Annual Report for Blakelaw Community Church presented at the Annual General Meeting held on 13[th] April 2025 – Charity registration number 1203668 Address: Blakelaw Community Church Cragston Way Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 3SW
Blakelaw Community Church AGM – 13[th] April 2025
Secretary’s Report
The leadership team meets on Zoom regularly for fellowship and to conduct church business. We have held a retreat morning at the Shepherds Dene centre.
The final documentation for Blakelaw Community Church to become a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) was completed in October 2024.
Leadership Team
Elders: Bolaji Ismail Trustee Mark Sharman Trustee Ken McKenzie Trustee & Church Secretary Deacons: Theodora Ismail Trustee Jonathan Komba-Kpakoi Trustee & Safeguarding Officer Harry Lisgo Trustee Norma Lisgo Sandra Sharman Trustee & Treasurer
In January 2025 we appointed Norma Lisgo as a Deacon.
Pastoral
Elderly or unwell members are visited. Although we do not have house groups each member of the leadership team maintains contact with a group of members. We ensure that those who need it, have transport to and from church.
On the second and fourth Friday mornings of each month we have ‘Warm Space’ where anyone may come for refreshments and chat; this concludes with a short Bible study and prayer.
Worship and Preaching
Blakelaw Community Church continues to meet for Bible centred worship every Sunday at 11.00 am. Attendance varies between 20-30 adults and children. Bible teaching is planned and delivered by the Elders, with Deacons doing some preaching. Members of the leadership team and others assist in the leading of services.
During the past year we have welcomed guest preachers including Glenn Wanless a former pastor of Blakelaw Community Church, David and Wilma Lyttle - Mizpah Trust missionaries in Greece, Michael Bushby and Paul Gask from Christian Vision for Men. We have had three baptisms in September 2024 and regularly welcome visitors.
In the future the Elders will continue prayerfully to prepare the content of teaching as they guide the spiritual direction of the church fellowship.
Music for services is led by a small team of musicians and singers. We use traditional hymns and contemporary songs, some composed specially for the church. Holy Communion is held monthly, ministered by an Elder.
Children’s Work
We are really blessed by the children in our church family. Numbers may be small, but we have a few teenagers and a Sunday school for mainly under-teens. They are a blessing to us in many services, singing songs and reading poems as well as sometimes helping to take the offering.
Prayer
Blakelaw Community Church continues to have a focus on prayer. Meetings are held midweek taking the form of a Bible study or prayer meeting.
There are also regular monthly evening prayer meetings on Zoom.
Evangelism
Blakelaw Community Church took part in the Explore project, which aimed to put a copy of the Gospel of Luke into the hands of every householder in Newcastle. A small team of members delivered a copy of “Explore” to most of the houses in our district. Some doorstep conversations were enjoyed and because of the scheme, people from the community have visited the church. Very few households rejected the booklets.
Every Tuesday a dedicated team preaches and sings in Newcastle City centre frequently having meaningful conversations with members of the public. “Explore” booklets are handed out.
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Other events over the past year
In December 2024 we held a Family Christmas Service followed by lunch and a traditional Carols by Candlelight Service followed by refreshments, which were both well attended. Men’s breakfast - In the Spring of 2025 we held a Men’s breakfast with the guest speaker being Pastor John Webster of Vision Christian Fellowship based in Gateshead. It was a nice informal gathering.
Ladies lunch - A nice informal gathering was held in a member’s home. We plan to continue this in the future.
Film night – This was for the children and young people in the church.
Future objectives
We continue to be passionate about evangelism and prayer. We want to increase the congregation and engage with the community. We hope to begin some work with children and teenagers. One of our deacons is working to begin a Saturday children’s activity. We will invite more guest preachers.
We will continue to develop our Sunday worship and the city centre evangelism.
Finance report
The following notes were used to explain the accounts.
Future expenses - We will need to repair the roof which will be expensive. Children’s work will require funding.
NOTES ON UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS FOR BLAKELAW COMMUNITY CHURCH (CHARITY NUMBER 1203668)
1[ST] JANUARY 2024 – 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024
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Accounts were prepared using a receipts and payments system.
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During the year we opened two new bank accounts for Blakelaw Community Church CIO, – one of which is a savings account - transferring funds from any account associated with Blakelaw Community Church CUO or Blakelaw Evangelical Church to these new accounts.
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Income received (excluding transfers) increased from £11,599.27 to £13, 252.97 (14%). The biggest increase shown in FPI and cheque income. Gift Aid was also claimed, amounting to £512.51. Bank interest received was £198.92
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Expenditure overall was £18,342.66, (excluding bank transfers) compared to £23,560.52 in 2023 (23% decrease)
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Overseas expenditure
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a. Missionary giving decreased because we stopped supporting Pioneers from July and are yet to appoint a new Mission to support.
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b. The Christmas 2024 offering was shared equally between Operation Mobilisation, YWAM and TearFund.
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Other expenditure
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a. Publicity funded our participation in delivering Explore Books in the Blakelaw area and printing the banner and cards advertising Christmas 2024 services.
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b. £1,935.96 was paid in legal fees as we continued the process of becoming a CIO. In 2023 we paid £2,927.98.
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c. The footpath was extended (£3,960), chairs were refurbished (£630) and ethernet cable (£510) was installed.
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d. Electricity payments were still high due to paying for electricity used in 2023 but they decreased by 33%.
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Total of our bank assets on 31[st] December 2024 was £17,985.71 compared to £22,366.07 on 31[st] December 2023.
BLAKELAW COMMUNITY CHURCH 2024 ACCOUNTS – CHARITY NO. 1203668
| BCC Bank Balance b/fwd 31/12/23 |
£1,674.84 | BEC Bank Balance b/fwd 31/12/23 |
£562.50 | BEC Bus bank Instant b/fwd/31/12/23 |
£20,128.7 3 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | |||
| INCOME: | INCOME: | INCOME: | ||||||
| Cash Collectons | 6,469.12 | 6,440.94 | Transfer from BEC Bus | 10,000.00 | 0.00 | Bank Interest | 177.14 | 200.03 |
| Cheques | 3,054.85 | 1,622.30 | Transfer from BEC Bus | 1,040.87 | ||||
| StandingOrders | 1,200.00 | 1,200.00 | HMRC Gif Aid | 512.51 | ||||
| FPI | 1,223.60 | 657.15 | Transfer from BEC Bus | 3,197.90 | ||||
| Rent | 925.00 | 1,270.00 | ||||||
| Special Appeals | 227.70 | 274.88 | ||||||
| Other | 152.70 | 134.00 | ||||||
| Transfers into a/c | 2,903.37 | 0.00 | ||||||
| TOTAL INCOME: | 16,156.34 | 11,599.27 | TOTAL INCOME: | 14,751.28 | 0.00 | TOTAL INCOME: | 177.14 | 200.03 |
| EXPENDITURE: | 2024 | 2023 | EXPENDITURE: | 2024 | 2023 | EXPENDITURE: | 2024 | 2023 |
| MissionaryGiving | 1,920.00 | 2,220.00 | Transfer to BCC CIO a/c | 562.50 | Church: Improvements | 3,960.00 | 2,640.00 | |
| FIEC | 420.00 | 420.00 | Transfer to BCC Savings a/c | 10,000.00 | Church: Publicity | 0.00 | 240.00 | |
| Church: Insurance | 1,007.57 | 989.02 | Transfer to BCC CIO a/c | 1,040.87 | Church: PA | 510.00 | 2,986.91 | |
| Church: Telephone | 848.02 | 934.77 | Transfer of Gif Aid | 512.51 | Legal Fees | 895.09 | 0.00 | |
| Church: Electricity | 4,440.92 | 6,669.00 | Transfer to BCC Savings a/c | 3,197.90 | Transfer to BCC a/c electric | 700.00 | 0.00 | |
| Church: Water | 369.00 | 295.06 | Legal Fees | 0.00 | 450.00 | Transfer to BEC a/c | 10,000.00 | 0.00 |
| Church: Housekeeping | 600.00 | 680.00 | Licences | 0.00 | 169.00 | Transfer to BEC a/c | 4,238.77 | 0.00 |
| Church: PA | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||||||
| Church: Photocopier | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||||||
| Church: Repairs | 630.00 | 730.00 | TOTAL EXPENDITURE: | 15,313.78 | 619.00 | TOTAL EXPENDITURE: | 20,303.86 | 5,866.91 |
| Fire Extnguisher | 237.07 | 212.95 | ||||||
| Legal Fees(CIO) | 1,040.87 | 2,477.98 | BEC Balance at 31/10/24 | 0.00 | BEC BBI Balance 11/11/24 | 2.01 | ||
| Licences | 181.00 | 0.00 | ||||||
| Miscellaneous | 156.74 | 431.41 | SAVINGS ACCOUNT – BLAKELAW COMMUNITY CHURCH CIO | |||||
| Pastoral Gif | 40.00 | 0.00 | ||||||
| Postage | 2.80 | 0.00 | INCOME: | EXPENDITURE: | ||||
| PreachingFees | 220.00 | 0.00 | Transfers from BEC a/c | 10,000.00 | Transfer to BCC CIO a/c | 600.00 | ||
| Publicity | 223.97 | 175.00 | Transfers from BEC a/c | 3,197.90 | ||||
| Safeguarding | 150.00 | 381.50 | Gif Aid | 512.51 | ||||
| Shepherds Dene | 10.00 | 0.00 | Bank Interest | 21.78 |
BLAKELAW COMMUNITY CHURCH 2024 ACCOUNTS – CHARITY NO. 1203668
| Special Appeals | 150.00 | 235.00 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training | 60.00 | 0.00 | ||||||
| Website | 74.23 | 50.24 | ||||||
| Zoom | 195.47 | 172.68 | ||||||
| TOTAL EXPENDITURE: | 12,977.66 | 17,074.61 | TOTAL INCOME: | 13,732.19 | TOTAL EXPENDITURE: | 600.00 | ||
| BCC Bank Balance at 31/12/24 |
4,853.52 | Savings – BCC Balance at 31/12/24 |
13,132.19 | |||||
| TOTAL ASSETS 31/12/24 | 17,985.71 |