## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period** Period start date Period end date 01 Jan 2024 31 Dec 2024 **From To** ## Section A Reference and administration details **Charity name** ST THOMAS JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH LONDON **Other names charity is known by** ST THOMAS JSOC LONDON **Registered charity number (if any)** 1177726 **Charity's principal address** 2A Taunton road Harold hill, Romford **Post code RM3 7ST** ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Rev Gheevarghese
Thandayath Fr.|Chairperson||General Body| ||Basil John|Secretary||General Body| ||PradeepCherian|Treasurer||General Body| ||Saji Chacko|Joint Secretary||General Body| ||Resmi Binoy|||General Body| ||BinoyJacob|||General Body| ||Riya Thukalil|||General Body| ||Alen Siril|||General Body| ||Rikku Varghese|||General Body| ||Shiji Varughese|||General Body| ||Kakkassery Poulose|||General Body| ||Shyam Simon|||General Body| ||Biju Jacob|||General Body| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ||**Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)**|||| ||**Name**||**Dates acted if not for whole year**|| |||||| Page 1 ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Type of adviser**|**Name**
**Address**|**Name**
**Address**| |---|---|---| |||| |||| |||| |||| |**NName 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 governing document is the Constitution that has been Type of governing document submitted to the Charity Commission. (eg. trust deed, constitution) How the charity is constituted CIO - (eg. trust, association, company) Elected by General Body Trustee selection methods - (eg. appointed by, elected by) ## **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. **St Thomas Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church** is a vital part of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church, under the leadership of Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, the Patriarch and Supreme Head of Antioch and all the East, seated on the Apostolic Throne of St Peter. Our Church also pledges allegiance to His Beatitude Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I, the Catholicos of the East (Malankara), and his successors. The Patriarchal Vicar, appointed as the Metropolitan in charge of the UK, governs our Church's faith matters in consultation with the Patriarch. The Vicar's appointment is made by the Patriarch through the Patriarchal Vicar. The Annual General Body elects the Church office bearers, including the Secretary, Joint Secretary, Treasurer, Internal Auditor, and other Managing Committee members/Trustees. The Managing Committee oversees and administers all the church's administrative and financial affairs, with elected members serving a tenure of two years. The Managing Committee convenes at least once a month to deliberate and decide on the Church's daily operations, including approving new membership applications. A biannual general body meeting is held every six months. The Church's income and expenditure are budgeted at the beginning of the financial year and approved by the general body. All spending is regulated, ensuring adherence to the rules set out by the Trustees to prevent misuse of funds. Accounts and procedures undergo internal auditing at least twice a year by an elected internal auditor during the Annual General Body Meeting (AGM). An independent examination or external scrutiny is also conducted by an independent examiner appointed by the Trustees. ## **Section C Objectives and activities** Page 2 |**Summary of the objects of the**
**charity set out in its governing**
**document**
**Summary of the main activities**
**undertaken for the public**
**benefit in relation to these**
**objects (include within this**
**section the statutory**
**declaration that trustees have**
**had regard to the guidance**
**issued by the Charity**
**Commission on public benefit)**|The primary objective of the Church is to promote the Christian faith and spread
the Gospel. This includes:

Conducting the Holy Eucharist, Sacraments, and Services according to
the faith, traditions, and customs of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church.

Providing the Holy Sacrament to all faithful members.

Establishing charitable institutions for the welfare of Church members and
the broader community.

Supporting charitable institutions to assist the poor and needy in Greater
London and India.

Alleviating poverty and sickness.

Other charitable purposes benefiting the public and community
development.| |---|---| ||The Holy Eucharist is celebrated every Sunday at St Thomas JSO Church,
Romford, London, RM3 7ST, with an average attendance of over 200 people. The
service begins at 09:00 with morning prayers, followed by the Holy Mass at 10:00.
Recognizing that the children are the foundation of future society and the Church,
significant emphasis is placed on their spiritual education. Sunday School is
conducted to instil Christian faith, church traditions, and positive moral and social
values. Over 80 children are registered and regularly attend Sunday School
classes after the Holy Mass. Sunday school following a structured curriculum
provided by MJSSC in Kerala, India, in coordination with MJSSA UK.
The Youth Association actively engages as altar boys, choir singers, and group
leaders. Their goal is to learn and practice the Lord's teachings, grow in faith, and
develop strong moral values and social conscience. They also organize various
cultural, community, and charity activities.
A Women's Forum is actively involved in the Church, focusing on spiritual growth
through prayers, devotional worship, and Bible study sessions.
Four fellowship units, based on the geographical spread of members' residences,
hold regular prayer meetings monthly. These meetings provide opportunities for
families to gather, interact, worship together, and strengthen fellowship.
Traditional Christmas Carol services involve groups, including ladies, children, the
Vicar, and Santa Claus, visiting members' residences to sing and proclaim the
glorious news of the Saviour's birth and the hope it brings.
Regular attendance at Holy services is believed to purify the soul, provide a finer
perspective on life, and bring out the best in individuals, prompting them to
consider the needs of others as equally important as their own.
Helping the poor and the needy forms an important part of our Worship to God.
We also believe that helping the poor is one of the ways of contributing towards
building a better world. A portion of our income is spent each year to provide
financial assistance to sick patients, disabled and the poor. To further our mission
of supporting the community, we organize a charity food distribution program,
benefiting 30-40 families. This initiative takes place every 4th and 5th Sunday at
the Church, providing essential nourishment to those in need.
Grants are given to the eligible applicants, only after proper verification of the
genuineness and their existing financial status and this is discussed in detail in
the committee meetings of the Trustees. lt is also here that the amount to be
given is decided and this is sent directly to the beneficiary with no third parties
involved.| ## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)** Page 3 You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about: - policy on grant making; - policy programme related investment; - Contribution made by volunteers. Section D Achievements and performance Page 4 ## Section D Achievements and performance Our Church is registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with **Summary of the main** effect from 27th Mar 2018. Our new Charity Registration Number is 1177726. **achievements of the charity during the year** St Thomas Day: On 6[th] and 7[h] of July 2024 our Church celebrated the feast day of St Thomas Youth Association: With the theme Spiritual nourishment and personality development, many activities such as Food for community charity food distributions, meet and greet, Youth retreat and Holy Mass in English are successfully undertaken this year. **Other community and charity activities undertaken during the year 2019:** - **Charity Food Pantry; community charity food distribution and deliveries in Romford community on every 4[th] Sundays.** - **Garden of Love veg. Green garden project and tree planting within the church compound.** - **Regularly support by providing food items to needy neighbourhood area,** - **Distributed Toys to the local children and children ward of below hospitals** **1. Queens Hospital Romford** **2. King George Hospital Ilford** **3. Hillingdon Hospital Uxbridge 4. Darent valley Hospital Dartford** ## **Section E Financial review** The Church reserves are held to fund its current and future activities. Page 5 **Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves** **Details of any funds materially** There are no funds in deficit. **in deficit** ## **Further financial review details (Optional information)** The principal source of income is voluntary donations and monthly subscription fees from our members. You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant about: The major expenditure is the mortgage being paid to Charity Bank for repaying the loan. - the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising); The Church is run by volunteers who are not entitled to any remuneration, except the Vicar's allowances being paid to the Priest for pastoral services. - how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity; Other expenses are in proportion to the needs of the congregation. - investment policy and objectives including any The Church does not have sufficient funds currently to invest in long term - ethical investment policy investments. Funds available are held as cash in a mainstream bank, - adopted. ## **Section F Other optional information** ## Public Benefit: The Trustees have considered the guidance produced by the Charity Commission on the provision of the l public benefit and they confirm that the public benefit has been provided by: - 1) Promoting the whole mission of the church through activities for individuals, parents and toddlers. 2) Providing regular Christian Worship open to all. - 3) Teaching Christianity through sermons, courses and small groups. - 4) Instituting Christian values in children. - 5) Extending the charity works of the Church to other communities around us. - 6) Voluntary and Charity activities to relieve poverty and sickness in Greater London and India. ## **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s) Full name(s)** Basil John **Position (Secretary)** Secretary **Date** 31.10.2025 Page 6 ||**Charity Name**

**ST THOMAS JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH**|**Charity Name**

**ST THOMAS JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH**|**Charity Name**

**ST THOMAS JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH**|**Charity Name**

**ST THOMAS JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH**|**No (if any)**
1177726|**CC16a**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**For the period**
**from**||Period start date
1/1/2024|**To**
|Period end date
12/31/2024|| |||||||| |**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||| |**to the nearest £**
**A1 Receipts**
SUBCRIPTIONS
**32,394**
OFFERINGS
**45,078**
DONATIONS
**106,816**
INTEREST
**3,401**
OTHER INCOME
**170**
GIFT AID
**28,614**
**216,472**
**-**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for AR)_||||**to the nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**32,394**
**45,078**
**106,816**
**3,401**
**170**
**28,614**
**216,472**|**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |SUBCRIPTIONS|**32,394**|||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**32,394**|**30,295**| |OFFERINGS|**45,078**||||**45,078**|**38,506**| |DONATIONS|**106,816**||||**106,816**|**53,498**| |INTEREST|**3,401**||||**3,401**|**1,957**| |OTHER INCOME|**170**||||**170**|| |GIFT AID|**28,614**||||**28,614**|**40,203**| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for AR)_|**216,472**||**-**||**216,472**|**164,458**| |||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**
**216,472**
**720**
**14,500**
**20,596**
**1,264**
**10,588**
**16,372**
**3,235**
**31,696**
**1,538**
**129,878**
**-**
**230,387**
**-**
**-**
**230,387**
**- 13,916**
**-**
**301,858**
**287,942**|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**|| ||||||**-**|**-**| ||||||**-**|**-**| |||||||| |||||**-**|**216,472**|**164,458**| |||||||| |||||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**720**|**720**| ||||||**14,500**|**14,250**| ||||||**20,596**|**33,690**| ||||||**1,264**|**1,129**| ||||||**10,588**|**13,293**| ||||||**16,372**|**7,985**| ||||||**3,235**|**2,680**| ||||||**31,696**|**30,584**| ||||||**1,538**|**2,572**| ||||||**129,878**|**-**| ||||||**-**|198.05| ||||||**230,387**|**107,101**| |||||||| |||||**-**
**-**|**-**|| ||||||**-**|**-**| |||||||| |||||**-**|**230,387**|**107,101**| |||||||| |**- 13,916**||**-**||**-**|**- 13,916**|**57,358**| |||||**-**|**-**|**-**| |**301,858**||||**-**
**-**|**301,858**|**244,500**| |**287,942**||**-**|||**287,942**|**301,858**| ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B5 Liabilities**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees|**Details**
CURRENT
SAVING
PETTY CASH
BUILDING FUND
**Details**
**Details**
**Details**
CHURCH BUILDING
**Details**
BANK LOAN ( THE CHARITY BANK LTD )
Signature
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))|**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**101,088**
**-**
**186,854**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**287,942**
**-**
OK
OK
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**Cost (optional)**
631,387
**-**
**-**
**-**
256,944
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Mr. Basil John
Mr. PradeepCherian
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**|**to nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**| |---|---|---|---| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||OK| ||||**to nearest £**
**Endowment**
**funds**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**When due**
**(optional)**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||Date of
approval| |||Mr. Basil John|9/12/2025| |||Mr. PradeepCherian|9/12/2025| Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Raport to the trusteosl members of ST THOMAS JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH On accounts for th¢ year ended 31st DECEMBER 2024 Charity no (if any) 1177726 Sot out on pages (remember lo include the page numbers of additiona sheelsl Respective The charitys trust￿ are responsible for the preparation of the attounls. The responslbilities of charity's Iru5tees consider that an au¢Jtt is not required for Ihls year under Section trusts8s and examln¢r 144121 of the Charities Act 2011 (t￿ 2011 Act) and that an independent 8xaminalion Is needed. It is my re5ponsibilily to.. examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act. lo follow the wocedures laid down in the general Dlreclion8 gven by the Ch8rlty Commission (under section 145{5llbl of the 2011 Act. and lo state Whet￿ particular matter8 have Come to my attentii)n. Basls of Independent My examination was carried out in accordance ¥Mlh general Dlrectlons given by the exarninevs Ststement Chaiily Commlsson. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the eharity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those recgrds. It also includes consideralton of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts. and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such mattels. The pro¢edL￿s undertaken do not provide all the evldence that would be required in an audit. and consequently no oplnion is glven as lo whether the accounts present a Irue and fairf view and the report is limrted to those matters set out in the slalement below. Independent In connectlon wth my examlnatlon. no rnatter has come to my attention (other than examiner's statement that disclosed below") 1. which gives me reasonab￿ cause to believe that in, 8ry materlal resp￿, the requirements.. lo keep acctsjnting records In acG¢xé8nce with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and to prepare accounts which accord wth the accounlirvJ rec¢rds comply with the aceountlng requiremen15 of the 2011 Ac* have not been met.. or 2. to which, in my opinh)n. attention should be drawn in order lo enatle a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the words in th8 brackets rflhey do nDI 8ppIy. Slgnad: Dats: 1210912025 Name: Sebastian Machukattu Devasia Relevant professlonal quallflcationlsl or body lif any): Asso¢kg1ion of Chartered Certified Accountants IS Ltd Address: 17 NEALS CORNER, BATH ROAD, MIDDLESEX b8S Gb 288 TW3 3HJ wo Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight maleri81 problems. Glve here briof detsils of any items that the examiner wlshes to dlsclose.