Zion Baptist Church Melbourn CIO – reg. charity 1164945 ## **2023 Annual report for the Charities Commission** This is the eighth Annual Report of Zion Baptist Church Melbourn CIO, which was registered as a charity on 21 December 2015. The stated principal purposes of the church are the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination and the advancement of education and the carrying out of other charitable purposes in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world. ## **Church Services** During 2023 we continued to hold weekly Sunday morning services. Our previous minister had left the church during 2022 and the organisation of the worship, teaching and preaching was led by the Sharing Ministry team, who took on the responsibility of preaching each week with our Worship group very involved in leading the services. Those who did the preaching and teaching included church members, our moderator and visiting speakers. It was great to see the worship team joined by new people to lead singing. Easter celebration included a prayer walk around the village followed by communion. Good Friday had an open event titled “Why Easter?”, with an outdoor service. There was then a place for reflective spaces following a time entitled the colours of Easter. The Sunday school produced a Nativity service and in the evening we had a Candle lit carol service with an allage Christmas day service. One person was baptised. ## **Teaching Activities for children and young people** The children and young people met with the rest of the church to worship at the beginning of our Sunday service. They then went to their teaching groups and were split into 2 age groups: 2-8 and 9+. On Sunday evenings we held our Grid group. This is for those aged 11+. This was led by church volunteers. the local primary school held their carol service in the church; this was a lovely event with the building full to capacity. Some of our members have continued to go into local primary schools as part of GenR8 to share the Christian Faith with the children. ## **Other Teaching and Prayer Activities for Adults** The majority of adults who attend the church are part of a house group, some of these include people who do not regularly worship with us on Sundays. House groups are a good way to form deeper relationships with just a few people, offering mutual support and friendship as well as meeting for prayer and Bible study. We also held weekly Zoom and monthly in person prayer meetings. ## **Community and Charitable Activities** Our weekly toddler group has been very much appreciated and well attended. They are told a Bible story with craft activities linked to the story and a very enjoyable song time. They have a good variety of toys, books and outdoor play equipment weather permitting. The weekly coffee morning is mostly attended by the older folks, this is very popular and is often difficult to hear yourself thinking as they are all so happy and chatty. Our weekly craft group continues to meet, they have an interesting and varied programme and have formed some good friendships. A youth club for young people in years 5-8 ran weekly until July. It was run by a small team but the frequency of meeting has changed to monthly from the end of the year. We also held community outreach events, including a Light Party at Halloween. The church makes a regular tithe to the Baptist Union charities Home Mission (working in the UK) and BMS World Mission (working overseas). The church collected shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse as part of the Operation Christmas Child programme. We continue to collect monetary donations for Christ’s Hope International, a charity which works with children in Africa. ## **Church Fellowship** The plans to develop the church hall are going ahead and the first foundations have been dug. We have had some events to raise funds which are also encouraging us to socialise. Monthly newsletters have been produced, keeping the fellowship informed and involved. The church hosted a wedding. The church secretary died shortly before Christmas following a short illness and a service was held in the church to celebrate her life. ## **Moderator** We are pleased to have the help of a moderator to guide us through the pastoral vacancy. ## **Ministerial search** A church profile was developed for viewing by any interested in taking on the ministerial role in the church. To develop the profile a questionnaire was developed that was distributed to members and those who regularly meet with us. We also consulted our children and young people to help understand their views. The development of the profile also involved creation of an Ethos statement. The publication of the profile was followed by examination of a number of profiles of ministers and this led to a couple, both of whom are qualified ministers, being interviewed. As at the end of 2023, this couple had been invited to preach at the church with a view to taking on the ministerial role, with one working 100% and the other 50%. At the start of 2024, an invitation was made to them, which they accepted and they will commence their ministry in June 2024 ## **Statistics and Trustees** At the end of 2023 there were 51 church members, with another 32 adults also attending church-run groups. There were also approximately 94 children under 11, and 21 young people aged 11-18 in regular attendance on Sundays or during the week. Sunday service attendance was averaging 46. The recorded services are available on YouTube during the week. At the end of 2023 there were six elected trustees. ## **Building maintenance** Fabric as ever has been a constant topic, with church maintenance continuing to place demands on us. And getting the manse fabric ready for the new ministers has also been occupying our resources over the year. on Baptl$i church Melb)um 1164945 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For th¥ porfod froffl To 0110112023 3111212023 Section A Receipts and payments Unre8tricted funds Restricted funds tothp nwr••t E Endowmont funds toth• MareBt É Totsl fund¥ L•st y•ar to thg toth• Mirpst E A1 Rgcgl GerEral F8bnc fvnd S￿$￿8h￿p fuNJ Swl Svrvivor Ch￿rth weeken Chrisfs Hope Intemational ActlVitie$ MRC GIft￿id Other IrbGome 52,557 22,343 17.882 17.Sfy2 607 106 1S,132 7,270 105 10.493 794 16.484 1.708 6,870 ross incom8 or AR) 94,742 A2 A88et and Inve8tm•nt sal•#. 18ee tablel. tot• 918 742 A3Pa Ministry Expen86$ Manse Expon88S Church Exw888 Chants￿0 Dwabons 120fj 28,877 18,011 5.460 29.907 6.1a4 25,937 7,692 28.6TI 24,647 Sub total O.J17 62.67Q 69.720 A4 Au•t and In¥￿￿￿8n1 urcha8•s tablg Sub total 54,353 8,317 82,670 09.720 Net of rn¢elpts/{payments) AS Tran$for8 b•twten fund• A6 Cash funil8 last year end C•sh funds thls year ond 21.381 30.216 26,0 70,554 201.6S4 223.035 272,208 302,424 247.188 272,2G CCXX R1 accounts ISSI 1eJ0312024 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report lo the trusleesl momb•rs of 2iohJ 6fv*riSJ C HvKLh On aecounts for the year onded Charlty no (If any) 4- Set out on pagès fx )- IiemeTnber to IntylDav Ihtr p3qE TrufTrbe￿ ol add IioThal %lvei¥'. I report to the trustees on my examination of th8 accounts of the above charity {Ihe Trust") for the year ended uu i MM I T T T Y. Rosponslbllltlos and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation ba$ls of report of the accounts in accordance Vlith the requirements of th8 Charities Act 20111lhe Act-). I report in respect of my èxamination of the Trust's accounts carrl8d out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions glv8n by the Charity Commission under section 14515)(b) of the Act. I have completed my 8xamination. I confinn that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below'} in connection with the examinatlon which gNes m8 cause to bellev8 that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kèpt in accordance wlth sèction 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord wth the accounting records Independent examlnerfs statement I have no coneems and have come across no other matters in ￿nneCtIon V￿th th8 examination lo ￿lch attention should be drawn In order to 8nablg proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please d818te e wonls in the brackets M th8y do not 8ppIy. Slgn•d: Dato: 03 . Jvl* Name: fcc. Rolovant professlonal qualfflcatlon{s) or body {If any): Assoo IA i of (H*(LTiL￿ IFi¢J A((04ty, Address: AL IER October 2018