Eternal Life Church Ministries
Charity No : 1165938
Annual Report and Accounts
Year ending 05 April 2024
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TRUSTEES REPORT
Aim and Purposes
The board of trustees together with the charity's founders, have the responsibility of co-operating in promoting and supporting, the whole mission of Eternal Life Church Ministries.
Our mission is undertaken through these three main areas of activity.
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Hollymoor Community Church - pastoral, evangelistic, social, and ecumenical work
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Eternal Media — media and broadcast activities
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Life-Line Projects — our charitable activities that include a food bank, mental health support group and
community coffee morning.
ELCM is also responsible for the maintenance of the Church building the former Hollymoor Hospital Chapel, a Grade 2 listed building that it leases located in Manor Park Grove, Northfield .
Objectives and Activities
The Board of Trustees are committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at Hollymoor Community Church and to become part of our church community.
The Board of Trustees maintain an overview of worship practices to ensure that they remain Biblical and are firmly based on God’s love, grace and mercy.
Our services and worship are intended to put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music, and sacrament.
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When planning our activities for the year, our ministerial team and the Board of Trustees have considered the Commission's guidance on public benefit and the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. We try to encourage and enable ordinary people in our community to live out their faith through the following activities.
1. Worship and prayer
2. Learning the Bible; and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus.
3. Provision of pastoral care for people living in the Community.
4. Missionary and Outreach Work.
To facilitate this work, it is important that we continue to maintain the fabric and structure of the former Hollymoor Hospital Chapel which is where we worship.
Achievements and Performance Worship and Prayer
The Board of Trustees are keen to offer a range of services during the week and over the course of the year that our community find both beneficial and spiritually fulfilling.
1. Online Bible Study - provide an opportunity to learn about and explore the Holy Bible
2. Sunday Morning Worship - offers contemporary worship, a sermon, and Holy Communion.
3. Special Events – worship music events, Carol Service, Good Friday Service, Remembrance Sunday Service, Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals.
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This year we have continued to successful in welcoming more families into our church and to watch the "Live Streaming' our services on a variety of social media platforms. "Live Streaming" our service became a vitally important way of engaging with our congregation during the pandemic and has since continued.
Interestingly, our broadcasts continue to attract many more people to watch than attend church despite the easing of the restrictions associated with the pandemic. This remains due to a lingering hesitancy from those who were elderly or having compromised immune systems due to underlying health conditions to return to public worship. In addition, streaming and recording our service also provides flexibility in the ways that worship can be experienced. For example this is beneficial to those with work commitments and those who unable to attend because they are unwell at home or in hospital.
The Board of Trustees are currently exploring ways of better integrating our own live audience with those attending the building to maintain a single community.
Other Activities
We want our building to be open to our community for a wide range activity. To facilitate this, we installed a door between the sanctuary and small café style area. As a result, we have been able to use the informality of café area for coffee mornings and a Mental Health Support Group.
These activities have succeeded in bringing new people from the local community into the Church in a friendly and inclusive way.
This year we also continued to be the sponsoring organisation for the visa and employment of a CMFI missionary to the UK to work with Fijian nationals in the British Army in the UK.
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Again, the funding from CMFI to cover the salary of the missionary has contributed to the large increase in our income and expenditure during the year,
The Chapel a Grade 2 listed building continues to suffer occasional minor leaks in bad weather but thankfully nothing serious. Volunteers have again this year undertaken further remedial and improvement work on the roof above the sanctuary.
However, as we have indicated in previous reports the Board of Trustees remain committed to exploring how more extensive work at higher levels above the Chancel and Vestry can be undertaken and funded in the future.
Some members of our parish are unable to attend church due to sickness or age. As a result, our Ministerial Team have visited all church members who have requested it, to celebrate communion with them either at their homes or in hospital.
Life-Line Projects
Helping those in need is a demonstration of our faith.
Our food bank Life-Line food bank continues to provide emergency food aid for local families throughout the year. At Christmas, the Board of Trustees together with volunteers put together five special hampers for local families nominated by the Pastoral Manager of a local school.
Accounts
Our income remained broadly consistent compared to the previous year showing slight decrease of just £293 from £73,216 to £72,923.
Our expenditure in the year decreased from £73,384 to £70,523.
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CMFI continue to cover the employment costs of the Pastor to work with Fijian nationals in the British Army in the UK. One of our founding Pastors who is very much the driving force and inspiration behind the ministry working receives a small salary in line with our previous practice and agreement with the Charity Commission. Our other founding Pastor continues to serve at the charity and in the church without renumeration.
Our other founding Pastor continues to serve at the charity and in the church without renumeration.
Volunteers
We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard for the benefit our local community and for making our church such a lively and vibrant organisation.
The accounts are approved by the Board of Trustees on and signed on their behalf by the Chair of the Board of Trustees
Stephen Merrick
Stephen Merrick
Chair 09/01/ 2024
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Independent Examiner's Report
The Board of Trustees of Eternal Life Church Ministries, an organisation registered as a charity, appointed me to independently examine their trustees' report, financial reports, and the accompanying notes.
Responsibilities of Management and Board of Trustees
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To safeguard the Charity's assets and to ensure that the Financial Reports are free from material misstatements due to fraud.
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To keep adequate financial records and to ensure that the published reports are based on these records.
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To ensure that the published reports are true and fair.
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Consider their charity to qualify for an independent examination in terms of Part 8 and sections 145 and152 of the Charities Act of 2011.
My Responsibility
To carry out procedures such as analytical reviews, comparing the published reports to the financial records kept by the charity and enquiring from those tasked with the governance of the charity any matters that need clarity.
I also considered the disclosures of material facts in the financial reports and the going concern of the charity.
The nature and extent of my examination did not provide appropriate and adequate audit evidence and therefore no audit opinion is provided in this report.
Independent Examiner's statement
During my examination, no material matters came to my attention which give me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect:
- accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act
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the preparation of accounts does not accord with the accounting records .
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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.
Zhongmin Li
Zhongmin LI
Independent Examiner
23 Club Lane, Northfield, Birmingham, B31 5FJ
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| Eternal Life Church Ministries | Eternal Life Church Ministries | Eternal Life Church Ministries | Eternal Life Church Ministries | Eternal Life Church Ministries | No (if any) | No (if any) | CC16a | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts andpayments accounts | |||||||||
| For the period from |
1st April, 2023 | To | 31st March, 2024 | ||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||
| to the nearest £ |
to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||
| A1 Receipts | |||||||||
| Donations | 27,858 | - | - | 27,858 | 27,624 | ||||
| Food bank | 1,000 | - | - | 1,000 | - | ||||
| Gift Aid | 6,877 | - | - | 6,877 | 9,473 | ||||
| MissionarySupport | 34,999 | - | - | 34,999 | 34,999 | ||||
| Other income | 2,189 | - | - | 2,189 | 1,119 | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
72,923 |
- | - | 72,923 | 73,216 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| **Total receipts ** | 72,923 | - | - | 72,923 | 73,216 | ||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||
| Employment | 50,690 | - | - | 50,690 | 49,774 | ||||
| HMRC | 1,900 | - | - | 1,900 | 4,530 | ||||
| Insurance | 4,256 | - | - | 4,256 | 2,983 | ||||
| Telephony | 663 | - | - | 663 | 895 | ||||
| Media Equipment | 3,476 | - | - | 3,476 | 2,514 | ||||
| Media/Broadcast | 1,542 | - | - | 1,542 | 2,889 | ||||
| Utilities | 4,802 | - | - | 4,802 | 3,152 | ||||
| General Expenses | 2,650 | - | - | 2,650 | 1,758 | ||||
| Sage | 112 | - | - | 112 | 101 | ||||
| Bank Charges | 115 | - | - | 115 | |||||
| Building&Grounds | 170 | - | - | 170 | 3,631 | ||||
| Food Bank | - | - | - | - | 222 | ||||
| Flower&Gardening | 70 | - | - | 70 | |||||
| MISC | 76 | - | - | 76 | 935 | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 70,523 | - | - | 70,523 | 73,384 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
|||||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| **Totalpayments ** | 70,523 | - | - | 70,523 | 73,384 | ||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | 2,400 | - | - | 2,400 | - 168 | ||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| A6 Cash funds lastyear end | 386 | - | - | 386 | - | ||||
| Cash funds thisyear end | 2,786 | - | - | 2,786 | - 168 |
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories | Details | Details | Details | Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||||||
| B1 Cash funds | Bank | 2,652 | - | - | |||||
| Cash | 134 | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| Total cash funds | 2,786 | - | - | ||||||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
OK | OK | |||||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
|||||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||||
| B2 Other monetary assets | - | - | - | ||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | |||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||||
| B3 Investment assets | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
- | ||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Details | Fund to which liability relates |
Amount due (optional) |
When due (optional) |
||||||
| B5 Liabilities | - | ||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Print Name | Date of approval |
||||||
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| Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary | Expenditure Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | April | May | June | July | August | Sept | October | Nov | Dec | **January ** | **February ** | March | Totals |
| Income | |||||||||||||
| Donations | 2,437 | 2,246 | 2,196 | 2,125 | 1,695 | 3,006 | 1,845 | 2,710 | 2,329 | 1,431 | 1,959 | 3,878 | 27,858 |
| MissionarySupport | 2,917 | 2,917 | 2,917 | 2,917 | 2,917 | 2,917 | 2,917 | 2,917 | 2,917 | 2,917 | 2,917 | 2,917 | 34,999 |
| Donations(Food Bank) | - | - | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 1,000 |
| Gift Aid | 504 | 782 | - | 727 | 1,307 | - | 1,091 | - | - | 1,128 | - | 1,337 | 6,877 |
| Other income | 200 | 20 | 480 | 336 | 225 | 3 | 34 | 277 | 324 | - | 250 | 42 | 2,189 |
| Total Income 6,058 5,965 5,693 6,204 6,244 6,025 5,986 6,004 5,670 5,576 5,226 8,273 72,923 |
|||||||||||||
| Expenditure | |||||||||||||
| Employment | 4,219 | 4,774 | 4,519 | 4,269 | 3,919 | 4,201 | 4,301 | 4,139 | 4,516 | 4,143 | 4,043 | 3,648 | 50,690 |
| HMRC | - | - | - | 900 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,000 | - | 1,900 |
| Insurance | 100 | 620 | - | 230 | 619 | 296 | 496 | 396 | 296 | 496 | 296 | 408 | 4,256 |
| Telephony | 54 | 50 | 50 | 53 | 55 | 45 | 47 | 58 | 61 | 70 | 67 | 52 | 663 |
| Media Equipment | 269 | - | - | 439 | 339 | 900 | 315 | 269 | - | - | - | 946 | 3,476 |
| Media/Broadcast | 136 | 210 | 357 | 158 | - | 117 | 167 | 84 | 189 | 123 | - | - | 1,542 |
| Utilities | 471 | 671 | 412 | - | 378 | 312 | 332 | 321 | 528 | - | 730 | 647 | 4,802 |
| General Expenses | 75 | - | 290 | - | 356 | 324 | 375 | 773 | 180 | - | 59 | 218 | 2,650 |
| Sage | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 112 |
| Bank Charges | 9 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 115 |
| Building&Grounds | - | - | - | - | - | 140 | 30 | - | - | - | - | - | 170 |
| Food Bank | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Flower&Gardening | - | - | 70 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 70 |
| MISC | 36 | 40 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 76 |
| Total Expenditure 5,377 6,382 5,715 6,069 5,685 6,353 6,085 6,059 5,790 4,851 6,215 5,940 70,523 |
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