P a g e | **1** ## **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 2024 Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2024 P a g e | **2** ## 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 ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Easter Activities ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Christmas Activities ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Compassion Fund .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Births, Deaths and Weddings ........................................................................................................................ 6 Fellowship ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Mission .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Special collections & Grants .......................................................................................................................... 6 Resignation of trustees .................................................................................................................................. 7 Buildings & Facilities ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Funding .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Accounts 2023 / 2024 ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2024 P a g e | **3** ## EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH, SWANSEA TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2023/2024 The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and financial statements for the year ending 31[st] March 2024. The trustees believe that the financial statements comply with current statutory requirements and the Charity’s governing documents. ## Charity Objectives - (1) The advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith primarily but not exclusively within Swansea and the surrounding neighbourhood; and - (2) Such other charitable purposes as shall, in the opinion of the members of the Church in general meeting further the work of the Church. It does this for the public benefit by means of its main activities which are as follows. - Regular morning and evening Sunday public Services of worship - Visiting preachers, missionaries, and speakers - Sunday School - Friday evening children’s and Young People’s meetings - Ladies’ Meetings on Tuesday afternoons - Bible Study & Prayer meeting on Wednesday evenings - Young People’s bible study (late teens / students) on a Sunday afternoon - Visiting of and distribution of literature to the local community - Support (financially, practically and in prayer) of other Christian workers/organizations in the UK and overseas. - Other free-to-attend events such as Carol Services, special interest meetings and outings - Easter Cracked and Christmas Wrapped up events for schools - Hospitality to students - Supporting families financially to send children attending the Church to EMW camps - Monthly tutoring of a ministerial student - Attendance at AECW (Associating Evangelical Churches of Wales) conferences and events - Providing financial support to the AECW, the EMW (Evangelical Movement of Wales) and Union Theological college (Bridgend). All three organisations greatly support the reformed evangelical church in Wales financially and practically as well as training pastors and workers for the future. - Donations of goods to the Waun Wen primary school pop-up shop. - Warm spaces / coffee morning every Friday morning Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2024 P a g e | **4** ## 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 Tucker, Dr Emmanuel Owoso. Rev Graham John stepped down as Pastor and Trustee 1st September 2024. He has served the church faithfully as Pastor and trustee for 17 years. We wholeheartedly thank him for his faithful ministry and service. We celebrated Graham’s pastorate in a thanksgiving service and meal at the end of August. **Deacons:** Mr. Jonathan Harvey (Treasurer), Mr. Daniel Towers (Secretary), Mr. Paul Watkins, Mr John Matthews ## 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: **Michael Jones** Bevan Buckland LLP, Langdon House, Langdon Road, Swansea Waterfront SA1 8QY ## Bank Address The Co-operative Bank p.l.c., 1 Balloon Street, Manchester M4 4BE ## 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) (until September 2024) Wilfred (John) Matthews (Cleaner) (who stepped down as cleaner January 2024) Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2024 P a g e | **5** ## Activities **The Church has remained active and vibrant, providing charitable benefit locally, nationally, and internationally. We also live streamed our Sunday services, as well as opening our Wednesday bible study and prayer meeting to those who wanted to join via Zoom. The streaming of services and meetings has allowed those who are housebound due to old age or ill-health to continue to worship and fellowship with the Church, as well as providing access to others who do not live locally but derive benefit from joining us online.** ## Regular Meetings The regular meetings on a Sunday and during the week, have continued throughout the year. 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 studied and preached God’s word to us week by week. Since Graham’s retirement other men from inside and outside the congregation have filled the pulpit as we be began the search for a new Pastor. We have 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. Our meetings and events are open to all and were offered free of charge. All were staffed by volunteers. The meetings included Sunday School, Ladies’ meeting, Bible study & prayer meeting, Gladiators (children’s club), Footsteps (children’s club), TAG (youth meeting), English Café (for students with English as second language) and the young people’s bible study. In January we held a week of prayer to commit the work of the church to God and pray for His blessing. We offered hospitality to our students, who have the option to join a host each Sunday for a welcome in their home and a home-cooked meal. We opened the Church on Friday mornings for free tea, coffee, cakes, snacks etc, as part of the local council “warm spaces” scheme. It has been our pleasure to welcome in many people from the local community. We also provided a mini food / toiletries bank on Friday mornings. Swansea City Council have provided some financial support towards the coffee morning. ## 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. Visting speakers included Mark Barnes (Clydach), Steffan Jones (Pontardawe), Rhodri Brady (Alfred Place, Aberystwyth), David Beddows, Ian Parry (Cardiff), Sandor Keleman (Romania), Tom Baker (Llandrindod Wells), Ian Middlemist (Haverford West), Eifion Perkins (Pontardawe), Mervin & Kim, Adrian Brake and John Lutas (Asia Link). ## Easter Activities As well as our usual easter services, we were delighted to host 4 local schools who came to the Church to learn about Easter through our Easter Cracked events. Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2024 P a g e | **6** ## Christmas Activities We held several activities over Christmas including a morning and evening carol service. We sang carols around a local housing estate and also at Swansea railway station. We held Christmas Wrapped Up! Events for local schools, where the children came to the church to learn about Christmas. We gave out invitations to our carol services. We held a Christmas morning service. ## Compassion Fund Due to the cost-of-living crisis we maintain a discretionary compassion fund (generously financed by the congregation) which could provide restricted Aldi shopping vouchers to regular attendees who genuinely needed help with the cost of groceries. (The restricted vouchers cannot be spent on alcohol, tobacco, or gambling / lottery). Access to this fund was regulated by a set of qualifying criteria and it was administered by a gatekeeper who faithfully ensured it was only used as intended. ## Births, Deaths and Weddings We were saddened to offer our condolences to David Tucker and his family on the passing of his father; to Sarah Harvey and her family on the passing of her grandfather and to Jean Beynon on the loss of a family member. Carys Towers and Kai Davies were married at the Church on the 18[th] November. ## Fellowship One of the saddest aspects of our society is loneliness. Our church provides a warm welcome and friendship to all who seek it. We held a number of events to which we welcomed visitors. A Good Friday service, Christmas morning service, several local walks, a treasure hunt, games in the park, church-history trips, a light party (in place of Halloween), bonfire on the beach, a New Year’s Eve party and several fellowship meals. ## 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. As is our practice, several 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. We coordinated a ladies’ evangelistic dinner in October, went out carol singing at High Street Station and local estates in December and held our own carol services and other outreach services in the church. ## Special collections & Grants We collected donated goods for the Waun Wen primary school pop-up shop, supporting local parents. A church from London used our building for a camp in August, we donated our facilities gratis to this camp. We made the following one-off grants during this financial year: UFM Missionary Support £425 EMF Missionary Support £250 Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swansea) – Registered Charity Number: 1159628 Trustees’ Annual Report and Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31st March 2024 P a g e | **7** Asia Link £650 EMF Bibles and blankets appeal, for Ukraine £1,216 Grants to individuals (compassion fund and children’s summer camp support) £2,515 ## Resignation of trustees Graham John gave notice of his retirement and resigned as a trustee on the 1[st] of September 2024. ## 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. The buildings were regularly heated, cleaned, and maintained. 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. We thank our congregation for their generous giving that allows us to maintain our facilities. Major works required on the buildings remain as follows. However, we feel we are making good progress on making the buildings sound and can only move at the pace our resources allow. - Secondary glazing of main hall windows (to reduce heating costs) – we cannot double or tripleglaze because of our listed status. - Replacement of the remaining old front section of the middle-hall roof including valleys and gulley. - Replacement or retrofit of the main church boiler - Renewal of the upper left main hall windows (as facing the pulpit) - Refurbishment of the ladies’ toilets - Dry lining in the middle hall where there is an issue with penetrating damp in the front walls. ## 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 2024 P a g e | **8** ## Accounts 2023 / 2024 ACCOUNTS 2023 / 2024 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 2024 REGISTERED CHARtrY NO. 1159628 EBENEZER BAPTIST (HURCH ISWAN5EA) REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2024 EBENEZER BAPT15T CHURCH ISWANSEA} CONTENTS PAGE offi￿rs and Professional Ath"sers Report of the TnJstee5 Indek*ndent Examiners Rewrt &Jmmary Receipts and PayTrients Schedule to Receipts and Payments Account 8-9 Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2024 EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH15WANSEA} OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONAI ADVISERS CHARrrY NUMBER 1159628 PRINCIPAL OFFICE Cardigan House Castle Court Llansamlet Swansea SA7 9LA TRusfEES Jonathan Harvey Dr Emrnanuel OvL)50 Frederick David Tucker Wilfred John Matthews Daniel Phillip Tower5 stephen Paul Watkins INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Bevan Bucwand LLP chartered Accountants Cardigan House Castle Court Swansea Enterpfise Park Swansea SA7 9LA APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES Ebenezer Bapts'5t Church ISwan5eal 15 3 Charitsble Incorporated Organisation. The CIO is administered by the trustees who are listed above. New trustees are appointed by resolution of the members of the chartty in accordance wth the constitution. They remain in office until their resignab"on, disqualtfication, or until their four-year temi of office expires, in accordarKe with the churth constitution. Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2024 EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH ISWANSEAI REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The trustees have pleasure in pre5entingthwr annual rewrt together with financial ststements for the year ended 31 March 2024. The financial statements have been prepared on a receipts and payments ba515 and in accordance wrth the chanty's governing d(￿Ment, èpplicable law and the requirements of Accounting ar)d Reporting by Chartties.. Statement of Recommended Prartice applicable to charities preparingtheir accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Reput￿lC of Ireland IFRS 1021 (effective 1st January 2019). REGISTERED NAME The name of the charlty reglstered at the Chanties Commissknn Is Ebenezer Baptist Church (Swanseal. PRINCIPAL ACTIVITY The principal artivity is that of a Church including morning & evening Sunday Services Bible Stvdy & Prayer Meetirvd Sunday Schcx)I, children's & Young People's meetings Mother & Toddlers, Group Ladies, & Mens, MeetirtsES Visiting and distribub'on of literature to local communty Open lrterature stall Christianity Explored courses Support Ifinancially, practically & in prayer) of other Christian vK)rkers/organizations in the UK & overseas. FINANCIAL REVIEW These comments apply to the Unrestricted - General fuThJ which ts usgj for n￿st of the regular church actiwties. For the reported year120231241 the officers agreed an income budget of £114,724. The actual irthme of £133,920 represents an increase of 22% over the prewous year. Total income in recent years has been: (Rounded to the nearest £lCrf)I 2022-2023 2021-2022 2020-2021 2019-2020 2018-2019 £109.2(KJ £107,600 £102,8(KJ £i(K),4(KJ £103,4O) Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2024 EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH ISWANSEAI REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAR(H 2024 ICONTINUEDI The expenditure budget was £105,085 and the artual expenditure £107,405, representing an increase of 5% over the prewous year. The income and reserves allow&J for £24.5C(J to be repaid fromthe MIS￿On Hall loan5. Induding thi5 the expenditure was £131,￿5, Total expendf(ure in recent year5 has ken: IRounded tothe nearest £i(KJl 2022-2023 2021-2022 2020-2021 2019-2020 201&2019 £101.5 £ 94,6tJ) £ 88,8Tr) £107,1(KJ £ 88,1(M) The trustees lofficersl monitorthe church finan￿ monthlyand aim to achieve a ba￿r￿e0f income and expenditure over the financial year. However, during the finarKial year. rt was confirrned that our pastor, Rev, Graham John would be retiring on 315t Augusi 2024. a successor would neaj to be sought and employed, the Trustees only agreed a 6 rnonth budget for the current year12024125, to 3￿ Sept 20241. This proposed an income of £63.518, and expendrture of £65.373 implwng a small loss srtuation and reduction in reserves of £1,855 to£25,082. The budgetforthe remaining 6 rrKJnths of the linanaal year{(ktober to March) would be determined in September 2024. In addition to our regular agreed support ltern￿d in the summary we have maje grants to: Apr 2023 May 2023 ort 2023 Jan 2024 EMF UFM Asiaunk EMF, Ukraine Spe(ial colle(tion Speaal collertion Special collertion Winter appeal £ 250 £ 425 £ 650 £ 1.216 Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2024 EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH ISWANSEAI REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 {COTr￿1NuED1 TRUSTEES The Trustees who held office durirvd the year were as follows: Jonathan Harvey Rev. Grahamjohn Wilfred John Matthews Dr Emmanuel I￿50 Daniel Phillip Towers Frederick Dawd Tucker stephen Paul Watkj-ns No trustee has ary finar)cial interest in the tharrty. The chartty is govemed by its charitable rules and is re5trirted to carryrg wt artivrbes within its charitable objertive5. By order of the Board: JONATHAN HARVEY 241Y2025 Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2024 INDEPENDETr￿ EXAMINERS. REK)RT TO THE TRUSTEES OF EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH ISWANSEA) I report on the accounts for the year ermjed 31 March 2024 set out on pages seven to nine. Respectrrfe respon5ilxlities of trustees and examiner The charrtvs trustees are resp)nsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charitys trustee5 consider that an audit 15 not required for thi5 year {under Sertion 144121 of the Chartties ALt 2011 (the 2011 Actll and that an independent examination 15 required. It ts my responsibilty to: examine the accounts under seCt￿n 145 of the 2011 Aci to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions gNen by the chanty Commission (under Section 14515llbl of the 2011 Actl; and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basi5 of the independent examiner's rep(xt My examination was carried ￿t in accordance with the General Directions gnven ty the Charity Commis&on. An examination indudes a review of the accounting records kept by the charty and a comparison of the accounts preserbted with those records. It also indudes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as tnjstees conceming any such matter5. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the ewdence that would be required in an audi( and consequently no opinion is given a5 to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair wew, ar)d the report is limtted to those matters set out In the statements bdow. Independent examinef's Statement In connertion with my examination, rKJ matter has come to rrry attention: 111 which gives me reasonable causeto believe thaL in any material resFXt. the requireff*nts to keep accounting records in accorda￿ with Section 130 of the 2011 Act,. and to prepare accounts which accord wth the accounting records and to comply the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met,. or 121 to which, in my opinion, attention should be dravm in order to enable a proper understarKling of the accounts to be reached. Michael Jones F.CC.A Bewdn Bucwand LLP Cardigan House Castle Cc4Jrt Swansea Enterprise Park Swansea SA7 9L4 Ebenezer 8aptist Church ISw3nseal- Registered Charity Number-. IIS9628 Trusiees, Annual Report and Statemeniof Financial Activitiesfor the year ending 31st March 2024 EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH ISWANSEAI RECEIPT5 AND PAYMETrUS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 Unrestrirted Funds for the fmancial year eThlin£ on alst Marth 2024 Receipts 2023Q4 2022-23 Notes 89,6TT 22,745 21,498 72,678 16,262 20,255 Tax Recoverpd C￿ Gift ￿'d AKI Total Receipts £ 133,9KI £ 109,195 Pa￿ents 2023Q4 2022-23 Noles EMWIMEC Askikn UFM EMF I Sandor K￿ern￿ ) UFM l Aan Davey I PTI I Pastor Traning IntematKfflal ) UCCF Union