Parish of Dona8hcloney Page 3 Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 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 2023. Objectives and Actlvities The charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland is the advancement of religion. The principal funttion of the Parish of Donaghcloney is to support the advancement of the Christian religion by promotin& 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 8uidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities undertaken during the year have helped to achieve the Parish's objertives 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 250 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 member5 of our community, and our Harvest Thanksgiving Services are very much community events with members of our youth organi5ations and their families in attendance, and we are asked to h05t CIVIC Services throughout the year. At our main Sunday morning Service5 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
Parlsh of Donaghcloney Page 4 Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 (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 80ing through particular pastoral needs or traumas as well as general visiting. We also hold an annual RUC (GCI 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 3 bereavement. This ministry has now grown to provide new parents with baby clothes and food. Parish Groups and Facilitses 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. For adult5 there are also many activities on offer.. Bible Study & Prayer Fellowships, Woman's Friendship Group Men's Group, Bowling clubs in Donaghcloney & Waring5town, Keep Fit classes, Flower arranging classes and Craft Group. For those with musical ability there is a Junior choir and Praise Group. 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 organi5ed to reach out to the local community. Every Easter and Holy Week, we hold joint services and project5 Wlth 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, Cros51inks, Open Doors. 5.A.M.S and CMS Ireland Other ways that our Parish has been involved in the mi55ion of the Church is through the Salvation Army ChristmasToy Appeal. Our Church is also involved in collecting food item5 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 £61,487 for the year. Goln8 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 artivities and the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 can be signed off as a going concern.
Parish of Donaghcloney Page 5 Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 {continued) Structure, Governance and Management Governing Document and Constitution of the Chority Chapter111 of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland governs Parishes and Parochial Organisation. The Select Vestry members are the Charity Trustees. Recruitment ondAppointment of Select Vestry (Trustees) A5 well as Constitutional requirements, Parishes are obliged to implement Diocesan Regulations. The Diocesan Regu13tion5 require a financial commitment {Regulation 7.2.21 to become a member of the General Vestry. The members of the Select Vestry of Donaghcloney Parish are its CharityTrustees. 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 ofterms which may be served. Poy ond remunemtlon 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. Organisotionalstrurture 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 15 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 orthe churchwardens. In 2023 the Select Vestry met 8 times during the year and the average attendance was 80%. Compllance 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.
Parlsh of Dona8hdoney Pa8e 6 Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 (continued) Ststement of Trustees, Responslbllltles Thetrustees are responsible ft)r preparing the Trustees, Report and the statement of receipts and payments and statement of a55ets and liabilities in accordance with applicable law and regulations. The law applicable to charitles in Northern Ireland with Incorne of less than £250,000 requires the trustees to prepare statement of receTPts and payments and a statement of assets and liabilltles for each financial year. The trustees are responslble for keeplng accounting records that are sufflclent to show and explain the Parlsh's transactions and dlsclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the assets and liabilities of the Parish. They are also responsible for safeguardlng the assets of the Parish and hence for taklng reasonable steps for the preventlon and detection of fraud and other Irregularities. 51gned on Behalf of the Trustees Mr Kenneth Mccoy Treasurer Mrs Vlrtoria De Secretary Date: 11 Ortober 2024