Trustees Report and Accounts for the Whitehead Congregational Church Charity number 103170 For the year 2022
The advancement of religion
Contents
| Objectives and Activities | 2 |
|---|---|
| Achievements and Performance | 3 |
| Financial Review | 4 |
| Volunteers | 5 |
| Structure, governance and management | 5 |
| Administrative information | 6 |
The Trustees are responsible in promoting the whole mission of the Church, evangelistic, pastoral, social and ecumenical, for the benefit of the community it serves. Thy are also responsible for the maintenance of the Church building at 33 Chester Avenue, Whitehead.
Objectives and Activities
In setting objectives and planning for its activities, the Trustees note that the charity has given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, and in particular to its supplementary public benefit guidance on the advancement of the religion. These benefits are demonstrated through informal feedback from members and their families, members of other churches and the general public, members of the church committee at their stated meetings, opportunity being provided generally at the annual congregational meeting. The Committee ensured that there is no likelihood of the charity’s purpose leading to harm to anyone and that any personal benefit is entirely incidental and integral to its fulfilment of its charitable purpose.
The charity fulfils its objectives by providing benefit to its members and the general public by enabling ordinary people to live out their Christian faith as part of our local community through:
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Worship and prayer; learning about the Gospel; and developing their knowledge and confidence in the Christian faith.
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Provision of pastoral care for people of the congregation.
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Mission and charitable support.
The charity undertakes numerous activities to further its purposes. Information regarding these is publicly displayed on the church premises, Facebook page and on the church website. All people, of appropriate age and gender, are welcome to access any of these, without regard to whether they are part of our congregation. Further information is provided on the next page under Mission and Charitable.
To facilitate this work it is important that the Trustees maintain the fabric of the Church and halls.
Achievements and Performance
The Trustees offer a range of services during the week and over the course of the year that we hope our community finds both beneficial and spiritually fulfilling.
A Drop-In Club meets on the first Tuesday of each month. This club is selffunded and does not receive any grants. It is attended by members of our own church, members from neighboring congregations, families, and friends. It is well attended with an average of 50 people. There have been one outing to Hillmount Garden Centre with other outings organized later in the year. Speakers are invited to attend at each meeting. Dementia NI and other organization have given talks.
Worship and Prayer
A warm welcome is extended to all without distinction who attend our Sunday services. This coming together of the congregation on Sunday mornings at 11am for worship is important, for worship nurtures and expresses faith through praise and prayer, scripture and sermon, music and sacrament. In this way people learn about the Gospel, develop their knowledge and trust in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and are encouraged to live out their faith in the local community.
As well as our regular services, we enable our community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones of the journey of life. Through Christian baptism we thank God for the gift of new life, in Christian marriage a man and a woman exchange their vows in public seeking God’s blessing on their union, and through funeral services, friends and family comfort one another in their grief and give thanks for the life which is now complete in this world and commend the person into God's keeping.
At the end of the year there were 33 families on the Church register. There have been one addition during the year and one was removed either through death or because they moved away from the parish. The average weekly attendance was 28, but this number increased at Harvest and our Christmas carol service and special worship of Praise and Fellowship Sundays with visitors from neighboring congregations, families and friends.
The sacrament of Holy Communion was celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, with an average attendance of 18. During the year we celebrated 0 baptisms and 0 weddings and conducted two funerals.
Pastoral Care
Some members of our congregation are unable to attend church due to sickness or age. Some are domiciled at home and in care homes. Our minister has visited all such and celebrates Communion with members who have requested it in their homes. He also distributes gifts to the elderly and housebound at Christmas. He also gives pastoral support to families in times of crisis.
Mission and Charitable
Helping those in need is a demonstration of our faith. We support missionary, charity and disaster appeals in additional to agencies of the Congregational Union of Ireland, such as:
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services are held in local care homes.
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non-perishable food for local Whitehead Storehouse for the relief of poverty.
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agencies such as Barnabas Fund and Embrace Middle East which work to bring hope and aid to churches in areas of religious persecution.
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Leprosy Mission.
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Royal British Legion poppy fund and Royal Airforce Association.
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Gifts of toys for the Salvation Army's annual Christmas Appeal
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our church halls are available for use by outside groups
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a registered Cardiac Arrest Defibrillator is located on the front of the church building for public use in emergency.
It is good that these efforts on behalf of others can be combined with opportunities for fellowship.
Relationships with other Churches
The church has good relationships with other churches in the town and held joint services with them including during Lent and Holy Week and a Civic Carol Service. The church also participated in the annual Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph. It also shared in a rota of services in local care homes.
Financial Review
Total receipts on unrestricted funds were £23,563 by way of voluntary donations
The net result was an excess/deficit of receipts over payments of £# on unrestricted funds. Adding bank and deposit balances brought forward at the beginning of the year, the balances carried forward at 31st December on
unrestricted funds totaled £63,426.
A total of £1,919 was also given in support the work of various missions and charities.
Reserves policy
Through its investment bond, £143,651, the Trustees are confident that the congregation is able to meet whatever emergency expenditure it can anticipate.
Property
The congregation owns and had the responsibility for the church and halls at 33 Chester Avenue, Whitehead. BT38 9QQ, with a combined insured value of £2,401,992.
Volunteers
We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our church the lively and vibrant community it is. In particular we want to mention the secretary and treasurer, those who clean the church and maintain the grounds, those who arrange the flowers, those who welcome worshippers, those who look after the suppers and others not mentioned.
Structure, governance and management
The method of appointment of Trustees members is set out in the Church's Constitution. Its membership consists of the minister and members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the church. Members of the congregation are eligible for election to the Trustees.
The Trustees are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the congregation including deciding on how the funds of the Trustees are to be spent.
The Trustees met three times during the year with an average of attendance of 6.
Administrative information
Whitehead Congregational Church is a charity currently registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, charity number 103170.
Whitehead Congregational Church is situated at 33 Chester Avenue, Whitehead. BT38 9QL
The correspondence address is The Secretary, Mr D Stevenson, 19 Donegall Rise, Whitehead. BT38 9NL
The Charity Trustees are the Church Committee. Members who have served on the Committee at any time from 1st January 2022 until 31[st] December 2022 are:
Rev Chris Barron,
Mr. David Stevenson,
Mr. David Stevenson, Mrs. Joan Moore Mr. Ernest Clarke, Mrs. Linda Todd Mrs. Heather Carroll Mr. Max Scott, Mr. Sam Larkham Ms. Irene Thompson
Mrs. Hazel Larkham
Principal Officers
Rev Chris Barron, Minister
Mr. David Stevenson, Secretary
Mr. Ernest Clarke, Treasurer
Independent Examiner
Mrs. Marjory Weatherup, 63 Cable Road, Whitehead BT38 9SJ
Bank
Danske Bank, 21 High Street Carrickfergus BT38