an
CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
Castlereagh Presbyterian Church
a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended
31st December 2023
Registered with the Chority Commissionfor Northern IrelundNIC 104335
an
CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
Contents Page
Pages
Description
Trustees Annual Report
10
Independent Examiners Report
11
Statement of financial position
12
Balance sheet
13- 16
Accounting Policies
17-24
Account Notes
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**
The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] December 2023 including a Balance Sheet as at that date.
Castlereagh Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 79 Church Road
_Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (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 Rev. Mervyn Burnside Andrew McCann John Hanna Phyllis Grier
## **PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS**
Jonathan McNeill, ACA, 21 Old Channel Road, Belfast, BT3 9DE
Danske Bank, Donegall Square West, Belfast, BT1 6JS
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued) STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT**
The charity trustees of the congregation are the members of its Kirk Session. Under the 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 Kirk Session 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 Kirk Session consists of the ordained minister and the ruling elders of the congregation. 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 Session. 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 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, minsters who have retired from active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation.
## **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 consists 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, 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 fulfilling mission to our world.
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 people of all ages, which:
- _is increasingly characterised by love for God, and love and concern for others;_
- _is committed to the historic Christian gospel as revealed in the Bible;_
- _is relevant to people of this time and place._
being:
- _A Covenant Community: where our relationships are rooted in the promises of God by living faithfully 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 believe 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 (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 meetings and has a wide range of organisations including:
- Brigade _(B.B.)_
- Hilltop Group _(Senior Citizens)_
- Presbyterian Women ( _P.W.)_
- Bowling Club
- Zoom Prayer meeting.
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
Organisations resumed meeting in person from September 2022 and continued for the rest of the year. Printed weekly worship resources continued to be distributed by email or hard copy as requested. At 31[st] December 2023 there were 85 communicant members and 171 families connected with the congregation. The average weekly attendance at morning worship is 40 people.
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)**
## **Pastoral care**
Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age are visitors.
## **Mission 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 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 grant support for the upkeep of church premises, assist with the running costs of Union Theological college for ministry students, and financially supports congregations in the areas of worship, discipleship, global mission, outreach, leadership and pastoral care.
## **Presbytery**
The congregation was represented 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 structures of the church.
## **General Assembly**
The minister 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.
The congregation supports a number of organisations who actively make use of both the adults, Hilltop group for older members of the congregation, Presbyterian Women and more. Subject to the Approval of Kirk session outside organisations such as Ravara Productions have been able to use the facilities for rehearsal space. Again subject to approval of Kirk Session and availability, various outside groups and individuals have been able to avail of the facilities for various family celebrations.
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)**
## **Property**
During the year no major repairs were completed to the Manse.
Investment Property valuation remained the same as the prior year at £587,851 (2022: £587,851).
## **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 making known the Christian Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of religion.
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, Missionaries, 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 direct 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.
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued)**
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
including the Weekly Freewill Offering with donations totaling £45k which is included in Donations and Legacies. There were 123 contributors during the year, a similar number to the previous year: donating a total of £60k to the funds.
The total Income of the congregation during the year was £125k, which was higher than the previous year (£94k).
Total expenditure decreased from £128k to £124k.
The trustees are content with the financial position of the church and of its funds at 31[st] December 2023.
## **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 Accounting Practice.
The Trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the congregations and the financial activities for that year. In preparing the financial statements the Trustees 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 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 and Reporting by Charities _(FRS 102 1 January 2019)_ g the assets of the congregation and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (continued) GOING CONCERN**
The activities of the congregation are dependent on ongoing contributions from its members. The Trustees are of the opinion that the congregation has sufficient resources at the date of approval of these financial statements to meet commitments which will arise in the year from the date of signing this report and subject to the continuing support from members to fund 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 Trustees to hold at -end unrestricted reserves were £150,322 which represents a higher level of reserves. 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 members.
## **RISK REVIEW**
A review of major risks has been undertaken by the Trustees and the system and procedures implemented to manage identified risks. The principal risks are in relation to the likelihood of reputational damage and financial risks associated with the expectation of ongoing financial support from members. These risks are mitigated by the Trustees, and the Congregational Committee, regularly monitoring the various activities of the congregation at stated meetings and by encouraging members in their regular giving.
Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting on 9[t h] September 2024 and signed on its behalf
by:
Rev. Mervyn Burnside
Andrew McCann
- amended by the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 where applicable; follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act; and
state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
1. That accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 63 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 as amended by the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 where applicable;
2. That the accounts do not accord with those accounting records;
3. That the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements or methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102); and
4. That there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## **Statement of Financial Activities Year ended 31[st] December 2023**
|**Income From:**
2: Donations and Legacies
3: Charitable Activities
4: Other Trading Activities
5: Investments
**Total Income**
**Expenditure On:**
6: Raising Funds
7: Charitable Activities
**Total Expenditure**
_Gains /(losses) on investment assets_
**Net income / (expenditure)**
**resources before transfer**
**Transfers**
_Gross transfers between funds_
_in_
_Gross transfers between funds_
_out_
**Net income / (expenditure)**
**resources after transfers**
**18: Total funds brought forward**
**18: Total Funds carried**
**forward**|**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Endowment**
**Total Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**2023****_2022_**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**_£_**
69,768
16,012
**85,780**
**74,211**
300
2,033
**2,333**
**1,400**
5,088
**5,088**
**3,122**
2,766
28,826
**31,592**
**15,099**
**72,834**
**51,959**
**124,793**
93,832
280
**280**
**549**
90,612
33,612
**124,224**
**127,327**
**90,892**
**33,612**
**124,504**
**127,876**
4,000
2,000
**6,000**
106,913
**(14,058)**
**18,347**
**2,000**
**6,289**
_72,869_
18,347
**950**
**19,297**
3,067
**(19,297)**
**(19,297)**
(3,067)
**4,289**
**2,000**
**6,289**
_72,869_
**146,033**
**724,673**
**65,527**
**936,233**
_863,364_
**150,322**
**724,673**
**67,527**
**942,522**
_936,233_|
|---|---|
||||||**Total**|**Funds**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**General**
**Restricted Endowment**|||||**2023**|**_2022_**|
||**£**||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Fixed assets**|||||||
|_10: Tangible assets_|||83,432||**83,432**|85,819|
|_11: Fixed assets Investments_|||||||
||||_587,851_||**_587,851_**|_587,851_|
|**Total fixed assets**|||**671,283**||**671,283**|673,670|
|**Current assets**|||||||
|_12: Debtors_|||||||
|||8,319|7,235||**15,554**|48,234|
|_13: Current assets Investments_|||||||
|||45,609||26,885|**72,494**|66,495|
|_14: Cash at bank and in hand_|||||||
|||99,094|56,602|40,642|**196,338**|167,819|
|**Total current assets**|
**153,022**||**63,837**|**67,527**|**284,386**|282,548|
|_15: Creditors: amounts falling due in one_
_year_||(2,700)|(10,447)||**(13,147)**|(19,985)|
|**Net current assets less current**
**liabilities**
_16: Creditors: amounts falling due after_
_more_|**150,322**||**53,390**|**67,527**|**271,239**|262,563|
|_than one year_|||||||
|**Net assets**|
**150,322**||**724,673**|**67,527**|**942,522**|_936,233_|
|**17: Funds of the Church**|
**150,322**||**724,673**|**67,527**|**942,522**|_936,233_|
an
CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
31st December 2023
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
BASIS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting
by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their
accounts in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Ireland
(FRS102).
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention except
for investment assets, which are shown at market value. The financial statements include
all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the congregation is responsible in law. They
do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their affiliation to another body, nor
those that are informal gatherings of church members.
FUND ACCOUNTING
Endowment funds are funds, the capital of which must be retained either permanently or
at the congregation's discretion. the income derived from the endowment is to be used
either as restricted or unrestricted income funds depending upon the purpose for which the
endowment was established in the first place.
Restricted funds comprise (a) income from endowments which is to be expended only on
the restricted purposes intended by the donor and (b) revenue donations or grants for a
specific congregational activity intended by the donor. Where these funds have unspent
balances, interest on their pooled investment is apportioned to the individual funds on an
average balance basis.
Unrestricted funds are income funds which are to be spent on the congregation's general
purposes. Designated funds are general funds set aside by the congregation for use in the
future.
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **(i) Recognition of incoming resources**
- **(ii) Incoming resources with related expenditure**
## **(iii) Grants and donations**
## **(iv) Tax reclaims on donations and gifts**
- **(v) Contractual income and performance related grants**
## **(vi) Gifts in kind**
## **(vii) Donated services and facilities**
## **(viii) Volunteer help**
## **(ix) Investment income**
## **(x) Investment gains and losses**
## **(xi) Liability recognition**
## **(xii) Governance costs**
## **(xiii) Grants with performance conditions**
## **(xiv) Grants payable without performance conditions**
## **(xv) Tangible Fixed Assets**
## **(xvi) Investments**
## **(xvii)**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|31|[ST]|December 2022|Total Funds|
|Unrestricted Restricted Endowment|2023|2022|
|£|£|£|£|£|
|2: Donations and Legacies|
|Recorded Giving|58,777|14,099|72,876|63,544|
|Loose Collections|2,740|2,740|864|
|Gift Aid Recovered|8,251|1,913|10,164|9,803|
|Total|69,768|16,012|85,780|74,211|
|3: Charitable Activities|
|Income from Charitable|
|300|328|628|400|
|Activities|
|Grants|1,705|1,705|1,000|
|Total|300|2,033|2,333|1,400|
|4: Other Trading Activities|
|Letting Income from Church|
|4,943|4,943|3,020|
|Property|
|Trading Income|145|145|102|
|Total|5,088|5,088|3,122|
|5: Investments|
|Bank and Building Society|490|490|199|
|Interest|
|General Investment Fund|2,276|2,276|2,000|
|Other Investment Income|1,056|1,056|-|
|Rents from Investment|27,770|27,770|12,900|
|Property|
|Total|2,766|28,826|31,592|15,099|
|6: Raising Funds|
|Printed Boxes of Church|280|280|549|
|Envelopes|
|Total|280|280|549|
|7: Charitable Activities|
|Assessments|13,981|13,981|13,661|
|Ministry and Support Staff|52,257|52,257|49,738|
|Costs (note 8)|
|Congregational Running|13,882|27,431|41,313|56,922|
|Expenses|
|Mission Giving and|252|6,181|6,433|5,006|
|Donations|
|Governance|10,240|10,240|2,000|
|Total|90,612|33,612|124,224|127,327|
**----- End of picture text -----**
an
CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
31st December 2023
8. EMPLOYEES
Employment Costs
Wages and Salaries
Minister."
Caretaker..
35,234
33,556
Social Security Costs
5,276
4,661
Pension Contributions
8,456
8,054
other ministry and Support
Staff
3,291
3,467
52,257
49,738
Number of Employees
The average number of employees (including the minister of the congregation), during the year
was:
Average number of
employees
There were no employees in receipt of employee benefits in excess of £60, 000.
an
CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
31st December 2023
9. PENSION COSTS
The minister of the congregation is a member of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Pension
Scheme (2009). This is a scheme operated by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, a
separate registered charity. The congregation pays an assessment to the Presbyterian
Church in Ireland equivalent to the employer's pension contribution for the Scheme and
based on the stipend paid to the minister. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland Pension
Scheme (2009) is a funded Scheme of the defined benefit type, providing defined benefits
based on career average revalued salary. The Scheme has assets held in a separately
administered fund managed by a board of trustees. The Presbyterian Church and the
Scheme Trustees have agreed a funding plan to ensure the Scheme is sufficiently funded
to meet current and future obligations. A formal schedule of contributions was drawn up
on 25 November 2015 whereby the Presbyterian Church agreed to pay from 315t December
2015 contributions of 24 % of pensionable salaries to cover the accrual of benefits for future
service, expenses, the cost of insuring death in service benefits and funding the scheme
deficit.
The contributions made by the congregation during the year were
Contributions
8,456
8,054
The Charity is registered with the Pension Regulator and operates a defined pension
contribution policy for our employees. The scheme and its assets are held by an
independent scheme manager. The pension charge represents the contributions due from
the congregation during the year.
## **10. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS**
_The land and buildings include freehold properties owned by the Congregation and consist of the Church, Church Halls, Graveyard and the Manse._
_As a Grade B+ Historic Building (HB25/13/002) the Church is classified as a Historical Heritage Asset and has been valued at nil, in keeping with the Charities SORP._
_The Church property which is used to carry out the activities of the Church includes the Church Hall and the Manse which are being depreciated over their estimated economic life of 50 years._
an
CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
31st December 2023
11. INVESTMENT PROPERTY
Investment
Property
Total
Cost or valuation
At start of year
Transfer in
Disposals
Revaluation
587,851 587,851
At end of year
587,851 587,851
Land and buildings owned by the Church and heldfor long-term capital appreciation and not currently
in regular use by the congregation includes the property und lund ot 69 Church Road (known as
Bumbles) and Sexton s House Lund & Buildings.
12. DEBTORS
2023
2022
HMRC - Gift Aid Receivable
Prepayments & Accrued Income
10,163
5,391
43,423
4,811
15,554
48,234
## **13. CURRENT ASSET INVESTMENTS 14. CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND**
**15. CREDITORS: amount falling due within one year**
an
CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
31st December 2023
16. FUND BALANCES AND RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Fund Type/Name
Balance
at start
Income
Expend.
Gains/ Transfer Balance at
Losses
end
Endowment Funds
Endowment Fund
65,527
65.527
2,000
2,000
67,527
67,527
Sub-totals
Restricted Funds
Tangible Asset5
Fixed Asset Investment
#69
Property
Property Trust
World Development
Appeal
Presbyterian Children's
Society
Royal British Legion
Christian Aid
Bowling Club
Boys, Brigade
Choir
Hilltop Group
Manna for Men
Presbyterian Women
Sunday School
Sub-totals
85,819
587.851
29,488
14,204
2,302
(4,690)
83,431
587,851
33,249
14,204
44,661
(23,503)
(17,397)
365
{365)
514
{514)
(91)
(94)
91
94
515
2,108
15
590
139
877
2,003
724.673
157
1,701
672
1,413
15
617
139
1,071
2,011
724,673
(1,996)
(400)
1,398
(1,121)
(250)
1,732
(1,238)
(300)
51,959
(33,612)
(18,347)
Unrestricted Funds
General Fund
Bequest Fund
Youth Organisation
Sub-totals
(1,276)
147,184
125
72,834
(90,892)
4,000
18,347
3,013
147,184
125
146,033
72,834
(90,892)
4,000
18,347
150,322
Total Funds
Totals
936.233 124.793 (124.504)
6,000
942,522
There may be minor discrepancies in the totals (not exceeding £1) due to rounding
an
CASTLEREAGH PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
a Congregation of The Presbyterian Church In Ireland
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
31st December 2023
17.
RELATED PARTY TRANSAcfIoN
One of the Trustees, the minister of the Congregation received remuneration of £35,233.56
and expenses of £6,701 for acting in that capacity. A pension contribution of £8,456.25
was paid by the Congregation in respect of the minister to the Presbyterian Church in
Ireland Pension Scheme (2009). None of the other trustees received any remuneration.
During the year the Congregation contributed the following amounts to Funds of the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, a separate charity:
£13,981 for Congregational Assessments
£4,055 towards the United Appeal
The congregation contributed £760 towards Presbytery Assessments during the year.
There were no other related party transactions.