St. Andrews Presbyterian Church a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Reglstered wlth the Charlty Commlsslon for Northern Ireland N1104324
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Including a Balance Sheet as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINisfRATIVE DEfAILS St. Andrew's congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Rosetta Road Belfast BT6 OFG Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC104324) CHARITY TRusfEES The Charlty Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Rev. R.S. Aicken Mr. K. Brown Mr. A. Hunter Mr. A. Kllpatrick Mrs. E. Mccallum Mr. J. Mccallum Mrs. L. McGarrell Mrs. S. McLearnon Dr. R. Scott PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Sesslon Treasurer Rev. R.S. Aicken Mrs. E. Mccallum Mr. K. Brown INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Mrs. J. Sloan BANKERS Danske Bank Forestslde Belfast SOLICITORS None
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (conyd) STRucfuRE AND MANAGEMENT The Klrk Sesslon The charity trustees of the congregation are the members of its Kirk Session. Under the congregation's governing document, The Code, the book of the constitution and government of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Kirk Session seeks to watch over and promote the spiritual interest of the congregation and of persons not connected with any congregation who are within its bounds. It ensures pastoral care is in place In the congregation and seeks to further the contribution of the Church to Christian witness and service in the local community. The Klrk Session has delegated to its Congregational Committee the temporal affairs of the congre8ation including administering all funds and property belonging to the congregation. Members of the Klrk Session are ex-officio members of the Congregatlonal Committee. The Klrk Sesslon consists of the ordained minlster and the ruling elders of the congregation, All members are entitled to propose, speak and exerclse equal votes at meetings, except that the Moderator, the minlster in artSve duty in the congregatlon, has no deliberative but only a castlng vote. Stated meetings of the Kirk session are held once a month, or as appropriate. To be chosen for the office of the eldership in the congregatlon a person must be a voting member and a regular attendant on Its ordlnances. The selection of those proposed to be called to the office can be either by the congregation or by the Kirk Session. Members are elected If they obtain two-thlrds of those who vote. Presbytery Under the Presbyterian Church in Ireland form of governance the corporate overslght of a congregation is the responsibility of a Presbytery which superintends generally the spiritual and temporal affairs of the congregations asslgned to It by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. St Andrew's Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the East Belfast Presbytery 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 Assembly, mlnsters who have retired from active duty and an elder appolnted by the Kirk Session of each congregation.
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conYd) The General Assembty The General Assembly is the supreme court of the Church, representing in one body the whole Church and acting as its supreme legislative, admlnlstration and judicial authority, in dealing with all matters brought before it. The General Assembly is normally constituted during the first week in June for worship and to conduct its business. At the end of business, it 15 dissolved. The membershlp of the General Assembly consists mainly of the active ministers of each congregation, retired minsters and a representstive elder appointed by the Klrk Sesslon of each congregation. DESCRivfioN AND PURPOSE St. Andrews Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterlan Church in Ireland. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, as a Reformed Church within the wider body of Christ is grounded in the Scriptures, and exists to love and honour God through faith in His Son and by the power of His Spirit, and to enable her members to play their part in fulfllling God's mission to our world. The congregatlon's mlsslon purpose is by the 8race of God, to help people of all ages become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Our vlslon is, by the grace of God, to be an incluslve, welcoming communlty of Christ's people of all a8es, which: Is increasingly characterlsed by love for God, and love and concern for others; is committed to the historic Christian gospel as revealed in the Blble; Ss relevant to people of this tlme and place. The congregation aims to live out its Mission and Vlsion as a family of God's people bv belng: A Covenant Community: where our relationships are rooted in the promises of God by livlng falthfully toward him and toward one another. An Intergenerational Community: where adults intentionally take the lead to engage with, encourage and nurture younger members to maturity In Christ. An Outward looking Community: where we want the blessings of God that belong to us in the gospel to become blessings for others beyond the bounds of our community. As a congregation of the Presbyterian Church In Ireland, we belleve that the Bible is the supreme authority over all we do, and that the Westminster Confession of Faith, along with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms set out what we understand the Bible teaches on key matters of Christian faith and practice.
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) AcfiviTIES AND OBJECTIVES The con8re8ation normally meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is observed approximately every six weeks, and all those who have been baptised and who have made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are admitted to the Lord's Supper. We were able to share the sacrament together on SIX occasions this year. The congregation holds re8ular bible study meetings and has a wide range of organisations including Sunday School (SMASH) Bible Class Pastoral Care Team Knit & Natter Badminton Tuesday Men's Bible Study and Prayer Tuesday Work Team pw Small group bible studies14, meeting Wednesday and Thursday) Coffee & Cralc Smash Club (Thursday) Teens Hangout Tots @ St Andrev/s Come Dine With Us Men'5 Ministry Summer Walkin8 Group Care and Share project ACHIEVEMENTSAND PERFORMANCE Worshlp and prayer The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 11.00am, for prayer on the first Sunday of each month at 7.00pm, and for teaching at our Deeper sessions on the third Sunday of the month at 7.00pm. On Sunday mornlngs we have been studylng Genesls, Arts, Psalms and Mark, and durlng the Christmas season we explored how Isaiah points us towards the promised Messiah. Teams of volunteers ser4e coffee after the morning service each week, which is an opportunity for people to catch up with each other. Donations go to the PCI Sunday School project. We normally have about 20 people attending our monthly prayer meetings, when we pray for the work and needs of our congregation. We launched our winter session in September
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) wlth a special prayer and praise evening, when we had an overview of many of our church activities and were able to pray for them. Our Deeper series once a month on Sunday evenings, which encourages us to go deeper into the Word, explored Tracing the Major Theme5 of Scripture, Am l a Christian, Who is the Holy Spirit, God and Sufferin& and What Happens When l Die. We held membership classes in March, and were delighted to welcome 6 new members into our church family in April. Our Kirk Session are encouraged to see the Spirit at work, drawing into membership a mix of people new to faith, and those who have been believers for some time. Session spent some tlme revlewlng our Vision Plan, and revising how It was operating in the con8re8ation, and in May we combined our AGM with a Vision Night, when we presented the revised Vision Plan to our members. Our focus is on worshipping God, and making and growing disciples of Jesus. Members had an opportunlty to look back over the past year and discuss the year ahead, and we finished the evening with coffee and cake. At 31 December 2023 there were 111 communlcant members and 125 families connetted with the congregation. The average weekly attendance at morning worshSp was 90, wlth others watchlng onllne. Pastoral care Members of the congregatlon, including those who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age, are normally vlsSted on a re8ular basls by the mlnlster and asslstant minister, the elders, or by one of the congregation's pastoral visitors. For those housebound members without internet access, a distribution team contlnue to dellver copy of the sermon each week, alon8 With Blble reading notes and a copy of the weekly bulletin. In the run-up to Easter, our members were encouraged to take a copy of the book "Is Easter Unbelievable by Rebecca McLaughlin, to read and then pass on to a frlend. We also delivered copies of the book to homes in the Wynchurch area, wlth a flyer inviting people to our Easter services. At Chrlstmas, the mlnlstry team and other volunteers vi51ted those who are unable to attend re8ularly with a Christmas card and a gift from the church. Our Food Ministry continues to provide meals for people facing particular challenges, for example those who are ill, have suffered a bereavement. have had a new baby etc. The Pastoral Care Team meets with the minister every week, to ensure pastoral needs are being followed up. This year we set up and trained a new group of Pastoral Visitors who
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (conVd} undertake to make regular visits to our housebound members. The Kirk Session watched some videos on pastoral care, with helpful advlce on praying and preparation before the visit, suggestions on using the Psalms, and listening more than speaking. The minister, along with some of the elders. arranged home communion services for a number of our members who can no longer get to church, and these were very much appreciated. At Session meetings, our Kirk Session regularly pray through our congregational list, praying for each of our members by name. Tralnlng We were delighted that Stephen Mccombe was accepted as a student for the minlstry at Union Theological College. The congregation presented him with a gift, and our church will make an annual grant towards books to help hlm In hls studies. Stephen enjoyed the opportunltie5 to preach and take part in the service most weeks, whlch helped him appreciate that all parts of the sep4ice are part of our worship, so we are aimin8 for excellence In everything. We will miss his input to our church life. but he and Courtney will continue to worship with us in the meantime, and we are thankful that we have been able to Invest In Stephen. We look forward to seeing how God will use him through college, and feel privileged to have been part of h55 journey, Session appointed Dylan Conway as Ministry Apprentice, starting in September. Dylan 15 from Monaghan, and took up his new role of shadowing Robln whlle he contlnues wlth hls studies, and generally gains experience in how church functions. Andrew Frazer, our Assistant Minister, continues to support Robin by playing a full part in leadlng servlces, preachin& vlslting, and helping develop our men's minlstry. We encoura8e the congregatlon to develop their readin8 habit5, and make devotlonal books available at Easter and Christmas. The elders have set aside some tlme In Sesslon meetings for training- in some meetings we watched and discussed PCI Pastoral Life Videos to help us be more aware of how to pastor people with mental health issues. At our monthly congregational prayer meetings we have been using the "Five Things to Pray for... series of books, and occasionally have a guest along to tell us more about a partlcular project we are praying for. Many of us read 'Pride- Identity and the Worship of Self by Matthew Roberts and we had a useful Book Club discussion on this topical issue at the end of August. Several of our congregation attended the annual East Belfast Presbytery MlssSon Service in Stormont Presbyterian, on the theme of New Beginnings. Rev David Moore spoke on his calling to set up a church plant in West Belfast, and Rev Richard Mcllhatton spoke about the revitalisation project at Tullycarnet.
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) Deiniol Williams, minister of Trlnity Church, Chester, led our annual Summer Bible Conference In June, on the theme of the Gospel in Four Words. It was good to spend some time with Delniol as we have been praying for him and his family, and following his progress in Trinity. A book stsll was provided by the Covenanter Bookshop. In October we had a morning conference hosted by Mel Lacey from Growing Young Disciples, which focussed on how to raise Christian children in todavs world, and was aimed primarily at parents, grandparents and leaders concerned about raising the next generation for Jesus. In November our Klrk Session attended a PCI conference 'Refresh: Renewing your CaSllng as an Elderf in Assembly Buildin8s. It was an encouraging evening, with practical 5U88e5tions to be refreshed In our calling- seeking to fall into step with God, looking for where he is at work, and praying to him for fresh strength and encouragement. Most of us were able to meet for dinner beforehand, and it was good to be able to spend time together over a meal. Elders also attended a Northern Ireland Envisionin8 Conference in March, which highlighted the need to equip and support our volunteers- we have included disclpleship and training as priorities In our vlslon statement. Mlsslon and outreach Andrew has been developing a men's mlnlstry, including some discipleship get togethers to discu55 themes around frlendshlp and relatlonshlps, and some 50clal gatherings including axe throwin8 and bowlin8. Stephen got us all together for an excltlng SIX Natlons rugby tournament when we watched the matches together and enjoyed plzza in the minor hall. Our St Andre$ Nlght get together for our whole church family was an opportunity to have some fun, and be entertained by several talented people in our con8re8ation, with poetry readlngs, music and songs, and some sketches. Robin brought us a closlng message, and we are Indebted to those who provided the sumptuous supperl Our congregation regularly supports Tearfund, an evangelical Christian relief and development charity, working with partners to tackle the causes and effetts of poverty, brlnging Jesus Chrisys good news to the poor in over 100 countries around the world. As part of our harvest gifts, shoeboxes were made up by members in support of Operatlon Chrlstmas Chlld through Samaritans Purse Internatlonal. Our Christmas copper collettion is donated to Tearfund, and we also support Chrlstian Ald. We maintain our strong links with Cre8agh Prlmary School, and at Chrlstmas we delivered gifts for every child in the school on behalf of our church. Robin is a representative on the school's Board of Governors, and one of our members is the current Chair of the Board. Cregagh Primary School held their senior school Carol Service in St Andrew's -our praise
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) band accompanied the singing, and our members hosted supper aftenvards. The school Prlncipal and teachers are very appreciative of this strong Ilnk with our church. We are involved in the Cregagh Community Assoclatlon, with two representatives attending their meeting5. We help at the monthly community pensioners, lunche5 by transporting people, serving, clearing up, and chatting to those who attend. St Andrew's pralse band played carols outside lan's Bakery one Saturday mornin8 before Chrlstmas, and on Christma5 Eve we sang carols to some of our older member5 at their homes. The Exodus Belfast Centre has become well established in our premises, and we were happy to have some of their Summer Teams hold coffee mornings on our premises as fundraisers for their trips. We are pleased to be able to partner with Exodus In facilitatlng preparatlon for Summer Teams meeting weekly from mld February until June, plus Saturdav evening hangouts for young people, and it Is a bonus to have Exodus helping staff our Light the Night event In Ottober. We also partnered with some of the Exodus teams to hold Summer Pop-ups in our church grounds for Year 8 up, when we had activities In a fun and inclusive environment, with drinks and snacks. Some good connections were made with the young folk who came. St Andrew's were allocated another Exodu5 Team this year for a week in July. The team stayed on our premises, and whlle they were here they did children's work, visited some of our housebound folk, did outreach in the community, and practlcal work around the church and neighbourhood. In October we held Llght the Nlght, with numbers In the grounds limited to 500 through online booklng. In addltlon to our own volunteers, we had a team from Exodus who helped wlth stewarding. We distributed evangelical Ilterature to all the famllies who came, and the children were able to enjoy the activities without too much queuin8. The fireworks were spectacular as usuall This is an opportunity for familles to enjoy quality time together in a safe and welcoming environment. We continue to facllitate L'Arche Belfast in giving their core-members more opportunities to socialise outside of their homes through cookery and art therapy. Dalsles and Buttercup5 {pre-school and after-school groups) meet throughout the year in the Courtney Hall, and make occaslonal use of the main hall and our extensive grounds to run off steam. We were also able to offer space to Mount Orlel Cllnlc to continue their flu vaccination and Covid booster programme. Our facilities are the regular meeting place for Cregagh Cactus Club and the Ulster Guldes Slnglng Clrcle. We are pleased that the Ralnbows, Brownles, Gulde5 and Ran8ers continue to have good numbers and excellent leadership, as they make use of our halls on Friday evenings.we continue to partner with Trlnlty Chester, an International Presbyterian Church project, and are supporting them financially and in prayer as they establish this church plant, build on their connection with students. We appreciate the reciprocal encouragement which enriches both congregations
TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) The congregatlon supports the Unlted Appeal for Mlsslon which is a central fund of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. This fund enables congregations to support the wider mlsslon of the denomination and to do mission and outreach on a denominational basls beyond what the congregation could do on Its own. The United Appeal Fund provides financial support for mission personnel at home and overseas, assists congregations with the deployment of locally based staff, enables church planting, provides 8rant support for the upkeep of church premises, a55iSts with the running costs of Union Theological College (the Church's training colle8e for ministry students), and financially supports congregations in the areas of worship, dlscipleship, global mission, outreach, leadership and pastoral care. St Andrew's as a congregation maintains a strong interest in overseas mlsslon, and contlnues to support a number of personnel and projects throughout Latln Amerlca, Afrlca, Asla and the UK. Overseas Mlsslon Support -2023 During the past year, our congregation has continued to financlally, prattically and prayerfully support the work of a number of overseas workers. This work is overseen by the Missionary Committee within the Church which seeks to keep members of the congregatlon updated on our Mlsslonary Interests through the provision of quarterly prayer bulletins, videos, guest speaker events and deslgnated prayer meetln85. The Rlvero Famllyi Pucallpa, Peru We were pleased to welcome the Rlvero famlly back to Nl for a perlod of home leave from Aprll to August 2023 and to be able to provide accommodation for them in a property adjacent to the Church. On theSr return to Peru, the Riveros took the declslon to step down from their roles in the Orchard Children's Home wlth Klds Allve and to explore new opportunities through Latin Link. Before finishing their assignment with Kid's Alive, they facilltated trauma based training for the staff team in the home and ran a sports outreach event for local children. FONICTrust, Nepal Throughout the year, FONIC Trust continued to support a number of Nepali families on regular basls with direct financial support to enable them to have adequate shelter, clothes, food and medlcation as well as paying the school fees of 5 children and providing financial support to two children's homes in Kathmandu. FONIC, as the primary partner, also helped establish a wheelchair repair centre in Kathmandu. The Project was able to dlstribute 100 reconditioned wheelchairs which they hope to continue to do on an annual basis. FONIC provided the necessary financial support for two local men, both of whom are themselves disabled, to undertake technical training In India. io
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) FONIC also continued to offer financial supportto 25 rural Christian pastors most of whom work in the far west of Nepal which is known for Éts extreme poverty, poor education and healthcare. These pastors often have no other source of income. FONIC continued to provide part funding to support medical trainlng of 11 young people undertaking both medical and nursing training as well as to support 4 additional students undertaking a Diploma in Pharmacy Pro8ramme. The Majority of these healthcare students come from disadvantaged rural areas where they would not have been able to finance any level of medical training through their own resources. It is encouraging to note that in the main, they have returned to Serve withln thelr native communities. One of the indlgenous workers continues to run eye and dentsl camps across several regions of Nepal uslng his contacts In local hospitals and schools. During November, Philip and Deborah Mcmillan were able to travel to Nepal to visit the projects FONIC support5 and meet wlth staff on the ground. We were pleased to be able to host our annual Christmas craft sale in aid of FONIC Trust in December and to receive an up to date report from the Mcmillan's on their recent visit. Dave and Helen Smlthers, SIM, Manchester Dave and Helen live and work In Manchester where their minlstry Involves supportlng a local Church plant a5 well as provlding a neighbourhood outreach to the Muslim communlty where they Ilve. Dave provides sports coaching at a local inner clty school where many of the children come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and experlence behavloural Issues and low self-esteem. During the past year, Helen successfully completed a counselling quallflcation and took up a post with Home Start provlding practical and emotional support to families in need. Ruth McKee, Arequlpa. Peru Ruth who is a quallfied physiotheraplst works in the Shalom Centre In Arequipa which offers a range of therapeutic and educational support to dlsabled children and young people as well as outreach to thelr famllles. Ruth also runs a physio group at her local church. The Shalom Centre celebrated its twentieth anniversary this year whlch was marked by a celebratory event for the students and their families. The Centre also ran a camp in July for the student5, their parents and siblings wlth 54 people in attendance. Ruth is due to return to Nl for a period of home leave in January 2024. Gary and Mary Reld, Kenya The Reids continue to minister to the the Maasai people in the Olkinyei area of Kenya as Project Co-ordinators with the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. Gary 15 involved dlrectly in 11
TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) ministry and teaching at two local Churches as well as providing support to pastors, evangelists and worship leaders. Durlng the year, Gary has also been involved in providing computer lessons to members of local churches which wlll hopefully equip them to be more self-sufficient in developing resources for use in worship. The Mission also supports the provision of clean water through the installation of rainwater catchment tanks and the digging of trenches. It has helped build and furnish a nursery classroom in the hills of Siana which can accommodate 25 children as well as install a playground at Isintin Primary School. Work to develop a further nursery site at Empiris is also undenvay. The Reid5 hosted a visit from the Moderator of the Presbyterlan Church in Ireland and his wlfe in the latter part of the year which was a source of great encouragement both to them and to the Maasai people they met In the local churches. The Reids are on a period of home leave In the flrst quarter of 2024. Presbytery The congregation was represented at the regular meetlngs of Presbytery by our minister and one of the elders. This provldes an Important link between the congregation and the wider structures of the church. General Assembly The mlnlster and one of our elders were nomlnated to attend the meetlng of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland held in Assembly 8uildin85, Belfast, in June. Property The Committee met on four occaslons durln8 2023 as well as once on an ad-hoc basis to address urgent items of business. A signiflcant programme of work was undertaken during the year both to maintain and refurbish our premises as well as to ensure ongoing compliance with health and safety regulations. While It has been very encouraging to see the increasing number of babies and toddlers within our congregation, it has been challen8in8 to flnd a suitable venue within our 5Ulte of buildings to host the crèche on Sunday mornings. A room formally used by Session was Identified as the most appropriate location and this was cleared of existing furnlture, redecorated and appropriate safety measures such as radiator grills installed. The provision of portable and stackable tables and chalrs has rendered thls room multl-purpose allowlng It to be used by a number of groups such as the Tuesday Men's Group and L'Arche. Wall mounted floodlights were installed on the patio area at the front of the church offering permanent lighting for outside events such as Light the Night. This solution is less hazardous than the towers and cables previously used to better illuminate this area. Internal and external tamper proof sockets were also installed at the basement door. A number of identified faults in relation to electrics within the white buildings and Main Hall were resolved enabling us to obtain the necessary rtificate of compliance. 12
TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT (conyd) Further electrical work will be required to be undertaken within the Courtney Hall to render it safer and more efficient. Some repainting of the white buildings was undertaken during the summer months. This greatly improved the outward appearance of the Bannagh Corner side of the building. There are plans to repaint the carpark side of the church in the Spring, The windows, emergency and exit doors on the Bannagh Corner side of the church along with the doors to the crypt and patio areas have also been replaced. The replacement of the doors will render us compliant with health and safety requirements. Additional emergency lighting has been installed around the exit points of the church buildings and existing lights replaced with LED lights. An upgrade to our flre alarm system was also undertaken. New hardware was Installed wlth Control Zone options and an accompanying maintenance plan. First responders have been identified and trained. We replaced the offlce photocopler durlng the year. In line with a direttive issued by the General Assembly in relation to identification of use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, the Committee has engaged the services of an independent expert to inspect our premises to identify if our buildings contain RAAC. As a result of the standing down of the East Belfast Presbytery as the holdin8 Trustee for our property deeds, the Committee proposed the transfer of our deeds to the General Assembly Holdlng Trust Company. Thls declsion was ratifled at a congregatlonal meetlng In October 2023. Members of Committee partlclpated In a sub-group established by Session to conslder the future use of our buildin8s in line with our Five Year Plan and tenure status. The recommendatlons made remaln under conslderatlon. Organlsatlons SMASH, our Sunday School, runs on Sunday mornlngs alongside our church service for all chlldren of prlmary school age. It Is open for both children whose parents are attending the church servlce, and those who want to come independently. There are 12 children on the register, with an average attendance of 6 each week. We join in for the be8innin8 of the church service, and after a children's address leave to follow our own programme. Last year we began a new curriculum which will take us through the Bible over three years. Towards the end of last year, an exciting addition was made as we invited the creche children to joln U5 for a short time at the beginning of our lesson, when we have been learning new songs, and having a simple recap of stories. We look forward to welcoming them to join us fully in 20241 Our Blble Class which caters for post-primary young people, ran every Sunday before the church service with 5 young people in total, and an average attendance of 2 each week. After consultation, we have decided to change our meeting time to Sunday evenings, and hope to see an increase in numbers which will help build our young people together as a group in 2024. 13
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) Our Thursday Smash Club runs on Thursday evenings from 6.15 to 7pm for all children of primary school age. This has a games based format, with a variety of games and crafts. The evening finishes with a Bible story and memory verse. This year we have been looking at words describing God, and have worked our way through to R so far! The children are amazingly creative at coming UP with great descriptive words, and the idea is that the following week they hear a Bible passage which illustrates this description. There are 25 children registered, with an average attendance of 16 each week. We are dellghted to have so many children there on a Thursday evenin& and very glad to have Thomas and Anna who have stayed on to help with games and the younger members. Together with Sunday Smash and the creche we enjoyed two events in 2023. In June we went on a trip to the zoo, which was a fun trip out and enjoyed by all. In December we organised a Christmas party, attended by around 40 children, as we invited Sunday Smash, Thursday Smash Club, Bible Classneens members, and also the creche children. The morning was dlvlded for games and crafts, as it covered such a wide age range, but all came together for our party lunch and visit from Santa. It was great to see so many get together for this event. In September we launched a new Initiative on Thursday evenings for Teens from Year 8 to th Upper 6 , as a follow-on from the Thursday Smash Club, and are looklng forward to this becomlng established In the future as a means of making and growlng dlsciples among our young people. Our Knlt and Natter 8roup meets on Monday evenlngs. There are usually about 15 people of all ages knitting and natterln& pausing for tea and a short devotlonal tlme led by various members. The members are very supportive of the Care and Share project, and have knitted countless baby cardigans, children's jumpers, and blankets which have been added to the groceries and tolletries donated by members of the congregatlon to the Care and Share trolley every week. They also make up glft basket5 ft)r new bables. The Tuesday Work Team has reached out to about a dozen men who meet for an hour of Bible study and prayer on Tuesdays before the core work team does malntenance work around the church property. They make the most of the skills and abilltles of members to keep our premises in good order, identifying problems and arranging appropriate tradespeople to deal with them where necessary. They are a point of contatt for others who are using the propertyi or who require access. Coffee and Cralc meets once a fortnight on a Wednesday for an hour and a half, and provides a warm welcoming space for people to come and chat. We have found people are glad of an opportunity to come and discuss issues worrying them, and we try as a church to 14
TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT (cony) support in whatever way we can. We provide very simple refreshments of wheaten bread. cheese, scones, toast, and occasional baked treats. We feel our time is best spent chatting with everyone as people open up more with a cuppa in their hand. In the summer time we went for several morning outings to Coleman's Garden Centre at Templepatrick. These were very popular as everyone enjoyed a morning browsing around the shops and having refreshments. Cregagh Primary School choir came at Christmas time to sing to us, and this has become an annual event that we all look forward to. Tots @ St Andrev/s continued to meet on Friday mornings, wlth an average of 40 children and 25-30 adults each week. Feedback has been that we are very friendly, with a great selection of toys, and some mums have been really appreclatlve that it15 free, especially In the current economSc cllmate. Unfortunately due to chan8es in leadership, we were unable to open again after Easter. Our Summer Walklng Group enjoyed Thursday evening walks at Stormont, Marlno and Purdysburn. We explored Belfast across some of the brldges, enjoyed the twirlin8 trees in Coronation Gardens at Hazelbank, and had a tour of L'Arche Village in the Castlereagh Hills, which gave us a further insight into the valuable work they are doing among vulnerable adults. This is another opportunity to invite frlends to joln with us for a walk and a chat over supper afterwards in the minor hall. PW started the year with an evening in the company of the wives of the mlnlsterial team - Janice, Jenny and Courtney- who chatted about their Chrlstlan journey. We heard about the work of Nl Pr150n Fellow5hipi who were celebrating 40 years of offering hope and a new beginnln8 to prisoners and their famllles. Caroline Yeomans spoke to us about her challenging role In PCI as Head of Special Services. developing services for people with Intellectual disability, and those suffering from trauma and addlttion. Her department alms to help people feel valued and that they matter to God. In April we had a dinner of Shepherd's Pie and Lemon Drizzle Cake, with proceeds going to our PW projects. Our October meeting was just ourselves sharing favourite songs and Bible passages (followed by puddin81), and It was inspiring to hear other people's personal experiences on their Chrisian Journey. Stephen Knox spoke at our last meeting of the year about his work with Youth for Christ in Moldova, where two buslnessmen from Northern Ireland have establlshed a residentlal home in the capital for youn8 women at rlsk of being trafflcked. In addltlon to supporting the PW Mission Projects, we were also able to make donations to the Nl Prison Fellowshipfft Youth for Christ Moldova, and Exodus, to help with their work. The PW Committee attended the PW Forum in February which encouraged them in their leadershlp roles, and they were able to pick up some useful ideas shared by other PW groups. As always, Jackie provided superb suppers to round off our meetings, which create such an important opportunlty for people to stay and chat with one another 15
TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT (conv) Come Dlne Wlth Us has been going since 2012, at the very affordable subscription of £5 per person. Because of other commitments we were only able to host one event this year. The menu was homely comfort food- roast beef followed by apple tart and ice cream. This creates an opportunity for members to socialise together, develop friendships, and invite friends who may have little church connection. Most people stayed to chat over tea and coffee (and goodlesl) afterwards, and seemed to really enjoy the evenlng. We catered for 40 people and just about broke even. We have reluctantly decided that we will have to suggest an increased donation of £7.50 per person, and plan to have more regular dinners next year. Voluntsers The Trustees wlsh to acknowledge thelr deep appreciation of those who glve freely of thelr tlme by serving on committees and helplng with organlsations and other church attivltles, We believe that the key to a healthy church is more than activities, programmes or events- though these have their place- the key is the gospel, and we aim to support all our volunteers in keeping the gospel at the front and centre of everything we do as a church. 16
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) PUBUC BENEFIT STATEMENT The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the public benefit requirement by providing benefit to its members and the general public by maklng known the Christlan Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of religion. The dlrect benefits which flow from the purposes of the Church include the gainlng of an understanding in Christian beliefs as set out in the Bible and in the Church's subordinate standards (the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Shorter and Larger Catechisms) leading to spiritual and moral development and opportunities for response to Bible teachlng. In turn, this framework leads to practical expressions of Chrlstlan beliefs and Standards In the local community such as through the care of those in need {Includlng the slck, disabled and bereaved). Generally the above benefits are delivered locally by congregations and their members, or are facilitated through presbyteries or are organised and delivered centrally. Local delivery is facilitated by central resources in almost all cases. Public access is made known through the use of noticeboards, printed material, press advertlsement, websltes, and social media or in other ways. The beneflts are demonstrated through regular evaluatlon of the seryices and Informal and ad-hoc feedback from members, thelr families, and members of the publlc. The purpose does not lead to harm. The only private benefit flowing from our purpose Is related to Mlnlsters, Mlsslonarles, Deaconesses, Irish Mission workers and Lay Agents who receive beneflts as a result of their holdlng offlce or employment. However, this 55 Incldental and necessary in order to further our charitable purpose. There are no other private benefits. The beneficiarles of thls purpose are members, their families, other individuals that the Presbyterlan Church in Ireland Is In direct and indirect contact with, the community in which pastoral servlces are provided and other communltles throughout Northern Ireland, the Republlc of Ireland, and worldwide which benefit from our engagement with and support for both Christian and other secular or8anisations, charitles and individual members of the public. The Kirk Sesslon has had regard to the Charity Commissions public benefit requirement statutory guidance. 17
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) FINANCIAL REVIEW The congregation's main source of income is member< contributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering. There were 84 contributors during the year, {85 in the previous year, 2022) donating a total of £104,422 (£ 96,727 in previous year, 2022) Total Income of the congregation during the year was £189,748 compared to £170,497 in the previous year. Total expenditure Increased to £ 249.880 from £212,559, this included £43,148 on property repairs and maintenance. RESPONSIBILITIES IN RESPECT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accountin8 Practice. The Trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each flnanclal year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the congregatlons and the flnanclal actlvltles for that year. In preparing the financial statement5 the Tru5tee5 are required to: select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently make Judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Funds wlll continue in operatlon. The Trustees are responslble for keeplng adequate accountlng records that are sufficient to show and explain the funds transactlons and dlsclose wlth reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the congregations and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Statement of Recommended Practlce "Accountlng and Reporting by Charities (l January 20151". They are also responsSble for safeguarding the assets of the congregation and hence for taklng reasonable steps for the preventlon and detection of fraud and other Irregularitles. 18
St. ANDREWS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH A Congregatlon of The Presbyterlan Church in Ireland For the ar ended 31 December 2023 GOING CONCERN The activitles of the congregation are dependent on ongoing contribution5 from Its members. The Trustees are of the opinion that the congregation has sufficient resources at the date of approval of these flnancial statements to meet commitments whlch will arlse in the year from the date of slgnin8 this report and Subject to the continuing support from members to fund on an ongoing basis the congregatlon's current activities and other financial commitments. RESERVES POUCY The Trustees have considered the level of unrestricted reserves that it is appropriate to hold takin8 account of current and ongoin8 commltments. It Is the policy of the Trustees to hold at least 4 month's normal expenditure. At the year-end unrestricted reserves were £73,172 whlch represents a hlgher level of reserves. The Trustees, however, conslder it prudent to hold reserves at this level as the funding of Its present activities is dependent on the ongolng financial support of members. RISK REVIEW A review of major risks has been undertaken by the Trustees and systems and procedures implemented to manage Identlfled risks. The principal risks are In relation to the likelihood of reputational damage and financlal risks associated with the expectation of ongoing flnancial support from members. These risks are mitigated by the Trustee5, and the congregational Committee, regularly monitoring the various activities of the congregation at stated meetin85 and by encouraging members in thelr regular giving Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting on 27th February 2024 and signed on Its behalf by Rev. R.S. Aicken Mr. K. Brown 27th February 2024 27th February 2024 19