BALLyARNE￿ CONGREGATION OF THC PRE5BYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustees present their Annual Report and Finaniial Statements forthe year ended 31 December 2023 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Ballyarnett congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Racecourse Road Londonderry BT48 8NF Re8lStered Charity in Northern Ireland INIC1055791 CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Rev Alastair Rosborough Mr William Duncan Mr Jonathan Lyttle Mr Ken McLean Mr Robert Mitchell Iret'd 511212023} Ms Aline Neill Mrs Sandra Spain PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurer Rev Alastair Rosborough Vacant Mr Joe Barber INDEPENDENT EXAMINER McGroarty Mccafferty & Company Ltd 2 Carlisle Road Derry BT48 6JX BALLYARNErr CONGREGATION OF THE PRESB YfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT BANKERS Ulster Bank Limited Culmore Road Branch Da Vincl Complex Culmore Road Londonderry 8T48 8JB SOLICITORS Babington5 Sollcltors 9 Llmavady Road Londonderry BT47 6JU BALLYARNETh CONGREGATION OF I"HE PRESBrfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'dl STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT The Klrk Session The charity trustees of the congregation are the members of its Kirk Sesslon. 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 en5ure5 pastoral care is in place In the congregatlon and seeks to further the contribution of the Church to Christian witness and service in the local cominunity. The Kirk Sessions has delegated to its Congregational Committee the temporal affairs of tlie congregation including adminlstering all funds and property belonging to the con8re8ation. Members of the Kirk Sesslon are ex-ofPicio members of the Congregational Committee. The Kirk Sesslon consists of the ordainpd minister and tlie ruling elders ot 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. Stated meeting5 of the Kirk session are held five time5 a year. To be chosen for the office of the eldership in the congregation a person must be a voting member and regular attendant on its ordinances, The selection of those proposed to be called to the offlce can be either by the congregation or by the Kirk Sesslon. 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 wliiLh ¢uperintends generally the spiritual and temporal affairs of the con8re8atlons assigned to it by the Ge.nei'al Assenibly ot tne Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Ballyarnett congregation of the Presl)yteriaii Cnurch has bee.n assigncd to the Derry and Donegal Presbytery of the Presbyterian Churcli in Ireland. The mLmbership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the actlve ministers of congregations assiuned to it by the Geiieral Assemblyi minsters who have retired from active duty and an elder appointLsd by tl£, Kirk Je.ssiori uf the Longregation. BALLYARNErr CONGREGATION OF TLIE PRESB.YI-ERIAN CHURCH Ir4 IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) The General Assembly The General Assembly is the supreme caurt ot the Church, representing in one body the whole Church and acting as its supreme leglslatlve, administration and judicial authorityi in dealin8 Wlth 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 eiid of its business, it is dissolved. The membership of the General Assembly consists mainly of the attive ministers of each congregation, retired minsters and a representative elder appointed by the Kirk Sessinn of each coiigregation, DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE The charitable purpose of the congregatlon is the 3dvancement of religion. Ballyarnett congregation of the Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church In Ireland. The Presbyterlan Church In Irclandi tis a Reformed Church within the wider body of Christ is 8rounded in the Scriptures, and exists to love and honour God through falth in HIS Son and by the power of His Spirit, and to enable her member.¥ to play their part in fulfilling Clod's mission to our world. The congregation's Inission purpose is by the gl-ace of nJod, to help PL?ople of all ages becomefully devotedfollowers of Jesus Chrlst. Our vision is, by the grace of God, to be an inclusive, welcoming communlty of Chrlst's people of all ages, which.. is increasingly charocterised by lovefor (iod, ond love ond concernfor others,. is committed to the historic Christian gLispel as revealed in the Bible,, is relevant to people of this time ond place. The congregation aims to live out its Mission and Vision as afGmily of God's people by being.. A CovenGnt Community,. where our relotionships ore rooted In the promlses of God by Ilvingfoithfully toward hlm and toword one onother An Intergenerational Community,. where adults intentionolly toke the lead to engage with, encourage ond nurture younger inembers to maturity in Christ. An Outward looking Community.. where we wanl. the blessings of God that belong to us in the gospel to become blesslngsfor others beyond tkie bounds o}. our community. As o congregation of the Presbyterion Ckiurch in Ireloi?d, believe that the Bible Is the supreme authorlty over oll we do, and thGt thp Wes tminbter Confi?SS1017 oj FGlth, Glong with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms set out whot we Lindeistand the Bible teaches on key matters of Christi'onfaith and practice. BALLYARNETh CONGREGATION OF THE pREsB￿ER1AN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) AcfiviTIES AND OBJEcfivES The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to Join. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper Is observed on several occasions during the year and all those who have been baptlsed and who have made a profession of faith In the Lord Jesus Christ are admitted to the Lord's Supper, The congregation holds occasional bible study meetings and has a wide range of organisations including Sunday School Badminton Club Dancing Club Bowling Club Presbyterian Women Group ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Worshlp and prayer The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 12.00pm. On occasion a Bible Study provides an opportunity for members to meet together for fellowship, to study the scripture5 and for a time of prayer. As well as our regular services durlng the yeai. we acknowledged God's glft of new Ilfe at 5 Sacraments of Baptlsm, we conducted O marriage servlces and gave thank5 for faithful Services and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. At 31 December 2023 there were 224 communicant members, and 121 families connected wlth the con8regatlon. The average weekly attendance at morning worship is 40. Pastoral care Members of the congregation who are unable to attend churc.h due to sickness or age are visited on regular basis by the mlnlster, elders or by one of the congregatlon's pastoral vlsitors. Mission and outreach At a local level the congregation's local mis%ion aria outrftach iiicILides donations to external mlsslons and agencies, such as Christian Aid, NSPCC and the Foyle Hospice. BALLYARNETh CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) The congregation supports the United Appeal for Mission wb.ich 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 denoniinational basis beyond what the congregation could do on it5 own. The United Appeal Fund provides financial support for mission personnel at home and overseas, as515ts congregations with the deployment of locally based staff, enables church planting, provides 8rant support for the upkeep of church premises, assist ivith the rbnning costs of Union Theological College, the Church's training college for ministry students, and financially supports congregation in the areas of worship, dlsclpleship, global mission, outreach, leaoer.hip and pastoral care, The congregation also contributes to the denominations annual World Development Appeal, Sunday School project and any other special appeals. Presbytery The congregation was represented at the regular meetings of Presbytery by our minister and / or one of the elders. This provides an important link between the congregations and the wider structures of the church. General Assemblv The minister and one of our elders were nominated to attend the meeting of the General Assembly of the Pre5byterlan Church in Ireland held in Assei-nbly Buildin85, Belfast, In June. Property Consists of Meetlnghouse and Sexton's house118481, Hall119611 and Manse (purchased 20181. Organlsations Badminton Club meets on Tuesday mornings. Bowling Club nieets on Tuesday evenings. Dancing Club meets on the first and third Wednesday evenings each month. PW Group meets on the last Wednesday evening each month. Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of tliose who give freely of their time by servin8 on commlttees and helping with organisations and other church actlvlties. BALLYARNETh CONGREGATION OF ¥1,LIE PRESBff£R)AN CHURC4 IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the public benefit requirement by provldln8 benefit to its members and the general public by making known the Christian Gospe5 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 understandin8 in Christian beliefs as set out in the Bible and ir, tlie Church's subordinate standards (the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Shorter and Larger I:ateclismsl leading to spiritual and moral development and opportunltles for response to Blble teaching. In turn, this framework leads to practical expressions of Christian beliefs and standards in the local commuiiity sucn as through the care of those in need {including the slck, disabled and bereaved). Generally, the above F)enefits are delivered locally by congregations and thelr members or are facilitated through presbyteries or are organised and delivered centrally. Local dellvery Is facilitated by central resource5 in almost all cases. Publlc access is Inade known throtsgh ihe use of noticeboards, printed material, press advertisement, website5, 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 niembers of the public. The purpose does not lead to harm. The only private benefit flowing from our purpose is related ta Minlsters, Missionaries, Deaconesses, Irish Mission workers and Lay Asents who receive benefits as result of their holding office or employment. F4owever, this is incidental and necessary in order to further our charltable purpose. There are no other private benefits. The beneflciaries of this purpose are members, theirfamilies, other Indlviduals that the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is in direct and Indlrect contact with, the community in which pastoral services are provided and other communitles throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and worldwide whicli benefit from our en8a8ement with and support for both Christian and other secular oi'ganisations, chai'ities and individual member5 of the public. The Kirk Session has had regard to the. Chariill Comrnissions Public benefit requirement statutory guidance. BALLyARNE￿ CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IREknIND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont'd) FINANCIAL REVIEW The con8re8ation's main source of income is members, contributions throuBh the Weekly Freewill Offering. STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES The Trustees are responsible for preparingthe annual report and the financial statements of the congregation in accordance with appllcable law and generally accepted accounting practice. As the congregation's total income does not exceed £250,000, the Trustees have elected under Sectlon 6413) of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland} 208 to prepare a receipts and payment account and a statement of asset5 and liabilities. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the congregatlon's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time its financlal position. They are also responsible for safeguarding the a55ets of the congregation and hence for taking reasonable Steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularitles. Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting on 125t December 2024 and signed on its behalf by 1(524