2024 Annual Report for One Sixteen Bible Church Birmingham.
References and administrative details-
Charity name
One Sixteen Bible Church
Charity registration number
1186822
Registered addresses
61 Bridge Street, Kington, HR5 3DJ
Current trustees
Philip James Close (Appointed 10th Jan 2019) Peter Michael Sherwood ( Appointed10th Jan 2019) Alasdair Iain Nicholson (Appointed 18[th] March 2020)
Trustees appointed during 2024
None
Trustees retired during 2024
None
Charity Bank account
Barclays bank, Stourbridge, West Midlands, 81 High Street, Stourbridge, DY8 1EB.
Annual report for 2024
The Trustees of One Sixteen Bible Church Birmingham present their annual report and financial statement for period of (1[st] January 2024 - 31[st] December 2024)
1) Structure governance and management
The One Sixteen Bible Church Charity is governed by an Approved Governing Document. As per the One Sixteen constitutional document, the members of this CIO shall be its Charity trustees for the time being. The only persons eligible to be members of the CIO are its charity trustees. Membership of the CIO cannot be transferred to anyone else (Section16:1).
All trustees of the CIO are fully responsible for any decisions made and taken throughout the course of this and any other financial year.
The trustees of One Sixteen Bible Church Birmingham are continuing to aim for conducting regular (approximately every six months) meetings, within which any objectives and activities of the Church are discussed and agreed upon collectively by the trustees. As per the charities constitution, each registered trustee continues to recognise their duty bound requirement and responsibility in the day to day/week by week running of the Church’s ongoing work. The trustees also continue to conduct and maintain oversight (yearly financial review of charities accounts) of all financial and legal matters concerning the Charity. Although not all trustees are actively involved in the membership of the Church charity, each trustee is encouraged to take an
appropriate part within both the practical and Spiritual tasks involved within the furtherance of the objectives, purposes and activities of the charity as a whole.
As a charity we continue to operate on the assumption that any matters for consideration can be raised by any trustee or Church member at any time. Any matters which are raised can then be addressed as and when necessary and/or when appropriate by the trustees of the CIO. Any implemented change is to be conducted in accordance with Church policy and governing documents. Although the constitution permits decisions to be made primarily by the trustees, Church members are also actively encouraged to give feedback on aspects of Church matters (governance and management) and these are then discussed as appropriate within the trustee meetings.
2) Objectives and activities
The “One Sixteen Bible Church Birmingham” continues to operate and exist as an independent, evangelical Reformed Baptist Church. As per the inception of the Church until now the continued “Principle purpose” of the Church is to advance the Christian faith for the benefit of the public within the Birmingham/West-Midlands/Worcestershire area and in accordance with Scriptural commands of Christ towards His Church. As a Baptist/evangelical protestant Church body, we seek to uphold of the tenants of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith.
In order to continue to achieve this charitable objective set out above, the Church is currently and continues to remain involved in providing a variety of activities, both towards its members in attendance and within the community it is based within. This is achieved as the One Sixteen Bible Church Charity seeks to reach out to the local community as per activities in achievements and objectives (section 3) below.
The aim motivation and purpose of these activities is founded upon the Bible’s teachings and centuries of historic Christian practice. In order to show and tell of the Love of God in the Gospel of Jesus Christ to both the community and Church members, making disciples of all nations (Mathew 28:19).
One Sixteen Bible Church continues to undertake these objectives, through the holding of weekly Church worship services, mid-week prayer meetings/Bible studies, theological training/discipleship, pastoral counselling and open-air evangelism and evangelistic study groups both collectively and personally (one on one). As per previous years these activities of Worship and spiritual practice have been arranged and are being conducted primarily in order for One:16 Bible Church members to grow in their Christian faith and their walk with Jesus, to deepen in their understanding of the Christian faith and to enlighten others (members of the public) with regards to historic protestant/Christian faith.
Throughout the period of 2024, our Church charity’s various weekly activities have consisted of the following:
-Church services continue to be conducted from 10.30am until 1pm every Sunday morning/afternoon.
-Church Prayer meeting takes place once a week (mid week meeting) from around 7.30pm to 9pm.
-Pastoral counselling and visitations with church members and other related contacts, and evangelistic meetings with members of the public showing an interest in the Christian faith on an ongoing basis.
-A monthly midweek evangelism/Christianity explored meeting, with various Church contacts and members.
-Open air evangelism conducted a couple of times a week at non specified times. -Monthly Church open air outreach sessions.
-Church services consist of singing hymns, times of prayer, communion, reading and preaching from the Bible, time of fellowship.
These objectives and activities are continuing to be conducted in accordance with the primary objective within the Charities governing document and are considered to be of public benefit to many individuals who desire to practice their Christian faith or for those who are inquiring into the tenants and beliefs of Biblical Christianity within the west midlands/Worcestershire area.
3) Achievements and performance
Although the success of the Christian faith is one which is not easily measured by visible performance indicators (such as financial / visible numerical growth etc). As in years gone by, it instead measures it’s effective success based upon faithfulness of Christians towards the Lord’s commands from within the scriptures (The Biblical teachings). As a Church Charity, One Sixteen Bible Church Birmingham has been pleased as in previous years, to have achieved and performed the objectives of the charity and we as in past remain encouraged in the Charity’s progress throughout the year.
Throughout the year of 2024, the One Sixteen Bible Church Birmingham members have continued to meet together for various Church related activities throughout the week, on a weekly basis. We have this last year been greatly encouraged by a young family joining the Church membership for weekly worship together. As per previous years, we remain very encouraged by visiting individuals / families / and friends. There were probably around fifteen or so visitors throughout the year of 2024.
The over all attendance seems to be consistently balanced with around ten to twenty individuals in regular attendance. There continues to be a theological and Spiritual unity amongst those who attend and the congregation continues to remain encouraged with the regular ministry often expressing that encouragement towards one another and the leaders of the Church, making comments such as “the preaching message was good this morning” and “I’m really pleased to be part of this Church”.
The Pastor’s duties continue to remain consistent as per previous years. Peter Sherwood (The Church Pastor) continues as in previous years, to weekly set up, arrange, lead and often preach at the Sunday morning service. The Church’s midweek prayer meeting has also continued to be maintained and attended on a regular basis (again being led by the Pastor), although often with fewer attendees than on a Sunday morning service. The members of the Church are encouraged to pray openly throughout the prayer meetings and to participate as and where appropriate. Peter Sherwood’s regular weekly Pastoral duties throughout the week consist of sermon and service preparations, one on one and/or family pastoral visitations. These Pastoral duties consist of Biblical counselling and discipleship where needed and/or appropriate. There continues to remain regular opportunities for the congregation/members to feedback to the Pastor concerning the things which they are learning about with regards to the Christian faith. Members of the Church are also encouraged as previous to engage in fruitful discussion relating to their own Christian/spiritual walk and how they can best be supported practically and pastorally in their own journey of faith.
One of the Pastor’s other main responsibilities aside from Bible teaching and discipling those within the Church, is to spend time in prayer for the congregants which is a regular pattern
throughout the week of ministry.
There continues to be many other practical tasks to be arranged by the Leadership of the One Sixteen Bible Church Birmingham, such as ongoing administrative tasks, developing and keeping on top of policies (Safeguarding etc), liaising with third parties (safeguarding oversight, the bank, Charity commission, hall hire etc), keeping records of invoices, receipts for purchased goods, inventories, video production (Church You tube channel) , WhatsApp group admin and communication, service preparation (Hymn selection/preparing communion/ readings/ notice updates/Church etc) and the general upkeep of equipment/literature amongst other duties. These regular weekly pastoral duties and weekly activities of the Church have been and are continually aimed to be undertaken in line with and as per the working objectives of the Charity and ultimately the Bibles instruction to the Church.
We have continued to keep the format of the Church very similar to other years. Continuing to meet for weekly worship together on a Sunday morning. With the service starting at 10.30am, the members of the Church gather together (singing hymns, praying, taking communion and preaching and hearing from Gods Word in the preaching of the Bible). Our set-up consists of a seating arrangement, pulpit and projector screen and hymn books to assist with the reading of the words for worship.
The midweek prayer meetings are an integral part of the ministry of One Sixteen Bible Church and although sometimes less attended (due to family / childcare evening commitments). The members have opportunity to come together and pray for the needs of the Church and others together at these meetings.
Members of the Church also continue to conduct regular evangelistic outreach in the local area to the Church. Whilst doing so, One Sixteen Bible Church members have the opportunity to speak with the general public concerning their beliefs and to engage those who would like to talk about spiritual matters of the Christian faith. Tracts and literature are often handed out and these opportunities to talk with members of the public can often present themselves to be very fruitful.
Off of the back of the evangelistic endeavours of the Church, 2024 has seen the Church commence a course of Christianity explored sessions. Taking place once a month, these sessions give believers and non-believers alike, an opportunity to come together and to hear/discuss the fundamentals of the Christian faith.
Peter (The Church Pastor) has also continued to develop and deepen relationships with other evangelical Church leaders within local the area. Remaining in good standing with other branches of the evangelical protestant Church community, the Pastor continues to attend regular fraternals and discussion/prayer groups for mutual encouragement and sideways accountability within the work of ministry.
The Pastor also often has regular opportunities to attend and preach at other Churches. This is sometimes reciprocated by leaders coming to share and minister at One Sixteen Bible Church as in previous years. This has always been mutually encouraged by the members within the Church and also the attendance of occasional visiting speakers seems to be profitable to the members and has often proved to be a rich encouragement towards those in the Church.
The regular weekly teaching ministry has consisted of looking through various books of the Bible, finishing off Marks Gospel, 1[st] John, several Psalms, passages from Isaiah and various new testament epistles.
Regular fellowship (post service tea and coffees), and fellowship lunches also present an informal opportunity for members feedback and fellowship together. Members of the Church can and often do discuss/feedback from the mornings weekly teaching both together and with the leadership.
This fellowship often offers individuals the opportunity to informally discuss what they have learned each week which can be a great encouragement.
We continue to hold regular meetings and services where possible (as per the charities objectives and activities) and we as Charity continue to remain greatly encouraged throughout 2024 and for the year ahead.
4) Financial review.
As per previous years, One Sixteen Bible Church Birmingham continues to rely on the kind financial donations of the members within the Church throughout the year of 2024. Our Church bank balance/account as per form CC16a continues to remain in good standing with accurate records and receipts kept from year to year. As over previous years, the Church has made no wider public appeal for funds during the financial year of 2024.
Following the independently agreed renumeration change throughout the financial year of 2023 (June 30[th] ) by Trustees Alasdair Nicholson and Philip Close, Peter Sherwood’s renumeration has continued to remain at £13.00 per hour and would not exceed an invoicing amount of 40 hours per month for pastoral services rendered. Peter Sherwoods renumeration for services from the charity was decided independently by above named trustees and was made on the basis of being considered in the best interest of the Charity and in light of the current financial position of the account thereof.
The majority of all other expenditure made throughout 2024 has been as per previous years for the weekly hall hire, various items/equipment, Usable materials, renumeration for visiting speakers, Church subscriptions and fellowship activities as per CC16a form.
All in all as per previous years, the year of 2024 has been a blessed year for the One Sixteen Bible Church Birmingham Charity. We remain encouraged together as Church members. Being able to practice the Christian faith and to reach out to the surrounding region with the Gospel of Jesus. This has been in the progress of/in conjunction with the Charity’s objectives. The trustees of One Sixteen Bible Church Birmingham remain pleased with all that has taken place throughout 2024. The trustees and members of the Charity continue to remain expectant and faithful for all that lies ahead going forward in 2025.
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