Trustees Report Objects of the charity DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE HamThton Road Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland. as a Reformed Church wtthin the wider body of Christ is grounded in the Scriptures a1 exists to love and honour God through faith in His Son arKI by the power of His Spirit. and to enabie her members to play Iheir part in fulfilling God's mission lo our world. OBJECTIVES Duri 2025. the Kirf( SessiorrUstees reaffirmed our misslons to'see UnlieVIng people become faithful follcwers of the Lord Jesus Chrisv and agreed our purpose is to'Love God, Love others and Disciple the Nat)ns'. A wmbar of values which shape everything we and how wg do it were also agreed: O Humllty o CreatNity O Courage PartKipation ll Joy Inl8grily Wa aim to be: A Covenant Communty.. where our rela'OnshIpS are rooted in the promises of God by fiving faithfully toward Him and toward one another. An Intergenerational Communty: where adults Intenti(allY take the lead to ervJ&Je wlth. erourage. and nurture younger members to maturty in Christ. An Ouhvard looking Communty: where we want the blessings of G¢)J that bek)ng to us in the pel to tCC4ne blessiros for others beyond the LDund5 of our communty. As a congregati¢M of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, we believe that the Bile Is the supreme authority ov8r all we do, and that th8 Westrninster Confe6sh)n of Falth, along with the Larger aThJ Shorter Catechisms sat out what we und8rstand the Bible leaches on key matters of Christian farth and kyactice. In order to help achieve our mission and purposes, 5 Purpose Teams were establlsh8d (to replace exk8ting committees) Discipleship C¢Jnmunity Evangelism D Compassion Page15
Global MISon Each Purpose Team is appointed by and report to Kirk Sessicn and convened by an ekjer. Members are selected from the CCgregath?n serve for a minwnum of three years. Summary of the ¢harlty's rnain aclivfties and achlovements To further the aly)ve d)jects and vlsion, the chaiity's main activities and achi8vements were as foll¢)ws.' ACTIVITIES Our church family continues to meet on Sundays, and we have been encouraged through¢JJt 2025 to see many new people join with our many regular attenders at Sunday services and at oth8r times throughoul Ihe week. ve streaming of services cOntUes, lo facilitste th¢)se not able to attend church in person,and also alk)ws thosa living further afi&ld to connect wilh our services. Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church has a wide range of organisations and groups as listed b8bw. Sundays Creche (bab & toddlers). Sunday School (aged 3-pn. cOnnt IY8-10). Conn8cl+ IY11-14), YF (Y8-12}. Roots (Y13-14) Weekdays Boys, Brigade GirL8' Brigade Tots & Co. 1825 Mlnlsty Young Adults Bible Study Discipleship Groups Women's Fellowship Presbyierian Women Real Life Women's B(x)k Club Ladias. Craft & Coffee Group IrKlusNe Bib Club Men's Ministy Events Men's Fcotball Badminton HRPC Globe and ErKJlish COwr ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Page16
Worship and prayer The church famiiy at Hamimon Road meets for worship each Sunday at 11.00am and 6.30pm. Each s8Nlce is followed by lealcoffee in our Welcome Cenlre, gwing further opportunty for people to connect wtth one another. Sunday moming attendance varbs but an approximate average is 450 with, on average. 350 weekly You Tube views. At 31 December 2025 there were 753 communicant memLws, arKI 6 families connected wilh tr congregat[. The number of members who had attended communion at least once this year was 519 which represents an encouragiro irKrease of 80/0 from 2024 and a 220h increase over the past 3 years. During 2025, we were delighted to welcome 27 new Communicant rnembers into our church family. We acknowledged God's grft of new life with 7 Infant Baptisms during 2025. 5 adu requested Baptism on Profession of Faith. We ioumeyed akJngsid8 families who wère bereaved durlng 2025. Pastoral care W8 continu8 to review and develop our pastoral care to allow us to m88t our present and future needs. Each elder 15 responsible for a district comprising approximate 20 households of church members. During 2024 members w8re asked to complete a fom7 indicatlng whether they wish8d to continue receiviro pastoral care from their Ekjer, or via a Dkscipleship Group that they meet with fortnwhtly. Thls was a helpful exercis8 and one which the Kirk Sesslon continue to d8velop as time goes on. We also appreciate the support of (yur Visiting Team, whèrè church members are committed to visitir¥J some of our more senior members. A lot of pastoral Gare happéns weekty as sit side by side in Craft & Coffee Groups, atterKJ Tots & Co. and while sharing lrfe over coffee time on Sundays etc. Mission and outreach Missron and outreach events continued to be central lo the purFMJse of the church. The Drop-in f&ilty in the Welcome C8ntr8 opens on three mornings a week and Is stsff8d by volunteers from the church family. CSSM. a summer prcgramme for children and young people, run by Scripture Union Northern Ireland and facilitated by many young people from the church, was again based In our church halls for a fortnight in July. ContsGt continued with the kxal business communty with around 100 people attending a dinner in the ChUh at the beginning of December, giving us the cpportunty to thank the traders Ih8ir faithful contributi1 to the local communty. Imth the arrival of many seeking sanctuary within our communty, the church has Continued to develop a range of 8UPPOrt actNities to augment the ongoing teaching of Engltsh. Sports provin, craft activrties, tcsether with a weekly drop4n international café known collectwely as HRPC Globe. In 2025 we contlnued a rnonthly collection lor our local food bank, Storehouse. Monthly collectior are in additlon to larger collections 8t Haniest and Chrrstmas which have Ixen ongoing for many ygars. congregatron supports the United Appe81 for Mission whlch k8 a centr81 fund of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. A totsl of £35,203 was raised in 2025 against a target of £31.414 and passed to PCI. This furKI enables congregations to support thè wldèr mission of the denomination and to do mission and outreach on a denominallonal basis beyond what the congregation coukl do on its <)wn. The United Appeal Fund rxovKJes flnancial supwrt for missbn P8ge17
personnel at home and overseas, assists congreg8tlons wilh Ihe deployment of local based staff, enablas church planting, provides grant support for the upkeep of church premises. assists with the running costs of Union Theolog81 Colkge, fhe Church's training colw for ministy Students, aTrJ flnancially supports the congregation in the areas of worship, discipl8ship, global misslon. outreach. badership, and pastoral care. Th8 congregation also h88 a longandIng invdvement in. and Commitment to. mission, Ly)th at home and acrcjss the world. There were 9 familieslcouplesfindividuals in 2025 from the congregation servlng wilh various rn10n agenGies in the UK & Ireland as well as in Africa, Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East. In additK)n, there were 2 Feople from the congregation serviw with PCI ministries (Intsrnational meeti Pcint arKI DonabatelBalbriggan) and 2 people In training - one in Westminster Seminary, Philadelphi8 and one at Regent College. Vancouver. Hamilton Road Presbyterian has also entered into partnership arrangements wtth 11 organisalions working in the UK & IrelaTrJ and in the resi of Ihe world. Hamillon Road also shows its sutwl for mi55ions. dyough Fls relatDnship wRh Ihe annual Wl[h¥Ide Missionary Convention which has been hosted In our buildings for the past 70 years. As well as encouraging prayer support for mlssions wilhin the ¢gregation, the Global Mission Purpose Team received general donations, sp8crfic donations (with rg]uest) and other income of £244,595 {including béqu8St income of £91,644.42 whh is restricted for missions) in 2025 through the Missions Support bank accounl. A lotsl of £226.806 was disburs&J to support the missK)n's family and partner organisations. All budget commitments to missions, family members and partner organisations were honoured. Presbytery The Congregation was represented at the régular meetings of Presbytery by (r minister andl¢y ore of the elders. This provides an imF)Ortant link between Ihe congregatIS and the wider structures of the Church. General AssemtrAy The minister and 0 of our eklers were nominated to attend the meeting of the General Assemb of the Presbyterian Chureh In Ireland held in AssemtAy Buildlngs, BelfasL in June and the Special Assembw held in Deoember. ProkErty Signrficant maintenance was necessary in 2025 to replace a proporticm of the David Searle Hall roof (including removing and re-fitting soLar panels) - a project which Gosl £244,451.Preparations were also made to replace th8 Lantem in the main Ghurch sanctLk8ry and it is planned that work will begin in April 2026. Organisations The full list of organisations is set out atyjve. Our children snd young peopl8 meet at various times throughout the week durfng tem Ime. Many att8nd BB on Monday evenings, GB on Friday evenings and 0th8r organisations on Sundays. Around 300 ar8 involved in these. Page18
Tots & Co.. our group for pr&school aged children and their carers meet each Thursday morning during temi tlmè in 2025. This cfganisalion provides an excellent opportunty for Sla1 interaction for young mums and others with responsibility for small children. Many familias from the loca communty come along to Tols & Co. Throughout 2025 many adults met in small Discipleship Groups on a fortnightly basis in our church buildings and in hornes across Bangor, with others attending prayer meetings, elther online or in person. Our Adult Incluswe Bible Club which meets fortnighuy, continues to be a wonderful means of providir a safe space for adults with intellectual disabilitw to spend time together. socialising with others and enjoying lime away from their homes. Groups for women. including Women s Fellowship and PW. met regularly, and were designed to gNe a balance of leaming and social interaclion. Those ieading our Men's Ministry continued lo organise a varied programme of events throughout the year, encouraging fellowship btheen men of all ages. For the more active in the congregation, a Men's Football Club and Badminton Club ran on Thursday evenlThJs and for IIKJse wrth drffering interests a Craft and Coffee group met each Thursday moming. Volunteers The Trust88s wish lo ackrthvledg8 their deep appreciation of those who give freely of th8ir time by seNing commrttees and leading and helping with organtsations and other church activities. This amounts to an army of several hundred ppie. In planning thg activiti8s, the trustèes have appli&Y the guld8nce on Publ beneftt issued by the Charity Commi&sion. Slrucluro, Governance and Managwnent Th8 Kirk Sesston Th8 charity trustees of the congregation are the members of Its Krrk Session. Under the conegatI¢fI's governing document, The CCe, the book of the ¢onstitution and Government of the Presbyterian Church in Ireiand, the rde of the Klrk Session is 'the oversight and govemment of the cororegation, for the upbuilding of God'$ people in spiritual fruiifulness and hoty accord, and for the extension of Chrtsys kingdom ammJ all people,. In practic8 they ensure pastoral care is in place in the congregation and s88k to further the contribution of the Church to Christian wilness aTrJ service in the local communty and beyond. The KI Session has delegated to its Congregational Committee the tsmporal affairs of the congregation irKluding administering all funds and property belonging to the Congregatic. Members of the Kirk Session are ex-officio members of the Congregational Committee. The Kirk SessM)n COnsts of ordained minlster and the rulirg 81d8rs of the congregations. All rnembers of the Klrk sl0n are entitled to propose, speak, and exercise equ81 votes at meetings, except that the Moderator. lh8 minister in active duty in the congregation, has no deliberative bui onty a castrng vote. Ststed meetings of Kitk session are generally h81d on the 2rMJ Tuesday of each month from September to June and at other times as required. To be chosen for th8 office of the eldership in the congregation, 8 person must be a votirg member and a reguLgr attender at Its ordinances. The seleclion of those proposed to be called to the offic8 can be &ther by the congregation or by the Kirk Sesslon. P8ge19
Training is provided to new Trustees based on material provid9d centrally by the prbyterlan Church In Ireland and tailored to our own congr8gation. Presbytery Under the Presbwerian Church in Ireland fomi of governance the corpfft oversight of a congregatKJn rs the reswjngbility of a Presbytery, which superintends generally the spiritual and temporal affairs of the corvJregalions assigned to it by the General Assemb of the Presbyterian Church in Irend. Hamimon Road Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Ards Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The membership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the actNe ministers of congregations assigned to It by the General Assembty, minislers who have retired from active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk sessi of each COrKJrJat)n. The General Assembty The General Assembty is the suprème crt of the Church, representing in one body the whole Church and acting as its supreme kgislativ8, administration and judicial authority. in d@aling wth all rnatte brought before it. The General Assembly is nornially constituted during the first week in June for worship and to conduct its business. At the end of business, it is dissdved. The memtrwship of the General Assembly consists mainly of th8 active ministers of each congregation, retired ministers and a rw8sentthe 8ld8r appointed by the Kirk Séssion of each congregation. Remunerati¢Jn {[rludirvj vaTiOUS allowances) for key personnel is Set by PCI aryj reviewed annual. Hnanclal Revlew The Congregati,$ main source of unrestricted income Is memb8rs' contributicS through Fre111 Weekly Offering (FWO) recorded givlng. There wére 377 contributors during the year {406 in 2024) donating a totsl of £395.976 to the unrestricled Freewill Weekly Offèring (or General) Fund (£384,941 in th8 previous year). An additional amount of £86,330 was recéNed In the form of Gift Aid {£84,164 in the previt)US y8ar). Once otsr income is taken into account, the total FWO Fund income was £547,577 compared to £539,472 in the previous year {an increase of £8,105). Th level of increase in the totsl giving to the FWO Fund is encouraging and represents Ihe sacrificial commttment of our members despile dIfful1 econom times as well as the continued grc•Nth in the wcffk and ministries of thè church. We give Ihanks to God for His faithfulness in supplying thesé resources to fund the work of the church. Tt)tal inc(*ne of the ¢¢)ngregation for both unrestricted and restricted purposes during the year was £955,477 compared to £1,003,169 in the previous y8ar. The 2025 total Includes the final part of a rnajor legacy amountiro to £91,644.42 (which has beén added to the Misslon SupFth Fund income that was received during th8 year) plus other bequests of £38,237 aThl, exclLbJing these legacy amounts from both yeats, the Increase from 2024 was £22,4281.8. 2.811kn. This Sustained level of income reflects the continued commitrn8nt and gen8ro&ty of memb8rs d8SPite cffigcrftYJ financial uncertainty for many. Th8 increase in FWO Fund Income of 1.7% year-orFyear. and 13% over the last 2 years, has 8nabla Ihe congregation to largely absorb the increases in expenditure outlined b8low and continue to report a SuU$ of Income over exWdure. It is very encouraging that member ContribUrts and other income have increased to enab the developlng and growing Mirist of the church to continue witlvjut any restriction on availabl8 fun(Is. Page110
Total 8xpenditure through th8 FWO Fund was £453,453 of which £270,634, or 60%. r8Med to mlnlsterlal and othgr staff costs (including travel costs, expens8 and staff presentaticM)s). The equfvalent total f 2024 was £489,452 of which £249,668 related to ministarial and other staff costs. Overall expenditure through th8 FWO Fund was in line with th6 previous year with increases in ministry-rslatsd costs being offset by a reduction in $Lgff costs due lo staff vacancies during the year. Overall. a surplus in the FWO Fund. b8fore fund transfers, of £94,124 was recorded. Total expenditure of the congregation for Lth unrestricted and restrfcted purposes durfng the year increased from £795.604 in the prevTrgus year 10 £845,072 - mainly due to the increased salary costs. Net assets at 31 December 2025 are £2,137.C66. The balance of restricted funds is £1.901,033. Plans for future perlods The Kirk Session continue to review how tho church can best sustsin and devebp the ministry of the congregation and will put approwate plans in place to meet these deveioping challeThJ88 Reserves Pollcy The Trust88s h8vÉ considered the level of unrestricted reserves that rt is approlate to hokl takir accounl of current and on9JirwJ commitments. It has been the policy of the Trustees tr) hold the equNalent of at lèast 3 months, normal running costs in cash reserves. The minimum lev81 of unrestricted reseNes has been hdd at £120,000 to take account of increased costs. On December 3111 2025, cash held In the General and Business Investment bank accounts totalled £531,963. This total incknles cash in reLation to restricted funds not hekl in separate bank accounts and thesn't Include unrestricted and restricted income thal still h1 to be transferred from our payfflent pressOr (Stripe) account. The total amount of free cash reserves w8s £211,413 and unrestricted funds including non<ash assets were £236.032. Responslbllitles of Trusto0s undgr charlty law The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees. annual report and the flnancial alaments in accordance with applicab jaw and United Kingdom Accounting Standards {Unlted Kingdom Generalty Accepted AccInti Practice). Charity law requires the truste8S to prepare financial statements for each financial yèar which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the ch8rty as at the balance 8t date and of its incoming resources and application of resources. including income and expenditure, for financial year. In preparing thes8 financFal statements, the trustees are r8quired to.. 1. select suttabfe accounting Oi¢iès and apply them consistendy: P111
- observe the methcKJs aj winciples in the char6S SORP",
- make Judgements and estimates th8t ar8 reasonabk? and pnKlent,'
- state whether the applicable accounting standards have been followed. subject to ary rnateri departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. aTh
- prepare the flnanckql statements a gryng concem basis unless it is inapproprhats to presume that the charity wlll continue in operation. The truste8s are responsibl& for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy al any tlme the financial posltlon of the charity and enable thern lo ensure that the financial slatements comply with the United Kingdom Generally Accepled Accounting Pra¢tNe and Ihe Charitses Act (Norihern Ireland) 2008. They are also resFonsible for safeguardiThJ the ass8ls of Ihe chaiity and hence for lakiry reanab steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Slgnature This report was approved by the trustees, and is signed on their behaw by: Ngme Namè Sl9naturg Signaturo Date 21st Apfil 2026 Oate 21st Apf 11 202b Page112