**Light of the World Ministries Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts January 2023 – December 2023 Charity Number: 1197054** ## **LIGHT OF THE WORLD MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL** ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** **REPORTING 1[st] JANUARY 2023 – December 2023** **Charity Number: 1197054** **Light of the World Ministries Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts January 2023 – December 2023 Charity Number: 1197054** ## **Our Mission** At Light of the World Ministries, our mission is to glorify God through God-exalting worship and a steadfast commitment to being governed by biblical principles. We are dedicated to producing faithful disciples, meeting the needs of widows and orphans, and serving our community with compassion and purpose. We emphasise the exercise of spiritual gifts, the incorporation of newcomers, and openness to change, trusting God through fervent prayer. By fostering genuine worship, strategic evangelism, and strong leadership, we aim to inspire all members to invest in God’s work and reflect His love through meaningful acts of service. ## **Aims** As a ministry, one of our foremost objectives is to inspire and equip our members to embrace and embody our clearly defined mission and purpose. We strive to cultivate a deep understanding of Scripture through dedicated Bible study, encouraging everyone to draw closer to the heart of God. Central to this aim is fostering an awareness of God’s empowering presence, enabling members to grow spiritually and flourish within a Christcentred community that nurtures mutual learning and support. Moreover, we are committed to mobilising our members to actively participate in strategic evangelism, sharing the transformative message of the Gospel with those around them. We also place a profound emphasis on serving the needs of our local community, extending compassion and practical aid to those who are vulnerable or in need. In doing so, we seek to be a tangible expression of Christ’s love, advancing His mission through meaningful acts of service and outreach. ## **Acknowledgement** We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated Light of the World members and the pastoral support teams, both within our ministry and external collaborators, Trustees and Executive Committee, for their invaluable contributions to the curation of this annual report. Your unwavering commitment, whether through providing insightful feedback, offering administrative support, or sharing your expertise, has been instrumental in ensuring this document is a comprehensive reflection of our ministry’s work and impact over the past year. Your time, efforts, and dedication to excellence have made this report not only possible but a testament to the collective heart and unity of our community. Thank you for your faithfulness and tireless support in bringing this vision to life. ## **Objectives and Activities** Our services and worship put faith into practice through an amalgamation of prayer, scripture and music as outlined in the below initiatives that LOTW hosts. **Light of the World Ministries Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts January 2023 – December 2023 Charity Number: 1197054** ## **Fellowship** At Light of the World, we are deeply committed to fostering meaningful connections among our members beyond the confines of our regular service times. We believe that cultivating human relationships and friendships within our fellowship is vital to building a strong, united community rooted in love and mutual support. To achieve this, we organised a range of activities designed to bring members together in uplifting and engaging ways, encouraging fellowship and togetherness in a variety of settings. One of the highlights of our year was the church “Come Dine With Me” event, where members prepared and brought their own home-cooked dishes to share with the congregation. This creative and interactive activity allowed attendees to showcase their culinary talents while enjoying a lively and immersive time of fellowship. Members rated each dish, and the event became a joyful celebration of food, friendship, and the spirit of togetherness as we broke bread with one another. Another memorable occasion was the LOTW concert, a night of Gospel entertainment that brought our fellowship closer through the power of music. With performances from guest artists, musicians, and our talented inhouse choir, the event was an uplifting experience that showcased our shared love for worship and the arts. In addition to these larger events, we have prioritised reaching out to those who may feel isolated or in need of support. We facilitated hospital visits for members who were unable to attend church due to health challenges, ensuring they felt loved, supported, and part of the LOTW family. These visits also extended to non-members in hospital who sought prayer and companionship, embodying our mission to share the light of Christ’s love. Furthermore, we hosted occasional Friday prayer and worship sessions, providing an intimate space for members to come together outside of Sunday services. These gatherings offered a powerful opportunity for collective worship, prayer for healing, and the sharing of pressing prayer requests, reinforcing the bonds within our fellowship while turning our hearts towards God. Through all these activities, we continue to build a thriving, supportive community that reflects the love and unity of Christ. ## **Baptism** Our annual Baptism service is a deeply significant and joyous occasion, offering members the opportunity to publicly declare their faith and love for Jesus Christ. Baptism is a profound step in one’s spiritual journey, symbolising a commitment to fully devote oneself to the Christian faith and walk in alignment with God’s word. At our most recent Baptism, we were blessed to witness several members take this meaningful step and give their lives to Christ. It is always inspiring to see individuals embrace this sacred act of obedience, marking the beginning of their Christian journey with such heartfelt devotion. The atmosphere during these services is filled with encouragement, hope, and celebration as the LOTW community comes together to support and pray for those being baptised, reaffirming our shared faith and unity in Christ. Each Baptism service serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative work of God in the lives of His people and the strength of our fellowship in walking this journey together. **Light of the World Ministries Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts January 2023 – December 2023 Charity Number: 1197054** ## **Discipleship** As a ministry we are dedicated to nurturing the spiritual growth and understanding of all who join LOTW. To this end, we host yearly Discipleship classes specifically designed for new attendees, providing them with a comprehensive introduction to our mission, values, and church policies. These classes serve as an invaluable resource for helping participants understand how LOTW operates, including our weekly Bible studies, monthly corporate prayers, and fasting initiatives. Attendees also gain insight into the various departments within the ministry, learning about the many roles and responsibilities carried out by our members to support the church's mission. As part of this process, we encourage new members to actively engage with the ministry by offering them the opportunity to join a department of their choice, allowing them to contribute to the ministry’s growth while fostering a deeper sense of community and belonging. Through these Discipleship classes, we aim to equip new attendees with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive as active participants in their faith journey and within the LOTW family. ## **Missionary Work** As a non-profit organisation, we are committed to using a portion of the proceeds raised through our offering collections to give back to those less fortunate through our missionary work. Within the UK, we actively support several impactful initiatives, including homeless outreach, widows, assistance for single parents and low-income families, and programmes aimed at youth development. ## **Homeless** To aid the homeless, we provide free resources such as non-perishable food items through our monthly tin collections, available at our church premises. Additionally, we conduct regular evening outreach in Central and East London, distributing hats, scarves, gloves, and blankets to those sleeping rough. ## **Single Parents and Youth** We also extend financial and practical support to single parents within our ministry, as outlined in our accounts report. For the youth, we are dedicated to addressing critical issues such as knife crime by helping young people recognise their potential and strive for greater aspirations. To this end, we have offered counselling services and created a safe, supportive environment for vulnerable individuals. In previous years, we have also hosted a motivational youth speaker, who shared their own transformative journey from a past marked by knife crime, inspiring and encouraging attendees. Through these efforts, we strive to make a meaningful and lasting impact on our community. **Light of the World Ministries Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts January 2023 – December 2023 Charity Number: 1197054** ## **Neighbourly** We are also part of the Neighbourly scheme, a service that connects organisations and communities for social good. As part of this, we offer weekly refreshments to our church members as well as those on low income. We supply them with freshly baked goods and pastries as offered by our local GAIL’s bakery. Locally we also donate a number of clothing items to Hackney library in aid of the homeless and those suffering financial hardship to ensure they have adequate clothing particularly during the winter season. ## **Global Outreach** Outside the UK, our church extends its missionary efforts to support communities in the Philippines and West Africa. In the Philippines, we provide vital assistance to orphans, ensuring they have access to essentials such as clothing and bringing joy to their lives with toys for the children, and essential school items. In West Africa, we focus on offering financial support to widows, helping to alleviate their burdens and provide them with stability in challenging circumstances. Through these initiatives, we aim to bring hope and compassion to those in need beyond our borders. At LOTW we also run a global prayer widows project. Prayer widows is a ministry that provides widows worldwide that believe in God and have faith in God, an opportunity to make a living through a life of prayers. This commenced in 2012. Every month the Widows are given a list of prayer points that they pray-fully spend some hours each day on. In return, monthly they are given financial help to purchase essential groceries. This project is open to any widow that believes they have the gift of intercession a passion for praying like Anna in the bible (Luke 2:37) and can dedicate at least 2 hours of prayer per day. We currently support two countries through this project. **Light of the World Ministries Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts January 2023 – December 2023 Charity Number: 1197054** ## **FINANCES** This report outlines the financial expenditure of Light of the World Ministries for the period from **1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023** . It includes information on the charity’s income and expenditures, as well as how the funds have been allocated in line with the ministry’s purpose and objectives. All donations received by the charity are voluntary contributions made by our members. These donations are given willingly and without any external compulsion. The charity has not claimed Gift Aid on any donations since its inception. The funds raised through donations are solely used for advancing the charity's aims, objectives, and overall purpose. A shortfall in our overall outgoings during this period has been graciously covered by one of the charity's members, ensuring our operations continued smoothly. ## **Use of Donations** The donations we receive are primarily used to support the operations and activities of the charity. This includes: - **Hall Hire** : Donations help cover the costs of renting the premises for charity purposes, such as services, special occasions, give-away events, prayer gatherings, and youth services. - **Missions** : We dedicate funds to our missions, which support single parents, widows, orphans, and our youths, ensuring they receive the assistance they need. - **Equipment and Operating Costs** : Donations also cover the purchase of necessary equipment and maintenance, insurance charges, membership fees, and mediarelated expenses. Guest and running expenses will include costs associated with hosting guest ministers, administration, teaching and study-related expenses, and training. These funds are crucial in enabling us to continue serving our community and fulfilling our charitable objectives. **Light of the World Ministries Trustees' Annual Report and Accounts January 2023 – December 2023 Charity Number: 1197054** ## **Donations received** - 1 January 2023 to 31[st] December 2023 (12 months) Total: £20168 ## **Outgoing/Expenditure** |Premises hire|6319.10| |---|---| |Missions and Relief|2553.72| |Youth Fellowship|903.48| |Counselling|285.21| |Musicians|4470| |Refreshments|2361.74| |Equipment and statonery|887.46| |Guests and Administraton|6475| 1 January 2023 to 31[st] December 2023 (12 months) Total: £24255.71 Report approved December 2024