## _**The Pastor's Report**_ ## **Rye Bap(st Church in 2020** I am wri(ng this report in 2021, following the conversion of RBC to being a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisa(on). Therefore this report will form one of the last records of RBC (Unincorporated). I am sure 2020 will go down in history as being one of the most extraordinary years experienced by every single person on the planet. The Coronavirus pandemic extended to every corner of the globe, and made necessary restric(ons in every aspect of life, and of course this included every aspect of life in the church. At the beginning of 2020 there were some men(ons in the news about this illness affec(ng people in China, and some other areas but no-one imagined that in just a few weeks it would come to affect all of our lives, and cause the deaths of well over 120,000 people in the UK alone. We are blessed that only three people in our congrega(on (to date) have caught the virus, and only one passed away as a result of it. 2020 began as usual with our Covenant Service, and January, February and early March progressed much as normal, with all church ac(vi(es taking place, including Coffee Plus; BuTerfly Club; the “Encountering God” worship evenings, the Connect/Engage meals out, a United Service at St Mary’s; the Week of Prayer for Chris(an Unity; house-groups in homes; and worship services in church. We were very sad in mid-January to learn that Sally Liley had passed away, and a number of the fellowship aTended her funeral in February. Then David Anstead, who had been baTling a life-limi(ng illness for many months finally went to be with His Lord in mid March. By then, the number of Coronavirus cases had begun to escalate rapidly, causing much anxiety about transmission risks and so no proper funeral was able to take place. In February, Alan Strudwick also became very poorly, going into hospital, and from there into a care home where he passed away in mid April. A na(onwide lockdown had been announced from 16[th] March 2020. Visi(ng was suspended in care homes and hospitals and we were devastated to be unable to support Alan in person in his final weeks. Funeral services were not happening at the (me of Alan’s death so he too was cremated without a proper service, to our great sadness. To date, we have s(ll not yet been able to organise a memorial service for these two dear brothers, but hope to organise this when lock-down restric(ons are finally completely libed. Once lockdown commenced in the UK we closed our doors for worship and commenced recording audio services to be available online via our website each week. From the start we were astonished at the numbers accessing our website and ‘tuning’ in – this quickly rose to average approximately 1100 hits per week, and this number has con(nued to rise in 2021. For those church members who did not have internet facility we produced CDs which were sent out by post each week. We are so grateful to Geoff Haynes for his exper(se in edi(ng the recordings, managing the website, and producing the CDs – also grateful thanks to all church members who have contributed recordings of readings and prayers so a variety of voices could be heard each week. During the rest of the year most ‘inchurch’ regular ac(vi(es and ‘in home’ mee(ngs were not allowed, so Zoom Video Conferencing technology came into its own, being used for leadership mee(ngs, Prayer Breakfasts and house-group mee(ngs. 3 out of our 4 house-groups con(nued to meet via Zoom to keep in touch, pray for each other and to study and discuss scripture. Our church building was not completely closed, however. We were so glad to be able to bless our community via Foodbank which con(nued, from our facili(es, to prepare and supply food parcels to needy families in the area. This need escalated drama(cally during the pandemic and the Foodbank Team rose to the challenge magnificently, oben feeding 200 people a week from RBC’s halls. In July, the first lockdown came to an end, and the RBC leadership team began to make prepara(ons to re-open for Sunday services. A risk assessment was carried out, and plans and precau(ons for making the building Covid-safe according to government and BUGB guidelines were applied. Thanks to our members who volunteered to help as cleaners and stewards, we re-opened on 2[nd] August for our first service. We were able to accommodate just under 50 with the new sea(ng arrangements. Being seated 2 metres apart, all wearing masks, and with no congrega(onal singing, no coffee/ fellowship (me, and no lingering in the church aber services, all felt very strange at first, but most persevered and started to get used to this new way of ‘doing church’. We con(nued our online services for those who felt unable to aTend, and also for our anonymous online congrega(on who con(nued to tune in to our website in sizeable numbers. Astonishingly, during this (me, God con(nued to build his church in Rye. In June we were delighted to welcome Bob and Ellis Harper as new members, via Zoom. In September at our Harvest service , we bap(sed and welcomed AnneTe Englefield into membership. This bap(sm was our only bap(sm by affusion in living memory – this being the only method allowed by the government and BU at that (me. Then in December, on the week we returned to church aber the second na(onal lockdown, we also welcomed Joan Powell into membership. So, that made four new members during a pandemic - for which we praise God! In November a second lockdown meant that ‘in-Church’ services had to cease again for four weeks, then we re-started in December, but again cases of infec(ons in the area rose alarmingly with the advent of the ‘Kent’ variant of Coronavirus. The leadership team felt it necessary to close on 20[th] December and this decision was confirmed as correct when our area was put into Tier 4 over Christmas, and families were not allowed to meet in homes to celebrate Christmas or New Year. This situa(on was followed swibly by the third na(onal lockdown. In December we held a Day of Prayer asking members to pray in their homes for a number of Prayer Pointers. We very quickly saw a number of answers to prayer – including a new Financial Lead ( Paul Kingham) to replace Eric, who is planning to move away; the successful conclusion of the process to make RBC a CIO by 1[st] January; and we were delighted to be contacted by a new couple, planning to move into the area in January, who were keen to become part of the RBC church family. It has been a strange year, but we have con(nued to feel connected as a fellowship due to our online services, Zoom mee(ngs, and members making an effort to stay in touch and look out for one another. We have been astonished to see God building His church even during this difficult period, and we are also so grateful for His provision through the con(nued generous financial giving of our faithful members during this season. This has meant we have remained in a rela(vely healthy financial posi(on as we begin in our new season as a CIO. A huge Thank you to the leaders who have worked so hard, and supported and encouraged me during this year, and to all of you who have prayed, supported us, and served God in whatever way you could. We look forward to God doing ‘a new thing’ in 2021 as He walks with us into whatever exci(ng and different (mes the future holds. Trus(ng the Lord for “ _Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow_ ”, and praising and thanking Him for His Faithfulness over an extraordinary and challenging year, we are confident in His con(nued accompanying Presence with us, guiding and blessing us all at RBC as we con(nue from 2021 as a CIO. _**Fiona**_ CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Rye Bwistchurch Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the perlod To 1910212(r20 31112r2020 Section A Recei ts and ments Unrestricted funds Restrlcted frJnd5 lunds Tolal funds La51 year Al Recel ts not in tri5 Sub totalfGr¢)ss income ft)rAR) A2 Asset and Investmènt Sales. see table . Sub to Totalrocelpts ..A3 Paym*its Cha not in ttKs Sub tot A4 Asset and investment rehases, Iseetable) inth rth)d Sub to Totalpaymwts Net oireceiptsl(pa￿nentsj A5 Transfer5 bel￿￿ ￿ndS A6 Cash fijnds last year end Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Uniestricted nds Restricted lunds ! ! Endowment I Jnds Cate￿orIeS Details 'B1 Cash funds CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 0810912021 Total cash fimds a￿Dunl(￿lI Unrestrtetèd fvnds Regtrlcttd thnds Endowment lunds Detalls to ￿￿rest£ tts near￿t£ to nearest£ Details belonys CostloptsM41 Cuwventv*• IDpti¢>nall Detalls Fundtr**thkh 4sset Co*tliytional) Current loplonall B4Assets ￿ained for the charl￿S own use Fund towtiich ityrd*s Amountduè lopfionall 'Detalls 85 Liabilities S￿ne￿ by one orlwotru*es on of all the trnstees &gnabJre Print Name i Date of approval FLON)f4 CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 08109r2021