2024-03-31-accounts - Bethel Apostolic Church Of Jesus Christ Bristol CIO

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Bethel United Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic Bristol (CIO)

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Trustees Report

Financial Year 1[st] April 2023 Ending 31[st] March 2024

Charity No: 1165866

Reference and Administrative Details of Charity:

Charity Registered Number	1165866
Registered Trustees	Claudette Campbell
	David Collins
	Rohan Smith
	Annette Davis
	Joanne Lindsay
	Jenifer Donatien
Charity Address	254a Church Road
Place of Worship	St George
	Bristol
	BS5 8AF
Contact Details:
Landline	0117 9393374
Mobile	07814 765887
Email	connect@bethelchurchbristol.org
Website	www.bethelchurchbristol.org
Auditor:	Easy Accounts & Tax
	510 Bristol Business Park
	Coldharbour Lane
	BS16 1EJ
Bank:	Lloyds Bank PLC

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document Constitution Charity is constituted CIO

The Charity is affiliated to Bethel United Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic UK whose headquarters is based at Bethel Convention Centre, Kelvin Way, West Bromwich and has 42 church assemblies over England and Wales. We continue under the leadership of the National Ecclesiastical Council (NEC) for Bethel United Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic UK.

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This charity commits to making a contribution of 10% of its income to assist Bethel UK and its ministry endeavours.

This Charity’s main objective is to continue promoting and advancing the Christian faith in Bristol and the wider community, to be a beacon of light, providing a haven for all to find support and counselling.

Bethel Church Bristol is the lead church in the West of England. There are 7 other district churches based in the following cities, Newport | Cardiff | Trowbridge | Gloucester | Southampton | Swindon | Bristol Lyde Green, designated by the NEC as the District 7 region. As the lead church Bristol leads and supports the District Bishop oversee the mission across the West of England.

The Board of Trustees

We express our thanks to the previous Board of Trustees who all worked tirelessly during their term, with dedication and honour, to support the ministry and mission of Bristol Bethel Church.

Transition to the incoming Board Members started during September 2023 and the support received was much appreciated. The handover of roles and responsibilities went smoothly.

The incoming Board of Trustees have affirmed their dedication to the continued support of Bristol Bethel Church; to support the mission and the vision of the ministry to Love God’s People; to Learn God’s Word; To live God’s way.

We pride ourselves on being good stewards of the donations received from the members and congregation of Bristol Church.

We are thankful to all the members of the church and visitors to the church who give regularly to the mission to enable us to serve & pursue our vision, that embraces the church members and the wider local community.

Policies

To oversee our ministry operations, Bristol Bethel has in place robust policies and procedures that are reviewed and added to as circumstances change.

Safeguarding

We adhere to and have adopted the Bethel United Church National Safeguarding policy. We have appointed a lead Officer who operates locally & throughout the southwest region to take responsibility to oversee and implement training of volunteers; to refresh & review the policy, for the protection of our children and young people and vulnerable adults.

Bishop Nathan Simmonds is the National Safeguarding Lead working with our local lead officer. They take charge of regularly reviewing the DBS checks issued to those operating in the mission who have contact with children and vulnerable adults.

It is our practice to include a refresh, as a matter of good practice, in our yearly Ministry Officers and Leaders training day, on matters of Safeguarding. All who have attended reported back that this interactive session adds great value and keeps the key principles at the forefront, of all that we do in ministry.

Our congregation are reminded of potential risks and the need to be mindful of the vulnerable and that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. This reminder is on our written event newsletter that is shared with our visiting congregation on a weekly basis.

Church Risk Management

Our Risk Manager leads on Health and Safety Risk Assessment on site; to include paying particularly attention to risks arising from large worship events. Ensuring that a risk and mitigation plan is written, reviewed and available to all. That Fire Marshalls are identified & trained with the appropriate signage displayed on walls and suitable emergency clothing, is available & accessible, to be used, should an emergency arise. We appoint medically trained persons to act as First Aiders; they meet; assess the emergency bag; appoint a lead and ensure that processes are clear as to how to proceed in the event of a medical emergency.

Activities and Achievements

The Mission team at Bristol Bethel Church covers a wide spectrum of activities and services within our church community.

Our mission covers

Our Children in our Royal Kidz team
Women’s ministry with our Women of Excellence team
Men’s ministry with our Aaron’s Army
The senior members of our congregation in our Treasured Saints team
All those who are sick and in hospital and nursing homes and require care and support by our Care Ministry team
Prayer & Altar workers team that pray without ceasing to support all
Music ministry team who are integral to our Worship service
Audio & visual team who ensure that we Broadcast via YouTube to those members of the congregation who are at home and to ensure our mission is available worldwide
Social Media team who maintain our digital presence and website
Ushers and hospitality team that welcome and support all when they visit, in person Bethel Church at 254a Church Road
Outreach Sunday School in St Pauls
Outreach church in Lyde Green

The highlight of the summer are all the activities arising from our children’s ministry that bring together families across all generations. Our Sunday School trip remains popular and is often oversubscribed.

We do all we can to support our outreach ministries. Underwriting the costs of venue hire for both the Sunday School outreach in St Pauls Bristol and the outreach ministry in Lyde Green.

We underwrite the cost of the transport to many National Events. We have found that the economic crisis has impacted our members ability to involve themselves with fellowship events that take place across England. We are happy to support where we can, to enable the cost of Page | 5 travel to be as ‘low cost’/or ‘no cost’ when possible. Fellowship is an integral part of our mission so we do all we can to provide financial assistance when we can. These fellowship activities encourage positive and improved mental health well-being for all.

The treasured saints (seniors) have their own special day out with lunch in a scenic location. We would like to thank the team for their support, in physically supporting the seniors to be involved in those offsite activities. Often arranging door to door transport using the church minibus that can be adapted to carry a wheelchair. We continue to hold monthly coffee mornings to enable those who struggle to come out in the winter months to join together during the day light, to fellowship. This supports both their physical and mental well-being.

Future Plans

Bristol Bethel said goodbye to Bishop Dexter Edmund and welcomed the arrival of Bishop Lance Dinnall as Bristol Bethel’s Senior Pastor. We expressed thanks and appreciation to Bishop Dexter Edmund for all he did to grow the ministry in Bristol and with a few tears encouraged him as his ministry moved to Birmingham to lead as the Presiding Bishop for Bethel United Church of Jesus Christ UK.

The Board is happy to welcome and support Bishop Dinnall as he reviews and sets his vision for Bristol Bethel Mission.

He has endorsed the processes and ministry operations in place and intends to work with the Board with regards to his vision for the building and its future development.

Financial Review

The Trustee’s drew up a work programme that identified matters for action. Those actions were assigned categories as immediate action, medium term plans and long-term plans.

November The Trustee’s on reviewing the financial position met with the church members on 22[nd] 2023. During the course of that meeting, an overview of the financial position was shared confirming that the Charity was and continues to be a going concern. The Accountant and Property Agent attended the meeting to share the current and ongoing positions.

The Trustees committed to submitting the Annual Return on time. To action the HMRC 25% reclaim for Gift Aid

The Trustees then met with the Ministry Leads to discuss future budgets and the way forward providing all with a policy and statement on Budget Allocation. That statement sets out how funds were distributed; provided details of the designated amounts for each mission area; how those funds could be spent; how funds were to be accessed and managed.

The Trustees agreed a ratio of 60/40 with regards funding arrangements reminding all their responsible to support the financial stability of the church. That they are to ensure that it remains a going concern. That we do not overspend or over commit. That funds must be spent for the benefit of the mission and not for individual gain or use.

A Budget Policy Statement was provided to all in a position of responsibility. It detailed the Budget allocations to each ministry areas for that year and the terms of use of that fund.

This will now become a yearly activity. The review and discussion on all mission activities is to identify the funds needed to support all mission activities, there continued operation and to weight it against & align it to, the needs of the wider mission needs.

The Board reviewed the Bank Accounts and took action to place funds into accounts that yielded the best interest. We are reliant on the free will giving of our members. The only other source of income is that from our rental properties.

The church, similar to many small charities, have borne the excessive cost of gas and electricity without any government support. These bills are over £20k and we look forward to these cost decreasing in future.

The Operating Budget is set with all Mission Activities considered and funded; together with the sums required to support the Utility; Maintenance and Service Provision for the Church Ministry.

Tenanted Properties

We have found the services of Property Wise to be exceptional in all aspects of their provision.

The properties are attached to the Church on Salisbury Street and on Church Road and are of some age. Built at the turn of the last century. They therefore require regular and often intense repair and maintenance. We have spent around £50k refurbishing and maintaining these properties to bring them up to a decent home standard. This ensures that we provide our tenants with a wonderful living space that attracts a good rental rate.

The income generated goes back into the upkeep of the properties and what remains assist the mission.

Future Plans

The Trustee Board will continue to maximise income and minimise expenditure to ensure the mission continues to be a going concern.

Significant repairs and maintenance is required to the roof and external walls of 254a Church Road, our main place of worship. We will create a programme of maintenance that sets out what is needed and the cost arising for future development.

This report is signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees by

Claudette Campbell – Chair

Deaconess & Director of Ministry Operations

Bethel Church Bristol