an COOKE CENTENARY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report and Flnancial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2020 ReOstered Charlty In Northern Ireland (NIC104311)
an COOKE CEKfENARY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2020 Including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINisfRATIVE DEfAILS Cooke Centenary congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 216 Omeau Road, Belfast Bri 2FY Re8lStered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC104311) CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served durfn8 the year or who were trustees at the date of thls report were- Mrs 5 Bennis Mrs H Brunt Mrs J Corscadden Mrs P Emerson Mr H Glenn Mrs J Glenn Dr C Hetherington Mrs E MacNeill Mi55 J McKnight Mr D Mcwllllams Mrs P McWilliam5 Mrs C Reynolds Mr K Savage Mrs C Smlth Mrs B Taylor MrAWilson Mrs M Wisoner PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurer Rev Morris Gault Mrs Elalne MacNeill Mr Keith Savage INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Mr Mark McGlnley 80 Upper Dunmurry Lane Belfast BT17 OPS BANKERS Ulster Bank 365-369 Ormeau Road BelfasL Co Antrfm. BT7 3GP
Presbyter an COOKE CENTENARY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN (>IURCH IN IRELAND TRU5fEES ANNUAL REPORT Iconyd) SOUCMRS Klng & Gowdy 298 Upper Newtownards Rd. Belfast BT4 3EI 5fRUCTURE AND MANAGEMErir The Klrk Sesslon The tharity trustees of the Congat1 are the members of its Kirk Session. Under the congregation's 8oveming document, The Code, the book of the constitution and 80vernment of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. the Klrk Sesslon seeks to watch over and prormte the splritual Interest of the congregation and of persons not connerted with any congregation who are within its bounds. tt ensures pastoral care is in place in the con8re8ation and seeks to further the contribution of the Church to Christian witness and service in the local community. The Kifk Sessions has delegated to its Congregational Committee the temporal affalrs of the con8re8ation indudin8 administerin8 all funds and property belon8ln8 to the con8regation. Members of the Kirk Session are eXffiCI0 members of the Congregational Committee. The Klrk Sesslon consists of the ordained minister and the rulin8 elders of the congregations. All members are entitled to propose, speak and exercise equal votes at meetings, except that the Moderator, the ministers In artive duty in the congregation, has no deliberative but only a casting vote. Stated meetings of the Kirk session are held approxlmately 10 tlmes eath year. To be chosen for the of the eldership in the con8re8atlon a person must be a votlng member and a regular attendant on its ordinances. The selertion of those proposed to be called to the office can be either by the congregation or by the Klrk Session. Members are elected rf they obtsin tWthird$ of those vote. Presknry Underthe preSrian Church in Ireland forni of 8overnance the corporate oversight of a congregation Is the responslbllity of a Presbytery whith superintends 8enerally the splrltual
Presbyter an COOKE CENTENARY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TrUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) and temporal affairs of the con8re8ations asggned to It by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Cooke Centenary congregation of the PreSerlan Church has been assigned to the South Belfast Presbery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The membership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the active ministers of congregations assigned to it by the General A55embly, minsters who have retired from artive duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of the con8re8ation. The General Assembly The General Assembly is the supreme court of the Church. representln8 in one body the whole Church and arting as its supreme legislative. administrati and judicial authority, in dealin8 With all matters brought before it. The Generdl Assembfy 15 normally constituted durln8 the first week in June for worship and to conduct its business. At the end of buslness It Is dissolved. The membership of the General Assembly conslsts mainly of the active ministers of each congregation, retired minsters and a representative elder appointed by the Kirk Se55ion of eath congregation. DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE The charltable purpose of the congre8ation is the advanment of religion. Cooke Centenary congregation of the Presbyterian Church Is a congregation of the Presbyterian Churth in Ireland. The Presbyterian Church In Ireland, as a Reformed Church wlthin the wider body of Christ is grounded In the Scriptufes, and exists to love and honour God through faith in His Son and by the power of His Spirit, and to enable her membe[5 to play their part in fulfilling God's mission to our world. The congregation's mlssion purposes is by the groce of God to help people of oll oges becomefvlly devotedfollowers ofjeS Chrtst ond toshow Gods love to the community of 8allynofelgh. Our vlslon Is. by the grace of God. to sustaln and extend the Chrfstlan witness of Cooke in thls community which ts home to peoplefrom o diverse rnnge of Chn'stion denominations. other religions ond those with no activefoith ond to lje an indusive. wekoming community of people of oll ages, whlch.. is Increasingly charncterised ty lovefvr God. ond love and concernfor others,. is committed to the historic Christian g05pel os revealed in the Bible." is relevant to people of this time ond place.
Presbyter an COOKE CENTENARY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {dI AcfMTIES AND OBIEcfivES The congregation nornially meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is ¢Jbserved on several occasions during the year and all those who have been baptised and who have made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ a admitted to the Lord's Supper. The congregation has a wide ran8e of or8anisatlons Indudln8: Crèche, Sunday Sthool & Bible class Presbyterian Women Model Railway aub Worship Group Genesis Youth aub Crothet Club TO Café Community lunch ACHIEVEMEPITS AND PERFORMANCE Worshlp and prayff The congregation nomally meets for worship eath Sunday at ILIX>am. Worship is led by a pianist, guitsrlsts and singers who meet each week to ppare music to lead Sundav morning worship and other speaal Services throughout the year. From March 2020 this rhythm of Church life changed due to the impact of the Coronavlrus pandemic when meeting tO8ether in a church setting for public worshlp was no longer possible. Sunday worship. indudin8 worshlp songs, prayers and sernK)ns were prevrecorded and made available onllne through the Church website and Faobook. There were an average of 193 vlews each wee A mid-week message was recorded each week from 25th March 2020 and made available through the channels above as an encouragement in difficult times. Easter reflections during Holy Week were similarty recorded. Church opened again in September under the required guidelines but servlces continued to be live streamed. The usual activities of Creche, Sunday School and Bible aa55, where our thlldren and young people could meet to hear Bible stories and learn of God's love for them in age-appropriate settings, were suspended from March 2020. Ag*appropriate recordings of storie5 Wlth craft artltIeS were available for prlmary school children durin8 Advent and Lent. In person meetings for youth on Sunday evenings and weekly Bible Studles were slmllarly suspended from March 2020 but some of these 8roups continued to meet virtually.
Presbyter an COOKE CEKfENARY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT Iconvd) We sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during 8 funeral *r¥ices In 2020. At 31 Deomber 2020 there were 156 communlcant members and 241 families connerted wlth the con8regation. Before the Su4nSIon of SeN•S, the average weekty attendance at mornin8 worship was Xl. Pastoral ore Members of the congregation who are unable to attend thurth due to SKknes5 or age previously reiVed visits on a regular basls by the minister. elders or by one of the congregation's pastoral visitors. During the pandemi4 pastoral care continued through regular telephone contacL Mlsslon and outreach At a local level the congregation has several local mlsslon and outreach activities in wh•ch the congregation strives to meet some of the needs which have been identified In Ballynafeigh. Cooke works with care providers, voluntary groups and neighbourSng congregations to support those most in need of help through the provision of food parcels from the Cooke Foodstore. Each food par1 wlll provide a family with suffiuent provisions for several days until a source of regular Income is achleved. Although food parcels were provided at the stsrt of 2020, these ceased after April 2020 as local con8re8ations did not meet and adequate food supplies could not be maintained. 59 hampers were provided between January and April 2020. The Community lunth & Tovs Café ceased In March 2020 and due to restrlctions were unable to resume in 2020. The alk of Witnesrf <)n Good Friday which the congregation partiapates In with the other thurches In the Ballynafeigh aergy Fellowship was unable to take place due to Coronavirtjs restrirtion5 on 8athering5. In Deomber 2020 Women's Aid were partlcularfy appreclatlve of the toys and wfts which were provided by the congregation to share our love and care for the familles that they support. The annual church pantomime was held In January 2020. It provides an opportunity for famlly entertainment and to welcome the community into our premises. Over the past io years the cast has grown to indude many people from the community who were otherwlse unconnerted to Cooke. This event has become a much-loved part of our thurch outreach, provldlng an opportunlty to bulld and develop relationships outslde of normal
Presbyter an church artivities and is enjoyed and well supported by the communlty. COOKE CENTENARY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) The con8re8atlon supports the United Appeal for Mi55ion whlch is a central fund of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. This fund enables congregations to support the wider mission of the denominatlon and to do mission and outreach on a denominational basis beyond what the congre8ation could do on its own. The United Appeal Fund provides financial support for misslon personnel at home and overseas, asslsts con8re8atlons with the deployment of localty based staff. enables thurch plantin& provldes grant support for the upkeep of thurch pMISes, assist with the runnin8 costs of Union Theological Colle8e, the Church's tralning college for ministry students, and financially supports congregation in the areas of wor5hlp• dlsclpleshlp, global mtssion, (xrtreath, leadershlp and pastoral care. The con8re8atlon also contributes to the denomlnations annual World Development Appeal and any other spedal appeal The congregation was represented at the regular Virtual meetings of Presbytery by our minister and one of the elders. This provides an important Ilnk between the con8regation and the wlder structures of the church. General Assemblv The minister and one of our elders are nominated to attend the meetin8 of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland held in Assembty Bulldin8s, Belfast, in June each year. The General Assembty did not take place in 2020 because of Coronavirus restrictions on gatherings. Property Dry rot was discovered in a beam In the Church buildln8 in September 2020 which required immediate treatment to eradicate. Routine seThlong and Maintenan of fire and electrical appllances contlnued arKI an appllcatlon was made to renew the Entertalnments Llcence for the Church Hall. Or8anlsatlons The Cooke Crochet Group, pbYterian Women, the Model Railway Group and the Guiding Organlsations were unable to meet from Marth 2020 due to Cororkivirus restrictions on gatherings.
COOKE CErirENARY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN OIURCH IN IRELAND TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT (coned) Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowled8e their deep appreciatlon of those who glve freely of thelr time by servin8 on committees and helping Wlth organisations and other church actlvitles. PUBUC BENEFIT STATEMEpir The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the public benefit reqU1ment by providing benefft to its members and the general public by making known the Christian Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of rellglon. The dlrect beneffts whlch flow from the purposes of the Churth indude the gaining of an understandlng in Christian beliefs as set out in the Bible and in the Church's subordinate standards (the Westminster cOnf10n of Faith and the Shorter and Larger Catechlsms) leading to spiritual and moral development and opportunities for response to Bible teaching. In turn, this framework leads to practical expressions of Christlan beliefs and standards in the local community such as through the care of those in need {includin8 the SICK disabled and bereaved). Generally, the above beneffts are delivered locally by congatiOnS and thelr Members. or are facilitated through presbyteries or are organised and delivered centrally. Local delivery is facilitated by central SoUrceS In almost all case5. Public access is made known through the use of noticeboards printed material. press advertlsement, websites, and social media or in other ways. The beneffts are demonstrated through re8ular evaluation of the Servi and informal and ad-hoc feedback from members, thelr famllies, and members of the public. The purpose does not lead to harni. The only private benefit ftowing from our purpose is related to Ministers. Missionaries. Deaconesses, Irish Mission workers and Lay Agents who re1Ve benefits as a result of their holding office or employment. However. this is inadentsl and necessary In order to further our charitable purpose. There are no other private benefits. The benefiaaries of this purpose are members, their families. other individuals that the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is In dlrect and Indirect contart wtth, the communlty In whkh pastoral servi5 are provided and other communities throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and worldwide which benefit from our engagement wlth and support for both Christian and other secular or8anisations, tharities and indlvidual members of the public.
Presbyter an COOKE CEKfENARY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (wdI The Kirk Session has had regard to the Charity Commissions Public benefft requirement statutory guidance. FINANCIAL REVIEW The con8re8ation's main source of income is memberf contrlbutions throu8h the Weekty Freewill Offering. There were 142 contributors during the year [161 in previous year, 20191 donating a total of £172,143 (£114.342 in previous year. 2019) Total Income of the congregation durin8 the year was £208.240 compared to £165.983.(X) in the previous year. Durin8 2020 there had been 8 deaths of members. Total expenditure increased from £145,033.CKI to £149,885 STATEMENT OF TRusfEE RESPONSIBILMES The Trustees are responslble for preparing the annual report and the financial Statements of the congregation in accordan with applicable law and generally accepted accounting practlce. As the con8regation's totsl income does not exceed £250,(MX), the Trustees have elected under Settion 64(3} of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 208 to prepare a receipts and payment account and a statement of assets and liabilities. The Trustee5 are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are suffident to show and explain the congre8ation's transartions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any tlme Its flnancial positlon. They are also responsible for safe8uardlng the assets of the congregation and hence for takin8 reasonable steps for the prevention and detertion of fraud and other irregularitles. Approved by the Klrk Sesslon at a meetlng on 13 October 2021 and ed on its behalf by [Namel VILaL [Datel [Name] [Datel &oll