BALLEE BAPTIST CHURCH
Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31st December 2023
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC101764
BALLEE BAPTIST CHURCH
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
The Trustees present their Annual Report of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2023.
PURPOSE
The principal purpose of Ballee Baptist Church is the advancement of the Christian faith according to Biblical principles.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
The Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's guidance on provision of public benefit and are confident that the Church fully satisfied this requirement throughout 2023 through its activities.
Sunday services and the mid-week Bible Study are livestreamed and then uploaded onto SermonAudio website where they may be freely accessed on an ongoing basis. Drive-in Gospel services were again conducted in the church carpark as an outreach on Sunday evenings from mid-July to the end of September. In addition to the usual monthly activities during 2023, 4 Day Clubs were conducted in May and August, in the first week of July over 300 children attended the Holiday Bible Club. In December a Fellowship Choir performed a Cantata.
A number of Missionary Societies and Christian organisations attended the Fellowship to provide members the opportunity to receive information on their work. In addition, the church provided financial and material support to several charities providing aid to people displaced by the war in Ukraine and an earthquake in Syria. Financial support to Missions and Christian organisations in 2023 amounted to £86,736, approximately 31% of income.
Visitation of the sick, consolation and support of members suffering bereavement continued in 2023 as the Pastor and Pastoral Support, together with others from within the Fellowship, sought to provide comfort and support for those affected.
Central heating pipes in the church and ancillary rooms were replaced due to corrosion. This was a major project and necessitated closing the church building from mid-July to mid-November while remedial work was undertaken. During this period services and other activities took place in the Church Hall and Youth Hall.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISORS
Charity name: Ballee Baptist
Church Address: 166 Toome Road, Ballymena. BT42 2HX.
Email: info@balleebaptist.org
Website: www.balleebaptist.org
BALLEE BAPTIST CHURCH
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT cont’d
TRUSTEES
The Charity Trustees are the members of the Church Oversight Committee which consists of Pastor, Elders and Deacons.
All male members of the Church are eligible to stand for election as a deacon unless disqualified by Statute from holding office as a trustee. Elections to the Office of Deacon are conducted annually at the Annual Members Meeting. Attendance at the Annual Church Meeting is open to all church members. The Church’s Constitution requires a two thirds majority of those voting for the appointment of Pastors or Elders, or transactions involving property. Elders are elected for life, unless they choose to retire or leave the Fellowship. Pastors serve for the period of their pastorate.
INDUCTION AND TRAINING OF TRUSTEES
Following appointment each newly appointed Trustee receives an Induction Pack containing copies of Charity Commission for Northern Ireland publications: Running Your Charity. Trustees are also encouraged to access further information available on the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland website.
The Trustees in office at 31 December 2023 and the date of signing this report were:
| D Anderson | Pastor |
|---|---|
| A Calderwood | |
| K Clinton | |
| W Coulter | Church Secretary |
| T Gillan | Child Safeguarding Officer |
| R Herbison | |
| S Irons | Church Treasurer |
| G Kernohan | Assistant Church Treasurer |
| A Kinghorn | Health & Safety Officer |
| A McAlonan | |
| D Mitchell | |
| K Morrison | Youth Coordinator |
| B Nelson | |
| T Nutt | |
| T Robinson | Assistant Health & Safety Officer |
| C Semple |
BALLEE BAPTIST CHURCH
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT cont’d
PAYMENTS TO TRUSTEES
No Trustee received payment for undertaking trustee duties. Payments to the Pastor relate to expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of pastor. Where Trustees purchase items on behalf of the Charity these costs may be reimbursed.
CUSTODIAN TRUSTEES
Premises owned by the Church are held under trust by "Custodian Trustees" whose sole function is to hold the property assets of the Church. Custodian Trustees do not serve on Oversight unless also elected to an Office of Elder or Deacon.
ADVISORS
| ADVISORS | |
|---|---|
| Bankers: | Danske Bank, Broadway, Ballymena. BT43 6EA. |
| Independent Examiners: | Stevenson & Wilson Chartered Accountants, 22-30 Broadway Ave, |
| Ballymena. BT43 7AA. | |
| Insurance Adviser: | Kerr Group Insurance 16 Church Street, Kilrea. BT51 5QU. |
| Solicitors: | McKervill Neilly Solicitors 1 Broadway Avenue, Ballymena. |
| BT43 7AA. |
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Ballee Baptist Church was constituted by a Trust Deed dated 3rd February 1981 as an unincorporated association and is an independent Fellowship with no affiliations to any other Church or Association. It is governed by a Constitution which was formally adopted on 18th March 2011 as amended on 2nd December 2014.
Ballee Baptist Church is registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, number NIC101764.
BALLEE BAPTIST CHURCH
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT cont’d
MANAGEMENT
The Trustees continued to meet regularly, physically or via Zoom, to discuss the work of the church, and to make decisions concerning the regular activities within the church, and also outreach activities. Matters are reported to Church Members via the Annual Church Members Meeting when the Report and Accounts are also presented. Matters requiring approval of a Church Members Meeting, other than appointment of Elders or Pastors, are decided by majority vote. In event of a tie the Chairman of the Church Members Meeting has a casting vote. Approval at a Church Members Meeting is required for significant projects, such as a building programme, prior to commencing any major new undertaking.
Volunteers continue to play key roles in various Departments of the Church. It is not possible to quantify this support as much is done behind the scenes. However, Ballee Baptist Church could not function as it does without their faithful support.
RISK MANAGEMENT
The Trustees have conducted an assessment of the risks to which the charity is exposed and have reviewed systems and procedures to mitigate such risks. Risk assessment covering fire, health & safety and the protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults is an ongoing process and is reviewed annually or before any new major undertaking. Two Trustees act as Health & Safety Officer and Child Safeguarding Officer and their Reports are standing Agenda items at monthly Trustee Meetings.
DATA PROTECTION
Ballee Baptist Church is registered with the Information Commissioners Office. Church membership records are encrypted and held by the Church Secretary with encrypted backups stored separately. Personal information held, in addition to membership records, relate to the activities conducted by each department and is disposed of securely when no longer required. The Trustees are satisfied that the levels of information held by each department are appropriate to fulfil the need to operate in accordance with both GDPR and the Church’s Child Protection Policies.
BALLEE BAPTIST CHURCH
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT cont’d
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The church is funded by voluntary gifts and donations and use is made of Gift Aid and the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme. The church does not seek funds from other sources.
Income for the year amounted to £283,942. An amount of £27,321 in respect of Gift Aid Rebates was included as cash in bank but not received at 31[st ] December. Expenditure amounted to £378,961 resulting in a deficit for the year of £95,019. The main reason for this deficit was the one-off expenditure associated with the major plumbing repair projected carried out during the year. Other than the fee for the Independent Examiner’s review, the Church had no other liabilities or commitments outstanding at 31st December.
The Church uses Restricted and Unrestricted Funds in its accounting policies. Restricted Funds are used for money donated to the Church for specific purposes e.g. Missions, Youth Ministries etc. Unrestricted Funds from general offerings are used for all other purposes. Any shortfalls in the Restricted Funds are made up by transfers from the Unrestricted Fund.
RESERVES POLICY
A policy on reserves has been reviewed and agreed by the Trustees. The income of the church is stable, and in the event of an unexpected financial need the Trustees are confident that members would respond accordingly. The Trustees are satisfied that a figure equating to approximately two months' expenditure is an appropriate level of reserve balances at the present time. Cash balance at year end exceeded the level of Reserves required.
FUNDS HELD AS CUSTODIAN TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF OTHERS
Ballee Baptist Church does not hold any funds as Custodian Trustee on behalf of others.
SIGNED ON BEHALF OF TRUSTEES BY:
S Irons Church Treasurer Date: 12[th] February 2024
G W Coulter Church Secretary Date: 12[th] February 2024