EPIC – Chairman’s Report: 2020-2021
Mission Statement:
European Partners in Christ (EPIC) exists to promote links between churches in Britain and Eastern Europe, providing spiritual and material support through prayer, fellowship, teaching and financial aid, enabling church buildings to be available as centres of Christian worship and witness.
Trustees: Rodney Sexton (Chair) Bryan Hilton (Treasurer), Maureen Morris, and Heather Sexton
EPIC employee: Chris Fox.
- Review of the 12 months: August 2020 July 2021
The principle aim of EPIC is as outlined in previous annual reports: to link churches in the UK with churches in Eastern Europe on a one-to-one basis, and to support the English churches, once they are linked, by helping to arrange exchange visits and to provide information and updates on what is happening with the churches in Europe. In similar fashion the churches in Eastern Europe are given support materially, spiritually and by the mutual visits. New links are no longer established but EPIC continues to fulfil a vital role in servicing the current links and in identifying various needs within the churches as they arise.
Funds come from English churches supporting their partner churches, and from individual donors. There has been in increase in support for various projects undertaken by Eastern European churches; for example, in the construction of buildings and work amongst young people and refugees.
As stated above, one of the functions of EPIC is to organise visits to and from partner churches. However, it has not been possible for any visits to be made to Eastern Europe nor have any friends linked with EPIC been able to visit the UK. This has been due to pandemic restrictions on travel. Nevertheless, contact has been maintained throughout the year and financial help was sent to friends who contracted covid-19 and were hospitalised. Likewise, there were no opportunities for meetings or church visits during the year.
Income this year has been sufficient to maintain the same level of support as in previous years. The amount of money distributed to churches and individuals in Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland, and Bosnia was £86,796.00. The need in many areas remains great. A summary of financial activities for the year to July 31[st] , 2021, and a financial statement for the same period accompany this report.
Ways of promoting EPIC include speaking engagements, regular reports and letters to churches, magazine articles and newsletters.
Rodney Sexton Chair, EPIC Trustees
EPIC - REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1057592
Statement of Financial Activities for the year to 31st July 2021
| Income Receipts Interest Total Income Expenditure Administration Travel & Motor Expenses Rent Wages & PAYE Trip Expenses Total Fund Expenditure Gifts via transfer Gifts via Trips Church Fund Gifts Totals Net Income Fund Balances Forward Interfund Transfers Fund balances carried forward |
31/07/2021 Undesignated Restricted or Total Funds Designated funds 17895 76659 94554 0 17895 76659 94554 1055 1055 543 224 767 1440 1440 156 2410 2566 0 3194 2634 5828 21446 36989 58434 0 28361 28361 21446 65350 86795 -6745 8675 1930 13601 7080 20681 0 6856 15755 22611 |
31/07/2020 Undesignated Restricted or Total Funds Designated funds 31192 75310 106502 5 5 |
|---|---|---|
| 31192 75315 106507 |
||
| 1326 1326 1863 1863 1440 1440 156 2108 2264 1394 1394 |
||
| 6179 2108 8287 |
||
| 32580 41076 73656 2461 3999 6460 27168 27168 |
||
| 35041 72243 107284 |
||
| -10027 964 -9063 23628 6116 29744 0 |
||
| 13601 7080 20681 |
EPIC - REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1057592
Balance sheet for year to 31 July 2021
| Notes Assets Current Account Deposit Account Assets Represented By : Undesignated Funds 1a Restricted Funds 1b Churches Funds ( Restricted ) 1c |
31/07/2021 11008 11603 22611 22611 22611 6856 4152 11603 22611 |
31/07/2020 15208 5473 20681 |
31/07/2020 15208 5473 20681 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20681 | |||
| 20681 | |||
| 13601 1607 5473 |
|||
| 20681 |
Notes :
-
1a Funds held which are unrestricted .
-
1b Funds held for restricted use
-
1c Funds held which are restricted for Churches abroad .
MRS. W S BAYLISS
11 MARLBOROUGH CRESCENT LONG HANBOROUGH WITNEY OXON OX29 8JP TEL: 01993 883120
Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees of EPIC – registered charity no: 1057592
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31[st] July 2021 as set out on the attached two pages.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner.
As the Charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; you consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2)) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independent audit is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
-
Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
-
Follow the procedures laid down in the General Direction given by the Charity Commissioners section 145(5)b of the 2011 Act and
-
State whether particular matters have come to my attention
Basis of independent examiner’s report:
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement.
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention.
(1) Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material aspect the requirements
-
To keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act and
-
To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records Have not been met; or
-
(2) To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Wendy Bayliss
Mrs. W S Bayliss 9[th] December 2021