FIRST DERRY PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH TRUSTEES. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 The trustees present their annual port and financial ststements for the year ended 31 December 2022. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial and comply with the Church's constitution. the Charities Act (Northem Ireland) 2008 and 'A¢counting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Stsndard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015)" Objectives and actlvities First Dery Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI). 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 fatth 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 principal fijnction of the Church is to support the advancement of religion through holding services of worship and other religious activities. These. and all that follow, are open to anyone of appropriate age and gender to access, without regard to whether they are members of the Church's congregation. This is fundamentsl to the practical delivery of the benefits of Christianity. First Dery Presbyterian Church has a unique location on the Walls of the City with our parish a£ including the City of DerrylLondondery and beyond. Demographic changes on the Cityside during the 'troubles' and beyond have greatly affected Church populations and at First Dery Presbyterian Church we have been cornpelled to find new ways to reach out to our local area. Our congregation seeks to fulfil the commission of 'Salt and Light, to our communty through being a welcoming presence on th8 City Walls with our doors open to all. The congregatlon met for worship every Sunday and visitors, irrespectjve of race, religlon or gender, are welcome to join. Worship is shared with Monreagh Presbyterian Church. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was observed twice during 2022. in the Spring and the Autumn. The congregation has a wide range of organisations including: Sunday School Creche during Sunday worship Men's Club Presbyierian Women Pantry Project (Food Bank) The congregation is actively involved in this project working across all communities providing crisis intervention to those experiencing food povety. The ethos behind this project is community giving back to community. Cuppa Sunday On the first Sunday of each month. prior to Morning Worship we meet in the Church hall for friendship and refreshments. This has proved very popular and many of the congregation Gome early to avail of this facility. The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the Church should undertake.
FIRST DERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TRUSTEES. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 Achlevements and performance Worship and prayer Worship each Sunday was conducted by The Rev Colin Jones after his installation on 25th March 2022. Previously worship was conducted by The Rev Dr Robert Buick, Convenor until the appointment of Rev Colin Jones, visiting ministers and Accredited Preachers (including Mrs Susan Thomas, one of the Church's members). During the year 1 Sacrament of Baptism was carried out. At 31 December 2022 there were 427 members on the communion roll with 270 of families under the pastoral care of the congregation. The average weekly attendance at moming worship was 90. Pastoral care Members of the congregation who are unable to attend Church due lo slcknèss or age are visited on a regular basis by one of the Elders. A recording of each service is undertaken and the CD'S are available to Church members on request. The Elders visit each memberlfamily In their district prior lo each communion service and visit members who are unwell or unable to 8ttend Church either in their home or in hospital. Mlsslon and outreach Mlsslon statement First Derry, the oldest Presbyterian Church In Northern Ireland's second city, is in the community for the community. Fulfllllng thls Mlsslon At a local level the congregation aims to fulfil its mission by: demonstrating God's love and taking the Gospel message to all our nelghbours. establishing and building connections of friendshlp with other denominations. sharing our beautifully reslored Church building as a shared sacred and civic space and lo this end we host many events, both for and by the local communlty, ranging from local servic8s lo historians, talks. encouraging our members to deepen their understanding of the Gospel and comrnitment to Christ through the weekly worship service with the sermon being the main source of this encouragement. members of all ages are considered vi181 by the Kirk Session and are encouraged to t8ke part in worship Ihrough singing in our choir, playing a musical instrument, r&ading a lesson, d81ivering the children's address and taking part in presentations. informing our members about mission within PCI through updales from the pulpit, an Annual PW Servic8, the quarterly United Appeal leaflets and the Presbyterian Herald and Wider World magazines. enthusing and equipping our members for mission through the weekly Sunday worship service where we are encouraged to apply scripture to everyday living and interact with respect and love in our homes and places of study, work and recreation. Additionally, we are equipped for and participate in mission through various activities such as PW and Men's Club. Our young people receive preparation for mission through the work done by the dedicated leaders in the Sunday School and Bible Class. having a welcoming presence on the City Wa115 Wlth our doors open to all. Since reopening the Church in 2011 after 9 years of displacement due to dry rot there has been great interesl in our story from across the city and beyond. The Blue Coal School Heritage Centre is situated lo the rear of the Church building. It offers a unique insight into the story of Presbyterianism in thè North West. Volunteer guides take visitors around both the Church and the Blue Coat Heritage Cenlre giving them the history of First Derry Church from Ihe founding of the original Church in 1690 until the present day. The congregatlon 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 congregalion 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 planting, 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 the congregation in the areas of worship, discipleship, global mission, outreach, leadership and pastoral care.
FIRST DERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TRUSTEES. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 Presbytery The congregation was represented at the meetings of Presbytery by our Minister andlor one of the Elders. This provides an important link between the ngregatIOn and the wider structures of the Church. General Assembly The Minister and one of our Elders were nominated to attend the annual meeting of the General Assembly of th8 Presbyterian Church in Ireland, held in Assembly Buildings. Beffast, in June 2022. Property Th8 House and Propety Committee are responsible for the upkeep of the Church and Manse. In July 2015 as a result of a fire at a nearby store. large stained glass windows above the pulpit were slightly defomed. The damage is relatively minor and the Committee are still considering the best way forward. Organisations The PW group under th8 title, First Dery Ladies were delighted to reopen in 2022 after a long closure due to Covid 19. We held ourAnnual Ladies Service on 6th March. The service was taken by Joy Tennis, Leader. Ladies contributed to an inspirational service through readings and Prayers with the singing led by our ladies. choir. We were delighted to welcome Rachel Miller as our guest speaker. Monthly meetings were reintroduced in March and April before the summer break. Meetings continued monthly from September, we were encouraged with attendances at the monthly meetings and were pleased to welcome some new faces. Following the Annual Harvest in October, we held a harvest lunch for members of the congregation. Our ladies, group spearheaded a Christmas Toy and Gift Appeal for our local Salvation Amy which was generously supported by members of the congregation and a significant amount of gifts and cash was donated. These were handed over to representatives from the Londonderry Citadel at a morning service in December. Due to Covid the Men's Club did not meet in 2022- They look forward to re commencing meetings in Flrst Dery Church in January 2023 when everyone will be made most welcome. Our Sunday School meets every Sunday during our Church service. We have 3 classes which comprises of P1- 4, P5-7 and post primary Bible class. We were all delighted to have our new minister Reverend Colin Jones in place for our children's day service in June with our children and young people showing their tslents. The theme was "Question time with the kids. with the children asking the Reverend Jones questions about himself allowing them to get know him better. The children thoroughly enjoyed their Sunday School paty at Extreme Bounce. On 18th December they took part in the Family Christmas service including several beautiful poems, solos. and a Christmas treasure hunt. With the talent on show we look forward to a bigger and brighter New Year. Volunteers The Trustees of First Derry presberian Church wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of their time by serving on committees and helping with organisations and other Church activities including Sunday School Teachers, Creche Supervisors and Youth Leaders.
FIRST DERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TRUSTEES. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 Publlc Benefit 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 advancemènt of religlon. The direct benefits which flow from the purposes of the Church indude the gaining of an understanding in Christian beliefs as sel 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 lum, this framework leads to practical expressions of Christian beliefs and standards in the local communty such as through the care of those in need (including the sick, disabled and bereaved). Generally, the above benefits are delivered locally by congregations and their members, or ar8 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, print8d 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 prlvate benefit flowing from our purpose is related to Ministers. Missionaries, D8aconesses, Irlsh Mission workers and Lay Agents who receive benefits as a f8suIt of their holding office or employment. However, this is incidental and necessary in order to further our charitable purpose. Th8re are no other private benefjts. The b8n8ficiari8s of this purpose are members, their families, other Individuals that th8 Presbyterian Church in Ireland is in direct and indirèct contact with, the community in which pastoral services are provided and other communities throughout Northem Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and worldwide which benefil from our 8ngagemenl with and support for both Christian and other secular organisations, charlties and individual members of the publlc. The Kirk Session has had regard to the Charity Commission's public benefit fequirement statulory guidance. Flnanclal revlew The congregation's main source of income is members. contributions through the Weekly Freewill Offering. There were 138 families contributing during the year12021 118} donating a total of £69,660 {2021 £65,106), {note 3). Tot81 income of the congregation during the year was £89.016, a slight increase to the previous year income of £85,905. Total expendilure increased from £105,174 in 2021 to £147.503 in 2022. This was mainly due to additional assessment fees payable in relatson to the new Minister. It is the policy of the Church that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to beteen three and six month's expendilure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the ChLtrch's current activities whi18 consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be rais8d. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year. Going Concern The truslees understand and appreciate the importance of contributions from Members of the congregation to ensure the smooth running of the Church. The trustees believ8 thal the congregat50n has sufficient resources to meet any commitments that will arise in the 12 months from the date of signing this Report. The trustees also appreciate that for this healthy financial situation to continue the Church will depend on the continuing support from members of the congregation through their contributions.
FIRST DERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TRUSTEES. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 Risk RevSew Risks are continually reviewed by the trustees and systems and procedures implemented where required to manage any identified risks. The principal risks are in relation to the likelihood of reputational damage and financial risks associated with the expectation of ongoing financial support from members. These risks are mitigated by the Trustees and the Congregational Committee regularly monitoring the various activities of the congregation at ststed meetings and by encouraging members in their regular giving.
FIRST DERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TRUSTEES. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 Structure, governance and management The Kirk Session The charity Irustees of the congregation are tha members of the Kirk Session. Under the ngregation'S governing docLtmenl, 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 spirilual 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 conlribution of the Church to Christian witness and service in the local community. The Kirk Session ha5 delegated to ils Congregational Commitlee the temporal affairs of the congregation including administering all funds and propety belonging to the congregation. Members of the Kirk Session are eXffici0 members of the Congregational Committee. The Kirk Session consists of the ordained Minister and Ihe ruling Elders of the congregation. All members are entitled to propose, speak and exercise equal votes at meetings, except the Moderator and the Minislers in active duty in the congregation who have no deliberative but only a casting vote. Stated meelings of the Kirk Session are held at least fv4ice a year. To be chosen for the office of the eldership in the congregation, a person must be a voting member and a regular attendant on 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 approval from 0-thirdS of those who vote. On 25th March 2022 Reverend Colin Jones was installed as the new Minist8r of First D&rry and Monreagh. Presbytery Under the Presbyterlan Church in Ireland form of governance, the corporate oversight of a congregation is the responsibility of a Presbytery which superintends generally Ihe spiritual and temporal affairs of the congregation assigned to it by th8 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. First Derry Presbyterian Church has been asslgned to the Derry and Donègal Presbyt8ry of the Presbyterian Church in Irel3nd Th8 membership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the actsve ministers of congregations assigned lo it by the General Assembly, ministers who have retired from active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation. 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 Assernbly is normally constituted during the first week in June for worship and to conduct its business. At the end of business it is dissolvèd. The membership of the General Assembly consists mainly of the active Ministers of each congregation, retired Ministers and a representative Elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation.
FIRST DERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TRUSTEES. REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were: Mr J M Agnew Mrs L Dickey Mrs S Dingley Mr W Hamilton MrWJKyle DrDRLee Mr R Little Mr R Mackey Mr C Mccandless Mr A Mccartney Mr G Patterson Mr J Reid Mrs D Simpson Mr C Tennis Mrs J Tennis Dr M Parker Mr C Wilson Mrs L Hamilton (Deceased 25 June 2022) Trustees who are also Session Members are elected and appointed by the congregation. The trustees, report was approved by the Board of Trustees. MrWJKyle Trustee Dated: 31 July 2023
FIRST DERRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES. RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022 The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees. Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). The law applicable to charities in North6rn Ireland requires the truslees to prepare financial ststements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Church and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the Church for that year. In preparing these financial statements, the trust88s are required to: select suitable accounling poli¢i8s and then apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP,, - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prud8nt: state whether applicable accounting stsndards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in th8 financial statements: and prepare the financial statemenls on the going concem basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. The trustees are responsible for keeping sufficient accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the fin8ncial position of the Church and enable them to ensure that the finanal statements comply with Ihe Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. Ihe Charity (Accounts and Reports} Regulations {Northern Ireland) 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. Th8y are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Church and hence for taking r8asonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 10-