Activities and Achievements
Weekly Saturday & Sunday Meetings
All of our weekly meetings in 2023 have been growing steadily. With our weekly attendances in London, Bristol and Edinburgh growing in numbers. Our service in London continues to be live-streamed on to Youtube for members living outside the areas of our outreach or face challenges with accessibility.
By the end of the year our weekly physical attendance was averaging about 110 people every weekend. We continue to have success ministering to a growing number of international students who are new to the UK. We were able to reach out to students from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Hong Kong, China and Mauritius through our booths at the Fresher’s Fair. We also have more students getting jobs and graduating into young working adults in our church, some even naturalising into permanent residents.
Our weekly meetings are open to all and feature a lively contemporary Christian worship experience with modern hymns, prayers being offered, preaching and teaching from the Bible and inter-personal community building over meals.
Our aim is to provide an avenue for Christians to worship and grow their faith. And members of the public curious about faith to discover and learn more about Jesus and the hope that Jesus promises in this life and for eternity. We encourage our members to make positive contributions to society by living out the teachings of Christ daily. Many have reported the Christian faith as a key factor in them thriving spiritually, mentally and emotionally in life.
Audio recordings of our weekly sermons are available for free public listening on websites like Sound Cloud and mobile apps like Apple Podcast and Spotify.
This has been very helpful in our outreach of those living in UK who are unable to find local Christian support.
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 in 10 locations across our cities on Wednesday nights, where questions on faith can be asked and answered in a relaxed environment. Our small groups usually take place in the flats and houses of our church members. The small groups usually start with a meal together, followed by a Bible study lead by our layleaders and ending in prayer.
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, governmental institutions and other current events happening nationally or internationally.
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 resource. We ran this 10-week course twice in 2023 and it lead to many new friends discovering Christianity. In total, this course was attended by about 30 people.
We also set up booths at the Fresher’s Fair at King’s College, Imperial College and City University to engage with new students about issues on faith and life.
Helping The Homeless
With homelessness on the rise in the UK, our church has been actively helping those in need by lending them our ears, praying with them and giving out parcels with food, toiletries, socks and gloves. This was a coordinated work across our locations in London, Bristol and Edinburgh during Easter and the winter months.
Helping Young Couples
Our church has also started running relationship enrichment sessions for dating and married couples. To help strengthen relationships and encouraging healthy marriages.
Welcoming New Students
In our commitment to reach young lives with the gospel, the church has organised free lunches and dinners after our weekly worship services during the start of new semesters in September and October to welcome students from all backgrounds. Creating healthy and wholesome environments for them to make new friends and integrate into UK life.
Church Weekend Away
We organised an annual combined church weekend away called the Acts UK Getaway at the Dalesdown Christian Centre in Horsham, West Sussex from the 10[th] to 12[th] November 2023. This year we had a total of 98 members joining, including young working adults and university students from London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Southampton and Nottingham.
The aim of the getaway was to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of our daily routines in order to breathe and deepen our faith in God, where we can grow in our love for Jesus and our compassion for others. We also encourage bonding over various sport activities in the afternoons to foster better teamwork and friendship among participants.
Easter and Christmas Celebrations
For 21-days leading up to the Easter weekend, the church enters into a season of prayer and fasting. We encourage people to give to Christian Missionary needs in countries outside of the UK. Good Friday was celebrated by ministering to the poor and our Easter Sunday service was open to all.
Our usual in-person Christmas Service on the 24[th] of December was done online this year due to our meeting venue (which belongs to the Quakers) being closed due to the Bank Holidays.
Water Baptisms
Our efforts in sharing the gospel and making disciples in accordance to the teachings of Jesus continue to bear good fruit. We had 6 adult baptisms in 2023.
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 as an expression of our Christian witness.
Registered Charity No: 1159704 Acts London Financial Statement for the year Ended 31 st January 2024 Correspondence Address: Flat 2, 26 Rochester Place. London, NWI 9DF
Acts ndon Income and Expendilure Slatemenl for Ihe year ended 31.01.2024 General Fund Total Income General Offering & Donations Total 146,130 146,130 146,130 146,130 Expenses Reni & Rates Light and Heat Salaries, Nl and payroll costs Meeting venue hire cost Telephone Tr&velling Refreshment at meelings Insurance Campsite fees Sundry Expenses Accollntancy Payroll costs 32,275 1,378 23,0(X) 41,915 1,166 9.471 10,410 235 5.180 4.065 675 341 130,111 32275 lJ78 23,000 41,915 1,166 9,471 10,410 235 5,180 4,065 675 341 130,111 Bank Charges 63 Depreciation - Fixtures & fittings Total 265 130,439 265 130,439 Tax payable 2,834 Surplus for Ihe year 12,857 12057 Page I
Aets London Balance Sheet as at 31st January 2024 31.01.2024 31.01.2023 Fixed Assets Fixtures & Fittings - Net B(K)k Value 1,059 1.059 283 283 Current Assets Other Debiors Prepayments Cash al bank 771 2.683 108,521 111,975 550 2,458 96,925 99,933 Current Liabilities Directors, current accounts Tax Payable Accnied Expenses Amounts due to Acis Malaysia 250 2.834 2,963 7,564 13,611 250 1.650 686 11.063 13,650 Nel Liabilities 99,423 86,566 General Fund Balance Broughi Fonvard Surplusl(Deficit) for the year Balance Carries Forward 86566 12857 99,423 79,602 6.964 86,566 Page 2
(HARITY (OMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent exarniner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the Irusleesl members of Charity Nanie ACTS LONDON On accounls for the year ended 31ST January 2024 Charity no (if any) 1159704 Set out on pages I[nber Irlud the page nLThbers of a(kJilional sheetsl I report to the trustees on my examination ol the accounts of the above charity {Yhe Trust-) for the year ended 31/0112024. Responslbilities and basis ol roport As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation ol the accounts in accordance with the requirements of Ihe Charities Act 2011 ("the Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under seclion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination. I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under seclion 145{5)(b) of the Act. Independent I have compleled my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection wrth 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 accounls did not accord with Ihe accounling records- or Ihe accounts did not comply wlh the applicable requiiements concerning the form and content of accounts set oul in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requiremenl that the accounts give a Irue and lair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an indeFRndenl examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection wilh the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding ol the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Slgned: Date: 1810912024 Name: MR MEHBOOB KESHANI Relevant professional qualification{s} or body (if any): INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS IN ENGLAND & WALES- ICAEW Address: 506 KINGSBURY ROAD LONDON NW9 9HE IER
Section B Disclosure Only complete il the examinef needs to hHJhlighl mateiial rfialters ol concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here briet details of any ilems that the examiner wlshes to disclose. IER