## **Oakridge Baptist Church** **Charitable Incorporated Organisation** _**The Family Fellowship**_ 43, Oakridge Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PH Tel: 01494 537478 (Answerphone) www.oakridgebaptist.org.uk Oakridge Baptist Church Charity Registration Number: 1197400 Registered Address: 43 Oakridge Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PH ## **Trustees** Mrs M A Rose (Pastoral care co-ordinator) (Appointed March 2022) Mrs A Irwin (Secretary) Mr P Rackstraw (Treasurer) Mrs A Sinclair Mr J Sinclair Mrs J Coombs Mrs S Dodson Mrs K Lucas Mrs J Joules Mr J Hollman Mrs P Hollman Dr D Reynolds ## **Property Trustees** The Baptist Union Corporation Ltd. Baptist House, 129 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 8RT ## **Bankers** Metro Bank, High Wycombe ## **Independent Examiner** Mr C Hanks **Secretary** : Mrs Alison Irwin secretary@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Treasurer** : Mr Philip Rackstraw treasurer@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Registered Charity No: 1197400** and Office: 43, Oakridge Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PH Members of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Central Baptist Association and The Evangelical Alliance ## **Annual Report for 2022** The trustees present their Annual Report for 2022 ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The Church is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and is governed by a constitution based on the Approved Governing Document for Baptist Churches. Members of the Church are accepted in accordance with the constitution which requires them to be or to have been publicly baptised on the profession of faith in Jesus Christ or following other modes of baptism to renew their public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. The members meeting normally takes place six times per year and has responsibility for the overall policy of the church. In accordance with the constitution, the members appoint Trustees, who together with the Minister (when in post), Pastoral Care Coordinator, Church Secretary and Treasurer (who are also appointed by the members), are responsible for the day to day running of the Church’s work and witness, and the financial and legal aspects of the charity. All members are encouraged to take an appropriate part in the spiritual and practical tasks involved in the furtherance of the charitable objective. Relevant matters may be submitted to the Church meeting by the Trustees for guidance or may be raised by members in Church meetings for further consideration by the Trustees. Though 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** 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. To achieve the principal objective, which is set out above, the Church provides a variety of activities both to its membership and to the community generally. The aim is to show the love of Jesus Christ in both word and deed and to bring people into a closer relationship with Him as living Lord. Central to the work and witness of the Church is the provision of regular public services of Christian worship. These services take place each Sunday at 10.30am with Communion being held one Sunday each month. There are also occasional services at other times which are advertised via Church notices, email, or text. The Church also has a website www.oakridgebaptist.org.uk. There is a children’s programme during the morning services. The Church has been blessed throughout 2022 through the weekly ministry of members and many other friends during a period of interregnum. **Secretary** : Mrs Alison Irwin secretary@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Treasurer** : Mr Philip Rackstraw treasurer@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Registered Charity No: 1197400** and Office: 43, Oakridge Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PH Members of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Central Baptist Association and The Evangelical Alliance The Church seeks to be a friendly community, and anybody is welcome to attend any of these services. The Church runs a series of Bible study groups for the growth of faith and discipleship, these are held at the Church and via Zoom. Further details can be obtained from the Trustees on request, or at the Sunday services of worship, The Church holds a Boys Brigade/Girls Association which meets in the Church premises on a Thursday evening during school term times. These sessions provide opportunity for young people aged between 5 – 18 to enjoy time together and to receive Christian teaching on a regular basis. The Church operates systems to ensure that all people working with children and vulnerable adults are appropriately vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Church collects, sorts, and distributes food to those in need in the local community on a weekly basis. The Church also hosts and supports the Community Fridge Project run by the Women’s Cultural Arena, which provides parcels of food and hot meals either eaten on the premises or taken away. A coffee morning offering a warm space, was started in November 2022, for the members and regular attenders of the Church to meet and share a time of fellowship. The Church is pleased to welcome fellow Christian groups, who use the building on a Sunday for their services of worship namely El-Bethel Tamil Ministry and a Bulgarian Church. The Church has read the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and is satisfied that the activities outlined above clearly demonstrate that the charity is providing a benefit to the public. ## **Achievements and Performance** The Church does not measure the success of its programmes only in numbers, including financial numbers, but also in less tangible areas like fellowship, encouragement and participation. The Trustees recognise that these are difficult to measure but believe that 2022 was a positive year in the life of the Church, and that it will be able to continue its mission purposes in 2023. At the beginning of the year the membership number was 45 but this had reduced to 38 by the end of the year. We welcomed 1 new member on transfer from a church in Portugal, having publicly reaffirmed her faith in Jesus Christ. 3 members died during the year, 2 transferred to another church having moved and 3 resigned as they had moved away but had not yet settled sufficiently to transfer membership. Average attendance at worship services remained steady during the year as did attendance at the Bible study groups. There were spaces in some sections of the Boys **Secretary** : Mrs Alison Irwin secretary@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Treasurer** : Mr Philip Rackstraw treasurer@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Registered Charity No: 1197400** and Office: 43, Oakridge Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PH Members of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Central Baptist Association and The Evangelical Alliance Brigade and Girls Association at the end of year, but advertising was taking place to try and fill these. The Church has been encouraged by comments made by members of the community about the positive part the church plays in their lives and particularly in relation to the food provision programmes that run. The church is also seen as a reassuring beacon of light to many in the community in a very multicultural, multi-ethnic and multifaith area. ## **Financial Review** The Church continues to raise the funds which it needs to carry on its activities from within its members and congregation. No wider public appeal was made for funds during the year. The basic income for 2022 was £40,369 which was slightly lower than the previous year, partly due to the limited income of the membership and the increased cost of living. The Church continued its financial commitment to the life of the wider church by making gifts of approximately £6500 to national and international organisations, societies and individuals, with Christian aims and objectives compatible with the Church’s own charitable purposes. The Church is heavily dependent on its members and congregation working as volunteers and providing resources in all aspects of its activities, many of which run with little or no impact on Church expenditure, but nevertheless contribute substantially to the achievement of the objectives. The increase in utility costs obviously impacted on the latter part of the year and the church is actively reviewing the situation on a regular basis to ensure we are signed up to the best tariffs. The full financial situation for the year is set out in annual accounts and balance sheets for the year. ## **Future Plans** The Church had a set of plans drawn up which involve demolishing the existing building and rebuilding a very different structure which would not only incorporate a functioning church and worship space but also a 3-bedroom flat for a minister and ‘pods’ which would be utilised for transitional housing for 13 residents. The food outreach programmes would also be accommodated. By the end of 2022 all relevant stakeholders had been identified and clarification of the exact specification was taking place with a view to pre-planning being sought in Spring 2023. ## **Reserves Policy** The Trustees have established a Reserves Policy to enable the Church to function effectively and meet its obligations in the event of a decline in our income or a major **Secretary** : Mrs Alison Irwin secretary@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Treasurer** : Mr Philip Rackstraw treasurer@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Registered Charity No: 1197400** and Office: 43, Oakridge Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PH Members of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Central Baptist Association and The Evangelical Alliance cost, however this may be set aside if the planned rebuild goes ahead. At present having considered the relevant risks of changes in income and expenditure the Trustees have determined that the appropriate level of reserves should be around £10,000. At the end of December 2022, the church had a working balance of approximately £20,000 none of which is restricted or designated. The Church has on deposit with the Baptist Union £665,555 (£500,000 being from the sale of the manse in 2022 held against the new build). The balance is from a previous legacy which will be used to offset the expenses of the new build. The legacy has no restrictions as to its use. **Secretary** : Mrs Alison Irwin secretary@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Treasurer** : Mr Philip Rackstraw treasurer@oakridgebaptist.org.uk **Registered Charity No: 1197400** and Office: 43, Oakridge Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PH Members of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Central Baptist Association and The Evangelical Alliance CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES 1197400 Recelpts and payments accounts CC16a F¢xth• p•rlod 10101r2022 To 3111212022 Section A Receipts and.payments Endty*m•nt nrf¥ Totsl fund• A1 R•c•l Rooffl H 270 125 161 Fund R￿￿1 totslfGmss inLXTh AR) fjA10 tsbl• 6A10 A3Pa 120 120 542 235 13 L￿hl +knatind FlY#￿r PDBty ar￿ TI￿phe•• Rfrylrs •nd Cleqnlr BIP￿&t Mlsthry wpp(¥t 13 945 J50 Sub tol•l A4 Awt •nd Inv••lm•ni •tab Sub 2&25 A5 Tr•n8f•r• b•iwMn lunds PIJ Cash funds la•i •nd Cash lund8 Ihls •nd is2 ££££ 1525 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the perio ÈnuowmÈnt fund• to MareBtt C31egories Details fvnd• trj nMwt£ fundi B1 Cash funds CCX< Rl a¢rA)Wts ISS) 19.625 21104r2023 68S.175 End¢)wm•nt tund• l￿dI rKI¥ D•tsii8 D•tall• 83 Inv•8tm•nt a•••ts D•tall* FWMI lo Cww•n¢val B4 Au•l• r•taln•d for th• ch•rlty'• own u D•taM• FyNll•t*fftt¢h *JnrMA*thJ• IVh•n d C1 Ltsbllttl•• Totsl au•ls10•8 Ilabilltl•8 885,575 D1 Capltsl accow 1525 5.575 Sh3n8d byone orb4D tr￿leeB on b8h811 of all the Ptht Na Dat8 of Toval Ithfvj 144 irnJ .*23 CCXX R2 acwjnty ISSI