11 111 ANAHILT CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Regtstered Charlty In Northern Ireland (NIC105185)
ANAHILT CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 indudin8 a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINisfRATIVE DEfAILS Anahilt Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 16 Windmill Road Hillsborough Co Down BT26 6LT Registered Charity In Northern Ireland (NIC1051851 CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who Served during the year or who were Trustees at the date of this report were Mrs Lesley Jayne Bartholomew Mr Noel Graham Mr Laurence Hooke Mr Michael Robert Ramsey Mr Paul Kennedy Rev Laszlo Orban PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Rev. Laszlo Csongor Orban BTh. MTh Clerk of Session Mr Lauren Hooke Treasurer Mr Noel Graham INDEPENDENf EXAMINER Miss Mechelle Law 45 Tullynore Road Hillsborough BT26 6QE
ANAHILT CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (coned) BANKERS Danske Bank SOLICITORS W.G Magine55 & Son 68 Bow Street Lisburn BT28 IAL
ANAHILT CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) srRUCWRE 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 pla 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 Sesslon 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 meetings. except that the Moderator. the ministers in attive dirty in the congregation, has no deliberative but only a o5ting vote. Stated meetings of the Kirk se55ion are held at least twice in each year. 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 fonn of governan 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. Anahilt Congregation of the Presbyterian thurch has been assigned to the Dromore Presbytery of the Presbyterian Churth 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 attive duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of the congregation.
ANAHILT CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) General Assembly The General Assembly is the supreme court of the Churth, repsentIng in one body the whole Church and acting as Its supreme legislative, administration and judiaal authority, in dealing wlth all matters brought before it. The General Assembly is normally constituted during the first week June for worship and to conduct its business. Atthe end of business it is dissolved. The membership of the General Assernbly consists mainly of the attive ministers of each congregation, retired minsters and a representative elder appointed by the Kirk Session of eath congregation. DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE The charitable purpose of the congregation is the advancement of religion. Anahilt congregation of the Presbyterian Churth 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 bythe power of His Spirit, and to enable her members to playtheir part in fulfilling God's mission to our world. The congregation's rn110n purposes is currently under review by the Trustees. Under the guidance of its new minister who was appointed in November 2021. a new mission strategy fit for the life and work of Anahilt Presbyterian will be completed shortly. ACTIVITIES AND 08JECTIVES The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The Sacrament of the Lord5 Supper is observed on three Sundays duringthe 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, worship and prayer meetings and has a wide range of organisations including: Bowls Club - The Ark Girls. Brigade -pw - Youth Fellowship
ANAHILT CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPOltr {conVd) ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Worship and Prayer The Congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 10:30am and also is served by a monthly evening service shared with Drumlough Presbyterian at 6.30prn (usually held at Drumlough's premises). Other speoal Ser41 are held and are advertised. The Midweek Bible Study (Wednesday 8pm, shared with Drumlough) provides an opportunity for members to meet together for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer. Mission Partners also visit regularly at our Midweek. As well as our regular ServIS during the year we acknowledged God's gift of new life at Sacraments of Baptism. we conduct Marriage Servi$ and give thanksfor faithful Servi at Funeral Services and seek to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. At 31 December 2023 there were 106 communi(3nt members and 103 families connetted with the congregation. The average weekty attendan at morning worship 15 around 80. Pastoral care Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age are normally visited on a regular basis by the Minister, Elders or by one of the congregation's pastoral visitors. CD recordings of our ser4ices are delivered to members of our congregation who are unable to attend due to ill-health or age. Mission and outreach At a local level the congregation serves the community with our attivTties which are open to all. We also hold community events, connecting with and ser4ing the community while raisingfunds. Midweek mission evenings have guest speakers connerted to various missions. We 5UPPQrted global Mission with other speaal offerings. induding IO% of our harvest offering going to Tear Fund.
ANAHILT CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (conyd) The Congregation supports the United Appeal for Mission which is a central fvnd 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 whatthe congregation could do on its own. The United Appeal Fund provides financial 5UPPOrt for mission personnel at home and overseas, assists congregations with the deployment of locally based staff, enables church plantin& provides grant support forthe upkeep of church premises. assist with the running costs of Union Theological College, the Church's training college for ministry students, and financiallysupports congregations in the areas of worship. disapleship, global mission, outreadi, 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 l or one of the elders. This prowdes 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. Property Property was maintained but no special projects undertaken Organisations The Ark The Ark is our children's ministry at Anahilt and meets every Sunday during Church. Bowling Club We meet every Friday at 7:00pm from the end of September through to Easter. We have around 18 members but are always looking more members of all ages. We play a lot of friendly matches with other local churches.
ANAHIT CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (conYd} Girw Brlgade The GB meets on Wednesday nights. It 15 for Girls aged 3 to 18. Events for the year included Enrolment SeICe. Annu21 display 2nd Christmas Party and an annual outin8 is arran8ed for the girls one suitable for the youngersection and one forthe older section. The Girls all completed badge work durin8 the year which covered various activtties. Presbyterian Women Anahilt P.W. are a group of women who meet forfellowship and to support mission work. Various speakers from missions and lor actlvity leaders are invited each month Youth Fellowshlp This is an informal gathering for teens and student age from Drumlough & Anahilt congregations and friends not from our churches. Everyone is welcome. There are I0 leaders, one from each church. Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreaation of those who give freely of their time by serving on committees and helping with organisations and other church attivities.
ANAHILT CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convdl PUBLIC BENEFIT sfATEMENT 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 dirett benefts which flow from the purposes of the Church include the gaining of an understanding in Christian beliets 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 respore to Bible teaching. In tum, this framework leads to practical expressions of Christian beliets and stsndards in the local comrnunity such as through the care of those in need {includingthe sick, disabled and bereaved). Generally the above benefFts are delivered locally by congregations and their members, or are facilitated through presbyteries or are organised and delivered ntrally. Local delivery is facilitated by central resources in almost all cases. Public ac55 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 sep4ices and informal and ad-hoc feedback from members, their families, and members of the public The purpose does not lead to harm. The only Priate benefrt flowlng from our purpose Is related to Ministers, Missionaries, Deaconesses, Irish Miss40n workers and Lay Agents who receive benefts as a result of their holding office or emplOnent. However. this is inadental and necessary in order to further our charitable purpose. There are no other private benefits. The benefiaaries of this purpose are members, their farnilies. other individuals that the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is in dirett 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 guIdan.
ANAHILT CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) FINANaAL REVIEW The Congregation's main Sour of income is through members, contributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering and loose Collection. There were 103 recorded families contributing during the year donating a total of £55,647. Total Income of the congregation during the year was £82,537. Total expenditure was £70.756. We are delighted that our income has been more than sufficient to cover the outgoin8S With surplus available to allow us undertake updating projects. sTATEmEr OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES The Trustees are responsible for preparingthe 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,OlJJ, the Trustees have elected under Settion 64{3) of the Chartties 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 disdose with reasonable accurary at any time its financial position. They are also responsible for safeguarding the a55ets of the congregation and hentr for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detertion of fraud and other irregularitie5. Approved by the firk Session at a meeting on 3 October 2024 and signed on its behalf by Name Name Date /7/,/t{ Date