LISBELLAW CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2021 Reglstered Charity in Northern Ireland {NIC105625)
LISBELLAW CONGREGATION OF THE PRES8ERlAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustees present their Annual Report forthe year ended 31 December 2021. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Lisbellaw Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Registered Charity in Northern Ireland INIC1056251 CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were tnjstees at the date of this report were Rev. Rodney Beacom Mr. Stephen Gaston Mr. Samuel Carrothers Mr. Desmond Gamble Mr. Alan Murphy Mrs. Elizabeth Irvine PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurer Rev. Rodney Beacom Mr. Stephen Gaston Mrs. Elizabeth Irvine INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Mr. Richard Trimble
LISBELLAW CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) STRucfuRE AND MANAGEMENT The Kirk Session The charlty trustees of the congregation are the members of its Kirk Session. Under the con8re8ation'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 per50n5 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 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 belongingto the con8regation. 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 entltled to propose, speak and exercise equal votes at meetings, except that the Moderator, the minister in active duty in the con8re8ation, has no deliberative, but only a casting vote. Meetings of the Klrk Session are held as appropriate. To be chosen for the office of the eldership in the congregation a person must be a voting member and a regular attendant at its ordinances. The selection of those proposed to be called to the office can be either by the congregation or by the Kirk Session. Members are elected if they obtain two-thirds support 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, which superintends generally the spiritual and temporal affairs of the congregations assigned to it by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Lisbellaw congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Omagh Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The membership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the active ministers of congregations a55igned to it by the General Assembly, minsters who have retired from artive duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Sesslon of the congregation.
LISBELLAW CONGREGATION OFTHE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Icont'd) 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, administrative and judicial authority, in dealing with all matters brought before it. The General Assembly is normally constituted during a 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. Lisbellaw congregation of the Presbyterian Church is a congregation 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 Sove 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 rni55ion to our world. The congregatlon's fflission statement is To know God, to be known by Him and to make HIM known".
LISBELLAW CONGREGATION OFTHE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVdl 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 twice a 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 fortnightly prayer-meetings and joins with its sister congregations for fortnightly Bible Studies. Other organisations include- Sunday School Pre5byterion Women Women's Friendship Hour Worshlp and prayer The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 10am. Duringthe week the Bible Study or Prayer-meeting provides an opportunity for members to meet together for fellowship. to study the Scrlptures and to pray as a corporate bodv. As well as our regular services during the year, we acknowledged God's gift of new life at one Sacrament of Baptism and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved. At 31 December 2021, there were 67 communicant members and 60 families connected with the congregation. The average weekly attendance at morning worship is approximately 40. Pastoral care Members of the congregation. who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age, are visited on a regular basis by the minister or elders. Mission and outreach Aside from organisations which meet regularly, our congregation hosts a number of one-off spiritual and/or social events. most of which are promoted in conjunction with our sister congregations. although the ravages of Covid-19 continued to restrict such activities through 2021. The mission and outreach of the congregation extends further afield, with financial and prayerful support being given on a sustained basis to various Chrlstian organisatlons, namely Asiolink, Scripture Unlon, the Christian Institute, Prison Fellowship and Child Evangelism Fellowship. Other causes that are financially supported include the Presbyterian Church in Ireland's World Development and United Appeals, the Presbyterian Children's Society, the Earl Haig Fund, a local food bank, the Internotionol Meeting-Point and the Blythswood Shoebox Appeal.
LISBELLAW CONGREGATION OFTHE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Icont'd) The congregation supports the United Appeal for Mission, which is a central fund of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Thi5 fund enables congregations to support the wider mission of the denomination and to do mission and outreach on a denominational basis beyond what the con8re8ation 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 plantin& provides grant support for the upkeep of church premises, assists with the runninE 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. 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 Assembly The minister was nominated to attend the meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast, in June. Property There were no major refurbishment or repair projects during the year. Organlsations Each Sunday, our Sunday School welcomes around 6 children to our hall. About 9 people attend the fortnightly congregational prayer-meeting on a Wednesday evening and, on the Iternate Wednesday evenings, up to 11 of our congregation join with members of our Sister congregations for Bible Studies. Pre5byteriun Women (again a joint organisation with our sister congregations) meets about half a dozen times each year, with an average attendance of 18. The joint Ladies Friendship Hour gathers on the first Thursday of each month, with an average attendance of about 15. The PW group also host four'walk and Talk, events in May, which can See up to 20 people go for a walk and hear a short Christian devotional message. Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of thelr time by serving on committees and helping with organisatlons and other church artivities.
LISBELLAW CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont'd) PUBUC BENEFIT STATEMENT The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the public benefit requirement by providing benefit to its members and the general public by making known the Christian Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of religion. The dirert 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 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 lincludlng the sick, disabled and bereaved). Generally, the above benefits are delivered locally by congre8ations 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 rnade known through the use of noticeboards, printed material, press advertisement and websites. The benefit5 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 prlvate benefit flowlng 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 dirett and indirett contatt 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 had regard to the Charity Commission's Public Benefrt requirement statutory guidance.
LIS8ELLAW CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) FINANCIAL REVIEW The congregation's main source of income is members, contributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering. There were 48 contributing families during the year donating a total of £28,205.50. Total Income of the congregation during the year was £47,992.94, compared to £42,953.09 in the previous year. Total expenditure increased from £39,265.39 to £43,218.04. STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES As the congregation's total income does not exceed £250,000, the Trustees have elected under Section 64131 of the Charities Act INorthern Ireland) to prepare a receipts and payment account. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the congregation's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time its financial position. They are a150 responsible for safeguarding 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 on 2nd February, 2022 and signed on its behalf by INamel IDatel