HISTON BApthsT CHURCH Annual Report 2023 ## Pastor’s Report David encourages us to “ _Praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits_ ” (Ps. 103:2), and there are many things to give thanks for over this past year. - We saw the launch of our new Life Groups (11 in total) meeting during the week, in evenings and online. These seem to have been well received and have encouraged a renewed sense of teaching, fellowship and pastoral care amongst us. - Our sung worship on Sunday has seen a change of leadership and with this some new approaches, including a singing group and a Taizé service. These have been well received and have brought great participation from amongst the fellowship, - On Sundays we have journeyed through Ephesians as we reminded ourselves of the essentials of our faith; we’ve ridden the rollercoaster ride that is the Psalms as we considered how God is with us and for us in all of life’s ups and downs; we’ve spent time reflecting on the word made flesh in Advent and the postresurrection stories of Jesus after Easter and how the first church came into being and how Jesus commissions all of us to “go” and make disciples on our “frontlines,” wherever they may be. - We have continued to see new people joining us on Sundays and becoming part of the family. - We have continued to see community engagement through events during Remembrance Sunday, Christmas (including the Pudding event), Easter (including the egg treasure hunt), the Eco Festival and the H& I Feast week. - We saw the launch of the Warm Welcome Café which was attended by many people from our community, from young families, to the elderly, all of whom benefited from free hot food and drink and a listening ear. - Continued unity and outreach amongst the churches through the Light Party, Carols on the Green, Good Friday family event and Holiday Club. - We have officially become an “Eco Church” gaining our Bronze Award from A Rocha, and hosting an Eco Festival, drawing in many from our villages and further afield. - The list could go on! We also acknowledge, that along with the highs, there have been some difficult times to navigate for many in our church family. We’ve seen several deaths this year, as well as health issues and life-challenges. We’ve also had to say farewell to Rilla after seven fruitful years of youth ministry, for which we are very grateful. I would encourage you to pray for us as we seek to find her replacement and for the youth team as they continue to disciple and nurture our young people. Pray also for us as we explore ways in which we might better support and expand our children’s work too. Within all that is shared in the reports given here, I continue to sense the work of the Holy Spirit, drawing us closer to God and to one another, both as a fellowship and with the wider community, and making us fruitful. As we move forward into another year (with whatever it brings) let us continue to keep ‘our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.’ (Heb. 12:2) ## **Rev Chris Farmer** ## Elders’ Report As Elders we aim to meet with Pastor Chris every three weeks or so to: pray for God’s wisdom in all matters; review the spiritual health of the church; consider the future direction of the church; help Chris discern relevant sermon series and courses; review Life Groups; discuss members and non-members struggling with physical, spiritual, or other life issues and how we can support and encourage them. We also pray for one another and encourage each other. We meet with the Life Group Leaders each term to encourage and support them, as well as conduct annual appraisals for the HBC staff team and agree goals for the coming year. 2 Recently, we set aside a day to pray and seek God’s direction for our church. We thanked God for the many blessings we have received as a church body, and how God is using our gifts and talents within the life of the church to share His love in the community. We then discussed possible ways that we could be more effective for God’s glory and purposes. Please continue to pray for Pastor Chris, as well as the Elders and Deacons as we seek to faithfully serve God. ## **Jane Magowan, George Voyias, Bart Goncalves** ## Administrator’s Report It has been another busy year in the Admin Office, with much time spent on church bookings and invoicing, as well as the ongoing enquiries, phone calls, etc., the management of Office 365, and the continuing work on Data Protection. A lot of my time is spent on the church laptop, therefore I often work from home these days, but I can usually be found at church on Thursday mornings. I am part of the UK Church Administrators Network (UCAN), and recently met up for a meeting with other administrators from the local area. It was good to share and to hear what others are doing. We are hoping to meet regularly. ## **Church Membership** We currently have 130 Church Members at Histon Baptist Church. There were two new members in the year, and one member has died. We also have a number of new church associates who have joined our email mailing list. ## **Communication** The screen in the coffee area continues to work well for advertising what is happening at church on a weekly basis, and for special events which occur. If you would like something added to the screen it can be e mailed to me at admin@histonbaptist.org.uk ## **Bookings** Our extensive premises continue to be used regularly by the local community and various other groups from further afield, as well as by many church groups. The following is a list of groups that use our buildings regularly alongside our church activities. - **Church-based groups** Ark, Ten Sing, Youth Groups, Motivators, Explorers **External Children’s groups** - Rainbows, Brownies, Monkey Music **External Adult groups** - Day Centre, Pilates, Choir 2000, Slimming World, Country Market, Quartet Club of Cambridge, Moonlight Mandolins, Spurgeon’s ETM Course, SIM UK, Liberal Democrats, HI Friends ## **Data Protection** This year I have compiled a full list of what HBC data is held on personal computers, mobile devices, etc. and the next step is to get some of the critical data moved to the church’s SharePoint files on Office 365, which is a secure location with an automatic backup. ## **Keith Willingham** 3 HISTON BAPTIST CHURCH FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5th APRIL 2023 Charitable status.. The accounts presented refer to the fin*nci•l artii'ities of Histon Bapiisi Church. Jt ch8ritgble incorptsrnted organl$4titin {CIO}. eharity. no. 1195343. The assets of this charii!. were irnttsferred 5" April 2022 from charlt#ble tsnlnc0r￿rated &550Ciat¢d, charity 1130726. with the yme name of Histon B#pt151 Churcb. GENERAL RECEIPTS & PATr'MEwf ACCOUNT Receipts Sundas. offerings Standing Orders Gift Aid Refunds Donation5 for us¢ of premises Sundr%. Income Solar Panel Income Fund raising Chrislian Aid (&Kk Sunda>') Fund raising Iukrninian refugees) her fundrdising (appeals) No(¢ 2023 9.151.58 £ 112.050.56 £ 26.181.07 14.886.17 357.91 1.166.84 2022 £ 6.397.60 £ 115.513.50 £ 21.7?1.97 £ 13.863.50 £ 6,796.24 418.71 782.45 £ 12,388.71 1.386.93 Total Receipts £ 17S181.01 £ 177882.68 Pai'ments Ministrj. Mission Admintstralion Premises Total Payments £ 86.961.50 £ 43.790.57 £ 8.852.3? £ 104.)08.16 £ 243.912.55 £ 76.652.97 £ 43.221.94 £ 6.958.41 £ 39.350.28 £ I66,1￿.6￿ Net r¢c¢ipt$ for the yethr £ 48.731.54 £ li￿99.08 Transfers io Gen¢rJl Account Transf¢r5 from General Accounl £ 42.814.68 607.61 £ 3.112.13 Cash balan¢¢ st preTrious ve*r end C85h balance #t current year end £ 43.856.11 £ 17.)32.fA £ 29.827.29 £ 43,856.11 Histon 8aptlst Church Specrfic Purpose Account - Summary 6th April 2022 to 5th April 2023 TR*14SACTIONS £ Out90Sng ty•n•fer to G•nernl FurKI or tr•nsfer Inth Inc trarAlerfrMI General fund or tra￿l•f TAlthin th1• C•rrl•d Fop•Ard Il•sl yrl xp•ndltur• BalarK• General Re￿1￿• Avallable Interestlchar E$8entl#l ID £28.¢Ee 1 £0 £6.S84 89 £1,971.03 £21.947 C4 ,(o).c £12,003.19 £1,849.19 £65,lYJO. £121 Alloca¢ed Fund• an Fund Motlvators I Sock Su AJb•nl8 clfic Flmr fund TM HBC Youth Worker Church Ilkekend AVA Boil•r Fun's- Specific Purposes Barcl4y$- Savin85 Account E3U Deposit Accollnt Asset5 Held for Church's owil Iise Total Assets Liabllities Pension Scheme Liability Donations noi passed on io other causes {support for Ukrainian refikge¢s) Other Curreni Liabiliiie5 Total Ligbilities 17.332.64 3.435.1 399.46 £ 78.380.40 £1.8iO.(M)O.(K) £I,929￿7.61 £ 43.856.11 £ 19,306.19 3.874.59 £ 101.417.95 £1.730.(M)O.(M) £I￿98.621.96 15.500.( £ 25.2￿.(M} 7,744.(M) 15_SIM).IXI £ 32.944.(M) The accounts and siatement of assets and liabiliti¢s relating to the yearending 5th April 2023 art &$ approved on behalf of the Trust¢e$. Signed: George Voyias 3￿ June 2023 Signed.. Philip Ltat 3rf June 2023 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS Basi5 of 8ecounts These a¢counts have been prepared (m a'receiprs and payments. basis and in accordance with Se¢iion 133 Charities Act 2011. Ministr). 2023 £ 61,48?.92 £ 5.199.81 £ 5,135.97 £ 1.497.52 £ 3.444.80 489.50 £ 9.710.98 £ 86,961.50 2022 £ 47.055.83 £ 3.566.43 £ 3.3$4.50 £ 4.420.05 £ 2.1 ?8.83 £ 1.769.65 £ 14.357,68 £ 76,652.97 salarie￿PAyE Employer Pension Contribuiions National Insurance BU Pension Deficit Plan Minister Trnvel and Expenses Visiting Speakers Manse Upkeep Tolal Mlni$try Ili¢ Minister acts as one of the church's trnsi¢es and receives rernuneration and other benefits in Tespert of his service5 as Minister. including ihe provision of manse accommodation. Misyion (GeDtr*l Aecount) 2023 £ 1.146.49 £ 1.925.99 4.99 £ 6,607.00 £ 6,607.00 £ 6.424.00 £ 7,769.00 £ 7.200.00 £ 4.966.80 2022 Fellowship Youth 217.99 £ 1.355.17 Motivators Home Misshon IUK-wide) BMS Ilntemational Mission & Humaniwian Support) Albanian ch￿￿h Ukrdin¢ refugee sUp￿rt G¢nR8, John Hardm ick & Andj Henman Support Baplisi Union. Cambrid8e Youth for ChrisL Evangelical Alliance and IMer Subscriptions & Donations Christma5 Pudding event & Sundries Total mi￿10￿ £ 6,335.00 £ 6,375.00 £ 8,586.00 £ 7.744.¢)0 £ 7,200.00 £ 3.774.45 £ 1,139.30 £ 43.79&57 £ 1.634.33 £ 43221.94 Admlnl$tr*tloa 2023 £ I,(1)6.22 414.(M) £ 1,822.07 515.80 404.80 162.1)0 £ 4.5?7.43 £ 88SL32 2022 Prinitng. Photocopying, Staiionery and P05Tage Accounting Setvices Music Licenses AV equipment & Tnaintenance Soli¢itor's feo for CIO transition Defibrillator Mainl¢n4wce Colid Compliance Sukwlies. Bank Charge5 and Sundries Total AdministrAtion 558.93 692.64 £ 1.106.21 £ 1,150.98 £ l.(M)7.(Kl 162.00 £ 2 ?80.65 £ &948.41 PrtmRses 2023 £ 18,147.15 238.68 £ 4.870.99 £ 29262.72 £ 6,886.58 £ 27.745.78 £ 17206.26 £104J0&16 2022 Lighting and H¢aiing Waler £ 10.549.60 721.75 £ 4.309.66 Insurance Main boiler replacement Floor replacements Repairs & Renewals Cleaning. Catering, Gardening & Sundries Total Pr¢rniseJ £ 3.460.27 £ 20.309.00 £ 39J50.28 R¢s¢rvu Poll¢). S¢AtemtTht The reserves in all accounts ¥mounts to £99.547.61. The reserves policy of HI￿On Baptist Church is to hold six month5 of 411 expendi￿re in reserve. Assets H¢ld for ihe Chureh's own use The church is the beneficial owner (subject io the relv•nt mtsts daied 1902 and 1948) of the following assets. the legal titl¢ to which is held by the church's cusiodian trustee Iihe Bapiisi Union Corrw)ration Lidl-. Church premises ai s￿l0n Ro￿, Hision, Cambridge. CB24 9LN valued in the accounts * £ I.1X)o.(￿ based on our esiimaies Church manse * 2 Poplar Road Histon. Carnbrid8e CB24 9LN valued in the a¢¢ounts ￿ £8(K),OW based on our own estimate5 of reyl¢ values of similar properties in the lo¢alilV The churrh a150 owns fJxNres. fi￿l￿re and equiprneni with an insured value of approXim￿elY £30.000 Pension Scheme LiAbility The Church is an employer partittpating in a pension scherne as the Baptist Pension Scheme I'lhe Scheme"), which is administered by the Pension Trustee {BapTiSI Pension Trusi Lirnitedl. The Scheme is a separate legal entity and th¢ 455et5 of the Sohem¢ are held separattly from those of ihe EmPl￿'cr and the other participaiing emplovers. B¢n¢fits in respeci of service prior to l J#nuari' ?012 are wovided through the Defmed Benefit (DB) Plan within the Scheme. The main benefEts for pre.2012 service were a defined benefii pension of one eightieth of Final Minimurn Pensionable Incotne for each year of Pensionable Service. together with &Jdhiional pension in r¢5pect of premiums paid on P¢nsionable Income in excess of Minimum Pensionable Income. The Scheme. previou51J' known a5 the Baptist Minisiers. Pension Fund. stsrted in 1925, but was ¢los¢d to future accrual of defined b¢Defits on 31 December 2011. The Baptt5t Pension Scheme Trustees 155u¢d a reFK)rt daied 3 July ?O?O following ihe outcome of the Actuarial Valuation of the DB Plan as at 31 December 2019. The esiimated deficit in the Actuarial Valuation 85 at 31 Detember 2019 was £18 million. The Church 8nd the other ¢mpl0>'¢r$ 5UPPOrting th¢ DB Plan are collcclivel!" responsible for funding thi5 d¢fi¢ir. Allowing for the impact of th¢ Coronavirns pandemic th financial markets and other fafflors. the Baptist Pension Scheme Trustees have allowed a £1 O million dcterioraiion in the deficit and made a forecast deficii contribuiions would need w continue uniil June 20?6. Under th¢ 'Familv Solution. io reduce the reduce the deficit in the Ba￿]￿ Pension Scheme. the Bap(ist tinion contribuied £33m to the Baptist Pension Scheme in December ?018. (More ba¢kground at hii s'.IlwwM".ba 'Grou '305491.KFamil Solutbon.:,,Lx) The church made payments in res￿ of the DB 5¢heme deficit each month uniil July 2022 as 5¢t out in a Schedule of Ci)ntributions. Following sale of the debt. the chur¢h's Contributi￿s fell ￿ £ l.N) per month from August 2022, ￿ which poinl its deficit stood at £15.500. Independent Examlnerfs Report to the Trustees of Hlston bapti￿ Church I report on the account5 of the Church for the year ended 5 April 2023. Respecthe responslbllltSes ol tT¥JSte•s and examlner The charity's trustees responsible for the preparatitsn of the accounts. The charlty's trnstees consider that an audit 15 not requlred for this year vnder sectlon 144121 of the Charities Act 2011 Ithe 2011 Act) and that an Independent examination Is needed. It Is my responsibilty to: Èxamlne the accounts under sertion 145 of the 2011 Act,. follow the procedurEs lald down in the general Dirertions given by the Charity Commlsslon under sertion 14515llbl of the 2011 Act.. and state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basls of Independent examlner's report My examination wa5 cairied out in accordance with the general Dirertions 8iven by the Charity CommissSon. An examination includes a review of the actountln8 re¢ords kept by the charity and a cornparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also Includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the occounts. and seeking explanattrons from you as trustees conterning any such matters. The procedufes undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required In an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a -true and falr view" and the report is limited to those matters set out in the staternent below. Independent examlner's statement In tonnectlon with my examinatlon. no matter has come to my attention.. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that. in any material re5pert, the requirements.. to keep accounting records in accordante with sectiot) 130 01 the 2011 Act.. and • to prepare accounts which accord wlth the a¢countln8 records and comply wlth the 8ccountin8 requlrements of the 2011 Act have not been met,. or 2 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understandln8 of the a¢covnts to be reached. Tom Swan 3, June 2023 ## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Histon Baptist Church** I report on the accounts of the Church for the year ended 5[th] April 2023. ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act; - follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and - state whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of independent examiner's report** My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent examiner's statement** In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: - 1 which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements: - to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or - 2 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Tom Swan 2[nd ] June 2023 1