## Revelation Church Manchester Report and Accounts Year ended 31 August 2022 1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk ## **REVELATION CHURCH MANCHESTER** ## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022** ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE 32 Morrell Road Manchester M22 4WH GOVERNING DOCUMENT CIO Constitution dated October 2020 CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1191914 TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR Robin Cox MANAGING THE CHARITY Azzurra Caltabiano Leigh Tarver BANKERS Co-operative bank INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB ## **INDEX** Page 1 Legal and Administrative Details Pages 2-4 Trustees' Report Page 5 Independent Examiner's Report Page 6 Receipts and Payments Account Page 7 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Page 8 Notes to the Accounts Page 1 ## **REVELATION CHURCH MANCHESTER** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022** The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 August 2022. ## **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 objects, as set out in its governing document, are: to advance the Christian faith, and the relief of persons in need by reason of financial hardship or other economic or social disadvantage. ## **Summary of the charity's main activities and achievements** The year 2021/22 was our second year of operating in our mission of seeing the Kingdom of God advanced in Greater Manchester. As restrictions from the global pandemic fully lifted we’ve been greatly encouraged by the progress we’ve seen over the last year. Continuing in our venue near the city centre, the rapid growth in our congregation and subsequent growth in regular donations increasingly gave us the opportunity to reach our local community and the wider city. We expect growth to continue, with opportunities to expand that which we’re already doing and begin new initiatives. As we grow, we’re taking steps to remain healthy as a community and follow best practices in looking after our congregation and others attached to our ministries. We believe we’re just at the beginning of what God has called us to, and are encouraged by the foundations being laid. ## **Sunday Meetings** In September 2021, we took the step to lift the vast majority of our COVID-19 safety measures, in-line with government guidance. This has led to a freedom for our Sunday meetings to be used to their full potential - with vibrant and expressive worship, prayer and prolonged time building community together. The growth we saw over the pandemic continued, to an average congregation size of 90 people, up from 60 in 2020/21. ## **Cultural Diversity** Since the beginning of the church we have always had a range of nationalities represented in the congregation, and as we grew in size this increased. At the end of 2020/21 we would count around 25 different nationalities represented within our church family. As we are brought together by a shared desire to explore who God is and what it means for us to follow him, we have seen deep community begin to form across national and cultural boundaries. ## **Youth & Childrens’ Work** The lifting of COVID-19 safety measures along with our congregation and financial growth enabled us to launch two children's groups to serve children aged 0-11 years for the duration of our Sunday services. This provision has seen a large number of families join the church and at the end of the year we would regularly have around 20 children in our children's work. In April 2022 we began making plans to launch provision for youth teaching on a Sunday for ages 1218 years. This will start in September 2022 and will give a space for them to build relationships and study the Bible during our Sunday meeting. Reaching, teaching and discipling all ages is a core part of our mission as a church. The pandemic was particularly hard on under-18s, and it was with great joy that we were able to launch a full range of activities and care for them as things began to open up. Page 2 ## **Midweek Community** Community and creating spaces where deep relationships can be formed is a foundational part of our mission, particularly in a time when loneliness is so prevalent. This typically happens by doing things that were not possible for most of the pandemic - such as sharing meals and studying the Bible together in homes - making community building very difficult. In September 2021, we re-launched our Home Groups and through the year have seen relationships deepen as people are invited into a community that loves them as they are. As these communities of 10-12 people within our wider church family deepen, they also form the basis of our ongoing commitment to pastoral care. As trust develops, it creates a space where the challenges of life can be shared and each individual can feel known, accepted and heard. ## **Outreach** We are committed to reaching Manchester. We want to invite people into a community that welcomes them as they are and seeks to display the life-changing power of the love of God. In December 2021 we were able to host a Carol service event with the intention of inviting many who wouldn’t go to church on a regular basis. We handed out invitations in the city centre and around other areas of the city, and took opportunities to engage people in conversation about their beliefs in God. We welcomed over 140 people to our Carols event where we celebrated the joy of Christmas, sang familiar carols and shared festive refreshments afterwards. ## **Staff & Volunteers** From October 2021, we had a staff team made up of one full-time and one part-time paid worker. Additionally, we had a volunteer working one day per week. Due to a significant increase in regular donations and particularly through our general offering in March 2022, by the end of the year we were able to offer the volunteer staff member a full-time position as Pastoral Staff. This greatly increases our capacity to fulfil our mission, serve our church community and seek to bless Manchester. ## **Generosity** We are called to bring the Kingdom of God to Manchester in both word and deed, and although we are just beginning we want serving the poor in the city to be at our foundation. We continue to partner with Barnabus, a highly respected Christian charity reaching out to the homeless in the city. We continue to support them on a monthly basis, and after our March 2022 general offering, we wanted to also gift an additional £1,000. In total we supported them with £1,960 over the year. Additionally, we donated £1,000 to relief for Christians and others suffering in the war in Ukraine that commenced in February 2022. We also gave £5,184 to support Grace Connection, our wider family of churches, and donated £1,000 specifically to The River Church Newcastle, a new church plant within Grace Connection. In total we gave £9,672 to causes outside of our own charitable activities - this represented over 12% of our total expenditure. In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission. Page 3 ## **Financial review** During the year income increased by £90,500, to £120,600, and expenditure increased by £62,300, to £78,900. As a result the cash held by the charity increased by £41,700, to £55,200, of which all is unrestricted and can be used for any charitable purpose. Financially we are in a very strong position to end August 2022. All of our income comes from member donations and we are increasingly diversifying the number of donors, reducing our exposure if circumstances of individuals change. 2021/22 was our first full budget year as a charity. Our income exceeded expectations, whilst our expenditure was in line with our budget plans. This left a surplus that we were able to invest in further equipment and our financial health resulted in a full-time staff hire, as opposed to our mid-year expectations of a part-time hire. Our reserves continue to be in a very healthy place, giving surplus to direct towards a future opportunity. ## **Reserves policy** The trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted cash of no less than £18,000 (which equates to about 3 months' of budgeted expenditure) 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 £55,200 and the charity is complying with its reserves policy. ## **Governance** Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rest with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. Responsibility for the day to day operation of the charity has been delegated to a senior management team led by Duncan Bell. New trustees are recruited and appointed by the chair of trustees. ## **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: Robin Cox Date: 14 June 2023 Page 4 ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT** ## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Revelation Church Manchester ('the charity') for the year ended 31 August 2022 on pages 6 to 8 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. Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB Date: 22 June 2023 Page 5 ## **REVELATION CHURCH MANCHESTER** ## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022** ||||||Unrestricted|Funds||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||General|Designated||Restricted||| ||||||Funds||Funds|Funds|2022|2021| |||||Notes|£||£|£|£|£| |**_Income receipts_**||||||||||| |Donations|||||88,271||-|-|88,271|10,051| |Gift aid receipts|||||15,660||-|-|15,660|-| |Other grants|||||16,620||-|-|16,620|20,000| |Other|||||10||-|-|10|2| |**_Total receipts_**|||||120,562||-|-|120,562|30,053| |**_Payments_**||||||||||| |Payments
in
relation
to
activities undertaken directly|||charitable|2|69,519||-|-|69,519|16,509| |Grants
paid
in
relation
to
activities undertaken by others|||charitable|3|9,372||-|-|9,372|50| |**_Total payments_**|||||78,891||-|-|78,891|16,559| |Net of receipts / (payments) before|||||41,671||-|-|41,671|13,494| |Transfers between funds|||||-||-|-|-|-| |**Net movement in funds**|||||41,671||-|-|41,671|13,494| |Cash funds as at|last year|end|||13,494||-|-|13,494|-| |**Cash funds at this year end**||||A|55,165||-|-|55,165|13,494| The notes on page 8 form part of these accounts. Page 6 ## **REVELATION CHURCH MANCHESTER** ## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022** |Notes
**A**
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank with immediate access
**B**
**Other monetary assets**
Gift aid due to charity
Other debtors
**C**
**Liabilities**
**Falling due within one year**
Pension
Fee for Independent Examination
Accrued expenses
**D**
**Assets retained for charity's own use**
Contents and equipment|General
Designated
funds
funds
£
£
55,165
-
**55,165**
**-**
3,649
-
376
-
**4,025**
**-**
548
-
912
-
1,075
-
**2,535**
**-**
Unrestricted Funds|Restricted
funds
£
-
**-**
-
-
**-**
-
-
-
**-**|2022
£
55,165
**55,165**
3,649
376
**4,025**
548
912
1,075
**2,535**
2022
£
23,158
**23,158**|2021
£| |---|---|---|---|---| |||||13,494| |||||**13,494**| |||||2,003
-| |||||**2,003**| |||||158
538
-| |||||**696**| |||||2021
£| |||||15,000| |||||**15,000**| Current values have been estimated by the trustees, based on purchase price of equipment. ## **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 **----- Start of picture text -----**
by date
Robin Cox 14 June 2023
**----- End of picture text -----**
The notes on page 8 form part of these accounts. Page 7 ## **REVELATION CHURCH MANCHESTER** ## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022** ## **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
Staff training and expenses
Venue hire
Repairs, maintenance and equipment
Ministry expenses
Insurance
Legal and professional fees
Administration and support
Other costs
**3**
**Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others**
Organisations:
Grace Church Nottingham [Grace Connection]
Ukraine Appeal [run by Stewardship]
Barnabus (Manchester)
Individuals|Unrestricted Fun
General
funds
£
40,023
808
10,065
7,552
4,127
419
760
5,657
108
69,519
6,184
1,000
1,960
228
9,372|ds
Designated
funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Total
2022
£
40,023
808
10,065
7,552
4,127
419
760
5,657
108
69,519
6,184
1,000
1,960
228
9,372|Total
2021
£| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||12,720
48
740
2,145
80
54
615
38
69| ||||||16,509| ||||||-
-
-
50| ||||||50| ## **4 Transactions with related parties** No payments were made to trustees or persons related to them, except for reimbursement of expenses paid out on behalf of the charity. ## **5 Acting as agent** On occasion the charity receives money on behalf of other charities, which it banks and then pays out to these charities. This income is received as agent for these other charities and the income, and the related payments, are excluded from the Receipts and Payments account. During the year, the charity received money on behalf of an individual in need which was solely supported by a church member. This income was received as agent; the receipt totalling £300, and the subsequent payment, are excluded from the Receipts and Payments account. Page 8