## Anchor Church Report and Accounts Year ended 31 December 2023 1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk ## **ANCHOR CHURCH** ## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023** ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE c/o The C of E Birmingham 1 Colmore Row Birmingham B3 2BJ GOVERNING DOCUMENT CIO Association dated 20th August 2019 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1186793 TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR Chris Mitton MANAGING THE CHARITY Joshua Barber Lucy Jennings (appointed April 2024) Helena Kittle (resigned April 2024) Joel Lines Patrick Masih Callum Nicholson (appointed April 2024) Miriam Sadler Jonathan Taylor (appointed April 2024) BANKERS INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Co-operative Bank Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB ## **INDEX** Page 1 Legal and Administrative Details Pages 2-6 Trustees' Report Page 7 Independent Examiner's Report Page 8 Receipts and Payments Account Page 9 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Pages 10-11 Notes to the Accounts Page 1 ## **ANCHOR CHURCH** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023** ## **Objects of the charity** The charity, which is a church, is governed by a constitution and is constituted as a charitable incorporated organisation. The charity's principal object, as set out in its governing document, is to advance the Christian faith. ## **Review of the charity's main activities and achievements** To further the above objects and vision, the charity's main activities and achievements were as follows: ## _Asylum seekers' football_ We launched a weekly football outreach this year in order to connect with young asylum seekers in the city. This ministry is borne out of a recognition of the difficult mental and emotional conditions these young men are currently facing, The ministry provides a space for exercise, socialising and gaining confidence in speaking English. We are thankful for the provision of a regular space for this to happen through a youth centre, this has been a fruitful and growing ministry which has now branched out to include men residing in two different city centre hotels. We enjoyed a Christmas meal together at the end of last year. Our prayer is for this to continue growing in numbers and depth of connection, and for us to find an outdoor space to use in the summer months. ## _Companions_ Every aspect of church life should be a healing environment. However sometimes there are specific needs among us that need some extra support, prayer, and friendship. This year, the Companions team has continued, linking individuals with a specific supporting individual, for listening and prayer. ## _Further up Further in_ January 2024 saw the launch of our daily devotional, taking us through the New Testament in the year. Thanks to everyone for incredibly encouraging feedback and taking part. ## _His:Story_ His:Story began the steady work of being turned into an online course, and was being run in St Mary’s Church Bearwood. The project was temporarily put on hold, but we look forward to continuing the expansion of this programme in due course. ## _Leaders in training_ This year we’ve been privileged to continue to have with us multiple leaders in training. The Rev’d Pete Dalton became our curate in June, after two years with us on placement. Will Stevenette has continued with us on his placement as a Church of England ordinand, as has Lucy Bridgewood in her placement with us from CYM. It’s a privilege having their emerging ministries helping to shape the life and mission of the church. Page 2 ## _Marriage_ We have continued to run marriage preparation this year, linking engaged couples with married 'support couples' to walk through the HTB pre-marriage course. So far, this year we have seen one couple complete the course and get married, with a further 3-4 couples getting married this spring/summer. We provide the couples with the materials to engage with the content independently, with the support couple in place as 'mentors' to pray with and support conversations that arise throughout the course and continue this support as they begin married life. This is currently working well, but as we expand and numbers increase we may begin to look at running the course for multiple couples at a venue with a meal as well as continuing the support couple mentorship arrangement. ## _Mission Connect_ Anchor Church's commitment to giving remains strong. In 2023 funds were distributed to individuals and projects at home and overseas. Funds were also awarded to missionaries within the congregation and the balance shared between 4 projects; including one in India to support children in education. The giving fund is derived from the gifts and offerings generously provided by you, the church. On behalf of the Mission Connect Team and the recipients of the grant we offer a wholehearted thank you for your faithfulness and support. ## _PAGA_ This year Paga has partnered with the worship team to facilitate monthly evenings of prayer and worship, allowing more space for encounters with God and to hear prophetic songs rise up within our community. We’ve seen God speak over the city with a call to church unity and how we grow as a community to go deeper in prayer. Going forward, we will be meeting on the St Mary’s and St Ambrose’s site, giving more space for the prophetic, excited to be seeking His voice and standing firm in prayer. As a community, we have also begun building rhythms of midweek prayer, starting on Wednesday mornings. ## _Prayer ministry_ Prayer ministry is an integral part of life of Anchor, allowing us to tap into and prayerfully come alongside God’s activity in individual lives, in the church and in our city. The prayer ministry team primarily functions to provide a regular space of prayer during Anchor Gatherings. We are so thankful for our team who show up to meet with people who come up for prayer. Our prayer is that God will continue to show up and move through people's lives through this ministry. ## _Relay_ What an absolute blessing Relay has been this past year! It has been an honour to be a part of the kids lives, seeing them grow in confidence, faith, and knowledge, and to see their friendships deepen. We’ve taken our learning back to basics, focussing on the Anchor practices, the Lord’s Prayer, and Old Testament characters – with the occasional break for well-needed silliness! We’ve also loved our time away with the children, roasting marshmallows whilst on retreat, ice-skating at Christmas, and eating icecream at Cannon Hill. 2023 has also been the year we launched Relay+, a Sunday group for our secondary school children to delve into faith together. Included in this is a monthly table group, where we have been slowly exploring Youth Alpha together, including an away day in January where we got to see the awesome work of the Holy Spirit in action. We have also been joining up with Christchurch youth every half term, with our last Cluedo themed evening causing all kinds of chaos! Page 3 It has been wonderful to see new friendships blossoming, and old ones strengthening. There has also been the joy this year of intergenerational services. Held as a value within Anchor church, it has been so much fun to explore what church looks like when we are all in together and can learn from each other. We’re so excited for this to continue into the next year. And finally, to the most incredible group of people we could ask for – our Relay team have continued to heap blessings upon blessings onto the children, and their faith, vision, and resilience continues to astound. Thank you all! ## _Social media_ In the last year we have started using the social media to connect our community to the information and teaching/themes going on within Anchor. Primarily, this has been through putting out a condensed version of the Weekly Roundup email and sharing weekly quotes from talks. Our social media is a window into life at Anchor both for people within the community and those interested in coming along/finding out more. In the coming year we hope to expand this to include more updates about teams, teaching content and signposting events and resources. ## _Students_ Students at Anchor has become a deeper source of discipleship and support this year for all. In keeping with last year, we continue to meet mid-week at a student house to catch-up, read the Bible and pray together. We started the year by gathering for a course exploring issues of sexuality and gender, and how these interact with the Bible and culture. In the autumn, we began reading through 1 John with the support of our faithful student team. As 2024 began, we are alternating each week between the 24-7 Prayer course 'Be Still' with the team and a series on Acts led by one of the students. The student community has been greatly enriched by these times together, which have focused both on developing personal faith and exploring evangelism. We feel blessed to meet each week and grateful for the safe and supportive environment this group has become as we each seek to walk more closely with God. ## _Table_ Tables have continued meeting throughout the city and continue to be a place of deep community around food. ## _Teaching_ Through 2023, we taught through ten core spiritual practices that we have learned to be especially formative in our apprenticeship to Jesus. In the autumn, we taught through the letter to the Colossians. People have spoken for the first time, and others have honed and built on existing gifts. We’re excited to see how our developing Art of Teaching community will help us to grow our skills in future. ## _Weekends away_ In the early summer, we had a beautiful time of community, prayer, and retreat together at the Greenhouse, in the Waseley Hills—walking, chatting, eating, napping, and praying and worshipping together as a community. Page 4 ## _Worship_ Worship continues to be such a key part of the life of our community, with so many carrying incredible gifting and skills as worship leaders and musicians. We’ve looked to grow in our freedom to break from the programme, when we’ve sensed the Spirit leading us in different directions, being ready to break from our programme when we feel led to do so by His presence among us. ## **What next?** In 2024, we are exploring joining Anchor Church with St Mary and St Ambrose Church (SSMA) on the Pershore Road. During the past year, we have been building friendships with the congregation and leaders in this community, and have begun working closely with the diocese of Birmingham to explore avenues for funding, which would pave the way for renovation of the building and increasing a staff team. A move to SSMA would be a huge step for us, but we have found the exploration up to this point to be full of an easy grace and strong partnerships that are building. We’ve had a clear feeling of heart resonance with the community there, who have been praying deeply for a growing church with emerging generations, full of the presence of God, to impact the local area and the wider city. As a location, SSMA sits at the intersection of student living, the city centre, and intercultural inner city Birmingham. We have links with excellent projects serving on the ground near the church building, and see incredible potential for the maturing of our ministry and call in the City. The next few months are crucial in this exploration, so please do be praying with us for the clear guidance and provision of God. In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission. ## **Financial review** During the year income decreased by £3,200, to £59,300, and expenditure decreased by £1,300, to £55,600. As a result the cash held by the charity increased by £3,700, to £78,900, of which £78,500 is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purpose. ## **Reserves policy** The trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted cash of no less than £12,650 (which equates to about 6 months of necessary operating costs and payroll) so that the charity could continue to operate should income and / or expenditure vary adversely. At the year end, the charity held unrestricted cash of £78,500 and the charity is holding excess funds for the purpose of a future move to our own building. ## **Governance** Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rest with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. New trustees are recruited and appointed by the existing trustees. Page 5 ## **Responsibilities of trustees** Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year. We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities. ## **Approval** This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by: ## Chris Mitton > Chris Mitton (Oct 8, 2024 15:39 GMT+1) ____________________________ Chris Mitton > Date: Oct 8, 2024 Page 6 ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT** ## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF** ## **ANCHOR CHURCH** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Anchor Church ('the charity') for the year ended 31 December 2023 on pages 8 to 11 following. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the charity’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 2011 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: 1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or 2. 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. J. Young J. Young (Oct 8, 2024 15:47 GMT+1) Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB Date: Oct 8, 2024 Page 7 ## **ANCHOR CHURCH** ## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023** |Notes
**_Income receipts_**
Donations
Gift aid receipts
Other grants
Income from events
**_Total receipts_**
**_Payments_**
2
3
**_Total payments_**
Transfers between funds
5
**Net movement in funds**
Cash funds as at last year end
**Cash funds at this year end**
A
Net
of
receipts
/
(payments)
before
transfers
Grants
paid
in
relation
to
charitable
activities undertaken by others
Payments
in
relation
to
charitable
activities undertaken directly||General
Designated
Funds
Funds
£
£
48,945
-
7,383
-
-
-
151
-
56,478
-
37,974
-
9,685
-
47,659
-
8,820
-
(3,777)
-
5,043
-
73,486
-
78,529
-
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
Funds
£
677
-
-
2,107
2,784
6,414
1,500
7,914
(5,130)
3,777
(1,352)
1,770
418|Total
2023
£
49,622
7,383
-
2,258
59,262
44,387
11,185
55,572
3,690
-
3,690
75,256
78,947|Total
2022
£| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |||General
Funds
£
48,945
7,383
-
151
56,478
37,974
9,685
47,659
8,820
(3,777)
5,043
73,486
78,529|||| ||||||45,620
6,632
8,263
1,911| ||||||62,425| ||||||50,349
6,547| ||||||56,896| ||||||5,529
-| ||||||5,529
69,727| ||||||75,256| The notes on pages 10-11 form part of these accounts. Page 8 ## **ANCHOR CHURCH** ## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES** ## **AS AT THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023** |**A**
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank with immediate access
Prepaid cards
**B**
**Other monetary assets**
Gift aid due to charity
**C**
**Liabilities**
**Falling due within one year:**
Trade creditors
PAYE due
Fee for Independent Examination
**D**
**Assets retained for charity's own use**
Contents and equipment|General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
77,596
-
933
-
**78,529**
**-**
301
-
**301**
**-**
-
-
332
-
1,056
-
**1,388**
**-**
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
418
-
**418**
19
**19**
-
-
-
**-**
Fund to
which asset
belongs
General|Total
2023
£
78,014
933
**78,947**
320
**320**
-
332
1,056
**1,388**
Value
2023
£
3,000
**3,000**|Total
2022
£| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||72,805
2,451| |||||**75,256**| |||||194| |||||**194**| |||||500
-
1,020| |||||**1,520**| |||||Value
2022
£| |||||2,000| |||||**2,000**| The trustees have estimated the values of contents and equipment since they are unable to reliably estimate current values. ## **E Guarantees and secured debts** The charity has not given any guarantees and has not provided its assets as security for any liabilities. The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf > by Chris Mitton date Oct 8, 2024 > Chris Mitton (Oct 8, 2024 15:39 GMT+1) _____________________________Chris Mitton _________________ The notes on pages 10-11 form part of these accounts. Page 9 ## **ANCHOR CHURCH** ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023** ## **1 Accounting policies** The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs. General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects. |**2**
**Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly**
Employment costs
Note 4
Ministry expenses
Equipment
Events and outreach
Rent
Insurance
Governance
Common fund
Administration and support
Return of unused grant
Note 5
**3**
**Grants and gifts paid to others**
Organisations:
Hope Health Action
Birch Network
Slavlands Christian Fellowship
Organisations < £1k
Individuals||Unrestricte|Designated
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
d Funds|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
4,414
-
-
-
-
-
2,000
6,414
-
-
1,500
-
-
1,500|Total
2023
£
21,938
3,879
1,226
5,456
5,408
662
1,020
600
2,200
2,000
44,387
1,000
3,000
2,000
-
5,185
11,185|Total
2022
£| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||General
funds
£
21,938
3,879
1,226
1,042
5,408
662
1,020
600
2,200
-
37,974
1,000
3,000
500
-
5,185
9,685||||| |||||||17,441
3,352
83
20,388
4,848
524
1,154
-
2,561
-| |||||||50,349| |||||||-
-
-
721
5,826| |||||||6,547| ## **4 Transactions with related parties** Helena Kittle, a trustee, received a grants totalling £980 [2022: £1,500], for ministry support. This trustee was not part of the decision-making for these grants, which are permitted by the charity's governing document. Page 10 ## **ANCHOR CHURCH** ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023** |**5**
**Movement of funds**
General funds
Restricted funds
Meals and Music
Church has left the building [CLB]
His Story
Pastor support [India]
Retreat weekend
Total funds|Opening
balance
£
73,486
73,486
1,336
39
395
-
-
1,770
75,256|Receipts
£
56,478
56,478
-
381
145
151
2,107
2,784
59,262|Payments
£
(47,659)
(47,659)
(2,000)
(205)
(337)
(1,500)
(3,871)
(7,914)
(55,572)|Transfers
£
(3,777)
(3,777)
664
-
-
1,349
1,764
3,777
-|Closing
balance
£| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||78,529| ||||||78,529| ||||||-
214
203
-
-| ||||||418| ||||||| ||||||78,947| The Meals and Music fund relates to a grant provided for work with refugees and unaccompanied asylum seekers. The £2,000 payment relates to the return of a grant that had been given in the previous year shortly before this project was finished. The Church has left the building fund looks different each year but has involved outreach with local charities, rough sleepers, and refugees. His Story relates to a course being developed and taught. The Pastor support relates to a special collection taken for a pastor who visited from India. Funds were raised for the church retreat and used in full for this purpose. Page 11