SHEPPEY EVANGELICAL CHURCH Charity Number: 1183796 Start of Financial Year: 111 July 2023 End of Financial Year: 301h June 2024 Govemlng Instrument: CIO Association Constitution Cormpondence Addre98: Sheppey Evangelical Church, Warden Bay Road, LeysdoWn4>nea, Sheemess, Kent ME12 4NA Bankers: Barday8 Bank, Sittingbourne TRUSTEES, REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th JUNE 2023 MISSION STATEMENT Sheppey Evangelical Church exists to worship, grow as disciples and share the good news of Jesus Christ. OBJECTS OF THE CIO Sheppey Evangelical Church was founded in the 1980's. Historically Sheppey Evangelical Church was part of the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion. (Charity No. 232674), up until it became a CIO in July 2019 (Charity No.1183796). The Trustees are responsible for the legal oversight of Sheppey Evangelical Church. The Church is under the Spiritual oversight of the Pastor and the Church Leadership Team. ACTIVITIES At the beginning of July 2023, the Pastor and 2 other members of the church attended an Alpha course in Maidstone, with a view to possibly running a similar urse at SEC in the future. In July and August 2023, the United Beach Mission were once again able to send a fvll team to Leysdown. SEC provides free accommodation and full use of SEC premises to enable the UBM to work on Leysdown beach with families of holiday makers. Later that month SEC held a baptism service on the beach at Leysdown for three church members. Thi8 was a great opportunity to witness to a large number of people out enjoying the sun and the sea.
The Induction SeNice officially welcoming Trevor as a mlni3ter in the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion was held in September. Connexional Trustees and ministers from other churche8 on the Island were in attendance to offer greetings and support. Links with the local community were developed when everyone retired to the local dub house in the holiday camp acro85 the road to enjoy a cream tea and refreshments. In December, members of the church jolned with the Salvation Amy in their Carol Service at Leygdown village hall. The hall wag full of local residents. Just before Christmas Brenda Riddle helped produce a great famity Nativty service which was well attended. In January Trevor started going to visit the Island Residential Home. This has become a special time where Trevor is able to share a short service and communion with around 10 people in attendance each month. The usual Easter seNices took pla at SEC at the end of March. For the first time members of SEC took part in a march ofwitness carying a large Cross from Eastchurch to Minster Abbey. There they came together with two other large crosses used as part of a Good Friday Churches Together in Sheppey church service. Trevor read one of the Bible readings. Particularly noteworthy was the open-air sunrise service held at the beach on Easter moming followed by cooked breakfast in the church building, leading into a family Easter celebration service. In April another baptism service took place, this time in SEC. using a borrowed mobile baptisty. Three more people were baptised and there were over 100 people in attendance. Overall, the year has been a time of real blessing for the church. New visitors are often a feature of Sundays. several of whom have gone on to join the church family. In addition, the weekly Bible Study sessions and monthly Praise evenings have continued to grow from strength to strength. Sierra Leone Mission Sheppey Evangelical Church supports financially, in prayer, and with friendship, the work of the Sierra Leone Mission. The Church continued to raise funds and also or9anised approximately 60 shoe-bags filled with toys and basic items such as toothbrush and t-shirts, which were sent over to Sierra Leone. HOW THE CHARITY OPERATES The Chanty does not, itself, own any buildings. The Sheppey Evangelical Church building and the local Manse are owned by the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion Trust (Charity No. 232674) and leased to the Sheppey Evangelical Church at a Peppercom Rent.
A part-time Pa8tor is employed for 20 hour9 per week by Sheppey Evangelical Church. The previou8 Pagtor and his wife have gole occupation of the Man8e which 18 on the local estate in Wanlen Bay. Rent is pald monthly, and this is divided up belween the Countess of Huntingdon'8 Connexlon and Sheppey Evangelical Church. In additi'on to the Pastor, the Church has four people on the Leadership Team who are unpaid. All volunteers working within the Church programme are DBS checked rf they work with children and vulnerable adults. TRUSTEES AND ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE There are currently four Trustees, elected by the Church Members, eath serving for a renewable temi of three years with no more than one Trustee retiring in any one year. Trustees can serve until they either resign or their term ends without renewal. The Trustees comprise: Joe Gregory -chair Janet Foord -Treasurer Peter Riddle- Trustee Trevor Jones - Trustee The Trustees meet a minimum of three times each calendar year. FINANCIAL REVIEW The primary funding sources for Sheppey Evangelical Church are the freewill giving of its members and attendees. Other income comes from HMRC Gift AKI tax repayments from UK taxpayers who sign the appropriate Gift Aid commitsnenL The Charity has restricted fvnds and unrestricted cash assets totalling £23008 in the year to 301h June 2024. RESERVES POLICY The Trustees. policy is to ensure that unrestricted reserves are sufficient for three months unrestricted expenditure at current costs. The Trustees will be making efforts during the coming year to maintain this level of unrestricted reserves. Restricted funds are available to cover emergency repairs and fund the upkeep of two buildings, the manse and the Church.
PUBLIC BENEFIT The Trustees agm Ihat the work of Ihe Church is in Ilne with the Charity Commissions, guidance on public benefft. Sheppey Evangelical Chureh 1$ passionate about being a church filled to overllowing with the love of God, as seen through the Ilfe, death and resurrection of His Son Jesus. We are a thurch that encounters God together in our Spirit-led worship and try to live in a way which demnstrates the love of Jesus in our neighbourhood. The mission of Sheppey Evangelical Church is lo glorify God through obedience to Jesus Christ. He has commanded us to believe in Him and love one another as He loved us. Sheppey Evangelical Church is a family of Chrislians in and around Leysdown•On- Sea, but many travel from other parts of the Isle of Sheppey and Sittingt>oume. The thur(* is also visited by a number of holiday makers each year, some of whom regard SEC as their second church. STATEMENT OF FAITH Sheppey Evangelical Church is part of the Countess of Huntingdon Connexion. This was founded by Lady Selina. Countess of Huntingdon, during a season of revNal that saw a dramatic expansion of Gospel influence that transfomRd society on both sides of the Atlantic. The Countess welcomed all who would make the proclamation of their love for Jesus their priority and we are proud to remain in that tradition. Sheppey Evangelical Church is an active member of Churches Together In Sheppey, a support network of Christian churches on the Island who meet together 4 or 5 ts'mes a year for combined Christian servlces. Id /Jo Signed on behalf ofthe Trustees..................... ...... ........... ........ . .........................
CHARITY COMMISSIO FOR ENGLAND ANO WAIE Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For th• p•rlod from 711r21r23 erJor21r24 Section A Receipts aiid pa ments Vnre•lrl¢ttd funds R•gtrlrled nds Endowm1 lunds Tolal funds Last year to thi t 1 Recei 13J76 •K AIJ 3331 LIw4 116 110 COH 4.TJ3 Sub total(GrDss income for AR) 21.748 21.741 A2 Ass•1 aTrd investment sales. {s•t table). Sub total 21,748 22.592 A3 PayThnts 14305 12.016 131 1080 471 1,IZ4 460 420 4A26 274 1.297 274 13•7 Sub total 26J•• 19J17 A4 Assrf and investment pwchases, (see lable) Sub total 25,809 19.367 Net ol rnlPt{payrnont•j . A5 Trnnsfefs between funds A6 Cash funds last year end C•8h fund• th14 yo•r end 061 3225 4,Ik81 3.225 X R1 &counts (SS) 41112025
Sectlon B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unr•slfKtsd Ivndl Rp%trici•d Endrfwment nds Vptails 81 Cash fthid• lJ14 4.7 rot•1 c••h lund• Dèl•ih Details Detali 5