Parish of Donaghcloney
Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2022
The trustees present the annual report and statements of Receipts and Payments and Assets and Liabilities for the Parish of Donaghcloney for the year ended 31 December 2022.
Objectives and Activities
The charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland is the advancement of religion.
The principal function of the Parish of Donaghcloney is to support the advancement of the Christian religion by promoting, through the work of the Parish of Donaghcloney the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. Being open to and engaging with society as a whole and offering support for those needing help are fundamental to the practical delivery of the benefits of Christianity.
As a result of activity in the pursuit of the advancement of the Christian religion, the Parish of Donaghcloney has custody of property and of records, materials and artefacts of significance to the cultural and religious heritage and maintenance of which is undertaken by the select vestry of the Parish of Donaghcloney.
Achievements, Performance & Public Benefit
Our church Mission Statement is ‘Glorifying God, Preaching the Gospel, Making Disciples’. As a group of Christians, we want to bring glory to God as we share the Christian faith and build each other up in our faith. Through our discipleship, we befriend, help, love and care for our neighbours and wider community. This statement embodies and undergirds what we undertake and value as a parish – sharing the good news of Jesus with all people.
The parish has also given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities undertaken during the year have helped to achieve the Parish’s objectives and activities, as well as providing public benefit.
Worship and Prayer
The Incumbent and Select Vestry ensure that there are a number of services over the course of the year that our community find both beneficial and spiritually fulfilling. We cater for both traditional and contemporary worship with three services each Sunday and four services once a month.
All are welcome to attend our regular services. At present there are approximately 300 families on the Parish register, with both resident and accustomed members. The average weekly attendance for the three to four services is over 200 people, but this number increased at festivals, including Harvest, Christmas, Holy Week and Easter. Our Holy Week services are held in conjunction with all of our local Church dominations in Donaghcloney and Waringstown. The Christmas Carol Services are open and attended by all members of our community, and our Harvest Thanksgiving Services are very much community events with members of our youth organisations and their families in attendance, and we are asked to host civic services throughout the year.
At our main Sunday morning Services in Donaghcloney and Waringstown, we offer Creche and Sunday School to the families that attend.
As well as regular services we have held services for baptism, marriage and funerals where there are members of the congregation’s wider families and the local community in attendance.
Outside of our Sunday services there are opportunities to meet together for corporate prayer and for Christian education
Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2022 (continued)
Pastoral Care
Pastoral care is important to the life and witness of Donaghcloney Parish. Some members of the Parish are unable to attend church due to sickness or age. The clergy visit all who are housebound, sick or in Nursing Homes and celebrate Holy Communion with those who request it. They also visit those who are going through particular pastoral needs or traumas as well as general visiting.
We also hold an annual RUC (GC) Community Carol service, where we invite former officers and their widows to celebrate the season of Christmas.
Since 2016, we have run a Freezer Ministry, to provide meals to help people on their return home from hospital or after a bereavement. This ministry has now grown to provide new parents with baby clothes and food.
Parish Groups and Facilities
Donaghcloney Parish has a host of organisations which happen over the course of the year and which are open to the wider community. These include for children and young people -Girls’ Brigade, Boys’ Brigade and Youth Clubs. All our organisations for young people are run under the guidance of the Church of Ireland’s Child Protection Policy (Safe Guarding Trust) and the Select Vestry ensure that this is adhered to.
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For adults there are also many activities on offer: Bible Study & Prayer Fellowships, Mothers’ Union, Bowling clubs in Donaghcloney & Waringstown, Keep Fit classes, Flower arranging classes and Craft Group. For those with musical ability there is a Junior choir.
In addition to the above groups which Donaghcloney Parish runs directly for the benefit of the wider community the Select Vestry makes the facilities available for community events such as Kidney Research and other local charities.
Mission and Evangelism
In addition to all of the above activities, there have been a number of other events and programmes organised to reach out to the local community.
Every Easter and Holy Week, we hold joint services and projects with the local churches in Donaghcloney and Waringstown.
At Christmas, in Donaghcloney & Waringstown, we are involved in the turning on of the tree lights, events which have attendances of over 500 people from the community.
We see helping those in need as a practical way of demonstrating our faith. We therefore also donate from our giving to other charities, eg Bishops Appeal, Crosslinks, Open Doors, S.A.M.S and CMS Ireland
Other ways that our Parish has been involved in the mission of the Church have included the Christmas Shoe Box Appeal with Samaritan’s Purse. Our Church is also involved in collecting food items for the Craigavon Area Foodbank.
Financial Review
The main source of income is derived from Free Will Offering Envelopes. The Financial Statements show a surplus of £6,684 for the year.
Going Concern
The trustees have reviewed the budgets for the year ahead and are satisfied that there are adequate funds in place to ensure that the Parish can continue its activities and the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2022 can be signed off as a going concern.
Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2022 (continued)
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document and Constitution of the Charity
Chapter III of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland governs Parishes and Parochial Organisation. The Select Vestry members are the Charity Trustees.
Recruitment and Appointment of Select Vestry (Trustees)
As well as Constitutional requirements, Parishes are obliged to implement Diocesan Regulations. The Diocesan Regulations require a financial commitment (Regulation 7.2.2) to become a member of the General Vestry. The members of the Select Vestry of Donaghcloney Parish are its Charity Trustees.
Members of the General Vestry can vote and stand for election to the Select Vestry. Meetings of the general vestry are held at least once a year. The Select Vestry is elected as part of this General Vestry meeting. The Select Vestry will hold their positions for a period of one year. Select Vestry members may be re-elected annually and there is no limit on the number of terms which may be served.
Pay and remuneration
The Incumbent is paid directly by the Parish and receives a Stipend, Office and Locomotory Allowances as approved by the General Synod of the Church of Ireland.
Organisational Structure
The Select Vestry is responsible for the day to day management of the parish. The Select Vestry consists of members of clergy serving in the parish, any curate assistant, the churchwardens, the glebe wardens and twelve other members elected at the General Vestry.
The Select Vestry is chaired by the incumbent or other member of the clergy officiating in the parish. Select Vestry members are responsible for making decisions on matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding how parish funds are to be applied.
The Select Vestry meets at times fixed by the members or by the Diocesan Synod. Special meetings may be convened at any time by the chairperson or the churchwardens. In 2022 the Select Vestry met 10 times during the year and the average attendance was 82%.
Compliance with Public Benefit
The Parish has given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland’s guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities entered into during the year have helped to achieve the Parish’s objectives and activities, as well as providing public benefit.
Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2022 (continued)
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the statement of receipts and payments and statement of assets and liabilities in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
The law applicable to charities in Northern Ireland with Income of less than £250,000 requires the trustees to prepare a statement of receipts and payments and a statement of assets and liabilities for each financial year. The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Parish’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the assets and liabilities of the Parish. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Parish and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Mr Kenneth McCoy Treasurer
Mrs Victoria Derby Secretary