Hersham Baptist Church
Aim and purposes
We are a Church committed to following Jesus Christ by loving God and loving others. We gather together as a church on Sunday mornings to worship God, to pray, to learn from the Bible and to spend time together. Our worship service meets at 10 am in Cardinal Newman School hall. It is available on YouTube after the service for those unable to attend church for whatever reason.
Leadership
We believe that God leads the church, so we try to find out what He wants. We believe that anyone can serve in the church and so we encourage all our members to ask God what His will is for the church and what role He wants them to play in it.
We currently have a Lead Pastor, a Community Pastor and Trustees who take the main responsibility for running the Church. The Pastors are supported by a Leadership Team (Children & Families; Church Body Care - Social, One Parent Families, Elderly, Depressed; Church Outreach; Life Groups; Teaching, Discipleship and Acute Support).
We are a church for all ages, with a thriving children's church running each week. Anyone is welcome to join us for worship where we hope that you will find a warm welcome.
Children and Youth
We love having children and youth in our Church, and we seek to make church fun and engaging for them. They start in the Church Service for worship and then leave to hear the week's message in a form suitable for their age in the Church Building and Youth Centre on the same road. In addition to Sunday children's & youth groups, we also run a Friday morning Baby & Toddler Group, and our youth attend a fortnightly Friday Night youth group, as well as go away to the Newday youth festival in the summer with other churches belonging to the New Group and New Frontiers Groups of churches.
Our Sunday morning children's and youth groups take place during the 10am Service. The children join in the first part of the service for family worship before going out to their separate groups. We have 4 different groups for children aged between 0 and 16 years.
Values
'Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.' (1 John 4:8) We believe that God is love and that He showed this in the best way He could, by laying down His life for us.
Jesus explained that God expects us to love others in the same way. This means that we are to love God with all our hearts and minds and souls and strength, and to love other people just as we love ourselves.
We know that we have messed this up and failed to live in the way that God has taught us we should. By God's grace, we have said sorry to God and to those we
have hurt, trusted Jesus to make us new and resolved to live new lives for God. We still make mistakes and let people down. But we believe that God's Spirit is with us, changing us to be more like Jesus and enabling us to live the lives He wants us to live. In practice, this means we try to:
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worship God in the power of His Spirit and in truth;
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tell people the good news about Jesus;
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welcome everyone, whatever their gender, race, class or age;
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live generously and give ourselves to others;
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confront injustice and hypocrisy, and
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demonstrate God’s love by helping the poor and marginalised.
Objectives and Activities
The Trustees are committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our Church and to become part of our community. The Chair of the Trustees is the Lead Pastor, who, through the Leadership Team, maintains an overview of worship throughout the local community and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the local community. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer, scripture, music, and sacrament.
When planning our activities for the year, the Pastors and the Leadership Team have considered the Commission's guidance on public benefit and, in particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our church community through:
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Worship and prayer; learning about the Gospel; and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus;
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Provision of pastoral care for people living in the local community;
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Mission and outreach work.
Achievements and Performance
Worship and Prayer
All are welcome to attend our regular services. At present there are 64 adult and 38 children Members and 33 adult and 23 children who are regular attendees. The average weekly attendance was 88. The increase in numbers attending has meant that our Main Services are held in the local School Hall with the Sunday Schools using our Church and the Local Youth Trust buildings.
This year we have been successful in welcoming more families into our church – about 40% of Church Members and Regular attendees are children. After worship songs and prayers children and youth leave the service to go to one of the four agespecific Sunday Schools to hear the message in a manner relevant to their age.
Prayer
We believe that prayer is one of the most important things we can do. As we pray we find the heart of God, God brings us into line with His will, and He uses us to change the world.
Life Groups
Each week, we meet together in Life Groups, in person and on Zoom, to look at the Bible, share life and faith, and pray for one another. Each week, the proceedings are based on the Sunday’s Preach. We believe that these small groups are a great way to deepen our relationships with God and with each other.
Prayer & Worship Night monthly for our church, community, nation and our world and waiting on the Holy Spirit.
Women's Prayer & Fellowship monthly to pray with and for one another and for other needs around us.
Community Courses
This year, we ran a course for the local community on Making Christmas Wreaths. In the pipeline, we have courses planned for Ladies – Wellbeing for Ladies; and Menopause – with presentations by health care and other professionals.
We believe that as followers of Jesus we should show God's love by caring for the world and for the people around us. That is why we support a number of local, national and international charities.
The Church Building
During the week, the Church building is used by a number of local organisations: Breastfeeding Support Group run by health visitors from Children's Health Surrey; Hersham Village Society; HBC Baby and Toddlers Group; Surrey Circus School; Ballet; Jitterbugs; Pilates; Puppy Training and for birthday and Anniversary Parties.
Pastoral Care
Families
We think that supporting families is really important. We have many young families in the church and are passionate about making worship accessible for all generations. We have a lively children's church which runs during our Sunday services, and we also like to run social events for the church family, including regular Mums Connect meet-ups.
We regularly perform child blessing services to give parents an opportunity to name their children, to pray for God's blessing on them as they grow, and to promise to raise them in a Christian way.
We know that raising children is hard and that support from other parents can be really helpful. We run a Parenting Course aimed at parents of children aged between 0 - 10 to give parents a chance to support each other and to think about some of the joys and challenges that small children bring.
We also run a Friday morning Baby & Toddler Group to provide families in the community with a fun and safe environment to bring their pre-school aged children to play.
The Pastors visit church members who are ill or unable to attend Church at home or in hospital and also to celebrate Communion. The Lead Pastor contacts all Members once a month to ask them whether they have any specific prayer requests.
Church Lunch
On the last Sunday of most months we meet together after the service for a bring and share lunch and catch up with our church family and get to know new people. The occasion is also used to update Members on what is happening and, where needed, to vote on admitting new members, appointing Trustees, etc.
Mission and Evangelism
Alpha is a 10 week course all about exploring the Christian faith. It's free to attend and is a relaxed, low-pressure environment in which to explore the big questions of life.
Ecumenical Relationships
Good relations are maintained with other churches in Hersham. A joint service and March of Witness around Hersham village at Easter with St. Peter's, Church of England and All Saints Catholic Church. A joint service is held at St. Peter's on Remembrance Sunday, followed by walking to the local cenotaph with All Saints for a Remembrance Service on the village green.
Our Youth join King's Church, Walton-on-Thames, fortnightly for a joint youth club.
New Ground Family of Churches
During the year, HBC joined New Ground, which is a family of churches that are part of Newfrontiers. They are committed to raising leaders, impacting communities, planting churches and reaching nations. New Ground believes that God has called it to play its part in His Great Commission to see many churches planted across the world and to see communities transformed by the love of Jesus. The New Ground Academy exists to help churches grow Leaders. A number of Church members have attended Leadership courses provided by New Ground.
Newday is one of the largest Christian events for young people that takes place in the UK every year in Norfolk. Church children and their non-Christian friends attend Newday .
Village Community
During Lent 2023 we joined with the other Hersham Churches for Love Hersham. The aim of Love Hersham was to show love to our community by taking on a series of social action projects to serve our community. As churches we take seriously Jesus’ call to love our neighbours and we invited the residents of Hersham to join us in this exciting project.
Community Project Support: We host a weekly Breatsfeeding Support Group run by Health Visitors from Children's Health Surrey.
Annual Family Social Event for the Church Family and friends in Summer.
Mission Support
Humanitarian Support for Ukraine. One of our former church members is now living in Poland where her church is actively involved in supporting Ukrianian refugees, providing them with food, shelter and ongoing support, as well as taking care packages across the border into Ukriane. We stand together with our brothers and sisters in Poland and are supporting their work with Ukrainian refugees.
Charities and Missionaries we support regularly
As part of the Baptist Union of Great Britain we support Home Mission and BMS World Mission as they help churches and individuals to bring the love of God to communities far and wide.
The children of HBC give monthly to Compassion to support a child overseas.
We also support a number of missionaries working for overseas charities.
Men's Social and Fellowship evening.
We organise monthly Men's Socials, where men can enjoy an evening of games, food, and a chance to hang out together. The core objective of this event is reaching out to men outside the church so that they can make friends with us and with each other..
Financial Review
The church’s finances were healthy during the reporting year. We have a surplus of £24,596.49 this year, partly because of less building maintenance cost and increased offering.
Reserves Policy
We have a reserve fund for future ministry. The fund aims to enable the church to recruit full-time leaders and administrators. The current balance of the fund is £23,808.00.
Volunteers
We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our church the lively and vibrant community it is. There are 54 regular volunteers on the Rotas, supported by more who volunteer on an ad hoc basis.
Structure, governance and management
The Baptist Union Chartered Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Constitution sets out the method of appointing trustees. In a formal meeting, members vote in nominated members. Trustees must be members and have been Baptised by full immersion. The Lead Pastor is an ex officio Trustee. There are currently four Trustees.
The Trustees are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the Church, including how the funds are to be spent.
Administrative information
The Trustees usually meet bi-monthly with additional meetings when circumstances arise.
The Pastors are supported by a Leadership Team who have responsibility for Spiritual Wellbeing; Prayer; Worship; Children and Families; Church Body Care - Social, One Parent Families, Elderly, Depressed; Church Outreach; Life Groups; Teaching, Discipleship and Acute Support). They also have responsibility for Safeguarding and DBS checking.
The activities of the Leadership Team are reported to the Trustees by the Lead Pastor. The Trustees are supported by a Fire Warden
The Trustees were all appointed in November 2023.
Elected Trustees:
Stephen Hinde, Church Secretary Billy Chin, Treasurer John Forster, Chairman until 9[th] September 2023 ex officio Trustee: Phil Fellows, Lead Pastor, Chairman from 9[th] September
Hersham Baptist Church Balance Sheet as at 31-Dec-23
| Fixed Assets | 31-Dec-2023 | 31-Dec-2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manse | 674,000.00 | 674,000.00 | |
| Current Assets Lloyds Current Account CAP CAP CIO Debtors |
25,898.54 28,110.82 35,033.49 0.00 |
43,392.16 20,874.20 0.00 0.00 |
|
| Total Assets | 763,042.85 | 738,266.36 | |
| Current Liabilities Long Term Liabilities |
0 | 0.00 | |
Manse Loan |
588,993.20 | 603,993.20 | |
| General Fund Balance as at 1st January Excess Income (Expenditure) in Year Balance as at period Future Ministry Reserve Fund Balance as at 1st January Transfer in from General Fund in Year Transfer out to General Fund in Year Balance as at year end Gift Fund Balance as at 1st January Transfer in from General Fund in Year Gifts paid out in Year Balance as at year end Hardship Fund Balance as at 1st January Transfer in from General Fund in Year Gifts paid out in Year Balance as at year end Funds Represented Unrestricted Funds Designated Funds Restricted Funds |
40,458.36 24,596.49 |
22,604.91 17,853.45 40,458.36 23,808.00 0.00 0.00 23,808.00 0.00 9,490.00 -9,490.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 668,259.56 40,458.36 23,808.00 0.00 |
|
| 65,054.85 23,808.00 0.00 0.00 |
|||
| 23,808.00 0.00 4,751.00 -4,751.00 |
|||
| 0.00 0.00 360.00 -180.00 |
|||
| 180.00 | |||
| 678,036.05 | |||
| 65,054.85 23,808.00 180.00 |
|||
| Retained earnings/Manse Total liabilities and Equity |
85,006.80 | 70,006.80 738,266.36 |
|
| 763,042.85 |
04/02/2024
Hersham Baptist Church General Fund Income and Expenditure for the year to 31-Dec-23
| Hersham Baptist Church General Fund Income and Expenditure for the year to 31-Dec-23 | |
|---|---|
Jan Actual Feb Actual Mar Actual Apr Actual May Actual Jun Actual Jul Actual Aug Actual Sep Actual Oct Actual Nov Actual Dec Actual |
Actual YTD Total |
| Income from Giving | |
| Gift-Aided 3,924.00 4,145.00 4,781.00 5,915.00 7,849.00 5,702.00 4,515.00 3,872.00 4,134.00 4,971.50 3,945.00 8,765.00 Other 225.00 225.00 225.00 4,675.00 375.00 375.00 375.00 400.00 417.00 780.00 5,242.00 1,705.00 Small Cash Donation 59.10 793.75 400.15 209.35 663.85 179.25 438.45 240.60 503.23 739.29 704.21 1,156.47 Tax refund (Gift Aid) 16,461.76 One Off Transfer to 'Hardship fund' -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 |
62,518.50 |
| 15,019.00 | |
| 6,087.70 | |
| 16,461.76 | |
| 0.00 | |
| -360.00 | |
| Sub Total 4,178.10 5,133.75 5,376.15 10,769.35 8,857.85 6,226.25 5,298.45 20,944.36 5,024.23 6,460.79 9,861.21 11,596.47 |
99,726.96 |
| Income from Activities | |
| Church/Hall Use 2,497.41 1,872.24 931.50 1,902.50 1,406.00 1,266.50 1,385.90 1,009.50 1,724.00 2,550.00 628.00 1,711.60 Bank Interests 11.18 16.41 28.35 28.61 |
18,885.15 |
| 84.55 | |
| Sub Total 2,497.41 1,872.24 942.68 1,902.50 1,406.00 1,282.91 1,385.90 1,009.50 1,752.35 2,550.00 628.00 1,740.21 |
18,969.70 |
| Total (Inflows) 6,675.51 7,005.99 6,318.83 12,671.85 10,263.85 7,509.16 6,684.35 21,953.86 6,776.58 9,010.79 10,489.21 13,336.68 |
118,696.66 |
| Expenditure on Buildings & Facilities | |
| Repairs & Maintenance -102.00 -299.28 -37.95 -324.00 -140.00 -100.00 -64.95 -672.60 Cleaning, incl. Skip Hire -1,050.00 -130.00 -160.00 -130.00 -80.00 -150.00 -80.00 -88.05 -158.37 -80.00 -280.00 -100.00 General Equipment Purchases -197.97 -7.49 -11.97 -110.09 -7.98 -14.18 -1,441.00 -469.85 -807.27 -46.76 -253.94 -27.37 Insurance Premiums -1,252.39 -634.51 Lighting, Heating & Water -327.00 -277.00 -926.77 -864.48 -600.00 -550.00 -550.00 -550.00 -814.77 -550.00 -550.00 -846.53 |
-1,740.78 |
| -2,486.42 | |
| -3,395.87 | |
| -1,886.90 | |
| -7,406.55 | |
| Sub Total -1,676.97 -713.77 -1,136.69 -1,428.57 -2,080.37 -714.18 -2,805.51 -1,107.90 -1,845.36 -676.76 -1,083.94 -1,646.50 |
-16,916.52 |
| Expenditure on Administration/Operation | |
| Subscriptions & Licences -353.35 -81.49 -1,055.44 -70.97 -77.30 -169.05 -76.78 275.99 -705.65 -92.57 -92.33 -92.10 Printing Stationery Postage -6.44 -7.65 -2.60 -81.80 -17.79 Miscellaneous Expenses Incl. Refreshme -89.12 -7.24 -377.77 -13.73 -60.98 -23.56 -15.65 -54.28 -134.77 -45.64 -323.99 Adverts, Publicity & Web Site -81.00 -291.59 -642.06 -150.00 -235.00 -275.00 Hall Hire -220.00 -176.00 -176.00 -220.00 -220.00 -184.00 -230.00 -184.00 -184.00 -3,484.00 -184.00 -230.00 Contingency/Other -444.00 -492.00 -229.20 |
-2,591.04 |
| -116.28 | |
| -1,146.73 | |
| -1,674.65 | |
| -5,692.00 | |
| -1,165.20 | |
| Sub Total -662.47 -271.17 -2,134.21 -312.35 -297.30 -705.62 -332.94 -647.52 -1,603.72 -3,711.34 -786.17 -921.09 |
-12,385.90 |
| Expenditure on Mission | |
| Hersham Churches Together Courses & Studies -26.49 105.29 -12.99 -121.48 -29.41 103.00 -83.99 -26.54 -33.18 -57.18 Events & Outings -600.00 -400.00 300.00 -140.00 150.00 -261.42 -5.90 -1,699.51 -11.96 -533.38 -420.00 Outreach Expenses -84.63 -62.02 -153.07 -354.68 -34.21 -140.27 -448.42 -41.23 -192.58 -297.17 -26.87 -1,060.79 Child & Youth Work -118.63 -30.39 -52.40 -2.85 -32.47 -73.94 -112.56 -29.00 -99.24 -108.53 -112.09 Transfer in from Hardship Fund 30.00 30.00 30.00 30.00 30.00 30.00 Transfer from 'Hardship Fund' to 'Gift Fun -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 -30.00 Transfer to 'Gift Fund' -303.00 -53.00 -869.00 -203.00 -719.00 -203.00 -183.00 -699.00 -197.00 -432.00 -703.00 -187.00 |
0.00 |
| -182.97 | |
| -3,622.17 | |
| -2,895.94 | |
| -772.10 | |
| 180.00 | |
| -180.00 | |
| -4,751.00 | |
| Sub Total -1,132.75 -440.12 -774.47 -713.52 -635.68 -800.11 -779.29 -2,336.74 -514.53 -854.95 -1,404.96 -1,837.06 |
-12,224.18 |
| Expenditure on Ministry | |
| Minister Stipend & Employment Costs -2,544.02 -2,521.44 -2,574.52 -2,547.98 -2,677.70 -2,677.70 -2,677.90 -2,677.70 -2,677.70 -2,677.70 -660.27 -5,047.21 Minister Expense e.g. Travel Costs -150.00 -30.00 -150.00 -270.00 -30.00 -30.00 -31.50 -30.00 -304.01 -60.80 -42.30 -8.90 Manse Lease, Council Tax, Water Rates -1,787.42 -1,434.95 -1,518.45 -1,711.29 -864.45 -1,606.95 -1,607.30 -1,731.95 -1,731.95 -1,697.33 -1,450.18 -1,522.00 Pulpit Supplies (Speaker fees etc) -60.00 -60.00 -110.00 -195.00 -75.00 -190.00 -120.00 |
-31,961.84 |
| -1,137.51 | |
| -18,664.22 | |
| -810.00 | |
| Sub Total -4,541.44 -4,046.39 -4,242.97 -4,529.27 -3,572.15 -4,424.65 -4,511.70 -4,514.65 -4,903.66 -4,555.83 -2,152.75 -6,578.11 |
-52,573.57 |
| Unallocated Expenditure | |
| Unallocated Expenditure | 0.00 |
| Total (Outflows) -8,013.63 -5,471.45 -8,288.34 -6,983.71 -6,585.50 -6,644.56 -8,429.44 -8,606.81 -8,867.27 -9,798.88 -5,427.82 -10,982.76 |
-94,100.17 |
| Net Contribution BEFORE Ministry Tr -1,338.12 1,534.54 -1,969.51 5,688.14 3,678.35 864.60 -1,745.09 13,347.05 -2,090.69 -788.09 5,061.39 2,353.92 |
24,596.49 |
| Transfer in from 'Manse Fund' Transfer in from 'Lease Renewal Fund' Transfer out to 'Future Ministry Fund' Transfer in from 'Future Ministry Fund' Home Mission Grant |
0.00 |
| 0.00 | |
| 0.00 | |
| 0.00 | |
| 0.00 | |
| Net Absolute Contribution (Surplus/D -1,338.12 1,534.54 -1,969.51 5,688.14 3,678.35 864.60 -1,745.09 13,347.05 -2,090.69 -788.09 5,061.39 2,353.92 |
24,596.49 |
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of On accounts for the year ended Charity no (rf any) Set out on pages (rcmunt)cr to t1 rlljmDe of and¢>11 str) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charty (tthe Trusf) for the year ended Iljl. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trus( you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the a(OuntS in accordance with the requirements of the chariti.es Act 2011 (Ihe Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Trusvs accounts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination. I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Chartty Commission unaer se(xion 145(5Xb) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disdosed below ") in (x)nnection wtth the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the ac(x>unting records Independent examinerfs statement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in conne(*ion wth the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please elete the words in the brackets rf they do not apply. Signed: Date: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (rf any): A QCA FdloLQg Address: IER October 2018