BALLYMAGRANE CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees, Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2022 Registered Charlty In Northern Ireland {NIC105581) REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Ballymagrane congregation of the Presbyterlan Church in Ireland Registered Charlty In Northern Ireland (NIC10581) CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charlty Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Messrs Murray Roblnson, James Cromie, David Allen, Nigel Robinson, and Rev. Roger McElnea. PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Mlnister.. Rev Roger McElnea Clerk of Session: Mr Murray Robinson Treasurer: Miss Lorna Robinson INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Mr Andrew Gilpin, WHR Accountants Limited, 56 English Street, Armagh, BT617LG. BANKERS Danske Bank 5-6 Market Square, Dungannon. Co Tyrone, BT70 IA8 SOLICITORS Simmons Meglaughlln & Orr 20 Northland Row, Dungannon, BT716BL The Trustee5 present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date.
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 servlce In the local community. The Kirk Session has delegated to its Congregatlonal Committee the temporal affairs of the congregation includin8 admlnistering 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 mlnister 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 four times each year. To be chosen for the office of the eldership in the congregation a person must be a votin8 member and a 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 Session. Members are elected If they obtain a third of those who vote. Presbytery Under the Presbyterian Church in Ireland form of 8overnance the corporate oversight of a con8regation 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 Presbyterlan Church In Ireland. Ballymagrane Presbyterian Church, a congregatlon of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Omagh Presbytery of the Presbyterian Churcli in Ireland. The membership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the actlve rninisters of congregations assigned to it by the General Assembly, rninisters who have retired from active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregatlon, The General Assemblv The General Assembly is the supreme court of the Church. representing in one body the whole Church and actin8 as its supreme legislatlve, adminlstrative and judicial authorlty, 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 rninisters and a representative elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation.
PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION The charitable purpose of the congregation is the advancement of religion. Ballymagrane Presbyterian Church is a congregatlon 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 congregation's mission purposes are, by the grace of God, to help people of all ages become fully devoted followers of Jesu5 Christ. Our vision is. by the grace of God, to be an Inclusive, welcoming community of Chrisys people of all ages, which.. is increasingly characterised by love for God. and love and concern for others,. is committed to the hlstoric Christian gospel as revealed in the Bible; Is relevant to people of thls time and place. The con8re8atlon alms to live out Its Mission and Vision as a famlly of God's people by being: A covenant community: where our relationships are rooted in the promises of God by livlng falthfully 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 Chrlst. 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. ACTIVITIES AND OBJEcfivES The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to vlsit. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is observed on two occaslons 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 meetin8s and has a number of organisations including Sunday School Youth Fellowship Presbyterian Women's Group Bowling Club Girls, and Boys, Brigades
ACHIEVEMENTSAND PERFORMANCE Worshlp and prayer The congregation meets for worship each Sunday at 12.30pm. During the week from September to June the Bible Study provides an opportunity for members to meet to8ether for fellowship, to study the scriptures and for a time of prayer. From time to time we acknowledged God's gift of new life with the Sacrament of Baptism and during the year O babies were baptised. At 31 December 2021 there were 68 communicant members and 50 families connected with the congregation. The average weekly attendance at morning worship is 30. Pastoral care Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age are visited on a re8ular basis by the minister, elders or by one of the other members. Mlsslon and outreach The Hollday Bible Club was held In June this year. Durlng the year, collectSons and donations were given to Presbyterian Chlldren's Society, Mission Africa, The Leprosy Mission, Ukraine Appeal, and Acre Gospel Mission. The con8re8atlon also 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 misslon of the denomlnation 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 rnlssion 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, assists with the runnlng costs of Unlon Theological Colle8e, the Church's trainin8 college for ministry students, and financially supports congre8ations in the areas of worship, discipleship, global mission, outreach, leadership and pastoral care. Presbytery The con8re8ation 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 held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast, in June. Property The congregation continues to maintain its buildings and facilitie5.
Organisatlons Sunday School takes place on Sunday mornings at 11:30am from September to June. There are four teachers and 13 children using the Go Teach material. Youth Fellowship meet once a week and the Presbyterian Women's Group once a month. The 88 and GB meet on Monday evenings. Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowledge thelr deep appreciation of those who glve freely of their tlme by serving on committees and helpin8 With organisations and other church activities. PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the public benefit requirement by providlng benefit to its members and the general public by making known the Christian Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of reli8ion. The dlrect 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) leadlng to spirltual and moral development and opportunities for response to Bible teaching. In turn, this framework leads to practlcal expressions of Christian beliefs and standards in the local community such a5 through the care of those in need (includin8 those who are slck, disabled or 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 Sn almost all cases. Public access is made known through the use of notice boards, 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. The purpose does not lead to harm. The only private benefit flowlng from our purpose is related to Minlsters, 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 familles, other indivlduals 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 en838ement 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. There were 44 contributors during the year [42 in previous year, 2021] donating a total of £260831£28452 in previous year, 20211 Total Income of the con8re8ation during the year was £104704, compared to £86321 in the previous year. 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{31 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2020 to prepare a receipts and payment account and a statement of assets and Ilabilities. The Trustees are responsible for keepin8 adequate accounting records that are sufflcient to show and explain the congre8ation's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any tlme its financial position. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of thè. congregation and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detectlon of fraud and other irregularlties. Approved by the Kirk Session and signed on its behalf by Name: Mr Murray Robinson Mrjames Cromie Date IJ -1311ty37