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2023-12-31-accounts

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BIDFORD BAPTIST CHURCH

Registered Charity Number: 115341

Report of the Trustees and Annual Financial Statements for the year ended

31st December 2023

CONTENTS

Pages
Contact Details 2
Trustees Report 3 to 8
Independent Examiner’s Report 9
Income and Expenditure Statement 10
Balance Sheet 11
Notes to the Accounts 12 to 14

CONTACT DETAILS

The Church can be contacted at:

The Barn Waterloo Road Bidford on Avon Warwickshire B50 4JN Email: info@thebarn.org.uk www.thebarn.org.uk

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TRUSTEES REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2023

The Trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2023.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CHARITY

The principal purpose of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination. The Charity may also advance education and carry out other charitable purposes in the United Kingdom and/or other parts of the world.

MISSION STATEMENT

“Meeting with God. Walking with God. Serving God.”

Our mission statement gives us our purpose, our process and our mission. This is what God wants us to do. This is how we’re going to do it. This is what we’re going to help others to do.

MEETING WITH GOD centres on our Sunday services and is about the personal revelation, spiritual refreshing and recharging we need to empower our Christian life.

WALKING WITH GOD is reflected in our relationship with Him through the week: learning, growing, connecting.

SERVING GOD and bearing fruit are our ultimate purpose: our commission, our compassion, our commitment.

All this is centred on our ongoing relationship with the Lord. MEETING WITH GOD is personal and intimate, and takes place as we encounter God’s presence and power together. WALKING WITH GOD is both personal and corporate as we journey with the Lord in devotion, in prayer and in connect groups. SERVING GOD is the outworking of all that He has deposited in us as we take His love to the world in diverse ways.

MEETING WITH GOD takes us deeper in our experience. WALKING WITH GOD makes us stronger in our relationship(s). SERVING GOD opens us wider in our influence.

VISION STATEMENT

The church we see is ALIVE : vibrant, welcoming, joyful and fun; our services are bright, positive and celebratory.

The church we see is SPIRIT FILLED : passionate in worship, where His presence is tangible, where the gifts of the Holy Spirit are in operation, where those in need receive personal ministry, and where services are not religious rituals but encounters with God.

The church we see is GROWING : attractive to seekers, welcoming to guests, reaching out to the ostracised and the hurting, has multiple arms extending into our communities, and then challenges people to respond to the gospel such that confessions of salvation, baptisms and changed lives are the norm.

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The church we see is TRANSFORMING : where broken lives, relationships and families are restored; where dead religion is replaced by dynamic relationship, unbelief by faith, hopelessness by joy, where sick people become healthy, the broken become whole, and new Christians become fully devoted followers of Jesus.

The church we see is a FAMILY : we started as a family and will continue to be a family. Our program will include large, weekly, communal meetings, but also small gatherings in people’s homes, where authentic friendship, honesty, trust, mutual support and accountability are cultivated.

The church we see is EQUIPPING : maturing people in their faith, encouraging them in their gifts, developing them in their leadership, and releasing them to be everything they can be for the Lord.

In pursuit of the Objects, Mission and Vision the Trustees expend the charity's resources on:

In addition, the church, in recognition of biblical principles, gives away at least 10% of its income in each year. These donations are made in response to local, national and world events and are usually made to organisations known to the charity.

CONSTITUTION

Bidford Baptist Church was planted in September 2005 from Chipping Campden Baptist Church (CCBC). It adopted a constitution in 2007 and became a separate entity on 1 January 2008.

Bidford Baptist Church adopted its current constitution on 1 May 2013 and registered with The Charity Commission on 15th August 2013 as “Bidford Baptist Church” with a working title of “theBarn” The charity registration number is 1153417. The Church is generally known as “theBarn”.

The Church is affiliated to the Baptist Union of Great Britain and a member of the Heart of England Baptist Association.

The Trustees of the Church are responsible for the general control and management of the charity and have significant ownership and oversight of the church’s vision and strategic development.

The Trustees who have served during the year as follows:

tees who have served during the year as follows:
Rev Jamie Cox Senior Pastor & Trustee
Paul Johnson Trustee; Church Secretary
Barry Goldsby Trustee; Facilities Manager (from 7 June 2023)
Mary Keyte Trustee; (until 7 June 2023)

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Roger Keyte Trustee; Treasurer (from 7 June 2023) Simon Meek Trustee; Safeguarding Murray Scholefield Trustee; Treasurer (until 7 June 2023)

The charity’s Trustees are endorsed by the church in general meeting. Key responsibilities are assigned to Trustees by the Trustee Board.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

During the year, the Trustees decided to adopt a new church leadership structure. It was felt that moving to two teams, Trustees and Leaders, would spread the workload more evenly and make sure ‘round pegs’ were fitting in ‘round holes.’

In June 2023 the structure of the church leadership was changed to provide for:

Rev Jamie Cox Senior Pastor & Trustee Jenny Gilham Childrens Pastor Claire Griffiths Pre-School Children’s Pastor Emma King Teens & Family Pastor

At the 2023 AGM, Barry Goldsby and Roger Keyte were appointed to the Trustee Board, with responsibility for Facilities and Finances respectively. Mary Keyte and Murray Scholefield stepped down as Trustees at the same point and instead joined the newly formed Leaders Team, along with Jamie Cox, Paul Johnson, Simon Meek and Tree Morton. Pete Kearney was invited to join the Leaders team, too, reflecting his growing influence and spiritual giftedness.

Trustees are fully involved in the life of the church giving them detailed knowledge of the organisation. They are also made aware of their obligations and responsibilities through Charity Commission publications and conferences and take due regard to guidance published by the Charity Commission.

Trustees usually meet bi-monthly and ensure the charity operates within the appropriate regulations and in line with its constitution and policies.

In 2024, we plan to look again at our governing documents to make sure the roles of the new teams are clearly defined and reflected in both our documentation and practice, and that lines of accountability and responsibility are unambiguous and helpful.

GOVERNING DOCUMENT

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The charity is controlled by its governing document, a constitution and is constituted as an unincorporated charity. The charity will, in 2024, also be considering changing from an unincorporated charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

REVIEW OF 2023

At the end of 2022, we reported that the Church seemed to be in good health spiritually, growing numerically and financially stable, while not unaware of potential budgetary challenges moving forward. The hope was that 2023 would see further growth, as we continued to consider the ways we could adapt and evolve our ministry to become more effective in meeting our aims, fulfilling our mission, realising our vision and extending our reach in the years to come.

We are pleased to report that 2023 built on the promising post-Covid environment and proved to be an extremely positive year. Attendance in general was up, particularly in the children’s and youth departments, where the appointment of Jenny Gilham as Key Stage 1&2 Kids Pastor saw new life, fresh purpose and pleasing momentum.

Sunday Morning Services continued to be buoyant. The main preaching series covered were:

One significant development was the introduction of ‘Wired groups’ of like-minded, similarly-gifted individuals under the following headings: Evangelists, Givers, Prayers and the Prophetic. After a couple of sessions, Pastoral Care was added to that list. The purpose was to bring together people who perhaps wondered if they were the only one, so they could compare notes, encourage one another and see what the Lord might do if they worked together. The summer teaching series featured those initial four Wired themes, with members of the groups interviewed and with a shorter, explanatory times of preaching. We are confident this initiative will help to pull gifts out of gifted people for the furtherance of God’s kingdom.

As ever, church life was busy with all the various ministries well and truly in full swing.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR

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So, as we review 2023, we are pleased to report that the Church continues to be in good health spiritually, growing numerically and stable financially. We are beginning to contemplate what might happen at the end of our current lease, which expires midway through 2026. And we are looking forward to 2024: the theme is seeking God for ‘more’ and asking what we can do to open the door for more of Him.

RISK ASSESSMENT

Our risk assessment is kept under constant review to ensure our policies, procedures and practice comply with all current requirements. Assessment of risk features as a standing agenda item and our risk assessment is fully reviewed annually. The Trustees do not feel there are any significant risks to the stability of the charity at this time.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The finances of the church are covered in the accounts section of this report (Pages 9-14).

It should be noted that, as a church, we commit to giving 10% of our ‘regular’ income to supporting local, national and international organisations and charities, as well as individuals in need. In 2023, we have continued to offer benevolence support where possible, as well as maintaining and, in some cases, increasing our support of various missionary and ministry friends and partners.

All income for the charity is given via voluntary donations from the membership, congregation and local community.

Total income in 2023 was 1.4% higher and total expenditure was 5% lower than in 2022. While certain items of expenditure increased during the year - such as energy costs, ministry expenses, building rental and maintenance and the replacement of the sound desk, these increases were offset by a reduction in payroll costs. This resulted in an overall surplus for the year.

RESERVES

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The Trustees continued to review the Reserves Policy during 2023 and our current policy is to maintain a cash reserve of, at least, £60 000. This figure is based on three months core expenditure which the Trustees have determined to be acceptable as part of their ongoing approach to sustainability and risk management.

FINANCIAL PLANS FOR 2024

A comprehensive budget process involving all ministries of the church, was undertaken in late 2023. The Trustees agreed to a 2024 budget that included significant growth in the pre-school, children’s and youth ministries - all strong and growing area of the church’s ministry. A deficit budget has been approved in faith that the additional costs will be met by increased giving.

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Trustees have prepared the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) and have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities, preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

The Trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

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 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.

Approved by the Trustee Board on 30 April 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

____ ____ P D Johnson R J Keyte Trustee – Church Secretary Trustee – Church Treasurer

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES AND THE MEMBERS OF BIDFORD BAPTIST CHURCH IN RESPECT OF THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and examiner

The charity's Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Charities Act”) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with 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 the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently 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

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

J Till FMAAT ZEST ACCOUNTANCY LIMITED May 2024

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Bidford Baptist Church

Income and Expenditure Statement for the 12 months ended 31 December 2023

NOTE
INCOME
Income - Offerings
Gift Day
Gift Aid
Total Regular Giving
Designated Giving
Facilities Rental
Other Income
Interest Received
Total Income
EXPENDITURE
Ministry Team
2
Church Activities
2
Premises Costs
2
Administration Costs
2
Missions Expenses (Tithe)
3
Audio Video
2
Total Expenditure
NET INCOME for the year
OPENING FUND BALANCES for
Unrestricte
d Funds
2023
Restricted
Funds
2023
Total
2023
Total
2022
163 422
-
163 422
166 260
15 670
-
15 670
13 760
30 286
-
30 286
25 937
209 378
209 378
205 957
-
1200
1 200
1 200
500
-
500
-
-
-
-
1 427
439
255
694
36
210 317
1 455
211 772
208 620
84 991
-
84 991
90 142
9 665
-
9 665
6 155
75 009
-
75 009
68 998
8 060
-
8 060
8 492
15 932
1 271
17 203
20 144
6 513
2 619
9 132
381
200 170
3 890
204 060
194 312
10 147
-2 435
7 712
14 308
126 446
45 172
171 618
157 300

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the year CLOSING FUND BALANCES for £136 593 £42 737 £179 330 £171 618 the year

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Bidford Baptist Church Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2023

NOTE
CURRENT ASSETS
Investments
Baptist Union Term Deposits
Bank Accounts
Lloyds Bank
Total Liquid Assets
OTHER ASSETS
Rent Deposit
Total Assets
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Provisions and Accruals
Total Net Assets
FUNDS
4
Unrestricted Funds
General Fund
Contingency Fund
Tithe Fund
Total Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
Mission Fund
Evangelism Fund
Building Fund
Childrens & Youth Fund
Next Generation Fund
P A Fund
Total Restricted Funds
Total Funds
Total
2023
Total
2022
75 122
-
80 622
145 618
155 744
145 618
26 000
26 000
181 744
171 618
(2 414)
-
£179 330
£171 618
98 839
94 004
24 312
24 100
13 442
8 342
136 593
126 446
6 745
6 792
978
978
24 232
24 077
4 770
4 738
6 012
5 973
-
2 614
42 737
45 172
£179 330
£171 618

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Bidford Baptist Church

NOTES to the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2005) and applicable accounting standards. The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows.

Incoming Resources

Income received from donations and grants is included in incoming resources when these are receivable. Interest is included when receivable by the Church.

Use of Funds

The Church operates an unrestricted general fund that can be used for any purpose in line with the mission and objectives of the Church.

The Church also operates the following designated funds that have been set aside for specific projects but can at the discretion of the Trustees be reallocated to the general fund:

The Church also operated the following restricted funds during the year that have been set aside for specific purposes:

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2. ANALYSIS OF EXPENSES

Ministry Team
Salaries and taxes
Pension Contributions
Ministry Team Expenses
Church Activities
Pre-School/Stay & Play
Children’s ministry
Youth Ministry
Catering – Net costs
Sundays & Other Ministries
Premises Costs
Premises Rental
Lighting & Heating
Water
Maintenance
Building Insurance
Security, Health & Safety
Cleaning and Materials
Administration Costs
Printing and Stationery
Telephone and Internet
IT Costs and Licenses
Professional Fees
Bank Charges
Insurance - Contents, etc.
Books and Resources
Sundry Expenses
Audio Visual Costs
Sound and Vision
Unrestricted
Funds
2023
Restricted
Funds
2023
Total
2023
Total
2022
81 651
-
81 651
86 986
2 610
-
2 610
2 780
730
-
730
376
£84 991
-
£84 991
£90 142
1 628
-
1 628
999
3 084
-
3 084
1 556
3 126
-
3 126
1 631
343
-
343
1 289
1 484
-
1 484
680
£9 665
-
£9 665
£6 155
53 502
-
53 502
51500
10 567
-
10 567
8 813
675
-
675
866
4 565
-
4 565
2 963
1 631
-
1 631
1634
1 782
-
1 782
2 711
2 287
-
2 287
511
£75 009
-
£75 009
£68 998
187
-
187
428
920
-
920
942
2 408
-
2 408
1 588
-
-
-
661
214
-
214
204
777
-
777
2 320
1 014
-
1 014
1 062
2 540
-
2 540
1 287
£8 060
-
£8 060
£8 492
£6 513
£2 619
£9 132
£381

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theBam Page | 17 of 14

3. TITHE PAYMENTS

Baptist Missionary Society
Baptist Home Mission Fund
Missionaries
Caring Hands
Agape India
Open Doors
Sundry Donations
Unrestricted
Funds
2023
Restricted
Funds
2023
Total
2023
Total
2022
1 200
-
1 200
1 200
1 350
-
1 350
1 200
8 250
1 271
9 521
9 451
1 200
-
1 200
-
600
-
600
600
1 500
-
1 500
1 500
1 832
-
1 832
6 193
£15 932
£1 271
£17 203
£20 144

4. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

OVEMENT IN FUNDS
Unrestricted Funds
General Fund
Contingency Fund
Tithe Fund
Restricted Funds
Mission Fund
Evangelism Fund
Building Fund
Children’s & Youth Fund
Next Generation Fund
PA Fund
Total Funds
Balance
1
January
2023
Income
Expenses
Transfers
Balance
31
December
2023
94 004
209 993
184 238
-20 920
98 839
24 100
212
-
-
24 312
8 342
112
15 932
20 920
13 442
126 446
210 317
200 170
-
136 593
6 792
1 224
1 271
-
6 745
978
-
-
-
978
24 077
155
-
-
24 232
4 738
32
--
-
4 770
5 973
39
-
-
6 012
2 614
5
2 619
-
-
45 172
1 455
3 890
-
42 737
£171 618
£211 772
204 060
-
179 330

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No employee received emoluments in excess of £50,000 during the year (2022 none). The average number of employees in the year was four full-time equivalents.

No emoluments were paid to the Trustees with the exception of the Minister, Rev. Jamie Cox who was employed by the church and was remunerated on the same basis as other employees but has not received remuneration for his duties as Trustee.

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