2022-03-31-accounts

Eastney Evangelical Church

Report and Accounts Period ended 31 March 2022

1 Lamb's Passage, London EC1Y 8AB www.stewardship.org.uk

EASTNEY EVANGELICAL CHURCH

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE

Eastney Evangelical Church 21 Eastney Road Southsea PO4 9JA

GOVERNING DOCUMENT

CIO dated March 2021

CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER

TRUSTEES RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE CHARITY

1193860 Elizabeth Ogundele Gillian Rees Christopher Thomas

BANKERS

CAF Bank Ltd.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

Jaimée Young Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB

INDEX

Page 1 Pages 2-3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Pages 7-8

Legal and Administrative Details Trustees' Report Independent Examiner's Report Receipts and Payments Account Statement of Assets & Liabilities Notes to the Accounts

Page 1

EASTNEY EVANGELICAL CHURCH

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the period ended 31 March 2022.

Objects of the charity

The charity, which is a church, is governed by a constitution and is constituted as a charitable incorporated organisation. The charity's principal objects, as set out in its governing document, are:

(1) the advancement of the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith primarily but not exclusively within Eastney and the surrounding neighbourhood; and

(2) such other charitable purposes as shall, in the opinion of the charity Trustees, put into practice the Christian faith in accordance with the Basis of Faith, including but not limited to: the prevention and relief of need, hardship and sickness; the advancement of education; and the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare.

Review of the charity's main activities and achievements

This is the first Trustee’s Report where Eastney Evangelical Church has had the governance structure of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The CIO was registered with the Charity Commission on 18 March 2021, and the membership and accounts of the previous charitable trust were transferred to it on 30 June 2021. Church life was largely unaffected by this change, although a number of members of the charitable trust did not become members of the CIO, reducing the church membership from 36 to 31: it is now 27 due to deaths and resignations. The Trustees of the church remained the same, as the church eldership (Pastor Chris Thomas), and diaconate (Miss Gill Rees, Mrs Amanda Wallace and Mrs Elizabeth Ogundele) was unchanged. Trustee training has included a special session on Safeguarding, and a number of the Charity Commission ‘5 Minute Guides’.

As the period opened, COVID restrictions were in the process and prospect of being progressively and then entirely lifted, which did much to restore the life and fellowship of the church. We are grateful for the Lord keeping the church as a secure, if small, congregation and from this secure base, have recognised the need for us to become more of a church for the community. Worship and meetings were reconfigured during the period as follows:

· Morning Worship remained at 11 AM, with monthly Family Services. Refreshments were served more frequently, making full use of the new side hall configuration. A cafe style “Open Up Sunday” was successfully trialled, a format that will be reused. Word ministry has been from Proverbs and Revelation.

· 2 midweek groups (D Group) meet on alternate Wednesdays: the evening group now includes a meal which does much to build fellowship, and a morning group has started since January, meeting in the church hall.

· Desiring to meet the needs of the local community, the church has been opened as the “Eastney Roundabout Coffee Pot” on Friday mornings.

The Eldership Support trial initiated in the previous year came to an early end. Otherwise, the life and outreach of the church has continued in TeenScene, Women’s Fellowship, Messy Church, Home Visiting, Prayer Pulse, Sparks and Fusion as before, giving a rounded and full church program. It has been gratifying to see some attendees from groups designed to serve non-church people beginning to attend some other church events. However, we have yet to see substantial or committed engagement in regular worship, let alone conversion or church membership. Given this, Trustees recognise that we must give close attention to the future of the church which can only be secured by (preferably younger) Christians joining the membership, and taking leadership of the church. The Pastor has been in liaison with churches in Portsmouth and Southampton, as well as officers of the FIEC, and seminary/Bible colleges to meet these needs.

Page 2

The church accounts have shown a modest increase over the past 9 months, which is most encouraging. This is partly due to a large Gift Aid refund for a claim covering the previous 18 months. Reserves remain sufficient, well above the designated level of £42k. Susan Licence has been Church Bookkeeper.

Our links and fellowship with Mission Partners across the UK and the world have continued. The ministry and leadership provided by the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC), to which the church remains in committed membership, has been most helpful. The Pastor attends the One Body fellowship of Portsmouth churches. He remains a member of Portsmouth SACRE.

The church has known the Lord’s help and blessing over the past 9 months, but we remain aware of the great spiritual and social needs of local people, which we have been so restricted in meeting, and increasingly aware of our need to sustain the future ministry and mission of the church. We look to the Lord, and seek fellowship with other churches and Christian resources to help our needs, and the needs of those around us, for the sake of His Name.

In planning the activities the Trustees have applied the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy

The trustees have determined that the charity should aim to hold unrestricted cash of no less than £42,000 (which equates to about 6 months' of unrestricted expenditure) so that the charity could continue to operate should income and / or expenditure vary adversely. At the year end, the charity held unrestricted cash of £72,000 and the charity is complying with its reserves policy. This will shortly be reviewed in view of increased inflation, anticipated giving, and other future income sources.

Governance

Responsibility for setting policy and for making operating decisions rests with the trustees who meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. New trustees are recruited and appointed by a majority vote of the Church Members’ Meeting.

Responsibilities of trustees

Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year.

We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.

We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.

Approval

This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Christopher Thomas

Date: 06 December 2022

Page 3

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF

EASTNEY EVANGELICAL CHURCH

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Eastney Evangelical Church ('the charity') for the 9 month period ended 31 March 2022 on pages 5 to 8 following.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or

1. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.

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

Jaimée Young

Stewardship 1 Lamb's Passage LONDON EC1Y 8AB

Date: 12 January 2023

Page 4

EASTNEY EVANGELICAL CHURCH

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Notes Income receipts Donations Gift aid receipts Grant from Eastney Evangelical Church [Trust] Rental Income Hall Hire Interest Other Total receipts Payments 2 3 Total payments Transfers between funds 5 Net movement in funds Cash funds as at last year end Cash funds at this year end A Net of receipts / (payments) before transfers Grants paid in relation to charitable activities undertaken by others Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly	General Designated Funds Funds £ £ 35,365 - 11,045 - 71,694 - 8,765 - 455 - 9 - 249 - 127,583 - 44,900 - 10,475 - 55,375 - 72,208 - (199) - 72,009 - - - 72,009 - Unrestricted Funds	Restricted Funds £ 1,312 - - - - - - 1,312 - 1,511 1,511 (199) 199 - - -	Total 2022 £
			36,676 11,045 71,694 8,765 455 9 249
			128,894
			44,900 11,986
			56,885
			72,009 -
			72,009 -
			72,009

The notes on pages 7 - 8 form part of these accounts.

Page 5

EASTNEY EVANGELICAL CHURCH

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

A Cash funds Cash at bank with immediate access Notice deposits B Other monetary assets Gift aid due to charity Other debtors C Liabilities Falling due within one year: Taxes due Independent examination fee Accrued expenses Retention for McCann remedial work D Assets retained for charity's own use Freehold property - church Freehold property - manse Contents and equipment	General Designated funds funds £ £ 4,062 - 67,947 - 72,009 - 6,691 - 105 - 6,796 - 1,162 - 990 - 1,597 - 833 - 4,583 - Unrestricted Funds	Restricted funds £ - - - - - - - - - - -	Total 2022 £
			4,062 67,947
			72,009
			6,691 105
			6,796
			1,162 990 1,597 833
			4,583
			Value 2022 £
			647,915 368,533 44,697
			1,061,145

The trustees have used insurance values as the trustees are unable to reliably estimate current values; insurance values may differ materially from current values.

E Guarantees and secured debts

The charity has not given any guarantees and has not provided its assets as security for any liabilities.

The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf

by date Christopher Thomas 06 December 2022

The notes on pages 7 - 8 form part of these accounts.

Page 6

EASTNEY EVANGELICAL CHURCH

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

1 Accounting policies

The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects.

2 Payments in relation to charitable activities undertaken directly Employment costs Utilities Insurance Administration and support services Ministry and outreach activities Building maintenance and equipment Work among the young Governance and legal fees 3 Grants and gifts paid to others Organisations: OMF STEP(UK) New Life Church Barnabas Fund Organisations < £1,000 Individuals		General Designated funds funds £ £ 29,867 - 1,258 - 273 - 2,791 - 1,326 - 6,703 - 296 - 2,385 - 44,900 - 2,625 - 2,625 - 2,625 - 800 - 450 - 1,350 - 10,475 - Unrestricted Funds	Restricted Funds £ - - - - - - - - - - 250 - 373 888 - 1,511	Total 2022 £
		General funds £ 29,867 1,258 273 2,791 1,326 6,703 296 2,385 44,900 2,625 2,625 2,625 800 450 1,350 10,475
				29,867 1,258 273 2,791 1,326 6,703 296 2,385
				44,900
				2,625 2,875 2,625 1,173 1,338 1,350
				11,986

Page 7

EASTNEY EVANGELICAL CHURCH

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

4 Transactions with related parties

Chris Thomas served as church leader and was paid £29,868 [9m period] for serving in that capacity, not for serving as a trustee; these payments are permitted by the charity's governing document.

5 Movement of funds General funds Restricted funds Special appeals Total funds	Opening balance £ - - - - -	Receipts £ 127,583 127,583 1,312 1,312 128,894	Payments £ (55,375) (55,375) (1,511) (1,511) (56,885)	Transfers £ (199) (199) 199 199 -	Closing balance £
					72,009
					72,009
					-
					-
					72,009

Page 8