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← Bellaghy Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

2025-12-31-annual-report

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Prespytetiainn'y,
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BELLAGHY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105670)

Presbytefian

BELLAGHY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Bellaghy congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

50 Main Street,

Bellaghy

Magherafelt

BT 45 8LA

Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC105670)

CHARITY TRUSTEES

The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were

Harry Ferson Norman

Bruce

William John Bruce

PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS

Minister

Convener Trevor Boyd

Clerk of Session

Mr Harry Ferson

Treasurer

Mr William Speir

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

Adrian Pattison 61D Main Street, Maghera BT46 5AB BANKERS

BELLAGHY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)

Danske Bank

14 Broad Street Magherafelt BT 45 6EA

SOLICITORS

Quinn and Heron

45 King Street Magherafelt BT 45 6AS

STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT

The Kirk Session

The charity trustees of the congregation are the members of the Kirk Session. In accordance with the congregation’s governing document — The Code, the constitution and governmental guide of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland — the Kirk Session is responsible for overseeing and nurturing the spiritual life of the congregation, as well as those within its boundaries who are not affiliated with any congregation. It ensures that appropriate pastoral care is provided and supports the Church’s mission of Christian witness and service within the local community.

The Kirk Session has delegated responsibility for the temporal and administrative affairs of the congregation to the Congregational Committee, including the management of all congregational property and finances. All Kirk Session members serve as ex-officio members of the Congregational Committee.

The Kirk Session consists of the convening minister Trevor Boyd who has been replaced 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 at least twice in 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 selection of those proposed to be

BELLAGHY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)

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 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. Bellaghy congregation of the Presbyterian Church has been assigned to the Tyrone 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.

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 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.

Bellaghy congregation of the Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The Presbyterian Church in treland, 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 congregations mission purposes are by the grace of God, to help people of all ages become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Our vision is, by the grace of God, to be an inclusive, welcoming community of Christ’s people of all ages, which:

BELLAGHY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont’d)

The congregation aims to live out its Mission and Vision as a family of God’s people by being:

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 bible study meetings and has a wide range of organisations including

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Worship and prayer

The congregation normally meets for worship each Sunday at 12.00am. 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 conducted one marriage service and gave thanks for faithful services and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year.

At 31 December 2025 there were eighty two communicant members and ninety families connected with the congregation. The average weekly attendance at morning worship is sixty five.

BELLAGHY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)

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 organized a “Holiday Bible Club” for primary schoo! children and teenagers in the local area during August. The church also donated to, “The Presbyterian Orphan Society” and the “World Development Appeal.”

“Mission on the Farm” held for a week at the David and Ann Arrell’s in early May in conjunction with Faith Mission. All of the community welcome, with the Rev. Andrew Mullan as speaker each night.

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 / or 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][elders][ were][nominated][to][attend][the][meeting][of][ the][General] Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland held in Assembly Buildings, Belfast, in June.

BELLAGHY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)

Property

During the year work done to the church property included:-

Organisations

Sunday School year ending December 25

Sunday school Report

Our Sunday school takes place from September to June, alongside our Sunday morning service and lasts between forty-five minutes to an hour. A group of up to twelve children aged from 5 to 12 years hear bible readings, learn key verses, watch relevant videos, sing songs and take part in quizzes relevant to the bible passage being studied.

Report by William John Bruce

Girls Brigade

Year ending 2025

Bellaghy Girls Brigade

2025 was a special year within our Girls brigade company as it is 60 years since its formation in 1965. We registered 43 members in September this consisted of 3 under 5s, 15 Explorers, 5 Juniors, 6 Seniors, 5 Brigaders, 8 Officers and a chaplain. We attended the Remembrance Day service in Bellaghy Presbyterian Church and also the enrolment service.

All sections were involved in various crafts with the older girls participating in a sewing class for several weeks which was very successful and proved popular with the girl’s and personal training sessions.

All sections had Christmas parties, and the year will finish with a parent’s night. Trips were arranged for the summer the explorers and the juniors enjoyed a day’s activities at the jet centre while the older girls went for a day’s shopping in Belfast.

Report by Edith Blair

BELLAGHY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN [RELAND

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)

Boys Brigade

Boys Brigade year ending 2025

This year seven anchor boys aged five to nine meet on Wednesday evenings from seven to eight pm. They sing choruses, do crafts, play team games listen to bible stories and play sports from September to April.

Junior section meets on Tuesday evenings from 7:15pm to 8:30pm. This year sixteen boys from 9 to 12 yrs. have been learning basic drill and marching, play team games and sports, and are taught bible truths. They are encouraged to ask honest questions about the Christian faith and their openness has been very encouraging to our leaders.

Company section this year comprises of six young men aged 14 to 17 yrs. meeting on Tuesday evenings from 8:30pm to 10 pm.

This session three of the company sections are aiming to complete the president’s award.

Our Christian education course this year is "life explored" and is sparking great discussions about Christianity.

We also play sports and have food regularly.

Report by William John Bruce

Mid-Week ending 2025

Midweek Report

Our midweek service takes place every second Thursday at 8pm, from September to April. An average group of 15 people meet for a time of worship, bible teaching, prayer and fellowship in our halls “upper room" meetings last for one to two hours.

Report by William John Bruce

Women Together Group ending 2025

Women Together Group

The Women Together group meets monthly in the church hall on the second Monday of each month at 8:30pm. The group currently has around 20 members and is led by Kerry Irvine-Bruce, with support from a committee. Both the leader and committee work alongside members to organise speakers and events for each meeting. The group is centred on fostering fellowship and providing opportunities for discipleship and spiritual growth,

BELLAGHY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd)

grounded in sound doctrine. Following the summer recess, the group was unable to resume meetings in September 2025.

Report by Hilary Clarke

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 lreland 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 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 flowing 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

BELLAGHY CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont’d)

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.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Total Income of the congregation during the year was £83944.00.

Total expenditure of the congregation during the year was £47451.00.

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 congregations total income does not exceed £250,000, the Trustees have elected under Section 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 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 detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by the Kirk Session at a meeting on Ad /3] 26 and signed on its behalf by [Name] NogMBw# Baucé Name] (thlan Ss Bere [Date] 29-23-322-46 [Date} 23) 26