TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustees present their Annual Report and financlal Statements for the year ended 31 Dpcember 2023 5ncludlng z Balance Sheèt as at that date. REFÈRENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DEfAILS Cuningham Memorial Congregat'lon'.of the Presbyterlan Church in Ireland.. Ma1n stet Cullybackey Ballymena '.BT42 IBN Registered Charlty In Northern Ireland NIC 105553 CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or whts were trustees at the date of this report were:. Rev Noel Mulholland Brlan Anderson Robln Brown lappolnted 3 September2023) Ernest Douglas John Evans. Johh Finnegan Jnr Edwin Hook John Mccord Edward McKendry Geoffrey Mcwilllams Gareth Reaney {appolnted 3 September 2023) Richard Torrle (appolnted 3 September 2023> Davld Wanvlck Mark Allen Wllllam Bamber John Calderwood Robert Edwards (appointed 3 September 2023) John Flnnegan (retlred 6 June 20231 Raymond Holmes Colln Hutchln50n Thomas Mccullough lappointed 3 September 2023) Brfan Mcmlllan Derek Patterson Nelson Stevenson IDled 31.Au8USt 2023) Wllllam Tweed Samuel Warwlck PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARÉR5 Mlnlster clerk.of Session Treasurer secretary Rev Noel Mulholland Mr Colln Hutchinson Mr Brian Mcmillan Mrs Audrey Mellon Ihdependerrt Examiner Jame5 Wallace D. r. Carson &.Co. 51-53 Thomas Street Ballymeha BT43 6AZ BANKERS Danske Bank Broadway Ballymena BT43 7PE
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (conyd) SOLICITORS McKervill Neilly 18roadway Avenue Ballymena BT43 7AA .STRucfuRE AND MANAGEMENT The Klrk Se$51on The charity trustees ot the congregation are the members of Its Kirk Session. Under the congregatlon's governlng docutrnent, The. Code, the book of the constitution and government of the Presbyterian ChurGh In Ireland, the Klrk Session seeks to watch over and promote the splrltual Interest of the congre8ation and of person5 not connected wlth any congregatlon who are within Its bounds. It ensures pastoral rare Is In place In the congregation and seeks to further thE contributlon of the Church to Chrlstlan witness and seryice lrythe local community. The Klrk Sesslons has delegated to Its Congregatlonal Committee the temporal affalrs of the congregatlon Includlng adrrilnisterlng all funds and property belonglns to the congregatlon. Members of the Kirk Session are ex-officlo members of the Congregatlonal Committee. The Kirk Session consi¥'ts of the ordained tliinlster, assoclate mlnister and the ruling elders of the congregatSons. All members are entitled to propose, speak and exerclse equal votes at meetlngs, except that the Moderator, the mlnisters in actlve duty In the congre8atlon, ha5 no deliberative but only a castlng vote. Stated meetings of the Klrk sesslon are held at least twSce In each year. To be chosen for the office of the eldershlp In the congregation a person must be a voting member and a re8ular attendanton its ordlnances. The selection of those proposed to be called to the offlce can be elther by the congregatlon or by the Klrk Sesslon. Member5 are elected if they obtain two-thirds of those who vote. presbytery Under the Presbyterian Church In Ireland forn? of goyemance the corporate overslght of a congregatlon Is the responslblllty of a Presbytery whlch superlntends generally the splritual and temporal affairs of the congtegations asslgned to it by the General Assembly ofthe Presbyterian Church irt Ireland. Cuningham Memorial Presbyterlan Church has been assigned to the Ballymena Presbytery of the PresbyterSan Church in Ireland. The membershlp of the Presbytery ¢onsist5 malnly of the 3rtive mlnister5 of congregations assigned to it by the General Assembly, minsters who have retlred from.active duty and an elder appolnted by the Kirk Sesslon of each congregation. The General Assèmbly The General Assembly Is the supreme court of the Church. representing in one body the whole Church'and attiftg as its SLtpreme leglslatlve, adrnlnlstration and judicial authority, in deallng with oil matters brought before it. The General Assembly is normally constituted in June for worshSp and to conduct Its buslness. At the end of business, it is dissolved: The membership of the General Assembly con515ts mainly of the active ministers of each congregation, retired minstors and a. representsttve elder appolnted by the Klrk Sesslon of each Eongregatlon.
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REpaRT Iconvd) DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE CunlnEh3m Memorlal Presbyterian Church Is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The Ptesbyterian Church in IrelHhd, as a Reformed Church within the wider l)ody of Chrlst 15 grounded In the Scriptures, and exists to love ÉAd honour God through faith in His Son and by the power of Hi5 Splrlt, and to enable the member5 to play their part i fulfllling God s mission to our world. The cangregation's mlsslon purposes Is by the grace of God, to help people of all ages become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Our yision Is. by, the grace of God, to be an inclusive, welcomlng community of Chrlsvs people of all a8es, which; 15 Increasinglv characterlsed by love for God, and love and concern forothers. Is committed to the hlstorlc Chrlstlan 8ospel as revealed ID the Blble. relevant to people of this tlme and place. The congregatlon aims to Ilve out Its Mlsslon and Vlsion as a famlly oYGod's people by belng: A Covenant Communlty: where our relatlonships are rooted in the promlses of God by livln8 fallhfully toward him and toward one another An.Intergenerational Community: where adult5 Intentlohally take the lead to pngage wlth, encourage and hurture younger members to maturlty In ChrlsL An Outward looking Communlty: 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 congre8atlon af the Presbyterlan Church In Ireland. we believe that the 8lble1s the supreme authorlty over,all we do, and that the Westminster Confession of Falth, along wlth the Larger and Shorter Catechlsms set out what we understand the Bible teaches on key matters of Christian falth and practice. AcfiviTIES AND OBJEcfivES The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are vRlcome to joSn. The Sacrament of.the Lords Supper is observed on several occasions durln8 the year and 311 those who have been baptlsed and who have nlade a profession of falth In the Lord Jesus Christ are admltted to the Lord's Supper. The congregation holds regular bible study meetlngs and bas a wide range of organisations includin8:" Sunday School Parents and Toddler5 Bowllng Club Presbyterlan Women Connect Youth Fellowshlp Mldweek Fellowship Men's Fellow5hlp Cholr Young Adults Friendshlp Hotsr 180 Meh
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (tODVdJ ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Worshlp and prayèr The congregation normally meefs forworship each Sunday at.11.30am and 6pm. Each Wednesday evenlng the mldweek bible study prqvld¢s ath opPortunAty for members to meet together forfellowshlp. to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer. As well as our regular servires durln8 the year we acknowledge God's gift of new life at 15acrament of baptisrn, we conducted I marrlage services and sought to comfort those who have been bereaved during the year. During the year there were 8 new communicant members and approximately525 families connected with the congregation. The average weekly attendance at mornlng worship is 275. Pastoral £are Members of the congttgatjon who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age ar£ vislted on a regular basls by, the mlnister5, pastoral asslstant or elders. CD'S and DVDsare available and dlstribyted to. members of the congregatlort who are unable to attend. Church servlces ¢ontSnue to be live Streamed and are available on the churGh:s YouTube thannel. M1551on and outreach At a local level the congregatlon supports: . a couple who are working In Waterford as Church Planters, a young man who is volunteering with Coachin8 for Christ and a deaconesswho vlsited ourchurch from the Ukraine. The eongregation supports the Unlted Appeal for Misslon whlch is a central fund of the Presbyterian Church In Ireland. T17is fund enables congregations to support the wider mlssion ofthe denorninatlon and to do mission and outreach on denomlnatlonal basls beyond what the congregatlon could do on Its own. The United Appeal Fund provldes financlal support fot m15sion personnel at home and overseas, assists congregatlons wlth the deploymo.nt of locally based staff, ,enable5 church plantlng, provides grant support for the upkeep of church premises, assist with the running Costs of Unioh Theological College, the Church's tralnln8 college for min15try students, and fSnanclally supports congregation in the areas of worshlp, discipleshlpi global mlssion, outreach. leadershlp and pastoral care. Presbytery The congregation Wa5 repsented at the regular meetlngs of Presbytery by our minister and one of the elders. Yhls provides an important link between the congregations and the wlder structures of the church. General Assembly The mlnlsterahd one of our elders were nominated to attend the meetlng of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland held in Assembly Buiidln8s, Belfast, In Junè. Property During the yearthere wa5 no major work carried outon our premises. organlsatlons 8owllng Club Our bowlin8 club meets each Tuesday. We have approximately 25 members ahd played in the churches league. At the end of theyear,'we play a tournamentwith our own members. We finlsh theyear with a dinner and prlze glving and our AGM.
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (confd) Presbyterian Wpmeh Cuningham Memorlal PW meet In the Cuningham Suite on the second Wednesday of each month from September 10 April. Approximately 60 ladies attend each month and a variety of speakers attended our meeting during the year. We usually end wlth tea and biscuits. In. May each yearwe have our annual dinner, we also hav& a PW Serviceeach year and at Christmas some of'the members deliver parcels to the more senior In ourcongregatlon who are in Nursing/Residentlal homes or in thelrown home5 and no longer able to attend church. Connectyouth Fellowshlp Connect, Youth Fellowship is a church organisation for teenagers and meets every other Sunday evening betw¢en September and Aprsl with an average of 12 young people attending regularly. Our Sunday eventhg consists of Bible study, toplcal presentationSh pralse and fellowshlp. Sunday School The Sunday School meets on a Sunday Morning from 10:15 to 11.'15 and there are 38 children who attend regularly. Our normal Sunday Includes sln8ln& mernoryverses and lessons from 60 Teach stvdy books. Injune we led the church servite on children'5 day and had our end of year Oullng to W5followed by a barbeque where parent51 grandparents and friends were welcome to attend. Mldweek Fellowshlp. The ibove Fellowship meets weekly on a Wednesday evenin8 (excluding the 2nd Wednesday of the month) ft)r a tlme of Bible Study, Praise and Prayer. The average attendance each nlghti5 around 50 and the meeting lasts for approximately one hour. The last Wednesday nl£ht of each month is usually more focused on prayer. Durlng the year we completed course called Six Steps to Loving Your Church. Cunlngham Men's Fellowshlp Choir The men's fellowshlp choir met throughout the yearwlth an average attendance of 15 men plus two ladle5 who traln the cholr. Our aim is to provide fellowshlp a5 we practlse and sln8 together. We regularly lead the services atsunday worship and we offerour 5ervlces to 80 and slng In various churches, mlsslon halls and nursing homes. Friehdshlp Hour (previously called Youngat Heart) The friendship hour meets on the 4th Thursday of the month from September to May, wSth approxlmately 40 in attendante, We meet forabout I hour startlng wlth a visitlng speaker and ending wlth tea and Ilght refreshments. At the end of the year the member5 look forward to thelrannual ovting. Parents and toddlers This is a crèche group for parents and young children. Parents and toddlers meets pachThursday mornlng from 10.00am to mldday, It ¥lves the parents an opportunity to meet with other parents who have chlldren of a similar age. There are toys fpr the children to play with while the parents can compare notes and meet.together in a relaxed setting. There15 julcè, sondwlches and b15CUits forthe chlldren and tea and scones forthe parents. The thorning ends with a blblestory. 180 Men This org?nisatlon.cDmmenced In September2023. 180 Men meets on the second Thursday of each nlonth With. kpproximately 39men attendlng on each evenlng, Our programme Includes games, testlmonies, fellowship and a short Rpllogue ora vislting speaker. We have plans to develop this work in men's mlnistry In 2024 and beyond with several Ideas on engaging with all men connectedto our church. Volunteers The Trustees wlsh to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give free oftherrtlme by serving on commlttées end helping wlth organlsatlorts, summer outreach activities..soun(L PowerPolnt, Ilve stream. DVD mlhlstry and nlany other church actrvitie5 that have taken place throughout the year.
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPDRT {conYd) PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the publlc benefit re4uirement by providirtg benefit to its members and the general public by makln8 known the Chrlstlan Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of religion. The direct beneflt5 which flow from the purposes of the Church include the gainlng of an understanding in Chrlstian beliefs as set out in the 8ible and in the Church's subordinate standards (the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Shorter and Larger Catechisms) leadin8 to spiritual and moral development and opportunities for response to Blble teachlng. In turn, thi5 framework leads ta prattical expresslons of Christian beliefs and Standards in the local community Such a5 through the care of those in need (includlng the sick, disabled and bereaved). Generally, the above beneflts are delivered locally by congregations and thelr members, or are facilitated through presbyteries or are organlsed and delivered centrally. Local dellvery is facllltated by central resources In almost all cases. Publlt access is made known through the use of noticeboards printed material, press advertisemeJTt, websites, and sotial media or in other wayg. The behefits are demonstrated throu8h regular evaluation of the services and informal and ad-hoc.feedback from members, their familles, and members of the publlc. The purpose doe5 not lead to harm. The only prlvate beneflt flowlng from our purposels related to Mlnisters. Missionaries, Deaconesses, Irish Mlssion workers and Lay Agents who recelve benefits as a result of their holding offlce or employment, However, thls Is Incidental ènd necessary in order to further our charitable purpose.There are no uther private benefits. The beneficiaries of this purpose are members, thelr familles, other individuals that the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Is In dlrect and indirect contact wlth, the communlty in which pastoral seNlces are provlded and other communltles throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and worldwide which benefit from our engagement with ahd support for both Chrlstian and other secular organlsations, charities and individual rnembers of the public. The Klrk Sesslon has had regard to'the Charity Commisslons publlc benefit requlrement statutory guidance, FINANCIAL REVIEW The congre8ation's main source of income Is memberf contrlbutions through the Weekly Freewlll Offerlng. There were 318 contributor5 durln8 the year {320 In 2022), donating a total of £139,4401£131,287 the prevlous year, 2D221. Total Income Df the congregatlon durlng the yearwas £284,035 compared to £278,515 In the prevlous year. T.otal expendlture Ihcreased from £202.971'to £289.439. RESPONSIBILrriES IN RESPEcf OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financlal statements in accordance with applicable law and United KIDgdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. The Trustee5 pre required to prepare financlal staternents foreach financial year which give a true and fair view of the State of affairs'of the con8regations and the financlal octivltle5 for that year. In preparing the financial statementsthe Trustees are requlred to: select sultable accounting policies and then apply them Consistently make judgements.and estlmates that are reasonable and prudent prepare the financial statements on the goihg concern basis unless it Is inappropriate to presume that the Fund5 wlll continue in operation. The Trustees¢re responsible for keeping adequate accountlng recordsthat are sufficient to show and explaln the funds, trans?ctions and disclose wlth reasDnable accuracy at any time the financial position of the congregations and enable thè.m to ensurR Ih3t tbe financial statements comply with the Statement of Recommended Practi¢e Accounting and
Reportlng by Charities {1 January 2015):,. They are glso responslble foi safeguardlng the assets of the congregation and . hence for taking reasonable.steps for the.preventlon and detection of fraud and other irregularities. TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPO.RT {cont'd) GOING CONCERN The actTvltle5 of the congregatlon are dependent on ongolng contribution5 from its members. The Trustees are of the opinion that the congregation has 5ufficlent resources at the date of approval of these financial statements to meet Commitments which wlll arlse in the yearfromthe date of signing thls report and subject to the continuingsupport from 'member5 to fund on an ongolng basls the congregation's current activities and other financial commitrpents, .RESERVES POLICY The Trustees have consldered the level of Unrestricted reserves that it Is appropriate to hold taking account of current and ongoing commitments. It Is the policy of the Trustees to hold at least 2 month's normal expendlture. At the year end unrestricted reserves were £723,418 whlch represents a higher level of reserve5. The Trustees however, consider it prudent to hold reserves at thls level as the funding af its pre.sent activities is dependent of the on80in8 financial support of members. RISK REVIEW A review of maJor rlsk5 has been undertaken by thè Trustees and systems and procedures Implemented to Managè Identtfied risks. The princlpal risks are In relation to the likelihood of reputatlon31 damage and financlal risks associated with the expectation of ongoing financlal support from members. These risks are rnltlgated by the Trustees, and the Congregational Commlttee, regularly monltorlng the various activltles of the cangregatlon at stated meetings and bv encouraglng members In thelr regular 8lvln8. Th55. report was approved by the SEssIDn {trustees} oll 3 June 2024 Noel Mulholland Mlhi5ter Colln Hutchlnson Clerk of Session