an BALLYLOUGHAN CONGREGA ON F THE PRESB ERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRusfEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trsjstees of Ballyloughan Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022 and a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINSTRATIVE DETAILS Ballyloughan Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, 88 Doury Road, Ballymena, BT43 61E Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105323) CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were.. Rev Darran Mccorriston Stephen Burns Wesley Cummings Tony Farquhar Desmond Fulton Crawford Gillespie Nick Greer Jim Heatherington Tom Kerr Stuart McKay Thoma5 McNeill James Morri50n Colin Orr stanley Warwick PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurer Secretary Rev Darran Mccorriston Mr Thomas McNeill Mr Colin Orr Mr Stephen Wilson INDEPENDENT EXAMINER D T Carson & Co, Chartered Accountants, 51-53 Thomas Street, Ballymena, BT43 6AZ BANKERS Ulster Bank Ltd, 49 Wellington Street, Ballymena, BT43 6AD
an BALLYLOUGHAN CONGREGATION OF THE P RI N CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT- CONT'D SOLICITORS Thomas Taggart, 27 Church Street, Ballymoney, BT53 6HS STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT The Kirk Session The charity trustees of the congregation are the members of its Kirk Se55ion. 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 person5 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 congregation. 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 several times each year 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 ordinance5. The selection of those proposed to be called to the office can be either by the congregation or by the Kirk Session. Members are elerted if they obtain the votes of IO-third5 of those who vote. Presbytery Under the Presbyterian Church in Lreland form of governance the corporate oversight of a congregation 15 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. Ballyloughan congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Ballymena Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The membership of the Presbytery con5i5ts mainly of the active ministers of congregations assigned to it by the General Assembly, minister5 who have retired from active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation. The General Assembly The General A55embly is the supreme court of the Church, representing in one body the whole Church and acting as its supreme legislative, administrative 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 attive ministers of each congregation, retired ministers and a representative elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation.
BALLYLOUGHAN CONGRE ATtON OF THE PRESBYfER CH IN IREiAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT- CONT'D DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE Ballyloughan 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 its members to play their part in fulfilling God's mission to our world. The congregation's mission purpose is to grow whole-life followers of Jesus who love God wholeheartedly, each other sacrificially, and God's world generously: We aim to love God wholeheartedly because in Jesus He has first loved us. We aim to love each other sacrificially as Jesu5 has loved us, by being committed to each other, encouraging each other, praying for each other, and offering prattical help to those in need. We aim to love God'5 world generously, locally and globally, by showing respect to everyone, being committed to doing whatever is good, and by sharing the good news of Jesus. ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Sunday Worship Sunday worship is at the heart of the life of the church family. Ballyloughan Presbyterian Church aims for 115 worship to be intergenerational and inclusive, a place where all are welcome. Services take place every Sunday morning at 9.30am and 11.00am as well as currently once per month on Sunday evenings at 6.30pm. Our Sunday Services are also livestreamed online. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is obsewved on several occasions during the year and baptisms are administered to children of believing parents and adults upon profession of faith. Children are welcomed and encouraged to participate in worship. There is a busy Thrive programme for primary children, and a breakfast group and 'SOLiD' Bible class for young people. There is also a crèche on Sunday mornings for pre-school children. Prayer meetings are held regularly with prayer offered to individuals following each setvice. During the year our minister conducted 4 baptisms and we admitted 20 new people into full membership of our church. At 31st December 2022 there were 308 communicant members and 320 families connected with the congregation. The average weekly attendance at morning worship has grown to an average attendance of around 320 across our Lwo morning Services. Pastoral care Members of the congregation are visited by the Minister, Pastoral Worker and elder5. Those who are sick, elderlyi the bereaved and those facing difficult circumstances are given special attention through regular visits, phone calls and the provision of support, friendship and prayer.
an BALLYLOUGHAN CONGREGATION OF THE pREsBERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT- CONT'D Mission and outreach Meeting together for Sunday worship is at the centre of the life of our church family and continues to be well supported. We recognise that we learn more and journey better when we journey as an inter-generational community. Above all we seek, in worship to glorify God, to enjoy coming together as a family of all-ages and stages in His presence and to leave challenged to be agents of change in the spheres of work and life to which we return. An Alpha course is run regularly to seek to engage those who are seeking or wanting to explore the Christian faith further. We a150 att as a collection and distribution centre for Ballymena Foodbank, under the umbre15a of the Trussell Trust. Each Thursday we run an 'Open Door, drop-in, to which people can come for breakfast, help from Foodbank, information about our Job Club or other assistance. The congregation also supports the United Appeal for Mission which is a central fund of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. 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 planting, provides grant support for the upkeep of church premises, assists 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 supports financially, prayerfully and practically the work of Dublin Christian MiS5iDn, the work of a Baptist church in Koprivnica, Croatia, as well a5 having an ongoing partnership with a mission station of the United Liberian Inland Church where we support the running of a medical clinic and school. We also operate a monthly envelope scheme administered by our Missions Committee which allocates the proceeds to other charitable causes and mission partner5. Presbytery The congregation was represented at the regular meetings of Presbytery by otjr minister and one of the elder5. This provides an important link between the con9regation 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 During the year, the church was involved in the usual schedule of minor maintenance and repair works. No major work was carried out on the church premises.
an BALLYLOUGHAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CH RC IN I ELA TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT- CONT'D Organisations Ballyloughan Presbyterian Church runs numerous organisations for the benefit of the community. These include Significant provision for children and young people. Our Girls, Brigade and Boys, Brigade Companies provide a varied programme of activities for children of primary school age, as does our Community Youth Club. On Friday evenings, a youth group is run with a Christian focus called The Mix, led by the church's Youth Worker and other volunteers. Opportunities for deeper discussion and prayer are provided by small groups and our monthly Prayer Central. A weekly Parents / Carer5 and Tots group is held. Alongside these aciivities, there is a weekly Wednesday cafe for folks to drop in to, including senior citizens, as well as a monthly Thursday Lunch Club for seniors. We also run occasional meetings for women and men. Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of their time by seNing on committees 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 reli9ion. The dirett 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, thi5 framework lead5 to practical expression5 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 acces5 15 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 Mini5ter5, Missionaries, Deacone55e5, Irish Mission workers and Lay Agents who receive benefits as a result of their holding office or employment. However, Ihis 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 wo,-Idwide which benefit from our engagement with and 5UPPOrt 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.
an BALL LOUGHAN CONGRE TtON OF THE P EsBERIAN CHU HINI ELAND 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 contributing families during the year donating a total of E122,270. Total Income of the congregation during the year was £315,603 compared to £287,095 in Ihe previous year. Total expenditure increased from E189,624 to E224,621. RESPONSIBILITIES IN RESPECT OF THE FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS The Trustee5 are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice The Trustees are required to prepare financial Statements for financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the congregations and the financial activities for that year. In preparing the financial statements the Trustees are required to: Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the funds will continue in operation. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufFicient to show and explain the funds transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the congregations arbd enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Statements of Recommended Practice "Accounting and Reporting by Charities (l January 2015)" They are also responsible for 5afe9uarding the assets of the congregation and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. GOING CONCERN The activities of the congregation are dependent on ongoing contributions from its members. The Trustees are of the opinion that the congregation has sufficient resources at the date of approval of these Financial statements to meet commitments which will arise in the year from the date of signing this report and 5ubjeci to the continuing support from members to fund on an ongoing basis the congregation's current activities and other financial commitments. RESERVES POLICY The Trustees have considered the level of unrestricted reserves that it 15 appropriate to hold taking account of current and ongoing commitments. It is the policy of the Trustees to hold at least six month's normal expenditure. At the year end unrestricted net current assets were £81,824 and are sufficient to meet this policy. The Trustees consider it prudent to hold reserves at this Sevel as the funding of its present activities is dependent of the ongoing financial support of member5.
Presbyter an BALLYLOUGHA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT- CONT'D RISK REVIEW A review of major risks has been undertaken by the Trustees and systems and procedures implemented to manage identified risks. The principal risks are in relation to the likelihood of reputational damage and financial risks associated with the expectation of ongoing financial support from members. These risks are mitigated by the Trustees, and the Congregational Committee, regularly monitoring the various activities of the congregation at stated meetings and by encouraging members in their regular giving. Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting on 20th March 2023 and signed on its behalf by Mr Thomas McNeill (Clerk of Session) Mr Colin Orr (Treasurer) Dated . 20th March 2023 Dated 20th March 2023