**2024-25** ## **STANLEY ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH** ANNUAL ## REPORT ## INCLUDING ACCOUNTS Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. **1 Thessalonians 5:16-18** **Stanley Road Baptist Church is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation** **Reg. charity No: 1197276** **Presented to:** **SRBC CHURCH AGM, June 14, 2025** Slanley Road Baplist Church TRUSTEES. ANNUAL REPORT for the period I" April 2024 to 31 March 2025 Aknsand purposes The prinapal purpose of 5tanleyRoad Baptistchurth isthe a(hMKeMentoft￿ChrIstlan faith &eordingtothe principlesof the BaptFStdenomwiati(m. The (hurth maya￿advance education and carry out other charitable purposes In the United ￿ThgdOm and/orotherpartsof the The Trustees of the Churth seek to enc[￿rage and enable pe(ple to know God and worship Him. Imiilst we have regular attenders from rAtside Morecambe. our f(us is (m the communty surrounding our thurth buSldin& We aim to encourage a discipleship wthere faith grov￿ and is put into prartKe, with regular opportunrties for Bible stu￿. teachin& pr￿er, and Communion. The Trustees have considered the Commission's guidance on public benefft and, in particular, the 5peofK guidan￿ on charities for the advancement of reli81￿. We partmwlarfy ty to enable people to fve their faith as part of our local communty throuth 8roups Operatu￿frorn thurth and dravm from all age rarw and caterin8for all abiltties. To faulltate thIswo￿ It Is ImkKAttntthat we rna1nt￿ the buikJin8fabricof Stsnlty Road Baptist Cl￿rth. Worshi and Pra The church, its trustees and its members are keen to offer￿. faLilities and e￿￿ts throu8h the yearthat are enga8in& varied. meet indmdual needs and promote spiritual Wh. Our SurKlay momln8 8atheriry continue to be the hknli8ht of our ministy as a churdi. We have seen a conslstent number of wDrshippers through the year. ethnlc dibErW of m￿ecan￿)e thanges, this has been seen n our congre￿￿￿, with regular ￿ipperS nthv C(Kn1r￿ from O)ina, Ghana, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. We have several bell￿< baptlgn5 Ilned upfor Easter2025. sooutsKlethis annual rep(Kt. We dkl conduct the baptism of lan Smtth in his care home, just before Christmas 2024. Theteathlng on Sundays was led mainly byourpastor, Steven Hewi¢ with date DBS checks for those working with children. young people and/or adu￿5 at risk. We take training Serious￿ and have put on Safeguarding sessions, reviewed oursafeguarding policy and continued to implement a dear'appointmenv procedu￿. MeMbe￿h1 All are welcome to engage with the life of the churth. The estimated regular weekly attendano overthe year is between 70 and 80. At the end of March 2025. there were 92 people in membership. In the past year, 10 new members were added (Barbara Jasper, Debbie Bowes, Sara Barkes. Brian and Joan Robinson, Roland and Mary Webster, Terry and Jayne Connor, Gina Gaol; Three people were taken off the list, either because of resignation (Alan Parker, Margaret Parker) or as now attending another fellowship (Debbie Bowesl,. and anotherthree members IDerek Stillings, Barbara Mann and Doreen Tumerl died duringthe past year. Buildin maintenance andusa We have continued to maintain and manage ourthurth bulldln& We hired extemal contrattors to repair the k￿chen roof and roof furnlture. We took the slgnificant financial step of buying a Defibrillator for use in the churth. We have continued to discuss work on the church and hall. but have not moved forward signfficantrv. We continue to seethe foyer Spa￿ being used, bythechurch, mission partners and outside groups. There are the church prayer meetings; the LMDCDC client Christmas meal; and we hosted a vistt from our BMS missionary, GenesisAcaye. We again hosted a NISCU prayergatheringand an inter-churth gatheringto support the Open Do)rs charty. We hosted a contsrt, raising money for Cancer Research, in JU￿. We continue to see a number of communlty8roups hire our spats. Two theatre ￿Up5 use the churth spa for rehearsals, and several care agencies have held training sessions in the buildln& We also host c￿caSiOnal tivities from BEE Unique, supporting families with neurtrdiverse thildren. The k)cal Christian Light and Life mission and The Dan￿ Factory have now developed 50 they have their own buildings, but long-term users Slimming Wodd, Do8Trainin& The Bay Singers and the Bridge 8roup continue, as do birthday party bookings. These bookin8s have brought benefit to our communty as well as additional income. We aim to balan￿ the bookings wlth the fiexibility to use our space as we wish. Management of the building is led by the Twstees, with activitv led by Karl Wemer, ourbuildlngs manager. We employtwo cleaners lone sdf-employedl. Pastoralcare We continue to ty to care for those connected to the d)urch. There are several members who fuffil responsibiltties such as Communion for those who are housebound: vistting those not able to gather for worship; and hospital visits. House groups lor'Growth Groups'l are also a key place for pastoral care and we are grateful to those who open their homes regulady and prepare studiesto share wth others. We have taken some time this year to review how Pastoral care is delivered at Stanley Road. This review is ongoing but should lead to some results in summer 2025. We continue to use our pastoral fund to respond to crisi5 Situations thisyear. We also were ableto make grfts attimes of celebration. Our monthly Communion Servi￿5 at Woodhill H¢Juse have continued. We are sometimes invited to give pastoral care to residents, including at times of end of life. This is a real privilege. We also work wth Woodhill on a bi-monthly Carerfs Caféto support people who have, or have had, additional caring respjnsibilty. Mission and Evo elism The church continues to look outwards in various ways. We hosted three students from Capwrnvray during their outreach programme in Marth. This was a Suc￿sfUl time, particulaty with the d)ance to teath RE to each class at West End Primaryschool on one mornin& and a popular Trancake Partrf for local f3mifies. Trustees. Annual Report 2024-25. Stanley Road Baptist Church ReE/d charity number.. 1197276 I￿r reaularWedwdayoféaNrtinues to be an imkKxtrrt m of our mission strate8y. We have met people forthe first time thr(KI￿ this ministry vtho have B￿ne on to vA)rship regulaty with u& It works very well as a space for members to meet one arM)ther and deepen their relatior￿h1p￿ There is the optwjn of joining the re8ularGrowth Group and we have recethadded a'craft Comerf, which is proving popular. Easter and th17sti)w are our key times for communty ￿￿dgeMent. We had a very busy thristmas Eve carol Se￿Ice this year, and our mus￿lanS w) partI￿lar V¥Drked w hard wtth a ￿￿nderful programme of carols and perf0mlan￿ songs. We aLs0 got our Trnitteyg to make angebto we awayas Christma5 decoration& Oursthcds continueto becentral to frfe in ourc(Mnmunty and seekto ￿p￿t them as best we can. The listening swvice at West End Primary SdThl continues. pastor helps with teachin8 of the religDn curriculum at Sandylands, and tN)th San(￿ands and West End agai) seJ)t dasses to the thurth for a Walk Throu8h Easterf workshop ￿ Marth 2025, vthich v4entvery well. We keep in t0￿h wth P￿an Robinson. is a relatNely nehi member, and is now teathing in the Far East th Teath Be￿￿￿. And we ￿Ere blessed by a vi%t from our BMS fink Missi￿ry. Genesis Acaye. from Uganda. He shared ataSaturdayevenin£eNtnt asNNellas in a SLmdaymOminBse￿. We keep in contactbmth ourfomier a5SiStant pastor, Mark Youn& in his role ¥*ryth The Commurdty in Uandudno. ASVAI as seNingwithinthechurch. ￿eMberS h￿¥1)lunteered ￿￿thVarK)usor￿anlsat￿jn￿ indudingLMDCD West End Impact and Safe Families UK Besides our own outreach programmes. the churth supports several kxal tharities throuth our regulargivin& NISCU IN(rthem Inter-sthods christi￿ Union) helps local stho)1s Wtth teaching on the (hristian faith. Lancaster, More(ambe tknict (hurthes Dd* Cth offers advKe and a551Stan￿ with debt.related i55ue5. Ambossakn FfyJttMII has anoffte in our buildingand their ￿0, Martin Bateman, a8aln cameto thare on a Sunday MOMr￿ Morwwas rased atthri5tmasforthe BM5 Appeal fry matemty seThi￿S in Chad. Chwthes T Stsnley Road Baptist Churth is a mwiberof the Baptist unic￿ and the North Westem Baptist Association. We hold occasional events with Caton and Lancaster Bapt￿t thurthes. (￿r Pastor meets wtth other mlnisters in local and regtonal 8roups. He is part of the Morecambe Churcheg Forum, whKh meets sporadically. FinarK?al Revi Geneml(knNiew Our maln Source of Ir*ome continues to be the re8ular gfts of membets and friends of the thurch. In the accountin8 year, and donations totslled some £43.95& This represents a small increase on the previous year. Reclaimed tax. underthe GfftAtd kheme amountedto£15,7CD. Thisfi8urehasbeen somewhat'inflate(X as roughly half relatesto the 23124 year, but was been received into the accounts at the be@'nning of 24125. Asignificant income stream is provided by8r￿Psand oryanisations, payingrertal fee5for use of the premises which saw a 34% increase on last y&¥. In addttic>n to the Generdl Fund. we haVety￿ fund& Appeab income vlas received and passed on to BMS, 8￿5 Brigade and Christians against Poverty. Eh)nat*)ns, continueto be re￿iVed into the supportfund for Mark Young and the Li￿thOuse Community Churth. As of 31 Marth, the fund balance stands at £3,394. Prayerand Praisedonated £2CKlfromtheirfurKI, with £50gDingtoSamarFtans. RNU.WolfipK)odand Macmillan. Total General eXp￿rt￿ was £82,251. This represents an overall increase of 14% on last year. Admin and 'running costs were higher, but indude expenditure cffi the 'Church Weekend., Thts outlay was large matthed by income reCei￿d from attaldees of the event, meaning there V¥FS minimal net C05t All building related costs, induding utrfities. repairs and rerw)vakn5 saw overall 2CPA inuease. This was mainty due to sky hgh utilty bilts- particularty ga& A contr¥t for gas Supp￿ Commen￿ on l N)ri12025 and should mean a SI￿￿cant reduction in our bills. Repairs tothe kitthen rrx)f came to just under£3,LXKJ. Assets: The balance of accounts at Marth 31. 2025 were: Natwest Current and Savings Accounts £35.897; Natwest Cowan Bequest £2.857: B4tist Union Depost £30.(￿. This wes total monetary assets of £68,754, represented bythe fund ba[an￿$ below Trustees, Annual Report 2024-25. Stanley Road Baptist Church Re￿d charity number. 1197276 Funds: The General Fund increased during the year from £60,594 to £65,324. The Restricted Funds balance increased from £2,122 to £3,430 Reserves Pdicy: We have a minimum reseNe target of £30,CIJ). Our policy is to maintain sufficlent funds to facilitate six months, noti￿ for our Minister and the settling of any otheroutstanding financial commttments, before an Order￿ cbsure of the churth. should this ever become necessary. Sumrnary. The final 'cash' position at the end of Mard) 2025. is encouragin& Again, we acknowledge the faithful and committed wvingof members and friends. Use ofthe premises byoutside groups, is somethingwe welcome. Whilst providing significant, addttional income, it means that communty and fami￿ groups have access to good facilities. The Gift Aid scheme continues to prove 3 great benefrt to us. Looking ahead, the challenge posed by necessary repairs, renovations and improvements to our buildings, is very real and will almost tsrtainly deplete our reseNes in the next financial year. We are grateful to Gcd for His faithfulness in promdingfor all our needs duringthe past year and sowe press ahead. in faith and dependen￿ on Him. Volunteers We would like to acknowledge that ourchurch liFe is based largely on the dedication ofvolunteers who teath children, Supp￿ music, run the kitchen, maintain the buildin& attend to administration and finances. and overseethe pastoral care of 0urc0ng￿gatlon. Wethank eath one of youforyour k)ve, dedication and service. StnKture Governan￿ and Mana ement TheTrustees manage the church in accordance with ourconstitution {ao adopted OLtober2021}, and meet a minimum of 11 times a year. The average level of attendan￿ was 929& Trustees indudethe Pastor. who chairsthe meetings, with othersappointed fromthe membership atthe AGM of Churth Members. The appointment of Trustees is public, clear and open, enabling members to prayerful consider who should be appointed and with noti￿ of forthcoming elections. Candidates are nominated, and detted bysecret ballotof thechurch members. There isan opportuntyfor postalvotesto be made in advan￿. Referen￿and Adrninistrative detai15 Stanley Road Baptist Church. Morecambe is situated in Stsnley Road, Morecambe. The corresponden address is Stanley Road Baptist Churth, Stanley Road, Morecambe, LA3 IUP Tnjstee members seNingwithin the peri￿ April 1, 2024to March 31, 2025 are.. Minister.. Reverend Steven HewTrtt (Pastor, Chairl Elected members: Mrs Stella Walsh ISe(rtaryl MrAndrew Sadler ITreasurer) Mrs Denise Beal luntil June 15, 20241 Mrs Rosie Lee {until June 15, 2024) Mrs Sandra Todd Mrs Christine Betteridge (until June 15, 20241 Mrs Kath Johnson Mrjason Palmer Dr Robert Henderson Mr Robert Middleton Mrs Sarah Middleton Mr Matthew Bradley (from June 15, 20241 Rev. Mark Simmons lfromJune 15, 20241 Dedaratl(￿$ The Trustees declarethatthey have approved thetruste& report above. Signed on behalfof the chartwstwstees: Full name r)LEfoNJ TRUStEE TRUSTEE Tru5tees' Annual Report 2024-25, Stanley Road Baptist Church Reg/d charity number: 1197276 STANLEY ROAD BApn5fcHURCH ao 1197276. RECEIPTS & PAYmEP￿s FOR THE 12 MopifHS ENDING 31 MARCH 2025. GE14EIIAL FUND- UNREsTricfED months to 12 months to 03 RECEIPTS Grant ILCC Wami Spaces) OfferirE5 Donations & other irtome Use of p￿Mr5e$ Repayrnent from utilitEs l&)tsr Pardsl Ministry & Missvjn groups Gift Aid & Small Donations Bank & BU CO￿ Ltd fvffere5t 31 03 2025 450.C 43,511.36 7,237.10 12,451.96 1,581.65 868.07 5,047.30 557.75 43.958.20 7.113.44 16.691. 1.737.42 15.71M).07 1,321.10 86P81.23 71.705.19 PAYMENTS Ministry Ministry & Mlsslors Extemal Mission Admin Building ￿n0Vat￿)nS & upkeep 37.767.98 5.on.74 8.557.61 3,969.68 26,882.12 82251.13 4.730.10 60,$94.09 65324.19 35.632.44 3.743.25 7.895.77 2,755.65 22.265.15 72292.26 587_07 61.181.16 60￿94.09 SurplusI+l/Def￿k{-} Balano blf 1st April Balance df RECEIPT5 DonatKbn5 545. 1.790.56 Gfft Aid & Small DO[￿t￿)[*S 77.66 6Z2.66 I.7￿.56 PAYMENTS BMS. Boys Brigade & Christians N4ain51 Po¥erty Surplu5l+llDekitl.I Balance blf 1st April 557.IKI 1.819.97 65.66 29.41 29.41 29.41 UGHT HOUSE COMMUNITY URCH. M. . RESTrICTED RECEIPTS Donations & Legaaes Gift Aid & Small Donations 3.605.(K) 1.642.49 3.66￿( 401.47 5247A9 4,061.47 PAYMENTS 41AJ5. Jrplusl+llDeficrtl-I B31ance b/f 1st April Balan£e £lF 1.242.49 2,151.57 339&06 61.47 2,090.10 2,151.57 STATEMENTOF AND UABILMES Unrestricted Cash Funds ReStr￿ted Cash Fullds Non rnonetsry assets 65.324.19 3,430.31 £ 2,609,475.00 £ 2.678229.50 60594.09 2,122.16 £ 2,521,205.(K> E 2583,921.25 UABILtTIES Trustees. Annual Report 2024-25, Stsnley Road Baptist Church Regjd charity number= 1197276 NOTES. l. Two Gft AidlGASDSclaims were made and receNed duringthe 2024n5 finandal￿r. The first claim receNed in Aprll 2024 was In iespett of offeTin85 Teoi¥Ed in the prevknjs flnancial year. The second t￿lM was in Tespect offeriThes recel¥ed duringthe cuffent fina￿￿11 year up to 0110312025. 2. Non Monetary a55ets are refletted atthelr knsured valuÈ as at 24th June 2024 and are comprlsed of buMdln8s £2.514.470 and their contents £95.(X)5. 3. Expenditure Incurred in March but pald In April tOtsI￿d £2146.36. One cheque of £150 was issued in March but presented In Aprll. These transactlons wlll onfv reflect in the 202512026financkals lknal accounting notemployedl. The Receipts and Payrnents andthe Staterrent of Assetsand Ltsly"l￿es We￿ apwo¥ed ￿ a Trustees meetin8 held on May 6. 2025-. NED. the Accounts. l. The accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and PayrneTrts cash ba￿S as permitted by sectkjn 133 of the Charf(vès Act 2011 provided the Charws IrK0￿ ￿ not over£250 (KQ. and the Charsty COmm￿s1Oner8lllde1lne CC16 for receipts and payrnents accounting has been appllod. 2. The PfiTKipal acttyJntin8 p)liciesare'. ' Incorne Is recognized up)n rece￿ of cash orcash equfvalents to which the Charlty has ent￿￿rnent. ' Expendlture, Inclusive of Ir￿O¥erable VAT, ts reco8nlzed uFon payment of an Invoice orckim for whkh the Charlty has an obllgatlon to settle. The Charity has ￿gIstered for VAT. 3. Fund accountlng. General funds are unre5tTkted fund5 whkh are avalkble for usè at the dlscretlon of the T￿ts￿e$ In furtherance of the ge￿ra1 oblect4ve5 01 the Charty. Restrlcted fundsare donations whlch are to be used In accordance wlth speclfic ￿$trIctIonS Imp)sed by donors.. they I￿lUde th•nat￿n5 rece￿ from appeals lor s￿11￿ artivitie5 or project5. 4. The Trustees dld not recel¥e any remuneration. 5. The Independent Examlner wa5 not paid for the exarnlnatbjn. 6. No giants were recehed durlng year. •Mamlner's re rt tothe Trnslees ol Stan Road B Churth. l ￿POrt to the Trustees on my examinatK)n of the accounts of the aLKJve Charity I"th• TNSVI forthe year ended 311t March 2025. Res nsFbllltles and ba I As the Charity's Trustees. you are ts5ponsibltforthe preparntlon oftht tKcounts In accordance wtth the requlrements ofthe char￿￿$ Act 20111-the Arfl. I report in respect of my exarnination of the Trusvs accounts carried out under settion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrySng out my exarnination, I havefolbwed all the aPpItab￿ directlons given ty the Charrty Commissh?n under section 145lSllbl of the Ind ndent *xaThlner's stat• I have completed my exarnination. I tonfirm that Th) rnatefk?I matters come to my attentton Wtth the èxarnlnatkjn which gi¥es me cause to believe that in, ary matertal ￿5&￿rt. . the accountln8 records were Thjt kept in accordarKe with sertK)n 130 of tt* (tsrit4esAct; or . the accounts did not accord wlth the accountlng records,. or • the accounts did not compty wRh the ap￿t(al}le {equi￿rnents corKernlng thè fom and ttjntent of accounts set out In the Charf(ies (Accounts and Réwrtsl ReRulaNJfts 2Q)8 other than any rewirerneTrt that the acc(wnts tive a'true and falrf vlew whlch15 not a matter consIde￿d as part of an Independent examinatioft. I have no concerns and have come across ￿ other matters in connettion with the exan¥naiionto which attentk)n shouhj be drdwn in thss report In orderto enab￿ a proper undef5tanding of the accounts to te reached. nt rofesstonal al b¢yJle5 MAAT MaPS Address: 8 Lake Grove. Morerambe. LA44LH . April a 2025 Trustee￿ Annual Rewrt 2024-25. Stanley Road Baptist Church Re&ld tharity number.. 1197276