an CROSSGAR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Registered Charity in Northern Ireland {NIC105408)
an CROSSGAR 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 2023 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Crossgar congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Moneybrannon Road, Coleraine Registered Charity in Northern Ireland INIC105408) CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Ivan Scott William Reid Wallace Moore James Cameron William Linton Ronnie Mcllroy Knox Jones PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurers Secretary Knox Jones William Reid Edwin Calvin & Wallace Moore Sam Campbell INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Sam Kelly F.F.A. 220 Windyhill Road, Coleraine BT514JL BANKERS: Danske Bank SOLICITORS: Croasdaile LLB, New Row, Coleraine
an CROSSGAR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) STRucfuRE 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 anv 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 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 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 ministers in active duty in the congregation, has no deliberative but only a casting vote. The Kirk session met on eleven occasions during 2023. 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.
an CROSSGAR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) 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. Crossgar congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Coleraine and Limavady 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 A55embly 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. Crossgar 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 purposes is to so proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by word and deed, so that bythe power of the Holy Spirit unbelievers will hear and respond in repentance and faith and having received new life in Christ will grow in maturity. We seek to advance Christ's Kingdom, both in spiritual maturity and numerically within our congregation, in the local community and further afield.
an ACTIVITIES AND OBJEcfivES The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visltors are welcome to join. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is observed three times 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. The congregation holds regular Bible study meetings jointly with Aghadowey Congregation and has a range of other activities including Sunday School Youth Fellowship Presbyterian Women ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Worship and prayer The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday from September to June at 10.45am and in July and August at 10.15am. During the week (October- May) the Midweek Programme, in conjunction with Aghadowey Congregation, provides an opportunity for members to meet together for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer. Two growth Groups met during 2023 and alternated with traditional midweek meeting. As well as our regular services during the year three funeral services were conducted for members. No baptisms took place during the year. At 31 December 2023 there were 141 communicant members and 65 families connected with the congregation. The average weekly attendance at morning worship is 70. 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 and elders. Mission and outreach It has been our priority over recent years to increase our contact with those who claim connection to the congregation but seldom or never attend worship or any congregational activity. This has been done through regular visitation and distribution of evangel istic literature.
an We host a children's Holiday Bible Club with the goal of reaching out to all the children living in the district, both those who are associated with our congregation, and those with no church connection. This outreach has been successful to sorne extent in attracting un-churched children to the club. In 2023, we held a four-day club with up to 50 children enrolled. The Church hall continues to be used in our children's, youth and adult ministry, with view to reaching out beyond our nominal congregation. Our Youth Fellowship meets regularly with both spiritual and recreational activities and special events during the summer months, Through our congregational missionary committee, we support a missionary family, with regular prayer information made available within the congregation. We have established a link with two congregations in the Republic of Ireland with a view to mutual encouragement.
an CROSSGAR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBITERFAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont'd) 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, provide5 grant support for the upkeep of church premises, assist 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 contributes to the denominations annual World Development Appeal, and any other special appeals. Presbytery The congregation was represented at the regular meetings of Presbytery by our minister and / or one of the elder5. 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 Z023, Property General maintenance was carried out during the year. Organisations Sunday School The Sunday School meets from 10.00- 10.40am, before the Church Service and did so on 40 occasions during 2023. A total of 20 children were enrolled with four teachers and one helper in oversight. A professionally produced Biblically based syllabus was used. During the winter months we held a monthly Saturday evening Bible Seekers Club for children of primary school age. Up to 24 children attended. The Sunday School pupils also took part in the service on Children's Day and at Harvest and Christmas.
an Youth Fellowship The Youth Fellowship had four leaders, onejunior leader and four helpers with up to 22 young people in attendance. During the year various activities took place including talks given by special Euests, as well as indoor and outdoor games and sport5. A Youth service was also held and a weekend away took place. Member5 attended Youth services organised by Presbytery. Presbyterlan Women Around 12-15 ladies gathered in the Church Hall normally on the third Tuesday of each month from Januaryto March and September to December. The programme was centred around the theme 'Deeper Togetherf in the early part of ii)e year and in the latter part the theme was 'Being Transformed, . Some ladies attended the annual PW Conference in Belfast. An annual Service was held, a walk took place, and tea in a local hotel was enjoyed. Volunteers 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.
an CROSSGAR 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 lincludingthe 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 ways. The benefits are demonstrated through regular evaluation of the services and informal and ad-hoc feedback from member5, their familie5, 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 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.
Presbyter an CROSSGAR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN 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 87 contributors during the year [94 in 20221 donating a total of £24,712 {£25,552 in 2022}. Total Income of the congregation during the year was £55,009 compared to £61,825 in the previous year. Total expenditure increased from £56,576 to £61,597. 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 congregations total income does not exceed £250,000, the Trustees have elected under Section 6413) of the Charities 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 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 on 4u' and signed on its behalf by [Name] INamel [Date] [Datel 10