COOKSTOWN BAPTIST CHURCH Year ended 31 December 2023 ## **TRUSTEE’S REPORT** The Trustees present their Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 ## **Objects and activities of the charity** ## _**The purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document.**_ - The Church acknowledges the headship of Jesus Christ over his Church and exists to glorify the triune God by maintaining and promoting his worship both individually and corporately. - Its members devote themselves to the teachings of the Scripture, to fellowship, breaking of bread, prayer, and evangelism. - They commit, with the help of God, to witness to the saving and sustaining power of the Lord Jesus Christ and to work for the extension of His Kingdom. - The principal charitable object of the church is the advancement of the Christian faith according to the teachings of the Scripture, the Doctrinal Statement and Baptist principles. ## **The main activities undertaken in relation to those purposes during the year** The main activities undertaken in relation to these purposes are as follows: - Holding regular services for public worship, prayer, Bible study, preaching and teaching for all age groups, and providing pastoral care to the members of the church through visitation and prayer. - Organising meetings and events that promote our charitable purpose. - Participating in the life of the local community. - Supporting other Christian organisations and charities through volunteering, financial gifts, and prayer. **The main activities undertaken during the year to further the charity's purpose for the public benefit.** ## _**Adults**_ We aim to offer opportunities for discipleship to equip people to grow into devoted followers of Jesus: - Various Small Groups for men & women- Throughout the year we offer a variety of small groups which allow you to focus in on a particular study or course for a short period of time. These have included book clubs, bible studies, as well as social events and breakfasts. ## _**Youth**_ We seek to provide a cycle of activities to help young people encounter the big God of the Bible while coming alongside them dealing with issues they are confronting and drawing from our own life experience. ## _**Kids**_ There are a range of activities for children aged 0 - 11 years in our Créche, Sunday School, Good News Club and First Steps Toddler group. COOKSTOWN BAPTIST CHURCH Year ended 31 December 2023 ## _**Community**_ We are engaged in a variety of activities to help live out God’s love in our community:- - REACH – a group of local churches combining to provide food packages for schools to distribute to children and families in need and also providing informal English classes to our foreign friends. - First Steps Toddler Group - is a place for parents and careers to bring their children and have a time of fellowship while the kids play in a safe environment. The trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit in managing the activities of the charity. ## **The main achievements and performance of the charity during the year** The Church continued to hold regular services for public worship and organised events that promoted fellowship amongst the members of the church and provided outreach opportunities with the wider community (as detailed above). ## **The difference the charity’s performance during the year has made to the beneficiaries of the Charity and to wider society.** The Church continued to provide benefit to its members and the public by making known the Christian gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of the Christian faith. ## **Structure, governance, and management of the charity** ## _**The charity Name.**_ The legal name of the charity is Cookstown Baptist Church. ## _**The charity’s areas operation and UK charitable registration**_ The charity is registered in Northern Ireland with the Charity Commission in Northern Ireland (CCNI) with charity number 108120. The charity is constituted as an unincorporated charity, established by a written constitution approved by the members, and endorsed by the Charity Commission in Northern Ireland (CCNI). ## **The Trustees in office on the date the report was approved were as below:-** Gareth Bell Angus McIlmoyle Stephen Crooks David Patterson Thomas Harpur Alan Sloan Robert Hill Peter Sloan Edgar Johnston Timothy Sloan Alan Leonard William Talbot David Marks Andrew Walker Ronnie Marks COOKSTOWN BAPTIST CHURCH Year ended 31 December 2023 ## **Financial review** _The charity’s financial position at the end of the year ended 31 December 2023_ The church recorded a net deficit for the year of £10,422. Closing unrestricted reserves at 31 December 2023 were £14,451. There are no funds held by the Church that are materially in deficit. This report was approved by the trustees on 14 February 2024 David Marks William Talbot **Treasurer** **Trustee**