FIRST DROMORE CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statempnts for the year ended 31 December 2022 Registered Charity in Northern Ireland {NIC105072)
FIRST DROMORE 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 First Dromore congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 3 Dlamond Rd Dromore BT25 1PQ Registered Charity in Northern Ireland {NIC105072) CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date ofthi5 report were: Rev Jonathan McKane (Chairperson) Dr Harold Samuel Gamble Mr. Samuel Alan Poots Miss Margaret Black McGrehan Mr Trevor Poots Mr. William John Wilkinson Mr. David Leslie Cassells Mr. Samuel Rowland Patterson MSC Mr. Jim Cochrane PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurer Congregational Secretary Rev Jonathan McKane Mr. William John Wilkinson Mr. Samuel Alan Poots Mrs Jane McBratney
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Ivan Shannon & Co Accountants 39 Church Street Ballynahinch Co Down BT24 8AF BANKERS Ulster Bank Ltd 18 Bow Street Lisburn Co Antrim BT28 IBN SOLICITORS John Elliott Solicitors 40 Linenhall Street Belfast BT2 8BA
FIRST DROMORE CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) 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 ministers in active duty in the congregation, has no deliberative but only a casting vote. Stated meetings of the Kirk session are held once a month and at other such times for other purposes as deemed appropriate by the code. 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 off ice can be either by the congre8ation 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. First Dromore congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Dromore 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 congregatton.
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. First Dromore Church 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 purposes is by the grace of God, to help people of all ages become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Our vision is, by the grace of God, to be an inclusive, welcoming community of Christ's 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 Christ and have a passion for reaching and building up the next Eeneration. 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 prartice, AcfiviTIES AND OBJECTIVES
The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is obsepled 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/prayer meetings and has a wide range of organisations including Sunday School & Bible Class Girls Brigade POPS (Parents of Pre School) Badminton Club Boys Brigade Friendship Group Young Adults- Lighthouse Group Presbyterian Women Men's Discipleship Group Bowls and Table tennis ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Worship and prayer The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 11.30am and 6.00pm. We celebrated communion on 6 occasions. We were also glad to be able to renew fellowship with our Methodist friends on Good Friday for a special communion service. Evening services have taken various formats and have sought to include participation from members of the congregation. A midweek meeting on 2nd and 4th Wednesday provides an opportunity for members to meet together for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer. This year we have studies a variety of topics including "Quiet Times" the Christian and culture as well as how we express our faith. As well as our regular services during the year we acknowledged God's gift of new life through the Sacraments of Baptism. There were 4 Infant baptisms and 2 Baptisms on profession of faith in 2022. We conducted I marriage service and conducted 8 funeral thanksgiving services and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. At 31 December 2022 there were 159 communicant members and 187 families connected with the congregation. In normal circumstances the average weekly attendance at morning worship is 180. 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, elders and other volunteers. Recordings of our morning services were produced weekly and made available on a Phoneline and YouTube to those who are no longer able to get out to worship due to infirmity or on request. The Social Engagement Team prepared baby gifts for families who had babies in 2022 and these were delivered by the minister. At Easter those aged 70 received a greeting card from the congregation. A Coffee Morning with an attendance of approximately 30 people is held on 1st and 3rd Thursdays providing a warm space for food. friendship, and fellowship. In the Autumn a "Connect" meal was held to help establish and build connections with some of the new families and individuals who had come to the congregation in recent years. At Christmas 2022 a Christmas pack wa5 made available to all families associated with the congregation and delivered by their district elder. Mission and outreach Prayer letters and other information from a range of relevant mission organisation and individua15 are distributed throughout the congregation via a weekly email. From time to time visiting speakers attend worship and they speak about their areas of mission in 2022 we heard about the work of Dromore Youth for Christ {who we financially support monthly) International Justice Mission, Open Doors Scripture Union and European Mission fellowship. This year the congregation also formed a church partnership facilitated by EMF with Pastor Mihai Chisari and Imagio Dei Baptist Church. Several members of the congregation serve on the Board of Governors of Dromore Central Primary, Dromore High School and the Board of Youth for Christ and the Board of Ballynahinch Counselling Services. The minister also produced video assemblies for use in the local primary school. During the summer the congregation organised a Holiday Bible Club (attended by approx. 70. This event had a range of activities including singing, games. memory verses, crafts, and stories from the Bible. In the Spring a series of 4 exploring church membership classes were held to help introduce interested individuals to the basics of the Christian faith, the distinctive of Presbyterianism and the responsibilities and privileges of church membership. In the Autumn the congregation hosted a joint evangelism training event with Banbridge Road Presbyterian Church to equip and inspire church members to share their faith.
In September representatives of session attended an evangelism conference in Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church. 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 it5 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 area5 of worship, discipleship, global mission, outreach, leadership, and pastoral care. Our contribution to thi5 fund in 2022 was £9264. The congregation supported the work of the Presbytery Stand at the Balmoral show financially and prayerfully. Members of the congregation also served on the stand during the show. On the first Sunday in September the Congregation held a "Back to School with God" Service with input from local principals, school staff and pupils. The purpose of this service was to encourage and inspire those in our local educational community. The congregation also contributed to the denomination's annual World Development Appeal to the sum of £400 other special appeals are prayerfully and financially supported, of special note this year was an appeal to Support the church in Moldova in their outreach to Ukrainian refugees following the conflict in central and eastern Europe. Presbytery The congregation was represented at meetings of Dromore Presbytery by our minister and one of the elders. This provides an important link between the congregations and the wider structures of the church. Minutes of the meetings are duly circulated to session members. General Assembly The Minister and one of the elders was nominated to attend the meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast. This year th the Generally Assembly took place from the 22. to 25 June. Property The Congregational Committee continue to provide oversight and maintenance of our suite of buildings, manse, and graveyard. During 2022 a'new heating system was installed in the
manse. A fire alarm system was installed in the main Church Building which is monitored centrally for both Church and Halls. Organisations Men's Discipleship A group of 12-15 men met once a month to discuss a book relating to how real~life issues interact and impact faith. These evenings provided the opportunity for good intergenerational discussion and fellowship. Foundations This was a quarterly course that sought to introduce and refresh participants on core practices of the Christmas faith using mixture of upfront teaching, interviews, and workshops. Presbyterian Women A new committee was elected in the autumn and 3 events were held including an introductory get to know you games night, a mission focus evening with restoratives from Leprosy Mission and a Christmas hand lettering workshop. These events were attended by approx 40 ladies and provided great opportunities for intergenerational fellowship and friendship. pops On a Wednesday morning approximately 20 Adults and 25 babies and pre-school children gather in our main hall for friendship and play. The children are provided with a healthy snack and parents offered tea and scones. There is also some singing and rhyme time. These mornings have proven to be an invaluable source of support to new and experienced mums and carers especially post pandemic. Young Adults- Llghthouse Group The Lighthouse Group meet monthly for bible study and prayer. Girls Brigade Girls Brigade meet on a Tuesday night with 59 girls registered.
Social Bowls Social bowls are played in the church hall on the second and fourth Tuesday morning in the month from September to March. Approximately 16 male and female meet on a regular basis. Sunday school Activities included songs, Bible stories, learning memory verses, games and quizzes for primary age children. Secondary school children had classes with their teachers. In June we had a party including games and a bouncy castle. On Children's Day, the children took part in the church service and received gifts. In September we resumed classes for primary age children and had a bowling night for the secondary age group. Friendshlp Group As we were unable to meet in person due to the age profile of our members, we visited and distributed over 30 Easter eggs in April, held a Jubilee party in June and maintained telephone contact until we recommenced our in person monthly programme in October. Boys, Brlgade The Boys Brigade meet on a Thursday night with 126 boys registered with a varied range of activities organised throughout the year these include: Scripture/memory verses Baking /Camping /Crafts Singing/Music (drums) Football/Basketball/Gaga 8all/Stool Ball/Volleyball/Board Games Horsebox/Mat work Christmas Party/Mini Golf/Paintballing Circuit Training Art During the year the boys entered several competitions 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 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 bereavedl. Generally, the above benefit5 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 feEard to the Charity Commissions Public benefit requirement statutory guidance. FINANCIAL REVIEW The congregation's main source of income is member5, contributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering. There were 164 contributors during the year [146 in the previous year, 20211 donating a total of £121,715 (£111,891 in the previous year, 2020). The number of
contributors increased in 2022. There was also an increased number opting for bank standing order facility. Investment income increased by £3634 compared with 2021 due to longer term investment maturing during the year. The total Income of the congregation during the year was £291,478 compared to £143,974 in the previous year. The main reason for the change was a bequest received in the year for £121,998. Grant funding from Education Authority Youth Service was also made available to support the youth organisations. Total expenditure (including organisations) increased from £ £157,784 to £180,029 due to significant increase in running Costs in particular heating and lighting. Property expenditure remained high due to the installation of a monitored Fire alarm system in the main church. 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. 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 16 May 2023 and signed on its behalf by Name Mr William John Wilkin50n Name Mr Alan Poots Date 16 May 2023 Date 16 May 2023