CASTLEREAGH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Congregatlon of The Presbyterran Church In Ireland
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
The Tnjstees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended
31st December 2020 including a Balance Sheet a5 at that date.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Castlereagh Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in
Ireland
79 Church Road
Castlereagh
Belfast
BT6 9SA
Registered Charity in Northern [￿land (NIC 104335)
CHARITY TRUSTEES
The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this
report were:
May Anderson
Trevor Busby
Phyllis Grier
Rev. Mervyn Burnside
John Hanna
Andrew Mccann
PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS
Minister
Clerk of Session
Accounts prepared by
Rev. Mervyn Burnside
Andrew Mccann
PGR Accountants, 21 Old Channel Road, BT3 9DE
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Peter Greene, FCA, 21 Old Channel Road, Belfast, BT3 9DE
BANKERS
Dan5ke Bank, Donegall Square West, Belfast, 8T1 6JS
SOLICITORS
W. G. Maginess & Son Ltd, 68 Bow Street, Lisburn, BT28 IAL.
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CASTLEREAGH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)
STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT
The Kirk 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 Klrk Sesslon 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 Kirk Sessions has delegated to its Congregational
Committee the temporal affairs of the congregation including administering all funds and
property belonging to the congregation. Members of the Kirk Session are ex-officio
members of the Congregational Committee.
The Kii'k Sessioii coiisists of tlie oi'daiiied Iniiiistei- and the ruliiig elders of tlie
congregations. All members are entitled to propose, speak and exercise equal votes at
meetings, except that the Moderator, the ministers in active duty In the congregation,
has no deliberative but only a casting vote.
Stated meetings of the Kirk session are held at least four times each year or as
appropriate.
To be chosen for the office of the eldership in the congregation a person must be a
voting member and a regular attendant on its ordinances. The selection of those
proposed to be called to the office can be either by the congregation or by the Kirk
Se55ion. Members are elected if they obtain two-thirds of those who vote.
Presbytery
Under the Presbyterian Church in Ireland form of governance the corporate oversight of
a congregation is the responsibility of a Presbytery which superintends generally the
spiritual and temporal affairs of the congregations assigned to it by the General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Castlereagh Presbyterian Church ha5
been assigned to the East Belfast Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in [￿land. The
membership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the active ministers of congregations
assigned to it by the General Assemblyi minsters who have retired from active duty and
an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation.
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CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)
The General Assembly
The General Assembly is the supreme court of the Church, representing in one body the
whole Church and acting as its supreme legislative, administration 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 is dissolved. The membership of the General Assembly con5ISts mainly
of the active ministers of each congregation, retired minsters and a representative elder
appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation.
DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE
Castlereagh Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, a5 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
rulfillii)g GOLI'S ITllSSlUlI tu uur wurld.
The congregation's mission purposes is by the grace of God, to help people of all ages
become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Our vision is, by the grace of God, to be
an inclusive, welcoming community of Christ's people of all ages, which..
is increasingly characterised by love for God, and love and concem for others,.
Is committed to the historic Christian gospel as revealed in the Bible,.
is relevant to people of this time and place.
The congregation aims to live out its Mission and Vision as a family of God's people by
being:
A Covenant Community.. where our ￿latIOnshIpS are rooted in the promises of God
by living faithfully toward him and toward one anottier
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.. Whe￿ 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 believe that the Bible 15
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 Chnstian faith and practice.
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CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
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TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)
ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES
The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The
Sacrament of the Lords Supper is observed 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 are admitted to the Lord's Supper. The congregation holds regular bible study
meetings and has a wide range of organisations including:
Sunday School
Choir
Boys, Brigade (B.B.)
Girls, Brigade (G. B.)
Hilltop Group (Senior Citizens)
Presbyterian Women (P. W.)
Manna for Men
Playroom (Mothers and Toddlers)
Bowling Club
The Girl's Brigade Company closed permanently at the end of the session in March.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Worship and prayer
In a year of unprecedented upheaval due to the outbreak of Covid we are thankful that in
Spite of all the changes to the pattems of Congregational life, we were able to maintain
some informal means of communication and fellowship. We are thankful for those who
worked hard to make a return to in person gathering for worship possible, and for the
compliance with required changes to Sunday services, we are thankful for God's continued
faithfulness in the midst of so much uncertainty-
The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at Il'.00am and 6.'30pm. Every
other week our Small Groups (Bible Study) provides an opportunity for members to meet
together for fellowshipi to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer. As well as our
regular services during the year, thanksgiving services were held for those deceased and
we sought to comfort those bereaved during the year
Owirsg to Covid Guidance, in-person gatherings for worship ceased from the end of March
until September. Organisations did not meet in person from the outbreak of Covid for the
remainder of the year. Where possible printed weekly worship resources were distributed by
email or hard copy. At 315t December 2020 there were 105 communicant members and 171
families connected with the congregation. The average weekly attendance at morning
worship post Covid is 55 people.
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CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)
Pastoral care
Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age are
visited on a regular basis by the minister, elder5 or by one of the congregation's pastoral
visitor5.
Misslon and outreach
The congregation supports the United Appeal for Mission which is a central fund of the
Presbyterian Church in Ireland. This fund enables congregations to support the wider
mission of the denomination and to do mission and outreach on denominational basis
beyond what the congregation could do on it5 own. The United Appeal Fund provides
ftnanclal support for mission personnel at home and overseas, assists congregations withthe
deployment of locally based staff, enables church planting, provides grant supportfor the
upkeep of church premises, asSlSt with the running costs of Union Theological College, the
Church'5 training college for ministry students, and finar)cially sUPPOrts congregation in the
ai-eas of wor sliip, di5Liplesliip, ylul)eil iiii55iuiI, i>uLrgdil), lèa(1é1 sliip aiid pastor-al iai-e.
Presbytery
The congregation was ￿presented at the regular meetings of Presbytery by our minister
and/or one of the elders. This provides an important link between the congregations and
the wider struttures of the church.
General Assembly
The tninister and one of our elders were nominated to attend the meeting of the General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast, in June,
Organisations
The congregation supports a number of organisations who attively make use of both the
Church and Hall facilities, including Girls. Brigade and Boys. Brigade for children and you ng
adults, Playroom for toddlers, Hilltop group for older members of the congregation, Manna
for Men, Church Choir, Presbyterian Women and more. No in-person meetings of
organisations were possible in the period March to December. Necessary leadership
meetings were held by zoom and a meeting for prayer.
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CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)
Property
There were no major property repairs during 2020.
Volunteers
The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of their
time by serving on committees and helping with organisations and other church activities.
PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the public benefit requirement by providing
benefit to its members and the general public by ￿akIng known the Christian Gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of religion.
The dirert benefits which flow from the purposes of the Church include the gaining of an
understanding in Christian beliefs as set out in the Bible and in the Church's subordinate
Standards (the Westminster Confe55ion of Faith and the Shorter and Larger Catechisms)
leading to spiritual and moral development and opportunities for response to Bible teaching.
In turn, this framework leads to practical expressions of Christian beliefs and standards in
the local community such as through the care of those in need (includingthe sick, 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 notice boards, printed material, press advertisement, websites, and social media or
in other ways.
The benefits are demonstrated through regular evaluation of the services and informal and
ad-hoc feedback from members, their families, and members of the public.
The purpose does not lead to harm. The only private benefit flowing from our purpose is
related to Ministers, Misslonaries, Deaconesses, Irish Mission workers and Lay Agents who
receive benefits as a result of their holding office or employment. However, this is incidental
and necessary in order to further our charitable purpose. There are no other private
benefits. The beneficiaries of this purpose are members, their families, other individuals that
the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is In dirett and indirect contact with, the community in
which pastoral services are provided and other communities throughout Northern Ireland,
the Republic of Ireland, and worldwide which benefit from our engagement with and support
for both Christian and other secular organisations, charities and individual members of the
public. The Kirk Session has had regard to the Charity Commissions public benefit
requirement
statutory
guidance.
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CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)
FINANCIAL RÉVIEW
The congregation's main source of itFcome is members, contributions through the Weeklv
Freewill Offering with donations totaling £40k. There were 142 contributors during the year,
a similar number to the previous year., donating a total of £48k to the funds.
The total Income of the congregation during the year was £IOOk, which was lower than the
previous year (£119k).
Total expenditure decreased from £116k to £IIOk.
RESPONSIBILfTIES IN RESPEcf 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 Accounting Practice.
The Tnjstees are required to prepare tinancial statements for each financial year which give
a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the congregations and the financial attivities for
that year. In preparing the financial statements the Trustees are requiredto..
select Sultable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
make judgements and estimate5 that are reasonable and prudent
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappmpriateto
presume that the Funds will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to
show and explain the funds transactions and disclose with 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 Practice "Accounting and Reporting
by Charities (FRS 102 1 January 2019)". They are also responsible for safeguarding the
assets of the congregation and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and
detection of frèud and other irregularities.
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CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a COngre￿atIon of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)
GOING CONCERN
The activities of the congregation are dependent on ongoing contributions frorn it5 member5.
The Trustees are of the oplnion that the congregatlon has sufficient resources at the date of
approval of these financial statements to meet commitments which will arise in the year
from the date Df signing this report and subject to the continuing 5UPPOrt from members to
fund on an ongoing basis the congregation's current activity and other financial
commitments.
RESERVES POLICY
The Trustees have considered the level of unrestricted reserves that it is appropriate to hold
taking account of current and ongoing commitments. It is the policy of the TrLJStees to hold
at least one month's normal expenditure. At the year-end unrestricted reserves were
£146,312 which represents a higher level of reseNe5. The Trustees however, consider it
prudent to hold reserves at this level as the funding of its present activities is dependent of
the ongoing financial support of membei"s.
RISK REVIEW
A revlew of major rlsk5 has been undertaken by the Trustees and the system and
procedures implemented to manage identified rlsks. The principal risks are in relation to the
likelihood of reputational damage and financial risks associated with the expertatlon of
ongoing financial support from members. These risks are mitigated by the Trustees, and the
Congregational Committee, regularly monitorlng the various activitles of the congregation at
stated meetings and by enccuraging members in their regular giving.
Approved by the Kirk Sesslon at a meeting on 2nd June 2023 and Signed on Its behalf
by:
Rev. Mervyn Burnslde
Minister
Andrew Mccann
Clerk ofsession
2fJort