STRABANE CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH
IN N.IRELAND
Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2019
Registered Charity in Northern Ireland INIC105667)

STRABANE CONGREGATION OF THE PRES8YfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statement5 for the year ended 31 December
2019 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Strabane congregation of the Presbyterian ChLFrch in Ireland
Derry Road, Strabarbe. Co. Tyrone. BT82 8DY
Registered Charity in Northern Ireland INIC1056671
CHARITY TRUSTEES
The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report
were
Cordner Stuart
John Sayers
Mark Shaw
Robin Sproule
Gail Sproule
Valerie Lindsay
Norman Darragh
Ross Millar
Charles Maybin
William Watson
Leslie Shiels
PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS
Minister
Name Rev David Mark Shaw
Clerk of Session
William Watson
Treasurer
Norman Oarragh
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Rodney Scott 154 Strabane Road Castlederg. Co. Tyrone. 8T817JD
8ANKERS
Oanske Bank 66 Maln Street Street Strabane. Co. Tyrone BT82 8AX
SOLICITORS
Babingtons Solicitor5 74 Railway Street, Strabane BT82 8EQ

STRABANE CONGREGATION OF THE pRE$B￿ERlAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Icont'dl
STRucfuRE AND MANAGEMENT
The Klrk Sesslon
The charity trustees of the congregation are the members of its Kirk Session. Under the
congregation's governing document, The Code, the tKJok 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 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 congregations. All
Moderator, the ministers in active duty in the congregation. has no deliberative but only a casting
vote.
Stated meetings of the Kirk session are held five times each year or 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 on its ordinances. The selettion of those proposed to be
called to the office can be either by the congregation or by the Kirk Session. Members are elerted if
they obt3in two-thirds 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. Strabane congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Derry
& Donegal 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.
STRABANE CONGREGATION OF THE PREsB￿ERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Icont'dl
The General Assembly
The General Assembly is the supreme court o* 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 artive 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.
Strabane 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 kriptures, 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 is by the groce of God, to help people of171117ges becomefully
devotedfollowers of Jesu5 Christ. Our vision is, by the grgce of God, to be an inclusive. welcoming
communAty of Christ s people of all oges, which..
is increasingly choracterised by lovefor God, and love ond concern for others,.
is committed to the historic Christian gospel os revealed in the Bible.-
Is relevont to people of this time ond ploce.
The congregation oims to live out its Mission and Vi5Aon as ¢7family of God'5 people by being..
A Covenant Community.. where our relationships ore rooted in the promises of God by
livingfaithfully toword him and toword one onother
An Intergenerutional Community.- where odults intentionally take the lead to engage
with, encourage and nurture younger members to maturity in Christ.
An Outward looking Community.. where we wont the blessings of God thot belong to U5
in the gospel to become blessingsfor others beyond the bounds of our community.
As o congregation of the Pre5byterion Church in Ireland, we believe that the Bible is the
supreme authority over all we do, and thot the Westminster Confession of Foith, olong
with the Lorger and Shorter Cotechisms set out what we understand the 8ible teaches
on key matters of Christion foith ond practicej
STRA8ANE CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Icont'dl
AcfiviTIES AND OBJECTIVES
The congregation meets for worship every Sunday and visitors are welcome to join. The Sacrament
of the Lords Supper is observed on several occasions 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 meetings and has a wide range of organisations
including
Sunday School
Youth Club
pw
Bowling Club

ACHIEVEMENTSAND PERFORMANCE
Worship and prayer
The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 11'.30am. During the week the Bible
Study provides an opportunity for members to meet together for fellowship, to study the scriptures
arbd for a time of prayer.
As well as our regular services during the year we condLJCted one marriage servite and gave thanks
for faithful services and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year.
At 31 December 2019 there were 334 Communicant members and 153 of families connected with
the congregation. The average week attendance at morning worship is 68
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, elders or by one of the congregation's pastoral visitors.
Mission and outreach
At a local level the congregation's local mission and outreach include a soup lunch
With all proceeds going to various charities and donations to external missions and agencies. Also
the church premises are made available to local charities.
STRABANE CONGREGATION OF THE pRE5B￿ERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Iconvdl
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 planting, provides grant support for the upkeep of church premises, assist with the
running costs of Union Theological College, the Church's training college for ministry students, and
financially supports congregation in the areas of worship, discipleship, global mission, outreach,
leadership and pastoral care.
The congregation also contributes to the denominations annual World Development Appeal, Sunday
School project and any other special appeals.
Presbytery
The congregation 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 elder5 were nominated to attend the meeting of the General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast, in lune.
Property

During the year general maintenance was carried out to Church property
Organisations
Bowling Club Meet every Monday night providing an opportunity for members and their friends
To have fun and fellowship together average attendance 12
PW meet monthly September to April Biving the ladies of our congregation an opportunity to meet
and hear of the mission work of our church at home and over sea's. Average attendance 7
Sunday school meets Sept to June during the morning service. This is an opportunity for our young
people to learn about the Love of God.
Volunteers
The Trustees wish to atknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of their time by
serving on committees and helping with organisations and other church activities.
STRABANE CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Icont'dl
PUBLIC 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 Jesu5 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 teaching. In turn, this framework leads
to prartical expressions of Christian beliefs and standards in the local Community such as through
the care of those in need lincluding the sick, disabled and bereaved).
Generally the above benefits are delivered locally by congregations and their member5, 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
noticeboard5, 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
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 beneficiarie5 of thi5 purpose
are members, their families, other individuals that the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is in dirert 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 had regard to the Charity Commissions Public benefit requirement Statutory
8uidance.

STRABANE CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Icont'd)
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The congregation's main source of income is members, contributions through the Weekly Freewill
Offering. There were 120 contributing families during the year 127 in previous year, 2019 donating
total of £46,768.50, £47,175.55 in previous year, 2018.
Total Income of the congregation during the year was £86,069.00, compared to £94,201.16 in the
previous year. IThe main reason for the decrease was that our members are decreasinE due to the
average age of our congregation ie 127 families in 2018 only 120 families in 2019.1
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 congregation5 total income does not exceed £250,0(Xl, the Trustees have elected under
Section 64131 of the Charities Act INorthern 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 sufficient to show
and explain the congregation's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time its
financial position. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the congregation and
hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detertion of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting on 27 February 2020 and signed on its behalf by
}MSU
Ll J_-
Name Rev Mark Shaw (Moderator of Session)
Name William Watson Iclerkl
Date 2710212020
Date 2710212020