ANNUAL REPORT
31[ST] DECEMBER 2022
Life Church – Cuffley A Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Charity Registration No 1195425
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Statutory Information
Registered Address King James Avenue, Cuffley, Herts EN6 4LN Charity Registration Number 1195425
Trustees
William Wade (Pastor) Mrs Amanda Beeton Mrs Jennifer Law Mrs Anabel Hattrell
Property Trustees
The Baptist Union Corporation Limited Baptist House 129 Broadway Didcot Oxfordshire OX11 8RT
Bankers
Barclays Bank Cuffley, Herts
Independent Examiner
Mr R Hattrell FCA
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Annual Report for 2022
The Trustees present their Annual Report for 2022
Charitable Object
The Charity is governed by our Approved Governing Document which states that the principal purpose of the Charity is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the principles of the Baptist denomination to include the advancement of education, community service and such other general charitable purposes in such parts of the United Kingdom and the world as the Church shall determine. The Church occupies premises which are held by the Baptist Union Corporation Ltd as legal trustee with Life Church being the beneficial trustee.
Organisational Structure and Decision-making processes
Members of the Church are accepted in accordance with the Constitution.
The Members’ Meeting normally takes place up to four times per year. In accordance with the Constitution, the members appoint Leaders/Trustees who, together with the Minister (who is also appointed by the Members) are responsible for the day to day running of the Church’s work and witness, together with the financial and legal aspects of the charity. The Trustees are collectively known as the Leadership Team.
All members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objectives.
Relevant matters may be submitted to the Church meeting by the Trustees or may be raised by members in Church meeting for further consideration by the Trustees. Although the Constitution permits decisions to be made at Church meetings by appropriate majorities, the Church seeks to work by consensus wherever possible.
Objectives and Activities of Life Church
In order to achieve the principal charitable objective of advancement of the Christian faith, the Church adopts the principle of aiming to be a ‘HUB’ serving the local community.
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Activities and Achievements
The Church cannot measure the success of its programmes only in statistics. Less measurable areas such as; growing maturity in faith (discipleship); exercising of practical involvement and service and witness, are key in relation to the church’s prime charitable objectives. The Leadership Team/Trustees recognise that these areas can be difficult to measure.
Notwithstanding, a brief summary below supports the belief of the Trustees believe that 2022 was a positive year in the life of the church.
Public worship is central to the work and witness of Life Church. Regular worship is open to all and takes place every Sunday. There are also occasional services at other times which are announced during worship services, advertised through the weekly email Newsletter, and published on the Church website at www.lifechurch.uk.com
There is a full children’s teaching programme for all ages during morning worship services. The church seeks to be a friendly and welcoming community with a strong emphasis on young families. Anybody is free to attend our worship services with the Church being strongly multicultural. Our website gives more information about our work with children and young people.
Life Café, our multi-purpose welcome area where people could meet over a cup of coffee and cake has made an increasing contribution to the life of the Church. This refurbishment was meeting a fundamental requirement in fulfilling our mission to be a HUB in the community.
‘Life Café’ has become the HUB for people to meet in formal activity groups, or just get together informally. The Café is open Thursday and Friday. It also opens for special events. Looking forward our plan is for the Life Café to be open Tuesday through Friday and for special events.
Currently we have Art groups; Rehab groups for those in addiction recovery and toddler groups which opens daily during term time.
The community in Cuffley is also served by a group known as ‘Singing for Fun’. This group reflects the renewed national interest in choirs and singing. It meets regularly to practice for local community events. The group is run on a voluntary basis by church members who bring their teaching and music skills to the role.
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Attendance levels are now higher than before the pandemic shut down.
Discipleship programmes are held regularly for new and existing members. Internally developed training programmes are structured to meet the needs of particular groups.
Our Sunday morning worship aims to be user friendly with a clear structure. Modern worship songs together with clear, concise and inspiring messages take into account those with little or no experience of church. Consequently, we are seeing newcomers most weeks who hear of the church mainly through word of mouth. Most pleasing is the fact that we are consistently told by new joiners that Life Church is a very warm, friendly and welcoming church.
As part of its position in the life of the worldwide church, Life Church responds to requests and appeals for financial support both on a regular basis and as needs demand
We would encourage readers of this report who would like to know more of the work at Life Church Cuffley to visit the Life Church website at www.lifechurch.uk.com
All programmes are regularly reviewed to ensure their continuing effectiveness. We recognise that programmes can have a season! Where necessary, changes are made, or existing programmes replaced.
The Church has procedures in place to ensure that all people working with children and vulnerable adults are appropriately DBS checked.
Life Church is now a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. The Leadership Team/Trustees have read the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and are satisfied that the activities outlined in this Report clearly demonstrate that the charity is providing a benefit to the public.
We believe that 2023 will reflect continued growth and that Life Church will be able to pursue its purposes in 2023 with renewed enthusiasm and effectiveness. We are seeing a recovery in membership numbers together with regular baptisms which are an exciting part of Life Church. We are also seeing the increase in new attendees at worship services. Life Church is, in God’s grace, a growing part of the community in Cuffley.
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Finance.
Rather than rehearse finance position of the church we would refer readers to the Annual Report and Accounts for 2022 filed with the Charity Commission.
The core financial support for Life Church is the regular faithful giving by way of regular donations by bank transfer. This giving plus fund raisers supports the major financial commitments of the church, namely the support of our minister and the overall running costs of the church. Where capital expenditure is necessary, we have a significant capital balance to support us.
The Church has no debt and is financially self-supporting. We are totally reliant on goodwill donation from members and friends.
Life Church recognises the doctrine of the Baptist Union of Great Britain to which it is affiliated and is reflected in our Constitution as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. (CIO)
The Charity maintains a careful control over expenses.
Considerable benefit accrues to the Church arising from the work done in the various activities of the church by members on a voluntary basis as part of their Christian witness. Were it not for this service, our costs would be significantly higher.
The Leadership Team/Trustees have not agreed a formal reserve policy. No funds are in deficit, and it is believed that there are more than sufficient financial resources to meet all known expenditure commitments both at the end of the accounting period and during 2023. This will be under continual review as the Church pursues its objectives.
Further details on the 2022 audited financial results are available on the Charity Commission website.
These statistics point to the increased challenges and opportunities for the church to pursue its charitable objectives with even greater commitment and enthusiasm in 2023. We aim to make the Life Church even more effective and relevant to our local and wider community in the coming year.
Ufe Church Cufflev Statement of Financial ArtivIS For the year ended 31st December 2022 alnts Inwin8reswrce5 knd5 55.058 6.955 63.397 6952 Incoming reUlfrlTrthImab1è y¢s 25.127 25.127 13.719 Total incorne 1188 97.IdO Rewur¢es used 87529 87529 17.LK 17.( 104.537 104J37 110,230 IW,230 Totsi expenditure NetincrfftlltXpthts) j[C¢S bEfrye trnnsfer 16Sg (W56) (7.3971 133.liQl Tranrfer 18641 Other rend 8aiftsllcsse5 Nttm¢)¥ement infund5 econolrdtion oflunds Totrl funds broughtfcrward Total fuods wriedfordrd 110.0561 17.3971 133.1101 33,768 2.712 1712 &117.318 1.107.262 1.153,798 1.146.401 1.186.908 36.4Z7 1.153.798 Rèp¥esenie4 Lln¥estrScied Gener hjnd 3415 31396 ildin#fortr* Futyre 23n 237Z 2372 438 2274 2274 2274 Endowrnent L107262 L107.262 L107.262 1,11731 TM¥lund5 36A27 1712 L146,101 L153.798
life Church Cuffley Statement of Assets and Liabilities As at: 31 December 2022 273293 Beeh% Road Mar&e FurntLw4 Fthrs aThl Equiwntht 232 23J 2a219 2&529 701,8ZI Totsl 656.235 rday5 Oank 2372 In2 33,744 Tot 2372 In2 J3,744 3.061 3,061 2?79 1979 Tot 3.fl 4150.977 4SO.977 45Q977 450.977 444.025 PAYEINIC 729 729 28.772 28,772 Total 729 217n 28.772 Total Nettotal assets 34.055 237Z 1712 L107262 1.146,401 1,153,798 31396 72 1371 43B 2?7Z 438 438 StockFamHyFw Endowment 2274 1274 1.107,26Z 2,274 1,117.918 1107.262 Total 34m5 2372 2.712 L107.Z62 1.14Wi 1.153.798
Life Church Cuffley Note5 to the financial Statements For the year ended 31st DefflbeT ZOZ2 ddtessof theprirKipalofke I5jamesAw¥CUffnty. Hertforthwe EN64LPI. These fin3ntyal staten been prppawEd in FRS IOZ Tr ATh3ral WrUniStandard pplb in tt UK•xlthe Wbkol Irel30¢. 5temwrtofRecommend¢d Placticeappllc4bto e$ prn8th(0Unts in XcordanWIththe Rnancial Rwbnlstandd appk¥bleintl UKand Ilewb Ireland IFRS 1021 iawr41ies 5011P IFRS 10211 and ttlJwitie5Art201L The fjrsanoal statements ha departed frorn the Charibe5 {k£4)ts aFMI Re9tyts1 21))8 wtyiothe exrerkt ¥eQAdiO prOe a truearKlfar¥it. spartwehas Irm I0r¥the 5tstementofRecOmrrllded
Life Church Cuffley Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31st December 2022 .¢wndiIuan dwritatrAe ac1 indude5all Costs W1{1 th4rity ith urd¥tsking a¢llsthatrthe1
Life Church CufflLy Notes to the Financial Statsments For the year ended 3tst December 2022 Instruments are initialty recwNed atthearrwjunt re¢*iwth org•yable Indudirq aThy reL4ted
life Churth Cuffley Notes to the Flnanclal Statements For the year ended 31st December 2022 T•r•l Prkrfyear SL5y8 13,49) 59.267 GrftAid T4)1•1 6558 63397 Charitsble l£tNib 25.127 25.127 2&127 25.127 13.719 13,719 6.952 6.952 955 6.955 952 97.140 77,120 4L829 35267 35.267 27.929 missKGrantsnrf 9.793 &5 4s 3XIIO 42 5310 IL242 21318 53SI 21318 T•i•l ewhdlbjrt 87329 17.fA 104537 110,230 87529 17.C¥JB 104537 110.230
Lffe Churth Cuffley Notes to the financial Ststements For the year ended 3tst December 2022 45.185 91 120yiI 42.047 322 10,574 Pensim cosrs Isee fvxe7) Totsl 51all (4Mts 24.736 51943 Thechwch ksa amernberofthe BaplistunK Pens•Jn F. FOrseThes[eJlol2 (ontrilxrttsMsare paidon defined cortritrrtthn bw wiortoJarw2012 thElwyJoperaW ots a benefft ba. Qurln8the yearwe efined Cmtrlbution 4328 10.541 10574 Totyl offlounl ¢fnL4 4x1 Tearfd Totslwants to IrGtttukn 1Thr 5.201 1265
Notes to the Finanetal Statements For the year ended 31st December 2022 4LKI,LKQ 6&963 L142261 AtQVAI oltheyew .298 •.(0) 61 14Z Z61 • SL At it¥iMyoftr a434 410.439 17 22318 Atw4 ¢lth•y 744 462.757 273393 I(,( 29 701W22 23,219 67YJ04 3.1 2.669 310 3,1 2.979 Totsl .977 444.025 PAYVNIC 729 Totsl 729
Llfe Church Cuffley Note5 to the Finandal Statements For the year ended 3tst December 2022 28.7Ti 28,772 Jnd and EE R 33.768 1875ts1 36A27 fund nand intertsi F5 to sypwt EE L117Jl8 6952 117X*)81 1,107.262 438 Support Fund FlSUpr>rt 2274 2.274 Tolal FwK15aS LI53.798 97.140 11045371 1.146,401
TO THE TRUSTEES OF pages 7 to 15. Responslbilitie8 and ba8x8 of rePt As the charity trust of the TnL8t you are res1]e for the prep4ra170n of the accounts in accordan with the r84lllrts of Charltxos Act xni {-the Acf). I report in rwt of my examikwticm of trUnL$ carried outunder section 145 of the 2011 Actand in carryingout my exarniTlI0nI have followed all theapplthle Direrti0ti8 given by the Charity Convnion under tIOn 145(5)(b) of the ACL Basi8 of tttdependent Examinee8 Statement CommissiorL Anexamitsiion itdude5a review of the &cOuntingrrdS keptby thecharity and a comparison of theaccounts pr&Ènted with th(eord Italsoinckndes consideration of any unusual items or disdosurps in the unts, and seekins explanations from the eviden that would be Tquired in an audil and cornquenily opinion is given as to whether the COUnts presenta'tnle and fairf view and the reprt is limited to those matters set out in the statpment Ekn. I have completsd my examiMtioTh I confirni that no makrial matters have con to my l. 0ntIng rordS were rnt keptin rwof theTnt as rawired by ttOn 130 of the Ac¢ or the aOUnts do not comply with the applicatile concemins the fomi and content of accounts set out tn the Charitses (Accounts and Re[rts) Regulations 21Th other than my requirernt that the cOUThts give a'trne and fatr view which is not a matter CQDsidered as Fwrt of an indeFendent exaInitIO to which attention should dravrn fhis reE in order to a Pro understanding Riclwd W Hattrdi BA (Hons), FCA Cuffley Hertfordshire EN64