Raloo Presbyterian Church
Trustee Annual Report
Year Ending 31/12/2022

RALOO 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 Balance Sheet as at that date.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Raloo Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
72 Raloo Road,
Larne,
County Antrim
BT40 30U
Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC104916)
CHARITY TRUSTEES
The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were
Roy Beggs
Robert Campbell
Sandra Graham
William Hollinger
Geoff McBride
Bryans Mcllroy
Jim Ri
PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS
Vacancy Convenor
Supply Minister
Clerk of Session
Treasurer
Rev Dave Cromle
Very Rev Dr Michael Barry
Geoff Mc8ride
Helen Rice
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Moore Stephens {Nl) LLP
Chartered Accountants
3 High Street
LARNE
BT40 IJN
BANKERS
Danske Bank Limited, 8-9 Donegall Square North, BELFAST, 8T1 5GB
First Trust Bank Limited. 322 Antrim Road, Glengormleyi NE￿￿OWNABBEY, BT36 SEQ
Ulster Bank Limited, 9 Upper Main Street, LARNE, BT40 ISZ

RALOO CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT
The Kirk Se5slon
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 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 Kirk Session consists of the ordained minister and the ruling elders of the 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 vote but only a casting
vote.
Stated meetings of the Kirk session are held at least twice 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 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. Raloo
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 the congregation.
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
The charitable purpose of the congregation is the advancement of religion.
Raloo 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.
Raloo congregation's mission purpose and statement is, by the grace of God, "to encourage people of all
ages to make a profession of faith and become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ., Our vision is, by
the grace of God, to be an inclusive, welcoming community of Chrisvs 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.
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 maturity in Cbrist.
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 suprem¢
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.
ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES
The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are always welcome. 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 prayer/bible study meetings and has a wide range of organisations including
Sunday School, Toddlers, Girls Brigade, Boys Brigade, Youth Fellowship, Friendship Club, Bowing Club,
PW (Presbyterian Women) and Walking Club (Raloo Ramblers).
The main church. church halls and facilities are also used on a regular basis for fundraising towards
various missions, good causes aod fund-raising. The local pIimary school also makes use of the facilities
for services and concerts. External youth & community groups and other religious fraternities whose
aims & objettives are not in conflict with those of PCI, a150 make use of the facilities at Raloo PC.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Worship and prayer
The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 11.30am and Sunday evenin8s as
announced. During the week the Prayer/Bible Study provides an opportunity for members to meet
together for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer.
At 31 December 2022 there were 127 communicant members and 195 families connerted with Raloo
PC. The average weekly attendance at Sunday morning worship (normally in excess of 90) had been
reduced to approximately 50160 during Covid restrictions but this number is increasing..
Pastoral care
When possible, members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age
are visited on a regular basis by the minister, elders or by one of the congregation's pastoral
visitors/committee members.
Mission and outreach
At a local level the congregation exists to love and honour God through faith in His Son and by the power of His
Spirit. and to enable members to play their part in fU￿illIng God's mission locally.
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 5UPPOrt 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,
the Church's training college for ministry students, and financially supports congregation in the areas of
worship, discipleship, global mission, outreach, leadership and pastoral care.
When practical, the congregation also contributes to the denominations annual World Development
Appeal and other special appeals.
The congregation supports local and overseas mission and Christian charities on a regular basis.
Presbytery
The congregation was represented at the regular meetings of Presbytery by our minister and one of the
elders. This provides an important link between the congregations and the wider struttures 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.

Property
The property consists of a main church building with toilet facilities & offices, 2 main halls in separate
buildings each with their own meeting rooms, toilets and catering facilities. The church manse is in close
proximity to the main church and halls. There is also a large adjacent car park and graveyard.
Organisations
The following is a brief summary of the organisations with attendances fluctuating throughout the year
coming out of Covid:
Sunday School - during Sunday morning worship during school tern] time for children 4- 1 l yrs. (up
to 15)
Toddlers - pre-school aged children on a Tuesday morning during the school tenn (up to 41)
Girls Brigade - uniforni orgallisation held on a Monday evening from Sept to March for girls aged 3
to year 14 (up to 65)
Boys Brigade - uniforni organisation held on a Friday evening from Sept to March for boys of
primary and secondary school age (up to 55)
Youth Fellowship - fwst and last Sunday evening of the month for young persons of secondary
school age (up to 20)
Friendship (Thursday Club) - held during the day on Thursdays for adults (up to 30)
Bowing Club- Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from September to June for all ages (up to 18)
Presbyterian Women (PW) - held once a month on Tuesday evenings from September to March for
women of all ages (up to 10)
You can visit our website at www.raloo
c.com or call us forfurther information.
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 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
of Christian beliefs and standard5 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 rnade 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, 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 orderto
further our charitable purpose. There are no other private benefits. The beneficiaries of thi5 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.
Klrk Session Approval
th
Approved on behalf of Kirk Session on 24 May 2023 and signed on its behalf by
Rev Dave Cromle,
Geoff
Bride,
Chair/Moderator & Vacancy Convenor
Clerk of Sesslon at Raloo PC