an CARGYCREEVY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Cargycreevy congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 192 Old Ballynahinch Road, Lisburn. BT27 6TP. Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105083). CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were. Rev. Leslie Patterson Miss Beth Bell Mr James Crawford Mr Mark Douglas Mr Paul Magill Miss Christine Mcconaghy Miss Heather Mcconaghy Mrs Ella McLoughlin Mr Alan Strain PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurer Rev. Leslie Patterson Miss Heather Mcconaghy Miss Heather Mcconaghy INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Mccleary & Company Limited Garvey Studio5, 14 Longstone Street, Lisburn, Co Antrim, BT28 ITP BANKERS Danske Bank 62-66 Bow Street Lisburn. Co. Antrim. BT28 1YS SOLICITORS W G Maginess and Son 68 Bow Street Lisburn BT28 IAL an CARGYCREEVY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont'd) STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT The Kirk Sesslon The charity trustees of the congregation are the rnembers 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 meeting5, 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 five times in the year i.e., once every two months with a break in the summer. To be chosen for the office of the eldership in the congregation a person must be a voting member and a regular attendant on it5 ordinances. The selettion 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. Cargycreevy 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 Assemblyi minsters who have retired from active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of the congregation. an CARGYCREEVY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) 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. Cargycreevy 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'5 mission purpose is by the grace of God, to help people of all age5 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 Covenont Community.. where our relationships are rooted in the promise5 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 Catechism5 Set out what we understand the Bible teaches on key matters of Christian faith ond practice. an CARGYCREEVY CONGREGATION OFTHE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The Sacrament of the Lord's 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 wide range of organisations including. Girls, Brigade (Closed 2023) Presbyterian Women Bowling Club ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Worship and prayer The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 12.30pm and occasional evening services throughout the year. On a monthly basis our Bible Study provides 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 conducted online services for members and non- members and gave thanks for faithful service and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. On 31 December 2023 there were 68 communicant members and 61 families connected with the congregation. The average weekly attendance at morning worship is 40. 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 elders. Mission and outreach At a local level, the congregation financially supported Mission work through United Appeal, World Development Appeal, Christian Aid and the Presbyterian Children's Society. Due to the Covid-19 Crisis the Congregation was unable to run the usual Holiday Bible Club for the children of their own families and those in the surrounding area. an CARGYCREEVY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) 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 project 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 (the number of these were curtailed due to lockdown caused by Covid-19). This provides an important link between the congregations and the wider structure5 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 due to be held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast. Usually held in June, it was delayed until later in the year. Property During the Year, the inside of the Church building and the outside railings were painted. Organisations Due to smaller numbers the Girls, Brigade Company was no longer able to continue and the few remaining girlsjoined other companies in the area. The Presbyterian Women meet monthly from September to May with a planning meeting, for the following year, in June. It has an average membership of 16 but the meetings would have anything up to 200 depending on the subject matter of the meeting or the speakerls) invited. Bowling Club meets weekly from September to March, playing home and away matches with Bowling Clubs from other churches. It has an average membership of 22. an CARGYCREEVY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN 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 activitie5. 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 using 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. an CARGYCREEVY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN 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. There were 64 contributors during the year [62 in previous year, 2022] donating a total of £25,424. [£24,110 in previous year, 2022]. Total Income of the congregation (including organisations) during the year was £61,419 compared to £55,249 in the previous year. Total expenditure decreased from £55,922 to £51,919. 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 6413} of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 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 Ses n at a meeting on 12 March 2024 and signed on its behalf by [Name] [Namel dl&l [Date] I ' [Datel