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2022-03-31-accounts

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EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH

(a Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England & Wales - Number: 1159628)

Ebenezer Street, Swansea Website: www.ebenezer.org.uk

Trustees’ Annual Report

and

Statement of Financial Activities

(Annual Return and Accounts)

for the year ending

31[st] March 2022

Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2022

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Contents

Charity Objectives .............................................................................................................................................. 3 Charity Details ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Address of The Charity: ................................................................................................................................. 4 Correspondence Address .............................................................................................................................. 4 Trustees of Ebenezer Baptist Church ............................................................................................................ 4 Holding Trustees ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Independent Examiner .................................................................................................................................. 4 Bank Address ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Organization .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Paid Trustees ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Activities ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 Regular Meetings ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Visiting Speakers ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Easter Activities ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Christmas Activities ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Births and Deaths .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Fellowship ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Mission .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Special collections & Grants .......................................................................................................................... 7 Resignation of trustees .................................................................................................................................. 7 Buildings & Facilities ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Funding .............................................................................................................................................................. 7 Accounts 2020 / 2021 ........................................................................................................................................ 8

Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2022

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EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH, SWANSEA TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2021/2022

The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and financial statements for the year ending 31[st] March 2022. The trustees believe that the financial statements comply with current statutory requirements and the Charity’s governing documents.

Charity Objectives

It does this for the public benefit by means of its main activities which are as follows. Those denoted with a * have been partially held on-line due to the pandemic and in the building when permissible. Those with a ( p ) are paused until we can safely continue with them.

Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2022

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Charity Details

Address of The Charity:

Ebenezer Baptist Church, Ebenezer Street, Swansea, SA1 5BJ

Correspondence Address

Mr. Daniel Towers, 5 Clos-Yr-Allt, Townhill, Swansea SA1 6RD

Trustees of Ebenezer Baptist Church

At the time of this report:

Elders: Rev. Graham John (Pastor), Mr. David Evans, Mr. Alwyn Roberts, Mr David Tucker, Dr Emmanuel Owoso.

Mr David Evans stepped down as an Elder and Trustee November 2021. He has served the church faithfully as a trustee, Elder and Deacon for many years. We wholeheartedly thank him for his faithful service over many years.

Deacons: Mr. Jonathan Harvey, Mr. Daniel Towers (Secretary), Mr. David West (Treasurer), Mr. Paul Watkins, Dr Emmanuel Owoso, Mr John Matthews (Dr Owoso became an elder in March 2022)

Holding Trustees

There is no longer a holding trustee. Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (herein referred to as CIO)

Independent Examiner

The independent examiner for Ebenezer Baptist Church at the time of this report is: Henry Lloyd Davies

Bevan Buckland LLP, Langdon House, Langdon Road, Swansea Waterfront SA1 8QY

Bank Address

Lloyds Bank - 802 Oxford St, Swansea SA1 3AF

Organization

The CIO is administered by the trustees who are listed above. New trustees are appointed by resolution of the members of the charity in accordance with the constitution. They remain in office until their resignation, disqualification, or until their four-year term of office expires, in accordance with the church constitution.

Paid Trustees

Rev. Graham John (Pastor) Wilfred (John) Matthews (Cleaner)

Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2022

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Activities

Despite the Covid 19 (Coronavirus) pandemic we have remained an active and vibrant church, providing charitable benefit locally, nationally, and internationally.

Regular Meetings

The regular meetings on a Sunday and during the week, have continued throughout the year.

The church went to great lengths to allow in-building meetings to continue safely. Socially distanced, allocated seating was provided, along with regular cleaning, sanitization gel, masks, and the like. All guidelines provided by the Welsh Assembly Government were carefully followed. We are thankful to God that very few in our congregation have been affected by Covid. We thank those who volunteered to arrange the allocated seating every week to ensure everyone was sat safely. The evening service moved back to the building on the 4th of July. Communion was held safely using special “covid” packs of individual cups of wine, incorporating a wafer into the lid.

Singing has been greatly affected by the pandemic. We have mimed along to congregational singing broadcast on our screens, and then sung quietly being masks once we were permitted to do so. It was good to eventually be allowed to sing again.

It has been a year of transition for us as we have gradually moved out of covid and back to normality. We continue to offer socially distanced seating for those who want to use it.

Members who have no internet at home were provided with sim-card enabled Samsung tablets to be able to join in the Sunday services on YouTube and the Ladies’ fellowship and prayer meeting & bible study via Zoom.

God has continued to bless us with ministry on a Sunday which has been a challenge, encouragement, and stimulus to our faith, as well as informative to those who are interested in knowing more and learning about the Christian faith. We are very thankful for our Pastor, Graham John, who faithfully studies and preaches God’s word to us week by week. We have safely welcomed visitors from different parts of the country, as well as people from the local community, who now meet with us regularly. We also enjoy the regular company of students who are studying at Swansea’s various universities and colleges. Sadly, we have been unable to extend hospitality to the students in the form of Sunday meals with church families due to the pandemic, but every effort has been made to stay in touch and offer help where required. We will resume student hospitality has soon as it is safe and permissible to do so.

Several meetings ran throughout the week during term time. Some were on Zoom and others in person, as we transitioned back to meeting face to face. These meetings were open to all and were offered free of charge. All were staffed by volunteers. The meetings included Sunday School, Men’s daytime fellowship, Ladies’ meeting, Bible study & prayer meeting, Gladiators (children’s club), Footsteps (children’s club), TAG (youth meeting) and the Apprentices group. Sadly, we were unable to restart the Busy Bees toddlers’ group for various reasons, and we thank those who volunteered to run it over many years. We aim to restart this group when we can. The youth meetings we held outdoors whenever possible.

In January we held a week of prayer to commit the work of the church to God and pray for His blessing.

We ran a “passion for life” course to help us develop ourselves as individuals in sharing the good news about Jesus with others. The tract stand outreach resumed in November.

Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2022

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Visiting Speakers

It is a privilege to hear the word of God preached by Christians from all over the UK and the wider world, and to hear reports on how God’s work is progressing in other places. This allows us to be aware of the physical and spiritual needs of those outside of our own fellowship, for encouragement and to promote generosity to the needy and our own prayerfulness. David Beddows (Neath) preached on the 2[nd ] of May. Heledd Job (Ireland) spoke with us about her work amongst the students on the 5[th of] May. John Lutas from Asia Link joined us on Wednesday 15[th] Sept. July the 18[th] Rev Eifion Perkins (Noddfa) took our services. Adam Urban (Siedlce Poland) and Andrew Birch (director of the European Missionary Fellowship) joined us in November. On January 26[th] Ben and Esther Smith spoke to us about their work with Casa Mea in Moldova. On February 20[th] Sam Oldridge (Wrexham) took our services. On March 13[th] Ian Middlemist (Haverfordwest) took our services.

Easter Activities

We were unable to run Holiday Bible Club or Easter Cracked in 2021 due to the pandemic. However, during March 2022 we began planning for Easter Cracked (where schools visit the church to learn about the Easter story), and safely welcomed Waunwen, Gendros and Bryn-y-Mor schools to the church just before the end of the financial year.

Christmas Activities

Our regular Christmas activities were cancelled due to the pandemic. We held a Carol on Sun, 19 December and a Christmas morning service.

We distributed some 2,000 “Ask” magazines in the area, sharing the good news of Christmas with our neighbours.

We enjoyed a New Year’s Eve get-together on Zoom, providing an opportunity for fellowship for families, individuals and those who otherwise would see the New Year in alone.

Births and Deaths

We congratulated David and Gaynor Bartlett on becoming grandparents again. We congratulated Dave and Ann Evans on becoming grandparents again. Sonya Jones was called home to be with her Saviour during the winter. We shall miss her. Her funeral took place on January 6th. We held a memorial service for John Rowlands in September (the first opportunity after the pandemic).

Fellowship

Is as much as the pandemic would allow us, we provided opportunities for fellowship. Loneliness has been one of the saddest features of the pandemic, and generally of today’s society. Our church provides a warm welcome and friendship to all who seek it. We met as a church in Cwmdonkin park for our annual church outing during the summer. This covid-safe event was well attended and enjoyed by all. Several families joined us who do not usually attend the church.

Mission

We have continued to support Christian Organizations and individual Christian workers in prayer and through financial support. Some of this support has been in the form of one-off gifts while others are supported on a regular basis.

Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2022

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As is our practice, around 8 of our men regularly went out to preach in churches in South and West Wales offering support to churches without pastors, or simply as guest speakers.

Special collections & Grants

Around the 16[th] of May, following a special collection from the congregation, we sent a gif of £17,060 to Kachwa hospital in India where a missionary couple we support are based. The gift was for the purchase of oxygen generating equipment to provide them with and other local medical establishments with a reliable supply of oxygen for treating covid patients. We thank the congregation for their generosity in this matter.

On Sunday, July 25[th] we held a special collection to relieve the suffering of Christians in Moldova

Following what we heard from Asia Link in the prayer meeting, we held special collection on Sunday the 26th and 3rd of October to support the work. We raised a gift of £1,500 to purchase motorbikes to allow pastors to travel between churches and visit their congregations.

On Sundays 6[th] , 13[th] , and 20[th] of March 2022 we held special collections to raise money for the EMF 50,000 Euro campaign to help alleviate suffering caused by the war in Ukraine. As a church we are deeply saddened by what has happened in Ukraine. The EMF (European Missionary Fellowship) distributed the gifts to known and trusted pastors and missionaries in the areas around Ukraine as they try to provide food, shelter and comfort to those fleeing the war.

Resignation of trustees

David Evans resigned as a trustee during this period. We thank him for his valuable contribution to the church over many years as a Deacon, Elder and Trustee. Emmanuel Owoso was set aside as an Elder, changing his role from deacon during the year.

Buildings & Facilities

Various members of the congregation worked on the church buildings during the year to help keep them safe and in good decorative order. We thank all those involved in keeping the buildings safe, in good repair and fit for purpose, especially those who give of their time, skills and energy freely on a voluntary basis.

We continue to strive to make sure the buildings are safe, in good repair and fit for purpose so that we can use them to help carry out our charitable aims and objectives.

It is a very large building, and various jobs could be carried out safely, even during the pandemic. The buildings were regularly heated, cleaned, and maintained even when they were not in use. As owners of a Grade 2 star listed building, we make every effort to continue with a rolling programme of works to keep it in good order for the benefit of the charity and its work. Sadly, the mission hall and adjoining kitchen deteriorated to a point where they were no longer fit for purpose. We began the process of raising the £130,000 needed to begin a complete renovation of both in April 2022.

Funding

Our funds are received mainly from the members and those attending our services. The trustees consider the financial position of the Charity to be satisfactory, and that sufficient and appropriate reserves are held to safeguard the future operations of the Charity

.

Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2022

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Accounts 2020 / 2021

ACCOUNTS 2021 / 2022 EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH SWANSEA (1159628)

Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2022

Ebenezer B¥st C￿rch. Swansea1115%28} Unrethcted FuTrJs Fcf the fnancial year ended on 31st March 2022 ReceiFts 2021-2022 202￿202] GIft￿d Tax Recovered on ()ft Ald n-Gift A FuTrJs Transfer £70.236 £19.840 £17.570 £72,137 £16,244 £14.337 £75 T¢xa R￿pts £107.646 £102.793 Payments 3J21-2022 2020-3J21 MECEMW AsIa￿nk UFM l Mervyn Nea ) EMF I sand￿ Kdeman I UFM l Ajan Davey ) PTI UCCF £1.OC £600 £4.21X) £5,4(M) £3.0(Xl £1.5CKI £1.2(M) £1,100 £2.7 £0 £10C(J £5.475 £660 £6.727 £244 £136 £237 £27,515 £9.237 £3.669 £585 £790 £85 £2.897 £5.8 £1,000 £0 £3,350 £5.400 £3,250 £1.500 £1,200 £1,100 £2,000 £0 £250 £1.300 £50 £1,685 Uni UFM l Hde¢*J Job ) STM CBW NoTrUK SupFQrt PHM UK Sup Flowers I Catering Adverb.￿ Youth Work Salaries- Paslor Manse Charges pensi(￿ Sd)en Pastorl &der Expenses ViybrKJ Speakers Profes&onal Fees Buildings- Mainl￿anCe Salaries- Oth￿S PTemtses Insurance Organ Maintenance brary Uiilrties Office exper6es FuThJs Transfer £136 £2C £27,027 £9.237 £3,566 £575 £835 £0 £11,010 £5,681 £2,409 £337 £2C(J £3,614 £1.786 £75 £0 £395 £3.341 £2,571 T(￿ PaYTr￿ts £94.E68 £88.8C6 Net of Receiptg I PaynErts I OpEning Cash Funds Ch)sin9 Cath FuThJs £12.978 £36.171 £49.149 £13,987 £22.184 .171 Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2022

Ebenezer Bapb'st Church. Swartsea Restricted Funds 2021-2022 2020-2021 Re￿Fts Gift￿"d- Stewardshp Gifft￿d- HMRC £200 f21,850 £2,787 £6,306 £8,820 £0 £16,8f £4.565 £550 £485 Notes Tax recovered r￿n Gift Rent Recwpts £39,963 £22.4fAJ Payments 2021-2022 2021P2021 - UK SupFOrt ReliefAgenaes UK Support cC%npassic￿ Ministy Paslor ExpEnses Buildings Maintenan Buildings ImproV￿ents Ub'lrties CL*Jnul Tax l House ) £15,243 £16,755 £0 £0 £0 £182 £0 £2.350 £0 £0 £0 £0 £423 £39,618 £860 £393 £40 £0 £0 Tr￿￿ payTr￿ts £31.8% £43.683 Net of Receiptsl I PayTrErts I Opening Cash Funds Closing Cath Funds £8,067 £21,252 £29.319 -£21.223 £42.475 £21.252 Notes to the Annual Accounts A lar￿ grant to a hosptal in India fc( Cijvhj faciltlies was made this year from general fimds Agrant to a local church fLY a new bJilthrwJ wa5 frLKll 9er)eTrl furMI5. The effects of Covid reStn"cbc￿S has wevented many essents.al building rEPaI￿ frc¥n b￿"ng inc￿re from the twancy of chffjel ￿USe started in the current year. Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2022

Page 3 Statement ofAssets a￿1 Liabiliti'es Cash FuThJs CwrentAccount Unrestncted £49,150 Reslncted £29,319 Liabilths Assets retained Ihe thurch Church Building Organ Equipment & Fith"r¥Js f2,539,LKNJ I Insurance rebuikl Valua1]￿ 10101r221 £206.t(Jo £1,500 Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2022

Page 4 Treasurer5' RerK)rt These coffrents aFpty lo the Unrestricted- General knd which is used for most ofthe rgjular c1K￿Ch activthes. For the reiyxted year12021t221 the Offi￿rS agreed an income budget of £103,800. The actua inco cl£107,645 represents an increase of 5% over the wevious year. Totsl inccrfne in recent yeas has been . { Rounded to Ihe nearest £100) 2020-2021 £102.81 2019-2020 £100,4(KJ 2018-2019 £103.4LK) J17-2018 £91.7C(I The ex￿￿li1Ure i￿et was £101.320 the acknal eX￿dthre d£94.f67 represents ￿ increase of 7% over the PreV￿u5 year. Tcrtal expenditure in recent years has been . { RouThJed to the nearest £1(K) ) 2020-2021 £88.800 J19-2020 £107.1CHJ 201&2019 £88.100 J17-2018 £95,0(x) The trustees { officers I ￿1)nI￿r church finan￿S monthty and to achieve a balan of irKrMne a￿1 expendiljre over the fin￿¢1￿ year. For the ujrrent year12022-20231 the Officer5 have agreed ￿ income txMSJei of £106.4(KJ and an exFwYrture budget of £147,100 inytyiry a deficrt srtuation arnl a decrease in reserves by £40.7￿ to £8,￿. The defial is caused by the c(6t of exlertsive renovalion to the church bu1hj1r￿ currenty beirg In ajdrtion to regular agreed supp(wl rtemi5ed in ￿ summary we have m* grants to . South Asia Concem, India UFM, Swth Afiica Ask￿ink. Myanmar EMF EMF, Ukrai £12(60 £3255 £1500 £10(￿) £16755 Kachwa HO5￿￿1 COV￿ Orygen Equip￿￿1 Mu&7weNkc6i OrphanaJe Pastor Motorcycle Refugee Rdief Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2022

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Repl￿1 io the itusieesl members of E￿￿Zer B¥ist Church Ch) accounts for ihe year ended 31# March 2022 Charity no 1159628 Irf any) Sei oirt on pages 1and2 I rerKKt lo the trustees my examination of the accounts of the aLx)we chantyllhe Trust") for the year ended 31103r22. Respoiisibiril￿S and As the chty trustees of the Trust. you are reS￿￿lIe for the weparatic basis of report of the accounts in accoTILince the requirements of the ch3rtb.es Ad I11(￿ Acri I reprxt in respect of my examinat.rm of the Trust's accounts carr￿d out undef sec1J"(￿ 145 d Ihe 2011 Act aThJ in caryirKJ out ry examinalicffl, I have fdk)wed the applicab￿ DireclTrons given by Chanty C￿nn￿SSiL under secbcfft 14515Xbl of the Ad. I have comrleted my examinat￿￿. I ¢C￿fim)Ihal no nKerial matters have ccThe lo ry attentK)n Icther than that disdosed below'l in cOnneCtK￿ v the exa￿nakn vhch gives n cause lo bdieve that in. ary materia respect: accounkn"rKJ rec(wds w￿e kept in accC￿ance with SeCt￿n 1x1 the Ad or the acccmjnts ncrt ccfd ￿1h the acccyJntiwJ recorts Independent examiners sLement I have ￿ ¢￿￿eTr6 and have across rn other matters n ccnnecl)n the examinabon to 4thich attenbon shcAJkJ LE drJM) in order to enaue a pr¢)per underthing of the aC(￿ntS to ￿ reached. ' Please delete the in ￿ b￿ketS rfthey ¢J not a￿¥y. Date: Signed: Name: Henry Lbyd Dav￿5 Relevant wofessional ACA qualificationls) or body (rf any): Ad(ke$$: Bevan Buckland LLP Lang(k￿ H(yJse, Langdl￿ Road. Swansea SA18QY IER Oetober 2021 Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2022

Discloswe Only C￿nplete rf the examiner needs lo highlight niatters of concem (see CC32. Independent examination of charty accounts" direc1j0￿ arKI guidance examirwsl. Glve here br￿f detalls of any items that the examiw)er wlshes to disclose_ IER October 2021 Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2022