Leominster Baptist Church
Etnam Street Leominster HR6 8AJ
Phone: 07480 065135
ANNUAL REPORT, YEAR ENDING 31[ST] DECEMBER 2023
Leominster Baptist Church, registered number 237434
1 Trustees and Church Officers at 31[st] December 2023
- Historically, the Trustees have been responsible for the property and those funds relating to it; Church Officers are appointed at the Annual Church Members’ Meeting with new Trustees recruited from among those appointed to be Deacons in accordance with the membership rules of the Church. Church officers (with the exception of the Pastor) are appointed from within the congregation. Deacons, Trustees and Pastor must be in full agreement with the aims and objectives and statement of faith and their spiritual life must meet the standards set out in the Church’s constitution.
Trustees
Mr. Jeremy Clark (Secretary to Trustees) Mr. Dean Burgis (Pastor) Mrs Jackie Kosciecha (Treasurer) Mrs Chris Rice Mrs Sheila Wilson Mr David Margetts Mr Trevor Dickerson Mr Jim Scott Mr Josh Marvel Mr Andrew Dale Mrs Marie Gittoes
Deacons Mr. Dean Burgis (Pastor) Mr. Jeremy Clark (Church Secretary) Mrs Chris Rice Mrs. Sheila Wilson Mr. Trevor Dickerson Mr David Margetts Mr Jim Scott Mr Josh Marvel Mr Andrew Dale Mrs Marie Gittoes Main Charity Contact Mr. Jeremy Clark
Pastor and other paid employees.
Dean Burgis continued as pastor and, during his holidays and Sundays off, the services have been led by church members or invited guest speakers from other churches. Marie Gittoes continued as Pastoral Care Worker and Hannah Harris as Children and Families’ Worker.
Leominster Baptist Church Annual Report 2023
Page 1 of 3
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2 Governing Document
Leominster Baptist Church is governed by a Charity Commission Scheme signed on 31[st] October 1879, which amalgamated a number of earlier deeds originating from the founding of the Church in 1656. An amended Constitution was introduced in January 2016 and ratified a year later.
The affairs of the Church are ordered under the Church’s Members’ Handbook, last amended in April 2022.
3 Aims and Objectives
Maintenance of a Protestant Meeting House in Etnam Street, Leominster;
Support for the Minister and for the poor of the congregation;
Endowment of a Minister for the above Meeting House;
Provision of a Manse for the Minister;
Maintenance of a Burial Ground;
Provision of alms-house accommodation for the poor of the congregation.
4a Fulfilment of Aims and Objectives: Property
The Trustees have met twice during the year. The Chapel, Manse, Alms-house and Graveyards have all been regularly inspected; any essential maintenance work has been undertaken.
The premises are loaned to other community groups and charities for which a charge is either made or waived at the discretion of the Deacons.
The tenancy of Marlow Cottage (formerly known as the Alms-house) is continuing satisfactorily.
The Trustees consider that they have fulfilled their duty in their care of the premises.
4b Fulfilment of Aims and Objectives: Church Activities
The four regular meetings of Church Members, including the Annual Church Meeting at which Church Officers are appointed, were held and records kept of all decisions. Deacons’ meetings were held at least once each month to implement Church Meeting decisions, to consider all matters relating to the well-being of the Church and individuals connected with it, and to provide leadership and direction for the Church.
The Church services and other meetings continue to be well-attended by a wide range of people of all ages and the Church functioned well in all departments throughout the year. The Church continues to engage with the community in a number of ways, including making its premises available to other voluntary organisations in the community.
The Church is strongly committed to supporting organisations that promote the Christian faith in this country and around the world and to humanitarian relief. Regular financial support is given to a number of such organisations and the Church is informed of their activities by visiting speakers and the supply of information.
Persons attending the Church offered themselves to a number of voluntary projects and shortterm mission trips with the active support of the Church.
5 Funds and Reserves
The Trustees and Church Officers have administered all the funds of the Church and are satisfied that they have been handled responsibly in accordance with the Charity’s aims and objectives.
The church accounts show that the balances held remain reasonably steady. Except for gifts for specific purposes, which are held as restricted funds until disbursed, the Church has fulfilled its policy of donating approximately 20% of its income to other evangelical organisations whose aims and objectives are consistent with its own.
Leominster Baptist Church Annual Report 2023
Page 2 of 3
The regular income of the Church is sufficient to cover expected expenditure and there are adequate reserves for any foreseeable contingency. Income was £142,084.04 this year, well up from last year. Income is expected to remain around this level in future years and reserves should cover nearly 3 years of a major fall-off in income.
Rental income from Marlow Cottage will be used to maintain the building with any excess being applied charitably in accordance with the Trust Deed.
6 Conclusion
The Trustees consider that they and the Church Officers have carried out their responsibilities in a satisfactory manner and that the Church is in a position to continue to actively pursue its aims and objectives in the future.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees: Jeremy Clark (secretary)
ASSETS OF THE CHARITY, 31[ST] DECEMBER 2023
Property in Etnam Street
| Property in Etnam Street | |
|---|---|
| (valuation is insurance re-build cost, 2023) | |
| Chapel and associated buildings, | £3,601,508 |
| Manse | £798,546 |
| Cottage | £368,560 |
| Associated Gardens & Graveyard | |
| Assets located in property in Etnam Street | |
| Antique Clock (insurance valuation 2009) | £16,611 |
| Organ (purchase price in 2006) | £12,080 |
| Computer and electronic equipment | £5,000 |
| (insurance valuation 2023) | |
| Machinery plant and all other contents | £61,889 |
| (insurance valuation 2023) | |
| Ford Transit 115 Minibus(15-seater, regd. 2010) | |
| Purchase price in 2017 | £9,500 |
| Graveyard in Newlands Drive, Leominster | £2,500 |
Leominster Baptist Church Annual Report 2023
Page 3 of 3
| Particular Baptist Chapel and Trust Property | |||||
| in Etnam Street, Leominster | |||||
| Receipts and Payments Accounts | |||||
| year ended 31st Dec 2023 |
|||||
| Receipts | Unrestricted | Designated | Restricted | Total | 2022 |
| Funds | Funds | Funds | Funds | ||
| Gifts/Offerings(inc Gift Aid Receipts | £118,873.18 | £118,873.18 | £104,854.10 | ||
| Special MissionaryCollections | £7,805.81 | £7,805.81 | £7,399.75 | ||
| Rent Received | £2,540.00 | £2,540.00 | £2,400.00 | ||
| Rent of Rooms | £1,270.00 | £1,270.00 | £1,550.00 | ||
| Miscellaneous Receipts | £3,391.75 | £3,391.75 | £457.42 | ||
| Legacies | £0.00 | ||||
| SundryYouth Income | £7,446.30 | £7,446.30 | £6,313.89 | ||
| Job Club | £0.00 | £0.00 | |||
| TRAC | £757.00 | £757.00 | £700.00 | ||
| £123,534.93 | £16,009.11 | £2,540.00 | £142,084.04 | £123,675.16 | |
| Payments | |||||
| Wages,National Insurance & Pension | £66,111.43 | £66,111.43 | £62,455.77 | ||
| Ministry | £8,342.84 | £1,600.00 | £9,942.84 | £10,925.44 | |
| Gifts to Missionary& aid Organisations | £24,694.12 | £24,694.12 | £14,909.57 | ||
| Special MissionaryGiving | £6,670.10 | £6,670.10 | £7,059.75 | ||
| Minibus(runningcosts) | £1,744.14 | £1,744.14 | £1,807.84 | ||
| Telephone | £217.15 | £217.15 | £251.50 | ||
| Printing,Postage & Stationery | £693.98 | £693.98 | £603.83 | ||
| Equipment | £1,765.99 | £1,765.99 | £4,688.13 | ||
| Sundries | £1,818.75 | £1,818.75 | £1,941.59 | ||
| Maintenance of Church Premises & Manse | £2,398.25 | £2,398.25 | £1,423.58 | ||
| Maint. - Marlow Cottage | £250.00 | £250.00 | £0.00 | ||
| Heat & Light | £2,591.88 | £2,591.88 | £2,445.00 | ||
| Council Tax & Water | £3,796.24 | £3,796.24 | £3,307.81 | ||
| Insurance | £3,083.60 | £3,083.60 | £2,426.97 | ||
| Fees | £1,333.10 | £1,333.10 | £1,092.28 | ||
| Youthwork Costs | £7,113.93 | £7,113.93 | £6,559.10 |
Page 1
| Job Club | £595.88 | £595.88 | £595.88 | £657.27 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRAC | £939.20 | £939.20 | £778.00 | |||||||||
| £119,187.35 | £14,723.23 | £1,850.00 | £135,760.58 | £123,333.43 | ||||||||
| Net IncomingResources | £4,347.58 | £1,285.88 | £690.00 | £6,323.46 | £341.73 | |||||||
| Fund balances at 1stJan 2023 | £36,183.21 | -£323.21 | £14,050.66 | £49,910.66 | £49,568.93 | |||||||
| Balances Carried Forward at 31stDec 2023 | £40,530.79 | £962.67 | £14,740.66 | £56,234.12 | £49,910.65 | |||||||
| Fund Balances as at 31 st December 2023 |
2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |||||||||
| Santander UKplc | ||||||||||||
| Church A/c | £18,919.97 | £13,037.10 | £12,431.35 | |||||||||
| Church Reserve A/c | £36,070.72 | £35,976.24 | £35,972.64 | |||||||||
| Church Youth A/c | £1,203.79 | £871.42 | £1,116.63 | |||||||||
| £56,194.48 | £49,884.76 | £49,520.62 | ||||||||||
| Cash in Hand | ||||||||||||
| Church Cash in Hand | £39.64 | £25.90 | £48.31 | |||||||||
| £56,234.12 | £49,910.66 | £49,568.93 | ||||||||||
| Accumulated Fund | ||||||||||||
| Unrestricted Funds | £41,213.62 | £35,860.00 | £38,181.65 | |||||||||
| Restricted Funds | ||||||||||||
| Special Missionary | £1,135.71 | £340.00 | £0.00 | |||||||||
| Job Club | £1,972.51 | £2,488.38 | £0.00 | |||||||||
| Deposit held re tenancy | £238.33 | £238.33 | £238.33 | |||||||||
| Marlow Cottage | £11,673.95 | £10,983.95 | £11,148.95 | |||||||||
| £15,020.50 | £14,050.66 | £11,387.28 | ||||||||||
| £56,234.12 | £49,910.66 | £49,568.93 | ||||||||||
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