Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023
Aims and purposes
The aim of the church (as set out in its Constitution) is to bring glory to God and advance the Christian faith by strengthening the personal faith and witness of its members and by communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to other people in the locality and beyond.
In fulfilling this aim the Church, in prayerful submission to the authority of Scripture, endeavours to:
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pursue the worship of God, centred on the preaching and teaching of the Bible;
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cultivate a caring fellowship that encourages and builds up its members;
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share the good news of Jesus through local outreach and by supporting missionary work further afield; and
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demonstrate the love of God by meeting needs in the local community.
Objectives and activities
The trustees have considered the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion.
The church is committed to encouraging and enabling as many people as possible to worship with us and become part of the church family in order to grow in the Christian faith. The church is also committed to providing pastoral care and support for its members and others with whom it has connections. In addition the church seeks to undertake appropriate mission and outreach work in its locality and to support through prayer and finance mission and outreach work in other parts of the world.
The church operates from a building in Newhall Street, Princes End, Tipton. In order to facilitate the work of the church through its various activities, to create a welcoming environment and to honour God, the church seeks to maintain the fabric of the building to an appropriate standard.
Achievements and performance
Worship, Bible study and Prayer
Sunday morning services followed teaching series on the books of Judges, Matthew, Psalms and 1 Corinthians with separate short series around Easter and Christmas. Numbers remained relatively strong at this service and we were pleased to welcome many visitors, some for whom we have provided a place of sanctuary for a short period of time and others who have chosen to settle with us and have become regular attenders. The monthly evening service continued as did a prayer meeting on Zoom on two other Sunday evenings per month. Sunday morning services continued to be live streamed allowing access to services for those who are housebound, those who are unable to attend on a particular Sunday for whatever reason and those who might find the church via the internet.
We continued a monthly prayer day with morning and lunch time prayer sessions on Zoom and en evening session both in person and on Zoom. Generally speaking this worked well and provided an increased opportunity for participation.
Midweek meetings (Grace Groups) also continued across the year and saw an increase in those attending. Most of these were in person groups with one evening Zoom group for those less able to travel.
During 2023 one member transferred out to another church, one member was transferred to the Honorary Members list and four new members joined the church. At the end of 2023 membership stood at 51.
The church continued to employ a full-time Staff Elder (who worked alongside the other Elders in leading and developing the work of the church) and a part-time church worker whose role is focussed on ministry to the elderly, discipling women in the church and building contacts with families connected to the church.
Church building
Only minor repair, maintenance and decoration works were undertaken across the year as required.
Children and Youth work
The church Boys’ Brigade company with Girls’ Association (3[rd] West Bromwich) continued to be very active in 2023. Numbers remained strong with about 45 children and young people in the age range 5-18 years taking part in weekly activities. The Company played a full part in activities organised by the Wolverhampton Battalion of which it is a part.
Stay and Play
Our stay and play group for pre-school children and their carers also functioned as normal across the whole year during term time with up to 23 children taking part each week.
Older people
The ministry for retired people, Daybreak, became further embedded in the life of the church during 2023. Meeting twice each month the group aims to provide fellowship, support and spiritual input for older people. The group had between 15 and 25 people attending sessions across the year.
Community involvement
A small team continued to provide monthly services at a local care home, Bloomfield Court which were appreciated by the residents who attended.
We were again able to undertake Christmas carol singing at our local Asda store giving out invitations to our Christmas services.
Financial Review
Total income for the year amounted to £69,363. Expenditure totalled £66,751 giving a surplus for the year of £2,612.
Offerings amounted to £54,701 compared to £50,823 in 2022. The Gift Aid tax reclaim was £8,920, a reduction of around £500 over the previous year.
Reserves Policy
The Elders seek to maintain reserves in the order of one year’s expenditure to allow for the loss of offertory income for whatever reason, to provide for major repair or maintenance costs and to ensure sufficient funds to maintain and potentially expand pastoral ministry. At 31 December 2021 unrestricted reserves stood at £88,000.
Volunteers
The church expresses its thanks to the many volunteers who assist with all aspects of the church’s work and without whom many church activities simply would not take place.
Structure, governance and management
The church is a charitable incorporated organisation (registered charity number 1162960) governed by a Constitution registered with the Charity Commission on 3 August 2015 as amended in 2021 and 2023.
Church members elect Elders who are responsible for the day to day management of the church and as such are charity trustees. Responsibility for certain key decisions such as calling a pastor or approving major work on the church building rests with the whole church membership in general meeting. The Elders who served during the year were:-
Mr T Ambrose Mr P Watts (Secretary and Treasurer) Mr B Turner
Mr D Hardway
Administrative information
The church is situated at Newhall Street, Princes End, Tipton, West Midlands, DY4 9HL.
The correspondence address is 3 Waring Close, Princes End, Tipton, West Midlands, DY4 9NW.
P WATTS Secretary
CHARITY (OMMISSION Annual Accounts for the period Perlod slarl dthe To Pwlod er dale Charliy Name thariiy No (11 anyl llmpJtBl SEctioii A statement Dt finan(ial è(livities Destilptl•n5 by TralurJl iaielory Unfestiided fvnds fteslrlcted In¢•me Endowmenl lunds lotal thls yejr lotal last yt•r Infomln resources (Nole 3) TS FOI F02 F03 F04 F05 Tlo Tolollftcomlng i¢sotsKces Resources expended (Notes 4-7 73 43 rotolresoulces expeftded s02 N•t IAcom(wg/(OUtyolng) rvouiw bel tmns Sfj3 Gmss tmnsleisbetweèn funds so4 resouf(esbeloFe sodgolhrflosses) other recogn15ed gains/(losses) 631ris and losse5 On I val allD ol liied assels Gèlns and Ii)55e5 on Inveslment a55els SWI tmoVèNiln lunds SDB 3a Nellncoml 505 SlJ6 Total lunds brought foTward Totollunds (lieI•ld 510 509 3£ CC39(4) Mai(h 2012
thls year Flxed assets Tanglble asseis F01 F02 (Note 8) BU1 802 lTr¥eslments (Note 9) B03 Totol Ilxedossets B04 Current assets stofk and work In PrOre$S Debtors (short temi) inve5tfflenis Cash at bank ond ifi hond 805 (Plvle 10) 606 907 lotolcvilènt 055etS 609 a7 Credit•is'. amOnIS foll1 due wlthltt one yeat (Note 11) 610 q£ Nel curKenl 055els/(Jlobllliie5) 811 rotol tjsselsless cvirénillobllitles OLP3 CredltOTS: amounts fJlllTro due after yeoi provlsloni tor lièbllltie5 and <haiges (Nol¢ 11) 613 Netossets 815 Funds of the Charlty Unr¢5tiicted I5 Designaied lunds lolal uTrrestrl¢ted lunds Resirlcted Income funds E•dowrnent funds 816 73 cu3 817 {Note 12) (NotE 12) B19 Tortollunds B slgned by one of two trustees otb behalf of all thè Iruslees SlgnaluiÈ Oate ol approval 141&12+ ct39(a) March 2012
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl memb&rs of GRF)cL CofFnuNITY CHuTrLC Charlty no Ilf any) On accounts for the year ended Sis-r riL_ll .101. IIGa9Lo Set out on paggs I report lo the Iruslees on my examlnatlon of the accounts of the above charity I the Trust") for the year ended Rgsponslbilitlos and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are respon8lble for the preparation basls of roport of the accounts in accordance with the r8quiremenls of the Charities Act 2011 1"Ihe Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrylng out my examinallon. I have followed the applicable Direcllons given by the Charity Commission under section 1451Sllbl of the Aol. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material mallers have come lo my allenlion lo in connection with the examination which gives mo cause lo believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in acGordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examlner's statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters In connecllon wllh the examinallon lo whlch attention should be drawn In order to enablg proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Pleas6 delate the words in th8 brsckels if they do not apply. Slgngd: Date.. olo Namg: IJ) TuFpL-r( Relevant professlonal qualificatlon{$l or body Ilf any): Address.. T7Pfo DY SL IER October 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complele ¢f the examlner needs lo highlight malters of concern Ise8 CC32, Independent examlnalion of charity acctsunts.. dlreclions and guidance for examiners). Give hore brlèf dots118 of any itoms that the examinèr wlshes to dlsclosè. IER Octob8r 2018