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2024-06-30-accounts

CONGO CHURCH ASSOCIATION

REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 285760

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE 2024

CONGO CHURCH ASSOCIATION

YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE 2024 ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE CONGO CHURCH ASSOCIATION (CCA) REGISTERED CHARITY NO 285760, NOVEMBER 2024

The Congo Church Association, registered charity number 285760, is an unincorporated association governed by a written constitution.

Trustees

The Association's Chairman is appointed by the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Congo (Eglise Anglicane du Congo). Other trustees are appointed by the members at its Annual General Meeting. None of the officers or other trustees receives a salary or any other benefits from the Association.

The principal officers of the Association and their addresses are as follows:

Chairman Honorary Secretary Honorary Treasurer
Vacant Julia Dickens Paul Dickens
Hockliffe Grange Hockliffe Grange
Hockliffe Hockliffe
Bedfordshire LU7 9NL Bedfordshire LU7 9NL

Since the Association does not have a principal or registered office, all correspondence should be addressed to one of the above persons. The other trustees who served during the year were:

Elected (at 2023 AGM): Revd. Matthew Grayshon, Martin Jennings, Revd. Peter Wood

Co-opted during the year: None

Bankers: Bank accounts are held with Santander, 2 Triton Square, Regent's Place, London, NW1 3AN and with CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, Kent ME19 4JQ

Independent Examiner: Mr Anthony Williams, A J Carter and Co, Chartered Accountants, 22b High Street, Witney, Oxon OX28 6RB

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The Association’s objects are:

c) In partnership with the Anglican Church in the DRC and civil society there to promote and sustain schemes for peace and reconciliation, health, education and community development for the welfare and benefit of the population;

d) To relieve poverty among the clergy and former clergy of the Anglican Church and the widows and dependents of any such persons.

There being no Chairman at present, this report is from the Secretary

The Committee of the Association, who are also the Trustees, met 3 times during the year. All committee meetings were held on Zoom. The Annual General Meeting 2023 took place on 7th October 2023, both face to face and on Zoom. Bishop David Williams gave a thoughtful and informative talk on the need for continuing support for the Province, through prayer and personal contact as well as with financial support.

Other highlights of the 2023 AGM were:

  1. A decision authorising the Trustees to start the process of converting Congo Church Association [CCA} to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation [CIO]. In practical terms, this is a legal nicety, but it offers greater protection for Trustees, and is the Charity Commission’s preferred form for small charities like CCA.

  2. The General Fund at the y/e 2023 was insufficient to provide useful grants to all 14 dioceses and 2 provincial departments. The meeting agreed that there is little point in saving for a rainy day when you’re in the middle of a thunderstorm, and it was agreed therefore that the General Endowment Fund should be used for this purpose.

  3. It was also agreed that since funds are now so limited, and the pattern of theological training in DRC is changing, it would be wise to wind down CCA’s support for bursaries at UAC, over a period of 3 ½ years.

The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission in relation to public benefit in executing the activities of the CCA. Grants have been disbursed from the General Fund and the Restricted Funds for purposes that are in line with the Objects of the Association. The pattern of disbursing funds continued in 2023/24, notably awarding equal grants to the dioceses, to the Provincial Department for Evangelism & Christian Education [EvCE], and to the Provincial Youth and Children’s Department as well as 7 bursaries for theological education at the Anglican University of Congo [UAC]. In the light of the decisions made at the 2023 AGM, this will change in 2024/25 and onwards.

CCA’s grants support a wide range of activities undertaken by the Anglican Church of Congo [EAC]. Despite the challenges caused by ongoing serious insecurity, population displacement and violence, a remarkable number of ordinary activities have continued. For instance, CCA 2023 grants have supported the following:

Trustees carry out regular reviews of policies in line with Charity Commissioners guidelines on compliance. One outcome has been to improve the quality of accounting and reporting on the use of funds sent to DRC, and trustees have enjoyed several high-quality reports from dioceses on their projects. These have included not just details of expenditure, but also some wonderful

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pictures, stories, and videos of how UK funds are spent, and the difference your support can make. These are available to view on the website.

One notable decision during the 2023/24 year was that funds would no longer be held over for dioceses not applying for project grants in timely fashion.

A small number of Dioceses have not produced adequate reports for funds previously sent, and will not therefore qualify to apply for further grants until they do. Funds not distributed this year will be put back into the general pot and no longer held over unless there are substantial, and welljustified, reasons to do otherwise.

Restricted gifts provided, amongst other things, support for particular dioceses and ministries; a visit to the UK by Rev Bisoke (Provincial Youth Coordinator); the orphanage at Butembo; clergy families and orphans; youth ministry; and palliative care work in Aru Diocese.

Trustees have been exercised by the need to keep news and information up to date, and freely available. We are grateful to Judy Acheson once again for editing another wonderful newsletter.

We are grateful also to Nina Cooke who has been doing much work in getting current news onto the website. Keeping this up-to-date is a challenge, and both Nina and the trustees will be eternally grateful for any offers of help with the task.

Regular prayer points for the monthly Zoom Prayer Sessions are widely circulated and help to keep the Congolese story in the forefront of our minds.

CCA will continue to work in close partnership with the Anglican Church of Congo, encouraging prayer, interest and support for their vital ministries from our supporters. We know that EAC leaders will steward well the resources given by overseas friends, whether large or small. CCA Trustees are very appreciative of the ongoing generous financial support and interest shown by many over the past year, and we look forward to continuing this further in the coming year.

Julia Dickens, Secretary, on behalf of the CCA Trustees November 2024

Treasurer’s commentary on the accounts – Paul Dickens (Hon Treasurer)

Introduction

The purpose of this commentary is to explain and to amplify the Congo Church Association’s accounts for the year ended 30th June 2024. These accounts, which follow on pages 6 to 11, show the Association’s activities over the last year and its assets at the end of June 2023.

At the year end the balance of our General Fund, representing money which the trustees can use to further the Association’s objects, stood at about £34,088.28. £10,500 of this is earmarked for unpaid diocesan grants and we keep a reserve of £5,000 for emergencies. We are immensely grateful to all our donors.

The Association’s other funds can only be used for pre-determined purposes. A surplus or deficit on these funds, and changes in the value of our total net assets, will often result from timing differences between receipt and distribution of income.

Income

Almost all of the Association’s income (99%) comes from donations, with the remainder coming from investments and interest.

As in previous years, our donations fell into 2 main categories. Specific donations are those which can only be used for a pre-determined purpose which the donor has identified. Where there are no restrictions upon how a donation may be used, it is classed as general. General donations (£19,273, ignoring a generous £10,000 legacy) are the same as last year, and quite a bit lower than the previous two years.

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Income includes tax both recovered and recoverable from the Inland Revenue for the current financial year. Since we rely far more on donations than on investment income, the Gift Aid Regulations have proved very beneficial to the Association.

Expenditure

Almost all of our expenditure relates directly to the Association's objectives. A few specific items (such as payments of bursaries to the Theological Faculty at UAC (“UACThF”, previously known as “ISThA”)) are separately identified in the Income and Expenditure account. The remainder is analysed in Notes 2 and 6, which splits it between that which was met from the General Fund (Note 2) and that funded by specific donations or income from restricted funds (Note 6).

Where a donor has specified a purpose for which their donation should be used, then, so long as it is within the Association’s objects, it will be accepted and allocated to that cause. The largest item met from our General Fund is support for UACThF, but this is about to change. At the moment, we continue to apply the scheme agreed by the AGM in November 2012, as amended from time to time at subsequent AGMs. After keeping a £5,000 reserve, the funds available in General Fund will be applied as follows:- firstly to pay for 7 bursaries at the UACThF (but see later); secondly to be divided into a number of equal portions (the exact number has changed from year to year) and allocated in equal shares to the dioceses and certain Provincial Departments, who will be invited to submit proposals for projects where the funds available might be spent. The committee has discretion to include Congo Brazzaville and other areas as separate dioceses and to “tweak” the number and destination of provincial grants where appropriate. In this way, the dioceses are treated equally, and the Association can better monitor the use of its funds. However, the 2023 AGM decided that, as from 1 July 2024, the UACThF bursaries would be phased out by two per year. As our general fund income has diminished, the UACThF bursaries were becoming an everlarger proportion of our overall grants. Administrative and financial expenses remain at a very low level (under 1% of total income). The key items included under this heading are the fee charged by our independent examiner, and the costs of producing and distributing the newsletter (there wasn’t one during the current year). The newsletter is a vital part of the Association’s work, being one of the few means people have of finding out about the church in DR Congo.

Assets

Investments are stated at their market value on the balance sheet date (30[th] June 2024). The only investments which have to be valued as a result of this policy are those in the CBFCE Investment Fund. These investments have increased in value by about £1,727 as share prices have moved upwards.

Reserves

The statement of funds (note 6) shows how our assets may be used, the General Fund representing that portion which can be used for any purpose which falls within the Association’s objects. The Kisangani Clergy Children’s Fund represents shares and moneys deposited in CBF Funds on behalf of the Diocese of Kisangani, together with income on these investments. Income from the General Endowment is credited to the General Fund as in previous years. Interest received on the UACThF Endowment is used as a contribution towards our UACThF bursaries. This year the AGM decided to close the General Endowment fund to enable the Association to afford to continue to pay grants to the Dioceses and provincial departments.

The Bishops’ Pension Fund was for three particular bishops, who have themselves contributed to it. One bishop took his entitlement during 2015/16 and one during 2016/17; so only one remains entitled.

This Trustees’ Report was approved by the Trustees on 16[th] November 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

Julia Dickens (Hon Secretary)

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CONGO CHURCH ASSOCIATION YEAR ENDED 30[TH] JUNE 2024 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Congo Church Association for the year ended 30[th ] June 2024.

Responsibilities and Basis of Report

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act: or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

A P Williams FCCA CTA A J Carter & Co Chartered Accountants

22b High Street Witney Oxon OX28 6RB

…………………………………………….. 2024

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CONGO CHURCH ASSOCIATION ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE 2024 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES


Notes
INCOMING RESOURCES

Voluntary income

General Donations & Subscriptions
Other Specific Donations
Total voluntary income
Investment income – bank interest/dividends
Total incoming resources
1

RESOURCES EXPENDED

Charitable activities
Project grants to the Dioceses and
Province
UACThF Bursaries
Other UACThF support
Other donations
Admin/publicity/governance costs
3
Total charitable activities
2 & 6

Net incoming resources
Transfers
2
Increase in value of Investments
Total Funds brought forward
Total Funds carried forward		 2023- 2024
2022-2023
General
Restricted
Total
Funds
Funds
£
£
£
£
29,272.87
0.00
29,272.87
19,530.20
0.00
136,837.00 136,837.00
110,360.94
29,272.87
136,837.00 166,109.87
129,891.14
140.82
1,052.02
1,192.84
934.52
29,413.69
137,889.02 167,302.71
130,825.66
16,900.00
0.00
16,900.00
17,000.00
12,340.16
0.00
12,340.16
12,462.96
0.00
3,000.00
3,000.00
3,000.00
0.00
131,389.42 131,389.42
117,272.50
867.39
0.00
867.39
2,940.24
30,107.55
134,389.42 164,496.97
152,675.70
(693.86)
3,499.60
2,805.74(21,850.04)
18,639.09
(18,639.09)
0.00
0.00
0.00
1,727.17
1,727.17
617.68
16,143.05
41,362.81
57,505.86
78,738.22
34,088.28
27,950.49
62,038.77
57,505.86

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CONGO CHURCH ASSOCIATION ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE 2024 BALANCE SHEET



ASSETS
Investments
4


Cash at Bank and in hand
Current (CAFCash)
Deposit (CAFGold)
Debtors
5

Creditors - (independent examiners)
TOTAL NET ASSETS

STATEMENT OF FUNDS
Kisangani Clergy Children's Fund
Bishops’ Pensions
Gen. Endowment
Other restricted funds
General fund *
TOTAL
6		 30/06/2024
32,004.86


24,630.63


6,093.28
62,728.77
(690.00)
62,038.77
18,131.19
955.52
0.00
8,863.78
34,088.28
62,038.77		 30/06/2023
30,148.81
24,915.27
3,131.78
58,195.86
(690.00)
57,505.86
17,015.30
826.64
17,104.67
6,416.20
16,143.05
57,505.86

Approved by the Trustees on 16[th] November, 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

Martin Jennings (Trustee)

[The notes on pages 9 to 11 form part of these accounts ]

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ACCOUNTING POLICIES for the year ended 30[th] June 2024

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgments and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

a) Basis of Preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the second edition of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

b) Income Recognition Policies Items of income are recognised and included in the accounts when all of the following criteria are met:

c) Interest Receivable Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

d) Fund Accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the Charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the Charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for the particular areas of the Charity’s work or for specific projects being undertaken by the Charity.

e) Expenditure and Irrecoverable VAT Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

f) Stock

Stock is included at the lower of cost or net realisable value. Donated items of stock are recognised in income when the items are sold.

g) Debtors

Debtors and prepayments are recognised at the settlement amounts.

h) Cash at Bank and in Hand Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

i) Creditors and Provisions Creditors and provisions are recognised where the Charity has an obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.

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CONGO CHURCH ASSOCIATION ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30[TH] JUNE 2024 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

1. INCOMING RESOURCES

Income includes tax recoverable (but not recovered) from the Inland Revenue for the current year ( £6,093.28 ).

The aggregate of donations made to the Association during 2023/24 by its Trustees is £2,460.00 .

2. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES - GENERAL FUND

Grants for Diocesan and Provincial projects (new system) 16,900.00
UACThF – student bursaries and other support 12,340.16
TOTAL 29,240.16
Transfers from restricted/designated funds to General Fund:
General Endowment closure including accumulated interest 18,639.09

3. GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION COSTS

AGM costs
Financial/Independent Examiner’s fees payable (2022/23 year)
Independent Examiner excess over estimate
40thAnniversary event & Bishops’ UK travel
Newsletters and postage
Bank charges
Internet service provider & Webmaster
Gift Aid adjustment		 2023-2024

0.00
690.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
60.00
117.39
0.00
**867.39 **		 2022-2023
37.50
690.00
12.00
1,370.39
119.35
63.00
498.00
150.00
2,940.24

4. INVESTMENTS

CBF Church of England Deposit Fund
CBF Church of England Investment Fund		 2023-2024
£
10,450.02
21,554.84
**32,004.86 **		 2022-2023
£
10,321.14
19,827.67
30,148.81

Our investment in the CBF Church of England Investment Fund includes £9,607.84 held on behalf of the Kisangani Clergy Children’s Fund. The remainder is allocated to our General Endowment.

5. DEBTORS

Taxation recoverable
FY 22-23
Taxation recoverable
FY 23-24		 30/06/2024
0.00
6,093.28
6,093.28		 30/06/2023
3,131.78
0.00
3,131.78

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CONGO CHURCH ASSOCIATION ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE 2024 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
6. STATEMENT OF FUNDS
Restricted and Designated funds
Kisangani Clergy Children's Fund
Bishops’ Pensions
Gen. Endowment
Other restricted funds
Aru Diocese Gifts
Aru Theological Resources_(Note A)
Boga Diocese Gifts
Provincial Youth Office Gifts
Rev. Bisoke UK trip
Goma Diocese Gifts
Bp’s orphaned children education
(Note A)
Bp. Sabiti medical
DR Congo Displaced people
UACThF Gifts
Kisangani Diocese Gifts(Note B)
PEAC HQ in Kinshasa
Rev. Barozi studies
Rev. Gisore student studies
Bukavu Asst. Bishop support
Kinshasa Diocese Gifts
Kindu Diocese Gifts
Kalima Diocese Gifts
Katanga Diocese Gifts
Aru Computers
Aru Medical Resources(Note A)
Aru Service Medical Palliative care
Draru studies(Note A)
Service Medical (Aru)
Compassion Orphanage General
Chester Crisis Appeal (Note A)
General Fund(Note C)_		 Opening
Gain/
Closing
Balance at
Incoming
Expended
GF T/F out
loss
Balance at
01/07/23
30/06/2024
£
£
£
£
£
£
17,015.30
278.96
0.00
836.93
18,131.19
826.64
128.88
0.00
955.52
17,104.67
644.18
0.00
(18,639.09)
890.24
0.00

256.25
23,546.24
23,802.49
0.00
1,016.90
6,980.58
4,032.30
3,965.18
0.00
7,382.51
7,382.51
0.00
0.00
2,025.00
2,025.00
0.00
0.00
3,250.00
3,250.00
0.00
20.00
60,199.15
59,806.65
412.50
0.00
8,750.02
8,200.02
550.00
0.00
1,434.00
1,434.00
0.00
2,000.00
0.00
2,000.00
0.00
0.00
3,000.00
3,000.00
0.00
500.00
0.00
0.00
500.00
125.00
0.00
0.00
125.00
0.00
48.00
0.00
48.00
0.00
450.00
450.00
0.00
195.00
2,717.50
2,757.50
155.00
0.00
132.00
132.00
0.00
12.00
144.00
156.00
0.00
0.00
4,461.50
4,461.50
0.00
0.00
450.00
375.00
75.00
100.00
525.00
482.95
142.05
244.08
0.00
0.00
244.08
0.00
6,770.00
6,770.00
0.00
468.75
0.00
0.00
468.75
0.00
1,436.50
1,436.50
0.00
230.00
3,135.00
2,435.00
930.00
1,248.22
0.00
0.00
1,248.22
16,143.05
29,413.69
30,107.55
18,639.09
34,088.28
57,505.86
167,302.71
164,496.97
0.00
1,727.17
62,038.77

Note A Funds held back at donor’s and/or donee’s request

Note B Retained pending decision by donor as to how the money is to be used Note C General Fund balance of £34,088.28 includes £5,000 reserves and £10,500 in agreed but as yet unpaid grants.

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