2023-12-31-accounts - Saints Alive

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SAINTS ALIVE

Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) 1176294

SAINTS ALIVE

Financial Statements for the Year ended 31 August 2023

SAINTS ALIVE

INDEX

Page Legal and Administration Details 1 Trustees Report 2-6 Statement of Financial Activities 7 Balance Sheet 8 Notes to the Financial Statements 9

SAINTS ALIVE

The Board of Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31[st ] December 2023 and confirm that they comply with the Charities Act 1993, as amended by the Charities Act 2006, the Constitution and the Charities statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP) 2014 (FRS 102) issued by the Charity Commission.

Reference and Administrative Information

Charity Name : Saints Alive

Charity CIO Registration Number : 1176294

Principal Office : 11 Church Lane, Madingley CAMBRIDGE CB23 8AF

Patron : Lord Williams of Oystermouth

It was with great pleasure that, in 2003, Saints Alive welcomed the appointment of the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams of Oystermouth, as Patron of the Charity. Dr Williams wrote,’ ‘This Charity represents a number of causes very close to my heart, the care of God’s creation, the need for prayerful and thoughtful rediscovery of the central doctrinal truths of our faith, and the renewal of the Christian heritage of Russia. I am very glad that this crucial work is going forward and am entirely supportive of the aims of the Charity.’

Board of Trustees

The Very Reverend Maxim Nikolsky - Chairman

The Reverend Canon Alan Amos OBE

Jeanne Knights MA (Cantab)

Principal Officer Jeanne Knights

SAINTS ALIVE

The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their report for the year ended 31 December 2023. This report is prepared in accordance with the Constitution and the recommendations of the Statement of Recommended Practice- Accounting and Reporting by Charities, and complies with applicable law.

Structure, governance and management

Governing document

Saints Alive is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered with the Charity Commission on December 14[th] 2017 under CIO number 1176294. It is governed by a Constitution.

Formerly, Saints Alive was the Registered Working Name of Trust of St Francis and St Seraphim (Trust Deed - Charity Registration Number 1070055), registered with the Charity Commission on 15 June 1998, the funds of which were transferred to Saints Alive (CIO - Charity Registration Number 1176294) on 09 April 2020.

The principal object of the CIO is the advancement of religion for the public benefit by witnessing to the unity of creation in Christ.

Organisational structure

The CIO trustees are responsible for the general control and management of the CIO, who are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Constitution.

The trustees meet together as a body generally three times per year and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to running the Charity, and the projects and activities undertaken by the charity. The day-to-day management of the charity and its projects are delegated to a Director.

Recruitment and appointment of trustees

The existing trustees are responsible for the recruitment of new trustees. In selecting new trustees, we seek to identify people who take an interest in, or are involved in, the charity’s projects and activities and who are willing to volunteer to help in our broader work. Potential trustees are invited to attend trustees' meetings as observers and are given more details of the CIO's aims and activities and, if all agree, they are then proposed as new trustees at the subsequent trustees' meeting. This process allows due consideration of the person's eligibility, personal competence, specialist knowledge and skills.

Induction and training of trustees

Following appointment, new trustees are introduced to their new role and given copies of the Constitution and a guide to the policies and procedures adopted by our CIO. A number of publications from the Charity Commission are also provided, including the guidance on charities and public benefit and on the advancement of religion for the public benefit. This ensures that new trustees are aware of the scope of their responsibilities under the Charities Act. Initially, new trustees work with an existing trustee assisting on particular activities and projects run by the charity. After satisfactory feedback from existing trustees, they are then given the task of leading a particular activity or project, reporting progress at trustees' meetings.

Risk management

The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the Trust, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate our exposure to the major risks.

Objectives and Activities

Our aims

The objects of the charity are set out in the Charity's Constitution as follows:

To advance the Christian faith for the benefit of the public as the trustees from time to time think fit.

This abbreviated form was adopted on the charity becoming a CIO.

The charity’s founding object will continue to focus its aspirations and activities, and are as follows:

The advancement of religion for the public benefit by witnessing to the unity of creation in Christ.
The advancement of education through practical reverence for life.

Our objectives

Our objectives are set to reflect our faith and educational aims. Periodically, our trustees review our objectives and activities to ensure they continue to reflect our aims. In carrying out this review the trustees consider the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit and in particular its supplementary public guidance on the advancement of religion for the public benefit.

Our single aim remains to help people grow spiritually, to see the world and our place in creation in a new light. Our focus is on our spiritual growth, our growth in holiness, a central strand that unites Christian traditions and their engagement with the world in which we live and the Earth we share.

The vision of unity, vision of life, a vision that relates to the whole of life, is what inspires, nourishes, heals and transmits hope, joy and love. Its articulation in both theology and life demands a certain boldness, if it is to heal the dis-unity in which we find ourselves in today’s world, a dis-unity influencing our understanding of who we are, where we belong and what we do, To recover our sense of unity, and its articulation in life, our theology needs to look closely at the patterns of its own life, the contexts in which its thinking takes place, its own belonging.

Strategies

One of the main ways in which we accomplish our aim is by telling the stories of extraordinary lives in which we can see the full potential of our humanity.

The lives of holy people and the saints have an impact and a transforming relevance for us today, as we become increasingly aware of our integrated role within the whole created order.

Our educational work includes conferences, seminars and study days, publications and a major research programme in Russia recording testimonies of ordinary people who have led extraordinary lives through the period of soviet persecution of religion. We also conduct pilgrimages to holy places.

Volunteers

Many volunteers have given their time to help the work of the charity and their participation makes an important contribution to the life of the charity and the achievement of its work. We are greatly indebted to these volunteers for their commitment and support.

Activities and Achievements

How our activities deliver public benefit

The charity carries out a wide range of activities in pursuance of its charitable aims. The trustees consider that these activities, summarised below, provide benefit both to those who participate directly and the wider community who benefit from the fruits of their labours, disseminated in the form of publications (books, film, electronic) and other resource materials.

Religious and Educational activities

Our events are open to everyone – to all faiths and none - to students, academics and the general public. They provide opportunities for prayer, reflection, learning through participation, and formal teaching activities.

The Trust aims at the promotion of academic activity and to this end it will endeavour to take forward its plans in both the UK and in Russia :

Study Centres

Cambridge: Saints Alive works in a Study close to Cambridge hosting a small yet significant library of books and films related to our work.

Russia: Saints Alive has taken steps towards establishing a Russian study facility, where it has purchased and maintains land in Diveyevo, not far from the Monastery of Seraphim-Diveyevo. We hope to establish facilities, that include a modest ‘lodge’ to provide hospitality for visiting scholars.

Recognising that the programme in relation to St Seraphim of Sarov is dependent on sustainable programme delivery in Russia, the Trust maintains its dialogue with partners in Russia in achieving this goal, however it is presently uncertain when this may be progressed owing to the current state of unrest.

Research Programme

I Witness Archive: Much of the work that we have accomplished in testimony gathering in Russia (video, audio and manuscript) lends itself to dissemination via a visual history archive.

Educational Programme

Since its launch Saints Alive has focused on developing:

Opportunities for the telling of stories of extraordinary lives in which we can see the full potential of our humanity.
Opportunities for people to experience direct personal communication with those who can talk of the effect and inspiration of a selfless person in their own life and share their encounter.
Opportunities for immersion in a living spiritual tradition of holy lives - through pilgrimages and meeting people with evident wisdom.
Films and books - as resources for sharing extraordinary lives.
Pilgrimages to Russia, to ‘The Land of St Seraphim’ to visit the forest of Sarov where St Seraphim prayed and to the Women’s Monastery in Diveyevo of which he was spiritual guardian, which have been an essential part of making known his work through personal experience.

In the past period we have reflected deeply on the nature of the educational programme that we wish to take forward. This core element of storytelling connects generations together through binding values that help people identify with and relate to each other.

Feedback from participants in our learning programmes, film, books, and from our many pilgrims, has been highly positive and experts in the sector have also praised the aims and execution of our programme to date.

Our late Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia has written,

“I have worked with the Trust for more than fifteen years. I have worked on the preparation of an English translation of ‘The Chronicles of the Monastery of Seraphim-Diveyevo’, a fundamental primary source for the life of the well-known Russian spiritual teacher, St Seraphim of Sarov. I have also gone on a pilgrimage organized by the charity. And I am much impressed by the programme of gathering oral testimony about St Seraphim, and the valuable material that the Trust has been gathering in this connection. All of this leads me to commend to you most warmly the work of the Trust.”

Rt. Reverend Rupert Hoare has written,

“The work of Saints Alive is not only significant in terms of ecumenical East-West relations, but also, and even more importantly, because of the Christian vision of the transformation of Creation through holy lives, to which it bears witness. This particular experience and vision has the potential not only to widen horizons, but also to challenge preconceptions and to bring about a real integration of faith, ecological concerns and the theology of Creation. Participants could benefit deeply by exposure to the experience and on-going work and plans for the future that the trustees of ‘Saints Alive’ has to offer.”

Former Principal of Westcott House Theological College, Cambridge and Chairman Emeritus of Saints Alive

Having accomplished a tremendous milestone in the past period, the trustees are presently engaging in a period of reflection in relation to the way ahead.

In the year under review, we undertook a number of activities:

Study Centres

Cambridge, UK

Saints Alive Library, located close to Cambridge, continues to be maintained.

Diveyevo, Russia

During this period, the unrest between Russia and Ukraine has not permitted travel to Russia, however we continue to maintain both our relationships and our property there. With the support of our friends in Diveyevo, we have installed a good new wooden fence around our property. The arable land of the property continues to be productive for local people.

Research Programme

We are considering a small new research programme on St Seraphim on Patmos, where the saint has been, and is, active through particular lives for many years. St Seraphim was, at his birth, named Prokhor (Greek: Prochorus) after the emanuensis of St John. Prochorus is frequently depicted on icons of St John the Theologian, recording the visions received by this saint in the Cave of the Apocalypse, visions that today comprise the Book of Revelation, the last book in the Christian Bible.

I Witness Archive: Much of the very substantial work that we have accomplished in testimony gathering in Russia (video, audio and manuscript) lends itself to dissemination via a visual history archive. We have also contributed to a small collection of interviews on Patmos, in particular in connection with St Amphilochios Makris, who was himself devoted to St Seraphim of Sarov. We remain open to ways in which this work may be taken forward.

Educational Programme

Our UK launch events associated with publication of Chronicles of Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery emphasised the effect of living holiness on and in our lives and the lives of others. Glimpses into how holiness is communicated, transmitted, participated in, and its increasing radius of effect, were very well received and met with great interest and hunger for a confessional approach to Christian faith, in particular through the medium of first-person testimony (story) including from some of the highly regarded theologians and pastors of our Churches. Their love of this great and most active saint, St Seraphim of Sarov, provides an opportunity to focus on this.

Presentations:

Both our Chairman and Director participated in the Sarov Conference - St Seraphim Days. Fr Maxim Nikolsky gave a welcome address and Ms Knights gave a presentation; Life Stories.

Websites:

We continue to maintain our websites, www.saintsalivepress.org and saintsalive.org.uk, however the latter is in need of renewal.

Publication Programme

Film:

Following many requests, we have produced an NTSC version of our film ‘My Joy’, on the life and influence of St Seraphim of Sarov, which can be played in North America. Several copies of this have now been purchased. Books:

Our latest title, Chronicles of Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery, has been presented to certain notable institutions and persons; it continues to be very well received.

Promotion, Marketing and Sales

Our distributors in the UK and USA continue to respond to orders promptly.

Our need for marketing support is presently under consideration and We remain open to ways in which this work may be taken forward.

Extending our Circle:

Friends:

The Trust’s Friends initiative continues. In the words of our Chairman, it is.

“an invitation for people to share in the life of a body that is aware of our surroundings, our environment, which is Godgiven; .... we too can be in communion with God, our fellow man, and nature...''

This sharing is encouraged in the areas of Prayer, Study, Lifestyle, Giving of Time and Money and Fellowship.

Financial review

The charity’s transition from a full-time facility within Margaret Beaufort Theological College to a virtual office as one of the College’s participating ‘partner’ organisations, reduces the charity’s core cost overheads.

While modest, sales are producing steady sustainable income, increased marketing offers significant potential to increase this income. The charity is open to opportunities in this regard, aware that its publications (both print and image) have enduring quality.

The charity continues to be supported by loyal monthly donors for whose financial commitment we remain truly grateful.

The Charity’s Balance Sheet shows a balance that includes significant sums related to stock held and stock in production; as such these sums are not available cash.

Plans for Future Periods

The charity has produced a substantial brochure, ‘Towards a Learning Community in St Seraphim Studies’, focusing the Spiritual Inheritance of Sarov Initiative, in which the charity’s labours over many years, together with those of its colleagues, have focussed. The brochure shares some future aspirations of this programme, and encourages people to help create an enduring legacy and inspiration for Life,

As a saint with great relevance for today, one who is rapidly becoming a universal figure, we would like there to be a place in the West where people may ‘meet’ St Seraphim, be inspired and learn from his life and living presence and holy lives and holy living.

The event, ‘A Daring Dialogue,’ was filmed and the fruits of the filming are due be made public in due course.

Marketing Development of Chronicles of Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery, is under consideration.

The charity trustees are responsible for preparing an annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities (SORP) 2014 (FRS 102). and the provisions of the Constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the CIO and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees for the purposes of charity law who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 1.

Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:

The Very Reverend Maxim Nikolsky (Chairman) 31[st] October 2024

SAINTS ALIVE CIO

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (including Income and Expenditure Account)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023

Unrestricted 5844 420	2022 Total - 5.844 420	Unrestricted 2021 Total - 3.371 3.371 250 250
6.264	6.264	3.621 3.621
(2.421) (6)	(2.421) (6)	(2.614) (2.614) (40) (40)
(2.427)	(2.427)	(2.654) (2.654)
3.837 14.651	3.837 14.651	967 967 - 13.684 13.684
18.488	18.488	14.651 14.651

The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses during the year. All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.

SAINTS ALIVE CIO

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2023

s 271 39.439	2022 32.688 1.500	34.188 42.180 (925) 41.255
	1.204 40.976
half by:
		75.443 (61.759)
		13.684
		13.684
		13.684

SAINTS ALIVE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2023

1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP) 2014 (FRS 102). The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

Donations

Income from donations and grants are included in incoming resources when these are received.

When donors specify that donations are for particular restricted purposes, which do not amount to preconditions regarding entitlement, this income is included in incoming resources of restricted funds when receivable.

Intangible Income

Interest Receivable

Interest is included when receivable by the charity.

Resources Expended

Resources expended are included in the Statement of Financial Activities on an accruals basis, inclusive of any VAT, which cannot be recovered.

Certain expenditure is directly attributable to specific activities and has been included in those cost categories. Certain other costs, which are attributable to more than one activity, are apportioned across cost categories on the basis of an estimate of the proportion of the CIO's activity on those activities.

Fund Accounting

The CIO's unrestricted fund consists of funds, which the CIO may use for its purpose at its discretion. The CIO's restricted funds may only be applied to purposes specified by donors. The CIO's designated fund consists of funds which the CIO has designated for specific use for its purposes.