TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD 1 FEBRUARY 2021 to 31 January 2022
Acts London
Charity No: 1159704
Activities and Achievements
Weekly Saturday & Sunday Meetings
Our weekly meetings in early 2021 were still being organised and held online due to the second lockdown. When the lockdown was eased in May, with indoor meetings allowed up to 30 people, our weekly meetings in London resumed in person, while still being videostreamed live on to Facebook and Youtube for our other members in London, Bristol, Edinburgh and Cambridge.
When all legal limits for indoor meetings were lifted in July 2021, we removed the need for RSVPs for our weekly meetings in London and made plans for our communities in Bristol and Edinburgh to reopen their doors in September that year.
By the end of the year our average weekly attendance in 2021 was about 100 people every weekend. With universities resuming their classes, we were slowly able to reach out to international students from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, and China again. We also started to see more international young working adults join our church.
Our weekly meetings, now a mix of in-person and online, remain open to all and feature a lively contemporary worship experience with worship music, prayers being offered, preaching and teaching from the Bible and socialising over a meal.
Our aim is to provide an avenue for Christians to worship and grow in their faith. As well as for members of the public to discover and learn more about Christianity. Especially the hope that Jesus provides in this life and the eternal. This is especially important when so many were surrounded by fear and death in the midst of last year’s pandemic.
Audio recordings of our weekly sermons are available for public listening on websites like Sound Cloud and mobile apps like Apple Podcast and Spotify.
And in addition to that, videos of our services are now also available on Facebook and YouTube. This has been very helpful in our outreach of those still nervous about attending physical meetings or those living with the elderly.
Small Group Meetings
In order, to give members a better understanding of the Bible and create a closer bond with each other, we host small mid-week meetings via Zoom on Wednesday nights, where questions on faith can be asked and answered in a relaxed environment. When limits for indoor meetings were relaxed in May 2021, our small groups resumed in person. Our small groups are held in homes of our members.
Besides Bible study, members in all locations also meet fortnightly for Prayer Meetings on Tuesday nights, we meet to pray for each other. As well as God’s peace, blessing and protection over the UK. This was done online via Zoom for the whole of 2021.
Public Evangelism
To raise awareness of Christianity among the public, our church launched a series of talks online using materials from “Alpha”, a widely used evangelism course initially curated by Holy Trinity Brompton, London. We ran this 10-week course, twice in 2021 and it lead to many new friends joining each other over the internet to discover Christianity for themselves. In total, this course was attended by about 30 people and led to some converting to Christianity.
Helping The Homeless
While pandemic restrictions reduced our ability to help with the homeless, our church did unite for a bigger Christmas initiative to help bring comfort to those less fortunate. Our group actively helped those in need by serving hot drinks and giving out parcels with food, toiletries, socks and gloves. This was a coordinated work across our locations in London, Bristol, Edinburgh and Cambridge during the winter months.
Church Weekend Away
Once legal limits for indoor meetings were removed, we were able to organise a combined church weekend away called the Acts UK Getaway at the Dalesdown Christian Centre in Horsham, West Sussex from the 12[th] to 14[th] November 2021.
We had a total of 85 members joining, including young working adults and university students from London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Cambridge and Nottingham.
The aim of the getaway was to deepen our faith in God, our love for Jesus and our compassion for people. The event was open to all members of the public, provided they sign-up with a subsidized registration fee of £90 per person which covers their transportation, meals and lodgings for 3 days and 2 nights.
We also organised various sport activities in the afternoons to foster better teamwork and friendship among participants.
Easter and Christmas Celebrations
While we were unable to celebrate Easter in person this time, for 21-days leading up to the Easter weekend, the whole church entered into a season of prayer and fasting to reflect on our personal growth as Christians and pray for persecuted Christians around the world. This year we also focussed our prayer on the ethical distribution of the vaccine globally, as well as the mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of our NHS staff and other frontline workers rolling out the vaccine initiative locally.
Our usual in-person Christmas Service was also done online this year.
Water Baptisms
Our efforts in sharing the gospel and discipling people in accordance to the teachings of Jesus continue to bear good fruit. We had 3 adult baptisms in 2021.
Volunteers
Except for Pastor David Yeow’s involvement, all our activities are supported by volunteers who give of their time and talents freely. We encourage all our members to volunteer at our weekly meetings. And over the pandemic that meant people volunteering to film themselves preaching, singing & praying, edit videos for our church services, host Zoom sessions for bible study & prayer and help out with charitable acts with the homeless.
Registered Charity No:1159704 Acts London Financial Statement for the year Ended 31 st January 2022 Correspondence Address:Flat 2, 26, Rochester Place, London,NW19DF
Acl.$ l.ondon Income and Expenditure Statement for the year ended 31.01.2022 General Fund Total Income General Offering & Donations Total 131,141 131,141 131,141 131,141 Expenses Rent & Rates Light and Heal Salaries. NI and payroll cosls Meeting venue hire cost Telephone Post & stationery Travelling Refreshment al meetings Insurance Campsite fees Sundry Expenses Accoiintancy Payroll costs Donaiion io Charities 31,203 685 23.0(K) 14.569 965 31,203 23,IMKI 14,569 965 loo 2,626 IJO8 300 3.430 1,880 572 341 1,762 82,741 2.626 1,308 3(K) 3,430 1.880 572 341 1.762 82,741 Depreciation - Fixtures & fitlings Total 88 82,653 88 82.653 Tax payable 9,112 9,112 Surplus for the year 39.21Ml 39,200 Page I
Acls l.ondon Balance Sheel as at 31st January 2021 31.01.2022 31.01.2021 Fixed Assets Fixtures & Fitlings-Nei Book Value 354 354 Current A&sels Other Debtors Prepayments Cash ai bank 550 2,458 101,873 104181 550 64.316 64,866 Current Liabilities Directors. current accounts Tax Payable Accrued Expenses Amounts due to Acts Malaysia 250 9,112 2.208 14,063 25,633 250 7,637 2,515 14,063 24,465 Net Liabilities 79,602 40,402 General Fund Balance Broughi Forward Surplus/{Deficit) for the year Balance Carries FoNard 40A02 39,200 79,602 7,842 32,560 40,402 Page 2
(HARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examlner's Report Report lo the trusteesl members of ACTS LONDON On accounts for the year ended 31ST January 2021 Charity no {if any) 1159704 Set out on pages {rembe1 lo ircle the pa nbef$ of addilional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination ol the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 3110112021. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {'Ihe Acv,). I report in respect of my examination of the Trusvs accounts carried out under section 145 01 the 2011 Act and in carrying oul my examination. I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attenlion in connection with the examination which gives me cause lo believe that in, any material respect= the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act- or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a Irue and lairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order lo enable a proper understanding ol the accounts to be reached. Please delele the words in the brackels il they do not apply. Signed: Date: 1310912022 Name: MR MEHBOOB KESHANI Relevant prolessional qualif ication{s) or body (if any): INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS IN ENGLAND & WALES - ICAEW Address: 506 KINGSBURY ROAD LONDON NW9 9HE IER
Section B Dlsclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of Charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details ol any Items that the examiner wishes lo disclose. IER