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BALLYCARRY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN
IRELAND
Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2023
Registered Charity in Northern Ireland {NIC104901)

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BALLYCARRY PRESBYfERIAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December
2023 and a Statement of Asset5 and Liabilities as at that date.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Ballycarry congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
60 Hillhead Road, Ballycarry, BT38 9HE.
Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC104901)
CHARITY TRUSTEES
The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were:
Rev Mark Russell
Miss Daphne Bashford
Mrs Mabel Bell
Mr. Mark Campbell
Mrs Anne Cowan
Mr Samuel McAllister
Mr Stephen McFaul
Mrs. Ethel McKibbin
Mr. Samuel McKibbin (retired 31 Dec 2023)
Mr. Arthur McQuitty
Miss Denise Savage
Mr Roy Bamford l(installed 10 Sept 2023)
Mrs Joan Dobbin (installed 10 Sept 2023)
Mr Ivan Jefferson (installed 10 Sept 2023)
Mrs Rosemary Junkin (installed 10 Sept 2023)
Mrs Kristina Loughridge (installed 10 Sept 2023)
Mrs Libby Russell {installed 10 Sept 2023)
PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS
Minister
Clerk of Session
Treasurer
Mark Russell
Daphne Bashford
Mrs Chris Shaw
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
K.A. McAnoy, Accountant
BANKERS
Danske Bank, High Street, Carrickfergus, BT38 7AN
SOLICITORS
MacAuley & Ritchie Solicitors, I St. John's Place, Larne, BT40 ITB

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BALLYCARRY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)
STRUCTURE 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 withln 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 includin8 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 meetin8s, 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 three times in 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 offlce can be
either by the congregation or by the Klrk Session. Members are elected if they obtain two-thirds of
those who vote.
Presbyterv
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 congregatlons assigned to It by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
Ballycarry congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Carrickfergus Presbytery of
thè Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The membership of the Presbytery eonsists mainly of the active
ministers of congregations assigned to it by the General Assembly, ministers who have retired from
active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of the congregation.

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BALLYCARRY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBrfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)
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
representative elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation.
DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE
The charitable purpose of the congregation is the advancement of religion.
Ballycarry congregation of the Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in
Sreland. The Presbyterian Church in 5reland, 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 God's mission to our world.
The congregation's purpose is as described in our mission statement:
Our desire is to be 'a light on the hill,, drowing people togetherfor God andfvr each other
A people
increasingly characterised by love for God, and love and concern for others.
comrnitted to the historic Christian gospel as revealed in the Bible.
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 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 rnaturity 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.

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BALLYCARRY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Icont'd)
AcfiviTIES AND OBJEcfivES
The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The Sacrament of
the Lord's Supper is observed at least 4 times 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 has two Bible study groups that meet regularly. This year these groups continued to meet
both in person and via Zoom. Prayer Cell Groups remained in touch throughout the year and are
constantly updated with prayer needs and requests. It has a wide range of organisations including:
Discovery Bible Club (incorporating our Sunday School and Children's Church)
Connect I (Youth Bible class)
Threads
PW {Presbyterian Women)
Chat and Chill
Parents and Toddlers- Jack and Jlll
Mini Explorer5/Explorers
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Worshlp and prayer
The congregation meets for worship each Sunday at 11.00am with an occasional evenlng service which
we moved to an earlier time to accommodate older rnembers of the congregation who would prefer not
to drive at night. This meant our attendance at the Harvest Service and Carol service was better
attended this year. Each month the Bible Study groups provide an opportunity for members to meet
both in person as well as online for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer.
As well as our regular services during the year, we were able to have special services during Holy Week.
Sadly, we also met to give thanks for the lives of seven members who had died through the year and
sought to bring comfort to those who were bereaved during the year. We were also able to celebrate
the marriage of one young couple from the church.
At 31 December 2023 there were 121 communicant members and 210 families connected with the
congregation. The average weekly attendance at morning worship was 100.

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BALLYCARRY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)
Pastoral care
Thankfully this year saw the easing of restrictions that had prevented us from providing pastoral care
through regular visits to the homes of our congregation. The M inister and Elders sought to visit
members at home, in Residential care and in Hospitals. At the same time, we continued to use the
alternate methods we had utilised during the restrictions such as by telephone and text to encourage
and support one another. The trustees continue to take Child Protection seriously in their activities. The
current Designated persons are Audrey Stewart & Stephen McFaul, who report on this at the Kirk
Session meetings.
MISSION AND OUTREACH
This year we were able to join in several joint worship services with the other congregations in the
village. We met together on Good Friday for a service in St John's church of Ireland. shared in a service
of lessons and carols in our own congregation as well as coming together for the community Carol
service held at the community centre on the Sunday evening before Christmas. We alsojoined with the
congregations of Whitehead and Islandmagee on several occasions to reach out to youth, Ladies and
men through specially themed events.
Throughout the year, services of worship are made available through several social media platforms
such as YouTube and Facebook. The WhatsApp Prayer Group was extended and updated, and other
WhatsApp groups were made available to all members. These allowed us to share and encourage
members as well as pray fortheir friends and others in the community who were going through
worrying and difficult times.
EVENTS
In March we welcomed one of our PCI missionaries, Mrs Naomi Leremore who shared with us and the
wider Presbytery of the work in Kenya.
We held a coffee morning to help raise funds for the Smiles Foundation in Romania as one of ouryoung
adults was going out on mission during the Summer.
Over the Summer months, we continued with our fellowship walks, spending time chatting with one
another and enjoying the good weather. Our Holiday Bible Club, Rocky's Plaice ran from 17th to 215t July
and was well attended and supported from families in the wider community.
We were able to decorate the church for the Harvest celebrations in October with our church choir
leading us in Praise. These floral decorations were then distributed to members of the congregation.

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BALLYCARRY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)
Our HaDJest offering went towards church funds and a tenth was sent to support both the work of the
Presbyterian Church in Galway and the ministry of Release International
At Christmas we had another fellowship event called Coffee and Cralc when we gathered together to
share with one another.
During the year we supported the local food bank and at Christmas we..
Donated toys to the Salvation Army in Larne.
Visited housebound and bereaved members with a gift of shortbread.
Donatlons to external mlsslons and agencles:
As well as the donations mentioned above, the congregatlon supports the United Appeal for Mission
which is a central fund of the Presbyterlan Church in Ireland. Thls fund enables congregations to support
the wider mission of the denomination and to do mission and outreach on a denominational basis
beyond what the congregation could do on its own. The Unlted Appeal Fund provides financial support
for mission personnel at home and overseas, assists con8re8ations with the deployment of locally based
staff, enables church planting, provides grant support for the upkeep of church premises, assists 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, discipleship, global mission, outreach,
leadership and pastoral care.
The congregation contributes to the Presbyterian Children's Society, United Christian Broadcasters,
Christian Aid, World Development Appeal and other special appeals throughout the year including
collection for the Student Bursary Fund at our Ordination and Installation of six new Elders in
September. This fund provides financial support for students for the Ordained Ministry of the
Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
Presbytery
The congregation was represented at the regular meetings of Presbytery by our Minister and
representative Elder. This provides an important link between the congregations and the wider
structures of the church.
General Assembly
The General Assembly met this year in June 2023, slightly later than usual as well as a different format
to try and encourage younger members to contribute to the debates.

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BALLYCARRY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)
Property
The major items of expenditure during the year was the painting of the Meeting House both externally
and Internally and the re-covering of additional chairs for the halls.
ORGANISATIONS
Bible Discovery Club- Children are part of the worship at the beginning of our seniice and then go
across to the Halls after a time of praise and a suitable talk to them to begin their own specialised study.
It is our goal to teach the children about Jesus and God's love for us using Bible Stories and themes,
Christian Songs suitable for young people as well as Quizzes and craft to add to the learning. We have
four different teams of teachers and helpers who share the workload each week, We have 24 children
on the roll with an average attendance each week of around 15. We held monthly Family services when
we all met together with leaders and children of the Bible Discovery Club taking part in the service.
They also led our worship at our Nativity service held in Decernber 2023.
Connect l- Our youth Bible class recommenced this year, again with several volunteer leaders to help
spread the load. There are about 8 young people on the roll, and they spent time thinking of some big
questions such as 'the reality of the Bible 'and 'what happens when I diel?
Creche- Provides a safe place for babies, toddlers & Primary school children during worship on
Sunday. This is made available for any family that need to use the facilities.
Chat and Chill- This continued to meet twice a month although the numbers began to dwindle
towards the end of the year. We are taking time to consider how best to revitalise this work. We also
had a congregational Lunch at Christmas with 50 members in attendance. We used outside caterers and
then were able to spend time together with a Quiz and Carol singing.
Threads- A ladies, group meeting twice monthly with refreshments served. Those attending
knit/crochet for many charitable outlets at home and abroad, There are also ladies who are unable to
come to the meetings but who work at home and are linked into the Group. The items produced by this
group are many and they support mission abroad in Malawi and Romania, and at home mission to
Seafarers, local residential homes, Tiny Life and premature baby units in hospitals, and fund raising by
Age N.1.

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BALLYCARRY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)
Jack and Jlll (Parents and Tots) We are grateful for the volunteers who set up our large hall with play
areas and a variety of toys and puzzles for the children to enjoy, Refreshments for the children and
adults are provided. The accompanying adults also appreciated the chance to come and share; to swap
stories and advice of their own experlences. A number of special evenings were also held in the
evenings to build relationships with the parents and guardians. We are encouraged that the group has
been well attended with many new families joining each week.
Presbyterlan Women (PW) - The airn of this group is to bring women together of all ages for friendship
and support, highlighting the need for love and unity, obedience to God, Christian Living and service to
others using our talents and skills, The group endeavours to support local and global mission.
Membership is open to all women, regardless of race, nationality, disability or sexual preference. The
group is administered by a committee, elected by the group at the AGM and consists of Chairperson,
Treasurer, Secretary and a maximum of two other members of PW. The group meets on a re8ular basis
for a range of activities, including speakers, events and outings.
Indoor bowls- They have not been able to resume their aetivlties as numbers have dwindled
considerablly over the last number of years,
Mlnl Explorers/Explorers- This new organisation caters to boys within the P2-P6, a8e bracket meetln8
weekly in the halls for games, bible stories, quizzes and craft, It seeks to build friendships that they will
be able to take further into life, sharlng with one another along the way. About 12 boys regularly meet
each week, but that number has increased to 25+ when they have held special 'invite yourfriend
evenings,. In September a new related group began catering for an older group from P7 upwards. Even
though the numbers are in single figures, we are encouraged by the commitment of the boys to return
each week and for the leadership team who diligently give of their time each week.
Volunteers
The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of all those who still give freely of their time
by serving on committees and helping with organisations and other church activities in the challenging
time for church life post covid.

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BALLYCARRY CONGREGATION OF THE PRE5BrfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)
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 direct 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 (thé Westminster
Confession 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
(including the 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 noticeboards, 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, theirfamilies, 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 famllies, 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 Commission's Public benefit requirement statutory
guidance.
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BALLYCARRY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The congregation's main source of income is members contributions through the weekly Freewill
Offerin8. There were 161 contributing families during the year donatin8 £53,415 {£51,414 in the
previous year 20221. The Trustees note the increased donatlons by the members and want to
acknowledge their generosity and support.
Total Income of the congregation during the year was £102,105 compared to £118,405 in the prevlous
year.
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES
The Trustees are responslble for preparing the annual report and the financial statements of the
con8re8ation in accordance with applicable law and generally accepted accountlng practice.
As the congregation's total income does not exceed £250,000, the Trustees have elected under Section
64(31 of the Charltles Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 to prepare a receipts and payment account and
statement of assets and liabllities.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accountin8 records that are sufficient to show and
explain the con8re8ation's transactlons and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time its flnancial
position. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the congregatlon and hence for takin8
reasonable steps for the prevention and detectlon of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by the Kirk Sesslon and signed on Its behalf by
Nam
Name
Date Ilth September 2024
Date Ilth September 2024
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