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2024-12-31-accounts

Connect Southwater Community Church Trustees’ Annual Report:

For the period:

From 1[st] January 2024 Period start date To 31[st] December 2024 Period end date

Charity name: Connect Southwater Community Church

Charity registration number: 1193477

Objectives and Activities:

Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document: SORP Para 1.17

To advance the Christian faith in Southwater & the surrounding area in such ways as the trustees shall think fit including connecting people to others & to God, celebrating life, loving, serving, & creating community.

Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the

activities, projects or services identified in the accounts: SORP Para 1.17 & 1.19

The key public benefits offered by Connect:

1. The provision of time, space, events and activities through which people benefit by connecting with others and building up community.

2. The provision of social welfare support to help alleviate local and global need, giving financial, material, physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental health support.

3. The provision of Christian worship, education and learning opportunities to enable people to benefit from faith in Christ.

Connect’s main activities and achievements in 2024 in relation to these purposes and the three areas of public benefit listed are all underpinned by our church vision ( to see heaven touching earth ) and mission

( to connect people to the love of God in Jesus by His Spirit ), and our core/distinctive values as a Pioneer church (being a relational, missional, charismatic and Kingdom focused community).

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In compiling our annual report we recognise that there is inevitably a gap between what is envisioned and hoped for, and various factors can contribute to making less forward progression than we might want to see, however we continue to serve faithfully, seeking God’s help in stepping up to our agreed vision and mission, aiming to grow more deeply in our core values in order to deliver the many benefits that flow from our life together as a church. The three areas of public benefit remain the same:

1. Connecting with others and building up community:

In this 4[th] year as a charity we continue to impact people and help transform our community through offering a range of groups and local service initiatives, sharing with local partners where possible. The care, community resources, support and activities offered by Connect are reflective of our first core value, to be a relational church, growing relationships of mutual trust and respect. Overall we saw a small increase in our core membership, as more people have connected with us and our mission to share the love of God in Christ. We also aim to be a missional church, with an outward focus, serving others because of His love for us and for them, offering informal opportunities for people to understand their immense worth and value, and to connect with His love for themselves. This means that we continue to connect where we are, yet always looking for new spaces and places where we can take the light of the gospel.

We continue to enable and equip members of Connect to be committed Christian disciples, followers of the way of Jesus, by encouraging in them this outward focus, both local and global. This Kingdom emphasis is an intentional engagement in God's Kingdom values of joy, justice, peace, righteousness, healing and hope, helping bring life in its fullness to our own community and those further afield. Community and Kingdom focused activities such as the Community Fridge, Café Connect, Connect & Play, Connect & Create, Young @ Heart, and Southwater Youth Project provide opportunities, spaces and places where we can offer the benefit of connection to people in different ways, giving informal pastoral support, care and prayer to members of the community alongside the care offered to our own members in our more specific church settings and through our geographical based mission care network groups (Connect North, South & Horsham). Caring for each other within Connect, and for others outside of Connect is part of our mission - growth through caring, building Kingdom relationships and local connections continues to be important.

It is our belief that community is integral to both our understanding of Church and of God, who is Himself a community, a Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit. Hence woven within all the above is our determination to hold closely to the core value of being a charismatic church community, guided in all that we do by God’s Spirit, gifted by Him, seeking His wisdom, and His directing presence, following His purposes by working together in not simply by serving, but by saving and setting people free. We seek to connect deeply to God through His Spirit, aiming to become a non-anxious, positive and hopeful presence in the community, to be His people of peace and His community of grace, exercising the many gifts of His Spirit.

Embedding these four core values will be a key task for the leadership in coming years, as we seek to create a culture of vision, where as a church community we expect to see and experience the things of heaven touching earth, and as we seek to grow a culture of owned mission, where people can more easily feel connected to God’s love in Jesus, through His Spirit at work in all of His people.

2. The provision of social welfare support to help alleviate local and global need, giving financial, material, physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental support:

A significant and continuing part of our mission, and the groups/activities which help us in providing this second area of public benefit are often also delivering on the previous benefit of creating community. With different degrees of emphasis, these groups/activities help us in developing a relational, missional,

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charismatic, and Kingdom focus. Key benefits arise from the provision of human resources through volunteers, the provision of financial resources from internal voluntary contributions and fundraising, and through ensuring we underpin all our mission activities through prayer. Social welfare activities include:

We continued to collect goods for the local Food Bank, offering targeted support where needed. We raise funds for global Christian social welfare and aid agency Tear Fund, maintaining our links with a Pakistani Pioneer pastor, helping his churches to provide a clean water pump in a suburb of Karachi. In December our pastor was able to join with Billy Kennedy, the head of Pioneer International, and his wife Caroline, to meet with him in Trento, Italy. There are real and ongoing threats to his life, and this has served to raise a greater awareness of our sisters and brothers in the persecuted church. We were touched by the generosity of Connect members in enabling this trip.

3. The advancement of the Christian faith and the provision of Christian worship, education, and learning opportunities in order that people might benefit from faith in Christ:

We continue to explore together what it means to pursue a vision of “ Heaven touching earth ”, and to have a mission to help “ connect people to the love of God in Jesus by the Spirit ”. We hope that developing and deepening our agreed values, being a relational, missional, charismatic, and Kingdom oriented church, will

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help us to create a culture whereby we are building up healthy followers of Jesus and a strong church community, and providing a common purpose, especially significant in drawing together members from a wide range of church backgrounds/streams. We recognise the challenge to grow in all four core values but especially the call to be missional – this is part of the core meaning of our name, Connect, to help people see and experience how God in His love connects to us in Jesus by His Spirit. We are also aware of the benefit that will come to our mission through being a community which seeks to operates from out of the Spirit’s gifting or charisms and not just our own strength. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and in line with God’s Word, our Leadership Team continues to seek to equip and enable Connect to help people benefit from having faith. Hence the LT are committed to help Connect members grow stronger and more confident in witness and evangelism, both through words, and actions, as well as by our presence as a Christian community worshipping in the local junior school in the heart of the village.

A church community is a key way by which God chooses to be present to people in His world. The wider benefits of this are incalculable. Meeting together as a “gathered” church community on a Sunday in a local school, a place where we can be seen and be found, is therefore central to our identity. We have grown our connections with the school this year, with the pastor delivering RE lessons to years 3 and 4. We were asked to assist with the year 6 SATS, and gave assemblies to the other village primary school at Easter and Christmas. Being present matters, and we continue to gather at the school on Sundays, seeking to be welcoming, and to make our worship accessible, informal and participative in style, offering biblical based teaching, illustrations, and relevant explanations, applications, and activations to help bring faith alive. Aware that Sundays represent the main space, time and place when most of Connect gather together, the LT discerned a range of topics designed to help people grow in their understanding of Connect’s shared vision, mission and ethos. For example, in the lead up to our first ever MISSION MONTH in May we provided two preaching series, one on the theme of “ Inspired by ... Invested in ”, the second titled “ Church With A Mission: sent to serve/heal/save/trust & obey/celebrate .” The Away Day in May concluded this teaching on mission, having more of a teaching component than the 2023 Away Day. The aim was to help equip people with some of the basic tools of spiritual warfare, and build up awareness that stepping up to more intentional witness and evangelism will bring spiritual opposition. The LT aim to run another teaching day at some point, but a reflective/creative Away Day will be a priority in 2025, to enable people to have space to rest, reflect, and to soak in God’s presence and peace.

In the summer we focused on bringing key teaching on what it means to be a charismatic church, what we understand by the work and the person of the Holy Spirit, the many ways by which He speaks to us and the potential this has for our mission. This continued into the autumn/winter with a biblical focus on what it can look like to be an ordinary person, equipped and enabled by the Spirit to be extraordinary, simply by being obedient to God’s call to serve in His Kingdom and to share the good news of Jesus where we are.

We continued to offer live zoom worship participation for a small minority of members, recording talks for wider publication on FB/YouTube. One member described her online experience very positively: “ I feel part of the Connect Online Community as well as being virtually part of the service. There are a few of us who are regular on-liners as it were and we often have good interaction when we are asked to discuss/share something during the service. We know there is no distance which can separate us spiritually and I regularly sense the presence of God and sing/speak in tongues in unison with those gathered physically in Southwater. For me there is no barrier to participation by being online - I do not feel remote .”

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This year we started an experimental Sunday Breakfast Club, in conjunction with SYP, at the school, with the aim of enabling children and families to explore the Christian faith and, if desired, to stay on to our worship service. This has been moderately successful with up to 4 families involved, all of whom are already linked to Connect & Play; we were pleased that some of them joined our revamped Christmas carols worship in December. Having identified the widening of our demographic as a key missional aim, we had changed what we have previously done, moving communion to Christmas morning, which those present found particularly moving, and switching our Carols by Candlelight family service from Christmas Eve to the Sunday before Christmas. We were very encouraged by the comments made by the “not yet” Christians who attended, more this year than previously. The worship was “ uplifting ” and “ very including of the children ”, and the atmosphere was felt to be tangible in terms of the sense of welcome, with one person describing it as a space where they “ never feel judged, just loved ”. The change was well-received, and both our seasonal work, and our children and family work, will continue to be under review as we seek to determine the best missional approach in 2025 and beyond. We were encouraged by this testimony to the benefit that faith can bring when compiling Pioneer’s Annual Impact Survey for 2024: “ Whilst being with Connect church for the past year I've experienced God's love and acceptance from everyone in the leadership team and congregation. I've also experienced deep healing and freedom from trauma in my past and know that I am washed clean and am free from shame. Also I know God is with me and I have recently been hearing Him clearly through current difficulties in my life. ”

New Christians joined Connect this year, which we see as a direct answer to our ongoing prayers for growth. Like last year, these are few in number, but it is heartening that they are attracted by our vision and mission as a local, community based church, and encouraging that they are seeking the benefit of growing in faith and fellowship with us. Aware that we need to resist the temptation to focus inwards, the LT are agreed that our primary aim has to be growing our mission through evangelism and witness, led by the Spirit - it is great to have existing Christians commit to our mission, but it is the “not yet” Christians who must be reached if the Christian faith is to advance as well as grow.

We have therefore been pleased to see more people step up to help serve in our outward focused groups. Of particular note was the team at our Soul Space tent at the Village Christmas, working alongside our Kids Craft tent, especially those who engaged directly with members of the community for the first time, and which was out of their comfort level/experience. Being able to pray for people in their need, and listen to God’s Word for them, is exciting, and grows faith, and we hope to build on this in 2025, by offering more specific teaching/training on outreach, witness, and evangelism, and by encouraging and enabling our three Connect neighbourhood groups to own, and help deliver specific outreach events by which more people can connect with us.

We continue to support, grow and develop people’s faith through our pastor and preachers, Leadership Team, pastoral team, and prayer team, as well as through our worship, and in groups/activities where people can put their faith into practice, using our informal, internal gatherings to give mutual support, care, prayer and encouragement. Neighbourhood Connect groups, for discipleship, care, encouragement, mission, and fellowship, are being encouraged with one group meeting fortnightly from last year, and since the autumn the other two village based groups have begun to hold occasional gatherings. This was a direct result of this year’s harvest “experiment”, whereby instead of having a central harvest lunch or supper we encouraged people to hold a Harvest @ Home. Our hope is that what was a largely internal, relational experience will develop a growing outward, missional focus in 2025.

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Spiritual leadership and oversight continues to be given by the pastor (p/t) who oversees the church’s vision and mission along with the Leadership Team. The pastor carried significant extra responsibility since the assistant pastor (p/t) stepped down in 2022, and in April 2024 the Trustees acknowledged this with increased remuneration backdated to September 2023. The paid role of Communications Officer (p/t) ended in the summer, and a reduced set of tasks was taken on by a volunteer. Throughout the year members have been informed about and able to comment on key LT decisions, and receive these and other essential communications via mailchimp. The LT also held several “LT Drop In” sessions in the spring just before the monthly Prayer Meeting, but few people attended, and we concluded that as a small church people feel able to speak with the LT without the need to formalise the opportunity.

Drawing upon Charity Commission advice and the Pioneer Governance Framework the Trustees work alongside the Leadership Team to provide financial, legal, HR, policy, and charity governance, with the pastor (Chair) completing our Annual Report for submission with our Annual Return and audited accounts. Amongst other governance matters, the Trustees wrote and approved the following policies: Safeguarding, Health & Safety, GDPR, Complaints & Grievance including spiritual abuse and whistle blowing, and our Volunteer Policy. Trustees agreed a pattern of policy review/updates, and a Risk Register is almost complete, with the annual Pioneer UK Impact Survey completed in February. Trustees work with our LT and Safeguarding Officer to ensure that all those within Connect who are engaged in educational, children & youth work, pastoral care, and leadership including Trustees, are subject to due DBS processes, and trained in safeguarding to the appropriate level. All our activities are covered by insurance, renewed annually and subject to appropriate risk assessment.

To enable Trustees to grasp the operational work and oversight provided by the Leadership Team in their task of enabling and equipping Connect’s vision, mission, and core values, we held four joint meetings throughout the year. In September the current pastor gave early notice of her sense that God was calling her to step back from her lead role next year. Following further discernment she decided to resign at Easter 2025, giving a considerable amount of time for the LT, Trustees and church to consider this new development and plan for the future. The pastor has since helped to oversee and facilitate the church’s discernment process, as well as the communication of its various phases to the church, and has indicated a desire to be as helpful as possible in the transition and thereafter. The LT were immensely encouraged by the sharing of four key dreams/visions from God this year, which have enabled church members to see God’s purposes in all this. The LT and Trustees sense we have been given the opportunity by God to develop and oversee a church built upon our existing agreed vision and mission, rooted in our core Pioneer values and the Word of God, a church that will operate from a shared leadership which sits within the heart of a church community, drawing on everyone’s gifting and held within a wholly owned mission. We do not therefore consider that we need to call out or seek a new pastor at this time. We believe this is the direction God has been equipping us for and which He has set before us. Called, gifted, and guided by His Spirit, we believe that together we will continue to discern God’s direction and His heart for us and our community – we are excited about being a Holy Spirit “experiment” in local mission!

Our relationship with the Pioneer UK Network provides opportunities for Trustees, staff and volunteers from Connect to join various national and regional training events and conferences, online and in person, including Pioneer Core Values teaching weekends, the Pioneer Pathway leadership course, the Annual Pioneer Leadership Conference, and Safeguarding for Trustees. One of our newer members stepped up to the Pioneer Pathway leadership training which the church agreed to subsidise by 50%. Should this person continue into 2024/5 Connect will cover the full cost. We have valued connections with a local Pioneer

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Hub, and the wider southern regional group, who have all been supportive as we transition into a new phase of our life together, pointing us to other Pioneer churches with similar approaches to leadership. We continue to support Pioneer International which enables us to bring a wider benefit in supporting other overseas churches and their leadership.

Connecting with other churches where possible remains important to us and we continued to work with the 3 local village churches in delivering the annual Village Remembrance service together in 2024, with Connect’s pastor giving the talk. We continue to be a member church of Horsham Churches Together, welcoming other local church leaders to preach from time to time. The pastor’s direct involvement in HCT lessened considerably this year however, due to the additional workload arising from Connect no longer having an assistant pastor, and the need to prioritise our missional development.

Leaving behind the initial setting up of Connect and the issues of covid/lockdown that were all key drivers in our first four years as a church, we continue to be encouraged greatly by the evidence we see of our church members seeking to “ thrive and come alive ”! We have been blessed with encouraging testimonies about people’s individual search for a spiritual home e.g. “ I have been part of Connect Southwater for 2-3 years. I moved to Horsham at that time in order to join the church. I believe that was God's guidance at a crossroads in my life. I did not see it straight away but have since realized this is the church for which I have been yearning for nearly 50 years! ”

We are not without issues or concerns to address – e.g. a growing yet ageing demographic, a hesitancy in giving public testimony or witness, a reluctance to engage fully in the ministry of the Spirit, and a tendency to see church as a place to receive, rather than a base out of which to serve and witness. Connect members balance multiple life commitments and we do not often see everyone present on Sundays – this impacts communications, vision and relationship building, and can hinder teaching/mission impetus and continuity. We have the challenge to hold together despite some differences in theological outlook, and a wide range of spiritual experiences and ecclesial understanding etc. Yet all of these things continue to be held in love not judgment; the fact that we are holding together means we are more diverse than some churches, and yet the diversity and difference is not divisive. Nonetheless, seeking balance out of a desire to keep everyone on board can risk missing the Spirit led moment or the possibility of missional change and challenge to which we are all called to continue to be open, hence spiritual vigilance and discernment is vital if we are to avoid stagnation, becoming settlers rather than pioneers.

Overall, there is a deep sense of hope in God, on whom we depend - we trust in His power and willingness to provide growth and help us bring a harvest out of all the seed planting. Church social/fellowship connections are growing. Our prayer team is active on WhatsApp and monthly in person prayer has been well-supported. Engagement in our worship, our groups, and activities is growing. We are seeing people occasionally offering Godly words and pictures to each other, and offering words and prayer in worship, with a growing yearning to know His presence and hear Him speak. Perhaps most significantly, the desire and the need to welcome more people into our life together and into connection with Jesus is becoming stronger.

Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit SORP Para 1.18

Connect Trustees confirm we have not set up the CIO in order to benefit ourselves, either personally and/or corporately, and we have had due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit wherever relevant.

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Additional information:

Policy on grant making SORP Para 1.38

To ring fence 10% of our income from general congregational giving as a mission fund, within approved Terms of Reference, and to ring fence fundraising for our core costs grant to Southwater Youth Project.

Contribution made by volunteers SORP Para 1.38

We estimate an 80% input of time and energy from volunteers towards our aims and objectives, whether through specific or ongoing logistical support, admin, worship and music leading plus related techno, or through leading worship/activities/events, helping with our various activities, and praying. Connect’s mission is entirely funded by our worshipping members and it has been pleasing to see giving increase this year both in terms of regular giving, and giving for one off requests.

Achievements and Performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. SORP Para 1.20

Continuing to offer meaningful worship and impactive teaching, alongside increased opportunities to serve and be involved in our mission has made a difference by helping increase our sense of presence within the community, creating and deepening our community connections and wider profile. This also enables us to attract others to Jesus and into our mission, and advance understanding of and/or commitment to the Christian faith. A further benefit to members comes via their growing understanding and ownership of our shared mission, with more members stepping up to own aspects of our life together, and as the earlier testimony shows, individual members are benefitting in increased well-being, renewed spiritual freedom, and growth in faith and understanding.

Gaining new members during the year makes a difference in increased financial support, prayer support, and in our worship, as well as bringing additional spiritual gifts and talents to our shared mission and balancing out any income lost when members leave.

Beginning to develop ministry for women, and for men, has enabled much of what is taught on Sundays to be owned and to become more embedded into people’s lives. This makes a difference to them, but also helps grow in them a desire to enable others to experience God for themselves. Hence we want to develop further any missional ideas which can be delivered by and/or through single sex groups.

Supporting Southwater Youth Project by continuing to develop relationships with a core funder, the Parish Council, continues to be essential, giving clear community benefit by enabling new premises in the Ghyll. Connect’s support for this Christian ethos charity is important, and makes a significant impact in terms of relationships with other community groups and individuals. Any potential antipathy towards a church or Christians is mitigated by our community focused reputation and ongoing support of SYP and local young people. The public experiences a social benefit from a Christian ethos charity which offers faith conversations but the social support is given with no faith strings attached. Connect is up front about who we are, and our various contributions to the local community within and alongside SYP and other community/public service organisations are welcomed, respected, and understood. Inevitably this leads to a difference in attitudes and opens the door to many meaningful interactions and faith conversations.

Having occasional shared LT/Trustees meetings helps meet our objective to enable shared mission, oversight and governance, and increases mutual understanding. Similarly, developing church Away Days are significant ways to connect with each other, and embed our vision, mission and values; we recognise the need to increase these opportunities for shared ownership of our mission moving forward. Activities/

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training opportunities offered by Pioneer and through HCT and other regional Christian churches/streams/ denominations continue to help members of Connect to grow in their faith and gifts, with the additional benefit of connecting them to other Christians.

The next phase of our existence has an agreed task and impetus, to mobilise all our members both to understand, and to own our shared Spirit led vision and mission, and to encourage a greater understanding of how working together within a shared leadership structure can become a significant tool for our mission to connect more people to the love of God in Jesus by His Spirit.

Additional information (optional)

Achievements against objectives set SORP Para 1.41

Primary objectives

To own and embed our vision, and build a secure basis for shared leadership and mission activities, by exploring our mission and values through worship, teaching, community activities and fellowship groups, and by maintaining ongoing connection with one another. This continued to be achieved through:

To establish and grow a committed, generous income base. This continued to be achieved through:

To mobilise for mission. This continued to be achieved through:

Other objectives

To encourage meeting together in homes/as groups in public spaces. This is being achieved through:

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Overall, as per the more detailed sections of this report, we received and continue to be encouraged by the prophetic word given at the 2023 Pioneer Leaders Conference - “ God sees our work and it is pleasing to Him, therefore we are to not lose heart because He is going to reveal that seeds sown are developing shoots – the ground is no longer hard but softening! ” The further dreams and visions we have received and reflected upon throughout the year are equally encouraging (the Net, the Fruitful Tree and Saplings, the Cow’s Successful/Saved Pregnancy, and the Lily Pond) and we are expectant for further growth.

Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set SORP Para 1.41

No fundraising activity occurred during the financial year.

Investment performance against objectives SORP Para 1.41

None of the charity’s financial assets were invested during the financial year.

Financial Review

Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period SORP Para 1.21

For the General Fund (unrestricted), income exceeded expenditure by £12,891. In addition, there were internal transfers of £3,000 to the Youthworker Fundraising Fund, £1,000 to the Mission Fund, £174 to the Compassion Fund and £75 to Connect and Play, which resulted in an overall surplus of £8,642. This produced an increase in the accumulated balance from £13,677 at the previous year end (2023) to £22,319 as at 31[st] December 2024. The main restricted fund, the Youthworker Fundraising Fund, had net receipts of £3,079 and a year end balance of £13,875 (£10,796 at 31.12.23), representing 2 years’ planned expenditure. The other restricted funds, Soul Space and Open the Book had no income and minimal financial outlays during the year so the year end balances were £1,903 and £321 respectively.

Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held SORP Para 1.22

The church’s policy for holding reserves is that an amount equating to 3 months’ budgeted expenditure should be held. This is intended to ensure that in the event of either unforeseen operational costs, or a significant reduction in income or the charity being wound up, there are sufficient funds available to meet the church’s financial commitments, particularly regarding payments that would be due to employees in those circumstances. Reserves are freely available to be spent for any purpose consistent with the church’s charitable purposes, and at any time. The policy is reviewed annually.

Amount of reserves held SORP Para 1.22

£10,074

Reasons for holding zero reserves SORP Para 1.22

Not applicable

Details of fund materially in deficit SORP Para 1.24 No fund was materially in deficit at the year-end.

Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern SORP Para 1.23 There are no uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern.

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Structure, Governance and Management

Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) SORP Para 1.25

CIO Foundation Constitution

How is the charity constituted? SORP Para 1.25

CIO

Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees SORP Para 1.25

In discussion with the Charity Commission we included clauses in our constitution Section 6: “Benefits and payments to charity trustees and connected persons”, sub clause (2) Scope and powers permitting trustees’ or connected persons’ benefits: this was in order to enable a charity trustee or connected person to receive payment for serving as a pastor of the CIO, provided that this does not lead to a majority of charity trustees being remunerated and provided that the following sub-clauses (i) to (v) are satisfied. Having approved this paid role, in 2021 it was structured into 2 p/t posts reverting back to one post (p/t) in 2022. We can affirm that the other charity trustees are satisfied i) that it is in the best interests of the CIO to pay a pastor rather than requiring the pastor to be self-supporting financially having considered the advantages of disadvantages of each approach; ii) that the details of the payment are set out in an agreement between the CIO and the pastor; iii) the remuneration package does not exceed what is reasonable in the circumstances taking into account regional variations; (iv) that the reasons for the decision of the charity trustees is recorded in their minute book; and (v) that the trustees concerned must be absent from the part of any meeting at which the level of payment is being discussed or determined and must not vote on any such matter or be counted in the quorum for the part of the meeting during which such matters are discussed. However in relation to discussions concerning the performance of duties of his or her office, the trustee in question shall have the opportunity to address the meeting and respond to any points of concern that are raised.

The trustees can affirm that these sub clauses have been adhered to. As noted, the role of assistant pastor (p/t) ended in 2022, and the current pastor’s (p/t) role will end in April 2025. The above mentioned clauses will enable the reappointment of any future paid pastor/s and enable them to also serve as trustee/s. In appointing new trustees, Section 10 “Appointment of charity trustees” and sub clauses (1) and (2) have been followed in the appointment of new trustees in addition to the first charity trustees. Before being appointed at a duly constituted trustee meeting, new trustees are invited to submit a brief personal statement outlining any relevant experience and interests that they bring to their role.

Employment changes during the year

The church pastor requested to step back from her role which was agreed to take effect in April 2025.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees SORP Para 1.51 In accordance with the constitution Section 11 “Information for new charity trustees” a copy of the current version of the constitution; and the CIO’s latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts are made available to all new Trustees. Additionally all Trustees are required to have a DBS, avail themselves of training in Safeguarding for Trustees, and are given a copy of the current Safeguarding policy.

The charity’s organisational structure & wider network with which the charity works SORP Para 1.51 Governance, HR, and safeguarding, and the oversight of our aims, object, purposes and finances, is undertaken by our trustees in line with our constitution and Charity law requirements. Membership of the

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CIO is as detailed in Section 16, and consists of trustees only for the time being. Trustee responsibilities, decisions, delegated powers, meeting requirements, procedures and record keeping are as detailed in the constitution Sections 4 – 7; 9 - 15, 17, 20 - 28. In relations to Sections 26 – 28 there have been no new rules or byelaws created, no disputes, and there have been no amendments to the constitution.

The LT work with the pastor in the oversight of our missional activities, ensuring these are in line with our vision and values, and directed at those whom we consider to be beneficiaries.

In terms of wider networks we are a member church of the UK Pioneer Network, itself a member of Churches Together in England, and we are also a member church of Horsham Churches Together.

The Statement of Faith and Mission as submitted originally to the Charity Commission has been slightly amended/approved to take account of our being accepted into membership of the Pioneer Network.

Relationship with any related parties SORP Para 1.51

Connect has been part of the UK Pioneer Network of churches since March 2022, and was accepted as a member church of Horsham Churches Together in June 2022.

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name: Connect: Southwater Community Church Registered charity number: 1193477

Charity’s principal address: c/o 32 Sloughbrook Close, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 5JD

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity:

Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted Body entitled to appoint trustee Rev Kathryn Jones Chair 10.2.2021 ongoing to April 2025 CSCC Trustee Board Mrs Tina Andrews 10.2.2021 reappointed to Feb 2027 CSCC Trustee Board Mr Iain Jones 10.2.2021 reappointed to Feb 2026 CSCC Trustee Board Mrs Fiona Lowther 10.2.2021 reappointed to Feb 2026 CSCC Trustee Board Mr Ian Johnston 18.10.2022 ongoing to Oct 2025 CSCC Trustee Board Mrs Rosemary Johnston 18.10.2022 ongoing to Oct 2025 CSCC Trustee Board

Corporate trustees: names of the directors at the date the report was approved: None/not applicable Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity: None/not applicable Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others: None/not applicable

Additional information (optional):

Name of Pastor: Kath Jones (ongoing to April 2025 )

Exemptions from disclosure: None/not applicable

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Annual Report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s):

Full name(s): Iain Jones Tina Anne Andrews Position: Trustee Trustee Date: 13 October 2025

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Connect Southwater Community Church RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR TrIE YEAR ENDED 31 December 2024 Rog1stor￿ Charlty- R•gl8tratlon number 1193477 Minister and Chair of Trustees Rev Kath jor￿ {to 30.4.25) Trustees Tina Andrews Rosemary Johnsion Fiona Lovrther lain Jones lan Johnston Approved by the Trustees on 11 Febnjary 2025 Chalr.. Trugtse.. 1015

ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 December 2024 Unrestri¢tfjd Rutrfcted Totsls thls Fund5 Funds Totsl$ last SECTION A a1 RECEIPTS Noto Offerin s and Tax recovered 41,143 41.143 32,829 a3 Bank interest a5 Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 7,823 48,966 7.385 7,385 15,208 S6,351 9,751 42,580 a7 {a7} SECTION B b1 PAYMENTS b2 Salanes and beneffts 29.528 29.628 1,339 29.197 2,654 1,841 207 b3 Donat￿n$ 1,339 Rent b5 Insurance 205 205 Loan re ments b7 Other payments TOTAL PAYPAENTS 4,072 36,150 6,357 7,696 10,429 43,846 8,953 42,852 b8 (b9) SECTION C NET RECEIPTSI{PAYMEwrs> c1 12.816 311 272 Total funds brought forward from last year c2 13,677 13,269 26,946 27,218 c3 Sub total c1+c2 26.493 12,958 39,451 26,946 Transfers and ad"ustmenls 4,174 4.174 c7 c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR (¢3+c4) 22,319 17,132 39,451 (¢8) 26,946 {c61 SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY." MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS these amounts are not to be Included In total rec•1 d1 Balance brou ht fowrd from last 373 d2 Offerin sIGrfts- received for extemal nisa 5.023 d3 OfferingslGifts - pass&J to extemal {￿nisatK* 5,(Y)O 373 d4 BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID (d1+d2-d3) 23 2015

3ECMON E Re8bl(tsJ fund$ it¢wkl bedeaty tr&lly¢xLJ t L￿trarry IIIIERPIAL ORGANISATJONS Connect and Pla 1.074 217 136 ¢3 1291 1.074 217 •12 Churchxcourts It¢ts browhtlorn•YdfrThm p•D• 2-toloL• column) 51351 Icn ¢6 39A61 Ic8 eYcHURC 11722 27,082 Crffibnu• on a ¥¢p•iate rf Ond tsrythe t￿14¥ fward TOTAL RECEIPTS TOTAL PAYWNT¥ SECTION F CLOSWIO CHURCH.CASH FITh￿ TrELD 31 C•8h In hwwj 39,451 r4 Othlrfurth SUB TOTAL. church actouni Totsl hehs ty Intwnai ¢Jgan￿￿x•l￿•( nr*tc4al frcqn {e12) 136 e11 le12 TOTAL CASH FUNDS HELD BYeHUACH 27.082 39,804 SECTtON G Al Ji-Dtr23 31-Detr24 Invaximer Land a Cknr Jrfs

DECLARATIONS Accountant I confimi that I have prepafed th8 ￿Cojnts frun the recayds of the ChLrth aThJ Ihat ihey irtlude all funds uThJer the contrd ofthe Trust8èS SHJnatu￿ ofAwurrtant N8me J(st4CS Address IA . Independent Examlnorf8 Rrf￿rt to tho Trust•os of Connoct Southwatv Communlty Church This Rewt ￿ on th• Clwrch Acc4yJnts for th ended 31 Oe¢•nb8r 2024 Ra•pectlv• r•spon¥lbllltle of Tru8t•o8 and Examlner Th8 chan￿S trustees are re$wn$ible for the preparalKm of the ￿0)uThts. The thwiLVs INSt￿ consi(kn that an audit Is not required fcf this year ￿)der 8eclM 144 01 Chani5 >Lt 2011 (Uie charit￿ Ac) 8nd th8t an independ8nl examinatson is ne8deLI. 1118 my resp)nsibilty to.. Examine Ihe acts￿nts uThJer Sth 145 of th8 ChanlRs * to follow the procedures said dcwn in tr gerwal Direction8 gNen by tho Chaflty Commission lundef *tion 145151{bl ol t￿ charrf￿ ktl, a￿1 4rf5

Basls of Independent Examinee$ R•port My eXaminatic￿ was ¢2rned tyjt in vrith genwal DIredi0￿ given tythe Ch81ty COMMI￿on. An examination indud8s a rev￿ ofth& 3c£ounling records kept ty the ¢knty and 8 uynparison of the at>x)unts presented vnth those ￿r¢I$. 11 also indud8s conshkntion of any unusual rtems or disdosures in the aLxounls, and seeking explanations from Ihe trustees Cor￿mI￿a any such mattw5. The pr(Mxlures undertaken do not provide all the eviden( that VKrtJld be required in an audit. and e4JnsequenUy t)0 okinion ts gNen as to whether the accounts present a Yrue aThJ fairf view and the re￿1 is limrted to tIM)se matters set out in the ststement below. Independent Examlnerfs Slatom•nt In connection with my examination, no matter has to my attenti(m {othwth8n Ihal disclosed bel￿n1'. {1} . to keep acoxJntig rer)rds in acuxdan¢e wilh 1J) of the Chafities Acl; . to yepaie aco)unts a¢xord ith the ac¢ounling rgoNds aThJ 0)M￿ with the ac(￿untIng requirements of Ihe Charrties Ad have not been me¢: c 12) to vthich, in ffly w"nion. atten￿n be wi lo wwblo a Fryer understsndlng of the acwunts to be reached. . Pl80s9 dolel8 th8 in th8 brackets Klh8y do not 8K4y apptyrtate ' Pl88se Cl￿10 as 8pprwiot6 Name Signaturs Rèlev8nl Profe881onal walrfKabJn or trfjty Address

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