Presbyter an SALTERSLAND 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 2023 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Saltersland congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 60 Ballymulligan Road Magherafelt Co Londonderry BT45 7TT Registered Charity in Northem Ireland (NIC105683) CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Mr W J McLernon Mrs M F Cousley Mr S A Glendinning Mr A J Johnston Mrs E Gilmour MrA Adair Mr J Johnston Mr W Hutchinson Mr W McKinley Rev S W K Glendinning PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Minister Rev Stewart Glendinning Clerk of Session Mr Andrew Johnston Treasurer Mrs Patricia Hutchinson INDEPENDENT EXAMINER David Lyttle Co Ltd 15 Meeting Street Magherafelt Co Londonderry BT45 6BN BANKERS Danske Bank Ltd POBox183 Donegall Square West Belfast BT16JS
an SALTERSLAND 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 govemment 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 Session has delegated to its Congregational Committee the temporal affairs of the congregation including administering all funds and property belonging to the Gongiegiation. Members of the lQrK Session are ex-orncio members ot the Congregational Committee. The Kirk Session 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 minister in active duty in the congregation, has no deliberats've but onty a casting vote. Stated meetings of the 'rk session are held as required throughout the year. To be chosen for the Offi 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 congregats'on or by the Kirk Session. Members are elected rf they obtain two-thirds of those who vote. Presbytery Undgr the Presbyterian Church in Ireland forni of govemance 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. Saltersland congregation of the Presbyterian Church has b&n 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.
an SALTERSLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE The charitable purpose of the Gongiegation is the advancemeiil of religioii. Saltersland congregation of the Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, as a Refomied 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. 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 Chrisys people of all ages, which.. is increasingly characterised by love for God, and love and concem for others: is committed to the historic Christian gospel as revealed in the Bible" is relevant to people of this time and place. The congregation aims to live out its Mission and Vision as a family of God's people by being.. A Covenant Community: where our relationships are rooted in the promises of God by living faithfully toward him and toward one another An Intergenerational Communty: where adults intentionally take the lead to engage with, encourage and nurture younger members to maturity in Christ. An Outward looking Community: where we want the blessings of God that belong to us in the gospel to become blessings for others beyond the bounds of our community. As a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, we believe that the Bible is the supreme authority over all we do, and that the Westminster Confession of Faith, along with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms set out what we understand the Bible teaches on key matters of Christian faith and practice. 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 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 has several organisations including Sunday School pw Junior CE Holiday Bible Club Bowling Club
an SALTERSLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Worshlp and prayer The congregation nomially meets for worship each Sunday at 12.00 noon. As well as our regular services during the year the Church offers Sacraments of Baptism and marriage services. As a congregation we gave thanks for faithful services and sought to comfort those who had been bereaved during the year. At 31 December 2023 there were 101 communicant members and 75 families connected with the congregation. The average week attendance at moming worship is 52. 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 visttors. Mission and outreach At a local level the congregation regularly supports Tearftjnd. an evangelical Christian relief and development charity, working with partners to tsckle the causes and effects of povety, bringing Jesus Christ's good news to the poor in over 100 countries around the world. 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 congregations in the areas of worship. discipleship. global mission. outreach. leadership and pastoral care. The congregation also contributes to the Sunday School project and any other special appeals. Presbytery The congregation was presented at the regular meetings of Presbytery by our minister and l or one of the elders. This provided an important link beeen 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.
an SALTERSLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) Property The Church Committee continue to provide oversight and maintenance of our suite of buildings to ensure they remain fit for purpose. Organisations The Sunday School normally meets every Sunday at 10.45am where the children leam about God through various activities. Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of their time by serving on committeas 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 ftow from the purposes of the Church include the gaining of an understanding in Christian beliets 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 tum. this framework leads to practs'cal expressions of Christian beliets and stsndards 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 aC$S is made known through the use of noticeboards. printed material, prass advertisement, websites, and social media or in other ways. The benefits are demonstrated through regular evaluats'on 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 benefft 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 in which pastoral services are provided and other communities throughout Northem Ireland. the Republic of Ireland, and worldwide which benefit from our engagement with and support for both Christs'an 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 guidan.
an SALTERSLAND CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) FINANCIAL REVIEW The congregation's main source of income is members, contributions through the Weekty Freewill Offering. The results tor the year are set out on page 9, which the Trustees consider to be satisfactory. The reserves of the Congregation are held for the advancement of its charitable purpose. other than restricted reseNes which are held for a designated purpose. STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES The Trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements of tha congregation in accordance with applicable law and generally accepted accounting practi. As the congregation's total income does not exCd £250,000. the Trustees have elected under Section 64(3) of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 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 iThegularities. Approved by the Kirk Session at a meting on and signed on its behalf by Rev Stewart Glendinning MrAndrew Johnston Trustee Trustee