Ardglass Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended December 2018.
Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105124)
Ardglass 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 2018 including a statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
ARDGLASS congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Kildare Street, Ardglass
Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105124)
Charity Trustees
The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were:
Rev. O. Patterson Miss I. Brown Mrs I. Cousins Mr N. Morrow Mr D. Hunter
Principal Office Bearers:
Minister Rev. Owen Patterson Clerk of Session Miss Isobel Brown Treasurer Mr. Derek Cousins
Independent Examiner:
Miss Belinda Reid
Bankers:
Northern Bank, Downpatrick
Solicitors:
J Murland and Co., 15 English St, Downpatrick, BT30 6AP
Ardglass Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Trustees Annual Report (Cont’d)
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 ad 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 Sessions 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 Minister 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 a 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 twothirds 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. Ardglass congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Down 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.
Ardglass Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Trustees Annual Report (Cont’d)
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 are presentative elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation.
Description and Purpose
The charitable purpose of the congregation is the advancement of religion.
Ardglass 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.
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 to teach on matters of Christian faith and practice.
The Congregation’s mission is: - by the grace of God, to see Christ’s kingdom grow in the lives of men, women and children. It is our desire to fulfil Christ’s great commission of Matthew 28:19 to see people of all ages and backgrounds becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
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We desire that people will clearly understand Jesus’ message of salvation.
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We desire that those who grasp that message will grow in their love, devotion and service to Jesus.
Ardglass Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Trustees Annual Report (Cont’d)
The congregation aims to live out its mission and vision as a family of God’s people by being:-
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A bible centred community, living lives that are based on God’s Word and seeking to please Him in all we do.
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An outward looking community that seeks to reach out and welcome people from every background and that seeks to share the Good News of Jesus Christ by our words, welcome and actions.
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At the centre of our local community by being part of it and being relevant in the issues and problems that we seek to help change.
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 four 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 has a range of organisations including: -
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Sunday School/Children’s Church
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Presbyterian Women
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Flower Arranging
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Lenten Bible Study
Achievements and Performance
WORSHIP AND PRAYER
The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 10am.
As well as our regular services, during the year we acknowledged God’s gift of new life at Sacraments of Baptism and gave thanks for faithful services and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year.
At 31[st] December, 2018 there were 35 communicant members and 44 families connected with the congregation. The average attendance at worship is 33.
Ardglass Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Trustees Annual Report (Cont’d)
PASTORAL CARE
Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age are visited on a regular basis. Those who have been bereaved are also provided with support and prayer.
MISSION AND OUTREACH
At a local level the congregation supports Downpatrick which is be the base for the community foodbank. It is staffed by members from all churches. This foodbank satisfies a great need in the community.
The Church was full for the annual Carol Service with people from across the community attending.
The congregation, through its Facebook page, continues to reach out to the local community.
The congregation seeks to support the local community through allowing the use of its facilities and resources. The hall has been used on a regular basis by local groups.
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, providing grant support for the upkeep of Church premises, assists 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 and any other special appeals.
PRESBYTERY
The congregation was represented at the regular meetings of Presbytery by our minister and one of the elders. This provides an important link between the congregations and the wider structures of the church.
Ardglass Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Trustees Annual Report (Cont’d)
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 the Assembly Buildings, Belfast, in June.
ORGANISATIONS
PW meets monthly from September to April, providing ladies with the opportunity for fellowship and fun through a varied programme. They were inspired and challenged through hearing about the work of different people and groups. The annual PW service was held in May and the ladies had a meal at the end of the season.
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 meet 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 the 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 advertisements, websites and social media or in other ways.
Ardglass Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Trustees Annual Report (Cont’d)
The benefits are demonstrated through regular evaluations 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 30 contributors during the year 2018.
A total of £8962 was donated in 2018.
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 receipt and payment account and a statement of assets and liabilities.
Ardglass Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Trustees Annual Report (Cont’d)
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 responsible steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by the Kirk Session on 20[th] October 2019.
Signed on its behalf by
(Name) Miss I Brown (Name) Rev. O Patterson (Date) 20[th] October 2019 (Date) 20[th] October 2019