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2022-12-31-annual-report

GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC104910)

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Greenisland congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 166 Upper Road, Greenisland, Carrickfergus BT38 8RW

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC104910)

CHARITY TRUSTEES

The Charity Trustees who served during the year were

Alan Bell Gwyneth Hanna Eric Chalmers Rosemary Kelso Stewart Dickson Susan Mannis Sandra Dickson Joan Page Gillian Douglas Colin Sullivan Stanley Goudie Gavin Watt

PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS

Minister Reverend David Cromie Clerk of Session Joan Page Treasurer Iris McCleery Congregational Committee Secretary Wendy Boyd

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS

Peter Lawther FCA, 17A Lylehill Road, Templepatrick B39 0EN Marilyn Mills FCA, 11 Gorman Close, Greenisland BT38 8GA

BANKERS

Ulster Bank, High Street, Carrickfergus.

SOLICITORS

Magennis & Creighton Solicitors, Shore Road, Newtownabbey.

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT

The Kirk Session

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 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 minister in active duty in the congregation, has no deliberative but only a casting vote.

Stated meetings of the Kirk Session are held in January, March, May, September and November.

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 is on proposals from the congregation. Members are elected if they obtain two-thirds of the votes cast.

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. Greenisland congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Carrickfergus 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.

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN 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. The 2021 General Assembly agreed that from 2022 the General Assembly would convene later in June with the opening night on a Wednesday and business being conducted from Thursday through to Saturday to enable greater opportunity for those entitled to attend to take part in discussions and the decision making process. In 2022 the General Assembly was constituted on 22[nd] June. 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

The charitable purpose of the congregation is the advancement of religion.

Greenisland congregation of the 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 God’s mission to our world.

The congregations vision is to be a Christ-centred, Bible-believing, Spirit-led community that focuses on

The congregation aims to live out its vision by being:

During the year the vision of the church was reviewed and refreshed resulting in the new mission praxis around three key words – Sow, Grow and Go.

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

In Sowing we seek to help others to come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour through evangelism and mission and also by extending the love of Jesus to those we meet. In Growing we recognise that we are called to be disciples and to be effective disciples we are to grow and mature in our own faith.

In Going we recognise the call of the Great Commission to Go out and share Jesus Christ with the whole world.

ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES

The congregation meets for worship every Sunday morning and visitors are welcome to join. The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is observed normally on the first Sunday of every month, alternating between morning and evening service; 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. As evening services did not resume in 2022 the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was observed bi-monthly.

Sunday morning services were streamed on YouTube every week from the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and continue to be streamed weekly.

The congregation holds regular Bible study meetings in small church-based and home-based Bible study groups. During the year 6 small groups met on a regular basis. On average 50 members attend the small Bible study groups.

The congregation has a wide range of organisations including

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Worship and prayer

The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 11.00 am and 7.00 pm. In 2022 the evening services were not held.

During the week the church-based and home-based Bible Study groups provide an opportunity for members to meet together for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer.

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

As well as our regular services during the year, we gave thanks for faithful service and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year and administered the sacrament of baptism to a number of infants of members of the congregation.

A number of special services were also held during the year - Children’s Day in June, Presbyterian Women’s Service in September, Harvest Thanksgiving in October, Remembrance Sunday in November, Boys Brigade Enrolment in November, Young Peoples Nativity Service in December and the Carol Service in December.

At 31 December 2022 there were 279 families connected with the congregation (630 persons of all ages) of which 205 are communicant members.

The average weekly attendance at morning worship was 150. This number is down from pre covid pandemic years as some members haven’t returned to worship in the meeting house due to health reasons.

Pastoral care

Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or advancing years are visited on a regular basis by the minister, pastoral assistant or an elder.

Mission and outreach

In October the congregation appointed a part-time Youth Work Intern. The main function of the Youth Work Internship is to develop and deliver the youth work of Greenisland Presbyterian Church in line with the church’s overall vision and being, first and foremost, a Pastoral support and servant leader to the young people.

At a local level, the congregation provides food hampers for Christians Against Poverty to distribute to those in need in the community on a regular basis throughout the year.

In October the Harvest Thanksgiving Appeal went to support Christian Aid’s work with The East Africa Hunger Crisis, Afghanistan Crisis and the Pakistan Floods, Christians Against Poverty providing support to those most in need in the local community, specifically targeting fuel poverty and Exodus Carrick providing discipleship and missional training for young people.

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

Prior to Christmas, as is its custom, the congregation provided toys and gifts for the Salvation Army to distribute to those in need, were encouraged to use the Samaritan’s Purse Organisation website to contribute to their work distributing shoe boxes with gifts to children overseas by choosing items to fill one virtually and provided Christmas Food Hampers for Christians Against Poverty (CAP) to distribute to those in need in the local community.

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 a 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, assists with the running costs of Union Theological College, the Church’s training college for ministry students, and financially supports congregations in the areas of worship, discipleship, global mission, outreach, leadership and pastoral care.

The congregation also contributes to the denomination’s annual World Development Appeal, the Presbyterian Children’s Society, the Moderator’s Appeal, this year for Ukraine and any other special appeals.

The congregation collects 1p and 2p coins in a display-model toilet for the Toilet Twinning Organisation. This year the money collected provided a school toilet block and a community toilet in Malawi.

The congregation held a family fun day in June to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It was a wonderful opportunity to bring the community of Greenisland together for fun, food and fellowship. Approximately 300 people of all ages attended.

During the first week in August a number of young people from the congregation joined with young people from the other churches in Greenisland and ran a Community Week. Every morning during the week over 120 primary school children were welcomed to a Holiday Bible Club and activities were organised for a daily average of 28 Years 8 and 9 children as well. In the afternoon the young people undertook a number of community services including a car wash to raise funds for the local nursing homes, a litter pick and delivered buns to the elderly members of the congregations. A team of over 90 young people were involved in the community week. This was a great opportunity for young people to

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

experience community, to be encouraged and grow in their faith and we rejoice that some young people came to faith during the week.

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 congregation and the wider structures of the church.

General Assembly

The minister and our Representative Elder attended the meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast, in June.

Property

The congregation ensures that the Church property is kept in good condition and undertakes repairs and maintenance on a timely basis.

During the year a new drum kit was purchased for the church, a new boundary fence was erected at the manse, the fire alarm panel and automatic devices were replaced, the internet connections were upgraded and the Youth Room was refurbished.

Organisations

The church halls are extensively used by the organisations throughout the week.

On a Sunday morning children leave part way through the service to attend CLICK and SWITCH for age appropriate Bible teaching and to explore their faith. The average numbers of children attending CLICK was 20 and on average 8 young people attend SWITCH. The annual Children’s and Young People’s Day Service was held in June, at which a Bible based story book was presented to all the children. The children and young people also participated in the Nativity Service in December.

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

Youth Fellowship, for Young People aged Years 10 to Year 14 meets on alternate Sunday evenings. It is a safe and relaxed space for young people to meet and be encouraged and challenged in their faith and shown how real Jesus is. On average 70 young people attend Youth Fellowship.

Each Monday morning during term time the Mothers and Toddlers Group meets for fun, friendship and fellowship. On average 34 children and their careers attend. Funds raised at Mothers and Toddlers went to support the Moderator’s Appeal for Ukraine and Christian Aid.

The 1[st] Greenisland Boys’ Brigade Company has a membership of 75 boys and meets weekly between September and April, with Anchor Boys (Y2 – Y5) meeting on Friday evenings, Junior Section (Y5 – Y7) meeting on Monday evenings and Company/Senior Sections (Y8 – Y14) meeting on Wednesday evenings. The Boys’ Brigade provides fun, fellowship, games, sport, craft, outings, skills, badge work, Bible Class, competitions and weekend camps. During the year the boys enjoyed a variety of team games including football, basketball and the increasingly popular uni-hoc. At the beginning of the year the Anchor Boys won 1[st] prize in the virtual Anchor Boys Praise Competition. Both the Junior Section and Company Section have participated in a number of the East Antrim Battalion and National Competitions in football, volleyball, table tennis, badminton and Masterteam. A number of boys have attended Leadership Skills Courses to gain their Queen’s Badges and five boys have attended and passed their Skills for President’s Badge Course. The annual enrolment service was held in the church in November.

The Presbyterian Women’s (PW) group meets monthly between October and April and has a varied programme of events and activities. The members use mission boxes to collect money for the support of deaconesses in training, special projects and missionary work. The annual PW Service was held in September. It was followed by a soup lunch with all proceeds from the lunch going to support the Special Projects – PCI’s International Meeting Point in Belfast and the Evangelical Christian Church in Timor.

The Art Club meets on a Monday and has a membership of 12. Members paint and draw using various media. Individual members display their works at art exhibitions.

The Model Railway Club has 6 members and meets monthly on a Monday evening. The Club is open to anyone with an interest in anything to do with railways/model railways. During the year the members visit Model Railway exhibitions.

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

Greenisland KSC (Knitting, Sewing and Crochet) is a group of ladies who meet to do something which they enjoy while at the same time producing useful items for local hospitals and the Simon Community. During the year a large number of blankets, cardigans, hats and mittens were knitted and crocheted and delivered to the neonatal units in the Ulster Hospital, Antrim Area Hospital and the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children. In addition the ladies also made a large number of hats and scarves which were sent to the Simon Community.

Safeguarding

The Kirk Session has appointed 2 Designated Persons to advise the Kirk Session in respect of its responsibilities in relation to Safeguarding. The Designated Persons meet regularly with the leaders of the organisations providing for children and young people, in order to ensure that Risk Assessments are completed and that all prospective leaders are first subject to a criminal background check via AccessNI before they take up post. The names and contact details of the Designated Persons are prominently displayed throughout the premises and on various communications.

Volunteers

The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of their time by serving on committees, leading / helping with organisations, undertaking administrative duties in the church office and other church activities. On average there 50 volunteers both from within the congregation and from other local churches.

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 (the 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

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

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 appropriate 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.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The congregation’s main source of income is members’ contributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering. There were 171 contributors during the year [171 in 2021] donating a total of £110,587, [£103,865 in 2021].

Total Income of the congregation during the year was £199,129 compared to £205,420 in the previous year. The main reason for the change was a decrease in one off gifts.

Total expenditure of the congregation during the year was £191,011 compared to £174,498 in 2021. The increase in expenditure is due mainly to the increased cost of electricity and gas and the appointment of a Musical Coordinator and a Youth Intern during the year.

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GREENISLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements of the congregation in accordance with applicable law and generally accepted accounting practice.

As the congregations total income does not exceed £250,000, the Trustees have elected under Section 64(3) of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 to prepare a receipts and payment account and a statement of assets and liabilities.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the congregation’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time its financial position. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the congregation and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting on 5 February 2023 and signed on its behalf by

Name: David Cromie Name: Joan Page Date: 5 February 2023 Date: 5 February 2023

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