East belfast Fresbytery Presbyter an CHUACH IN IFIELANO THE EAST BELFAST PRESBYTERY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND Trustees Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2023 Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC106435)
THE EAST BELFAST PRESBYfERY 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, includin8 a Statement of Asset5 and Liabilities as at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DEfAILS The East Belfast Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland CIO 234 Lower Braniel Road Belfast BT5 7NJ Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC1064351 CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who sen4ed durin8 the year or who were trustees at the date of this report were: Rev Wllliam Harkness Rev Frank Sellar Rev Mervyn Burnside Rev William Mccully Rev Mark Brown Rev Richard Mcllhatton Rev Edward McKenzie Rev Jonathan Frazer Rev Stephen Moore Rev James Warburton Rev Noble McNeely Rev Robert 8eggs Rev Gareth MacLean Rev Johnston Lambe Rev Colin 8urcombe Prof. Drew Gibson Rev Martin Gray Rev Uel Marrs Rev Albin Rankin Rev Danny Rankin Rev Jim Stothers Rev Mervyn Gibson Mr Ken 8rown Rev Gary Ball Rev Robin Aicken Rev Stuart Mccrea Rev Philip Boyd Rev Graeme Kennedy Rev Ron Savage Rev Robin Quinn Mrs Daphne Caldwell Rev Jim Campbell Rev George Moffett Rev Hastings Mclntyre Rev Robert Hornby Rev David Maxwell Rev Enrique Tagle-Aguiar Rev Alastair Dunlop Rev William McKeown Rev Ivan McKay Rev Derek Drysdale Mr David Gillespie Mr John McKibbin Rev Denis Whitley Rev Marlene Taylor Mr Alastair Mills Mr Fred McKee Mr Andrew Mccann Mr Ivor Lowry Ms Margaret Grayson Mr Tom Mccullough Mr Aubrey Bell Miss Leonora Wasson Mr Colin McRoberts Mr Martin Hampton Mrs Anne White Mr John Dempster 11 Page
an Mr Alan Bousfield Mr George Dunbar Mr John Boyd Mr George Hampton Mr Hugo Wilson Mr Jackie Patterson Mrs Margaret Grayson Mrs Rosemary Hamilton Mrs Lynda Francis Rev David Thompson Mrs Annette Wright Rev John Maddock Mr Kevin Cooper Mrs Julie Power PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Moderator Clerk of Presbytery Finance Convener Rev James Warburton Rev Stephen Moore Mr Martin Hampton INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Mr Robert Martin Russell 38 Woodbrook Manor Lisburn BT28 OAD BANKERS Ulster Bank Ltd Connswater Branch Arches Retail Park Belfast 8T4 SAF SOLICITORS Hewitt & Gilpin Solicitors Ltd Thomas House 14-16 James Street South Belfast BT2 7GA 21 Page
THE EAST BELFAST PRESBYfERY OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (convd) STRucfuRE 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 East Belfast Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Belmont Bloomfield Castlereagh Christ Church Cregagh Dundonald Garnerville Gilnahirk Granshaw Holywood I Holywood High Street Klrkpatrick Knock McQuiston Mersey Street Mountpottinger Orangefield Ravenhill St Andrews Stormont Strand Tullycarnet Westbourne st A Presbytery makes arrangements for the electlon of ministers in con8regatlon, 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 dischar8ed. Presbyteries oversee the resignation and retirements of ministers and elders. Presbyteries provide advice to Kirk Sessions and Congregational Committee5 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
THE EAST BELFAST PRESBYfERY OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) f fre*£r4 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 on the second Tuesday of September, and the first Tuesday in November, December, February, March and May. All members are entitled to propose, speak and exercise equal votes at meetings, except that the Moderator, who is a minister in active duty in the congregation, has no deliberative but only a casting vote. The General Assemblv 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 durin8 the second 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 presbytery is the advancement of reli8ion. The East Belfast 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.
THE EAST BELFAST PRESBYfERY OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) ACTIVITIES AND OBJECTIVES The presbytery meets on the second Tuesday of September, and the first Tuesday in November, December, February, March and May 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 candidatin8 for the Ministry Ordains and Installs ministers and ruling elders Provides pastoral support for ministers and their families Holds a number of events such as an Annual Missionary Support Servlce for all congregation5 of East Belfast to attend. ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE During 2023, the Presbytery: Held meetings in February, March, May, June, September, November and December During the year no students were licensed for the Ministry and three Ministers were installed in vacant con8re8ations At the 31 December the followin8 numbers of personnel were under the care of Presbytery 2023 2022 Ministers in active service in con8re8ations 22 20 Retired Ministers 22 23 Licentiates Students for the Ministry
THE EAST BELFAST PRESBYfERY OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont'd) 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 plantin& 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 con8re8ation in the areas of worship, discipleship, 8lobal 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 Property The Presbytery has no ownership of, or direct responsibility for, any property. Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of those who give freely of their time by serving on Presbytery, its commissions and panels. 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 61 Page
THE EAST BELFAST PRESBYfERY OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {conVd) 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 service5 are provided and other communities throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and worldwide which benefit from our engagement with and 5UPPOrt 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. FINANCIAL REVIEW The Presbytery's main source of income is an assessment that is levied on the congregations assigned to it and £18,661 was received in the current year (£17,424 in previous year, 2022) Total Expenditure for the year was £19,347, as general running costs, plus £1,700 raised and sent to SUPPOrt mission work within PCI. STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES The Trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements of the presbytery in accordance with applicable law and generally accepted accountin8 practice. As the presbytery's total income does not exceed £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 presbyterfs transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time its financial position. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Presbytery and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 71 Page
THE EAST BELFAST PRESBYfERY OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURCH IN IRELAND TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) fTEdp4tety th Approved by the Presbytery at a meeting on 10 September 2024 and signed on its behalf by James Warburton Moderator Rev Stephen Moore Clerk