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nd
2 Newtownhamilton
CONGREGATION OF THE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN
IRELAND
Trustees Annual Report and
Financial Statements
for the year ended
31st December 2023
Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105119)

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2nd Newtownhamilton CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31st
December 2023 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
2nd Newtownhamilton Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Castleblayney Street, Newtownhamilton, Newry, BT35 OPD
Registered Charity in Northern Ireland INIC105119)
CHARITY TRUSTEES
The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this
report were
Rev Robert Mcclure
Mr William Copeland
Mrjames Copeland
Mr Geoffrey Glennv
PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS
Minister
Clerk of Session
Secretary
Treasurer
Rev Robert Mcclure
Mrjim Copeland
Mrsamuel Donaldson
Mrs Betty Maclean
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
W.J. Mcclelland & Co. 7-11 Gilford Street, Tandragee. Craigavon, BT61 2DA
BANKERS
Ulster Bank, 86 Hill Street, Newryp Co. Down, BT34 18T
SOLICITORS
Nelson Singleton Solicitors (Markethill}, 71 Main Street, Markethill, Co. Armagh, BT60 IPH

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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-off icio
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. 2nd Newtownhamilton congregation of the Presbyterian
Church has been assigned to the Newry 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, ministers who have retired from active duty and an
elder appointed by the Kirk Session of the congregation.

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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 ministers 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.
2. Newtownhamilton 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 congregations 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 groce of God, to be an
inclusive, welcoming community of Christ's people of all oges, which,.
is increosingly characterised by love for God, and love ond concern for others,.
Is committed to the historic Christian gospel as revealed in the 8ible,'
is relevont to people of this time ond place.
The congregotion aims to live out its Mission and Vision as ofGmily of God's people by being..
A Covenont Community.. where our relationships are rooted in the promise5 of God by
livingfaithfully toward him and toward one another
An Intergenerational Community.. where adults intentionally toke the leod to engoge
with, encourage and nurture younger members to moturity in Christ.
An Outword looking Community.. where we WL7nt the blessings of God that belong to us
in the gospel to become ble55ingsfor others beyond the bound5 of our community.
As a congregation of the Presbyterion Church in IrelGnd, we believe that the Bible is the
supreme outhority over all we do, Gnd that the Westminster Confe55ion of Faith, olong
with the Lorger and Shorter Catechisms set out what we understond the Bible teaches
on key motters of Christian faith and practice

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ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES
The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The
Sacrament of the Lords Supper is observed 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.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Worship and prayer
The congregation meets for worship each Sabbath at 12.00 noon and 7.00pm. During the
week, the Bible Study 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 give thanks for faithful servants and seek
to comfort those who had been bereaved. At 31st December 2023 there were 62
communicant members and 63 families connected with the congregation. The average
weekly attendance at morning worship is 77.
Pastoral care
Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or old age
are contacted on a regular basis by the minister or an elder.
Mission and outreach
The Elders as under shepherds of the Lord, seek to pastor each family in the congregation
and minister to their needs.
The congregation supported the Poppy Appeal £192.37.
Coffee Morning for Cancer Fund for Children £1231.10
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 basi5
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 Ioc311y 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.

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The congregation also contributes to the denominations 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. 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 June.
Property
The congregation continue to maintain the main meeting house.
Manse, removal of old chimneys and replacing same, cleaning of all fascia and window
frames, replacing tar and drainage around Manse and new kerbing.
Volunteers
The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of their
time, expertise, knowledge and services 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 a5 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

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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 i ncidental
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, Stipend and Church Collections, donating a total of £42930.00
Total income of the congregation during the year was £79506.00 compared to £76718.00 in
the previous year.
Total expenditure 2023 £75044.00 and 2022 £63913.00
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{31 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

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any time its financial position. They are also responsible for safeguarding the asset5 of the
congregation and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of
fraud and other irregula rities.
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Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting on 9 October 2024 and signed on its behalf by
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