**Trustee Annual Report for Taughmonagh Presbyterian Church 2021** **CHARITY** : Taughmonagh Presbyterian Church ## **CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER** : NIC 104514 **CHARITY CONTACT ADDRESS** : 9 Ballynahatty Road, Belfast BT8 8LE **TRUSTEES** : Robert Love (Minister), Anne Kernohan, Elizabeth Simpson, Rosemary Simpson, Mervyn Morrow and Keith Walsh **OFFICE BEARERS** : Minister – Rev Robert Love, Treasurer – Mrs Mary Armstrong. **BANK** : Danske Bank **Structure and management** : The Kirk Session members (appointed by the Presbytery of South Belfast) are the Trustees of the congregation and under the congregation’s governing document (The Code of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland) Kirk Session seeks to watch and promote the spiritual interest of the congregation and of persons not connected with any congregation within its bounds. It ensures that pastoral care is offered to all members and to those who are not. Kirk Session consists of one ordained minister and five elders of PCI appointed by the Presbytery of South Belfast. Meeting are held at least four times a year. During the pandemic of 2020 meetings were held on line rather than in person. **PROPERTY:** The Charity owns no property. The building which it occupies is in the ownership of PCI’s Council for Mission in Ireland (CMI). The Council holds the property deeds and employs the minister. CMI provides the Minister with a manse which is rented from another congregation at CMI’s expense. The Charity Trustees are not trustees for the property. **ACTIVITIES OF THE CHARITY** : To fulfil the congregation’s purpose of promoting Christian faith and offering help and support to all, Taughmonagh Church is involved in the following activities: - Regular services of Christian worship (11.00 am every Sunday and on other special occasions) - Regular Bible study and times of prayer - A bimonthly worship and social event for adults with learning disabilities - A weekly event for young people in post primary education - Pastoral support for the members - Pastoral support is also offered to any non-members who ask for it, or who come to the attention of the Church - The conduct of funeral and wedding services, and the blessing of children for all who request it. - Raising financial support for a Church-run hospital in Malawi (Money raised is given to the Livingstonia Hospital Partnership (NIC106126) who administer the fund) - Raising financial support for other charities with similar aims to our own (eg Christian Aid) - Participation in the wider work of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. - Making available the Church’s building to other community groups such as the local Primary School and Sure Start. The congregation is represented at the governing bodies of PCI (Presbytery and ## General Assembly) by the minister. **VOLUNTEERS** : The Trustees express their very great appreciation to two Youth and Family workers on continuing secondment from the local Presbyterian congregations of Malone and McCracken Memorial who, along with volunteers from Derryvolgie Halls of Residence at QUB, operate a drop-in facility for post primary young people on a weekly basis. The congregations who employ the two Youth Workers make no charge to Taughmonagh and we appreciate their generosity and support in this. The Trustees also express their gratitude to the members of the congregation who are regular in their attendance at worship and other Church activities, are generous in their financial support, and who see to the upkeep of the property. **PUBLIC BENEFIT** : The Trustees believe that the congregation meets public benefit requirement by providing benefit to its members and the general public by making known the Christian gospel and by giving evidence of Christian faith by the support it offers to all. The only private benefit flowing from our work is related to the minister who is the only paid employee. He is funded not by Taughmonagh congregation but directly from the central resources of PCI. **FINANCE:** The congregation raises its finance by way of personal contributions by the members and by contributions to cover running costs by other users of the property. We also receive voluntary donations from other Churches and individuals. Total income in 2019 was £13767, expenditure £8852.Opening balance was £2482, closing balance £7397.The statement of accounts and independent examiner's letter are attached. As income falls below £250,000, The Trustees choose to submit accounts in the receipts and payment format. The charity’s reduction in expenditure compared to previous years is related to lockdown during the pandemic, when we were permitted (by PCI) to defer our annual contribution to the central funds of PCI’s. The deferred payments, it is hoped, will be paid in arrears over the course of 2021. **PANDEMIC-RELATED ISSUES:** Throughout the pandemic Taughmonagh Presbyterian Church has adhered to the policies of PCI and government guidelines and legislation. From March 2020 through to the end of the year no activities were held in the Church other than a very small number of Sunday services when permitted by government and PCI, and all the required precautions (social distancing, no singing, wearing of face masks, cleaning of surfaces, limiting of numbers and recording of attendees details) were in place. To continue providing benefit to the members of the Church and to the wider community of Taughmonagh during lockdown, the minister continued to conduct funeral services while adhering to Church and Government instructions. He continued to be available to both members of the Church and the wider community by phone and email. Every Sunday he delivered a printed service of worship to all members and a WhatsApp group was set up to help members keep in touch with the minister and with each other. At the beginning of lockdown the Church made its building available to a group of local people including some Church members who organised a Food Bank to collect and distribute food for vulnerable people. This continued for about two months until it was felt that people had adapted to the new situation and could manage to access supplies themselves. Church members contributed generously to the Food Bank and also to an appeal for help from PCI’s International Meeting Point which supports migrant workers and asylum seekers in Belfast. It was impressive to see the extent of this generosity. Robert Love, minister. 27 October 2022