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2024-12-31-accounts

Annual Report

The Lightwave Community Bishops Mission Order and Charitable Incorporated Organisation

2024

Contents

Welcome and Introduction to Lightwave ............................................................................ 3 Executive Summary and Key Statistics ................................................................................ 4 Key Statistics ............................................................................................................................. 4 Lightwave stories from Groups and Hubs ............................................................................ 6 Bungay and Beyond Hub ............................................................................................................ 6 Emerge Hub (Playford) ............................................................................................................... 7 Forest Heath Hub (formerly known as the Red Lodge Hub) .......................................................... 8 Big 4 Hessett – Believing in God for Hessett .............................................................................. 10 cook@church ........................................................................................................................... 10 Bridge Communities ................................................................................................................. 11 Chadbrook Lightwave Groups ................................................................................................... 12 Rising Hope – Little Cornard ..................................................................................................... 13 Place by the Water................................................................................................................... 14 Pilgrims Together ..................................................................................................................... 15 Rural & Agricultural Chaplaincy ................................................................................................. 15 Safe Harbour ........................................................................................................................... 16 South Hartismere Connect ........................................................................................................ 17 Spirit Lightwave ....................................................................................................................... 18 Missional Youth Church Network ............................................................................................... 18 Bredfield Lightwave Group........................................................................................................ 19 All Saints Sutton: Conversation, Coffee and Cake ....................................................................... 19 St Johns Messy Church Team, Needham Market ........................................................................ 19 Honington CEVP School Lightwave Groups ................................................................................ 20 Priorities, Progress and Learning ....................................................................................... 21 Priority 1: Prayer and growing as disciples ................................................................................. 21 Priority 2: Growing disciple-making leaders ............................................................................... 22 Priority 3: Financial Sustainability .............................................................................................. 23 Priority 4: Integrated and Enabling Structures ........................................................................... 24 Learning .................................................................................................................................. 26 Financial Review ................................................................................................................ 27 Growing in God in the Countryside ............................................................................................ 27 Lightwave Community Financial Review .................................................................................... 27 Governance, Structures and Management ......................................................................... 31 Legal and Administrative Information ........................................................................................ 31 The Lightwave Community Council (Trustees of the charity) ....................................................... 31 Staff and volunteers ................................................................................................................. 32 Communications ...................................................................................................................... 33 Safeguarding ........................................................................................................................... 34 Trustees Responsibilities Statement .......................................................................................... 35 Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Lightwave Community CIO ........ 36 Financial Statements.......................................................................................................... 37 Glossary/Definitions .......................................................................................................... 49

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Welcome and Introduction to Lightwave

Welcome to the Lightwave Annual Report on 2024. We hope you will be encouraged to see what God has been doing.

What is Lightwave?

Lightwave community is a dispersed Christian community, made up of small disciple-making groups with shared practices[1] and a focus on innovative mission.

Legally, Lightwave is a “Bishop’s Mission Order” (BMO). This is an ecclesial status directly under a Diocesan Bishop like a PCC, but identified by its mission purpose rather than a specific parochial area – so in some respects like a monastic order. It is led by a licensed minister[2] , has a Bishop’s Visitor on its governing body and several members are direct Bishop’s appointees. In terms of governance, Lightwave is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with a governing body known as the Lightwave Community Council.

The Vision

The vision is for a wave of God's light and love in Suffolk, bringing hope. The name, Lightwave comes from the idea of waves being the way in which light spreads into dark places. Lightwave is a network of small groups, committed to shining the light of Jesus through Christian witness and practical service: our groups are especially involved in youth work, combatting isolation and poverty, engaging in care for creation and agricultural chaplaincy. As a Bishop's Mission Order in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, everything we do is to complement the ministry of parishes and others.

In the Lightwave Community, we believe that Jesus is the Light of the World. We believe that Jesus calls all people to follow him and is cares about our everyday lives. We aim to be church for people who don't normally “do church” and our groups meet in homes, pubs, offices, schools as well as churches. Lightwave groups do the essential things of a church – but in different ways, suited to the needs of members in a small group, who get to know each other well. We attend to the Bible and try to put it into practice in our lives. We eat together, have fun, support each other, share our faith and try to put faith to work in practical care for friends and neighbours and the most needy in our society.

We’d love for you to get involved. Scan a code or click on a link below to find out find out how you can partner with the Lightwave Community in prayer, serve in practical ways, give to our work financially or to find a group near you.

Archdeacon for Rural Mission Leader of the Lightwave Community

----- Start of picture text -----
Pray Serve Give Learn Find a Group
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1 Broadly framed shared prac�ces are All Involved, Becoming Disciples, Crea�ng Community, Doing Evangelism, Encountering God

2 Ven Sally Gaze is the current leader and Rev Diane Grano has been designated as her successor.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Executive Summary and Key Statistics

Lightwave is an ecclesial community dedicated to help people discover faith in Jesus in Suffolk through small Lightwave groups and fresh expressions of Church:

2024 continued our transition from a brand-new community, fully supported by national funding through “The Growing in God in the Countryside Project”, to a community which is fully embedded in the life of our diocese and county, financially supported by Suffolk giving and using the talents of members and local partners. While maintaining our call to cherish the rural, our community is now fully mixed with significant groups in urban areas.

Key Statistics

Groups

2024 saw 6 new Lightwave Groups, although some also ceased. Since 2019 we have seen over 60 groups started, some having since ceased, and as of the end of 2024 there were a total of 41 active groups. Some Lightwave Groups are still developing, others are Fresh Expressions in their own right and others are supporting multiple fresh expressions – around 33 in total at various stages of development. Several new leaders/potential leaders are currently exploring 8 new groups

People

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New Disciples

We have seen 657 new disciples through the ministry of Lightwave since it began in 2019 – with 116 new disciples in 2024 – 60% of these were children and young people, and in total since 2019 47% of our new disciples have been children and young people with many groups having a significant impact in that area.

Financial Highlights

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Lightwave stories from Groups and Hubs

Bungay and Beyond Hub

The main impact of our work is through making the Light, Life and Hope of Jesus known in Bungay and Beyond.

We aim to create discipleship pathways for people aged 0 – 18 years, connecting church, schools and families with faith in Jesus.

We are…

…making disciples by:

…being light in our communities by:

…growing new leaders by:

…moving towards sustainability:

 We are collaborating and integrating the Lightwave approach with Bungay parish’s mission. All this is grounded in prayer so we can fully commit to journey with the young generations that we are sowing seeds of faith with

: …what people say

“I didn’t know a lot about Jesus, now I do” – young person

“Spud club helps with my confidence and also I socialise with people I wouldn’t normally” – Parent

“Lightwave has really helped me to explore and deepen my faith and relationship with Jesus.” – Group Member

“Playing in the youth band on Sundays brings me closer to God”band member

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Emerge Hub (Playford)

A guiding verse this year has been Psalm 68:6, 'God sets the lonely in families'. Many in our communities, especially teenagers, struggle with rural isolation so we seek to be family...

…growing younger and in number

Emerge Worship (an intergenerational fresh expression of worship) at Playford Village Hall. is effective at reaching families with young children and also has a growing group of teens. It grew to an average of 28 attendees on Sundays, roughly half under 18 and half over 18. Our events, such as making Bee Cafés and a village litter pick attracted friends and people from the wider community.

Playford pop-up youth group (for 10-16’s) started in March 2024 and has grown to 18 young people, with an average of 15 each month.

A new step on our youth discipleship pathway began in October. 'Voyage' is a group where young people cook food, play games, and explore what it means to be a Christian, alongside life’s big issues. They are keen to grow as young leaders and are planning to lead worship on a Sunday.

…new disciples

One young lady from Playford (story at https://youtu.be/8PyNC62Yo38) was baptized in December 2024, having attended Emerge Worship, Gather, and Bible Book Club. Her family (from a Hindu background) were delighted to attend the baptism service, and her dad has made a donation to our youth club and to the wider work of Emerge. He said afterwards, “I’m so grateful to all her friends in Emerge, it’s like a second family to her.”

In 'Gather' our midweek adult discipleship group, we are following the Practising the Way course. We grow deeper, authentic relationships with each other and have been encountering the Holy Spirit in prayer.

…partnerships and projects

Will Barber, has now become our part-time youth worker. It wasn’t long ago that he started attending Emerge Worship as a new disciple! Two of our youth work volunteers live in the village and are committed to our value of creating community, even though they don’t attend church. In Grundisburgh, 'Singing Ducklings' continues to create community for toddlers and their grown-ups as they meet, sing & make music.

…funding and finances

Emerge has a stronger team, including a new treasurer. Playford pop-up youth group started in March 2024 with a grant from the Diocesan Growth Fund. We are developing a new website and Facebook page and now have our own bank account to strengthen our financial foundations. Income from the Growing in God in the Countryside Project ceased at the end of 2024.and Ben will transition from January 2025 to a part-time leader funded by the giving of Emerge.

‘We journey together to grow communities to encounter Jesus’

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Forest Heath Hub (formerly known as the Red Lodge Hub)

…discipleship pathways

We connect with people of all ages through our ‘gateways’. Examples of these are Lunchtime Café Fridays and Breakfast Saturdays, Toddler Café and Youth Café, Summer Holiday club for 4– 11year-olds and seasonal events at Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

When we engage with people we invite them to a small group, a Fresh Expression of church and to volunteer. We recognise that people are growing as disciples when they transfer from the gateway activity into another group with intentional faith content.

When people engage with a small group, their discipleship benefits by reading the Bible, engaging

in prayer, worship and developing relationships with Christians. Volunteering and serving within the church community are other ways that we are making disciples.

An example of this is our youth discipleship pathway. August 2024 saw the new development of a summer holiday event for 10–16 year-olds called Deep Rooted . This was attended by fortysix young people across the three days.

Following the Deep-Rooted Youth Event those interested in exploring Faith were invited to a new Bible Study group for 11-18 year olds called Rooted , six are attending regularly (Dec 2024) This is being led by a Lightwave leader and a new

disciple who is growing in her faith and mission. We are expectant that our Lord will continue to bless this work as we partner with Youth for Christ in schools and Youth Church monthly on Sundays.

Also new for 2024 was the start of Hope Community Choir with twenty-six members, that includes six children and youth. The newly launched choir performed at a Carol service where we saw nighty eight people attending. Only four of the eighteen choir members performing have a faith.

PICTURED RIGHT: Hope community Choir, Duke of Edinburgh volunteers, Celebrating Baptisms, Rooted youth bible study, blessed to share Christmas dinner with those who are less fortunate, Team day

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The team experienced more blessings when one of the mums who we have got to know through Toddler Café, Breakfast Chat and Messy Church asked if we would talk to them about faith. She started a WhatsApp group in Feb 2024 and added her friends with this text,

‘Hey all, I’ve always been unsure on what my beliefs are. I’m now intrigued into what it actually is and how having a faith could potentially enhance my life. I look at Christians and I see they are complete, happy and at peace. It’s worth a discussion.’

This became a new small group with thirteen members. We have developed relationships through shared challenges of parenting and using resources such as Christianity Explored, studies from The Chosen, Alpha and “I am so many things”. Four of the mums made new commitments of faith and one has been baptised…so far!

…growing new leaders and being light in our community

… sustainability and a new hub model

We have prioritised both spiritual and practical well-being, developing strong leadership and trying to ensure financial health through fundraising, donations and encouraging regular giving. We have grown in our relationship with the parish church by moving some of our missional activities and FX into the church building. This has increased the attendance on Sundays and attracted local Christians who would otherwise attend another church. We anticipate that this will ultimately promote long-term viability and positive impact through regular giving. Promoting online donations and access to electronic card giving has also been beneficial. A strong sense of community and belonging is essential for people to feel supported and connected, fostering a sense of purpose and resilience that leads to the sustainability of the mission.

What the Red Lodge Hubs has already shown is that engaging with the local community, having clear discipleship pathways, and with an intentional focus on young people/families works in terms of growing younger, growing missional disciples and developing a mixed ecology. Lightwave Red Lodge started in 2020, went through 2 years of covid, so the fruit by end of 2025 (the end of SDF Project) is from 4 years of ministry. Red Lodge is ready to launch the next stage – vital to the model – growing into a mixed-ecology Hub that revitalises traditional parishes: To reflect this new emphasis on revitalising traditional parishes, the Hub has been renamed as “The Forest Heath Hub”. The approach needs more time to be tested, which is why we are seeking for (and in March 2025 were awarded) further funding from the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB) of the Church of England for the leadership posts.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Big 4 Hessett – Believing in God for Hessett

We saw some major changes in the group during the year with two of our leadership team moving away and another stepping back to take up other duties. But before they went, we held a midsummer "re-launch" which was in the garden of those moving and we were able to invite fresh faces along and to tell them what we do and invite them to join. We cast our light a little wider than just Hessett, reaching out to others in our benefice. As a result, we have had 4 new regular attendees come to join us. We have also been able to encourage 1 long term member of the group to step up into a leadership role, and 2 others to help with welcome and giving thanks for our food.

We hope that on this basis others will feel able to share their questions and engage in discussions and subgroups can grow within the benefice of Rougham, Beyton, Hessett and Rushbrooke

We offer a route for "non church" people to come in and discuss topical issues/themes chosen by them and to look at them in the light of the Bible, whilst at the same time not requiring them to attend a church service.

" Thanks for inviting me, I really enjoyed it and it was a refreshing way of learning without going to church. I hope to come back for more". (AP)

cook@church

Cook A meal cooked, shared, and enjoyed fills the stomach, but also sparks creativity and gives the satisfaction and gift of togetherness. Pray We make time during our meal to be quiet and bring to mind what is going on in our lives. We celebrate our joys

and successes, and we name our difficulties and worries. We share all these things out loud or in silence.

Love We believe that God loves everyone, just as they are and try to create a welcoming place where everyone is free to be themselves and appreciated for who they are.

cook@church is a cooking club for young teens in Fressingfield, Stradbroke, Mendham, Metfield, Weybread and Withersdale. (the Sancroft Benefice) It meets on the first Sunday of each month to enjoy preparing and eating a two-course meal. Members are invited to give thanks for the meal and through discussion bring

anything they would like to put in a ‘prayer bowl.’ The adult leaders are enthusiastic foodies who love to share their recipes, skills and tips, as well sharing the meals that are prepared at each meeting. The group is led by Carolyn Page, who is a food nut – she loves cooking and eating, enjoys eating out and is always looking for new recipes and ingredients. Carolyn is a Lay Elder in the Sancroft Benefice of churches.

Pictured: One of the highlights of the year was working with the Mother’s Union to provide a High Tea for local guests

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Bridge Communities

Bridge Communities began life as Bridge Church in January 2020, a church plant under Inspiring Ipswich, led by Revd Andy Buttress. During that time the vision has developed and the Lightwave Community has provided a great place for them to thrive.

The vision is to establish small micro communities and micro churches to reach people in differing locations and contexts with the good news of Jesus. In 2024 Bridge came fully under the governance of the Lightwave Community, transferred from St Matthew’s Church Ipswich, benefitting from our governance, financial and safeguarding expertise with accumulated funds of over £117,000 transferred. Bridge had funding from Inspiring Ipswich until mid-2024 and from that date are making a parish-share type contribution towards Revd Andy Buttress of £50,000 per full year (likely to increase in future years). Our youth worker left during the year, but we still employ an Administrator, one day per week.

…what people say

We predominantly use house churches to create a welcoming, hospitable environment enabling people to develop meaningful relationships around food, worship, learning and prayer. One such house group, Roots, is comprised of people who began exploring through an Alpha course and now have an ongoing faith in Jesus and are living this out in their everyday life.

In addition to this we have micro-communities which reach out into our various communities. These include a neighbourhood project in a part of Ipswich, a Book Club (which is now in its sixth year), and Well-Being Cafés, one of which is specifically for the Ukrainian community.

Being informal and relatively small we reach people who are often unimpressed by traditional church or larger forms of church. We offer a relational faith rooted in Jesus and in walking with each other. We also offer authentic community for non-Christians disenchanted with religion but open to being listened to and cared for.

For further information, go to www.bridgecommunities.org.uk

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Chadbrook Lightwave Groups

The Chadbrook Benefice contains the villages of Long Melford, Alpheton, Shimpling and Lawshall. There have been great benefits in the interplay between the Lightwave group activities and the parish churches leading to discipleship pathways which work well for younger families.

The 4 o'clock Community

We have been ‘nomadic’ around our villages, meeting together most Sunday afternoons for a variety of activities, and have found being part of the ‘Growing New’ Learning Community really helpful for developing new leaders and our team. We now have a men’s breakfast monthly and are starting to nurture other new leaders with their ideas for new small groups and outreach activities. Several team members have been taking training further in various ways.

Struggles have included illnesses and bereavements – but as our relationships have deepened we have been able to support each other more. Our monthly planning meeting and prayer meetings are especially important, along with our team and prayer WhatsApps.

This has also been a year of making connections – particularly with Wild Church (e.g. with village greening groups and local farmers), our pub socials and Messy Church (now a welcomed part of wider village events). It’s exciting to see how these will develop – and we have ideas for becoming even more ‘nomadic’ with our Café Church in 2025.

One mum, whose offspring are now at school, has been on her own journey of faith and has returned as a volunteer, grateful for the opportunity to help others as she was once helped herself. The Lord is indeed good

Chadbrook Connect Baby and Toddler Group – 2024- the year of the dad!

This year we are delighted that we have had many more dads join us at Connect on a regular basis. We are also delighted to see the return of parents with their new babies.

So many of the adults attending Connect have found support from each other and from our volunteers: we are so pleased to be able to offer them a hot drink, a listening ear and the offer to pray for them. We have helped through abuse, critical illness and homelessness, “Thank you so so much. You are wonderful!” Never underestimate what a kind word and prayer can do. We’ve found many of our prayers answered and seeds have been sown!

Some of our families join us for the occasional 4 o’clock service or Messy church too.

Fusion Youth Group – breaking news!

Lightwave has catalysed benefice youth ministry. Fusion started in 2016 with 9 members. With increased family contacts, that number has steadily grown until we find ourselves having to start an extra group for 2025 –regular attendances of up to 40 were too much!

We will now have Fusion Plus for the older members. This was definitely in God’s plan – not ours! We are also elated that that the Youth Alpha group continue to meet monthly (at their request) for ‘Pizza be with you’.

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Four Rivers “The Bridge”

2024 was a year of challenges and transitions. As a team we kept going forward with our aims to be a Christ centred presence throughout our Benefice. Members of the group were supported through the Growing New Learning Community.

During the year our incumbent moved on, after a very difficult time with the benefice. Our Benefice is somewhat fractured, but with the appointment of Revd Chrissie Smart as Priest in Charge in December (an original member of our Lightwave Group) we are excited for what the future holds.

Rising Hope – Little Cornard

Rising Hope is a small informal community working on permaculture and Christian spirituality. Our Forest Church (Emmanuel Fire) continues to meet monthly and is focused on adults, offering a chance for deep talk about God and life under the trees.

Rising Hope has had a challenging but fruitful year. We received a promise "in place of brambles will grow myrtles" (Isaiah 55) and we have had much joy in seeing some of our 'seedlings' grow and bear fruit. In the summer we led beautiful garden services in the churchyard and our monthly forest church fire gatherings have continued to inspire and challenge all comers.

All kinds of people visit our community, and they always go away feeling better, having been touched by the love of the Lord.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Place by the Water

The vision of The Place by the Water is to create a welcoming space where people encounter God and grow in His love. We offer retreat space for rest, learning, and community, fuelled by shared meals, a log fire, and homemade cake.

Hospitality & Worship

2024 has been a year of growth for The Place by the Water, both in spiritual depth and numbers. In April we launched our additional worship community called The Well . We praise and worship together, study the bible, and pray. Within this group were some of our young people, and some that are new to faith. We watched clips of the series The Chosen, and looked at the ministry of Jesus. The group, like Sunday Suppers, allows discussion, questions and the opportunity to learn from one another. There have been opportunities from people to lead different parts of the group, which has brought a real richness to the time together Events include Sunday Suppers (family worship over a meal) and The Well (a deeper fortnightly gathering).

…what people say…

“The place by the water…is a place of deep peace and overwhelming hospitality, love and attentiveness. It is a place where I have sometimes arrived feeling weary or broken and have left feeling restored and whole again…”

The worshipping community at Place by the Water was almost 40 at the end of 2024, including 10 children and young people and we saw 3 new disciples (people attending regularly who were not previously attending any form of church).

Mission & Community

Activities like Bark and Brunch for dog walkers, a craft café, photography workshops, and Woodland Fun have grown and create opportunities for connection and faith exploration.

Learning & Retreats

Courses include The Identity Course, Prophecy Course, and Change Management & Leadership. Our retreats provide a peaceful space for reflection, rest, and prayer, especially supporting clergy well-being.

“…an oasis offering spiritual, mental and physical refreshment”

Growing Sustainability

We continued to host groups from other churches and Christian organisations for meetings, courses, retreat days, and fellowship. The money from these events, and financial donations and tithes goes towards the sustainability plan for The Place by the Water. The Leadership Team is established and developing, supported by involvement in the diocesan “Growing New” Learning Community.

After applications in 2024, supported by Ewan Darby our fundraiser/bid-writer, early in 2025 a grant of £36,000 over 3 years has been awarded by the Henry Smith Charity for clergy from the diocese to attend as a place for group or personal retreat and a grant of £65,000 over 3 years has been awarded by Rural Ministries.

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Pilgrims Together

We have had an exciting year, stepping out of our comfort zone, seeking to go where the Spirit leads.

We also had a film made about our journey which you can watch at https://youtu.be/qST9G4KBrOE

Here are some of our groups and activities with our local benefice

We have also partnered with Leiston church to catalyse a high street trails initiative and a new relationship with local Brownies

Pilgrims remains sustainable both financially, by keeping costs low, and through our ethos of involving many individuals in all our activities. We are growing in faith and people who have re-found faith through Pilgrims are now stepping into more leadership roles

Rural & Agricultural Chaplaincy

Agricultural Chaplaincy aims to reach out with God's love to those working on the land and in rural industries. The Lightwave Rural and Agricultural team had 5 Members at the end of 2024, two of which are Licensed Lay Evangelists, Licensed to Lay Ministry. The team all come from a farming or rural background.

The ministry includes a 24-hour telephone support line, home and hospital visits. We build relationships and support the farming and rural community. We offer prayer either during the visits and telephone calls or afterwards if that is requested. The team attend Agricultural Corporate Events and Agricultural Shows throughout Suffolk during the year. At Harvest we partnered to facilitate a Farming Community Breakfast in Barrow and we are seeking to promote these breakfasts across Suffolk

We have received some grants and donations this year, for which we are grateful. This helps enormously with the ministry

In January 2025, the group leader Graham Miles became the Diocesan Rural Chaplain, working under the diocesan Mission and Ministry department. The support of a Lightwave Agricultural Chaplaincy Support Group led by Linda Preston continues.

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Safe Harbour

The highlight this year has been seeing many people grow in faith and become involved in God’s mission at Safe Harbour Church. Becky Luetchford, who was managing our Top-up shop left in Autumn 2024. One of our Top Up Shop customers became a volunteer along with his wife and his mother. They will hopefully be joining us at Growing New in March 2025 as new leaders. He is now our paid Top Up Shop Manager! His whole family including his two children attend our Messy Church. His mum is a participant on the Ipswich Deanery Growing Leader’s Course and part of an Envoy group.

Safe Harbour has a committed team of 30 volunteers who reach out to the local community to share God’s love with those who are battered and bruised by the storms of life. We provide food and prayer within a loving community, where each person is invited to know Jesus Christ.

Governance of Safe Harbour transferred to St Helen’s Church in Ipswich from 1[st] January 2025 as the church felt able to take on and support the work going forward.

…what people say

“This is a good example of how the Lightwave Community as a Bishop’s Mission Order can help incubate and encourage small groups which perhaps the local church, while supportive, is not able initially to do.” – Bob, Leader of Safe Harbour

“If someone had told me a year ago that I would be doing the things I am doing now, like telling my faith story to groups of people I don’t know, I would never have believed it. God gives me the strength to do the things that scare me. I know with God’s strength I can do anything!

I was in a really bad place and didn’t know how to cope with life. Just as I needed help the Alpha course started at Safe Harbour Church and then my faith grew strong quickly through the Alpha course. Questions I had were answered, and I gave my life to Jesus. Now I am a leader at Safe Harbour, on the Growing Leaders Course and in an Envoy group and I get so much out of those and I am more involved in the churches and I have started to share my faith in random places like hospitals – and prisons!” Sally

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South Hartismere Connect

This year we have seen small expressions of mission growing out of our small group and prayer partners.  School blessings

CONNECT Leadership team is facilitated by Rev Debbie Nicholls

CONNECT is ECO church and school and materials are recycled items and foods are locally sourced by one of the leadership team – Emma Morris.

CONNECT at Thorndon meets once a month, it is a welcoming and safe place for people of all ages to gather. It is a café style event and aims to build a sense of community. The sessions are based on liturgy and church seasons with craft, a quiz.

CONNECT at Wetheringsett school is a school cooking club, with recipes based on biblical stories.

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Spirit Lightwave

The year 2024 brought exciting changes to our local Benefice boundaries and we welcomed the wonderful Reverend Chris. These changes paved the way for great collaboration between Spirit Lightwave and local family@church worship groups.

Rural Outreach Pioneer, Ali Hobson, who started “Spirit Lightwave” has been called to explore vocation and minister in Ipswich. The close relationship with the Constable Country Benefice means that this ministry no longer needs to be nurtured under the Bishop’s Mission Order and the mission of this group will be entirely integrated with the benefice in 2025.

Building collaboration this year has involved memorable moments joint activities, including a joyful Pentecost Celebration, where children flew kites, and the Lord's Prayer was heard simultaneously in four different languages—a truly unique and uplifting experience! Another highlight was the creative re-telling of the loaves and fishes story, brought to life through music and activities. Both events took place in the beautiful Rectory gardens of Brantham overlooking the river, making them even more special. These gatherings have fostered a sense of community and shared joy that continues to grow.

Find out more here - https://bit.ly/goodnews-spirit

Missional Youth Church Network

Missional Youth Church Network (MYCN) is based in Southwest Ipswich and Beyond, as part of the Suffolk Centre of Mission (SCoM). It is led by Church Army Evangelist, James Hawksworth. The Lightwave group meets with the intention of being salt and light in the community, working with the national Missional Youth Church Network (MYCN) and aiming to reach out to ages 10 – 18 from Sprites Primary, Chantry Secondary and Suffolk One 6th Form College.

This year has seen deepening community connections through our proposed café, youth nights, and school links. A highlight has been the Monday group exploring the Beatitudes, where young people are growing in confidence and faith. We’ve faced challenges with volunteer capacity, but a new management group and induction process are beginning to emerge which, in time, will help build sustainability. Emerging leaders—both young and older—are beginning to take initiative, sharing responsibility and shaping the vision. While our approach avoids direct proclamation, it continues to create space for spiritual conversations and the slow, steady work of making disciples through relationships, belonging, and shared life. God is at work.

The main impact has been creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and able to grow. Young people are discovering faith through community, new leaders are stepping up with confidence, and volunteers feel part of something meaningful. This quiet, consistent presence is helping to transform lives and deepen local connections.

…what people say…

“It’s different here, people actually listen. I don’t talk much, but I come back because it feels good. I look forward to being here”

Words of a young person who has started to overcome self-harm because of the ministry f MYCN

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Bredfield Lightwave Group

This Lightwave group began to engage in missional listening in September 2023 and is focussed on reaching out with God’s love in the village of Bredfield, near Woodbridge.

The group of 9 meets weekly for prayer, bible study and outreach-planning. In 2024, we organised a number of special events which gave us the chance to build relationships and brought more people to church. Highlights include

Members also support the Coffee and Cake initiative

in our church room which is enjoyed by all ages but especially to older people living on their own.

Our challenge in 2025 is to continue to build relationships in the village beyond the church congregation and deepen discipleship. We want especially to connect with young families and encourage them in Christian faith

All Saints Sutton: Conversation, Coffee and Cake

This group started in Spring 2024 as a Café Church.

It is now on the 4[th] Sunday of the month so that neighbouring villages can attend. It remains the most popular service in normal time, and attracts people that do not come to any other service, and they keep coming!.

The group has encouraged other regular members of Sutton Church to take part in the service, and this has largely been popular.

Rural Churches struggle to get a congregation and new types of services, like Café Church is definitely helping. Occasionally younger people are attending which is very encouraging.

St Johns Messy Church Team, Needham Market

Tracey James was licensed as the new incumbent in the autumn of 2023, with her post being supported by the Growing in God in the Countryside project as a partner benefice. A Messy Church team was nurtured through 2024. In 2025, this became a Lightwave group, meeting monthly— initially to plan the Messy Church sessions and for fellowship, but it will now be adding Bible study and more prayer.

The focus is on Messy Church, as the majority of families that attend are not churchgoers, nor were their parents.

The group hopes that some families will feel part of the St John’s family and begin to be more involved in the life of the church..

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Honington CEVP School Lightwave Groups

There are two main groups based at this Church of England Primary School, where the head, Revd Lauren Moore is also a SelfSupporting Minister and Associate Priest in the Blackbourne Team Ministry.

Key stage 1 club 4-7 years normally gets about 25 children attend. There is a real mix in demographic which is exciting - from the ‘expected’ to the definitely unexpected! Some of the most regular attendees are surprising… the boisterous kids who somehow still like a reflective calm lunchtime.

KS2 8-11 years is smaller about 6-10 come. It’s been an invaluable space for them. Lauren says: “If I forget they seek me out!”

They read and act bible stories together, compose prayers together and create crafts and artwork following the themes of our stories and prayers. They listen to one another and demonstrate friendship and respect and love to one another. They aim to create some of their arts and crafts as a witness to give to the wider community, e.g. in the past they made small wooden crosses in rainbow colours after learning about Noah and the ark which have the been given to Honington Church, for members of the congregation to take home, or keyrings based upon the parable of the sower to give to parents. Children’s Lightwave groups like this are show that children are equally disciples and sharers of God’s love.

At Pentecost 2024, children from these groups led prayers for “Catching the Fire” at St Edmundsbury Cathedral (pictured)

…what people say…

“Some of the most regular attendees are surprising… the boisterous kids who somehow still like a reflective calm lunchtime.

It’s been an invaluable space for them. …If I forget they seek me out!”

Lauren (Headteacher)

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Priorities, Progress and Learning

The Lightwave Community began as part of the Growing in God in the Countryside Project, funded by the Church Commissioners for six years. The Project's aim was to:

Lightwave carries this vision by shining God's light through small groups. Seed funding began phasing out in late 2024 and ends in June 2026. This report reviews 2024 activities and outlines plans to sustain Lightwave beyond the project. Four priorities were identified in 2022 for 2023-5

  1. Prayer and growing as disciples

  2. Growing disciple-making leaders

  3. Financial sustainability

  4. Integrated and enabling structures

Priority 1: Prayer and growing as disciples

In 2024, our top priority was keeping prayer and discipleship at the heart of everything we do—putting God first. Each small group played a key role in this focus. Central support for prayer across the community included:

Much of this has been facilitated by Nina Seaman from the GiGitC project team for which we are so grateful. With Nina’s contact ending in December, the 2025 focus is to transition so prayer remains at the heart of the community life.

(Pictured Pilgrims together take part in a pilgrimage walk)

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Priority 2: Growing disciple-making leaders

For 2024, our second priority was to grow disciple-making leaders. Evidence of growth in this area since the beginning of Lightwave includes:

One of the distinctive aspects the project observed of the most fruitful Lightwave groups in previous years is that their leaders are learning and take up four sources of support. The table below shows what these are and how support was given in 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
SOURCE OF HOW THIS WAS FULFILLED IN 2024
SUPPORT
Local Missional Pioneers are most supported through the regular prayerful meeting of the
Group on mission Lightwave group itself. (We encourage leaders to undertake the
and sharing life Lightwave leader training to help them make the most of this)
together
Mentor, Coach, Seeking to connect all Lightwave group or hub leaders with some form of
Mission appropriate mission-accompaniment
Accompanier or
Supervisor Continuing to invest in the Rural Outreach Pioneers
Peer Group Lightwave Small Group Leader Training and Church Army Envoy
(including as part Specific youth ministry training in Bungay and Red Lodge
of a group of peers The GiGitC Project established “Growing New” a high-quality Learning
training together) Community for Whole Teams to learn together – working with national
Myriad team -4 Lightwave Groups took part
The GiGitC Project also facilitated an Inter-diocesan Learning Community
for Rural Resourcing Churches (Lightwave is represented on this by the
Red Lodge Hub)
Senior permission- Learning Community of Church-Planters and Pioneers gave leaders the
givers and opportunity to form relationships and share with Bishops Martin & Mike
advocates and Archdeacon Sally
----- End of picture text -----

Going forward in 2025

The offer of Lightwave Leader training will continue and all the hubs are able to offer this. Over 2024, Lightwave has been working more closely with the Suffolk Centre of Mission which shares the goal of the GiGitC project to develop disciple-making leaders. The Suffolk Centre of Mission leads the Envoy Course and having partnered in leading “Growing New” and the “Formational Community for Pioneers”, will be taking leading on future support of pioneers within the diocese. Lightwave leaders also access support through national networks such as Fresh Expressions and CMS. The Rural Outreach Pioneer Scheme is not being continued by the diocese but it has been so fruitful that Lightwave may be able to seek future grant funding for this.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Priority 3: Financial Sustainability

The Model

As a form of Church, the Lightwave Community is seeking to be self-sustaining primarily through the giving of its members. Most of the ministry in the Lightwave Community is the ministry of volunteers with minimal costs.

The finances are centrally administered through the Lightwave Community Council. Each Lightwave group and ministry is a cost centre, seeking to cover its own costs of ministry through local giving, grants and social enterprise. The Lightwave central functions also raise their own funds with committed donors, grants and (in the future) a proportionate contribution from each group.

Each Lightwave group will either contribute towards the benefice share of a local benefice, or towards the central costs of the Lightwave BMO. Lightwave groups and ministries are eligible to be considered for diocesan grants and subsidies – each application to be considered on its own merits.

Lightwave will pay “parish-share-type payments” to the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. It is anticipated that these will move from being a partial contribution to covering the immediate cost of Lightwave ministers, to contributing also towards the wider costs of ministry in the diocese. In 2024 the third priority continues to be to enable the Lightwave hubs and current ministries to be financially sustainable and independent of Strategic Development Unit (SDU), as this funding tapers off from end 2024.

We continued

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Priority 4: Integrated and Enabling Structures

Context - the GiGitC Project and creation of the BMO

The Growing in God in the Countryside (GiGitC) Project is a six-year project running 2019-2025 (with some funding running into mid 2026), funded by the Strategic Development Unit (SDU) of the Church of England. Its aims are to make new disciples in the countryside through small missional groups and to catalyse innovative mission. The main way of doing this has been and is through the “Lightwave Community”.- a county-wide Bishop’s Mission Order, designed to be ongoing beyond the end of the project.

A “Bishop’s Mission Order” (BMO is an ecclesial status directly under the diocesan bishop like a PCC, but based on its mission purpose rather than a specific parochial area – so in some respects like a monastic order. It is led by a licensed minister[3] , has a Bishop’s Visitor on its governing body and several members are direct Bishop’s appointees. Its governing document as a charitable incorporated organisation is the BMO, and its governing body is called the Lightwave Community Council.

Lightwave Community – identity and innovation

3 Ven Sally Gaze is the current leader and Rev Diane Grano has been designated as her successor.

4 Broadly framed shared prac�ces are All Involved, Becoming Disbecome more independent or ciples, Crea�ng Community, Doing Evangelism, Encountering God

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moving on.

The association of these sorts of activities with the Lightwave name may have contributed to confusion about what Lightwave is, and so mainstreaming and de-branding will give greater clarity and shared understanding.

Lightwave and other Small Missional Groups

There are many kinds of small missional groups within the diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich:

In designing future broad training and encouragement of small missional groups through the Ministry & Mission team, Lightwave is one of the communities with particular learning to share which can be drawn upon by those facilitating, training and supporting such groups. This was illustrated by a much appreciated Small Missional Group training day in Autumn 2024 in which Lightwave leaders co-led a training event with staff of the Mission & Ministry team of the diocese.

A New Model – Rural Mixed Ecology Hubs[7] and old “Lightwave Hubs”

  1. Originally the term “Lightwave Hub” was used for clusters of Lightwave groups with leadership paid through the GiGitC project. Using the learning from these, we have developed the concept of the Rural Mixed Ecology Hubs which is a model which can be used elsewhere beyond Lightwave.

  2. The rural Mixed Ecology Hub model is suitable for group of small rural parishes, where all churches (both inherited and new forms of worshipping community) are keen for outreach and strong mission opportunities have been identified in the local area, especially those created by schools, new housing and social need. It involves working together, creating synergies and critical mass for reaching under-represented parts of the population and using small missional and ecclesial groups to grow new disciples, especially among younger age groups with a view to revitalising churches of the whole area. (It could also involve working with other denominations, though the governance of such partnerships would need careful attention.)

5 Member groups are under the Governance of the Lightwave BMO.

6 Associate groups adopt the ABCDE prac�ces of Lightwave and are part of the Lightwave network for mutual support but are not under BMO governance.

7 See separate paper on “Rural Mixed Ecology Hubs”

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

  1. What the Lightwave Hubs have already shown is that engaging with the local community, having clear discipleship pathways, and having an intentional focus on young people/families, works well in terms of growing younger, growing missional disciples and developing a mixed ecology. Lightwave Red Lodge started in 2020 and went through two years of the Covid pandemic, so the fruit by end of 2025 (end of SDF Project) is from four years of ministry. Red Lodge is now ready to launch the next stage – vital to the model – i.e. growing into a Hub that revitalises traditional parishes. We are confident of the potential here but this is yet to be tested in practice, which is why we are seeking (and have been granted in March 2025) for all the Red Lodge posts to be extended for at least another two years via the Diocesan Investment Programme (DIP) funding from the National Church, and then potentially beyond via the DIP Ministry II bid.

  2. Exact governance arrangements at Red Lodge are being worked out with a view to enabling the closest possible working with the team ministry and the Methodist circuit .

  3. Plans for the other “Lightwave Hubs” (informed by an independent Hub review) are:

  4. “Lightwave Bungay and Beyond” is to be fully integrated into the Bungay Benefice and this is moving forward well.

  5. “Emerge” is seeking closer working and sharing of mission with its local benefice

  6. “Place by the Water” was recommended by the review to become a separate charity.

  7. “Bridge Communities” leader is moving on and a discernment process is taking place as to the shape of the community and future leadership.

Learning

…wisdom from Lightwave leaders

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Financial Review

Growing in God in the Countryside

The Growing in God in the Countryside (GiGitC) project (supported by the Strategic Development Unit of the Church of England and the St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Board of Finance), has funds of around £2m for 6 years from 2019 (extended in some areas for a further 1 ½ years to mid 2026). This funds most of the day-to-day operational expenditure and people and this is not included in these accounts. Additional funding to extend certain areas (Forest Heath Hub and Bungay Hub and some central support) has been applied for from the Strategic Mission and Ministry Initiative Board (SMMIB) which will take those roles to the end of 2027. This funding was awarded in March 2025

Lightwave Community Financial Review

The financial objectives of the Lightwave Community are:

  1. To support Lightwave Hubs in day-to-day operations outside the scope of the GiGitC project, e.g. leasing a hub building for Bungay.

  2. To support the operation of Lightwave Groups, e.g. the Safe Harbour Lightwave Group top-up shop.

  3. To encourage giving and grants for the above objectives.

  4. To build giving to build up reserves to cover future spending and move to sustainability as GiGitC funding winds down.

We employed a fundraiser to work with the hubs on throughout 2024.

Funds for the Lightwave Community CIO (“CIO”) are largely held in several restricted funds for each Hub (sometimes for a specific aspect of Hub work) and any Lightwave Group that requests it.

Income

Total receipts were £261k (before a transfer for Bridge Communities and deferred income from 3 multi-year grants) up from £179k in 2023, an increase of 46%. Bridge Communities came under Lightwave governance from 1[st] Jan 2024 and brought £117k in accumulated reserves held previously in a restricted fund with St Matthew’s Ipswich PCC. They also accounted for £60k of income in 2024, and excluding this and deferred income from multi-year grants like for like income increased by 12%. Including Bridge income in the year, overall income for Red Lodge Hub represented 35% of the total.

Grants

We were in receipt of 34 separate grants in 2024 (shown in note 12 in the financial statements), the largest being the first instalment of the Diocesan Beacon Area Grant for Red Lodge, enabling us to employ two new children and families workers. Red Lodge also received the second installment of their Growing in God Fund for a youth leader, and Bungay was awarded a new grant by the Diocesan Growing in God Fund also to employ a youth leader for 3 years and

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

received the first instalment of that award. Red Lodge also received a £10k grant from the Forrester Family Trust. We are very grateful for all our grant funders!

Breakdown of income to show year on year movements

INCOME COMPARISON 2024
2023
YoY
increase
Donations & Legacies
Charitable Activities
Investments
Trading Activities
Other
Total like for like income
Transfer from Bridge Communities
TOTAL Income		 £ 234,375 £ 150,660
56%
£ 5,137 £ 7,290
-30%
£ 4,588 £ 142
-
£ 14,008 £ 19,903
-30%
£ 3,086 £ 1,133
172%
£ 261,195 £ 179,129
46%
£ 117,224£ -
£378,419 £ 179,129

Donations and Regular Giving

Like for like voluntary donations and gift aid increased by 32% from 2023, excluding Bridge, which added another £53k in donations and gift aid.

Like for like regular giving excluding gift aid is showing a continued steady increase, increasing by 20% to £55k from £46k, with Bridge Communities adding another £41k of regular giving in 2024 (see graph)

The breakdown of regular giving per hub is as follows:

Donations - regular giving by major
hub/group		 2024
2023
YoY
increase
Red Lodge
Bungay
Emerge
Place by the Water
Safe Harbour
Other
Sub-total excl. Bridge		 £ 13,503 £ 12,406
9%
£ 9,125 £ 4,349
110%
£ 14,140 £ 11,373
24%
£ 9,330 £ 7,324
27%
£ 2,925 £ 5,395
-46%
£5,964£5,118
17%
£ 54,987 £ 45,966
20%
Bridge Communities
TOTAL		 £40,995
N/A
**£95,982 **

We continue to benefit hugely from all our regular givers, those who give at events and those who have given larger one-off sums during the year. Every donation makes a difference and we are so grateful.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Expenditure

Major areas of expenditure are shown below to support the work of the different areas – through mission and through grant funded relief work and payments.

Expenditure has increased 42% year on year like for like (excluding Bridge Communities who added an additional £48,775 of expenditure as noted below).

Significant cost increases included employment costs for the following employees most of whom were not employed by Lightwave in 2023 (or only for a limited period).

We are continuing to contribute, through a Diocesan Parish Contribution, to the cost of Diocesan Employees who are part paid through the GiGitC project, as well as starting to pay a parish share type payment of £23,850 in the second half of the year for Bridge Communities, after their funding from Inspiring Ipswich came to an end.

Increased premises rental costs reflected a full year of costs for the lease of the Bungay Hub, increased hall rental from St Helen’s church for Safe Harbour including an additional contribution to heating costs, and rental costs for Bridge Communities.

Grants to individuals are funded by grants received (e.g. from Suffolk Community Foundation) and are typically for food, utilities and other payments to offset the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.

Place by the Water support the ministry of Revd Kathy Wilson, to support her work leading the Place by the Water retreat and Lightwave Group – this is funded entirely by donations given specifically for that purpose. This payment was increased to £800 a month in February 2024.

Funds

The accounts show the breakdown of funds held between different funds and Lightwave Groups and Hubs. Fund reserves in total are £295,610. Of this £28,448 is against grants yet not fully spent, £13,498 surplus from café and top-up shop income, £238,893 is from restricted giving for different groups and £14,771 is fully unrestricted.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Funds in Deficit

There are no funds currently in deficit

Investments Policy

Funds not needed for day to day use are invested in two interest bearing accounts with CAF Bank (CAF Gold Account) at an interest rate at year end of 2.15% Gross (2.17% AER)

Reserves Policy

Because the operation of the charity consists of a number of Lightwave Groups and Hubs across Suffolk, the large majority of cash held by the charity is restricted to each Group or Hub. It is the policy of the CIO to maintain a balance across all funds equivalent to 2 months operating costs of individual Hubs/Groups, plus an additional one month’s direct salary costs and the amounts of any external commitments. This excludes funded items from the GiGitC project.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Governance, Structures and Management

Legal and Administrative Information

egal and Administrative Information
Registered Charity Name The Lightwave Community CIO
Charity Number 1193242
Principal Address and Main Correspondence St Nicholas Centre, 4 Cutler Street, Ipswich IP1
Address 1UQ
Independent Examiner Richard Turner FCCA, Aldham, Hadleigh,
Suffolk

The Lightwave Community is a Bishop's Mission Order under the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich in the Church of England. Lightwave is also a public benefit entity and Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Charity No 1193242) registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales. We have a Board of Trustees known as the Lightwave Community Council which works in a similar way to a PCC in the Church of England and is accountable to the Bishop. Bishop’s visitor and chair make sure that there is expertise on the Lightwave Community Council in key areas – finance, fundraising, digital communications and safeguarding. We have setup expert working teams in the following centralised functions: finance and fundraising, safeguarding, operations (including governance and HR) and communications.

Leadership

The Leader of the Lightwave Community is currently Archdeacon Sally Gaze who chairs the Lightwave Community Council. Rev Diane Grano has become the Associate Leader of the Lightwave Community and now chairs the council, working closely with Sally to ensure a smooth handover of leadership when Sally’s term ends, at the end of 2025. Diane’s central role is 0.5 and she will be supported by a lead for operations who will be recruited in 2025. (Diane will remain the leader of the Lightwave Hub in Forest Heath alongside this role). These posts are funded by SDF and/or Strategic Ministry and Mission Investment Board Funding, until the end of 2027.

Operations

Many of the central functions of the Lightwave community are currently largely undertaken by staff of the Growing in God in the Countryside Project. This includes administration, financial management, event-planning, overseeing safe-guarding, recruitment, and communications. In December 2024 the roles of Becky Luetchford (communications missioner) and Nina Seaman (administrator and prayer co-ordinator) came to an end. Andrew Gosden as project manager and Lightwave Treasurer reduced to 2 days per week until the middle of 2026 when all the funding from the initial Growing in God in the Countryside project comes to an end.

The Lightwave Community Council (Trustees of the charity)

The Lightwave Community, (formerly the Suffolk Fresh Expressions Community) was started through a nationally funded project called “Growing in God in the Countryside” (GiGitC). £2.3m of Church Commissioner’s Strategic Development Funding [SDF] and c.£700k of Diocesan funding was allocated to support the 6-year project (2019-2024).

The CIO was established in January 2021 and operates in association with a Bishops Mission Order across the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, which was established in December 2018. Much of the operation of the CIO is like that of a PCC. There are 183 people on the electoral roll and this is being refreshed for 2025 in line with National Church procedures

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

The CIO is supported by a Community Council of Trustees. Those who have served on the CIO during 2024 as shown below, including their date of appointment or resignation where relevant.

Name Location Position/Appointment Dates Appointed Left
/Lightwave Group as CIO
where applicable Trustee*
**Rt Revd Dr Bishop of Dunwich Bishop’s Visitor 25-Jan-21
Michael Robert Harrison
Ven Canon Sally Ann Archdeacon for Leader of Lightwave and 25-Jan-21
Gaze Rural Mission Chair
Trevor Reeve Bishops Appointee - 16-May-23
Ecumenical Representative
Revd Katie de Bourcier Mission and Bishops Appointee 26-Jun-24
Ministry, Mission
Enabler
Revd Gemma Fraser Oulton Broad Bishop's Appointee 16-May-23
Tony Ciorra Beyton, Rougham, Elected Representative 16-May-23
Hessett
Mrs Emma Morris South Hartismere Co-opted Oct 2022, Elected 18-Oct-22
May 2023, appointed
Secretary in 2024
Revd Diane Grano Red Lodge Co-opted Oct 2022, Elected 18-Oct-22
May 2023. Appointed Vice
Chair and leader designate in
Jan 2025
Mr Gordon Kerr Bridge Communities
Elected at AGM		 29-Apr-24
Revd Sarah DuBoulay Alde Sandlings Co-opted to casual vacancy 01-Jul-24
benefice
Ms Ros Armstrong Bungay Elected Representative 29-Apr-24
Mr Robert James Ipswich, Safe Elected Representative 25-May-21 29-Apr-24
Hamilton Harbour
Revd Canon Christopher Bury St Edmunds Bishop's Appointee until May 25-Jan-21 29-Apr-24
Robinson 2023, thereafter Elected
Representative

NOTES:

*Those appointed at 25-Jan-2021 were previously BMO Council members and became CIO Trustees on the creation of the CIO on 25-Jan-2021

**Rt Revd Dr Mike Harrison was appointed Bishop of Exeter in Autumn 2024 but continued as Bishop’s Visitor until a new Bishop’s Visitor, Revd Sharron Coburn, Director of Mission and Ministry for the Diocese was appointed early in 2025.

In attendance as non-voting members are: Nina Seaman – Acting Secretary (until December 2024) Andrew Gosden – Treasurer and Stewardship officer.

Staff and volunteers

During the year the Lightwave Community employed: James Beckett (Red Lodge Youth Leader) Dan Goodwin (Bridge Communities Youth Leader – left 30-Jun-24) Becky Luetchford (Safe Harbour Café Manager – left 21-Nov-24) Tamisha Hunt-Pickering (Bridge Communities Administrator) Hazel Bray (Lightwave Book-keeper – joined 01-Dec-24) Angela Finn (Red Lodge Children and Families worker – joined 01-Sep-24)

The average number of employees during the year was 3

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Revd Andy Buttress was funded from July 2024 through the Lightwave Community and donations to the Bridge Communities Hub, having previously been funded by the Inspiring Ipswich Project

The “Growing in God in the Countryside” Project Core Team includes staff and volunteers who are serving the set-up of the Lightwave Community. Staff paid by the SDU funding are Andrew Gosden (Project Manager), Nina Seaman (Administrator and Prayer Coordinator), Becky Luetchford (Communications Missioner).

In addition, in 2024 the GiGitC project funded during the year

Other key volunteers are Graham Miles, leading the Rural Chaplaincy Team assisted by Linda Preston. This team, the leaders and curates at the Lightwave Hubs (see below) and the Lightwave Council, report to a Project Board, overseeing the fruitfulness of the Project and its use of the project funding which we were granted. The Project Board was chaired by Bishop Mike Harrison until his translation to be Bishop of Exeter in September 2024 and thereafter by Archdeacon of Suffolk, the Ven Rich Henderson.

Communications

The guiding purposes for our communications work are that:

  1. people outside the church will hear and see the activities of God’s people in a way which draws them to Jesus.

  2. Christian disciples will hear and see information and stories which inform, encourage and resource them in their following of Jesus and/or involvement with the Lightwave community.

  3. Communications will be developed in a way which models good practice in a way that is replicable, so that Lightwave hubs, groups and the CIO can take on this function, relating directly to Diocesan Comms at the end of 2024.

We continued to communicate primarily via email with our monthly newsletter, and our facebook, Instagram and YouTube accounts

Much of this work in 2024 was undertaken by or supported by Becky, our communications Missioner whose funding came to an end at the end of 2024. We are so grateful for all she has done since joining in 2019. We have started a communications team led by Revd Rob Leveritt which will take on this responsibility going forward, albeit at a reduced level

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Safeguarding

The care and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in church activities is the responsibility of the whole church. Everyone who participates in the life of the church has a role to play in promoting a Safer Church for all.

Safeguarding is an integral part of the mission and ministry of Lightwave and is everyone’s responsibility.

It is our policy to:

To fulfil the above policy, we will work with the Diocese to ensure that facilities are available to complete online DBS applications and to provide appropriate levels of safeguarding training to raise awareness and create an atmosphere of ‘informed vigilance’.

Each Lightwave Group has an appointed safeguarding lead and all leaders are DBS checked and trained in accordance with the Lightwave Safeguarding policy. Ros Armstrong is the new safeguarding lead for Lightwave and leads the Lightwave Safeguarding team which is responsible for implementing Lightwave’s safeguarding policy

There is a Lightwave Safeguarding group which regularly reviews the Safeguarding policy in line with the most recent diocesan guidance.

Throughout the year we have completed DBS checks as necessary and sought to ensure that that safeguarding training was up to date.

We have had a small number of safeguarding questions and concerns in the last year, these have been dealt with appropriately, often with the guidance of Karen Galloway, Diocesan Safeguarding Officer.

Our latest safeguarding policy is displayed on the website along with other resources and contact details for reporting concerns. https://www.lightwave.community/safeguarding

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Trustees Responsibilities Statement

The Trustees are responsible for preparing Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose, with reasonable accuracy, at any time, the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2018 and the provisions of the CIO Constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Annual Report was approved on 12[th] May 2025

Signed on behalf of the Trustees by

The Venerable Sally Gaze, Chair of the Lightwave Community Council

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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Lightwave Community CIO

I report to the Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of the Lightwave Community CIO (the charity) for the year ended 31 December 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').

I report in respect of my examination of the charity's financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 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 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since the charity's gross income exceeded £250,000, your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of ACCA, which is one of the listed bodies.

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 respect of the charity a required by section 130 of the Act;

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records;

  3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Richard Turner

Richard Turner FCCA 12[th] May 2025

Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA)

Aldham, Hadleigh, Suffolk

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THE LIGHTWAVE COMMUNITY CIO

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Notes Unrestricted
Restricted
TOTAL
Funds
Funds
Funds
2024
2024
2024
£
£
£		 TOTAL
Funds
2023
£
Incoming Resources
Donations & Legacies
2		 15,713
218,663
234,375		 150,660
Charitable Activities
3
Investments
4
Trading Activities
5
Other
6
Total incoming resources
Resources Used
Charitable Activities
7
Raising Funds
8
Support
9
Total resources used
Net Incoming / Outgoing Resources (before transfers)
Fund Transfers In
Fund Transfers Out
Net Movement of Funds
Total Funds Brought Forward
Total Funds Carried Forward		 1,518
3,619
5,137
154
4,434
4,588
14,008
-
14,008
-
120,310
120,310
31,393
347,026
378,419
12,368
189,011
201,380
11,958
98
12,055
2,940
4,550
7,490
27,266
193,659
220,925
4,128
153,366
157,494
222
13,623
13,845
1,043
12,802
13,845
3,307
154,187
157,494
24,962
113,153
138,115
28,269
267,340
295,610		 7,290
142
19,903
1,133
179,129
104,428
12,498
4,266
121,191
57,938
11,593
11,593
57,938
80,178
138,115

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

THE LIGHTWAVE COMMUNITY CIO

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
Notes Unrestricted Restricted Total Prior Year
2024 2024 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
Current Assets
Accounts Receivable 14 115 4,029 4,144 -
Short term Deposits (Investments) 15 16,216 300,852 317,068 -
Cash 12,057 26,663 38,720 138,115
- - - -
Prepayments
28,388 331,544 359,932 138,115
Current Liabilities 16
Accounts Payable 119 2,454 2,573 -
Deferred Income - 61,750 61,750 -
Total Assets less current liabilities 28,269 267,340 295,610 138,115
Income Funds -
Restricted Funds 18 267,340 267,340
Unrestricted Funds 19 28,269 28,269
28,269 267,340 295,610 138,115
- - - -
----- End of picture text -----

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 12th May 2025

Chair of Trustees

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

For the year ended 31 December 2024

THE LIGHTWAVE COMMUNITY CIO

Notes to the Financial Statements

1. Accounting Policies

Charity information

The Lightwave Community CIO is a public benefit entity and a registered charitable incorporated organisation registered with the charity commission of England and Wales. The address of the principal office is St Nicholas Centre, 4 Cutler Street, Ipswich IP1 1UQ

1.1 Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Charities Act 2011, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" ("FRS 102") and the second edition of the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" issued in October 2019. The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.

The financial statements have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a true and fair view. The departure has involved following the Statement of Recommended Practice for charities applying FRS 102 rather than the version of the Statement of Recommended Practice which is referred to in the Regulations but which has since been withdrawn.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

Where relevant, the financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revalutions of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

1.2 Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existance for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

In addition to regular donations/giving, where posts are supported by grant funding, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation of that funding continuing until the end of 2027. As with any organisation reliant on short to medium term funding for part of its operations certain activities would need to be curtailed should that funding not be ongoing.

1.3 Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

1.4 Income

Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the charity has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amounts is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.

Income from donated goods is measured at fair value of the goods unless this is impractical to measure reliably, in which case the value is derived from the cost to the donor or the estimated resale value. Donated facilities and services are recognised in the accounts when received if the value can be reliably measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers.

Income from contracts for the supply of services is recognised with the delivery of the contracted service. This is classifed as unrestricted funds unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent of a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case it may be regarded as restricted.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

1.5 Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates.

Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset's use.

Expenditure on generating funds includes the cost of all fundraising activities, events, non-charitable trading activities and the sale of donated goods.

Expenditure on charitable activities include all costs incurred by a charity in undertaking activities that further its charitable aims for the benefit of its beneficiaries, including those support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitiable activities.

Other expenditure includes all expenditure that is neither related to raising funds for the charity nor part of its expenditure on charitable activities.

All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis.

1.6 Financial instruments

Basic financial assets

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitues a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Finanical assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Basic financial liabilities

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Derecognition of financial liabilities

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity's contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

1.7 Employees benefits

The costs of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee's services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

THE LIGHTWAVE COMMUNITY CIO

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
2 Donations & Legacies
Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL
Funds Funds Funds Funds
2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 2023
£ £ £ £ £
Grants - 76,009 76,009 - 71,128 71,128
Donations - Regular Giving 5,964 90,018 95,982 5,038 40,928 45,966
Donations - Other 8,258 29,749 38,006 2,825 17,974 20,799
Gift Aid Recovered 1,491 22,887 24,378 5 12,763 12,768
15,713 218,663 234,375 7,868 142,792 150,660
- - - - -
3 Charitable Activities Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL
Funds Funds Funds Funds
2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 2023
£ £ £ £ £ £
Other 468 3,539 4,007 - 3,806 3,806
Top-up Shop 1,050 80 1,130 3,484 - 3,484
1,518 3,619 5,137 3,484 3,806 7,290
- - - -
4 Investments Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL
Funds Funds Funds Funds
2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 2023
£ £ £ £ £ £
Bank Interest 154 4,434 4,588 142 0 142
154 4,434 4,588 142 0 142
- - - -
5 Trading Activities Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL
Funds Funds Funds Funds
2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 2023
£ £ £ £ £ £
Cafe 14,008 - 14,008 19,903 - 19,903
Other 14,008 - 14,008 19,903 - 19,903
- - - -
6 Other Income Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL Unrestricted Restricted TOTAL
Funds Funds Funds Funds
2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 2023
£ £ £ £ £ £
Transfer of funds from St Matthews PCC Ipswich for - 117,224 117,224 - - -
Bridge Communities
Other Income - 3,086 3,086 - 1,133 1,133
- 120,310 120,310 - 1,133 1,133
- - - -
----- End of picture text -----

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

THE LIGHTWAVE COMMUNITY CIO

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

7
Charitable Activities
Unrestricted
Restricted
TOTAL
Funds
Funds
2024
2024
2024
£
£
£		 Unrestricted Restricted
TOTAL
Funds
Funds
2023
2023
2023
£
£
£
Staff Employment Costs
Parish Share and related DBF payments
Premises incl Rental Costs
Grants to Individuals and Relief Payments
Resources and Expenses for Mission and Ministry
Event Costs
Top-up Shop and Foodbank Expenses
Equipment
Clergy and Staff Expenses
Mission Giving
Training
Printing. Stationery and Postage
Licence Expenses (CCLI etc)
Other Expenditure
8
Raising Funds
Cafe Expenses
9
Support Costs
Running Expenses
Insurance
IT and Website Expenses
Bank Charges, Fees and Finance Costs
Utility Bills		 758
42,979
43,737
5,700
29,550
35,250
3,180
29,346
32,526
-
29,924
29,924
297
18,680
18,978
363
12,011
12,374
7
6,244
6,252
786
5,266
6,052
1,086
4,950
6,036
-
4,958
4,958
-
3,026
3,026
-
1,664
1,664
190
413
603
-
-
-
12,368
189,011
201,380
-
-
-
11,958
98
12,055
11,958
98
12,055
-
-
-
11
2,768
2,779
2,454
-
2,454
-
1,140
1,140
474
642
1,116
-
-
-
2,940
4,550
7,490
-
-
-		 -
12,176
12,176
11,400
11,400
22,800
191
17,391
17,582
-
15,381
15,381
271
12,290
12,561
243
6,438
6,681
1,374
4,019
5,393
714
5,817
6,531
425
1,116
1,541
-
1,080
1,080
229
558
787
3
1,403
1,405
180
246
426
-
85
85
15,029
89,399
104,428
-
12,498
-
12,498
12,498
-
12,498
-
288
404
692
1,847
-
1,847
-
639
639
309
329
638
-
450
450
2,444
1,822
4,266
-

10 Trustees

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any renumeration or benefits from the charity during the year

11 Employees

The average monthly number of employees during the year was

2024 Number
2023 Number
Employment costs 3
1
2024 £
2023 £
Wages and Salaries 43,737
12,176

There were no employees whose annual renumeration was more than £60,000

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

THE LIGHTWAVE COMMUNITY CIO

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

12 Analysis of Grants Received by Fund and Grant Making Body - including grant income deferred to subsequent years

Unrestricted
Fund
Description
Funds
Cash Rcvd
2024
£		 Restricted
TOTAL
TOTAL

Funds
recognised in
deferred


Cash Rcvd
2024
2024
2025

£
£
Red Lodge - Beacon
Forest Heath Beacon Grant (Payment 1/3)
Red Lodge - Youth Leader
Diocesan Growing in God (GiG) Fund
Red Lodge - Forrester Family Trust
Forrester Family Grant
Red Lodge - West Suffolk Community Chest
WS Community Chest
Red Lodge - Andrew Underwood Grant
Andrew Underwood Grant
Red Lodge - Helping Hands
Food Bank (Red Lodge Parish Council)
Red Lodge - SCF Foodbank Grant
Food bank grant
Red Lodge - Surviving Winter
Surviving Winter Fund
Red Lodge - Surviving Winter
Surviving Winter Grant
Red Lodge - SCF Breakthrough Grant
Breakthrough Grant
Red Lodge - Helping Hands
Grant for mental health investigation
Red Lodge - Youth
Tesco Grant for holiday club
Red Lodge - Youth
Holiday CLub (Red Lodge Parish Council)
Red Lodge - Andrew Underwood Grant
Donation
Red Lodge - Youth
District Councillor Grant
Red Lodge - Suffolk Household Support Fund
Refund of grant
Red Lodge - Spring Harvest
Jody Haynes Spring Harvest
Emerge - Youth Growth Fund
SIMON GIBSON GRANT - for youth work
Emerge - Youth Growth Fund
Emerge Pop-up Pizza (DBF Growth Fund)
Emerge - East Suffolk Grant
Bee Cafe etc. (East Suffolk)
Place by the Water
Grant from Rural Ministries
Safe Harbour - Other Restricted
Grant for Top-up Shop LD Rope
Safe Harbour - Other Restricted
ipswich BC Community Resilience Fund
Safe Harbour - Top-up Shop Manager
Suffolk Community Foundation Food & Drink Fund
Safe Harbour - Top-up Shop Manager
Suffolk Community Foundation thro' Birketts Fund
Bungay - Children’s & Youth Leader
Diocesan Growing in God (GiG) Fund (Payment 1/3)
Bungay
Bungay Growth Fund Grant (GIG Growth Fund)
Bungay - Spud Club
Spud Club (East Suffolk ECB scheme)
Bungay
SIMON GIBSON GRANT - for youth work
Bungay - Spud Club
SIMON GIBSON GRANT - for youth work
Bungay - Spud Club
Suff. County Council Locality Budget Grant (3rd payment)
Agricultural Chaplaincy
Grant from South Suffolk Agricultural Assoc
Bridge Communities Ukrainian-Wellbeing Cafe
SCF - Suffolk Giving Grantmaking Programme
Missional Youth Church Network - MYCN
DBF GIG Growth Fund Grant for Gather event		 36,317
3,117
33,200
25,000
13,550
11,450
10,000
10,000
5,000
5,000
3,000
3,000
2,300
2,300
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
1,655
1,655
1,000
1,000
1,000
1,000
700
700
600
600
500
500
300
300
150
150
2,000
2,000
886
886
250
250
5,000
5,000
3,000
3,000
2,500
2,500
2,000
2,000
1,296
1,296
17,455
355
17,100
1,500
1,500
1,300
1,300
1,000
1,000
1,000
1,000
450
450
1,000
1,000
3,000
3,000
600
600
137,759
76,009
61,750
2023
Restricted
Funds
deferred £
2024 Total
recognised in
2024 £
(18,000)
18,000
-
Memorandum: 2023 Red Lodge - Youth Leader Diocesan Growing in God GiG Fund Grant - restated on an accruals basis
2023
Restricted
Funds
deferred £		 2024 Total
recognised in
2024 £
Memorandum: 2023 Red Lodge - Youth Leader Diocesan Growing in God GiG Fund Grant - restated on an accruals basis (18,000) 18,000
-

NOTE: 2023 accounts were prepared on a cash basis, but if restated on an accruals basis £18,000 would have been deferred into 2024

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

THE LIGHTWAVE COMMUNITY CIO

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
13 Financial Instruments
2024 2023
£ £
Carrying amount of financial assets
-
Instruments measured at fair value through profit or loss 317,068
14 Accounts Receivable 2024 2023
Amounts falling due within one year: £ £
Trade Debtors 135 -
Other Debtors 4,009 -
-
4,144
-
15 Current asset investments 2024 2023
£ £
-
Short-term deposits 317,068
16 Current Liabilities 2024 2023
£ £
-
Accounts Payable 2,573
Deferred Income 61,750 -
-
64,323
----- End of picture text -----

17 Retirement benefit schemes

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

THE LIGHTWAVE COMMUNITY CIO

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

18 Restricted Funds

18
Restricted Funds
Balance at 1
Jan 2024
incoming
Resources
Resources
Expended
Fund
Transfers
Balance at
31 Dec
2024
Movement in Funds 2024
Launchpad
New Day
New Wine
Red Lodge - Discipleship
Red Lodge - General
Red Lodge - Outreach
Red Lodge - Youth
Red Lodge - Andrew Underwood Grant
Red Lodge - Beacon
Red Lodge - Forrester Family Trust
Red Lodge - Helping Hands
Red Lodge - Hope Beyond
Red Lodge - New Building
Red Lodge - Sainsburys
Red Lodge - SCF Breakthrough Grant
Red Lodge - SCF Foodbank Grant
Red Lodge - Spring Harvest
Red Lodge - Suffolk Household Support Fund
Red Lodge - Surviving Winter
Red Lodge - Warm Space Grant
Red Lodge - West Suffolk Community Chest
Red Lodge - Winter Response
Red Lodge - WS Covid restart
Red Lodge - Youth Leader
Emerge
Emerge - East Suffolk Grant
Emerge - Singing Ducklings
Emerge - Youth Growth Fund
Place by the Water - Covid Grant
Place by the Water
Safe Harbour
Safe Harbour - Other Restricted
Safe Harbour - Spring Harvest
Safe Harbour - Suffolk Community Foundation
Safe Harbour - Top-up Shop Manager
Pilgrims Together
Bungay
Bungay - Children’s & Youth Leader
Bungay - Spud Club
Agricultural Chaplaincy
Agricultural Chaplaincy PCF
Bridge Communities
Bridge Communities Ukrainian-Wellbeing Cafe
Missional Youth Church Network - MYCN
19
Unrestricted Funds
General
Red Lodge - Café
Safe Harbour - SHOP		 137
-
-
(137)
-
85
-
-
(85)
-
(9)
-
-
9
-
-
-
(2,901)
2,904
3
2,353
22,446
(15,662)
(4,614)
4,523
-
-
(1,408)
1,408
-
-
2,408
(1,944)
284
749
-
3,800
(791)
-
3,010
-
3,117
(3,099)
-
19
-
10,000
-
-
10,000
-
5,037
(4,836)
-
201
-
-
-
-
-
4,049
2,282
(570)
-
5,761
-
-
-
-
-
3,382
1,655
(4,288)
-
748
-
2,000
-
-
2,000
21
1,493
(1,815)
301
-
5,000
300
(5,300)
-
-
-
4,000
(4,000)
-
-
1,000
1,400
(1,186)
-
1,214
3,570
5,000
(5,000)
-
3,570
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
18,256
13,550
(31,487)
(284)
35
43,545
30,653
(26)
-
74,172
140
250
(261)
-
129
562
-
(234)
-
328
-
2,886
(1,109)
-
1,777
2,000
-
-
-
2,000
377
25,039
(15,140)
-
10,276
4,693
3,875
(5,010)
(2,381)
1,178
2,300
5,500
(11,190)
5,000
1,610
(166)
560
(3,809)
3,415
-
332
-
(332)
-
-
5,707
3,296
(4,003)
(5,000)
-
408
-
(408)
-
-
11,794
14,382
(11,465)
-
14,711
-
355
(305)
-
50
409
2,750
(2,398)
-
761
68
1,360
(1,247)
-
182
3,061
-
(3,061)
-
-
80
174,030
(46,024)
-
128,086
-
3,000
(2,751)
-
249
-
600
(600)
-
-
113,153
347,026
(193,659)
821
267,340
7,337
12,702
(5,482)
213
14,771
9,607
14,008
(18,081)
-
5,535
8,017
4,683
(3,703)
(1,034)
7,964
24,962
31,393
(27,266)
(821)
28,269

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

THE LIGHTWAVE COMMUNITY CIO

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
20 Analysis of net assets between funds
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Funds Funds
2024 2024 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
Fund balances at 31 December 2024
are represented by
Current assets/(Liabilities) 28,269 267,340 295,610 138,115
28,269 267,340 295,610 138,115
----- End of picture text -----

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024

Glossary/Definitions

----- Start of picture text -----
BMO Bishop’s Mission Order, the order made under which the Lightwave
Community is formed as a formal mission initiative of the Church of England,
under part 7 of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011.
CIO Charitable Incorporated Organisation
DBF Diocesan Board of Finance of the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich,
(the charity which administers the work of the Diocese)
Fresh A Fresh Expression of Church is a form of church for our changing culture,
Expression established primarily for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any
of Church church, which will come into being through principles of listening, service,
(fxC) incarnational mission and making disciples. It will have the potential to become
a mature expression of church shaped by the gospel and the enduring marks of
the church and for its cultural context.
–
GiGitC Growing in God in the Countryside the name of the project funded by the
-
DBF and the SDF from 2019 26 which established Lightwave as a Community.
Lightwave Lightwave groups each have identified the mission to which they are called
Groups locally. They usually come under the governance of the CIO and are supported
by their local Hub and/or partner benefice. They often require limited financial
resource or investment, or have a more localised base of supporters to make
them sustainable. Associate Lightwave groups are groups which associate
with the Lightwave vision and training but come under the governance of a local
PCC.
Lightwave Hubs have responsibility of overseeing mission and development of Lightwave
Hubs groups in a specified geographic location under the CIO. The Hub has its own
bank account and employs a Lead Worker (or workers) to deliver activities,
develop vision and plans for delivery to meet the needs identified in the area of
benefit.
Lightwave Benefices who collaborate with Lightwave’s vision on a day-to-day basis in a
Partner specific local geographical context (e.g. Bungay, Chadbrook, 4 Rivers, S.
Benefices Hartismere)
SFXC Suffolk Fresh Expressions Community - The alternative name for the Lightwave
Community. May be found in some older documentation but now largely no
longer used.
SDF Strategic Development Fund of the Church of England from which funds
have been granted for the GiGitC project – this has now been replaced by the
SMMIB (see below)
SDU Strategic Development Unit which administered the SDF – this has now
been replaced by the Vision and Strategy Unit
New The term New Disciple is used by the GiGitC as a measurement of the fruit of
Disciple the project. When used in this way it denotes people who have begun to
participate in some form of church at least monthly.
SMMIB The Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board of the Church
Commissioners/Archbishops Council which replaces the Strategic Development
Unit Board which funded the original GiGitC project.
SCoM Suffolk Centre of Mission is a Diocese-wide hub for Evangelism and Pioneering,
working with the Diocese and the Church Army, and led by Gail Southgate
----- End of picture text -----

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Lightwave Community Annual Report 2024