Connect Southwater Community Church Trustees’ Annual Report:
For the period:
From 1[st] January 2025 Period start date To 31[st] December 2025 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
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Generally advancing the Christian religion
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Educating people about the Christian faith
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Pastoral care, conducting religious ceremonies such as marriages or funerals
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Missional, evangelical, outreach activities and events
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Raising awareness of Christian religious beliefs and practices
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Promoting Christian ethical standards of conduct
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Promoting moral welfare/mental or moral improvement
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General charitable purposes
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Education/ Training/ Research
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Supporting an educational establishment or students
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Relief of those in need (age, disability, ill-health, financial or other disadvantage)
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The prevention or relief of poverty
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 2025 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 that 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 to deliver the many benefits that flow from our life together as a church. The three area of public benefit remain the same.
1. Connecting with others and building up community:
In this 5[th] year as a charity, we continued 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. We aim to be a missional church, with 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 we are 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 an outward focus, local and global. This Kingdom focused 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.
Our growing community links and activities such as the Community Fridge, Café Connect, Connect & Play, Connect & Craft (formerly Connect and Create), Young @ Heart, and Southwater Youth Project provide a range of 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, 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 serving, 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, helping to create a culture of vision, where as a church we expect to see the things of heaven touching earth, and growing 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:
This continues to be a significant part of our mission, and groups/activities which help us in providing this second area of public benefit are often also delivering on the previous benefit of creating community, and
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with different degrees of emphasis. These groups/activities help us develop a relational, missional, charismatic, and Kingdom focus. Key priorities are the provision of human resources through volunteers, and the provision of financial resources raised from internal voluntary contributions and fundraising, while ensuring that we underpin all our mission activities through prayer. Social welfare activities include:
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a) Continuing to help fund and provide volunteer support for Southwater Youth Project (SYP), a Christian ethos community youth work charity. Connect’s funding contributes around 6% of the Project’s core costs as well as core volunteers. Involvement with SYP helps us contribute to the spiritual, moral and emotional education and well-being of children and young people in our community, in our local schools, and the wider Horsham district. Until she retired, our lead pastor was able to work with the SYP youth worker in building up relationships with local schools. Three of Connect’s Trustees served as volunteer Trustees for SYP, two of them resigning during the year, leaving one Connect Trustee serving as a volunteer trustee for SYP.
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b) Young @ Heart, our weekly over 60’s group, provides a range of activities and continues to help ease social isolation and loneliness in older members of the community.
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c) Connect & Create provides friendship, conversation and creative activities for all, and actively fundraising for Connect’s funding commitment for SYP.
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d) Connect & Play, our weekly baby and toddler, parents and carers group, is an explicitly church group based on Christian themes, and continues to prove popular with those of faith or none. This helps break though the social isolation that can be experienced by young parents and carers, and gives us a space to make new connections with local families, teaching and speaking of faith in gentle and accessible ways, with the aim of building bridges to church e.g. through inviting them to come to special Connect events/services.
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e) Pop Up Monthly Community Fridge, set up by Connect and Horsham Churches Together as part of the wider Horsham Community Fridge, sees an average of 70 visitors and continues to be hosted by our Anglican friends in their hall, free of charge, bringing clear, verifiable ecological and economic benefits. In 2025 a total of 42 tonnes of food was distributed through Horsham Community Fridge. Less waste goes to landfill, free food is given without question, and volunteers from both Connect and the local community are working together for a shared cause.
We continued to collect goods for the local Food Bank, offering a wider, targeted support where needed. We also continued to raise funds for global Christian social welfare and aid agency Tear Fund, maintaining our links with Zeeshan, a Pakistani Pioneer pastor, helping his churches to provide sewing machines to enable women to set up their own businesses in a suburb of Karachi. There are ongoing threats to his life, and financial contributions were made to cover the costs of applying for residency in Italy. This wider context has served to make a deeper link with him, raising a greater awareness of our sisters and brothers in the persecuted church. We were deeply touched by the generosity of Connect members in enabling his successful application.
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, help us create a culture where we are building up healthy followers of Jesus and a strong church community, providing a common purpose, especially significant in drawing together members from a wide range of
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church backgrounds/ streams. We recognise the challenge to grow in all these core values but especially the call to be missional – this is part of the core meaning of our name, Connect, to help people see how God in His love connects to us in Jesus by His Spirit. 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. The LT are working to help Connect members to grow stronger and more confident in witness and evangelism, both through our 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 keyway 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 maintained our connections with the school this year, with members of Connect delivering RE lessons throughout the year including VE and VJ celebrations. We were also asked to assist with their SATS and gave assemblies to the other village primary school at Christmas. Being present matters, and so we continue to gather for worship 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 aim to offer a range of topics intentionally chosen and designed to help people grow in their understanding of Connect’s shared vision, mission and ethos. The LT would like to run teaching days, but holding a reflective/creative Away Day will be the priority in 2026, to enable people to have space to rest, reflect, and to soak in God’s presence and peace.
This year we focused on re-visiting the basics of Christianity, our Pioneer core values and lessons from the Book of Acts and Jesus’s parables to bring key teaching 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 share the good news of Jesus where we are. We continued to offer live zoom worship participation for a small minority of members until the summer.
Having reviewed our Christmas services and identifying a widening of our demographic as a key missional aim, we moved the communion and Carols by Candlelight to Christmas Eve, and the family service to the Sunday before Christmas where we saw participation from some of the children from Connect and Play. 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 2026 and beyond.
2025 has seen many changes to those who worship at Connect following the retirement of the Lead Pastor at the end of April. Aware of the destabilising effect of the change in leadership from a lead pastor to an unpaid shared leadership team, the LT are agreed that our primary aim had to be strengthening the depth of our community and relationships with each other, with God at the centre. People have joined our worshipping community again 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. In 2026 we hope that by growing our evangelism and witness – though it is great to have existing Christians commit to our mission, it is those who are “not yet” Christians who must be reached if the Christian faith is to advance as well as grow.
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We have therefore been pleased to see more people step up to help serve in our various groups. Of note was the team at the Village Christmas, especially those who engaged directly with members of the community which was, for some, well 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. One of the Connect groups hosted a Community Games Afternoon which attracted people who attend the Young at Heart Group, and we hope to build on this in 2026, by offering more community specific events by which more people can connect with us.
We continue to support, grow and develop people’s faith through the input of our 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 – two of the neighbourhood groups met fortnightly last year, and the third meets less frequently.
Spiritual leadership and oversight continued to be given by the lead pastor (p/t) until April when oversight of the church’s vision and mission became the responsibility the Leadership Team. Throughout the year members have been informed about and able to comment on key LT decisions and receive these and other essential communications via electronic means and in person on a Sunday.
Drawing upon Charity Commission advice and the Pioneers Governance Framework, the Trustees work alongside the Leadership Team to provide financial, legal, HR, policy, and charity governance, helping to complete our Annual Return and ensure it is submitted along with our audited accounts. Amongst other governance matters, the Trustees wrote and updated the following policies: Safeguarding, Health & Safety, GDPR, Complaints & Grievance including spiritual abuse and whistle blowing, Social Media, and a Volunteer Policy. Trustees agreed a pattern of policy review/updates, and a Risk Register is almost complete, with the annual Pioneer UK Impact Survey reviewed in February. Trustees also 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 ethos, we held three joint meetings throughout the year. The lead pastor helped to oversee and facilitate the process of transition, as well as the communication of its various phases to the church and indicated a desire to be as helpful as possible in the transition. The LT and Trustees agreed that 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 ethos and in the Word of God, a church that will operate from a shared leadership which sits within the heart of a church community and held within a wholly owned mission. Following discussions, the Pastor made the decision to worship elsewhere thus enabling the new leadership team to begin to establish themselves in their new roles.
Our relationship with the wider Pioneer UK Network continues to be important, providing 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
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leaders continues to study on the Pioneer Pathway leadership training course which the church has paid in full to be completed in the summer of 2026. We continue to value connections with local Pioneer Churches, 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 across the world in supporting other churches and their leadership.
Connecting with other churches where possible remains important to us and we continued to work with the 2 local village churches in delivering the annual Village Remembrance service together in 2025. We continue to be a member church of Horsham Churches Together, welcoming other local church leaders to preach from time to time and advertising events from across churches in the Horsham District.
We are not without issues or concerns to address – e.g. a growing yet ageing demographic, a hesitancy in giving public testimony or witness, and a tendency to see church as a place to receive, not a base out of which to serve and witness. Like other churches, Connect members balance multiple commitments, but we frequently see everyone present on Sundays. 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; in reality the fact that we are holding together means we are more diverse than some churches, and yet the diversity and difference is not divisive. There is a deep sense of hope, and a trust in God’s power and willingness to provide. Church social/fellowship connections are growing. Our prayer team is very active on WhatsApp although the monthly in person prayer has ceased for the time being. Engagement in our worship, our groups, and activities is growing. We are seeing people offering Godly words and pictures, and yearning to know His presence and hear Him speak. Perhaps most significantly, the desire 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 that 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.
Additional information:
Policy on grant making SORP Para 1.38
Trustee policy is to ring fence up to 10% of our income from general congregational giving as a mission fund, within approved Terms of Reference, and to ring fence any fundraising for our annual core costs grant to Southwater Youth Project.
Contribution made by volunteers SORP Para 1.38
Over the course of the year there has been an increase from 80% to 100% 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 additional donations given for one off requests.
Achievements and Performance
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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 greater understanding and ownership of our shared mission, with more members stepping up to own aspects of our life together, 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 prayer support, and in our worship, as well as bringing additional spiritual gifts and talents to our shared mission.
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 in its significant work with local children and young people by continuing to develop ongoing relationships with a core funder, the Parish Council, continues to be an essential achievement giving clear community benefit. Connect’s support for this Christian ethos charity is vital, and also makes a significant impact in terms of relationships with other community groups and individuals; for example, any potential antipathy towards a church or Christians is mitigated by our community focused reputation and our ongoing involvement and support of SYP and local young people. The public experience receiving a social benefit from a Christian ethos charity with no faith strings attached. Connect is up front about who we are and why we do what we do, and so our various contributions to the local community within and alongside SYP and other community/public service organisations is 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 a sense of shared mission, oversight and governance, and increases mutual understanding. Similarly, developing church Away Days are significant ways to connect with each other, and embed vision, mission and values. Activities/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.
Moving forward, Connect has an agreed task and impetus, namely to mobilise all our members both to understand, and to own our shared 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 vital 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
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To own and embed our vision, and build a secure basis for our leadership and mission activities, by exploring our mission and values through our worship, teaching, community activities and fellowship groups, and by maintaining ongoing connection with one another. This continued to be achieved through:
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The provision of worship, prayer and faith resources rooted in relevant preaching themes, equipping members with teaching content and illustrations weighted towards cultivating vision, enabling wider congregational reflection on our mission, while encouraging an openness to the Spirit, deeper connection to God, stronger commitment and wider participation.
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An emphasis on conversational/participatory worship to enable members to understand the many ways by which God communicates with us, and encourage an openness to the charismatic and prophetic, and a stepping forward into their own part in His purposes.
To establish and grow a committed, generous income base. This continued to be achieved through:
- Ongoing emphasis on whole life stewardship– offering back to God the life He has given us; regularly communicating the need for financial resourcing and celebrating its use.
Other objectives
To encourage meeting together in homes/as groups in public spaces. This is being achieved through:
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Café Connect - ongoing prayerful support, friendship and witness to God’s love in community
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Connect Neighbourhood Groups - all groups are now meeting regularly with a growing sense of purpose and missional ownership
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Women’s and Men’s Breakfast groups held monthly to encourage relationships with people within Connect
To create intentional, specific faith engagement with community. This is being achieved through:
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Building up prophetic, creative ministry within church e.g. in worship/prayer, and beyond.
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Encouraging wider involvement in team ministry
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Increasing our intentional faith presence in community events e.g. SJA Summer Fayre, Village Christmas event and hosting a table top sale
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Beginning to maximise connections: e.g.
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Connect & Play mums, dads, grandparents, and carers by a weekly Bible story and offers of prayer when appropriate as well as faith based seasonal gifts to the children
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Who Let The Dads Out – tracked through to 2026 as a potential task for Connect’s men. Community Fridge - other than informal relational interactions each month this link has not yet been built upon; ways to connect with volunteers/show appreciation to track through to 2026. Connect & Craft: conversations held throughout the year, the group continues to raise funds for SYP, but LT still need to discuss mission potential with the group - tracked through to 2026.
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Women’s and Men’s groups held monthly to encourage relationships with people outside Connect
Overall, as per the more detailed sections of this report, we received the prophetic word given us at the 2023 Pioneer Leaders Conference, that “ 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 this difficult year of change are equally encouraging and we are expectant for further growth.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set SORP Para 1.41
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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 £13,154. In addition, there were internal transfers of £4,500 to the Youthworker Fundraising Fund, £1,000 to the Mission Fund, this produced an increase in the accumulated balance from £22,319 at the previous year end (2024) to £34,473 as at 31st December 2025.
The main restricted fund, the Youthworker Fundraising Fund, had net receipts of £3,264 and a year-end balance of £12639 (£13,875 at 31.12.24), 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.
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, 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.
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The trustees took the decision to approve this paid role, and in 2021 structured it into 2 p/t posts. 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.
The Trustees can affirm that these sub clauses have been adhered to. As noted, the role of the retired Pastor (p/t) ended in April 2025. The above-mentioned clauses will enable the re-appointment of any future paid pastor(s) and enable them to serve as Trustees. 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’s Lead Pastor stepped down from her role at the end of 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 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, and there have been no amendments to the constitution.
The LT worked with the pastor until April 2025 and now have sole responsibility for 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.
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The Statement of Faith and Mission as submitted originally to the Charity Commission has been slightly amended to take account of our being accepted into membership of the Pioneer Network.
Relationship with any related parties SORP Para 1.51
Connect became part of the UK Pioneer Network of churches in March 2022, following unanimous votes at the Leadership Team and Trustees meetings, and agreed unanimously by worshipping members. We were 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 Feb 2025 CSCC Trustee Board Resigned Feb 2025 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 Resigned November 2025 Mrs Fiona Lowther 10.2.2021 reappointed to Feb 2026 CSCC Trustee Board Mr Ian Johnston 18.10.2022 ongoing to Oct 2028 CSCC Trustee Board Mrs Rosemary Johnston 18.10.2022 ongoing to Oct 2028 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
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): Fiona Lowther Tina Anne Andrews Position: LT member LT Member Date: 19/06/2026
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| ACCCIUNTS FOR THEYEARENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025 | ACCCIUNTS FOR THEYEARENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025 | ACCCIUNTS FOR THEYEARENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025 | Connect | Southwater Church |
Community | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Totalsthis | Totals last | |||
| SECTIONA | Funds | Funds | year | |||
| f | t | f | ||||
| a1 | RECEIPTS | Note | ||||
| aZ | Offerinqs and Tax recovered | 33.775 | 41.143 | |||
| Bank interest | ||||||
| a3 | ||||||
| a4 | ||||||
| a5 | Other receipts | 216 | 3,601 | 15,208 | ||
| a6 | rOTALRECEIPTS | 33,99' | 3,601 | 56,351 | ||
| SECTIONB | ||||||
| b1 | PAYMENTS | |||||
| b2 | Salaries and benefits | 10.658 | 10.658 | 29,528 | ||
| b3 | Donations | 920 | 920 | 1,339 | ||
| b4 | Rent | 2.265 | 2,265 | 2,344 | ||
| lnsurance | ||||||
| b5 | 206 | 206 | 245 | |||
| b6 | Loan repavrnents | |||||
| b7 | Otherpayments | 7,708 | 4,500 | 12,288 | 10,429 | |
| r8 | TOTALPAYMENTS | 20,837 | 5,42t | 26,257 (be) | 43,84( | |
| c2 c3 |
Totalfunds brought forward from lastyear NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS Subtotal |
(c1+c2) | 22,319 35.473 |
17,132 15,313 |
I,*-lt; l-rq-"1 |
|
| rA | Transfers and adiustments | 1.000 | 1.000 | |||
| 6g | ITOTALFUNDSATEND OFYEAR | (c3+c4) | ?4,4731{6,313 | 50,78G1(c8) | 39,4511 {c6} |
| INTERNAL ORGANISATIONS |
Ra.aints | Pavments | Net Receipts/ Prvmpntq |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ConnectandPlav | 1.03: | l.Jrz | (279 | ||
| ez | |||||
| c3 | |||||
| ]4 | |||||
| e5 | |||||
| eG | |||||
| e7 | |||||
| e8 | Sub totalo | lnlemal oroanisations tunds |
1,O3i | 1.31i | |
| Church aecounts {totals | |||||
| eg | brought forwerdfrom 2-totals column) |
Page | 37,592 | 26,257 | 11,33t |
| I(,IAL UAIH T(,NU' |
NELU | ||||
| BYCHURCH | 38,fi25 | 27,56t | 11,05t | ||
| ContinueonaseParat€sheet ifnecessary andbringthe |
TOTALRECEIPTS | TOTAL PAYMENTS |
|||
| ioials forward |
| Other receipts | 1,033.28 |
|---|---|
| TOTALRECEIPTS(to Receiptscol page 3inthe main accounts) |
| Other payrnents | 1,31I.76 | |
|---|---|---|
| TOTALPAYMENTS{to Payments colpage 3inthemainaccounts) | ||
| NETRECEIPTS(PA | (h3-i3) | |
| OPENINGBALANCE(to Opening bslancecolunsn page 3inthemainaccounts) | 3s2.93 | |
| Adjusfments(showanynegativeadjusfirentsin brackets) | ||
| balancecol. page3inthe main accounts) |