an ORRITOR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Re8lStered Charity in Northern Ireland INIC105588)
an ORRITOR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN 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 DEfAILS Orritor congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 255 Orritor Road Cookstown Co Tyrone BT80 9NE Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105588) CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustee5 who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Stewart Black Maurice Freebum Robin Freeburn Rev James Porter Samuel Laughlin Robert Mahood (resigned on 8/1¥16J Roger Wilson PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurer Rev James Porter Stewart Black Michael McKeown INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Randal McKinney, McKinney Dawson Accountants, 28 Union Street, Cookstown, BT80 8LX BANKERS Danske Bank, 38 James Street. Cookstown, BT80 8NN SOLICITORS Millar Shearer Black. Molesworth St. Cookstown BT80 8PH
an ORRITOR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REpoirr Iconvd) 5TRucfuRE AND MANAGEMENT The Kirk Session The charity trustees of the congregation are the members of its Kirk Se55ion. 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 fvrther 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 congregation. All members are entitled to prop05e, speak and exercise equal votes at meetings, except the Moderator or the minister in active duty in the congregation, who have only a casting vote, whenever a casting vote is required. Stated meetings of the Kirk session are held on the 3rd Thursday of January, April & September and also the l Thursday of December. 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 who qualify for this office is drawn up by the Kirk Session. Members are elected rfthey obtain tw¢Fthirds of those who vote. Presbytery The form of church governance. whereby the corporate oversight of a congregation is maintained, 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. Orritor congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Tyrone 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.
an ORRITOR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (conyd) 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. Orritor congregation of the Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The Presbsrterian 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 mission purposes of Orritor congregation are, by the grace of God, to help people of all ages become fully devoted followers of Jesus 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 historic Christian gospel as revealed in the Bible; is relevant to people of this time and place. The congre8ation aims to live out its Mission and Vision a5 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.
an ORRITOR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is observed on five occasions during the year (January, Good Friday, May, September and November). All those who have been bapti5ed 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 meetings and has a wide range of organisations including Sunday School Youth Club Presbyterian Women's Group Junior CE Bowling Club Knitters Fellowship ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Worshlp and prayer The congregation meets for worship each Sunday at 12.10pm. During the week the Bible Study 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 acknowledged God's gift of new life in a number of Sacraments of Baptism and conducted married services. We also sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. At 31 December 2023 there were 145 communicant members and 116 families connected with the congregations. The average weekly attendance at morning worship is 80. Pastoral care Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age-related problems are visited or phoned on a regular basis by the minister or elders.
an ORRITOR CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IREIAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) Mission and outreach Sunday services, funeral services, Harvest Services and Children's Day Services are all used as prime occasion5 for preaching the Gospel of Christ. In partnership with our sister church in Claggan a Summer Holiday Bible Club is held each year for one week in the month of July and is well attended by children and young people from the local community. 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 plantin8, provides grant support for the upkeep of church premises, assists with the running costs of Union Theological College, the Church's training college for ministry students. and financially supports congregations in the areas of worship, discipleship, global mission, outreach, leadership and pastoral care. The congregation also contributes to the Moderatorfs Appeal and any other special appeals as they arise. In addition. the congregation gives financial support its own missionary families as well as to over twenty external missionary organizations and agencies e.g. Asia Link, Tear Fund. Open Doors, Belfast City Mission, etc. Normally a number of our teens and twenties join summer Outreoch Teams and an annual Service of Celebration (SOC) is held to give the young people involved an opportunity to report back to the congregation on their outreach activities.
an ORRITOR CONGREGATION OFTHE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) Presbytery The congregation is normally represented at the regular meetings of Presbytery by our minister and or one of the elders. This Presbytery meeting provides an important link between the congregations and the wider structures of the church. General Assembly Normally an elder is nominated to attend the meetings of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast, in June each year. Property No major work on Church property in this financial year. Organisations The Church has a number of or8anisations that meet regularly in the Church hall. The Sunday School meets every Sunday morning at 11am. Junior CE met on Thursday evenings for kids of primary school age but has not recommenced since Covid 19. Youth Club met on Friday nights for 11 year olds+ but has not recommenced since Covid 19. The Bowling Club meets on Tuesday nights. Knitters Fellowship meets on Mondays. Presbyterian Women (PW). This ladies. or8anisation meets in Church hall on the first Thursday night of each month. Events organised by these organisations throughout the year nonnally include Christmas Party, Christmas Carol Event, Walk & Talk evenings, Family Barbeque, Charity Coffee morning fundraisers, Sunday Soup lunch, Shopping Trip to Belfast. The Church is committed to the adherence and maintenance of Safe Guarding policy.
an ORRITOR CONGREGATION OFTHE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation to those people who give freely of their time by serving on committees and helping with organizations and other church activities. PUBLIC BENEFtr srATEMEKr The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the public benefrt requirement by providing benefrt 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 teachin8. 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 a 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. 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 taken on board the Charity Commission's Public benefrt requirement statutory guidance.
an ORRITOR CONGREGATION OFTHE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conYd) FINANCIAL REVIEW The congregation's main source of income is members, contributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering. There were 91 contributing families durin8 the year [85 in previous year, 2022] donating a total of £40,996 (£40,796 in previous year, 2022) Total Income of the congregation during the year was £92,986 compared to £82,160 in the previous year. Total expenditure reduced from £83.378 to £80,686. STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILMES 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. A5 the con8re8ation'5 total income does not exceed £250.(XK), 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 and also for the annual accounts to be examined by an independent examiner rather than a statutory auditor. The Trustees are responsible for keepin8 adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the congregation's transactions and disdose with reasonable accuracy at any time its financial position. They are also responsible for safe8uardin8 the assets of the congregation and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting onC-.%...G..l. Zc Z Name: (kn f¥iLT£Ii and signed on its behalf by M Tr &Fe-lr} (Lr Name: Date: Date: 0% c7 tct Si8nature: