Disciples of Jesus sharing God’s transforming love ## Annual Report 2020/21 As we approach our Annual Church meeting in September it’s good to reflect upon the past year during which our normal activities as a church have had to be suspended. Our buildings have been closed and physical meetings have been cancelled and so we have had to urgently re-think what we do and how we do it. As we reflect upon what has happened, it’s become clear that church is not about buildings or activities (what we do) but is much more about who we are and our relationships with each other and with those around us. The enforced stopping of activities has given us time to reflect upon our individual discipleship, the celebration of simple things that we had perhaps taken for granted and the value being in community where we offer support to each other. The pandemic has also given us time to evaluate what we do as a network. During this season, the leadership team have taken some time to think and pray about our mission and values as a network. These are the “benchmarks” against which we can then measure what we think we should do. We have agreed that our mission statement should be: Disciples of Jesus sharing God’s transforming love . This is a concise, memorable statement that reminds us primarily of who we are (& whose we are!) and then how we seek to live. Our core values are the qualities or characteristics that shape the way we live and serve together in the church. The values we will seek to embed in all we do are: > Integrity: As disciples of Jesus we seek to live out what we believe and reflect his values and character. We will offer an unconditional welcome, sharing our blessings and having a servant heart. We will demonstrate our love for God by loving others, seeking to work together with people of peace, working for justice for all. > Accountability: Joined together as one body by the Holy spirit we will seek to bear his fruit in our life together, submitting to one another, walking together and watching over one another. > Co-operation: As a network we agree to partner with one another recognizing we are stronger together and that together we can do more. We will support one another in practical ways and uphold each in prayer. > Respect We will treat everyone with respect irrespective of their race, belief, ability, sexual orientation, gender or age. We will show respect for God’s world acknowledging our responsibility to care, conserve, recycle and reduce waste. ## Sunday Services During the pandemic weekly virtual gatherings took place on Sundays both in Chew Magna and Blagdon. These meetings enabled us to maintain contact, share news and needs and encourage one another. We were able to take advantage of the rich resources made available ‘on-line’ for use in our ‘services’. We also recorded a weekly sermon which was posted on our You Tube Channel which people could access at their convenience. We are very grateful to Crawford Telfer (right) for his time and expertise in recording and editing this weekly resource. We have been greatly encouraged to hear from people from beyond our local church family who have been blessed by listening to our on-line sermons. At Blagdon, the weekly on-line gathering attracted a diverse group of people, some with church background and others without. It rapidly became a valuable support network during the lockdown in which new relationships were forged and lasting friendships developed. As the lockdown has eased, the group has stopped meeting weekly, but intend to revert to monthly in-person breakfast gatherings from the Autumn. Many thanks to Clare and Guy for their commitment to this. 2 The fellowship at Winford stopped their Sunday meetings during the pandemic but the members kept in regular contact with one another, providing support and prayer as needed. Many thanks to Alan for distributing the weekly sermon and newsletters. ## Schools The pandemic put a sudden stop to our regular activities in the schools in our area. However, we have been able to support our local primary schools by filming a number of “Open the Book” Stories which have been used by staff for their class based collective worship. During the times when schools have been closed, these were also sent home to families. Once more we are indebted to Crawford Telfer who graciously offered his time and film-making skills to produce these short films. We should also give a special shout out to our resident storyteller, John Bishop whose skills we are very fortunate to benefit from. We estimate that the Open the Book stories have been seen by well over 500 children across the Chew and Yeo Valleys. John M also provided on-line philosophy lessons for use in a number of our primary schools during the lockdown. As restrictions have eased, John has restarted in person teaching at Winford and Cameley Primary schools. Hopefully this will expand and we can restart leading in-person collective worship from this September. We have continued to provide “It’s Your Move books” as a gift for Year 6 leavers as they move up to their Secondary schools. This year we gave books to 150 children across 9 primary schools in our area. ## Advent Window Trails, Christingles, & Easter Bags The pandemic has disrupted many areas of our lives together. Not being able to meet has caused us to explore ways in which we can keep in touch with families 3 who attended our monthly “Big Get2Gethers”. At Christmas we organised some Covid-safe, socially distanced Christingle events which were well attended and much appreciated by the families who attended. At Blagdon, Clare and Guy organised an Advent Window Trail around the village which raised over £2000 for local causes including “Home for Good”. The windows at Chew Magna chapel were also decorated for Christmas. At Easter we prepared Easter activity bags for families with whom we have a connection through Big Get2gethers, Sparklers, Winford Friday Club and Breakfast at Blagdon. We made and distributed over 50 bags to 30+ families. Each bag contained a simple Easter garden to plant, some craft activities, Easter quizzes and an Easter egg hunt. Oh…and of course some chocolate eggs! We also decorated the windows at Chew Magna with scenes from the Easter story. ## Supporting others Over the past year we have continued to support various causes and people. At Christmas and Harvest we were able to send donations of clothes, food and money to the Sisters of the Church in St Pauls, Bristol in support of their work with the homeless. We have helped support Pastor Gavril in his work amongst the Roma Community in Romania through the Life 2 Romania Charity. The pandemic meant that we were not able to send Christmas shoe-boxes to Albania as usual. Instead we encouraged people to give financially to support the local churches in Tirana as they made their own Christmas gift bags for poor families in their local communities. 4 ## New Opportunities In previous annual reports we have been reporting on the somewhat protracted process of our plans to purchase the old Methodist Church in Bishop Sutton, which closed in 2015. Eventually the purchase was completed in March 2021. “The Link” at Bishop Sutton is now the newest addition to the CYBN Network of churches! Our initial priorities are to ensure that the building is sound, safe for all users, and where possible, ecologically efficient. The funds that have been made available to us for the purchase of the building also allow for some necessary refurbishment work which includes providing a new boiler, replacement of unsafe lighting and heating, upgrading of fire safety to include emergency lighting and an alarm system. As well as undertaking necessary work on the building we plan to establish a weekly Renew Wellbeing Café at the Link on a Wednesday from 11-1pm. We have a team of volunteers in place to begin this in the Autumn. ## Partnerships One of our core values is partnering with others both within and beyond the church. One way we do this is by allowing others in our communities to use our buildings. We have established valuable partnerships with the village Pre- school and the Chew Valley Community Library in Bishop Sutton. The village toddler group in Blagdon will be meeting in the chapel in the village from September. In Chew Magna, our premises are being used by the local community for choirs, pilates exercise classes and a monthly ‘Memory’ café. The Chew Magna Society has recently begun a cooking group for older people making good use of our kitchen facilities (above). 5 ## Welcome! It’s been great to welcome Margaret and Colin Blakey, who have joined us this year. Margaret joins us as our Associate Pastor, having just completed her ministerial training at Bristol Baptist College. Margaret is working for us part- time (2-3 days per week) with a particular focus on establishing Renew Café spaces, initially at Bishop Sutton but also potentially at other locations in the Chew and Yeo Valleys. Margaret also works one day a week as Regional Co-ordinator for Renew: Wellbeing, the Charity that was formed to establish these ‘safe spaces where it’s OK not to be OK’ across the UK. It’s also been a delight to welcome Lissette Pilcher into the church family. Congratulations to Emma, Mike, Caleb and Isaac on the safe arrival of your baby sister. ## Thank you Our thanks go to all those who ensure that ‘church happens’. In particular we need to pay tribute to Cordula , our administrator/treasurer and Carol our bookkeeper. Their efforts go on behind the scenes, largely unnoticed and without fuss. It’s good to record here that both Cordula and Carol generously give their time and energy to keep us both legal and financially stable as a charity. The roles that both Carol and Cordula play have expanded significantly as a result of us becoming a network of churches. Please remember them in your prayers as they both are facing challenges in their family lives. Thanks also to our Leadership Team for their willingness to take on the responsibility of leadership and being trustees. Thank you to the WEBnet Team of Regional Ministers and support staff here in the West of England, for their practical pastoral, Spiritual and administrative support, prayer and wisdom. And a thank you to YOU , members of the church family, who give their money, time and energy to support the work of God through CYBN. 6 ## Looking Ahead... The future (as ever, but particularly so in this time of a global pandemic) is full of uncertainty and challenge. We face a particular challenge as a church in terms of our financial situation. For a number of years our expenditure has exceeded our income, and we’ve been able to meet the shortfall from reserves. Now, due to a number of reasons, those reserves have been used up and we will have to consider making changes. We will need wisdom and Godly discernment as a church over the coming months. However, we look ahead with hope, because we know the one who holds the future safely in His hands, and we believe that God’s plans for us are good. We have seen God moving amongst us and in those with whom we have been building relationships and we believe that God will show us his will if we remain close to him and trust him, even when things look dark or uncertain. We believe that one key lesson from the past year and a half, is that God desires our heart, not our activity and programmes and busy schedules. John Miles (Pastor) 07427 191898 jandsmiles@me.com Margaret Blakey (Associate Pastor) margaret.blakey@blueyonder.co.uk Leadership Team Cordula Hall (administrator) cordulahall@gmail.com Alan Parker alanparker6@btinternet.com Guy Walker garstonlane@gmail.com Helen Banks helen.puretherapy@gmail.com Nigel Coles nigel.coles@webassoc.org.uk ## Motto Verse 2021 ## Isaiah 58:11-12 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. Photo: Daniel O’Malley 7 Chow and Yeo 8&p￿st Nots￿rk Statement of Financial Activities for Year Ended 31st De￿rnber 2020 un￿$tritted Desi8natod Restrfcted Total CrnN Funds Fun Funds Fund5 CYBN Funds 2019 F¢egul3r Gifts & Donatlons Gfft Aid tax ￿[u*d5 Bank Interest Property Incomè Other Causes I￿Orn Other lficome Total Rocqipts 35.637 3.IMI 5.140 35,637 3.961 5.140 27.646 14,109 6,241 58 9.756 1673 14.199 74.780 920 4.642 2.494 12.425 UA25 Minltiry Missio Church LIle&￿mInIStrth0r1 p￿rnI￿2 Other Causes P￿ents Other. Legal serv1￿5 & Fees 36.961 3.247 2,912 15.510 776 J7J>76 a8.305 4￿8? 4.826 32,157 3.881 135 2J12 $50 2.538 1.314 92.400 NetRecelptslPaymemtsl £ 115951 76 £ £ 117.6201 Openin8 B•l•rKes 19.650 ,n3 37.343 £ 17 149 É 17 Èntof Ass ua￿￿1￿5 ¢AFCaEh act￿Trt CMBC Nat West Winford Trlat West Bla8don ￿rrent4 CAF Gold Savinyaccount Totsl Assets 7.938 93 1599 6.345 833 9,IX18 1.533 4.003 93 9.024 I1￿55 9.024 55 Lo7n.Totterdovm BC. Fk￿7 L450 2.WO Total Uabllllles 1.4SO 17.055 149 17205 19.723 Chew and Baptht Network. Not•sto th•A(￿￿nts1Qr1￿Y¢•r Efided 31stDeumb•r Z020 These aCt￿ntshave prepared ￿3'ReCeiptsand Paymnts. b3%5 ar*J accord￿s.133 Charfties Act 2011. UnrestrKted D￿Rnated Restricted Trtal CYBN Chew Magn3 2019 161ft5 & DonDtbon 920 920 3,961 14,2Q9 3. OtherC•uses IKomt CorinRAi 8rfMoI "sters of ihe Churth fe To Romania Webox 741 136 1,684 113 2.673 875 1,070 549 2.494 875 S49 4. Otherlncomp Return on Sdar Eiertrfuty WEPA Grant Rèlrnb B.Suitoft Costs Open Hot4e1greakn5151 88YfGrant OthÈr IP@*sSchoal work) I,ios 1,034 6.245 624S 251 410 14.199 5. Castof Mlnlslry Manse Expense5 Mini5terfs Eypen5e5 MinistÈVs Stipend Regular Acthrttles. H(rn8rpsetc Minlstry Resourtes &Trainin8 Mini*4rial & Pr•ather FÈÈS 2571 1.107 32.48S 200 1,281 661 05 115 189 37 36 38 6. Prtrsehool and Youth Work tlvlties &Othreach BaptiStCause5GTrJin8 435 737 2.074 135 443 1.106 3.338 737 ?.074 135 AdminSst¢atlon & ty Health & Sa Subscriptlohs &Cofftht Con5umable5 Equlpfflent 1.758 244 727 L758 2509 n? ?ii 2S3 119 119 912 Wsoni Unreknthd De518nated ftekndtd Tot4 CYDN Chth Mè8na 20 Zolg Churchyard and external R8pairs & Maintena 1,255 5.738 4.121 1,278 L255 2,204 19,030 4.634 2.735 550 Cleaningcosts In5wance L278 IS.510 sso 16.1 32,157 lifpTn RrJrnJnia CartThB At Bristrj 4H W•box Si5teY5 ofthethurth 215 1.120 240 ?40 440 795 183 175 146 63 3,881 2019 sawtheJotnlnRofthree t￿rehe$. Wnford BapiisL Blagdon Ba￿5[3nd Chvrt M38na D¥ptistthur( These aCCOUDtsrefiectthejrint aryounts ofthe groupfrom Istjanuary 2020. 2019£omparison fi8ures are for the comtw'nedchur¢he5abo. lThJuty2019 the8roupw3srec4iwsed as Ct*w3nd Yeo 8aptisi Nett¥ork ICYBNI. TheTrwtees are rnain>inirg proFeTaccwntyngrEcDNJswhlch dtsdose ¥riih reasonable accuraryat any El￿the finanoal wtion ofthe Ch￿￿h and loena￿etheffl w ensufethat the acctyJnts tompty th statutarywtsl•t￿nS re￿lIng10th3￿tie5. TheYaTe also rEsp)nsiblo forsafeguafdln8the assets ofthe thu¥th and hence fort3kn￿Tea5oNaWèStep$tc¥thepr￿Thdon and dèter￿0Th offro￿1 and Ot￿r ITregularibe> ID Poslllon.. lo ZOLI lfvji sf£L oTr42020kcourisSFA ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** ## **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the** Charity Name **trustees/ members** Chew and Yeo Baptist Network **of** 31/12/2020 **Charity** 1184270 **On accounts for the no (if year ended any) Set out on pages** 1-3 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended **31 / 12 / 2020** . **Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the **basis of report** preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. **Independent** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material **examiner's** matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed **statement** below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or - 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. * _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._ **Signed: Date: Name: Relevant professional** 1 **IER** **October 2018** **qualification(s) or body (if any):** **Address:** ## **Section B Disclosure** Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). 2 **IER** **October 2018** ## **Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . 3 **IER** **October 2018**