Arbury Road Baptist Church Cambridge, CB4 2JE
Email: contact@arburyroadbaptist.org Telephone: 01223 560590
‘Knowing, and making known, the hope and life of Jesus’
Arbury Road Baptist Church – Annual Report 2022
References and administrative details
Registered address
20 Arbury Road, Cambridge CB4 2JE
Charity Registration Number 1175114
Trustees
The Revd Matt Rowe (Minister) Susanne Lyle (Operations Strategic Leader/Secretary) (appointed November 2018) Richard Green (Treasurer) John Watts (appointed May 2022) Sue Brignell (appointed March 2021) Neil Armstrong (appointed March 2022)
Property Trustees
The Baptist Union Corporation Limited Baptist House, 129 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 8RT
Bankers
Barclays Bank, Leicester LE87 2BB
Independent Examiner
Mr Richard Law
Annual Report for 2022
The trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2022.
Structure, Governance and Management
The Charity is governed by an Approved Governing Document. Members of the Church are accepted in accordance with the Constitution which requires them to be or to have been publicly baptised on the profession of faith in Jesus Christ, or following other modes of baptism to renew their public profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
The members’ meeting normally takes place six times per year and has responsibility for the overall policy of the church. In accordance with the Constitution, the members appoint four Trustees, who together with the Minister, Operations Strategic Leader (previously Church Secretary) and Treasurer (who are also appointed by the Members), are responsible for the day-to-day running of the church’s work and witness, and the financial and legal aspects of the charity. All members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objective.
Relevant matters may be submitted to the Church meeting by the Trustees for guidance, or may be raised by members in the Church meeting for further consideration by the Trustees. Though the Constitution permits
www.arburyroadbaptist.org
Arbury Road Baptist Church is a registered charity number: 1175114
decisions to be made at Church meetings by appropriate majorities, the Church seeks to work by consensus wherever possible.
Objectives and activities
The principal purpose of the charity is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination to include the advancement of education, community service and such other general charitable purposes in such parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the Church shall determine.
This year has been an interesting one, with Matt our minister going on sabbatical leave from September to December and a range of speakers preaching at our services, including several of our own church members. We have continued to hold to our church values in all our objectives and activities. These encapsulate our core purpose as a church and are at the centre of all that we do as a church. A copy of these values is attached to this report.
In order to achieve the principal objective, which is set out above, the Church provides a variety of activities both to its membership and to the community generally. The aim is that as a church we help people to know, and make known, the hope and life of Jesus.
Central to the work and witness of the Church is the provision of regular public services of Christian worship, which this year have been a combination of online, in person and hybrid. These services take place each Sunday at 10.30am, as well as a prayer meeting twice a month at 7.00pm. With the online provision, this has enabled people to join regardless of their location and we have had people joining from all over the country and sometimes around the world! There are also occasional services at other times such as at Christmas and Easter, which are advertised appropriately, including through the church website at arburyroadbaptist.org. During this year, we have had a growing number of children joining us for ARK Sundays (Arbury Road Kids).
The Church runs a series of house groups for the growth of faith and discipleship, which this year have been continuing to run partly online and partly in person, depending on the regulations. We are looking to develop these and possibly add to the groups.
The Church runs a range of activities in our local community, which have flourished during the last year. They include ‘Wonderfully made’ (a safe place for those dealing with mental health challenges) and ‘Faithful friends’ (a community group helping people to explore the Christian faith). The aim of all these events is to assist the community and demonstrate the love, hope and life of Jesus Christ.
The Church operates systems to ensure that all people working with children and vulnerable adults are appropriately vetted with regard to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
The Church has read the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit, and is satisfied that the activities outlined above clearly demonstrate that the charity is providing a benefit to the public.
Achievements and Performance
The Church does not measure the success of its programmes only in numbers, including financial numbers, but also in less tangible areas such as fellowship and encouragement. The Trustees recognise that these are difficult to measure, but believe that 2022 has been a positive year in the life of the church, and that it will be able to pursue its mission purposes in 2023 with renewed enthusiasm.
Over the last year, we were delighted to welcome two new members into our church family and were sad to see four members leave our membership to worship elsewhere, due to moving area. It has been a privilege to walk alongside others who are exploring Jesus throughout their life. We have also had the privilege of serving one family in conducting a funeral and service of thanksgiving for a loved one who died. At 31 December 2022, the membership stood at 44.
Over the course of the last year we have celebrated with two couples who have been married in our church, and we have ministered and served two families as they have lost loved ones.
This year we have continued to serve our community and work towards the fulfilment of our community dream which can be found on our church website (arburyroadbaptist.org/dream). We are delighted that we have been able to appoint Kimberley Rayson as our community pioneer to continue to develop this role. Over the last year we have provided holiday lunches and a warm space as we seek to love those around us, and continued to explore further opportunities to love and serve our neighbours too.
Financial Review
The Church continues to raise the funds it needs to carry on its activities from within its own membership and congregation. We currently operate at a deficit in this regard, and have only recently been able to let out our building to community groups to provide some extra income.
The most significant expense relates to the employment of our church staff team, the Revd Matt Rowe as Minister of the Church, to lead and co-ordinate the church’s activities including the Sunday services, to provide pastoral care for the congregation and other people, and to equip and encourage the membership in their life, Christian witness and service. Alongside Matt, Kimberley Rayson serves as our community pioneer, taking the life and hope of Jesus out into the community around our church.
The Church expressed its part in the life of the wider church by making grants to national and international Christian organisations and societies with Christian aims and objectives compatible with the Church’s own charitable purpose.
The Church is heavily dependent on its membership working as volunteers in all aspects of the church’s activities, many of which run with little or no impact on the church’s expenditure, but nevertheless contribute substantially to the achievement of the church’s objectives. We continue to be grateful for all who contribute to the life of our church in such a wide variety of different ways.
The financial results for the year, together with a summary of the accounting policies adopted are set out in the accompanying financial statements.
The Church is a participating employer within the Defined Benefit section of the Baptist Pension Scheme and has been making ongoing deficit payments to cover the costs of past service of its employees within the scheme under a recovery plan. The Church understands that if it had left the scheme at the year-end, it would have to have made a one-off payment estimated to be £67,600 to meet its statutory obligations to the scheme. The Church has no plan to leave the scheme and expects to continue to make payments to the scheme in line with the recovery plan.
TO: Membership DATE: 1 March 2023
FROM: Richard Green– Treasurer SUBJECT: Treasurers’ Annual Report - 2022
1.0 Summary
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1.1 Excluding transfers to/from other funds, the General Fund had an in-year deficit of £8,732 during the year. This is an improvement on the budgeted in-year deficit of £23,533.
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1.2 Some of the reserve fund has been transferred to the General Fund to help prevent it from being in a cumulative deficit. At the end of the year, due to the fund transfers, the general fund ended with £17,902 (increase of £9,315 compared to the prior year). The reserve fund ended with £43,755 (a decrease of £9,544 compared to the prior year). It may be that we do not need to transfer as much in 2023, depending on how low we are willing to let the General Fund go.
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1.3 The accounts have been independently checked and no issues of material accuracy were identified. The summary income and expenditure statement, and balance sheet are shown at the end of this report.
2.0 General Fund Commentary
- 2.1 Expenditure overall has underspent the budget by £15,926. Brief explanations for variances over £500 are:
| Area | Amount underspent |
Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Related |
£3,575 | Less National Insurance and Pension than expected. |
| Manse | £3,369 | There has been less spent on repairs and maintenance of the manse than expected. |
| Premises | £1,663 | Gas has cost less than expected (-£2,364), although has been somewhat offset by higher spending on electricity (+£1,179). General repairs cost £637 less than expected. |
| Supplies and services |
£4,004 | Most areas in this section underspent, particularly office costs (£1,383), sound system/worship group (£509) and training (£1,238) |
| Church activities | £1,744 | Virtually all church activity budgets underspent, mainly Sunday morning children’s work (£517) and Ministerial expenses (£675). |
| Missions/Support | £1,571 | The main underspend related to Outreach in Cambridge (£621). |
2.2 Income under-achieved by £1,125. This was due to offerings being £5,507 less than budgeted, but partially compensated by £1,491 more Gift aid than expected, and £2,891 more donations than expected.
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3.0 Other Fund Commentary
Looking Forward Building Fund – balance at 31/12/2022: £14,462
- 3.1 This fund originates from donations made mainly in 2016 and 2017 to help cover the costs of agreed projects. Donations have been received for new carpets (£4,000) and lighting (£5,000). £2,750 was spent on the new heating system.
M. Harris Investment Fund – balance at 31/12/2022: £4,596
- 3.2 This fund is historic and is a capital fund (where we are not easily able to spend the money). The fund interest is applied to general fund purposes each year, and so the fund remains at £4,596.
Bursary Fund – balance at 31/12/2022: £1,000
- 3.3 There has been no income nor expenditure during the year.
Pioneer Fund – balance at 31/12/2022: £1,482
- 3.4 This fund was set up to cover costs of activities undertaken by the Community Worker. £110 donations have been received and £459 spent.
Reserve Fund – balance at 31/12/2022: £43,755
- 3.5 This fund is used for reserves and is transferred to the General Fund when needed. It receives all our lettings and car park rental income. £7,454 was received into the fund during the year. £16,998 was transferred into the General Fund.
Lunch Break – balance at 31/12/2022: £478
- 3.6 This fund monitors the income and expenditure of Lunch Break.
Kitchen Fund - balance at 31/12/2022: £1,196
- 3.7 This fund was set up a few years ago when some funding from the previous lunch club were available and retained for kitchen use. £10 was received during the year and £400 oven cleaning expenditure incurred.
Outreach in Cambridge - balance at 31/12/2022: £3,205
- 3.8 This fund has historically had some funding to help cover the costs of missional outreach work in our local area. £1,723 of donations and grants has been received during the year, with no expenditure.
Go Fund - balance at 31/12/2022: £350
- 3.9 The Go Fund was set up to enable grants to be provided for individuals to ‘go’ and undertake missional or other agreed activities away from Cambridge. £1,250 has been spent during the year.
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Fellowship Fund - balance at 31/12/2022: £1,434
- 3.10 This fund collects donations during communion services. The fund can be accessed by requests to the Minister for financial hardship or other issues being faced by those in the fellowship. £80 was received and £39 spent during the year.
Ark Kids - balance at 31/12/2022: £19
- 3.11 £55 income was received during the year and £221 was spent.
Minister in the Community - balance at 31/12/2022: £18,285
- 3.12 This fund tracks the income and expenditure specifically for ‘Minister in the Community’. £25,403 was received and £25,856 spent during the year.
Wonderfully Made - balance at 31/12/2022: £1,601
- 3.13 Tracks income and expenditure for Wonderfully Made Creative Café. £2,065 income was received and £901 spent during the year.
4.0 Balance Sheet
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4.1 Cash balances remain strong overall at £109,766 and have increased by around £5,000 compared to the previous year.
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4.2 Most surplus cash is held in the Baptist Union Deposit Account (£75,518). By keeping our surplus funds with the BU helps other Baptist Churches access loans for building and other improvements.
5.0 Thanks
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5.1 We thank the Lord for His provision during 2022.
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5.2 Thanks go to Joan Cooper for all her help in her role as Assistant Treasurer – particularly collecting, counting, and banking the weekly offering and other income, which she does with 100% accuracy and reliability making my role as Treasurer so much easier. Thanks also to Sue Brignell who has provided support during the year, particularly on payroll and HMRC requirements.
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5.3 My thanks also go to our external auditor, Richard Law who agreed to audit the 2022 church accounts.
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5.4 Also, my thanks go to all the Trustees who have helped me in my Treasurer role during the last twelve months. I have found it very challenging but with the help from the Trustee’s and also Mike Hobbs (ex-Treasurer) who has been so helpful when I couldn’t get the accounts to balance, I have managed to get through.
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ARBURY ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31/12/2022
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G E N E R A L F U N D
INCOME Note 2022 Budget 2022 Actual 2021 Actual % Change
Offerings 45,000 39,493 46,120 -17%
Giftaid 10,000 11,491 12,727 -11%
Other/Donations 250 3,141 26,215 -735%
TOTAL 55,250 54,125 85,062 -57%
EXPENDITURE
Employee Related 36,883 33,308 31,995 4%
Manse 9,612 6,243 7,086 -13%
Premises 14,274 12,611 49,177 -290%
Supplies & Services 7,514 3,510 4,681 -33%
Church Activities 2,350 606 482 20%
Missions/Support 8,150 6,579 6,231 5%
Projects 0 0 0 0%
TOTAL 78,783 62,857 99,652 -59%
FUND TRANSFERS
To Pioneer Fund -50 -600
To E.Bowler Fund 0 -800
To Ark Dads 0 -200
To Mum 2 Mum 0 -450
To Lunch Break Fund 0 -273
From Reserves 16,998 10,000
From Lunch Break Fund 0 140
From Grants 1,100 0
Sub-total Fund Transfers 18,048 7,817
(+) Surplus / (-) Deficit -23,533 9,316 -6,773
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Arbury Road Baptist Church - Accounts
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O T H E R F U N D S
INCOME 2022 Actual 2021 Actual
M.Harris Investment Fund 0 0
Looking Forward Fund 9,050 20
Bursary 0 88
Pioneer Fund 110 0
Lunch Break 827 500
Kitchen Fund 10 45
E.Bowler Fund 0 0
Outreach in Cambridge 1,723 0
Go Fund 0 0
Fellowship Fund 80 40
Ark Kids 55 310
Mum2Mum 0 0
Grants 0 1,100
Minister in the Community 25,403 11,021
Reserve Fund 7,454 4,782
Wonderfully Made 2,065 1,784
SUB-TOTAL (Other Funds Income) 46,777 19,690
EXPENDITURE
M.Harris Investment Fund 0 0
Looking Forward Fund 2,750 1,620
Bursary 0 0
Pioneer Fund 459 154
Lunch Break 572 697
Kitchen Fund 400 0
E.Bowler Fund 0 0
Outreach in Cambridge 0 0
Go Fund 1,250 0
Fellowship Fund 39 0
Ark Kids 221 324
Mum2Mum 0 450
Grants 0 3,271
Minister in the Community 25,856 2,386
Reserve Fund 0 0
Wonderfully Made 901 1,347
SUB-TOTAL (Other Funds Expenditure) 32,448 10,249
FUND TRANSFERS
To Ark Dads 0 200
To E.Bowler Fund 0 800
To Pioneer Fund 0 1,869
To Minister in the Community 0 10,104
To Lunch Break 0 273
To Mum2Mum 0 450
To General Fund -18,098 0
From General Fund 50 0
From E.Bowler Fund 0 -1,269
From Lunchbreak 0 -140
From Grants 0 -10,104
From Reserves 0 -10,000
SUB-TOTAL (Fund Transfers) -18,048 -7,817
(+) Surplus / (-) Deficit -3,719 1,623
TOTAL (+) Surplus / (-) Deficit 5,597 -5,150
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Arbury Road Baptist Church - Accounts
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Balances and Reconciliation
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Balances: 31/12/2022 31/12/2021 Change (£)
Barclays Current Account 33,906 29,828 4,078
Baptist Union Deposit Account 75,518 74,366 1,151
Welcome Lunch Petty Cash 478 223 255
Net Liabilities 1 -135 -247 112
109,766 104,169 5,597
Funds:
31/12/2022 31/12/2021 Change (£)
General Fund 17,902 8,587 9,315
Looking Forward Building Fund 14,462 8,162 6,300
M.Harris Investment 2 4,596 4,596 0
Bursary 1,000 1,000 0
Pioneering Project 1,482 1,781 -299
Reserve Fund 43,755 53,299 -9,544
Lunch Break 478 223 255
Kitchen Fund 1,196 1,586 -390
E Bowler Spurgeons 0 0 0
Outreach in Cambridge 3,205 1,482 1,723
Go Fund 350 1,600 -1,250
Fellowship Fund 1,434 1,393 41
Ark Kids 19 185 -166
Mum2Mum 0 0 0
Grants (Restricted) 0 1,100 -1,100
Wonderfully Made 1,601 437 1,164
Minister in the Community 18,285 18,739 -453
TOTAL FUNDS 109,766 104,169 5,597
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£125 owed to BMS, £10 owed to BU Home Mission.
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M.Harris Investment is a capital fund and cannot be spent (other than interest earned).
Independent examiner's In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my statement attention (other than that disclosed below)
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect, Arbury Road Baptist Church have not met the requirements to ensure that:
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proper accounting records are kept; and
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accounts are prepared which agree with the accounting
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records; or
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to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Arbury Road Baptist Church - Accounts
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Arbury Road Baptist Church 1175114
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period 01-Jan 31-Dec
To
from 2022 2022
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Offerings 39,493 - - 39,493 46,120
Gift Aid (Inland Revenue) 11,491 - - 11,491 12,727
Other / Donations 40,868 9,050 - 49,918 45,905
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
AR) [ 91,852 ] 9,050 - 100,902 104,752
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 91,852 9,050 - 100,902 104,752
A3 Payments
Employee Related 59,164 - - 59,164 37,652
Manse 6,243 - - 6,243 7,086
Premises 13,011 2,750 - 15,761 50,797
Supplies & Services 3,510 - - 3,510 4,681
Church Activities 606 - - 606 482
Missions / Support 10,021 - - 10,021 9,204
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total [ 92,555 ] 2,750 - 95,305 109,902
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 92,555 2,750 - 95,305 109,902
Net of receipts/(payments) - 703 6,300 - 5,597 - 5,150
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 70,573 33,597 - 104,170 109,320
Cash funds this year end 69,870 39,897 - 109,767 104,170
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CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
08/03/2023
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities |
(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Current accounts Deposit account Petty cash - lunch Total cash funds Details Details Details Details Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 3,874 29,897 65,518 10,000 478 - 69,870 39,897 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name |
Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional) Date of approval |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
08/03/2023
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