2024-09-30-accounts - Outpost Church

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OUTPOST CHURCH TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD 1[ST] OCTOBER 2023 – 30[TH] SEPTEMBER 2024

Contents:-	Page:-
Administrative & legal information	1
Objectives and activities	2
Achievements and performance	2
Financial review	4
Independent examiner’s report	6
Receipts and payments account	7
Statement of assets and liabilities	8
Notes to the accounts	9
Summary	10

OUTPOST CHURCH

Administrative & legal information

Registered Charity Name: Outpost Church Registered Charity Number: 1173519 Registered Office: Trustees: Roger Tanton (Chair) Peter Morris (Treasurer) Jessica Cayuela Joe Lillicrap Amanda Nunn

Elders: Roger Tanton (Pastor) Deacons: Peter Morris Tom Clarke [note: appointed after year end in Oct 2024]

Structure

Outpost Church is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), governed by a Constitution registered 21[st] June 2017, under which the trustees (the elders, plus others appointed) are responsible for the general control and management of the administration of the Church. The appointment of new trustees is initiated by the elders and approved by the trustees once all necessary eligibility checks have taken place. Anyone may make suggestions to the elders for a proposed trustee appointment.

The beliefs and practices of Outpost Church are set out in our handbook, with the spiritual leadership of the Church resting with the elders. The elders are joined in leadership of the work by deacons who are appointed to lead and serve in practical and spiritual ways under the guidance of the elders.

Our handbook sets out the provisions whereby Christian believers at Outpost Church may join as members, partnering with us in the gospel. Any person wishing to join the church as a member should speak to an elder or deacon to request a copy of the handbook and/or to express their desire to join in membership.

We are an independent church affiliated to the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC).

Charitable objects

The Church is required to comply with its legal charitable objects in all its activities:

a. The advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith, primarily, but not exclusively, within Kent and the surrounding area; and
b. such other charitable purposes as shall, in the opinion of the charity trustees, put into practice the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith, including but not limited to: the prevention and relief of need, hardship and sickness; the advancement of education; and the provision of community facilities;

provided that the advancement of such purposes must be undertaken in a manner that is consistent with the Doctrinal Distinctives and Ethical Statements as may be adopted and amended by the CIO from time to time.

OUTPOST CHURCH

Objectives and activities

As a Christian church we aim to point people who God is and what he has done for us in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are passionate about spreading the good news of Jesus to all and desire to see people experience his presence and the power of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives.

Our mission is to live as Outposts of God’s kingdom by raising the flag of Jesus in our hearts, homes, church, communities, and the world.

The main activity of the week is our Sunday service where we gather for worship, prayer, praise, and bible teaching. Our services are open to all and aim to be contemporary in style, friendly and informal. During the service, primary school aged children are able to attend Adventurers where they learn about the bible through games and craft. We meet up at mid-week groups throughout the year to pray, encourage and support each other, and learn how to apply the bible to our lives. Various other public events were held during the year; a light party, Christmas carol services, a Good Friday walk, harvest and summer celebrations, and two baptism services.

In the planning of all our activities, the trustees have complied with their duty to have regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Achievements and performance

Sunday Services

We continued to make use of the Woodchurch Community Centre for weekly services, with numbers in attendance steadily growing and averaging above 80 in the second half of the year. It was a joy to welcome many newcomers and visitors to our services, often a result of personal recommendation or via our affiliation to the FIEC.

Bible teaching has always been an important part of our weekly services. From October 2023 to March 2024, we returned to our long running series in Luke’s gospel, covering chapters 19 to 24, with a short break over the 2023 Christmas period to focus on the Nativity story. We went on to look at the book of Acts in a series running up to June 2024, covering Acts 1 to 4. Over the summer, we started a new series in 1 Peter, which focused on our mission as a church, before finishing the year exploring the life of Gideon in the book of Judges.

In anticipation of increased attendance at our 2023 Christmas services, we made the decision to host two carol services for the first time. Both were very well attended, providing a wonderful

OUTPOST CHURCH

opportunity to invite friends and family to church and share the Christian message. As a result, some attendees went on to become regulars at our weekly services.

It was very exciting to be able to hold two baptism services. We saw two people get baptised in May 2024, and a further individual baptised over the summer. It was a joy to hear their stories and join them in praising and thanking God for what Jesus had done in their lives.

One of the ways in which we continued to resource people is by providing a range of free books and materials at our weekly services for both Christian and non-Christian attendees and visitors. This year we expanded the selection of resources available and it has continued to be well used.

Children’s work

Adventurers (our group for primary school aged children) met throughout the year during our weekly services. Through a mix of craft, games, and teaching, the children explored the bible, including the early church through the eyes of the apostle Peter, a four week study of the Psalms, and sections of Luke’s gospel that focussed on Jesus’ interactions with the sick, the sinners, and outcasts. A highlight of 2023 was the Adventurers’ performance of the Nativity at one of our carol services.

We were grateful to have access to the Jean Mealham Hall this year, which allowed us to accommodate the growing number of children attending Adventurers on Sunday mornings.

Mid-week groups

Throughout the year we held various homegroups for men and women. These groups provided a space for building friendships, sharing experiences, and supporting one another through life’s challenges. We often revisited recent bible teaching from our services, with opportunity to explore in more depth and discuss how to apply it to our daily lives.

In January 2023, we introduced a monthly prayer meeting to give us a dedicated time to come together and collectively pray for our families, church, and wider issues in our communities, nation, and world. Over the year, it was encouraging to see more people take part and a deep sense of unity in seeking God together.

Other events

During the year we hosted several other events. Our light party in October 2023 was a key opportunity to share the truth of Jesus as the light of the world. Many families attended the event and celebrated with us through games, craft and a short message.

OUTPOST CHURCH

Our Good Friday walk in Easter 2024 provided a meaningful time for deepening friendships within the church family, particularly for those who were new to the church.

Rather than hosting our usual annual summer family festival, we instead held a series of smaller events over the summer including picnics and outdoor services. This approach was effective as it provided multiple opportunities to invite friends and newcomers while reducing our reliance on a single day and the unpredictability of the weather.

Financial review

Introduction

We have prepared our accounts using the simplified receipts and payments format accompanied by a statement of assets and liabilities. The totals for the previous year are given for comparison.

We continued to use two funds to help us manage our resources effectively which were as follows:

General Fund – for managing all regular income and regular expenses associated with running the church.
General Reserve Fund – for easily identifying and managing surpluses and reserves carried forward, to be used for larger one-off/extraordinary expenses, new opportunities, or as a means of meeting any potential shortfall in regular income against expenses.

All funds were unrestricted in nature meaning that they could be used to freely advance any of the church’s charitable objects.

Receipts & Payments Account

We are incredibly grateful to God for his provision. As shown on page 7, there was a substantial increase in incoming funds this year, from £34,603 in the previous year to £54,881 this year, which is due to additional and increased gifts received. This enabled us to cover total outgoings of £42,950, resulting in a year end surplus of £11,930 and a closing balance of £38,748. These funds are now available to spend in accordance with the church’s charitable objects.

Further analysis of expenditure items is given in the notes to the accounts.

OUTPOST CHURCH

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

The statement on page 8 lists the assets held by the church and gives a broad understanding of the liabilities at year end. The liabilities shown is a list of the main payments that were immediately due at year end.

Reserve Policy

Our reserve policy is to hold four months of expenditure to enable the church to adapt to reductions in income, plus a further £2,000 to meet larger extraordinary expenses and to respond to new opportunities that may arise. The target reserves figure (based on the budget for the year) was £16,056. Reserves held at the end of the year across all funds were £38,748.

It is acknowledged that reserves amount to more than the target figure and the trustees plan to utilise these funds in ways that will advance the work and mission of the church.

Employees

The church had one paid employee during the year; Roger Tanton. In line with the regulations and our governing documents, Roger’s employment related solely to his role as pastor of the church under a contract of employment for three and a half days per week. His work as a trustee was voluntary.

ANunn

ANunn (May 14, 2025 20:33 GMT+1)

Amanda Nunn (Trustee)

JLillicrap (May 14, 2025 21:01 GMT+1)JLillicrap Joe Lillicrap (Trustee)

May 14, 2025

OUTPOST CHURCH

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF

OUTPOST CHURCH

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Outpost Church ('the charity') for the year ended 30 September 2024 on pages 7 to 9 following.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’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 Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

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 accordance with section 130 of the 2011
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Sarah Crispin (May 19, 2025 17:15 GMT+1)Sarah Crispin

Sarah Crispin, ACA

Stewardship 1 Lamb’s Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB

Date: May 19, 2025

OUTPOST CHURCH

Receipts and payments account

	Notes	General	General	This year	Last year
		Fund	Reserve	2023/24	2022/23
			Fund	TOTAL	TOTAL
		£	£	£	£
Receipts
Donations received		41,224	3,955	45,179	28,361
Gift aid recovered		9,260	364	9,623	5,697
Bank interest		79	-	79	45
FIEC cost of living grant		-	-	-	500
Total receipts		50,562	4,319	54,881	34,603
Payments
Wages & payroll costs	1	26,073	-	26,073	22,843
Venue hire		5,636	-	5,636	1,487
Insurance, fees & memberships	2	3,194	727	3,921	2,276
Supplies for weekly activities & events	3	2,446	-	2,446	1,867
Sound & visual equipment	4	1,595	2,086	3,681	588
Study materials, books & literature		574	-	574	59
Donations to individuals/organisations	5	450	-	450	500
Office supplies		169	-	169	270
Training		-	-	-	1,950
Total payments		40,137	2,813	42,950	31,840
Excess receipts over payments		10,425	1,506	11,930	2,762
Opening balance on 1 Oct 2023		1,208	25,610	26,818	24,056
Internal transfers between funds	6	(10,000)	10,000	-	-
Closing balance on 30 Sept 2024		1,632	37,116	38,748	26,818

*Note: Numbers may not add up precisely due to rounding.

OUTPOST CHURCH

Statement of assets & liabilities

	Notes	General	General	This year
		Fund	Reserve	2023/24
			Fund	TOTAL
		£	£	£
Assets
Cash at bank with immediate access		1,632	37,116	38,748
Cash in hand		-	-	-
Gift aid still to be received		213	-	213
Total assets		1,845	37,116	38,961
Assets retained for charity’s own use	7
Liabilities
FIEC annual membership		912	-	912
Annual licence renewals		239	-	239
Venue hire fees to be settled		180	-	180
Pension liabilities		109	-	109
Total liabilities		1,440		1,440

*Note: Numbers may not add up precisely due to rounding.

OUTPOST CHURCH

Notes to the accounts

1 Wages & payroll costs

In addition to wages, the figure shown includes the monthly overheads and payroll administration costs.

2 Insurance, fees & memberships

The General Fund expenditure of £3,194 comprised of the following: FIEC membership [£840]; online/digital media [£508]; accounts examination fee [£480]; insurances including public liability [£408]; membership donation, covering two years, of Kent Gospel Partnership [£400]; copyright licences [£229]; safeguarding [£210]; bank fees [£64]; microphone licences [£56]. The additional General Reserve Fund sum of £727 is legal fees. This relates to an unsuccessful property transfer to Outpost Church that was explored in detail during the year.

3 Supplies for weekly activities & events

The total expenditure of £2,446 comprised of the following:

Weekly coffee/tea catering and supplies [£630]; Christmas services [£479]; light party [£426]; Special services (baptisms, evening services, bring-and-share lunches) [£267]; mid-week groups [£143]; harvest [£177]; Easter [£134]; summer outdoor service [£70]; craft for all-age services [£43]; adventurers [£40]; communion [£35].

4 Sound & visual equipment

The General Fund expenditure of £1,595 comprised of various equipment purchases, replacements, and consumables. A further £2,086 was spent against the General Reserve Fund to upgrade our PA speakers.

5 Donations to individuals/organisations

The expenditure of £450 comprised of honoraria for visiting speakers at Sunday services, and provision of photography at our carol service.

6 Internal transfers between funds

A total of £10,000 was transferred at year end to consolidate most of our reserves, for simplicity and ease of identification, into the general reserve fund.

7 Assets retained for charity’s own use

The key assets retained comprise of sound and visual (PA) equipment.

8 Other disclosures

There are no debts or guarantees to report in relation to the specific disclosures required under section 62 of The Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012.

OUTPOST CHURCH

Summary

The trustees are incredibly grateful to God for another year of his grace and blessing on the work of Outpost Church. Over the 2023-24 year, we saw a significant increase in annual income, rising from £34,603 in the previous year to £54,881 by the end of the reporting period. While this follows a continued pattern of year-on-year growth, the increase this year has been particularly substantial, fully meeting expenditure with a surplus of £11,930.

We give thanks for the continued financial support from individuals and families of the church whose kind donations make this work possible, as well as those who faithfully serve week by week in many ways. Their commitment is a great encouragement and story of God’s provision.

As we look ahead, we prayerfully seek God’s guidance on how best to use the financial resources entrusted to us. Our desire is to see lives transformed by Jesus, and we trust that God will continue to provide for us and lead us in this mission.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think…” Ephesians 3:20 (ESV)

Rog, Jess, Amanda, Joe & Pete Trustees

Declaration

The trustees declare they have approved the trustees’ report and accounts. Signed and dated on behalf of the trustees:

ANunn (May 14, 2025 20:33 GMT+1)ANunn JLillicrap (May 14, 2025 21:01 GMT+1)JLillicrap Amanda Nunn Joe Lillicrap (Trustee) (Trustee)

May 14, 2025