# **BANBRIDGE ROAD CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND** Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022 Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105222) Page 1 of 9 BRPC Trustee Annual Report 2018_Final ## **BANBRIDGE ROAD 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 2022 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** Banbridge Road Presbyterian Church congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 1 Banbridge Road, Dromore, Co Down, BT25 1AD Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105222) ## **CHARITY TRUSTEES** The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Rev Gary Trueman Mr Irvine Abraham Mr Eric Andrews Mr Simon Cole Mr Colin Heaney Mr Michael Masters Mr Gavin McDonald Mr Gary McNally Mr Alan Robinson ## **PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS** Minister Rev Gary Trueman Clerk of Session Mr Alan Robinson Treasurer Mr Gary McNally Page 2 of 9 BRPC Trustee Annual Report 2018_Final ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER** David Martin, DSM (NI) Ltd, 3B Church Street, Dromore BT25 2AA ## **BANBRIDGE ROAD CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)** ## **BANKERS** Danske Bank, Donegal Square West, Belfast, BT1 6JS ## **SOLICITORS** ## **Conn & Fenton solicitors (inc. WJ Baxter)** ## **39 Bow Street Lisburn BT281BJ** ## **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 is tasked 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 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 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 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 four times in each year and 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. Page 3 of 9 BRPC Trustee Annual Report 2018_Final ## **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. ## **BANBRIDGE ROAD CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN** ## **IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)** Banbridge Road Presbyterian Church 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 Assembly, minsters who have retired from active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of the congregation. ## **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. Banbridge Road 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 statement states _‘In this Church Jesus is central; we love, reach and teach people to help them become more like Him’_ Our vision focuses on equipping individuals through seven core values of His Word, Worship, Prayer, Discipleship, Fellowship, Mission and Service. _Our_ congregation aims to live out its Mission and 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 Page 4 of 9 BRPC Trustee Annual Report 2018_Final 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 Catechisms set out what we understand the Bible teaches on key matters of Christian faith and practice. ## **BANBRIDGE ROAD 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 Lord’s Supper is observed on five occasions during the year and members who have been baptised and who have made a public profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are permitted to partake in the Lord’s Supper. Visitors who profess Jesus Christ as personal saviour are welcome to join in the communion service The congregation holds regular bible study meetings and has a wide range of organisations including ARK Sunday School, Presbyterian Women, Boys Brigade, Girls Brigade, SNATCH Youth Fellowship/Youth Club and Lots-a-Tots. ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** ## **Worship and Prayer** The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 11.30. In addition, the congregation meet for an evening service once a month (excluding June-Aug). During the week the Bible Study and prayer time provides opportunities for members to meet for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer. At 31 December 2022 there were 239 communicant members and 265 families connected with the congregation. The average weekly attendance is approximately 250 at morning worship ## **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, pastoral assistant, pastoral care team member or by one of the elders. Page 5 of 9 BRPC Trustee Annual Report 2018_Final ## **Mission and Outreach** At a local level the congregation seeks to encourage and equip our members to share the gospel on their ‘front lines’ in everyday life: at home, school, university, work, and leisure. We also reach many boys and girls in the surrounding community through our BB and GB Company. Locally we support Youth for Christ, Via Wings (Dromore food bank)and the Belfast City Mission financially and practically. Internationally we support Fields of Life mainly through child sponsorship programmes. 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, and assists with the running costs of Union Theological College, the Church’s training college for ministry students, and financially supports smaller congregations in the areas of worship, discipleship, global mission, outreach, leadership and pastoral care. The congregation also contributes to the denominations annual World Development Appeal, Presbyterian Children’s Society and any other special appeals organised by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland ## **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. ## **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. Page 6 of 9 BRPC Trustee Annual Report 2018_Final ## **BANBRIDGE ROAD CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)** ## **Organisations** Sunday Morning – The ARK supported by a crèche provide spiritual learning for 30 children up to the age of nine BRYM AM (Senior Sunday School meets before morning worship to provide fellowship and spiritual learning for twenty 12-18 year olds Sunday Evening - SNATCH meets at 20:00 provides fellowship and spiritual learning for twenty 12-18 year olds Mid-week our halls are used by: Girls Brigade on a Wednesday night and Boys Brigade on a Thursday night with approximate membership of 80 in each, 160 in total. The Dorcas group of 15 women meet occasionally throughout the year to knit and crochet blankets and children’s clothing supporting mission projects. Presbyterian Women (PW) meet once a month throughout the year to share fellowship and support many missionary activities. The 3 O’clock club senior citizens group meet on the 3[rd ] Saturday of the month to share fellowship and listed to invited speakers. Our mens ministry Band of Brothers (BOB) meet occasionally throughout the year ## **Volunteers** Approximately 100 church members volunteer in some way or another, ranging from supporting morning service (praise band, choir, welcome team, ARK, crèche, technology team, and set-up teams), to supporting church administration (congregational committee, general office, count teams, finance team). Volunteers also participate in an ad-hoc way to support one-off activities such as Holiday Bible Club (summer programme), Belfast City Marathon (raise funds for Mission), Funeral teas and coffee mornings (support families and community). 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. Page 7 of 9 BRPC Trustee Annual Report 2018_Final **BANBRIDGE ROAD CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)** ## **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 Public access is made known through the use of noticeboards, printed material, press advertisement, websites, and social media or in other ways. In Dromore we work closely with the local community including primary and secondary schools who both use our facilities at various times during the year. 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. Page 8 of 9 BRPC Trustee Annual Report 2018_Final ## **BANBRIDGE ROAD 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 212 contributors during 2022 ## **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 exceeds £250,000, the Trustees have prepared the accounts on the accruals basis under Section 64 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. 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 Session at a meeting in September 2023 signed on its behalf by: Minister Treasurer Reverend Gary Trueman 10[th ] October 2023 Mr Gary McNally 10[th] October 2023 Page 9 of 9 BRPC Trustee Annual Report 2018_Final