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2023-12-31-accounts

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] DECEMBER 2023

CONTENTS

Page(s)
Trustees Report 2-6
Information Page 7
Independent Examiners Report 8-9
Statement of Financial Activities 10-12

HOPE CHURCH SITTINGBOURNE CHARITY NUMBER #1186867

Trustee Report

for the period 1[st] January 2023 to 31[st] December 2023

The Trust & Trustees

Hope Church Sittingbourne is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered with the UK Charity Commission (#1186867).

Hope Church Sittingbourne was officially registered as a CIO on 10[th] December 2019, and this is our second submitted annual report.

Hope Church Sittingbourne is a church-plant connected to Relational Mission within the Newfrontiers family of churches.

The Trustees of the Hope Church Sittingbourne CIO during this reporting period were:

We are thankful for these men and women who have faithfully and diligently served the church in serving and governing as trustees.

When considering new Trustees, the existing board intends to invite committed church members, who are well known to us and have the necessary character, experience and skills needed and the time to give to this role, with the existing board all having to agree on the appointment.

All current Trustees have been DBS checked. The Trust are formulating new procedures regarding background checks on prospective trustees according to the Charity Commission guidelines.

The serving trustees gave a total of £15,776.40 during this accounting period.

Trust Objectives

The object of the CIO is for the public benefit, the advancement of the Christian faith in Sittingbourne, Kent and in such other areas as the charity Trustees may from time to time decide.

Hope Church Sittingbourne exists to grow & multiply the HOPE of Jesus in the hearts of everyone, everywhere, everyday.

We aspire to reproduce disciples who; Honour Jesus, Obey His Word, Pray beyond themselves, Everyone a witness. We gather in homes & public places as well as weekly on Sundays to hear & obey the Word of God. We engage with local social justice & poverty issues.

2

HOPE CHURCH SITTINGBOURNE CHARITY NUMBER #1186867

Premises

Hope Church Sittingbourne do not currently lease or own any premises.

Our church office and registered CIO address is currently the home of Gordon Watson, the church-plant leader. This is the office base for administrative purposes.

Since Sunday, 21[st] October 2018, Hope Church Sittingbourne have gathered every Sunday morning at our local Costa Coffee located in The Forum Shopping Centre.

During this reporting year, on Sunday, 9[th] July 2023, we moved our Sunday worship service to Fulston Manor Secondary School as we were in need of a larger meeting venue. During the following 5-months we met in 3 different spaces at the school. A drama studio, the Millennium Hall and eventually settling in the Post-16 S-Block café area.

Membership

The Hope Church family continues to grow and develop healthily. We welcomed a number of new people among us over the course of the year. We do not currently have a formal membership.

Finances

Gordon Watson continued to be our sole employee throughout 2023.

We supported and subsidised the costs for a group of 4 delegates to participate in the LEAD training course with Relational Mission.

We continued our monthly support of the Spocchia family who are planting Good News Church in Sheppey.

We continued to tithe a consistent monthly amount to the four distinct accounts that support the mission of our family of churches, Relational Mission.

When we relocated our Sunday morning gatherings in the summer, we took the decision to invest in new PA equipment, as well as hospitality equipment for refreshments, all of which we store securely in a local facility. We also made individual gifts, contributing towards each of our two main worship leaders buying new acoustic guitars.

Reserves Policy

The Board of Trustees has established a policy to cover day-to-day cashflow and also any financial liabilities in the event of a sudden and unexpected drop in income, or the closure of the charity.

The Reserves Policy states that a figure of £5,000 should be maintained in this regard.

3

HOPE CHURCH SITTINGBOURNE CHARITY NUMBER #1186867

Overview of Church Life and Activities

We continued to host regular social connection points every month, such as picnics, BBQs, fish & chips nights, brunches and other social events. These connection points were a great opportunity to integrate newcomers to the church and also to invite along people exploring faith and to build relationship and widen community life together.

We were pleased to be able to continue throughout 2023 meeting in person in our midweek Households. These midweek gatherings help us encourage and support one another towards growing together in our faith and in our daily lives.

We continued to host prayer meetings usually twice a month throughout the year. We find these times a great opportunity to ‘pray beyond ourselves’ , looking for God to open the way ahead in situations and circumstances.

In July 2023 we brought our 10-month series of ‘Emerge Leadership Forum’ meetings to a close. This group had been meeting every 6/8 weeks, supported by our church oversight of Adam Voke (Cornerstone City Church, Medway) & Dave King (New Life Church, Tunbridge Wells).

Local Mission

Churches Together in Sittingbourne

The local Sittingbourne Churches Together fraternal continued to meet in-person throughout 2023.

Swale CAP Debt Centre & Swale Foodbank

We continued as a partner church with our local Swale CAP Debt Centre & with Swale Foodbank. We were invited to contribute cakes towards the Christmas Hampers for local CAP clients.

No Place Left UK & Proclaim Training

During 2023 we invited Russell Godward (No Place Left UK) to train and equip our church in becoming more confident and competent in our mission of sharing the good news story of Jesus across our town. We began regularly ministering to local communities across the town, predominantly on Saturday mornings.

As part of Russell’s contact with us, we hosted a Proclaim training morning on Sat, 16[th] September at Holy Trinity Sittingbourne with over 25 people in attendance, representing many local churches from across Sittingbourne.

Baptisms

We had the great privilege of baptising six dear friends on Sunday, 29[th] October, it was a great celebration of the resurrection life of Jesus.

4

HOPE CHURCH SITTINGBOURNE CHARITY NUMBER #1186867

Supporting Refugees

In September we were put in touch with a local refugee family and were able to welcome them to Sittingbourne. We liaised with other frontline agencies and support groups and over the months were able to support the family in establishing local life, completing paperwork, and supporting the family at key meetings with schools, childcare, Job Centre and other organisations and professionals. One of our members was able to support the family by providing them with free English lessons as a family.

ACTS435

We continued our partnership with ACTS435, providing practical financial support and assistance to local families in need.

Overseas Mission

RM Bolivia

In January, we gave £1,000 to the roof building project of our dear friends the Butcher family who are establishing a mission centre in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Ebenezer Sastry & Carmel Ministries

On the evening of Friday, 2[nd] June we hired King George V Pavilion and hosted an Evening with Ebenezer. We heard from Ebenezer Sastry of Carmel Ministries of the work they are involved in across India, supporting orphans and widows, building schools, and training and equipping rural and town-based pastors to plant and lead churches and mission projects.

It was an excellent opportunity for the local church family to meet Ebenezer who is a longterm friend of two of our trustees who both served on mission trips independently with Ebenezer many years ago. We took up an offering and gave a love gift totalling £300 to Carmel Ministries.

Partnership with Relational Mission

RMC & Swale Squad

We continued to engage with our local Relational Mission Community, led by Adam Voke. Of note was the involvement of Adam Voke & David King in helping to support and oversee the development (and hopeful appointment) of a local church eldership team in the future.

We also continue to find great encouragement and brotherhood amongst the three Relational Mission churches in Swale. Together we hosted a Relational Mission Swale Sunday at Fulston Manor Secondary School on Sunday, 22nd October, with guest speaker Stef Liston.

Newday 2023

We undertook fundraising to send a team of 10 people (adults and children) to attend the Newday Youth Festival in August 2023 in partnership with our friends at New Life Church Tunbridge Wells, sharing their camping site, their cooking facilities and entrusting our young people to the care of the leaders. Our hope is to partner with them again in 2024.

5

HOPE CHURCH SITTINGBOURNE CHARITY NUMBER #1186867

UP: The Urban Planting School

Gordon Watson continued to serve alongside Stef Liston in developing a new Relational Mission two-year training initiative called ‘UP: The Urban Planting School’. This is due to launch in October 2024.

As trustees, we were happy when Relational Mission offered to pay for 4-hours a week of Gordon Watsons employed time to serve this new initiative on behalf of our family of churches. Gordon works this alongside his 4-days a week employment with Hope Church Sittingbourne. This decision is reviewed at each trustees meeting ongoing. We believe the arrangement will help to enrich the local and global mission of the local church as well as supporting and strengthening the apostolic work of Relational Mission through the UP initiative.

The Call conference

We were able to send Emmanuel Samuel & Gordon Watson to represent Hope Church Sittingbourne at the Relational Mission ‘The Call’ conference, which was hosted in Ipswich from Wednesday, 25[th] October through to Saturday, 28[th] October.

Summary

As a trustees board, we continue to be thankful to God for the ongoing generosity of the local church family in their serving and giving. Together we have been able to achieve many of our aims for the year and look forward in faith for all that God may open up for us in the year ahead.

6

Hope Church Sittingbourne Information Page

Bankers: Nat West Bank plc PO Box 209 Sittingbourne Kent ME10 4AU Independent Examiner: Mr Rob Trice MAAT 210 King George Road Chatham Kent ME5 0PH

7

Hope Church Sittingbourne Annual Report

Year Ended 31 December 2023

Governance & Trustees

Hope Church Sittingbourne is governed by its Constitution dated 16[th] October 2019.

The registered Office is Hope Church Sittingbourne, 32 Homewood Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 1XW.

The Trustees are:

Emmanuel Ayodile Ukachi Samuel Jite Ufuoma Idowu Elizabeth Ruth Gregory Christine Monica Willmott

Legal Status

Hope Church Sittingbourne is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charity Commission. Charity Number: 1186867.

Charitable Objects

The purpose of the Church shall be:

8

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Hope Church Sittingbourne

This Report on the accounts of the Church for the year ended 31 December 2023, which are set out in this annual report, is in respect of an examination carried out under s.145 of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act").

Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and the examiner

As Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; you consider that the audit requirement of section 144(2) of the Act does not apply. It is my responsibility to issue this report on those accounts in accordance with the Act.

Basis of this report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 144(5)(b) of the Act. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent Examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Rob W Trice

25th Jan 2024

Mr Rob Trice MAAT 210 King George Road Chatham, Kent, ME5 0PH

Page 8 9

Hope Church Sittingbourne Receipts & Payments Account - Year Ended 31 December 2023

RECEIPTS
Giving (Gift Aided)
Giving (Non Gift Aided)
HMRC Gift Aid repayment
Financial Support
ACTS 435 income
Refunded expenditure
Other income
Sunday offering
Special offering
TOTAL RECEIPTS
PAYMENTS
Employee wages and salaries
Pension
Travelling
Hotel and Accomodation
Printing & Marketing
Office Stationery & Admin
Internet Charges
Computer & software
Mobile Charges
Business Insurance
Equipment
Books bought
Sunday Costs
Food & drink
Tithe to Relational Mission
Crisis/Family Fund
Gift (visiting speakers)
Gift (missional support)
Gift (special offering)
Gift (pastoral reasons)
Mission trips
CAP Life Skills
Miscellaneuos expenses
Subscriptions
DBS/Safeguarding
Training Costs
Conference tickets
Venue/Hall hire
Independent examiner
ACTS 435 expenditure
Office Equipment and IT - cost
Events
TOTAL PAYMENTS
Excess of Receipts over Expenditure
General Fund Balance brought forward
General Fund Balance carried forward		 2023
£
35,261.40
3,724.95
10,390.96
1,800.00
400.00
391.88
314.02
623.08
2,347.58
55,253.87
2023
£
33,457.13
2,527.20
1,005.17
490.59
57.99
233.01
268.34
1,029.42
264.06
376.05
29.69
124.96
734.63
718.82
2,400.00
302.29
1,660.00
4,070.00
268.00
131.50
-
720.00
294.85
177.00
238.65
3,450.00
140.00
2,161.15
220.00
411.03
4,354.68
2,654.67
64,970.88
(9,717.01)
20,959.82
11,242.81		 2022
£
33,893.00
17,674.07
8,268.77
3,500.00
-
175.80
4.68
-
-
63,516.32
2022
£
27,003.09
2,065.05
1,265.60
99.00
226.75
121.88
248.02
952.22
255.79
300.78
169.00
220.17
509.89
336.53
600.00
886.74
1,485.00
2,120.00
150.00
324.77
300.00
720.00
161.72
229.00
141.25
2,586.00
245.00
3,377.30
200.00
-
151.98
1,350.56
48,803.09
14,713.23
6,246.59
20,959.82

Page 9 10

Hope Church Sittingbourne Statement of Assets and Liabilities - As At 31 December 2023

Bank Balances
- #1 Main Account
- #2 Hope CAP Funds
- #3 Training & Future Staffing
- #4 Reserve Fund
- #5 Crisis/Family Fund
Assets
Office Equipment and IT - cost
PA Equipment		 2023
£
1,145.22
64.80
716.00
9,237.76
79.03
11,242.81
1,286.38
2,452.93
3,739.31		 2022
£
3,951.82
144.80
1,416.00
15,002.00
445.20
20,959.82
1,286.38
-
1,286.38

----- Start of picture text -----
21/02/2024
…....................................................................... …................2024
----- End of picture text -----

Signed on behalf of Hope Church Sittingbourne

Page 10 11

Hope Church Sittingbourne Notes to the Accounts - Year Ended 31 December 2023

  1. The accounts have been prepared using the receipts and payments basis.

2. Funds Movement Note

2. Funds Movement Note
Unrestricted Funds
Hope CAP Funds
Training & Future Staffing Fd
Reserve Fund
Crisis/Family Fund
ACTS 435		 Brought
Carried
Forward
Receipts
Payments
Transfers
Forward
£
£
£
£
£
3,951.82
63,527.25
(63,025.10)
(3,308.75)
1,145.22
144.80
720.00
(800.00)
-
64.80
1,416.00
3,300.00
(4,000.00)
-
716.00
15,002.00
-
(9,072.99)
3,308.75
9,237.76
145.20
400.00
(766.17)
(220.97)
300.00
-
-
-
300.00
20,959.82
67,947.25
(77,664.26)
-
11,242.81

Page 11 12

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