## Gillingham Baptist
## Church
## Annual Report 2021
Registered Charity Number 1169769
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## **CONTENTS**
Elders’ Review 3 Regulatory Information 3 Risk Management 5 Review of activities 5
## **APPENDICES**
Appendix 1 Church Annual Accounts & Independent Examiner’s Report Appendix 2 Chapel and Manse Holding Trustees
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## **ELDERS’ REVIEW**
[on behalf of the Management Trustees]
Covid-19 continued to limit the church’s life at the start of the year, but gradually we were able to return to our regular pattern of fellowship and worship. Covid 19 has not interrupted this and for this we are profoundly thankful. The Lord has blessed in many other ways as well.
By the end of the year the church had 24 members, an increase of two. This includes one who was baptised on profession of faith. This was a great encouragement to the fellowship as the baptistry had not been used for several years.
Quarterly Members’ Business Meetings were restarted in the Spring and so three of the four planned meetings were held. The Elders and Deacons also restarted formal meetings and a more familiar routine of church life emerged as the year progressed.
We have been delighted to welcome several visitors, some locally, some from further afield and some who are holidaying in the area. Although our opportunities for organised activities have been limited, people have come to us, and we thank God for that too.
Our concern for the spread the gospel in other parts of this country and the world has continued. The church again agreed to make lump sum gifts to several societies and families involved in gospel work in the United Kingdom and various parts of the world.
## **REGULATORY INFORMATION**
## **1. History**
Christians identifying themselves as Baptists have been gathering for worship in Gillingham since the 1830s. After a while land was given in trust and a chapel was erected. This stipulated that worship should be according to the principles of the Particular Baptists. A church has existed continuously since then and, in accordance with the requirements of the Charity Commission, was registered as a charity on 19 October 2016.
## **2. Details**
Charity Name: Gillingham Baptist Church, Dorset
Registration Number: 1169769
Address: Gillingham Baptist Church, Newbury, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4HZ
Current Trustees: John Blake, Simon Chase, Peter Gray, Gilbert Muspratt, David Poolman, Peter Wick. These trustees have served for the whole of the calendar year 2021.
## **3. Structure and Governance**
The church has a Constitution and Rules & Regulations which were formally revised and adopted in 2016, pursuant to Charity Commission registration.
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The functional operation of the church is intended to reflect the teachings and principles revealed in the Bible. Therefore, the leadership is by elders supported by deacons. All these church officers are trustees and each is appointed by the church meeting of all members, at which approval by a substantial majority is required. Only those persons meeting the Scriptural criteria should be considered and appointed.
Whilst persons in whom the appropriate gifts are seen can be encouraged and developed, we believe these persons are gifted by God and cannot be manufactured. Thus, formal appointment to serve the church is more an act of recognition than of creation.
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3
4
5
6|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Name of person (or body) entitled to**
**appoint trustee (ifany)**|
|---|---|---|---|
||John Blake|Elder|Members of Gillingham Baptist Church|
||Simon Chase|Elder & Pastor|Members of Gillingham Baptist Church|
||Peter Gray|Deacon & Treasurer|Members of Gillingham Baptist Church|
||Gilbert Muspratt|Deacon|Members of Gillingham Baptist Church|
||David Poolman|Deacon|Members of Gillingham Baptist Church|
||Peter Wick|Deacon & Secretary|Members of Gillingham Baptist Church|
## **4. Financial Review**
The church believes God will provide and that the chief instrument he will use is the free and voluntary giving of his people. No fund raising is undertaken and no contribution levels are set for members. As an independent church there is no overarching body to provide support, but we believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the direct head of each true church and provides as he pleases. We are grateful to God for providing our needs over 2021, the details of which are in the annual accounts in Appendix 1.
It is not the church’s policy to create reserves, however some amount will be retained in order to meet the inevitable demands of buildings that are over a century old. The church officers agreed that £10,000 is the appropriate amount to hold as an operating reserve. Apart from that it is the church’s practise to use funds that have been given to further its objects.
## **5. Public Benefit**
The trustees confirm that the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit has been carefully considered and helps to frame the context for all trustee meetings.
As a Christian church we are devoted to the ‘advancement of religion’, one of the original purposes of a charity and dating back to 1601. In the original sense ‘religion’ meant Christianity, although subsequent centuries have significantly changed this meaning. Christianity proclaims the Gospel – ‘good news’ – to all. Once the good news is believed, it must be lived out through love to God and love to our neighbour – Jesus’ own summary of the
Bible’s message. Such an approach in itself is aimed at all the public. And such a message, as a living reality in people’s lives, changes both them and their relationships for the better, both personally and for the community. It is the testimony of countless Christians living today that their conversion changed their lives for the better – in ways their families, friends, colleagues and neighbours could observe and benefit from. It is also demonstrable historically and from other parts of the world that where Christian values permeate a society, that society values human life more highly, cares for the
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vulnerable and marginalised more generously and displays higher levels of honesty and integrity in community and public life. The Christian faith, lived out in the world, measurably benefits all aspects of society.
The past year has seen the church resume regular meetings for worship and fellowship and we have often been encouraged by being able to welcome visitors. The church is known in the local community and the evidence of this is that people seek us out for spiritual help and encouragement.
## **6. Objectives, Activities, Achievement and Performance**
The core elements of church life were resumed during 2021. We look to the Lord for his guidance as to how and when other activities can be resumed or begun. Financially the church has paid its way and has made gifts to missionary activity.
In summary, the trustees are thankful to the members and principally to God for the ability to function as a Christian church throughout 2021.
## **RISK MANAGEMENT REPORT 2021**
The church continued to implement safely the Covid secure environment that regulations required. The local arrangements were discussed and agreed with the officers and members, always seeking to ensure the well-being of more vulnerable persons.
The advantage of a large Victorian chapel is that there is plenty of space for distancing, and plenty of capacity for good ventilation. This meant that we did not have to place restrictions on numbers. The congregation is not large, but the building is, so there was even scope for the occasional visitor.
Other risk management issues of a more routine order have still been overseen by the church officers and the fellowship has benefited from a safe environment during the year.
## **REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES**
There is no separate section included here, as the morning and evening Sunday services, along with the Wednesday and Thursday Bible study and prayer meeting arrangements are the whole programme of the church for the time being.
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APPENDICES
Gillingham Baptist Church - Dorset
## **Accounts for the year to December 31st 2021**
## **GENERAL FUND**
|RECEIPTS
Balance brought forward from 2020
Offerings
Gift Aid
Gift Aid Tax Refund
Gift Aid - Small Donation Scheme
Bank Account Inetrest Liquidity/Reserve|PAYMENTS
TOTAL
10943.73
8,362.00
£
Missionary Support
3,570.00
£
21,821.00
£
NI Payments
1,158.60
£
3,932.71
£
Building services
2,089.68
£
750.00
£
Buildings & equipment maintenance
4,090.60
£
1.76
£
Buildings insurance (Chapel) + employer's liability
1,820.05
£
Cullingfords carpets
1,241.15
£
Sunday Ministry
460.00
£
Payroll services
283.00
£
Mmeyou communion
184.94
£
Hire of Baptistry heater
102.00
£
CCLI Licence renewal
83.00
£
Zoom licence renewal
113.71
£
Bourne-Romsey fire certificate
231.50
£
Charity payment re Audit
50.00
£
Advertising
206.54
£
34,867.47
£
EMF travel expenses Jose de Segova
70.00
£
Pastors salary
13,926.48
£|
|---|---|
|_Balance 31st December 2021_
**45,811.20**
**£**|29,681.25
£
16,129.95
£|
|---|---|
||**45,811.20**
**£**|
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Gillingham Baptist Church - Dorset
## **CONTINGENCY FUND**
|RECEIPTS
Balance brought forward from 2020
From Manse maintenance fund|20,000.00
£|PAYMENTS
TOTAL
2,173.30
£
20,000.00
£
_Balance 31st December 2021_
**22,173.30**
**£**||TOTAL
-
£
22,173.30
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||
||||||
|||||**22,173.30**
**£**|
|**MANSE MAINTENANCE FUND**|||||
|RECEIPTS
Balance brought forward from 2020
Manse rent (nett)|5,842.66
£|PAYMENTS
TOTAL
21,366.12
£
Baptist Insurance(Manse)
Transfer to Contingency fund
5,842.66
£
_Balance 31st December 2021_
**27,208.78**
**£**|550.11
£
20,000.00
£|TOTAL
20,550.11
£
6,658.67
£|
||||||
||||||
|||||**27,208.78**
**£**|
|**SUMMARY**|||||
|General Fund
16,129.95
£
Manse Maintenance Fund
6,658.67
£
Contingency Fund
22,173.30
£
**TOTAL**
**44,961.92**
**£**||_Represented by_
Current Account
28,280.13
£
Reserve Account
3,204.22
£
Liquidity manager Account
13,477.57
£
**Total monies held**
**44,961.92**
**£**|||
|**NOTE**|||||
|Statement of Assets and Liabilities of the Gillingham Baptist Church membership
Other than thee above account balances the assets
comprise kitchen equipment, 2 pianos, a laser printer,
stack away tables and chairs, games and play
equipment, a display stand, sound recording computer,
hymn books etc. The value of these unknown.|||||
|**ADDRESS OF CHURCH'S BANKERS**|||||
Nat West Bank The Commons, Shaftesbury SP7 8JY
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CHARITY (OMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALE5
Independent examiner's report on
the accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner's Report
Report to the trusteesl
mombers of
Gillingham Baptist Church DoeseL
On accounts for the
year ended
December 3131 2021
Charlty
no {if any)
1169769
Set out on pages
1&2
I rgport to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charityllhe Trust") for the year ended
Responsibilties and
basls of report
As the charivs Iruslees, you are Tesponsible for the preparation of the
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011
I the Acl'l.
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I
have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charily
Commission under section 145{51{bl of the Act.
Independènt I
examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. l ¢onfimi that no malorial matters have
come lo my attention in connection wth the examinallon (other than that
disclosed below") which gives me cause to believe that in, any malerkgl
respect..
the accounting records were not kept in accofdance with section
130 of the Chariltes Act., or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the appliOIe 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 examinatson.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in
connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in
this report in c*der lo enable a proper undersianding of the accounts lo
be reached.
Please delete the words in the brackels if they do not apply.
Date:
23td Feb 2022
Sl9ned:
Name:
Tom Oaks
IER
Oct 2018
Relevant profess•onal
quallflcatlon{s} or body
Ilf any)".
NIA
Address:
Nwth Knapp, Rosemary Street
Milbome Port, SHERBORNE
Dorse( DT95AR
Sèction B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs lo hghlight material matters of concern
Isee CC32, Independent examinalKJn ol charity accounts.. directions and
guidan for examiners).
Give horg brief detalls ol
any items that the
examiner wishes to
dlsclose.
There 15 no material of conc*m lo highght.
IER
Oct 2018
## **Appendix 2 Holding Trustees of Gillingham Baptist Chapel**
The governing document of the Trust is the Trust Deed of 1838. Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Trust Deed and the Constitution of Gillingham Baptist Church.
## **The following persons were the Holding Trustees at 31 December 2021**
Mr J A C Blake, ‘Sundown’, Cucklington, Wincanton, Somerset, BA9 9PT Mr R E Burge, 5 Banstead Road, Broadstone, Dorset, BH18 9BB Pastor S V Chase, 27 Bayfields, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4AE
Mr P C Gray, 21 Thrift Close, Stalbridge, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 2LE Mr G Muspratt, 11 Birdbush, Ludwell, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 0PR
Mr B Thomason, The Old Malt House, Bridge Street, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1BZ Mr P J Wick, Oak Cottage, 10 Olde Fairfield, Bourton, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 5YG
The Trust properties and assets consist of the Chapel Building and Hall with the Pipe Organ, Fixtures and Fittings, together with the Baptist Manse, situated at Newbury, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5HZ.
The Holding Trustees have no financial administration responsibilities, as there are no trust funds and management of the Manse tenancy has been delegated to the Management Trustees.
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