## **SCARVA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND** **Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025** **Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105009)** ## **SCARVA 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 2025 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** SCARVA congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Loughbrickland Road, Scarva, Craigavon Co. Armagh Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105009) ## **CHARITY TRUSTEES** The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Colin Adamson Joan Hammond Robert Heak Robert Jordan George Moorhead Maude Moorhead James Patton Ruth Porter ## **PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS** Convenor Rev. Dr. M C A Gray B.A., M.D. Clerk of Session Robert Jordan Treasurer Colin Adamson ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER** Caroline Ledlie 32 Rockmeeting Road, Loughbrickland BT32 3PD ## **BANKERS** Ulster Bank Limited 22 Bridge Street, Banbridge ## **SOLICITORS** Trevor McBurney & Co 37-39 Rathfriland Road, Banbridge ## **SCARVA 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 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 but only a casting vote. Stated meetings of the Kirk session are held at least four 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 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. SCARVA congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Iveagh 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. ## **SCARVA 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. 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. SCARVA 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 congregation’s mission statement is: Gathered for worship To be sent out For Service 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 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. ## **SCARVA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)** ## **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 admitted to the Lord’s Supper. The congregation holds regular bible study meetings and has a range of organisations including - Sunday School - Presbyterian Women - Parents and Toddlers - Bowling Club - Youth Club - Card Making & Craft Class - Knitting Class - Choir ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** ## **Worship and prayer** The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 10.30am. On the first Sunday of each month, the service of worship is followed by a tea and coffee morning where members can meet together for fellowship. At various times the Bible Study also provides an opportunity for members to meet together for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer. As well as our regular services during the year we gave thanks for faithful services and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. At 31 December 2025 there were 89 communicant members and 71 families connected with the congregation. The average week attendance at Sunday worship is 46. ## **Pastoral care** Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age are visited on a regular basis by the minister or elders’, and each Sunday service is broadcast on FM radio that members can tune into within a certain coverage area. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is observed in their homes as requested. ## **SCARVA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)** ## **Mission and outreach** At a local level the congregation plays an integral part in the community, through visitations as noted above, together with the organization of social events and holding a Friendship Dinner in December for elder members of the community. The Church Hall is used for local events and the local Primary School makes use of the Hall due to their limited facilities. The Connect Holiday Bible Club meets for one week in a local school, and our Church provides volunteers for the week as well as financial assistance and it is open to children of all ages. As a key element in outreach activities, the Church is committed to raising money and providing donations to external missions and agencies. During the year, donations were made to the following missions and agencies: - the Presbyterian United Appeal - The Presbyterian World Development Appeal - Christian Aid - Poppy Appeal - The Presbyterian Children Society - PW Missions - Cystic Fibrosis - Evora Hospice 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, assist 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, Sunday School projects and any other special appeals. Our Presbyterian Women Group is also very supportive of charitable missions and during the year contributed to PW Missions. ## **SCARVA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)** ## **Presbytery & General Assembly** 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. 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 and Equipment** In addition to normal recurring repairs, expenditure on a hand rail for the new church hall ramp amounting to £720 was incurred. ## **Organisations** Normally, each Wednesday, during school term time, the Church hall is used by our parents and toddlers group. The Bowling Club meet every Tuesday night in our Hall, with average attendance of twenty members. As well as practice nights, the club had a busy programme of matches against other local churches. Sunday school and Bible Class have recommenced each Sunday during Sunday Worship and have nineteen children and young adults. Our Presbyterian Women Group has six regular meetings a year as well as special meetings with the wider Presbyterian Women community. The Group is comprised of both our own sixteen members and those from Loughbrickland Presbyterian Church. The Group is heavily involved in charitable work, and contribute to PW Missions. The Card making and Craft class meet every two weeks on Thursdays and the Knitting Group meet each Wednesday. Some of our congregation are members of the Loughbrickland +60s Luncheon Club which usually meets in Loughbrickland Presbyterian church hall, and a number of our children and young adults attend Loughbrickland Presbyterian Church Boys Brigade and Girls Brigade and Youth Club. ## **SCARVA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)** ## **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 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, 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. ## **SCARVA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)** ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** The congregation’s main source of income is members’ contributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering, Harvest Giving and Property Development Fund. There were 107 contributors during the year [number in previous year, 116] donating a total of £36,062 (in previous year, £36,634), excluding gift aid, as well as contributing to various charitable appeals. Total Income of the congregation during the year was £56,928, compared to £56,300 in the previous year. Total expenditure during the year was £38,725, whereas last year’s total was £37,261. This resulted in a surplus of income over expenditure for the year of £18,203 compared to a surplus last year of £19,039. Total final Bank and cash balances at 31[st] December 2025 are £118,101 (last year £99,898). ## **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) 208 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 13[th] March 2025 and signed on its behalf by [Name]. Colin Adamson [Name] Ruth Porter [Date] 24[th] March 2026 [Date] 24[th] March 2026