**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: - pursue the worship of God, centred on the preaching and teaching of the Bible; - cultivate a caring fellowship that encourages and builds up its members; - share the good news of Jesus through local outreach and by supporting missionary work further afield; and - 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 llmpJ￿t￿Bl 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 tmoVè￿￿Niln lunds SDB 3a Nellncoml 505 SlJ6 Total lunds brought foTward Totollunds (￿lie￿I•l￿￿d 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 PrO￿re$S Debtors (short temi) inve5tfflenis Cash at bank ond ifi hond 805 (Plvle 10) 606 907 lotolcvilènt 055etS 609 a7 Credit•is'. amO￿nIS 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