2024-12-31-accounts - Teignmouth Baptist Church

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Trustees’ Annual Report Year Ending 31[st] December 2024

Aims and Purposes

The principal aim of Teignmouth Baptist Church is the advancement of the Christian faith in general and within our local area in particular. We are an open and accessible community that is committed to welcoming and assisting all who wish to worship and learn more about God. We offer spiritual help and support and find opportunities for service within the church fellowship and local community. We support missionary and charitable works in the UK and various parts of the world.

Mission Statement

We are 24/7 disciples, Genuine in relationships, All ministers, Naturally evangelistic, Empowered for mission including justice, Generously committed, Interwoven in the community. We have: Faith in Christ alone, Bible teaching that is life changing, Worship that is creative and unifying, Listening and learning team leadership, Youth and Children’s work that is integral.

Activities & Outreach

Our Youth and Children’s work continues to thrive, with Katie Marshall as our Children, Youth and Families lead. We welcome children and young people to weekly sessions on Sunday mornings, Wednesday evenings, and our older young people have the opportunity to gather in learning, prayer and community at House Group on a Monday evening.
Tiddlywinks, our community toddler group (reaching up to 40 adults and 50 pre-school age children each week), runs 2 sessions per week. Children play, participate in art and craft activities, sing nursery rhymes and share snack time, whilst parents have the opportunity to socialise and build relationships.
The Pastoral Care Team and the Team leader continued caring for the youngest to the oldest with all their various needs. This has included supporting people and their families at the end of their lives, visiting the sick and those in need (both members of the church and the wider community), and supporting those in crisis and journeying through the everyday ups and downs of life.
In 2024 we held 1 wedding, and led 6 funeral services, 2 dedications, and welcomed 4 new members to our church family.
We had 5 active house groups engaging up to 45-50 people in our church community. These groups engage in prayer and bible study, whilst also offering opportunities to socialise and be supported along life’s journey.
Our hall is hired on a regular basis by the Breathe Easy Group and Teignmouth U3a.
Our ministry in the community continued, hosting inclusive worship for adults with learning disabilities - Count Everyone In, supporting Teignmouth Pride and leading a Pride service

alongside the Anglicans. Our team leader continued to Chair the ‘Minister’s Together in Teignmouth’ meetings which included arranging and participating in ecumenical events throughout the year. During Easter week the church combined with other Churches in the town for the traditional Good Friday walk the cross and a united service. Week of prayer for Christian Unity also took place with other local churches. Our team leader led the town Remembrance events for another year, supported the Local Council meetings, and also took part in the Christmas event Carols 5 at 5.

The Church also owns a manse which is let through letting agents in order to attract income as our Minister owns his own property.

Public benefit

All our ministry in the church and in the community is developed and delivered in order to share the Christian faith and demonstrate Christian values in a tangible way in our local community. The charity was established for the public's benefit and the Trustees consider the Charity Commission guidance when making decisions. In the opinion of the Trustees all the activities undertaken during the year produced a benefit to the public.
Sunday worship continues to enable people attending to embrace the Christian faith by learning to understand the word of God through the Bible, prayer and fellowship and to use this knowledge to continually build our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. To this end our Ministers and Elders select a wide variety of Bible passages and themes to preach upon, all with a view to helping us to grow in our faith and to make a difference to the world in which we live. In 2024 these included Romans, Lent & Easter, The Psalms, Sermon on the Mount, Advent & Christmas.
Tea and Coffee is served following the morning service to continue fellowship with both friends and visitors and to give people the opportunity for private prayer or pastoral support.
Local schools, committees and the town council have continued to approach us to support and actively lead various activities and community events across the year.

Achievements & Performance

We had a successful 2024, maintaining our community engagement and achieving our vision in many ways, both through the day to day running and life of the church and through our community outreach.
We supported the second Teignmouth Pride event enabling us again to demonstrate our belief that God’s love and Good News is for everyone, and that we are all equal in God’s eyes. It was a joy to serve the community alongside our fellow ministers from the Anglican churches in the town.
As a church family we celebrate our Ministers 20 year’s ministering at church.
Enjoyed a church family afternoon get together and a successful curry evening.
During 2024, the youth work continued to thrive with the young people attended the Maundy Thursday service, Midnight Communion, building their faith and understanding of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Some of the young people who volunteer at Kids Club completed a Young Leaders course which was led by our Children, Youth & Families Lead.

Well attended children & youth events took place like ‘The Gathering’ and a Christmas Ice Skating trip to name a few.

Church Fabric

Our ongoing plan to renew and maintain the fabric of the Church continued this year. The Church also owns a manse which is still currently let through the letting agents Lewis & Rowden.
During August 2024 we had an official Quinquennial report undertaken which identified a few issues which would need attention in due course

Ministry

We continue to operate a team Ministry where our Minister is supported by Katie Marshall our Children, Youth & Families Lead.

There were 117 members at the end of 2024 (120 in 2023), with a further 67 people who regularly worship with the church and are part of its other activities but who choose not to become formally members.

We continue to put the Sunday services on our YouTube channel.

In addition to regular worship, we welcome a further 275 adults, 30 young people and 70 children regularly engaging with our wider programmes in the building.

Our church members meet 5 times a year sharing in the process of making decisions affecting the church family and its work sharing faith and supporting the local community.

Other Staff

The Church employs a part time office administrator to look after the day to day running of the office, and a cleaner comes weekly on a freelance basis. All other tasks are undertaken by volunteers.

Financial Accounts

The majority of the Church’s income is funded through offerings and gifts from members and those worshipping at the Church. The gross general income for the year was £108K and the Ministry costs, which are normally the highest cost, compared favourably to that of the corresponding year. Income was enhanced by an unrestricted legacy of £22k and, also included in the accounts is an advance payment of £10K from the insurance company in readiness for some urgent remedial work to prevent water penetration in the basement in 2025. Beside the work in the underground, the majority of funding to repair the third flat roof of the Church premises is also already in place as a result of a kind donation

Pension Fund

Our Ministers are members of the Baptist Ministers’ Pension Fund which until 2011 operated a Defined Benefits Scheme which closed after becoming unsustainable with a large deficit. This was replaced with a Defined Contributions scheme together with a recovery plan instituted to recover the deficit in the form of a surcharge on their current contributions. The BU announced during the year that the outstanding deficit had been sold off to an external insurance company

which meant that it would no longer be a burden on Churches and there was no further need for them to charge the nominal £1 per month.

Reserves Policy

The Trustees have a policy to maintain at least three months overhead expenditure. At the end of the year the church had free reserves of approx. £20,000 which would cover normal expenditure for at least three months.

Mission & Outreach

The Church policy is that we give 13% of our income to Mission and outside agencies. 5% to BMS and a similar amount to Baptist Home Mission Fund which supports Churches that cannot afford to pay for full or part time ministry. The remaining 3% is distributed to other Charities at home and abroad. This is our policy as we aim to generously live out the principle of Christian tithing as a charity, and in doing so we support Christians in need across the country and the globe. We also support our local food bank, offer free or subsidised funerals and ensure all our outreach activities are offered at an affordable price with subsidies offered to those unable to financially pay the full amount

Church Trustees

The Church constitution states that the Trustees shall include, but not exclusively be Elders and (except for those in ministerial office) be appointed for a term of three years. After the three years a further ballot will be required to re-elect for a further term of three years.

The Church Officers (Administrator and Treasurer) are also elected as Trustees on the same basis as other Trustees.

Ministers who are paid a stipend by the church also serve as Trustees under the terms of their appointment but have no time limit to their term of service. The Constitution requires that the number of paid staff must be fewer in number than other Trustees.

The trustees meet 5 times per year, with digital communications ensuring timely consideration of matters arising between meetings.

We operate a team ministry in which our Minister has been supported by the Children, Youth and Families Lead, and also by the Eldership team: Emma Ross-McNairn, Anneliese Kesteven, & Kath Wilson.

Administrative Information

Teignmouth Baptist Church is situated in Fore Street, Teignmouth, TQ14 8DZ Charity Registration Number 1186120

The Church was granted CIO status on the 4th November 2019, this was then implemented in January 2022.

Trustees who served between 1[st] January and the 31[st] December 2024 were

Minister

Revd Jamie Redfern (appointed 10/9/13)

Children, Youth & Families Lead

Katie Marshall (appointed 17/01/23)

Elders

Kathryn Wilson (appointed 1/10/15) Anneliese Kesteven (appointed 8/3/22) Emma Ross-McNairn (appointed 24/12/19)

Treasurer & Trustee

Hugh Rodway (appointed 15/11/16)

Administrator & Trustee

Lisa Kinsella (appointed 30/04/24)

Trustees

Kate Cranness (appointed 8/3/22) Ben Chadwick (appointed 8/3/22) Vic Bekker (appointed 8/3/22) Fiona Porch (appointed 8/3/22) Dean Kinsella (appointed 27/02/24)

Tel8nrMuth Baptlst Churth Recelpts and Payments kcount for th• Ye•r Ended Jlsi DeC•be 2014 Chawlty M 1186120 2024 2023 Totol Re¢elpts Offerin85 Interest received Church weekend Sundry Manse rentals Insurance clairn Womens Fellowship rIddl¥1nks Transfer frorn previou5 charity TorolReceipts 104.573 630 105.203 113.415 2629 9.304 24,121 9.695 7,486 31,607 9.69S 8.115 28.811 2.153 2.153 2,140 142,195 18.269 160.464 166,114 Ptsyments Administration 15.578 6.465 IS.S78 6,465 13.498 5,338 Discipleship & Thurturing Celebration/Fellowsh*p Finance Social action & evangelrn Learnin8 Pastoral Resource5 383 1.097 Iso 383 1,097 150 252 922 233 233 S.043 61.894 15.709 245 46.879 52,834 17,298 670 13,728 2,113 5.043 61394 15.709 Manse costs Training & support rithes & gifts Media Iinc music) Stewarding Children & youth Food bank Tiddlywinks Church weekend Womens fellowship 14.380 1.581 176 499 14.380 l.S81 176 932 433 200 252 418 252 435 12.393 123.355 1.118 124.473 167.739 Net Re¢eipis/Payments Fund transfers Cash funds at 1st January 2024 Cash funds at 31st Dember 1024 18WO 3.499 64.287 79.628 17,151 3.499 18,253 82.5410 38.903 118.531 35,991 -1,6Z5 84.165 82,yo

Approved by Trustees & Church Members on 29th April 2025

Signed ……………………………………………………………..

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Teignmouth Baptist Church Charity no. 1186120

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Teignmouth Baptist Church (the Church) for the year ended 31[st] December 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of the report

As the charity trustees of the church you are responsible for the 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 church’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

Accounting records were not kept in respect of the church as required by section 130 of the Act; or
The accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Ian Barrett FCA FCIE Barretts 22 Union Street Newton Abbot TQ12 2JS

7[th] July 2025