LISNABREEN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Registered Charity in Northern Ireland {NIC 105164)
LISNABREEN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustee5 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 Lisnabreen congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland l Lisnabreen Walk Bangor BT20 4XJ Registered Charity in Northern Ireland INIC 1051641 CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Rev Sam Castles David Corbett Robert Woods Gareth Leeburn PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurer Rev Sam Castles David Corbett Maureen Claney INDEPENDENT EXAMINER David Hooks 250 Donaghadee Road Bangor BT19 6NH BANKERS Ulster Bank Springhill Shopping Centre Bangor
LISNABREEN 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 spiritU31 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 furtherthe 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 Kirl< 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 on a monthly basis with the exception of July and August. Additional meetings are held as required 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. Lisnabreen congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Ards 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 the congregation.
LISNABREEN 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 minister5 of each congregation, retired minster5 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. Lisnabreen 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 15 grounded in the Scriptures, and exists to love and honour God through faith in His Son and by the power of His Spirit, 3nd to enable her members to play their part in fulfilling God's mission to our world. The congregations mission statement is"Centred on beholding Christ- committed to building community" 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 congreEation aim5 to live out it5 Mission 2nd 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. 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 bound5 of our community, As 3 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 practice
LISNABREEN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont'd) ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is observed on several occasion5 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 Sunday School Source Club (youth club) Breenies (Mothers and Toddlers group) Presbyterian Women Doorstep Ministries ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Worship and prayer The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 11am. During the week the Bible Study and house groups provide 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 gave thanks for faithful services and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. At 31 December 2023 there were 73 communicant members and 203 families connected with the congregations. The average weekly attendance at morning worship is 80 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 or by one of the congregation's pastoral visitors. Mission and outreach The congregation seeks to engage with the local community through a CAP (Christians Against Poverty) job club. A community outreach worker communicates with local agencies at inter- agency meetings held twice a year and seeks to support vulnerable families in the area. The community outreach worker is also involved with the local primary school taking assemblies, helping with Scripture Union and is a member of the Board of Governors.
LISNABREEN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBITERIAN 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 congregation in the areas of worship, discipleship, global mission, outreach, leadership and pastoral care. 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 There major item of capital expenditure during the year was tarmacing the carpark. Organisations Sunday School meets during morning service and teaches children bible stories at an age appropriate level Breenies is a parent and toddler group which meets every Friday morning. During the year 140 families registered. Breenies offers a safe space for parents to meet and encourage one another. Source Club is a youth group for primary school age children, Up to 40 children meet each week and join in bible stories and games. Presbyterian Women is an organisation for the promotion of local and worldwide mission with 22 ladie5 attending the monthly meeting.
LISNABREEN 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 committee5 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 n Christian beliefs a5 set out in the Bible and in the Church'5 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 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 15 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.
LISNABREEN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN 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 66 contributors during the year, donating a total of £54,691 Total Income of the congregation during the year was £159,796 Total expenditure was £129,418 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 64131 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'5 transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time its financial POSltion. 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 20 October 2024 and signed on its behalf by LLL Rev Sam Castles David Corbett