**CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1205313** # **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury Receipts and payments accounts** **For the year ended 31 March 2025** ## **XAVIERS ACCOUNTANTS LIMITED** Chartered Certified Accountants Suite 3J Recycling Lives Centre 1A Essex Street Preston PR1 1QE ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Financial Statements** ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ||**Page**| |---|---| |Trustees' annual report|**1**| |Independent examiner's report to the trustees|**5**| |Receipts and payments accounts|**6**| ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** **Reference and administrative details Registered charity name** St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury **Charity registration number** 1205313 **Principal office** All Saints Church Military Road Canterbury CT1 1PA **The trustees** Sachin Philip Zacharia Sujo Thomas Koshy Rev Joseph Elavunkal Mathew (Appointed on 23/11/25) **Independent examiner** Mijos Xavier ACA FCCA Suite 3J Recycling Lives Centre 1A Essex Street Preston PR1 1QE 1 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. ## **Structure, governance and management** The trustees present their annual report and the receipts and payments account of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church, Canterbury coordinates all the religious, cultural and educational needs to nurture the spiritual life of our parish members with the approval of appropriate authorities. Thanks to the leadership of Vicar Fr. Jeeson P Wilson, our member’s selfless dedication, contributions and service towards the Church throughout these years. ## **Governing document** St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (“the CIO”), ( CIO – FOUNDATION) registered on 19 Oct 2023 constituted under a constitution adopted on Registered 17 Oct 2023 and is a registered charity, number 1205313. The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 2. ## **Objectives of the Charity** Charity's objective is to advance the Christian faith for the benefit of the public in accordance with the doctrines of Indian Orthodox Christianity in CANTERBURY and the surrounding areas, mainly but not exclusively through the holding of prayer meetings, public celebration of religious festivals, and providing a place of worship. In setting our objectives, and planning our activities, we have given careful consideration to Charity Commission's guidelines on public benefit. ## **Objectives and activities** At the Annual General Body meeting on 2 March 2024, a new Managing Committee was elected and began duties on 1 April 2024. - Vicar & President: Rev. Fr. Jeeson P. Wilson - Treasurer: Mr. Sujo Thomas Koshy - Secretary: Mr. Sam Chacko George - Members: Mr. Abraham Mathai, Mr. Abraham Varughese, Mr. Albin Abraham, Mr. Anish Thomas, Mrs. Jiji Roy, Mr. Litto Koruth, Mr. Sachin Philip Zachariah - Internal Auditor: Mr. Biju K. Mathew - Additional representatives and officers: - Sunday School & Diocese: Dr. Ajay Mathews - Martha Mariam Samajam: Mrs. Shiny Thomas - OCYM: Mr. Rony Thomas George - Safeguarding Officer: Mr. Anish M. Thomas - Malankara Association: Mr. Shitto Kuriakose - Media Coordinator: Mr. Koshy George 2 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ## **Parish Membership** Six new families joined our parish this year. We warmly welcome them into our community: 1. Mr. Lino Thomas & Family 2. Mr. Sunil Mathew & Family 3. Mr. Binoy Thankachan & Family 4. Mr. Georgekutty Chacko & Family 5. Mr. Jobit P. T. & Family 6. Mr. Jomin James & Family ## **Committee & General Body Meetings** - Committee Meetings: 8 managing committee meetings and 1 joint committee meeting were held. - General Body Meetings: 4 General Body meetings took place during the year (June 2024, October 2024, January 2025, March 2025). Key decisions: - Approval of the Annual Report and Financial Accounts for 2023–24. - Presentation of the Audit Report by the Internal Auditor. - Approval of the 2024–25 Budget. - Decision to hold weekly Holy Eucharist from April 2025. - Election of the new Managing Committee for 2025–26. ## **Worship, Offerings, and Feasts** - Regular Worship: Holy Qurbana on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays at All Saints Church, Canterbury. - Holy Eucharist Offered: 30 during the year. - Special Observances: Birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and memorial prayers incorporated into worship. ## **Feasts Celebrated:** • 122nd Feast of St. Gregorios of Parumala (Nov 1–2, 2024) with Holy Eucharist, prayers, procession, and harvest auction. • Christmas Service with candlelight service and message (Dec 24, 2024). ## **Spiritual Organisations** ## _**Sunday School**_ - 34 students and 8 teachers in 9 classes (KG to Class 10). - Adopted the Talmido curriculum in collaboration with OSSAE-UK. - Held unit talent competitions (solo/group song, elocution, essay writing, quiz). - 7 students appeared for the 10th Grade Vedhapadana Certificate examination with excellent results. - OVBS 2024: Theme “Let Us Pray” (Luke 11:1), attended by 39 children. ## _**Martha Mariam Vanitha Samajam (MMVS**_ ) - Monthly prayer meetings on 1st and 3rd Saturdays. - Participation in South Regional Conference (April 2024, Southampton). - Food Fest (Oct 2024) raised £1,143. - Charitable assistance of £300 provided for diocesan needs. - Six members successfully completed MMVS examination. 3 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** ## **OCYM & Other Activities** - Youth members actively participated in worship, parish events, and diocesan programmes. - Home visits by Vicar and Committee members provided pastoral care, blessings, and fellowship. We thank our Almighty God, clergy, and all parish members for their dedication, unity, and hard work throughout the year. May the Lord continue to bless our parish as we step into another year of spiritual growth and service. ## **About the future** Our Parish membership growth is steady and encouraging. Our spiritual activities are enriching. It is encouraging to know that our reputation as a good community in the Canterbury area and in the Diocese in general is unquestionable. Our achievements will come with higher expectations, and great challenges. ## **Conclusion** We thank our Almighty God, clergy, and all parish members for their dedication, unity, and hard work throughout the year. May the Lord continue to bless our parish as we step into another year of spiritual growth and service. ## **Financial Review** The charity's principal funding source is from donations and from other activities. During the year, the charity’s total receipts was £28,900 and total payments amounted to £35,380. The charity’s fund balance at year end was £28,709. ## **Reserve policy** It is policy of the charity to maintain unrestricted funds at a level which equates to approximately six months unrestricted expenditure. This provides sufficient funds to cover management and administration and support costs. The trustees' annual report was approved and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by: ## **Sujo Thomas Koshy Trustee** ## **Date: 06 January 2026** 4 ## . **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Year ended 31 March 2025** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury ('the charity') for the year ended 31 March 2024. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the trustees of the charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. ## **Independent examiner's statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## **Mijos Xavier ACA FCCA Independent Examiner** **Xaviers Accountants Limited Suite 3J Recycling Lives Centre 1A Essex Street Preston PR1 1QE** ## **Date: 06 January 2026** 5 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES ST GREGORIOS INDL4N ORTHOWX CHURCH,CANTERBURY 1205313 Receipts and paYm￿ts ￿¢￿nts For the pe￿0￿ Per6011 end date 01.Apr-24 31.A&r-2S CC16a Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted nds 10 the nearest Endowment lunds Told funds Last year to the neaTe31£ tothe nearest£ tothe ￿arest£ A1 Recei Monlhtysubscription Qurbana Ne￿h4 HotyQvrb4na General Offeriws Nercha Sarknavana Collection ¥*ek 2023 IDonatv)n & other ÈÈk 2024 Donatk)n & othèr F(x¥l In¢(wne DoDatK 11WO 1.397 11030 016 1,470 1,470 4250 3.141 South Zonal Talent Event Call@ction Malankara Orthoth)x SangarrAm Collection 5.520 1610 1610 1,173 1,173 ¢onthbuth)n CatholicalE Dty CollÈdo nad Rebuild colleclion 15h Qurbana BookSContritr￿rt1on 225 513 170 225 513 170 1,113 ion Cdlecti 470 470 MMVS Fund 1.143 1,143 Food F•￿C01￿Cl￿) Cgml Gèrter￿ Do*￿1￿￿ 351 ¢hari donation Colle¢U¢ Parish Directory OVBS Collection X.wAs Event-NaPshathra41av Cale Sale Colleclw)n Fani Get-to ethEr Youth FuThJ Collection Surplus incom2 frompreviou5 525 526 B25 316 430 518 76$ 179 179 17,712 Sub total(Gross income for AR) 41,627 41,W27 67,308 A2 Asset and Investment sales. see table Sub total Total receipts 41,627 41.627 5T,308 **----- Start of picture text -----**
Unrestricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A3 Payments
Priest Salary - Regular Services 7,250 - 7,250 6,250
Food Exp 8,704 - 8,704 3,708
Church Rent - - 2,948
Holy Qurbana Exp (Misc.Exp) 1,149 - 1,149 764
Holy week Prior Year - - 3,274
Holy Week - - 3,101
South Zonal Talent Event 460 - 460 6,059
Perunaal 2,876 - 2,876 2,115
Carol 137 - 137 54
To Parish Directory - - 165
To OVBS 1,037 - 1,037 481
X-mas Event -Nakshathra-Rav 1,080 - 1,080 1,184
Accrued expense paid- Holy week 2024
1,500 - 1,500 -
Cake Cost 468 - 468 378
Family Get-together 596 - 596 535
By Diocesan Contribution 1,000 - 1,000 600
Onam - - 839
Catholicate Day Payment 150 - 150 -
Metropolitan Church Visit Exp - - 500
Malankara Orthodox Sangamam Exp 1,817 - 1,817 601
Charity Registration - - 300
Priest Farewell - - 250
Wayanad Rebuild - Payments 1,000 - 1,000 -
English Qurbana Books Exp 500 - 500 -
Sunday School Expense 404 - 404 566
Computer 418 - 418 -
Charity Donation 1,025 - 1,025 -
MMVS 650 - 650 -
MOMS - - 90
Mic System Exp 1,029 - 1,029 -
Mesthooso 358 - 358 -
Accountant Fee 480 - 480 -
Bank Charge 60 - 60 85
Priest salary holy week 24- Accrual
reversal - 1,500 - - 1,500 -
Talent competition rent payable 2024
Accrual reversal - 800 - - 800 -
Prepaid Expense-Hall for Holy week 322 - 322 -
Church Rent 24-25 - Accrued exp(not
paid) 3,210 - 3,210 -
Sub total 35,380 - 35,380 34,847
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - -
Total payments 35,380 - 35,380 34,847
Net of receipts/(payments) 6,248 - 6,248 22,461
A5 Transfers between funds - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 22,461 - 22,461 -
Cash funds this year end 28,709 - 28,709 22,461
**----- End of picture text -----**
7 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Dotalls Unr•strlct•d funds to n•arnst£ R•strlct•d fvnds Endowm•nt funds to n•ar•5tt Iv n••r•st£ B1 Cash funds Cash in hand 1.071 Curr•ntA¢count Church R•nt ￿25- Aecru•d •xg(nOt paidl 3.210 Total cash fund$ 28.709 rocthNs and paymènts C￿*{$1) Unrestrlcted funds to n•ar•5t£ Restrlcted nds Endowment fvn(Is D•tslls to n•ar•stf to n•ar•st£ B2 Other monetary assets Fundto *thlch $￿t b•leén Details Cost (op￿onall Curr•ntvalu• lop1kn￿lI B3 Investsnent assets D•lai15 Fund to xthlGh ?¥¥•t b•lvn rr•ttt¥alu• loptkhall B4 Assets retained for the charity's own use Fund toTr*hl¢h IL4￿1 r•lat•s knoum du• Wh•n du• l•p*onall Dotalls B5 Liabilrties SvJn8d by truste8s on b8haK of al Ih8 InJste8s S￿natUr* Print Nama Date of approval Suio Thomps Koshy 08Jan-26 **CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1205313** ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury Receipts and payments accounts** **For the year ended** **31 March 2024** ## **XAVIERS ACCOUNTANTS LIMITED** Chartered Certified Accountants Suite 3J Recycling Lives Centre 1A Essex Street Preston PR1 1QE ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Financial Statements** ## **Year ended 31 March 2024** ||**Page**| |---|---| |Trustees' annual report|**1**| |Independent examiner's report to the trustees|**9**| |Receipts and payments accounts|**10**| ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2024** **Reference and administrative details Registered charity name** St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury **Charity registration number** 1205313 **Principal office** All Saints Church Military Road Canterbury CT1 1PA **The trustees** Sachin Philip Zacharia Sujo Thomas Koshy **Independent examiner** Mijos Xavier ACA FCCA Suite 3J Recycling Lives Centre 1A Essex Street Preston PR1 1QE 1 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2024** The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. ## **Structure, governance and management** The trustees present their annual report and the receipts and payments account of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church, Canterbury coordinates all the religious, cultural and educational needs to nurture the spiritual life of our parish members with the approval of appropriate authorities. Thanks to the leadership of Vicar Fr. Jeeson P Wilson, our member’s selfless dedication, contributions and service towards the Church throughout these years. ## **Governing document** St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (“the CIO”), ( CIO – FOUNDATION) registered on 19 Oct 2023 constituted under a constitution adopted on Registered 17 Oct 2023 and is a registered charity, number 1205313. The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 2. ## **Objectives of the Charity** Charity's objective is to advance the Christian faith for the benefit of the public in accordance with the doctrines of Indian Orthodox Christianity in CANTERBURY and the surrounding areas, mainly but not exclusively through the holding of prayer meetings, public celebration of religious festivals, and providing a place of worship. In setting our objectives, and planning our activities, we have given careful consideration to Charity Commission's guidelines on public benefit. ## **Objectives and activities** As per the approval of our Diocese Metropolitan H.G Abraham Mar Stephanos vide letter No. E-024/AMS/2023 dated 03 March 2023, the below mentioned members were elected as the office bearers of our Parish for the year 2023-24 as per the General Body held on 04th February 2023. 1. Treasurer – Sujo Koshy 2. Secretary – Sachin Zacharia 3. Committee member – Abraham Mathai 4. Committee member – Shitto Kuriakkose 5. Committee member – Sam George 6. Committee member – Manoj Olikal 7. Committee member – Sini George 8. Committee member – Libin Rajan 9. Committee member – Ajin V Mathew 10. Ex-Officio – Litto Koruth 11. Ex-Officio – Anish M Thoams 12. OSSAE Representative – Dr Ajay Mathews 13. MMVS Representative– Bincy Shitto 14. Youth Representative – Jenson Mathukkutty 15. Internal auditor – Biju Mathew 2 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2024** ## **VICAR** We had Rev. Fr. P J Binu as our Vicar in until July 2023 and from August 2023 Rev. Fr. Jeeson P Wilson took charge as the Vicar of the Church. We are thankful for the services received from both the priests throughout the year. ## **OTHER VISITING PRIESTS** On a few occasions we had invited other priests to visit us and be the chief celebrant for the Holy Mass, namely Rev. Fr. Prakash Kuriakose Thomas in the month April 2023 and Fr. P J Binu who after his transfer and Rev. Fr. Joseph Elavunkal were the chief celebrants on our feast day in the month of November. On behalf of the church I would like to offer my sincere gratitude and thanks to all the priests on this occasion. ## **WORSHIP** Currently the Holy Mass is celebrated on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month. And going forward from the year 2024-25 it has been decided by the General Body that we will start celebrating Holy Mass on every 5th Saturday of the month as well. All the regular service is scheduled to be held at All saints Church, Military Road Canterbury CT1 1PA. In the period 2023-24, we had 32 Holy Mass celebrated which includes Christmas, Easter and other Holy Mass celebrated on other special occasions as per the liturgical calendar. ## **HOLY LENTS** The parish encourages everyone to observe all the Holy Lents and always tries to hold any special services as per the timings and availability of the church premises. Passion Week- We saw two passion weeks fall in the period 2023-24, the parish observed the 2023 Passion Week from 01st April 2023 to 09th April 2023 under the guidance of our then Vicar Rev. Fr. P J Binu and the 2024 Passion Week was followed by our current Vicar Rev. Fr. Jeeson P Wilson from 23rd March 2024 to 31st March 2024. All members of the SGIOC family and believers actively participated and generously contributed towards the expenses for the occasion. ## **FEAST OF OUR PATRON** Our Church, enthroned in the name of our Patron St. Gregorios of Parumala, celebrated the remembrance of Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Gregorios on the 3rd and 4th of November 2023. The events commenced with evening prayers and our guest Fr Joseph Elavumkal gave gospel message on Friday the 3rd of November after the evening prayers. We had Mooninmel Qurbana celebrated by Chief Celebrants – Fr. PJ Binu, Fr. Joseph Elavunkal and Fr. Jeeson Wilson on the Saturday, 4th November. We had procession which was followed by auction and lunch. All members of the St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church, families and guests from neighboring parishes actively participated on the day. ## **CAROL SERVICE & CHRISTMAS** Under the leadership of our Vicar Rev. Fr. Jeeson P Wilson, as part of the Christmas Carol all the believer’s houses were visited and Christmas Greetings were shared and Christmas Carol donations were received as part of this visits which were held on the 8th, 9th and 10th of December 2023. Majority of the church members participated on all three days which made the carol a great success and the special Christmas eve service was held on 24th December 2023 evening at All Saints Church, Canterbury. The church wholeheartedly thanks everyone for their active participation and contributions. 3 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2024** ## **PRAYER MEETINGS** The monthly house prayer meetings organized by the Parish are going smoothly and in an orderly way. Our prayer meetings have been a great opportunity for our parish family members to get together and worship together in a more casual setting. Special initiatives are been taken by our Sunday School children in preparing a speech or a song to be presented during the meeting along with our Vicar’s Holy Gospel and prayers. ## **SUNDAY SCHOOL** Our Sunday School, established in the year 2008, is running smoothly under the leadership of the current Sunday School Headmaster Dr. Ajay Mathews. Regular Sunday school classes were conducted after Holy Qurbana for school age children of the parish with focus on lessons and thoughts from Bible, History and traditions of the church and prayers. Classes are coordinated and conducted by the dedicated efforts of our beloved teachers from the parish. Half Yearly exams were held on 18th June and Annual exams were conducted on 16th December. Sunday School Until talent event was held on 20th May 2023. And last year’s South Zonal Talent Competition was hosted by our church on 24th June 2023 at Canterbury Academy Trust, where our Sunday School children Alina Sam & Sarah Thomas and Joseline Anil & Noel Abraham held the church’s name high by grabbing medals in their respective competition event. A special congratulations to them. The St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church, Canterbury committee are grateful to all the children, their parents, teachers and other dedicated members for their whole-hearted effort towards organizing this event and making it a huge success. The new Sunday School Curriculum was introduced in the January 2024 and the respective teachers received training online during the year in preparation for the same. Also, special congratulations to our beloved students Joselin Anil, Kesia Kuriakose, Hannah Varghese and Maria Alias completed Class 12 and were awarded the Veda Praveen Diploma Certificate. ## **MMVS** MMVS have regular meetings following Holy Qurbana with the support of the church vicar, formerly Rev.Fr P J Binu and Rev.Fr Jeeson P Wilson at present. Last year our MMVS members Mrs. Bincy Shitto, Mrs. Bindhu Litto and Mrs. Sini Biju attended the South Zone Conference conducted by SGIOC Brockley. A special appreciation goes to Mrs. Lini Sam for writing the MMVS Annual Exam and passing with a B+ grade. MMVS conducted a food fest in the month of October and successfully raised £465.50. Also, MMVS had a total collection of £230 towards the annual subscription which was transferred to the Diocese. Special thanks to all the MMVS members who actively participated in the various cultural and religious programs conducted by the Church, such as Onam and Nakshatra Raavu. ## **OVBS** Orthodox Vacation bible school was held on 18th and 19th of August at Godmersham & Crundale Village Community Hall and All Saints Church, Canterbury respectively. It was a great opportunity for our kids to learn more about the bible and learn new songs. All the Sunday school teachers, students and parents worked towards the success. Sincere thanks to the church managing committee for organizing the venue and food. 4 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2024** ## **MEMBERSHIP** As per the Parish Register we have 46 registered families of which 12 families joined during the last 2023–24 period and on behalf of the Parish we wholeheartedly welcome our new members. ## **MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION** As one of the sources of income to the church is by way of the monthly subscription, the managing committee does want to remind and encourage everyone to pay the subscription on time by setting up a Bank Standing Order and/or by other platforms and should try to settle the dues monthly on a regular basis. ## **SCHOLARSHIP** Investing in the future of our children and as an encouragement to the young ones, we proudly awarded a prize money scholarship and memento for the students who did clear the GCSE’s last year. The top scorer of the GCSE from the Church is to be awarded a sum of £101 and memento (Sponsored by Mr. Litto Koruth & family in remembrance of his parents T.C Koruth & Susamma Koruth) and the church would present a memento to all the other GCSE cleared students. The awards were given to the below; - Kezia Kuriakose - Maria Alias ## **Events & Accomplishments** ## **Activities** In reflection of the past year, we are pleased to highlight the diverse array of events that enriched our church community and strengthened our bonds of fellowship. From uplifting comradery to engaging in traditional connections, each event offered unique opportunities for personal & social growth and service to others. Our notable events include our Christmas & New Year celebration night namely Nakshatra Raavu, on which day we had Dr. Ajimol Pradeep as our chief guest, OCYM’s Badminton Tournament, MMVS Food Fest and Onam Celebration each leaving an indelible mark on our collective journey throughout the year. As we look back with gratitude, we also look forward with anticipation, eager to continue in the coming years fostering a vibrant community that embodies the love and teachings of Christ. ## **Charity Registration** In adherence to our commitment to transparency and accountability to the law, we are pleased to inform you that we are now registered as a Charity, under the Charity Commission for England & Wales, and hereby provide the registration details of our charitable endeavours. Our church is registered under the Charity number: 1205313 and Trustees named for the charity are Fr. P J Binu (former Vicar), Sujo Thomas Koshy and Sachin Philip Zacharia. This registration ensures that our charitable activities are conducted in accordance with legal regulations and standards, instilling confidence in our donors and stakeholders. We remain steadfast in our dedication to serving others and making a positive impact in our community, guided by the principles of compassion and integrity. 5 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2024** ## **Digitalization** In embracing the digital age, we've taken significant strides toward modernizing our operations by digitizing most of our documents. For the transparency and easiness of the office bearers and members, all our relevant documents (hall bookings, invoices, reports, etc.,) are saved and shared in Google Drive and the dates and bookings of the important events are shared via links in our church WhatsApp group. This transition not only enhances efficiency and accessibility but also promotes sustainability by reducing paper waste. Through the implementation of digital platforms and storage solutions, we're better equipped to preserve our rich history, streamline administrative processes, and ensure seamless communication within our congregation. ## **Bank Accounts** We are excited to announce that we have transitioned our banking transactions and accounts online, marking a significant step forward in our financial management practices. This digital transformation streamlines our processes, providing greater convenience, security, and transparency in managing our finances. By leveraging online banking platforms, we can efficiently track donations, manage expenses, and facilitate transactions with ease and accuracy. We extend our gratitude to our members for their continued support as we embrace these advancements to better serve our community." ## **Diocesan Day Cover** We managed to collect £280 as part of the Diocesan Day Cover collection and have sent the same to the Diocese. Thank you all for your generous cooperation. Also, a sum of £600 as the yearly Diocesan contribution. ## **Parish Directory** We are also delighted to announce the publication of our Parish Directory, a comprehensive resource that serves as a testament to the strength and diversity of our church community. This invaluable tool provides contact information, photos, and personal profiles of our members, fostering closer connections and facilitating meaningful relationships within our parish family. The Parish Directory embodies our commitment to inclusivity and support, ensuring that every member feels seen, valued, and connected. As part of this small project we collected £825 through advertisements & compliments. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all who contributed to its creation and invite everyone to utilize this invaluable resource as we journey together in faith. ## **Plastic Free Community** As part of our ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, our community has embarked on a mission to become a plastic-free environment. This initiative involves the active reduction & eventual elimination of single-use plastics within our community spaces, events and daily operations. Through these collective efforts, we aim to create a healthier, cleaner and more sustainable environment for current and future generations. 6 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2024** ## **Budget and Cost Control** As an initiative to cut down the expenses of the Parish and providing food being at the top of the list we initiated the option of food sponsorship across the year, and our beloved members earnestly came forward and supported the initiative and with which we manage to minimize the expenses to a great extent. We also tried to keep our other expenses to a minimum, considering the financial constraints of our parish. Special thanks to everyone who sponsored food and all others for being so generous in contributing, be it in cash or in kind for every other cause the parish initiated. God bless the ‘cheerful givers. ## **ABOUT THE FUTURE** Our Parish membership growth is steady and encouraging. Our spiritual activities are enriching. It is encouraging to know that our reputation as a good community in the Canterbury area and in the Diocese in general is unquestionable. Our achievements will come with higher expectations, and great challenges. ## **CONCLUSION** In closing, let me thank God Almighty for the blessings showered upon us in the past year and humbled by the opportunity given to me to serve as the secretary of this blessed parish. This year has been one of growth, community and service within our church through steadfast dedication and unwavering faith, we’ve continued to uplift and support one another, both spiritually and practically. As I reflect on our journey, which includes creating memorable accomplishments, facing challenges, making mistakes and flaws and overcoming all the hardships, let us carry forward the spirit of unity, compassion, and dedication that defines our church family. Thank you to all who have contributed their time, talents, and resources to make this year a testament to the power of faith in action. Sincere thanks to our Diocesan Metropolitan H.G Abraham Mar Stephanos, who visited us in the month of May last year, our former Vicar Rev. Fr.P J Binu, our current Vicar Rev.Fr. Jeeson P Wilson and managing committee and parish members for the support and guidance given to me to complete this report. May the intercession and Prayers of Saint Mary, our Patron St. Gregorios of Parumala and all other Saints who led and will lead this Parish and us to greater heights in the future. We pledge our loyalty to H.H. Moran Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews III, the successor on the apostolic thorn of St. Thomas, the Catholics of the East and Malankara Metropolitan. With gratitude for the past and hope for the future, we look forward to continue our journey together in faith, love and service. 7 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** **Trustees' Annual Report** _**(continued)**_ ## **Year ended 31 March 2024** . ## **Financial Review** The charity's principal funding source is from donations and from other activities. St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury was registered as a charity (CIO) on 19 Oct 2023. However, the Receipts and Payments Accounts include transactions for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The cash balance (£1,993.43) and bank balance (£15,718.16) as at 01 April 2023 were also included as receipts for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. ## **Reserve policy** It is policy of the charity to maintain unrestricted funds at a level which equates to approximately six months unrestricted expenditure. This provides sufficient funds to cover management and administration and support costs. The trustees' annual report was approved and signed on behalf of the board of trustees by: ## **Sujo Thomas Koshy Trustee** ## **Date: 13 January 2025** 8 ## **St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox church, Canterbury** ## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of St. Marys Indian Orthodox Church, Sunderland** ## **Year ended 31 March 2024** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of St. George Indian Orthodox Church ('the charity') for the year ended 31 March 2024. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the trustees of the charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. ## **Independent examiner's statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## **Mijos Xavier ACA FCCA Independent Examiner** **Suite 3J Recycling Lives Centre 1A Essex Street Preston PR1 1QE** ## **Date: 13 January 2025** 9 ||**ST GREGORIOS INDIAN ORTHODOX**
**CHURCH,CANTERBURY**|**ST GREGORIOS INDIAN ORTHODOX**
**CHURCH,CANTERBURY**|**ST GREGORIOS INDIAN ORTHODOX**
**CHURCH,CANTERBURY**|**ST GREGORIOS INDIAN ORTHODOX**
**CHURCH,CANTERBURY**|**ST GREGORIOS INDIAN ORTHODOX**
**CHURCH,CANTERBURY**|**1205313**|**1205313**||**CC16a**|||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||||||||||| ||||**Receipts and payments accounts**|||||||||| ||**For the period**
**from**||**Period start**||**To**|**Period end date**||||||| ||||**01-Apr-23**||||**31-Mar-24**|||||| |||||||||||||| |**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||||||||| ||**Unrestricted**
**funds**||**Restricted**
**funds**||**Endowment**
**funds**||**Total funds**||**Last year**|||| ||**to the nearest**
**£**||**to the nearest £**||**to the nearest £**||**to the nearest £**||**to the nearest £**|||| |**A1 Receipts**||||||||||||| |**Monthly Subscription**|**12,030**||**-**||**-**||**12,030**|||||| |**Holy Qurbana Nercha**|**900**||**-**||**-**||**900**|||||| |**Holy Qurbana General Offerings**|**6,015**||**-**||**-**||**6,015**|||||| |**Holy Week 2023(Donation & other)**|**4,250**||**-**||**-**||**4,250**|||||| |**Holy Week 2024(Donation & other)**|**3,141**||**-**||**-**||**3,141**|||||| |**South Zonal Talent Event-2023**|**5,520**||**-**||**-**||**5,520**|||||| |**Perunaal Collection -2023**|**1,900**||**-**||**-**||**1,900**|||||| |**Auction Collection**|**987**||**-**||**-**||**987**|||||| |**Carol 2023**|**1,720**||**-**||**-**||**1,720**|||||| |**General Donation**|**351**||**-**||**-**||**351**|||||| |**Parish Directory**|**825**||**-**||**-**||**825**|||||| |**OVBS Collection**|**315**||**-**||**-**||**315**|||||| |**X-mas Event -Nakshathra-Rav**|**360**||**-**||**-**||**360**|||||| |**Cake Sale Collection**|**518**||**-**||**-**||**518**|||||| |**Family Get-togther**|**765**||**-**||**-**||**765**|||||| |**Surplus income frompreviousperiod **|**17,712**||**-**||**-**||**17,712**|||||| ||||**-**||**-**||**-**|||||| ||||**-**||**-**||**-**|||||| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**57,308**||**-**||**-**||**57,308**||**-**|||| |||||||||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment**
**sales, (see table).**||||||||||||| ||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**|||||| ||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**|||| |**_Sub total_**|**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**|||| |||||||||||||| |**_Total receipts_ **|**57,308**||**-**||**-**||**57,308**||**-**|||| |||||||||||||| |||||||||||||| |||||||||||||| 10 ||**Unrestricted**
**funds**||**Restricted**
**funds**||**Endowment**
**funds**||**Total funds**||**Last year**|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**to the nearest**
**£**||**to the nearest £**||**to the nearest £**||**to the nearest £**||**to the nearest £**|| |**A3 Payments**||||||||||| |**Priest Salary - Regular Services**|**6,250**||**-**||**-**||**6,250**|||| |**Food Exp**|**3,708**||**-**||**-**||**3,708**|||| |**Church Rent**|**2,948**||**-**||**-**||**2,948**|||| |**Holy Qurbana Exp (Misc.Exp)**|**764**||**-**||**-**||**764**|||| |**Holy week 2023**|**3,274**||**-**||**-**||**3,274**|||| |**Holy Week 2024**|**3,101**||**-**||**-**||**3,101**|||| |**South Zonal Talent Event-2023**|**6,059**||**-**||**-**||**6,059**|||| |**Perunaal -2023**|**2,115**||**-**||**-**||**2,115**|||| |**Carol 2023**|**54**||**-**||**-**||**54**|||| |**To Parish Directory**|**165**||**-**||**-**||**165**|||| |**To OVBS**|**481**||**-**||**-**||**481**|||| |**X-mas Event -Nakshathra-Rav**|**1,184**||**-**||**-**||**1,184**|||| |**Cake Cost**|**378**||**-**||**-**||**378**|||| |**Family Get-togther**|**535**||**-**||**-**||**535**|||| |**By Diocesan Contribution**|**600**||**-**||**-**||**600**|||| |**Onam -2023**|**839**||**-**||**-**||**839**|||| |**Metropolitan Church Visit Exp**|**500**||**-**||**-**||**500**|||| |**Sangamam**|**601**||**-**||**-**||**601**|||| |**Charity Registration**|**300**||**-**||**-**||**300**|||| |**Priest Farewell**|**250**||**-**||**-**||**250**|||| |**Sunday School Expense**|**566**||**-**||**-**||**566**|||| |**MOMS**|**90**||**-**||**-**||**90**|||| |**Bank Charge**|**85**||**-**||**-**||**85**|||| ||||**-**||**-**||**-**|||| |**_Sub total_ **|**34,847**||**-**||**-**||**34,847**||**-**|| |||||||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**||||||||||| ||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**|||| ||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**|||| |**_Sub total_ **|**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**|| |||||||||||| |**_Totalpayments_ **|**34,847**||**-**||**-**||**34,847**||**-**|| |||||||||||| |**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**|**22,461**||**-**||**-**||**22,461**||**-**|| |**A5 Transfers between funds**|**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**||**-**|| |**A6 Cash funds lastyear end**|||**-**||**-**||**-**|||| |**_Cash funds thisyear end_ **|**22,461**||**-**||**-**||**22,461**||**-**|| |||||||||||| 11 **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**|**Details**|**Details**|**Details**||**Unrestricted**
**funds**|**Restricted**
**funds**||**Endowment**
**funds**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||**to nearest £**|**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**| |**B1 Cash funds**|**Cash in hand**||||**2,257**|**-**||**-**| ||**Cash at the Bank - Current Account**||||**22,504**|**-**||**-**| ||**Priest salary holy week paid in April 24**||||**- 1,500**|||| ||**Talent competition rent payable**||||**- 800**|**-**||**-**| ||**_Total cash funds_**||||**22,461**|**-**||**-**| ||(agree balances w ith receipts and payments
account(s))||||OK|OK||OK| ||||||**Unrestricted**
**funds**|**Restricted**
**funds**||**Endowment**
**funds**| ||**Details**||||**to nearest £**|**to nearest £**||**to nearest £**| |**B2 Other monetary assets**|||||**-**|**-**||**-**| ||||||**-**|**-**||**-**| ||||||**-**|**-**||**-**| |||||||**Cost (optional)**||| ||**Details**||||**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**|||**Current value**
**(optional)**| |**B3 Investment assets**||||||**-**||**-**| |||||||**-**||**-**| |||||||**-**||**-**| |||||||||| ||**Details**||||**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**|**Cost (optional)**||**Current value**
**(optional)**| |**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**||||||||**-**| |||||||||**-**| |||||||||| |||||||||| |||||||||| |||||||||| |||||||||| |||||||||**-**| |||||||||**-**| |||||||||**-**| |||||||||**-**| |||||||**Amount due**
**(optional)**||| ||**Details**||||**Fund to which**
**liability relates**|||**When due**
**(optional)**| |**B5 Liabilities**||||||**-**||| |||||||**-**||| |||||||**-**||| |||||||||| |Signed by trustees on behalf of all
the trustees|Signature||||Print Name|||Date of
approval| ||||||**Sujo Thomas Koshy**|||**13-Jan-25**| |||||||||| |||||||||| 12