## **Stalham Baptist Church Annual Report 2021**
## **Aims and Purposes**
Stalham Baptist Church (SBC), Pastor, Assistant Pastor, Trustee’s and Members have the responsibility of promoting the mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and community in the town of Stalham and the surrounding villages.
## **Objectives and Activities**
- When planning our activities for the year SBC has considered the Charity Commissions guidance on public benefit and, the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. We try to enable people to live out their faith as part of the local community through:
- Worship and Prayer; learning about the gospel and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus
- Provision of pastoral care for people in the local community
- Missionary and outreach work
- Providing facilities and volunteers for community work
- Providing social events to support people in the community
- Achievements and Performance
## **Worship and Prayer**
SBC has held alternative forms of services due to the Pandemic restrictions through:
- A weekly online service
- Zoom prayer meetings, Bible study and quarterly Members meetings
We reinstated services at the church on May 9 2021. A Covid19 Team was set up and Risk Assessments were carried out and all Covid19 Safe guidelines were followed to include:
- Wiping down surfaces
- Bibles being removed from general use
- Sanitizer’s at entrance and exit were put in place.
- Chairs were, and remain, spaced for social distancing.
- People were asked not to congregate inside the church following a service and refreshments following the service ceased and have still not re-commenced. There was a booking system in place for church services and church led activities and people were asked to wear masks with masks available at the entrance.
- Perspex screening was erected between our media and sound desk and people were asked to maintain a one way flow around the church.
- The terms and conditions for external users of the premises were amended to ensure they maintain strict hygiene and do robust sanitizing of any equipment they use
A great deal of time has been spent on making best use of IT during the pandemic and it is due to the dedication of Pastor’s, worship leaders, IT experts and members input, that we have had great success continuing online services, prayer and bible study during the Covid-19 restrictions.
## **Provision of pastoral Care.**
All are welcome to attend our regular services on Sunday Morning 10.45 to 12.00 with Sunday School running at the same time, at present SBC has 68 members the average weekly attendance in December was 60. Attendance is not restricted to Members as we have new people who have moved into Stalham joining us and holidaymakers visiting the Broads National Park.
As well as regular services we enable our community to celebrate and thank God for the milestones in life through:
- Children’s dedications we celebrate the gift of life
- Adult full emersion baptism celebrates people following the path of Jesus, Marriage public vows are exchanged with God’s blessing and
- Through funeral services friends and family express their grief and give thanks for the life which is now complete and to commend the person into Gods keeping.
Some members and friends are unable to attend, these people have the benefit of our online service or a CD containing the online service to those who have no access to the internet.
The Pastor, Assistant Pastor and other members of the church family also make visits to members of the congregation.
## **Stalham Baptist Church Week**
- Monday to Friday: the church is open 10.00am until 12 O’clock for private prayer, prayer meetings and donations to Food Bank. Stalham Community Fridge is open 2pm – 4pm
- Tuesday: Coffee & Chat 9.30am - 12 o’clock Stalham Community Fridge 10 am -l12 o’clock
- Wednesday: Stalham Community Fridge 10am – 12 o’clock Table Tennis 09.30am -12.00 O’clock
- Thursday: Stalham Community Fridge 10.00am -12.00 O’clock
- Friday: Stalham Community Fridge 10.00am - 12.00 O’clock Foodbank open 1.15pm to 3.00pm.
During the week the Church Hall is also used by various external organisations Royal Airforce Association, Stalham Over 55’s, Stalham Flower Group and the Horticultural Association.
## **Mission and Evangelism**
SBC donated to:
£2436.62 Baptist World Mission.
£2436.62 Eastern Baptist Association Home Mission
£443.00 Baptist World Mission Harvest Appeal (I will stand) £239.00 Secular Charities
Our magazine Community Scene is published three times a year and is delivered to 1700 homes and businesses in and around Stalham, this is also available online. This popular magazine contains many articles and is free of charge also available on the Stalham Baptist Website.
Our weekly newsletter is distributed to the congregation and friends weekly also available on Stalham Baptist Website.
Stalham Baptist Website has a link to our online services as we link to previous sermons and a whole host of information including a church diary.
## **Reserves Policy**
SBC Reserves Policy for 2021 is to hold £32,600.00 made up of 3 months staffing plus 3 months expenses from the budget.
## **Refurbishment Project – SBC Community Rooms**
Planning permission and building regulations are in place for a major refurbishment of the Schoolroom (a large hall) and anti-rooms. Priority areas identified include:
- The Schoolroom – a dampproof course, new floors, windows, wider doors, new roof lights, ceilings, electrical rewiring, and a new heating system. Plus, insulation to floors, walls ceilings, which will reduce the carbon footprint considerably and provide a good environment for a host of activities.
- Installation of Unisex/Disabled Toilets to incorporate baby changing facilities. Our toilets are currently outside in a courtyard so folk have to contend with the weather during the winter months.
- Installation of a new and larger kitchen – the existing kitchen facilities has restricted the type, number and scale of activities and events that could take place in the Schoolroom. The new kitchen will be fitted out with equipment to serve the schoolroom which has a potential for up to one hundred people to attend Lunch Club/Coffee and Chat/Youth cafes
- Creating a room over the toilets and kitchen for small group meetings/office.
- Widening the link corridor to facilitate wheelchair users and a larger number of people.
Tenders have been received for the above work and total circa £513,000 including VAT, whilst we have some of the sum required, we are looking for various ways of fund raising for the project, including sponsored walks, daffodil sales, coffee mornings, gift days, car treasure hunts and grants.
## **Volunteers**
We would like to thank all our volunteers who work so hard to make SBC the vibrant and lively community it is enabling:
- Financial stability: through the amazing contribution of approximately 100 volunteers including non-church folk and some carrying out more than one activity. It would not work economically if it was a commercial enterprise.
- An opportunity to promote the value of volunteering: Coming out of isolation is a great opportunity to feel part or the community, making new friends, learning new skills building confidence and a feeling of selfworth. It can enhance a person’s CV and improve their employment prospects.
## **Structure and Governance**
SBC is a member of the Eastern Baptist Association and is governed by our constitution (available on request) which is closely aligned to the Baptist Union model constitution.
## **Leadership Structure**
As with all churches in the Baptist movement our members elect our leaders. The Trustees to be responsible for the governance of the Church and they with approval of the members appoint the Pastor/s.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Pastor
Assistant Pastor
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## **Sub-Group (Volunteers)**
- **Trustees**
- Church Treasurer Stewart Marsh • Church Secretary Diana Gordon
- Maggie Harpur
- • Henry Nicholson
- Elaine Smith
- Josh Hollebon • Daniel Nicholson
- David Child
The Pastors are automatically Trustees of the charity, the other elected trustee’s serve a three-year term when they can offer themselves up for reelection if they wish. Currently we have ten trustee’s, the trustee’s come to the end of their term in rotation meaning two or three are due to retire yearly.
The Trustees are responsible for considering all matters relating to the church and bring forward suggestions and recommendations to the church meeting for members to consider and vote on. (Church meetings are three monthly), the trustees meet fortnightly via Zoom.
## **Administrative information**
Stalham Baptist Church is situated at: 146 High St STALHAM Norwich, Norfolk Charity Registration number 1192914
Correspondence address The Manse 56 Brumstead Road STALHAM
Norfolk.
## **Stalham Baptist Church**
**Statement of Accounts for year ended 31[st] December 2021**
_Page 1_
**STALHAM BAPTIST CHURCH RESERVES POLICY**
The reserves policy of Stalham Baptist Church is to hold three months of all 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 £32,127, compared to
£43,734 in free cash reserves held at the 31st December 2021. The trustees have budgeted to use the excess towards the building project. The figure of £43,734 consists of the General Fund and the Contingency fund. This policy will be reviewed in January 2023.
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## **Stalham Baptist Church**
## **Receipts and payment account for the year ended 31[st] December 2021**
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**Stalham Baptist Church**
**Statement of assets and liabilities at 31[st] December 2021**
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**Receipts and payment account for the year ended 31[st] December 2021**
## **Stalham Baptist Church**
## **Notes**
## **1. Basis of accounts**
These accounts have been prepared on a ‘receipts and payments’ basis and in accordance with Section 133 Charities Act 2011.
## **2. Activities for generating funds**
## **3. Missionary and Charitable Giving**
## **4. Church Running Expenses**
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## **5. Pension Scheme Liabilities**
The Church is a participating employer the Baptist Pension Scheme (“the Scheme”), which is a separate legal entity administered by the Pension Trustee (Baptist Pension Trust Limited). The assets of the Scheme are held separately from those of the Employer and the other participating employers. The Scheme, previously known as the Baptist Ministers’ Pension Fund, started in 1925, but was closed to future accrual of defined benefits on 31 December 2011. Prior to this date the main benefit provided through the Defined Benefit (DB) Plan was a pension of one eightieth of final minimum pensionable income for each year of pensionable service together with additional pension in respect of premiums paid on Pensionable Income in excess of Minimum Pensionable Income. Since 1 January 2012, benefits have been provided through a Defined Contribution (DC) Plan. A formal valuation of the DB Plan as at 31 December 2019 by a professionally qualified Actuary using the Projected Unit Method. At 20 December 2021 the estimated market value of the DB Plan assets was £256 million, whilst the level of assets needed to pay benefits was £288m, giving a deficit of £32m (equivalent to a past service funding level of 89%). The Church and the other participating employers in the DB Plan are collectively responsible for funding this deficit. The next actuarial valuation of the DB Plan within the Scheme is due to take place not later than as at 31 December 2022. Under the Schedule of Contributions, the church makes a monthly payment in respect of the DB scheme deficit, currently £337.75, which will increase in line with increases in Minimum Pensionable Income. In 2020 these payments were reduced by 50% for a period of 6 months due to the impact of Covid-19 on baptist church finances. The Schedule of Contributions foresees these contributions continuing until June 2026. The pension scheme liability shown in the Statement of Assets and liabilities is calculated as the current rate per month multiplied by the number of months remaining in the current Schedule of Contributions, which amounted to £18,238.50 as at 31st December 2021. The Church has been advised that the estimated cost for the church to buyout their Pension Scheme liabilities at 20 December 2021 was £49,800.
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Template for Independent Examiners report (where Independent examlner does not wish to hlghllght
any issues)
Report ofthe IndedeTht Examinerfs) to the Tn of
On the accounts for the year ended 3
The Church s Trustees are reSpOne fN the weparatlm the acc(yJnts. The churth's trust consider that an
audrt is not required for this year under sOn 144 (rf the thaTiUes Act 2011 (the arle5 Act) and that an
irmlependent examin*M is ed.
It is my re5pjnsi'lity to:
examkne the actourts under seckn 145 of Charltles
to folbw the procedures laid dowT¢ in the general t*rectth given tyrf fv Owdty C(mmisskm (under section
145(5)(b) of the Charits'es Act, and
to state whether paCUlar matters have come to my atterthm.
Basls of Independent euThIn$ statsment
My examlnation was carried OLrt in xcordarLe wyth general tMrectlu glven by the Charlty Commlsslon. An
examination includes a review of the accounb.ng records W by the church arKi a ccffiparison c¢ the accounts
presented wlth those records. It also indudes consKlerabon of any unugJal Items cff dlsdosures In the accounts, and
seeklng explanatlons from the trust&5 c(KKemiry any suth matters. The procedures undertaken do not promde all
the eviden that wwld be required in an audrt, and Csequent1Y no Opini is given as to the accwnts
present a YDJe fair, view and the rertst is bmited to ttw matters set out in the ststement telow.
Independent examlntrs statent
Since the Church's gross income exceeded £250,000 ycwr examirw must be a member of a b( listed in section 145
of the 2011 Ad. I conflmi that I am qualified to undert3ke the eXamInati LV$e l am a member of [insert named
of appllcaLle Ilsted bo(ty], whlch Is of the Isted bc•Jls {Oelete If IrKOff Is kss than £250,Cm)
In connection with my examinat, no materlal mattus hale Crte to my attenticn whlth glves me cause to belleve
that In, any material respect:
accounting recwd5 vRre nct kept rn accordartt with sectk)n 130 of the Cknlles A£t or
the accounts do not accord ¥th the accounting records
the accounts (h) not comrdy with the applicabk requireryknts concerning the ft*m and content of accounts set
out In the charle5 Ikcounts RerM)rts) Regulations 2QM)8 other than any requirement that the accounts
glve a 'true arm1 fair wew which is a matter c(wtsldered as part of an Independent examlnation. (If
accounts prepared on actruals basts•)
I have come across no other matters In c(neI wlth the examinatkn to whlch attentyon be drawn In order
to enatle a proper under&andlng of the accounts to te reaow.
*Oelets the W5 In the tsadets Mtheydo
Signed by or on behalf of the Examiner
Name
QhJL
iJ5
Relevant fvefe590nal Quafffjcab'orfs) IK4Jy (if any)
Idress
htLL L
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