THE BALLYMENA PRESBYTERY OF THE PR CHURCH IN IRELAND SBYTERIAN Trustees Annual Report and Financial Stateme, for the year ended 31 December 2023 ts Registered Charity in orthern Ireland INIC106461) THE BALLYMENA PRESBYTERY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURC TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT IN IRELAND The Trustees present their Annual Report and Financial Statem December 2023 including a Statement of Assets and Liabilities nts for the year ended 31 s at that date. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS The Ballymena Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Irelan 24 Grasmere, Coleraine BT52 2DJ Registered Charity in Northern Ireland INIC106461) CHARITY TRUSTEES The Charity Trustees who served during the year or who were t report were.. Rev William Moody Rev Mark Neilly Rev Brian Smyth Rev Joseph Andrews James Lamont Rev Martin McNeely Rev Darran Mccorriston Rev William Sinclair Dennis Hanna Rev Edwin Chestnutt Trevor Mcllhagga Rev Norman Cameron Rev Alistair Bates Rev Daniel Kane Angela Mcclintock Rev Alistair Beattie Rev George Johnston Rev Brian Mcmanus David Preston Rev Dr David Murphy Derek Patterson Samuel McKee Rev Noel Mulholland Rev Brian Boyd Rev Roland Watt ustees at the date of this James Gillan Rev Albert Baxter Rev Philip Mccullough Rev Jeffrey Blue Rev Norman McDowell Very Rev Dr Russell Birney Rev William Dickey Very Rev Dr John Finlay Rev Eddie Kirk Rev Desmond Knowles Noel Rev Kenneth Mcconnell Robi Rev George Preston Mark Very Rev Dr Harry Uprichard Hug Rev Ronald Agnew Rev Rev Philip Thompson Gavi Rev Stephen Kennedy Juni John Wright Eric Mccallum Rev Alistair Mccracken Rev Matthew Boyd Rev Linda Keys Robert Reid Colin Patton William Smyth Hen Tom Rev Tom Nor Lamont Heaney ohn Brogan y Simpson an Kennedy Magill lan Johnston DrP ul Hughes ichard Morrison Connor Fowler Hood Young revor Kane Mcfarland r Whyte John Galbraith Stanley Warwick Mckinstry Lowry Harris el Kirkpatrick merson McDowell ' avid McGaughey Alexander Rev Davi Davi Brian Adria Jame Sam Rev Rev Brian PRINCIPAL OFFICE BEARERS Moderator Clerk of Presbytery Finance Convener / Deputy Clerk Rev Alistair Bates Rev Joseph An rews Mr David Prest INDEPENDENT EXAMINER Mr John Finnegan 190 Galgorm Road Ballymena BT42 IHL BANKERS Danske Bank PO Box 183 Donegall Square West Belfast BTI 6JS THE BALLYMENA PRESBYTERY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURC TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) IN IRELAND STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT PrÈsb￿ery Under the Presbyterian Church in Ireland form of governance t e 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 eneral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The following congregations of he Presbyterian Church have been assigned to The Ballymena Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Ahoghill- Brookside Ahoghill- First Ahoghill Trinity Ballee Ballykeel Ballyloughan First Ballymena Harryville High Kirk Wellington West Church Broughshane- First Broughshane- Second Buckna Cairnalb3na Carnlough/Cushendall Churchtown Clough Cloughwater Connor Cuningham Memorial skylane lenarm lenwherry range with Craigmore ells Killymurris ewtowncrommelin ortglenone- First ownhill asharkin A Presbytery makes arrangements for the election of ministers i licentiates and installs or inducts and appoints ministers in the They also ordain or install and appoint elders, commission and lecturers, auxiliary ministers, lay agents and missionaries who h authorised body in the Church. A Presbytery has a role in seeing Word faithfully to their congregations, regularly visit the familie the sick, promote peace and temperance and see that the dutie property discharged. Presbyteries oversee the resignation and r elders. congregation, ordains ongregations assigned to it. ppoint deaconesses, senior ve been called by an that ministers preach the under their charge, vislt of the eldership are tirements of ministers and Presbyteries provide advice to Kirk Sessions and Congregational and have a role in approving matters in relation to congregation annually to the General Assembly and have the right to make a Moderator of the General Assembly. ommittees when required I property. They report omination for the office of The membership of the Presbytery consists mainly of the active assigned to it by the General Assembly, minsters who have retir inisters of congregations d from active duty and an THE BALLYMENA PRESBYfERY OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURC TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) IN IRELAND elder appointed by the Kirk Session of the congregation. This p between the congregations and the wider structures of the ch ovides an important link rch Stated meetings of Presbytery are held on the first Tuesday of November, December and February and the second Tuesday o arch, May, October, September. All members are entitled to propose, speak and exercise equal that the Moderator, the ministers in active duty in the congreg only a casting vote. otes at meetin8s, except tion, has no deliberative but The General Assembly The General Assembly is the supreme court of the Church, repr whole Church and acting as its supreme legislative, administrati dealing with all matters brought before it. The General Assembl during the first week in June for worship and to conduct its busi it is dissolved. The membership of the General Assembly consis ministers of each congregation, retired minsters and a represen the Kirk Session of each congregation. senting in one body the n and judicial authority, in is normally constituted ess. At the end of business s mainly of the active ative elder appointed by DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE The charitable purpose of the presbytery is the advancement of religion. The Ballymena Presbytery is a presbytery of the Presbyterian Ch rch in Ireland. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, as a Reformed Church within the grounded in the Scriptures, and exists to love and honour God t wider body of Christ is rough faith in Hi5 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 presbyter¢s mission purposes are in line with those 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 THE BALLYMENA PRESBYTERY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURC TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) IN IRELAND 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. GOD CALLS US TO A SHARED LIFE in which we love, honour and are reconciled to one another whilst re5pectin8 our diversity within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. We are called to encourage the exercise of the gift5 of every member of the Body for the work of ministry and, seeking the renewal of the whole Church, to co-operate with other parts of Christ's Church without betrayal of our convictions. GOD CALLS US TO WORSHIP HIM with our whole lives, meeting together in groups large and small and gathering especially on the Lord's Day for the preaching and study of His Word, the celebration of the sacraments and the offering of prayer and praise with reverence and joy, using language, form and music appropriate both to Scripture and to our time and culture, GOD CALLS US TO MISSION as witnesses to Christ through both evangelism and social witness challenging the values of the world in which we live with the value5 of God's kingdom and winning men and women to faith and discipleship. This mission is to be pursued amongst all the people of Ireland and the peoples of the European Community and the whole wo those with whom we feel comfortable, those from whom we feel alienated and those who are in any way distant from us in culture and fait Id: WE OURSELVES ARE CHALLENGED with a biblical discipleship which is radical in its self den ial, sim plicity of lifestyle, THE BALLYMENA PRESBYTERY OF THE PRESBYfERIAN CHURC TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) IN IRELAND Stewardship of money, fa ithful relationsh ips, prayerfulness, concern for the world which God has created and love for its people whom he loves and for whose salvation He gave his Son. ACTIVITIES AND OBJEcfivES The Presbytery meets on the first Tuesday of March, May, October, Novernber, December and February and the second Tuesday of September and on ot meeting commence with a time of worship and are opened an er occasions as required. All closed with prayer. The presbytery carries out the following activities Supports those candidating for the Ministry Insta115 Ordained ministers Provides pastoral support for ministers and their families Holds a number of events such as Youth, Overseas and Irish Mission Rallies PW Link is an initiative of Presbyterian Women intended to and build relationships between Presbyterian Women. PW improve communications links include a representative from each congregations and run events to upport the mission and outreach of Presbytery. During the year there were two Link meetings held i,e. Spring Celebration and a ladies breakfast ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE A regular series of stated meetings were held during 2023 carrying out the busines5 of the Presbytery. It was a busy year with considerable work required it. Much of this work was delegated to various Commissions an o deal with matters before Committees. At the 31 December the following numbers of persons were un er the care of Presbytery 2023 27 19 Minister in active service in con Retired Ministers Licentiates Students for the Ministr 2022 25 19 re ations During the year credentials were received from another Presbyt who was installed in a congregation assigned to the Presbytery. to another Presbytery in respect of one licentiate5 who were ass another Presbytery. ry in respect of I minister redentials were presented gned to congregations in THE BALLYMENA PRESBYfERY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURC TRUSTEE5 ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) IN IRELAND The presbytery encourages the congregations assigned to it to for Mission which is a central fund of the Presbyterian Church i upports the United Appeal Ireland. This fund enables congregations to support the wider mission of the denominati n and to do mission and outreach on a denominational basis beyond what the congrega ion could do on its own. The United Appeal Fund provides financial support for mission pers nnel at home and overseas, assist5 congregations with the deployment of locally based staf , enables church planting, provides grant Support for the upkeep of church premises, assi t with the running costs of Union Theological College, the Church's training college for min istry students, and financially supports congregation in the areas of worship, discipleship, glo al mission, outreach, leadership and pastoral care. The presbytery also encourages congregations to contribute to World Development Appeal, Sunday School project and any oth General Assembly he denominations annual er special appeals. Presbyteries are represented on the various Councils of the Ge Presbyterian Church in Ireland and report on an annual basis to eral Assembly of the the General Assemblv Property Presbytery neither holds nor has interest in any property. Volunteers The Trustees wish to acknowledge their deep appreciation of th time by serving on Presbytery, its commissions and panels, se who give freely of their THE BALLYMENA PRESBYTERY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURC TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT {cont'd) IN IRELAND PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT The preSb￿erlan Church in Ireland meets the public benefit re uirement by providing benefit to its members and the general public by making know the Christian Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the advancement of religion. The dir ct benefits which flow from the purposes of the Church include the gaining of an understandin8 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) leadingto spiri ual and moral development and opportunities for response to Bible teaching. In turn, this f amework leads to practical expressions of Christian beliefs and standards in the local com unity such as through the care of those in need {including the sick, disabled and bereave Generally the above benefits are delivered locally by congregational churches and embers, or are facilitated through presbyteries or are organised and delivered centrally. ocal del ivery is facilitated by central resources in almost all cases. Public access is made kno n through the use of noticeboards, printed material, press advertisement, websites, nd social media or in other ways. The benefits are demonstrated through regular evaluatio of the services and informal and ad-hoc feedback from members, their families, an members of the public. The purpose does not lead to harm. The charities beneficiaries re its members, their families, other individuals that the Presbyterian Church in Irela d is in direct and indirect contact with, the community in which pastoral services are pro ided and other communities throughout Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and worl wide which benefit from our engagement with and support for both Christian and other sec lar organisations, charities and individual members of the public. The only private benefit owing from our purpose is related to Ministers, Missionaries, Deaconesses, Irish Mission w rkers and Lay Agents who receive benefits as a result of their holding office or employme t. 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. THE BALLYMENA PRESBYfERY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURC TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT (cont'd) IN IRELAND FINANCIAL REVIEW The Presbytery's main source of income is an assessment that assigned to it and £15,957 was received in the current year {£1 levied on the congregations ,334 in previous year, 2022} Total expenditure increased from £17,342 to £24,590. This exp made to the Clerk of Presbytery, Deputy Clerk and Finance Con of their respective positions. nditure includes payments ener for the responsibilities STATEMENT OF TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES The Trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report an the presbytery in accordance with applicable law and generally practice. the financial statements of ccepted accounting As the presbytery's total income does not exceed £250,000, the under Section 6413) of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 208 t payment account and a statement of asset5 and liabilities. Trustees have elected prepare a receipts and The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting r show and explain the presbytery's transactions and disclose wit time its financial position. They are also responsible for safegua presbytery and hence for taking reasonable steps for the preven and other irregularities. cords that are sufficient to reasonable accuracy at any ding the assets of the ion and detection of fraud Approved by the presbytery at a meeting on 5th March 2024 and signed on its behalf by (Moderator) th 5 March 2024 {Clerk) th 5 March 20