an BALLYKEEL CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustees present thelr Annual Report and Financial Ststements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Includlng a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS 8allykeel Congregatlon of the Presbyterlan Churth in Ireland 23 Crebilly Road Ballymena 8T42 4DN Reglstered Charlty In Northern Ireland (NIC105290) CHARITY TRUSTEES The CharSty Trustees who seThed durlng the year or who were trustees at the date of this report weie Mr Frantis McKendry Rev Dr Martin McNeely MrThomas Simpson Mr lan Fretwell (Retired 28 November 20231 Mr John Mcvlcker Mr Davld Moore Mf Andrew Houston Mr Gregory Balrd Mr Trevor Mcmullan PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Cleik of Se5slon Secretary Treasurer Rev. Drmartln McNeely MrThomas Slmpson Ms Marie Shiels Mr Mlchael Scroggie INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Mr John Flnnegan Potter Flnnegan Llmlted Unlt 25 The Courtyard Buslness Park 190 Galgorm Rood Ballymena 8T42 IHL BANKÉRS Danske Bank 1-2 Broadway Ballymena 8T43 7PE 50LICITORS McKeJvill Neilty l Broadway Avenue Ballymena BT43 7AA
an BALLYKEEL CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT The Klrk Sesslon The charity tru5tee5 of the congregation are the membersof its Kirk Sesslon. Underthe congregatlon's governlng documenL The Code, the book of the constitution and government of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. the Klrk Sesslon seeks to watch over and plomote the splrltual interest of the congregation and of persons not connected with any congregatlon who are within its bounds. It ensures pastofal care is In place in the con8re8ation and seeks to further the contributlon of the Church to Christian witne55 and 5ervlce in the local community. The Kirk Sessions has delegated to its Congregatlonal Commlttee the temporal affairs of the congre8atlon Includlng admlnlstering all lunds and property belonging to the congregation, Members of the Klrk Sesslon are ex-offlclo members of the Congregational Commlttee. The Klrk Session consists of thè ordained minister and the rullng elders of the congregatlons. All members are entitled to propose, speak, and exercise equal votes at meetlngs. except that the Moderator, the ministers in active duty in the congfegatlon, has no deliberative but only a castlng vote. Stated meetings of the Klrk sesslon are held slx tlmes In each year. To be chosen for the office of the eldershlp In the congiegatlon a person must be a votlng member and a regular attendant on Its ordlnances. The selectlon of those proposed to be called to the offlce can be elther by the Congregatlon or by the Klrk Sesslon, Members are elected if they obtain two-thirds of those who vote. Presbytery Under the Presbyterian Church in Ireland form of governance the corporate ovÈrsight of a tongregation is the rèsponsibility of a P$bYtery which superintend5 generally the spiritual ond ternporal affalr5 of the congregations assigned to it by the General Assembly of the Presbyterlan Church In Ireland. 8allykeel congre£atlon of the Presbyterlan Church has been asslEned to the Ballymena Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The membership of the Presbytery conslsts maSnly of the actlve minlsters of congre8ations assi8ned to It by the General Assembly, minsters who have retired from actlve duty and an elder appolnted by the Klrk Sesslon of the congregatlon. The General Assemblv The General Assembty is the supreme court of the Church, representing in one body the whole Church and acting as its supreme leglslatlve, admlnistration andjudicial authority. in dealin8Wlth all matters brought before it. The General Assembly is normally constituted during the first week in June for worship and to condurt its business. At the end of buslness, it is dlssolved. The membership of the General Assembly consists mainly of the active ministers of each congregatlon. retired rnln5ters and a representatfve elder appolnted by the Klrk Sesslon of each congregatlon. DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE The charitsble purpose of the congregatlon Is the advancement of rellglon. Ballykeel congregatlon of the Pre5byterlon Church 15 a congregatlon of the Pre5byterlan Church In Ireland. The Presbyterian Ch¥Jrch 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 ond by the power of His Spirit, and to enable her members to play thelr part In tulfllllng God's mission to our world.
an BALLYKEEL CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE (cont'dl The congregation's mlssion purpose is to be 3 Church of God's people. called to share and show the Gospel of Christ in every part of our lives, in every place and by the grace of God- and to help people of all ages become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Our vislon is, by the 8race of God, to be an incluslve, welcomlng communlty of ChrlsV5 people of all a8es, which: is intrea5in8ly characteri5ed by love for God. and love and concern for others. Is commttted to the historic Chrlstian gospel as revealed in the Bible. is relevant to people of south Ballymena and further afield. The congregatlon aims to live out its Mission and Vision as a family of God's people by being: A Covenant Communlty.. where our relationshlps are rooted In the promises of God by livlng falthfully toward hlm and toward one another. An Intergenerational Community: where adults intentionally take the lead to engage with, encoura8e, and nurture younoer membèrs to maturity in Christ. An Outward looklng 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 con8re8ation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. we believe that the Bible is the supreme authority over all we do, and that the Westmlnster Confession of Faith. along with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms set out what we understsnd the Blble teaches on key matters of ChrlstSan falth and practice. ACTIVITIES AND 08JECTIVES The congregatlon meets for worshlp every Sunday and vlsitors are wekome to k)In. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper 15 obsetved on several occaslons during the year and all those who have been baptised and who have made a profession of faith In the Lord Jesus Chrlst are adm5tted to the Lord's Supper. The congregatlon holds regular bible study meetill8s and has a wide range of or8anisations including.. Sunday School Yovth Fellowshlp Mldweek Meeting Pensioners Dinner Communlty Servlce Several blble study groups An AGM took place on 24th February 2023. ACHIEVÉMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Worshlp and prayer The conRregation normally met for worship each Sunday at 10.00am. DurlnE the weel the Thursday 1030 Bible Study provlded an opportunlty for members to meet forfellowshlp. to studythe scrlpture5 and for a time of prayer. There has been an encouraglng core of IS or so members meetlng mldweek for the 1030 rneeting. There are 5 new Bible sttjdy groups- men, I mixed and i women's 8roup. The Women's Fellowship also re-started wlth an average Of 27 member5. The Church year of 2023 has seen conslderable encouragement In the life of Ballykeel Presbyterian. Of particular note Is the number of new members who have joined, both through transfer and profe551on of falth. There has also been 3 baptisms and a steady increase in the number of children invofved in the life of the congre8ation. The atmosphere and sense of fellowshlp on Sundays as well as through the week ha5 been Vrrn and welcoming. Some new initiatives have brought speclfk Increase to the OutaCh of the Church. A very successful Alpha course was run on Sunday evenings during the sprin8. Thi5 Saw UP to 40 people gather round tables to explore the Christian faith. A good number came from the Igcal community. A new outreach called the Well ha5 commenced on Wednesday mornings. Thls gatherlng Is almed at people who are free during the day to pop in for a cup of tea, refreshments, and conversatlon. It ha5 attracted a good number of people- agaln, malnly local-with a good spread of age5. All of the usual ministries of the Church have continued well, from small Broupsto prayer meetlngs, to Young Life on a Sunday nlght for teenagers. Overall Ballykeel Presbyterian are in a 8ood position both to celebrats 50 yèars of wltness In 2024 and navigate a new era of vacancy. following the call of the Rev. Dr. Martin McNeely to mls51on work in County Donegal.
an BALLYKEEL CONGREGATION OFTHE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (¢ont'd) Wor$hlp and prayer l¢onVd} As well as our regular seNices during the year. we conducfed 3 marriage services and 8ave thart for faithful services and Sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. At 31 December 2023 there were 90 communicant members and 160 families connected with the con8re8ation. The average week attendance at morning worship is 120. The re8uLar evenin8 service gathers up to 25 people. Normal bu5ifke55 fneetlngs including klrk session and commlttee meetings have tsken place throughout the year. Pastoral care Members of the congreEatlon who are unable to attend church due to skkness or age are vlslted on a regular basls by the minlster. elders or by one of the congregation's pastoral visitors. Mlsslon and outreach At a local level. the congregation serves by practlcal witness. prayer. pastoral vlsltatlon. local mlsslon. and outreach In Ireland and overseas. We support a wlde rarsge of mlsslon includlng Blble teachln& Youth work* practical èid, and translatlon, The congregatlon supports the Unlted Appeal for Mlssion whlch is a central fund of the Presbyterlan Church In Ireland. Thls fund enables con8re8ations to support the wider.mission of the denomination and to do mlssion and outreach on a denomlnatlonal basis beyond what the congregation coukl do on its own. The Unlted Appeal Fund provldes flnanclal support for m155lon personnel at hoffle and oversea5. assists congregations with the deployment of locally based stsff, enables church plantln& provides grant support for the upkeep of church premlses, asslst wrth the runnlng costs of Unlon Theologlcal College, the Church's tralnlng college for ministry students, and financially supports congregatlon In the areas of worshlp, disclpleship, global mission, outreach. leadership. and pastoral care. The congregation also contrlbutes to the denomlnatkon's annual Workl Development Appeal, Sunday School project and any other special appeals, Presbytery The congTegatlon wa5 represented ot the regular meetings of Presbytery by our mlnlster and l or one of the elders. This provldes an Important link between the con8regotions and the wider structures of the church. General Assembly The minister and one of our elders were nomlnated to attend the meetlng of the Generol Assembly of the Presbyterian Church In Ireland held in As5ernbly Buildin8s, BelfasL in June. Property Durlng the year the heatlng pumps were replaced at a cost of £6.000. EI,800 was spent of hedge removal and £1,750 was spent on general church repairs. There were no other major plaCement or renovation works. Organisations Youth fellowshlp attendance 12 every Sunday evenlng Sunday School attendance 30 every Sunday morning Volunteers The Trustees wlsh to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who 8i¥e freely of their time by seNlng on committees and helpin8 Wlth organisations and other church activities.
an BALLYKEÉL CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfEREAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) PUBLIC 8ENEFITSTATEMENT The Presbyterlaft Church in Ireland meets the public benefit qUIrent by providing benefit to its member5 and the gerkeral public by making known the Christian G05pel of the Lord Jesus Christ throu8h the advancement of reli810n. The direct beneflts whlch flow from the purposes of the Church include the gainiftg of an understanding in Christian beliefs as set out in the Bible and in the Church's subordinate standards Ithe Westminster Confession of Faith and the Shortef and Larger Catech15ms1 leadlng 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 Ilncluding the sick. disabled. and bereaved). Generally. the above beneflts are dellvered locally by congregations and thelr members or are facllitated through presbyterles or are organised and delivered centTrlly. Local delivery15 facllltated by central resource5 In almost all cases. Publlc access Is made known through the use of notlceboJrds. prlnted materlal, press advertlsement, websltes, and soclal media or in other ways. The benef$ are demonstrated through regular evaluation of the services and informal and ad-hoc feedback from members, thelr famllles, and members of the public. The puipose does not lead to harm. The only private benefit flowlng from our purpose Is related to Mlnlster5, Mlsslonarles, Deaconesses, Irish Mission workers and Lay Agents who receive benefits as a result of thelr holdlng office or employment. However, thls Is Incidental and necessary In order to turther our charltable purpose. There are no other prlvate benefits. The beneflclarles of this purpose ale members. thelr famllles. other Indlvlduals that the Presbyierian Church in Ireland 15 in direct and indiiect contact with. the community in which pastoral sepilces are provlded and other communitle5 throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and worldwide which benefit from our engagement wlth and support for both Chrlstlan and other secular Of8anlsatlons. charltles, and Indfvldual members of the publlc. The Kirk Sesslon has had regard to the Charlty Commission's Publlc beneflt requlrement ststutory guldance. FINANCIAL REVIEW The congregaiSon's maln source of Income Is members, contrltsJtlons throu8h the Weekly Freewlll Offerlng. There were 81 contiibutors during the year12022: 851 donating o total of £51,030 {2022- £50,788). Total Income of the congregatlon durln8 the year was £104,950 compared to £95.002 In the pievlou5 year, Total expendlture Increased from £110.293 In 2022 to £120.811 in 2023. STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES The Trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report and the flnanclal statements of the congregation in accordance with appllcable law and generally accepted accounting practice. As the congregation's total income does not exceed £250,000, the Trustees have elected under Section 64131 of the Charltles Act (Northern Irelandl 2008 to prepare a CeiptS and payment account and a statement of assets and liabilities. The Trustees are responslble for keepin8 adequate accounting records that ore 5ufficlent to show and explaln the congregation's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time its financial position. They are also responslble for safeguarding the assets of the con8re8ation and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other Irregijlaritles. Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting on 29 February 2024 and signed on its behalf by Rev Dr Martin McNe Thomas Simpy)n TrLEStee Trustee