St Dorothea’s Church
Parish of Gilnahirk
Trustees’ Annual Report
and Statement of Receipts & Payments & Assets and Liabilities
For the period:
1 January 2022 – 31[st] December 2022 Charities Number: NIC102538
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St Dorothea’s Parish Church
References and administrative details
Charity Name:
St Dorothea’s Parish Church
Charity Registration Number: NIC 102538 Contact Address: St Dorothea’s Parish Church 2-4 Gortland Park BELFAST BT5 7NU
Trustees
| Trustees | |
|---|---|
| Rev. Ken McGrath (from 02.05.22) | Mr David Jackson (from 07.11.22) |
| Mrs Maureen Hunter | Mrs Marilyn McBride |
| Mrs Norma Connelly (resigned 07.11.22) | Mr Harry Kissock (resigned 26.04.22) |
| Mrs Jacqueline Reid (resigned 26.04.22) | Mrs Deirdre Kissock (resigned 26.04.22) |
| Mrs Jackie McBurney | Mrs Suzanne Shepherd |
| Mrs Margaret Murphy | Mrs Doreen Montgomery |
| Mrs Sheenagh Johnston | Mrs Kathy Hale |
| Mr Phillip Osborne | Mrs Julie Ryan |
| Miss Kathryn McBurney | Miss Honor Craig |
Principal Office-bearers:
Clergy: Rev. Ken McGrath (from 2[nd] May 2022)
Diocesan Lay Reader Maureen Bennett (until May 2022) Wendy Jenkins Lay Readers Margaret McNulty Petrina Kendall Hon. Secretary Maureen Hunter Hon. Treasurer: Norma Connelly (until 07.11.22) David Jackson (from 07.11.22)
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Church Warden- Rector’s: Phillip Osborne Church Warden – People’s: Maggie Murphy Glebe Warden – Rector’s: Harry Kissock (until 26.04.22) Sheenagh Johnston (from 26.04.22) Glebe Warden – People’s: Deirdre Kissock (until 26.04.22) Marilyn McBride (from 26.04.22) Independent Examiner of Accounts Mr Joe Crowe Bankers First Trust Bank 11-15 Donegall Square North BELFAST BT5 5GB
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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022
The trustees present the annual report and statements of Receipts and Payments and Assets and Liabilities for the St Dorothea’s Parish Church for the year ended 31 December 2022.
Objectives and Activities
( the wording supplied for Charitable Objectives and Activities were approved by General Synod in 2015.)
The charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland is the advancement of religion.
The principal function of St Dorothea’s Parish Church is to support the advancement of the Christian religion by promoting, through the work of St Dorothea’s Parish Church 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, St Dorothea’s Parish Church 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 St Dorothea’s Parish Church.
Achievements, Performance & Public Benefit
During the 2022 reporting period, the Clerical position in the parish was vacant until 2[nd] May 2022 when Rev. Ken McGrath was introduced as Bishop’s Curate. At that date, clerical responsibility passed from the Diocese to Rev. McGrath.
During 2022, normal worship resumed, along with church activities and in-person fundraising.
Sunday
Morning Services at 8.30am and 10.15am Evening services: 1[st] Sunday Taizé 2[nd] Sunday Alpha (started Sept.) 3[rd] Sunday Alpha (started Sept.) 4[th] Sunday Praise Service
Monday-Friday
The youth organisations began meeting again during weekday evenings and Messy Church started again in October and was held once a month on the second Friday at 3pm.
Our Knit and Natter group met each month on the 1[st] , 3[rd] and 4[th] Wednesday afternoons.
Mothers’ Union met each month on 2[nd] Wednesday afternoon
Our Prayer Focus Group and Bible Study Group met on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm.
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At other times, the parish halls and Gortland Room are available to use for occasional community events and occasions.
January to December (except June and July) :
1[st] Sunday – refreshments were again provided after the 10.15am service on the first Sunday of each month
May:
2[nd] – Introduction of Rev. Ken McGrath as Bishop’s Curate
15[th] -21[st] - Christian Aid week (parishioners took part in door-to-door collections)
June:
5[th] – service with uniformed youth organisations to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
August:
Sunday evenings – church open for prayer 6.30-8pm
14[th] – visiting preacher: Bishop Bahati from our linked Diocese of Bukavu in DR Congo
September:
3[rd] - Summer Fête (our first since the Covid lockdown)
11[th] – Sunday School re-started
October :
9[th] - Harvest Service and Lunch (with proceeds going to our linked Diocese of Bukavu in Democratic Republic of Congo). Non-perishable food and toiletry items were collected and then donated to Dundonald Foodbank.
November :
6[th] – collection of shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse
13[th] - Remembrance Service at 10.15am attended by the uniformed youth organisations, each of which provided a colour party. There was a retiring collection for the Royal British Legion. 19[th] – Craft Fair
27[th] - An Advent Carols and Readings service at 7pm.
December:
3[rd] – NI Patchwork Guild meeting (in Minor Hall) Sunday 18[th] - CHRISTINGLE service at 10:15am. Sunday 18[th] - 9 Lessons and Carols (by candle-light) at 7:00pm Friday 23[rd] - Messy Nativity Saturday 24[th] – Christmas Eve. “Mid-night Holy Communion” 11:30pm – 12:15 approx. Sunday 25[th] – Christmas Day Holy Communion – 8:30am and “Family Worship for Christmas” 10:15am
Refurbishment of the Garden of Rest was carried out during 2022 in order to increase capacity.
The refurbishment of the new Rectory at 2 Crawford Park, Belfast was completed and Rev. Ken McGrath and his wife moved into the premises in June 2022.
Other Mission and Outreach to the Community throughout the year
Parishioners receive collection boxes for the Church Missionary Society, which are collected once a year and the money sent to CMSI.
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A foodbank box is situated in the church porch, to which parishioners and others contribute items of food and household goods. This is emptied regularly by Dundonald Foodbank.
There is a loose change collection throughout the year, with the proceeds going to the Diocese of Bukavu, DR Congo.
There were 11 funerals and one baptism during 2022.
Until 2[nd] May 2022 the pastoral needs of the parish were covered by Canon Walter Laverty. From that date, Rev. Ken McGrath took over this responsibility and has continued carrying out a systematic visitation of the parish, with priority given to the elderly, housebound and the sick.
This overview of the parish activities for the year in no way does justice to the army of volunteers who work hard to make things happen in the parish.
Financial Review
The accounts have been prepared for the period 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.
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 period 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022 can be signed off as a “going concern”
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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
1 January 2022 to 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)
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, and who contribute to parish funds, 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 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
During the period 1[st] January to 2[nd] May 2022, the parish did not have an incumbent in post. Some services were undertaken by Canon Walter Laverty. The Diocese billed the parish for these services in line with Diocesan rates. Other clerical duties undertaken by Diocesan lay readers are not remunerated. On 2[nd] May 2022 Rev. Ken McGrath was introduced as Bishop’s Curate and received a stipend in accordance with figures approved by the General Synod of the Church of Ireland including office expenses and locomotory allowances.
Organisational Structure
The Select Vestry is responsible for the day-to-day management of the parish. The Select Vestry consists of the member of the clergy serving in the parish, any curate assistant (“the curate”), the churchwardens, the glebe wardens and generally not more than twelve other members of the general vestry elected at the Annual General Vestry meeting (commonly called the Easter 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 9 times during the year and the average attendance was 90%.
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.
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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.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
Trustee 1 Honor Craig
Trustee 2 Jackie McBurney
Date 22[nd] October 2023
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