Grace Bible Rugby Church
Annual Report and Financial Statement 2021
## **Grace Bible Rugby Church**
**Charity Registration Number: 1164758**
## **31 March 2021**
**Annual Report and Financial Statement**
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Grace Bible Rugby Church
Annual Report and Financial Statement 2021
## **Legal and administrative information**
## **Annual Report of the Trustees**
**Independent Examiner’s report to the Trustees**
## **Statement of financial activities**
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Charity Name Grace Bible Rugby Church Charity Registration no. 1 164758 The Charity was registered with the Charity Commission on 08/12/2015 Registered Office: 61 Somers Road Rugby CV22 7DG
## Acknowledgements
Grace Bible Church Rugby is grateful to Christine Cheung-Poston for examining the accounts for 2020-21.
## Aims and Purposes
The object of the CIO is, for the public benefit, the advancement of the Evangelical Christian faith in Rugby, Warwickshire and such other parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the charity trustees may from time to time decide.
## Objectives
In running the charity and compiling this report, the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
The mission statement for Grace Bible Church Rugby states;
## _**We exist to glorify God by preaching and teaching the Word of God, so that people are transformed into Christlikeness.**_
Trustees
The trustees who served during the period or who were serving at the date of this report were:
**Name Date of appointment** Thomas James McConnell Jr (Pastor) 08/12/2015 Timothy Simon John Atkins (Elder) 08/12/2015 Antony Michael Coote (Deacon) 01/05/2016
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Key Management Personnel Those in charge of planning, directing, controlling, running and operating the Charity, including directing members of staff and directing the Trustees in the day-to-day running of the charity are the Elders of Grace Bible Church Rugby.
Bankers Barclays Bank Plc 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP
Independent Examiner Christine Cheung-Poston Flat 48, Samford House Charlotte Terrace London N1 0JF
The Trustees submit their annual report and the financial statements of Grace Bible Church Rugby (GBCR) (“the Charity”) from the establishment of the Charity to 31 March 2021. The legal and administrative information set out earlier in this document forms part of this report.
## **1. Structure, Governance & Management**
Trustees
The Trustees meet 4 times a year to discuss a full range of matters relating to strategy, project work, recruitment, finance and general administration. None of the Trustees receives remuneration. Trustees aim to maintain and, where necessary, expand this range of skills and experience through training.
The induction process for any individual newly appointed to the board of Trustees comprises an initial meeting with at least two of the Trustees (whenever possible one of these two Trustees being the Chair) and a written role description, referring to other key documents: • the Charity Commission’s guidance ‘The Essential Trustee’ • the Trust Deed of the Charity • the Charity’s financial position.
The Church is governed by the elders in accordance with its Constitution. The procedure for appointing new elders is set out in the Church Rules. Decisions are taken by the elders and communicated to the members of the church through church meetings or informal announcements at the Sunday services.
## **The Elders are:**
Thomas McConnell Jr (Pastor)
Timothy Atkins
Claudio Farinha
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## The elders met 13 times during the period April 2020 – 2021
Staff
The staff who served either during the period or were in post at the date of this report are:
## **Name**
**Title**
Thomas James McConnell Jr Pastor / Elder Claudio Farinha Administrator / Elder
## **1. Activities, Strategies and the Public Benefit**
In running the charity and compiling this report, the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
The mission statement for Grace Bible Church Rugby states;
_**We exist to glorify God by preaching and teaching the Word of God, so that people are transformed into Christlikeness**_ .
Accordingly, we have held weekly worship services that are open to the public which are advertised via the internet, social media, personal invitation flyers and word of mouth. These services have been streamed to enable people to participate from home. We have held weekly prayer meetings open to members and regular attenders. We are committed to encouraging as many people as possible to live out their faith within the community of Rugby and wherever else they may go.
## **2. Achievements and Performance**
## **Worship Services**
Public worship services have been held on Sunday mornings throughout the year. During lockdown for COVID 19 these were streamed online, but as regulations relaxed, we have been able also to meet in person. In addition to this, during lockdown meetings for prayer and bible study have been held weekly.
## **Training and Christian Growth**
Training in Theology and Christian Service has been offered to church members and attendees as follows.
**Theological and Missionary training** – 2021 saw the first graduation from GBCR’s Bible Academy. This opens the way for a couple from our church to return to the husband’s childhood home in Madeira and promote the Christian faith on that Island as part of the church’s Madeira project
**Future leadership –** we have continued our ongoing review of candidates for future leadership in our church as well as the other ministries within the church. However, this has been hampered by the regulations preventing in-person worship services
**COVID 19 Lockdown –** during lockdown we placed members of the congregation in small “Elders’ groups”, which met every other week for prayer and bible study. These
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also served to promote mutual encouragement, breakdown isolation and maintain and create robust personal relationships. We also saw many people joining us via our livestream services and contact the church online. These were followed up by the Elders and integrated into the life of the church.
## **Ladies’ Ministry**
The Elders have identified the need for the existing Ladies ministry to be brought under their leadership. This ministry had previously existed informally, generally being organised by the Elders wives. Bringing it under the church leadership establishes it as a formal ministry of the church. This enhances our ability train ladies for biblical ministry in the church and strengthens the pastoral care the ladies receive. This is turn strengthens the church spiritually and builds on our ability to witness in the community.
## **Links to Churches and Other Groups**
The Pastor, Tom McConnell, is a missionary from Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, CA, and he maintains strong links with the staff from that church, who are available from time to time to give wise counsel. He has also met with other ministers in the UK from time to time for prayer and encouragement and assisted other churches by preaching.
Tim Atkins is an elder of the church and a member of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Church’s Pastors Network. This gives Tim the opportunity to network with other pastors and churches in the area, with a view to providing support in leading services and preaching where necessary. Tim has also preached at a church led by an ex-member of Grace Bible Church Rugby.
Claudio Farinha is an elder of the church and has graduated from the church’s Grace Bible Academy. He is making plans to return with his family to his home of Madeira to work as a missionary there. He is preparing material to publicise this, with a view to advertising the work to other churches and individuals might be interested in prayer and financial support.
Grace Bible Church Rugby has welcomed 2 visiting preachers and one other church member has assisted the elders in the preaching ministry of the church.
## **Pastoral Care**
COVID 19 Lockdown prevented the elders from visiting church members in their homes to administer pastoral care for much of the year. Instead, visits were conducted by phone, video conferencing and the Elders groups mentioned above. Contacts have also been maintained via social media. The Elders have increased the contacts they have with the congregation to mitigate the loss of communication due to the loss of in-person services. With the relaxing of regulations, in-person visiting has once again become possible.
The Martha Ministry has provided meals for families going through short term emergencies, e.g., bereavement, the birth of a child.
## **Biblical Counselling**
5 members of the church have been trained and certified as qualified to provide biblical counselling to those with spiritual problems. This has been advertised via the church’s website, the website of
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the Association of Certified Biblical Counsellors and by word of mouth. They have provided an ongoing ministry within the church and internationally.
## **Mission and Evangelism**
Claudio and Nikki Farinha have commenced firm preparations to move to Madeira in 2021 to work as missionaries preaching the Christian message.
The Evangelism Team regularly visit Rugby town centre to bring the Christian message to members of the public.
Members of the congregation continue to tell others the message of the Christian faith as part of everyday life. Subsequent enquiries have been followed up by the Elders.
## **Pastoral Transition Plan**
Grace Bible Church Rugby celebrated its 8[th] anniversary in February 2021. As part of the on-going development of the church’s ministry the Elders have planned changes to the leadership of the church, to enable GBCR to more effectively minister to its members and to widen its ministry beyond our own community to other parts of the UK. Accordingly, the following changes in leadership are planned:
**Pastor Tom McConnell** will step down from his role as full-time Pastor of the church in summer 2021, to enable his family to return temporarily to return to the USA to obtain sufficient financial support to cover full-time service at GBCR. He will retain his place as Elder of Grace Bible Church Rugby. He plans to return in 2023 to take up the role of Elder Responsible for Church Planting and Discipleship Training (which includes GBCR’S Biblical Counselling Ministry & Training).
**Tim Atkins** will take up the role of full-time Pastor of the church when Tom McConnell steps down, so that the focus on pastoral leadership of the church is maintained.
**Claudio Farinha** will contact individuals and churches for prayer and financial support to the Madeira project. He will then move to Madeira to work as a church-planting missionary-Pastor after his missionary financial support has been secured. He will initially retain his place as an Elder of Grace Bible Church Rugby while he begins church-planting work on Madeira.
## **3. Financial Review**
## **3.1 Financial Activity and Financial Position**
**The statement of Financial Activities and Balance Sheet can be found on page 10. The Charity have available cash of £49,171.78 at the year end.**
## **4. Reserves Policy**
It is the policy of the church to hold reserves as follows; 6 months of average expenses, currently sitting at £24,000.
## **5. Responsibilities of the Trustees for the Financial Statements**
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The Trustees are responsible for preparing the report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. Charity law in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of income and expenditure of the Charity for that period.
In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the activities of the Charity will continue.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enables them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the governing document. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the Charity and financial information included in the Charity’s website.
## **6. Approval**
The report of the Trustees was approved by the Trustees on 26 December 2021 and signed on its behalf by:
____________________________________ Thomas J McConnell Jr. Elder & Trustee (GBCR)
This report is made solely to the Trustees in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). My independent examination has been undertaken so that I might state to the Trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by the law, I do not accept responsibility to anyone other than the Trust and the Trustees for my independent examination, for this report, or the opinions I have formed.
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RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER The Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this period (under section 144(2) of the Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to: • examine the accounts (under section 145 of the Act); • follow the procedures laid down in the General Direction given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act); and • state whether particular matters have come to my attention
BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Christine Cheung-Poston 24[th] December 2021
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Annual Report and Financial Statement 2021
Statement of Financial Activities:
## **Statement of Financial Activities for the period ended 31 March 2021.**
|||**Financial Year**||**Financial Year**
**20/21**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**19/20**|||
|**Income**||**57,546.89**||**65,347.51**|
|Other Income||1,211.18||10,000.00
55,347.51|
|Voluntary||56,335.71|||
||||||
|**Expenditure**||**-43,824.98**||**-44,864.84**|
|Administrations Costs||-894.19||-3,375.37
-6,832.10
-24,934.57
-250.00
-453.55
-2,154.51
-6,864.74|
|Building & Facilities||-99.20|||
|Church Life & Outreach||-1,969.82|||
|Employee Costs||-23,862.26|||
|Gifts||-1,606.14|||
|Governance||-250.00|||
|HR|||||
|Mission & Ministry||-3,579.51|||
|Office Expenses||-4,488.86|||
|Premises Costs|||||
|Professional Fee|||||
|Rent||-7,075.00|||
|Service Cost|||||
|**Grand Total**||**13,721.91**||**20,482.67**|
|**Fund Balances**||**FY**|**18-19**||**FY 19-20**||**FY 20-21**||**Grand Total**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Unrestricted**||**19,740.96**|||**15,211.26**||**13,974.56**||**48,926.78**|
|General||19,740.96|||15,211.26||13,974.56||48,926.78|
|**Designated**|||||**245.00**||**245.00**||**245.00**|
|Children Ministry Fund|||||245.00||245.00||245.00|
|**Grand Total**||**19,740.96**|||**15,456.26**||**14,219.56**||**49,171.78**|
At the end of the financial year, the Charity held £49,171.78 at bank of which £245.00 is for designated purposes, see above table.
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The financial statements have been prepared under the Charities Act 2011 and drawn up on the cash basis accounting policy.
**Trustees giving for the period amounted to £12,837.12 and this included the giving from one of the trustees via his company.**
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