## **Overview 2023 for The Bridge Baptist Church**
The Bridge Baptist Church continues to grow, whilst we have only 13 people in formal membership, we welcome a Sunday Morning congregation of around 25 to 40 people.
In Spring 2023 we launched ‘The Welcome Course’ a six-session course aimed at welcoming people who have moved to the UK from Hong Kong. This course was advertised locally and attended by Hong Kongers and native Brits. The consensus was that we all learnt a great deal from each other and about British culture.
Last year we also gave a major focus to our Children and young people. In preparation for a new Sunday Club many from our congregation trained in Level 2 Safeguarding and several went on to have their DBS checks completed. We registered 10 children and in summer we started a regular Sunday Club called Mosaic which now meets weekly during the sermon slot. The children enjoy stories, games, activities, and songs as they get to know Jesus better.
-Regarding the ministry of the Church:
- We are now talking with several people in church about them joining us more formally and committing to membership.
- We have run a Baptist class and next year plan to baptise two of our young people which is an occasion we look forward to.
- We continue to run prayer events. (24-hour event in May, Reflective prayer evening for Maundy Thursday and a Prayer afternoon in Avent.)
-We have connected with our local community in a number of ways:
- A new group – Singing for the Brain, an Alzheimer’s Society initiative, started meeting in our Church. This group welcomes all and is particularly suitable for those living with Dementia and their carer’s.
- The group hosted a Christmas Fundraising event which we supported, and we managed to direct the Group leader to funding support.
- In Summer we ran an Afternoon Tea to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society which raised £300, **and** the church also donated £200.
- We also ran our usual Christmas Stall raising funds for the NSPCC which raised £770.
- We also collect food for a Local Food Bank and donate, probably two carrier bags of food as well as cash donations which we deliver to their distribution centre every two weeks,
-We continue in good relationship with other local Churches – joining together for an event to mark the week of prayer for Christian Unity, and meeting together outdoors in our town centre for a Good Friday Service.
-We are now very much a multinational congregation – welcoming people from people Hong Kong, Ghana, Scri-Lanka, The Philippines, India, and South America,
We have been keen to encourage inclusivity and access to all.
- We arranged a Cantonese speaking interpreter to enable one of our friends from Hong Kong to preach in Cantonese during a Morning service.
- We have some Bible Readings in Cantonese followed by the reading in English or displayed on our projector screen.
- We have compiled a folder with songs in large print for those who are unable to read words on the projector screen.
- We have a men’s group on Wednesday morning, mainly small repairs, cleaning, and a few games of Pool (I am not at liberty as to the actual time sharing of these three activities!)
- We hold a Bi-Weekly Tuesday group meeting in our Upper room for a time of fellowship, Prayers, discussions and are currently watching the Video “The Chosen”.
## -In terms of the fabric of the building
- We have installed a new Lazer projector to provide a clearer picture for song words and videos we use, this did entail a rather copious amount of wiring etc.
- We have also installed a new wrought iron gate at the front of the building to compliment the wrought Iron railings to the frontage also replanted the garden area.
- We have lowered two large old brick pillars to the church frontage as well as repainted the access ramp into church.
-We are a giving church, as below.
- The Bridge Baptist Church continues to be a generous church ……and donated out of church funds to: Tearfund, Samaritans Purse, The Russell Trust, Community Food Bank, BMS World Mission, Shoe Box Appeal, Baptist Home Mission Fund, Alzheimer’s Society and to the NSPCC.
- It is always our intent to donate 10% of our Income to good causes or recognised Charitable Institutions.
## **THE BRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023**
## **RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
|**Note**
**Receipts**
Weekly offerings
Donations and other income
2
Income tax recovered on gifts
Investment income
3
**Total Receipts**
**Payments**
Mission
4
Upkeep of Church Premises
5
Administration
6
**Total Payments**
**Net (Expenditure)/ Income for the Year**
**Add Balance as at 31st December 2022**
**Balance as at 31st December 2023**
7|2023
**£**
4,318
13,052
3,266
743
21,379
2,951
25,376
8,812
37,139
(15,760)
54,450
38,690|2022
**£**
3,196
77,633
3,239
179|2022|
|---|---|---|---|
|||84,247||
|||5,648
54,794
8,975||
|||69,417||
|||14,830
39,620||
|||54,450||
**1**
**THE BRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **1 Basis of accounts**
These accounts have been prepared on a "receipts and payments" basis and in accordance with Section 133 Charities Act 2011.
The Bridge Baptist Church registered as a charity effective as from 10th October 2019. It's activities commenced on 1st January 2020.
|**2**
**Donations and other income**
Gift aid donations
Other donations
Entitlement on closure of Stanton Hill Baptist Church
Room hire
**3**
**Investment income**
Baptist Trust interest
Baptist Union Corporation Ltd interest
COIF Charities dividends
COIF Charities - increase (decrease) in value of investment
**4**
**Mission**
Baptist Missionary Society
Water Aid
Sightsavers
Shoebox Appeal
Baptist Union fees
Baptist Union donation
Community Food Bank
Russell Trust
Tear Fund
Samaritans Purse
NSPCC
Ukraine Appeal
Alzheimers Society
Portland Training College
Rough sleepers
Operation Smile UK
Easter and Christmas expenses
Safeguarding course
**5**
**Upkeep of Church Premises**
Light and heat
Water rates
Cleaning
New Projector
Roof repairs
New Front Gate and Railings
Repairs and maintenance
Gardening
Insurance||**2023**
**£**
12,152
75
0
825
13,052
404
5
81
253
743
500
0
0
0
67
0
200
262
250
500
205
0
200
0
0
0
637
130
2,951
1,406
184
840
7,219
5,724
5,000
2,163
708
2,132
25,376||**2022**
**£**
11,379
415
65,499
340|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||77,633|
|||||454
0
81
(356)|
|||||179|
|||||600
600
600
650
78
600
800
0
900
0
0
300
0
100
20
400
0
0|
|||||5,648|
|||||1,444
105
0
0
47,000
0
3,514
590
2,141|
|||||54,794|
**2**
## **THE BRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS continued**
|**6**
**Administration**
Telephone
Pastoral Leader and support wages
Speakers
Licences
Postage and stationery
Accountancy
Gifts and hosting
Sudry expenses
Website expenses
**7**
**Balance as at 31st December 2023**
Barclays Bank Current Account
Baptist Union Corporation Ltd
Cash-in-hand
East Midlands' Baptist Trust Co. Ltd.
COIF Charities Investment Fund (Market Value)||2023
**£**
523
4,200
2,270
162
695
310
385
30
237
8,812
9,800
25,006
926
0
2,958
38,690||2022
**£**
535
3,800
2,220
405
665
300
967
83
0|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||8,975|
|||||37,551
0
756
13,437
2,706|
|||||54,450|
## **8 Assets held for the Church's own use**
The Church is the beneficial owner (subject to the relevant trusts) of the following assets, the legal title to which is held by the Church's custodian trustee (the East Midlands Baptist Trust Co. Ltd.).
- a) Church premises at Mansfield Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts. NG17 4FN Valued for insurance purposes at £2,202,626.
- b) The Church also owns fixtures, furniture and equipment with an insured value of £177,435.
## **9 Liabilities**
There are no liabilities at 31st December 2023.
**3**
## **THE BRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31ST DECEMBER 2023**
|**Note**
**Assets**
Bank and other cash balances
**7**
Assets held for Church's own use
**8**
**Total Assets**
**Liabilities**
**9**|2023
**£**
38,690
2,380,061
2,418,751
NIL|2022
**£**
54,450
2,271,054|2022
**£**
54,450
2,271,054|
|---|---|---|---|
|||2,325,504||
||||3,000|
The accounts and statement of assets and liabilities set out on pages 1 to 4 relating to the year ended 31st December 2023 are as approved by the trustees.
Signed …............................................................................. Mr. B. Tomlinson - Treasurer
**4**