BALLYNAHAThY & CREEVAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Registered Charlty in Northern Ireland INIC1056501
BALLYNAHATfY & CREEVAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH If+J IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statemerits for the year ended 31 December 2023 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Ballynahatty & Creevan congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Creevan, Omagh, Co. Tyrone Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC1056501 CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Rev Jonathan Cowan L Hamilton J Nevin L Black R Mccaffery PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Convenor Clerk of Session Treasurer Rev Jonathan Cowan John Nevin Cathy Clyde INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Darren Boyd ACA l Tullynadall Road Omagh Co Tyrone BT78 4DL BANKERS 50LICITORS Ulster Bank Ltd 14 High Street Omagh BT78 IBJ Mcconnell & Fyffe 21 Church St, Omagh BT78 IDG
BALLYNAHATh & CREEVAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont'd) STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT The Klrk Session The charity trustees of the congregation are the members of its Kirk Se55ion. Under the congregatlon'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 service in the local community. The Kirk Sessions has delegated to it5 Congregational Committee the temporal affairs of the congregation including administerlng all funds and property belonging to the congregation. Members of the Kirk Session are ex-officio members of the Congregational Committee. The Kirk Sesslon consists of the ordained minister 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 ministers in active duty in the congregatlon, has no deliberative but only a casting vote. Stated meetings of the Kirk session are held at least twice in each year or as appropriate. To be chosen for the office of the eldership in the congregatlon 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 two-thirds of those who vote. Presbyterv Under the Presbyterian Church In Ireland form of governance the corporate oversight of a congregation is the responsibillty of a Presbytery which superlntends generally the splritual and temporal affalr5 of the congregation5 assigned to it by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Ballynahatty & Creevan congregatlon of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Omagh Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, The membershlp of the Presbytery consists mainly of the actlve 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.
BALLYNAHArrY & CREEVAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont'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, administration and judicial authority, in dealing with all matter5 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 3 representatlve elder appointed by the Kirk Session of each congregation. DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE Ballynahatty & Creevan 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 love and honour God through faith in His Son and by the power of His Splrit, and to enable her members to play their part in fulfilling God's mission to our world, ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES The congregation exists to worship God and to draw people into a savlng faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The congregation meets for Worship every Sunday and for other activities during the week. These include Sunday School, PW, Choir and Bible study group. The Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper are celebrated throughout the year. Pastoral care is provided to everyone in the congregation and in the local communlty. The Minister and elder5 all contribute to providing pastoral care within the congregation. At a local level the congregation has a wide-ranglng m155ion and minlstry to the local community. Mission happens in many ways in our congregation. We host special mission events such a5 Ladles nlghts, family barbeques and table quizes and special church services. We contribute to the following Christian charities; Chrlstian Aid, TearFund, Bible Societies, Scripture Union, World Development, Presbyterian Children'5 Society and other good causes as the need arises. None of this outreach, ministry and service to the community would be possible without the large number of people who volunteer to be involved in the work and witness of Ballynahatty & Creevan Presbyterian Church. The Trustees recognise their commitment, dedication and their willingness to share theirtime and abillties. The church commlttee are responsible for the church property and this includes the church building, church hall, graveyard, the Manse and associated lands. The committee also oversee the day to day finances of the church. The Kirk Session as trustees are responsible for all the financial matters.
BAlLyNAHA & CREEVAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT The Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets the public benefit requirement by providing benefit to it5 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 Christlan 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 developmerFt and opportunIte5 for response to Bible teaching, In turn, this framework leads to practlcal 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 are delivered locally by congregatlons 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 familie5, and members of the publlc. 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 beneflts 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 indlvlduals that the Presbyterian Church in Sreland is in direct and indirect contact with, the communlty in which pastoral services are provided and other communlties throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and worldwide which benefit from our engagement with and support for both Christian and other secular organisation5, charities and individual members of the public. The Klrk Sesslon has had regard to the Charity Commissions public benefit requirement statutory guidance.
BALLYNAHArfY & CREEVAN CONGFEGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Iconvdl FINANCIAL REVIEW The congregation's main source of income is members, contributions through the Weel(ly Freewill Offering. Total donations received from the congregation during the year as FWO was £15,903, compared to £14,753 in the previous year, Other amou nts were received for specific charitable collections, from investment income and to off-set specific expenses, totaling £46,022. Total expenditure of £46,263 was spent during the year in achieving the church's charitable objectives. In addition to the above funds the congregation donated £7,110 for the annual harvest appeal. STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES The Trustees are responsible for preparing the ann ual 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 64131 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 208 to prepare a receipts and payment account and a statement of assets and liabilities. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are suff icient to show and explain the congregation's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time its f inancial position. They are also 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 and signed on its behalf by Rev Jonathan Cowan John Nevin