St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane Trustees, Annual Report COLERAINEIBallyrashane & Kildollaghl St John the Baptist, Ballyrashanel Connorl Church of Ireland (also known as Ballyrashane Parish Church and St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane) For the Year Ended 31 December 2023 Nl Charities Number: 102907
St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane COLERAINEIBallyrashane & Kildollaghl St John the Baptist, Ballyrashanel Connorl Church of Ireland (also known as Ballyrashane Parish Church and St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane) Annual report and financial ststements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Contents Page References and administrative details of the Charity Trustees, Report 4-11 Appendix A Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees Receipts and payments account Statement of assets and liabilities Notes on financial statements
St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane References and administrative details Charity name: COLERAINEIBallyrashane & Kildollaghl St John the Baptist, Ballyrashanel Connorl Church of Ireland (also known as Ballyrashane Parish Church and St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane) Nl Charity Registration Number: 102907 Contact Address: Ballyrashane Parish Office The Rectory 9 Sandelwood Avenue Coleraine BT52 1JW Trustees The Reverend A E Adams, Mr A W Anderson, Mrs O Hemphill, Mr William Anderson, Mrs M E Anderson, Mr F Hunter, Mrs F Hunter, Mr J Alexander, Miss L Kearney, Miss L McNabb , Mrs P Mcmullan, (elected 18 April 2023), Mr W Mcmullan, Mr J Selfridge, Mr K Stirling, Mrs M Stirlin9, Mr J Quinn, Mrs M Quinn,. Principal Offlce Bearers Clergy.. Hon. Secretary Hon. Treasurer: Church Warden - Clergy.. Church Warden - People.. The Reverend A. E. Adams Mr F. Hunter Mrs M.E. Anderson Mr A.W. Anderson Mrs O Hemphill Independent Examiner Ms Wendy Baird MIATI 2 Vermont Avenue Newtownards BT23 7PR Bankers Danske Bank The Diamond Coleraine
St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane Trustees, Annual Report for the Period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 Aim and Purposes The charitable purpose of the Church of Ireland is the advanment of religion. The principal function of St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane, (also known as Ballyrashane Parish Church) is to support the advancement of the Christian religion by promoting, through the work of Ballyrashane Parish, 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 is fundamental to the practical delivery of the benefits of Christianity. As a result of its activities and in pursuit of the advancement of Christian religion, Ballyrashane Parish has custody of property and of records, materials and artefacts of significance to the cultural and religious heritage of the community, the maintenance of which is undertaken by the Parish as secondary charitable purpose. Objectives and Activities All the functions of the parish relate to the advancement of religion through holding regular worship and communication with and caring for parishioners and others in our community and in the wider world. The expression of the precepts of the Christian religion through engagement with the general public and in particular with the disadvantaged, the sick, the elderly and the young is a public benefit. We are committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church, to experience increased social interaction and to give and receive pastoral care delivered at the point of need. There is a direct benefit of participating in church life including enhanced spiritual and mental wellbeing through participation in public worship,. engaging in religious education; positive social interaction. giving and receiving pastoral ministry and from the communication of values aimed at encouraging community life and cohesion. These activities provide a bridge between diverse groups as well as improved educational outcomes through the church's ministry of teaching and direct involvement in secular education. In short, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through: 1. Worship and prayer,. learning about and through the Bible and developing their knowledge of and trust in Jesus. 2. Pastoral care provided for people living in the parish and its hinterland. 3. Faith nurture and education which includes support for children and young people through the provision of religious education and participation in statutory bodies with a responsibility for the provision of education in Northern Ireland. 4. Missionary and outreach work. To facilitate this work it is important that we maintain the fabric of Ballyrashane Parish Church and Glebe Hall. We provide a further benefit to the public through access to and enjoyment of cultural and historic buildings which house artefacts such as church plate, furnishings and materials as well as historic records. The church building and grounds also provide a space for quiet contemplation and prayer and are open to public access. Not only does the maintenance of the church fabric enable the public to engage with a longstanding Christian heritage but also enables individuals to research historic records for genealogical purposes. Requests for such infomiation are received from all over the world. Access to parish records complies with GDPR regulations.
St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane Outside the times of public worship and occasional services the church was also open to the public for restricted periods when volunteer supervision is available. The church grounds are open to public access at all times. No harm arises from the activities and purposes of the church and the beneficiaries are the general public. In the course of conservation and maintenance of parish buildings and to make these accessible to the public, the engagement of professional staff and services is essential, bul incidental to the fulfilment of the parish's aims and objectives. Achievements, Performance and Public Benefit l. Worship and Prayer.. The Select Vestry, as trustees, seeks to offer a range of services over the course of the year that our community find both beneficial and spiritually fulfilling. These serviGes are designed to engage and encourage the participation of all attendees regardless of age or church affiliation. Our aim is to make everyone feel welcome and experience the love of Christ through the expression of our worship. We not only provide regular Sunday services but also services related to the principal Christian festivals. These services, which are offered in a range of liturgical styles, have attracted members of the general public and visitors to the Church. Our provision of worship at Christmas, Easter and Harvest has evidenced particular benefit to the public. Particular emphasis was placed on encouraging people to re-engage in in-person worship. During 2023 Audio Visual equipment was added to the church to make participation in worship easier for all ages. Care was taken to ensure that the new equipment does not detract from the architectural charm or integrity of the building but does increase the capacity of the church building to cater for all worship styles. We have also continued to meet the spiritual needs of those encountering major life events such as marriage or dealh and, in addition to parishioners, the parish has supported a number of families with no church affiliation through death and bereavement. Pastoral support extends long after the funeral and is determined exclusively by the needs of Ihe individual or family. Public baptisms resumed during 2023. The Parish also provided support for the community through its prayer ministry. During 2023 prayers for the sick and those in need in the community were said each Sunday in church this corporate prayer ministry is augmented by that of the Parish Craft group. In general, prayer ministry provided by the church is very much appreciated. All are welcome to attend our regular services with a substantial proportion of those attending the church living outside the geographical boundaries of the parish. We aim to meet the needs of disabled worshippers. All public health guidelines have been adhered to in respect of in-church worship. .In addition, spiritual comfort was also provided to the housebound and those resident in care homes or hospitals through personal visits and, where requested, through the provision of Holy Communion by the Rector. The spiritual needs of children and young people were addressed, through the provision of altemative forms of worship, the establishment of a youth fellowship called 'Gathered' and the provision of children's ministry, along with direct engagement with children and young people in schools. This work was greatly enhanced by the parish's continuing provision of an internship for a volunteer Student Youth Worker. The Parishes sponsor the intern's training to gain a degree and recognised Youth Work qualification. The Parishes provide faith-based practice experience and supervisory support as well as other training opportunities. Not only does the student benefit but the initiative has enabled the Parishes to partner with other churches and the DI0Se to increase the effectiveness of its outreach among young people in the community. 2023 saw the completio
St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane of the student intem's second year and CommenMent of his final year. A series of multi-church events were held during the year including contemporary worship seniices with a direct focus on meeting the spiritual needs of young people. The Gathered Youth Fellowship has attracted a number of young people from outside the parish and provides Bible Study, worship and an opportunity for young people to engage in various social and creative activities. 2. Pastoral Care Particular emphasis is placed on providing pastoral care for those living alone or who are otherwise isolated through illness. age or other circUmstans. Parish volunteers assisted the Rector in maintaining regular contact with the sick and elderly. Sickness included both physical and mental illnesses. Pastoral care needs have increased significantly over the past year both in terms of the numbers of individuals in need and the chronic nature of those needs. In addition the members of the Mothers, Union continued to provide a ministry of hospitality and charitable support. The members provided knitted clothes for premature babies along with toiletry and essentials packs for emergency admissions to hospital. The members also provided essential personal care items to the Coleraine Woman's Aid and other shelters. The members continued to support the work of the Mothers, Union in Ibba South Sudan. Aside from this focussed support the Branch also donated funds to support the general mission work of the Mothers, Union. The Mother's Union Branch comprises both Ballyrashane and Kildollagh Parishes and reaches out to other similar groups in the local area to enhan community cohesion. During the year the Mothers, Union worked with the Gathered Fellowship to engage with young people and share cooking skills. There were a number of events designed to encourage the growth of positive inter- generational relationships within a multi-generational context and these were very successful. Parish Craft Group, run in partnership with Klldollagh Parish Church, continued its varied activities, This cross community group engages in prayer ministry as well as providing a forum for fellowship and creativity. The Craft group worked together to provide knitted and crocheted decorations for church services and also provided several dozen items for use by the mission agency Samaritan's Purse in its Christmas Shoebox appeal. The Craft group also engaged with the members of the Gathered Youth fellowship to share creative skills. Pastoral care was provided by the Rector for young families and those in need. All pastoral care provided was confidential and covered a range of social and life issues. The cost of living crisis has raised particular challenges in the local community. The Parish responded by supporting the Foodbank in Coleraine with donations of food and by providing Christmas food hampers and care packs to elderly parishioners and those living in care homes. 3. Faith Nurture and Education The church provides leaming and worship opportunities for children and young people so that they may grow in their knowledge of the Christian faith, their sense of community and in the values shown by Jesus for the benefit of all people. At the appropriate point in their development young people are offered the opportunity to engage in further faith study and preparation to enable them to confirm their Baptismal promises with understanding and commitment and thus to become communicant members of the church. This opportunity is also offered to those over 18 years of age. In 2023 the Grouped Parishes worked in partnership with other local parishes to provide a completely new interactive faith development course which combined faith study with opportunities for community service and other activities utilising the natural environment. Ten young people and orie adult were confirmed and plans are in pla to expand the programme next year. A Rural Youth Ministries Project established in 2022 was expanded to include two more parishes who were keen to join the partnership in order to develop their children's and youth ministry. In
St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane addition to financial support provided by the Grouped Parishes of Ballyrashane and Kildollagh the project also received additional funding from the Church of Ireland Priorities Fund. A grant was also received from the Church of Ireland Youth Department towards the Youth intern and other youth leaders, expenses. During 2023 in addition to faith nurture being provided through Sunday Club (primary school aged children) and Gathered (post-primary young people) several youth and all age events were held which involved the Grouped Parishes of Ballyrashane and Kildollagh as well as our partner parishes, namely Ballintoy, Dunseverick with Rathlin Island and St Patricks and St Andrews Coleraine. The major events included taking groups of young people from the North Coast to faith based residentials such as Summer Madness and Connor Takes the Castle where they had the opportunity to develop their faith in the company of hundreds of other young people from across the country or Diocese. In addition, Ballyrashane and Kildollagh worked with our partner parishes and the Diocese to host a Street Reach Event which saw over 40 young people come together from aGross the Diocese to explore their faith in a practical way through a range of faith and community service activities such as running a kids, club and prayer ministry and helping to building an outdoor children's play area and run a family fun event which was open to the public. The underlying focus of the Parish Partnership is to encourage fellowship and a sense of community in circumstances where there is often a lack of youth provision because, unlike urban settings where young people are concentrated in larger numbers, rural communities are scattered and numbers of young people are smaller. Working in partnership addresses these challenges and helps the young people to feel part of a community that can be invisible to them outside of a school context. The Project enables young people to access opportunities which would not be viable to run on an individual parish basis. Partnership working has by necessity extended beyond the young people themselves to include their families. Ballyrashane Parish prioritises the safety of the children and young people in our care and strictly adheres to the child protection requirements of Safeguarding Trust to ensure that all those working with children and young people and vulnerable adults are fully checked through Access Nl, trained and supervised. The Parish's operation of Safeguarding Trust is subject to an annual independent scrutiny and examination by the Diocese. Training in First Aid and Food Handling (Level 2) was also provided for volunteers. Ballyrashane Parish also reaches out through the Rector and Youth Intem to provide collective worship in local schools bolh primary and post primary. Through her role as the Church of Ireland representative on the Board of the Education Authority of Northem Ireland, the Rector is directly involved in helping to deliver and improve the educational provision for all children and young people across the Province in pursuance of the statutory requirement placed on the Education Authority to contribute to Ihe spiritual, moral, cultural. intellectual and physical development of children and young people to meet the needs of the community and she has been particularly active in promoting Shared Education aimed at improving educational provision and addressing societal divisions. The Rector is also a member of the Church of Ireland Board of Education and the Transferors, Representative Council which includes the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches and represents the interests of the Reformed churches in Education. At a local level the Rector is the Chair of the Board of Governors of 1 Primary School and on the Board of Governors of 1 other Primary and 1 Post Primary School and has been active in encouraging other suitably qualified members of the church to become Transferor Governors on school boards of management. This direct partnership working with the non-governmental agency responsible for educational provision across the Province is encouraged by the Diocesan Strategy for community engagement and is fully supported and facilitated by the Parish as it provides important benefits for all children and offers a way to reach out to the wider community.
St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane 4. Mission and Outreach Ballyrashane Parish has continued to work in partnership with the people of Ibba in South Sudan. We are in the eleventh year of our Partnership Agreement with the DI0Se of Ibba confirming our long term commitment to partnership working with this severely underdeveloped and war torn region of Africa. In addition to our focused support for Ibba, the Parish also supports the work of the Church Missionary SoGiety of Ireland and various other charities in helping to share the love of Christ abroad. Locally the Youth Intern has continued to mentor young people who are struggling to engage with school. The school in which he provides this service expanded his role to include more pupils in the new academic year. In addition the Youlh intern provides sports coaching in 2 post- primary schools and a P7 transition course in three rural primary schools to help tackle the anxiety felt by P7 children transitioning to post-primary education. The fact that the Youth Intern works in all of the post-primary schools in Coleraine and Ballymoney means that the young people have an additional point of contact and reassurance. During the year the Parish, in partnership with Kildollagh Parish, continued its Parish Watch scheme in collaboration with Causeway Coast and Glens Council (Policing and Community Safety Partnership) to help improve community safety- this is a practical form of outreach which benefits the whole community. During the year scam alerts were issued online and personal security advice communicated via the quarterly Parish Link magazine and a newsletter. The Parish Link Magazine was produced regularly to keep parishioners and others informed of important matters relating to church and also provided useful public service information and updates on our partnership with Ibba. Furthemiore, this magazine provides articles of a spiritual nature and prayers so that it too supports our aim of Christian nurture. General communications regarding parish activities and services are also communicated to parishioners and the public via the parish Facebook page. 5. Heritage Development In addition to maintaining the church buildings, the trustees also maintain the historic graveyard which, due to its layout and topography requires considerable expenditure for grass cutting and regular review and maintenance to ensure safe access. Where possible, this maintenance is completed on a voluntary basis by church members but grass cutting and tree maintenance requires the engagement of specialist contractors who carry the required level of insurance. During the year the Select Vestry continued its ambitious programme of refurbishment in the church. This work involved the installation of low energy lighting, the provision of pew cushions and new carpeting throughout as well as decorative work and the provision of a new fire-proof safe to secure and protect parish records and plate. In total the Select Vestry, supported by generous donations from individual members, has worked to improve the comfort of those using the church, increase its accessibility, and lower the building's carbon footprint. In order to improve and enhance the heritage benefit to the public Ballyrashane Parish, in collaboration with Kildollagh, established a Heritage Committee. This group is engaged in the research and collation of a history of the church and Christian worship in the area. This work will include updating the asset and graveyard records which will benefit those engaged in genealogical research. The Heritage Group is undertaking the same work for Kildollagh Parish.
St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane Financial Review An account of the activities, governan and management of the parish provided annually by the Select Vestry (the Trustees) to the General Vestry and a written Statement of Accounts is provided for all parishioners. During the year the parish finances are reported on by the Honorary Treasurer and monitored by the Select Vestry at regular intervals. The parish accounts are subject to scrutiny by the Select Vestry, an Independent Examiner and the Diocese to ensure that the parish is meeting its obligations efficiently and effectively, for the glory of God and the benefit of those it serves. The parish accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 show that the income for the year was £54,898.97 while expenditure was £52,054.31 resulting in a surplus of £2,844.66. The Trustees consider that this surplus reflects the prudent management of church finances in financially challenging times which have been exacerbated by the effects of the cost of living crisis. At the end of the year current cash assets total £136,350.44. The Trustees review the cash assets on a regular basis, taking into account available interest rates and projected cash requirements and assess investment opportunities accordingly. Part of the cash assets are currently held on deposit. The Church building, grounds and Rectory are all vested in the Representative Church Body. Whilst these assets do not belong to the Parish, the Select Vestry remains responsible for their maintenance and upkeep. Going Concern The Trustees have reviewed the budg8ts 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 2023 can be signed off as a going concem. The trustees wish to express their gratitude to all who supported the work of the Ballyrashane Parish during 2023. Structure, governance and management Governing Document and Constitution of the Charity In all structures, governance and management, Ballyrashane Parish complies with the requirements of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland which governs Parishes and Parochial organisation. The Parish also complies with the Diocesan Rules and Regulations for Connor Diocese which are derived from the Constitution of the Church of Ireland and govern local practice. The Select Vestry members are the Charity Trustees. Recruitment and Appointment of Select Vestry (Trustees) All members of the church who are aged 18 years or over, subscribe to the parish funds in a way that is identifiable and are either resident within the parish or live elsewhere but have been accustomed members of the congregation for at least 3 months are encouraged to register as members of the General Vestry of the parish. The registered members of the General Vestry annually elect the persons to serve as members of the Select Vestry. With the exception of the clergy serving in the parish, the Select Vestry hold their positions for a period of one year. Select Vestry members may be re-nominated or re-elected annually and there is no limit to the number of temis which may be served. The date of the annual election of the Select Vestry must fall within a period not earlier than twenty days before and not later than twenty days after Easter Day. The Select Vestry consists of the incumbent, the Church Wardens, (one nominated by the incumbent and one elected by registered members of the General Vestry) the Glebe Wardens (one nominated by the incumbent and one elected by the registered members of the General
St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane Vestry) and not more than twelve other persons elected by the registered members of the General Vestry). Quorum For each meeting of the Select Vestry to proceed to business it must be established from the chair that there is a quorum of not less than half of the voting membership of the Select Vestry. Pay and Remuneration With the exptIOn of the Rector, no private benefit is received by trustees in fulfilling their trustee responsibilities in respect of the aims and purposes of the church. The Rector reiVeS from the parish the level of stipend approved and set by the Diocese together with expenses payable under the regulations of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland in respect of the duties that she is required to fulfil as incumbent. For the Year Ended 31 December 2023 Gross Stipend Locomotory Expenses Office Expenses £ 18165 less £ 1525 (Employee contribution to Clergy Pension Scheme..) £ 3500 £ 462 The Rector is enrolled in the Clergy Defined Contribution Pension Scheme for the Church of Ireland. The Clergy portion of the pension contributions are deducted from her Gross Stipend prior to payment as shown above. The Rector is required by the Constitution of the Church of Ireland to be resident in the Rectory so that she may be contacted at any time and fulfil the pastoral, teaching, preparation and administrative duties of her office. The Rectory is also used for parish meetings, as the parish office and as a repository of parish supplies and records. The Rector pays, without reimbursement from the parish, all heating, lighting and telecoms bills in full. All furniture, fixtures and fittings in the Rectory (with the exception of the carpets and cooker) and all office equipment (with the exception of the photocopier and the church laptops), were supplied by the Rector and remain her sole property. One church laptop is used by the Rector and parishioners as the need arises such as running the audio visual services in church. A second church laptop is used by the parish administrator exclusively for church business. If any private benefit arises from the Rector's residence it is fully accounted for as required by HMRC with any liability being met by the Rector. Consequently any private benefit arising to the Rector is incidental and contributes directly and essentially to the parish in achieving its charitable aims and purposes. Organisational Structure The Select Vestry is responsible for the day to day management of the Parish. The Select Vestry, elected at the General Vestry, consists of the Rector, Ihe Churchwardens, the Glebe wardens and generally not more than 12 other members of the General Vestry. The Select Vestry is chaired by the Rector (Incumbent). Select Vestry members are responsible for making decisions on matters of general conrn and importance to the Parish including how parish funds will 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 Churchwardens. The Church Wardens, Glebe Wardens and Select Vestry Members are elected annually at the General Easter Vestry meeting and senie as the Trustees of the charity.
St John the Baptist, Ballyrashane Safeguarding Trust The Rector and Select Vestry ensure that a properly constituted panel comprising the Rector and two other unrelated individuals who have been trained and oversee the operation of the Child Safeguarding Trust Policy. This Panel, a sub-commtttee of the Select Vestry, reports to the Select Vestry on all matters relating to child safeguarding. The Select Vestry is responsible for ensuring that the Parish complies with the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults Policy and that volunteers and clergy are trained appropriately. All volunteers and clergy and Parish Panel members receive regular training in relation to Child Safeguarding as required by the policy The Select Vestry is required to cary out an annual audit and report of Safeguarding compliance and submit it to the Diocese for examination. There were no Safeguarding issues of concern to report and the Select Vestry remains committed to regular scrutiny of its procedures. The Select Vestry also ensure that church premises are kept clean and in good repair for the benefit of all users. General Data Protection Regulations The Select Vestry has ensured strict compliance with the General Dala Protection Regulations. There were no data breaches. Compliance with Public BenefiL In setting our objectives and planning our activities for the year, the Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activities undertaken have helped to achieve the charity's purposes and provide a public benefit. 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 reiptS and payments along with 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. Approved by the Select Vestry and signed on their behalf by Trustee 1 . Trustee 2: Date: