ST JOHN'S PARISH CHURCH MIDDLEfowN Trustees, Annual Report and Statement of Receipts and Payments and Assets and Liabilities for St John's Parlsh Church Middletown for the year ended 31 December 2023 st References and Administrative details Charlty Name: Middletown/St Johns/Armagh/Church Of Ireland Charity Reglstration No: 103969 Contact Address: The Rectory 16 Derryhaw Road Tynan Co. Armagh 8T60 4SS Prlnclpal Offlce - Bearers: Cler8y,' Vacant Church Treasurer.. Mrs Dlane IrNln A5515tant Church Treasurer: Mr James Irwln Church Socrotary: Mr Trevor Maglll Church Warden - Cler8y'. Mr Robert Leyburn Church Warden- People: Mr Gary Whitcroft Independent Examlner: Stephen McDonald MCDONALD O'NEILL & CO Chartered Accountants 5 Union Bulldings, Union Place Dungannon BT701DL Bankers: Danske Bank 74-76 Scotch Street Arma8h BT617DJ Trustees: Mrs Vena Bothwell Mrs Ann Bradshaw Mr Clive Bradshaw Mrs Diane Irwin Mr James Irwin Mr Keith Irwin Mr Aaron Leyburn Mrs Amanda Leyburn Mr Robert Leyburn Mrs Tracey Magill MrTrevor Ma8111 Mrs Maureen Reddick Mr Gary Whltcroft Mrs Pamela Bradshaw
st Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 The trustees present the annual report and annual statements of Reports and Payment5 and Assets and Liabilities for St John's Parish Church, Middletown for the year ended 31 December 2023. Objectives and Activities: The charitable purpose of tho Church of Ire13nd is the advancement of religion. The principal functlon of Middletown Parlsh Church Is to support the advancement of the Chrlstian religion by promotlng, through the work of Mlddletown Parlsh Church, the whole mi55ion of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. Being open to and ongaglng wlth society as a whole and offering support for those needlng help is fundamental to the practlcal dellvery of the benefits of Christianlty, As a result of actlvlty Sn pursult of the Chrlstlan rell8lon, Mlddletown Parish Church has Custody of property and of records, materials and artÉfacts of signiflcance to the cultural and religious herltage and malntenance of whlchls undertaken by the select vestry of Mlddletown Parish Church. Achlevements, Performance and Publlc Beneflt: Central to the work and witness of Middletown Parish Church is the provision of regular publlc servlces of Christian worship. These seplices take place each Sunday at 9.30am. Holy Communion is celebrated on the second Sunday of each month, with a Family Service on the fourth Sunday of the month. Our Harvest Servlce and Chrlstmas Carol Servlce are each held on a Sunday afternoon at 3.OOprn. Children and young people are encouraged to p13y an attive part In our church servlces. "A Time for Prayer" meets on the first Monday of each month for the parochial 8roupin& and is open to everyone. Our Lenten Bible Study provide5 an opportunity for folk to share fellowshlp wlth those assoclated wlth the other two parishes in our parochlal grouping. Tw0 5es5ion5 are held In each parish over the Six week period. Middletown Parish prioriti5e5 the safety of the children and young people in our care, and we strlctly adhere to the child protection requirernents of the Church of Ireland "Safeguardlng Trust" to ensure that all those working wlth young people and vulnorable adults are fully checked through Accoss Nl, trained and supervised,
Pastoral support takes the form of visitingthe sick, the elderly and the bereaved, This includes visits to homes in the community, hospita15, hospice, resldentlal and nursing homes, provision being made for the administration of Holy Communion. The Middletown Parish Community Hall contlnueg to provide a welcoming environment for church activities including Bible Study, vestry meetings, harvest and funeral teas. It also provldes a well-equlpped facility to meet the needs of our disadvanta8ed border community with a variety of events takin8 place during the day and In the evenin£. Middletown Parish Church, alon8 wlth the other two parishes in our parochial groupin81 continues to work in partnership with the Bukavu Dlocese in DR Congo and CMSI to support the Church's effort5 to reach out to provide spiritual hope, practlcal emer8ency care, and on80in8 protection and support for vulnerable people. The Parish also supports a variety of local charities including the Armagh Faodbank and the Salvation Army Chri5tma5 Present Appeal. Publlc 8enefit In setting our objectives and plannin8 our activities for the year, the trustees gave careful consideration to the Charity Commlsslon for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefit to ensure that the activitles entered Into helped to achleve the charlty's purposes and provide beneflt to the beneficiarie5. The church services and actlvltles mentloned above beneflted all a8e groups in our community and farther afield. Our parish WhatsApp group continue5 to provide a useful means of communication whereby parishioners share information about church life and activitie5 in the local communitv. Financial Revlew The principal Source of Income of Middletown Parlsh Church continues to be from Donatlons and Plate Collectlons. The principal expense of Mlddletown Parish Church Is in respect of payments regarding D5ocesan Charges. Mlddletown Parish Church had total income of £23,196 and total expenditure of £12,749 for a total net income of £10,447 for the year ended 31X December 2023. The Bank and Cash Balance was £23,289. It is tho trustees, policy to hold sufficient reserves to cover emer8iencie5, for malntenance of church property and to further the objectlves and activities of the Church of Ireland.
Going Concern The trustees have reviewed the budgers for the year ahead and are satlsfled that there are adequate funds In place to ensure that the Parlsh can continue It5 activities, and the financial st statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 can be signed off as a goin8 concern. Structure, Governance and Management 60vernlng Document ond Constltutlon of the Charlty Chapter 111 of the ConstStutlon of the Church of Ireland governs Parishes and Parochlal Or8anisation. The Select Vestry members are the Charlty Trustees. Recrultment and Appolntment of the Selert Vestry (Tru5tee51 All members of the Church of Ireland who are aver the age of 18 years and are either resident within the parish or Ilve elsewhere but have been accustomed members of the congregatlon for at least three months, may register as members of the general vestry of the parish, allowing them to attend at meetings af the general vestry and to stand for election to the select vestry. Meetin8s of the 8eneral vestry are held at least once a year. The Selert Vestry 15 elected as part of this General Vestry meetin8. The Select Vestry wlll hold their posltlons for a period of one year. Select Vestry members may be re-elected annually and there is no limit on the number of term5 that may be Served. Pay and Remuneration The Incumbent receives a stipend and office locomotory allowance in accordance with figures approved by the General Synod of the Church of Ireland. Orqanlsatlonal Strurture The select vestry Is responsible foi the day to day management of the parlsh. The select vestrv consists of the member of the clergy 5ervin8 in the parish, the church wardens, the glebe wardens and generally not more than twelve other mernbers of the general vestry elected at the General Vestry. The select vestry is chaired by the Incumbent in the parish. Selett vestry Members are responsible for making decisions on matters of general concern and importance to the parish includin8 decidin8 how parish funds are to be applied. The select vestry meets at tlmes agreed by the member5. Special meeting5 may be convened at any time by the chairperson or the churchwardens.
Statement rf frusteeg Respon51bilitie5 The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees, Report and the statements of receipts and payments and statement of assets and liabilities in accordance with applicable law and regulations. The law applicable to charltles In Northern Ireland wilh Income of less ihan £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 transactlons 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; Diane Irwin (Treasurer) Robe eyburn Date: