HERNE BAY EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH
64, Sunnyhill Road, Herne Bay, Kent. CT6 8LU www.hbefc.org.uk
Registered Charity number 1178886
Annual Trustees Report for year ended December 2023
Trust Information:
Name: Herne Bay Evangelical Free Church (within the Trust Deed governing the church premises, it is called “The Mission Hall”; also known colloquially as Sunnyhill Church), 64 Sunnyhill Road, Herne Bay, Kent. CT6 8LU
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Registered Number: This church obtained registration as a charity with the Charity Commission on 21[st] June 2018, number 1178886.
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Governing Documentation: Property Trust Deed – 8[th] August 1932; Church Constitution and Handbook both adopted by Members on 22nd January 2018.
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Trustees: Current Church Elders: Messrs. J. D. Beale, S. C. Buss (Pastor), D. P. Edwards, D. G. Wallis
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Bankers: The Co-operative Bank p.l.c., P.O. Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester M60 4EP
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Independent Examiner: Mr. R. Hutton (Book Keeper and former Treasurer of Westover Evangelical Free Church)
Report:
The Trustees, who are the Church Elders, have pleasure in presenting this report for the year ended 31st December 2023. The information set out above, regarding the Trust, forms part of our report.
In compiling this report, the Trustees have in mind their duty to report on the benefits to the public and they have regard to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance published from time to time. The Trustees believe that they are fully compliant with their duty to have due regard to this public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.
The purposes of the Church are:
the advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith, primarily but not exclusively, within Herne Bay, Kent and the surrounding neighbourhood; and
such other charitable purposes as shall, in the opinion of the members of the Church in general meeting, 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 Church from time to time in accordance with the provisions of the Church Handbook.
Three deacons: Miss Dorothy (Doff) Davey, Mrs Susan Peeling and Mr Philip Shaw were recognised as deacons at the members’ meeting in December. In accordance with our church constitution, they do not become trustees of this church.
We are grateful to God that our Pastor Simon Buss has been able to continue his ministry since his appointment in October 2021. Services are held every Sunday at 10.30 am and 6.00 pm and our weekly Bible Study and Prayer meetings are on Wednesdays at 7.00 pm. All these meetings are open to the general public and any guests are warmly welcomed. The monthly average number of website page requests for 2023 was 5677 compared to 3615 for 2022.
This year the ministry to our children involved the regular attendance of eight children with another three on the register, one other, when present attends the first part of the session and then goes to the Crèche room.
The Little Fish ministry for parent/carers and pre-schoolers continues to run weekly in school terms, although the numbers fluctuate, it is very well attended and appreciated.
We are looking forward to holding our Holiday Club in February half term, as people often take a holiday during the Easter holiday and it is a longer school break.
We have used our membership of the Christian Safeguarding Services (CSS) for our DBS checks and currently have twenty one people with enhanced DBS certificates.
Our Safeguarding Policy remains a useful working document and we continue to consult CSS where advice is needed. A Safeguarding training course was given by Luke Illsley from Canterbury in November; this was a joint training session with Hamilton Road Evangelical Church hosted at HBEFC. We plan to contact Luke again in order to book another training session in September.
The Hampton Nursery School continue to use our premises, albeit with their own restrictions, for five mornings each week during the academic year, agreeing to abide by the conditions set out in the licence.
A monthly coffee morning has recently started and has attracted some interest.
In response to the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, we were able to give £1,185 that had been given by our Members and Congregation for this purpose.
Our manse renovations were completed in the spring of last year. Subsequently, our manse was let through Arun Estate Agencies Ltd, trading as Wards.
Maintenance work has been carried out on our church buildings including the replacement of wooden external doors and windows in the bungalow with UPVC doors and windows. Crittal metal windows in the Boucher Hall and main Schoolroom had also been replaced with UPVC windows. This explains the significant costs shown under Church Maintenance in our accounts.
The end of year membership was twenty.
A copy of our Year End Accounts compiled on the receipts and payments basis, is included at the end of this report. We are grateful to record God’s faithfulness to us over the year with a further increase in our resources as shown on this report.
New Trustees are automatically appointed by virtue of an individual being appointed as a Pastor and/or Elder of the church.
The numbers attending Sunday services are continuing to rise. The average attendance in 2023 was:
| Adults | Children | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 34 | 7 | 41 |
| Evening | 20 | 0 | 20 |
[Source: Average of weekly counts of attendance]
As at 31st December 2023 the church assets were:
| Cash Cheque Account | £ 17,015.50 |
|---|---|
| Deposit Account | £40,371.49 |
| Total | £57,386.99 |
Additionally the Church has other assets including a keyboard, chairs, communion table and chairs, and kitchen appliances etc. All such items are expensed at the time of acquisition and no individual asset exceeded £5,000.
The church has two properties – the manse and the buildings on the church premises. The market value of these properties is difficult to assess as there is no realistic market for churches and the manse is required for church use. However, the insured values are:
Church £1,476,012 Manse £ 544,000
Average monthly General Fund income and expenditure during the year was:
Income £8,674.70 Expenditure £7,851.11
The Church Officers review monthly income and expenditure reports and the level of funds. There is no detailed reserves policy but the aim is to hold a minimum of circa £40,000 to provide cover for exceptional expenses. This figure equates to approximately six months normal expenditure with the objective of retaining sufficient resources to meet anticipated requirements for the continuance of church activities and to maintain the property in good condition. The Trustees have no intention of over-spending and running into debt. Gifts are made to missionary organisations from our tithing of general undesignated income. The Trustees are not Custodian Trustees of any funds that come within the remit of this Trust.
Expenses incurred in the direct performance of their responsibilities and reimbursed to the Trustees in the past year were:
S. C. Buss (Pastor) £3,400.66 (Study Books £55.49, Travel including rail £536.60, Conferences £711.84, Outreach Literature etc. £394.28, Ink £839.26, Stationary £220.89, Church Maintenance £185.42, Children’s Materials £113.41, Telephone System £242.32, Church Library £48.05, Legal £6.00, Projector Pointer £12.99, Shredder £34.11) D. P. Edwards (Treasurer) £329.85 (Church Maintenance £292.89, Holiday Churches £20.00, Postage £10.97, Stationery £5.99)
All such expenses are included in the monthly statements issued to all Trustees and to Church Members when business meetings are convened.
There have been no serious incidents or other matters that needed to be reported to the Charity Commission in the period under review.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees: David P Edwards D. P. Edwards, Trustee Dated: 15[th] April 2024
| HERNE BAY EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH | ||
|---|---|---|
| Registered Charity Number 1178886 | ||
| Statement of Account for the year ended: 31st December 2023 | ||
| SUMMARY: | 2022 | 2023 |
| General: Opening Balance | 33,000.69 | 47,316.48 |
| Income | 124,719.21 | 104,096.39 |
| Expenditure | 110,403.42 | 94,213.35 |
| Closing Balance | 47,316.48 | 57,199.52 |
| Missionary:Opening Balance | 392.78 | 810.74 |
| Income | 10,692.96 | 8,936.73 |
| Expenditure | 10,275.00 | 9,660.00 |
| Closing Balance | 810.74 | 87.47 |
| Funds:General Fund | 47,316.48 | 57,199.52 |
| Designated Funds | 100.00 | 100.00 |
| Missionary Funds | 810.74 | 87.47 |
| Total | 48,227.22 | 57386.99 |
| Resources:Bank (cheque account) | 8,792.31 | 17,015.50 |
| Saving (deposit account) | 39,434.91 | 40,371.49 |
| Total | 48,227.22 | 57,386.99 |
| ANALYSIS: General Fund | ||
| Income:Offerings inc. Gift Aid | 40,687.53 | 52,765.06 |
| Interest | 126.62 | 523.66 |
| Tax Refunds | 8,213.59 | 15,855.29 |
| Thank Offering | 65,322.60 | 16,050.00 |
| Nursery School Licence Fees | 6,600.00 | 5,500.00 |
| Manse Rent | 0.00 | 10,194.00 |
| Sundries | 3,768.87 | 3,208.38 |
| 124,719.21 | 104,096.39 | |
| Expenditure: | ||
| Visiting Speakers Fees Etc. | 1,989.00 | 2,432.65 |
| Visiting Speakers Fees Declined | (618.00) | (590.00) |
| Pastor-Salary & Overheads | 21,060.00 | 23,436.00 |
| Pastor’s Housing Allowance | 0.00 | 7,800.00 |
| Pastor-Travel & Expenses | 419.39 | 592.09 |
| Outreach, Publicity Etc. | 946.93 | 1,245.70 |
| Sunday Club Expenses | 988.88 | 518.58 |
| Cleaners Pay | 514.00 | 1,051.25 |
| Church: Electricity | 1,995.00 | 818.00 |
| Gas | 1,723.61 | 1,154.18 |
| Water/Sewerage | 731.17 | 669.27 |
| Telephone | 0.00 | 242.32 |
| Insurance | 1,044.34 | 1,142.39 |
| Maintenance | 4,451.86 | 36,235.64 |
| Manse: Water/Sewerage | 1,000.41 | 73.54 |
| Council Tax | 2,143.57 | 1,550.37 |
| Energy | 427.00 | 348.33 |
| Insurance | 1,092.68 | 247.22 |
| Maintenance | 55,539.93 | 5,408.21 |
| Rent | 10,800.00 | 5,400.00 |
| Piano Tuning | 55.00 | 0.000 |
| F.I.E.C. Annual Donation | 530.00 | 590.00 |
| KGP Donation | 100.00 | 200.00 |
| Conference Fees | 950.68 | 1,016.03 |
| Audit & Professional Fees | 550.00 | 748.77 |
| Direct Administration Expenses | 872.55 | 1,141.22 |
| Flower Displays | 159.54 | 279.34 |
| Sundries | 935.88 | 462.25 |
| 110,403.42 | 94,213.35 | |
| ANALYSIS: Missionary Fund | ||
| Income: Offerings inc. Gift Aid | 4,569.04 | 5,882.65 |
| Relief | 5225.00 | 1,210.00 |
| Interest | 14.08 | 58.18 |
| Tax Refunds | 884.84 | 1,785.90 |
| Total Income | 10692.96 | 8,936.73 |
| Expenditure: Planned Support | 5,050.00 | 8,450.00 |
| Other Disbursements | 5,225.00 | 1,210.00 |
| Total Expenditure | 10,275.00 | 9,660.00 |
| Average Weekly Income | 870.32 | 1,127.84 |
| ExcludesInterest,Tax,ThankOffering,LicenceFees & Sundries | ||
| Administration Expenses | 2,496.52 | 3,091.39 |
| Percentage of Total Income | 1.84% | 2.73% |
HERNE BAY EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH
Statement of Account for the month ended: 31-December-2023
| SUMMARY GENERAL: Opening Balance Income Expenditure Closing Balance Net Income & Expenditur MISSIONARY: Opening Balance Income Expenditure Closing Balance Net Income & Expenditur TOTAL SOURCES: Income Expenditure Net Income & Expenditur FUNDS: General Fund Designated Funds Missionary Fund Total RESOURCES: CAF & Co-op Bank CAF & Co-op Savings Total ANALYSIS: General Fund Income: Offerings inc. Gift Aid Interest Tax Refunds Thank Offering Nursery School Licence Fees Manse Rent Sundries Total Expenditure: Visiting Speakers Fees Etc. Visiting Speakers Fees Declined. Pastor - Salary & Overheads Pastor's Housing Allowance Pastor - Travel & Expenses Outreach, Publicity Etc. |
ACTUAL 47,316.48 104,096.39 94,213.35 |
|---|---|
| 57,199.52 | |
| e 9,883.04 |
|
| 810.74 8,936.73 9,660.00 |
|
| 87.47 | |
| e (723.27) |
|
| 113,033.12 103,873.35 |
|
| e 9,159.77 |
|
| 57,199.52 100.00 87.47 |
|
| 57,386.99 | |
| 17,015.50 40,371.49 |
|
| 57,386.99 | |
| 52,765.06 523.66 15,855.29 16,050.00 5,500.00 10,194.00 3,208.38 |
|
| 104,096.39 | |
| 2,432.65 (590.00) 23,436.00 7,800.00 592.09 1,245.70 |
| Sunday Club Expenses Cleaning Church: Electricity Gas Water/Sewerage Telephone Insurance Maintenance Manse: Water/Sewerage Council Tax Energy Insurance Maintenance Rent Piano Tuning F.I.E.C. Annual Donation Gift Day Conference Fees Audit & Professional Fees Direct Administration Expenses Fellowship & Welfare Tuesday Fellowship Support Flower Displays Sundries Total ANALYSIS: Missionary Fund Income: Offerings inc. Gift Aid Relief Others Interest Tax Refunds Total Expenditure: Planned Support Other Disbursements Total Administration Expenses Percentage of Total Income |
518.58 1,051.25 818.00 1,154.18 669.27 242.32 1,142.39 36,235.64 73.54 1,550.37 348.33 247.22 5,408.21 5,400.00 0.00 590.00 200.00 1,016.03 748.77 1,141.22 0.00 0.00 279.34 462.25 |
|---|---|
| 94,213.35 | |
| 5,882.65 1,210.00 0.00 58.18 1,785.90 |
|
| 8,936.73 | |
| 8,450.00 1,210.00 |
|
| 9,660.00 | |
| 3,091.39 2.73% |
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