St. Finnian's Parish Church
Cregagh
Belfast
Annual Report and Financial Statements
For the year ended 31st December 2022
Northern Ireland Charftles Number:101977

C)St. Finnian's Parlsh Church, Cregagh 2023

Annual Report and Flnanclal Ststements for the year ended 31rt December 2022
Contents
Page
References and adminlstrative detsils
TrusteÈs' Annual Report
Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees
9-10
Statement of Financial Activities
li
Balance Sheet
12
Ncrtes tothe Financial Ststements
13-22
St. Finnian's Parish Church, Cregagh 2023

St Flnnlan'5 Parlsh Church, Cregagh
References and ?dmlnlstrative details
CharTty Name=
St Finnian's Parish Churth, Cregagh
Chartty Reglstration Number:
101977
Contact Address:
The Rectory
3 Upper Knockbreda Road
Belfast
BT6 9QH
Qst. Finnian's Padsh Church, Cregagh 2023

Trustees
Rev Canon J PIERCE (Rector)
Rev A HAY (Curate)
MichaelALLEN
Peter ARMSTRONG
Davld CAIRNS
Robert CRAWFORD
Neil DONALDSON
Mr5 Karen GATELY
Miss Catherlne HAMILTON
Geoff HARMAN
Mi55 Angela HARVE
Jim HAUGHEY
Jonathan JOHNSTON
Greg KIDD
Brian L4VERY
Timothy LECKEY
Mrs Lsnda LEONARD
Trevor SMYfH
Principal Office￿eaTerg
aergy:
Canon Jonathan DM Pierce (Rector)
Rev Andrew Hay (Curate)
Mrs Linda Leonard
Robert Crawford
Miss Angela Harvey
David Calms
Secretary
Treasurer:
Churchwarden- Rectorfs:
Churchwarden- People'5:
Independent Enmlner
Jackson Andrews
6 Mandevilte Mews
PORTADOWN
BT62 3NS
Bankers
DaD5ke Bank
P.0. Box 183
Done6all Square West
Belfast
BTI 6JS
5t. Finnian's Parish Church. Cre4agh 2023

Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 315t December 2022
The Trustees present the annual report and accounts for St.Finnian's Parish Church, Cregagh for the
year ended 31st December 2022
Objectlves and Activities
The charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland i5the advancement of reli8ion.
The prindpal function of St. Finnlan'5 Parish Church, Cregash is the advancement of the Chrlstian
religlon by promoting through the work of St. Finnian's Parish Church, Cregagh the whole mission of
the church- Pastoral, evangelistic, social and Ècumersical. Being open to and engaging with society
a5 a whole and offering support for those needing help is fundamental to the prattical delivery of the
benefits of Christlanity.
As a result of ?ctivlty in the PUFSUit of the advancement of the Christian religion, St. Finnian's Parish
Church. Cregagh ha5 Custody of property and of records. materials and artefarts of significance to
cultural and religious herltage. the rnalntenan￿ of which is undertaken by the Selectvestry of SL
Finnian's. Cregagh.
Achlevements. Perforn￿n¢e and pubfic Benefit
Activitie5 in 2022 continued to be affetted by the Government restrictions relating to the ongoing
Covid-19 pandemic. These impacted both on Church services and the activities of all church
organisations. The Q)vid Management templates agreed in 2021 still applied until the summer when
plans were made to reintroduce all Services in Church and the ownisations began to make their
arrangements to reopen in september. This included the updating of Safeguarding Trust trdining for
all volunteer5 workn-ng wtth young people.
During the first Six month5 of the year technology facilitated the delivery of Church 5ervice5 and the
conducL of meeting5 online 50 that contart5 were retained with the congregation and wider
community. The volunteer telephone service continued to offer practical and emotional support to
the elderly and housebound while face to face contacts could not take pla￿. The Rettor delTvered
hi5 weekly blo& popular podixst"Bitesize Chunks of Faith" and Alpha tralning onlinE reaching out to
individuals notSU5t in the local area but much further afield.
The Parish magazine and Facebook page have kept people informed of changes and new artivities
throughout the year and help to encourage people to become involved in both group and online
activities.
An 8 week mental health course started in the autumn. This Sanctuary course w35 introduced as a
new initiative to help people learn more about mental health. provide an opportunlty to take part in
discussions and to find out about resource5 available in the community. The Course is designed to
facilitate a safe place for people to talk about their mental health. Each week a video focusses on
mental health i55ue and then the group engages in discussion on some of the topics raised.
In early December a Belfast based Pastor and GP Dr Stephen Rodgers. who has a particular interest
in merttsl health, gave a tslkto peoplefromthe congregation and local community on managing
stress. Furthertalks are planned 85 the parish contlnues to look at ways to heal the traumas
following the Covid 19 pandemic and the impart it has h3d on peopldslsves and their mental heallli,
Ost. Flnnian's Parlsh church, Cregagh 2023

Trustees Annu31 Report for the year ended aiiE December 2022 - convd
Established and new groups began to meet regularfy from Septemberwith numbers steadily
Increa5in8 a5 people become more cunfident about mixlng. The Cregagh Crafters group which began
as a new Inhiative to help reduce Social Isolatlon has proved very 5ucce5Stul and offers a
opportunÈty to meet as well as to continue with orto learn a new craft. The Pilates Broup has also
become a very popular addition to the r3n8e of activitie5 on offer.
The HEDGE projert which encourages youns home schooled people to learn gardening skills and
provide5 an opportunity for socialisatlon has helped trdn5forrn part of the Church ground5 into a
flourishing vegetsble garden and colourful flowerbeds. Volunteers from the Parish have become
attlvely Involved wlth the HEDGE group and a new support programme at Llsnasharragh primary
school which was set up to help youn8 people whose literacy and numeracy skllls had fallen behind
35 a result of disrupted education during the pandernic.
The Parish provided over £2000 finHno¥l supportto the Bishop￿ Ukraine Appeal lin addition to its
annual allotatlon to the Blshopg Appeal} and then in June welcomed a Ukrainlan fam15y Into the
Parish. A house was furnished with donations and the family were 8iven a55i5tance to settle in thelr
new home. Practical, financial and emotional support15 ongoing and the older chlld has started to
attend a local school. Parishioner5 donated over £10. 000 to the Parlsh's own Ukralne ProJecL
Over the 5urnmer month5 an EnglÉsh language Eroup wa5 set up ID conjunction with two other local
churches to help new aniva15 from Ukraine to settle in and develop their spoken English.
2022 was a special year for the Church as It marked its 90 year of Consecratlon. A Fun daywith a
'Welcome bacv theme was planned for ear￿ September but due to the death of HM Queen this
had to be rearranged. The new date linked to the Harvest Festival in October and proved to be very
popular. It wa5 well attended both by pari5hioner5 and local residents. The Archbishop of Armagh
and the 8ishop of Down and Dromore were Inwted to speak at speclal anniversary services. Display5
of flower5 were provlded by Belfast Ctty Councll to support the 90th annbverydry events and local
traders also offered support by providing goods. Foodstuffs were colletted at the Harvest Festivdl
and donated to the L3rder Foodbank at Mersey Street.
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was celebrated wwth a picnic in the Church grourjds and in October a
silver birch tree given bythe Mothers, Union President was planted.
In July the Parish began to look again at its ac￿$$ and development plans which had to be shelved
due to Covid. During the autumn a serles of meetlngs were held to agree plans to make the Church
building more acce5slble through the provislon of a rdmp and to improve internal access and
facilities for wheelchair users. A Parish consultatlon meeting was held in November and the agreed
plans wlll go to Tender in earty 2023.
At the end of the year the Select Vestry 38reed to allocate funds totsllin8 £17,850 to a ranse of
orEanisation5 both at home and overseas. These included Missionary Societies. Chrfstlans 3galnst
Poverty. The Larder, The Hub at Queens, Marle Curfe and Divlne Healing Ministries. The Pèrish a150
contlnues to support the work of Fields of Lffe in Africa. This indudes the provision of education and
medical support In the community and in h05Pitals.
Qst Flnnian's Parlsh Church, Cregagh 2023

Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31S1 December 2022 -conVd
The work rarrled out In the Partsh and local cornmunity 15 provlded by the clergy and a large team of
volunteers engaged in a wide rdnge of acttvities from leading Sunday School, the Boyg Brigade and
the Mothers and Toddlers group to one to one visits to people who are hotssebound, looking after
the grounds and buildings and maintaining the communlcation networks.
The Parish is indebted to these dedlcated volunteers who 50 generously Bive their time to assistwith
its worship and communlty activities. Without thern the guidance and sUPPOrt whlch St Flnnian's ca
offer, and from which many people en}oy direct benefits, would be greatly reduced.
The parish has given careful a)nslderètlon to the Charlty Commi55ion for Northern Ireland's guidance
on public beneflt to ensure that the attivities entered into during the year and those planned for the
future have and wdl continuE to help to achieve the parTsh's objectives as well 25 providing public
benefiL
Qst. Finnian's Parish Church, Cregagh 2023