APOSTOLIC CHURCH INTERNATION FELLOWSHIP (ACIF)
ACIF TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 2020/2021
Period Start Date: 05 March 2020 Period End Date: 04 April 2021
Apostolic Church International Fellowship (ACIF), Charity Registration Number: 1179005
Charity Principle Address: 7 Darlington House, Fount Street, London SW8 4SF
Board of Trustees: Mr Efrem Gebremeskel (Chairman). Mr Tariku Maricos (Treasurer) Mr Simon Mengis (Secretary).
Church Charity Bank: Santander Bank 142-142 Kensington High Street Kensington London W8 7RL
Structure, Governance and Management:
Apostolic Church International Fellowship (ACIF) is constituted as a charitable trust registered with the Charity Commission in July 2018 under Charity Number 1179005 .
The Charity Trustees’ are responsible for the general control and management of the charity. The Trustees’ give their time freely and receive no remuneration or other financial benefits. The trustees meet every three months and are responsible for all decisions taken in relation to running the church and community facilities and the activities provided by the charity. To assist in smooth running of the church the charity, the trustees have involved the members of the congregation to participate in certain aspects of the work, as the members of the congregation have skills that bring to the church to benefit the charity as a whole. The trustees are also responsible for the collection and counting of tithes and offering, received from the members of the church congregation.
The existing trustees are responsible for the recruitment of new trustees but in so doing the trustees seek the views and the recommendations of both the elders and community leaders that we have. The trustees believe this approach ensure that the new trustees are respected members of the faith and local communities and ensures that good relations are fostered between the church and the people of the local community that we serve.
In selecting the new trustees, the church seeks to identify a person who regularly attends church mass, church events and functions organised by the charity and are willing to participate to help in our broad community work. In addition, the trustees will take into consideration the person’s eligibility, competence, knowledge and skills that he can bring to the church.
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Our previous Treasurer, Bro Fisehaye Fitur, passed away on 14/03/2020 by sudden illness and he is now with Jesus. Bro Tariku Maricos is our new and elected Treasurer for the ACIF.
ACIF Annual Report 2020/2021.
Once the new trustees have been approved by the church trustees, the elders and the members of the church the will be given induction and training according to their needs and also according to the charity commission rules and regulations and they also briefed about their responsibility while serving the church as a trustees.
The Church charity trustees have assessed the risk the charity faces and have drawn up a risk map which identifies the major risks by area of activities, the nature of those risks, the likelihood of the risk happening and the measures taken to manage them. The trustees review the risks map regularly at the meetings. The trustees are satisfied that the systems are in place and the finance of the church is kept under review. Appropriate CRB checks supported by regularly review policies are made for all those who work with children or other vulnerable groups within the church.
Objectives and Activities: The objects of our church charity are set out in the charity’s trust deed and are summarised as follows:
Our Aims: To advance the teaching of the Apostles of Jesus Christ according to Jesus Christ Doctrine for the benefit of the public to come to salvation in accordance with the Bible. The Apostolic Church International Fellowship UK (ACIF UK) abides in the Apostles Doctrine to make disciples of all nations by providing educational, social and spiritual development through love, unity and fellowship.
The Objectives: Our church charity objectives are set to reflect our Christian Faith and Community Aims. Each Year our trustees review our objectives and activities to ensure they continue to reflect our aims. In carrying out this review the trustees have considered the charity commission general guidance on public benefit and in particular its supplementary public guidance on the advancement of religion for the public benefit.
The Strategies:
Our church charity also does regular outreach work and meet the people of the public on in the local high street and preach the gospel including giving out leaflets and inviting the people to attend the Sunday church service.
An important part of our charity strategy is community welfare and education. All our community facilities and activities including classes, health initiatives and seminars are widely advertised and we welcome the participation of our congregation including our local community. All our activities are free of charge and for all ages.
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ACIF Annual Report 2020/2021
- Our Volunteers Our volunteers in our church charity are the members of our congregation. Volunteers are important resources in both our faith and in our community work. Volunteers are involved in most of our faith and community activities and we have around 10 people regularly giving their time and freely. All our volunteers are monitored and supervised at all the times by the trustees. Volunteers working with children or other vulnerable groups are CRB checked.
Funding Resource:
- Our Church Charity main resource of income is from collecting tithes and offerings from the church members every Sundays before the end of the mass or after preaching the Word of God from the Gospel. Our visitors and guests also give donations freely to support the church. Since our church has become a charity we have had increase in our membership and we have now over 30 church members and we also have new comers who have been baptised in Jesus name, “Put on Christ” and they have been added to the church membership.
Activities and Achievement:
How our activities deliver public benefit:
The church charity carries out a wide range of activities in pursuance of its charitable aims. The trustees consider that the activities, summarised below, provide benefit both; who worship at our church and the wider community in London.
- Religious Activities: Our church provides a centre for our prayers and worship and for the activities associated with our Christian faith. During the year under review, we offered a range of religious services activities including:
Prayer:
The Church is open every Sunday afternoon where we have regular church attendees, including our church congregation, the young people and the children. We have also visitors and guests who also join us for Sunday Mass and to hear the Word of God. We have always over 25 to 30 people attending in one Sunday. Our church also has brothers and sisters’ prayer meetings during the week and does bible studies. Our church also provides hospital and home visits for prayers to encourage patients and also for people who are weak. There is also a telephone prayers support for people who need spiritual guidance.
The children also have Sunday school to learn about the Gospel. Our church has also once a year “Church Conference”, which takes place in February, where people of God join us from Europe for prayers. The Apostolic Church continued to do prayer and worship via zoom meeting during the first and second lockdown.
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ACIF Annual Report 2020/2021
Fun Activities:
Our Church provide several fun activities where all members of the congregation including where the local communities are encouraged to participate in different fun and competitive activities indoors and outdoors. This year our church has provided barbecue in the garden, football in the local Kensington and Holland Park, Table Tennis, sack race and bible quiz. We had over 50 people who participated. However, last year 2020 and 2021 it was not possible to do outdoor activities including barbecue due to the lockdown and the government covid restrictions.
Marriage and Funeral:
Our Church charity also provides Marriage and Funeral Services were required. During the lockdown and restrictions these special service was not available. Once the lockdown is eased and according to the government rules and regulation, ACIF will resume the service.
Investment Policy and Objectives:
The church charity does not have long term investment. The money received via the collection of tithes and offerings are held in deposit account in Santander Bank.
Plans for future Periods:
Our church charity is currently too small to comfortably accommodate all those who are members of the congregation, and for the local people who attend regularly to hear the Word of God. Our Church has hired a hall as we do not have our own building as yet. The church is looking for bigger building and to have our own church to increase its membership and worshippers. We intend to maintain our existing range of community activities working in partnership with the community and to further develop our community project in collaboration with Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council and to the Apostolic Church International Fellowship in Europe and beyond.
Our Church is currently renting a place of worship from St Philip Church in Earlscourt. The church has a plan and goals to purchase our own church and is saving money towards it. In addition, our church always has European Church Conference every February in the year at High Leigh, Broxbourne, in the UK, where all the Apostolic Church of Europe get together to worship Jesus, our Lord.
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ACIF Annual Report 2020/2021
Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
The Charity Trustees are responsible for preparing an annual report and financial Statement 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 judgements 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 concerns basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that discloses 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 Act 1993, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulation 2008 and the provision s of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity 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 its behalf by:
Mr Simon Mengis (Secretary) Date 30/03/2021
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Apostolic Church International Fellowship (ACIF) Statement of Financial Activities For the Year ended 04 April 2021
Church Charity: INCOME EXPENDITURE £ £ Tithes & offering 8500.00 Rent 7392.00
The trustees declared that they have approved the trustee’s Report above.
Signed on behalf of the church charity trustees
Signature: SIMON MENGIS
Full Name: Mr SIMON MENGIS
Position: ACIF SECRETARY
Date: 02 FEBRUARY 2022
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Apostolic Church International Fellowship (ACIF) Statement of Financial Activities For the Year ended 04 April 2021 Church Chari INCOME EXPENDITURE Tithes & offering Rent 8500.00 7392.00 The trustees declared that they have approved the trustee's Report above. Signed on behalf of the church charity trustees Signature: Full Name: Posltion.. Ac.i.F .. g.E.CEC.TAKy.. 0..3."...Q.L-...Z.o.IZ