Secretary Report 2022/23
This year we have seen great blessing as a church. It seems that every Sunday we have seen new faces, and whilst some of these have been visitors, many of these new faces have become consistent in their attendance both on Sunday and mid-week and have very much become part of our family at the chapel.
The increased number of people has meant that as a leadership we are now starting to think very seriously about where to meet in the short term if the level of growth continues. So far, no suitable location has been found in the village so we are having to look further afield though we stress that we are absolutely committed to the village and its people.
In the longer term we have begun having initial discussions about the possibility of a new building in Caerwent. At the time of writing, this is in the very early stages of pre-planning with the local council in order that they can open discussion with us about the sale of the land. We have initial plans drawn up as to what such a building would look like which would include a 200-seater auditorium, café space, office space and room for expansion. This is very exciting though we are very aware of the challenges that lie ahead, particularly around finance, but we know that God is faithful and if he wants us to move in this direction he will open all the doors necessary for this to happen.
One of the most significant events of the year was the opening of the Village Café in May. This is run in collaboration with Caerwent Community Council and hosted by the chapel every Friday at 09:30 to 12:00. The running of this has been overwhelmingly positive with many commenting that a meeting place such as this is exactly what the village needs. Most weeks between 80 and 100 people come through the doors for food, drinks and company. Many have come through the doors of the chapel who wouldn’t normally have done so and while its intention is not evangelistic many good contacts have been made in the few months it has been open.
The Friday evening Youth meeting continues to go well with a consistent number of teenagers coming to play games, enjoy a safe space together and be taught something from the Bible.
The fabric of the building continues to change with an emphasis on decluttering and making best use of the spaces we have. In particular we are very grateful for the work done by Ken Foot in creating a storage area for tables, small chairs, keyboard, projector and stand, table tennis table, pool table etc. This requirement has been discussed for many years and the completed work makes the vestry area much more usable and tidy.
Specific evangelistic events during the year are the Ladies Wreath making evening and the Holiday Bible Club.
The Ladies Wreath Making evening was again a great success with over 100 ladies enjoying spending time together at the Village Hall, making a wreath and hearing a short message. The Holiday Bible Club, again run from the village hall, was a fantastic week where we had an average of 30 children attend every day to do craft, sing songs, learn memory verses, watch the sketch and hear Bible stories.
Both of these events couldn’t run without the dedication and hard work of the teams to prepare, run the event and clean up afterwards. We are so blessed as a church to have gifted people who serve so enthusiastically and willingly at these events.
Our Christmas Eve Carols by Candlelight service at the Village Hall was again very well attended by many from the village and is always a good opportunity to invite friends and neighbours to our regular services and events run out of the chapel.
In 2022 the chapel had a presence at the Caerwent fete. This was a slimmed down version of the Caerwent show that was a fixture in the Summer calendar for so many years prior to COVID
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lockdown. Our gazebo had various games which people could come and play for free as well as a question box where people were invited to put a ball into a box which they felt was most appropriate. The chapel band played some jigs and reels which went down well, so much so that we have been invited back to have a more organised Ceilidh in 2023!
We were saddened to lose one of our older attendees in 2023. June Goulding, who had not been well enough to attend for many years but was still fondly remembered by many in the church, went to be with the Lord in June. Eddie Jones led this service of remembrance.
It was such a joy in July to hold a dedication service for the children born to church families in recent years. Such a service had not been possible due to COVID restrictions so it was wonderful for all the children and parents to be at the front of church and for the church members to commit themselves to pray for them as they seek to bring them up in the way of the Lord.
It was great to welcome Donna Witchard, Josh Witchard and Ian and Muriel Ashton into membership in 2023. This gives us a membership of 35, the highest it has been for many years.
As a church we remain committed to pray for and give financially towards our five key missionary organisations: FIEC, MAF, Martin & Ruth Harrison (Reach Beyond), WEC & SGA. Additionally, we have hosted a variety of missionary speakers to our mid-week prayer meeting and have been blessed to hear how God is working in all parts of the world.
We are grateful to be a part of the AECW South East Wales cluster of churches and continue to benefit from their fellowship both at the joint prayer meetings and the pulpit swap in June where John Funnell preached for us. Continued membership of the FIEC provides us with useful resources and assistance whenever needed.
So, as we look to the next 12 months it is with a sense of excitement and anticipation of what God is doing in the life of this church. As always our prayer is that we will praise Him for all that is past and trust Him for all that’s to come
Andrew Close (Secretary)
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Ca•rwent Evan9ellcal Baptlst Chapel Recei ts and Pa ents Account5 Year 6nded 31° March 2023 General Fund Restricted Funds YearTo 31103122 ne Note Total Recei Weekly Loos8 Offerings- Non-Gfft-Aided Gift.Aided and Other Offenngs and Gifts Tax Recovered on Gift-Aided Offerings 4 Total G8nor81 R6ceNpts Earniarked Gtft5 6 Total of General Receipts 8nd E8mwrt(ed Gifts Other- Mon. C.C. for upkeep of graveyard M Lovell Esiae FIEC Hardship Fund Wreath-making donations Fish 8nd Chip Supper- Gift Aided 12 Fish and Chip Supper 13 Total Receipts 5.897.50 45,298.10 10,746.73 81,942.33 5.897.50 45.298.10 10,746.73 61.942.33 680.00 680.00 680.00 62.622.33 240.00 1,000.00 500.00 173.40 100.00 100.00 680.00 64.735.73 6,155 39.487 9,483 55,125 4,607 59,732 240 61,942.33 240.00 1,000.00 500.00 173.40 10000 100.00 64.055 73 10 59,972 rnents 14 Ministry 15 Benevolence 16 Outreach 17 Sunday ClublLittle FisheslCKCIYou¢h 18 Mission Support 19 Donations 20 Earmarked Grfts paid over 21 Tratning 22 Total Ministry & Mission Related Payments 49,428.19 460.00 3,045.21 503.40 5,925.84 1,500.00 49,428.19 460.00 3,045.21 503.40 5,925.84 1,500.(K) 410.00 587.65 410.00 61,860.29 45.698 2.045 135 6,763 950 4.528 1,405 81,524 410.00 587.65 61,450.29 23 Insurance 24 Repairs and Renewals 25 Light, Heat an¢J Water 26 Telephone 27 Sundry 28 Total General P8ym8nl8 950.33 6,768.66 1,690.25 431.72 1,767.41 11,608.37 950.33 6,768.66 1,690.25 431.72 1,767.41 .00 11,608.37 894 8,433 3,058 317 1,713 14,415 29 Tot81 Payments 73,058.66 410.00 73,468.66 75,939 30 Ex¢es$ of Payments over Receipts lor Vice V8rsal -9,002.93 270.00 -8,732.93 -15,967 Asat 31103122 51,960 Balance Sheet as at 31° March 20 31 Bank Balance 43,227.C6 Represented by.. General Fund Opening Balance Less Excess of Payments over Receipts during the year Closing 88lanee 32 33 51.879.99 -9.002.93 42,877.1 51,880 Restllcted Funds Earmarked Gifts not paid over ¢Juring the year 35 36 350.00 43,227.06 Assets as at 311312023 37 Fumiture and Equipment 38 Grft Aid Tax lor year to 311312023 not yel claimed 39 Liabilities as at 311312023 10 Electriaty £5,815.37 approx. Water e83.01 8pprox. March PAYE £629.01
Report to the trustees / members of Caerwent Evangelical Baptist Church on the accounts for the year ended 31" March 2023, set out on pages 1 - 3. (Charity no. 1163825) I port to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 31" March 2023. Responslblllties and basis of report As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responslble for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 fthe Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Art and, in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Dirertions given by the Charity Commission under sertion 145(5)(b) of the Art. Independent examiner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention ) in connettion wlth the examination which gives me cause to believe that, in any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Attor the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connertion with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. *Please delete the words in brackets if they do not apply Signed: Date: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any) A af LEVEL FtsuR P(PLoMA IN AtsQUAif/hiQ Address: G AJLu<oTr( NAibufL S kli(é IJ£(Ol NL"NNou¥4 SF+IK£ NPIL L:uA