2023-12-31-annual-report - Ballysally Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

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BALLYSALLY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105410)

BALLYSALLY 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

Ballysally congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 25 Ballysally Road, Coleraine BT52 2QA

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105410)

CHARITY TRUSTEES

The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were

Rev Dr John Coulter Mr Jonathan Doey Mr Charles Edgar Mr Nigel Glenny Mrs Patricia McLester Mr George Montgomery

PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS

Minister Rev Dr John Coulter Clerk of Session Mr Jonathan Doey Treasurer Mr Graham Todd

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

OK Wallace, 101 Coolyvenny Road, Coleraine BT513SF

BANKERS

Ulster Bank, The Diamond, Coleraine BT521DP

SOLICITORS

Anderson & Co 2-4 Dunmore Street, Coleraine BT521AD

BALLYSALLY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

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 seeks 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 five times each year and as appropriate.

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.

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. Ballysally 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.

BALLYSALLY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

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.

Ballysally 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 are To Care for people and share good news; to grow together in spiritual maturity; and to develop an ongoing ministry for Christ in Ballysally.

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 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

BALLYSALLY 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 Lords Supper is observed on four 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. The congregation holds regular bible study and prayer meetings and has a wide range of organisations including

Girl’s Brigade
Men’s Night
Woman’s Night
Tea & Tots
Homework Club
Footsteps
Kid’s Club
Youth Club
Max Youth Group

The congregation is an active partner in the Ballysally Integrated Nurturing Project, working with other groups to help address the high levels of social deprivation in the community of Ballysally. The Project is financed by the Dept for Communities to respond to social need and during 2023 our contribution to the BINP was funded by a grant of £90,402 and during the same period we made payments of £74,179 on salaries, programme costs and running costs up to the end of December 2023. The funding allowed us to employ two full-time and two part-time Youth & Community workers and to provide a wide range of programmes and activities designed to address social need. Programmes included a project to support young people at risk of suspension or exclusion from school; a visitation programme providing support for vulnerable families; the provision of Health Awareness sessions addressing key health issues in the community; a visitation programme and club to support senior citizens in the community and an opportunity for volunteers to develop skills and experience which would better equip them for the employment market.

Our objectives are to

1 Share the good news about Jesus Christ and support and encourage all those who are trying to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.

2 To support and encourage the social, emotional, spiritual, physical and educational development of marginalized children, young people and adults living in the Ballysally area

3 To provide appropriate pastoral care to vulnerable individuals with particular social needs eg addictions, family crisis, bereavement, young people at risk of involvement in crime, vandalism or paramilitarism, and to support and encourage them to make positive and healthy life choices.

BALLYSALLY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Worship and prayer

The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 11am, and at 6.30pm on the last Sunday in the month, although during 2023 we did not meet for the 6:30pm service. During the week our Going Deeper programme provides an opportunity for members to meet together for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer. As well as our regular services during the year we gave thanks for faithful service and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year.

At 31 December 2023 there were 113 communicant members and 140 families connected with the congregations. The average weekly attendance at morning worship was 85.

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 or one of the elders.

Mission and outreach

At a local level the congregation seeks to care for people and share the good news about Jesus through the range of activities and programmes mentioned above. In the past year we also offered a pre-Easter programme including litter picking, a fun day, high tea for senior citizens and an Easter -egg hunt; a week of football coaching for children, young people and adults in July; a week of youth activities in the community and in local schools; and a week of activities for children and teenagers in August. In light of the cost of living crisis the congregation provided food vouchers at a cost of £8980 to all households with a recognised connection to the congregation and its organisations.

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, provides 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.

BALLYSALLY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

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 to be held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast, in June.

Property

During 2023 we carried out a refurbishment of the manse costing £59347. Alternative accommodation was provided for the Minister and his family while the work was being carried out at a cost of £1950. Electricity payments for the church were higher than usual at £16540 due to a sequence of under estimated bills. Arrangements have been made to ensure access for meter readers in future.

Organisations

Girl’s Brigade normally meets weekly on Monday evening and has an average attendance of 45 girls aged from 5-18 years. The lively programme includes games, crafts, singing, cookery, sports, stories, drama and discussion.

A new programme for women started in 2022 continued to involve around 20 women from the church and the wider community. The programme includes speakers and discussion on a range of issues relating to the Christian faith and recreational events and activities to promote friendship and community.

Men’s Night meets monthly on Tuesday evening and has an average attendance of 20 men. The programme includes recreational activities such as pool, darts, table tennis and bowls, outings and talks on men’s health and aspects of the Christian faith.

Tea and Tots is a toddler and carer group which meets weekly on Wednesday morning and has an average attendance of 20 carers and their children. The programme includes time for the children to play and the carers to chat and enjoy a cup of tea.

Homework Club meets weekly on Wednesday afternoon and has an average attendance of 50 primary school aged children. The children are supported and encouraged to complete their homework and then there is time for organised games and juice and biscuits.

BALLYSALLY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

Kids Club is a club for primary school aged children which meets weekly and has an average attendance of 35 children. The programme consists of games, singing, bible stories and quizzes

Youth Club meets weekly on Friday evening and has an average attendance of 40 young people aged 1118 years. The programme includes a range of recreational activities such as pool, table tennis, football, netball, volleyball, computer games, music and occasional talks on health and wellbeing issues for young people.

Max is an interactive magazine based programme combining fun, friendship and an exploration of the current issues and concerns facing young people. It meets weekly on Sunday evening and has an average attendance of 15 young people aged 11 to 18 years.

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.

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 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 members, their families, and members of the public.

BALLYSALLY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

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.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The congregation’s main source of income is members’ contributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering. In 2023 there were 72 contributing families during the year (69 in 2022) donating a total of £86,623 (£63,391 in 2022).

Total Income of the congregation during the year was £242,332 compared to £273,360 in the previous year. The main reason for the change was a general increase in giving to all aspects of the work of the church and the payment from our insurance claim for the replacement of the main hall roof.

Total expenditure increased from £199,849 in 2022 to £268,841 in 2023.

BALLYSALLY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

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 does not exceed £250,000, the Trustees have elected under Section 64(3) 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.