Trustees Annual Report
Romanian Ministries
Charity number 1159517
1 January 2021 – 31 December 2021
Romanian Ministries was founded as a charity on 8 December 2014. It helps Romanian Christians in ministry and provides assistance to the Romanian poor, continuing in this throughout the 12 months of 2021.
All of those involved are grateful to God for the opportunity of Christian service and vastly benefitted by fellowship with our brothers and sisters in the land of Romania.
We view ourselves as a conspicuously Christian enterprise and see our work as the active outworking of our commitment to God through Jesus Christ, with all being done for His glory. We hope to continue operations in accordance with divine guidance as we look to the future.
Reference and Administrative Details
Charity’s Principal Address: 6 Cedar Row Park Hill Bristol BS110UJ Charity Trustees: Howard Bilton Adrian Carey-Jones Peter Cox Rachel Jones James Martin Cornel Pelea
All of the above individuals served as trustees for the full length of the period being reported on.
Structure Governance and Management
Romanian Ministries has a constitution which was submitted formally to the Charities Commission and accepted prior to the commencement of the charity on 8 December 2014.
The structure of the charity is that of a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO).
Trustees are appointed for a fixed period, varying according to each trustee, and subject to reappointment following the expiry of each term. Re-appointment must be by the existing trustees.
Objectives and Activities
The objects of the charity are the promotion of the Christian religion in Romania and among Romanian speaking people by the provision of financial or material aid, or by whatever form of support the trustees deem fit, and the relief of poverty in Romania and among Romanian speaking people by the provision of financial or material aid, or by whatever form of support the trustees deem fit.
Achievements and Performance
The year in question saw the continuation of funding partnerships with various churches and Christian charitable trusts. Donations were also received from individuals aware of our work for the Lord. We were, and continue to be, most grateful for all generosity and support received. Giving during the year equalled £160,979 (2020 £106,424). Of this, £120,446 was in the form of specifically ringfenced donations (2020 £70,818). There were 846 individual donations during the year (433 in 2019).
The increase in donations, for which we thank the Lord, was due in part to the assimilation of two charities into Romanian Ministries during the course of the year, Support for Romania and Harvest . This diversified our portfolio of ministry projects in a most blessed way, while at the same time enlarging our family of regular supporters.
Our main projects during the year were as follows:
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Emanuel Hospice – it was a privilege and blessing to continue sponsorship of 4 members of staff at Emanuel Hospice either in part or in full, payments during the year amounting to £56,000. The staff we supported were Beni Paul (doctor), Paula Popovici (nurse), Adriana Bidilean (psychologist) and Cristi Tap (physiotherapist). The work of Emanuel Hospice continues to inspire all visitors with its selfless resolve and evangelistic impetus despite immense challenges.
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Florina Pater, paintings – 21 of these were brought to the UK in 2021 for sale at £100 apiece, all proceeds being returned to Florina in Romania. Florina is 23 years old and afflicted with epidermolysis bulosa , a severe skin disorder which has caused her the loss of both hands.
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Bible College Students – support in this area in 2021 (£1,000) represented a reduction compared to 2020, due to a concern on our part regarding the number of students actually commencing pastorates on conclusion of their studies. The strategic importance of this ministry, however, is sufficiently great to guarantee our ongoing interest.
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Abandoned Children – we continued our support of Project Romanian Rescue near Constanta in its work with abandoned children, assisting with general expenses and the running costs of the home. Expenditure in 2021 equalled £7,200 (£4,800 in 2020).
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Abandoned Children , completion of a home – interest in this formally commenced in July 2021 following considerable prayer, the project involving completion of a house owned by David and Flavia Muntean. Originally intended to function as a bed and breakfast, its purpose is eventually to house 12 abandoned children in partnership with a local church. Though structurally complete, the house’s interior works were yet to
start, and our hope is for a finish date of early 2024. Expenditure in 2021 equalled £4,850, although £17,468 was received in donations.
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Mission Outreach in Scornicesti , the town where the communist ex-leader of Romania, Nicolai Ceausescu, was born and raised. Iosif Varan continued his range of evangelistic activities and church work, our sponsorship in 2021 amounting to £6,000.
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Roma Children’s Outreach – primarily through Ciprian Bogdan in the town of Aiud, and his after-school club for children who have lost either one or both parents.
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Youth Drug Addiction – countering this through the ministry of the Preventis group in the city of Cluj, which visits schools, runs a mentoring scheme for vulnerable youngsters and also provides a counselling service for addicts. Our sponsorship is of Andrei Nedelcu, a Christian psychologist.
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Cancer Patients, low price accommodation – this is provided to patients undergoing treatment in the city of Cluj. People from many miles away sometimes need to board in Cluj for the duration of their treatment. Casa Filip is run by Christians and provides accommodation for such individuals at half the price of other establishments, or at no cost at all to those unable to afford anything. Our support in 2021 was for assistance in the latter cases.
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Poverty Relief, House purchase – following the destruction of his extremely modest dwelling by floodwater in June 2020, donations had been sought to help Sorin Rete, the extremely hard-working Christian helper on our land project in Radesti. After initially looking for a small house, a suitable one bedroom flat was identified in late 2021 and the purchase completed in December, in-year expenditure being £15,150.
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Christian Old People’s Home – run by Dr Valentin Samuel and his wife in south eastern Romania, it accepts cases in accordance with their needs and offers a Christian environment.
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Poor Pastors Assistance – supplementing salaries which fall below subsistence level, most especially that of Pastor Sorin Sarbu in the village of Draut
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Deaf Community Outreach and Aid in the town of Arad and its surrounding area. This was continued by Sammy Gorgan, with us assisting especially with practical needs in the community and the costs of their summer camp (£2,206).
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Football Chaplaincy through Daniel Zafiris, an ex-professional footballer who now engages in evangelistic outreach and chaplaincy roles among the top tier of Romanian football clubs.
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Youth Camps – especially the summer camp for children and teenagers in the village of Draut
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Romanian Families in Bristol – covid support continued to the Romanian Roma community in Bristol in the latter months of the pandemic
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Poverty Relief - gifts were made to poor families through Casa Grace in Oradea, a Christian Social work agency, focusing especially on very poor families affected by the pandemic
Grants are normally made following contact with relevant individuals in Romania and word of mouth recommendations from other known and trusted sources.
We give heartfelt thanks to the Lord for His blessing of the work in 2021 and ascribe all credit and whatever measure of success to His interventions of grace.
It seems fitting to cite at this juncture the well-known verse of God’s pre-eminence in all things from Psalm 115 vs 1 “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory.”
Our aim in Romanian Ministries is to remain as work of God’s grace, guided and led by the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit to the glory of God in every particular.
Financial Review
The receipts and payments account for the period in question is attached on the following page and has been independently examined by a suitably experienced and independent individual and duly approved.
The independent examiners certification is found on the page after the receipts and payments account.
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature:
Full Name:
Position:
Date:
Romanian Ministries
Charity Number 1159517
Receipts and Payment Account
01.01.2021 – 31.12.2021
| Receipts £ Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £ Total Funds 2021 £ Total 2020 Donations and Gifts 37,771 108,530 146,301 101,013 Gift Aid Reimbursements 2,762 11,916 14,678 5,411 Total Income for Year 40,533 120,446 160,979 106,424 Payments Ministry Grants / Poverty Relief 51,960 92,762 144,722 78,778 Printing and Stationery 2,316 0 2,316 2,830 Professional Fees 300 0 300 Petrol Reimbursements 0 0 0 0 Travel Costs 430 0 430 0 Advertising 0 0 0 744 Bank Transfer Costs 972 0 972 581 Total Payments 55,978 92,762 148,740 82,933 Excess of Income over expenditure (15,445) 27,684 12,239 23,491 Opening Funds 01.01.2021 £78,996 Closing Funds 31.12.2021 £91,235 Consisting of: Unrestricted Funds £44,699 Restricted Funds £46,536 |
£ Unrestricted Funds £ Restricted Funds £ Total Funds 2021 £ Total 2020 37,771 108,530 146,301 101,013 2,762 11,916 14,678 5,411 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 40,533 120,446 160,979 106,424 51,960 92,762 144,722 78,778 2,316 0 2,316 2,830 300 0 300 0 0 0 0 430 0 430 0 0 0 0 744 972 0 972 581 |
||
| 55,978 92,762 148,740 82,933 |
Romanian Ministries Charity No: 1159517 Independent Examiner's Report 3 1st Decembcr 2021
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trusteesl members of Romanian Ministries On accounts for the year ended 31°, December 2021 Charity no lif any) 1159517 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ltthe Trust") for the year ended 31112 12021. Responsibilitles and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in a¢cordan¢e with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {"the Act")- I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's aGGounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5){bl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in a¢¢ordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the a¢counting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination lo which attention should be drawn in order lo enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: Date: 181h October 2022 Name". Scott Canning MAAT Relevant professional qualification{sl or body (if any): Association of Accounting Technicians Address: 10 Meadow Street, Avonmoulh Bristol BS119AR IER October 2018
Romanian Mlnlstries Charity Number 1159517 Receipts and Payrnent Account 01.01.2021- 31.112021 Receipts Unrestri¢ted Restricted Funds Funds Total Funds 2021 Total 2020 Donations and Gifts 37,771 2.762 108,530 11.916 146,301 14.678 101,013 5.411 Gift Aid Reimbursements Total Inc(yne for year 120.446 160,979 106,424 Payments Ministry Grants I Poverty Relief Printing and Stationery Professional Fees 51,960 2.316 92.762 145.022 2,316 78,778 2,830 Travel Costs Advertising Bank Transfer Charges Total Payments 744 972 972 581 55.978 92.762 148.740 82,933 Excess of Income over expenditure (15,445) 27,684 12.239 23,491 Openlng Funds 01.01.2021 Closlng funds 31.12.2021 78.996 91,235 Comprlslng: Bank and Cash Balances Consisting of - Unrestricted funds Restricted funds 44.699