Tru5tees' Annual Report for the year ended 31SI December 2023 The trustees present the annual report and statements of Receipt5 and Payments and Assets and Liabilities for Parish of Christ Church Kilmore for the year ended 31st December 2023 Objectlves and Artlvities The principle objective of the Parish of Christ Church Kilmore is to support the advancement of the Christian religion, and the benefits thereof, through all its varioLTS activities and ministries. Broadly speaking this fall under the followingfive maln categories: evangelical, ecumenical, pastoral, social and charitable. Practically this means that we engage with society as a whole, on a cros5-community basis, offering both spiritual and practical support to individuals and families as they have need. As a result of its activities and pursuant with its mission, the Parish Church of Christ Church Kilmore has custody of property, land and buildings, fabric and furnishing5, records and registers. materials and artefacts of significant cultural, historical and religiou5 valLte, the maintenance of which is undertaken by the Select Vestry of the Parish of Christ ChLsrch Kilrnore. Achievements, Performance & Publlc Beneflt Christ Church Kilmore together with Inch Parish Church form a joint parish under the leadership of the Rector. The Rev Stephen Smyth retired on the 31 July 2023 and the joint parishes are under the temporary leadership of the Area Dean the Rev Adrian Dorlan. As a joint parish we seek to pursue the mission of the Church.. evangelical, ecumenical* pastoral, social and charitable under the aegis of the Church of Ireland. We provide weekly and occasional seNices of Morning Prayer, Holy Communion, Baptisms, Weddin8s and Funerals and adjunct pastoral support includin8, the visitation of the sick, the elderly. the infirm and the bereaved. Additionally each Church runs its own Sunday school. As a joint parish we are involved in the broader community and as part of our mission seek to work alongside all other Civic, Charitable, School and Church organisations addressing local needs and on occasion, worshipping together. The Rector and two members of Select Vestry serve on the Boards of two local schools. We raise funds and donate monies from our own resources to local and international charities. As a joint Parish and on a completely voluntary basls, we operate the Kilmore & Inch Food Bank, which supplies emergency food parcels to both individuals and famllies. The Food Bank works closely wlth the following organisation5'. Christians against Povertv {CAPI, St Vincent de Paul {SVPI and Social Services, all of whom refer clients to us. Flnanclal Revlew The Parish unrestricted main account {No l Account) showed a surplus of Income over Expenditure of £1,199.83 before transfers at the 31¥t December 2023, A transfer of £1,412.66 was made to the Graveyard account to clear a deficit on that account as subscriptlons for grave maintenance did not cover the cost of maintenance. The Church was carrying excess funds at the bank which were providing a poor return and after reviewlng our short to medium needs £64,000 wa5 invested with the Northern Ireland central Fund for Charities to provide a better return. The Church Repair and Renewal Fund had a balance of £16.702.91 at 31" December 2023 Comparable to that off £15.947.37 as at 31" December 2022. The sound system was upgraded a fewyears ago, the cost to be borne by the church with a commitment that the Eliza Robinson Charity fund would reimburse the church over a number of years. There were a significant number of transactions with restrlcted funds being monies given through the church for other purposes such as the provision of a local foodbank. In the absence of the Rector, the Rectory was empty and an opportunity arose to provide a short term tenancy to a family whose home had been flooded. The rental income is being used to meet the costs of items identified by the Diocesan Architect in his vacancy report. The balance on the fund was £1.837.66 at the 31 December 2023. The Parish is bound by the Church of Ireland 'Duty of Prudence, for church trustees to ensure that the parish is and remains solvent and by annual accounting principles to remain a going concern. Our aim has been to keep sufficient free reserves to provide. as per good practice guidelines for charities. cover for 6 month5 in relation to known liabilities. Our present reserves meet this requirement.
Tru5tees' Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 {contSnued) 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 activtties and the financial statements for the year ended 2023 can be signed off as a going concern. Strurture, Governance and Management Governing Document and Constitutlon of the Charlty Chapter111 of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland governs Parishes and Parochial Or8anisation. The Select Vestry members are the Charity Trustee5 Recruitment and Appolntment of Selert Vestry ITru5teesJ All member5 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 vote at meetings of the general vestry and to stand for election to the selett vestry. Meetings of the General Vestry are held at least once a year. The Select Vestry is elected as part of thi5 General Vestry meeting. The Select Vestry will hold their positions for a period of one year. Select Vestry members May be re£lected annually and there is no limit on the number of terms which may be served. Pay and remuneratlon The Parish is jointly responsible, wlth Inch Parish Church for payment of the stipend, offlce and locomotory allowances to the incumbent and the incumbent received a Stipend of £10,916.50, an office allowance of £233.31 and a locomotory allowances of £2.041.69 from Christ Church Kilmore up to the date of his leavin8. The Parish have opted to pay the Incumbents Pension Contributions, the Total Pension contributions forthe year were £4,082.10 which included a levy of £2,203.44 from the Representative Church Body. Organlsatlonal Strurture The select vestry 15 responsible for the day to day management of the parish. The selett vestry conslsts of the incumbent, the churchwardens, the glebe wardens and generally not more than twelve other members of the general vestry elected at the General Vestry. The select vestry is chaired by the incumbent of 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 2023 the Select Vestry met 7 times during the year and the average attendance was 75%. Compliance wlth Publlc Benefft The Parish has given careful con5ideratlon to the Charity Commlssion for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefit to ensure that the attive5 entered into during the year have helped to achieve the Parish's objertives and activities, as well as providing public benefit. Statement of Trustees, RespoTrslblllties 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 require5 the trustees to prepare a statement of receipts and payrnents and a statement of assets and liabilities for each financial year.
Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31" December 2023 (continued) The trustee5 are responsible for keeping accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Parish's transaction5 and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the assets and liabilities of the Parish. They are also responsible for safeguarding the a55ets of the Parish and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detertion of fraud and other irregularities. Signed on Behalf of the Trustees Area Dean Rev. Adrian Dorian Honorary Secretary Mr5. Margaret Savage 03[1¥