Sixmilecross Parish. Trustees’ Annual report for the year ended 31st December 2019
Objectives and Activities
The charitable purpose of the parish is the advancement of religion.
Achievements, Performance and Public Benefit
Sunday Worship
Services of worship are held every Sunday at 10.30 noon. Times change to 11am in July and 9.30am in August. Services of Holy Communion, Morning Prayer and Family service take place every month. When there is a fifth Sunday in the month there is a service of Wholeness and Healing.
Sunday School takes place during the second half of the service during school term time. There is no Sunday school during family services.
Pastoral visiting
Visits to Hospitals and to parishioners at home are available on request.
Upkeep of Grounds and Buildings
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A team from the parish, under the supervision of the Glebe Wardens take care of grass cutting, hedge trimming etc.
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Rectory – The grounds of the rectory are maintained by a professional garden maintenance company. The Rectory is in good condition.
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Church – Good condition. Plans are underway to carry out essential maintenance to the boundary wall, but complications with the listed building status of the building are holding things up.
Ladies Bible Study
Fortnightly during school term time, in the Rectory.
Drop-in
The Wednesday Morning Drop-in meeting is held in Termonmaguirke on Wednesday mornings at 10.30 am. They are open to members of Sixmilecross parish.
School contacts
The Rector carries out school assemblies in Cooley Primary School, Sixmilecross on a roughly monthly basis, during school term.
Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals
There was one baptism, one funeral and one wedding in Sixmilecross parish during 2019.
Mission activity
The parish continues to support Crosslinks Mission agency. We have a link with Andrew and Eunice Moody who work in South Sudan. We also support a local young person, Andrew Livingstone in a street work project in Edinburgh, Scotland. We support several local good causes.
Child Protection
The parish follows the Church of Ireland child protection policy, Safeguarding Trust.
Financial review
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As of December 2019, the parish is in a good position, free from debt and with a balance of £38,155 in our General Account and in the £36,861 Fabric Account
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The trustees hold reserves in the General Account to ensure that obligations to the RCB and every day running costs can be met. The Fabric Account is maintained to cover the maintenance costs of the grounds and buildings. With historic buildings, it is necessary to make provision for eventual substantial maintenance costs, particularly for our 19th Century Church Building
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 that the financial statements for the year ended 31st December 2019 can be signed off as a going concern.
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document and Constitution of the Charity
Chapter 111 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.
The select vestry is recruited and appointed at the Annual Easter Vestry according to the rules of the Church of Ireland.
Pay and remuneration
The incumbent of the parish is paid a stipend, locomotory allowance and office expenses in accordance with figures approved by the general synod of the Church of Ireland.
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 as well as providing public benefit.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees: -
Rev Alan Barr (Chair)