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2023-12-31-annual-report

Belfast Spiritualist Church

Annual Report & Statement of Accounts

For the year to 31[st] December 2023

134 Malone Avenue, Belfast. BT9 6ET

PROMOTING THE RELIGION OF SPIRITUALISM THROUGH THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES

Annual Report for the year ended 31[st] December 2023 ……………………….…3 Purpose of Charity ………………………………………………………………………………….3 Public Benefits ……………………………………………………………………………………….3 Achievements of 2023 ……………………………………………………………………………4 Activities & Performance 2023 ……………………………………………………………….5 Structure & Governance …………………………………………………………………………6 Financial Review …………………………………………………………………………………….7 Financial Performance ……………………………………………………………………………7 Detailed Profit and Loss Report …………………………………………………………7-12

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Belfast Spiritualist Church NIC 107677 134 Malone Avenue, Belfast BT6 9ET

Trustees' Report for the Year January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023

The trustees of Belfast Spiritualist Church are pleased to present their annual report and financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2023. This report has been prepared in accordance with the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice.

Purpose and Public Benefit of Our Charity

Purpose

Belfast Spiritualist Church is dedicated to advancing the religion and religious philosophy of Spiritualism. To fulfil this mission, the charity holds Divine Services every Sunday and on other selected days, inviting the public to participate in worship.

In addition, we offer spiritual education and tuition in religious philosophy, provided by our experienced tutors. The Church supports this educational mission by organising training classes, hosting workshops, and maintaining an extensive library to facilitate learning. Furthermore, we are committed to promoting training for the Spiritualist Ministry as well as for our Church Trustees, ensuring the continued growth and development of our community.

Public Benefits

The Belfast Spiritualist Church provides significant public benefits through our religious philosophy, offering individuals the opportunity to develop a deeper connection with God. This connection fosters a sense of safety and security, reassuring people that they are not alone in the world. Our philosophy and support services help individuals trust that there is a source of comfort and refuge available during challenging times.

In addition, our church encourages people to become more aware of their own spiritual selves, while also promoting a strong sense of community belonging. The direct benefits to the public and society include the promotion of a personal philosophy and a moral framework for living, guiding individuals to be good citizens. Through this process, people develop an increased awareness of core values such as compassion, selfless service, and friendship. We also provide personalised pastoral care to meet the unique needs of everyone.

Additional Benefits and Feedback

Church members and the wider public benefit from the official services we offer, including spiritual healing, guidance, and officiating for weddings and funerals. The positive impact of our charity is evident through feedback and reviews from church members, visitors, and the public who use these services. We actively seek input by providing a suggestion box inside our church and encouraging feedback on social media. We consistently receive positive

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feedback and hold Annual General Meetings to discuss church business and gather further input.

For the purposes of the Church, incidental and necessary payments are made to a member of our religious ministry who officiates at these services. These ceremonies, offered to the public, are a vital part of our work in promoting our religion and religious philosophy. The payments made cover essential expenses required to facilitate the provision of these religious services.

2023 Achievements – A Review of Key Activities Advancing Our Purpose for Public Benefit

Committee Commitment and Community Engagement

The committee of Belfast Spiritualist Church remains dedicated to making worship accessible to as many people as possible and actively encourages both congregation members and visitors to become part of our church community. The committee oversees the services we offer to the public and regularly suggests ways to further involve local communities in our activities. Through prayer, philosophy, and our services, we strive to put our beliefs into practice, fostering a deeper connection within our community.

Planning and Achievements for 2023

When planning our activities for 2023, we carefully considered how to maximise public benefit and advance our purposes and objectives. In addition to our regular services, we set additional goals aimed at expanding and growing our charity. These goals included utilising social media and distributing leaflets to:

Providing an Open and Welcoming Church

We are committed to maintaining an open and welcoming church, holding services every Sunday as well as additional Spiritualist services during the week. Our goal is to create a space where the community can come together for prayer and spiritual reflection. Everyone is welcome, and each week we see a strong turnout, with our evening services offering a wonderful environment for worship.

Through these services, we promote our religion and religious philosophy, encouraging individuals to make positive changes in their lives. In our pursuit of these goals, we have successfully expanded the spiritual services we provide to most days of the week. We have also devoted significant effort to maximising the impact of our services by distributing

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leaflets and an online presence. The positive feedback we have received indicates that those who attend find our services both beneficial and spiritually fulfilling.

Providing Spiritual Healing

Spiritual healing is a vital aspect of our religion, and we have seen a growing number of people attending our healing services. In recent years, especially with the challenges posed by rising living costs, many have sought our help for healing—whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Our church offers a healing service every Thursday evening, which has provided comfort and support to many individuals. In 2023 we also commenced a Sunday Healing Service which takes place every two months.

Those who attend receive healing from our dedicated and approved healers, who volunteer their time and energy. Our healers are trained and accredited by the Spiritualists' National Union, ensuring they meet high standards of care and expertise.

Promoting Pastoral Care

Providing support to those in need is a core expression of our religious philosophy. We continue to offer assistance to church members and community members who are unable to attend services due to illness or age. Our trustees and pastoral care team make visits to those who request it, offering spiritual and pastoral support while keeping them connected with the church community. These visits not only provide essential care but also foster fellowship, strengthening our bonds and offering comfort to those who need it most.

Providing a Weekly Spiritual Awareness Class

Our weekly Spiritual Awareness Class, open to everyone, is designed to promote our Spiritualist philosophy while offering a valuable opportunity for spiritual self-reflection and healing. Spiritual growth is central to our religious philosophy, and the class serves as a reminder of life's important values, such as kindness and service to others. To expand these opportunities, we introduced an enhanced and revised educational program. The feedback has been positive, with an increasing number of participants attending the class. We are pleased that more people are benefiting from the spiritual selfawareness that the class provides, reflecting the growing impact of our efforts.

Promoting Official Services

We continue to effectively highlight the benefits of Spiritualism through our official services, including weddings and funerals. By providing these services to the broader community, we raise public awareness of our church and the various offerings we provide.

Increasing Awareness Through Social Media and Leaflets

We continue to work diligently to promote our services and encourage people to attend to feel a sense of connection with community. Our efforts have led to an increase in attendance, and feedback indicates that reconnecting with the church has positively impacted people’s mental well-being.

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We have utilised social media, our church website, and leaflets to promote our Divine Services and spiritual healing. This increased visibility has helped attract new individuals to our church, providing them with a safe and reflective environment to worship and deepen their spirituality. Our success is reflected in the growing number of attendees at our Sunday Divine Services and the positive feedback we receive.

In 2023, we continued to achieve significant success in welcoming newcomers to our church. Despite the numerous challenges faced in modern society, we remain committed to offering spiritual comfort and reassurance to many individuals.

Structure, Governance, and Management – Appointment of Trustees

Belfast Spiritualist Church is governed according to the rules outlined in our governing document, "Rules for Churches."

Trustees are appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on the third Wednesday of February each year. During the AGM, committee members, officers, and the church warden are democratically elected by the members of our charity. Each trustee is nominated and seconded by members, with the final selection determined by a vote at the meeting.

The church committee is responsible for making decisions on all matters of general importance, including the allocation of funds. The committee meets monthly to address various issues. Due to the committee's broad responsibilities, smaller sub-committees focus on specific areas such as spiritual healing, outreach, pastoral care, and teaching spiritualist philosophy. These sub-committees report regularly to the main church committee. All church business is discussed during these monthly meetings, and minutes are recorded.

The following individuals served as Trustees (Church Committee Members) from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023:

The following additional Individual Trustees were elected to serve at our AGM on 21[st] February 2024:

Volunteers

All our trustees and those involved in the daily operations of our church are dedicated volunteers who generously give their time for the benefit of our members and visitors. We

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extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who works diligently to create and sustain the vibrant and supportive community that defines our church.

Financial Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the year

The accounts for the year 2023 are fully compliant and include a statement of Financial Activities and a balance sheet.

The charity’s accountants/independent examiners are -

Cleaver Black Chartered Accountants Suite 5 Ormeau House 91-97 Ormeau Road, Belfast Co. Antrim BT7 1SH

The charity banking account is with Danske Bank.

Finance Report for the year 2023

Total income for the year 1[st] January 2023 to 31[st] December 2023 was £30,842 while total expenditure was £33,898

Income was generated through donations collected during Divine Services, educational workshops and classes, sales of educational materials, membership fees, spiritualist readings, and other contributions, including fees for officiating at official services.

The accounts showed a loss of (£3,056) for 2023 due to essential repairs to our church building which added to £12,346. Our annual accounts continue to be prepared each year by experienced accountants Cleaver Black. The balance sheet continues to remain strong considering the additional essential building expenditure.

Income 2023

There was an overall increase in income of £6,635. This was attributable to an increase in number of Weddings (£8,960) and training/education workshops (£4020) in 2023.

Expenses

However, the expenditure for the year is (£33,898), an increase of £16,177 on last year’s expenses. An additional expenditure increase (£12,346) was due to a break-down in our heating and essential renovation for the church building. Other costs include expenses for weddings and expenses incurred by an increase in visiting mediums.

Balance Sheet

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In 2023, I am pleased to report that the church remains financially secure and maintains a healthy financial position, thanks to careful financial management. (Please refer to the detailed financial accounts below.)

This Trustee Report has been approved by the Church Committee of Belfast Spiritualist Church on 27[th ] September 2024 and signed on their behalf by the Church President, Minister Eamonn Andrews.

Yours sincerely,

Eamonn Andrews (Minister)

President Belfast Spiritualist Church 27[th] September 2024

Detailed Profit and Loss Account

For the year ended 31[st] December 2023

Income 2023
£		 2022
£
Sunday Collection 5,394 4,230
Weddings 8,960 8.260
Development Circles
(Education)		 1,688 1,129
Papers/Magazines 418 406
Membership 1,033 759
Readings 2,470 2,257
Awareness Group
(Education)		 3,753 2,230
Books 80 -

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Donations 234 781
Fri/Sat Events 1,227 771
Workshop Events 4,020 3,015
Naming Ceremonies - 430
Funerals 70 -
Fundraising 580 -
Mediumship 276 -
Other Income
Government Grants		 250 -
Other Income
Deposit account interest		 389 200
Total 30,842 24,468
Expenditure 2023 2022
Rent 16 31
Rates and Water 450 12
Insurance 722 664
Light and Heat 1,946 2,118
Telephone 707 701
Post and Stationery 298 209
Computer Costs 558 144
Repairs and Renewals 12,346 507
Household and Cleaning 1,741 1,466
Mediums Expenses 6,714 3,689

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TV Licence 158 159
Magazines/Books 341 291
Teaching Expenses - 375
Sundry Expenses 790 1,291
Wedding Expenses 4,132 4,507
Accountancy 516 468
SNU Fees and Healing Fees 1,748 500
Depreciation of tangible
fixed assets,
Fixtures and fittings (a)
Computer Equipment (b)		 (a) 527
(b) 188		 590
Finance costs/Bank charges 71 59
Total 33,898 17,721
NET PROFIT 2023 2022
3,127 6,688

Balance Sheet for 31[st] December 2022

Fixed Assets Notes 2023
£		 2022
£
Tangible Assets 1 89,091 88,267
Current Assets
SNU Investment
Account		 28,794 28,408

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SNU Deposit
Account		 311 308
Danske (Northern)
Bank a/c		 42,503 45,552
Cash in hand 69
71,677 75,268
Current Liabilities
Trade creditors 1 -
71,677 75,269
Net Assets 160,769 163,896
Financed By
Capital Account		 2 160,769 163,896

Note 1 Tangible Fixed Assets

Long
Leasehold		 Plant and
Machinery		 Fixture and
Fittings		 Computer
Equipment		 Totals
£
Cost
At 1stJan
2023
Additions (a)
Disposals (b)		 86,269
(a) –
(b) -		 7,357
(a) –
(b) -		 35,256
(a) 609
(b) (2,452)		 420
(a) 570
(b) -		 129,302
(a) 1,179
(b) (2,452)
Cost 86,269 7,357 33,413 990 128,029

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31stDec
2023
Depreciation
On 1 January
2023		 - 7,357 32,898 420 40,675
Charge for
year		 - - 527 188 715
Eliminated
on disposal		 - - (2,452) - (2,452)
On 31st
December
2023		 - 7,357 30,973 608 38,938
Net Book
Vaue		 Long
Leasehold		 Long
Leasehold		 Plant and
Machinery		 Fixture and
Fittings		 Fixture and
Fittings		 Computer
Equipment		 Totals
£
At
01/1/2023		 86,269 - 2,440 383 89,091
At
31/12/2023		 86,269 - 2,358 - 88,627

Note 2 Capital Account

Capital Account 2023
£		 2022
£
Brought forward 163,896 157,208
Add net profit 6,688
Less net loss (3,127)
160,769 163,896

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