Church of Ireland Parish of Christ Church, Carrowdore Charity number: NIC 102375 Trustees, Annual Report for year ended 31 December 2024
Contents Structure, Governance & Management of Charity Governing Document and Constitution of Charity Recruitment & Appointment of Select Vestry (Trustees) Organisational Structure Principal Off ice bearers Independent Auditor Bankers Trustees, Report & Flnancial Revlew 5-11 Objectives and Activities - Achievement, Performance & Public Benefit Public worship Community involvement & outreach Outreach & mission Public Benefit Compliance with Public Benefit Financial Review Going Concern Pay and remuneration Statement of Trustees, Responsibililies
rn Charity Name Christ Church, Carrowdore, Church of Ireland Charity Registration Number NIC 102375 Contact Address The Rectory 15 Kilbright Road Carrowdore Newtownards Co Down BT22 2HQ Chapter111 of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland governs Parishes and Parochial Organisation. The Select Vestry members are the Charity Trustees. All members of the Church of Ireland who are over the age of 18 and are either resident within the parish or live elsewhere but have been accustomed members of the congregation for at least three months, may register as members of the General Vestry of the Parish, allowing them to attend and vole at meetings of the General Vestry and to stand for election to the Select Vestry. Meetings of the General Vestry are held at least once a year. The Select Vesty is elected as part of this General Vesty meeting. The Select Vesty will hold their positions for a period of one year. Select Vesty members may be re-elected annually and there is no limit on the number of terms which may be served. From Easter Vestry 2024 the serving Select Vesty members were.. Revd. C. Davis, Mr D. Neville, Mr B. Armitage, Mr P. Adair, Miss L. Goudy, Mr J. Goudy, Mr G. Morris, Mrs H. Brown, Miss E. Irwin, Mr P. Craig
ani ati tru tur The Select Vestry is responsible for the day to day management of the parish and consists of the serving member of the clergy (Rector), Ihe Churchwardens, the glebe wardens and usually not more than ten other members of the General Vestry, elected at the annual meeting of the General Vestry - known as the Easter Vestry. The Select Vestry is chaired by the incumbent or other member of the clergy off iciating in the parish. Select Vestry members are responsible for making decisions on matters of general concern and importance to the parish including issues of fabric and finance. The select Vestry meets at times fixed by members or by the Diocesan Synod. special meetings may be convened at any time by the Chairperson or the Churchwardens. In 2024 Ihe Select Vestry met 6 times with an average attendance of approx 700/0. Clergy Parish Readers Revd. Colin A.J. Davis Mr Phil Craig Miss Lynne Goudy Mr Paul Adair Church Secretary Church Treasurer Church Wardens Mr Derek Neville (Rector's) Mr Brian Armitage (People's) Stanley Woods & Company, Alexander House, 49-51 Church St, Newtownards, BT23 4AN (1) Danske Bank, High Street, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 2HS
Trustees'Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2024 The trustees present the annual report for Newtownards/Carrowdore & Millisle/Christ Church, Carrowdore/Down & Dromore/Church of Ireland for the year ended 31 December 2024 (the wording supplied for charitable Objectives andActivities were approved by General synod in 2015) The charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland is the advancement of religion. The principal functlon of the Parish of Carrowdore is to support the advancement of the Christian religion by promoting through the work of Christ Church Parish Church, Carrowdore, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social, and ecumenical. Being open to and engaging with the whole society, 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 Carrowdore 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 Carrowdore. There is the one church building within the parish of Carrowdore, namely Christ Church, which was built in 1842, consecrated in 1843 and set on a hill about 1 mile outside the village of Carrowdore just off the Woburn Road between Carrowdore and Millisle. At the bottom of the hill, on Woburn Road is the Woburn Hall which is the Parish Hall shared between the parishes of Christ Church, Carrowdore and St. Patrick's, Millisle. The Woburn Hall was built in c 1855. The Rector is also shared with the parish of St. Patrick's, Millisle and there are a number of shared of services and activities. The objective for Carrowdore Parish is lo be a worshipping community, being God's people where we live and seeking to help others to know the love of God. this is summed up in a motto: Christ Centred - Spirit Led - Family Focused This is achieved through regular public worship, community outreach and involvement at local, national, and international level
Publi Wor The normal seriCe pattern consists of Morning Worship each Sunday at 11.30am, with Holy Communion on the first Sunday each month. We have returned to using the 'Common Cup, for the wine, although individual cups are available, as is a non-alcoholic alternative. The rnusic, whilst generally is of a more organ led traditional style can also include some more contemporary hymns and songs using video or audio tracks, as well as occasional guitar led songs. Currently there is no evening service. The Church Wardens are committed to helping people feel welcome as they come into Church. The tea, coffee, squash, and biscuits which were suspended during the period of is being re-introduced in early 2025 In addition to normal Sunday worship there is a United Service of Lessons and Carols (usually the Sunday before Christmas), midnight Communion on Christmas Eve, Christmas Morning Worship, a service of Holy Communion on Ash Wednesday, services of Compline on Monday and Wednesday evenings of Holy Week, an hour of reflection on Good Friday afternoon and a joint Dawn Service in Millisle on Easter Sunday. Harvest is celebrated on the first Sunday in October and Mothering Sunday (on the fourth Sunday of Lent). There is a service of Remembrance on Remembrance Sunday and a wreath is laid at the memorial in church of those who served in the two World Wars. Church members occasionally participate in services with Bible Readings and the leading prayers of intercession. Services are also mostly led by the Rector in conjunction with the active Parish Reader. The Sunday school continues with a varying number of primary school aged children for 3 Sundays out of 4 each month. For those who feel they would like it, a trained and commissioned Prayer Ministry Team is also available after services of worship to pray for anyone should they wish to ask for specific prayer either for themselves or another person or issue.
mm inv Our monthly Messy Church (in collaboration with carrowdore & Ballyfrenis Presbyterian Church) re launched in February 2024 Unfortunately, our Mother's Union branch, jointly run with St. Patrick's due to circumstances and drop in numbers had to close in May 2017. The Rector of Carrowdore is involved with the Primary School in terms of assemblies and other activities and alternate years (with Presbyterian Church) Christ church hosts the Primary School Carol service. The Rector is also a Governor and an informal Chaplain to Strangford integrated College, located in the village. The Church has played host to the College's multiple carol serrfices in the past, but with incwsing numbers at the sch(JJ this has now beCrrE a lit t drffi(xJlt. However Ihe Churth does host a special evening Carol ServicEIChristrnas cOnrt for Ihe College. Each Sunday there is a collection for the Food Bank in Newtownards and bags of food are taken every week to help in this vital social ministry. There is a fortnightly coffee morning in collaboration wilh the Presbyterian church in Carrowdore and Peninsular Healthy Living under the name of 'Coffee in Carrowdore, and this meets in the Carrowdore Presbyterian Church Minor Hall. Throughout the year there have been midweek meetings, held in the Woburn Hall, looking at Bible passages and specifically Christian themes. During the Christian season of Lent, these midweek meetings take on a Lenten theme - giving opportunity to reflect on what it means to believe in and follow Christ. Each year the giving of the Parish is divided between local, national, and international organisalions and charities to help support specific issues and alleviate suffering, both at home and abroad. Each Lent a weekly collection is made for Christian Aid and their work overseas. Also, back in 2016 a collection was made for Toilet Twinning and the toilets in the side room at Christ Church and in the Woburn Hall have all been twinned with those in other countries, enabling the communities where the toilets are twinned to have proper sanitary and water facilities. Several individuals in the parish support Crosslinks and a personal connection with the Eggshell Cambodia charity has now been established. Other local, national, and international charities are also supported. The parish also sponsors a young girl in Nepal through World Vision.
There has also been involvement with Youth for Christ and supporting their workers who are involved in outreach and mission specifically on the Ards Peninsula, where the Parish is located. In addition to the midweek meetings, each autumn we have previously held an Alpha Course, but in 2025 we decided to use Christianity Explored, which also gives anyone an opportunity to come and find out more about the Christian faith and the Christian life. This is reviewed annually and alternative studies that are 'seeker friendly, and that deal with Christian basics are also under consideration On the last Saturday of each month a Men's Breakfast is held, open to anyone and giving an opportunity for social gathering in relaxed atrnosphere, a good Ulster Fry and often a guest speaker will come and share their story or talk about a topic of interest, generally with a Christian theme. The charitable purpose of Ihe Parish of Christ Church, Carrowdore is the advancement of religion and this is achieved through Christian witness and outreach and an encouragement to be a caring and loving Christian community and fellowship, trying to be Irue to our object of being Christ Centred, Spirit Led, Family Focused. This is delivered through the provision of public worship and the various activities as described above and is of benefit to all in the community who wish to participate from the very young to the elderly. There is pastoral support and visils for those in need and would like them or cannot make it to public worship or other activities. Our support of the local Foodbank charity benefits numerous families in the local area as does our support of various charities for those locally, nationally, and internationally.
Christ Church, Carrowdore - Annual Report for year ended 31.12.24 SeNices at specific times of year, such as Christmas, Easter, Harvest and Remembrance also enable those who wish to celebrate and think about these events to do so in an appropriate and beneficial way. Being a locally based church set in a rural and scenic location it is often used for marriages by those with a connection to the church and community. Christ Church has a large and open graveyard and so is often used for funeral services and burials, but also is available for burials for those from another church or non-church background. The Graveyard also includes a Garden of Remembrance specifically set aside for the burial of ashes if required. Restrictions in respect of burials are necessary and are twofold: (l) there is a two-tier system for subscribing church members and those who do not re costs of graves and burials which follows a similar system in place in Local Authority cemeteries for residents and non-residents. (li) there are Guidelines for Headstones which need to be followed and new headstones approved in order to keep them appropriate to the churchyard and for ease of maintenance of the same. Health and safety checks are regularly made, the Woburn hall is inspected and has an authorised Entertainment Licence issued by the Local Authority. The Parish complies with the Church of Ireland Safeguarding Trust Child Protection Policy (also covering vulnerable adults) and also those involved in working with children either through Creche, Junior Church, Messy Church and also the Prayer Ministry Team have been through Enhanced checks with Access Nl. 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.
Christ Church, Carrowdore - Annual Report for year ended 31.12.24 ial R vi Full detail of the receipts and expenditure can be found in the charity accounts submitted. The overall income was down on the previous year, attributable to a reduction in Free Will Offering and subsequent reduction in gift aid. A marked reduction in Funeral and Burial fees, Millisle contribution and also the income from the Young Fund. The reduction in Young Fund income has been a trend for the last couple of years and this has been taken up with the trustees and addressed with the appointment of a new investment manager namely Quilter Cheviot in Q3 2024, so we hope to see a marked improvement in the Young Fund investment income. Expendlture in 2024 was in line with expectations but slightly up on 2023 with some larger expenditure items in 2024 that were agreed as part of post covid expenditure, such as Church Glazing, Woburn Hall Repair, New Audio system and a condition survey were made, these accounted for £15938.61 of expenditure. Overall, the church has a decreased bank balance as at the end of the financial year, due to expenditure exceeding income. The Truslees 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 2024 can be signed off as a going concern. The stipend of the Incumbent is paid directly by the Parish with remuneration for their portion of Incumbent costs coming from St. Patrick's, Millisle who share the Incumbent. The stipend is in accordance with figures approved by the General Synod of the Church of Ireland for Group D parishes. In 2024 was £38,626 per annum. The off ice allowance of £800 per annum and the locomotory allowance of £6,591 per annum for the Incumbent also followed approved guidelines. The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustee's Report and the statement of receipts and payments and statement of assets and liabilities in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
Christ Church, Carrowdore - Annual Report for year ended 31.12.24 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 suff icient to show and explain the Parish's transactions and disclose wilh 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 laking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Signed on behalf of the Trustees Trustee: Rev Colin A.J. Davls Trustee: Mlss Lynne Goudy 24th March 2025