## **THE ARDS PRESBYTERY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND** **Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023** **Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC106408)** 0 ## **THE ARDS PRESBYTERY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** The Trustees present their Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023. ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** The Ards Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Clerk of Presbytery, Rev J H Flaherty 17 Ballywalter Road Millisle BT22 2HS Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC106408) ## **CHARITY TRUSTEES** The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were Rev William John Carlisle Rev Roger Purce Rev William Thomas Cordner Rev Donald James Watts Rev Robert James Stevenson Rev Colin Walter Megaw Rev Mark Johnston Rev James Campbell Rev David Stanfield Rev Mairisine Stanfield Rev Robert Alexander Patton Rev Peter Clarke Lyle Rev Gareth James Simpson Rev Thomas William David Johnston Rev Charles John Carson McMullen Rev Thomas John McConaghie Rev Alvin Samuel Little ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** Rev Neil Stewart Rev Samuel James Castles Rev Norman William McAuley Rev Robert Alan Russell Rev William Palmer Addley Rev Janice Margaret Browne Rev John Hamilton Flaherty Mr Herbert James Robinson Miss Avril Lang Mr Samuel Wallace McKee Mr Bill Aiken Mr John Anthony Adamson Mr John Luke Mr Robert Mairs Houston Miss Valerie Jean Steele Mr Stephen Carrol Mr Gordon Kennedy Mr William John Richardson Mr Thomas Brian Morrison Mr Alexander Miller Dalzell 1 Mr William McCausland Mr Colin Nixon Mr Ronald James Walker Mrs Elizabeth Jane Mann Mr Robert John Carville Miss Agnes Rebecca Wilson Rev Craig Jackson Rev Jeffrey Parr McWatters Mr Desie Bickerstaff Mr Brian Turtle Mr Robert Francis McCormick Mr James Francis Peter McDowell Mr Henry William James Lennon Mr William Alexander Palmer Mr Trevor Kennedy Mr Peter Davison Rev William Alistair Kennedy Rev Stephen William Orr Rev Robert Sydney Hamilton Rev Paul Thomas Dalzell Mr Alastair McQuoid ## **PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS** Moderator Clerk of Presbytery Finance Convener Rev Neil Stewart Rev John Hamilton Flaherty Rev David Stanfield ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER** Miss Jill Robinson 81 Old Gransha Road Bangor BT19 7HA 2 **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** ## **STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT** ## **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. The following congregations of the Presbyterian Church have been assigned to The Ards Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Ballyblack Kircubbin Ballycrochan Lisnabreen Ballygilbert Millisle & Ballycopeland Ballygrainey Movilla Ballyholme 1st Newtownards Ballywalter 2nd Newtownards 1st Bangor Portaferry Carrowdore & Ballyfrenis Portavogie Conlig Regent Street 1st Donaghadee St Andrews Glastry Scrabo Greenwell Street Shore Street Trinity - Greyabbey Strean Groomsport Trinity - Bangor Hamilton Road West Church - Bangor Helen's Bay A Presbytery makes arrangements for the election of ministers in congregation, ordains licentiates and installs or inducts and appoints ministers in the congregations assigned to it. They also ordain or install and appoint elders, commission and appoint deaconesses, senior lecturers, auxiliary ministers, lay agents and missionaries who have been called by an authorised body in the Church. A Presbytery has a role in seeing that ministers preach the Word faithfully to their congregations, regularly visit the families under their charge, visit the sick, promote peace and temperance and see that the duties of the eldership are property discharged. Presbyteries oversee the resignation and retirements of ministers and elders. 3 **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** Presbyteries provide advice to Kirk Sessions and Congregational Committees when required and have a role in approving matters in relation to congregational property. They report annually to the General Assembly and have the right to make a nomination for the office of Moderator of the General Assembly. 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. This provides an important link between the congregations and the wider structures of the church Stated meetings of Presbytery are held the first Tuesday in every month other than January, April and June to August. All members are entitled to propose, speak and exercise equal votes at meetings, except that the Moderator has no deliberative, but only a casting vote. ## **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 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 Presbytery is the advancement of religion. The Ards Presbytery is a Presbytery 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. 4 **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** ## **ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES** The Presbytery meets on the first Tuesday of every month in every month other than January, April and June to August, and on other occasions as required. All meetings commence with a time of worship and are opened and closed with prayer. The Presbytery carries out the following activities - Supports those candidating for the Ministry - Installs & Ordains ministers and elders to congregations - Provides pastoral support for ministers and their families - Holds a number of events such as communion and fellowship events with the current moderator of the denomination - PW Link is an initiative of Presbyterian Women intended to improve communications and build relationships between Presbyterian Women. PW Links include a representative from each congregation and run events to support the mission and outreach of Presbytery. During the year PW Link provides a summary of their activities during the year to a full meeting of Presbytery. ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** During the year credentials were received from another Presbytery in respect of two ministers who were installed in the congregations assigned to the Presbytery. 5 **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** The Presbytery encourages the congregations assigned to it to support 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 Presbytery also encourages congregations to contribute to the denominations annual World Development Appeal, Sunday School project and any other special appeals. ## **General Assembly** Presbyteries are represented on the various Councils of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and report on an annual basis to the General Assembly. ## **Volunteers** The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of their time by serving on Presbytery, it’s commissions and panels. 6 **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT** ## **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 congregational churches and 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 charities beneficiaries are its 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 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 Presbytery has had regard to the Charity Commissions Public benefit requirement statutory guidance. 7 **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT**