RUGBY AVENUE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Trustees Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 31 December 2024 Registered Charity In Northern Ireland {NICIIX1952) Rugby Avenue Congregational Church Trustees, Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 Contents Page Trustees, Report Independent Examinerfs Report Financial Ststements- Re￿Ipts and Payments Account Financial Statements - Ststement of Assets and Liabilities Notes to the Financial Statements io Rugby Avenue Congregational Church Trustees, Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 Trustees. Report The Trustees present their Report and the Financial Statement for the year ended 31 December 2024 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilitie5 a5 at that date. The Trustees of Rugby Avenue Congregational Church have had regard to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's Annual Reporting and Public Benefit Requirement Statutory Guidance In the preparation of this report and in the course of their business in the reporting period. Status Rugby Avenue Congregational Church is governed by its constitution which was revised during 2015 and 2016 and came into effect at the Annual General Meeting on 17 February 2016. Key objectlves, purposes and actlvltles Our purpose Is to promote the Christian Faith and glorify God through the preaching and teaching of the Word of God In Publlc Worshlp, reachlng out to people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and encouraging them In their daily lives. To reach out to the lonely and depressed and provide opportunlties for them to relate to other people in similar circumstances. to build meaningful relationships and overcome social Isolation. Artlvltles undertaken for publlc beneflt Publlc Beneflt. Our aim is to share the Christian Gospel and Faith through the advancement of Religlon. The direct benefits of this aim include the provislon of a Church building for public worship to provide spiritual and moral teaching and support for its members, and the general public who are welcome to attend. Opportunlty Is provided for Biblical teaching, prayer and worship. Our Church beneficSarSes Include our members, their famllles, the general public and the community in which our charity serves. All our act5vities are open to the general publlc and are advertised to them. There 15 no likelihood of our purpose bein8 of harm to anyone. One of our aims is to do all the good we can to all those we can. A Prlvate Benefit flowing from our purpose is related to the employment of a part time minister and thls is necessary In the furtherance of our charitVs purpose and is reasonable and not excessive. What we do: Servlces of Publlc Worshl During 2024 our activities continued without any restrictions concerning public health. There is one service each Sunday. Special serrfices are in celebration of festivals such as Harrfest, Chrlstmas and Easter. There Is an opportunity to share in refreshments. receive gifts and literature about the real meaning of these festivals. The weekly activities have continued and new activities have commenced. Talkln Chalrs Talking Chairs was originally conceived as a result of a survey carried out by one of our local councillors who commented "that while the area of Carryduff did not have many.down and outs. but did have a lot of "up and ins" Meaning that there were many older single people who whilst not in dire financial difficulty live alone, lonely socially i501ated and in mental deficit. Rugby Avenue Congregational Church Trustees, Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 As a direct result of that comment, we conceived the idea of Talking Chairs. A place where potentiallv lonely people could meet in a warm pleasant atmosphere, have a cup of tea and a biscuit, a chat and a laugh. Something to look forward to and get them out of the house, a motivatorto get up and dressed and an expectancy of a bit of "Craid, new5 and gossip. Good relationships have commenced over a cup of tea/coffee with positive outcomes. We cleared part of our main Church building and introduced round tables and comfortable chairs and a facility for Tea and Coffee making. The area is warm, light and open and folk can come in and stay for the morning or for shorter periods-just as they please. th Thls provlslon is free, thriving and open to everyone. Moving towards the 6 year it is servlced by 6 volunteers and attrarts up to 40 individuals each Tuesday. from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm. News of the facility is spread by word of mouth and new attendees appear re8ularly and are quickly and warmly welcomed Into the Group. Blble Stud Pra er and Fellowshl Meeting weekly, up to ten people join in a course of study in Mark's Gospel (notes are provided each week). There are lots of sharing, questlons and fellowship. Great concern is shown to each other in this learning envlronment. The Ladies Gulld This meetlng for women meets monthly from September to May with a full and varied programme. Thls has included: a talk about her Ilfe In nursing by a retired Misslonary Nurse, doing craft work, hearlng about the work of various charities, and a flower arranging presentation. The purpose of the Guild is for Fellowship, Frlendship and Encouragement. en for Pra er This meeting takes place on the first Friday of each month right around the year. Posters are out to invite anyone who wishes to attend. The building is open from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm. People can come and go as they please. This time is set aslde for personal reflectlon, prayer and praise. Many use It as an opportunlty to be quiet, to get away from all of life's cares, problems and chores. Many have ststed that they have left refreshed looking forward to the next opportunity to avail themselves of this qulet time. How we are funded: The charity has sufficient funds in its accounts to sustaln Its expenses and liabilities. The main source of annual income Is the "Freewill Offerings- of those attendSng worshlp at our weekly Sunday Servlces, received either through money contained in sealed envelopes or by loose cash deposited in the collection plate. These are recorded and banked weekly. The Ladles meetin8 (called Yhe Ladies Guild") also have an offering plate and they are responsible for deciding how it IS Used in their organisation. Reports on the Church's activities, and financial affairs. are prepared for the Congregatlonal Meetlng In November and for the AGM in April. The Reports are formally adopted at the AGM. Rugby Avenue Congregational Church Trustees, Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 Trustee< Report continued REFERENCE AND ADMINisfRATIVE DEfAILS REGISTERED ADDRESS Rugby Congregational Church 4 Queensfort Road Carryduff Belfast BT8 8NG Registered Charity in Northern Ireland {NIc1￿952) CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who We￿ Trustees at the date of this Report were: Mrs Margaret Stokes Mrs Hilda Johnston Mr Reginald HUMph￿vS Mrs Edith Young PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Church Secretary Treasurer Rev Kenneth Irvine (pn Mr Reginald Humphreys (Acting) Mrs Margaret Stokes INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Mr Stephen Mccausland 13 Cleland Park Central Bangor BT20 3EP BANKERS Danske Bank PO Box 183 Donegall Square West Belfast BTI 6JS Rugby Avenue Congregational Church Trustees, Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 Trustee< Report continued SOLICITORS Hewitt & Gilpin Thomas House 14-16 James Street South Belfast BT2 7GA Approved by the Trustees on 16 April 2025 and signed on its behalf by Margaret Stokes