an CURRAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105699)
an CURRAN 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 ADMINisfRATIVE DETAILS Curran congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 53 Lurganagoose Road. Knockloughrim. Magherafelt, BT45 8QY Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105699) CHARITY TRUSfEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were John Mullan John Fulton Jason O'Neill Robin Boyce David Fulton PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Clerk of Session Treasurer John Mullan Robin Boyce John Fulton INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Marilyn McFadden, 240 Hillhead Road. Castledawson. BT45 8EE BANKERS Danske BanK PO Box 183 Donegall Square West. Belfast. BTI 6JS SOUCITORS Jarnes Burnside, 43 Main Street, Maghera. BT46 SAA.
an CURRAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT The Kirk Session The charity trustees of the congregation are the members of its Kirk Session. 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 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 teaching elder 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 congregation, has no deliberative but only a casting vote. Stated meetings of the Kirk 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 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. Presbytery Under the Presbyterian Church in Ireland form of governance the corporate oversight of 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. Curran congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Tyrone PresbY(ery 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, teaching elders who have retired from active duty and an elder appointed by the Kirk Session of the congregation.
an CURRAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Iconvd) 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 teaching elders of each congregation. retired teaching elders and a representative elder appointed by the Kirk Se55ion of each congregation. DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE The charitable purpose of the congregation is the advancement of religion. Curran 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 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 purpose is acknowledging our sins to be faithful to God's word as salt and light in our community, praying that God would move and save people in our town and district. ACTIVITIES 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 prayer meetings and has a wide range of organisations including: Sunday School Bible Class Focus Boys Brigade Girls Brigade Presbyterian Women Friendship Group Good New5 Club
an CURRAN CONGREGAnoN OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) ACHIEVEMENTSAND PERFORMANCE Worship and prayer The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 10.40am and 6pm. 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 gave thanks for faithful service5 and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. The average week attendance at morning worship is 90. Pastoral care Members of the congregation who are unable to attend church due to sickness or age are visited on a regular basi5 by the minister or by elders. Mission and outreach At a local level the congregation runs a number of different an annual outreach events. After Easter we have a ladies Fit for Life event where ladies meet for a physical activity and a Christian speaker. In the summer we have our Shine Week for parents, children and teenagers with a variety of different events and bible talks. We have regular speakers from various missionary organisations and give regular donations to a number of external missions and agencies operating in the UK and overseas.
an CURRAN CONGREGATION OF THE PRES8YfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) 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 teaching elder and / or one of the ruling elders. This provides an important link between the congregations and the wider structures of the church. General Assembly The teaching elder and one of our ruling elders were nominated to attend the meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast, in June. Property We have continued to maintain and develop our church building and grounds with minor renovations and modifications for modernisation. Organisations Every Sunday morning our Sunday School meets before the church service. The children and young people meet together before splitting into srnaller classes to study God's word and at the end of the summer term led the congregation in worship on Children's Day. After our evening service the Focus group meets for young people secondary school age and over. About 40 young people attended regularly to worship God and grow together in faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Over the autumn half term break they go away together for a residential weekend.
an Curran CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) On Monday nights over 60 boys regularly attend our Boys Brigade. They meet in three sections Anchors, Juniors and Company from pl until 18 years old. The boys are study the bible and do a wide variety of other activities including competitions with other Boys Brigade Companies. On Tuesday nights over 100 girls regularly attend our Girls Brigade. They meet in four sections Explorers, Juniors, Seniors and Brigaders from age 3-18. The girls study the bible and do a wide variety of other activities including competitions with other Boys BriEade Companies. Our Presbyterian Women group meets monthly on a Wednesday evening. Each month about 40 ladies meet to worship, listen to a Christian speaker and a time of fellowship together. Our Friendship Group meets on a Wednesday afternoon around 50 retired and semi-retired people in the local community meet for tea, friendship and a Christian speaker. At Christmas we have a special Christmas dinner together and during the summer we went out on a coach trip for the day. Volunteers The Trustees 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. 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 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 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 (including the sick, disabled and bereaved). Generally the above benefits are 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
an urran CONGREGATION OFTHE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) 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 Tlowing 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 had regard to the Charity Commissions Public benefit requirement statutory guidance.
Presbyter an Curran CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN 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 52 contributors during the year [50 in previous year, 2022] donating a total of £38,298 (£34,541 in previous year, 2022). Total Income of the congregation during the year was £54,177. compared to £46,381 in the previous year. Total expenditure was £54,893 compared to £ 39,554 in 2022. STATÈMENT OFTRosfÈE RESPONSIBILimES 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 congregations total income does not exceed £250,000, the Trustees have elected under Settion 64{3) 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 sufficient to show and explain the congregation's transactions and disclose with reasona"b"le 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 detection of fraud and other irregularities. Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting on 3(klO-2024 and signed on its behalf by [Name] [Date] 30-10-L(fr [Datel 3 0-10-2l*