2022-12-31-annual-report

HYDE PARK 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 (NIC105016)

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HYDE PARK 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

Hyde Park Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Mallusk Road

Newtownabbey BT36 4QE

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105016)

CHARITY TRUSTEES

The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were:

Mrs Lynas Alexander Rev. Jonathan Boyd Mr William Campbell Mr Iain Kane Mrs Margaret Robinson Mr George White

Mr Malcolm Boyd Mr Robert Hendren

PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS

Minister V acant Clerk of Session Mrs Lynas Alexander Treasurer Mr Robert Hendren

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

David Murphy 9 Highgate Drive Newtownabbey BT36 4WQ

BANKERS

Danske Bank Ltd Branch Business Donegal Sq West, Belfast BT1 6JS

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HYDE PARK CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

SOLICITORS

O’Rorke, McDonald & Tweed

37–39 Church Street Antrim BT41 4BD

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 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 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. Hyde Park congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Templepatrick 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.

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HYDE PARK CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

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.

Hyde Park 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 purpose is to be Christ’s ambassadors to a lost world.

Our vision is, by the grace of God, to be an inclusive, welcoming community of Christ’s people of all ages, which:

• Reaches out to our neighbours.

• Is an effective and attractive witness to God.

• Tells a secular world about a holy God.

The congregation aims to live out its Mission and Vision as a family of God’s people by being:

• A prayerful community that aims to identify God’s will and fit into it, instead of trying to fit God into ours.

• 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

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HYDE PARK CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

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 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 and prayer meetings and has a wide range of organisations including:

• Jesus and Me & Bible Class

• Youth Fellowship

• Presbyterian Women

• Friendship Circle

• Mums and Tots

• Keep Fit

• Bowling Club

• Boy’s Brigade

• Girl’s Brigade

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Worship and prayer

The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 10.30am and occasional evening services are held at 7pm. During the week Bible studies and prayer meetings provide an opportunity for members to meet for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer.

As well as our regular services during the year we acknowledged God’s gift of new life at no Sacrament of Baptism, no marriage services and gave thanks for faithful services and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year.

At 31 December 2022 there were 85 communicant members and 95 families connected with the congregations. The average weekly attendance at morning worship is 45.

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 and the elders.

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HYDE PARK CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

Mission and outreach

At a local level the congregation is involved in mission and outreach and donates to the work of external missions and agencies.

Locally, the congregation:

• Runs church programmes for children and young people with the intention of developing the faith of church families and sharing faith with new families. This includes a Sunday School programme called Jesus and me (JAM) and Bible Class during the morning service, a monthly Youth Fellowship programme, and occasional all-age family services.

• Holds Bible Studies that inquirers into the Christian faith can be invited to in order to learn more.

• Helps housebound members of the congregation to keep in touch with services of worship through a CD ministry.

• Provides opportunities to pray and share prayer requests through prayer meetings and a prayer phone ministry.

• Oversees the running of a Boy’s Brigade and Girls’ Brigade company to reach out to children and young people, involving them in several church services during the year.

• Organises special services at significant times of the year where a special effort is made to invite the local community.

• Serves the community through two members of the church who are governors in Mallusk Integrated Primary School, where the minister is Chair of the Board of Governors.

• Conducts outreach to the community including assemblies in Mallusk Integrated Primary School which are conducted by the minister.

• Supports the Christmas Lights Switch On in Mallusk, including participation by the minister in the programme.

• Provides a hub for community activity and an opportunity to engage with local residents by renting out the church halls to organisations which provide helpful activities and services for the local community such as baby exercise classes and martial arts training.

• Helps couples prepare for marriage by offering classes with the minister and publicising classes run by another charity, Christian Guidelines.

• Raises awareness of mission work in the wider church by inviting speakers to come to special services such as the annual PW service.

• Lets members of the congregation know if someone else in the congregation needs help with meals due to illness or bereavement so that individuals can provide practical support .

The congregation also makes donations to:

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HYDE PARK CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

• Occasional fundraising campaigns elsewhere in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland such as supporting the work of missionaries from the Templepatrick Presbytery.

• The Newtownabbey foodbank.

• Blythswood Care shoebox appeal.

The congregation also raises awareness of charity fundraising events that members are involved in and supports organisations in the church when they fundraise for charity.

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 congregation 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, and any other special appeals.

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 congregations and the wider structures 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 October.

Property

Routine maintenance carried out as needed.

Organisations

As anticipated organisations gradually resumed and were active during 2022, while still observing Public Health guidelines.

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.

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HYDE PARK CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

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.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The congregation’s main source of income is members’ contributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering. There were 72 contributors during the year (95 in previous year, 2021) donating a total of £29831 to the Freewill Offering (£48884 in previous year, 2021).

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HYDE PARK CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

Total income of the congregation during the year was £90,498, compared to £91,154 in the previous year. Total expenditure was £67,590, compared to £84,079 in the previous year.

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 congregation’s 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 2/04/2023 and signed on its behalf by:

Robert Hendren Lynas Alexander 2/04/23 2/04/23

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HYDE PARK CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 31 December 2018

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF HYDE PARK CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

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