Ballygowan Presbyterian Church Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2022 The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 Decernber 2022. The tslee$ have adopted tlie provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Sialement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective l January 2019). OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Objectives 2nd aims The charitable purpose of the congregation is the advancement of the Christian religion. The Ballygowan congregation of the Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, as a Refomied Church within the wider body of Christ IS grounded in the S¢riptures, and exists to love and honour God through faith in His Son and by the power of His Spirit. and to enable members to play tbetr part in fulfilling God's mission to our world. The congregation's mission statement reads: 'for the glory of God, Ballygowan Presbyterian Church desires to see the making and maturing of disciples of Jesus Chris( this through worshipy fellowsbipj service and evangelism, Our vision is, by the grace of God, to be an inclusive. welcoming community of Christ's people of all ages, 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. remains rel¢vant to people of this time and plac¢. The 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 Intergenerational Community: where adults intentionally take the lead to engage with, encourage and nurture younger membcrs to maturity in Christ. An Outward looking Community.. Whe 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. Significant aetlvities The year 2022 continued to be a challenging one. The numbers attending Sunday morning WOTship have been slowly growing since the pandemic. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is usually observed on three 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. Page I
Ballygowan Presbyterian Church Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2022 OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES The congr¢gation holds regular bible study meetings and bas a wide range of organisations including Sunday School l Bible Class - Youth Club l Youth Fellowship / Young Men's Group l Girls, Group Midweek Fellowship / Life Groups / Energise - Presbyterian Women's Group Parent and Toddlers Boys Brigade Girls Brigade - Bowling Club Badminton Club Various other groups Public benefit 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 pUoseS of the Church include the gaining of an understanding in Christian beliefs as set out in the Bible and in the Cbur¢h'5 subordinate standards (the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Shorter and Larger Catechism5) leading to SPiTitual and moral development and opportunities for response lo Bible teaching. In turn, this framework leads to practical expressions of Christian beliefs and standards in the local community such as througb 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 w&ys. The benefits are demonstrated through regular evaluation of the services and infonnal and ad-hoc feedback from inembers. 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 Agent5 who receive benefits as a result of their holding office or employment. However, this is incTdental and necessary in order to further our charitable purpose. There are no other Private benefits. The beneficiari¢5 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 whlch pastoral services are provided and other communities throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and worldwide which benefit from our engagement with and support foT both Christian and other secular organisalions, charities and individual mcmbers of the public. The Kirk Session has had regard to the Charity Commissions Public benefit requirement statutory guidance. Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of their time by serving on committees and helping with our organisations and other church activities. We continue to have robust child protection policies and procedures in place. Page 2
Ballygowan Presbyterian Church Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2022 ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE Ministry team The ministry team is led by our minister the Rev Nick Cooper. Andrew Martin started a5 a student assistant on 19th September 2021. Our youth ministy continues to tlourish with Andrew Norrie our part-time youth worker in post. Pastoral care and visitation is supported by Robin Fairbairn our pastoral care worker. Worship and prayer The congregation usually meets for worship each Sunday at I1..30am and for half the year in the evening at 6-45pm. Average attendance at Sunday morning worship is around 130. During the week there are opportunities for members to meet together again for fellowship, to smdy the scriptures and for a time of prayer. As well as our regular Sunday services durtng the year we acknowledged God's gift of new life at 6 Sacraments of Baptism / Dedications and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved duTing the year. marriage service was conducted in 2022. At 31 December 2022 there were 349 comrnunicant members and 519 families cormected with the congregation, 101 of whom do not contribute financially. Pastoral care Members of the congregation wlio are unabl¢ to attend church due to sickness or age are visited on a regular basis by the minist¢r, elders OT by the congregation's pastoral care worker. Mission 2nd outreach At a local level the congregation nonnally reaches out to our community regularly through the work of our part-time pastoral care worker and through the work of our various action teams who organize regular events e.g. Café Church. Family Fun Days, Holiday Bible Club, Cinema nights, Concerts, picnics, trips and other special events. At an international level the congregation previously completed a substantial fund-raising effort to help refurbish the outpatient and etnergency departments of Kiwoko Hospital in rural U8anda a Christian hospital we have developed strong links with. During 2022 we sponsored rural eye clinics from Kiwoko Hospital and it is anticipated that this sponsorship will continue year on year. Another overseas mission focus is in helping encourage and support the local church and villagers in a small village {Budai) in Moldova. A team from our Church went out in 2022. The church continues to make regular donations to other various external missions and agencies and this continued in 2022. The congregation also supports the United Appeal for Mission which is a central fund of the PresbyteTian Church in Ireland. This fund enable5 congregations to SUPPOTt 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 fmancial 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, assists with th¢ running costs of Union Theological College, the Church's training college for ministy students. and financially supports congregation5 in the areas of worship. discipleship, global mission. outreach, leadership and pastoral care. Presbytery The congregation is 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 meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland was held in Assembly Building5, Belfast. Page 3
Ballygowan Presbyterian Church Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2022 Property The congregation continues to maintain its buildings and facilities. Finances The trustees give thanks for the ongoing support of so many who continue to give financially to the work of the Church. However our finaiicial situation is giving us concem with the current high costs of electricity, heating oil etc. Organisations The table below gives a brief summary of the organisations and average attendances. Age Range Frequency of meeting Monthly (Sept-may) Bi-weekly (Sept-june) Weekly (Sept-Apr) Average attendance 0/0 non members Organisation Notes Ballygowan PW Group 45-90 30-35 Midweek Fellowship Badminton Club 40-90 18+ 15 15 Sat 21. Weekly (Sept-Apr) Wed 90-110 Weekly (Sept-Apr) 24 Weekly {Sept-Apr) 90-100 Twice Monthly before (Easter, Harvest, Christmas) Twice monthly (Sept-may) Weekly (Sept-June) Twice monthly (Sept-Apr) Altemate months Weekly (Sept- June) Junior YC, once per month, Senior YC twice per month Sept-June) Weekly {Oct-May) Twice Yearly As required Weekly (Restarted Feb18) 66 Girls Brigade Bowling Club Boys Brigade 3-Adult 18-90 3-18 unknown 50 70 Choir 45-80 18 Energise 40-80 14 Parents & Toddlers 30-35 60 Life Groups Female Focus Sunday School & Bible Class 18-90 40-65 20 12 3-18 66 Junior 40 Senior 20 30 80 21 Youth Club Evening Services Cafe Church Catering Corps 11-18 6-85 3-85 18-80 13 30 Youth Fellowship 11-18 12 Page 4
BAllygoivan Presbyteri2n Church Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2022 FtNANCIAL REVIEW Reserves policy The Congregational Committee have examined the Church's requirements for reserves in light of the main risks to th¢ Church. It has established a policy whereby the unrestricted ndS not cominitted or invested in tangible fixed assets held by the Church should be between 3 and 6 months of the expenditure. The reserves are needed to meet the working capital needs of the Church and the Congregational Cotnmittee are confident they would be able to continue the current activities of the Church in the event of a drop in nding. At the year end the level of reserves available to the Church is £593,832. £548,479 of this is represented by investment in fixed ass¢ts. The remaining £45.353 is sufficient to cover the 3 months reserves policy. At 31 December 2022 the Church also held £35,952 of restricted fiu]ds which have been provided for the purposes specified in note 15. Review of the year The results for the year are sel out in detail on pag¢s 9 to 22. The results show unrestricted net outgoing resources for the year of -£29,921 (2021-£19,791). FUTURE PLANS The Church plans continuing the activities outlined within the Annual Report in the forthcoming years. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT The Kirk Session The charity tmstces of the Ballygowan congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland are the members of its Kirk Session. Under the congregation's governing documen¢ 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 the 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 lo Christian witness and SeICe in the local community and beyond. The Kirk Session has delegated to its Congregational Committee the temporal affairs of the congi'egation 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 (Rev Nick Cooper) and the ruling elders of the congregation. All tnembei's are entitled to propose, speak and exercise equal votes at meetings, except that the Moderator, the minis¢er in active duty in th¢ congregation, has no deliberative but only a casting vote. Stated meetings of the Kirk Session are held every two months and sometinies more frequently if requir¢d. 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 oi'dinances. 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 5
Ballygowan Presbyterian Church Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2022 STRUCTURE. GOVERThANCE AND MANAGEMENT Presbytery Under the Presbyterian Church in Ireland forni of governance the corporate oversight of a congregation is the responsibility of a Presbytery which superintends generally the Spiri1 and temporal affairs of th¢ congregations assigned to it by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Ballygowan congr¢gation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Down Presbyl¢ry of the Presbyterian Church fftn Ireland. The membership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the active ministers of congregations assigned to it by the General Assernbly. minsters who have retired from active duty and an elder appolnted by the Kirk Session of each 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, adrninistration and judicial authority, in dealing with all matters brought before it. The General Assembly is norn)ally 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 eonsists mainly of the active ministers of each congregation, retired minsters and a representative elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATtVE DETAILS Registered Charity number CN105295 Principal address 14 Church Hill Ballygowan Co Down BT23 6JA Trustees Rev N Cooper Mr R Burgess Mr S Cleland Mrs S Cleland Mr J Gabbey Mr J Gibson (Tesigned 2211122) Mrs M Gibson Mr R Gibson Mrs J Gribbon Dr R Harper Mr M Hiles Mr J Jollljston Mr M Lyons Mr D McKee (Clerk) Mr J Mcmordie Mr M Mcmullen Mr J Megraw Mr D Milligan MrJ Ralph Mr C Scott Mr H Scott Independent Examiner Mcllveen Howard Lirnited Chartered Accountants 169a Upper Newtownards Road Belfast BT4 3HZ Page 6
Ballygowan Presbyterian Church Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 Deeember 2022 REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Banker5 Danske Bank Donegal Square West Belfast BTI 6JS Solicitors Hewitt & Gilpin Thomas House 14-16 James Street South Belfast BT2 7GA Minister Rev. Dr. Nick Cooper Clerk of Sesslon David McKee Secretary to Congregational Committee Sharon Mccloy Church Treasurer Welldy Patterson Independent Examiner Mcllveen Howard Limited have been re-appointed as Independent Examiners for the ensuing year. Approved by order of the board of trnstees on ...J.ts IL)LS and signed on its behalf by: Trustee Page 7