2022-04-05-accounts - Grace Bible Church Rugby

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Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Charity Registration Number: 1164758

31 March 2022

Annual Report and Financial Statement

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

Legal and administrative information

Annual Report of the Trustees

Independent Examiner’s report to the Trustees

Statement of financial activities

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

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

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 Rev Thomas James McConnell 08/12/2015 Timothy Simon John Atkins 08/12/2015 Antony Michael Coote 01/05/2016

Key Management Personnel Those in charge of planning, directing, controlling, running and operating the Charity, including those members of staff who are the senior management personnel to whom the trustees have delegated significant authority or responsibility in the day-to-day running of the charity is the Priest-in-charge.

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

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 2019. 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

The elders met 12 times during the period 1[st] April 2021 – 31 March 2022

2 Staff

The staff who served either during the period or were in post at the date of this report are:

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

Name Title Thomas James McConnell Pastor / Elder Claudio Farinha Administrator / Elder

1. Aims and Purposes

2. Objectives and Activities

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 and advertised these via the internet, social media, personal invitation flyers and word of mouth. We are committed to encouraging as many people as possible to live out their faith within the community of Rugby and elsewhere.

3. Achievements and Performance

Worship Services

Public worship services have been held on Sunday mornings throughout the year. Additional events, such as fellowship meals and baptismal services have also been held. Prayer meetings have been held twice monthly and men’s and ladies’ bible studies once a month.

Training and Christian Growth

Training in Theology and Christian Service has been offered to church members and attendees as follows;

Biblical Interpretation Class – Tom McConnell led a weekly course on Biblical

Interpretation which was provided free for members and visitors who wished to attend. This taught basic principles for biblical interpretation and interacted with many current erroneous views on how to study the bible. The aim was for attendees to be able to read the bible more knowledgeably and to gain a deeper understanding of how to apply it in later life.

Biblical Parenting Class – Tim Atkins led a weekly course on biblical parenting which was provided free for members and visitors who wished to attend. Attendees were presented with the biblical data regarding parenting and the learning was embedded via practical homework exercises. The course interacted with non-biblical theories of parenting and demonstrated how biblical principles lead to the best outcomes for children and families.

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

Grace Bible Academy – in May of this year, Claudio Farinha became the first graduate of Grace Bible Academy (GBA). GBA is an academy the Elders have set up as a ministry of GBCR.

Ladies bible studies – these have been on Fridays once a month for men to study the bible and grow in their knowledge and application of the Christian faith.

Men’s Breakfasts – these have been on Saturdays once a month for men to study the bible and grow in their knowledge and application of the Christian faith.

Links to Churches and Other Groups

The Pastor, Tom McConnell, has attended the local ministers fraternal and met informally with Christian leaders in the area. He has also attended fraternal meetings via Zoom for graduates of The Masters Seminary who are working in the UK. As a missionary from Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, CA, he maintains strong links with the staff from that church, who are available from time to time to give wise counsel.

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 and his wife recently attended the FIEC’s local Church Leader’s conference and are prayerfully planning to move into full time ministry (see Pastoral Transition below)

Tom McConnell, Tim Atkins, and Claudio Farinha have preached in other churches in the Rugby area and Grace Bible Church Rugby has welcomed 3 visiting preachers from other churches or Christian organisations. Church members Christian Mba and Cyner Emilio have also preached at GBCR services.

Pastoral Care

The elders have visited church members in their homes to administer pastoral care during the year. The Martha Ministry has provided meals for families going through short term emergencies.

Biblical Counselling

One person has become a certified biblical counsellor with the Association of Certified Biblical Counsellors. This has grown our certified counselling staff to 5 and they have provided counselling for church members and the public. Several more church members are at differing levels in their training to become certified.

Tom McConnell has begun the process of developing a biblical counselling training centre at Grace Bible Church Rugby.

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

Mission and Evangelism

Madeira Project – Claudio and Nikki Farinha are at an advanced stage of planning to move to Madeira to plant a church on the island. Their projected date to leave is January 2023.

Evangelism – The Evangelism Team regularly visit Rugby town centre to bring the Christian message to members of the public. Evangelistic leaflets and flyers publicising services have been distributed around the surrounding residential area as well as over a new build estate on the edge of Rugby.

Pastoral Transition – To develop the ministries of GBCR further, and to help the church to grow spiritually and numerically, the Elders have devised a Pastoral Transition plan. This will involve Tom McConnell stepping back as the full-time paid Elder of GBCR to enable Tim Atkins to take his place. This will take place on 1st June 2022. Tom will retain his place on the Eldership. He and his wife will visit the USA on furlough to build up their existing financial support base to enable them to return in August 2023. On his return, Tom will seek to develop the Counselling Training and Church planting ministries of the church, whilst continuing to contribute to the Elders oversight of the church.

Meanwhile, Claudio will move to Madeira to plant a church there. He will retain his place on the Eldership. Initially his stay will be for 1 year, but he will aim to raise ongoing financial support to enable him to stay for longer.

Tim Atkins will focus on the preaching, pastoral care and disciplining ministries of GBCR to ensure the churches existing ministry to members and to the Rugby area is maintained The Elders will continue their oversight of GBCR by holding monthly video conferencing meetings.

This plan will enable GBCR to widen its ministry to a larger number of people and spread the Christian faith in other areas of the UK and abroad, as per the aims and purposes above

4. Financial Review

4.1 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 £81,189.87 at the year end.

It is the policy of the church to hold reserves as follows: Emergency Fund: £24,000.00

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

5. Responsibilities of the Trustees for the Financial Statements

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

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 17 January 2023 and signed on its behalf by:

_________ Tim Atkins 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.

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

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:

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 3[rd] December 2022

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

Statement of Financial Activities:

Statement of Financial Activities for the period ended 31 March 2022.

	Financial Year 20/21	Financial Year 21/22

Income	65,392.17	83,484.55
Other Income	10,000.00 55,347.51 44.66	1,164.34 82,291.32 28.89
Voluntary
Interest earned

Expenditure	-44,864.84	-54,099.83
Administrations Costs	-3,375.37 -6,832.10 -24,934.57 -250.00 -453.55 -2,154.51 -6,864.74	-4,377.46 -177.64 -4,455.78 -25,572.19 -250.00 -1,099.30 -2,695.16 -2,109.51 -1,174.12 -1,108.34 -11,080.33
Building & Facilities
Church Life & Outreach
Employee Costs
Gifts
Governance
HR
Mission & Ministry
Office Expenses
IT Expenses
Travel Expenses
Premises Costs
Professional Fee
Worship Expenses
Rent
Grand Total	20,527.33	29,384.72

Fund Balances	FY 20-21	FY 21-22
Unrestricted	13,974.56	24,299.00
General	13,974.56	24,299.00
Designated	245.00	245.00
Children Ministry Fund	245.00	245.00
Restricted Fund		7,719.09
Madeira Project Fund		7,719.09
Grand Total	14,219.56	32,263.09

Grace Bible Rugby Church

Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022

Please note that there was an erroneous omission made in the previous Financial Year (2020/2021) where an "Interest Earned" amount of £44.66 had been accidentally left out on the income section of the Financial Activities statement. It has now been corrected for this Financial Statement submission.

At the end of the financial year, the Charity held £81,189.87 at bank of which £245.00 and £7,719.09 are for designated and restricted purposes, see above table.

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 £17,420.90 and this included the giving from one of the trustees via his company.