2025-07-31-annual-report

Covenant Love Church Registered Charity Number NIC100940

Annual Report & Statement of Accounts

For the year to July 31st 2025

ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR ENDED JULY 31st 2025 The Trustees for Covenant Love Church are pleased to submit their report and accounts for the period 1st August 2024 to 31st July 2025. Achievements and Performance

The Year in Statistics:

• 52 Regular Sunday Meetings incorporating worship, prayer, and sermons.

• Special services were held for Christmas Eve, Easter/Passover

• Midweek Bible Studies and Prayer meetings continued as normal.

• Additional zoom events were held with members and guests joining.

• The congregation is excellent at meeting needs by offering prayer support and practical assistance where appropriate both within Church membership and where and when able to do so to those outside in the community

• Scheduled days to equip people to live the Christian faith continue to be held including several leaders gatherings where between 70- 80 leaders from different Churches met together in CLC Church premises

• Several guest speakers joined us via zoom

• On going outreach into the community including and supply of hampers to homes and those in need at Christmas, baby dedications, funerals and weddings. A number of prayer cloths have been distributed to people needing restoration of health.

• This reporting year also saw participation in men’s breakfasts and hosting ladies meetings.

• Pastoral care to local community demonstrating the love of Christ, including prayer for sick and visitation continues.

• Visitation of congregants housebound and in a nursing home was made.

• Covenant Love Pastors continued to be available for weddings, funerals and baby dedications. This included the funeral of one of our elderly congregants.

• Development and maintenance of friendly and cooperative relations with other Churches and ministries remains a valuable priority as in past years. Including use of our facilities midweek by one church pending their relocation to new premises.

Meeting Schedule

We continue to gather twice weekly, Sunday mornings and midweek Wednesday evenings, to meet the ongoing spiritual and practical needs of the congregation and pray for the needs in the community. During these times we have felt the additional benefit of after service socialising with light refreshments where relationship are strengthened and needs of people better understood. We have found that this more ‘informal’ aspect indispensable to the health of the Church’s body life.

Impact

The Church continues to have a valuable presence in the community making a positive contribution to the lives of those in the area as we provide spiritual guidance and emotional support to the unchurched in times of difficulty or everyday life. Our approach remains flexible to reflect our resources and membership. The Church’s presence is welcomed by the community even by those who do not attend regularly but just to our special events. It remains a valuable point of social contact and our members frequently stop to chat to familiar faces from the local community. It is noted that even though our community neighbours do not come to Church they appreciate our presence which has a very positive effect in the local area. During this last reporting year pastoral support and encouragement was continued to be given by members to a local family over a number of months during a long awaited court trial following the murder of their loved one in 2019. The trial finally concluded November 2024

Membership

There are approximately around 30 people that form part of our growing Church life together.

Assets

The Church rented it’s property at £800 per month with no increase from previous year. Assets are minimal and include around 100 or so chairs, sound and music equipment, 3 computers with 2 printers, 2 vacuum cleaner, cutlery and china. Combined value remains around £5000. Sound equipment may be upgraded in 2026.

Maintenance and use of Building

Remains the Landlords responsibility. In good and serviceable repair. CLC rented premises comprise the ground floor of King Building divided into a sanctuary, a hospitality area and a quiet room. Highly adaptable in its use. Two of the three gas boilers will need to be replaced in 2026.

Financial Review

Expenditure for the year was £30,603 compared with £29,589 the previous year. The year concluded with cash funds of £-488 compared with £-161 the previous year. Donations were £30,276 compared with £29,598 respectively for the previous year. A full breakdown is included in the Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31st July 2025 provided by the Independent Assessor, A Burton & Co included in this Trustees Report. No major risks identified and no concerns registered by the Independent Assessor The Churches Financial Policy complies with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011, the Charity Commission guidelines “Internal Financial Controls for Charities” and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement for Recommended Practice (Revised 2005). The General Fund is unrestricted and used for the daily running of the Church.

Reference and Administrative Details

Charity Name: Covenant Love Church Charity Number: 100940 Principal Address: 156-164 Albertbridge Road , Belfast, BT5 4GS.

Charity Trustees as of 31st July 2025:

• Mr Gary Roy Chettleburgh

• Dr Sharon Stone

• Mr Greg Black

• Pastors/Senior Leaders

• Pastor Kevin Sambrook

• Pastor Rose Sambrook

• Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document and Constitution

Covenant Love Church is a Trust functioning as a Church for the purposes of the Advancement of Religion in The Christian Faith. It is Governed by a Declaration of Trust dated 14 September 2004. Original document held by Hewitt & Gilpin Solicitors, 73 Hollywood Road, Belfast, BT4 3BA

Trustee Management and Selection

Day to day running of the Church is overseen by the two Senior Leaders, Kevin & Rose Sambrook and a small leadership team drawn from its membership. The Trustees formally meet annually to receive the report of Finances and activities during the reporting year. Last meeting was in May 2026. In addition regular contact is maintained and feed back given on progress of The Church’s operation and ministry throughout the year for monitoring, assessment and input.

New Trustees must be approved by the unanimous consent of the Continuing Trustees under the powers give them in the Declaration of Trust.

Objective and Activities

Charitable Objectives

Covenant Love Church is a local Church meeting the spiritual and pastoral needs of the local community and society at large. Our purpose is to, advance the Christian Religion, to provide and promote pastoral care and compassionate support within the local community, to carry out such

other charitable purposes as the trustees in their discretion determine. Public Benefit Statement

The Trustees of Covenant Love Church confirm that they have complied with their duty under section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2012 to have regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and that the public benefit requirement has informed the activities of the Church in the year to 31st July 2021.

In assessing the benefit the Trustees have observed that Covenant Love Church has continued to function according to the three principle purposes outlined below:

Purpose 1. For the local community and society at large, benefits include a better understanding of who God is through the work and person of the Lord Jesus Christ, including the relationship between God and people, spiritual and emotional well-being which can have a positive effect on overall health. Other benefits include finding purpose and meaning in life, peace of mind, healthier interaction with others and the ability to make a positive contribution to society by recognising the values of honesty, integrity and compassion when dealing with others.

Purpose 2. The benefits that flow from this purpose include the conducting of weddings and funerals, baby dedications ( conducted in accordance with the principles of the Christian faith), prayer for a visitation of the sick, relief of hardship according to the Charity’s purpose and capability, parent and toddler groups, a place to talk through personal problems or concerns, and any other acts or services provided in the spirit of Christian compassion. The Charity’s beneficiaries are the community and society at large.

Purpose 3. The benefits that flow from this purpose can include support of Christian missions work at home or abroad financially or practically.

Summary of Main Activities

The Core Activities of the Church are:

• Weekly services on Sundays and Wednesdays which include worship, prayer and instruction

• On going prayer and practical support for Church members and members of the community.

• Hosting of special meetings with visiting speakers to encourage people in their walk of faith

• Holding seminars for training and equipping people in Christian life skills.

• Outreach at community events.

• Conducting of Weddings, funerals and baby dedications.

Our aim is to continue to provide opportunity for all people to learn about the Christian faith and for those who are Christians to grow and mature in their walk with God and become responsible members of their community. The ethos of the Church is to be accessible to people whilst providing a Biblical model for life and living.

Approved and adopted by the Board of Trustees and signed on their behalf on 19 May 2026.

Kevin Sambrook

Kevin Sambrook For The Board of Trustees