Русская Православная Церковь Заграницей | Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia
Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe| Великобританскаяи Западно - Европейская Епархия
Diocesan Chancellery 58 Shrewsbury Road, Prenton. CH43 2HY
Annual General Meeting held (virtually) on 21st September 2024
Agenda Open with prayer Those present and apologies Annual Report Financial Statement Addition of Trustee AOB Close with blessing
Annual Report
Submitted to the Annual General Meeting of the Trustees of the Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe (ROCOR)
This report is presented to the Trustees by the Chancellor of the Diocese at its meeting on the 21st September 2024 held virtually. This meeting also received the financial statement with the Financial Report to be submitted to the Charity Commissioners of England and Wales by October 31st 2024 at the latest.
Introduction
The Diocese has had Charitable Status since November 9[th] 2020. It will submit its Annual Report and Financial Statement by October 31st 2024 at the very latest. It will normally submit its reports to the Charity Commission at about this time as the accounting year concludes on December 31[st] each year. In future years, the timetable of accounting will be clearer. It is usual for Charities to have 10 months from January 1st each year to submit their accounts and reports to the Charity Commission. The Diocesan Chancellor sought specialist advice from our appointed auditors and the reports are enclosed.
Fulfilment of the Aims of the Diocese.
• Establishing places of worship and devotion of the Russian Orthodox Faith. Diocesan Chancellery, 58 Shrewsbury Road, Prenton, Wirral, United Kingdom. CH43 2HY
The Diocese maintains almost 40 places of worship across Great Britain, Ireland and Western Europe. In recent times the Diocese has opened new places of worship in Clifden in Ireland. Its new missions in Durham, Warmister and St Leonards seem to be progressing well as are the new Parishes in Monaco and Lucerne. The Parish in Telford underwent some challenges during the ill health of its Rector and the Parish in Alicante in Spain is grieving the loss of its beloved Rector Archpriest Ossius. There are, nevertheless expanding opportunities for worship throughout the many national territories of the Diocese with considerable growth in the parishes for example in Pau. The Diocesan Chancellor is pleased to report that the Diocese has experienced marked growth and exciting developments with the Diocesan Youth, with many adult baptisms and growing congregations . New missions have been well received and quickly seem to attract the Faithful and older, established Cathedrals and Parishes seem to have benefitted from an influx of the Faithful and an increased fervour. The ordination of new clergy and the continued presence of clergy from Ukraine displaced by the conflict there has had a marked influence upon the capacity of the Diocese to meet the needs of an ever-growing number of worshippers. Still, there are unmet needs across the territories of the Diocese and much work to do. There continues a pressing need to establish male and female monasteries. The new Convent of the Annunciation in Didcot will be a great blessing and it is hoped that the purchase of a large property in France on behalf of the Diocese will shortly bear fruit.The Diocesan Bishop has visited many of our parishes this year which continues to strengthen their resolve and fervour of faith.
- Raising awareness of the Russian Orthodox Faith and encouraging missionary and outreach activities to enlighten others about the Russian Orthodox Faith.
The Diocesan website and the websites of the Diocesan parishes and missions are very well visited and used. These are means of reaching out to a wider group of people. New missions in new areas bring great blessings and soon attract new worshipers. There is outreach through a wide variety of means including youth camps, refugee camps, food banks and collections for good causes. The Diocese to aid refugees from Ukraine and assist our communities in the Holy Land, it has sent considerable funds to our Synod in New York to be distributed for charitable purposes. All these activities will be greatly enhanced by the visit of the Myrrh Streaming Icon of the Mother of God from Hawaii in November.
- Carrying out Russian Orthodox religious practices, devotional acts and pilgrimages.
The Diocese continues to sponsor a European Music conference which was a great success in London (now repeated as an annual event). This drew singers from Orthodox parishes from Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Great Britain and the United States of America. This activity will greatly enhance the traditional worship for which Russian Orthodoxy is known. There have been many pilgrimages. A
Diocesan Chancellery, 58 Shrewsbury Road, Prenton, Wirral, United Kingdom. CH43 2HY
Diocesan Pilgrimage to the Holy Land and many other pilgrimages throughout the territories blessed by the Diocesan Bishop. All these activities strengthen and enhance the spiritual lives of the Faithful and lead to more and more devotion not least to the saints of the God-preserved lands of Western Europe and the British Isles. Last November the Diocesan Bishop was able to call together all his clergy to Florence for a Clergy Convocation. This brought together more than 40 clerics from right across the Diocese, clerics from different national backgrounds and with different linguistic and cultural needs yet all united in their one faith in Christ.
- Providing religious education, training and resources to the Russian Orthodox Faith community.
Many of our parishes have Sunday Schools and youth activities. There have been youth camps held for example in Switzerland and young peoples work camps organised to support parishes for instance in building activities in St Leonards on Sea. Readers are regularly trained within the parishes and the Diocesan Cathedrals and larger parishes act as a resource for the training of new clergy. The Diocesan website and other websites blessed by the Diocesan Bishop continue to make available the many riches of the Orthodox devotional and liturgical tradition for a wider audience.
Conclusion
The Diocese is now in a much stronger position both spiritually and materially. We should aim over the coming years to consolidate the achievements of the past year and to move towards the establishment of a permanent residence for the Bishop and the establishment of monastic life in the Diocese as spiritual resources and places of devotion and training. It is with deep gratitude to God that all these positive developments are reported to this meeting and a real sense of hope enables us to embrace our future.
Archpriest Paul Elliott
Chancellor of the Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe (ROCOR)
Diocesan Chancellery, 58 Shrewsbury Road, Prenton, Wirral, United Kingdom. CH43 2HY
Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe (ROCOR)
Financial Activities
January - December 2023
| TOTAL | |
|---|---|
| Income | |
| Diocesan Convocation Income | 6,021.65 |
| Diocesan Income (Parish Assessments, Decree 1) | 79,334.53 |
| Collections for Diocesan Support | 21,597.07 |
| Diocesan Youth Fund | 693.40 |
| Hierarchical Support (Dedicated Donations) | 100,000.00 |
| Total Diocesan Income (Parish Assessments, Decree 1) | 201,625.00 |
| Donations and legacies | 1,814.90 |
| Hierarch Travel Reimbursement | -162.48 |
| Sales | 102.87 |
| Total Income | £209,401.94 |
| TOTAL | £209,401.94 |
| Expenditures | |
| Chancellery Maintenance | 0.00 |
| Council Tax | 2,729.97 |
| Dedicated-Donation Hierarch Support (from earmarked donations) | 460.00 |
| Electricity and Gas | 1,744.75 |
| Medical Insurance | 1,861.67 |
| Residence Rent / Mortgage | 26,800.00 |
| Water | 591.99 |
| Total Chancellery Maintenance | 34,188.38 |
| Chancellery Operational Costs | 0.00 |
| Bank and accounting charges | 1,384.68 |
| Printing, Postage and Stationery | 677.46 |
| Web site and internet costs | 2,674.35 |
| Total Chancellery Operational Costs | 4,736.49 |
| Charitable Contributions (General) | 0.00 |
| Charity in Support of Clergy | 5,105.82 |
| Charity in Support of Individuals | 584.55 |
| Total Charitable Contributions (General) | 5,690.37 |
| Diocesan Convocation Expenses | 9,267.28 |
| Hierarch Travel | 0.00 |
| Hierarch Travel (Diocesan expense) | 8,931.72 |
| Hierarch Travel (to be reimbursed by parishes) | 1,227.44 |
| Total Hierarch Travel | 10,159.16 |
| Salary (Diocesan Bishop) | 12,000.00 |
| Uncategorised Expenditure | 1,020.00 |
| Total Expenditures | £77,061.68 |
| NET OPERATING INCOME | £132,340.26 |
| Other Income | |
| Transit IN Collections | 0.00 |
| IN - Fund For Assistance | 135.00 |
| IN - Jerusalem Ecclesiastical Mission | 1,723.18 |
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Accrual Basis Thursday 6 June 2024 10:53 am GMT+01:00
Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe (ROCOR)
Financial Activities
January - December 2023
| TOTAL | |
|---|---|
| IN - Other / Special transit collection | 2,000.00 |
| Total Transit IN Collections | 3,858.18 |
| Total Other Income | £3,858.18 |
| Other Expenditures | |
| Transit OUT transfers | 0.00 |
| OUT - Collections or Assessments for Synod | 8,065.82 |
| OUT - Other / Special transit collection | 2,000.00 |
| Total Transit OUT transfers | 10,065.82 |
| Total Other Expenditures | £10,065.82 |
| NET OTHER INCOME | £ -6,207.64 |
| NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) | £126,132.62 |
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Accrual Basis Thursday 6 June 2024 10:53 am GMT+01:00
INDEPEIWENr TO THE TRUSTEES OF DIOCLSE OCOR FG WEsfERN EiJROPE eAded 31 I report on the acLounts of the charity for th¢ year u)ded 31 Decemkn 2023 whi¢h compris¢ the St8lem¢nt of Financial Activiti Balanc¢ Sheet and the Telated ni)tss. Rejpeetive YesnSibIlIt& of trD8tee ¢Itr Th¢ trust¢¢s are r¢spnsible for the ryepath of the Unts. The charitys trustee$ consid¢r that an audit is Th)t Tcquired f(Y the year (undtt s43(2) of the Chanti¢s Act 1993 (the Act) ond th81 an examiD8tion is ne¢thd. It is my rwibility to: examine the accounts (under s¢ctAon 43{3Xa) if th¢ 1993 Act). to follow the procedures laid knwn in the Gcnffal Diredi(Mts 8iven bythe Chwity Commissioners (under $43 (7) (b) of the 1993 ACL as amendd): and to state whether particular matters ha c4)me to my attcnli(xi. B#gls of Ind¢pendeBt rport My examination was carried (wt in aco)rdanc¢ with the General Directions given by th¢ Charity Commission¢rs. An examination IlUdeS a vIeW of the ntIng records kept by the Charity al a comFwison of the tK¢4xmts prwnted with those Tewrds. It also includ¢$ considerntiffl of any unusual items LY discklsuS in the pKcount4 and seekin8 explanatio$ from you as Trwstees con¢ernin8 any such matt¢rs. The prmlurns undertak¢n do not PTovide all th¢ eviden that would be requirnl in an audit and. cons¢qikntly, I do not express an audit opinion M th¢ view given by th¢ account Indep¢ndeAt Exam1MO JtAt¢meDt In rA)nneCtI with Iny examinatiLX4 matt¥ ha8 C(rt to my atiefttion: l) which gives me r¢asothle to t¢li¢ve that in Y material respect the requirements to keep oUnting IordS in accordw with 5tion 41 of the A¢ and to prepHre accounts which acoyd with the cOuntIng [OrdS aThl to wmply with the rrquirements of th¢ 1993 Art have n(rt iren me¢ (Y 2) to whi¢h. in my opini(M4 attention shwld bc dr8wn in orthr to 8 pro und¢rOndAng of the xcounts to be Teach1. C Yew & Compajry 54 Glentlllnie Ro London SW177NF 3 September 2024