,186
14,678
83,710
82,819
125,038
103,961
78,876
72,244
57,799
68,044
21,077
4,200

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of The Beacon Church (Registered Charity No. 11506851 I report on the accounts of the church for the year ended 31 December 2023. Responsibilities and basis of report The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts and consider that an audit is not required for this year under Section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act), instead 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 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 seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the eviden￿ that would be required in an audit and consequenlly 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 I have completed my examination and confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect-. (1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 ofthe 2011 Act; or (2) the accounts do not accord with those records; or (3) the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the fomi and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no COn￿rn$ and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Name: Julie Davies-Brown Relevant professional qualification or body: ACA. CTA Address: 8 OQJV- Date: