## **Sutcliff Baptist Church, Olney**
## **Registered Charity Number: 1151773**
## **Annual Report and Accounts**
For the year ended 31[st] December 2020
Sutcliff Baptist Church, Market Place, Olney, Bucks, MK46 4EA www.olneybaptist.org.uk
Page 1
## **Sutcliff Baptist Church, Olney**
## **Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements 2020**
## **Mission Statement**
Sutcliff is a Baptist Church family that seeks to look up to God, and out to the world, to make effective disciples for Jesus Christ.
## **Statutory Information**
Charity Name: Sutcliff Baptist Church, Olney Registered Address: Market Place, Olney, Bucks, MK46 4EA Charity Registration Number: 1151773 Property Trustees: The Baptist Union Corporation Ltd. Baptist House, 129 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 8RT Charity Trustees: Mr. David Greaves (Treasurer) Mr. Ralph Terry (Secretary) Mr. Sydney Bond Mr. Adrian Dunn (up to 11[th] March 2020) Mr. Martyn Glass Mr. Christopher Hanson Ms. Lydia Hatley (up to 11[th] March 2020) Mrs. Susan Lynch Mrs. Angela Richardson (from 11[th] March 2020) Mr. Michael Walker Mr. James Wharpshire (from 11[th] March 2020) Bankers: Barclays Bank Leicester, LE87 2BB Independent Examiner: Mr. Michael Maidment 1 Windmill Hill, Biddenham, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4AG No. of Paid Employees: 1 (Cleaner)
Page 2
## **The Trustees present their**
## **Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2020**
## **Charitable Object**
The charity is an unincorporated body and is governed by its Constitution dated 28[th] November 2012, which states that “The principal purpose of the Church is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination. The Church may also advance education and carry out other charitable purposes in the United Kingdom, and/or other parts of the world”.
The Church occupies premises which are held by the Baptist Union Corporation Ltd., on Trusts which are entirely compatible with the above object.
## **Organisational Structure and Decision Making Processes**
Baptism by immersion upon personal profession of faith is the normal mode of entry into the membership of a Baptist church. The church applies an open Baptismal qualification for Church Membership, so that persons seeking membership who have not been baptised in the manner described in the Union’s Declaration of Principle may at the discretion of the Church Members’ Meeting be accepted for full membership based on their own public profession of faith. Church Membership is open to those who:
- accept the Beliefs of the Church
- meet the Church’s qualification on Baptism
- commit themselves to serving Christ within the Church and beyond
- abide by the decisions of the Church Members’ Meeting
- acknowledge their responsibilities as Church Members
- have their membership application accepted by the Church Members’ Meeting
In accordance with the Constitution, the members appoint Elders and Deacons, who together with the Minister, Church Secretary and Treasurer (who are also appointed by members), are collectively known as the Leadership Team and are the Charity Trustees. The Leadership Team, as appointed Trustees, are responsible for the day to day running of the Church’s work and witness, and the financial and legal aspects of the charity.
Church Members’ Meetings are held at regular intervals on not less than six occasions in any calendar year and are an opportunity to consider and review routine matters associated with the life of the Church including issues related to church membership, the appointment of the Charity Trustees, the approval of the budget, with opportunities for considering proposals from the Charity Trustees or other Church Members for the development of the Church and the advancement of its Purpose through its Activities. One Ordinary Church Members’ Meeting each year includes the Annual Church Members’ Meeting for the Church Members to receive annual accounts and reports, to appoint Auditors or Independent Examiners, and to consider proposals for the strategy and vision of the church in the coming year, with other appropriate matters.
## **Objectives and Activities**
In fulfilling the Purpose of the Church as set out above, it engages in a range of Activities either on its own or with others that will vary from time to time, with Activities being initiated, expanded, or closed, as appropriate.
Page 3
The Activities may include but are not restricted to:
- regular public worship, prayer, Bible study, preaching and teaching
- baptism, as defined in the Union’s Declaration of Principle
- the Communion of the Lord’s Supper which shall normally be observed at least once a month
- evangelism and mission, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally
- the teaching, encouragement, welcome and inclusion of young people
- nurture and growth of Christian disciples
- education and training for Christian and community service
- giving and encouraging pastoral care
- supporting and encouraging charitable social action in the United Kingdom and abroad
- encouraging relationships with and supporting Baptists and other Christians
Notwithstanding the appointment of persons to accept responsibility for any of the Activities all individuals, organisations, groups, and committees operating within the life of the Church, and their leaders, shall be accountable to the Charity Trustees and also through any specific direction of the Church Members’ Meeting.
The Church operates systems to ensure that all people working with children, young people or adults at risk are appropriately trained (in line with Baptist Union guidance) and vetted with regards to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
We have this year, in line with many other organisations, completely overhauled our Data Protection Policy in order to comply with the new GDPR laws that came into force in May 2018. Training has been provided to all employees and volunteers who need to know about this.
When planning our activities for the year the trustees have considered the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and in particular specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion, and are satisfied that the activities outlined clearly demonstrate that the charity is providing benefit to the public.
## **Church Attendance**
As at 31[st] December 2020 the Church Membership totalled 106. Sunday attendance averaged around 110 for the morning service, and 25 for the evening service, prior to the March cessation of physical services due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
## **Achievements and Performance**
## **Review for the Year**
Over the year, our membership decreased by two, and attendance at services is similar, perhaps marginally smaller, to that of the previous years.
As has been referred to above, the Church along with all others in the country were required to cease physical meetings in March 2020 due to Covid-19. A weekly audio service was put on our website with the addition of a live video service trial in November, and two video recorded services for Christmas.
The Leadership transferred both their business meetings and their monthly prayer meeting onto Zoom, an Internet based virtual meeting application.
A survey of the fellowship’s view to re-opening was held in August following the Government’s relaxation of regulations. At that time only a minority wished physical services to resume and they remained therefore online.
Communication with the fellowship was continued via the weekly New Sheet and Church Members were provided with regular written updates in place of the Members’ Meetings. Also, everyone
Page 4
within the Fellowship were split between the Leadership for the purpose of keeping contact (initially telephone and then doorstep visits etc. with everybody within the fellowship on an occasional 2- 3-week basis)
Our search for a new minister continued throughout the year with the leadership interviewing (over Zoom) a couple of prospective pastors however, these did not progress further.
## **Church Activity Annual Reports**
These reports, by the two Church Officers (Secretary and Treasurer), an Elder and all leaders of organisations / groups / committees etc. that have operated throughout the year have been produced for circulation to members as a 32-page booklet. This document was presented to the membership at the AGM in July 2021 (delayed until we were able to hold a physical meeting) for adoption by them. A copy is available on request.
## **Main Church Activities**
Prior to March these were similar to our previous year.
Following the Covid-19 lockdown in March, many of our activities went online.
- Services were provided as a weekly recording available from our website.
- Gigg (the youth group) met alternate weeks on Zoom.
- House groups initially operated via circulated notes until becoming Zoom meetings in the Summer.
- A Church Chat session was started and ran alternate weeks to provide a social time for the fellowship using Zoom, to which Holy Communion was added on a monthly basis.
Regretfully, the CAMEO, Craft Groups and First Steps midweek meetings had to cease operation in March, and did not recommence within the year.
A telephone Helpline was set up to provide support (e.g., with shopping) where needed.
## **Additional Special Youth Events** :
With the exception of Holiday Bible Club all these did not operate this year.
Holiday Bible Club Joined with another local church and produced 5 recorded video sessions accessed via the internet.
## **Outreach Events and other Special Activities:**
Regretfully most of these activities were unable to take place this year. However, we were thankfully able to organise / participate in / support the following:
- Our weekly (up to March 2020) **Saturday Coffee Mornings** are a well appreciated event that gets non-church people and church folk alike into the premises outside of Sunday services. (They are also a useful fundraising activity towards our Development Fund).
- **Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child - Shoebox Appeal** – In addition to participating ourselves and publicising this appeal around the town, for gifts for children in various parts of the world who would not get a Christmas present, we are also a local collection point for Samaritans Purse
- **Milton Keynes Food Bank** for which we are a weekly local collection centre,
- **Olney-Newton Link** , a charitable organisation, based in Olney, that is dedicated to providing financial and other help to individuals and the town, of Newton in Sierra Leone.
Page 5
## **Financial Review**
The Church has only one main source of income, namely from the personal giving of the membership and congregation. This being through the cash offerings made at our Sunday Services, a weekly envelope scheme and standing orders.
This income is separately directed to the Church’s General Fund, to a Development Fund (for the development of the church premises), and to our Fellowship Fund (for those suffering difficulties amongst the church family).
## **Special Appeals**
In addition to our regular giving to the Baptist Missionary Society (for overseas mission), Home Mission Fund (for UK mission), we also gave to thirteen other mission organisations.
## **Income and Expenditure**
The attached Financial Statement (below), prepared by the Church Treasurer, for the year ended 31[st] December 2020, along with the independent examiner’s report, form part of this report.
## **Reserves**
The Trustees are satisfied that they have sufficient reserves at the end of the financial year, together with anticipated ongoing income, to enable the Church to function effectively in the coming year.
## **Safeguarding**
The Church and Trustees continue to take Safeguarding seriously, and we ensured that activities that did manage to continue during the Covid-19 pandemic were operated according to our Safeguarding Policies.
## **The Future**
We pray that despite the strange situation of Covid-19 lockdown etc that we have experienced, and one in which we continue to operate as we enter 2021, that we will grow and develop as a fellowship of God’s people here in Olney. We aim to continue to seek for the ways in which we can best serve the communities within which God has placed us.
A continuing and high priority is to discern the will of God and find the person who should be appointed the next minster of our church.
Additionally, we know that our re-developed premises will be of benefit to us when we are able to re-open and operate in a more normal way and pray that we can continue to honour the step of faith taken to build them as we raise the necessary finance to pay off our outstanding financing loan.
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Signed on behalf of the Trustees of Sutcliff Baptist Church, Olney:
Ralph N. Terry Church Secretary 31[st] July 2021
Page 7
## **SUTCLIFF BAPTIST CHURCH, OLNEY**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
## **GENERAL RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
|**Receipts**
**Note**
Regular Offerings
Donations and other income
2
Income tax recovered on gifts
Investment Income
3
Rent and contributions for use of premises
4
Raised for other causes
5
Transfer from Book Fund
**Payments**
Ministry
7
Mission
8
Upkeep of church premises
9
Administration
10
BUC (Pension) Loan
13
Transferred to Development Fund
11
**Surplus for the year**
**Balance brought forward**
**Balance carried forward**|**2020**
71,735
2,191
23,031
23
3,570
-
-
**£100,550**
381
22,458
21,881
4,231
25,288
3,544
**£77,783**
£22,767
£42,617
**£65,384**|**2019**
80,643
5,600
19,024
35
4,333
1,751
566|
|---|---|---|
|||**£111,952**|
|||13,335
28,310
45,960
5,458
3,840
4,125|
|||**101,028**|
|||£10,924
£31,693|
|||**£42,617**|
## **RESTRICTED FUNDS RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
||**Balance**|**Receipts**|**Payments**|**Balance**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**1 Jan 20**|**2020**|**2020**|**31 Dec 20**|
|**Development Fund (Note 11)**|38,183|39,137|42,000|35,320|
|**Fellowship Fund**|6,542|2,602|500|8,644|
|**Furnace Fund**|591|2|-|593|
|**Graveyard & A. J. Wiffen**|1,464|5|-|1,469|
|**Godly Play**|1,200|-|-|1,200|
|**Sunday Club**|608|146|154|600|
|**CAMEO**|75|538|491|122|
||**£48,663**|**£42,430**|**£43,145**|**£47,948**|
||**Balance**|**Receipts**|**Payments**|**Balance**|
||**1 Jan 19**|**2019**|**2019**|**31 Dec 19**|
|**Development Fund (Note 11)**|46,131|34,052|42,000|38,183|
|**Fellowship Fund**|6,118|3,029|2,605|6,542|
|**Furnace Fund**|586|5|-|591|
|**Graveyard & A. J. Wiffen**|1,452|12|-|1,464|
|**Book Fund**|408|158|566|0|
|**Coffee Mornings**|102|1,527|1,629|0|
|**Godly Play**|1,200|-|-|1,200|
|**Sunday Club**|732|191|315|608|
|**CAMEO**|83|1,356|1,364|75|
||**£56,812**|**£40,330**|**£48,479**|**£48,663**|
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## **SUTCLIFF BAPTIST CHURCH, OLNEY**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
|**Note**
**ASSETS**
Bank and other cash balances
**REPRESENTING BALANCES ON THE FOLLOWING**
**ACCOUNTS**
General Fund
Restricted Funds
Non monetary assets
14
**LIABILITIES**
Loan from Baptist Union Corporation (LC501)
12
Loan from Baptist Union Corporation (LP011)
13|**2020**
**£113,332**
65,384
47,948
**£113,332**
**£2,655,466**
**(£154,227)**
**0**|**2019**|
|---|---|---|
|||**£91,281**|
|||42,618
48,663|
|||**£91,281**|
||||
|||**£2,614,016**|
|||**(£190,637)**
**(£25,213)**|
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
**(Notes 2 to 10 refer solely to the General Fund)**
**1. Basis of accounts** These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and accord with Section 133 Charities Act 2011
|**2. Donations and other income**
Cash Offerings
Sundry Gifts and Receipts
**3. Investment Income**
General Fund – Interest on Deposit Account
**4. Rent & contributions for use of premises**
Room bookings
Use of Photocopier|**2020**
1,985
206
**£2,191**
**2020**
23
**£23**
**2020**
3,544
26
**£3,570**|**2019**
4,998
602|
|---|---|---|
|||**£5,600**|
|||**2019**
35|
|||**£35**|
|||**2019**
4,125
208|
|||**£4,333**|
Page 9
## **SUTCLIFF BAPTIST CHURCH, OLNEY**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (continued)**
|**5. Other Causes**
Operation Agri (Harvest)
Africa Cyclone Appeal
South Sudan Refugee Appeal
**6. Church Events**
Holiday Bible Club
Outdoor Nativity
Mission/Mothering Sunday
Christmas/Easter Cracked
Minister’s Leaving Party
**7. Ministry**
Minister’s Stipend
Pension Contributions
Employer’s National Insurance
Travel Allowance
Book Allowance
Ministerial Conference
Visiting Speakers
First Steps & Treasure Club
Honorarium (Mrs. B. Gravett)
Sundry Gifts|**2020**
**Receipts**
-
-
-
**£0**
**2020**
**Receipts**
-
-
-
-
-
**£0**|**2020**
**Payments**
-
-
-||**2019**
**Receipts**
-
895
856
**£1,751**
**2019**
**Receipts**
-
-
-
-
-
**£0**
**2020**
-
-
-
-
-
50
150
145
-
36
**£381**|**2019**
**Payments**
-
895
856|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**£0**|||**£1,751**|
|||**2020**
**Payments**
261
-
-
57
-|||**2019**
**Payments**
318
40
-
416
90|
|||**£318**|||**£864**|
||||||**2019**
9,000
1,485
-
500
-
-
612
17
1,200
521|
||||||**£13,335**|
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## **SUTCLIFF BAPTIST CHURCH, OLNEY**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (continued)**
|**8. Mission**
Baptist World Mission
Baptist Home Mission
Milton Keynes Bridgebuilder Trust
Scripture Union
TearFund
Mission Aviation Fellowship
Barnabas Fund
Advantage Africa
Mercy Ships
Gideons International
World Vision
Cry in the Dark
FEBA Radio
Langham Partnership
Sovereign World Trust
Bible Society
Other Causes (see Note 5)
Church Events (see Note 6)
**9. Upkeep of church premises**
**(a) Church**
Light and Heat
Water
Repairs & Renovation
Repairs to Church Wall and Porch
Insurance
Church Cleaner (employed) and materials
**(b) Manse**
Water
General Repairs & Renovation
Insurance
Council Tax|**2020**
7,370
7,370
2,600
850
600
600
600
300
300
300
300
300
300
300
300
-
-
318
**£22,458**
**2020**
2,226
800
11,815
-
2,456
2,420
£19,717
45
1,786
333
-
£2,164
**£21,881**|**2019**
8,565
8,565
2,600
850
600
600
600
300
900
300
300
300
300
300
300
315
1751
864|
|---|---|---|
|||**£28,310**|
|||**2019**
2,863
576
3,868
27,442
2,428
3,959|
|||£41,136|
|||534
2,906
309
1,075|
|||£4,824|
||||
|||**£45,960**|
Note that the Manse charges for Water and Council Tax were reduced as the house was unoccupied from the end of August until November, when tenants move in and took over responsibility for these bills
Page 11
## **SUTCLIFF BAPTIST CHURCH, OLNEY**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (continued)**
## **10. Administration**
|Telephone
Photocopier, Computer & Software
Coffee machines & Supplies
Training
Printing & Stationery
CCLI Copyright Licences
TV Licence
Subscriptions
Sundry Expenses
Website|**2020**
**2019**
469
667
888
256
83
668
65
233
587
1,791
1,101
791
155
151
582
575
42
182
259
144|
|---|---|
||**£4,231**
**£5,458**|
## **11. Church Development Project**
||**2020**|**2020**|**2019**|**2019**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Receipts**|**Payments**|**Receipts**|**Payments**|
|Regular Gifts|15,499||17,024||
|Coffee Morning Income|382||1,135||
|Transfer from Coffee Fund|0||1,129||
|Gift Aid on Development Fund|4,760||3,524||
|Interest|43||73||
|Transferred from General Fund|3,544||4,125||
|Correction to 2018 account|0||50||
|Events (Gift Day)|2,610||5,422||
|Rental of Manse|12,299||1,570||
|Repayment of Loan||42,000||42,000|
||**£39,137**|**£42,000**|**£34,052**|**£42,000**|
## **12. Development Loan from Baptist Union Corporation**
Loan number LC501, for an initial value of £344,929 drawn down in 2015 and repayable over 10 years, for redevelopment of the church premises
|Balance at 1st January
Interest
Loan Repayments
Balance at 31st December|**2020**
190,637
5,590
(42,000)
**£154,227**|**2019**
224,833
7,804
(42,000)|
|---|---|---|
|||**£190,637**|
Page 12
**SUTCLIFF BAPTIST CHURCH, OLNEY**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (continued)**
**13. Pension Loan from Baptist Union Corporation**
Loan number LP011, for an initial value of £32,000 drawn down in 2017 and repayable over 10 years, for settlement of pension debt with the Baptist Pension Scheme. **This loan was cleared by a one-off payment in January 2020.**
|Balance at 1st January
Loan drawdown
Interest
Loan Repayments
Balance at 31st December|**2020**
25,213
-
75
(25,288)
**£0**|**2019**
28,048
-
1,005
(3,840)|
|---|---|---|
|||**£25,213**|
## **14. Non-monetary assets**
**Held for the Church’s own use**
The Church is the beneficial owner (subject to the relevant trusts) of the following assets, shown at insured value, the legal title to which is held by the Church’s custodian trustee, Baptist Union Corporation Ltd.
|Sutcliff Baptist Church
Market Place, Olney, Bucks, MK46 4EA
The Manse
9 Wellingborough Road, Olney, Bucks, MK46 4BJ
The Church also owns fixtures, furniture and
equipment with an insured value of:|**2020**
2,325,479
201,766
128,221
**£2,655,466**|**2019**
2,300,196
186,993
126,827|
|---|---|---|
|||**£2,614,016**|
Page 13
## **SUTCLIFF BAPTIST CHURCH, OLNEY**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2020**
The accounts and statement of assets and liabilities and its notes set out in pages 8 to 13 relating to the year ending 31[st] December 2020 are as approved by the trustees.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees of Sutcliff Baptist Church, Olney
David Greaves Church Treasurer 31[st] July 2021
Page 14
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Page 15