Rye Baptist Church (CIO) Trustees’ Annual Report on 2021
Aims & Purposes
The Trustees of Rye Baptist Church work together to advance the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination; to promote the whole mission of the church, through worship and pastoral care; evangelism; social care and ecumenical involvement; to advance education and carry out charitable purposes both in the UK and in other parts of the world; and as the overseeing charity for Rye Foodbank, to promote the alleviation of poverty and relief of need in the local area.
The Trustees are also responsible for the maintenance of the Rye Baptist Church building and the manse at 86 Udimore Rd, Rye, East Sussex..
Objectives & Activities
The Trustees are committed to enable as many people as possible to be part of the RBC worshipping community, and also to provide service and support to the wider community of Rye and District, through our various groups and activities.
When planning our various activities, the Trustees have considered the Commission’s advice on public benefit and in particular, the specific advice for charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we endeavour to enable people to live out their faith through:-
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Worship & Prayer, Bible study, Teaching
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Baptism and Holy Communion
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Offering and Encouraging Pastoral Care
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Nurture of Christian disciples
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Missionary Outreach and evangelism, locally, nationally, and internationally
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Welcome, inclusion and Christian nurture of young people
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Supporting and encouraging Christian social action in the UK and beyond
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Education & training for Christian community Service
To facilitate this work, it is essential that we maintain the fabric of the RBC church building and the manse at 86 Udimore Road.
Achievements & Performance
• Worship & Prayer
2021 began with the third national lock-down of the Coronavirus pandemic, during which inchurch worship and all activities (except Foodbank) were suspended. Churches were not actually forbidden to meet but in solidarity with other organisations and businesses in the community and for health and safety reasons, we deemed it best to return to online operations until the situation had improved. Worship services were recorded each week, and broadcast online via the RBC website. CDs of the worship services were also produced and distributed to those without internet access. All other meetings, including house-groups, Trustees’ and prayer meetings took place via Zoom Video Conferencing.
On 25[th] April we re-opened for weekly Sunday worship, maintaining 2 metre social distancing and stringent Covid precautions as recommended by the government and the Baptist Union of Great Britain. All other activities (except the Foodbank which used our building) remained suspended or online until later in the year.
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From July when restrictions were eased, we changed our seating layout to a more informal ‘cafestyle’ arrangement of seats in semi-circles round coffee tables. This was very positively received by both the regular congregation and visitors. The new seating layout facilitated the different style of worship, teaching, and discussion times that we had planned for August on various topical issues. Although numbers attending after the lock-down were low initially, due to reticence about returning to church when the Covid risk in the community was high, our online viewing numbers remained very encouraging. As the months went on, physical attendance numbers have increased to between 30 and 49 most weeks, and online numbers have remained high with people listening in from all over the world.
From September, some house-groups returned to homes, and other church activities to the church building, although some meetings and one house-group continued online. House-groups have mostly been studying the same passage preached on in church, which has aided understanding, and life application.
Worship highlights for this year have included a live-streamed service from the Baptist Assembly, and one from Tearfund on the Climate Change Summit; 2 services on Creation Care; a Harvest Celebration; the reception of a new church member; a Christingle service, a traditional Carols by Candlelight; and a Family Christmas Day celebration. Easter fell during the period the church was in lock-down and so was celebrated online and via pre-recorded CDs.
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BU & SEBA membership
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Rye Baptist Church is part of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and a member church of the South Eastern Baptist Association.
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Church Buildings
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Although the church building was closed for worship during the early months of 2021, the building remained in use several days a week throughout that time, by the Rye Branch of the Bexhill Foodbank which operates from our building. The Trustees also checked on the building regularly to ensure it remained in good working order. After our Anniversary Gift day service in June, a sizeable sum was gifted to the church which enabled us to replace the last five windows in the sanctuary (the other five having been replaced two years previously,) This work was completed in December and improves both the appearance and the insulation of the sanctuary.
Sadly, in November some cracking was noticed in the manse, which has necessitated the investigation of a structural engineer to diagnose some subsidence of the building. Further monitoring will take place in the New Year and our insurance company has been notified.
Pastoral Care
- Pastoral Care of the church fellowship is overseen by the Minister, assisted by the team of Trustees, and the house-group leaders. In addition to this, the church family are encouraged to look out for, and care for one another, and this has worked very well, especially during the lock-down months, when the elderly and single folk might have felt very isolated and lonely.
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- Three house-groups operated on Zoom from January to August maintaining a strong level of mutual pastoral care. From September, two of these returned to in-person meeting, and a fourth began in September, meeting in the church lounge.
Church Membership etc. –RBC has a membership roll of people who have been baptised by immersion and who, after an interview process, have covenanted to support and serve the church here. During 2021 two members sadly passed away, but we were delighted to welcome a new member in October. This brought our total membership numbers at the end of the year to 42 members. The congregation also includes a number of ‘fringe’ folk and committed non- members who are very much part of the church family.
Mission & Evangelism
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Online Services: -Although during the lock-down, much of our outreach activity was curtailed, by having to remain in homes, we were delighted that our online services were accessed by many people in the UK and overseas – reaching a far wider audience than our previous congregation sizes. Numerous opportunities were taken during these services to present a clear Gospel message and for people to make a Christian commitment. This message was backed up by clear information on our website.
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Personal Witness - It has always been our practice to encourage our congregation to witness personally to their faith to friends and neighbours, and the lock-down produced further opportunities for this.
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Coffee Plus – from September to December 2021 – our Coffee Plus outreach activity reopened. Selling low priced refreshments and cakes in a comfortable welcoming environment, the friendly volunteers also offer opportunities for prayer and pastoral conversation if this is desired. Many positive contacts in the community have been made through this outreach.
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Butterfly Club – Similarly, from September, our Carer and Toddler group also opened up again- and during the period September to December welcomed up to 15 carers and toddlers each week. Our welcoming and caring helpers. and the comfortable and safe environment we provide, has created positive connections and outreach opportunities with a good number of families in the community.
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The Foodbank operating from our building is also run with a Christian ethos, by Christian managers, and a number of our church folk are on the team of volunteers. Prayer is offered and a listening ear, and signposting to agencies that can help with clients’ problems with benefits, heating, housing and so on.
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Council Prayers – our minister Fiona was invited twice this year to lead prayers at the online Town Council Meetings – a great opportunity.
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Filmed School Assemblies – Since the pandemic, while Fiona could not go into schools to take assemblies, she has produced a number of filmed assemblies which have been much appreciated by staff and children alike.
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Rye Bonfire – This is a big event in the community life of Rye, and RBC joined in this year by opening our building, selling hot drinks, and allowing use of our toilet facilities, which was much appreciated by the public.
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Street Pastors - Before the pandemic, the local Street Pastors used our church as a base for their outreach. Covid precautions sadly necessitated our withdrawing this facility for a
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while. However, towards the end of the year, SPs returned to RBC for to use it as their base on Rye Bonfire Night, and on the late Christmas shopping evening.
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Overseas Mission Support - Through our tithes and various special collections during the year, we have supported a number of overseas mission agencies and ministries e.g. Hope Home in Thailand; the BMS Harvest Appeal; Tearfund; Open Doors; and Samara’s Aid Appeal. Helping those in need is also part of our mission so when special needs occur such as natural disasters then the church will often have a special collection and send that money to help.
Ecumenical relationships
- Rye Baptist Church is part of Churches Together in Rye & District, and our minister the Revd Fiona Gill, is currently Chair of the Executive Committee of CTRD. In normal times the churches in Rye engage in worship and outreach activities together. However, during the pandemic, many of the regular joint activities and worship events had to be curtailed due to Covid precautions. Two events that did take place during 2021 were a United Morning Service at St Mary’s led by our minister; and a series of Zoom prayer and discussion Meetings during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in May. Throughout the pandemic the committee and church leaders have kept in touch via regular Zoom meetings.
Rye Foodbank
The Foodbank operating in our building was, up until November, the Rye Branch of the Bexhill Foodbank. However, during 2020-21, the operations of the Rye Branch expanded to such a degree that it was felt right for the Rye branch to become an independent Foodbank, operating within the franchise of the Trussell Trust, and under the charitable oversight of Rye Baptist Church CIO, on behalf of Churches Together in Rye & District. This proposal was agreed by RBC at the July church meeting, and also by Churches Together in Bexhill, and by Churches Together in Rye & District at their committee meetings. The transition to independence was completed on November 8[th] 2021, when the new Rye Foodbank commenced operations under the charitable oversight of RBC. From this date, Rye Baptist Church owned all Foodbank assets, and the church trustees are responsible for the governance and oversight of the financial affairs and operations of the Rye Foodbank. The Foodbank operations are carried out by a team of volunteers, headed up by the joint Foodbank managers, Christine Emson and Robert Harper, who supplied the following report:-
Rye Foodbank Operations, 8[th] November to 31[st] December 2021
Activity Levels
The Foodbank in Rye opens every Wednesday, and supplies food against emergency requirements as the needs arise. We routinely support more adults than children. From November 8th-30th, 152 adults and 142 children were fed, being given 2552 kg of food. During December 2021, 222 adult and 140 children were fed, with 3219 kg of food. Although the trend is steady, there are marked variations in weekly demand. The Food Bank holds around a week’s worth of excess stock to cover the unexpectedly busy weeks.
Staffing
We have worked fairly consistently with 12 to 14 staff. Two entirely separate teams work alternate weeks to give resilience against failure due to Covid infection. This has been effective, and we have
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never had to close due to Covid or other illness. However we have experienced loss of volunteers as they have returned to work, and are struggling to recruit suitable replacements, especially to leadership roles and roles relating to IT and systems.
Stockholding
All our stock is now held in a small storage area in the Lower Baptist Hall. This has demanded a high degree of rigour in the control of stock, and permits little leeway in terms of what we supply clients, but we have developed sophisticated systems and it has worked very well, especially since we have been successful in encouraging people to give money, not food donations. We have excellent relations with Jempson’s Supermarkets, who are deeply committed to helping us, and we normally order so that we have 2 weeks worth of stock at the start of a Food Bank session.
Deliveries
We have many clients in surrounding villages, and some find it difficult to travel into the Food Bank – and get back home with heavy bags, hence a number of deliveries take place each week.
Reception of Clients and Services provided
After the strict lockdown, clients are once again received into the hall. The key service provided is, of course, emergency food supplies, but in order to lift clients out of dependency we initiated inhouse consultation services on all aspects of benefits with the Hastings Advice and Representation Centre. This was initially only via a virtual link, but as the number of people using it increased it is commonly face to face. The service has been extended to all housing matters via a link with Rother District Council. Advice on heating and fuel grants is also available and many clients have passed through dependency to independence as a result. We are in communication with Citizens Advice to restore local services from them in the town.
Marketing, Public Relations and Funding
Rye Food Bank is extremely well projected through Rye News, and has been promoted by the delivery of 7500 flyers within the Fixtures publications. The Food Bank is well known and respected both locally and in the region and we are fortunate to be supported by a large number of private and corporate donors.
The Future
It is clear that advice services that are only available in a crowded hall and for two hours on a Wednesday are not fully adequate to meet the demand. It is likely that the further development of partnerships will be required. The identity of the Food Bank as a Christian mission, offering hope to those who are losing hope and reassuring people in desperate circumstances that they are loved, is very basic but still quite hard to maintain given that many volunteers are not Christians. The Food Bank depends on ongoing prayer and the involvement of Christians.
– RBC Financial Review
During 2021, total receipts on unrestricted funds were £69,131. When the oversight of Rye Foodbank was taken over by Rye Baptist Church in early November 2021 we received restricted funds of £58,392 from the previous overseeing charity. During the remainder of the year we
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received a further £16,711 on the restricted funds, of which £7,181 was a grant from East Sussex County Council. This brought the restricted fund total for Foodbank to £70,729.
Planned giving by way of bank transfers, standing orders and cheques to the unrestricted funds were up by 12% during this period, and the total income of this fund rose by 8% compared to the previous period.
Rye Baptist Church spent £68,393 in providing Christian ministry and the upkeep of the church building and the manse. This figure is including contributions to the Baptist Union and the Baptist Missionary Society. £4,374 was spent by the Rye Foodbank.
The net result for the year was that our unrestricted fund had an excess of receipts over payments of £738. Adding this to the balance brought forward at the beginning of the year of £47,855 gives us a balance of £48,593 carried forward on the 31st December. In the restricted fund, the starting balance of £58,392 was brought forward on the 8th November when we took ownership of the Foodbank. For this we had an excess of receipts over payments of £70,729. The total balance of all funds carried forward at year end was £119,322.
Reserves Policy
The reserves policy of Rye Baptist Church is to hold three months of all necessary expenditure plus a further three months staff costs to allow the church to adapt to any changes in the income or expenditure of the church. The trustees currently believe this amount to be £21,000, there is currently sufficient funding in our general account to meet the policy. We will also hold reserve in a separate bank account for unexpected building repair or maintenance. This policy will be reviewed annually.
Volunteers
We would like to thank all of the volunteers from our congregation who work so hard to make RBC the loving, lively and vibrant congregation it is. Fiona, our Pastor, would like to also thank our Trustees and house-group leaders for all their hard work. Particular mention should go to Geoff Austin, our Church Secretary; Penny Kingham our Treasurer, Paul Kingham, our Financial Lead, and Gillian Jarrett and Sally Moore of the Finance team; Geoff Haynes for oversight of the website and recordings; and Ruby Stoodley and Marguerite Kenward for their help in so many areas, of church life. especially pastoral care.
Structure, Governance & Management
The Board of Trustees is currently made up of the Minister, the Church Secretary and the Treasurer, plus three other Trustees, all elected by the membership in accordance with the procedures detailed in our Constitution. The Trustees are authorised by the church meeting to make decisions on smaller matters relating to the running of RBC, whilst larger matters, and larger items of expenditure are brought to the Church Meeting for approval.
During 2021, an inaugural AGM was held on Zoom on March 22nd to elect the trustees for the new RBC CIO. A Special Church Meeting was held in church on 16[th] May; and then, two further church
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meetings were held in church on July18th (to agree RBC taking on the charitable oversight of Rye Foodbank), and also on October 18th.
Throughout 2021, The Trustees met monthly on Zoom, for church business, and also regularly throughout the year for pastoral prayer meetings.[.]
Administrative Information
Rye Baptist Church is situated in Cinque Ports Street, Rye, East Sussex. It is part of the South Eastern Baptist Association within the Baptist Union of Great Britain. The Church is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales with the Charity Number 1188057
The Trustees, most serving since 1[st] January 2021, confirmed by election on 22[nd] March, and serving until the date this report is approved, are as follows:-
Chair - Revd. Fiona Gill, Minister Secretary – Geoffrey Austin Treasurer – Penny Kingham Trustee – Geoffrey Haynes Trustee - Marguerite Kenward (New in March 2022) Trustee – Ruby Stoodley
Approved by the RBC Annual Church Meeting on 25[th] April 2022 - Signed by:
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N 11
----- Start of picture text -----
Charity Name N
Rye Baptist Church
Receipts and payments acco
For the period Period start date
To
from 01/01/2021
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
UIO funding passed to CIO 47,855 - -
Foodbank funding passed to church - 58,392 -
Donations 54,726 - -
Gift Aid Refund from HMRC 8,608 - -
Sales coffees/teas 2,684 - -
Miscellaneous 3,084 - -
Interest 30 - -
Fellowship Fund - - -
Foodbank grant from East Sussex C.C. - 7,181 -
Donations to foodbank - 9,530 -
Sub total (Gross income for AR) 116,986 75,103 -
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - -
- - -
Sub total [ - ] - -
Total receipts 116,986 75,103 -
A3 Payments
Ministry 34,150 - -
Mission 1,123 - -
Manse 6,708 - -
Upkeep of Church 15,441 - -
Administration 2,131 - -
Miscellaneous 1,302 - -
Fellowship Fund 50 - -
Away Giving (Tithe) 7,487 - -
Foodbank purchases - 4,374 -
Sub total 68,393 4,374 -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - -
- - -
Sub total - - -
Total payments 68,393 4,374 -
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Receipts and payments acco
----- Start of picture text -----
Net of receipts/(payments) 48,593 70,729 -
A5 Transfers between funds - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end - - -
Cash funds this year end 48,593 70,729 -
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of t
Unrestricted
Categories Details funds
to nearest £
B1 Cash funds HSBC (RBC) 22,250
Hodge Bank (RBC) 26,343
Barclays Bank (Foodbank) -
Total cash funds 48,593
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s)) OK
Unrestricted
funds
Details to nearest £
-
B2 Other monetary assets
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
Details asset belongs
B3 Investment assets
Fund to which
Details asset belongs
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
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B5 Liabilities
Fund to which Details liability relates Driveway Repairs Unrestricted fund Hope Home Donation Unrestricted fund Manse Insurance Excess Unrestricted fund
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
Signature
Print N
o (if any) 188057
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o (if any)
188057
ounts CC16a
Period end date
12/31/2021
Total funds Last year
to the nearest £ to the nearest £
47,855 -
58,392 -
54,726 -
8,608 -
2,684 -
3,084 -
30 -
- -
7,181 -
9,530 -
192,089 -
- -
- -
- -
192,089 -
34,150 -
1,123 -
6,708 -
15,441 -
2,131 -
1,302 -
50 -
7,487 -
4,374 -
72,767 -
- -
- -
- -
72,767 -
----- End of picture text -----
ounts
----- Start of picture text -----
119,322 -
- -
- 46,364
119,322 46,364
the period
Restricted Endowment
funds funds
to nearest £ to nearest £
- -
- -
70,729 -
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
the period
Restricted Endowment
funds funds
to nearest £ to nearest £
- -
- -
70,729 -
70,729 -
OK OK
Restricted Endowment
funds funds
to nearest £ to nearest £
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Current value
Cost (optional)
(optional)
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
Current value
Cost (optional)
(optional)
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
- -
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
- -
- -
- -
Amount due When due
(optional) (optional)
2,000
2,437
1,000
-
-
Date of
Name
approval
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independer7t Examiner's Report Roport to the trusteesl members of LYÉ £APrisf On accounts for the year ended 1111212021 Charity no lif any) Set out on pages 181 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe TTUSV) for the year ended Responslbllltles and As the chariiy trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in a¢cordan¢e with the requirements of the Charittes Act 2011 (Ihe A¢V). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have come to my attention. ") in connection with the examination which gives me caus8 to believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records w8re not kept in accordan with Section 130 of the Act or the accnts do not accord with the accounting record$ I have no concems and havo come across no oth8r mattars in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Pleas8 delete th8 woffls in the brackets rf they do not apply. Dat•.. Independent examine$ ¥tatsm•nt Signed: Name: Relevant profosslonal qualmcatlon(s) or body (if any): Address: rH49g& IER Octobor 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of chanty accounts: diredons and guidance for examiners). Give here brf•f detall8 of any items that the examlner wlsh8s to dlsclose. IER Octob•r 2018