## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period** Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year **From** 01 APRIL 2023 **To** 31 MARCH 2024 ## Section A Reference and administration details **ST. PETER AND ST.PAUL S' JACOBITE SYRIAN Charity name ORTHODOX CHURCH OXFORD, ENGLAND UK** **Other names charity is known by** **Registered charity number (if any) 1162922** **Charity's principal address** 8 ABBOTS WOOD HEADINGTON OXFORD **Postcode : OX3 8TR** ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
year to appoint trustee (if any)
1 Fr. Abin Markose
2 Binoy Varghese
3 Abi Kuriance
4 Tecil Chandy
5 Ajith Adai
6 Jishi John
7 JOBY JOHN
Praseeda Mathew
8
Kalayipparampil
Ajeesh Thomas
9
Abraham
10 SANU ARECKEKUDY
11 Vinjosh Varghese
12 Varghese Skaria
13 Bindu Jose
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)** **Dates acted if not for whole year** **Name** 1 ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** **Type of adviser Name Address** ## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** ## **Section B Structure, governance and management** ## **Description of the charity’s trusts** The Church’s Bylaw/Governing document is the constitution that has been Type of governing document submitted to the Charity Commission - (eg. trust deed, constitution) Unincorporated charity How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Managing Committee members/ Board of Trustees are elected by the Trustee selection methods Annual General Body meeting (eg. appointed by, elected by) - (eg. trust, association, company) ## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about: - policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees; - the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works; - relationship with any related parties; - trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. Our Church ST. PETER AND ST.PAUL S' JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OXFORD is an integral part of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church led by the Patriarch, the Supreme Head of Antioch and all the East, currently, His Holiness Mor Ignatius Aphrem II reigning the Apostolic throne of St.Peter. The Church also owes its allegiance to His Beautitude Mor Baselios Thomas I, the catholicos of the east (Malankara/India) and his successors, the regional head of believers. The Patriarchal Vicar (metropolitan in charge of UK) in consultation with the Patriarch governs and guides our church in the matters of faith. The vicar/priest of our church is appointed by the Patriarch through the Patriarchal Vicar. Vicar is formally elected as the president by the General Body. The Annual General Body/meeting elects all the office bearers including secretary, treasurer, auditor and other managing committee members/board of trustees. All administrative and financial affairs of the church are managed and administered by the managing committee/board of trustees. The maximum number of trustees will be 10 excluding auditors. The tenure of the elected managing committee is 2 years. The managing committee meets regularly at least once in three months to deliberate and make decisions regarding the day to day affairs of the church. A half-yearly general body meeting is also convened regularly. 2 Strict rules are set out by the trustees for the spending and to regulate the use of funds. All Income and expenditure is budgeted at the beginning of the financial year. The accounts of the church are internally audited by the auditors, who are elected by the annual general body meeting. ## **Section C Objectives and activities** The most important object of our organisation is to advance the religion of Christian faith especially that of the ST. PETER AND ST.PAUL S' JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OXFORD, Oxfordshire and the adjoining areas of south part of England. To maintain the faith, traditions and doctrines of Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and to perform all the religious rites, Holy Eucharist, and the Holy Sacraments to all its members and the regular worship services. **Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its** Our objects include raising funds to organise activities for community **governing document** development, religious and charitable activities for the welfare of the church members and also for the poor and needy in a wider society. To organise and conduct Sunday school, prayer meetings, family camps & retreats and to promote youth association and women’s association/Vanitha samajam. To buy, rent, lease or acquire property and manage it for the church. To relieve poverty and sickness. 3 Our worship services include gatherings of all believers from Oxford and surrounding areas of Oxfordshire. In these gatherings we pray to God, learn Bible, the faith and traditions of our Church through the informative sermons of our priests and lay leaders. We teach our forthcoming generations about these through Sunday School lessons, youth and women’s association meetings. In these worship services the most important sacraments of Holy Eucharist, baptism and wedding are administered as well. Our worship services finish with agape meals offered by families to foster the aspect of sharing between us. **Summary of the main activities undertaken for the** The parish members in difficult situations such as sickness, **public benefit in relation to** bereavement, depravity, poverty and family problems etc. are given **these objects (include within** special care through the house visits, counselling and prayers by our **this section the statutory** priests and trustees. Sacraments such as anointing of the sick are done **declaration that trustees have** on such occasions. **had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity** The poor and needy in the society (of any religion or community), **Commission on public** especially in India are given financial support. The collections from **benefit)** Christmas Carol services are reserved for this purpose, in addition to the voluntary contributions or donations to the charity fund. The applications come through the parish members from the needy in their home towns in India and decisions over them are taken in the regular committee/trustee meetings. At present the Holy Eucharist is celebrated every 1[st] and 3rd Saturday of every month, in addition to the special services of Christmas , Passion Week and Parish day celebrations. The Sunday School lessons, Youth Associations and Vanitha Samajam (Women's Association) meetings are regularly organised after the worship services. Prayer meetings are conducted every Sunday and retreats are organised occasionally. **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)** 4 You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about: We give donations to applicants recommended by parish members, only after proper verification of the genuineness and their existing financial status. The applications are placed at the committee/board of trustees meeting and decisions are made after detailed discussions. The amount of payment is decided at the committee meetings. The volunteers sometimes give donations to the church for charity purposes, in certain special cases. - policy on grantmaking; - policy programme related investment; - contribution made by volunteers. ## Section D Achievements and performance 5 Section D Achievements and performance The Annual General Body meeting was conducted in the month of May **Summary of the main** 2024, presided by the Vicar/President , Rev Fr. Abin Markose. The **achievements of the charity** meeting had an appraisal of all activities of the church, including the **during the year** progress of Sunday school, youth association and women’s association (Vanitha Samajam). Our church has successfully welcomed many new families as our members and volunteers during the last year. The holy communion services were conducted regularly on every 1[st] and 3rd Saturday every month. Passion Week Services: Two holy week services were held successfully in this financial year, first one during the Second week of April 2023 with Maundy Thursday services in the night of 5th April 2023 followed by Good Friday and then Easter services in the night of 8th April 2023. The Second holy week was conducted during the fifth week of March 2024 with Maundy Thursday in the night of 27th March 2024 followed by Good Friday and Easter services in the night of 30th March 2024. The Holy weeks were a great success and hundreds of believers attended the services including church members and people from other Christian denominations. Parish Day and Harvest Festival celebrations were held on 29[th] October 2023 led by Rev Fr Abin Markose and Rev Fr Philip Thomas who was leading the services on Parish Day. The Holy Mass was followed by special devotional message, Prayers with incense, procession, benediction & love feasts. Christmas Programme: During Christmas celebrations, Carol visited Parishioners’ homes during different days in December 2023. On 24th evening Christmas Mass and the Holy Eucharist were conducted by Vicar, Rev. Fr. Abin Oonnukallinkal. He gave a Christmas message to parishioners followed by carol singing competitions by the Sunday School Students and youth. Sunday school: We conducted Sunday School classes regularly after the Holy Mass. The Sunday school takes initiative to educate children with spiritual guidance and moral aspects of life in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ and the faith & traditions of the Syriac Orthodox Church. The students are encouraged to attend church regularly and to study the scriptures. Annual arts and cultural competitions were conducted and prizes were distributed to winners. Youth Association: The Youth Movement members meet after the Holy Mass and have good discussions about issues involving moral ethics leading to personal spiritual development which helps them to be good future citizens. Vanitha Samajam (Women’s Association): The Women’s Association is a prayer group of women and they meet after the Holy Mass. It also has a secretary as a leader. Their activities include prayer, singing devotional songs, Bible readings, conducting Bible quiz, chain prayer, Bible presentations and classes. ## **Section E Financial review** 6 ## **Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves** The church reserves are held to fund its current and future activities. We are raising a building fund also in Bank Savings Account with an aim of building or buying an own Church (or for a long term leasing of a Church or a property which can be used for Church/worship services) **Details of any funds materially in deficit** There are no funds in deficit ## **Further financial review details (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant about: - the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising); - how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity; - investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted. Our principal source of fund is the monthly subscription from members and voluntary donations and contributions on special occasions like Passion Week, Christmas and Parish Day. The church is run by volunteers who are not entitled to any remuneration, except the Vicar’s/priests’ allowances for pastoral services. The church does not have sufficient funds currently to invest in long term investments. The available funds are held as cash in mainstream Bank, as Savings Account (Building Fund). We keep this fund in savings account with an aim of building or buying a Church of our own or on leasehold basis. ## **Section F Other optional information** ## **Section G Declaration** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** |**Signature(s)**
**Full name(s)**
**Position (eg Secretary, Chair,**
**etc)**
**Date**||| |---|---|---| ||Abi Kuriance|Binoy Varghese| ||
Secretary|Treasurer| ||31/01/2025|31/01/2025| 7 **Charity Name No (if any) ST. PETER AND ST.PAUL S' JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX 1162922 CHURCH OXFORD, ENGLAND UK Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period** Period start date Period end date **To from** 01/04/2023 31/03/2024 ## **Section A Receipts and payments** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Unrestricted Endowment
Restricted funds Total funds Last year
funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
Subscription(Members) 11,200 - - 11,200 8,665
Refreshment(Donation) 4,814 - - 4,814 3,360
Offertory 7,386 - - 7,386 7,199
Donation(Charity) 895 - - 895 700
Donation(Ninveah Convention) 1,133 - - 1,133 344
Holy Quarbano Donation 250 - - 250 280
Other Gifts and Donation - - - - 150
Perunnal(Church Annual Day Donation) 1,011 - - 1,011 2,532
MJSSA Zonal Kalolsavam 796 - - 796 2,064
Donations(Lelam) - - - - 285
Donation(House House Blessing) 100 - - 100 25
Donation(MJSSA Hall booking) - - - - 95
Donations(Christmas) 1,050 - 1,050 865
Donation(Vanitha Samajam) - - - - 350
Gift Aid 6,705 - - 6,705 6,266
Donations - - - - 510
Deposit Refund 500 - - 500 100
Donations(Holy Week) 3,031 - - 3,031 1,800
VBS 469 - - 469 -
Donation Church Building 501 - - 501 -
Family Conference 675 - - 675 -
Carol Competition Prize 701 - - 701 -
Quiz Competition Prize 800 - - 800 -
Perunnal Share 3,301 - - 3,301 -
Sub total (Gross income for
AR) [ 45,318 ] - - 45,318 35,590
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 45,318 - - 45,318 35,590
A3 Payments
Vicars Allowance 4,775 - - 4,775 4,550
Ninaveh Convention 1,556 - - 1,556 865
Church Rent 1,550 - - 1,550 2,086
Hall Rent 578 578 399
Insurance 313 - - 313 327
Printing & Stationery 72 - - 72 238
Grocery(Church Functions) 379 - - 379 1,186
Bank charge 80 - - 80 96
MSOC Council 2,185 - - 2,185 630
Sunday School Bakalolsavam 820 - - 820 361
Perunnal (Church Annual Day) 2,816 - - 2,816 2,658
Parish Day 1,524 - - 1,524 1,608
Charity Donation 1,000 - - 1,000 680
Travel Expenses - - - - 158
Holy Week 4,538 - - 4,538 2,253
MJSSA Hall Booking - - - - 600
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
National Kalolsavam - - - - 209
Refreshments 5,017 5,017 4,995
Website renewal 55 55 87
Gift Expenses 300 300 150
Christmas Expenses 1,654 1,654 1,222
Raffle Prize - - 180
MJSSA Zonal Kalolsavam 1,843 1,843 1,912
Miscellaneous expenses - - - - 340
Church maintenance 218 218
Carol Competition gift 350 350
Quiz competition gift 480 - - 480
VBS 603 603
Family Conference 660 660
Sub total [ 33,366 ] - - 33,366 27,790
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - [ - ]
Total payments 33,366 - - 33,366 27,790
Net of receipts/(payments) 11,952 - - 11,952 7,801
A5 Transfers between funds - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 56,449 - - 56,449 48,648
Cash funds this year end 68,401 - - 68,401 56,449
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**
**Details**
HSBC CURRENT AC
HSBC SAVINGS AC
CASH BALANCE
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**68,301**
**-**
**100**|**Restricted funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Endowment funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**| |---|---|---|---|---| |||**68,401**|**-**|**-**| |||OK|OK|OK| |||**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**|**Restricted funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**Endowment funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**| |Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**|**Details**
**Details**|**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**|**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Amount due (optional)**|**Current value (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**When due (optional)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||||**-**
**-**
**-**|| ||Signature|Print Name
Binoy Varghese
Abi Kuriance||Date of approval
30/01/2025
31/01/2025| ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **ST. PETER AND ST.PAUL S' JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH members of OXFORD, ENGLAND UK On accounts for the year** 31 March 2024 **Charity no 1162922 ended (if any) Set out on pages** (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 March 2024 **Responsibilities and** As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the **basis of report** accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out 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 attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to 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 ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. |**Signed:**
**Name:**
**Relevant professional**
**qualification(s) or body**
**(if any):**
**Address:**|**Date:**|31/01/2025| |---|---|---| |||| ||Seejo Tony|| |||| ||IFA|| |||| ||58 Highbury Grove|| ||Portsmouth PO6 2RS|| 1 **Oct 2018** **IER** ## **Section B Disclosure** 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 of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . 2 **Oct 2018** **IER**