an HIGH KIRK BALLYMENA CONGREGATION OF THE pREsBER1AN CHURCH IN IREiAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustee5 present their Annual Report and Financial Statements f(the year ended 31 December 2023 indudin8 a ba13nce sheet as at that dète. REFERENCE AND ADMINisfRATIVE DAlls High Kirk Ballymena congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ifeland 65-71 Thomas Street Ballymena BT43 6AZ Registered Charity In Northern Ireland INIC1055631 CHARITYTRusfEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or whowere trustees at the date of this report were Mr David Bellingharn Mf David Boyd lappointecl 22 Oct 20231 MrR an Jess Mr Alistair Maccorkell lappointed 22 Oct 20231 Mr Trevor Magee lappointed 22 Oct 20231 Dr Philip Mccartn f Charles Mcconnell Mr Gordon Mont ome Mr Thomès Montgomery Mr Peter Brown Mr Robin Mitchell Rev Norman Carfteron Mr Clive Fulton (appointed 22 Oct 20231 Mr Colin Patton Mf Ryan Walker (appoint 22 Oct 20231 Mf Clifford White lappointed 22 Oct 20231 Dr Claife Wils0rt lappointed 22 Oct 20231 Mr Stephen Wilson Mr KennyGre88 Mr Bryan MtKibbin Mr james HamiS1 Dr David McLaughlin (appointed 22 Oct 20231 Mr Gary hAcQuoid Mr Francis Hughes PRINapAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurer Rev Norman Cameron Gary MtQuoid Adrian Pcgue AUDoR John Ftnnegan Potter Finnegan knmited Unit 25 The Courtyard Business Park Galgorm Castle, 190 Galgorm Road Ballymena 8T42 IHL BANKERS D3nske Bank l Broadway 8allyrnena ST43 7PE SOLICITORS Mr Andrew M¢Clean JI Mac3uley Solicitors 22 Carnmoney Road fjlengorrnley BT36 6HW
an HIGH KIRK BALLYMENA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) RuuREANO MANAGEMENT The Klrk Sesslon The charity trustees of the congregion are the members of its Kirk Se$519n. Under the congregation's governing docufflent, The Code, the book of the constitulion and government of the Presbyterian Church ifi Ireland, the Kirk Session seeks to watch over and promote the spiritual interest of the congregation and of persons not connetted with any congregation who are within its bounds. It ensures pastoral c3re Is in place Trn the congregation and Seeks to further rhe contribution of the Church to Christian witness and service in the Ical community. The Kirk Session has delegated to It5 Congregational Committee the temporal affairs of Ihe congregation including administerir8 all funds and property belonging to the con8regation. Members of the Kirk Session are exrfficio members of the Con8re8ational Committee. The Kirk Session consists of the ord?ined ministef and the rulin8 elders of the congregation. All members are entitled to propose, speak, and exercise equal votes at meeTings, except that the Moderator. the minister in artive duty In the congregation. has no deliberative but only a casting vote. Stated meetings of the Kirk Session are held at least ten times in each year. To be chosen for the office of the eldership Jn the con8re83tion a person rnust be a voting member and a regular attendant on Its ordinances. The selection of those proposed to be called to the office cèn be either by the congregation or by the Kirk Session. Members are elected if they obtain twthIrd$ of those who vote. Pbytery Under the Pre5byteri8n Church in Ireland form of governance the corporate oversight of a congregation is the responsibility of a Presbytery which superintends geneially the S"rItUal and ten)poral affairs of the con8reEation$ 35518ned to it by the General Assernbly of the Presber•an Church in Ireland. High Kirk 8allymena Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the 8allymena Presbytery of the Presbyterièn Church in Ireland. The membership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the active ministers of congregations assigned to it by the General Assembly, ministers who have retired from active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each C4JnEregation. The General Assemblv The General Assembly Is the Supfeme court of the Church. repre5eniin8 In one body the whole Church and attine as its supreme legislative, administration and judicial authority, in dealing with 311 mariers brought before it. Th? Gener81 Assembly is normally constituted during the first week in lune f(w worship ènd to cond(Jtt its business. At the end of business. it is di5501ved. The membership of the Genefal Assembly cot)SiSts mainly of the active ministers of each con8re8ation, retired ministers and a representative elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each con8reBaiion. The General Assembly for 2023 was held in June 2023. DESCRIFfioN AND PURPOSE High Kirk Ballymena Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterion Church in Ireland. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, as a Reformed Church within the wider bcdy of Christ is grounded in ihe Scriptu$ 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 Iheif part in fulfilling God's mission to our world. The congregations mission purpose is Yo be a church creating fullydevoted follower5 01 the Lord jesus Christ who are Lovin& Learnin& Setving and Reachin8 in His name..
an HIGH KIRK BALLYMENA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IREIAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) ACTivmES ANO 08JECTiVES The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors afe welcome to join. The Sacrament of the Lord5 Supper Is observed on several occasions during the year and all those who have been baptised ar>d who have made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are admitted to the Lord'5 Supper. The con@reEation holds regu13r bible study rneetings and has a wide range of org3nisati¢y)s including.. h Kirk Kids High Kirk Kids h Kirk Youth Tothers Movement Deeper Boys BriB3de Girls 8ri de h Kirk little Farnilies p-sChool Community Playgrou Life Groups Bowling Club Grief Share Hornework Club Llfe Centrel8085 ACHIEVEMEKts ANO PERFORMANCE Ordinarily the Trustees look to report on the following aspects of Church lrfe= Worshlp and prnyer The congregatlon normally meets for worship each Sunday at 9.30am, 11.30am and 6.30pm, During the week. the 'fe Groups provide an opportunity for membets to meet together for fellowship, to study the scripture5 and for a time of prèyer. As well as our regular services during the yearwe acknowledged God's gift of new lile wrth 7 Sacraments of Baptism and 2 services of thanksgiving, conducted 4 marriage services and gave thanks for faithful services and sought io comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. At 31 Oecember 2023 there were 771 communicant mernbers and 621 families connetted with the coogregalion5. At the end of the year our membership stood 3t 1,425. The average week attendance at Sunday worship is c. 650. Pastoral care Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or a8e are visited on a regular basi5 by the minister, elde or by one of the con8reeation's pJstoral visitors. This year we appointed 8 additional elders with a view to being more effective and intentional in this area of church life. Mlsslon and outreach At a local level the congreg3lional mission aspert of church life is founded on the rni5sion purpose as outlined above and manifests itself in various ways a5 compa5sion*e and practical Christianity, looking to reach people for Christ at their point of need. To this end the work undertaken by our Lrfe Centre initiative continues to experience exponenlial growth and somethin8 that the congregation has embraced with enthusiasm. The continued developrnent of Café Explore which meers weekly on Wednesday provides a different way in which church is more accessible to the demands of mc¥Yern living. The congregation supports the United Appe31 for Mission which is a central funLI of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. This fund enables congregation5 to support the wider mission of the denomination and to do rnission and outreach on denominational basis beyond what ihe congregation cwld th) on Its own. The United Appeal Fund provides financial support for mission personnel at home and oversea5. assisis congregations wrth the deployment of locally based staff, enables Church pl3ntin& provides grant 5UPPOrt for the upkeep of church premises. assist with the running costs of Union Theological College, the Church's training college for ministry student5. and tinanoally supports congregation In the aieas of worship, discipleship. global mission, outreach, leadership. and pastoral care.
an HIGH KIRK BALLYMENA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Iconvd) PresWery The congregation was represented at the regular meetin@s of Presbytery by our ministw andlor one of the elders. This provides an Important link between the congregati¢)ns and the widec structures of the church. General Assembly The minister and one of our elders and Bn under 30 representative were nominated to attend the meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Ct)ureh in Ireland held in Assembly 8uildin85. Belfast, In June 2023. Property The church commirree are appraised Ljl a regvSar basis to ensure our risk profile and that the risk assessrnent5 are current. This means that we h3ve 3 recurring maintenante programme. prioritised to provide an energy efficient pla to worship. Organ153tlons High Kirk is a vibrant and busy fellowship as evidenced by the number of organisations already identified within this trustees, port. At the very core of our organisational Structu is a desire to be both caring and missional. Such a commitment 15 built around ensuring our Christian values are shared based on a clear understanding of the biblical prin¢iples that underpin all we do- the Lordship of Jesus Christ is our central theme. Set against such a backdrop all that we do then reflects a willin8ness to rneet people's needs right where they are. We want an all-member ministry and whrle numbers attending can encourage the leadership of the individual organisations the main thrust of what we do is to see lives changed and a personal relaiionship with Jesus Christ established. Hi8h Kirk wènts to play a full part in the comm(Jnilythat Is Ballymena and at the core of all we do 150ur desire to make'church, more welcoming and practical as we clevelop our missional DNA. Every dèy we Are 'open lor bvsiness, with activities c3terin8 for Èvery part of our mÈrnbership. These range from the children within the pre-school playgrovp and even before that with our Tothers gatherings right through to those senior members of our fell¢Mship who are rhe back bone of our Bowling, PW, and Hub activities. Our youth organisations continue tQ grow and the numbers of yotsn8 people building their foundational Christian experiences is very encoufa8in8 as they develop from Hieh Kirk Little Kids, Hi8h Kirk Kids and High Kirk Youth. through G8 & B8 and on Into the Movement and Deeper- given practical opportunities to show their taith is maturing and real through a variety of mission opportunitie$ at home and overseas. The trustees are comrnitted to ensuring th High Kirk demonstrates 3 practical side to our Christianity and the principles that underpin it. Hope House continues to be part of our'local, tommunity and that fole is under continual review to ensure it remains effective while we look to play as full a part of the resident's association as we can. We need to bui5d on these relationships and show practical love 35 we recognise that'faith without works is dead. Volunteer5 The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of theif time by servinE on eommillees and helping with organisations and other church activities.
an HIGH KIRK BALLYMENA CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Iconvd) PU8LIC BENEFIT STATEME The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the public benefit requirement by providing benefit to its members and the general public by maklng known the Christian Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of religion. The direct benefits which flow from the purposes of the Chvrch include the gaining of an understanding in Christian beliets as set out in the Bible and in the Churth'5 subordinate standards (the Wtm15terCOnfe5S1on of Faith ènd the Shorterand Larger Catechisms) leadtng to spiritual and moral development and optKJrtunities 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 Iincluding the sicl disabled. and bereaved). Generally, the above benefit5 are delivered locally by congregatirms and their members or are facilitated through presbyteries or are organised and delivered centrally. Local delivery is facililaied by central resources In almost all cases. Public acce55 IS made known through the use of notice boards, printed material, rxess advertisement, websites, and social media or In other ways. The benefits are dernonstrated through regular evaluati of ihe servi5 and informal and ad-hoc feedback from members, their lamilies, and members of the public. The purpose does not lead to harm. The only private benefit flowin8 from our purpose is lated to Ministers, Missionaries. Deaconesses, Irish Mission workers and Lay Agent5 who receive benefit5 as a resvli of their holding office or employment. However, this is incidental and necessary In order 10 further our chariiable purpose. There are no other private benefits. The beneficiaries of this purpose are members. their families, other Individva15 that the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is in dlrect and indireLt contact with, the community In which pèstoral services are provided and other communities throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and worldwKle which benefit from our engagement with and support for both Christian and other secular organis3tions, charities. and Indiv4Val members of the public. The Kirk Session has had re83rd to the Charity Commission's public benefit requirement statLrtory guidance. FINANCIAL REVIEW The congregation'5 main source of income is members, ttjntributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering. There were 544 ¢ontribulin8 famllies durin8 the yÈar1469 In prevlws year, 20221 donating a total of £413,1311£352.782 in previous year. 20221 Tot31 Income of the congreg*ion during the year was £808.139 ctynpared to £82S.613 in the pviouS year. 2022. Total expenditure in the year ended 31 December 2023 wa5 £882.34812022.. £833.5141. The major focus of this spend, as 15 appropriate for a people focused organisation. was siaff at 39%. RESPON51BIUTIES IN RESPEcf OF FINANCIALsfATEMENTS The Trusiees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and Ehe finoncial statements in actdan wlth applicable13w and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accountin8 Prarticè. The Trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial yeac which give a true and fair view of the state of 3ffairs ol the congregations and the financial 3ttivities for that year. In preparing the financial statements the Trustees are required to= Selert suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently Make judgemernts and estimates that are reasonable and prudent Prepare the financial atement$On the going Con[ basis unless It is inappropnate to presume that the funds will continue In operation. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting recordsthat a sufficient to show and explain the funds transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Congregations and enable them to ensvre that the financial statements comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice"Accounting and Reporting by Ch3rities11 J3nuary 20151-. They are 31so responsible for safeguarding the assets of the congre8ation and hence for laking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
an HIGH KIRK BALLYMENA CONGREGATION OF THE pRE5BERIAN CHURCH IN IRELANO TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) GOING CONCERN The activities of the congregation 3re dependent on ongoing contribution5 from its members. The frustees are of the opinion rhat the congregation has sufficient resoLtrces at the date of approval of these financial ststements to meet comrnitments which will arise in the year from the date of signing this report and subject to the continuing support from members to fund on an ongoing basis the ¢cgregation's current acrivities and other financial commitment5. RESERVES POUCY The TrusteÈs have considered the level of unrestricted reserves that it is appropriate to hold taking account of current and ongoing ctsmrnitments. As a faith-based ¢rganisation the Trustees are of the opinion that the rnembers of the congregation proviée finance for the furthering of Christ's kingLlom and a5 such expert the Trustees to hold a minimum of reserves. The Trustees are comfortable with this expectation t¥Jt will continue to review such a policy in light of responsibilities for the staff within their employment. This policy was subject to review in June 2023 and ¢on5idered appropriate. RISK REVIEW A review of major risks hès been undertaken by the Tru51ee5 and systems and procedufes implemented to manage Identified risks. The principal risks are in rel*ion to the likelihood of reputational damage and financial rtsks associated with the expectation of ongoing financial 5UPPOrt from members. These risks are rnitigated by the Trustees, and the Con8re8ational Committee, regularly monitorin8 the various activities of the congregation at stated meetings and by encoura8ing members in their re8ular 8iwn8. The use of one princip?1 bank account and oversight Irorn the finance committee enables such risk management to be appropriately managed. Approved by the Kirk Se55ion ar a meeting on 23 May 2024 and signed on its behalf by: RevN meron Mf G McQuThd Trustee TrUse